PROPHECY IS BEING REVEALED

- Nathele Graham -

 

"Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." Isaiah 28:16. 

I often wonder what went through the minds of the prophets of old when God instructed them to write something like this. Did Isaiah think He meant that a building would be built there with a solid foundation and a perfect corner stone? Whether Isaiah understood it or not he knew that these words were from God. The men who sorted through the scrolls to compile the Old Testament must have also thought it strange, but the Holy Spirit led them to include it in Scripture. Centuries would pass before the meaning would be made clear by a fisherman who had followed Jesus and believed in who He was. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, 

"Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded." 1 Peter 2:6. 

Peter knew that Jesus is the corner stone and foundation that our faith is built upon. The Jewish leaders may have recognized their Messiah if they had believed prophecy, but they were blinded by tradition and misinterpretation. Have we learned from their mistakes? Not really. Many Bible teachers ignore prophecy because it's "too vague" or they try to twist it to fit their purposes. We live in the end times disclosed by Biblical prophecy and we need to pay attention.

 

A key to understanding prophecy is to believe what God says. Trying to force prophecy to fit human understanding is like trying to force a square peg into a round hole. If the square peg (human understanding) is adjusted to fit the round hole (God's information) then it fits nicely. Throughout Scripture we see that God's prophetic messages are always correct. Daniel was a highly educated young Jewish man who lived in Jerusalem. Then the Babylonian army attacked, Daniel was taken prisoner, and Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed. Though living in a pagan culture Daniel never failed to honor God Almighty throughout his life. He had a prophetic letter written by Jeremiah to those who Nebuchadnezzar had taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. 

"For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place." Jeremiah 29:10. 

Daniel didn't try to come up with a replacement theology regarding who God really meant would return after 70 year, but he believed that God said what He meant. As time went on he realized that the captivity was soon to be over and that the Jewish people soon would be re-gathered in the land and city that God had given to them forever. 

"In the first year of his reign I Daniel, understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." Daniel 9:2. 

Daniel took the prophecy of Jeremiah seriously and his reaction was to fast and pray. We need to take a lesson from Daniel. Prophecy is information God gives us and He means for us to understand. There are many end time prophecies being fulfilled today and we need to take them seriously. Maybe we should fast and pray.

 

Space restricts mentioning all of the end times prophecies, but let me first state emphatically that the "church" has not replaced Israel. We have our own place in God's timeline, but Israel is still the main subject of these prophecies. Let's start by looking back to the time when Jesus began His ministry on earth. Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies during the time He walked through the Holy Land proclaiming the Good News to all who would listen. When Jesus began His ministry He entered into the synagogue in Nazareth and read from Isaiah. 

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, and set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." Luke 4:18-21. 

The passage He chose is found in Isaiah 61:1-2a and described His first coming. He didn't read the entire passage from Isaiah but said that this Scripture was fulfilled. What did the rest of the passage say? 

"...and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn: to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." Isaiah 61:2b-3. 

Verse numbers were added long after this was written and verses 1-3 are one sentence. The portion of the prophecy that Jesus read tells of the first coming of Christ, which is why He stopped where He did. The rest describes the Tribulation period when the wrath of God will be poured out and also the Kingdom Age. Today we can look back and fully understand that Jesus was the One prophesied, but we also need to understand that the full prophecy will be fulfilled in the future...the near future.

 

What do we miss by not taking God at His word? For centuries many so called Bible scholars taught that Christians had replaced Israel since the Temple had been destroyed and the Jews had been dispersed to all nations. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's too bad these "scholars" didn't believe prophecy just as Daniel believed it. God said that Israel would be reestablished as a nation and in 1948 it happened.

 "And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them saith the LORD thy God." Amos 9:14-15. 

Israel was re-established as a nation n 1948 and the Jewish people are returning. Many nations are trying to wipe them off the map, but God says that this time they are there permanently. I believe God. He also said that when they are brought back the second time they will be one nation rather than two (Israel had been the Northern Kingdom before being conquered by Assyria and Judah had been the Southern Kingdom which had been conquered by Babylon). 

"Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for Great shall be the day of Jezreel." Hosea 1:11. 

Today all twelve of the Jewish tribes are returning to the land God had given to Abraham and it's called Israel. There are many more prophecies regarding Israel being re-established. These have been fulfilled and we can be sure that all of God's prophecies will be fulfilled.

 

I'm always disappointed when I look at the news and see what passes as newsworthy. In America it seems as if the latest Hollywood scandal is more important than what's happening in places like Damascus and how that relates to prophecy. 

"The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap." Isaiah 17:1. 

This prophecy speaks of an end time event and today Damascus is nearly a ruinous heap. There are many other happenings in the Middle East that are much more relevant to life than the latest celebrity who hates Donald Trump or who's getting a divorce. Have you been keeping track of the peace deal that Jared Kushner is going to present to Israel and the surrounding nations? I'm not saying that Mr. Kushner is the Anti-Christ. In fact, speculation about that is silly. Christians will be taken Home in the Rapture before the man of sin is revealed. On the other hand we need to look at the signs of the times. There will be a covenant which this evil man will confirm so this could be that covenant, but that's speculation.

 "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate" Daniel 9:27 (Also see Daniel 12:11). 

This is from a prophecy that was given to Daniel regarding the end of time. The "week" is a seven year period of time that's known as "Daniel's 70th week" and "the time of Jacob's trouble". This prophecy, as well as others, tells us that it has nothing to do with Christians...Christians don't do sacrifices and oblations. The Jewish priests will do these sacrifices in the rebuilt Temple, which must be there in order for the man of sin to desecrate it.

"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains": Matthew 24:15-16. 

Jesus took Daniel's prophecy seriously. By reading Daniel 11:31, Daniel 12:11, and Revelation chapter 13 we know that this happens half way through Daniel's 70th week and marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Today the Temple Institute has everything they need to be used in the Temple as soon as they're allowed to rebuild it. The signs of the times are happening quickly, so watch and be ready.

 

This brings us to the Rapture...a blessing for everyone who's accepted Christ for salvation. The seven year period in Daniel's prophecy is the final seven years of the age, and Jesus said that the last half of that week will be worse than anything that has happened before. God's wrath will be poured out upon those left in the world who will serve Satan and hate God Almighty. Remember, this is the time of Jacob's trouble, which means that the nation of Israel will be the focus of much hatred. The word "Rapture" isn't in our English Bible but if we had a Latin Bible we would see it. The Greek word is harpazō and means to be seized by force or snatched away. It's used in numerous Scriptures, including John 10:28 &29, Acts 8:39, 2 Corinthians 12:2 & 4, and 1 Thessalonians 4:17. In Revelation we read letters to seven churches which give a prophecy of the church age, ending with the Laodicean church, which is very much like today. Jesus isn't welcome inside the congregation. With that final letter the "church age" is over and the next event is the Rapture.

 "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." Revelation 4:1. 

The Greek words "meta tauta" are translated "after this" and "hereafter" and means first the preceding happens and then the next thing. In this instance the description of the church age is over, the catching up to Heaven is next, and John is told he will see what follows that event. Revelation chapters 4 and 5 tell of Christians in Heaven. It'll be awesome. Revelation chapter 6 begins the judgment of God when the Lamb opens the first seal. The following chapters tell of the horrendous wrath that will be poured out upon those who rejected Christ and haven't been Raptured.

 

Prophecy is one of the most intriguing subjects contained in God's word. As we approach the final days of world history the prophecies are becoming more clearly understood. When Daniel was given the end time prophecy he wanted to know the meaning. 

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Daniel 12:4. 

In other words, understanding would come when the end was near. We're at that time in history. I've barely scratched the surface of the list of prophecies being fulfilled today. If you're waiting for a better time to give your life to Christ, don't delay. If there's someone you've put off sharing the Gospel with, do it now. As rapidly as prophecy is being fulfilled, God could call us Home at any moment. Only faith in the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross will save anyone from God's wrath. Accept Him now because it will soon be too late.

 

God bless you all,

END OF DAYS APOSTACY

by Pastor Mike Taylor

“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 

19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:18-20)

Most of us would agree that we are living in the last days of mankind's rule on this earth. But are we living like we believe it? We see the evil around this nation manifested in grotesque shootings of the innocent in our schools, on our streets, Islam rising up to commit terrible acts in the name of their false god, and the multitude of sins that are growing exponentially as each day passes and we scream, “WHEN IS THIS ALL GOING TO END?” Of course, we know that the last days will become more and more evil as time passes no matter what any religion will tell you, because the Bible prophesied it would be so.

2 “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

3, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

4, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

5,  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2^nd Timothy 3:2-5)

There is evil rampant all around us, but is there nothing we can do about it? Are we powerless to stop the flow of evil that is overtaking our nation, our families, and our culture? (Maybe, maybe not). True, the scripture above says that the times would be evil, but is that all we can expect? Is mankind in its evil nature the only fault of the nation going into the dark times we see? The evil of man is a given according to scripture. But I say that there is a symptom that is growing in this country and has been festering for a long time, probably for the last 50 years. What is that symptom that has coming to a fulfillment? Give up? Let's look at what scripture says about where we are and why.

THE LAODECIAN CHURCH ERA

14, “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15, I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16, So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17, Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:14-17)

If you be a church going believer, and there are many who are not, what was the atmosphere of the service you attended? Sadly, I would wager that most of you have not heard a good 'ole hell fire and brimstone sermon in years, or for that matter, a sermon that calls out sin and its forgiveness. Scripture says that we all have sinned and deserve death:

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”(Romans 3:23)

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." (Romans 5:12)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”(Romans 6:23)

 (sin is death, and death is hell fire or the Lake of Fire, remember those? It's high time the church tells the truth about sin).

The Gospel according to Jesus Christ has been watered down to the point of the average church service has become a social club gathering, that is intent on providing the masses the comfort they desire. Sin is no longer a subject discussed or preached on. Your local pastor may be into the social gospel of a feel good “Christianity”. We don't want to feel bad about ourselves, and we sure don't want to upset that unbeliever that sits in your pews every Sunday. NOOO...that would be impolite, or politically incorrect and we need the support (ie. The money) to build that bigger and better sanctuary or expand our Sunday School classrooms, or the latest buzz project that has the member's attention. If you upset them, they may take their money elsewhere. Sad, but it's true.

And what of that member who leaves your churches and goes out into the world to work and play? Do they live their faith, or do they assimilate into the masses of the unbelieving world? Do you see where I'm going with this? The fault of what our generation is experiencing right now, falls into the lap of the one place where morality is taught and implemented into each of our lives. That blame is at the threshold of the Laodecian “church” and the men who pastor these churches. (if you can call them that). I talk of faith, and so does James in the opening scripture, but what of this faith?

THE CHURCH IS TO TEACH TRUTH

You've heard the old saying, “actions speak louder than words”? In speaking of being a Christian, who has taken on the spirit of redemption, who has believed in their mind, the sinner's prayer, and believes in his heart that Jesus died for his sins, does our faith stop there? James addresses this in this chapter and following chapters...let's take a look at some of his admonitions.

14 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 

15, If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 

16, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 

17, Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” (James 2:14-17)

(I believe James is speaking of faith misplaced in the wrong place or person)

If you neglect the nurturing of others through the application of your faith toward your brother, your fellow human being, then what has this faith accomplished? Faith is the beginning, not the end of our Christian walk. Out of sheer obedience, we are commanded to show fruit worthy of repentance. Let me elaborate, as I can just imagine the questions in your mind concerning this teaching. Let's take an agricultural product, say a plum tree. When the time to harvest the plums from a producing plum tree arrives, what do we expect to find on the branches? Of course, plums is what we would expect. What if we found rotten apples, or thorns, or some other illegitimate product that is in direct conflict to what this tree was suppose to be? Well, we would have say that we have been cheated by the seller of these trees we planted, or the seed that grew. So it is with the born again Christian. We are to produce good fruit. Let's not get the cart before the horse now, as many produce good works because, morally, they are good people, but they have not faith in Jesus Christ. Those of us who have faith in Jesus Christ are commanded to walk as He walked. If we truly belong to Jesus Christ, we will produce fruit just as sure as the sun comes up in the east and sets in the west or a plum tree produces that plum. We are commanded to produce fruit worthy of that calling of the Holy Spirit. Collectively, we are to be taught the right teachings according to the Bible, not some feel good gospel, and that's where the church is failing today. Jesus warned of this in the last days:

16 “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:16-17)

The churches of today, including this abomination called the “Emerging Church” relies on everything but the pure, unadulterated Word of God. They are into meditation, self awareness, motivational speaking, and anything and everything that is grounded in this world. They have lost touch with God and His requirements for being a true Christian built upon the Rock, which is Jesus Christ. The majority of the churches today Jesus said that they make Him sick.

I went to a church a few years ago, because my grandsons were being baptized and I was appalled by their service. I saw steel guitars, rock music, smoke rising through smoke machines, video cameras focusing in on the musicians on the overhead screen, and music so loud that I couldn't think. I thought I was at a Led-Zeppelin concert, not a church service devoted to the worship of the Living God. Is this an example of worship services in America's churches today? Sadly, it is more prevalent than you would care to admit. These churches are ripe pickings for the delusions that will come upon the earth in the near future of the rise of the One World Religion headed by none other the the False Prophet, ie. The grand Poopah in Rome

WHAT ABOUT OUR CHILDREN?

This gets down to the brass tacks of this message. Our children are our future. Are we teaching our children according to God's Word? I would say in the majority, the church is failing miserably. See all the crimes of insanity of young people who have lost hope, or desire suicide to end their sufferings. Of course, they want to take as many people with them as possible, hence the awful shootings of Columbine, The Batman Rising shooter in Colorado, and the Newtown, Connecticutt school killer just to name a few in the recent past at our nation's schools. Do you know what the #1 single killer of our young people today is? It used to be accidents, as in trauma from motor vehicle accidents, or accidents of dare-devils who think they are immortal, but that has been surpassed in recent years by SUICIDE. Yes, suicide of a lost generation that has no hope, no anchor or faith in something bigger than themselves. Morality begins in the home, nurtured by the church, and guaranteed by our laws of this land called the USA. But the last 50 years have seen morality take a deep six nose dive. We have raised a 2nd generation of unschooled, unbelieving, and godless people who now have kids of their own with no compass in their lives, and pray tell do they get it in the truth in our churches of today? The answer would be a hearty “NO”! Most of these stay away from church, as they have figured out that the churches provide nothing they need in their lives. Deuteronomy explains that concept:

6, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart

7, And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 

8, And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 

9, And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”(Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments”. (John 14:15)

3“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4, He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5, But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”(1st John 2:3-5)

This is not about works, but where your faith lies. Is in Jesus Christ or in a religion of men? Who do you love? If you love this world, Jesus and the Father are not in you.

THE POLITICS OF EVIL

And what is the answer of our elected leaders on the left in Congress? Gun control is their answer. The POTUS past (I'll not use his name, as it makes me sick) had a plan. I would call it a sinister plan in the same regards as Hitler had plans for Germany. And no Dorothy, we are not in Kansas!! The world we know has changed...is that the past POTUS idea of “hope and change”? It's not my idea, and probably was not yours either. And you can bet your bottom dollar, nothing is going to change for the better, until the heart of America changes and I don't see that coming in this life, unless this nation falls on her knees and cries out for redemption, and not to our government. That is the LAST place any sane American would look to today. I do have to give credit to our present POTUS, as the man is trying to turn this country around and rebuild the foundations that made this country great..But how long will this reprieve from our downhill slide into complete lawless last? One man cannot change the hearts of all the men and women in this country, only God can. Many of our leaders are as clueless about the root cause as the rest of the unbelieving world. The only answer was to teach our children the way they should go from the Word of God and as a nation, but we have failed miserably as parents, as a church, and as a nation...just look around you.

A clear command comes from God to give our children a Christian education. Are we prepared to say that, because not to do so is sin? After all, God orders it. How are we doing it? What have we provided for our kid's Christian education? How much time are we spending doing it? If we have children, we can be sure these questions will be asked.

Obviously, the church is not doing it's job. The parents are not doing their job, as they were not taught either. So the nation is falling apart. So the problem grows, and grows until we have a lawless society bent on destruction of other human beings because of their own pain and inability to cope.  Men look to the government to fulfill their needs. Ask any bleeding heart liberal that is on food stamps and welfare. Pity the fool that looks to men and not looking to God for their salvation or provide for their needs in this life.

YOUR FAITH ON TRIAL

Let's take that evidence of faith and put it into a courtroom setting of this age. At the Great White Throne judgment at the end of time, the Judge has brought you before the high court and the prosecutor reads the charges. If we are asked about our faith, the Judge will ask to show us our faith by our actions as evidence for our defense. True enough that works cannot save anyone and we could get into the argument of works based salvation as the Pharisees of Jesus Christ day thought salvation was achieved by. They were wrong, as faith is all that is required, but what of the above verses? Is there anything required or let's say, expected for the truly converted believer to show this High Court if their faith was in God, or was it misplaced in something else? Maybe that faith was in their church, their denomination, or their parish priest or pastor. We see people everyday that we see in our churches, and you know, you can't tell them apart from the sinner down at your local bar drinking himself into a stupor. Listen to their speech. James mentions this as well in chapter 3:

3 “Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 

4, Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5, Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter  a little fire kindleth! 

6, And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell,

7, For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind 

8, But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9, Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.” (James 3:3-9)

Understanding we live in a sinful world and evil talk and crude language is all around us. Do we take on the actions of this world, this Laodicean Age of apostasy? If we are guilty of this sin, what does it say to the unbeliever? Are they impressed with your aura of righteousness? Do you honor God in spirit and your actions? Do you esteem your neighbor above yourself? Are you kind, considerate, careful of your language, and project an aura of a bought and paid for saint for God's Kingdom? If no, then are they impressed? I think you know that answer to that one. They are not and they see no need for your luke-warm religion as it doesn't speak to them of their lost condition. Many on judgment day will think they are alright. They went to church, they paid their tithes, and they even believed in their heads about this person “Jesus Christ”. Remember the portion of the opening verse. “thou doest well. Even the demons believe and tremble” But they are not saints. Let's examine what Jesus said about these pseudo-christians, in name only.

31 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

32 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:

he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.”(Matthew 25:31-32)

If you are familiar with the parable, Jesus separates the true Christians apart from the fake, in name only Christians. This is after the Tribulation that Jesus will judge the nations. Both thought they were doing God's will. The goats on His left, they did what they thought right in their own eyes. Pseudo-Christians, or the ones in name only, missed one vital point, they were playing the game, but didn't have the power within their lives. They relied either on themselves being a good person, or their church, or their pastor/priest, or something else in a religious nature, but missed taking on the likeness of Jesus Christ and into their heart, and their very being. They put their trust in a false religions, a false god or even no god at all. They only had the label, not the power of God or the seed planted by Jesus Christ had been over run with thorns and weeds and they were not really a new creature in Jesus Christ, but play acting. They spoke it, they read about it in their bible (rarely), they counted on their priest to get them to heaven, or they just thought being religious was good enough. You know what, it was not. That scenario can both happen before and after the beginning of the Tribulation, so applies even more so today before the true Church is removed. I speak of misplaced trust and faith in the wrong place and the wrong Person.

As in the final court case at the end of the age, noted above, the Judge is our Father in Heaven, the prosecutor is God's Holy Word found in the books opened. If you are not found to be written in the book of life, but who were just going through the motions and had not really taken Jesus Christ into your heart, then God have no choice but to repeat what was said at the Bema Judgment seat of Christ by saying:

41” Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” .

You will have no defense, and Jesus Christ cannot/will not defend you, as you have not taken on His likeness and have not been clothed with His righteousness. God the Father will see you in all your sinful nature without being clothed in the righteousness of His Son, as the only pardon for your awful condition. The sentence will be passed and you will be condemned for all eternity to separation from God and destruction in the Lake of Fire...the second death burning with fire and brimstone mixed with sulfur.

TIME RUNNING OUT

Understand one thing my reader, the nation of the United States is sadly going down in flames. How long it will take, I haven't a clue, as the time table is in God's hands, but going down she is. This past POTUS put its demise on warp speed. I only see a short stall of that complete fall in this present administration. The evil nature of men will continue to grow worse and worse long after he is gone. Morality and the love of anyone but yourself will vanish, if it hasn't already done so. Men will tear each other apart just to get what they think they want or need. If a crisis develops, men will take guns and kill anyone and everyone in their way. This government will be elected (you will do it, I won't) will come down with both feet and declare martial law. The United States of Socialist America will be upon you and despair will be the order of the day.

There is coming a day, and I pray it is soon, where the righteous saints clothed with the blood of Jesus Christ will make a sudden exit from this earth. Men will be astounded. Men will be confused and looking for a reason for the calamity that has come upon this earth. Only the faithful will be removed. When I say faithful, I mean those who have taken on the likeness of Jesus Christ in all our imperfect attempt at following in His footsteps. Jesus knows each of our hearts and where our faith and our treasure lies. Does yours lie in this world, or does it lie in the next life to come through Jesus Christ our Lord?

19 ,“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 

20, But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21, For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

So where does your faith lie? Are you acting on that faith? Are you putting Jesus Christ first in your life? Paul said in Galatians chapter 3:

v.26 “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 

v.27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ”.(Galatians 3:26-27)

What does it mean to put on Jesus Christ? Paul speaks of it in Romans:

11, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 

12, The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 

13,  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 

14, But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”(Romans 13:11-14)

We are commanded as believers, true believers to put on Jesus Christ. Emulate what he said, what He taught, and what He lived everyday of His short life and ministry on earth. To do so, is to “Show true faith”. Nothing else is but playing around and hoping we are not a goat...Don't take that chance. Your final eternal home depends on it...

There is coming a day, where those who have played the game of the Laodecian Church age and think they are OK who will sadly find out that they were not OK...at least not in God's eyes. They have rejected the one thing, the One Person who could have changed their destiny and gave them the right to be called the “sons of God”, but alas, they have succumbed to the spirit of the Anti-Christ and been lulled to sleep in a Laodecian mindset and having a form of Godliness, but denying the power there-of.

II Timothy chapter 3:

5, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6, For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”(2^nd Timonty 3:5-7)

This age is fast closing and the Tribulation spoken of in Daniel's prophesy could be right around the corner, just out of sight. When that time period begins, then to be a Christian will come with a higher price than even it does today. Let us not rely on man, or the apostasy that grows in luke-warm churches of this Laodecian Age, but let us turn to the only source of our salvation and victory over this world.

“For God so love the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)

Who does the Apostle John speak of? The only source of our salvation, Jesus Christ, the Lord

This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying your salvation through the Way, the Truth and the Life, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Should you have a need for prayer, counseling, or just a friendly ear to listen, then drop me a line at realteam1999@sbcglobal.net, or visit me online at  www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com, for more biblical teachings from the Word of God. God bless you all:

                     TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET

THE GOSPEL TRUTH

- Nathele Graham - Many people get bogged down in religion. Religion consists of rites and rules. Christianity isn't a religion, it's faith. Unfortunately many people have perverted the Gospel by bringing in the doctrines of men. What is the Gospel? It's Good News. To appreciate the Good News you first need to understand the bad news. Human beings are sinners. You are and I am. We don't like to admit that fact, and mostly we judge our actions by human terms. "I'm as good as the next guy". That's not good enough to allow you to stand in the presence of God Almighty. The "next guy" is a sinner just like you. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23. We don't recognize our sin for a couple of reasons. We can justify our own sins and we don't look at sin through the eyes of God.   Sin is rebellion to God. Only His opinion matters and there's no negotiating with Him. If that seems unfair to you then that's a sign that you're in rebellion to Him. You want life on your own terms with no thought to consequences of your actions. Sin always causes damage. God gave us rules to protect us from ourselves. All things in life have rules, but we only rebel against God's rules. Have you ever played baseball? The rules say you only get three strikes. Do you have to be at work by a certain time or be fired? If you break the rules you face the consequences. These are rules that we just accept. Why, then, do we rebel against God when the rules He gave us are to protect us? "For the wages of sin is death..." Romans 6:23a. When we rebel against God we choose our own destruction. The death referred to isn't just moving from this mortal life to the next one. The death referred to is eternal death. When a human dies the mortal body goes to the grave but their spirit lives eternally. We all make our own choice as to where we spend that eternity. "...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23b. That's good news.   The first rebellion against God was when Lucifer/Satan/the devil decided he wanted to be like God. He led a band of angels in rebellion and when he couldn't prevail against God he decided to convince Adam and Eve to rebel. God had placed them in the Garden of Eden where they had everything they could possibly want. Satan convinced Eve to eat the one thing that God had forbidden them to eat. He told her God had lied when He said that they would die if they ate the fruit... that God knew they would become gods if they ate it. Satan lied. By eating the forbidden fruit Adam caused the fall of mankind and today we're under the curse of death. "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." Romans 5:12. Adam's sin broke fellowship with God, but it didn't stop God from loving His creation.   Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden and their life became full of heartache and toil. They watched as their son Cain murdered his brother Abel. They watched as their daughters and granddaughters mated with rebellious angels and saw all of God's creation corrupted. God judged this rebellion by sending the Flood. Today we're living in the same rebellion to God that has existed since Adam chose to eat that fruit. None of this surprised God. God exists outside of time and He knew that the rebellion would happen. He didn't want it to happen but He loved His creation enough to allow free will. Each and every person has the choice to follow God's ways or the ways of the world controlled by Satan. Only eight genetically pure humans entered the Ark. Their genes weren't corrupted through mating with the fallen angels. What Noah and his family had witnessed prior to the Flood should have convinced them to follow God's laws without question, but the sin nature was still there. It wasn't long before sin was rampant. When the time was right God called a man out of a pagan culture to follow God and become the father of His chosen people. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Hebrews 11:8. By faith the Hebrew nation began.   Many years after Abraham lived, God's chosen people would go into Egyptian captivity. When the time was right God called another man to lead the people out of Egypt. Moses was born Hebrew but was raised in the pagan culture of Egyptian royalty. Eventually Moses had to flee to Midian and there he met God. This encounter was life-changing. God directed him to return to Egypt and petition Pharaoh to set the Hebrews free from the slavery they had been living in for centuries. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured as seeing him who is invisible." Hebrews 11:27. Instead of looking to the pagan world for answers, Moses had faith in God. That faith caused him to confront Pharaoh and eventually the Hebrews were set free. In faith Moses led them to Mt. Sinai where God made His laws clear. Most people can name one or two of the Ten Commandments, but those are just a small part of the entire Law. The first Commandment is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:3. Satan wanted to be like God and convinced Eve that sinning would make her like God. There is no God but the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and no god is to be put before Him. Not the god of self, riches, greed, or any other idol that causes us to turn from Him. Still, people rebel. We listen to Satan's lies rather than God's truth and then blame God when we run into trouble and get hurt. The Law was given as protection. If followed it would separate the Israelites from the pagan culture around them. "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Galatians 3:24-25. The Law was just one step in the perfect plan of salvation that God had devised before the foundation of the Earth was laid.   The Jewish Law is recorded in the Torah, which is the first five books of the Bible. Nobody can follow that Law perfectly. It was given to the Jewish people, but is the rules for all of mankind. We might think we can follow it, but people have lower standards than God. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Matthew 5:21-22. God's standards are much higher than humans who follow the god of this world. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28. Do you watch movies which are designed to provoke lust? Do you ogle every woman who walks by you? God's plan is that one man and one woman come together as man and wife and cleave to one another. Anything other than that is sin. Don' t think this is limited to men looking at women; it pertains to every lust of the flesh.   Is there any hope for us? "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Romans 7:24. It was never God's will that humans be separated from Him. Still, He gave Adam and Eve the right to choose to obey Him or to rebel. Eve followed the wrong rules and allowed Satan to talk her into choosing death. Adam could have chosen not to join in the sin, but he also chose rebellion against God. Through Adam humans have inherited the sin nature. Through it all, God had a plan to heal that separation. "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Hebrews 10:4. The Law stipulated blood sacrifices of animals to cover sin, but only the pure blood of God, untainted by sin, can take sin away. God Himself entered His creation and shed His perfect blood for our redemption. Listen carefully. There is only one way for you to be reconciled to God. Only one. That is faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Law taught God's expectations, but He knew that people wouldn't be able to live up to those standards. If God lowered His standards then He wouldn't be God....sovereign and holy. The once for all sacrifice was made by God Himself...Jesus Christ.   God's love is perfect. There's no sin that's beyond His forgiveness. Most of us know this verse, but let's say it together. "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." John 3:16. We all need to understand those words. God loves us. God gave His only begotten Son to pay the price for our sin. Jesus came because He loves us, He didn't come to condemn us. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 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 3:17-18. God doesn't condemn us...we condemn ourselves. The only unforgivable sin is rejection of Jesus Christ. If we choose not to believe in Jesus Christ then we choose eternal death. That choice has to be made while you live on this side of Heaven.   That's the Gospel...that's the Good News. Our sins are forgiven by faith in Jesus. "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. No ritual can bring salvation...not following the Jewish Law, Catholic guidelines, or any other religion not based upon faith in Jesus Christ alone. Salvation is an individual choice. If someone baptized you when you were a baby, you need to make your own choice today.   God's Law hasn't changed. Sin as disclosed by Scripture is still sin today. There's only one way for your sin to be forgiven and that's first to recognize that you're a sinner then accept the shed blood of Jesus Christ for your redemption. Do that today...right now. Tomorrow may be too late. That's the Gospel truth.