GOG, NOAH'S GRANDSONS, AND THEIR PROGENY

WHO ARE GOG, MAGOG, TUBAL, AND MESHECH?

*  Genesis 10:2; 1 Chronicles 1:5 - "The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras."

*  1 Chronicles 5:4-5 - "The sons of Joel; Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son...."

*  Isaiah 66:19 - "And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles."

 

*  Ezekiel 27:13 - "Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market."

*  Ezekiel 32:26 - "There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living."

*  Ezekiel 38:2-3, 14, 16, 18 - "Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal....Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; in that day when My people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it....And thou shalt come up against My people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against My land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes....And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that My fury shall come up in My face."

*  Ezekiel 39:1, 6, 11, 15  - "And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD....And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers:  and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamon-gog....And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog."

 

THEIR END IS LIKE THAT OF ALL OF GOD'S ENEMIES!

*  Revelation 20:7-10 - "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city:  and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever."

TWO OUTCOMES - EITHER HEIRS OR THE LAKE OF FIRE

OVERCOMERS SHALL BE JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST!

 

*  Revelation 21:7 - "He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son." 

    -  Rev. 2:7 - "To him...will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

    -  Rev. 2:11 - "He...shall not be hurt of the second death."

    -  Rev. 2:17 - "To him...will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it."

    -  Rev. 2:26 - "To him will I give power over the nations."

    -  Rev. 3:5 - "He...shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels."

    -  Rev. 3:12 - "Him...will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name."

    -  Rev. 3:21 - "To him...will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne."

 

 *  Romans 8:14-17 - "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ...."

 

HOW DOES ONE BECOME AN OVERCOMER?

 

*  John 3:15-16 - "...whosoever  BELIEVES in Jesus should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVES in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

 

*  John 6:40, 47 - "And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which sees the Son, and  BELIEVES on Him, may have everlasting life:  and I will raise him up at the last day....Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that BELIEVES on Me has everlasting life."

*  1 John 5:4-5 - "For whosoever is born of God overcomes the world:  and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even OUR FAITH.  Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that BELIEVES that Jesus is the Son of God?

 

WHAT KEEPS ONE FROM BEING AN OVERCOMER?

*  John 3:18, 36 - "He that believes on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God....He that believes on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him."

*  Revelation 21:8 - "BUT the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone:  which is the second death."

JESUS CHRIST IS OUR RESURRECTED LORD!

BELIEVE IT OR NOT!  IT IS UP TO YOU!

THE CHURCH AS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

PENTECOST IS THE FEAST DESCRIBING THE CHURCH

Leviticus 23:15-17 - "And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete:  even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.  Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they are the first-fruits unto the LORD."

[Notes:  1)  The Church was born on the Day of Pentecost (fifty days - Acts 2:1-47)!  2)  Leaven represents sin throughout the Bible (Mt. 16:6, 11-12; Mk. 8:15; Lk. 12:1; 1 Cor. 5:6-8; Gal. 5:1-9)!   3)  The Church is made up of "two leavened loaves":  imperfect Jews (Acts 2:5), and imperfect Gentiles (Mt. 28:19; Acts 1:8; 10:44-48; Rom. 7:15-25; etc.)!  4)  The Church is the "first-fruits unto the LORD" (Rom. 8:23; 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:15; Jam. 1:18; etc.)!

THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

Jesus is the Bridegroom:  Mt. 9:15; 25:1-10; Mk. 2:19-20; Lk. 5:34-35; Jn. 3:29; and the Church, made up of imperfect Jews and imperfect Gentiles, is the bride:

Revelation 21:1-2, 9, 12, 14 - "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband....And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife....And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel....And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

Jesus came as the Lamb of God to be our Passover, and He will return as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Jn. 1:29; Mt. 24:29; 1 Cor. 5:7; 11:23-26; Rev. 5:5; 19:11-21)!

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.  And let him that heareth say, Come.  And let him that is athirst come.  And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely....He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus"  (Rev. 22:17, 20)!

DANIEL 2:31-45 (SKIPSLIGHTHOUSE VERSION)

NEBUCHADNEZZER'S DREAM

Daniel 2:31-45 (SLV) - "You, O king, saw in your dream a great image....This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms were of silver, his belly and his thighs were of brass, his legs were made of iron, and his feet were composed of part iron and part clay.  You saw it standing until a stone was cut out without hands, struck the image upon his feet that were made of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.  Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together....and the stone that struck the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." 

DANIEL'S INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM

"This is your dream....You are the head of gold.  And after you, there shall arise another kingdom of silver which will be inferior to yours; it will be followed by a third kingdom of brass which shall rule over all the earth.  And then there shall be a fourth kingdom, which shall be as strong as iron:  forasmuch as iron is able to break into pieces and subdue all things:  and it shall break them all into pieces.  And you saw the feet and toes of the image, consisting part of potters' clay, and part of iron; the kingdom shall be divided, but it shall have the strength of the iron, forasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay.  And as the toes of the feet were also part iron and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.  And whereas you saw the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men:  but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.  And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed:  and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.  Forasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke into pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God has made known to you what shall later come to pass: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation is sure."

 

GOLD = BABYLON (Dan. 2:38; 7:1-4):  SILVER = MEDO-PERSIA (Dan. 7:5; 8:1-7);

BRASS = GREECE (Dan. 7:6; 8:5-8); IRON = ROME (Dan. 7:7-8; 9:26);

IRON & CLAY = ANTICHRIST (Dan. 11:36-45; 2 Th. 2:1-12; Rev. 13:1-10);

THE STONE = CHRIST'S SECOND COMING (Ps. 118:22; Mt. 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7; Rev. 19:1-21)!

CHRIST'S TWO COMMANDMENTS

THE TWO COMMANDMENTS CANNOT BE SEPARATED!

*  Mathew 22:36-40 - "Master, which is the great commandment in the Law?  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang ALL the Law and the Prophets."

LOVING THY NEIGHBOR IS LOVING THE LORD!

*  Galatians 5:13-14 - "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  For ALL the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

*  1 John 1:1-3 - "(He Who) was from the beginning, (Whom) we have heard, (Whom) we have seen with our eyes, (Whom) we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; for the life was manifested, and we have seen (Him), and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, (Who) was with the Father, and was manifested unto us; that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us:  and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ."

*  1 John 2:3-6 - "And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  He that says, I know Him, and keeps not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keeps His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:  hereby know we that we are in Him.  He that says he abides in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked."

*  1 John 3:22-24 - "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.  And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.  And he that keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him.  And hereby we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit Whom He hath given us."

*  1 John 4:19-21 - "We love Him, because He first loved us.  If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar:  for he that loves not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen?  And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loves God loves his brother also."

*  1 John 5:1-7 - "Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loves Him that begat loves Him also that is begotten of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments:  and His commandments are not grievous.  For whosoever is born of God overcomes the world:  and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.  Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood.  And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

 

OUR LOVE IS EVIDENCE WE ARE A CHILD OF GOD!

FAITH IN CHRIST LEADS TO REPENTANCE

Salvation is a free gift from God to all who will place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but that does not mean, as His children, we are free to sin without God's chastisement (Rom. 10:8-13; Eph. 2:8-9; Heb. 12:5-8; etc.).  When Jesus spoke to the woman taken in the act of adultery, He said she was to go and sin no more" (Jn. 8:11).  God wants everyone to turn to Him in faith (2 Pet. 3:9)!  Even during the horrible "Day of the Lord" (the Tribulation - Rev. 6 - 19), God wants the lost to repent, but many will not (Rev. 9:20-21; 16:9, 11)!  Throughout the New Testament, the Gospel message is "believe and turn to God!"  Here are a few examples:

*  Matthew 3:1-2 - "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
*  Matthew 4:17 - "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
*  Mark 6:7, 12 - "And (Jesus)  called unto Him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits....And they went out, and preached that men should repent."
*  Luke 16:30-31 - "And (the rich man in torment) said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  And (Abraham) said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
*  Luke 24:45-47 - "Then (Jesus) opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:  and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
*  Acts 2:38 - "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
*  Acts 11:18 - "When (the Jewish believers) heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."
*  Acts 20:20-21 - "And how I (the Apostle Paul) kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ."
*  2 Corinthians 7:10 - Paul wrote:  "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of:  but the sorrow of the world worketh death."
*  Hebrews 6:1 - The writer of Hebrews wrote:  "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God...."
*  2 Peter 3:9 - Peter wrote:  "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

 

SALVATION IS FREE, BUT BEING A DISCIPLE WILL COST YOU! 

BECOMING A CHILD OF ALMIGHTY GOD

John 3:3-8 - "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh (natural birth); and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (spiritual birth).  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth (the Greek θέλω (thelō) "where it wills, wishes, desires), and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth:  so is every one that is born of the Spirit."

John 1:10-13 - "He (Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.  He came unto His own (Israel), and His own received Him not.  But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name (Acts 4:12):  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

Romans 8:14-16 - "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."

Galatians 3:24-26 - "Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 2:13-15 - "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.  Do all things without murmurings and disputings:  that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."

1 John 3:1-2 - "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:  therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."

 

JESUS SAVES; THE SPIRIT SEALS; AND THE FATHER WORKS IN US!

FROM KNOWING ABOUT GOD, TO KNOWING HIM

Job 1:20-22 - "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither:  the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

Job 2:9-10 - "...his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity?  Curse God, and die.  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh.  What?  Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?  In all this did not Job sin with his lips."

Job 6:8-10 - "Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! Even that it would please God to destroy me; that He would let loose His hand, and cut me off!  Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow:  let Him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One."

Job 13:15-18 - "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him.  He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before Him.  Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.  Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified."

Job 19:25-27 - "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:  and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me."
Job 23:12 - "Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the words of His mouth more than my necessary food."

Job 42:1-6 - "Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that Thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee.  Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.  Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of Thee, and declare Thou unto me.  I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee.  Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."

Job 42:12, 16-17 - "So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning....After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.  So Job died, being old and full of days."

SALVATION IS FREE, BUT LIVING FOR CHRIST HAS COSTS

Born again believers desire, more than anything, to do the will of God, right?  Of course,  but that is because many of us live in a countries where there is plenty, where there is freedom of speech, and where we are protected by law from harm.  But, have you been watching what is happening?  Being a Christian is becoming a "liability!"  Things are starting to deteriorate at a rapid pace; the things we hold dear are all being challenged in the streets, in the media, and in the courts.  My question is, am I really sure I want to do God's will when it may cost me everything:  job, home, loved ones, and even one's life?  Yes, if Jesus tarries much longer, I believe our faith will be tried to the point that being a Christian may cost us our lives.  But do not be alarmed; the early Church faced these same treats, and in spite of them, the Church has grown, and spread to "the four corners of the globe!"  God hasn't changed; we know doing His will is ALWAYS the best choice in the end!  His will for us is"   

*  Mark 3:35 - Jesus said, "For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother."  [We are family!]
*  Acts 13:36 - "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers...."  [We will live until our work is done!]
*  Romans 8:27 - "And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."  [He knows our needs!]
*  2 Corinthians 8:5 - "And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God."  [Believers will be there for us!]
*  Galatians 1:3-4 - "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,  Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father."  [Our eternal life is a done-deal!]
*  1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "In every thing give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  [We may have the honor of suffering for He Who gave His very life for us!]
*  Hebrews 10:36 - "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."  [We know our reward is certain!]
*  1 Peter 2:13-15 - "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.  For so is the will of God...."  (With one exception: Acts 5:29!]
*  1 Peter 3:17 - "For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing."  [We are to make sure we do not give cause to our enemies!]
*  1 Peter 4:2 - "That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."  [We must focus upon His will and not our will!]
*  1 Peter 4:19 - "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."  [Do not fear those who can destroy your body, because the One Who guards your soul is faithful!]
*  1 John 2:17 - "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever."  [This trial will soon be over, and our life with God is eternal!]

GOD LOVES US BECAUSE THAT IS WHO HE IS!

How much does God love mankind?  He loves us enough to send His only begotten Son, Jesus, to be crucified and die for our sins, to see Him buried for three days, knowing full well that He would raise Him from the dead, and that all who place their trust in Him, shall rule and reign with Him forever (Lk. 1:33; Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rev. 5:10)!

How much does Jesus love mankind?  He loves us enough to willingly allow Himself to be crucified for our sin, and to be separated from His Father for three hours while the world turned dark at noon (Mt. 27:45-46; Mk. 15:33-34; Lk. 23:44)!

How much does the Holy Spirit love us?  He loves us enough to dwell within us, even though we grieve Him by our sins, and quench Him as He works through other believers (Jn. 14:17; Eph. 4:30; 1 Thes. 5:19)!

Yes, we are love by our Creator God!  And He has made sure mankind knows of His love for us.  Not only does the awesomeness of nature declare His glory, but He has given us His written Word so that we are without excuse if we deny Him (Rom. 1:15-20; 2 Tim. 3:16)!  There are several statements in His Word showing this; here are two:

*  John 5:39 - "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:  and they are they which testify of Me."

*  Luke 24:17-27 - Jesus asked them, "What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?  And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, Art Thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass therein these days?  And He said unto them, What things?  And they said unto Him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, Who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:  and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him.  But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel:  and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.  Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not His body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that He was alive.  And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but Him they saw not.  Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself."

THE IMPORTANCE OF A WEDDING GARMENT

In Matthew 21 & 22, Jesus was teaching in the Temple, and when the Chief Priests and the Pharisees challenged His right to teach, Jesus spoke to them in parables (Mt. 21:28-45).  Those questioning His authority to preach, "perceived that He spoke of them."  He continued in Matthew 22:1-14; where Jesus taught "the Parable of the Wedding Garment."  In it, He tells of a guest who was not wearing a "wedding garment" (Mt. 22:11).  The King's reaction begs the question, "What is a proper "wedding garment?"  I believe the answer is found in the following verses.

The "wedding garment" is the man's righteousness:  "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:  for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints" (Rev. 19:7-8).

But God's Word says, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom. 3:10)!  And in Isaiah 64:6, we read:  "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags...."

The explanation of how an unrighteous person becomes righteous is stated in Job 33:26:  "He shall pray unto God, and He will be favorable unto Him: and he shall see His face with joy:  for He will render unto man His righteousness."

And in Isaiah 64:10, we read:  "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."

But how can a righteous, Holy God justify declaring an unrighteous man to be righteous?  After all, the Word says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23), and it also says:  "The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23)! 

Praise God, Romans 6:23 does not end there; it continues saying, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  Yes, the answer is found in the love of God; John 3:16-17 says:  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."  You see, God "... hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21)!

 

IF YOU WANT TO BE PRESENT AT CHRIST'S WEDDING, YOU MUST HUMBLE YOURSELF AND ACCEPT THE FREE GIFT OF THE WEDDING GARMENT!

GOD ALWAYS FINISHES WHAT HE HAS STARTED!

HOW A PERSON BECOMES A CHILD OF GOD

*    John 1:11-13 - Jesus "...came unto His own, and His own received Him not.  But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
*    John 3:15-17 - "...whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not is Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."
*    Romans 10:9-10 - "...if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
*    Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  not of works, lest any man should boast."

WHAT TO EXPECT AS GOD'S CHILD

*    Romans 8:28-30 - "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.  For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called:  and whom He called, them He also justified:  and whom He justified, them He also glorified."
*    Philippians 1:3-6 - "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that He Who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
*     Philippians 2:8-13 - Jesus "...humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God Who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."
*    Hebrews 12:5-8 - "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him:  for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."

GOD'S GOAL FOR HIS CHILDREN

*    Genesis 1:26 - "And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness...."
*    1 John 3:2 - "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is."

BECAUSE WE BELIEVE, WE HAVE FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE!

*  Luke 17:5 - "And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith."
*  Hebrews 10:23 - "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He is faithful Who promised."
*  Hebrews 12:2 - "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
*  1 John 5:4 - "For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

*  Psalm 39:7 - "And now, Lord, what wait I for?   My hope is in Thee."
*  Psalm 71:5 - "For Thou art my hope, O Lord GOD:  Thou art my trust from my youth."
*  Psalm 119:116 - "Uphold me according unto Thy Word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope."
*  Jeremiah 17:17 - "Be not a terror unto me:  Thou art my hope in the day of evil."
*  Philippians 1:20 - "According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death."
*  1 Timothy 1:1 - "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our hope."

*  Zephaniah 3:17 - "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing."
*  John 15:9 - "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love."
*  Romans 5:5 - "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Who is given unto us."
*  Romans 5:8 - "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
*  Romans 8:39 - "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
*  2 Thessalonians 3:5 - "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ."
*  1 John 3:16 - "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."
*  1 John 4:9 - "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."
*  1 John 4:17 - "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world."

 

WE HAVE FAITH; WE HAVE HOPE; AND WE HAVE LOVE;

ALL BECAUSE WE KNOW HE FIRST LOVED US! 

MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

THE THINGS THAT THOU HAST SEEN

1:1-2 - "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John:  who bares record of the Word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw."
1:19 - "Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter."

THE THINGS WHICH ARE

2:1-3:22 - Seven messages to seven churches.

THE THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS

4:1-2 - "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:  and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, (since the Church is not mentioned even once during the Tribulation, and the Word calls the period "time of Jacob's Trouble - Jer. 30:7, I believe John's ascension is a picture of the Rapture) and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne."
4:3-6:1- John witnesses the events in heaven leading up to God's wrath being poured out on earth.
6:2-11:19 - The first half of the seven-year Tribulation (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:3-15; etc.).
12:1-17 - A parallel picture of Christ's First Advent.  [Just as was the case with Mary (singular) being "with child" (Jesus; singular), Herod (singular) trying to kill Him, and the family escaping to Egypt; so too is the woman (corporate Israel), her child (corporate Body of Christ), and Satan (corporate - one third of the angels) tries to destroy Israel (corporate), which is "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time...." (12:14) - the word translated "caught up" is the Greek ἁρπάζω (harpazō), the same word used by Paul in 1 Th. 4:17 - it means "to be taken up by force;  unlike Jesus who ascended in to heaven, the Church will be "snatched up by force."]
13:1-18 - The Beast (Antichrist) and another Beast (the False Prophet), are revealed to Israel by the Abomination of Desolation, and that is when they "escape" (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; etc.).
14:1-18:24 - The second half of the Tribulation; Jesus identified this three and a half years as the Great Tribulation (Mt. 24:21)!
19:1-21 - Christ's Second Advent!
20:1-7 - Christ's Millennial Kingdom!
20:8-15 - The Great White Throne Judgment!
21:1-22:17 - Eternity begins with a New Heaven, a New Earth, and a new Jerusalem!
22:18-20 - WARNING:  DO NOT MESS WITH THIS BOOK!

WE ARE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD

Believe it or not, there are many folks who claim to be Christian, who claim to believe the Bible is the Word of God, and yet, they hold to doctrines that contradict the Scriptures.  One such group identifies themselves as "Oneness Pentecostalism."  This group's teaching on the Godhead, which is popularly referred to as the "Oneness doctrine," states that there is one God, a singular divine Spirit, Who manifests Himself in many ways, including as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost  (Holy Spirit).  In other words, they do not believe that the one true God exists in three persons.  They argue that at any given time, Jesus "acted" as God, the Father, and that today, He is doing the same as the Holy Spirit.  They believe that Jesus assumed the role of Father-God in the Old Testament, and that after His Ascension, He is now assuming the role of the Holy Spirit.  But the Word says:

*  Mt. 3:16-17 - "And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him:  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
*  Mt. 28:19 - "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost...."
*  Jn. 14:16-17 - "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever;  even the Spirit of truth...."
*  1 Pet. 1:2 - "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."
*  1 Jn. 4:13-14 - "Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world."
*  1 Jn. 5:7 - "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost:  and these three are one."
*  Jude 20-21 - "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

Also notice what was said about the creation of man:  "And God said, Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness....So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them" (Gen. 1:26-27).  The Apostle Paul wrote about born again believers being made in the image of God:  "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Th. 5:23).

 

WARNING:  "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? 

He is antichrist, that denieth the Father AND the Son" (1 Jn. 2:22)!!!!!!!

SIN IS A LACK OF LOVE

THE BELIEVER'S GOAL

*  John 5:14 - "Afterward Jesus findeth Him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole:  sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee."

*  John 8:11 - "She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

*  1 Corinthians 15:34 - "Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God:  I speak this to your shame."

*  Ephesians 4:26-27 - "Be ye angry, and sin not:  let not the sun go down upon your wrath:  neither give place to the devil."

*  2 Timothy 2:19 - "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His.  And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

*  1 John 2:1 - "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.  And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED WHEN YOU FAIL

*  1 John 3:1-3 - "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:  therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure."

 

WHILE WE WAIT TO BE CHANGED INTO HIS LIKENESS

*  Romans 13:8-10 - "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law.  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.  Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law."

*  Galatians 5:13-14 - "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  For all the Law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

SATAN, THE ANTICHRIST, AND THE HARLOT

THE DRAGON

Revelation 12:3 - "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a GREAT RED DRAGON having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." 

[Note:  The great dragon is that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world - Rev. 12:9]

THE ANTICHRIST

Revelation 13:1-5 - "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast?  Who is able to make war with him?  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months."

[Note:  Daniel identifies him The Prince of Rome (Dan. 9:26-27).  He apparently dies from a mortal head wound, and is reanimated by the Dragon who empowers his dead body for the last half of the seven-year Great Tribulation (Mt. 24:15-28)] 

THE GREAT WHORE

Revelation 17:1-17 - "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the GREAT WHORE that sitteth upon many waters:  with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:  and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:  and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.  And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel?  I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.   And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them:  for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the Word of God shall be fulfilled.  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
[Note:  The city which ruled at the time of John's vision, was Rome.  Rome is a city set on seven hills.]

DO YOU BELIEVE JESUS IS LORD?

Jesus "came unto His own (the Jewish people), and His own received Him not.  But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:  who were born (again), not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (Jn. 1:11-13). 

 

What does it mean to be "born again?"  John wrote in John 3:3-8:

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old?   Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water (physical birth) and of the Spirit (spiritual birth), he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh (physical birth); and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (spiritual birth).  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth (wills to go), and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit." 

The work of the Spirit the conviction of an individual of his sin (Rom. 3:23), of Christ's righteousness (Heb. 4:15), and of the certain judgment (Jn. 16:7-11; Rev. 20:12-15).  This is accomplished by an individual  hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), specifically the Gospel (the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation - Rom. 1:16).  The Gospel states:  "...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures...that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." (This same Jesus was seen alive by more than 500 witnesses (1 Cor. 15:1-6)!

The Gospel of John uses the word "believe" in forty-six verses, and "believeth" in fourteen verses!  For those who respond to the question, "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?" with an answer other than "Yes!" might not be saved!  Many who went to Vacation Bible School, or to Sunday School Class, or joined a church, will answer the question in the past tense.  They do not understand that the word "believe" is a present tense verb!  The question is not "Did you ever believe in Jesus"; it is "DO YOU BELIEVE NOW?"

Those who truly receive Jesus, receive Him as Lord!  The Apostle Paul wrote: 

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Rom. 10:9-10).

 

IS JESUS CHRIST YOUR LORD NOW? 

BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN SENT "TO TILL THE SOIL"

From the first book of the Bible to the last, God is active in the affairs of mankind.  We don't always recognize His involvement in our lives, let alone the lives of all beings, whether angelic, demonic, animal, and human!  He uses the weather, our enemies, our family and friends, and all things to work together to bring about His will.  The words "all things," appears in the New Testament 171 times, and He works all things together for good, especially to those who love Him" (Rom. 8:28-30)!  God is a sending God; He sends what we need, whether to bless us, or humble us, and that means He has sent (placed) you where you are at this very moment!  You are where you are because He is working in you, and for you, and through you for the sake of others!  Here are ten examples of God moving in the lives of man:

*  Genesis 3:23 - The LORD God sent Adam back to till and plant his own garden from the very soil from which God had made him.
*  Genesis 45:7 - God sent Joseph ahead to Egypt to ensure his family would be able to survive the famine many years later.
*  Judges 9:22-23 - After Abimelech had been cruel to the people of Israel for three years, God sent an evil spirit which caused the men of Shechem to deal "treacherously with Abimelech."
*  2 Kings 6:9 - God sent Elisha to warn Israel of the King of Syria's battle plans.
*  1 Chronicles 21:15 - God sent His angel to destroy Jerusalem, but then stopped him before the entire city was destroyed.
*  John 3:16-17 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."
*  Acts 10:34-36 - "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:  but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.  The Word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ:  He is Lord of all."
*  Galatians 4:4-6 - "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."
*  1 John 4:9-10 - "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
*  Revelation 5:6 - "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."

 

YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE FOR YOUR GOOD AND HIS GLORY!

THE WORD OF GOD

The phrase "the Word of God" appears hundreds of times in the Scriptures, but the Apostle John used it in a unique way; he describe Jesus as being "The Word" in five verses of his writings; they are"

*  John 1:1 - "In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God."
*  John 1:14 - "And The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
*  1 John 1:1 - "(He Who) was from the beginning, (Who) we have heard, (Who) we have seen with our eyes, (Who) we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of The Word of life."
*  1 John 5:7 - "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, The Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."
*  Revelation 19:13 - "And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God."

"Word" is translated from the Greek λόγος (logos), which occurs 331 times in 316 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV.  The five verses above clearly show by context, that they are referring to Jesus Christ, and not the spoken or written Word of God. 

"To John, it denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God, His minister in creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world's life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement of man's salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the second person in the Godhead, and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds."  ["Note: A Greek philosopher named Heraclitus first used the term Logos around 600 B.C. to designate the divine reason or plan which coordinates a changing universe." - Blue Letter Bible]

I do not know why John was led of the Spirit to call Jesus "the Word," but there may be a clue in John 5:39, which says, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:  and they are they which testify of Me." 

Luke wrote something similar in Luke 24:27 & 44 which says, "And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself....And He said unto them, These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me."

To the Jews, Psalm 138:2 must seem strange, in that, they are afraid to use the name of God, and yet the Bible repeated reveals that the religious leaders of Jesus' day were constantly misusing God's Word!  The Psalm says, "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy loving kindness and for Thy truth: for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name."  Perhaps, this very verse may have been on John's mind when he emphasized God's message and His messenger, "The Word of God" made flesh!

 

YOU CAN TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD!