Wednesday, June 25, 2014
THINGS TO COME
Part Three: The Judgment of God through Christ’s Return
8. The judgment of God [Revelation 14-16]: These are basically the seven vials and of the most part are analogous to the ten plagues of Egypt. His judgment applies to the unbelievers in the world at that time. No repentance is invited or shown during this time. The rapture has already happened and the saints are coming back with Christ on His second appearance to make battle with the Antichrist and his minions [12].
9. Armageddon [Revelation 16:12-16]: In the Hebrew tongue Armageddon is “Har Megiddon,” (the hill of Megiddo). This is the sixth vial that the angel pours out and results in the gathering of the armies of the whole world together as they gather in Palestine for the last battle. With the Euphrates River dried up [13], the kings will be able to come into Palestine to battle. Armageddon is Satan’s last ditch effort to stop the second coming of Christ. I have three words for Satan, “Not gonna happen!”
Christ’s second coming! [(For the greatest detail) Revelation 19:11-16]: This is really something to look forward to that Christ chose each one of us to be a part of the greatest event in the history of the world. To be “taken up” (raptured) to be Christ’s Bride and actually to stand under the Huppah with Him in holy wedlock creates an excitement in me that I can’t fathom or express. Of course the unknown (death to an incorporeal existence) is a little apprehensive but I am in the palms of God and he is my deliverer, protector, husband, and savior. To die for Christ is gain [14]. To Him I give my faith, allegiance, and obedience. If we will not live for Christ then we will not die for Him.
The final installment will be next Monday. The title is “What should we do?”
_________________________
[121 Thessalonians 3:13]
[13] Revelation 16:12
[14] Philippians 1:21
.
THINGS TO COME
Part Two: Abomination of Desolation through the Mark of the Beast
We continue on with number five of nine in Things to Come.
5. Abomination of Desolation [Daniel 9:27]: I believe that after they rebuild the Temple, Israel will again begin the oblations. This will upset the animal activists to the point that the Antichrist takes the scene. He will eventually stand on the Temple mount and declare that the oblations are to cease and desist. He will claim at that time that he is in control and in authority. I do not believe that he will claim to be God, but by his action, it will be an indirect admission of the same.
The reason for this is because in Deuteronomy 12:11 God says that He is placing His name in Jerusalem and on the Temple Mount for a dwelling place for the Jewish people. When the Antichrist declares his authority, he is usurping the authority of God and as he does so, all who see this will then know the identity of the Antichrist. This declaration begins the Tribulation.
When the war is over the world says that the only way to stop the fighting over Israel and the Temple mount is to put it under international control. This is already in the works in Washington DC. The Antichrist then comes into power. He is someone with all the answers.
6. The Tribulation [Revelation 13]: Revelation 10:5, 6 is the beginning of the Tribulation. The One World Government tries to invade Israel and this triggers the Tribulation. The Abomination of Desolation begins the 3 ½ year Tribulation, a time in history that has never been or will ever be again. Make no mistake, the Bible declares that the Tribulation will last for 3 ½ years and be the ugliest time of history ever recorded or that will ever be recorded.
Whenever the Bible speaks of the Tribulation, it is in terms of 3 ½ years. Research it yourself. Here are some Scriptures to help you out in your study. Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2; 12:6, 14; 13:5. When the Bible says, “Time, times, and the dividing of time (or half a time), it is talking about a 3 ½ year period of time. 1260 days and 42 months are self-explanatory but the time, times, and half a time (dividing of time) needs clarification. Time is equal to one year, times is equal to two years, and half a time is equal to ½ of a year. . .thus, a 3 ½ year period of time.
Daniel says in Daniel 9:27 says that the Tribulation starts half way between the last seven years of human government. Even Christ says that the Tribulation starts when we see the Abomination of Desolation [10]. I think we can take His word for it even if we don’t study any other part of His Word. He is good for His word.
7. Mark of the beast [Revelation 13:16, 17]: Once the Antichrist comes into power, he institutes a mark to be placed on the forehead or right hand that no one may buy or sell or participate in the world economy without the mark. Plans for the mark already exist in the world today by way of a RFID chip, which the President of the United States Government embedded in the ACA [11], better known as Obamacare.
Have you thought about the idea that why would it be that Obama and his minions is the regime that instigates the Mark of the beast? Why is Obama the keeper of the mark? (Hm-m-m-m. . .food for thought.) Do not take my word for any of this, because the ACA IS searchable. Do your own research and you will learn more.
Next week we will cover the judgment of God through the return of Christ.
_______________________
[10] Matthew 24:15-21
[11] Affordable Care Act
.
We continue on with number five of nine in Things to Come.
5. Abomination of Desolation [Daniel 9:27]: I believe that after they rebuild the Temple, Israel will again begin the oblations. This will upset the animal activists to the point that the Antichrist takes the scene. He will eventually stand on the Temple mount and declare that the oblations are to cease and desist. He will claim at that time that he is in control and in authority. I do not believe that he will claim to be God, but by his action, it will be an indirect admission of the same.
The reason for this is because in Deuteronomy 12:11 God says that He is placing His name in Jerusalem and on the Temple Mount for a dwelling place for the Jewish people. When the Antichrist declares his authority, he is usurping the authority of God and as he does so, all who see this will then know the identity of the Antichrist. This declaration begins the Tribulation.
When the war is over the world says that the only way to stop the fighting over Israel and the Temple mount is to put it under international control. This is already in the works in Washington DC. The Antichrist then comes into power. He is someone with all the answers.
6. The Tribulation [Revelation 13]: Revelation 10:5, 6 is the beginning of the Tribulation. The One World Government tries to invade Israel and this triggers the Tribulation. The Abomination of Desolation begins the 3 ½ year Tribulation, a time in history that has never been or will ever be again. Make no mistake, the Bible declares that the Tribulation will last for 3 ½ years and be the ugliest time of history ever recorded or that will ever be recorded.
Whenever the Bible speaks of the Tribulation, it is in terms of 3 ½ years. Research it yourself. Here are some Scriptures to help you out in your study. Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2; 12:6, 14; 13:5. When the Bible says, “Time, times, and the dividing of time (or half a time), it is talking about a 3 ½ year period of time. 1260 days and 42 months are self-explanatory but the time, times, and half a time (dividing of time) needs clarification. Time is equal to one year, times is equal to two years, and half a time is equal to ½ of a year. . .thus, a 3 ½ year period of time.
Daniel says in Daniel 9:27 says that the Tribulation starts half way between the last seven years of human government. Even Christ says that the Tribulation starts when we see the Abomination of Desolation [10]. I think we can take His word for it even if we don’t study any other part of His Word. He is good for His word.
7. Mark of the beast [Revelation 13:16, 17]: Once the Antichrist comes into power, he institutes a mark to be placed on the forehead or right hand that no one may buy or sell or participate in the world economy without the mark. Plans for the mark already exist in the world today by way of a RFID chip, which the President of the United States Government embedded in the ACA [11], better known as Obamacare.
Have you thought about the idea that why would it be that Obama and his minions is the regime that instigates the Mark of the beast? Why is Obama the keeper of the mark? (Hm-m-m-m. . .food for thought.) Do not take my word for any of this, because the ACA IS searchable. Do your own research and you will learn more.
Next week we will cover the judgment of God through the return of Christ.
_______________________
[10] Matthew 24:15-21
[11] Affordable Care Act
.
Monday, June 23, 2014
THINGS TO COME
Part One:
Sixth Trumpet War through the Rapture
Never before in the history of mankind has war ever terminated the lives of a million people. That is until WWWI (1914-1918) when there were 8.2 million casualties. Twenty years later from 1938-1945, WWWII was able to kill 52 million people. Can we even fathom 52 million dead human beings in one conflict lying on the battle fields?
However, since 1945, technology has advanced exponentially especially with advent of nuclear power and weaponry. This will allow WWWIII (the sixth trumpet war) to exterminate a little over 2.2 Billion people [1]. This is 40 times more fatalities than WWWII and the Bible says that it will be 1/3 of mankind [2]. It appears that the only thing that man has become smarter and proficient at is killing each other.
To make a long story short, before Jesus returns for His Bride [3], there are nine major events that are yet to happen [4]. Only God knows the order in which they will happen. However, this is how I understand the order in which things will transpire.
1. Sixth Trumpet War [Revelation 9:14 (9:13-18)]: The Bible does not answer the question as to when this war will happen in the order of things. Personally, I do not think that the peace treaty precedes the sixth Trumpet War. Logic dictates that the result of a world-wide peace treaty does not instigate a war that will kill six billion people. The reverse is more logical to me. Of course, it’s all up to God. To kill this many people in one conflict, it all but has to be nuclear.
Some say that WWWIII has already begun. George W. Bush, on May 6, 2006 said that flight 93 and the courageous men who saved the White House, was the first counter attack of WWWIII.
2. Peace treaty [Daniel 9:27]: People are sick and tired of war and all the killing, and with 1/3 of mankind slaughtered in the last war; the world decides to sign a peace treaty. This peace treaty signifies the beginning of the last seven years of human government.
3. Temple rebuilt [Revelation 11:1, 2]: Israel begins to rebuild the Temple, which will take them 3 ½ years. They have already started collecting the artifacts for the Temple. A perfect red heifer is on its way now from the United States of America to Israel. However, the important thing here is that the rebuilding of the temple is Israel’s final rejection of Christ the Messiah. God does not reside in a temple made with hands [5] but in fact, He resides in us because we are the temple of God [6].
4. Rapture of the church [1 Thessalonian 4:16, 17]: This is a highly debatable subject and has three different scenarios, Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation, and Post-Tribulation. Some people are very protective of their theology and this is OK. People base their rapture theology on the Tribulation and how long it lasts. Basically, it’s all unimportant because only the Father knows when it will transpire [7].
Seven year Tribulation believers, say I am mid-Tribulation. However, in keeping with the reality of things, I am a Pre-Tribulation believer. Nevertheless, in actuality, I am a Pan-Tribulation believer in that it will all PAN out in the end [8]. In all seriousness, I cannot believe that a loving God would allow us to go through the worst times in world history when we have given Him our lives and lived a devoted life for Christ as best we can, albeit unrighteously [9]. That wouldn't be much of a reward for being faithful. But your will be done Father
On the 25th, I will upload Part Two: The Abomination of Desolation through the Judgment of God.
__________________________________
[1] 6.8 billion people occupy this planet
[2] Revelation 9:15 (9:13-20)
[3] Ecclesiastes 12:7; Isaiah 7:4; 9:6, 7; Zechariah 12:10; 14:4; Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:30; Titus 2:13; Revelation 19:11-16
[4] The first five trumpets have already happened.
[5] Hebrews 9:11, 24
[6] 1 Corinthians 3:16
[7] Matthew 24:36
[8] There isn’t a Pan-Tribulation. It’s only my attempt at interjecting a little levity in such a somber theme.
[9] Romans 3:10
.
Sixth Trumpet War through the Rapture
Never before in the history of mankind has war ever terminated the lives of a million people. That is until WWWI (1914-1918) when there were 8.2 million casualties. Twenty years later from 1938-1945, WWWII was able to kill 52 million people. Can we even fathom 52 million dead human beings in one conflict lying on the battle fields?
However, since 1945, technology has advanced exponentially especially with advent of nuclear power and weaponry. This will allow WWWIII (the sixth trumpet war) to exterminate a little over 2.2 Billion people [1]. This is 40 times more fatalities than WWWII and the Bible says that it will be 1/3 of mankind [2]. It appears that the only thing that man has become smarter and proficient at is killing each other.
To make a long story short, before Jesus returns for His Bride [3], there are nine major events that are yet to happen [4]. Only God knows the order in which they will happen. However, this is how I understand the order in which things will transpire.
1. Sixth Trumpet War [Revelation 9:14 (9:13-18)]: The Bible does not answer the question as to when this war will happen in the order of things. Personally, I do not think that the peace treaty precedes the sixth Trumpet War. Logic dictates that the result of a world-wide peace treaty does not instigate a war that will kill six billion people. The reverse is more logical to me. Of course, it’s all up to God. To kill this many people in one conflict, it all but has to be nuclear.
Some say that WWWIII has already begun. George W. Bush, on May 6, 2006 said that flight 93 and the courageous men who saved the White House, was the first counter attack of WWWIII.
2. Peace treaty [Daniel 9:27]: People are sick and tired of war and all the killing, and with 1/3 of mankind slaughtered in the last war; the world decides to sign a peace treaty. This peace treaty signifies the beginning of the last seven years of human government.
3. Temple rebuilt [Revelation 11:1, 2]: Israel begins to rebuild the Temple, which will take them 3 ½ years. They have already started collecting the artifacts for the Temple. A perfect red heifer is on its way now from the United States of America to Israel. However, the important thing here is that the rebuilding of the temple is Israel’s final rejection of Christ the Messiah. God does not reside in a temple made with hands [5] but in fact, He resides in us because we are the temple of God [6].
4. Rapture of the church [1 Thessalonian 4:16, 17]: This is a highly debatable subject and has three different scenarios, Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation, and Post-Tribulation. Some people are very protective of their theology and this is OK. People base their rapture theology on the Tribulation and how long it lasts. Basically, it’s all unimportant because only the Father knows when it will transpire [7].
Seven year Tribulation believers, say I am mid-Tribulation. However, in keeping with the reality of things, I am a Pre-Tribulation believer. Nevertheless, in actuality, I am a Pan-Tribulation believer in that it will all PAN out in the end [8]. In all seriousness, I cannot believe that a loving God would allow us to go through the worst times in world history when we have given Him our lives and lived a devoted life for Christ as best we can, albeit unrighteously [9]. That wouldn't be much of a reward for being faithful. But your will be done Father
On the 25th, I will upload Part Two: The Abomination of Desolation through the Judgment of God.
__________________________________
[1] 6.8 billion people occupy this planet
[2] Revelation 9:15 (9:13-20)
[3] Ecclesiastes 12:7; Isaiah 7:4; 9:6, 7; Zechariah 12:10; 14:4; Revelation 1:7; Matthew 24:30; Titus 2:13; Revelation 19:11-16
[4] The first five trumpets have already happened.
[5] Hebrews 9:11, 24
[6] 1 Corinthians 3:16
[7] Matthew 24:36
[8] There isn’t a Pan-Tribulation. It’s only my attempt at interjecting a little levity in such a somber theme.
[9] Romans 3:10
.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
LOSING SIGHT OF OUR SIGNIFICANCE
Quite a few years ago I sat in a pew watching everybody in the church serving God in some way, shape, or form. They all seemed to have a ministry and God was using them mightily for the kingdom; everyone from servers and ushers to pastors and evangelists. I had been a Christian for almost all of my life and yet, there I was, wondering who I was “in Christ,” with no ministry.
I thought things like, what was the matter with me, Lord? I love you just as much as they do. When do I get a ministry and something to do for you and the kingdom? I am willing and able. Don’t you trust me yet? Am I not good enough? For the longest time, those and other thoughts filled my head; I felt that I wasn’t significant enough for God to use me. He hadn’t chosen me to do anything for the kingdom, let alone great things.
I wasn’t concerned about doing great things; I just wanted to do “A” thing for the Lord. I didn’t want to be a Moses or Paul; I just wanted to be a Jim with a job to serve my King and His Kingdom.
On the outside, I tried to be a mature Christian and understand God’s reasoning, but on the inside, I struggled, and it gnawed at me. After all, those that I watched were good at what they did and the church was a better place because of them. Is my service of no value to you Lord? Is there someplace where I didn’t measure up? I knew that God loved me but I felt like I was dying inside and not going anywhere. I felt unwanted, unneeded, and unloved. God was using everybody but me.
This was not how Christianity was supposed to feel.
Are you going through a gap in a vision that God has given you? Has God given you a mission and it remains incomplete? On the other hand - maybe He hasn’t even given you a ministry to accomplish yet. If we do not yet know God’s will for our lives, we can continue with the last thing that He told us all to do [1].
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature [Mark 16:15].
There is timing to God’s will and plan for each of our lives [2] and until I understood that, I would continue to have a misconception of my worth to God. Therefore, I encourage each of you to have patience with God, and wait on Him [3]. It is dangerous to forge ahead especially in front of God. It is during these gap times that we really need to trust God and have patience with His timing and plan for our lives.
Could He only be adjusting someone else’s plan that will affect or coincide with the plan He has for you and it isn’t quite in place yet. Maybe the reason He hasn’t given us a ministry yet is because we haven’t finished the last thing He told us to do. Maybe He is just testing our faith. This is always a possibility but don’t get discouraged even if that is the case. If He gave you something to do, He will give you the ability to finish it [4].
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ [Philippians 1:6].
However, in the meantime, He has given everybody to be ministers of reconciliation [5]. God gave us all the ministry of preaching the Gospel to every creature [6], to reach the unsaved [7], and to present the character of Christ to the world [8].
What better ministry than to bring someone else to Christ and watch the miracle of a changed life. There is no better miracle than salvation.
__________________________________________
[1] Mark 16:15
[2] Jeremiah 29:11; I like the NIV version
[3] Psalms 46:10
[4] Philippians 1:6
[5] 2 Corinthians 5:17
[6] Mark 16:15
[7] Luke 15:4
[8] Romans 14:18
.
I thought things like, what was the matter with me, Lord? I love you just as much as they do. When do I get a ministry and something to do for you and the kingdom? I am willing and able. Don’t you trust me yet? Am I not good enough? For the longest time, those and other thoughts filled my head; I felt that I wasn’t significant enough for God to use me. He hadn’t chosen me to do anything for the kingdom, let alone great things.
I wasn’t concerned about doing great things; I just wanted to do “A” thing for the Lord. I didn’t want to be a Moses or Paul; I just wanted to be a Jim with a job to serve my King and His Kingdom.
On the outside, I tried to be a mature Christian and understand God’s reasoning, but on the inside, I struggled, and it gnawed at me. After all, those that I watched were good at what they did and the church was a better place because of them. Is my service of no value to you Lord? Is there someplace where I didn’t measure up? I knew that God loved me but I felt like I was dying inside and not going anywhere. I felt unwanted, unneeded, and unloved. God was using everybody but me.
This was not how Christianity was supposed to feel.
Are you going through a gap in a vision that God has given you? Has God given you a mission and it remains incomplete? On the other hand - maybe He hasn’t even given you a ministry to accomplish yet. If we do not yet know God’s will for our lives, we can continue with the last thing that He told us all to do [1].
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature [Mark 16:15].
There is timing to God’s will and plan for each of our lives [2] and until I understood that, I would continue to have a misconception of my worth to God. Therefore, I encourage each of you to have patience with God, and wait on Him [3]. It is dangerous to forge ahead especially in front of God. It is during these gap times that we really need to trust God and have patience with His timing and plan for our lives.
Could He only be adjusting someone else’s plan that will affect or coincide with the plan He has for you and it isn’t quite in place yet. Maybe the reason He hasn’t given us a ministry yet is because we haven’t finished the last thing He told us to do. Maybe He is just testing our faith. This is always a possibility but don’t get discouraged even if that is the case. If He gave you something to do, He will give you the ability to finish it [4].
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ [Philippians 1:6].
However, in the meantime, He has given everybody to be ministers of reconciliation [5]. God gave us all the ministry of preaching the Gospel to every creature [6], to reach the unsaved [7], and to present the character of Christ to the world [8].
What better ministry than to bring someone else to Christ and watch the miracle of a changed life. There is no better miracle than salvation.
__________________________________________
[1] Mark 16:15
[2] Jeremiah 29:11; I like the NIV version
[3] Psalms 46:10
[4] Philippians 1:6
[5] 2 Corinthians 5:17
[6] Mark 16:15
[7] Luke 15:4
[8] Romans 14:18
.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
A CHRISTIAN SOLILOQUY
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep. . .
This is Hamlet speaking to Ophelia in the opening Nunnery scene of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. This opening soliloquy spoke to my spirit as I looked back at the time when I rededicated myself to the Lord.
In retrospect it was like I was then asking myself, did I want to continue to be a Christian, or not to be a Christian? Did I want to suffer the arrows and wiles of the enemy [1], or take up the armor [2] and join in on the fight [3], to end Satan in my life or to die, myself [4]?
Even today the serpent, as a roaring lion, roams about looking for whom he may devour [5]. There are, no doubt, countless roadblocks and hindrances thrown up by the serpent to those wanting to come to Christ.
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? [Galatians 5:7 KJV]
Sixty-three years ago, I asked the Lord into my heart, a decision that I have not regretted. A few years later, I started high school. My peers and the world got a hold of me and things changed, not only in the natural, but spiritually. I forgot about God and stopped going to church. I was old enough to understand a few things now and I wasn’t that innocent little kid anymore.
For 40 years, I was in the hog pen not serving God. After all that time away from God, I reassessed my life, I thought to myself, to be a Christian or not to be a Christian that is the question. Why should I go back to Jesus? Considering how much I loved the Lord when I first asked Him into my life, why was I holding back from rededicating? What happened?
Let’s rewind this story about 23 years and allow me to share my heart for a minute. This is why I did not want to rededicate my life to Jesus Christ.
We all have issues. Me…I hate to fail…at anything. Although I’ve done some good things in my life, I’d always perceived myself as having fallen short, either in deed or in measure, probably stemming from a very strict earthly father. I’d started out loving God and had ended up drifting from Him.
The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God [6]. There is none righteous, no not one [7]. Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned [8]. Why should I get back into Christianity if I was going to fail at it? It didn’t make any sense to me.
I struggled with this for a long time. Then I realized that it was all a lie straight from the pit of Hell. Yes, we all miss the mark, but He forgives us and as long as we get back up, we succeed. It is when we do not get back up…that we fail.
______________
[1] Psalms 7:13; Ephesians 6:11
[2] Ephesians 6:11-17
[3] Matthew 11:12
[4] Philippians 1:21
[5] 1 Peter 5:8
[6] Romans 3:23
[7] Romans 3:10
[8] Romans 5:12
.
Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep. . .
This is Hamlet speaking to Ophelia in the opening Nunnery scene of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. This opening soliloquy spoke to my spirit as I looked back at the time when I rededicated myself to the Lord.
In retrospect it was like I was then asking myself, did I want to continue to be a Christian, or not to be a Christian? Did I want to suffer the arrows and wiles of the enemy [1], or take up the armor [2] and join in on the fight [3], to end Satan in my life or to die, myself [4]?
Even today the serpent, as a roaring lion, roams about looking for whom he may devour [5]. There are, no doubt, countless roadblocks and hindrances thrown up by the serpent to those wanting to come to Christ.
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? [Galatians 5:7 KJV]
Sixty-three years ago, I asked the Lord into my heart, a decision that I have not regretted. A few years later, I started high school. My peers and the world got a hold of me and things changed, not only in the natural, but spiritually. I forgot about God and stopped going to church. I was old enough to understand a few things now and I wasn’t that innocent little kid anymore.
For 40 years, I was in the hog pen not serving God. After all that time away from God, I reassessed my life, I thought to myself, to be a Christian or not to be a Christian that is the question. Why should I go back to Jesus? Considering how much I loved the Lord when I first asked Him into my life, why was I holding back from rededicating? What happened?
Let’s rewind this story about 23 years and allow me to share my heart for a minute. This is why I did not want to rededicate my life to Jesus Christ.
We all have issues. Me…I hate to fail…at anything. Although I’ve done some good things in my life, I’d always perceived myself as having fallen short, either in deed or in measure, probably stemming from a very strict earthly father. I’d started out loving God and had ended up drifting from Him.
The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God [6]. There is none righteous, no not one [7]. Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned [8]. Why should I get back into Christianity if I was going to fail at it? It didn’t make any sense to me.
I struggled with this for a long time. Then I realized that it was all a lie straight from the pit of Hell. Yes, we all miss the mark, but He forgives us and as long as we get back up, we succeed. It is when we do not get back up…that we fail.
______________
[1] Psalms 7:13; Ephesians 6:11
[2] Ephesians 6:11-17
[3] Matthew 11:12
[4] Philippians 1:21
[5] 1 Peter 5:8
[6] Romans 3:23
[7] Romans 3:10
[8] Romans 5:12
.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
LIFE AND DEATH
Part Two of Two: Gethsemane
Christ had a life and death decision to make, so He knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed to the Father.
Although it’s not necessarily the position of the body but the position of the heart, there is no better place to be than on your knees to God. If it was good enough for Christ, then it is good enough for me. It is true submission. Furthermore, to submit to something greater than oneself, is good for the soul and is good for our faith.
Gethsemane is the place of decisions and here on His knees, Christ was about to atone for the disobedience in the first Garden. Christ’s substitutionary death on the Cross primarily forgave Adam’s disobedience at the tree, but opened the door for the forgiveness of mankind’s sin nature, but only through Christ. Redemption is only available by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ our Savior, from the sin that separated us from God in the Garden of Eden.
We all have Gethsemane moments each and every day of our lives.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt [Matthew 26:39 KJV].
We can take a lesson from Christ. At the first sign of trouble or heaviness, He went to the Father and “. . .nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
The enemy is relentless and we must be alert and vigilant [1]. Remember that during a time of temptation, the enemy will always open a door when you want to say “No” to God. However, God will always open a door when you want to say “Yes” to Him. Which door will you go through?
So, what is the solution to temptation? Take Christ’s lead and invoke the name of Jesus and “Jesus, save me!” He WILL always answer that short prayer and cry for help. Will we ever walk through the wrong door? Of course, but it is the process of renewing the mind [2]. This invocation works for me for the most part, but when it doesn’t, it is totally me and due to my answer when I say “No” to God. Just ask for forgiveness with a contrite heart [3] and move on.
Prayerfully, we will walk through the right door more times than not.
God bless you’s and have a great week one and all.
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[1] 1 Peter 5:8
[2] Romans 12:2
[3] Contrite heart means to be remorseful and repentant. Certainly DO NOT be presumptuous in saying that it is OK to sin that God will forgive me anyway (Romans 6:1, 2).
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