She is not a Guy

.All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Hebrew and Greek meaning of the words mentioned are from Strong's Hebrew Greek Dictionary.

This is not a regular posting, but if a woman is a gal, she is not a guy! I just watched two news casts on Newsmaxes, Spicer & Co in which they interviewed a republican senator on each. My complaint is each U.S. Senator addressed both Mr. Spicer and Miss Keith as guys. I fully realize that this is one example of a pet peeve of mine, but Miss Keith is not a guy! She is a gal. I know that in our society it is common to have a sex change, etc., but even then one cannot change the male and female chromosomes. A guy and a gal are still male and female respectively.

There, now that I've got that off my chest I feel better. BTW, I was raised in a staunchly  democratic home but when I became a Christian I could no longer be a democrat (I am not a republican either) because I could not abide the killing of innocent unborn babies nor the idea of homosexuality, etc. (see Romans chapter one) I am still a democrat at heart except those areas that are against the Word of God. I sincerely hope this doesn't offend anyone.

If you want to be saved when Jesus comes back for His church, repent of your sins, (you are a sinner because you were born that way, see Psalm 51:5 and Romans 5:12-14), be baptized in Jesus name to have your sins forgiven and let God fill you with His Holy Spirit as He did in Acts 2:1-4. (see Acts 2:38 and Acts 4:12)

Doom and Gloom

All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Hebrew and Greek meaning of the words mentioned are from Strong's Hebrew Greek Dictionary.

This posting has a lot to do with something I read about several weeks ago. A statement that came from CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD about the "Impending Doom" that is confronting the U.S. of A. To read about the article put in the address field, 'impending doom cdc.'  In it she said in regard to the recent pandemic that she felt a sense of doom. Of doom? There is a doom that is coming on this world that Christians look forward to. The return of the Lord Jesus for His church!

I remember I first heard about the Lord Jesus coming back for His church when I was about five years old. My folks had recently separated (and divorced). My mother had moved to Puyallup, Washington, ostensibly to get us away from some undesirable influences in Morton. There was a beautiful light show outside (with the Perseid Meteor shower). My maternal grandmother happened to be visiting and while everybody was outside oohing and aweing over the sight I was crying, being afraid.

I remember my grandma coming over to me and kneeling down and asking me why I was crying. I told her I was afraid. She told me not to be afraid as this was a sign in the heavens that Jesus was coming back to take His church out. I ceased to be afraid then and began to be in awe of the wonderful sight. I think that was my first knowledge of the Lord Jesus' return. Although I didn't serve the Lord throughout my youth, (I didn't go nor was I sent to church), I don't remember ever doubting that the Lord would return someday.

When I converted to the Lord in 1965, I began to live right. I went to Conquerors Bible College in 1967 and have been a licenced minister with the United Pentecostal Church since 1968 having pastored several churches from 1970 on. My friend, there are many who would like to call this organization a cult. It is made up of men and women who like myself have tried to win the lost to the Lord Jesus Christ. Only the Church of the Lord Jesus will welcome Him at His return. I am glad I was baptized in Jesus name and have received His Holy Spirit and lived for the Lord to the best of my ability since. 

If you are reading this testimony and have never experienced salvation, let me invite you and introduce you to the only One who can save you, the Saviour Jesus Christ,  and He will save you if you let Him. I am so glad that at age 23 I gave my heart to the Lord and have since that day continued to live for Him,  I am almost 80 now and don't have a lot of time left to tell of His marvelous grace in my life. As one song says, "I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now." Put all your hope and trust in the Lord Jesus today.

As Your Faith Is be it unto you

 All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Hebrew and Greek meaning of the words mentioned are from Strong's Hebrew Greek Dictionary.

Who ever heard of a man, being put to death, buried in a tomb, and three days later rising to life again, impossible say the skeptics! And yet that is exactly the basis of Christianity, Jesus the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ did exactly that. You say you don't believe that. If you do not believe in the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ you are not alone. The vast majority of Christianity also think it highly unlikely if not an impossibility. Yet a multitude of people from the apostles forward believe just that. I am glad I am one of them.

All of the old time prophets believed that a day would come in which their prophecies would come to pass, although they probably didn't understand  them exactly how it would be done. I just finished watching an interview of Stephen Meyer by Peter Robinson of the Hoover Institute at Stanford University, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_8PPO-cAlA) about a book written by Mr. Meyer entitled, The Return of the God Hypothesis. Mr. Meyer's basic premise is there must be an intelligent designer behind creation. A planner who designed the universe from it's inception. It is quite interesting.

As I mentioned in the beginning of this posting, I said it was  impossible for a man to rise from the dead. The first two elements, death and burial were easy enough, but to the world's view for a man to rise from the  dead is an impossibility! Certainly a man who is dead cannot raise himself from the  dead. No one in this world has the power in themselves to rise from the  dead or to call a dead man to life again! Only if there is an outside agency could that ever happen. And only then if the outside agency even existed. To the Christian that outside agency does exist and it is called God.

Jesus said in John 4:24, "...God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." And in Luke 24:39 The Lord Jesus said,  "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." So if God is a spirit and the Lord Jesus said,  "...a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." Then the Lord Jesus did not appear to the disciples as a Spirit but as a man. Yet Isaiah 7:14 says, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Another impossibility? Not for God! The word Immanuel according to Dr. Strong means, "‛immânû'êl (pronounced) im-maw-noo-ale' From H5973 and H410 with suffix pronoun inserted; with us (is) God; Immanuel, a name of Isaiah’s son: - Immanuel." I am relatively sure that Isaiah wasn't talking about his son.

If Jesus was only a man, then as a man He would not be able to rise from the dead. But as He told the Jews in John 8:58b,  "...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." Before Abraham lived Jesus lives? The Lord Jesus was both  God and Man. He was and is the great I Am. As only a man, He would have been unable to rise from the dead, but as God He was able. He said in John 10:17-18, "... I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."  The Bible says in Isaiah 9:6-7,  "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." No, if the Lord were just a man, He couldn't have risen again, but as the everlasting Father He could and did! 

Friend, maybe you have been confused as to the Lord Jesus' identity. He is God in the Spirit and the Son of God in the flesh. This is why, after Peter's declaration in Matthew 16:16b "...Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.", the Lord Jesus said to Peter "... Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (see Matthew 16:17). This is also why Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:2-4  about the Lord Jesus which God had promised, "...Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead..." 

My Friend, as the Bible says in numerous places, the Lord Jesus is coming again to take His church to be with Him forever. To be in that church when He returns, one must repent of their sins, be baptized in Jesus name in order to have their sins forgiven and God has promised the Gift of His Holy Spirit. (see Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38 and Acts 4:12) Based on only the Scriptures, why not obey the Bible today? You will be eternally grateful.

A Mystery

 All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Hebrew and Greek meaning of the words mentioned are from Strong's Hebrew Greek Dictionary. 

In 1st Timothy 3:16 the Bible says, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."  There is no controversy about God! The Bible plainly states in Deuteronomy 6:4,  "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD..." The controversy comes in when carnal man tries to understand God's ways and thoughts. Christianity is not a mystery religion! I looked up on the internet the definition  of mystery religions and found this: "mystery religion," it is a noun, it is described as "a religion centered on secret or mystical rites for initiates, especially any of the number of cults popular during the late Roman Empire." There is nothing secret or mystical about Christianity. And yet the term mystery is found 22 times in the New Testament.

The first mention is where the Lord Jesus,   explaining the purpose of parables, said in Mark 4:10-12, "...Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables..."  But this was a part of the plan of God that Israel should reject their Messiah to save the Gentiles. The book of Deuteronomy 18:15-16 records a discussion between Moses and God in which Moses told God the desire of Israel to, "...not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not." God's response to Moses in Deuteronomy 18:17-19 was, "...They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." Did God know that Israel would reject the Lord Jesus as the Anointed One or Messiah? The answer is yes.

This was the purpose of parables. The Lord Jesus explained the use of parables in Mark 4:12 when  He said, "That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them." Does that mean that He didn't want the Jewish nation to be saved? Not at all! But the Lord quoted Isaiah in Matthew 13:15 and said, "...this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." God isn't willing that any should perish but that all men should repent, Jew and Gentile alike, (see 2nd Peter 3:9).

Which brings me to the point of this posting. If you have never turned to God in repentance, let me encourage you to turn from your wicked ways and put your faith in Jesus Christ, (see Acts 20:21). He died so you could live! Find someone to baptize you in Jesus name,  (see Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38). Then Let God fill you with the Holy Ghost as He did the early disciples in Acts 2:1-4. He will because He loves you and I, the greatest mystery of all!

The End of the World

 All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Hebrew and Greek meaning of the words mentioned are from Strong's Hebrew Greek Dictionary.

The disciples asked Jesus in Matthew 24:3 "....Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"  I suppose that this is a question that has been in the mind of believers and nonbelievers alike from time immemorial. The Bible doesn't give a time frame for the end of the world but in response to the specific question the Lord did provide some hints! You can read them in Matthew 24:4-14. On the other hand Matthew 24:15-28 seems to be to the Jewish nation. The main reason I said that, is verses 15-28 seem to be directed at the Jews who remain and are not caught up with the Church. The Apostle Paul said in 1st Corinthians 15:51-52, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." As the song says, "there will be no time to mend!" So we must be ready at all times. 

Flight? Tribulation? If for the church there will be no time to mend, then the coming of the Lord must be in more than one stage. The first will be the catching away of the church and second, the flight of Israel and great tribulation. (Remember that one day to the Lord is as a thousand years, etc.)  To my mind it seems that the catching away of the Bride of Christ, or the Church, will be instantaneous based on what the apostle said.  But for the elect people of Israel, God's natural people, they will have to flee the tribulation. In Romans 11:25-26 the apostle stated that, "...all Israel shall be saved..." as prophesied in Isaiah 59:20-21. It sure doesn't sound like a "...moment, or "...the twinkling of an eye..." for them! 

In Matthew 24:29-31 the Lord Jesus foretold of His return. In Matthew 24:36 the Lord Jesus said,  "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Then in Acts 1:7 the Lord said we could not know "...the times or the seasons..." which God alone knows. Not you nor I can know when the end shall come, only that it will come. My friends, the only sure way to escape the things that are coming on this world is to be in the church of the Living God. The way to be in the church is to repent of your sins to God and put your faith and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation. (see Acts 20:21) Do what He says in His word, repent of your sins, be baptized in the only saving name of the Lord Jesus Christ and let God fill you with His Holy Spirit, as He did on the Day of Pentecost. (see Acts 2:38 and Acts 2:1-4) 

The Reason for Social Media!

 All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Hebrew and Greek meaning of the words mentioned are from Strong's Hebrew Greek Dictionary.

In Acts 1:7-8 The Lord Jesus said, "...It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." The only reason I am on social media is to be a witness of The Lord Jesus' wonderful grace in my life. Let me say again that I was completely lost in sin when The Lord Jesus came into my life. I was guilty of most things talked about in the Old Testament. I could not help myself. My plea to the Lord Jesus was "if you will help me I will serve you from this day till the day I die." I said this because I knew I didn't have the moral courage to serve God by myself. He immediately helped me. In a moment of time He made everything new. He took out of my vocabulary all the bad language that had so plagued me and replaced it with a new desire, the desire to live for Jesus Christ, plus He said, "read My Word and start in Matthew."

My friend, you may not think you have what it takes to serve the Lord Jesus. You are right! Tell the Lord that and He will help you. The Bible says in Psalm 46:1 that, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." When I gave my heart to the Lord that day I had never read the Bible. Maybe you haven't either but the Word of God is right. If you are sincere in your desire, God will hear you and help you as He did me. If you hate the life of sin you are living let me assure you that Jesus loves you anyway. He will help you! The Bible says in 2nd Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Take Him at His word, He cares. (see 1st Peter 5:7)

Does God Know You?

All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Hebrew and Greek meaning of the words mentioned are from Strong's Hebrew Greek Dictionary.

The Bible plainly says in 2nd Timothy 2:19,  "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." Two things that are plain in this passage of scripture, 1) God knows them that are His and 2) each must remove themselves from unrighteous acts. God alone knows the hearts of all men and He knows whether or not they have departed "... from iniquity." It is not enough to say, 'I know the Lord' but more importantly does God know you and have you repented?

My friend, the Lord Jesus wants to know you. The Bible says that He is not willing that you perish but that you repent of your sins. This means to turn away from your own ways and turn to God's ways. You can't do this by yourself as His ways are higher than yours are. But you can by putting your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and letting Him justify you to God. Follow Apostle Peter's command to his Jewish listeners, repent and be baptized in Jesus name to receive the forgiveness of sins and let God fill you with His Spirit! You will be eternally grateful. (See 2nd Peter 3:9, Isaiah 55:9, Acts 20:21, and Acts 2:38)