Nothing else is as important as being right with God ! That means putting Him first in your life and believing in His Son Jesus as the Savior.
"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." - Mark 12: 30, 31
Following is a 9 minute sermon by Pastor David Wilkerson on the subject of "Get right with God." Pastor Wilkerson is the founding pastor of the non-denominational Times Square Church in New York City. He is best known for his book, "The Cross and The Switchblade." There was a movie made from the book which you may find on You Tube. Pastor Wilkerson went to be with the Lord in 2011.
His sermon clip above is a message of grace but also a warning. He tells us that what is not preached much any more is that Jesus will return soon. And friends, that is why it is so urgent to make sure you are right with God and that you believe that Jesus is the Savior and the only one who can wash away your sins by His shed blood at Calvary. He was our substitute; He took our place and took on all our sins at the Cross, so that if we believe in Him and His redemption , we may have eternal life.
As has been written many times on this blog, Bible prophecy is being fulfilled now at warp speed ! We do not know the day or the hour of Jesus' return, but He did give us signs so that we would know that we were in the "season" of His return . For these signs, read Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13.
In the above video, Pastor Wilkerson tells us "to have victory over sin, spend much time with God." We do that by much prayer and daily Bible reading.
"And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13
"The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell." - William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, who lived from 1829 to 1912.
One of Pastor Wilkerson's best known sermons is "A Call To Anguish" which follows. It is a powerful and emotional sermon of 56 minutes. I urge you to watch the entire video.
In the above video, Pastor Wilkerson tells us that "anguish is extreme pain and stress; deep inner pain, agony." Some of you might can relate to that.
[Photo of "Torch Ginger"]
These are the last moments of the end of days!
Jesus will come to take true believers to heaven soon in the Rapture of the Church, His Bride.
If you are not right with God and have not accepted His Son Jesus Christ as the Savior, you will be left behind after the Rapture to face unbelievable horrors and destruction. If you do not put your faith in Jesus during the 7 year Tribulation period, you will be destroyed and spend eternity in the lake of fire....hell. Remember also not to take the Mark of the Beast (antichrist) in order to buy and sell and to obtain food. You will be pledging your allegiance to the antichrist and not God if you do so. Some scholars believe that the "mark" will be an RFID chip or tattoo on the forehead or in your right hand, as found in Revelation 13: 16-18. Many scholars today believe that this "mark" will alter the person's DNA, preventing him to ever turn to God. It will damn the person to hell. Please read all of Revelation 13 if you have time. It is better to be killed than to take the "mark". If you are a believer in Jesus during the tribulation, you will go to heaven when the antichrist's wicked reign beheads you. (Revelation 20:4)
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
"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 loves you and is waiting to hear from you!
Turn to Him in faith before it is too late!
It will be easier to be saved now before the Rapture, because soon after that when Jesus takes us to heaven, the 7 year Tribulation will begin under the reign of the antichrist. You will be tempted to take the "Mark" to feed yourself and your family at that time. DO NOT take the Mark !!
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend.... and life !
Where to begin? So much is happening at warp speed right now so far as current events fulfilling Bible prophecy of these end times we are living in now ! I will not concentrate much on the coronavirus in this article, but I do want to urge you to go on the Web and enter ID 2020 Alliance, or ID 2020 Alliance chip. There is a lot of information to be found there on that subject concerning the mandatory vaccine for all citizens of the world in order that you may be tracked and thereby be able to return to work, etc. That vaccine, as I have stated before, will alter your DNA and is dangerous!
Please continue reading here, as towards the end of this article is an encouraging hymn concerning how God will take care of you!
Let us consider an important Scripture:
"Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." - Psalm 78:41
The above verse is referring to the rebellious and stiff-necked people of Israel in ancient times. It would be good if you read, if not all of Psalm 78, then at least verses 36 to 42.
Quoting from an article : "Paul S. Rees in an article entitled "God in Shackles" writes these words: "It is we who put shackles upon God. We cannot keep Him from managing the stars above us, but we can prevent Him from managing the soul within us."
Isn't this a true description of what modern man has done with the God Who created him and the God Who wants to work His will within man!
A definition of the word "limited" as used in Psalm 78 means to "set boundaries upon", or to "set a mark upon."
You've no doubt heard the expression "putting God in a box". It is as if people think that putting God away somewhere in a little box will keep Him from interfering with the way we live our selfish lives. Someone has said , "It is like drawing a boundary line beyond which God must not pass."
Actually, when you think about it, it is like it has been said, "God hangs the planets in outer space, but He has a difficult time managing the human heart because of man's resistance."
Following is a 42 minute audio sermon by Charles Spurgeon on which he bases Psalm 78:41 as the subject.
Spurgeon, in the above sermon, informs us that we limit God by sometimes "Dictation" to Him and other times by "Distrust" of Him. Unbelievable that "some even push sin to the extreme by the utter "Despair" of His goodness and mercy. Spurgeon goes into more detail about the above three mentioned ways we limit God.
One thing that hit home with me in the above sermon (because once I also felt like "The chief of sinners" because of my sins before I was born again by faith in Jesus) -- Spurgeon says that if you feel your sins are too great to be forgiven, "You could never have exceeded the grace of God. God will forgive you!"
Spurgeon says, "God is the most tender of heart than any other being."
Isaiah 55:8, 9 informs us: (8) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
"So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." - Isaiah 55:11
Think of all the promises of God found in the Bible - about the end times and the occurrences we see happening right now in fulfillment of His Word and prophecies; think of all the prophecies and promises concerning Jesus the Messiah which were fulfilled 2000 years or so ago when He walked the earth and died for our sins; and be happy about the promise of the soon return of Jesus to take true believers to heaven during the Rapture of the church before the 7 year Tribulation period - and be happy about so many more promises and prophecies !
[Near Sharks' Cove - Oahu, Hawaii]
In today's chaotic and troubled world, we really don't know what to believe anymore, as we are lied to so much. But Christians put their hope, faith, and trust in the good Lord. He does not lie! His Word is truth and life!
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6
God wants us to be dependent upon Him, and to not do things "our way". We need to pray to Him and Jesus to guide us and to help us to do His will. He wants us to believe His promises, and to look for their fulfillment and to do this without doubt, fear, or distrust -"With their whole heart." You are commanded to depend on God Himself and Jesus - not to depend on yourself.
So right now, with the pandemic and the other bothersome occurrences in this present time, we need to look to the good Lord in every thing, in every aspect of how we are to live obediently and to not grieve Him. This lock-down may go on for some time, with various "privileges" partly restored. Many Pastors and scholars of eschatology believe that life will not go back to normal. This is all leading up to the New World Order; the One World Government; the One World Economy, and the One World False Religion. Read Revelation 13, 17, and 18 concerning that. Better yet, read ALL of the Bible Book of Revelation. Think about all of the restrictions and the closure of churches, just to mention a couple of things. (Have you noticed that liquor stores and other non-essential businesses are open.... yet they close the churches on us!!!!) It is good we have technology and the Internet to watch sermons. I am grateful for that and I know you are also.
If you are a true follower of Jesus the Savior, we will not be here to suffer all that is to come - and we will not have to take the mandatory vaccine either. Many pastors and scholars realize and preach that Jesus' return is even more imminent than ever before !
Now that is good news ! Praise the Lord! We are out of here soon! Let us hang on to that blessed hope! (Titus 2:13). To be in heaven with Jesus is so much better.... so much so that words cannot describe the joy and glory of it ! Thank God for His tender mercies and grace and love and forgiveness! Thank Jesus for His sacrificial death which paid our sin debt in full ! By faith in His shed blood and His Redemptive work on the cross, by faith in Jesus as the Savior, we also may have eternal life ! Isn't God good !
Other good news is that millions have been saved during this pandemic..... they have put their faith in Jesus. Also, the sale of Bibles has dramatically increased during this lock down. See how God can bring good out of even bad things?
[Near Bellows Beach - Oahu, Hawaii]
Romans 5:3-5 explains (3) "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (4) And patience, experience; and experience , hope: (5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us."
"Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work." -2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Following is an encouraging hymn on how God will take care of you:
If you have not been saved (born again from above - a spiritual rebirth) then you will have to endure the horrors and devastation and plagues of the Great Tribulation; and if you take the Mark of the Beast in order to buy and sell, you will be doomed to hell forever. Read Revelation 13.
But there is hope for you if you turn to Jesus now in repentance and believe that He is the Savior, and that He is the only way to heaven and eternal life. If you do not do that now and you end up suffering the soon rule of the antichrist, there is still hope for you to be saved during the Trib. for the Bible assures us of that in Revelation 7:9-14.
Revelation 7:14 says: "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
However, if you become a believer during the Tribulation, you do not want to take the Mark of the Beast (the antichrist) in order to buy food, etc., or to sell anything. You will, therefore, either die by starvation, or the antichrist system will eliminate you by beheading you. But you will be immediately at home with the Lord in heaven at your death ! "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" - 2 Corinthians 5:8
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." - Revelation 20:4
Following are some Scriptures for those who are not saved at this present time :
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."
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him." - John 3:36
"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
"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
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
In regards to what we are dealing with now - the beginning stages of the New World Order - it all began in the Bible at Genesis 11. Go read it. It is the story of the Tower of Babel, where mankind rebelled against God and began to depend on their own selves and their own sense of government. You remember that God caused them to be scattered when He confused their one language and they began to speak in many languages that were not understood.... so they spread out across the earth.
Today, most world leaders are in favor of the coming New World Order. It is, in reality, One World Socialism. In America, it is what the Democratic Party is all about. That is why they hate President Trump so much, because he is against socialism/communism and he delayed their plans to bring it to America.
Following is a 36 minute audio sermon by Dr. David Jeremiah who goes into depth about world events and what the Bible says concerning all this:
On 7-24-19 Prophecy In the News published the following 29 minute video on the New World Order. Please watch.
In the above video, host Dan Goodwin interviews Gary Kah concerning the New World Order plans for Global Occupation. The Elites, the Globalists, are moving towards a cashless society, and in some countries they are making progress in having just such a cashless society.
Gary Kah says, "If cash gets taken away from the people, a good part of our freedom goes with it."
They cover briefly about cryptocurrency from Facebook, as well as how the top players for the NWO is not only the United Nations but also the Catholic Church and the current Pope.
[North Shore Surf and Rocks, Oahu, Hawaii]
Read all of Revelation 13, where it speaks of the antichrist and the mark of the beast and more. Here are a few verses from Revelation 13:
"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them, and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." - Revelation 13:7, where it is describing a single government that will rule the world politically. "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." - Revelation 13:8, where it speaks of a One World religion (a false religion, combining many faiths of the pre-Rapture world into a mock , fake religion during the Tribulation). Eventually, during the Tribulation, the antichrist will demand to be worshiped as god.
And then there is the One World economy as described in Revelation 13:16-17: "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."
All of these verses are referring to the antichrist's rule and his control under the New World Order, the One World Government. Many of you are familiar with all of these facts and the meaning of the above verses.
If all these factors are in play now (in the beginning stages) for a New World Order, then please realize that we are that much closer to the Rapture of the Church as well, which occurs before the Tribulation period.
[Haleiwa Beach and Harbor, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii]
Instead of speculating and putting much interest in exactly who the antichrist might be (he is alive and well on earth at the present time), let us spend our time waiting for Jesus' return, and being about the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Let us occupy until Jesus returns to rapture us to be with Him in heaven..... and be about the Lord's business right now; winning souls for the Lord that He will also take with Him to heaven. Put the Lord first, and everything else will fall into place.
We true believers will not be here during the Tribulation period. We would have been raptured to heaven sometime before that terrible 7 year trib. period. So we should be looking - not for the antichrist - but looking for our blessed hope instead (Titus 2:13) : the time when Jesus returns for us; when He will take us to be with Him forever.
If you are not now right with the good Lord, you need to admit you are a sinner and in need of a Savior.
You need to believe that Jesus paid your sin debt in full on the cross at Calvary and that His blood can wash you clean and white as snow. That means faith in Him as the Savior and His redemptive work on the cross.
You need to call on the name of the Lord and commit your life to Him.
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."
As explained above, salvation is not complicated or a list of rules and regulations to follow. God has made it simple.
It requires faith and trust in Jesus. It requires a humble and sincere attitude; meaning that you willingly surrender your all to the Lord, with a sincere and heartfelt repentance and a love for Jesus.
Jesus loves you !
He is waiting for you to come to Him in faith.
He will welcome you with wide open arms of love and forgiveness.
Don't delay!
Time is short. The Rapture could occur at any moment.
Don't be left behind to face the horrendous 7 year Tribulation!
("For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.") - 2 Corinthians 6:2
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend...... and life !!
Flowers cheer me up, even when I do not need cheering up; when all is well with me. Most women, and some men, will agree that flowers and their beauty soothe the soul as well as being a delight to behold.
Actually, only the good Lord can truly and completely soothe the soul and give you hope and encouragement and a reason to live; and give you everlasting life if you believe in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus on the cross; that His shed blood cleanses you from all sin when you put your whole faith and belief in Him as the Savior.
This reminds me of the hymn "In Christ Alone". I posted a video of that hymn recently on this blog. Two stanzas stood out for me in that hymn : "And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me." And, "No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I'll stand."
Just a note, people you knew before you were saved, cannot believe the change in you is real once you become a child of God by belief in His Son Jesus. That applies to unsaved acquaintances of your past. Not knowing the Scripture at Romans 8:1(nor any other Scriptures as well), and being carnally minded, they cannot grasp the new spiritual birth concept. Most of the time they will not listen to you or anything you have to say about Jesus or salvation. Many of you true followers of Jesus have experienced this from others.
"Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." - 1 Peter 4:4 (KJV)
The NLT Bible renders the above verse: "Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you."
The following verse in Romans 8:1 is good to make them (former unsaved associates) aware of ; and it is also encouraging for us as believers to focus on:
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." - Romans 8:1
This means your past sins have been erased in God's sight as the Father now sees you as washed clean by Jesus' sacrifice and redemptive work on the Cross. When God sees you now, (as you being saved by faith) He sees you through Jesus. You are a new creation!
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
Here again is a video of the hymn "In Christ Alone" :
It is very true, as many men of God have stated, that when you give your life to Jesus and become a sincere and devoted believer, the devil will attack you with various trials (and even doubts about your faith) because you are a threat to that evil deceiver and he hates you as he fears God. The devil is also angry because he once had you in his grip, but when you came to faith in Jesus the evil one had no more power over you. And the devil, the slanderer, will endeavor to turn people and events against you.
In my previous post last weekend (scroll down to view) there was included a short 4 minute sermon clip by Pastor Jack Hibbs on the subject "We are in a spiritual battle". You might want to go there and watch it.
Leonard Ravenhill said, " If you stir hell up [by sharing the Gospel or by just living a holy life ] the devil will stir up everything he can against you: you'll get misrepresented, misunderstood......"
Let's go ahead and include that sermon by Ravenhill now. It is only 25 minutes long. The sermon is titled :"Suffering - the marks of God's approval".
"These people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoreth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me." - Jesus at Matthew 15:85
That verse directly above, spoken by Christ, applies to many who are mere professors of Christianity, and that are not truly born again.
"God's will: nothing more; nothing less; nothing else; at any cost." - author unknown
Note: the devil is also known as the destroyer at Revelation 9:11; and he is called a murderer and the father of lies at John 8:44; satan is called "the god of this world" at 2 Corinthians 4:4; and, again, he is called the deceiver at Revelation 12:9.
Be on guard ! Recognize satan's tactics when they occur!
1 John 4:4 says: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."
Most Christians are familiar with the above Scripture at 1 John, but following is some commentary on that verse they may find helpful and, in addition, unbelievers who might read this article may also be encouraged to come to faith and/or see Jesus working in your life by the following explanations:
Adam Clarke's Commentary tells us: (on "ye are of God"); "Ye are under the influence of the Divine Spirit, and have overcome them (false teachers). Your testimony, proceeding from the Spirit of Christ, has invalidated theirs which has proceeded from the influence of satan; for greater is the Holy Spirit which is in you, than the spirit which is in the world."
Today there are still false teachers as you know, but this verse can also apply to worldly people as well (those who are not saved and who do not believe in Jesus). Watch your associations ! (1 Corinthians 15:33; James 4:4)
Albert Barnes tells us in his commentary on 1 John 4:4; "God/Jesus, Who dwells in your hearts, and by Whose strength and grace alone you have been enabled to achieve this victory, is more mighty than satan, who rules in the hearts of the people of this world.... the apostle meant to say that it was by no power of their own that they achieved this victory, but it was to be traced to the fact that God dwelt among them, and had preserved them by His grace. What was true then is true now. He who dwells in the hearts of Christians by His Spirit, is infinitely more mighty than satan, "the ruler of the darkness of this world." And victory, therefore, over all his arts and temptations may be SURE. In his conflicts with sin, temptation, and error, the Christian should NEVER DESPAIR, for his God will insure him the victory."
Focus on the good Lord and the things above; be filled with the Holy Spirit and have a strong faith in God/Jesus. Do NOT focus on the bad and the negative; if you begin to do that, go to God in prayer and He will help you to overcome the negativity. Have faith!
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." - Colossians 3:1,2
This article focuses on the devil more than I ever think about him; it was with the aim to make people aware of his evil schemes and how we must remain in close fellowship with the good Lord in order to overcome the wickedness of this world of today.
Do NOT focus on the evil one !! Keep your focus on the things above!
Pray often ! Read your Bible often!
Just a few more words of caution about the evil devil, and then let us please move on to good, and lovely, and pure things.
To put it bluntly, satan is after your mind! Your mind is the devil's top priority. To ward off this evil deceiver's attacks, you need to feed your mind often with God's Word (the Bible) and thereby reprogram your mind. (Romans 12:1,2). And, of course, be often in prayer. This, and much more, is brought out in the following 13 minute video. This video gives the best explanation EVER on what the Bible calls the whole armor of God! (Ephesians 6:10-18)
When the devil attacks you with doubts or any form of torment he can think of, tell that accuser, "I'm not wearing my own righteousness, I am wearing the righteousness of Jesus Christ." So says the narrator in the above video. You can also say out loud to the accuser and the deceiver, "I plead the blood of Jesus." That will send the devil away from you fast! The name of Jesus has power!
Suffering, therefore, according to Ravenhill, is the mark of a true believer, because he has the marks of God's approval. Not all believers suffer as greatly as did Job or the apostle Paul, for example, but none of us are exempt from trials and hardships in this life. As the Bible encourages us, trials will send you flying to the good Lord and on your knees in prayer, and you will therefore learn to rely on Him more and more as He molds and shapes you - thereby producing a close, intimate, loving, and personal relationship that you will have with Him. And hardships and problems that seem insurmountable will help you to become more Christlike as you seek help and guidance and direction from God; and His answers to your prayers will build your faith, as well.
"Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets." - Jesus at Luke 6:26
That verse above can well apply to some of the "celebrity preachers" of today.
The secret of endurance? Walk with God!
"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" - Micah 6:8
Following is a daily devotional (published May 28 ) of Charles Stanley on the topic "The Storms of Life". Please watch it; it takes only almost 3 minutes to view it.
The verses quoted in the above video are from 1 Peter 4:12-19. After the verses above are read there is a brief commentary on them. It would be beneficial for all of you to go to Dr. Stanley's devotions every day.
[Cannonball Tree Blossoms]
The world we now live in is very different from when I was young. It is very different also from even about 10 years ago. As stated before on this blog, we are now seeing the beginning stages of the New World Order, or the One World Government; which will include the One World Economy and the One World (false) Religion. There is much chatter on the Web about the soon to be cryptocurrency - meaning the world will go "cashless." That will set the stage for the future "Mark of the Beast (antichrist)" during the Tribulation which follows the Rapture of the Church, Jesus' Bride. (Go to the "search box" in the upper right hand side of this page and enter such information as "cryptocurrency, ID 2020 Alliance, ID 2020 vaccine, New world order" and so on for more information. Many other topics you may also enter such as "Faith, hope, salvation, forgiveness, the Rapture," etc. )
Also, please check on the web concerning prophecies of these end times we are currently experiencing. But better yet, read your Bible daily and pray to the heavenly Father to guide you, and to help you know His will for you in all matters.
It is so very important to be in God's Word daily. The Holy Spirit will give you understanding if you are a born again believer in Jesus as the Savior.
If you are a saved and true believer in the Redemptive work of Jesus on the Cross, and you believe that He is the Savior and the only way to heaven; that His shed blood washes our sins away when we put our faith and trust in Him and when we believe with all of our very being that He alone is the way to heaven because He is the Savior...... then you will NOT be here for the soon to be 7 year Tribulation period. Those 7 years will be hell on earth, full of horrific judgments and the wrath of God on the ungodly persons left on earth then. There will be plagues and destruction such as we cannot even begin to fathom. Read the Bible book of Revelation to find out more about the judgments and plagues and horrors of the Tribulation . Actually, the 7 year Tribulation is also God's way to bring the Jewish people to come to acknowledge that Jesus is the true Messiah.
As stated above, true followers of Jesus will be raptured to heaven before the 7 year Tribulation when He returns soon - very soon - to take believers (the Church) to glory with Him.
There is a ton of information in this article ! The reason is, it could possibly be the last blog post I write. I am hopefully waiting for Jesus' soon return!
Time is short!
Turn to Jesus in faith before it is too late!
Jesus will welcome you with love and forgiveness and hold you tight and secure forever in His safe and protective embrace !
"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
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." "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." - John 3:36
"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." - Jesus at John 3:16
Time is running out!
If you are already a believer, remember what Jesus said concerning these end times we are experiencing. In particular the signs that are occurring now that He told us would happen in the "season" of His return ( the signs found at Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21). He said when these end times signs begin to happen:
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." - Luke 21:28 Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
Much has been written about Babylon The Great, or Mystery Babylon; and many videos have been the subject of Babylon The Great as well. This post of mine includes two videos (featuring Bill Salus and his opinions) on this very subject.
First, let's go to two Scriptures in the Bible book of Revelation where Babylon the Great is mentioned:
"And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth." - Revelation 17:5
"And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon The Great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." - Revelation 18:2
There are several thoughts by Bible scholars on what is actually Babylon the Great and where it might be. First of all, Babylon the Great is a harlot world religion. Many believe it might actually be situated in a newly rebuilt Babylon where ancient Babylon was located. Some even believe it is America, and still others believe it is found at Rome or Mecca. Watch the videos here to learn where Bill Salus thinks Babylon the great is located. He makes a good case Scripturally for his beliefs.
Mr. Salus suggests the true chronological order in the book of Revelation is to read Revelation 17 first (which talks about the harlot religion... which will come on the scene first after the Rapture of the Church), next read Revelation 13 (which discusses the rise of the antichrist and the Mark of the Beast) , and then to read Revelation 18 last (which is the account of the commercial and economic part of Babylon the Great). In other words, this is referring to the New World Order or the One World Government which is now in the process of emerging as we speak.....One World Religion, One World Government, and One World Economic System. Needless to say, as many of you know, this One World Religion is a false and demonic religion. Remember, true believers in Jesus Christ were taken to heaven in the Rapture prior to the appearance of the antichrist and before the false one world religion and New World Order.
Following are part one and part two of the videos on Mystery Babylon produced by prophecywatchers.com :
Part One
Part Two
Both videos are enlightening and informative and I urge you to watch both of them.
All of this information should wake up those who are still asleep to the fact that we are living in the last hours of the last days that the Bible prophesied. (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21). We should be busy doing the Lord's work and telling others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Savior.
In view of the fact that governments are working at the present time to bring about the New World Order, think how close we are to the tribulation period; and then realize that the Rapture is that much closer as it occurs before the 7 year Tribulation. We need to wake up and be living a life that pleases the Lord; in faith and obedience and in proclaiming the Gospel.
I cannot repeat this too often:
Time is short.
Jesus will return soon.
Are you ready?
"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
"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
"Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples." - John 15:8
The above parrots I photographed in Waikiki ! Their owner was nearby. Just felt like sharing this today.... maybe because we Christians should be "parroting" to others about the signs of the end times - which we are most definitely experiencing now - and, most importantly: sharing about the hope and salvation and eternal life found only by believing in Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven, the only way to the Father.
"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 post here on September 17, 2020, was concerned mostly with the proper fear and reverence of God. While doing my Bible Study this morning, part of it was focused on Psalm 130: 3-7. I hope you will take the time to read all of that Psalm. Following are verses 3 and 4:
"If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O LORD, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared."
If God were not a forgiving God (to those who are truly repentant and are sorrowful for sinning and disobeying the good Lord) - we would be toast if He were cruel and unforgiving towards us. We would fear to approach a God who was harsh and "out to get us"! We would run the other way. But knowing that the Lord is forgiving and merciful, we sinners may come to Him in faith and can be assured of His mercy and forgiveness. One commentator says on Psalm 130:4 "Not a fear of bondage, but of LOVE, fearing to offend."
Love for God will make you want to spend time with Him. This and more is brought out in the following 6 minute sermon clip by Pastor David Wilkerson.
Here is a link to the latest report from prophecynewswatch.com. There is more than one article you might find interesting (and shocking) concerning current events as relates to Bible Prophecy. For one, China is on the way to becoming a superpower; for another, the recent peace treaty (Abraham Accord), is it preparation for the antichrist? Check it out, as there is more information pertinent to our very lives.
Some of you may be familiar with Mark Hitchcock, a prominent pastor and author of today. Here below is a 10 minute video concerning the Mark of the Beast, Armageddon , and the Great Tribulation, and more. Those who regularly keep themselves updated on these things may already be familiar with what Mark Hitchcock has to say, but it is still beneficial to watch, especially for newcomers to Bible Prophecy and how what the Bible told us in times past is coming true today at a fast and furious rate ! Which proves we are now experiencing the last moments of the last days and that Jesus will return soon for His followers before the Tribulation begins.
Pastor Hitchcock has his own You Tube channel, which I discovered today. Check it out !
Also, for end times signs, please read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. We do not know the day or the hour, but Jesus told us we would recognize the "season" of His return. We are now in that season!
You may, as well, go to the search box on the top, right hand side of this page and enter such things as : "signs of last days, convergence of prophetic signs, Rapture, 7 year Tribulation, the Mark of the Beast" and so on. And there are articles on Forgiveness, Endurance, Peace, and the like. Some of these other articles also have videos.
[Torch Ginger]
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure." - 1 John 3:2-3
In verse 3 above, let us consider what it means to "purify ourselves."
No way does it mean that we have the power on our own to purify or cleanse ourselves. We should put forth some effort to become more like Jesus, however; we do that when we read our Bibles and note the Savior's graces and attributes to learn how we also should behave as His true followers. When we are truly born again by sincere faith in Jesus as the Savior, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). Also, remember what the Lord said at John 14:23, which follows:
"If a man love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
You will have the Lord's spirit living within you, and that will enable you to be "pure" in the sense that He will be transforming you into His own image. We all realize that we will never be totally pure or perfect until we are in glory ! But we should make it our top priority to live for Christ and we should reflect His attributes as much as we possibly can. But it can only be done with His Spirit enabling us. And remember, the various trials and sufferings we endure, and (as one commentator says) :"by a thousand tests..... by infinitely varied images of mercy.....by the martyrs fortitude and the missionary's sacrifice....proved itself in many a patient and suffering life.... these are among its constituent arts..." As you endure trials, you will turn more and more to the good Lord in prayer for help and strength and guidance, and that in turn will draw you closer to Him as well as increase your faith and trust in Him; especially when He answers your prayers!
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing." - Jesus at John 15:5
The words of Jesus in the above verse says it all ! In order to bear fruit (and to become more Christ- like) we need Him to help us.
So do not be fearful when all these "strange new world" affairs occur; they were prophesied in the Bible to happen in these end times. Instead, realize that soon we true followers of Jesus will be in heaven with the Lord; before the evil 7 year Tribulation occurs. We are out of here soon, believers! Now that is something to look forward to with great joy !
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." - Luke 21:28
My above photograph depicts a quiet, woodland place of rest and peace; a small glimpse of refuge in the "paradise" of Hawaii. Although beautiful and breathtaking scenery is to be found there, Hawaii is far from a true paradise, of course, because of sin and fallen men. Believers long for the time when they will be in their true home - heaven - with the good Lord.
Hang in there ! The return of Jesus is imminent....right at the very door, and it will happen soon according to how Bible prophecy is being played out as we speak now in these last days. Many
precursors to Bible prophecy are already in place, waiting to be fulfilled.
Many true believers who realize the time of the Rapture of the
Church (true believers) to Heaven with Jesus is ever so near are concerned about unsaved loved ones who will face enduring the 7 year Tribulation. They wonder if these relatives and others will have a second chance and can be saved during the horrors of the Tribulation period.
Some scholars believe that once a person is in the Tribulation, meaning of course they were not saved and were "left behind" when the Rapture occurred, ...these scholars believe there is absolutely no second chance to be saved during the dreaded tribulation. No where in the Bible does it say this !
Let us go to God's Holy Word for answers.
Revelation 7:9, 14 b tells us (9) "After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne,, and before the Lamb [Jesus] , clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; ..... (14b) ...... These are they which came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
The above verses are proof that there will be tribulation saints who are martyred by the antichrist and his followers because of their faith in Jesus and their evangelizing, and their refusal to take the Mark of the Beast. The Tribulation period will be a time of much persecution for these believers.
The Tribulation saints will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ from many sources. In the beginning, there may still be Bibles available for them to read and study and discover the many prophecies therein that predicted the times and signs they are experiencing. And don't forget about the two witnesses who will prophesy for 1,260 days, and speak the Gospel message (Revelation 11:1-13).
Do not forget about the 144,000 Jewish believers in Jesus, and who are sealed by God during the Great Tribulation. They will be preaching the Gospel during the Trib. (Revelation 7:3-8 and Revelation 14:1-5).
An angel will also proclaim the Gospel during this time of Jacob's trouble. He will fly in mid-heaven crying out with the Good News.
Revelation 14:6-7 explains: (6) And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. (7) Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
Another thing to consider is the fact that during the Trib. many people are being beheaded for their faith, which proves, obviously, that many come to a saving knowledge of Jesus and are truly saved during this end time Tribulation.
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." - Revelation 20:4
How merciful and loving and patient is the good Lord to give second chances !
So yes, your loved ones may still come to faith in Jesus and be saved during this 7 year period of great trial and judgments ! In the meantime, continue to pray for them to come with all their heart and all their very being to the cleansing power of Jesus; the Savior of souls; the Redeemer. Be a good witness of the faith, so that they will see a reflection of Jesus in you and in your faithful walk with Him. They will come to desire what you have, a saving and close personal relationship with the good Lord.
Following is a recent Middle East Update (March 1, 2019) by Amir Tsarfati which is very informative and timely. It is 51 minutes in length, but please believe you will be so interested in what he has to say, that you will not mind the 51 minutes. Amir also touches on the subject of will unbelievers who miss the Rapture of the Church be able to be saved during the 7 year Tribulation. He also discusses the situation with Iran and Syria, and the recent Putin and Netanyahu meeting and much more.
What if you are reading this and you have never surrendered your life to Jesus; never been saved; never been born again?
"(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) - 2 Corinthians 6:2
Do not delay in surrendering to the Lord Jesus Christ. Have complete faith in Him as the Savior, believing in Him with all of your heart, and believing that only He can wash you clean from sin
and give you life eternal..... Just believe in Him.
Jesus is waiting to hear from you.
He will welcome you with open arms of forgiveness and embrace you with His love.
You need to repent and ask for forgiveness, and turn from a life of sin and rebellion against God, never to go back to your old sinful and selfish lifestyle.
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
Have a blessed and Christ-centered weekend.... and life!
The two cattle egrets above look as if they are practicing social distancing ! May we always have love and concern for others, in spite of the current social distancing mandates right now!
Much is on my mind right now to write about - maybe too much for one article. Please bear with me as I endeavor to express what the good Lord has put upon my heart to share.
The last post here (scroll down to view) concerned itself with how we need to be strong and courageous and to rely totally upon God and Jesus..... God will make a way for us in our current difficulties and/or our spiritual battles.
It is no doubt obvious to many that Christians are hated and persecuted in this, for the most part, evil and godless society in which we find ourselves today..... in this end time scenario.
Isaiah 5:20 tells us "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
True, that was written for those in ancient times, but it also applies today, doesn't it! Many people of the world will even call evil what is obviously miracles from God.
It reminds me of our blessed Savior, Jesus Christ, and how He was persecuted, slandered, tortured and eventually killed. Yet He was holy and pure; God in flesh!
Jesus tells us at John 15:18-20 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also."
The intent of this article is to discuss strength from the good Lord and this in spite of our weaknesses. A prime example of this is the Apostle Paul and his "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from being full of pride because of his many revelations from the Lord. This is found at 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 which follows:
"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."
It would be good to read all of 2 Corinthians 12. Note the apostle Paul's wonderful response and his wise attitude toward his troubles and his thorn in the flesh !
We learn from our troubles and afflictions, if we are humble enough to turn to the Lord for help and guidance through much prayer during our ordeal, whatever it may be. Besides, "no pain, no gain"! The Lord shapes us and molds us to be more Christlike when we suffer; we will more often turn to prayer - much prayer- when we are afflicted and thereby will grow in our relationship with God and Jesus....To rely on the good Lord for help and guidance and not on our own understanding or our own feeble efforts to do things our way.
I can see now that I will need to discuss 2 Corinthians 12 in more detail in another article in the near future.
Following is a wonderful devotion by Charles Spurgeon about strength and faith and the grace of God:
"It is our wisdom, as well as our necessity, to beseech God continually to strengthen that which He has wrought in us. It is because of their neglect in this, that many Christians may blame themselves for those trials and afflictions of spirit which arise from unbelief. It is true that satan seeks to flood the fair garden of the heart and make it a scene of desolation, but it is also true that many Christians leave open the ...."Gates" themselves, and let in the dreadful deluge through carelessness and want of prayer to their strong Helper. We often forget the Author of our faith must be the Preserver of it also. The lamp which was burning in the temple was never allowed to go out, but it had to be daily replenished with fresh oil; in like manner, our faith can only live by being sustained with the oil of Grace, and we can only obtain this from God Himself. Foolish virgins we shall prove, if we do not secure the needed sustenance for our lamps. He who built the world upholds it, or it would fall in one tremendous crash; He who made us Christians must maintain us by His Spirit, or our ruin will be speedy and final. Let us, then, evening by evening, go to our Lord for the grace and strength we need. We have a strong argument to plead, for it is His own work of grace which we ask Him to strengthen : "Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us" (Psalm 68:28). Think you He will fail to protect and sustain that ? Only let your faith take hold of His strength, and all the powers of darkness, led on by the master fiend of hell, cannot cast a cloud or shadow over your joy and peace. Why faint when you may be strong? Why suffer defeat when you may conquer? Oh take your wavering faith and drooping graces to Him and Who can revive and replenish them and earnestly pray, "Strengthen, O God, that which Thou has wrought for us."
The above internet image has been used on this blog in the past, but I feel it fits here because only the Word of God can give "hugs" of comfort and guidance and draw you close in a spiritual embrace of the good Lord and His Holy Spirit. It will give you strength and hope and fellowship with God and Jesus, as will also much prayer.
"Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." - Psalm 82:4
"Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13
Here is a wonderful worship song (In Christ Alone) which many of you are familiar with:
These are difficult times in which we live right now. We need the good Lord to turn to in every trial and spiritual warfare we may be facing.
For those of you who are not saved, who are not born again (a spiritual rebirth), you need to repent and pray for forgiveness and to believe with all of your very being and all of your heart that Jesus Christ is the Savior and the only way to heaven. Following are some Scriptures for you:
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." "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." - John 3:36
"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
"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
All that we see happening now with natural disasters, with the establishing of the New World Order in its beginning stages, the evil and corruptness, and much much more are all signs of the end times as prophecy in the Bible told us would occur at the time of the end of this dispensation. (Please read of these end times signs at Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) In other words :
Jesus will return soon to take true believers to heaven with Him before the 7 year tribulation begins.
Turn to Jesus in faith now before it is too late !
He will welcome you with love and forgiveness, and hold you tight in the safety of His arms !
(Go to the search box at the top right hand side of this page and enter things such as: the 7 year Tribulation, signs of the end times, the mark of the beast, the Rapture, etc. and many articles will appear for you to view, some with videos. There are also articles on faith, endurance, fellowship with the good Lord, and many other topics as well.)
Jesus said the following when discussing the signs of the last days:
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." - Luke 21:28
Maranatha !
Hurry Lord Jesus !
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
