The Rapture - It Won't Be Long Now In Light Of Current Events (With Video)

In light of current events, even those who are not Christians realize that "something has to give."  Many are fearful and without hope and in dread of what will happen next.   Many fear a World War Three which some say has already begun, just not in full force as of now.   Christians have a blessed hope, however, in all of this turmoil and wickedness and chaotic happenings across the globe:

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ."   -  Titus 2:13

It will not be long now, believers, before we are caught up to be in heaven with the Lord when the Rapture of the Church occurs.  Maranatha !!

I have written much about the Rapture and will not repeat myself in this post.   In the search box above and to the right on this page, type in "rapture" and several posts will appear and you can scroll down and chose the ones you wish to view.  Some have videos by prominent pastors and authors on the subject of the Rapture of the Church.

I would like to share a recent video by Amir Tsarfati, a Jewish believer in the Messiah who lives in Israel and has a thriving ministry.   In it he discusses current Middle East and world events and he discusses the Rapture as well.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTVmX7y30sE   

These current events should be watched always as they are fulfilling Bible prophecy and verify that we are in the last days now.  Someone has said that the present time is just as prophetic as the time when Jesus was on earth 2000 years ago.

"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

The above verse applies to believers in Jesus Christ, who is The Savior.   If you are not saved by the blood of Jesus, by faith in Him, then I am afraid you do not have that heavenly hope.

You need to repent and call on the name of Jesus, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness,  turn away and cease from your sins, as repentance means a change of mind and heart: to not keep living in sin.   

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."  -  Acts 4:12

"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

To God, Jesus is not one way among many,  but The Way...... the only way. 

Do not harden your heart against the Lord.   Realize that time is short on this earth, and eternity is a long time to spend in the wrong place...... which is hell if you do not repent and turn to the Lord and believe in Him as The Savior.   

Believers have a hope, a blessed hope, of being with the Lord forever in eternity.   You can have that hope as well when you surrender your life to Jesus, in faith and complete belief in Him.

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

"It's All A Test" - Inspirational Weekend

Someone once said, "This world is not a playground; it is a schoolhouse."  I am paraphrasing that from memory, so it may not be exactly every word, but the main thought is very evident.  We are not put on this earth to "party" constantly, but instead we are put here to learn and to grow and to be taught many lessons and to help others.   This is especially true of spiritual matters.   This life is truly all a test.  

"God has a purpose for trials and testings."  -  Warren Wiersbe

It is to our benefit to undergo the trials that God allows.   I say "allows" because God is not always the originator of our tribulations and testings.   We live in a fallen world, ever since Adam and Eve sinned and disobeyed our heavenly Father; therefore, the earth is still under the Adamic curse:  it is full of evil and is influenced by satan and his demons.  There is crime of every sort all around us.  And just reading the news tells us that this chaotic world and its leaders are in distress and filled with perplexity (Luke 21:25).   So when something bad happens to someone, it is not because God is mean to us; but rather because this is a fallen world and bad things can happen to anyone, not because God is always behind it.  The good Lord allows trials and testings so that we may grow strong and be refined and turn to Him for our deliverance......it grows our faith as we turn to Him in prayer and we put our full confidence in Him.  

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."    -   1 Peter 1:7

Someone has said that a faith that that has never been tested is a faith that cannot be trusted.   That is because when our faith is tested that it doesn't tell the good Lord anything new; He already knows how strong our faith is.  Rather, when our faith is tested, it reveals to us how strong or weak we are in the area of our faith.  "A tested faith is a trusted faith."

In the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament, the word translated "test" means "to prove by trial."   When God tests His children, His purpose is to prove that our faith is real and that we are really His children and that no test or trial will make us lose our faith and fall away.

In Mark 4, Jesus gives us the parable of the sower.  Don't be like those in Mark 4:16-17 of which Jesus says:

"And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time; afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended."  

They fall away, in other words.   That is why we need to be continuously in prayer and in pouring over Scriptures daily, in order to build a strong, close, intimate and loving relationship with the Lord.  If we are ever close to Him, we will not fall away.  As I have said previously,  you cannot have any strong relationship without communication.

Remember Job and his trials, which were brought on by satan but which God allowed for a time.  Job lost his wealth and all of his children and his health as well.   Read Job 1:8-22 and Job 2:3-6; but if you have the time, read both chapters in full.   Job was righteous and kept his integrity, and in the end the good Lord blessed him with more than he had had previously (Job 42:12-17).

Also, do not forget David who said, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts."  (Psalm 139:23)  David was inviting God to examine his heart and his mind in order to see that he was true to the Lord.   

This brings us to the importance of us examining ourselves, to see if we are truly in the faith.

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.  Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"   -  2 Corinthians 13:5   

Following is an excellent sermon by Charles Spurgeon on the topic of examining yourself.   

Remember that our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9)  which means that self-examination is critical in order to make sure you conform to God's wishes and His will.  Examine all of your motives and see whether you are in the faith or not.

"God is at work bending, breaking, molding, and doing exactly as He chooses.   .......... He will do with you what He never did before His call came to you, and He will do with you what He is not doing with other people.  Let Him have His way."  -  Oswald Chambers.

"Ye that love the LORD, hate evil; He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked."   -   Psalm 97:10

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."  -  1 Corinthians 10:13  

"But the God of all grace, who hath called us into His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."  -  1 Peter 5:10

Current Events and Bible Prophecy - Paul's Rapture Or Near-death Experience ? (With videos)

Both topics in the title above seemed so important that I decided to include two recent videos in this post and to discuss them both briefly, while letting the videos and Scriptures be the main sources of information and not my comments.  

"It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory.  I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.  I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell:  God knoweth;) such a one caught up to the third heaven.  And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."   -  2 Corinthians 12:1-4

A long time ago I ran across information on these verses above that what Paul probably experienced was a near-death experience. The fact that it happened 14 years previous to his recording it here made one commentator believe that that was when Paul was stoned and left for dead at Lystra (Acts 14:19).  What this commentator was ignoring is the Scripture found at Hebrews 9:27 which follows:

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."

Following is a video by Gary Stearman of Prophecywatchers.com in which he believes Paul's experience was more like a rapture, as was also experienced by Enoch and Elijah.   This is compatible with Paul's statement in 2 Corinthians 12:2-3, where he uses the words "caught up" which in the Greek is harpazo which means a snatching away suddenly as in the rapture.   

Did you hear about how the Syrians fired a couple of rockets towards Israeli planes earlier this month?  Israel promptly destroyed those rocket launchers.  That was the first time that Israel was actually attacked by Syria.  In the following video on Middle East events in the light of Bible prophecy,  Amir Tsarfati tells us that everything happening in the Middle East right now is moving us fast toward the Rapture of the Church.   He touches on other subjects as well in this video.

Believers in Christ, lift up your heads and rejoice for your deliverance is near !!   (Luke 21:28)

Colossians 3:1-2 tells us:  "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."

"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

"Are You In God's Book of Remembrance And The Book of Life?" - Inspirational Weekend

But, you may ask, in the Bible aren't the Book of Remembrance and The Book of Life the same thing?  Apparently not, according to some commentators.   Both books, however, play an important part at the Judgement Day.   But first let us examine the Scriptures where these books are mentioned.

"Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: And the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him, for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name."  -  Malachi 3:16

Read all of Malachi or at least all of chapter 3.   The book of Malachi was written at a time when Israel was disobedient to God and thought that He did not see or that He didn't even care what they did.   They were offering lame and unhealthy sacrifices and were unfaithful to their wives, to mention a couple of things besides the fact that they just complained a lot and wondered if it was even a good idea to serve the LORD.  But there was a faithful group during that time period that met and spoke with favor concerning God, and God heard them and put their names in the Book of Remembrance.  God knows the intent and motive and desire of every heart.   Not one pious loyal word for Him and His glory escapes Him.    

Some scholars do not believe there are actual books in heaven, that that is a metaphor to help us humans to understand that God keeps a record of our deeds, and the intentions and motivations of our hearts.  In ancient times the kings usually kept books of remembrances that their servants might be rewarded in due time.  For an excellent example of this, read Esther 6:1-3.  

The good Lord, as we already know, does not forget our good deeds and our true devotion to Him; He does not need to be reminded of all that as if He would forget.  God sees all and knows all and remembers all.  So perhaps these "books" in heaven may be just a metaphor to help us to understand that He remembers us and our deeds.   And that we will be rewarded accordingly.   But do not rule out the possibility of literal books, because the Bible should be taken literally.

"Thou tellest my wanderings; put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are they not in Thy book?"  -  Psalm 56:8

The above Scripture has a special meaning for me, as I "wandered" for a few years, all the while searching for the Lord although at first I did not realize that that was what I was looking for.   But God in His love and mercy settled me down.....in Him.   Psalm 56:8 is no doubt referring to the Book of Remembrance.  

Other references to God's Book are found at Daniel 7:10 and Daniel 12:1; Exodus 32:32.   

What about the Book of Life?   Rest assured that if you are a true believer in Jesus and have faith in Him as your Savior, that your name is written in the Book of Life or, as it is sometimes called, The Lamb's Book of Life.  

"And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life."              -  Philippians 4:3

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the  book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."                        -  Jesus at Revelation 3:5

This Book of Life contains the names of all those who will live in heaven and worship God forever there.   In others words, all those who are saved will be written in the Book of Life.   

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."         - Revelation 20:12

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."            -  Revelation 20:15

Believers and faithful followers of Jesus, Rejoice !  Your eternity with Him is secure !

Unbelievers, if you do not want to spend eternity in hell, you need to repent of your sins, pray with sincerity for forgiveness, and surrender your life to the Lord;  believe with all your heart that Jesus is your Lord and Savior,  and put Him first in your life.  

In the Bible there are many instances where a hardened and wicked sinner finds mercy and love and forgiveness from a tender-hearted  and patient God .  Manneseh, a wicked king of Judah (Israel) repented after God caused him to be taken into captivity in Babylon and the LORD heard his petition and restored his kingdom to him.  (2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33; read especially 2 Chronicles 33:11-13).  Remember the apostle Paul in the New Testament who persecuted and put in prison the Christians, until he became a believer in Jesus himself and was used mightily by the good Lord.  Read Acts 9 about his conversion and the rest of Acts about his zeal and effective ministry. 

So our heavenly Father can use former ungodly persons to do mighty works for Him once they repent and have faith in Jesus.  He loves us and will forgive us if we confess our sins and turn away from them.   Only God can make us pure and righteous and He does it by the shed blood of Jesus on the cross, which washes us white as snow.   He wipes the slate clean!  

Turn to Him now before it is too late.

Jesus will return soon to take all who are His to heaven with Him.

You will thereby avoid the horrendous times of God's wrath against the wicked during the seven-year tribulation period.   

You will also avoid the torment of Hell.

You will have a clean conscious once you are saved by faith, and you will know the joy of the Lord and what true love is....the love God has for you, and the love you have for Him and Jesus.



"And behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
Jesus at Revelation 22:12-14

"The Joy Of The Lord - Even In A Chaotic World" - Inspirational Weekend

Let us not even talk about the mess the world is in;  let's just focus on the good Lord and His blessings and His Holy Word, and how He gives believers His Holy Spirit to enable them to endure any trials and hardships that come their way.  We need to be strong in these troublesome times, these last days we find ourselves living in now. 

One Scripture that comes to mind is Nehemiah 8:10, quoted here:

"Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared:  for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

How do we get this "joy of the Lord" ?  We will hasten this joy in our hearts by looking more to Jesus and less to ourselves.  We must learn not to be so self-centered and self-absorbed, and instead focus on the good Lord and on serving others.  If we  have more thanksgiving in our hearts and minds when we come to the Lord in prayer, this joy will manifest itself.  Keep in mind that we need to learn to rejoice in God/Jesus in order to be strong.  Having pity-parties just will not produce strength or joy.  

We need to simply pray and ask our heavenly Father for more joy.  God will certainly answer that prayer as it is definitely a request that is within His will.   Joy is a fruit of the Spirit  (Galatians 5:22).  If you are a true believer in the Lord, the Holy Spirit exists within you and will enable you to feel and express joy.   You must be strong in your faith, because the devil and his demons will try to tear

you down and rip you apart and get you all depressed......negative thoughts are from the evil one.   Positive and joyful thoughts are from the Lord.  This reminds me of Philippians 4:8 which follows:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. "

Your thought life has a tremendous influence on your life itself.  Verse 9 of Philippians 4 tells us:  "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do and the God of peace shall be with you."  The combination of virtues listed in Philippians 4:8-9 is sure to produce a wholesome thought pattern, which in turn will result in a life of moral and spiritual excellence.  It just stands to reason that if you are always thinking healthy, positive, and especially spiritual thoughts, that you will be more joyful and thereby reflect the spirit of our Lord.

Obviously, this means taking in much spiritual food - God's Holy Word - which will renew your mind (Romans 12:2).   When you know the Lord intimately and realize that He loves you forever and will never forsake you (Hebrews 13:5) that will definitely cause you to sing a happy tune in your heart.  To get to know God/Jesus in a close, personal, and love relationship, you need to read the Bible and pray without ceasing.  No relationship can exist without communication.  

When you think about it, rejoicing in the Lord is our Christian duty.  How can one be gloomy and depressed all the time and still be a good witness for the Lord?  Impossible !   We need to reflect the joy and love of our Lord and Savior.  After all, followers of Jesus should endeavor to imitate Him at all times.  

So, rejoicing in the Lord is a source of strength.  For strength there must be hope; for strength there must be joy.  If you are sad and beaten down in your thought life, you will not be strong at anything.   Sure, we all get sad at times and grieve at times, but if we have the Holy Spirit in us as true believers in Jesus Christ our Savior, we will not stay sad for long; it will not be a lifestyle for us.

All of the above applies to Christians.  For only true believers in Jesus Christ have joy as a fruit of the Spirit;  the Holy Spirit from above that indwells us when we become a follower of Jesus:  the Holy Spirit which empowers us to serve the Lord with much love and joy.  As I said earlier, joy is a fruit of the Spirit.  To have the Holy Spirit within you and to thereby experience and express joy, a person needs to be born-again; to become a sincere believer in Jesus our Savior and to have faith in Him which leads to totally surrendering your will and your life to Him whereby you serve Him and obey Him. 

Do not delay !  Your eternity is at stake ! Total surrender to the Lord, which comes after you repent and pray for forgiveness, will lead to you being full of the joy of the Lord, for you will then be filled with the Holy Spirit.

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."    -  John 3:3

God loves us and wants the best for us.  His Word is our Instruction Manual for life; it is our Love Letter from Him as well.   Scripture's great theme is Jesus.

"Fellowship with Christ is the fountain of joy."  Charles Spurgeon.   

Charles Spurgeon has also said, "Holy activity is the mother of Holy joy. .......Joy is to search the Scriptures diligently.........Jesus is a Christian's life, joy, and peace."

Have a joyful and Christ-centered weekend !

"But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: Let them ever shout for joy, because Thou defendest them:  Let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee."  -  Psalm 5:11

Is There A Future For America? (Bible Prophecy - Video)

So much of Bible prophecy may seem like doom and gloom, but if you are a true believer in and a follower of Jesus, prophecy gives you hope and faith that soon we will be in our heavenly home with the Lord.  Bible prophecy can also be a motivator .....to help you to live a godly life as well as to build your faith in God and to know that His promises and what He tells us about future events will definitely come to pass, for God cannot lie.  (Titus 1:2).  

No matter what the future holds for America (or the rest of the world), believers in Jesus Christ have the hope of eternal life.   In the following video by www.prophecywatchers.com , Gary Stearman and Jeff Kinley discuss America's possible future and they give mature insight on many topics concerning today's events. 

One statement by Jeff Kinley that took me by surprise was the fact that "of the top ten places where people get their spiritual growth from, the church did not even make the top ten."   That is where America stands right now, folks.  

The above video also discusses what effect the Rapture of the Church will have on America, as millions will be caught up to be with the Lord all at once; some doctors, some policemen, some government officials, and so many more that their sudden absence will be crippling to the USA.   

Just remember, believers, that things will be pretty much "business as usual" when the Rapture occurs according to what Jesus said at Matthew 24:36-39 which is quoted below:

(36) "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (37) But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (38)  For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,  (39) And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

There are no signs or prophecies that must happen before the Rapture as that event is imminent.  That is why we must always be ready and "looking up" (Luke 21:28) for the Lord's return at any time.  Be often in prayer and Bible study which will enable you to live a more godly life and will also give you strength to carry on in difficult times.   Also, prayer and Bible reading will help you grow to spiritual maturity.  You will thereby draw ever closer to the Lord and develop a close, intimate, personal love relationship with Him.

Remember, you are not saved by any works you may do.  You are saved by belief in Jesus.  

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.  Not of works, lest any man should boast."  -  Ephesians 2:8-9

Rest assured that if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ as your Savior, Lord, and Master, you will meet the Lord in the air and follow Him to heaven at the time of the Rapture.   What a blessed hope!   (Titus 2:13)  If you are born again but you die before the Rapture occurs, you will  immediately enter heaven to be with the Lord.

"Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:  .........We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."   -  2 Corinthians 5:6, 8

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words."   -  1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

The two words above ,"caught up" are, in the Greek, harpazo , and in the Latin Vulgate Bible it is the word rapturo (or rapio). That word rapturo is where the English word rapture originates.

The Lord loves His people, and will take care of them for all eternity.   All He asks in return is our love, faith and trust in Him, and our obedience.  When we contemplate how He even bled and died for us, our hearts should be overflowing with love for Him, and we should have a deep sense of gratitude for all that He has done for us.  

Maranatha !!

Saved By Grace - Not By Works (The Way Of Salvation)

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."   -  Ephesians 2:8-9

This post is for everyone, but especially for those who read my recent Inspirational Weekend post.  Reading over that information again today, I realized that I didn't explain something as carefully as I should have.  I made a note of correction on the weekend post, but felt that I should do another post today to further clarify what I had meant to say.

Yes, we are saved by grace when we, by faith, believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior.  (Ephesians 2:8-9, the verses quoted above.) You are then a child of God forever!  In my weekend post I had urged any unbelievers to pray and ask for forgiveness to be saved.  And then I said, "It will take effort on your part" and went on to encourage them to read their Bibles and to pray and to join a Christian church.    I realized today that that made it sound like they must also do "works" to be saved, when that was not my intention at all to convey such a thought.  We are saved only by belief and faith in Jesus.  What I had meant was that, after we are saved, we can only grow to spiritual maturity by pouring over God's Holy Word and by much prayer and by attending worship services and associating with fellow-believers.  All of that helps us to mature as believers and also helps us to have a close, personal, intimate, love relationship with God our heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ.

"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."  -  Romans 10:9

"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   

Also, remember the thief on the cross who believed in Jesus at the very end of his life, and Jesus told him that he would be with Him that day in Paradise (Luke 23:39-43).  This thief had not had any opportunity to do good works; his faith alone had saved him.

I can look back to the time when I told Jesus that I loved Him and how that was the turning point for me.   There was no formula prayer for me; just a heart broken yet full of love for the Savior; a heart that was reaching out in desperation and in the hope He provided.  He showed His love, forgiveness, and patience in return.  I began to read the Bible more and to seek Him even more with all my heart.  I learned to let go of my previous "I can take care of myself" attitude and to turn to Him in surrender, willing to be taught by Him and with a desire to grow ever closer to Him.   So we are saved by believing in Jesus as our Savior, Lord, and Master; but if we are truly born again, we will have the desire to pour over His Word and to pray fervently and with importunity and to attend worship services and to thereby grow ever more in love with Him.

Following is a sermon on the way of salvation by Charles Spurgeon

"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

"A Place To Flee For Safety" - Inspirational Weekend

"Peace and security", or "Peace and safety" is what governments and lay people alike are hoping for and proclaiming nowadays.   Many people are building bunkers (and that includes large, elaborate living quarters for the Elite and the government officials....all underground and in the mountains).   This is fear manifesting itself in survival instincts.  The Bible spoke about how in the last days they would be saying "peace and safety" in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, which is quoted below:

"For when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape."  This Scripture tells us that God will pour out His wrath upon ungodly people who hate Him and His Son by their refusal to repent.  This reminds me of Revelation 6:15-16 which is speaking concerning the Tribulation period and which says,

"(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."

I find it worthy to note that the very mountains people turned to for safety and where they built living quarters (bunkers), are now being called upon by the evil people to fall on them to hide them from God.

The above verses and 1 Thessalonians 5:3 do not apply to true believers and followers of Jesus Christ.  Faithful worshipers of the Lord will be raptured before the "time of Jacob's trouble."  "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him."     -   1 Thessalonians 5:9-10.

The place of safety for true believers and followers of Jesus is spoken of in Psalm 46:1-3 :  "(1)  God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (2) Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the sea; (3) Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof."

God is our refuge, our help in trouble, our strength, our place to flee for safety.

This takes faith.  We may be weak and defenseless, but we can rely on the Lord's strength as if it were our own.   The many promises of God assure us that He will be with us.

"....for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."  -  Hebrews 13:5b and verse 6.

There is much to be concerned about in this last hour of the last days.   There are conflicts and wars almost everywhere.   What will North Korea do?  Venezuela is preparing for war on the USA.  The biggest threat now facing America's national security is China.  There has been an unbelievable increase in earthquakes and also in volcanoes erupting.  Jesus foretold in Matthew 24 that signs such as these would be happening in the end times.  He meant when they all begin to happen at once and with increasing frequency - a convergence of multiple events and signs. Scoffers may say we have always had earthquakes and wars and the like (2 Peter 3:3-4). But never has the earth been shaking and reeling and been as unstable as it is in our time.  For example, search the Web for statistics on earthquakes since the 1800's and the 1900's and see for yourself  how they have increased dramatically and alarmingly in recent years.  I urge you to read all of Matthew 24. Pray and ask the Lord for discernment.

The good news is that followers of Jesus Christ are not appointed to suffer any wrath from God .  "Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him."    -  Romans 5:9

That is why the Church will be raptured before the 7 year Tribulation begins.  The entire Tribulation is full of the wrath of God upon the ungodly and wicked people left behind on the earth.

No way do you want to suffer the horrors and plagues and devastation that will occur during the Tribulation.

The way to avoid that seven years of hell on earth (and eventually eternity in a literal hell)
is to repent and give your life and heart and soul to Jesus Christ; asking Him to forgive you and for Him to come into your heart and into your life and transform you.  It will take effort on your part as well.   Pour over the Bible daily, pray without ceasing, associate with godly people by joining a true Bible-believing Christian Church,  and surrender your entire life and being to the Lord.  Obey Him and tell others the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

His will, not yours, be done.

A special note here:  the Bible is clear that all you need to do to be saved is to believe in Jesus.   Remember the thief on the cross who believed in Jesus right before he died, and Jesus told him that he would be with Him that day in Paradise?  (Luke 23:39-43).   Remember also when the apostle Paul and Silas were put in prison and they prayed and sang praises to God and then there was a great earthquake and all the prison doors were opened and the shackles on all of the prisoners were loosed.   The prison guard asked Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved, and they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."   (Acts 16:25-34) . 

Salvation comes by faith and belief in Jesus.   Period.

But to grow spiritually, you need to do as I wrote above:  read your Bible and pray without ceasing, and associate with other believers in a Bible-believing Christian Church.   I felt like I needed to clarify that salvation is from God/Jesus....not works.   We are saved by faith, not by works.  It is the gift of God.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast."   -  Ephesians 2:8-9

As you draw closer to Him in a personal and intimate relationship, your will becomes whatever His will is.  You will want to obey and please Him because you love Him and are grateful for His mercy and grace in leading you to a saving faith in Jesus, our Savior.

Following is a sermon on Psalm 46 by Charles Spurgeon, who was known as the Prince of Preachers in his day and is still referred to that way in our day as well.

"O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction...."  -  Jeremiah 16:19a

Memories To Treasure

In a troubled world like today, we all need special moments and memories to treasure; tender moments that are difficult to explain adequately in words.   They are felt more in the heart and soul; a brief moment that can melt even the most "proper" and reserved person's heart and that makes them feel blessed and they want the moment to last forever.

I felt like that recently when my son and grandson paid me a nice long visit at my place.  My 3 year old grandson met me holding a bouquet of flowers, which are pictured above.  To me it was a precious sight to see them happy and so loving; my grandson holding the flowers and handing them to me as if he had bought them....actually, he did pick out the bouquet himself.

My mind flashed back to the past when my son was around 12 years old and he woke me up one morning with a tray on which was a scrambled egg breakfast he had cooked for me, complete with a flower on the tray which he had picked from a neighbor's yard !   Breakfast in bed.  Another extraordinary moment and memory to treasure in my heart.  It was momentous because my son was displaying his love in a way that came from his heart.

"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward."  -  Psalm 127:3

God shows grace and love in giving us children and grandchildren. I even have two great-grandchildren, who live on the mainland.  It grieves me that we do not have a stronger bond because of the years and the miles that have separated us....kept us from building a relationship like I would desire to have.  My great-grandchildren are still young, however.   I must be content, for now, by loving them from a distance.  That is also true of my grown granddaughters and my daughter. Maybe, in time, we will live closer together. 

"Hope is the anchor of the soul made possible by our acceptance of God's Grace."  -  Unknown

It seems I am getting more and more sentimental and mellow as I age. I realize I won't live that much longer (unless the Rapture comes first), and every moment spent with loved ones is very special indeed.  My son, his wife, and my grandson are the only family I have with me here in Hawaii.  My daughter-in-law will soon have a baby girl as well.  More joy!

When I was younger, I didn't possess such tender feelings; probably because I was never shown much love as a child and I didn't know how to express love.   

I am very grateful for the good Lord and how He has transformed my heart and my mind and my soul.  There is power in the blood of Jesus !  He can make you brand new!   (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Romans 12:1-2 says it beautifully: "(1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

When I read those verses several years ago, I realized that I needed to renew my mind by reading the Bible.  You are what you feed yourself...and that applies to taking in spiritual food as well.  Of course, you need to spend much time in prayer also to develop a close, intimate, personal relationship with the Lord. That will enable you to live a more holy life. 

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"   -  Hebrews 12:14

Those of you reading this that are Christians are aware of these truths.   However, we all need to be reminded to focus on the Lord first and foremost because we live in a fallen world and it is easy to be influenced by it at times; easy to be so busy with everyday work, chores, and meetings and taking the children to this event or that activity, that we do not take time to be with the Lord.   We need quiet times in reflection and prayer and Bible reading to be pleasing to God and to draw close to Him. It also refreshes us.   Reflecting on how the heavenly Father loves us and guides us and forgives us is very special indeed. How He has answered prayers and blessed us and how He has made a way where there was no way are truly treasured memories to constantly ponder and meditate on.   Doing so strengthens our faith.   

"As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love.  If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love."     -   Jesus at John 15:9-10

"And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.  God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."  -  1 John 4:16

It is all about love.

It is also about relationships.

Go make some memories to treasure.

Especially store up memories where God's love is concerned; His forgiveness and protection and His providing for you and so much more.

Share the love and the Gospel with others, making disciples.

Build up for yourself treasures in heaven.  

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."     - Jesus at Matthew 6:20-21

"How To Know And Recognize God's Voice" - Inspirational Weekend

(1)"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds;"   -  Hebrews 1:1-2

God is the original author of the entire Bible, and He inspired holy men to put His thoughts and commandments in writing.  All Old Testament writers are viewed as prophets in that their testimony was preparation for the coming of Christ.   As verse 2 above states, in these last days God speaks to us by His Son Jesus or the Holy Spirit, which is part of the Godhead.   

In Old Testament times, God also spoke through visions and dreams and angels and in other ways; even in a whisper (1 Kings 19:12).  One thing about it, in OT times the person was absolutely sure it was God who was speaking,

Today, God speaks to us by the Holy Spirit through His Holy Word the Bible, through prayer, the church, and even through circumstances.   This is only true if we have a strong, intimate love relationship with Him.  That takes time and effort on our part.  Make time to read God's Word; make time for prayer.   If you never hear God "speak", then your relationship with Him is severely lacking in intimacy.   Or maybe you have never truly been born again.

"He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."               -  John 8:47

If the above Scripture in John is true of you, you need to get on your knees and pray for forgiveness of any sins, give your heart and soul in surrender to the Lord, and believe in Jesus as your Savior, Lord, and Master.   Now is the time to get right with the Lord !  (2 Corinthians 6:2)

You need to be born again, become a child of God, so that the Holy Spirit may speak to you and give you understanding of spiritual matters.

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man."    -  1 Corinthians 2:14-15

The "natural man"  is described in Jude 19 as one who is sensual.  The one who is not a Christian is, for the most part, dominated by the physical and worldly or natural life.  Because he is not filled with the Holy Spirit,  he cannot understand or is not equipped to receive the truth that only the Spirit can give a person.  Therefore, he needs the new birth  (John 3:1-8).  Otherwise, he cannot enter the kingdom of  God.

Ducks and other waterfowl often gather in flocks so numerous that it is breathtaking to see them take to flight all at once.   We Christians should flock together also as Hebrews 10:25 commands us to do:  "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

When we meet together at church, we hear the Word of God preached and many times it is God "speaking" specifically to us on a matter we need to hear..... a word of correction or encouragement or an answer to a dilemma we might be facing.   So when we worship, that is one way we can recognize God's voice.

We also hear the Lord speak to us through a member of our church, or through a Christian friend or family member.  Listen to their advice, but remember they are imperfect humans and we need to "Test" what we hear by pouring over God's Holy Word.

In fact, the Bible tells us to test the spirits:

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."  -  1 John 4:1

Sometimes the voice you hear may be the devil, or your own thoughts and desires may lead you astray.  Test to see if what you hear lines up with God's Word, and pray to Him about it.  Ask Him for wisdom and discernment. If the thoughts are vague or confusing, it is not the Lord.  God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33).   Ask yourself if what you hear is going to help you to be more Christlike, or if it will help you to produce more of the fruit of the Spirit in you.  (Galatians 5:22-25)

You most likely will not actually hear God's audible voice; rather, it is a still small voice that speaks to your heart and soul and that prompts your spirit to act.  Remember how Elijah witnessed the LORD's action of a great and strong wind, and after the wind an earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire;  but the LORD was not in either of them.  Then, after all that, God spoke to Elijah in "a still small voice."          (1 Kings 19:9-12)  

The bottom line is:  As you worship the Lord, study the Bible, and are often in prayer, you will start to develop spiritual awareness and be able to comprehend and perceive our Lord's heart and mind and His will.  You will hear His voice in your soul more frequently and you will know and recognize that it is Him speaking.

Develop a close, personal, and intimate love relationship with God through Jesus Christ and you will experience His voice frequently. 

Nothing else is as important as this relationship and hearing from God.

"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

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"  -  2 Corinthians 10:5

"And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of a stranger."  -  Jesus at John 10:4-5   

"We Are At The Finish Line" (With Video On Bible Prophecy And Current Events) - Inspirational Weekend

As you can see in my photograph above, this Hawaiian Moorhen is standing in waters surrounded by tangled tree branches.   Sometimes we can feel knee deep in troubled waters and entangled in prison-like barriers that keep us from our full potential of being an effective witness for Jesus.   We may have many obstacles that keep us in a state of depression or of not knowing the way out.   

But a true believer will not stay in a depressed state for long if he will turn to the Lord in prayer and leave his burdens at the foot of the cross......in Jesus' capable hands of love and compassion.   

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."  -  1 Peter 5:7

America has recently suffered two horrific hurricanes and another is making its way to the East Coast right now.   But keep in mind that many other disasters are happening across the Globe which have killed thousands of persons.   America is having wildfires raging in several states, and wildfires are occurring in other countries at the present time as well.  I say all this not to preach doom and gloom, but to emphasize that there is plenty we could be depressed about and we should care about the unfortunate victims of these disasters and help them in any way we can.  If you are poor and cannot financially help, you can certainly pray for them.

"For we know that the whole creation groaneth  and travaileth in pain together until now."                          -  Romans 8:22

Many things.... hundreds of signs... that are happening right now prove that we are "at the finish line"  -  the last hour of the last days.  Many Bible prophecies are converging at the present time.  

For true believers, this means Jesus will return soon to Rapture them to be with Him in heaven and later with Him on earth during the millennium reign.  This is something we eagerly look forward to... all eternity with the Lord.

Don't be depressed...Look up and watch for the Lord's soon return.  (Luke 21:28).  

Following is a video on current events and Bible prophecy in which Amir Tsarfati gives an excellent take on current world events.

"Why should I be concerned with Bible Prophecy?  I have so many problems to deal with as it is," you may ask.   The devil likes to keep us busy with all kinds of things that distract us from the Lord and His will.  We don't pray because we think we don't have time; and prayer is vital for a close relationship with God.  We don't read the Bible because, again, we don't believe we have the time.  The Bible is God's Holy Word, our Love Letter from Him, and our Instruction Manual for living a life that is pleasing to Him.  By the reading of His Word, we come to really really know the Lord and His attributes and His will, thereby helping us to have a dynamic and living relationship with Him.   

"And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent."   -  Jesus speaking at John 17:3

This "knowing" is not just head knowledge;  it is a relationship, an understanding of His will, and a thirst to know Him more and more intimately and our wanting to please Him in all we do, and say, and in the way we live our lives......to be more like Christ.  This knowing Jesus involves the heart and the soul. It is your very life.   They say people know you by the company  you keep;   be best friends and company with the Lord Jesus Christ.  If you are always in prayer and pour over His Word diligently, you will  become more Christ-like, and thereby be pleasing to the Lord.

My photograph above of the Hawaiian Black-Crowned Night Heron with the small fish in its bill reminds me of how the devil fishes around to snatch as many people as he can in his evil grasp to deceive and destroy them.  

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."  -  1 Peter 5:8

Satan will NOT devour you if you are walking hand in hand with Jesus and if you have a close, personal, and intimate relationship with the Lord.  If you are deliberately sinning to indulge your lustful desires and sinful self-will, then beware.   The Lord wants only those who surrender to Him and who obey Him, and by that show that they love Him.

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him."   -  Jesus at John 14:21

Now is not the time to be preoccupied with the things of the world.  We need to be spiritually minded and seek the Lord continually.  Someone once said, "Too often we are so preoccupied with the destination, we forget the journey."   Of course we should concern ourselves with heavenly things and look forward to being with the Lord (the destination), but we also need to live (the journey) in a way that pleases Him and leads many others to faith in Jesus.  Once saved, we should not become passive "couch-potato" Christians. We should be busy doing the Lord's work.

"God wants the whole person and He will not rest till He gets us in entirety.  No part of the man will do."  -  A.W. Tozer

Don't waste your life.  

Remember that we are at the finish line.

Do not be distracted away from the Lord.

Time on this earth is short.....

 Jesus will return soon.

Will you be ready?

"A man by his sin may waste himself, which is to waste that which on earth is most like God.  This is man's greatest tragedy and God's heaviest grief."  -  A.W. Tozer

"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."              -  Ephesians 4:30

It is all about love and obedience.

"Jesus answered and said unto him,  If a man love Me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode with him."    -  John 14:23

"Bible Prophecy, God's Patience, And You" (With Video) - Inspirational Weekend

With the recent Hurricane Harvey and the present Hurricane Irma in the USA, many people are speculating that it is God's judgment upon America.  I will not venture an opinion except to say that hurricanes are just a fact of life here in America.  But it is true that God has used weather in Biblical times to punish the ancient peoples.

Many signs are coming to pass now that the Bible foretold by the prophets of old; or are in the process of coming true, in the beginning stages.   Take the War of Gog and Magog which is mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39.  The nations mentioned in those prophecies are now lining up against Israel and joining forces to soon come against Israel, God's covenant people.  As mentioned several times before on this blog, the nation of Israel is God's prophetic time clock.  I have written before about the Battle of Gog and Magog and in one instance I go into much detail, found here.

As to the exact timing of this war, there are many different views held by Bible scholars.   Some feel the battle takes place before the Rapture of the Church; some believe Gog and Magog happens early in the 7 year Tribulation; others say that it occurs after the Rapture but before the Tribulation.  There are several other opinions as well.   The point is, God knows when it will be; our job is to believe it by faith because God's Holy Word prophesied it, and also to use it as an evangelizing tool to win souls to the Lord.

Another prophecy, found in Isaiah 17, concerning Damascus, Syria, is about to be fulfilled.  Please read all of that chapter, but I will quote Isaiah 17:1, 

"The burden of Damascus, Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall become a ruinous heap."   Much of the area around Damascus has been destroyed already, but this prophecy emphatically states all of Damascus will totally be destroyed. Reading further in Isaiah 17, we see that its destruction comes by way of Israel.   

The above two prophecies are now about to happen at any time; preparations are taking place right now.   This is why Bible prophecy is such a wonderful evangelizing tool;  it proves the Bible is true and it creates an urgency for an unbeliever to accept Jesus as their Savior before it is too late to do so.  These events also encourage believers to "Look up, because your redemption draws nigh",   Luke 21:28.  It is an exciting time for Christians, knowing that the Lord will soon return to take them to be with Him in heaven.   

Following is a video on current events and Bible prophecy by Amir Tsarfati, who is a Jewish Christian with a thriving ministry based in Israel.  Amir mentions that North Korea is like a smokescreen to that which happens with Russia and Iran.  It is a very interesting update on current affairs.

Aren't you glad that God is patient !  I am.  I was slow to understand God's patience with me and how He was drawing me to Him by His forbearance.  I am filled with gratitude for His persistence in clearing the sawdust out of my mind and for giving me understanding of His Word and for drawing me to Him and to Jesus.   

"No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day."    -  Jesus at John 6:44

God was also patient with Adam and Eve when they sinned and even made clothes for them from animal skins.

The Lord showed extreme patience with the rebellious nation of Israel, who murmured against Him and were ungrateful for all of His provisions and protection.

Those of you who read your Bibles are very familiar with the Lord's love and extreme patience throughout all of Scripture; and no doubt in your own life as well.   

"But thou, O LORD, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth."  -  Psalm 86:15

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."  -  2 Peter 3:9

Romans 2:3-4 says, "Do you suppose, O man - you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself - that you will escape the judgment of God?  Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?"

Take time this weekend to thank your Heavenly Father for His blessings and for Jesus and for His patience.  He loves you.