The title of this post, "When the Rapture Occurs, What Will Jesus Find You Doing?" is almost a direct quote from one of the videos in this article today. Here is praying that you take the time to watch both videos shown.
Also, for recent important information on the pandemic, scroll down one post to my previous article on the coronavirus which has also included in it many comforting Scriptures to help us to endure.
On account of the recent advice to stay home as much as possible (and in some countries it is mandatory quarantine) because of the coronavirus pandemic, that may be where Jesus will find you when He comes to take His Bride (the Church, true believers) to be with Him in heaven. But the main idea is, hopefully, that Jesus will find you sharing the Gospel and living as holy a life as you possibly can in this imperfect world. ( I am not saying that Jesus will return right now, although it is possible. Only the Heavenly Father knows the day and the hour of Jesus' return. (Matthew 24:36) It would be a good idea if you took the time to read all of Matthew 24)
"According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:" - Ephesians 1:4
"But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." - 1 Peter 1:15,16
Following is an excellent 8 minute sermon clip titled "Jesus is Coming". In this sermon, Pastor David Wilkerson tells us why Jesus has not come yet. There are many gems spoken in this wonderful sermon clip !
One subject in the above video asks the question, "Where is your security?" Hopefully it is in Christ alone !
The other video features Pastor Billy Crone in an interview with Gary Stearman at prophecywatchers.com. In only about 29 minutes they discuss many topics concerning modern technology and also the technology possibly used by the antichrist during the 7 year Tribulation. I found it fascinating to watch this video, and it makes it clear that the Rapture of the true believers must be very, very soon!
Are you Rapture ready?
Have you given your life and heart to the good Lord?
Have you repented of your sins and come to Him with a belief that He is the Savior, and the only way to the Father and heaven?
We are not talking here about intellectual knowledge concerning Jesus. Many unbelievers have a head knowledge that Jesus is the Savior and that He is the Son of God, yet they do not put their faith in Him, as many of them have "pet sins" which they are unwilling to give up and therefore want no part of Jesus, as it would interfere with their wicked lifestyles. We, who turn to Jesus, are to believe that His death on the Cross paid our sin debt in full, and we are forgiven if we surrender our lives to Him. This is a strong, heartfelt belief - a belief with all of your very being - that Jesus alone can save us, and that by our faith and trust in Him, by believing that His death at Calvary, and His shed blood there on our behalf, can wash away our sins.... all of them, past, present, and future. The slate is wiped clean; we are pure in God's sight through Jesus' redemptive work at the Cross. He took on all the sins of the world at His crucifixion. What Love!!
[Beach at Ko Olina Resort, Oahu, Hawaii]
Repent and turn to Jesus in faith and love and gratitude to Him for all He has done for you.
Time is running out!
"(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
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 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
Jesus is waiting to hear from you!
He will welcome you into the family of God with love and forgiveness !
We all know what is on everyone's mind now - yes, the coronavirus and all of the recent changes in our normal routines. Not much about it has been written on this blog lately, mostly because it was felt that you - the public - were no doubt doing your own research on the latest developments. I have also been - daily - watching the news and reading articles concerning this pandemic.
This post will share recent articles concerning the disease and two short videos as well as some wonderful Scriptures to ease your anxiety and help keep you focused on the good Lord and how He is your refuge and help.
To begin with, here are some Scriptures to soothe your emotions:
"Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid......" - Psalm 112:6-8a
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled. Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah" - Psalm 46:1-3
Please read all of Psalm 46 ! In verse 10 of Psalm 46 it admonishes us : "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."
Many Christians are familiar with verse 10 above. And most think it means to be quiet and listen to God. And that is true; however, it was spoken to the nations by God, and "be still" - in Hebrew - most likely means "enough". God wanted the people to look to Him and not attempt to look for security in their own efforts and in their own strength. That is true today as well, for many persons, including professing Christians, say to themselves, "I can handle this," instead of looking to God for help and praying for His guidance.
We should take everything to the good Lord in prayer! Not only now concerning this coronavirus, but take everything - always - to God/Jesus!
"Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you." - 1 Peter 5:7
Following is a link to a recent article (published on 3-17-20):
The article above is titled "Foreshocks of Revelation: One Day Everything Will Be Shaken". The author quotes other Scriptures besides those in the Book of Revelation. Also, in his article he quotes Revelation 6:15-17 which follows:
(15) "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; (16) And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (17) For the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?"
The above verses are concerning the things which happen during the 7 year Tribulation period. (Which occurs after the Rapture of true believers; when Jesus comes for them to take them to heaven - again, the Rapture takes place before the Tribulation).
Did you know that some of the elite, the globalists, etc., have recently, because of this coronavirus outbreak, already gone to their underground bunkers for safety? Many if not most of these bunkers in which to ride out such catastrophes as this recent virus, are built inside (and under) mountains! Also, right now, some of these rich people and the elites have opted to go out to sea for safety - no doubt in their private yachts - to escape this recent pandemic. It is very interesting that these mountains that men turn to first for safety during the 7 year Tribulation, that when the Lord comes to smite these wicked unbelievers, they will cry out for the mountains and rocks to fall on them instead, as mentioned in Revelation 6:16. This should make us realize that we are very near the tribulation period - which of course means the Rapture of the Church is ever so near, when Jesus returns before the horrors and destruction and plagues that occur during the Trib.
Here is another article published 3-18-20 that deals primarily with the Coronovirus itself:
In the above recent article, the author gives us 3 bold steps to take now during these troublesome last days of this weary and corrupt world, and just downright evil times.
The best thing we can do now is to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Pray for the healing and the salvation of those who are infected with the coronavirus. Also pray for your family members and for friends, that they stay healthy and free from this virus. We need to witness now like never before about the salvation found only in Jesus Christ. Share the Gospel with great urgency, for soon we (true believers) will leave this chaotic world and be with our Lord in heaven.
Just a note, I have heard that this coronavirus only thrives in cold weather. If this is true, (and it may or may not be true), many are hoping that as the weather warms up, this virus will die out. I live in Hawaii and it has been a very warm winter this year and, as many of you know, it is warm weather here year round. The only cases of this pestilence in Hawaii have been from travelers out of state and out of the country; last I know of, anyway. So far, unless it happened today, I have not heard of any cases of locals living on Oahu, Hawaii, contracting the disease.
Friends, we live in exciting times! Unless we pass away (in death, of course) very soon, we will live to see the imminent return of Jesus at the Rapture of the Church. If you are a true believer and have been born again (a spiritual rebirth from above) you have nothing to fear! God has your back! I do not mean that disrespectfully of our Heavenly Father. He really is watching out for us, and wants the best for us. He is there to guide us and protect us and to remind us of His great love for us.
Give all anxious thoughts and fears to God/Jesus !
Following are two recent very short video clips on the coronavirus by Pastor J.D. Farag. He gives excellent advice for us to consider and act upon. One clip is about 2 minutes in length; the other is about 7 minutes.
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." - 2 Timothy 1:7
"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; He will come and save you." - Isaiah 35:4
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us: (6) "Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God. which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
One commentary on the above verses at Philippians 4:6-7 calls these verses "A Divine Prescription" - meaning prayer, supplication, thanksgiving.
If you are not saved, not a believer in Jesus Christ as the Savior, consider the following Scriptures:
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
Instead of just suggesting that you also read Psalm 91, I will include it here now in its entirety. It is a very special Psalm for everyone - believers and non-believers, for hopefully unbelievers will come to salvation because of the many promises found in Psalm 91. Note how it mentions pestilence.
Verse (1) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (2) I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in Him will I trust. (3) Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler; and from the noisome pestilence. (4) He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (5) Thou shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; (6) Nor the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. (7) A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. (8) Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. (9) Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; (10) There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. (11) For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. (12) They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (13) Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. (14) Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known Mine Name. (15) He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honour him. (16) With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
We are all aware of the many catastrophic occurrences in these the last days the Bible prophesied about; we will not go into any depth about that in this weekend post. Instead, let us be encouraged by Scriptures from the Bible, and by quotes from various Christian authors and pastors, and the like. (Much has been written on this blog about Bible prophecy and end times signs; you may go to the search box at the upper right hand side of this page and type in things like: "last days", "Mark of the Beast" , "7 year Tribulation, " "The Rapture" , and other such topics and it will bring up several posts - some with videos - which you may view.)
Today, Psalm 57 seemed to cry out to me to comment on it. It was written by ancient King David while hiding in a cave when King Saul pursued him in an attempt to kill him. Following are 4 verses from Psalm 57, but we will go into more depth concerning verse 1.
" (1) Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me. For my soul trusteth in Thee: Yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. (2) I will cry unto God most high; Unto God that performeth all things for me. (3) He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. (4) My soul is among lions."
Many of you can relate to the above words of Psalm 57. Today's world is full of chaos, and it affects all of us in some way.
In verse 1 above, let us concentrate on when David said: "In the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be over past."
This is obviously a metaphor taken from the brood of a hen (or other bird) whose young ones take shelter under the mother bird's wings when they see danger, such as from a bird of prey; and there they continue to hide themselves until the enemy disappears. Also, in a storm or intense rain, the mother covers them with her wings to give them shelter. David the psalmist has this particularly in view, as when he wrote: "Until these calamities be over past."
One commentator has said, "David believed that these calamities would pass away, or would cease; that a time would come when he would not thus be driven from place to place. At present he knew he was in danger and he desired the divine protection, for under that protection he would be safe."
[Mandarin Duck]
"Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: Hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be over past." - Isaiah 26:20
"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." - Psalm 27:13
The above verses do not necessarily mean to be so fearful in your heart that you do not go about daily routines - we cannot just stay in bed all day and pull the covers over our heads, so to speak. The main thing is to trust in the good Lord and wait for his guidance and direction.
Romans 15:13 tells us: " Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit."
"Now the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all." - 2 Thessalonians 3:16
[Nene goose - Hawaii's State Bird]
"Daily take some time to set your eyes on God's overwhelming presence of love instead of the circumstances of life. Meditate on the truth that God's presence not only follows you, but is with you and offers rest to your overwhelmed soul." - Proverbs 31 ministries
"Being at peace with yourself is a direct result of finding peace with God." - Olin Miller
"Socrates used to say ' Philosophers can be happy without music'; and Christians can be happier than philosophers, when all outward causes of rejoicing are withdrawn. In Thee, my God, my heart shall triumph come what may of ills without! By Thy power, O blessed Spirit, my heart shall be exceeding glad, though all things should fail me here below." - Charles Spurgeon
"With the power of God within us, we need never fear the powers around us." - Woodrow Kroll
Jesus is the answer to all of our fears ! When you have Him by your side and the Holy Spirit living within you, He will help you and guide you and give you peace. Really, even if someone kills us, our spirit lives on and we will join the good Lord in heaven at death.
The apostle Paul put it beautifully when he said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." - Philippians 1:21
"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
"If ye love Me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; Whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." - Jesus at John 14:15
It all boils down to having faith in Jesus and believing that He is the Savior; that His shed blood at Calvary washes away all of your sins when you believe with all your very being that His death, His redemptive work at the cross, paid your sin debt in full. He was our substitute and died in our place, taking the sins of the world upon Him at the cross. He is the only way to heaven; and only He can save a sinner from the darkness and death; and bring him into His saving Light and life.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - Jesus at John 3:16
When you have Jesus with you, you can face anything!
Following is an excellent 39 minute sermon by Adrian Rogers on ways to draw closer to Jesus.
Time is running out!
Jesus will return soon to Rapture true followers of Christ to heaven to be with Him.
Are you Rapture ready?
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."
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
We all have made promises to others, and usually with good intentions. But, sadly, we sometimes break those promises, for whatever reason. But our heavenly Father keeps His promises to us; He is trustworthy, He is love, He has our best interests at heart; especially for true believers who have faith in Him and Jesus. For those who are lost, unsaved, He has compassion and will hear their prayer when they come to Him in repentance and pray for forgiveness; pray in faith that Jesus is the Savior and recognize that His death and resurrection has made a way (a promise) that we may have eternal life. Christ paid our sin debt in full at His sacrificial death on the cross. He was our substitute and took all of the sins of the world upon Him at Calvary. His shed blood can wash all of our sins away. In God's eyes, and by Jesus' redemption for us at the cross, all of our sins are wiped away, the slate is washed clean, all past, present and future sins are forgiven because the heavenly Father sees us as clean, for He sees us through Jesus and Jesus' taking our sin debt upon Himself. We just need to have faith in Him and believe that He is the Savior, and the only way to eternal life.
Once you are saved, do not let anyone condemn you for your past sins. Romans 8:1 tells us: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
The greatest promise of all is God's free gift of salvation!
When you are born again (a spiritual "re-birth") by believing in Jesus and that He is the Savior, you become a new person; you begin a wonderful new existence.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are past away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
Do not be discouraged if you fall short and sin - although you should feel remorse if you sin, and you should pray for forgiveness and endeavor to live more godly in the future, with the good Lord's help. We all sin because of our inherited weakness from Adam's fall. But true believers sin less ! And they sin unintentionally for the most part. (If anyone continually sins on purpose and does not have any remorse and whose conscience does not condemn him, then it is questionable that he is truly saved; and that he has not been born again.) As imperfect true believers we may not understand very much when we are first saved and the Lord will graciously be patient with us and guide us to a more correct understanding as to what being a true follower of Jesus Christ actually entails. Sanctification takes time; spiritual maturity takes time.
There are many promises of God found in the Bible; in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. Let us consider some of them:
Sincere followers of Christ look forward to what Titus 2:13 promises us: "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;"
"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. 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 at John 14:2,3
Some professing Christians, says Jan Markell, are of the mindset to feel "come Lord Jesus, but not too soon." In other words, some are loving the world too much and have "plans" and goals for their time on this earth and are not putting the good Lord first.
Heaven and being with our beloved Savior for all eternity is much to be preferred over this corrupt and dying world.
Another promise from God (Jesus) is that we would receive power from the Holy Spirit, which would strengthen us and enable us to live a life that is acceptable to the good Lord, as well as to share the Gospel of Jesus with others, helping to win lost souls. That promise is found at Acts 1:8 = "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
And we have the promise that we will be secure in Jesus if we are true believers. Jesus tells us at John 10:28,29 : "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand."
[Barber's Point Lighthouse, Oahu, Hawaii]
There are many more promises of God to be found in the New Testament, and also in the Old Testament. In the O.T. we have the wonderful promises made to Abraham. Consider Genesis 12:2,3 which follows:
"And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
And the promise "And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13
God promised to be faithful to us and that we can always depend upon His love. Please read Deuteronomy 7:8-9
God promised to bless those who love His Word. Psalm 1:2 explains : "But his delight is in the law of the LORD: and in His law doth he meditate day and night."
Please read your Bible daily and you will find many more promises that God has made to us. You will also draw closer to the good Lord the more you saturate yourself with His Holy Word and also the more you pray. It is all about knowing God and Jesus and having a strong, close, vibrant, living relationship with Him; one that is personal and intimate.
We should be very grateful to the good Lord for all of His promises, and pray frequently to Him to give Him thanks for His tender mercies, His unfailing love, His forgiveness, and for salvation and sending Jesus, our Redeemer. We should honor and obey Him and give Him glory for everything ! He is awesome! Actually, words cannot fully express His Majesty.
Following is a hymn about standing on the promises of God:
And below is a 50 minute sermon by Charles Spurgeon titled "Obtaining Promises." It ties in with what was written above, but focuses primarily upon obtaining the fulfillment of the promises. Spurgeon tells us in his following sermon that there are 3 ways of obtaining the promises. He says that by reading the Bible and meditating upon its promises you will then acquire faith.
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 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 !!
Charles Spurgeon has said, "Prayer is the falling of a tear. Tears are the diamonds of heaven, sighs are a part of the music of Jehovah's court, and are numbered with the sublimest strains that reach the Majesty on high."
Isn't that a beautiful quote! This blog has concentrated on articles concerning prayer in the past, but when I read a recent devotion (recent to my Email inbox, that is) by Charles Spurgeon I felt compelled to share it with you.
Spurgeon continues, "Prayers are instantly noticed in heaven....... Oftentimes a poor broken-hearted one bends his knee, but can only utter his wailing in the language of sighs and tears; yet that groan has made all the harps of heaven thrill with music; that tear has been caught by God and treasured in the lachrymatory of heaven."
Psalm 56:8 says, "Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in thy book?"
Spurgeon says the above verse "implies that they (tears) are caught as they flow. The suppliant, whose fears prevent his words, will be well understood by the Most High. ....... Think not that your prayer, however weak or trembling, will be unregarded. ..... Our God not only hears prayers, but also LOVES to hear them. "He forgetteth not the cry of the humble" (Psalm 9:12 b) ......He regards not the triumph and pride of man; but wherever there is a heart big with sorrow, or a lip quivering with agony, or a deep groan, or a penitential sigh, the heart of Jehovah is open; He marks it down in the registry of His memory; He puts our prayers, like rose leaves, between the pages of His book of Remembrance, and when the volume is opened at last, there shall be a precious fragrance springing up therefrom."
"Their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, even unto heaven." - 2 Chronicles 30:27
Charles Spurgeon used the above verse as a starting point in another of his devotions delivered recently to my Email inbox. Here is a partial quote from that :
"Prayer is an open door which none can shut. Devils may surround you on all sides, but the way upward is always open, and as long as that road is unobstructed, you will not fall into the enemy's hand. We can never be taken by blockade, escalade, mine, or storm, so long as heavenly succours can come down to us by Jacob's ladder to relieve us in the time of our necessities. Prayer is never out of season. ...... In every condition, whether of poverty, or sickness, or obscurity, or slander, or doubt, your covenant God will welcome your prayer and answer it from His holy place. Nor is prayer ever futile. True prayer is evermore true power."
Andrew Murray was a South African Christian pastor, teacher and writer and lived from 1828 to 1917. Following is a very special audio video from one of his books. The video is 25 minutes, and is about prayer. Excellent teaching !
"But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." - 1 Peter 4:7
"Pray without ceasing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
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."
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
The title of this post ("Maybe All The Bad Happening Now Is Actually Good") is similar to what Pastor J.D. Farag said in his recent Bible Prophecy Update posted on Sunday, February 23, 2020. You will see why he said that, when you watch the following 37 minute video:
Often good can come from evil. Remember Joseph in the Old Testament and how his brothers hated him and sold him into slavery and how he eventually became a powerful figure in Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh himself. Eventually Joseph's brothers came to Egypt to purchase food, as there was a great famine which necessitated them doing so. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers (because at first they did not recognize him as their brother), he said the following:
"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." - Genesis 50:20
This reminds me of what was said in my previous post on February 22, 2020 (scroll down to view it), and, that is, "Do not lean upon your own understanding" which is taken from Proverbs 3:5,6 as follows:
"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."
This video above by Pastor Farag is one of his best! He tells us that many professing Christians today don't see or don't want to see just how near we are to the end of all things as we know it.
Pastor Farag explains the way of salvation towards the end of his update above.
Jesus loves you ! Jesus is returning soon! Be Rapture ready ! "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." - Jesus at Luke 21:28, concerning signs of the end times. Please read all of Luke 21 ! It describes events that are occurring right now!
We can get into a lot of trouble by only relying on our own understanding. It is wise to go to God's Holy Word, the Bible, for answers to life's dilemmas and trials for direction. Likewise, we should pray without ceasing to the good Lord about everything.
Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us: (5) "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.''
We get into a lot of trouble by immediately reacting to a problem or hardship or trial with only our "feelings." We need the wisdom of God to guide us: the Bible, and much prayer.
Although this saying did not originate with Dr. Charles Stanley, he has used it in more than one sermon: "HALT ... never get too Hungry, too Angry, too Lonely, or too Tired" - You do not make good decisions when you are in such a vulnerable state of mind."
[Island Off Lanikai Beach, Oahu, Hawaii]
In Proverbs 3:5, it makes it evident that we should rest in God and thereby be assured of His grace towards us, and that His will and power will help us ; will save us and help us in all things; in all circumstances. Trust God.
In Proverbs 3:6, we are admonished to "acknowledge" God and He will direct our paths. We should not be self-sufficient and self-dependent as that has been the ruin of mankind ever since the fall in the Garden of Eden.
One commentator has said: "The grand sin of the human race is their continual endeavor to live independently of God, i.e., to be without God in the world. True religion consists in considering God the fountain of all good, and expecting all good from Him."
Following is a 53 minute sermon by Calvary Chapel Chino Valley pastor David Rosales who discusses Proverbs 3:1-10. If you only want to watch the part concerning Proverbs 3:5-6, just go to the section of minutes 14 to 20.
Many of you are familiar with Pastor Chuck Smith, who passed away not too very long ago. He is the founder of the Calvary Chapel churches. Following is a 41 minute audio sermon on Proverbs 3:5-6 by him, only he has an interesting take on those verses, meaning he concentrates on discerning the will of God. He tells us that all of us today are in the process of fulfilling the purpose God has for our lives.
As has been written on this blog many times, we are in the last moments of the last days as prophesied in the Bible. So much prophecy is being fulfilled today that many scholars admit it is impossible to keep up with it all, and impossible to report on all of it. You may read more about it by going to the search box in the upper right hand side of this page and entering such things as "end times, signs of Jesus' return, 7 year Tribulation, the Rapture of the Church, the Mark of the Beast" and many other such topics.
We need to make sure that we are truly saved and believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior with all of our heart and all of our soul and all of our very being. Not an intellectual knowledge, but a vibrant, living, and life-changing belief. A heart changing belief.
Jesus paid our sin debt in full at the cross, when He redeemed us by His shed blood which can wash away our sins if we but put full faith in Him as the Savior. He was our substitute. Salvation is not complicated; it just requires unwavering faith and strong heartfelt belief 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."
"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
"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
"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
Luke 21:28 is where Jesus tells us (concerning the signs of His soon return in these last days) :
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."
You may read more of these signs of the end times in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.
Jesus is at the very door!
Are you Rapture ready?
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life!!
