THE JUDGMENTS AND THE CROWNS

 - Jack Kinsella -

 

Judgment is a central theme throughout Scripture; the Old Testament is filled with accounts of judgment.

 

The judgment on Adam and Eve, the Flood judgment, the judgment against the Unfaithful Generation during the Exodus, Sodom and Gomorrah, the various judgments against Israel, the Ultimate Judgment at Calvary, just to name a few.

 

Some in this generation will face the 21 judgments outlined in the Book of Revelation during the Tribulation Period.

 

The writer of Hebrews tells us, ". . .it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27)

 

There are five individual judgments identified in Scripture, that differ in five general aspects; the subjects, the time, the place, the basis and the result.

 

There are two judgments for believers. The subjects of the first judgment are sinners. The time of this judgment was roughly AD 33. The place was Calvary.

 

The basis for the judgment was the finished Work of Christ. And the result was justification for the believer.

 

This first judgment is in three parts; as a sinner, as a son, and as a servant.

 

The 'sin' question is settled at the Cross. The 'son' question is an ongoing series of personal judgments that the Bible calls 'chastisement'.

 

When a believer steps outside God's permissive will, it brings about judgments designed to bring that believer back into line.

 

"If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." (Hebrews 12:7-8)

 

Then there is our judgment as servants, which leads us to the Judgment Seat of Christ, or the Bema Seat.

 

The subjects are believers. The time is after the Rapture. The place is the Bema Seat. The basis for judgment is works. The result is reward -- or loss of reward.

 

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2nd Corinthians 5:10)

 

Those who stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ are not there to be judged worthy of entry into heaven. That question was settled at the Cross.

 

This judgment will be for our works as servants. At the Bema Seat;

 

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." (1st Corinthians 3:13)

 

Think about that for a moment! Everything you ever did will be analyzed and scrutinized openly by the Lord Jesus Christ. Every good thing. . . and every bad thing. We'll be called on to give account of every word, every deed, every thought.

 

For most believers, the Judgment Seat of Christ will be an excruciating experience. "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men . . ." Paul wrote.

 

But, the result of the Bema Seat judgment isn't to determine if you will enter heaven -- that is already assured. The result is reward. That is where a believer's works come into play. Rewards. Or loss of them.

 

"If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." (1st Corinthians 3:14-15)

 

There are five possible rewards, or "crowns" that believers can earn for their works at the Bema Seat.

 

The Crown of Life. This is the Martyr's Crown. You get this one the hard way; "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2:10)

 

The Crown of Glory. This the the 'Pastor's Crown' given by the Chief Shepherd when He shall appear to those who serve;

 

"Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock." (1st Peter 5:2-3)

 

I readily admit that I am working to earn this crown. Salvation is a gift of grace through faith, and that not of yourselves -- crowns you have to work for.

 

"And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." (1st Peter 5:4)

 

The Crown of Rejoicing. This is the Soul-winners crown. Those brought to Jesus by us will be our "crown of rejoicing" at His Coming.

 

"For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?" (1st Thessalonians 2:19)

 

The Crown of Righteousness. This is the crown earned by the Watchmen on the Wall who give the warning of His soon appearing.

 

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." (2nd Timothy 4:8)

 

The Incorruptible Crown. This is a tough one to earn. This is the "Victor's" Crown, which is set aside for those who master temperance in this lifetime.

 

Those who don't yield to the lusts of the flesh, saturate themselves with alcohol and drugs, and keep themselves separate from the world can expect to be rewarded with the Incorruptible Crown.

 

The Judgment Seat of Christ takes place concurrently with the Third Judgment identified by Scripture taking place on earth.

 

In this third judgment, the primary subjects are the Jews. The place is Jerusalem. The time is called the 'Time of Jacob's Trouble' or, the Tribulation Period.

 

"Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it." (Jeremiah 30:7)

 

The basis for this judgment is Israel's continued rejection of the Messiah, and the end result is the national redemption of Israel.

 

The fourth judgment identified in Scripture also takes place during the Tribulation. The subjects are the Gentile nations. The place is the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The basis for this judgment will be their treatment of the Jews.

 

"And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth His sheep from the goats." (Matthew 25:32)

 

The nations will be divided into the "Sheep nations" and the "Goat nations". The result is the Sheep nations will be permitted to enter into the Millennial Kingdom. The "Goat nations" will be destroyed.

 

This judgment takes place at the conclusion of the Tribulation Period.

 

The fifth and final judgment identified in Scripture is the Great White Throne Judgment. It will take place at the close of the Millennium a 1000 years after the judgment of the Nations, and before the "Great White Throne."

 

All the righteous (saved) dead arose at the First Resurrection, or the Rapture.

 

Those who are saved and die between the First Resurrection and the Second Resurrection, (like the Tribulation and Millennial Kingdom saints), must rise with the wicked at the Second Resurrection.

 

The words; "Whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life" imply there will be some saved who will be present at the Great White Throne. So possibly there will be some whose names will be found in the Book of Life, but they are post-Church Age believers.

 

I want you to notice something. This entire outline only works if the Rapture takes place beforethe Tribulation. If the Church is on the earth during the Tribulation Period, the entire outline falls apart.

 

BUT -- and this is the important part -- this is the only outline there is! There is only one Bible from which to work, and it doesn't give an alternative scenario.

 

It is the key to understanding the outline of Bible prophecy as it unfolds before this generation.

 

The Bible identifies five judgments and five crowns. The judgments are as I've outlined them, by those who are subject to them, when, where, why, and how.

 

I've supplied chapter and verse. Go back and review it all. It's the only outline there is. And for it to work, the Church must be Raptured before the Tribulation begins.

 

If not, we have the Church on the earth during the judgment of Israel, and not in the air for the Believer's Judgment, and, in some views, on the earth during the division of the Sheep and Goat nations.

 

Jesus sets up His Millennial Kingdom at the close of the Tribulation Period. Before that comes four of the five judgments, all of which He presides over as the Righteous Judge.

 

When the judgments of the Tribulation are over, all that remain are the sheep nations and the Jews. Who is there left to Rapture?

 

The Rapture is the First Resurrection that predicates the Judgment Seat of Christ. As the Church is judged at the Bema Seat, the twenty-one Tribulation judgments are executed on the world.

 

They are different judgments, as to subject, basis, place and result, but within the same general frame of time called the Day of the Lord or the Day of Christ.

 

It is all interconnected -- and indivisible from the Big Picture.

 

The outline of Bible prophecy is deep and complex, and each part is interdependent on all the others in order to complete the Big Picture.

 

It isn't about being right. It's about understanding the times in which we live, so that we can fulfill the commission given us.

 

". . .sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." (1st Peter 3:15)

JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD, PART 2

by Pastor Mike Taylor

“THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated” Thomas Paine
The opening paragraph was written by Thomas Paine during the beginning of the Revolutionary War. He was calling to arms those who loved freedom and hated tyranny.  We have reached a similar junction in the road we now are faced with in this age of technology and the upheaval that it has caused to allow our government to intrude on every portion of our lives,. The problem will only strengthen as the days grow more treacherous and dangerous as we continue this journey to the end of the days of man's rule upon this earth.


We live in a world in which many people if not most, are engulfed with fear and anxiety. Some fear the future; and they’re anxious about what’s going to happen in that future. Others fear the past and they’re anxious about what has happened. And still others fear even the present as anxiety has gripped their souls and they cannot imagine how they can cope with the ugliness of present circumstances in their lives. Thousands of people each day wake up with untold burdens to bear and anxiety with which they must deal with. Are you one of these? Are you bearing secretly a heavy burden? Are you worried about the future? Are you worried about your finances? Do you see your way of life slipping away, your families future, or the present world around you? Do you worry about the world stage with ongoing terrorism, the failing world economy (at home and abroad) and life in general with all its trials? The world is fearful of the rise of Islam with it's indiscriminate attacks on a peaceful people. The world has been rocked lately and are fearful withindiscriminate school shooting that make no sense, or the past terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, California, or the attack in Paris, France of armed Muslim thugs who kill “infidels” for their false god, allah and submit to a god that is the antithesis of a loving God found in Christianity. We fear the loss of freedom and the life we have enjoyed up to this point, as the past administration in government appeared to be stripping away our basic freedoms. That has calmed down for the moment with the present POTUS, but how long will evil be kept at bay and not engulf all who call the USA our home?

How can a person cope with what's around them, if they are only relying on themselves feeling so vulnerable to an evil ideology, or for that matter, the evil that resides in our own halls of government  and enslave us to the concept of a “new world order”? Many would take up arms and create civil unrest, or break away entirely from the USA, as Texas has threatened or California, but is that the path any of us should take?

Please understand, I feel your pain, as many of those who read this are doing what is required of them in this society. There are those who will not assimilate to the culture of the USA or the rest of the free world. They live in another parallel “dimension” that is governed by hateful beliefs of superiority to other religions and only wish to enslave those who only wish to remain free. 
Now look at yourself and what are you trying to do? You may have gone through school, some college, got married, working hard, following what is required to make a living in a peaceful world, but you still are anxious about the future and life in general. You have good reason. How should we respond? The most important question then becomes, “how does God want me to respond to the anxiety in my life?”  Thomas Paine wrote the above passage calling on the citizen's physical response to a world ruled by tyranny. I wish to look at how we should respond today, in our time to our world and look at the source of our strength in these troubling times. 

LOOK TO THE GOOD SHEPHERD, OUR LORD JESUS.
Like all the great questions of life, scripture affords us an answer. I've been dealing with Roman's chapter 8 in the last few messages, and now let us go to a promise found in the Old Testament of how we can cope with this world from the author and finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ. I'm talking about the promises found in a most beloved passage found in the Psalms.  In Psalm 23, David gives us the example of how we’re supposed to trust in God. Most Christians have put to memory this “pearl” of the Psalms, but never take time to ponder its deep meaning and how it applies to our everyday life. Let us jump back in time, to another time period that was fraught with evil and men that shed blood quite easily. Let us look at the time period from shepherd boy that grew to be a king.
KING DAVID WROTE OF HIS “GOOD SHEPHERD”.
There is a lot of commentary on when David actually wrote this Psalm. This was a time when written that David may have been running from Saul, who was trying to kill him, as most people feel this was the history behind this Psalm. Psalm 23 then provides a model for us. It is one of the many paradigms of truth to be followed though-out our lives that is found in your Bible as we respond to all the difficulties and worries that come our way.


The Psalm has two basic divisions, each one providing part of the answer to our question about worry. The first four verses focus on God as the faithful and good Shepherd of His people. It calls us to trust Him as such. The second section made up of the last two verses, focuses our attention on God as a gracious host, preparing a splendid meal for a guest, and results in our rejoicing over His grace toward us.

Take some time and stop for a moment and read this lovely Psalm before you go on. Have you read it? Good, let's move on.


When I examine this lovely Hebrew song in detail, I have the firm conviction that it reaches a perfect climax in the person and the work of our Lord, Jesus Christ. I see in the character of the Shepherd, the sweet fragrance of our Savior as I breathe in His Word. This Psalm may not be strictly Messianic in its prediction of the coming of the Jesus the Messiah, but it suggests thoughts that point in the direction of His coming.


Let's jump over to Isaiah 40:10-11:

“Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
11, He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”
The Hebrew prophet Isaiah spoke of the coming day when “the Lord God will come with  a strong hand and  His strong right arm ruling for Him. He will come to lead us to greener pasture, and return the earth to her former pure state. There will be no need for fear, as the lamb will lay down with the lion.
Another Hebrew prophet in similar vane  saw the coming of the Messiah as Lord and Shepherd:
“And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I, The LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them: I, the LORD have spoken”. (Ezekial 34:23-24)
Keep in mind that King David had been dead six hundred years when Ezekiel was writing this prophecy! The prophet is speaking of a even greater One, greater than David. He is the Messiah who will come at the end of this age and He will shepherd His people being of the root of David.

JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD WHO LEADS AND GUIDES!

Even though the soul is tossed about with events that are beyond our control, we have solace in the One who walks with us through it all. I am a firm believer that God allows nothing to come against His chosen “sons of God” unless it is in His will and for our ultimate good. I am reminded of the verses found in Romans, and as you may know, one of most favorite chapters that Paul wrote and I must repeat it here:


“For we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to them that are the called, according to His purpose.

For whom He foreknow He also predestined to be conformed the image of His Son, that He may be the first born among many brethren,

And whom He foreknew, those He also called, and whom He called, these He also justified, and these He justified, He also glorified.

What shall we say of these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not, along with Him, give us all things? (Romans 8:28-32)




Did you catch that? “along with Him, give us ALL things”....what has God given His only begotten Son? Answer: everything and we will share in that glory. Mind boggling, is it not? It is emphasized in prior verses and these confirm one another:

“The Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

If children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed with suffer with Him, we shall also be glorified together.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:16-18)




It is a glorious promise that God has given to each of us, who call upon the name of Jesus in faith and believing for His Atonement on Calvary's cross and His ultimate resurrection and glorification, sitting now at the right hand of the Father for each of us who embrace this truth.


But you ask, when reading this lovely, poetic verses that Paul wrote, “what can I do right now, in these troubling times?” As mentioned, you need someone to guide you through the mine fields that are the sin soaked earth your feet rest upon. Let us take God's promises, one of thousands listed in the Bible, that let you know God is with you. Jesus leads you and Psalm 23 is a God given promise of being led by God's Holy Spirit in a place where we do not fear, but rely on our Shepherd, Jesus Christ.PSALM 23: A GLORIOUS PROMISE
 
“The LORD is my shepherd: I shall not want”. Psalm 23:1. 
There is security in the presence of the good shepherd. The Psalmist David dares to reach out and call Jehovah his very own Shepherd. It is intimately personal. Our God is a personal, loving Father. He is my Shepherd, and He wants to be YOUR Shepherd. You must have faith, as King David did, that God is your guide in this life. 
 David uses the name of the Lord who is always seen as absolutely faithful to His people. He had a vibrant, living faith in the LORD God. Therefore he can say confidently just as God is faithful in meeting his present needs, God will also meet all his needs in the future. With the LORD as his Shepherd, David looks forward to the future. He will never “suffer any want.” Just as the good shepherd provides all that his sheep needs, the LORD will provide all that His people will ever need. 
 
Remember Romans 8:32 quoted above? If you possess the LORD, who possesses all things, then you lack nothing. David  thought of God as his protector and provider, but also as his King. He also, thought  of Him as his Shepherd, with all the meaning it had in the Near East in general and in the Law in particular. Because the LORD was David’s provider, he lacked or wanted for anything. A good shepherd by his very nature will always supply all of the lamb’s needs. In a similar way, a good Father will provide for every need of His children.

Some people mistake what the Psalmist is saying here. I had the same problem at one time. Looking back, this troubled  me as a small child. I thought that David was saying “I shall not want” or David didn’t want God as his shepherd, but I came to understand that it meant, he was not in “want of anything”. God will provide.

 SATAN TRIES TO STEAL THOSE PROMISES
Note that Satan has attempted to portray God, in mankind's history as a begrudging giver who only provides when He must. Satan desires to deceive those who trust in God, and wants them to believe they are lacking and deprived of the good things in life. This is the picture Satan tries to paint in suggesting that God had withheld the fruit of every tree of the garden from Adam and Eve. (Gen. 3:1). God is also portrayed as a begrudging giver in the temptation of our Lord when He was in the wilderness for 40 days (Matt. 4:1-11). Why would anyone listen to the author of all lies? Jesus didn't, why should you?
 
The mentality behind David’s words is completely opposed to the Madison Avenue propaganda where we are constantly being told that we have many needs, all of which can be met by buying some new (or old) product. We need “sex appeal” so we must buy a new toothpaste, a new kind of mouthwash and a new brand of soap. We need self-confidence and a better self-image, therefore we must wear stylish clothing determined by the garment industry. Our whole mode of thinking is “want centered”. David tells us that to have God as our shepherd is indeed to have everything we need or want.
As we seek God, we are not getting second best from Him. He is a faithful Shepherd to give us only what is excellent according to His own purpose and divine will. Can we trust Him for that? 
So then, if we lack anything in our lives, then God is not our shepherd. Simple as that, as there are only two options. If this world is our shepherd, then we are in want. Or if alcohol or drugs are our shepherd, or hard rock music, or money, sex, or pornography, then we are never satisfied. Be honest with yourself, as no one is looking as you read this. You know that we are forever in some kind of want, some kind of need if we are depending on this world. Because if you will own up to it, we never know exactly what is best for us, especially when things go sour and we don't know where to turn to next. Just step back for a minute and look around you, or read the latest horror reported on your locals newscast, or your published newspaper headlines. Do you need a shepherd?
Point being, we are sheep. The idea is analogy of a sheep going astray. Sheep get into everything self destructive, and they stray easily. Ever been around sheep or goats? Some really dumb animals, but  then God says I am one! Kind of hurts your feelings at first, until you realize, you know, He’s right. I am a sheep. Without Him as my guide, I'm forever in trouble. We are all prone to wander. Isaiah said it best in chapter 53 and it’s a wonderful  prophecy about the coming Messiah and a description of Him, of His suffering and why He had to take our place.
“We are all like sheep who have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him, the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
 
I know my tendency toward self-indulgent individualism, of going my own way and doing my own thing. That’s me. I’m a wandering sheep. And if Jesus Christ is to be my shepherd, I have to admit that I need one. It is difficult, but that is where we must start. Once we admit that need, we discover the truth of what David is saying. “We shall not want.”
 In this Psalm, David enumerates the ways in which the Good Shepherd meets our needs. The first is found in V.2 and part of V. 3:
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still water: He restores my soul.” 
Our God meets the needs of the inner man. Meditate a minute on that verse and the symbolic picture a flock of sheep beside a still, crystal clear pool of water. There is lush green grass all around and perfect peace and harmony. The sheep are in no fear. For men, it is the feeding on His Word. We draw upon Him and we are satisfied. We look to Him, the author and finisher of our faith. Pools of living water, is synonymous with the Holy Spirit that God gave us on Pentecost. And with His Holy Spirit, we should never fear.

“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.30  They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?31  Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.34  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” (John  6:27-35)

The Word of God does this for us. It brings us, first, to the person of Jesus Christ. “Beyond the sacred page”, as the old hymn says, “we see the LORD.” We see Him , and we eat and drink of Him, and we discover Him to be the resource of what we need. Let’s now read what Paul says in II Corinthians 4:15-18:

15 “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”


Look at verse 16, “Though the outward man perishes, the inward man is renewed day by day,”. Our souls are restored. How you say? As we feed upon Him. As we come to know Him, believe what He says, and act on His Word, we discover that the inner man is fed. We draw strength and courage, because of true faith in the true Shepherd of mankind, Jesus Christ.


Jesus, our Lord, the Good Shepherd does another blessing to each of us and that is to give direction in our lives:

“He leads me in paths of righteousness for His names sake.” Psalm 23:3.


The Hebrew word translated “paths” means “a well-defined, well worn trail.” That indicates again how easily led astray sheep are. Because even when the trail is well laid out and well traveled from use, they still need a shepherd. They are still inclined to wander away, no matter how obvious the trail may be. The Good Shepherd knows the trail. He has been there before, and the sheep trust Him. People worry about the world’s future, the direction in their lives and where they are headed. How will  it affect my family, my loved ones around me, my business, my associates? Government tyranny, loss of freedoms, Obamacare, the rise of terrorism even in this country and a world economy teetering on the edge of oblivion. We saw the loss of jobs, no matter what the idiots in Washington spew out to the contrary. We have been given a reprieve as the economy and jobs are growing, but how long will that last? Remember, the tribulation is right at the front door of this world. You may have lost your job in the past. You may also have lost your home or taken a part time job, or even two or three, just to make ends meet. If you're relying on yourself, then I don't blame you for being scared. There is anxiety at every turn.


There is a classic story of a man undergoing basic training in the army. He was pulling KP and was given the assignment of sorting potatoes. There was a huge mound of them and the sergeant told him to put all the bad ones in one bin, and all the good ones in the other bin. The sergeant came back about two hours later to find the man just looking at one potato. There was nothing in the bins. The sergeant yelled, “What the matter, don’t you like the work, soldier?” The soldier said, “Sarge, it’s not the work, it’s the decisions that are killing me.”

I often feel that way and I know you do too. We are not afraid of the work, but we have to make countless decisions, day after day, which touch the lives of our children our spouses, and our loved ones in the extended family. We need wisdom. We need somebody who has the answers. We need someone who knows the trails, and someone whom we can trust. We must submit wholeheartedly, to the leadership of the Shepherd. That is the basic attitude we must maintain. Unless we are willing to admit that we don’t know the way through the wilderness and faithfully submit to His leadership, we will never find the way. Just ask any newly homeless person who is lost in despair, or the latest suicide attempt placed on suicide watch at a local hospital what they fear the most. To most is a loss of hope, or a loss of any control over their lives.


Like a good shepherd, our Lord and Savior delivers us from the feelings of anxiety and promises that He will always be with us, and will never forsake us. But first we have to submit to His direction, His leading and realize that we don’t know the way through this crooked path in front of us, which is our daily lives, We need a shepherd that does know the way. We must look to Jesus for our guidance through this world in which we are but pioneers, sojourners in a land that is not our home.

I call upon you to put your faith and trust in the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. He has died to save each of us, who call upon His Name in faith believing. I'm throwing you a life-line right now....grab onto it and hold tight, don't ever let go and put your total faith and trust in the only true Friend you will ever have, the Lord God, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Do it today, and you will have hope that you never experienced before, because Jesus and His Holy Spirit will be right there to guide you.“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.”

17 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.” (John 3:16-18)

Grab a hold of the Holy Son of God and confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is the Son o f God, who died for your sins, my sins, and the sins of the whole world, was raised to life by the Father in heaven, having defeated death, hell, and the grave...who is sitting right now, at the right hand of ABBA Father in Heaven, and who is coming again to reign and rule on this earth for 1000 years, but before that, He will remove His church from this planet in what the Bible in Greek, calls the “harpazo” or forceful removal of His Bride from this planet. We will be changed instantly into immortal beings...and friend, it could happen tomorrow, next month, but happen it will soon...How soon, only God knows the day or the hour, but we are definitely in the season of the return of our Lord called the “rapture of the Church” or mentioned, the “harpazo” that Paul spoke about in 1^st Corinthians, and 1^st Thessalonians....we are waiting with undying hope of His soon return....Confess the Lord now, and join us in the climatic event that will throw the whole world into complete chaos.....The Tribulation is at hand, and Jesus is coming first to remove us from planet earth. Let the Shepherd guide you into all truth and keep you until that day of His return for His bride.

“But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Romans 10:8-11)

This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying you find and receive my Lord Jesus, the Shepherd of our lives....if you need prayer, counseling, or just a friendly listening ear, then email me at realteam1999@sbcglobal.net,, God bless you all,

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, ANTI-CHRIST BEAST OF REVELATION IN THE BIBLE.

What The Bible Says About The Roman Catholic Church

These Bible verses reveal that God has been speaking about the Roman Catholic Church for 2,500 years, the first instance occurred when He spoke to Daniel about future kingdoms that would occur until the end of time.

If you’re Catholic, these Bible truths are shared out of love for you, because you may not know what God has declared to you in His Holy Word.

Read through the list and see what the Bible reveals about the leaders of the Catholic Church.

You don’t have to understand all of the prophecies and their fulfillment, just simply read through the study to see how the Bible specifically describes the Catholic Church.

The Bible foretold that the church of the antichrist would be are arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with precious stones.

“The woman (apostate church) was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.” Revelation 17:4

“The color for bishops and other prelates is purple, for cardinals scarlet… The pectoral cross should be made of gold and… decorated with gems…” (Source: Our Sunday Visitor’s Catholic Encyclopedia, 1991, p. 175, 178, 466)

The Bible foretold that the Harlot (false Church) would assert power over ALL of the Earth.

“Then he said to me, ‘The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.’ ” Revelation 17:15

“We define that the Holy Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff (Pope) hold the primacy over the whole world.” (Source: Laetentur Coeli, Council of Florence, 1439)

The Roman Catholic Church has ecclesiastical power over 1.2 Billion people, who live in the nations of the world and speak different languages.

The Roman Catholic Church is both a Church and a City, which kings of the Earth bow down to.

“And the woman (the harlot church) whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” Revelation 17:18

Vatican City is a city-state, making it the smallest country in the world, that has political relations with almost every country.

Kings and President bow to the Pope when they visit Vatican City.

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Daniel 2:41 describes them as the Iron/Clay feet of the statue, as they are a Church/State.

“Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.”

The other parts of the statue in Daniel 2, the gold head of Babylon, the silver chest of Medo-Persia, the bronze waist of Greece and the iron legs of Rome, were only political empires.

The iron/clay feet represent the church/state of the Roman Catholic Church, which emerged after the Roman Empire was destroyed.

The Roman Catholic Church rose to power after the Roman Empire split into 10 kingdoms, fulfilling Daniel 7:24.

“The ten horns (kingdoms) are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings.”

Out of the ten kingdoms, the Catholic Church emerged, who was different because it was a church/state.

The Roman Catholic Church is the Little Horn of Daniel  fulfilling Daniel 7:8.

“I was considering the horns (kingdoms), and there was another horn (kingdom), a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots.”

They subdued and destroyed three of the ten kingdoms (the Heruli, Ostrogoths and Vandals) who did not bow down to them.

The church has a single man (the Pope) acting and speaking for the whole body, fulfilling Daniel 7:8.

“And there, in this horn (kingdom), were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.”

Pope Pius IX said “I alone… am the successor of the apostles, the vicar of Jesus Christ. I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (Source: History of the Christian Church, by Henry Charles Sheldon, p. 59.)

Pope Boniface VIII said “We declare, say, define, and pronounce, that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” (Source: Bull “Unam Sanctum,” as cited in “Apostolic Digest, Book V: The Book of Obedience”)

Current Pope Francis I said “You cannot find Jesus outside the Church.” (Source: EWTN Global Catholic News,  pronounced on April 23 in the Apostolic Palace’s Pauline Chapel.)

In John 14:6, Jesus declared that salvation is through Him only and not through any man,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

The Catholic Church changed the calendar and law, fulfilling Daniel 7:25.

“He shall intend to change times (calendar) and law.”

At the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. they changed the calendar to be based on the Sun, not the moon as God ordained in the Bible.

At the Council of Laodicea in 363 A.D. they changed the last day of the week to Sunday, instead of Saturday as God ordained in the Bible.

In the Catechism, they removed God’s 2nd Commandment, which forbids idol worship, as they have many idols such as Mary. They then divided the 10th Commandment into two parts, so there is 10 total.

They claim that the Roman Catholic Church was built on Peter.

But Jesus said in Matt. 16:18, “you are Peter (Greek word “Petros” or little, movable stone) , and on this rock  (Greek is “Petra” or unmovable stone/rock, which is Jesus) I will build my church.

The two Greek words have very different meanings, one represents Peter as a little movable stone, but the Bible is telling us that Christ’s Church is built on the bedrock of Jesus.

Peter himself understood that Christ was the only foundation stone and that he himself, and the rest of God’s Chosen Ones, were little building blocks upon that foundation.

“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone (Jesus), elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed”1 Peter 2:5-8

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, In whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, In whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22

The Catholic Church claims that Peter was the head of God’s church.

Paul says in Ephesians 5:23 that Christ Jesus is the head of the church.

“For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church:
and he is the saviour of the body”.

They claim that Peter has the keys of heaven and earth.

Jesus says in Revelation 3:7-8 that He has the key of David, and it is only He that opens and shuts.

‘These things says He (Jesus) who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David,
He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”‘.

They deny that Jesus has come in the flesh, fulfilling John’s definition of Antichrist in 1 John 4:3.

“and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world”

Popes have claimed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was sinless,  but Romans 3:23 says
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” 

“We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God… was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”
Encyclical On The Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX, 1849

By claiming that Mary was sinless from birth until she was taken up into heaven, they are saying that Jesus would not have inherited man’s sinful fleshly nature.

Christ’s perfect sinless life and His victory over sin is of no merit if He did not inherit man’s fleshly nature.

They are not saying that Jesus did not live in a fleshly human body, but they are invalidating that He overcame man’s sinful fleshly nature.

Hebrews 4:15 says “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

The Roman Catholic Church rose to power after the Roman Empire was removed, fulfilling 2 Thessalonians 2:7.

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do sountil he is taken out of the way.”

Paul used the word ‘he’ because if he would have said ‘until the Roman Empire is taken out of the way’, it would have invited persecution against the Church, from the Romans who would not tolerate a claim that they will be destroyed..

The Pope sits in the temple of God proclaiming to be God, fulfilling 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.

“..the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, (not a physical temple, but Christ’s Church. Eph. 2:19-22) showing himself that he is God.”

Pope Innocent III said “We may according to the fullness of our power, dispose of the law and dispense above the law. Those whom the Pope of Rome doth separate, it is not a man that separates them but God. For the Pope holdeth place on earth, not simply of a man but of the true God.” (Source: “Decretals of Greogory IX,” Book 1, chapter 3.)

Saint Pope Pius V blasphemed,  “The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in Heaven and earth.” (Source: Pope Pius V, quoted in Barclay, Cities Petrus Bertanous Chapter XXVII: 218.)

Pope Leo XIII declared, “We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.”
(Source: Pope Leo XIII Encyclical Letter, June 20, 1894)

1 Timothy 2:5-6 declares, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all.”

Many Popes have declared that salvation is only through the Catholic Church, which denies that salvation is through Jesus Christ.

Pope Innocent III declares, “With our hearts we believe and with our lips we confess but one Church, not that of the heretics, but the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church, outside which we believe that no one is saved.” (Source: Denzinger 423)

Pope Boniface VIII said, “We declare, say, define, and pronounce that it is absolutely necessary for the salvation of every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” ((Source: Papal Bull Unam Sanctam A.D. 1302)

Pope Eugene IV declared, “No one, let his alms giving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Jesus Christ, can be saved unless they abide within the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.”  (Source: The Bull Cantate Domino, 1441)

Pope Pius IX said, “It must be held by faith that outside the Apostolic Roman Church, no one can be saved;” (Source: Denzinger 1647)

This is declaring that a Christian in any other church is not saved, and it effectively eliminates Jesus as the only way to salvation, which is antichrist.

Acts 4:12 confirms that salvation is only through Jesus. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Popes title of Vicar of Christ is the ‘antichrist’ in John’s epistles.

The word ‘antichristos’ is the Greek word for Antichrist. Translated into English it means Vice-Christ or Vicar of Christ, which the Pope has claimed as his title.

In 1303 A.D. Pope Boniface VIII said in his infamous Bull ‘Unam Sanctam’, “We declare, assert, define and pronounce to be subject to the Roman Pontiff is to every creature altogether necessary for salvation… I have the authority of the King of Kings. I am all in all, and above all, so that God Himself and I, the Vicar of Christ, have but one consistory, and I am able to do almost all that God can do. What therefore, can you make of me but God?”

The Roman Catholic Church ruled supreme for 1,260 years, fulfilling Revelation 13:5, which is speaking about the Antichrist beast.

“and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.”

42 months is 1,260 days. In prophecy, 1 day = 1 year, so it’s 1,260 years.

In 538 A.D., the Roman Catholic Church gained religious and civil power when Emperor  Justinian issued a decree making the Pope head of all churches.

In 1798 A.D., Napoleon’s army marched into Rome and captured the Pope, ending the reign of the Papacy.

The Pope was stripped of authority and taken into captivity, causing a mortal wound, fulfilling Revelation 13:3.

“And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.”

The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1990, Vol.26, p.938) says “The ultimate humiliation of the Church came when Pius VI was driven out of Rome by the French armies in 1798 and in the following year was taken captive by them and dragged back to France, where he died.”

They were restored to power in 1929, which healed the deadly head wound.

“Rome . . . was granted sovereign extraterritorial status in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty and Concordat.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 1990 Edition

Popes speak great things and blasphemies, fulfilling Revelation 13:5.

“And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.”

Pope Innocent III said, “We may according to the fullness of our power, dispose of the law and dispense above the law. Those whom the Pope of Rome doth separate, it is not a man that separates them but God. For the Pope holdeth place on earth, not simply of a man but of the true God.” (Source: “Decretals of Greogory IX,” Book 1, chapter 3.)

Pope Pius V blasphemed that “The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in Heaven and earth.” (Source: Pope Pius V, quoted in Barclay, Cities Petrus Bertanous Chapter XXVII: 218.)

Pope Clement VI declared “No man outside obedience to the Pope of Rome can ultimately be saved. All who have raised themselves against the faith of the Roman Church, and died in final impenitence have been damned, and gone down to Hell.” (Source: Pope Clement VI, “Super Quibusdam,” as cited in “Apostolic Digest, Book V: The Book of Obedience”)

They assert power over ALL of the Earth, fulfilling Revelation 13:7

“It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.”

“We define that the Holy Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff (Pope) hold the primacy over the whole world.” (Source: Laetentur Coeli, Council of Florence, 1439)

The Roman Catholic Church is the beast and the Pope is the man in Revelation 13:18.

“Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”

Vicar of Christ in Latin is ‘Vicarius Filii Dei’, which equates numerically to the number 666.

The name ‘Vatican’ means ‘divining serpent’ from Latin Vatis=diviner, and can=serpent, fulfilling Revelation 13:2,

“The dragon (serpent) gave him (the Roman Catholic Church Pope) his power, his throne, and great authority.”

Rome is seated upon seven mountains, fulfilling Revelation 17:9.

“Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman (harlot church of Rome) sits.”

The seven hills (mountains) around Rome are named the Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal and Viminal.

They are the Whore of Babylon who is drunk with the blood of the saints of Jesus, fulfilling Revelation 17:6.  

History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, Vol. 2 says “That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind will be questioned by no Protestant who has a complete knowledge of history.”  Some historians estimate that over 50 million lives (mostly Christians from Christ’s true Church), were taken by this so-called “holy” Inquisition to which they have never apologized.

Daniel 2:34 declares that the feet of iron and clay, the church and state of the Roman Catholic Church, will be destroyed by Christ in the end times.

“You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.”

Revelation 18:21 is the fulfillment of Christ destroying the Roman Catholic Church, which is called Mystery Babylon.

“Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.”

As you have clearly seen in the study, the Roman Catholic Church is the false church which opposes Christ. And the Lord has foretold that He will destroy her and all those in her.

If you’re in the Catholic Church, Jesus has lovingly called you to, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.“ Revelation 18:4

Come out of her and know true salvation, which is by faith in the atoning work of the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus.

This is a very important message on Biblical salvation. Are you saved?
Do you know your eternal destination? If not, this video is a must see!

Secure your salvation by a direct relationship with Christ Jesus, instead of through men.

Repent of your former beliefs.

Repent of your sins against the Lord, who alone is perfect.

Profess your belief in His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary, and his shed blood which confirmed His covenant with you.

Declare that you desire to have a real relationship with Him.

Ask Jesus to come into your heart to be your Lord and Savior. Amen!