What Will Impress God?

Posted on June 4, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Isaiah_66_1t2_What_Will_Impress_God.jpg

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Isaiah 66:1-2 (KJV)  Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?  [2]  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

What would impress God?
What would get God’s attention?

There are many who are puffed up. They think they created themselves and the earth on which they stand. They themselves believe that they are the highest and best. They start their days by gazing in the mirror, by worshiping the idol of themselves. They ask themselves “What shall I do today to please myself?” then coming from this act of worship begin to order their day according to their royal will. Is God impressed by such as these? These who are arrogant, self sufficient, puffed up and proud? Is God impressed by them? What does God say?

Isaiah 66:3-4 (KJV) He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.  [4]  I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

To those who consider themselves gods, who take His place. To those who do not value life thinking to kill an ox and to kill a man is the same. To those who mock God, who say to God:

I choose my own way.
I will not hear your word, nor obey your command.

God is not impressed with them. God gives them over to delusion, and brings their fears upon them. There is no blessing in rejection of God. There is no blessing in rejection of God’s command and God’s Word. The Lord says in another place:

Romans 1:17-25 (KJV)  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.  [18]  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;  [19]  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  [20]  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  [21]  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  [22]  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,  [23]  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.  [24]  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:  [25]  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

When man rejects the call of God, the Lord is not impressed. What God does then is “give them over” to their delusions. God calls, but after calling if His Word is rejected finally God says “Fine. You chose this. Now sleep in the bed you have made.” This is where most of America has gone. Many come to “Church” to be pampered and petted. They want to hear sweet nothings that support their doing nothing. In my lifetime I have heard 59 years of “God loves you” preached from pulpits all across our nation and all over the world, and yes, I fully agree with this. God does love you. But if you truly understand that God loves you, then YOU WILL HEAR AND DO HIS WORD WITHOUT DEBATE. If God loves you it goes to reason that WHAT GOD COMMANDS IS WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU. God does not ask if it is popular or whether any agree with Him. For God is God, and He knows what is best.

Only God Is God

Isaiah 66:1 (KJV)  Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 

Only God is God.
Man is not God.

We make big things. We make sky scrapers go thousands of feet into the air. We made a Hubble telescope that sits in space, looking out over light years of infinite stars. We have made medical advances, doing heart or liver or kidney transplants. We have grown in our ability to forecast weather, and have created weapons that can destroy millions in nuclear holocaust. We have even advanced to where we can kill a life before it ever walks the earth. We can, through medical procedures, now murder the innocent and appease our conscience by saying cute phrases like:

It’s MY Body, and I Can Do What I Want To

Is God impressed by our godness? No, He is not.

Thus saith The LORD!

Some 854 times throughout the Bible you have God’s “thus saith the LORD”.

In the King James the name that God uses for Himself in this phrase is fully capitalized to show its significance. LORD is the most holy and significant name of God. It shows God as He truly is.

As His creatures we have a PAST, a PRESENT, and a yet undisclosed FUTURE.
We do not know what tomorrow will bring.
I do not know. You do not know. We all have regrets.

We have have all had crossroads in our lives when we chose one direction or another, only to later deeply regret that decision. It looked like a good decision at the time.
Oh, the regrets I have!

I do not regret marrying the love of my life, Sherry. That is one great decision made.
I do not regret giving life to my children.
I do not regret giving my life to Jesus, nor to following the LORD.
There are no regrets in following HIM.

Yet oh, there are so many times I wish that I could push the reset button, rewind the clock, go back to another time and place and undo what I did. I am sure many of you are that way. I am sure you would – at least – love to wake up tomorrow and see the winning lottery number, then rewind the clock and buy that ticket today. Don’t look smug and self righteous at me. You know you would if you could. But we can’t.

God has no crossroads.
He is the LORD.
This is the name that He gave Moses.
Moses asked “Who shall I say sent me?”
God said “I AM that I AM”
“Tell them I AM SENT YOU” (Exodus 3:14)

Out of this exchange God presented Himself to those who would listen. God is not like us. He is the Infinite, the Immortal, the Unchanging God. God is not bound by time nor limited by events. He is above all things.

God is the Eternal Present Tense. He knows a thousand thousand thousand years from now just as He knows yesterday or a million yesterdays past. God knows. He knows what the Lottery number will be – and does not care. He knows what the effect of every crossroad you will reach will be, and knows the outcome for good or bad. God knows. God is immense in His knowledge, infinite. He is immense in power. The Scripture declares:

Psalms 33:6 (KJV)  By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

God spoke all things into existence. Do you not see the irony here? God SPOKE US into existence, and yet WE WILL NOT HEAR HIS WORD. Is this not the height of arrogance? God gave us life by speaking it, and yet we think we shall ave life by ignoring His Word.
How foolish!

Isaiah 44:24 (KJV)  Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens ALONE; that spreadeth abroad the earth BY MYSELF;

God needed no helpers to help Him create creation. God made what is. The Ever Present I AM made the earth we stand on, and the feet by which we walk on it. God did not take an opinion poll before He created. God did not call up NBC, CBS, ABC nor even FOX or HBO before He created. He did not consult the Republicans or Democrats or even the Independents. He did not wait for Ireland to cast its vote, nor did He ask the Pope with all his Cardinals what they thought. God did not contact the Southern Baptist Convention and ask what its messengers thought of the situation. God does not care what the Presbytery thinks, nor what the so called Independent Baptists agree upon. God did not even ask your pastor his opinion. God created all things alone.

Jeremiah 32:17-18 (KJV)  Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:  [18]  Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,

God is immense in His ability. He is no fairy tale to be mocked, nor a man that can be killed outside of His willing Cross. God is God. God made the birds in the trees – and the trees themselves. God made the grass, the soil, the sand, the sea. God made every star and planet known and unknown. God says:

Isaiah 66:1 (KJV)  Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?  

God is enthroned in Heaven, and the earth is but His footstool. His footstool. His footstool! God sits in Heaven and puts His feet up on the earth. To those who think they are something, you are but tiny creatures – mites – resting and rowing and rooting on the footstool of God. You and I are nothing compared to the immensity of God. God says “where is the house YOU can build Me? How can YOU give Me rest?”. The truth is, God does not need us. God loves us, but does not need us.

Isaiah 66:2 (KJV) For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD

If it is made, God made it. You say “Oh no. God did not make a Porsche. God did not make a Lamborghini. God did not create a cure for polio. God did not do this or that.” Beloved, God did it all. If it is made God made it. Man may have made the Porsche or the Lamborghini, but God made the materials that man put together to make it. God made man. He gave us our design. God has made what is, what was, and what will be. God holds the very atoms – the building blocks of our universe – together. The Bible says of God’s Son:

Colossians 1:17 (KJV)  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

The word “consist” means “to hold together”. It is by Christ that God created all things, and it is by Christ that God holds all things together. As the Scripture declares:

John 1:1-3 (KJV)  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  [2]  The same was in the beginning with God.  [3]  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

God is the LORD, and the LORD made all things by His Word. Oh the immensity of God, and the smallness of man. The Psalmist David was greatly blessed because he declared:

Psalms 135:5-6 (KJV)  For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.  [6]  Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

God is God. God is LORD. He is above all time and above all things. He made all, and He loves all. So what can impress God?

How To Impress The Infinite God

Isaiah 66:2 (KJV) … but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

God asks “Who is the one to Whom I Will Look?” Will God take heed of the godling that thinks he or she hung the moon? No, but God will look to the creature who behaves as he or she was made.

We were not made to be gods, but we were made to be God’s.
If you hear me speaking this you will not understand, so I will spell it out.
We were not made to be “little g – gods”, but we were made to be “Big G – od apostrophe s”

Who is the creature that God looks to to bless? It is the man who understands that next to God he is impoverished. It is the woman who, no matter how outwardly beautiful she is, knows that she is ugly without God’s presence. It is the businessman who has made millions, but gives God and not himself the glory for the achievement. It is the successful person who, though fame and fortune has found him, realizes that he would have neither were it not for the love of God. The Bible tells us that:

Matthew 5:45 (KJV) {God} maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Pastor John Piper gave a wonderful illustration I’d like to share with you. “Suppose the president of the United States invited you and a few of your friends to the White House for a reception. As you enter the cozy green room, the president is sitting by the fire place and you walk right by him without a glance or a greeting. For the whole evening you neither look at him nor speak to him nor thank him nor inquire why he called you together. But every time the one reporter asks you if you believe in the existence of the president, you say, “Of course.” You even agree that this is his house and that all this food came from his kitchen. But you pay him no regard. Practically speaking you act as if you do not believe he exists. You ignore him. He has no place in the affections of your heart. His gifts, not himself, are the center of your attention.

The vast majority of people who say they believe in God treat him this way. He is like hydrogen. You learned once in school that it is in the air you breathe, but after that your belief in it has made no difference in your life. Every time someone takes a poll, you say, “Of course, hydrogen exists.” Then you return to things that matter.”

God is not impressed with the self made man or woman, or the person who only wants His hand and not His face. God wants us to come to Him as we are IMPOVERISHED. We come to Him with empty hands.

He is God, and we are not.
He is able, but we unable.
He can, but we can’t.

When we come to God POOR and broken then God can and will bless us. He blesses us everyday. He has given us rain in due season. He gives us life and light. He gives us the minds we have, and if we have earned anything, it is because He has given us hands and feet to do so. Oh praise Him! Praise Him if you realize your poverty as I often do. Praise Him, for God works not on a canvas of light but of darkness.

I remember many years ago I had followed God – or so I thought – to a ministry far from this place. Everything I found was hard. No matter what I tried to do flopped. Finally the hardness of that ministry began to effect me physically. I had been told by the devil’s whisper that I could do all things. This was only partly true. I can do all things, but only through Christ Jesus Who strengthens me. I am the Branch and He the Vine. Apart from the LORD I can do nothing. But still I tried. Perhaps if I do this it will work. Perhaps if I do that. But then, it all fell apart. It was so bad I began to have panic attacks. The darkness frightened me, I put night lights in every room of our home, and yet I feared closing my eyes at night.

Then God came to me.
“David, do you not know I work on the dark canvas.
I work where there is brokenness.
I do not look to use the self sufficient,
But the broken, the poor, the unable.”

When you realize your poverty and God’s richness, here is when you can be blessed. This is the truth the televangelists will not tell you. God looks on the poor. He looks on the broken. In the very beginning of Scripture the word LIGHT is NOT THE FIRST WORD, but DARKNESS.

Genesis 1:1-2 (KJV)  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  [2]  And THE EARTH WAS WITHOUT FORM, AND VOID; AND DARKNESS WAS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

God was moved by the darkness. The darkness was His canvas upon which He said “Let there BE LIGHT”. And there was light. The darkness and the brokenness is where God’s treasures lie. He told His Israel:

Isaiah 45:3 (KJV)  And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

The self sufficient will never find God. The self made man, the fully endued woman, the rich satisfied with their richness or the Church impressed with its Laodicean glories will never be looked upon by God. It is in the brokenness that God calls. When Abram realized he could have NO CHILDREN NOR LEGACY then he looked up – and God answered. When Daniel realized that what he had he had of God he looked up – and lions prayed. Oh, hold on to your arrogancy, dear fool! Hold on to your science, your body, your choice, your desires. Hold on to anything but the hand of God, feminist! Hold on to your sexual desires, regardless as to what they might be. Hold on to your political party, your conservatism or liberality, but do not hold on to God.

But you will not be blessed.

To Impress God, Humble Yourselves –
And Let God BE God

Isaiah 66:2 (KJV)  Thus saith the LORD …. saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

To whom will God look to bless? To the one of a CONTRITE spirit. What is this? When God told Moses “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt” (Exodus 10:21) the Lord did so that – perhaps in the darkness – the fallen would repent. It is in the darkness that we realize that God is God. If God has allowed darkness into your life it is not to damn you, but to woo you to Him, to wake you up, to stir you to your need of Him. Author Kassie Prather writes:

“If you’re in a season of darkness (confusion, waiting, conflict), take heart. You’re not in the dark alone … The same God who used a lack of light as His creative canvas can shape a Genesis week in you if you wait on Him. He will share with you the hoards of secret places, showing off His power and pursuit of you, drawing you in and enjoying your company as you sit together. Who knew the dark could be such a gift?”

When we humble ourselves before God then He will bless us.

James 4:10 (KJV)  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

1 Peter 5:5-6 (KJV) … be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  [6]  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

God blesses those who realize He alone is God. Let us “tremble at His Word”. Do you “tremble at His Word”? … Or do you act as if you are the autocorrect of the computer, debating God and His Word rather than submitting?

Micah 7:8 (KJV)  Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

Do we tremble with fear at disobeying our God? Or do we tremble at what the crowd may say, while poo pooing God’s Word. For what God has said, He has said in His infinity. God has looked forward into the future, and knows what is good and bad for me, for you, for all of us.

When I surrender the idol of my life to God, He will then be willing to bless me. As the Apostle said:

Galatians 2:20 (KJV)  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

In my helplessness I come to Him. In my inability I rest in His arms. I am the blind man crying out for Jesus. I am the leper chasing after Him, saying “Lord, if Thou will, You can make me whole”. I love Him for Who He is, and tremble with fear at what He says is wrong. I tremble with joy at what He commends and commands. He is my all, and in all.

And only through Him do I have salvation today, tomorrow, and forever. Blessed be the Name of the Lord! I will love and trust Him!

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Prayer Before Judgment

Posted on June 4, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Revelation 8

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Revelation 8:1-6 (KJV)  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.  [2]  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.  [3]  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  [4]  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.  [5]  And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.  [6]  And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

As we have studied through the Book of Revelation we have seen Jesus address and then take His Church from the earth. We watched as John looked into Heaven and saw a scroll with seven seals. In Revelation chapter five we saw Heaven mourn as none were found worthy to open the seven sealed scroll. Then Jesus came forth, and we read that all Heaven rejoiced:

Revelation 5:9-10 (KJV)… they sung a new song, saying, Thou {O Jesus} art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;  [10]  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

In chapter six Jesus began to open the scroll, seal by seal. As the seals are opened the Anti-Christ is released on the earth and along with him war, sickness, famine, and death. In the midst of the horror of the Great Tribulation we see:

Revelation 7:9-12 (KJV)  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;  [10]  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.  [11]  And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,  [12]  Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

These are the saints who are saved out of the Great Tribulation. God wants to show us that before the great judgment falls on the earth that there are many who He will cause to be saved. But as we come to chapter eight we see:

Revelation 8:1 (KJV)  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 

Heaven to this point is seen as a place of worship and praise, a ceaseless activity of joy. But as Jesus opens the seventh seal there is silence in Heaven for about the space of half an hour. This is significant, because Heaven is a place of eternity, a place of one long and endless day. There are no clocks in Heaven. Our earthly lives are marked by time. We use phrases like:

wasting TIME
spending TIME
saving TIME
 we have TIME on our hands
we make up for lost TIME
and act like we have all the TIME in the world!
You may be thinking I wish the preacher would shut up.
Don’t he know his TIME IS UP?

No, it’s not! I’ve just started. Heaven is “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Revelation 21:23; 22:5). To God time is insignificant. He nor His Heaven is controlled by time. We are told:

2 Peter 3:8 (KJV)… one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Yet here we see silence in Heaven for about half an hour. This is a dramatic pause, something that never occurred in Heaven before and will never occur again. Why this silence?

  • The Silence Signifies That A Terrible Judgment Is About To Fall. We are told in 2 Peter 2:5 that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He preached as he built the Ark. For 120 years he preached. Then 7 days BEFORE the great flood God told Noah to get in the Ark, for He said “in seven days I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty night, destroying all life (Genesis 7:4). The silence in Revelation 8 precedes a terrible judgment on the earth.

Revelation 8:2 (KJV) And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

Who are these “seven angels”? We are not told in this context, but we have clues as to what they represent. Context is key. The last time we saw “seven angels” in this Book was in the first three chapters of this Book. Do you remember:

Revelation 1:20 (KJV)  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

As the Lord Jesus addressed each of the seven Churches:

Ephesus
Smyrna
Pergamos
Thyatira
Sardis
Philadelphia
Laodicea

He does not address the Churches directly, but through their angels. Christ says “unto the Angel of the Church in” … write. There were seven Churches addressed showing the seven types of Churches throughout human history. The Churches were candlesticks, and each Church had an angel. Now we see seven angels. I do not believe this is a coincidence. These seven angels are before the Throne of God and to them is given seven trumpets. The Angels of Revelation 3-4 were in Christ’s hand, and these Angels are before the Throne. The trumpets they are given are being used to signal judgment. Numbers 10:1-12 tells us that trumpets were to be used to notify the people of Israel that certain events were about to occur. Trumpets were used to all to battle. The Apostle said:

1 Corinthians 14:8 (KJV)  For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

I believe these seven angels are representative of the Church of Christ. You may not agree, but I believe this is appropriate. Jesus told those who believe in Him:

2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV)  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

and King David wrote: Psalms 8:4-6 (KJV)  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  [5]  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.  [6]  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

It is to the redeemed that God gives His Kingdom. God did not set satan over Eden, but Adam. Adam gave away Eden by disobedience, and satan became the god of this world because of his foolishness, but God never intended angels to rule earth. Man was given dominion. God became man to redeem fallen man, and so to reclaim the earth. So now as God prepares to punish the world Christ’s Church stands with the Lord they love.

  • The 30 Minutes Of Silence Emphasizes The Importance Of The Prayers Of The Saints As God Judges The World.

Revelation 8:3 (KJV) And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  

Prayer Is Important

Before judgment falls the prayers of all saints are offered on the altar of God. Have you ever wondered as to how God regards your prayers? Does He hear them? Does He care? Here we see that yes, God not only cares, but stores our prayers up in Heaven. Our prayers are not wasted, but cherished by God.

What are the prayers that God hears? They are not frivolous prayers. A parent had his child pray for show for the visiting preacher. With a grin on his face the child went around the table. “God bless his food, and her food, and his food, and my food”. There was no sincerity to the prayer, just a prayer for show, to let the important visitor see that “such a good job I did training my child”. It is like the prayers of the Pharisees who – praying to be seen of men – used great and swelling words to impress the listeners – but God was not listening.

The prayer that God honors is the prayer that honors God.
The prayer that God honors is the prayer that honors God.
The prayer that God honors is the prayer that honors God.

Jesus said: (John 14:13-14) Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

The prayer that abides in God and for His glory is cherished by God. The prayer that asks:

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in Heaven!

is a prayer that God cherishes. We are told that it is the prayers of all SAINTS that introduces the judgment of the world. In various commentaries we read:

“The fire comes from the very altar on which the prayers of the saints have been offered. This surely means that the prayers of God’s people play a necessary part in ushering in the judgments of God. “What are the real master-powers behind the world and what are the deeper secrets of our destiny? Here is the astonishing answer: the prayers of the saints and the fire of God. That means that more potent, more powerful than all the dark and mighty powers let loose in the world, more powerful than anything else, is the power of prayer set ablaze by the fire of God and cast upon the earth.” (Thomas Torrance, quoted in Morris, Revelation, p. 121)

This verse [5] dramatically pictures the fact that it is in answer to the prayers of the saints that God’s judgments will fall upon the earth. (George Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John, p. 125f.)

If the seven angels are symbolic of the Church, then judgment will be called forth on the world through Christ and His Church. These judgments are in response to the prayers of all Christ’s saints, those set apart by the Blood of the Lamb.

Prayer is so very important. Jesus taught us God honoring prayer when He told us to say:

Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  [10]  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  [11]  Give us this day our daily bread.  [12]  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  [13]  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

In this chapter God shows us that His people are important to Him. As judgment is unleashed on a thoughtless and uncaring world, it is the Church and her prayers that initiate that judgment. Pastor John Piper wrote:

“There are at least two practical implications of this for us. One is what Jesus said in Luke 18:1, “We ought to always pray and not to lose heart.” This truth—that prayers are stored up on the altar of God and made the power for great divine interventions in history—should encourage us that it is not pointless to pray again and again, “Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

And I can’t help but conclude from this that the principle applies to answers to prayer in the shorter run—that is, as we pray for any given thing, our prayers are stored up on the altar of God with the prayers of others for that thing until they reach God’s appointed proportion and then God pours them out in blessing in the best way for all concerned. So that no believing prayer is in vain. Ever.

Revelation 8:4-6 (KJV)  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.  [5]  And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.  [6]  And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Destruction Comes But God Is Still Merciful

Revelation 8:7-12 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the THIRD PART of trees was burnt up, and ALL green grass was burnt up. 8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the THIRD PART of the sea became blood; 9 And the THIRD PART of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the THIRD PART of the ships were destroyed. 10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the THIRD PART of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the THIRD PART of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. 12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the THIRD PART of the sun was smitten, and the THIRD PART of the moon, and the THIRD PART of the stars; so as the THIRD PART of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a THIRD PART of it, and the night likewise.

As you read this section again with me, what is the most used word phrase in the text? It is the phrase “THIRD PART”. As destruction comes from the first four angels playing the first four trumpets we see that destruction is not total, but only a THIRD PART. Yes, the GRASS is totally destroyed, but only a THIRD PART of the trees. Only a THIRD PART of the sea becomes blood. Only a THIRD PART of the waters become bitter, and a THIRD PART of the creatures in the sea die.

The world has TOTALLY rejected the Lordship of Christ, but the love of God still offers Grace! Only a THIRD PART is destroyed. There is time left to repent and be saved!

The Bible tells us that ….

Romans 8:32 (KJV)  He that spared not his own Son, but DELIVERED HIM UP FOR US ALL, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Preach! God paid an immense price to save the soul of ever person who will receive it. Jesus paid the price for sin. God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and bound them in chains of darkness. God spared not Noah’s world, but brought a universal flood on the ungodly while sparing those who received His Grace. (see 2 Peter 2:4-5). Now in this Great Tribulation the Lord punishes a third part, but spares two thirds. Why? To allow Grace to go forward. To give them one more chance.

He spared you, o lost soul, and has given you one more day to repent, if you would but come! Oh, how God would bless your souls if you would but come submitted to His Grace!

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount out poured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

God does not want anyone to experience a third part of the oceans blood, and a third part of the rivers bitter. God wants all who will – whosoever will – to receive Christ while you can. His Judgment is no illusion nor exaggeration – it is sure and pure, and it must be. Come to Christ and God will set you free of it! In today’s world people do not believe in the Judgment of God, nor for that matter, even in Hell. Pastor A.W. Tozer said:

“The vague and tenuous hope that God is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the consciences of millions.”

Many think that God will not judge, God will not punish, the Judgment of God is an exaggeration. No, that’s not true. When we see Christ, bloody and bleeding, hanging in agony on that Calvary Tree, we know that Judgment is sure. When we see the mocking crown of thorns tearing His brow we know that God must judge, else the Cross was a horrible miscalculation.

If there is no judgment the Cross has no meaning. But there is judgment. There is a hell. There is a Great Tribulation. Turn to Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior while you can.

If Christ is rejected, what is to come? We read:

Revelation 8:13 (KJV)  And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

Rejecting Christ what is left? Woe, Woe, Woe! There is the Woe of a life only vaguely fulfilled. Not life really, but mere existence, a fruitless search for happiness. There is the Woe of walking without God, without Christ, without hope in this life. Then there is the final Woe of future impending judgment, of damnation without end, of eternal separation from God. Do not wait. Repent. Turn now while there is time. Receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, and you shall be saved!

May God touch your hearts with His Word.

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You MUST Be Born Again

Posted on May 25, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

John_3_1t7_You_Must_Be_Born_Again.JPG

John 3:1-7 (KJV)  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  [2]  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  [3]  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  [4]  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  [5]  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  [6]  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  [7]  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The first person Jesus called to salvation was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother (see John 1:40). Nicodemus was not the first. He was not even in the top five. but Nicodemus was the first powerful man who humbled himself to come to Jesus.

Nicodemus did not TOTALLY humble himself. The name “Nicodemus” literally means “Victory of the People”. His name shows us that he was a politician and as a politician was loved by the people.

Jesus said: Luke 6:26 (KJV)  Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you!for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

If you live for the Lord you will have a few enemies. The darkness hates the light! The world of dark light – the Luciferian darkness – hates the Light of God and His Children. So Nicodemus as a politician was well loved. Further, Nicodemus was powerful. The Bible says that he was:

a ruler of the Jews

The“rulers of the Jews” were members of the Sanhedrin, a council of 70 leaders who oversaw the nation. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a powerful man. He was drawn by God to Christ, and humbled himself, but just so much. The Bible tells us that Nicodemus:

The same came to Jesus by night

The Pharisees were conservative in their religion. When Jesus came and cleansed the Temple of the money changers, was chasing out those who had allowed the liberal practice of using the Temple to make money. The Sadducees were the liberal element that perhaps encouraged this behavior. The Pharisees would not have despised Christ for chasing the Sadducees out, though they disliked Jesus for other reasons. Nicodemus came to Jesus “by night” for two reasons.

Nicodemus wanted to meet Christ but didn’t want his people
nor his power base to know what he was doing.
Nicodemus was in spiritual darkness.
Though he had a name as being a Bible scholar,
he was resting not in God but in darkness.

There are many like this in God’s Church. Jesus said:

John 11:10 (KJV) … if a man walks in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

Nicodemus was stumbling around in the darkness. He came to see Jesus but was ashamed to publicly profess his need. When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night the first word he said was:

Rabbi

“Jesus, You are a Rabbi”. Nicodemus meant to honor Jesus, but he honored Christ, not as He is but as he – Nicodemus – though He was. Jesus to Nicodemus was not LORD.

John the Baptist came to “Make straight the way of the LORD” (John 1:23)
The disciples told Jesus “LORD, to Whom shall we go?
You ALONE have the Words of Life” (John 6:68)
The sinning woman forgiven by Jesus said “No man condemns me, LORD” (John 8:11)
The blind boy received his sight when he told Jesus “LORD, I believe.” (John 9:38)
Martha told Jesus “Yes, Lord: I believe that You are the Christ,
the Son of God (John 11:27)
And Jesus said, “You call Me Master and LORD, and you are right, for I am!” (John 13:13)

Jesus is LORD! He may have taught, but He is more than a Rabbi. He is LORD. He is God incarnate, God among us, God in the flesh. He is LORD. His Words are LIFE and LIGHT. Nicodemus went on to say:

we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him

Jesus is God with us. Nicodemus saw Jesus not as “God with us” (see Matthew 1:23)but as“God is with Him”. God is with Jesus, but Jesus is no mere man. He is the Son of Man and the Son of God. Nicodemus was a Rabbi himself and saw Jesus as his equal. That was why he addressed the Lord as he did. Notice that Jesus does not correct Nicodemus – He IGNORES what he said.

Jesus Does Not Argue Light With A Blind Man

Too often today the Church has tried to be “seeker sensitive” in order to reach the world. People study apologetics and spend time trying how best to win arguments with the lost. A person who does not know Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior is in darkness. Jesus came:

Luke 1:79 (KJV)  To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Jesus said in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

Nicodemus was in darkness. He was in physical darkness because he came to Jesus by night. But he is in spiritual darkness because he does not know the Lord. He knows God as one might know Abraham Lincoln or George Washington. He knows God by studying the Scriptures. But Nicodemus needs something, and Jesus cuts right to the point. He says:

John 3:3 (KJV) … Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be BORN AGAIN, he CANNOT SEE the kingdom of God.  

A person must be born a second time – born again– or else that person cannot SEE the Kingdom of God. This is the big problem in the Church and in the world today. A blind person does not know light nor color because a blind person cannot SEE. That blind person must be GIVEN NEW EYES. Those who are spiritually blind cannot be argued nor persuaded into believing in the light. God must open their eyes. When God came to save us:

Isaiah 35:5 (KJV)  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Nicodemus, you must be born AGAIN. You were born ONCE from your mother, but you need to be BORN of God. You need to be BORN AGAIN:

1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)  Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.

We have always had many religious people in temple and church, but we need those who are BORN AGAIN. Jesus said:

John 9:39 (KJV) … For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

Nicodemus thought he saw – but he did not. Jesus showed him he was lacking, blind, in need of a new birth. Nicodemus is puzzled, as all lost people are puzzled. He asks:

John 3:4 (KJV) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

To the lost the FLESH is everything, the PHYSICAL is what matters the most. All Nicodemus could understand at this point is that Jesus was talking about a second birth, and all he could think of was his mother’s womb. When we are born into this world we are born sinners. David said:

Psalms 51:5 (KJV)  Behold, I was shapened in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

That little baby – so cute and cuddly – is born in sin. If you do not think so watch your child in the sandbox with other children. Another child comes to play. One child will drop the toy he is playing with to grab another child’s toy. This is sin. Sometimes one child will crown another child with a toy. THUNK! This is sin. In our first birth, we are born sinners. This is why the Scripture declares without reservation:

Romans 3:23 (KJV)  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 5:12 (KJV)  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

We are all sinners because Adam passed on his old sin nature to us all.“And so death passed upon all mankind, for ALL have sinned”. We are all sinners because the nature of Adam is upon us. We are all sinners because we sin. Nicodemus couldn’t understand this. Neither can many people today.

Many see God as a Cosmic Santa Claus, and so they sing with their lives:

He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So BE GOOD FOR GOODNESS SAKE!

We can’t “be good for goodness sake”. The Scripture declares:

Psalms 14:2-3 (KJV)  The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.  [3]  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is NONE THAT DOETH GOOD, NO, NOT ONE.

You Must Be Born Again

John 3:5-7 (KJV) … Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  [6]  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  [7]  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

What does it mean
“to be born of water and of the Spirit”?
What does it mean “to enter into the Kingdom of God”?

Let’s answer these questions one at a time.

  • To Enter The Kingdom of God Is To Obtain Eternal Life. Jesus said in another place:

Mark 9:43-48 (KJV)  And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:  [44]  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  [45]  And if thy foot offends thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:  [46]  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  [47]  And if thine eye offends thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:  [48]  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Those who leave this life without God do not enter into the Kingdom of God, but into a place of burning where the fire is not quenched. To enter into the Kingdom of God you must be born again. To avoid a future hell you must be born again. Birth is something we cannot do for ourselves. It is something that God must do for us. We were born physically into this world totally apart from our own effort. We are born into God’s Kingdom totally apart from our effort.

  • To Be Born Of Water And Of The Spirit does not refer to any work that we can do, but to a work that only God can do. In the PHYSICAL world, we are born of water and of the flesh. We come forth from our mothers into this world. In the SPIRITUAL world, we are born of water and of the Spirit. In the Old Testament (and the Old Testament was the Bible that Nicodemus read from) God is often depicted as cleansing water. We read:

Jeremiah 2:13 (KJV)  For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken ME THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

God is “The Fountain of Living Waters”. It is He Who cleanses the sinner and makes us pure. It is God that David spoke to when He said:

Psalms 51:7 (KJV)  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

God washes His people from sin. The LORD is the “fountain of living waters”.

Jeremiah 17:13 (KJV)  O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have FORSAKEN THE LORD, THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS.

It is God the Holy Spirit Who must cleanse us from sin. It is God the Holy Spirit Who must make us born again. It is the Blood of the Christ that cleanses us:

1 John 1:7 (KJV)  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the BLOOD of Jesus Christ his Son CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN.

To be “born again” is to be washed at the soul level by God.
To be “born again” is to be changed supernaturally from Adam’s child to God’s Child.
To be “born again” is to be part of God’s Kingdom both now and into eternity.
To be “born again” is to be changed from one creature to another Creation.

When you are “born again” you are “born from above” as says the Scripture:

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (KJV)  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  [10]  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  [11]  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Those who are “born again” are WASHED by God. They are SANCTIFIED, set apart for God. They are JUSTIFIED or declared righteous by the Blood of Christ. Salvation is entirely an act of God. God must make us BORN AGAIN. God must change us. God must do this. God must make us new creatures in Christ where the old has passed away, and behold, all things are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Jesus emphasizes our inability to be BORN AGAIN when He illustrates God’s ministry of salvation, saying:

John 3:8 (KJV)  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

You can hear the wind in the trees. You can feel its cool breeze on a hot day. You can see the leaves rustling. But you neither make the wind blow nor control the wind. God does. Only God does. I cannot enter the Kingdom of God unless I am born again, and being born again is something I can experience, but not something I can force or work toward.

So how to be born again?
We must receive and believe the Lord Jesus.
He must be more than a Rabbi to me.
Nicodemus, you are not His equal.
Jesus is God’s Son.

John 3:13 (KJV)  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

As Jesus spoke to Nicodemus He referred to Himself as “The Son of Man”. He said, “no one ascends to Heaven but He (Jesus Christ) Who came down from Heaven”. Jesus is the Messiah Who came from Heaven. And then Jesus said something mind-blowing. “Even The Son of Man which IS IN HEAVEN”. He said, “I came from Heaven, but as I stand before you Nicodemus I AM IN HEAVEN”. Jesus is both mortal, and immortal. He is both Sinless Man and Perfect God. Why did Jesus come?

Jesus Gave Himself So We Can Be Born Again

John 3:14 (KJV)  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so, must the Son of man be lifted up:

Jesus came to be LIFTED UP on the Cross of Calvary. When sin brought snakes in the camp of Israel in the Old Testament – deadly snakes – God told Moses to put a bronze serpent on a pole and lift it up. When the people looked at that serpent believing they would be saved (see Numbers 21:9ff). Jesus must be “lifted up”. He came from Heaven as the “Son of Man” to die for our sins.

John 3:15-16 (KJV)  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  [16]  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

When we believe in Jesus as He is – not just as a Rabbi but as the Messiah Who died for our sins – then God’s Holy Spirit comes to our lives. We become “born again” as the Spirit separates us from the world and binds us to God. Jesus came so that believing in Him we could be brought into God’s Kingdom. God does not wish us to perish, but to be with Him forever. Christ is the Key to the Kingdom. Believe Him. Receive Him. Trust Him. Follow Him. May God touch your hearts with His Word.

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Jesus, John, and Paul – Amen!

Posted on May 23, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

good words!

Mobile Detailing LLC's avatarDana S. Bicks LLC, Author

I told my wife I felt as if I am starting off in the middle of this blog, with no beginning nor an end. It all began with research on questions plaguing my brain about the simple word, amen. For example, do you know what it really means? I read the footnotes of articles which brought me to an inconclusive decision so, I dug deeper. Where I ended up is mind-blowing, especially for those growing up in the era of the sixties. I am from a generation of influential music such as the Beatles, and I even have to contemplate the answers I found to be true.

We all know the biblical story of God’s conception of a special child named Jesus. He was given to us for our salvation and to spiritually guide us in life on earth. But did you know the Lord, himself, never uttered amen

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“Church” is the Object of God’s Supreme Regard, but what is a “Church” ?

Posted on May 22, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

good article. Thank you!

theredhorsebook.wordpress.com's avatarThe Red Horse War Against Gods Government understood by the parables of Jesus

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;…(Ephesians 5:25)

"THE CHURCH" A building? With eminence political power and ties to all Governments of the World. "A position of prominence or superiority!" “THE CHURCH” A building? With eminence political power and ties to all Governments of the World. “A position of prominence or superiority!”

What manner of love is this that Jesus laid down His Life, for His Bride as Christ loved the “church.”

He gave Himself, He humbled Himself, He sacrificed Himself for His Bride, His Wife, His Church.

When a humble priest came from Germany to the see the Pope, He was frightened by the beauty, pomp and ceremony, riches and splendor of Rome! How could God use such “glory and power,” to honor the name of the lowly Jesus, hanging in shame, among the Idols, once venerated and worshiped as the gods of Jupiter, sun gods, women gods, idols, the Pagan gods of Rome!

Painted by Givanni-Paolo the Great Halls dwarf humans to the size of an ant. Painted by Givanni-Paolo the Great Halls dwarf humans…

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God Will Save Whosoever Will

Posted on May 21, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

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(Revelation 7:1-8) 1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of JudaJudah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of AserAsherwere sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of NepthalimNaphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses Manasseh was sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of ZabulonZebulun were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Revelation 7:9-11 (KJV)  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;  10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.  11  And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

When we come to Revelation chapter 7 we see two things at the very beginning. First, we see that God is not finished with Israel. Though one-quarter of humanity died in the Judgments of Chapter 6 – perhaps as many as 1.9 billion people – God is still in the salvation business. The Lord has always loved humanity. Even at the end of this Book the Lord cries out with His Church, saying:

Revelation 22:17 (KJV)  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the water of life freely.

God will save whosoever will come to Him. This is the grand and central theme of Scripture. The Lord loves to save whosoever.

John 3:15-16 (KJV)  that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  [16]  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Oh, Beloved, I cannot save this enough. God wishes to damn no one. God sent His Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins (Acts 10:43). Oh, what wonderful words of life! Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed (Romans 10:11).David Platt wrote in his book Counter Culture:
The Gospel is the good news that the just and gracious Creator of the universe has looked upon hopelessly sinful men and women … {He}has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the Cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection …. Everyone who turns from their sin and themselves and trusts in Jesus as Savior and Lord will be reconciled to God forever.

I have had people ask me “Will people be saved during the Great Tribulation”? The answer is a resounding YES. People will be saved. God will start by saving Israel first but then will save others. That is what we see in this text.

God Is Not Done With Israel

(Revelation 7:1-3) And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

I am told that when there is a hurricane, the calmest place to be is in its eye. Chapter 7 is like the eye of a hurricane. In Chapter 6 the Anti-Christ has been released to make war and conquer. Along with him ride bloodshed, famine, and death. One-quarter of the population of the earth is decimated. But the four angels arise to hold back destruction:

that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree

This is not just any wind, but a destructive wind. We know this because of the fifth angel – a Herald much like those who praised God when Christ was born – who says:

HURT NOT the earth, neither the sea nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads

Word StudyThe earth WILL be hurt during the Tribulation, but not now. At this moment judgment is adverted “till we have SEALED the SERVANTS of our God in their foreheads”. The word translated “sealed” is σφραγίζω sphragizō which means “to seal up or set a seal, to impress with a mark of ownership”.

Before God judged the earth by flood, He told Noah and his family to get in the Ark then God shut them in (Genesis 7:16). Before God brings utter judgment on the earth He first reaches out and saves the Servants (Doulos – bondservants) of our God. Every believer in God is“sealed”:

(Ephesians 1:13, 14) In {Jesus} ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, YE WERE SEALEDSPHRAGIZŌwith that Holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:30 (KJV)  And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are SEALEDSPHRAGIZŌunto the day of redemption.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (KJV)  Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;  [22]  Who hath also SEALEDSPHRAGIZŌus, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

The word “Sealed” (sphragizō) is used repeatedly in this text to show that these are believers in Christ. These are also JEWS, of the House of Israel. When Christ came, He came “to the Jew FIRST”:

Romans 1:16 (KJV)  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; TO THE JEW FIRST, and also to the Greek.

Those who are saved from Israel are NUMBERED. We read:

(Revelation 7:4) And I heard the NUMBER of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

There is a cultic offshoot of Christianity called the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They take this portion of the Scripture out of context and claim that the 144,000 listed here are the only ones who can enter into Heaven. This is patently untrue and can be easily proven false by reading the Scripture as it is presented. These 144,000 are“of all the TRIBES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL”.They are taught in their Watchtower Publication:

“Who and how many are able to enter it. The Revelation limits to 144,000 the number that become a part of the Kingdom and stand on heavenly Mount Zion” (Let God Be True, p.136).

This is untrue. Read your Bibles. Again I say, READ YOUR BIBLES. We read

Revelation 7:9-11 (KJV)  After this I beheld, and, lo, A GREAT MULTITUDE, WHICH NO MAN COULD NUMBER, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;  10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 

We are directed to see Israel saved FIRST. Israel is NUMBERED. There are 144,000 “sealed servants” in Israel. And after we see Israel numbered, we see …

A GREAT MULTITUDE, WHICH NO MAN COULD NUMBER, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne

Why did God NUMBER Israel? I have heard it said that these 144,000 saints are Hebrew Evangelists who go out and tell others of Christ. This may well be true. The Bible said that God expected His Israel to be the light of the world. To Israel was given the message of the Coming Messiah. When Jesus came He was to come to Israel, then to come for the world THROUGH Israel. The Prophets spoke of the Coming Christ:

(Isaiah 42:6-7) I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, FOR A LIGHT OF THE GENTILES; 7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

(Luke 2:30-32) {Jesus is} A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.

Matthew 12:21we are told it … “in His name Gentiles will trust.”

The Old Testament Israel was to share the Coming Christ with the world. And God did reach a few through Israel. The witness of Scripture is that …

God healed Naaman – an Aramean Commander – from leprosy
God saved Rahab a Gentile Prostitute and put her in Christ lineage
God saved Ruth a Moabite and made her of His Family
God sent Jonah to the Ninevites, the Assyrians, and many were saved

It was God’s intention to save the world through Israel. This was what He promised Abraham in Genesis 12. God said …

Abram, you shall become a mighty Nation (Israel – Genesis 12:2)
In you, ALL the nations of the world will be blessed (Gentiles – Genesis 12:3)

God wanted to save Israel and then, through Israel save the world. But sadly the Scripture declares:

John 1:11 (KJV)  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But during the Great Tribulation, His own WILL receive Him. They will be saved, sealed, and as believers, I think they will reach out to the lost world around them. This is what I surmise from the text. Though the text doesn’t call these people evangelists they nonetheless are witnesses of Christ. We are told later of these 144,000 that:

Revelation 14:4-5 (KJV)  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.  [5]  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

A Hidden Truth In Israel’s Calling

As we look at the list of the Twelve Tribes we find something interesting.

Revelation 7:5-8Of the tribe of JudaJudahwere sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of AserAsherwere sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of NepthalimNaphtaliwere sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of ManassesManassehwere sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of ZabulonZebulunwere sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph tribes Manasseh & Ephraim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

  • The tribes are first of all NOT LISTED IN ORDER. This is very interesting. Each tribe is descended from a son of Jacob. The children were born in this order: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. (see Genesis 35:23-26; Exodus 1:1-4; 1 Chronicles 2:1-2). Rather than list these tribes in order, they are arranged in a certain way as to give us a wonderfully hidden meaning. I want first of all credit to Theologian and Bible Scholar Shari Abbot from Reasons for Hope Ministries. Reading her article “Is There A Hidden Message In Revelation 7?” she notes rightly that every Hebrew Name has a meaning. She researched the meanings of each name of each tribe listed and placed them together with their meanings:

Tribal Name

Meaning of Name

Judah

Praise The Lord

Reuben

He Looked On My Affliction

Gad

Good Fortune Comes

Asher

I Am Happy & Blessed

Naphtali

My Wrestling

Manasseh

Has Made Me Forget My Sorrow

Simeon

God Hears Me

Levi

Has Joined Me

Issachar

Rewarded Me

Zebulun

Exalted Me

Joseph

Adding To Me

Benjamin

The Son Of His Right Hand

When Shari put together the meaning of the names of Revelation 7 in the order they are presented she found this wonderful message:

Praise the Lord. He has looked on my affliction [and] good fortune comes. Happy and blessed am I. My wrestling has made me forget my sorrow. God hears me, has joined me, rewarded me, exalted me [by] adding to me the Son of His right hand.

What a wonderful God we have! He loves us. It takes the Great Tribulation to bring Israel to her senses, but under fire, God uses the trials of that time to cause His people to look up. God deliberately saves Israel. Israel is still in His plan.

  • Though twelve tribes are listed, the Tribe of DAN is not on this list. Why was Dan omitted? When the head of Israel (Jacob) spoke of his son Dan he said:

Genesis 49:16-17 (KJV)  Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.  [17]  Dan shall be a serpent, by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

And when Moses spoke of the Tribe of Dan he said:

Deuteronomy 33:22 (KJV) … Dan is a lion’s whelpcub: he shall leap from Bashan.

Bible scholars have long debated why Dan is removed from the list of the twelve tribes of Israel saved in the Tribulation. To put it truthfully we really do not have solid evidence as to why Dan was removed. The Scripture doesn’t tell us. However, many believe that the things said of Dan in the Old Testament point to this Tribe as being not only idolatrous, but also the Tribe from which the Anti-Christ shall come. An early Church Pastornamed Hippolytuswrote:

“For as Christ springs from the tribe of Judah, so Antichrist is to spring from the tribe of Dan. And that the case stands thus, we see also from the words of Jacob: Let Dan be a serpent, lying upon the ground, biting the horse’s heel. (Genesis 49:17) What, then, is meant by the serpent but Antichrist, that deceiver who is mentioned in Genesis, (Genesis 3:1) who deceived Eve and supplanted Adam (πτερνιAdam’s heel)? But since it is necessary to prove this assertion by sufficient testimony, we shall not shrink from the task. That it is in reality out of the tribe of Dan, then, that that tyrant and king, that dread judge, that son of the devil, is destined to spring and arise, the prophet testifies when he says, Dan shall judge his people, as (he is) also one tribe in Israel. (Genesis 49:16)”

And Pastor Methodius of Olympus wrote:

“When the Son of Perdition appears, he will be of the tribe of Dan, according to the prophecy of Jacob. This enemy of religion will use a diabolic art to produce many false miracles, such as causing the blind to see, the lame to walk, and the deaf to hear. Those possessed with demons will be exorcised. He will deceive many and, if he could, as our Lord has said, even the faithful elect. … Even the Antichrist will enter Jerusalem, where he will enthrone himself in the temple as a god (even though he will be an ordinary man of the tribe of Dan to which Judas Iscariot also belonged).”

Am I certain this is the truth? By no means. And yet God chose to NOT list Dan as a tribe of Israel, and it makes it seem as if NONE of Dan was saved. God will save whosoever will – but if you harden your heart against God He will not save you. Sadly, not all Israel is of Israel.

God Saves Many Others

(Revelation 7:9-10) After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

There is a great multitude – many people of all nations, cultures, and tongues. God saves a numbered Israel, but now we see an UNNUMBERED multitude “which no man could number”. These people are saved and gathered before the Throne and before the Lamb. When Jesus rode for the last time into Jerusalem people cast palms down before Him

Matthew 21:8 (KJV)  And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

Now in Heaven, this scene is replayed. The people cry out:

Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb

Who are these people? One of the 24 Elders (I think, a picture of the Raptured Church) states that ….

(Revelation 7:14) …These are THEY WHICH CAME OUT OF GREAT TRIBULATION, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

These people are suffering believers who were saved “out of Great Tribulation”. Dr. Thomas Constablewrote in his commentary:

“These saints will be in God’s presence because they will have believed in Jesus Christ and will have died in the first half of the Tribulation. Evidently, they will have intermediate bodies until their resurrections (cf. Matt. 17:1-3; Luke 16:19-25; Rev. 6:9-11). This appears to be the condition of Christians who die before the Rapture too (cf. 2 Cor. 5:2-3). These Tribulation saints will serve God continually (“day and night”) in His present heavenly sanctuary.”

There will be much suffering in the Tribulation, but there will also be much saved … probably more than are being saved in the prosperity-driven United States today. Though they suffer much for their faith while on an earth where anti-Christ rules, they will be comforted in Heaven.

(Revelation 7:15-17) …Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

God will bring balance in the end. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

As God saves Israel so Israel can tell others. God saves us so we can tell others. Let us tell others of the glorious salvation we can all have in Christ Jesus! May God touch your hearts with His Word!

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God Speaks To Whosoever Will

Posted on May 21, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Isaiah 65 God Speaks To Whosoever Will.JPG

 Isaiah 65:1-10 (KJV)  I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.  [2]  I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;  [3]  A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;  [4]  Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;  [5]  Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.  [6]  Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom,  [7]  Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.  [8]  Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.  [9]  And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.  [10]  And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.

We cannot study through the Book of Isaiah and not discuss Israel, God’s Chosen Nation. At the end of Isaiah 64 the Prophet prayed for mercy for Israel. He prayed:

Isaiah 64:10-12 (KJV)  Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.  [11]  Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.  [12]  Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?

This past week it was in the news that Israel became a state 70 years ago, May 14, 1948. Yet Israel did not begin 70 years ago. Israel began when God called a man called Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees or ancient Babylon. God promised Abraham two things. God promised Abraham “a great nation” (Genesis 12:2). God also promised Abraham “in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Abraham followed God – not perfectly, but imperfectly. Abraham found Grace in the eyes of God. And God did exactly as God promised.

… let God be true, but every man a liar (Romans 3:4)


… Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; Deuteronomy 7:9

Why has Israel been a state for just 70 years?
Because God is faithful, but humans are not.
Why was Isaiah praying for mercy for Israel?
Because God is faithful, but humans are not.

God kept His Word to Abraham and kept His Word to Israel. Israel was a state for a long time. From the time Israel left Egypt – following God by Pillar of Fire by night and Pillar of Cloud by day – Israel was a state. Israel was and is God’s nation.

Israel Is An Example To Us And For Us

God made Israel a nation because He chose to do so. The Lord says:

Isaiah 65:1-2 (KJV)  I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.  [2]  I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

When God called Israel, Israel was not seeking God. God in love spread out His hands beseeching Israel to follow Him. And though God gave Israel life – though He miraculously saved Israel from Egypt – Israel was rebellious.

Are we any different?

God sent His Son Jesus through Israel and for Israel. God promised through the Prophets that Christ would be born of the line of King David, that He would come out of Jewish Bethlehem, that He would grow up in Nazareth. God came seeking His people, loving His people. What does the Scripture say?

1 John 4:9-10 (KJV)  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.  [10]  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God loved Israel before Israel ever loved God.
God loved you and I before we ever loved God.
God sent His Son to cover and pardon our sins.

What a love God has for us all. God is persistent in His love. God says “I have stretched out my hands ALL THE DAY to a rebellious people who persist in walking in a way that is not good. They live according to their thoughts!” God stretched out His hands ALL DAY to us. He stretches out His hands even now. Do you not see Him? God offended, and yet God giving mercy. See His hands stretched out on the Cross of Calvary. See His arms held wide open! See Him willing to receive any, but so few come. We walk according to our thoughts. We deny His Word, and turn from His outstretched arms. The Lord is answering Isaiah’s prayer, saying, “I have shown mercy, and show mercy still. Yet they will not come!”

Isaiah 65:3 (KJV) A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;

God gave Israel a Temple to sacrifice in, and yet they refused to sacrifice there. They said “We will do it our way. Not God’s way, but our way.” So they sacrificed not in the Temple, but in gardens. They refused to gather to worship the Lord, but were content to sit in front of television sets or to gather in the park. God is love, so He called His people together to love one another and to worship Him together in love. But many said “we will do what we do and burn our incense on man made altars”. Israel fought among themselves, and divided. They rejected what God told them to do.

Isaiah 65:4 (KJV) Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;

God’s people are to be a living people who serve a Living God. Yet Israel fell from God, much as much of the Church in America today has fallen from God. God calls His people to be light, to reflect His glory by their obedience to Him. We are not to live like the world lives, but to be a living people following a Living God.

The proof of salvation is that we are walking with God. The Scripture says:

Galatians 5:22-26 (KJV)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  [23]  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  [24]  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  [25]  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  [26]  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Ephesians 5:2-5 (KJV)  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.  [3]  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;  [4]  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.  [5]  For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

The Bible says “not all Israel is Israel” (Romans 9:6). God’s people do not live among the graves. God’s people obey God, and love God. As Israel drifted from God and into worldliness they began to give way to self righteousness, a terrible form of pride.

Isaiah 65:5 (KJV)  Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day. 

The self righteous are a smoke in God’s nose, offensive to Him. The Bible teaches us that we all fall short of His glory. The Bible teaches us that but for the love of God in Christ saving us, we would all be condemned. The Bible says:

John 3:17-21 (KJV)  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  [18]  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  [19]  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  [20]  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  [21]  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Those who are in Christ and saved are saved by the Grace of God. But those who are saved do not walk in darkness, but walk in the light that is Christ. God will judge sin. God will punish evil doing.

It is not the Israelite that is saved.
It is the Israelite that loves the Lord Who is saved.
It is not the Baptist that is saved.
It is the Baptist that loves the Lord Who is saved.

God warns Israel – and warns us. He says:

Isaiah 65:7 (KJV) Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their bosom.

God says to Israel “As you have reaped, so shall you sow”. God did not save Israel so that Israel could walk apart from God. God saved Israel so that Israel could live their lives for Him. God did not save US, dear believer, so that we can walk apart from God. To walk apart from God is to invite judgment upon yourself. Doesn’t the Scripture say?:

1 Corinthians 11:31 (KJV)  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

God calls out to His Israel and to His Church. He that soweth to his flesh shall reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (Galatians 6:8).

The Saved Of Israel And Of The Church
Are To Serve The Lord

Isaiah 65:8-9 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.  [9]  And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. 

There were some bad grapes in Israel, but God did not destroy the whole cluster because of the bad grapes. God assures Israel that He will yet save Israel for – He declares – “My Servant’s sake”. God did not destroy Israel because Christ had yet come. Christ was to come from Israel. He was to come of the line of David. The Lord says …

I will bring forth A SEED out of Jacob
And out of Judah an Inheritor of My mountains

For Christ’s sake – and for our sake – the Lord did not destroy a rebellious Israel. Jesus was to come forth from Judah. He is the Seed of the Woman promised in Genesis 3:15, the One God promised the snake:

Genesis 3:15 (KJV)  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Jesus will come forth from Judah to rule over Israel. Israel is still God’s Chosen nation, still His people. Though not all Israel is Israel, for Christ’s sake the Lord will have Israel stand. God will not destroy the whole for the sake of the bad grapes. I take comfort in this, and so should you, dear Christian.

Though all the world looks as if it is going to hell in a hand basket, I cannot effect the world. But I can live for my Lord. I can choose to follow Him, to honor Him, to glorify Him. God will not destroy all of America for the bad grapes in the cluster. But if we who love the Lord continue to love Him, He will save America for Christ’s sake. You are Christ’s if you love Him. I am Christ’s if I love Him. I stand for Christ’s sake. For Christ’s sake we who love Him shall be protected.

Isaiah 65:10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.

To those who seek the Lord, God will preserve your land. God told His Children:

Jeremiah 29:13-14 (KJV)  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.  [14]  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

God has always had a remnant that He loves. Israel came back to their land 70 years ago. I believe it is because God is faithful that they returned to the land. God calls a people to Himself to bless, but they must seek the Lord. The Lord does not want your leftovers. He wants YOU. He wants YOU to want Him, to seek Him, to love Him.

SIX times in this text God speaks to His Children as “My Servants”.

We previously read that …

I will not destroy the cluster for MY SERVANTS sake (vvs 8)
MY SERVANTS shall dwell in My mountain (vvs 9)

Now God speaks to ALL OF ISRAEL saying:

Isaiah 65:13-14 (KJV)  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:  [14]  Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.  

I want you to notice the contrast. Though God speaks to ALL ISRAEL, He says:

MY SERVANTS shall eat … but YOU shall be hungry
MY SERVANTS shall drink … but YOU shall be thirsty
MY SERVANTS shall rejoice …. but YOU shall be ashamed
MY SERVANTS shall sing … but YOU shall cry

Who shall be blessed? The ones who serve the Lord.
Who shall feast in famine?
Was it not Joseph raised up of God in Egypt?
Who shall defeat giants?
Was it not David, who loved the Lord?
Who shall become a nation and bless the whole world?
Was it not Abraham who followed God?
Who shall walk through fire untouched?
Was it not the Hebrew Children who loved the Lord more than life?
Who shall lie down and snooze with lions?
Was it not Daniel who loved God more than man?
Who will God raise from hiding and fear, to make a mighty man of God?
Was it not Gideon who trusted and obeyed the Lord?

When we love the Lord we will walk in the light of His love. Let us love Him! Let us serve Him. For herein is the blessings of God.

May the Lord lift you to Him today!

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Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

Posted on May 21, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

Empty Church.JPG

John 2:12-17 (KJV)  After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.  [13]  And the Jews’ Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,  [14]  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:  [15]  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;  [16]  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.  [17]  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

Mark 11:15-17 (KJV)  And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves;  [16]  And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.  [17]  And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

I passed a Church the other day that had a sign out front, and a bunch of people at it. The sign said:

“Yard Sale Today”

As I passed that Church I wondered what Jesus would have thought of it.
Then I wondered what Jesus would think of our Church.

Do We Glorify God In All We Do?

If Jesus came into our Fellowship Hall on Sunday would He sit down and visit with us, or go about flipping tables and running people out? If He came into our Sunday School classrooms would He be pleased at what He heard. Would He hear us talking about the Lord and salvation and things that pleased Him? If Jesus came to our Church this Sunday would He empty the collection plates out of our hands, or would He see what we were doing as honoring God?

Everything that Jesus did honored God. This is what God would have us do – glorify Him FIRST. Put Him FIRST. The Scripture says:

1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV) Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Jesus glorified God.
He did things not to show off, but to honor the Father Who sent Him.

The first thing Jesus did when He was baptized was go to a Wedding Feast and turn water into wine. People argue about what Jesus did at the Wedding Feast of Cana even today. I have had preachers tell me with a straight face that Jesus didn’t make wine, but He made grape juice. Jesus couldn’t make wine. After all, we as Baptists are historically teetotalers. That’s fine, but my Bible tells me that Jesus made wine. His mother Mary told Him:

John 2:3 “They have no wine”

The fact that Jesus turned water into wine is very important for several reasons.

  • First, I don’t think Jesus particularly wanted to make wine, but He glorified God when He obeyed His mother. The first Church EVER was and is the FAMILY. When God made Adam and Eve they were to come together and be ONE FLESH. They were to PROCREATE. Not just have sex for the feel goods, but God said multiply and fill the earth. God attached a blessing to obedience. Multiplying and filling the earth is a blessing. God made the Family. The Family is Man and Woman joined together making little men and women.

God has given us laws to live by in our families. Mary tells Jesus:

John 2:3 “They have no wine”

This was important to Mary – the mother of Jesus – because wedding feasts celebrated the union of one man and one woman. When she asked Jesus to do something about the wine situation she knew her Son could do what she asked.

  • Second, though Jesus said “Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.” He moved to grant her wish. Why? He was obeying the Commandment of God. The FIFTH Commandment states:

Exodus 20:12 (KJV) Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

The Fifth Commandment recognizes marriage, and gives authority to the male and female who had a hand in making you. We are to honor our parents. Children are taught to be good citizens – and good Church members – at home. Mary tells Jesus “They have no wine”. Jesus will honor His mother because this is righteousness. The Bible declares:

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV) … Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Jesus had the servants bring six stone water pots – each one capable of holding 20-30 gallons (by the way, that’s what a firkin is in the King James). Jesus told them:

“Fill the water pots with water”

So they began the process of going to the well, drawing water, and painstakingly filling each pot with water. This took time.

There was no running water.
There was no water pressure.
There were no garden hoses, nor outside the home taps.
They had to fill these pots – 6 times – with between 120-180 gallons of water.
That’s a lot of water.

  • Third, Jesus shows Himself to be God – the God Who has power over creation – when He turns plain water into wine. After the water pots are full Jesus says:

Abracadabra!

No, I’m just teasing and checking if you’re paying attention. As soon as all the pots were filled Jesus said:

Draw out now, and bear it to the governor of the feast.

The ruler of the feast was in charge of refreshments. He tasted what was brought and said:

John 2:10 (KJV) … Every man at the beginning doth set forth good WINE; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good WINE until now.

Jesus Christ turned water into wine. The Greek οἶνος oinos means WINE. The same word is used by Jesus in:

Matthew 9:17 (KJV)  Neither do men put new WINE into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the WINE runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new WINE into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Jesus showed Himself to be Creator God when He turned water into wine. It was not grape juice. Neither do I think it to be the swill that people spike and manufacture today that they call WINE. People have taken this text and used it as a justification for drinking and drunkenness. The Bible forbids drunkenness. The Bible says:

Proverbs 20:1 (KJV)  Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

The Bible says in Ephesians 5:18 (KJV)  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

The Bible says 1 Corinthians 5:11 (KJV)  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a DRUNKARD, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.

The Bible says 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (KJV)  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  [10]  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor DRUNKARDS, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Jesus turned water into wine, but He did not give it for anyone to get drunk on. But since I don’t want Jesus to come into this place and slap the Bible out of my hand I have to tell you what the text tells you. He turned water into wine. He gave that wine to people, to give to other people. Not to be abused, but to be used to celebrate BIBLICAL MARRIAGE.

Do We Glorify God In Our Churches?

After going to a wedding feast Jesus went to Church. When He got to Church He found something so disturbing that He had to stop it. People were not in Church to worship the Lord, but to make a buck. People were not in Church to pray and seek God’s face. They were there to fill their pockets.

There’s nothing wrong with money, and God wants you to make a living. He says:

2 Thessalonians 3:10 (KJV)   … if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Work is good. Earning a profit is good. But God’s house – His Church – gathers to worship Him.

We come together to pray to our Father.
We come together to love one another.
We come together to learn and grow by His truths.
When Jesus went to a wedding feast He gave them WINE to drink so they could celebrate.
When Jesus went to Church that day He gave them a WHIP to feel because they were NOT celebrating nor glorifying the right thing.

John 2:15-16 …. when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them ALL out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;  [16]  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise.

Jesus cleaned house that day.
The people were chased out.
The Priests were chased out.
The animals were chased out.

Jesus is not against PROFIT, but there is a greater PROFIT than money we need. We need God. We need to PROFIT by following and worshiping Him.

Mark 8:36-37 (KJV)  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  [37]  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

When we come to Church it is to gather together in His Name so that He will be in our midst. We want Jesus here with us. We want to feel His Presence, to hear His Word, to learn what He has said and live by it. We don’t want Jesus running through the Church with a whip.

At our Associational Meeting Monday night Brother Dale Ledbetter spoke of several local Churches having divisions and fighting in their midst. He asked the Association to pray for them. Let’s pray for Christ’s Churches where ever they might be. Let’s pray for our Church. Let’s pray that we always come together for the right reason. We are not here to make a profit. We are not here to fight or fuss. We are here to do as Scripture says:

Hebrews 10:24-25 (KJV)  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  [25]  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

God’s House – His people – do not come together to sell God to others. We come together to worship Him. We come together to love the Lord our God. When the Evangelist Mark wrote of this event He recorded additional words from our Savior:

Mark 11:15-17 (KJV)  And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves;  [16]  And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.  [17]  And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Jesus took His Words from two Old Testament Passages:

Isaiah 56:7 (KJV) Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.

Jeremiah 7:11 (KJV) Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

When we come together in God’s House for any reason other than to worship and glorify Him, when we gather to reject rather than highlight His Commandments, then we have become robbers and thieves. There is nothing wrong with Churches gathering together to raise funds for the needy, to help the destitute, to minister to the hurting. No, that’s not wrong. But it is horribly wrong to gather together to fill our own pockets.

We are here to worship the Lord.
We are here to honor our Savior.
We are here to magnify our God.
Let us do so with all our hearts!

May God touch your hearts with His Word!

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Tell Me You Love Me

Posted on May 15, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

wonderful post. Love you, brother!

Collin's avatarFound Who I Am

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Do you actually read to the end of these? Because when I get emails like this, they usually just sit there collecting dust… Maybe I should enjoy reading a little more. (Insert string of emoji. Also, what’s the plural of emoji?)

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about something for a month now and I wanted to put it in writing and publicly share it on the internet for the world to see, because that’s how we do in the 21st century. I’ve been wondering what the right way to live is. Is there actually a “right” way? How do we know what is socially or biblically acceptable and what is ridiculous? What is too much and what is too little?

Real talk:

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Three Phases of Salvation

Posted on May 14, 2018 by bibleteacherorg

great teaching! Thank you Brother

Sheldon Bass's avatarSpirit Writer

Been Saved, Being Saved & Will Be Saved

Without a lucid understanding of God’s entire and perfect plan for the redemption of mankind, certain scriptures could possibly be confusing. There are three phases to salvation; hence, the bible uses three tenses in delineating the doctrine of salvation. For me personally, it took many years to understand this—I was saved at 12 years old.

Briefly, let’s lay the following stone of truth that we may clear a path to our main topic.

We are saved by a free gift from God called Grace. Grace is bestowed upon those who believe and place their trusting faith in Christ Jesus— the truth. And forever after that, God’s grace continues working for the soul who is saved. Grace is not a once and done kind of thing. When the Lord regenerates us (2 Cor. 5:17) we’ve been born again, and a magnificent…

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