"Pure Religion - Pure Worship" - Inspirational Weekend

"Pure religion and undefiled is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."  -  James 1:27

The King James Study Bible notes tells us, "James identifies true religion as involving two actions:  service and separation which relate to two basic attributes of God:  Love and Holiness."

We show love when we serve others, and we show holiness when we are separated from the world and are thereby not contaminated with sin by becoming worldly.

The word religion in the Greek (threskei) can also be translated worship.  The word religion has shifted in meaning today than what was meant back when it was first translated into English. The word religion meant rather worship.  Strong's Concordance gives the meaning as both religion and worshipping. 

"The feeling is one thing, the expression of it is another.  The feeling is religion, the expression of it is worship."  Therefore,in James 1:27, he was "not talking about religion, but about its expression, worship."

"James described religion by its fruits, and that on two sides: first, that of love and mercy; secondly, that of purity from worldly defilements."

It should be noted that this verse was an example to follow.  The fatherless and the widow were most vulnerable and usually had the most need, so James used them as examples, but the principle applies to others in need as well.  As believers, we are to serve God by serving our fellowman.  And by visiting the needy,  James meant more than a social visit, of course.  James meant to serve them, to help them in any way possible.  Doing so reflects the love of the heavenly Father, and it is our privilege to help the needy.  It is obeying God to do so.   It is also a sign that you are a true believer and that you have love from the Father working in your life; the Holy Spirit is within you.

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."  -   Matthew 5:8

The heart is the center of one's being, including mind, will and emotions.  To have a pure heart, you need to be a true believer, filled with the Holy Spirit.  You need to have been born again (John 3:3) and you need to have a close, personal, intimate, love relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  You do this by much prayer and Bible study; that is how you come to truly know the Lord.

It is all about love.  Beneficence comes from a heart full of love.  

You can trust God ! He loves you !  Take everything to Him in prayer.  Ask Him for an extra portion of His Holy Spirit.  Ask Him for guidance and to fill your heart to overflowing with love for others.  God answers prayers that are within His will.

If you have never been born again, it is critical that you go now to the Lord in prayer, asking for forgiveness and truly repenting of your sins, never to go back to a life of sin again.  Believe with every ounce of your being that Jesus is the Savior, the Redeemer, and that at the cross He shed His blood for you and for all who would have faith and believe in Him; for all who also believe He rose again from the dead, thereby making a way for true believers to have everlasting life.  

Don't delay.

Jesus could return at any moment.

You do not want to be left behind and thereby suffer the torments and judgments which occur during the following 7 year tribulation.

Jesus Loves You !

He is waiting to hear from you!

He will welcome you with open arms of love and pardon!

Romans 10:9,10,13 urges us: (9)  "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. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

John 14:2-3 says,  (2)  "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you. (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. "

"Jesus saith unto him,  I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."   -  John 14:6

"The War Of Gog And Magog" With Video by Chuck Missler - Inspirational Weekend

In my photograph above, the sun is setting on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai.   In many ways, the sun is setting, so to speak, on this current world situation of confusion and chaos we find ourselves in now.   I know you are familiar with the occurrences of violence and the immorality, as well as the fact that many in the world have adopted an anti-God attitude.  But all signs point to the fact that we are living in the end times, the last days.   And what is happening in the Middle East with Russia and Iran and Turkey and the conflict in Syria is one of the signs that point us to the prophesied Gog of Magog war, when various countries in the region attack Israel for its gas and oil riches, as well as the fact of an extreme hatred of the Jews by Israel's surrounding enemies.   

One thing about it, if the battle of Gog of Magog is near, then the Rapture of the Church is even nearer as most scholars agree that the Rapture happens before that war.  That is good news that the Rapture is so close to happening; that is, if you are a saved, true believer it is good news to you.   

Following is a video by Chuck Missler, a Bible prophecy expert, in which he goes into detailed information on the Gog and Magog war, as prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39.  I recommend that you read those two chapters in Ezekiel, although Chuck Missler quotes Ezekiel 38 extensively in the video.    (Please note, this Session 1 discourse automatically continues to Session 2 on Gog and Magog)

God uses the Battle of Gog and Magog to bring Israel back to Him (Ezekiel 39:22).  The same can be said of all the other events during the Tribulation period.  The Church, the true believers, were caught up to heaven in the Rapture prior to this battle, so God is concentrating now on leading Israel to believe in Him and in Jesus as the Messiah.  I highly recommend that you watch the above video as Chuck Missler gives valuable information above and beyond what others attempt to explain.  

Why should you be concerned about the Battle of Gog and Magog?  After all, it happens during the seven-year tribulation period, (probably during the first 3 -1/2 years), and if you are a believer you will be in heaven then. Actually, some scholars believe that the Magog coalition  and attack may end no later than 3 - 1/2 years before the 7 year tribulation actually begins.  This is because Israel will burn the enemies' weapons for fuel for 7 years (Ezekiel 39:9).  This is no problem for the first half of the tribulation while things are peaceful, but not feasible during the second half of the tribulation because the Jews will flee Israel then (at the mid-point of the tribulation) rather than dealing with this energy supply (Matthew 24:15-22).  Therefore, these scholars suggest that Gog of Magog Battle will happen and end before the Tribulation even begins.  

As I stated previously, for believers the fact that events are lining up as preparation for Gog & Magog Right Now !!  means that we will be raptured very soon.   Thank you, Lord !!  We need to share the Gospel with family members and others immediately, before it is too late.  However, some will become Christians during the Tribulation as the Bible tells us at  Revelation 7:9-14.  If you are not a believer in Jesus Christ before the Rapture of the Church, you will end up suffering through the horrors of the Tribulation period.   Therefore, it is important to study and know Bible prophecy because, one way or another, you will be affected.  

It is important to note that the enemy countries that border Israel have already previously been defeated by Israel in the Psalm 83 war.   Following is Psalm 83:4-8  -- "(4) They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. (5)For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:  (6) The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; Of Moab, and the Hagarenes; (7) Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek;  the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre, (8) Assur also is joined with them:  they have holpen the children of Lot. "  I am sure you are familiar with the current Middle East chant, "Israel will be wiped off the map", which echoes verse 4 above.  

After the victory (Psalm 83) over the above bordering countries, Israel will have a sense of peace and security, which may explain why Ezekiel 38:11 says, "And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,"  The fact that Israel got rid of its walls and "gates" make it seem like easy prey to the Gog of Magog invading forces.   But God !   God steps in with supernatural events to protect Israel from these Magog forces.  You can read about the earthquake that happens just as these invaders arrive in Israel, as well as fire, brimstone, and hailstones and more at Ezekiel 38:14 through to Ezekiel 39:9.   So the army of the Magog invaders will be destroyed by God Himself !   God makes it clear that this is to make His name known  (Ezekiel 39:7-8; 38:23).

Not to forget, the countries that invade Israel in the Gog and Magog war are listed in Ezekiel 38:2-6. Chuck Missler, in the above video, shows who they are and uses charts/maps to do so.   Magog, as scholars agree, is Russia; Persia is modern day Iran; Togarmah is Turkey; and if I remember correctly, Gomar includes Germany and Eastern Europe. Mr. Missler and others believe the word "gog" is referring to something of a satanic or evil origin.

The main thing is, Bible prophecy has come true in the past (for instance, the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus Christ the Messiah came true, as the New Testament makes clear); so if prophecy has come true in the past, it will come true in the here and now and in the future.  People need to make sure that their lives and their hearts are "tuned in" to God, and that they have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus -  that they put their faith in Him and believe that He rose from the dead.  Romans 10:9 tells us,  "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."  Don't delay !

"But this I say, brethren, the time is short:  it remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away."     -   1 Corinthians 7:29,31

"The Mark of the Beast - 666 - And How to Avoid It" - Inspirational Weekend with Videos

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.   Here is wisdom.  Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."  -  Revelation 13:16-18

The above Bible verses are referring to the Antichrist (the beast) who will appear during the 7 year Tribulation period, which occurs sometime after the Rapture of the Church. That statement right there gives you a clue how to escape taking the Mark of the Beast.   More on that later in this post.  

"Anti" means to be against or opposed to; the Antichrist is opposed to Jesus Christ.  Did you know the Bible says there are many antichrists in the world, back in the apostle John's day as well as today? Those of you who are familiar with the Scriptures could probably name one or two today that fit that description.   1 John 2:18 says, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time."  See also 2 John 7: "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.   This is a deceiver and an antichrist."   But these antichrists are not the same as the Antichrist.   

But what does 666 mean?   The number 6 is thought to be the number of man.  The Bible often repeats things 3 times for emphasis.  I have heard it (the number 666) explained to mean  "imperfection to the third degree".   In Greek as well as in Hebrew, the letters of the alphabet also may stand for numbers, which makes it possible to add up numbers for every name.     The apostle John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, may have intended the number 666 to be a mystery.  If you have kept up with these things, that number has been applied to several people in the past, including President Ronald Reagan.    Food for thought:  in some ancient Greek manuscripts of Revelation,  the number is written as 616 instead of 666.

To take the Mark of the beast is to give your allegiance to the Antichrist.   So the eternal destiny of those who take the Mark so that they may buy or sell is to spend all eternity in the lake of fire.  Taking the Mark of the Beast (the Antichrist) is the same as worshiping Satan, who is the one who gives the Antichrist his power; in fact the Antichrist is possessed by Satan. So if a person takes the Mark he cannot be forgiven.  To escape hell, you must not take the Mark.  That means you will either starve to death as you will not be able to buy or sell, or that you will be killed.  (Revelation 13:15).   The other key to avoiding the Mark of the Beast is to give your life to Jesus; repent and believe on Jesus and His resurrection (Romans 10:9-10).  If you do that right now, you will not be here during the 7 year Tribulation period.   You will have previously been Raptured to heaven some time before the Tribulation.   Believe me, the horror and the destruction and the plagues and disasters during the Tribulation time will be terrible beyond your imagination; you do not want to be here for that.  Just read the book of Revelation for all of the judgments to come upon those left behind , as well as upon the earth itself.  

Many in the know believe the Mark will be either an RFID (Radio Frequency Indentification  microchip) or possibly a tattoo of some kind on the right hand or the forehead, which stores all information about you and will enable the Antichrist to enforce his powers over the economy as well as other things.   This technology is available now.   It is only a matter of time.

Supposedly, by Agenda 2030 (Google this), the UN plans to have universal biometric identification for all humanity by the year 2030.

Below is an interview with Billy Crone concerning the Mark of the Beast.

It is good to know about what is in store during the Tribulation period, even if you are a true believer and know you will be raptured before that terrible time occurs.    For one, we can tell others about the horrors of that time so they will want to avoid it and turn to Jesus in repentance and with a new heart set on God and Jesus and His will.     If you keep up with Bible Prophecy at all, you will realize that events happening right now, especially in the Middle East, were all prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39, and Psalm 83 and Isaiah 17 and many other places in the Word of God.  So time is short.  The Rapture could happen at any moment.  I hope you watch the video above for more information and, if you have time, below is a longer playing video chock full of even more detailed information on the universal matrix  that is leading up to this Mark of the Beast.

"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:  for the former things are passed away."

Revelation 21:3-4

"God Is Love, So Why The Wrath Of God?" - Inspirational Weekend

"He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love."  -  1 John 4:8

This Inspirational weekend post continues, in part, the discussion begun about the Tribulation Period

 from last weekend (scroll down one post).   World events are still happening as the Bible predicted -- and close to home here in the United States with attacks on innocent people in California, for one instance.  I highly recommend that you thoughtfully and prayerfully read  Matthew 24 about the signs of the end times.  

Let me also quote from  2 Timothy 3: 1-5  : "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:  from such turn away."

The good news is, we are so far into the last days that all such evil will not last much longer and true believers have a wonderful hope to look forward to with the Lord in heaven.  Take heart and wait patiently for the Lord.

As to why, since God is love, He will unleash His wrath relentlessly in the Tribulation period, the above Scriptures help answer that question;  we must remember that God is Holy, pure perfection.   He is also a God of justice and cannot leave sin unpunished.   God's vengeance is perfect and holy and His wrath is fearsome and something to be terrified of, unless you are saved by grace.  In which case the blood of Jesus shed at Calvary has made atonement for your sins and God's wrath will not come upon you then.   "Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."  -  Romans 5:9

Another reason (besides justice and vengeance from God) for the Tribulation period is to bring people to salvation.   God's wrath can bring people to repent and to turn to Him.  "For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness."  -  Isaiah 26:9

Just like now, when God will use trials and heartaches to get our attention for us to turn to Him in faith and repentance, so  during the Tribulation God's wrath will cause many to turn to Him.  

It reminds me of the verse at 2 Peter 3:9 ,  "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."

One thing I did not make clear enough in last weekend's post is that the Mark of the Beast referred to in  Revelation 13:16-18 means the Mark of the antichrist; beast is another term for the antichrist in Revelation.    A rather fitting term for someone so evil.  

Like I have stressed before, believers have a hope and a future; they will not be around during the Tribulation but will be in heaven then with the Lord.  It is time to get right with the Lord if you have not done so before now.   "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."  -  John 3:16