Hope For The Heart: Recent Episodes
Pastor William Rogers
5 of the gospel of Mark. And in this section we see Jesus proving that He has Power over Nature, power over demons , power over physical health(sickness), and power over death itself and they are arranged climactically to prover that He is sovereign over all things because Jesus is God.
By the time we get to this passage of scripture in the book of Habakkuk, we see a different prophet. He has been changed by his conversion with God. He is ready to submit his will to the will of God and is , in fact, able to praise God even though he realizes that he will suffer a tremendous amount when God's judgment actually arrives in his country. His prayer did not change God's decision, however, he was changed by his own prayer.
I believe that we can see deep into Habakkuk's heart his passion for the Will of God to be accomplished because of sin. His one question is for God to temper His wrath with mercy, which history proved is exactly what God did do . By the end of chapter 3 in Habakkuk we see a prophet who is trusting God in spite of the judgment that is coming. He is able to stand confidently firm trusting God even though the prophet will suffer a lot with the loss of family, friends and income.
This passage today gives us a lot to think about when it comes to prayer. We can clearly see that God does answer the prayer of the prophet but He may or may not answer our prayer in a way for us to see His answer immediately. Prayer does not change the mind or will of God but it does bring us in line with His will. One thing is obvious to me as I read this prophet is that prayer changed the prophet. God's answer remains steadfast but now Habakkuk is told to record the vision because the people need to know and because it is absolutely certain that God is about to judge the sins of the nation of Israel. It is set for an appointed time in the very near future , wait for it -it's coming.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if God were to speak to you audibly in your prayer time? Well, if you have then you will love the messages in this little book called Habakkuk. The prophet prays and God answered him audibly, but it is an answer a lot different than what the prophet wanted and in this message we can hear his response to God as he deals with an answer that would be very confusing to any of us. The prophet asked God how He could use a people who sinned worse than the nation of Israel. God's answer might surprise you -so come with me to the scripture to hear the words of a confused yet reverent man of God.
Within this passage is a lesson in theology because we are privy to be able to see the actual words this Godly prophet used in his prayer to God. Remember he is probably in shock after hearing from God that his problem is going to get a lot worse. He begins to speak to God using things he knows are true of God -I call these things the Attributes of God. It is as though he takes his focus off God and puts it on who God is. Like praising God for His eternity, being self-existent, Holy, omnipotent and faithful. Listen to this message and see if you can see the theological importance of his prayer.
In this passage we begin to see how God is addressing the problem raised by the prophet. Within that response we see developing a very basic and simple outline that will prove to be of encouragement for any believer. (1) God has a plan for your life, (2) that plan will be confusing, and (3) God's plan is always perfect. The application is simply, to trust Him with your life. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Once again we are looking at a very confusing yet applicable passage of scripture. Here in this verse we are able to see how God begins to answers the prophet and discover very quickly that God's response is not exactly what the prophet was looking for. This passage begins to show us how Our Lord responds to a prayer like the one from the prophet or even a believer. Your prayer is not informing God of a need in your life but a word of comfort from God himself . God already knows of you needs before you pray-so your prayer is actually for you and a confirmation that He hears you and cares for you. Remember God never is inactive in your life.
Have you ever wondered if God actually hears your prayers? If He does , then why does He not answer? If you have ever asked these kinds of questions then settle back and get ready for one of the most exciting, even confusing passage in all the Word of God. We are going to journey together with the prophet Habakkuk as he asked God why He is not doing something to answer his prayer. I do believe that what we are going to see will not be what the prophet was expecting to hear.
27) I truly believe that you actually do change and you know it. Now you can love God and you are able to seek Him , whereas, you were not able before you were saved.
Do you love God ? A little bit more special would be , What does it mean (to you) to be Born Again? Your answer might reveal a lot about your view of salvation. You see, it's not necessarily a person making a decision at a evangelistic crusade or a person praying the sinners prayer, these don't necessarily mean you have been regenerated and many times a person's insecurity about eternal security could be a result. Unless there is a change in us so that now we actually love God can we have a real confidence in the promises of God. Before regeneration we are haters of God and regeneration changes us so that we are now able to Love God and do love Him .
This passage is perhaps the greatest encouraging word for all believers , especially those who might have any doubts concerning the security of the believer. That is , believers who have yet realized that when a person is regenerated , or born again (saved), they can never be unsaved or loose their salvation . This passage actually says that we as believers are " protected by the power of God." There is actually no way in the universe a believer can loose their salvation, once they are truly saved.
This is just one passage in God's Word that speaks to the subject of "eternal security " or "once saved always saved" Or even "perseverance of the saints". All these phrases don't mean exactly the same thing but for the purpose of this message-I'm use them to speak on the subject of not being able to loose your salvation. Yes, when we are saved we are given a supernatural faith that will never fade or be abandoned for ever , even in heaven. So once a person is saved they will go to heaven when their time comes . If you are not regenerated or "Born Again", you will not go to heaven when you die.
Once again I want to lift the word "Called" out of this verse because of the uniqueness of the word that speaks to the sovereignty of God in Salvation. A call that comes directly from God to transfer us from the kingdom of darkness to His glorious light. A call that brings the power of God to the sinner to change his way of thinking. His desire will then allow the sinner to believe the Gospel and be transformed and trust Christ.
I want to focus today on one word that we find several times in this passage. That word is "called" and it is a very simple word to basically understand because we use it all the time in many ways. I think you will see by the time you get to the end of the message that no matter what you think of this word it appears throughout the Bible. Therefore, we should probably try to understand, as best that we can, what it is that Gid has done and continues to do to people around the world. By the way, this word , "Called"(as we use the word) is a bit different than how Romans used the word. This word , called in Romans cannot be refused or delayed in any way by anyone, at anytime. When called by God you change immediately.
This passage asked the question "does God know the future? Then it answers it with an absolute affirmative. Yes God does know the future because He ordained the future, the determined every thing that is to happen. This, according to the Bible, sets Him apart from the false God's that the nation of Israel was worshipping . According to Isaiah 46:10 , God declares the end at the beginning . This is what Bible prophecy is all about-God declaring something years before it ever comes to pass. God knew from before the world was created who is going to be saved because He decided who is going to be with Him in Glory.
This passage encourages you not to look at the entire human race through all generations for all time but to only look at yourself and ask the question "Did God choose me? Perhaps it will help you to look at the doctrine of election a little softer. For many people have a difficult time not only looking at this teaching but discussing it with someone who might have a different view. For others , they believe this teaching only because it is in the Bible. I don't believe that anyone is able to understand it but believe it because God said so.
For many believers this is a passage they like to skip because it has 2 words in it that are very controversial ( predestined and chose). However, they are very much a part of the Bible and the doctrine of Election. This is one of the many passages in the Bible that seem to me to definitely teach the doctrine of election, so I feel that believers own it to themselves to really study it and I also believe that you will come to love the doctrine because in it God receives all the glory for our salvation.
In this series of passages from The Word of God I'm intending to show primarily one truth and that is, God in His sovereign will is a God who makes choices. He actually chose who was to be saved before the world was created. Now, we call this doctrine, the divine of election or the doctrine of predestination. And yes, it is highly controversial-but it should not be so because it is all through the Bible-give it a listen and see what you think!!
Title: "Salvation Starts with God" Jeremiah 13:23 This passage speaks to the condition of mankind as an unbeliever before he or she becomes born again. It is also the condition of everyone ever born or will be born on this planet, and unless God does something to the individual that person will remain in that condition and die and go straight to judgment. Can God do something to change the condition to man or is man left up to his own will to change himself? If we are ever going to enter the kingdom of God(heaven) God must do something to an individual before he or she can be saved? What is it that God has to do? Stay tuned.
I think every time I read this passage it gets deeper and deeper . Jesus says that we cannot see the kingdom of heaven unless we are born again, then He says "that which is flesh is flesh and that which is spirit is spirit. We must be born again because we are of flesh and we must be of the spirit to go to heaven . In Romans 8:5-8 , Paul explains further that no flesh can please God so God has to do something to us before we can be saved and that is found in John 6:44-Give this message a listen and let me know what you think.
This passage is a real problem for a lot of Christians , in that it is a look at the absolute inability of man to have any real response to God. Now if that is true than the whole action of regeneration in up to God Himself. Also this passage looks at a very real story of the resurrection of Lazarus who had died and was dead for 4 days. This story is an illustration of the truths found in Ephesians chapter 2.
We know that sovereignty means that God rules and reigns over His creation. This passage is about God demonstrating His sovereignty with a most interesting story about King Nebuchadnezzar. The theme of this passage is given in v. 17, 'That the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes,and sets over it the lowliest of men.'
God does not change, nor anything about God actually changes. He does not change His mind, He does not change His plan or purpose. If that is true-which it is -then how do I fit into the purpose of God. Another question that naturally arises is the question "Why Evil? Or If God is Sovereign then Why Pray?" These are just some of the subjects we will be discussing in this study of the Sovereignty of God.
This passage is only one of many verses that talk about God's sovereignty. This subject happens to be a very controversial one simply because it will inevitably lead to the question of "how much control, if any, does God have over events, actions or circumstances (even random acts) in my life. These are very important questions that we will be dealing with in the next several weeks as we dive into the subject of Sovereignty.
The Christmas Story is the most interesting story ever told. While reading lately I , once again became aware of a fact that most would agree with and that is that the Christmas story as seen and told by the culture through manger scenes and Christmas pageantry is different that the story as told in the Word of God. One example of that is that no star lead the wise men to Bethlehem. They knew where to go but, they did see a glow in the sky and this was confirmation that a King had been born.
Before you can understand the real uniqueness of the church you need to understand what Paul is talking about in this passage. In these verses he is calling the church a mystery from ages past and even adds that it can be reduced to actually 'Christ in you'. In fact, Paul is saying this truth was never seen in the Old Testament. i.e. The Messiah was never seen as an indwelling presence but only as a political earthly king. God has a unique plan for the church as well as a unique plan for Israel. So the church can have a rapture without interfering with God's plan for Israel and the tribulation period on earth.
We are seeking to answer the question, "will the church go through the tribulation period on the earth?" And to answer that question we must know somethings about the church, Israel and the tribulation period. This passage of scripture gives us two of the distinctive qualities of the church and they are (1) the church had a beginning different from the nation of Israel and (2) the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. Then compare this with Revelation chapter 13:7 and you will see that during the tribulation The beast will be given power and authority over the saints to overcome them, therefore, the saints in the tribulation are not part of the church-if they were then the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:18 would not be true.
Most believers today are convinced that the scriptures teach the certainty of a Rapture, a Tribulation Period of 7 years and the Second coming of Jesus Christ to this earth. However, many believers are not convinced as to how these events all fit together. But most of the believers would also confess to the fact that the Tribulation time of 7 years will be a very bad time and be led by an even more dangerous and evil man known to us as the anti-Christ. So here is the question-does the church today( the body of Christ)look for The Christ or the Antichrist. In other words, will the church (body of Christ) go through the Tribulation Period or will Christ take them out before it happens? The answer is what this series is all about-answering that question.
Paul understood one basic fact about his letters and his teachings, which is that all of it is God's Word. He is complementing the believers in Thessalonica for accepting Paul's teaching as being from God Himself in stead of being from man. A very important fact when teaching God's Word , is for the listeners to understand what is God's truth and what is not.
Title: "Antichrist-Who is he?" 2 Thessalonians 2:9 How would you describe the Tribulation Period on earth to someone who knows nothing about it. Most likely you would talk about this coming evil world leader and you would probably include some characteristics or traits about this man. In fact, this is exactly what this message is about. Using many scriptures from the book of Daniel you are about to learn a great deal Of facts concerning this man of sin that we call the Antichrist.
If you find yourself getting confused when hearing messages on End Times then you are not alone. Many get confused, in fact, the believers in Thessalonica in the first century were very confused and scared to death. They were believing that they were living in The Day of The Lord - which is actually the Tribulation Period. Some teachers had come in after Paul and they were giving wrong information and they were believing what they were hearing. This passage is simply Paul trying to correct their beliefs and in so doing giving them great comfort.
Title: "The Day of The Lord?" 2 Thessalonians 2:2 Why does this passage bring up the name of the Day of the Lord? And why would the Apostle Paul bring up the subject of the man of lawlessness? Well the answer is 2-fold, one reason is to assure them that they were not living in the Day of The Lord and another reason was to comfort them in their distress. Someone had come after Paul's visit and was teaching wrong information concerning the rapture and the Day of The Lord. This entire chapter seeks to clarify his previous teaching and to comfort them that they had not missed the rapture of the church. Which means it's a pretty good chapter for us as believers to read and study as well.
The word for apostasy means abandonment or withdrawal from the truth. And we have always had apostates, however, this is a very specific event that will reveal the Antichrist and his deception.So in effect, The apostle Paul is saying this to comfort the believers of that day who were believing that they were living in the Day of The Lord (which would have meant that they had missed the rapture.) Paul assures them that certain things must come first and since they had not come they are ok-they did not miss the rapture because it had not happened.
The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:1 that in the last days the times in which the last generation of people will live -will be savage , very difficult, hard to deal with times. And I believe that one of the difficult things people will have to deal with will be AI and its use by the antichrist himself. I believe the Antichrist will gain AI superiority and will use it to control his propaganda messages to the world. I believe this will be use to demonstrate signs, powers and false wonders to a world ready to worship him as being god himself.(2 Thessalonians 2:4-11). I believe we are that last generation of people that will only begin to see the destructive nature of the beast ( (Antichrist). Are you ready?
This passage teaches that God, Himself is going to send a strong deception upon unbelievers so that they will believe The Lie, another name for the anti-Christ. This very dangerous and evil time will come upon the earth after the rapture of the church. Now, we don't know all that be involved in that deception but we do know that mankind will definitely be deceived.
We are actually living in the last days before the return of Christ. Of course, the next event is going to be the rapture of the church, then the tribulation period on the earth which will last 7 years. However, that 7 year time period will be characterized by deception . Yes, I believe that the world is about to be plunged into a time of deception unlike anything that has ever been seen before, and I don't think people realize it. Much of the deception will be realized by anyone with insight as the world watches the rise in power and use of AI.
Title: "A 1000 Year Kingdom on Earth" Revelation 20:1-3 Yes, I believe that this passage does confirm that a literal 1000 year Kingdom is coming to this earth. In fact, This scripture tells us that Satan will be bound for a period of 1000 years which is the actual Kingdom age on earth. This means that his presence will not be a problem during Christ reign on earth.
This is a pretty amazing passage of scripture that has always been an ambiguous yet fascinating prophetic section to study in relation to End Times. I believe that this section of Daniel's prophecy is specifically written for the benefit of the generation living during the terrible Tribulation Period . In fact, verse 10 of Daniel chapter 12 says they , as believers will understand the numbers given in verses 11 and 12. I believe that these numbers tell us that there will be a 75 day interval between the Return of Christ and the beginning of the Kingdom Age to come.
This passage always stirs up a lot of questions. I actually get more emails from this one passage than just about all other verses in the book of Revelation. It speaks to the first resurrection so people always want to know how many resurrections are there. The answer speaks to the subject of what happens next for believers after the rapture of the church. We see a marriage in heaven with Jesus and The bide of Christ which is the church . Then we see a marriage feast on earth after the Return of Christ with all the redeemed of all time and we see a 5 stage resurrection of all the believers since Adam and Eve
This passage looks at one of the actual events for church after the rapture. There is a lot of talk today on the timing of the rapture but not much communication concerning what happens after the rapture of the church in heaven. Well for the bride, which is the church, we will go before the judgment seat of Christ(as it is called in scripture) and then the marriage of the lamb. A very exciting subject to study.
Have you ever wondered what will happen after the rapture takes place? What is next for believers after they have been removed from this earth. This passage along with several other verses paint for us a glimpse into heaven to see what is in store for the believers. There are 2 basic things that we as believers are participants. The one this passage speaks to is "the judgment seat of Christ ". Not a judgement for sin but a judgement for works. Walk with me into this exciting study looking at the very nature of 5 rewards that will be given during this time in heaven.
The very next event for believers is the rapture of the church. I realize that some think we are appointed for at least part of the wrath of the Tribulation period but I believe that this passage teaches that the church must be removed before the tribulation period begins because we are not appointed for any part of the wrath of that terrible 7 year period of wrath. I think it is very clear that this passage along with many others teaches that we will be raptured before the Tribulation Period actually begins.
Title: "In the Twinkling of an Eye" 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 This is perhaps one of the most exciting and yet confusing verse in the new testament. I see this passage as clearly teaching the rapture of the church , yet I do realize that there are many that would disagree with me. But, I think the key to understanding this passage is to see the phrase "we shall not all sleep(die) but we will be changed-that is there will be a group of people-(believers) who will not die but will be changed. In other words, we will not die but we will take on a new body made for heaven because we will be taken straight to heaven , by -passing death itself.
Will there actually be a rapture of the church? My answer is a very emphatic yes-yes the rapture is very real and is very close to happening. I know there seems to always be a bit of confusion when looking at the timing of this event , so this message is on the 7 stages of the actual event as found in this passage and not the timing( which will be discussed at a later time).
This passage of scripture is a very general view of a judgment that will take place on the earth, east of Jerusalem after the seven year tribulation period. It will be a judgment for gentiles only and they will be divided by Jesus as either believers and unbelievers. The sheep will be the believers and they will enter the kingdom and the goats will be the unbelievers and they will be cast into eternal judgment.
Title: "Are You Ready?" Matthew 24:42-44 This passage begins a series of parables that speak to the second coming of Jesus and His coming Kingdom. In all of these parables there is a very real distinction between believers and non believers and the warning is to watch and be ready. Watchfulness and readiness can only be through salvation. So, in all these parables believers are to be watchful and continue laboring as they wait for Christ return and not just looking up at the sky and doing nothing.
This passage is usually associated by people who study prophecy, especially eschatology, to be referring to the second Coming of Jesus. But after a careful look at the verses , it is very clear that they are actually referring to the Rapture of the church . I give 4 things to carefully consider if you are trying to interpret this passage accurately.
Title: "The Sign of the return of Christ " Matthew 24:29-30 This passage gives us the actual sign for the return of Christ. Everything listed in Matthew 24 verses 4-28 are lesser signs that point to this one larger sign. And then the fact that this sign along with most of the lesser signs are not given for the church age to witness. They are basically all given for the believers alive during the 7- tribulation period on the earth. The believers of today will not be there.
In this text we see a question posed by the disciples as to the signs that would point to Christ second coming. In this study, I want to look at what the signs are and are they for us today.
This passage does not tell us how long or when Jesus will return. But this passage does tell us for certain that Jesus is going to return. This verse also says that when we see all these things know that the time is very near. Well, what are the things that we will be able to see so we that we know His return is very near?
I truly believe that this is exactly what the Apostle Paul is telling this young church in Ephesus. God has not only given us a new heart but He has also given us the in dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, therefore, we are to live differently than unbelievers. In other words, you can ask yourself this question, how different am I really from the way I was before salvation? Am I living true to the new heart that God has given me? This passage will help you answer that question.
In order to answer the question -did I change at salvation-all I have to do is look at my life. In particular, look at the way I think about things or the way I act, is it different now that I'm a believer. Paul says we can know we are different because we really are a new creation old things are passed away and all is become new.(2 Corinthians 5:17)
Title: "Grow Up!" Ephesians 4:13-15 Once again we are encouraged in the Word of God to simply "grow up" in Christ. Here in this passage, the Apostle Paul is encouraging the young believers in the church of Ephesus to grow up to a mature person using the gifts that God has given you to be used in the local church. As a result we as believers will be not only a mature person but a more stable and solid believer who will not be shaken by any wind of doctrine.
In this passage The Apostle Paul begins to show us how God will build His church. You remember in Matthew our Lord said, " I will build my church" . So we can see that not only does his give gifts to the church but He equips the believers within the church. There are several tools He uses to equips His church. The first one is His Word and then He uses prayer.
What do you think of when you hear the phrase "spiritual gift"? For many people it stirs up a feeling that it is something that they did not receive, when in fact, this passage tells us that all believers have been given spiritual gift by The Lord. But how can I know what my gift is would be the next obvious question. I believe that all spiritual gifts have been given to bring unity in the body of Christ which is the church and I also believe that the emphasis in this passage is not on the gift itself but on your service within in body of Christ. So perhaps you could fine a place of service and you might just realize that your church actually needs you and you need your church.
This is a great passage of scripture that shows us the importance of the Resurrection in relation to our Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
This begins the practical section of Ephesians in which Paul encourages these new believers in Christ to begin to live in a way that reflects this new heart that you have been given by the Lord. If you are ever to live in unity in the spirit you will new to understand what God is doing through your life and it will involve humility , gentleness as well as a genuine love for others.
According to this passage God is able to do exceeding abundantly more than we can imagine. This doxology is perhaps one of the greatest in the Bible. This verse is a praise to God ascribing all glory to Him and is very much an encouragement to believers everywhere . We can not begin to grasp what God is able to do for us.
Title: " Living to Glorify God" Ephesians 3:14-17 Does your life as a believer actually glorify God. Well, in this passage Paul is praying that we as believers might understand that it is possible to live in the reality that our life should and can glorify God. There are some things we need to concern ourselves with first. There are 4 things for us to understand first before we can live in the reality of verses 20 and 21.
In this passage Paul is showing that the individual believer is a person in whom God the Holy Spirit dwells. This is one truth that proves that at our new birth all things become new (2 Cor. 5:17). Our bodies are the temple of God (2 Cor. 6:16). Just as God dwelt by His Holy Spirit in the temple in the Old Testament, so now He dwells in us. Very important when you consider that Paul is talking about Jews and Gentiles being unified together in Christ at salvation.
Title: " Jesus is our Peace" Ephesians 2:11-22 Once again in this passage we see what should be clear evidence of the change brought about from our regeneration. Since we have a new heart there should be unity in the church as Paul so clearly lays out for the new believers in Ephesus . There was a long standing hatred between Jews and Gentiles and Paul Encourages the believers to get over the hatred because Jews and Gentiles are both changed in Christ .
This passage confirms for us that we were not saved by works, but by the grace of God. But, this verse also says we were saved for good works. Basically, this verse affirms the basic truth that regeneration really does change us. A great cross reference to this verse is 2 Corinthians 5:17 which also says that regeneration brings about all things new. So ask yourself, how did I change when I was saved? How you answer that might indicate you spiritual condition.
Our condition before salvation is our total inability to respond to God. We are dead in our sin, spiritually dead and we are not able to change that condition. We have eyes that can't see and ears that can not hear so God who is rich in mercy gives us a new heart . Now we have spiritual eyes to see and spiritual ears to hear and a new heart to respond to God.
This passage teaches that every human ever born is born dead spiritually. That is, totally unable to respond to God in any way and is completely separated from Him. But God, quickens us , gives us life which enables us to respond to Him. He does this because He is rich in mercy and love for us.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you can read a verse of scripture and it seems that God turns on a light so that you see it and its meaning for the first time. In this passage , Paul is praying for the believers in Ephesus that God would open up the eyes of their hearts so that they might see the truths in verses 3-15 of chapter 1. In other words, Paul prays that they might understand God's word.
Title: "Our Best Life is not now"Ephesians 1:11-14This is a wonderful passage of scripture that assures us that our best life is still to come. Contrary to some who would teach that our best life is right now . For the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ our best life is when we are in heaven with our savior Jesus and not now in a world filled with evil and violence. Remember that we were saved out of this world whose ruler is satan himself. Our citizenship is in heaven which will be the last phase of our salvation.
This passage is a message of love for the believer. God so loved us that He predestined us to be conformed to His image in love. Just think God has chosen us , in Christ, before the world was even created and did this for His own glory. After all the Bible says, God sits in the heavens and He does whatever He wishes.
A very important exercise in your daily routine today, is try describing God? Write down on a piece of paper words that you would use in describing God. In this passage this is exactly what the apostle Paul is doing for the young believers in Ephesus. He begins at the same place we should probably begin and that is with the absolute sovereignty of God. Explaining to them we are blessed with all heavenly blessings in Christ Jesus because He chose us before the foundations of the world to have them.
Did you know that according to this passage you can be guided by the wisdom of our creator ,God Himself, through this entire year. We are encouraged to live as believers not unbelievers. We are to walk in wisdom and not as fools.
Title: "An Explosion Of Glory"Luke 2 :6-15Have you ever thought about the star in the story of Christ birth that is known as the Christmas story?Or the glory that the shepherds saw around them on the night of Jesus' birth? I believe that these 2 passages will probably shed some insight into the subject. The magi saw His Star in the east was none other than the very explosion of glory around the shepherds on the night of our dear saviors birth. Yes, the star was the glory of God shining in full majesty and it was not a real planet or star in the sky. Something to really think about-don't you think??
Title: "Benefits of a Quiet Time"Psalm 119:9-16According to this passage one of the greatest benefits of a quiet time is being able to actually read God's Word. For in reading His Word we fine encouragement for life, and strength for our troubled times or difficult times where we simply don't know which way to turn.This passage also gives us 4 simple and practical steps that we can take to get us on the right path to developing a consistent time with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Do you have as a priority of your life to read God's Word everyday ? I'm talking about a personal time , or a quiet time where you spend time reading God's Word and praying. A time that could be described as a devotional time or even a time of worship just between you and The Lord Jesus Christ. In this message the emphasis is on actually reading God's Word to see what it says . Not reading a paragraph or something written talking about what God's Word says but actually reading His Word for yourself. After all, it really is God's Word. When the Bible speaks, God speaks, so try reading it every day.
First I need to remind you that a quiet time is simply a personal time you set aside to spend time with The Lord. It usually involves prayer and bible reading. This passage gives us a great example in the life of Daniel. He had a certain place, time and position for his time with God 3 times a day -every day. I not suggesting 3 times a day but for sure one time a day that you set aside as your priority for the day to spend time with Your lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This is one of the great foundational truths of the Christian life-that we have our own personal time alone with God. What better person to look at than Daniel himself. In fact, we can learn several things by reading passages in Daniel's book where he prays . He had a regular place for his prayer times as well as certain times where he set aside the time and a position which was on his knees. We can learn by studying people like Daniel. Do you have a personal quiet time with God every day?
John in his gospel presents several convincing proofs that Jesus is in fact, God. Three of these proofs are found in the first 5 verses of his gospel . He tells us that Jesus is eternal and already existed before the beginning of all creation. John also presents Him as the creator of all things, which means that Jesus is separated from His creation. And then John presents Jesus as Life, by simply saying that in Him was life and the life is the light of man. Does this sound like the same Jesus you pray to? Our Christian life demands that we have a real and biblical view of who Jesus really is. Jesus is God.
This amazing prophetic passage in Daniel lays out for us a 490 year time line. Only 483 years have passed and the last 7 years have not even started as of today. The reason that is true is because there is a gap in the time line ( between v. 26 & v. 27).And the name of that period of time is the church age. In other words, we are living in the gap found in Daniel 9: 26 -27. When the church age is finished the last week or 7 years ( Tribulation Period) will begin.
These scriptures teach that Israel will survive these difficult days because we see His decree and it is all about Israel. In it God tell us He has decreed 70 weeks of years in which He will accomplish 6 things and they have not happened as of this day. We can be assured that God's plan will be accomplished.
According to this passage there is not only a real devil but we are warned to be prepared to stand firm against his schemes- methods or tactics-. Satan and his demons stand in opposition to the things of God and all believers who are born of God. Yes, we are in a war where we can not see our enemy. Therefore, we need to be wise in the scriptures to understand how we are to dress and stand against our enemy.
According to this passage there is not only a real devil but we are warned to be prepared to stand firm against his schemes- methods or tactics-. Satan and his demons stand in opposition to the things of God and all believers who are born of God. Yes, we are in a war where we can not see our enemy. Therefore, we need to be wise in the scriptures to understand how we are to dress and stand against our enemy.
Title- -Do You Have Saving Faith- -John 2-23-25--Nothing is more important than understanding what it means to believe unto salvation. Nothing is more tragic than deception about your salvation. Too many people think they're saved but they simply are not because their faith is not a saving Faith. Take a look at this passage along with Hebrews 11 and discover that there is a world of difference between a natural human faith and a supernatural God given faith.
We are living in some tough times and anyone who doubts it is out of touch or blindly optimistic. 2 Tim. 3-1 refers to these times as exceedingly violent, savage , painful or perilous, therefore, the believer of today must answer the question, -how am I to cope or how am I to remain stable in my walk with The Lord-- Well-this passage gives us some timely advice that will help us to stand firm in our faith
This passage teaches us that the faith that God gives us pleased Him when we trust Him. In fact, if we are not trusting Him it is impossible to please Him.
This passage teaches that by faith we can believe the impossible . Now, not everyone has this kind of faith and we can see by what comes next in the chapter that it belongs to believers. This is the same as saving faith or the faith that is a gift from God -Eph. 2-8-9- This faith , which is a gift from God, allows us to believe that God created everything that is visible out of nothing -or the invisible- A faith that unbelievers do not have because they still need to be born again. They cannot believe God, believers can believe God and His word.
This passage according to James Montgomery Boice, is a must for study if you are a believer and want to really begin to understand our great salvation. Paul very clearly describes for us the condition of fallen man before salvation. According to this passage we are dead , unable to respond or take one step towards God . In other words, we do not cooperate with God to accomplish salvation. God alone, gives life to our spirit so that we can respond to the gospel in faith, which is not a natural but a supernatural faith in the lord Jesus Christ. And then we are born again.
Have you ever questioned your own faith, by asking yourself, will my faith last me or make it through even more trials and hardships---Am I really saved because I have a hard time trusting God-- So if the trials get more difficult than my faith may not get me through.-In this passage Peter gives us some real assurance that our faith is a living faith and we have a living hope and a living power , and an inheritance reserved in heaven waiting for us. This inheritance is protected by God Himself and is undefined and will not fade away and waiting for you.We have been given a supernatural faith to believe truths about God that will last through eternity-Praise-The-Lord.
Jesus has been giving these disciples a series of lessons on faith and now decides to test them to see if they are getting it. So, He initiates a trip across the Sea of Galilee and a terrifying storm comes and they think He said -let's go to the middle of the lake and drown-. So they failed the hearing test but Jesus calms the waves and the winds and now they are more afraid because the sea and the winds obeyed Him.
In this parable we hear Jesus say the response to the Word of God, the Gospel, depends on the heart. He gives us an example of 4 kinds of soil that represent the kinds of responses we will get to the gospel. Only one response, the good soil, can receive it so that it takes root in the person because God prepares the heart to receive it. This is called a supernatural work of God in the person which causes us to be born again. Also called, regeneration.
I like to name this passage -The Parable of the Soils- because the issue presented is the soils and not the seed or the sower.-The soils represent the human heart and its different responses to the Word of God. In fact, our faith is related to one of the soils which means that only one of the 4 soils represents genuine or real faith. This would explain why some who appear to be believers abandon the faith. -The faith that fizzles before the finish was flawed from the first.-
What is your greatest fear---I can't answer that for you but I can show you a few things in a prayer by Habakkuk. His greatest fear was not his circumstances, which, by the way, were very dark and dreadful. God had just told him his nation was about to go into judgment and He was going to use an evil nation to take them captive.-Yet Habakkuk's greatest fear was that God would be glorified in His purpose and plan for the nation of Israel.-Perhaps we could learn a lesson or two from this mighty prayer by a prophet in the old testament.
Habakkuk wanted to know the same question and realized that God would reveal some things to him but some things were to remain hidden. In fact, there are many things related to God's will that we will not ever understand. Why is there suffering by believers in this world or why do Christians have to get cancer and die-- We might never understand God's ways but we must have faith in Him. You see the object of our faith is Christ -Himself- and not what we would like Him to do for us.
This prophet had basically 2 problems . The first one is that Israel was in sin and had rejected God and the second on is God answered his prayer with a most confusing answer that must have stopped him in his tracks. Did he pray to God with an anticipated answer-- I believe that he prayed with an answer in mind , and was praying for God to fix the things that were wrong with his people the way he wanted it fixed. But of course, God is going to answer according to His good pleasure. Isaiah 55-8-11
This passage ends not only the book of Revelation but the canon of scripture, the Bible. It just seems fitting that a warning is attached which is from Jesus Himself and an invitation for Him to come quickly.
Title- -Do You Want Christ To Come--Revelation 22-13-17-Are you looking for the return of Christ-- Do you even want Him to come -- Well as this passage unfolds for us we see a declaration by believers for Christ to come. In fact, it says that the bride of Christ says to come and even the Holy Spirit says to come. So what do you say--
In this passage we read that we are to live in light of His return. That is we are to live as though He could come at any moment and that for this generation would be the rapture of the church. This passage also gives us 4 responses to the message and theme of the book of Revelation. In order, they are obedience, worship, proclamation and service.
Do you need proof of the resurrection-- Then look no farther than this text and you will fine the very first eyewitness to the risen Christ. This eyewitness is Mary Magdalene who happens to be the first eyewitness to hearing the first spoken words from the risen Christ. Jesus only appeared to believers after His resurrection and even to 500 at one time. Remember this , it's impossible to be a Christian and not believe the resurrection. Romans 10-9-10
This amazing text gives us several things that prove a literal resurrection. We have the witness of several women who visited the tomb, the witness of 2 disciples, and the testimony of 2 angels. You also have the evidence of the linen wrapping inside the tomb. But I think the best evidence is the stone rolled away and of course, an empty tomb. These are only a few of the evidences that Jesus did actually rise from the dead.
In this passage we not only see a river of life and the tree of life but we are told in verse 4 that we shall see His face. Think about that -we will see the very face of God Himself. Remember now Moses was not permitted to see His face and in John 1-18 it says no one has ever seen Him. However, this passage says that the day is coming when we will indeed see Him face to face. Again in Matthew 5-8 --we will see God-
The Apostle John was given a tour of heaven and in this passage of scripture we are able to see some things we simply can't not fully understand. We see a river of the water of life and a tree of life , both of these are not like we know a river and a tree on earth to be. We are not given enough information to fully understand their meaning or significance in our eternal home. However, scripture does give us insights to at least see their beauty and meaning in part.
This passage gives us a beautiful description of our home in heaven. We see walls, jewels , gates, angels, foundation stones, tree of life and a river of living water. Everything in heaven, including the jewels, will be transparent so that it can radiate the full Glory of God. We also see streets of transparent gold in this capital city which will also be My Home Forever.
Yes-Heaven will have gates of pearl. In fact, this passage says each gate is a single pearl 1500 miles high. That my friend are 12 massive pearls which will perhaps remind the saints each time they come and go through those gates of the pain and suffering of our savior who paid the price for us to be there.
To say that heaven is a beautiful place is to fall short of the true picture of that magnificent place. John describes for us that place in human terms as he sees it while visiting there. An angel shows him the hole city -the bride , the wife of the Lamb- and as he focuses on that site he describes the exterior of the Holy City , the walls, the gates, the foundation stones, and the names on each. Even though we can understand John words it is very difficult to imagine a city like this one-our home.
We are looking at the capital city of heaven in this passage. This is the same place Jesus promised to prepare for us and take us there in John 14-1-4.-This is where our Father is, it's where our Savior is, this is where our dwelling will be and our names are written there and where all the redeemed will be along with God Himself. Yes, this passage begins describing this city and The Glory of God.
Can you picture in your mind what heaven will be like-- What have you heard or read that you can recall, that would describe heaven-- Well this passage describes some things about heaven given to us by the Apostle John as he is touring heaven. A voice from the throne tells John that God will do certain things for those who will dwell with God Himself. He will wipe away all tears , pain, death and mourning showing us that life in heaven will be dramatically different than life on this earth.
Are you hungry for God's word or do you just read it on occasion-- Do you know that in 1 Peter 2-1-3 we are commanded to desire or crave God's word , in fact, Peter tells us that we should long for the pure milk of the word as a new born infant longs for milk .-In psalm 19 we are given a tremendous description of God's word and told it is more desirable than honey and yet we still don't long for the word of God. So this year pray that The Lord will use His word to create in us a longing or craving to read more of His Word.
Where do you find real joy---I believe that this passage teaches us that real joy comes from reading The Word Of God. As the Holy Spirit illuminates God 's Word making it applicable to living the right kind of life and by walking the right path, this rejoices the heart which brings true, lasting and real joy. Our hearts are then ready to worship Him who has given us this true and abiding joy.
This passage teaches us that we really do need God's Word no matter who we are. His Word is described as divine witness, it is God giving His own testimony as to who He is and what He wills and what He requires from us. His Word is sure, reliable in every sense, unwavering, unmistakable, in other words His Word can be trusted. The challenge is to not go through this year without reading His Word. You are going to need discernment, -which comes through His Word- this year.
Title- -Living In God's Perfect Word--Psalm 19-7--Would you like next year to be better than this year-- --Try living in God's perfect or comprehensive word in 2024. We need to realize that God's Word is everything it needs to be for me all year. His Word is hope, encouragement, strength, wisdom, understanding. Yes God's Word restores my heart and mind ,therefore, we need His Word to be our hope and encouragement through all 365 days in 2024.
In this passage we see a vivid description at the attitude and heart of Mary the mother of Jesus Christ who is God. We see what should be the supreme attitude of Christmas which is a spirit of worship. This time among all the times in the year should be a time of worship. Like Mary it is an attitude of the heart that is so filled with wonder and gratitude at what God has done that our heart bubbles over in praise and worship to Jesus Christ our Lord.
This wonderful passage is actually describing for us what makes heaven-heaven. You see there will be many wonderful and great things to see in heaven, like the streets of gold, bright shining jewels, the pearly gates and all of the beauty that will surround us. There will also be the reunion of friends and our loved ones and all of the redeemed children of God, but the best and the most glorious reality of heaven is God Himself and He will dwell among all of His children.
There are a few people in the Bible permitted to see inside of heaven. This passage we find that John is shown the inside of the new heaven and he describes it for us. We see a very real place and this new heaven has a capital city, which is called the holy city, New Jerusalem. Later in this chapter John is going to give us a lot more detail concerning this eternal home for all the redeemed of all the ages.
Title- -What Will I See In Heaven --Revelation 21-1-3-This passage teaches that heaven is a very real place, for all redeemed people to live for eternity. After all, everything in our spiritual life and destiny is in heaven , therefore, we ought to know a little bit about this wonderful place. John begins to describe heaven in this chapter and finishes it out in the next chapter.
This passage teaches that there really is a place called Hell. It will be the eternal destiny of all those standing at the great white throne judgment being judged according to their deeds . The standard by which they are judged will be God's perfect holiness and all will fall short and be sentenced to the second death , which is also called the lake of fire.
This passage tells us that God has a book. In that book are the names of His own , the names of those who believe in Him and came to Him for grace. -In God's book of life are listed all believers of all times and at this great white throne judgment , If your name is not seen you will be sentenced to the second death which is the lake of fire.
This passage teaches us that the whole world of unbelievers is going to be judged according to their deeds. They will not be judged by their ethnicity or their beliefs or even their views of God. They will all be judged by the absolute perfect standard of God which is His perfect law. They are standing in perfect silence and the books will be open and their deeds will be on display up against God's perfect law. -There will be no believers at this judgment because our sins were payed for by Jesus Christ.
Once again this passage of scripture deals with the final judgment of all unbelievers of all time. This is the time of destruction or the judgment of the dead known as the great white throne. All of these unbelievers have died in their sins without trusting Jesus as their savior and the time has come to stand before the living, just, righteous and Holy God . None of these dead who are standing before the throne of God will go to heaven.
This passage deals with the most tragic event in the history of mankind. It is known as The Great White Throne Judgment. It will be a judgment for all unbelievers of all times, from the creation of the earth in Genesis to the end of the kingdom in Revelation chapter 20.
This passage deals with the release and destruction of Satan at the end of the millennium.-He will be released to deceive the nation and lead a global revolt against The King of Kings and the people of God. Of course, this plan will not work because The Lord Jesus Christ will draw down fire from heaven and devour them. This actually means in the original language , they will be physically annihilated. Satan will then be thrown into the lake of fire.
Let me just say at the beginning-Heaven will never be boring. This passage says we will be priests of God and will reign with Him. This means we will be bringing people to God during the kingdom . At the same time we will be ruling and reigning and executing the King's will. In other words, we will be very busy with carrying out the perfect will of God and what a tremendous thing that will be. Believe me, it will not be boring.
The kingdom age will be for 1,000 years and it will be a physical kingdom right her on this earth. It will be a time where righteousness and goodness dominate. A place where man will be in harmony with each other and with the animal world. A place without satan or his demons , but where Jesus Christ will rule supremely, and universally. It will be a rule that is righteous, just and fair and where sin is dealt with instantly and firmly.
God has always promised a Kingdom on this physical earth that will be ruled by Jesus Christ Himself for a period of 1000 years. In these first three verses of chapter 20, we see God removing a major hindrance to this kingdom by binding Satan in the abyss for the duration of this kingdom. Giving way to what will be known as times of refreshment and a time of peace.
This kingdom is defined as the absolute sovereign rule and reign of Jesus Christ in person on this literal earth for a literal 1000 years. It is known by many names , the regeneration, the times of refreshing, times of restitution, the coming kingdom.
According to this passage the two demon-indwelt, satanic leaders are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. These are the two most powerful humans on the planet and the world will actually worship them believing that they are god. However, The Almighty Sovereign Conqueror-The Lord Jesus Christ has determined before the foundation of the earth that is how and when they should die. Their time is set.
This passage describes for us a great dinner called by God. This is a dinner you do not want to be a participant because if you are you will be eaten by birds. It is a dinner for birds to feast upon the flesh of all the ungodly people in the world at the time of His return to earth.-No believers will be present at this dinner because they will be going right into the kingdom in their natural bodies. All unbelievers will be killed and eaten by birds.
This passage speaks about the return of Christ and His rule. Very graphic description that is a sword of judgment. This is a flaming sword of death. And it's the sword out of His mouth because He speaks and it is done. The whole thing is over in a second. Death-dealing power in His words.
What a blessing it is to be able to read and study this detailed event of the second coming of Jesus. It is not to be confused with the rapture of the church. These are 2 separate events separated by a 7 year tribulation period on earth. The rapture is a message of blessing and comfort, while the second coming of Jesus is a message of judgment, punishment and death.
This is the culmination of God's plan that His people have been waiting for throughout all of redemptive history. This is that which has been anticipated since the very beginning. This passage is defining for us the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
This message today is an overview of the events covered in chapters 19-21. This is a new section of the Book of Revelation that really starts with the return of Jesus Christ, the millennial kingdom, the new heaven and the new earth. There is a new world coming and it is promised by God Himself and it will begin with the arrival of The King.
This passage gives the ones in heaven another reason for hallelujahs. Because the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride, the church, has made herself ready. I believe this wonderful text invites us to our own wedding. A wonderful day is coming when we are joined together with our Lord in the fullness of that eternal glory which He has planned for us.
This passage is just before the greatest of all moments in history, the moment when redemptive history reaches its culmination, the moment Jesus Christ returns in all His glory to the earth. This is the last of seven visions of heaven in Revelation. And we are ushered into heaven to hear the hallelujahs from the angels and all heavenly beings. This message is about why they are saying hallelujahs to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
Title- -Judgment Is Finally Finished---There is a lot of weeping and mourning in this chapter. Leaders and businessmen weep because no one buys their cargo anymore. The world is not weeping over their own souls , they are weeping over their wallets. So when Babylon falls we are seeing God bankrupt the entire economy-the whole banking system of the world is destroyed. This marks the end of God's Judgment.
This passage is a message from an angel to John defining the reason for judgment coming. Saying, pay her back. It's time for vengeance. It's time for destruction. Enough period of grace has gone by, there has been enough preaching. The whole world has heard and they have refused to believe, therefore, it is time for vengeance says the Lord .
This final warning is to believers to get out of Babylon and do not get caught up in her sins and do not get caught up in the plagues that are going to come when God brings His final judgement.
Fallen, Fallen, is Babylon the great is a pronouncement of judgment from an Angel sent by The Lord for all to hear. This city will become the headquarters for the whole demon operation of the world. She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit.
This concludes one of the most informative chapters in the book of Revelation. Here the see the power and reign of the Antichrist along with 10 sub-kings who will rule with him and we see his destruction mentioned as sure to come .We also see his passion to rule and reign over all people and his hatred for Christ. His doom is coming along with his kingdom and all of his worshippers,
This chapter is a very simple look at the resurrection of Jesus. It is not a heavy theological passage but a passage stating the first evidence of the resurrection is the empty tomb.
In order to understand this complicated passage you will need to be a believer with spiritual insight to understand the symbolism given that describes the 7 mountains and 7 kings. You will see 6 past world empires and one more that is still future and that will be the rule of the beast or Antichrist. He will rule about three and a half years then God will destroy him.
In this passage the Angel describes the Beast-the Antichrist- to John --was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go to destruction. Which is another way of saying the Antichrist is going to perdition or eternal damnation. For him it will be the lake of fire. This description refers to Revelation 13 as being revived after receiving a death wound.-The world will be amazed with this leader saying, -who is like the beast and they will worship him.-
This passage begins to expose the harlot religion that will reign in the kingdom of Satan during the tribulation period on earth. The great harlot is a metaphor for the spiritual false religion, a spiritual defection or idolatry that we know is religious apostasy. This does include the city but it is so much more. It will include all religions of the world except Christianity.
This passage begins to expose the harlot religion that will reign in the kingdom of Satan during the tribulation period on earth. The great harlot is a metaphor for the spiritual false religion, a spiritual defection or idolatry that we know is religious apostasy. This does include the city but it is so much more. It will include all religions of the world except Christianity.
This chapter introduces us to the final form of world religion. Chapter 17 - 18 takes us back over the tribulation period and describes for us not the judgment but what is being destroyed by the judgment, namely the world religion and the world systems set in place by the Antichrist.
Title- -Drastic Changes Are Coming--Revelation 16-17-21--Now this 7th bowl finishes God's wrath on man in this present earth as we know it. Then comes Jesus and sets up His thousand-year millennial kingdom. This passage shows how drastically the earth will change to be ready for this kingdom. Every mountain will be flattened and every island removed. Yes-change is coming soon-
All the armies of the world will gather in the valley of Megiddo or Armageddon.-They will be deceived or tricked into coming by Satan using the signs and miracles of the Antichrist and the false prophet.-We don't know what they are told to convince them to come but it will be a trap. Jesus at His return will destroy all the armies gathered there. It will be a blood bath.
This passage deals with the 6th bowl judgment that will be centered in the valley of Megiddo. Armies from all around the globe will descend on the best battlefield of the world to fight together against God.
This will be a judgement of darkness that most believe will be world wide. It can be compared to the local judgment of darkness upon Egypt to release Israel from bandage. And this darkness is global and will last until the return of Christ to the earth to set up His kingdom.
This passage speaks vividly to our spiritual growth which comes as a result of our time in God's Word. This entire Psalm gives us the encouragement to actually live in His Word.-Here we see in just the first 50 verses 30 benefits from reading His word.
This passage is using imagery by the apostle Peter to describe how all believers should hunger or desire God's Word. All believers, regardless of their spiritual maturity, need to cultivate a singular craving for God's Truth. This is a hunger that should be apparent in the life of every born again believer.
This passage is actually a warning to believers in the church during these savage times in which we live. A warning that covers 2 chapters and the perspective we as Christians need to have in order to Stand firm in our faith no matter how savage the days become.
Have you ever heard someone say that we need to have the Christmas spirit-- This message looks at the responses from those who were the closest to the birth of Jesus some 2,000 years ago. Did they have the Christmas spirit-- They all had the same response to the news of the day as announced by angels . There is really only one word to describe those responses and the word is worship. Yes , those who were there to witness the birth left praising God . The Christmas spirit according to the scriptures is that of worship and praise ,-for unto you is born a savior who is Christ The Lord.-
While reading this passage I began wondering what kind of star this might be. In other words, what is the nature of the star that the wise men saw-- Some people say it was a genuine real star like you see in the sky at night. Others say a meteor or a planetary alignment that formed a bright star in the sign of a fish, still others say it was a star of destiny in the heart of mankind. What was the star-- It was the Glory of God, the Shekinah glory of God Himself. God revealing himself I glorious light.
The baby Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and gave birth to is according to God's plan. This child would grow up to testify to the Father's plan of salvation, and would Himself be that salvation. Therefore God chose the name Jesus because the name means-God will save.
This 4th bowl judgment at the end of the tribulation period on earth will cause-extremely severe conditions for the people living at that time.-The verse says men were scorched with fierce heat. The most frightening part of this passage says that they know who is responsible for the extreme pain and suffering so they blasphemed the name of God and they Do Not Repent. What a sad commentary on the spiritual condition of the people who are in this time of judgment.
In this passage we read that a loud voice comes from the temple and speaks to the seven angels who hold the seven bowls of the wrath of God . This loud or great voice is the voice of God.-He gives permission for the angels to pour out their bowls of wrath onto the earth. And the result is -unbelievable pain upon all unbelievers on the earth.
Title- -The Worst - Most Severe Wrath--Revelation 15-5-8-Once the wrath of God was placed on Jesus Christ because of what He was doing for sinners. In the future, the wrath of God will be placed on sinners because of what they are doing to Jesus Christ. People be warned that judgment is coming for all who refuse Christ.
This is the shortest chapter in the book of Revelation. It is really a preliminary introduction to chapter 16. It is not a defense of what God's going to do and His wrath does not need a defense or explanation. In other words, this chapter is simply a setup for what's going to come in the final judgment. The passage opens up with a glimpse into heaven at a group of people who have entered heaven victoriously.
Revelation 14-17-20-In this passage we see God's final wrath and it is depicted as the final reaping of the earth. This is not speaking of believers and non believers. It basically gives up two views that both deal with the judgment of non believers. This is looking ahead to the end of the tribulation period on the earth which last for 7 years.
Title- -The World's Greatest Bloodbath--Revelation 14-14-16-This is a description of the imagery related to God's last judgment. In this final wrath we will see the act of God that sweeps away the Antichrist, false prophet, Satan, the demons and all unbelievers to their eternal destiny. It is pictured for us as the final reaping or harvesting in which the fury of Christ is released through a devastating judgment.
Title- -Can True Faith Be Killed--Revelation 14-12-13-Blessed are the dead might seem like a strange verse, however, death is a blessing when you live with persevering faith. A life of perseverance brings a death full of promise. The promise in this passage is rest and reward which is the best that God can possibly give. This is why Jesus died and rose again. He died to take away the sins of many and rose from the dead to provide life eternal.
This passage teaches that those who reject the gospel will be cast into the fire and brimstone and it will be in the presence of holy angels and the Lamb. They will be in His presence in terms of His Omnipresence but away from His presence in terms of any kind of grace , comfort, compassion, or care. Proving that the judgment of hell is forever.
This passage refers to Babylon as the worldwide government or kingdom of the Antichrist. The whole Antigod system of idolatry that is the worship of the Antichrist.-This evil system has made all nations of the world drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.-Basically a spiritual defection from the true God. This kingdom has fallen into destruction and judgment. And a look at all the earth dwellers that received the mark of the beast will also drink of the cup of God's Wrath.
Title- -The Strangest Event Ever- -Revelation 14-6--About halfway into the Tribulation period on earth a very strange event will take place globally. An Angel is going to be flying around the earth back and forth and shouting with a very loud voice and preaching the eternal gospel. This is just one of many angels which will be proclaiming a message directly from heaven to all the earth dwellers. I believe that this will prove to the strangest event ever.
Here we see the 144,000 on the mountain with the Lamb as they sing their song of redemption. They are standing on Mount Zion ready to enter the Kingdom because of the purpose and will of God. So they are praising The Lord with joy for their protection and their triumph.
This is a picture of Christ having returned to earth and this group of men are standing with Him ready to go alive into the kingdom. This means that the 144,000 have survived the 7 years of wars, famines, earthquakes, plagues, and millions of people dying from the judgments and the persecutions from Satan himself through the Antichrist and the false prophet. Not to mention that sin has been running rampant over the world without restraint and people being deceived into false religion by the false prophet to worship the Antichrist . So here they stand with Christ victorious and alive having the seal of protection from God, ready to walk right into the kingdom.
The devil is frustrated in his attempt to put his plan into operation, because he is being held back, by the Holy Spirit until the divinely decreed moment when the Restrainer is taken out of the way. As soon as that happens the lawless one will be revealed. Then the demonic and destructive power of the Antichrist will begin. This will not be a good thing for earth dwellers.
This whole chapter is about comforting us and reminding us that God is in charge and the revealing of the Antichrist will be after the apostasy. He has not arrived on the scene yet and can not arrive until after the rapture of the church. Do not allow bad teaching about end times to deceive you and cause you distress. See what The Word of God says and be comforted by that.
In this passage the false prophet will introduce his own brand or mark upon people of the world as proof of their worship of the image of the Antichrist. Perhaps this will be a counterfeit to the seal upon God's 144,000 Jewish witnesses who are protected by this seal.-With the mark of the beast or 666 upon people all around the world it with be a mark of death for the unbeliever-God with send a series of judgments upon all who receive the mark.
This passage teaches that the whole world will be deceived into believing what is false. Satan and all his demons will work wonders and miracles deceiving the world into believing that the Antichrist is the real messiah and that he is their only hope. But with all that deception, God will send a strong delusion to all who have not received the love of the truth so as to be saved.
Title- -The False Prophet's Power--Revelation 13-11-14-According to this passage this 2nd Beast is clearly a human being and is called by scripture The False Prophet. He will be very clever, powerful, persuasive, captivating, charming, a genius who will be demon inspired and demon empowered.-The combination of the powers of hell and the powers of his own human talent cause him to be very convincing.
This passage teaches us that this beast out of the earth will be a man who is demon possessed and will come alongside the Antichrist. He will be gentle and deceptive as he leads the world to worship the Antichrist. But when he speaks it will be like Satan himself speaking.
This shocking passage speaks of a time during the tribulation period on earth when the Antichrist will wage war with all Jews and Christians. He will be given permission to not only wage war against all saints but kill them as well. Yes a terrible massacre is coming for believers soon.--Revelation 13-4-8
This passage teaches us that during the tribulation the whole earth will be amazed and will follow after the Antichrist. One would have to ask why would anyone want to follow this evil world dictator. Well the answer is his ability to perform miracles and wonders causing people all over the world to turn from amazement to worship. And God will send a strong delusion so that they, the world, will believe what is false.
This passage describes for us the kingdom which will be ruled by the Antichrist and will embody all of the satanic power and satanic influence of all the evil empires of the past. The leader of this last world empire will be the worst of all evil dictators and anti-God dictators from all of human history. It will be an accumulated evil consummated in this one person the Bible calls the Beast or Antichrist.
This amazing passage describes for us an individual who will be the evil world leader and will be in power during the time of tribulation. He is called here the beast or monster and will be demon possessed yet a human being that we as believers know as the Antichrist.
Title- -The Great Escape--Revelation 12-15-17-This invasion of Israel sent by Satan -through the Antichrist will fail in its attempt to destroy the Jews. There is going to be a very great escape provided by God Himself in order that Satan by the Antichrist will not be able to touch her. Divine intervention will destroy her enemies.
This passage reveals to us that during the tribulation, Satan will go after the Jews as a nation to kill them or to halt God's plan. He will for sure go after believing Jews who have trusted Christ and all the other Jews yet to believe. Satan will try to bring to a screeching halt God's plan for that nation.
There is coming very soon a day when Satan and his demons are cast out of heaven with no more access to heaven. This will be good news for the believers on the earth during the tribulation period. Once again he will be defeated.
Title- -War In Heaven---Revelation 12-6-8-This passage describes a War in heaven with angels and demons. In this message we will see a strong possibility of what triggers this battle and who will win. The end result of this war is the casting out of heaven all the demons and Satan himself. They will have no more access to the throne.
This war being waged between God and Satan is on a supernatural level and the battle ground is planet earth. The dragon influences leaders of countries, rulers, Kings, presidents, and individuals on a moral level, ideological and philosophical level. It is being waged at every conceivable level in the human and superhuman realm. All because of the dragon's hatred for God. The war will reach a climax in the future time of the tribulation period.
This passage continues to amaze us with a new character described as a great red dragon. According to Revelation 12-9 he is identified as the ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan. The same is said about him in Revelation 20-2. His whole purpose is to destroy Israel and believers because of his hatred of God and The Lord Jesus Christ.
This rich text introduces us to the very long war against God by Satan. Since the day Lucifer became Satan the devil, there has been a constant war involving God , Satan, the demons and every human being ever born since the beginning of time.
Title- -Does God Matter----Revelation 11-18-19-The overall message of the seventh trumpet is that Christ is sovereign and He reigns. He has the right to rule the earth and this text says it's almost time for Him to begin to rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Human history is going exactly as The Lord has ordained and it is right on schedule. It will not be a split-second late.
The resurrection is the heart of Christian faith. It proves we can trust God Word as truthful and inerrant. It proves that Jesus is God, as well as proving that for us who believe, we will be raised as well. Without the resurrection there would be no church, The Body of Christ, there would be no salvation or hope for anyone. But praise The Lord He has risen from the dead,
This passage is the pronouncement of the beginning rule and reign of this world by Jesus Christ our Lord. Satan has no more power or authority over anything or anyone. Christ has begun to rule the world by His power and sovereignty. This will be the 1000 year reign of lord on this earth.
This passage presents Christ as absolutely sovereign and the one who takes control of the kingdom of the world. Even though there is still time remaining and chapters to cover it speaks of Christ as over the kingdom and beginning in this verse.
Could it be that this passage tells us that the remaining remnant of Israel is saved at this point-- The people who survived this great earthquake were terrified and give glory to the God of heaven. This, I believe is a proper response to repentance and salvation.
These two witnesses are going to have a great impact during the last half of the tribulation period. They are going to be protected and very powerful. They will also be violently hated for preaching judgment and repentance. Their death by The Antichrist will be celebrated around the world with a Happy dead witnesses day. The party is halted with a resurrection and ascension followed by a world wide panic and death.
This battle is more like a campaign that extends over the last half of the tribulation period. It will be the alignment of nations, as well as the 10 kingdom federation of nations found in the book of Daniel led by the Antichrist. It will take place at the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of the tribulation period.
This passage gives us insight into the purpose of these two witnesses. The Jews will see God's power flow through them in bringing Israel to salvation. A visual demonstration that God is getting ready for the restoration of Israel. They become the most powerful and hated preachers during the last half of the tribulation.
Title- -A Temple For Israel--Revelation 11-1-2-This passage presents evidence to support the fact of a temple for Israel during the tribulation period on the earth. They have not had a temple to worship in since 70 AD when Titus destroyed the city and their temple and killed over a million Jews. They want their temple so that they may once again offer sacrifices to The Lord.
Prophecy Update -War with Russia-Are we in the End Times and is this war in Russia today the same war as mentioned in Ezekiel 38 - 39
God breaks His silence to give a message of hope and encouragement to those living during the tribulation period on earth. A message that says God will delay no longer but keep warning people of the bitterness of judgment and the sweetness of God's promise of salvation to those who call upon the name of The Lord.
This exciting passage is a pause in the judgments. The purpose is to encourage believers during the tribulation period on the earth that God is sovereign and still in control. This same message is very much needed for us today. God is large and in charge.-God does whatever He wishes.
This is a very sad passage of scripture that gives proof that people do not repent in judgment. During these terrifying times of distress among nations people will be involved in the worship of demons, drugs, sexual sins, murder and thefts. Most will not repent of their sins and glorify God.
This passage is clear in its description of this army as supernatural in nature. The leaders are 4 powerful demons followed by 200 million more demons. The way verses 17-18 describe this invasion leaves no doubt that this is a demonic army sent by God to kill 1-3 of the earth's population.
This passage is the next of the terrifying judgments mentioned in chapter 8-13.-It is far worse than the last one because it will bring death to 1-3 of the people on the earth. The result of 4 powerful demons released from the area of the great Euphrates River.-A terrifying and deadly judgment coming during the last half of the tribulation period on this earth.
These powerfully destructive demons will torment men for 5 months.-These are spirit beings able to inflict pain by possessing their bodies with agonizing , and terrifying pain. So much pain that people will seek death but realize that they cannot die. This is a judgment from God.
This passage is probably the most frightening of all the judgments. God allows demons to be released from the pit of hell to bring 5 months of torment to all unbelievers during the last half of the tribulation period. Theses creatures or demons are identified by John as locusts.
This is the first of the woe judgments during the tribulation period. This is a universal torment coming straight out of the pit of hell to torment all unbelievers. This judgment will last for a period of 5 months.
In this verse we see an angel with a warning for all the people on the earth that 3 more judgments are coming. There are 3 more blasts of the trumpets and each one will bring very serious and even deadly conditions on the earth. What should the world do with these warnings-
This is one of the most provocative passages in all the word of God. Here you have Jesus saying that a church is actually dead. Spiritually dead.
This judgment is more frightening and terrifying because it will effect the world's drinking water. There will also be a loss of solar heat which will bring major changers in the tides as well as the Weather.
God And Global Warming--Revelation 8-6-9-This very shocking passage of scripture is known as the 1-3 -judgments. This 7th seal will contain the trumpet and bowl judgments. All given to reveal how God is going to heat up our planet With fire and bring destruction and fear to this world.
This seventh and last seal is opened and what we will see is both shocking and horrific. By the time this seal is opened there will literally be millions of people already killed by the judgments of God.-This seal also reveals 14 more shocking judgments yet to come.
This is a very important passage dealing with people saved during the Great Tribulation period of judgment on earth. These missed the Rapture and were rejectors of Christ but were saved during the tribulation and died and are in heaven.
This massive crowd which cannot be counted, is the result of the greatest revival this planet has ever known. A revival in the worst of times and the worst conditions man has ever experienced . These people are from all around the world and have died having a testimony of salvation from Christ-The Lamb.
These people are bond servants of Our Lord. There will be 144,000 men from the tribes of Israel, 12,000 men from each of the tribes. They are sealed for protection from God's wrath and judgment during The Seven year Tribulation Period.
There is at least one group of people that will survive Tribulation judgment. This passage says 144,000 people from the nation of Israel will be sealed and protected from God's wrath to come. They will not be harmed or killed and will go directly into the Kingdom which will come after this period.
This panic begins with the opening of the 6th seal and 6 terrifying acts of God, causing the world to cry out in extreme fear. This will be experienced by every person on the earth at this time. They will know that judgment has now come to them. This is The Day of The Lord .
This passage is a prayer for vengeance from God to the ungodly on the earth.-We hear from Christians who have been slaughtered on earth during the 7 years tribulation period led by the antichrist who's mission is to kill all believers.
These acts of God are intended for the purpose of judgment and fear. They will bring major changes for our planet. The sun, moon, our earth, and even the stars in the heavens will all be affected and will bring a frightening fear upon all the people on the earth.
These four killers, the sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beast are sent to the earth for the purpose of judgement. They are given authority to kill 1-4 of the Earths population. You do not want to be here on Earth.
A false peace is coming followed by 3 deadly forces- war, famine and death. These make up the beginning of the birth pains in anticipation of a birth. This birth is the return of Christ to set up His Kingdom.
The tribulation period will begin with peace.This will be a false world peace and a trap-for Israel as well as all the world and headed up by the Antichrist. It will be followed by war, famine, natural disasters, fierce persecution and death.
This heavenly choir of over 100 million voices is the last action before judgement goes out from the throne God. Earth is not a part of this celebration of praise to the Lamb who is worthy.
This passage gives us through symbolism why there is an explosion of praise in Heaven. This is the last action before judgement goes out from the throne down to earth.
The Lamb comes and takes the book out of the hand of God The Father. This is the great culminating act of human history, in other words, the end of mankind upon the earth. Paradise is about to be regained. Eden like conditions restored upon the face of the earth.
The book in this passage contains detailed descriptions of Gods judgments upon the earth. It is a full account of how Jesus the rightful heir, will take back what is His by an action of severe wrath upon earth dwellers.
Here we see the motion and activity of these angels who are ready to assist in judgment. We also see a thrilling crescendo of praise directed towards Him who lives forever and forever.
Around the throne of God we see the manifestation of His grace, mercy, and faithfulness. We also see the crowned and raptured church along with four living beings who are called cherubim.
This prophetic passage presents a fire storm of righteous fury about to come from the holy throne on a sinful world. A vivid glimpse of a sovereign God as he moves into action.
In this passage we see 24 thrones and 24 elders, which seems to represent a raptured church already in heaven. A very important text for understanding a pre-tribulational rapture.
John sees the throne of God, which is actually the seat of universal sovereignty. All end time events come out of this throne which tells us and all the inhabitants of heaven that God is large and in charge.
Here is a church in which Christ is on the outside because there are no believers on the inside.
A little power, like a grain of mustard seed, can move mountains. Spiritual power was flowing in that small church. That means, that they were true worshippers, true lovers of Christ, that they were holding to the truth, and they were in obedience to it.
This passage is a warning for churches to stay focused on Christ. If you begin to tolerate sin and even encourage it, then you are in danger of judgement.
This thrilling passage describes the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and His mission in the church.
This church is living too close to the world, allowing themselves to be influenced by the surrounding culture instead of impacting their culture.
Is your faith real- Are you waiting for the crown, which is eternal life- Will you escape the 2nd death-
The church in Ephesus was probably the greatest of all the churches at that time. Yet, it received a strong rebuke and warning from the Lord, Himself.
John is told to write a three part book. The vision just seen, the letters to the seven churches, and the revelation of future events.
Here we see Jesus as the all-knowing, all-powerful, sovereign God who says he is coming back. Believe it.
This passage is the great glorious announcement that Jesus is coming. This one verse is the heart and theme of the entire book of Revelation.
This passage takes the great truth of the coming of Christ and combines it with the promise of blessings.
This book is a journey into the future. We are going to see things that are shocking, thrilling, and troubling. We are also going to see things joyful and encouraging.
If you are a Christian then this book promises that you will blessed. This is a promise spoken by God himself and given to you the believer.
The resurrection of Jesus is not a feature of Christianity, it is the main event. The whole purpose of God in creating and redeeming His people is to raise them from the dead to worship Him forever.
Here is a book that God intended for Christians to read. What we are going to see could never be known if it were not written and given by the Lord Himself
In order to live God's word, we must first live in God's word. That is, we must come to see that his word is our greatest possession and our greatest pleasure.
The commandments and doctrines of God's word are pure, meaning that Gods word is clear, transparent, easily understood, accessible. It is not opaque, it is not hard. In other words, Gods word gives clear direction for life, it enlightens our eyes.
Did you know that when you read God's word it has a profound effect upon your thinking process-
God's word is pure, it is holy, it is separated from any corruption. Scripture cannot be broken, it is without error and it is relevant to all generations of all times- it endures forever. The Bible is not a mixture of divine revelation and human imagination.
Our response to God's word is actually the work of the Holy Spirit. He works within us to burn the truths of the word of God deep into our soul. This is called illumination.
God reveals Himself to man, specifically through His word. Can you trust it---Psalm 19-7-8