In order to get a better understanding of Bible prophecy and how it applies to us today, I'd like to go through the book of Daniel, starting at the beginning. It's a fascinating book full of cryptic prophecies and astounding miracles.
Daniel Chapter One
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.
This was naughty of Nebuchadnezzar! He was poking his finger in "God's Eye", the Jews. And, God is not going to take that lying down. (Babylon is said to be located in Iraq. The ancient city of Babylon was located 100 km south of Baghdad. Here's an interesting link:
http://www.thepropheticyears.com/reasons/babylon.htm
In Jeremiah, there is a special prophecy for Babylon in chapter 50:21 - 46
Jeremiah says, "...no man will abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein."
Well, with the invasion of ISIS or IS or ISL, we are seeing now the destruction of Iraq. Is this the beginning of the end? Thanks to satellite communication, verse 46 is now possible. It says,
"At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations."
We are seeing the destruction of Babylon graphically on Youtube and hearing the cry.)
2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. (small 'g')
That was another big mistake. Nebuchadnezzar was "mad upon his idols" as says Jeremiah and he made a huge mistake in taking God's stuff and giving it to his false gods!
3. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes;
4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.
5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king.
6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah:
7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.
(It was the job of the prince of the eunuchs to "fatten up" the Jewish boys and have them looking healthy and in top condition to bring before the king. So, he felt that he was providing the best food money could buy. He was worried that by eating cheap pulse (probably beans and legumes) that the boys would become weak and unhealthy.)
11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah Mishael, and Azariah,
12 Prove they servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink.
13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.
(Melzar agreed to the experiment.)
14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.
16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.
19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of King Cyrus.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Are We in the Last Seven Years?
According to Bible scripture, we are given many clues and signs to indicate the time of Jesus's return. Most importantly, we are given indications as to when the "last seven years" of world history will begin.
Why is this so important?
It's important because, halfway into the last seven years, the Great Tribulation will begin. I believe God wants to warn us, as He always has throughout history. And if He wants to warn us, maybe it's because He wants us to be prepared.
How can one prepare for the Great Tribulation?
We can prepare mentally, spiritually, emotionally and even physically. To be prepared spiritually is the major emphasis, because if we can learn how to trust God now for our lives, it will be a "knee-jerk reaction" when the poop hits the fan. If we can learn how to hear from God now, it will come automatically when we're in a life-or-death situation. If we have a loving relationship with God now, we will be more apt to believe He loves us even when the going gets tough.
And, He does love us. More than we know! Which is why He is warning us and wants us to prepare for the worst persecution this world has ever known.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be.
Did Jesus say this to scare everyone to death so that they would run and hide? Are we supposed to react like Henny Penny and run around screaming,
"The sky is falling! The sky is falling! We're all gonna DIE!"?
It seems to me that in America these days, the media and the government are more afraid of panic than of Ebola or ISIS (IS or ISIL). Who knows if they have their priorities straight? Can panic really be that terrible? More terrible than a terrorist attack?
So, we believers are not meant to panic. We are meant to be pillars of strength and faith in times of trouble!
I can think of no better way to build up our spiritual faith and strength than to READ THE WORD. So, what does the Word tell us about the Great Tribulation? And, have the last seven years already begun? --- My answer to that is,
"No, I don't believe so."
A few things are supposed to happen first. Mainly, as I have mentioned previously, the confirming of the covenant. (We assume that the covenant is going to be signed. But, it is confirmed somehow.)
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Ok, I know this sounds really bad. And it is. But, you must remember that the very worst stuff is going to happen to the unbelievers and those who worship the "Beast". In fact, Revelation tells us that some of the believers will be safe and provided for for the entire Great Tribulation period! Good news, right?
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
That's 1260 days. That translates to about 3.46 years, which may mean that she goes into the wilderness before the Great Tribulation even starts. Wow. God is good.
Another verse in the same chapter says: "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, from the face of the serpent."
To me, that means that some of the believers will be protected in the wilderness and some of the believers will be out on the front lines, preaching the Gospel to the very end and even giving their lives as martyrs. (We've already seen many Christians beheaded by ISIS for their faith! Praise God! This is just the beginning, folks! I get the feeling we ain't seen nothin' yet!)
Revelation 12:17 says "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Ok, so what if you are one of those on the front lines? How do you overcome the devil?
Here's your answer, right out of Revelation 12:11!
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
Never underestimate the power of the Blood of the Lamb. Never underestimate the power of the Name of Jesus! And never underestimate the power of your personal testimony!
When we are out there, sharing our personal testimony about how we came to the Lord and how Jesus brought us to eternal salvation, the miracle-working power of the Holy Spirit falls heavily on us. That is the message Jesus wants to get out to the lost! So, He's going to anoint us with power and protection to be able to live long enough to get out the message. Am I right?
If you're serving God, getting out the message, God is going to see to it that you are provided for and protected right up until the end, or right up until your end. And if or when it's your turn to go, it will be a sweet release!
"Earth recedes! Heaven opens!"
"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (I Corinthians 15:55)
Why is this so important?
It's important because, halfway into the last seven years, the Great Tribulation will begin. I believe God wants to warn us, as He always has throughout history. And if He wants to warn us, maybe it's because He wants us to be prepared.
How can one prepare for the Great Tribulation?
We can prepare mentally, spiritually, emotionally and even physically. To be prepared spiritually is the major emphasis, because if we can learn how to trust God now for our lives, it will be a "knee-jerk reaction" when the poop hits the fan. If we can learn how to hear from God now, it will come automatically when we're in a life-or-death situation. If we have a loving relationship with God now, we will be more apt to believe He loves us even when the going gets tough.
And, He does love us. More than we know! Which is why He is warning us and wants us to prepare for the worst persecution this world has ever known.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be.
Did Jesus say this to scare everyone to death so that they would run and hide? Are we supposed to react like Henny Penny and run around screaming,
"The sky is falling! The sky is falling! We're all gonna DIE!"?
It seems to me that in America these days, the media and the government are more afraid of panic than of Ebola or ISIS (IS or ISIL). Who knows if they have their priorities straight? Can panic really be that terrible? More terrible than a terrorist attack?
So, we believers are not meant to panic. We are meant to be pillars of strength and faith in times of trouble!
I can think of no better way to build up our spiritual faith and strength than to READ THE WORD. So, what does the Word tell us about the Great Tribulation? And, have the last seven years already begun? --- My answer to that is,
"No, I don't believe so."
A few things are supposed to happen first. Mainly, as I have mentioned previously, the confirming of the covenant. (We assume that the covenant is going to be signed. But, it is confirmed somehow.)
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Ok, I know this sounds really bad. And it is. But, you must remember that the very worst stuff is going to happen to the unbelievers and those who worship the "Beast". In fact, Revelation tells us that some of the believers will be safe and provided for for the entire Great Tribulation period! Good news, right?
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
That's 1260 days. That translates to about 3.46 years, which may mean that she goes into the wilderness before the Great Tribulation even starts. Wow. God is good.
Another verse in the same chapter says: "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, from the face of the serpent."
To me, that means that some of the believers will be protected in the wilderness and some of the believers will be out on the front lines, preaching the Gospel to the very end and even giving their lives as martyrs. (We've already seen many Christians beheaded by ISIS for their faith! Praise God! This is just the beginning, folks! I get the feeling we ain't seen nothin' yet!)
Revelation 12:17 says "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Ok, so what if you are one of those on the front lines? How do you overcome the devil?
Here's your answer, right out of Revelation 12:11!
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
Never underestimate the power of the Blood of the Lamb. Never underestimate the power of the Name of Jesus! And never underestimate the power of your personal testimony!
When we are out there, sharing our personal testimony about how we came to the Lord and how Jesus brought us to eternal salvation, the miracle-working power of the Holy Spirit falls heavily on us. That is the message Jesus wants to get out to the lost! So, He's going to anoint us with power and protection to be able to live long enough to get out the message. Am I right?
If you're serving God, getting out the message, God is going to see to it that you are provided for and protected right up until the end, or right up until your end. And if or when it's your turn to go, it will be a sweet release!
"Earth recedes! Heaven opens!"
"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (I Corinthians 15:55)
Saturday, October 25, 2014
How Will We Know When We're in the Last Three and a Half Years?
If you have read my previous post entitled, "How Will We Know When We're in the Last Seven Years?", you will know that I pointed out the "signing of the covenant" as one of the signs that begins the last seven years of life "as we know it" on this planet.
I singled that out so that it would be clear, emphatic and easy to remember.
But, what about the beginning of the last three and a half years? How will we know for sure when that has begun?
It was Jesus Himself Who warned us about the "Great Tribulation" in Matthew, chapter 24. We know from other verses in the Bible that the "Great Tribulation" lasts for three and a half years. Revelation chapter 13 describes the world dictator or "Antichrist" and the time period that he will be given to continue.
Revelation 13:5 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.
If you divide 42 by 12 (12 months in a year), you come up with 3.5 years. That's not a coincidence. That's God reinforcing His word by using months as well as years. He also tells us the time period in days.
Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. (3.54 years)
During this time of tribulation, the woman (or believers) flees into the wilderness.
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
(One score is 20 years. So, that adds up to 1260 days.)
If you divide 1260 days by 364 (there are 364 and 1/4 days in a year), you will get 3.461 years.
If you choose to use the Jewish months, there are roughly 355 days in a Jewish calendar year, so by dividing 1260 days by 355, you come up with roughly 3.54 years.
In another verse, Revelation 12:14, it says, "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, from the face of the serpent."
That's three and a half years.
So, the question is: How will we know when we're in the last three and a half years?
Matthew 24:15 WHEN YE THEREFORE SHALL SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, SPOKEN OF BY DANIEL THE PROPHET, STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE...
21 FOR THEN SHALL BE GREAT TRIBULATION, SUCH AS WAS NOT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THIS TIME, NO, NOR EVER SHALL BE.
Jesus made it very clear. He said "when". "When you see." We are going to see the Abomination of Desolation. Now, in this time on the earth, everyone is able to simultaneously see something important. Just like we all saw the twin towers fall. We'll see the placing of this "thing" when it is erected "in the holy place".
Is there a question about where the "Holy Place" is? No, it's not the Vatican. It's Jerusalem. If you haven't read the Bible, God has always referred to Jerusalem as His own holy place and the place Jesus will return to very soon.
Now, at this point in time, there is a mosque sitting on the temple mount. However, the Jews intend to build their own temple in the same vicinity. Therefore, the signing of the peace covenant (Daniel 9:27) may even make that possible, since, at the moment, it seems to be a political and religious impossibility.
I singled that out so that it would be clear, emphatic and easy to remember.
But, what about the beginning of the last three and a half years? How will we know for sure when that has begun?
It was Jesus Himself Who warned us about the "Great Tribulation" in Matthew, chapter 24. We know from other verses in the Bible that the "Great Tribulation" lasts for three and a half years. Revelation chapter 13 describes the world dictator or "Antichrist" and the time period that he will be given to continue.
Revelation 13:5 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.
If you divide 42 by 12 (12 months in a year), you come up with 3.5 years. That's not a coincidence. That's God reinforcing His word by using months as well as years. He also tells us the time period in days.
Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. (3.54 years)
During this time of tribulation, the woman (or believers) flees into the wilderness.
Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
(One score is 20 years. So, that adds up to 1260 days.)
If you divide 1260 days by 364 (there are 364 and 1/4 days in a year), you will get 3.461 years.
If you choose to use the Jewish months, there are roughly 355 days in a Jewish calendar year, so by dividing 1260 days by 355, you come up with roughly 3.54 years.
In another verse, Revelation 12:14, it says, "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, from the face of the serpent."
That's three and a half years.
So, the question is: How will we know when we're in the last three and a half years?
Matthew 24:15 WHEN YE THEREFORE SHALL SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, SPOKEN OF BY DANIEL THE PROPHET, STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE...
21 FOR THEN SHALL BE GREAT TRIBULATION, SUCH AS WAS NOT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THIS TIME, NO, NOR EVER SHALL BE.
Jesus made it very clear. He said "when". "When you see." We are going to see the Abomination of Desolation. Now, in this time on the earth, everyone is able to simultaneously see something important. Just like we all saw the twin towers fall. We'll see the placing of this "thing" when it is erected "in the holy place".
Is there a question about where the "Holy Place" is? No, it's not the Vatican. It's Jerusalem. If you haven't read the Bible, God has always referred to Jerusalem as His own holy place and the place Jesus will return to very soon.
Now, at this point in time, there is a mosque sitting on the temple mount. However, the Jews intend to build their own temple in the same vicinity. Therefore, the signing of the peace covenant (Daniel 9:27) may even make that possible, since, at the moment, it seems to be a political and religious impossibility.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Don't Burn the Bridge of Forgiveness
George Herbert said
"He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has need to be forgiven."
Whoever thinks they do not need to be forgiven is greatly deceived.
In a sense, if we do not, cannot or will not forgive, we are declaring that we do not need forgiveness and we are not required to extend it to others. And that's just pure PRIDE. It's a ridiculous and childish attitude of,
"I'm perfect but you're not."
It's like that picture of the kid on the playground who says, "I'm taking my toys and going home."
He doesn't want to share his toys with others because he's selfish. It's funny and even kind of cute because we've all been there. But, hopefully, we will all grow out of that stage.
So, how is it that some of us are deceived into thinking that we are not required to forgive?
I think it has something to do with comparing sins with sins. The thought pattern is like this:
"I can forgive THIS but not THAT. THAT was a sin of the mind but THIS is a sin of the heart. THIS was unintentional but THAT was on purpose!"
We get the idea that we can be stingy with our forgiveness as if it's something we possess and give away. That right there is wrong thinking because, as imperfect human beings, we don't naturally possess the ability to forgive. It's not like we have a reservoir full of forgiveness to pour out to whoever we decide "deserves" it.
Like the lady told the judge, "Please have mercy on my son!"
And when the judge said, "Your son does not deserve mercy!"
She replied, "If he deserved it, it wouldn't BE mercy!"
The only way we can extend forgiveness to others is by fully and deeply knowing that we are not perfect, we are sinners and that we deserve to go to Hell! Yes, we deserve to go to Hell, people. iThere's not one of us who can escape the fires of Hell without the blood of Christ!
And just because you "feel" or "judge" that someone has "done you wrong", it does not give you the right to hold a grudge. You don't have that luxury unless you are GOD.
In fact, Jesus warned us in this way. He said in Matthew chapter 6, verses 14 and 15
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Wow.
That's pretty intense, don't you think? I mean, this is Jesus Christ our Saviour talking saying that, "Yes, I died for you and I forgave you, but if you don't forgive others, you won't be forgiven."
I almost just don't want to believe that because it's so drastic. It seems really harsh. Does it mean we will actually lose our salvation if we don't extend forgiveness to others? Well, Jesus said it. Was it just good advice? Or, is it true that God will not forgive us unless we forgive?
One way to look at it is like this:
Ok, you died. You're standing in front of the gates of Heaven. But, before you can get IN, you have to make sure you clean up any grudges you're holding in your heart against anyone on the planet. You can't take that unforgiveness into Heaven with you.
Maybe we need to look at unforgiveness as a sin. That would help us identify it as unwanted energy. It's a strain and a drain and a weight on our souls. That would mean that forgiveness is NOT an option. You don't get to choose to not forgive without very heavy consequences, according to Matthew 6:15.
What we need to ask ourselves is: "Do I really want God to not forgive me?"
What does that mean? Can you imagine God waiting on you to forgive your brother or sister before He deigns to forgive you? Do we really want to build a wall between ourselves and God?
How do we picture God? Is He the One who is critical, cold, hard, austere, rigid, unbending, unsympathetic and bound to the law? Is God like that? No! That is not the picture of the Christian God.
That pretty much describes the Devil.
Yes, folks, it's the Devil who has all those attributes. He's legalistic, judgmental, proud, haughty, unbending, unmerciful, critical. Oh, AND unloving. In case you didn't know it.
So, now, taking everything into consideration: where does unforgiveness come from? God? Jesus?
I have had difficulties forgiving people whom I felt did me wrong. One thing that helped was to STOP focussing on that person's huge mistake and to focus on a few of my own bloopers and unkind deeds (of which there are plenty). But the way to make forgiveness come easy is to remember in detail all the suffering that Jesus had to go through for our own sins.
Besides, if I hadn't gotten saved when I did, who knows what terrible crimes I would have been capable of committing? If I'd stayed on that road to destruction and selfishness, it may have led me to any number of dastardly deeds! But, thank God, someone had the love and compassion to tell me about salvation!
Now, it's just a matter of passing it on. "Pay it forward." And that's what forgiveness is all about: "paying it forward" because "what goes around comes around" and for sure, we're gonna need forgiveness one of these days very soon!
The bridge of forgiveness is a VERY busy bridge just flowing with non-stop traffic! God help us not to cause a road block.
"He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has need to be forgiven."
Whoever thinks they do not need to be forgiven is greatly deceived.
In a sense, if we do not, cannot or will not forgive, we are declaring that we do not need forgiveness and we are not required to extend it to others. And that's just pure PRIDE. It's a ridiculous and childish attitude of,
"I'm perfect but you're not."
It's like that picture of the kid on the playground who says, "I'm taking my toys and going home."
He doesn't want to share his toys with others because he's selfish. It's funny and even kind of cute because we've all been there. But, hopefully, we will all grow out of that stage.
So, how is it that some of us are deceived into thinking that we are not required to forgive?
I think it has something to do with comparing sins with sins. The thought pattern is like this:
"I can forgive THIS but not THAT. THAT was a sin of the mind but THIS is a sin of the heart. THIS was unintentional but THAT was on purpose!"
We get the idea that we can be stingy with our forgiveness as if it's something we possess and give away. That right there is wrong thinking because, as imperfect human beings, we don't naturally possess the ability to forgive. It's not like we have a reservoir full of forgiveness to pour out to whoever we decide "deserves" it.
Like the lady told the judge, "Please have mercy on my son!"
And when the judge said, "Your son does not deserve mercy!"
She replied, "If he deserved it, it wouldn't BE mercy!"
The only way we can extend forgiveness to others is by fully and deeply knowing that we are not perfect, we are sinners and that we deserve to go to Hell! Yes, we deserve to go to Hell, people. iThere's not one of us who can escape the fires of Hell without the blood of Christ!
And just because you "feel" or "judge" that someone has "done you wrong", it does not give you the right to hold a grudge. You don't have that luxury unless you are GOD.
In fact, Jesus warned us in this way. He said in Matthew chapter 6, verses 14 and 15
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Wow.
That's pretty intense, don't you think? I mean, this is Jesus Christ our Saviour talking saying that, "Yes, I died for you and I forgave you, but if you don't forgive others, you won't be forgiven."
I almost just don't want to believe that because it's so drastic. It seems really harsh. Does it mean we will actually lose our salvation if we don't extend forgiveness to others? Well, Jesus said it. Was it just good advice? Or, is it true that God will not forgive us unless we forgive?
One way to look at it is like this:
Ok, you died. You're standing in front of the gates of Heaven. But, before you can get IN, you have to make sure you clean up any grudges you're holding in your heart against anyone on the planet. You can't take that unforgiveness into Heaven with you.
Maybe we need to look at unforgiveness as a sin. That would help us identify it as unwanted energy. It's a strain and a drain and a weight on our souls. That would mean that forgiveness is NOT an option. You don't get to choose to not forgive without very heavy consequences, according to Matthew 6:15.
What we need to ask ourselves is: "Do I really want God to not forgive me?"
What does that mean? Can you imagine God waiting on you to forgive your brother or sister before He deigns to forgive you? Do we really want to build a wall between ourselves and God?
How do we picture God? Is He the One who is critical, cold, hard, austere, rigid, unbending, unsympathetic and bound to the law? Is God like that? No! That is not the picture of the Christian God.
That pretty much describes the Devil.
Yes, folks, it's the Devil who has all those attributes. He's legalistic, judgmental, proud, haughty, unbending, unmerciful, critical. Oh, AND unloving. In case you didn't know it.
So, now, taking everything into consideration: where does unforgiveness come from? God? Jesus?
I have had difficulties forgiving people whom I felt did me wrong. One thing that helped was to STOP focussing on that person's huge mistake and to focus on a few of my own bloopers and unkind deeds (of which there are plenty). But the way to make forgiveness come easy is to remember in detail all the suffering that Jesus had to go through for our own sins.
Besides, if I hadn't gotten saved when I did, who knows what terrible crimes I would have been capable of committing? If I'd stayed on that road to destruction and selfishness, it may have led me to any number of dastardly deeds! But, thank God, someone had the love and compassion to tell me about salvation!
Now, it's just a matter of passing it on. "Pay it forward." And that's what forgiveness is all about: "paying it forward" because "what goes around comes around" and for sure, we're gonna need forgiveness one of these days very soon!
The bridge of forgiveness is a VERY busy bridge just flowing with non-stop traffic! God help us not to cause a road block.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Imposters!
In one chapter alone, Jesus warns us three times about imposters!
Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
(Many shall come in Jesus's name and shall deceive many.)
Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
(Many. That's not just a few, then.)
Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
(This is the third time just in chapter 24 that Jesus has warned us! We should consider ourselves warned. Then, He goes on to tell us exactly how to know when the "Real Jesus" returns. He goes into detail to describe His return just so we will all know without a shadow of a doubt that it's really Him!)
Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
(We won't be able to miss it! It won't be a secret! The whole sky is going to light up! Get that picture? Any questions?)
Furthermore, He goes on to tell us exactly when this phenomenal return is going to take place.
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
(It will be very obvious that "something's going down" when all of a sudden the sun and the moon go black! Hard to miss that! The powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Can't wait to see that! It doesn't sound like a secret "rapture", does it?)
30 And then (and only then) shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
(Italics, brackets and underlining have been added. I'm quoting the King James version of the Holy Bible.)
Matthew 24:31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
(There you go! So, even if you are blind and deaf and you don't see that the sun and moon are black and that the entire sky has lit up with the return of our Lord; even if you don't hear the great sound of the trumpet, He's going to make it very clear by "gathering" us together! And, then, guess what happens!
You should know this already, right?)
I Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(Can you imagine that? Does that please you? Will that make you happy?
The Final Grand Climax!
Isn't that worth suffering for? Going to prison for? Sacrificing for? What wonderful encouragement. You could just take that one verse of scripture and hold it in your heart for the rest of your life and it would get you through just about anything, wouldn't it? What a promise to cling to!
To me, that's just a whole lot better than some wimpy, secret snatching away of the believers in a hidden so-called "Pre-tribulation Rapture" that is a fabrication of someone's fearful imagination. Those who believe in that think,
"Our God is so merciful, He would never allow us to suffer going through the tribulation."
He wouldn't? If you think that, take a look at the history of believers since the crucifixion of Christ!
Give me a break! And read Hebrews chapter 11! Ever hear of martyrdom?
And yes, our God is merciful. That means we won't go through anything alone. He'll be right there with us and help us get through whatever we need to go through and He'll help us to be a testimony for Him, too.
But, we will not suffer the "Wrath of God". The wrath is reserved for the most unbelieving, wicked who have persecuted and killed the true believers. Right? We need to understand the difference between God's wrath and the "Great Tribulation". That may require some Bible reading.
Here's another suggestion: Just read the Bible word for word exactly as it is. And, by all means, ask God to help you understand what you're reading. Don't allow preconceived ideas and man's interpretations to interfere with your relationship with the naked, pure Word of God. Allow it to speak personally to you. Don't worry if you don't understand it all. Nobody does.)
Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
(Many shall come in Jesus's name and shall deceive many.)
Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
(Many. That's not just a few, then.)
Matthew 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
(This is the third time just in chapter 24 that Jesus has warned us! We should consider ourselves warned. Then, He goes on to tell us exactly how to know when the "Real Jesus" returns. He goes into detail to describe His return just so we will all know without a shadow of a doubt that it's really Him!)
Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
(We won't be able to miss it! It won't be a secret! The whole sky is going to light up! Get that picture? Any questions?)
Furthermore, He goes on to tell us exactly when this phenomenal return is going to take place.
Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
(It will be very obvious that "something's going down" when all of a sudden the sun and the moon go black! Hard to miss that! The powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Can't wait to see that! It doesn't sound like a secret "rapture", does it?)
30 And then (and only then) shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
(Italics, brackets and underlining have been added. I'm quoting the King James version of the Holy Bible.)
Matthew 24:31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
(There you go! So, even if you are blind and deaf and you don't see that the sun and moon are black and that the entire sky has lit up with the return of our Lord; even if you don't hear the great sound of the trumpet, He's going to make it very clear by "gathering" us together! And, then, guess what happens!
You should know this already, right?)
I Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(Can you imagine that? Does that please you? Will that make you happy?
The Final Grand Climax!
Isn't that worth suffering for? Going to prison for? Sacrificing for? What wonderful encouragement. You could just take that one verse of scripture and hold it in your heart for the rest of your life and it would get you through just about anything, wouldn't it? What a promise to cling to!
To me, that's just a whole lot better than some wimpy, secret snatching away of the believers in a hidden so-called "Pre-tribulation Rapture" that is a fabrication of someone's fearful imagination. Those who believe in that think,
"Our God is so merciful, He would never allow us to suffer going through the tribulation."
He wouldn't? If you think that, take a look at the history of believers since the crucifixion of Christ!
Give me a break! And read Hebrews chapter 11! Ever hear of martyrdom?
And yes, our God is merciful. That means we won't go through anything alone. He'll be right there with us and help us get through whatever we need to go through and He'll help us to be a testimony for Him, too.
But, we will not suffer the "Wrath of God". The wrath is reserved for the most unbelieving, wicked who have persecuted and killed the true believers. Right? We need to understand the difference between God's wrath and the "Great Tribulation". That may require some Bible reading.
Here's another suggestion: Just read the Bible word for word exactly as it is. And, by all means, ask God to help you understand what you're reading. Don't allow preconceived ideas and man's interpretations to interfere with your relationship with the naked, pure Word of God. Allow it to speak personally to you. Don't worry if you don't understand it all. Nobody does.)
Monday, August 11, 2014
Forced Faith is not Faith
God does not force us to believe in Him.
Like a lover Who is madly in love with us, He waits. He woos. He rescues us. He sends messages to us. He sends messengers. He gently pleads, He reveals Himself in His handiwork. But, He never forces Himself on us. Ever.
Think about it for a moment:
If a baby were born into the world and prevailed upon to believe in a demanding "God" who insisted on certain prayers at certain times and in a certain way, how would that be pleasing God?
If God is Love (as the Bible tells us) then, how would it please a God of Love to pray and worship Him without involving one's heart?
God does not want robots who are forced to love Him. In fact, God made a very big deal about giving humans the majesty of choice. Yes, even the choice to rebel if we choose to. Choice is an important part of being human.
If we had no choice but to worship and love God, I think we would become slaves or robots and... more-than-likely, not really in it with our whole hearts. If we were forced to pray and praise God every day, it would get to be a habit and would very soon (I imagine) lose its appeal due to the repetition and non-voluntary state of the worshippers. This would seem true even more when the habit is forced upon us by humans rather than by a willingness to obey God.
(That doesn't necessarily mean that, as believers, we will always "feel" like praising God. That's a different subject altogether.)
How much faith does it take to believe in the "God" you are taught to believe in from birth along with the rest of your family? How much faith does it take to believe in something you are not allowed to stop believing in?
Well, that is a question.
If a person is in such a case, I think they should ask themself another question:
"Would God want or even need me to believe in Him if I had no other choice?"
There are loads of gods out there to choose from. There are loads of religions, cults, gurus and idols. But, there is only one God Who is the actual Creator of heaven and earth, our bodies, hearts and souls.
It is up to us to choose. I believe that unless we have the majesty to choose, we will not have the honour of knowing the One True God.
God wants us to know Him. He wants us to have a loving relationship with Him. He wants us to want Him. He wants us to choose Him.
Like a lover Who is madly in love with us, He waits. He woos. He rescues us. He sends messages to us. He sends messengers. He gently pleads, He reveals Himself in His handiwork. But, He never forces Himself on us. Ever.
Think about it for a moment:
If a baby were born into the world and prevailed upon to believe in a demanding "God" who insisted on certain prayers at certain times and in a certain way, how would that be pleasing God?
If God is Love (as the Bible tells us) then, how would it please a God of Love to pray and worship Him without involving one's heart?
God does not want robots who are forced to love Him. In fact, God made a very big deal about giving humans the majesty of choice. Yes, even the choice to rebel if we choose to. Choice is an important part of being human.
If we had no choice but to worship and love God, I think we would become slaves or robots and... more-than-likely, not really in it with our whole hearts. If we were forced to pray and praise God every day, it would get to be a habit and would very soon (I imagine) lose its appeal due to the repetition and non-voluntary state of the worshippers. This would seem true even more when the habit is forced upon us by humans rather than by a willingness to obey God.
(That doesn't necessarily mean that, as believers, we will always "feel" like praising God. That's a different subject altogether.)
How much faith does it take to believe in the "God" you are taught to believe in from birth along with the rest of your family? How much faith does it take to believe in something you are not allowed to stop believing in?
Well, that is a question.
If a person is in such a case, I think they should ask themself another question:
"Would God want or even need me to believe in Him if I had no other choice?"
There are loads of gods out there to choose from. There are loads of religions, cults, gurus and idols. But, there is only one God Who is the actual Creator of heaven and earth, our bodies, hearts and souls.
It is up to us to choose. I believe that unless we have the majesty to choose, we will not have the honour of knowing the One True God.
God wants us to know Him. He wants us to have a loving relationship with Him. He wants us to want Him. He wants us to choose Him.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Noah Movie Review
The movie, "Noah" starring Russel Crowe started out alright. I mean, the first few seconds were accurate in that God created the heaven and the earth. But, after that, it became a fairy tale. Sadly.
I was quite disappointed because it was sort of interesting and even had a lot of facts thrown in but it was a big letdown simply because it was not scriptural.
One redeeming factor of this movie is that it may get people to pick up their Bibles to find out,
"Did that really happen?"
"Was Noah really THAT out of touch with God that he was going to kill the baby if it was a girl but allow it to live if it was a boy?"
That part reminded me of China.
If you do happen to want to read your Bible to compare it with the movie, you'll find the story of Noah in the book of Genesis chapters 6 to 9.
The Bible indicates that God spoke quite clearly and directly to Noah, giving him specific instructions on how to build the ark as well as directions on storing up food, even telling Noah exactly how long the rain would fall. God even told him when to leave the ark.
In the book of Genesis, you'll notice the words, "the Lord said" followed by a direct quotation of words that God spoke to Adam, Noah and Abraham.
God had conversations with Adam as they walked together in the garden. In fact, God tells us that man was created for God's pleasure. So, it seems that God enjoyed talking with Adam and Eve before the fall.
He continued to talk to specific men afterwards. Then, angels spoke to specific people in an audible voice.
Although, it happens less often in these days that humans hear the audible voice of God, it does happen.
Nowadays, we are living in the "Age of Faith" so that in order to know God, we need faith to believe in a God we no longer hear in an audible voice or see with these physical eyes (unless God so chooses to allow it). Most of the time, our relationship with God is by faith.
When God speaks to His children, it's usually not audible. It's a thought or a knowing by faith.
But, when Noah heard from God, God was speaking out loud very clearly. There were no "if's, and's or but's" like the movie portrayed. Noah was not confused about his mission as he was in the movie.
God told Noah, "The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth... but with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee."
Noah knew exactly what his mission was. He knew what God was doing and why. He didn't have doubts or wonder what God was telling him. He simply obeyed.
Through Noah's obedience, mankind had a second chance. Of course, mankind muffed it. Again.
Still, obedience to God is a wonderful thing. When we do it God's way, it shows God we believe in Him and trust that He knows best.
I was quite disappointed because it was sort of interesting and even had a lot of facts thrown in but it was a big letdown simply because it was not scriptural.
One redeeming factor of this movie is that it may get people to pick up their Bibles to find out,
"Did that really happen?"
"Was Noah really THAT out of touch with God that he was going to kill the baby if it was a girl but allow it to live if it was a boy?"
That part reminded me of China.
If you do happen to want to read your Bible to compare it with the movie, you'll find the story of Noah in the book of Genesis chapters 6 to 9.
The Bible indicates that God spoke quite clearly and directly to Noah, giving him specific instructions on how to build the ark as well as directions on storing up food, even telling Noah exactly how long the rain would fall. God even told him when to leave the ark.
In the book of Genesis, you'll notice the words, "the Lord said" followed by a direct quotation of words that God spoke to Adam, Noah and Abraham.
God had conversations with Adam as they walked together in the garden. In fact, God tells us that man was created for God's pleasure. So, it seems that God enjoyed talking with Adam and Eve before the fall.
He continued to talk to specific men afterwards. Then, angels spoke to specific people in an audible voice.
Although, it happens less often in these days that humans hear the audible voice of God, it does happen.
Nowadays, we are living in the "Age of Faith" so that in order to know God, we need faith to believe in a God we no longer hear in an audible voice or see with these physical eyes (unless God so chooses to allow it). Most of the time, our relationship with God is by faith.
When God speaks to His children, it's usually not audible. It's a thought or a knowing by faith.
But, when Noah heard from God, God was speaking out loud very clearly. There were no "if's, and's or but's" like the movie portrayed. Noah was not confused about his mission as he was in the movie.
God told Noah, "The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth... but with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee."
Noah knew exactly what his mission was. He knew what God was doing and why. He didn't have doubts or wonder what God was telling him. He simply obeyed.
Through Noah's obedience, mankind had a second chance. Of course, mankind muffed it. Again.
Still, obedience to God is a wonderful thing. When we do it God's way, it shows God we believe in Him and trust that He knows best.
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