"Do Not Be Troubled At Heart" (With Videos and Charles Spurgeon Sermon) - Inspirational Weekend

You may be thinking, "The world is falling apart, another World War is on the horizon, how can I not be troubled?"   May I remind you that the good Lord is in control, and things are not falling apart, but instead are falling into place, according to Bible prophecy.

Although we will concentrate here on John 14:1, let us also read verses 1-4 of John 14:

 (1) "Let not your heart be troubled:  ye believe in God, believe also in Me.  (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.  (4)  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."  

What comfort do those above words of Jesus bring to all who love Him and long to be with Him in heaven soon!  The whole 14th chapter of John is Jesus comforting His disciples.  He had previously told them that He would suffer and die and would be leaving them shortly, so now He sought to comfort the disciples.  His words are of great consolation to His followers in this modern age as well.  

Following is a beautiful song titled "Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled", by David and Renae Haas.

Sometimes there is nothing quite like a hymn or worship song to bring comfort to the soul.  I urge all of you who have a computer to go to You Tube and listen to old time hymns every morning before your Bible study.  God wants us to rejoice and be glad in Him; to praise Him and to follow in the footsteps of His Son, Jesus Christ.

But remember, no hymn or anything else can take the place of reading and studying God's Holy Word.  Also much prayer is needed to develop a close , personal, intimate, love relationship with the Lord.  Pray to the good Lord to give you an extra portion of His Holy Spirit to enable you to comprehend and live by His Word.  

"The saints could not be perfected but by Jesus' shed blood and the renewing by the Holy Spirit."  -  Charles Spurgeon

Let your heart be kept with the full trust in God.  Christ's disciples, more than any others, should keep their minds quiet, when everything else is unquiet.  The remedy against a troubled mind is to believe.  If you have trouble believing, pray to the Lord for strength and for giving you more of the Holy Spirit, which will enable you to believe in God and Jesus, and in all of the promises which they have made.  Pray believing that you will receive. 

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."    -   Matthew 21:22  

Following is a sermon by Charles Spurgeon on John 14.  For those who are not familiar with him, He was born in 1834 and died in 1892.  He was a Baptist preacher at the congregation of The New Park Street Chapel (later the Metropolitan Tabernacle) in London for 38 years.   Before he was 20, Spurgeon had preached over 600 times.  He has been called "The Prince of Preachers", although he was also an author of many various types of works.  

Spurgeon's sermon here is 51 minutes long, but I pray that you take the time to listen to it.

Spurgeon says,  " Be not troubled!  Your Savior reigns.  He lives!  He is not far away!  ..... Do not worry!  Jesus will come again!  He will receive His followers.  All of this is near at hand!   We will be with the Lord forever......endless bliss!"

If you have never surrendered your life to the good Lord, now is the time !  His return is imminent!  You need to be repentant of your sins, confess them to the Lord, be sincere in your belief that Jesus is the only way to salvation.  Believe that His blood shed at Calvary washes away your sins....He will wipe the slate clean when you come to Him in faith and repentance.   You will be assured of eternal life with Jesus forever !  

"All that the Father giveth Me shall  come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out."   -  John 6:37

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life."    -  John 6:47

"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

Current Events Update And The Soon Rapture Of The Church (With Videos)

The Bird of Paradise flower above seems fitting to begin this post, as we will be discussing the Rapture of true believers to heaven  (paradise) with Jesus.  Also, we will discuss current events in light of Bible prophecy.

To begin, please watch the following 19 minute video on current events in the Middle East featuring Messianic Jew and Bible teacher Amir Tsarfati, who has a thriving ministry and lives in Israel.  This video was created and posted yesterday, so obviously it is current.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0GNZ-Gfb2E

Amir gives information on the recent attack on Syria by America with Israel's assistance, as well as other useful information pertaining to the last days.    I appreciated how he stresses that the people of God should not be afraid, because the Lord is in control.  We are the generation that has seen more prophecies coming true than any other generation, says Amir.  He gives much encouragement to true believers in the Lord. 

He also directs us to the fact that PM Netanyahu of Israel made a video yesterday in English concerning Iran's nuclear plan, as well as the fact that Israel acquired a stockpile of documents that proves Iran lied when the nuclear deal was signed concerning the fact that they supposedly did not have nuclear weapons.  Although you may have seen it on the news, I will post this video link with Netanyahu directly below:

We are now watching Bible prophecy being fulfilled in real time. These are dangerous times, but also exciting times.  Prophecies are being fulfilled almost daily, it seems.  It is important to read  your Bible so you can appreciate how true God's Word is and everything He told us about the end times is coming to pass right now.  It builds your faith, and also gives you hope that we believers will all be with the Lord very soon in heaven,  before the 7 year Tribulation occurs.   That is when God pours out His wrath upon all the ungodly and evil people left on earth after the Rapture.  The Great Tribulation is also called the time of "Jacob's trouble"... meaning the Jewish people .  (Jeremiah 30:7).  The Tribulation is also to bring the Jews to the realization that Jesus is their Messiah.

This may seem like soft date setting, to say that Jesus will return soon to Rapture true believers to be with Him in heaven.  But  remember that "Jesus chastised the Pharisees and the Sadducees as well as the city of Jerusalem for not recognizing the season of their visitation."   -  Matthew 16:1-4; 23:37-39

Also, do not forget that Jesus gave us signs to look for that pointed to the season of His return for believers.  You may find these signs in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

We need to understand the temporary nature of our current existence, as our departure will be soon in light of Bible prophecy.

Are you ready to leave this earth?  Are you ready for the return of the Lord?  Are you living a sanctified life; as holy a life as possible?  Are you surrendered to the Lord and obeying Him?  In other words, are you born again?  (John 3:3)

If all of that is true of you, then there is no need to panic or to be afraid.  Our faith and trust and hope is in the good Lord, and not in this corrupt world.  God gives us peace when we trust in Him.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee"    -  Isaiah 26:3

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."   -  John 14:27

Those who are refusing to believe in Jesus as their Savior are making the biggest mistake they could ever make in this life.  Their eternity will be in torment in hell.   I beg you to look to the Lord for help.  He loves you and does not wish any to perish.  (2 Peter 3:9).

This world is passing away, but he that does the will of God will live forever.  (1 John 2:17).  Wouldn't you like to live forever in a paradise restored; live among peaceable persons who want nothing more than to worship and praise the Lord ?   You can if you will only put your trust in the Lord and believe in Jesus as your Savior.  But you must also sincerely repent of your sins, ask the Lord for forgiveness and believe in the resurrection of Jesus.  It is not complicated; it is not an elaborate list of do's and don't's.  When you begin to live a life dedicated to the Lord, you will want to obey and follow Him, because your love for Him will grow as you draw near to Him in prayer and in Bible reading and study.  You will have a hope and a purpose, and He will give you peace.


Romans 10:9,10,13 tells 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."

"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

"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

"What Is The Work Of God?" - Inspirational Weekend

My photograph above of the African Crowned Crane is just one example of God's beautiful creations.  All we have to do also is to gaze upon gorgeous mountains, and other breathtaking examples of our Heavenly Father's masterpieces, and we realize just how awesome our God is.   

But "the work of God" stressed in this post is not about His amazing creation, but something else indeed.  John 6:29 says:

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."

Let's back up to other verses in John 6 so that we may see the context here more fully.  Jesus had previously performed the miracle of turning two small fishes and five barley loaves into enough food to feed over 5,000 men plus women and children.  Not only that, but there were 12 baskets of food left over.  (John 6:1-14).

Later, the people searched for Jesus again, and when they found Him, He said unto them:

".......Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled."  -  John 6:26

The miracles which Jesus performed proved that He came from God and that He was the promised Messiah.  That was reason enough to follow Him.  But to follow Him because He supplied them with food, that was selfishness of a gross kind.  Beware today, believers, that you do not make the same mistake:  following Jesus for what you can get from Him, instead of following Him out of faith and belief in Him. We should follow Him out of extreme love for Him, and out of true gratitude for salvation from Him.

In John 6:27, Jesus went on to say to them:

"Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed."

The people responded with: "What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?"   -  John 6:28

Jesus responded with the already quoted verse, John 6:29:

"This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."

The people had immediately thought that doing "works" (plural) was what was required and was what Jesus meant.   But Jesus referred to one work......  the work that pleases God... and the first requirement is to have faith in Jesus Christ.  "A faith that would enable them to lay hold upon Him who is the Bread of Life: from  such faith would spring a Christlike life."

It is not doing this or doing that, but it is believing.  "The act of believing in Jesus, the soul's casting itself on Him with perfect trust, is here spoken of as a work, as something which requires the exercise of man's will and calls forth determination and effort. The attainment of abiding nourishment unto eternal life offered by the Son of man."

Believe in Jesus as the Savior. 

"This is the work which sinners are to do; and doing this they will be saved, for "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth".   (Romans 10:4).

We are living in the last days.

Believers should be in constant fellowship with the Lord through prayer and Bible study, thereby developing a close, intimate, personal love relationship with Him.  That will enable you to not only live a life pleasing to Him and to help you grow to spiritual maturity, but it will also help you to do the Great Commission and bring others, with the Holy Spirit's help, to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Unbelievers should not delay in accepting Jesus as their Savior as His return is imminent.  Not to choose Him, not to choose life, is still a choice....you are saying No to Him, No to eternal life with the Lord.   You need to repent of your sins, pray for forgiveness, believe in Jesus with all your being and believe also in His resurrection !  It is not complicated, you only need to be repentant and sincere - and of course have faith and believe in Jesus.

Romans 10:9, 10, 13 tells 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."

"And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."   -  Jesus at John 6:39

"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

Jesus tells us the Great Commission at Matthew 28:19, 20:

(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:  (20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

Syria Is A Wake-up Call ; Middle East Events ; Bible Prophecy (With Video)

In my photograph above, most of these lesser flamingos have their heads buried, and some may be in oblivious sleep.   It reminds me of the general attitude of most people in these perilous times we are now living in:  life goes on as usual (so they believe) as all hell is breaking loose in the world and particularly in the Middle East.  Bible prophecy is being fulfilled right before their eyes and they are too asleep to realize it.   This is true even in the pulpit as well as the pews.   Pastors, for the most part, do not dare touch on Bible prophecy.   

Following is a 28 minute video from prophecywatchers,com featuring author and White House Correspondent Bill Koenig, who discusses the Middle East current events in detail.   Although posted on You Tube yesterday, it was filmed the beginning of this month, so it is not completely up-to-date, but there is enough pertinent information as to be enlightening to us.  

 Most of you who are followers of this blog, are already aware of the fact that things happening right now are extremely prophetically significant.  Mr. Koenig has been studying Bible prophecy for many years, and so has the host of the show, Gary Stearman, so they are quite knowledgeable concerning end time events.

Here is a link to an article titled "Three Reasons Syria Is Our Wake-Up Call"  from raptureready.com.  The writer, Todd Hampson, gives 3 main Scriptures as the reasons concerning Syria as a wake-up call. They are Zechariah 12:2-3;  Isaiah 17:1,14; Ezekiel 38.

Mr. Hampson goes into detail about these prophecies, and explains how Israel's recently discovered gas and oil is a threat to Russia's oil sales.   He also brings to our attention that "Saudi Arabia has never been aligned with Israel and the USA as foretold in Ezekiel 38 -- until now!"  He also says, "I believe we are seeing the stage being set before our very eyes for these three major end-time prophecies."   Please read the entire article.  It is recent and was published April 21, 2018.

Don't be slow to comprehend.  We are living in the last days; the last "hour" of the end times.  Read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 for the signs of the times which Jesus warned us about.  Now is not the time to creep along with no purpose.  If you are a true believer, you need to be preparing spiritually for the Lord's soon return.   You also need to be witnessing to lost souls for them to come to the Lord in faith; to accept Jesus as their Savior, and to surrender their lives to Him.

Many people have a sense that tells them something has to give soon!  All the signs of the times tell us things cannot continue as they are now without a major event occurring, such as a World War (which some believe has already begun); or, glory! the return of Jesus to rapture believers to heaven to be with Him forever.   Many scholars believe that the disappearance of millions of believers in America will cripple our country so that we are no longer a superpower.   There are other factors, such as a nuclear attack, or an EMP attack, which could cripple our country. 

To sum it all up, get right with the Lord and obey Him and fulfill the Great Commission of making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).   Your eternity depends on it, or should I say also that your future rewards in heaven depend on it, for thereby you are doing the Lord's will; you are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and not by works, but you show your faith by your works.  (James 2:20).

Jesus tells us at John 6:47,  "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life."

He says at John 6:40,   "And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."

"Words Of Encouragement And What Happens When You Die" (With Videos) - Inspirational Weekend

When I view beautiful flowers like the Hibiscus above, it reminds me of the Lord's tender mercies and His love for mankind by giving us such beauty to embrace while living in a chaotic world.  An evil world.  A cruel and selfish world, where godliness .... for the most part .... is not practiced and is mocked by unbelievers.  True and faithful believers need words of encouragement and hope.  We can find such hope and encouragement in God's Holy Word, the Bible.

Featured in this post, as in my last post, are two videos,  one by Amir Tsarfati and another by evangelist Dan Goodwin, only these are different and more recent videos than in the April 9, 2018, writing.  Following is a 24 minute video by Amir with words of clarification and encouragement, considering recent events.

Have you ever wondered where the dead go when they die?  Specifically, where the Old Testament righteous people went, since heaven was not open to them at that time?  Remember the parable given by Jesus in Luke 16:19-31, about the rich man and Lazarus the beggar, and where they went when they died?  The rich man went to hell (verse 23), and Lazarus went to Abraham's bosom, or paradise (also verse 23).  Many scholars believe this is a true story or history of two real individuals.  

The Talmud mentions both paradise and Abraham's bosom as the home of the righteous.  The main lesson here is that once death comes a person cannot change his eternal destiny.  

Abraham told the rich man who was in hell, "And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."   -  Luke 16:26

In the following 28 minute video from prophecyinthenews.com ,  evangelist Dan Goodwin gives much information on this topic, as well as numerous Scriptures.  He also tells us that New Testament saints, you and I, can only enter heaven and be in God's presence  by being born again.  

Hebrews 11 tells us of the righteous men of old, who by faith obeyed God and it was accounted to them as righteousness.  For example,  Hebrews 11:7 says:

"By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."    

The good Lord wants us to exhibit faith, and thereby be full of righteousness and pleasing to Him.  The way to develop faith is to read your Bible and by being often in prayer.  In other words, to develop a close, personal, intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ His Son.   Our purpose is to do His will and to bring glory to the Lord.  

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."   -  Hebrews 11:6

Now is the time to be busy for the Lord, bringing lost souls to come to a faith in Jesus as their Savior.  We are living in the end times, the last "hour" of the last days.  Be occupied in the Lord's work.

Be ready!!

Jesus could return at any moment !!

If you are an unbeliever, turn to the Lord before it is too late !  Pray and ask for forgiveness of your sins, repent and do not go back to a life of sin; have faith and believe in Jesus as your Savior; believe in His resurrection.  

Remember, God accepts U-turns !

Jesus loves you !

He is waiting with open arms of love and forgiveness!

Turn to Jesus with faith and belief!

He will pardon your sins and give you eternal life!

Romans 10:9,10,13 tells 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."

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.  Believest thou this?"    -  John 11: 25-26

Update On Israeli Airstrikes On Syria and The Three Prophetic Babylons (With Videos)

There is much talk about world war right now, and the latest precursor to this, many believe, is the recent Israeli airstrike last night on Syria.  Following is an update on this by Amir Tsarfati in an 18 minute video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmPMnX5JaOw

Please take the time to watch the above update.  The prophecy of the destruction of Damascus in Isaiah 17:1 could happen at any time.  Damascus has already suffered extensive damage, and it would not take much to completely destroy it as Isaiah prophesied.  So much happening in the world today, and particularly in the Middle East, that we are in the beginning stages right now of what the Bible prophesied about the end times in which we now live.  So Jesus' return is now more imminent than it has ever been.  

Luke 21:28 encourages us with Jesus' words,  "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

The next video is about the 3 Babylons and Mystery Babylon as prophesied in Revelation 17 and Revelation 18.   The 3 Babylons are the literal Babylon in the desert, figurative Babylon or the spirit of Babylon, and the prophetic Babylon.  Evangelist Dan Goodwin thoroughly and by Scriptures explains and focuses on the prophetic Babylon in the following video.  Actually, there are 2 prophetic Babylons:  the religious part in Revelation 17, and the financial and political part in Revelation 18.  To find where these 2 Babylons are located, according to Mr. Goodwin, please watch the 28 minute video from prophecyinthenews.com

We are definitely living in the last days, and we need to get ourselves ready for Jesus' soon return.  Believers should occupy themselves in the work of the Lord until then, winning souls for the Lord.  Be much in prayer and read the Holy Word daily.  Draw even closer to Jesus.

If you are an unbeliever, you need to get right with the Lord.  Repent of your sins and ask for forgiveness.  Believe that Jesus died for your sins, and that faith in Him and belief in His resurrection are necessary for salvation.  

Romans 10:9,10,13 tells 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."

"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."  -  1 John 2:17

"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