The Precipice of our Lives

Imagine for a moment…

We’re standing on the precipice of our lives and looking out over the landscape of our past and present pain.  Over to the left is our hidden shame (we can still feel its presence) and peeking out to our right is our fear.  Right in the middle is our pain – bold and confident in our defeat.  Sprinkling the entire terrain are our tears (our regrets for what might have been yet failed to become).  Dark clouds that make up our doubts cover everything and block out all light, all hope.  And everywhere we look, darkness threatening to consume us and yet there is so much to see. The story of our lives is played out below us over and over and we wish we could just change the scene that is before us.  How did we get to this point? If there were only some source to light to dispel the shadows and the darkness but there is none.

But there is a rumbling in the heavens as if the very clouds are being shaken and dissolved.  And there it is in the distance – a single solitary shaft of light pierces the clouds and the causes the darkness to flee.  And as that beam of light increases in size and intensity, the darkness is consumed and the clouds make way for the light.  And then the miraculous happens – the shame, the pain, the fears and the tears – all gone!  By a single touch of the Master’s hand.

All we need is a touch from God.  No matter where we are in life or what we’re going through or what we have gone through, the frustration we feel or the desperation we live out, all we need is a touch from Him.  No matter whether you’ve stumbled and fallen, whether you’ve fallen short of your potential, no matter how great your sin has been that you think God could never forgive you, ALL YOU NEED is a touch from Him. Like that single ray of light from Heaven that can brighten our lives and turn our lives around, all from a touch of the Master’s hand.  Reach out to Him and He will reach out to you.  All you’ll ever need is Him.  Have faith!

There was someone in the Bible that just needed a touch from the Master.  You can read their story here:

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her.  She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” – Luke 8:43-49 (NIV)

Be blessed and be a blessing!

Ernest M.

There is a song that sums up this devotional. It is: “All I Need” – Brian Courtney Wilson

(link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_SKO_pCn1A)

No, Westboro Church, God Does not Hate Fags

Don’t you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers–none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NLT)

But Paul continues in the very next verse

some of you were just like that, but now your sins have been washed away… (1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT)

God loves people. God is Love… He hates the fact that we sin, but anybody who thinks that they are sinless has some self-examination to do. He loved you before you believed, why not homosexuals?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying you can continue to practice such things with impunity. God is not mocked (Galatians 6:7). But he will help the homosexuals overcome their sins just the same as He will any other sinner.

Case closed.

By the way, there is help if you are looking to be free from homosexuality.

http://www.exodusinternational.org/

Is God’s Judgement of Zero Tolerance for Sin Righteous?

God is Love (1 John 4:8)

Some people tend to believe that their sins will be overlooked because “They’re not that bad”; “There are a lot worse people than me”; Or, “I’m basically a good person”; “Hey, I never killed anybody”; or “I didn’t hurt anybody but myself”…

Imagine this scenario: You have been arrested for a relatively minor offense – say shoplifting. The judge gives you jail time. As you are handcuffed and hauled away to jail, would any of those arguments work? You would not even dream of it, would you?

Sin breaks God’s Heart

Now, imagine the saddest situation you can think of. How about a mother clutching her dying baby to her chest with no way to help. Remember, God is Love – not that he has Love – Love is His very nature. God has been watching things like this happen for thousands of years. If we, being mere humans are grief stricken, imagine how a scene like that breaks His poor old heart.

God’s Wrath

How can God feel anger if He is love? Imagine another scenario. You are walking down the street and you see a poor old lady being robbed… Would it not make you furious? You are furious because even though you may not know the lady, you have a certain measure of love in your heart. God’s wrath is clearly justified.

Victimless crimes (or “I never hurt anybody but myself”)

All sin has consequences. How about alcohol and drug abuse? According to the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, the alcoholic is like a tornado roaring through the lives of others. Even people who drink alone affect people other than themselves: Their employer, family and so on… Pornography, for another example. Looking at porn has consequences for you, and the person who posed for it. And whether or not you believe it him, it twists your mind and opens the door for Satan. Here is an excerpt of a study on pornography’s effect on the mind.

Internet pornography is the new crack cocaine, leading to addiction, misogyny, pedophilia, boob jobs and erectile dysfunction, according to clinicians and researchers testifying before a Senate committee Thursday.

Witnesses before the Senate Commerce Committee’s Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee spared no superlative in their description of the negative effects of pornography.
Mary Anne Layden, co-director of the Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Cognitive Therapy, called porn the “most concerning thing to psychological health that I know of existing today.”…

Pornography addicts have a more difficult time recovering from their addiction than cocaine addicts, since coke users can get the drug out of their system, but pornographic images stay in the brain forever, Layden said…

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2004/11/65772

What about Grace?

God’s grace is not a license to sin. God wants to help release you from sin through grace. If you have given your life over to God, your whole perception on sin will change over time. I used to enjoy and actively pursue sinful pleasures. And at some point, if you are honest with yourself, you will find that you did, too. Or if you have not been baptized, you still do. But if you turn your life over to God, his Holy Spirit will “quicken” your spirit to life. Your whole perception will change. Now you will regret your sins and try to get rid of them. You may never completely get rid of them, but you will want to. You are not suddenly better than anybody else, and with cooperation from God, you will not become hypocritical and look down upon people who are still lost in sin – you will feel sorry for them and try to help.

Don’t you know that someday we Christians are going to judge the world?… Don’t you realize that we Christians will judge angels?… (1 Corinthians 6:2a,3a NLT)

On Judgement day, which side of the bench do you want to be on?

What is “Good Friday”? What Does Easter Celebrate?

Good Friday is actually very important. Good Friday has been described as the crux of time, itself. Good Friday is the day that Jesus was crucified. Easter is not about Easter bunnies and Chocolates… It is the day that Jesus rose from the dead – never to die again.

Did you ever notice that Easter varies so much as to what time of year it is celebrated? Easter is actually determined by Good Friday – not the other way around as you might suppose. Easter is the first Sunday after the first Friday after the first full moon after the Spring (Vernal) equinox. Good Friday came within one day of being as early as is possible in the year 2008 because the full moon and the spring equinox fell on the 21st. This will not happen again until 2106. The earliest possible Easter is March 22. The next occurrence of the earliest possible Easter will be March 22, 2285. The last time it fell on the 22nd was in the year 1818. The latest possible Easter is May 10. Easter has not fallen on the 9th or the 10th ever in history. The first time in history that it will fall on the 9th will be the year 2173. We will not see a May 10th Easter until the year 2268. The dates listed above may be verified at timeanddate.com

A lot happened on Good Friday. It is also known as Holy Friday and several other names.

On the original Good Friday, Jesus was convicted of blasphemy in front of a kangaroo court. He admitted to being God Incarnate (God in a human body so to speak) and that was the last straw! They did not throw Jesus in an insane asylum like they might, today — the religious leaders demanded his death! Jewish leaders did not have the authority to execute people under Roman Law so they took Him to Pontius Pilate. Pilate wanted to release Jesus badly — especially since Pilate’s wife had had a disturbing dream about Jesus. But the Jewish people would not hear of it. Instead of letting Jesus off the hook, they let a rebel named Barabbas walk.

Pilate had Jesus scourged. This is the most heinous thing you can imagine. The whip was tipped with bone and iron shards so it cut through both skin and muscle. Many people did not survive a scourge. This did not satisfy the people. They want Jesus dead.

On the third day (early Sunday morning — Approx. 36 hours after He died — if the Good Friday model is correct. Jesus was actually dead only one full day: Saturday. He died Friday evening and was raised sometime before sunup on Sunday morning.) some people went to Jesus’ grave but he was gone. He had been resurrected! And He still lives! This is now known as Easter.

Jesus was taken up to heaven approximately 40 days after He was resurrected, and now rules at God the Father’s right hand.

The angels that attended Jesus’ ascension told us that Jesus will be coming back in the same way He was taken to Heaven.

And He’s coming back soon!

Maranatha!

How to Be Good Enough to Get to Heaven

Why we can’t save ourselves

Yesterday, I was reminded of something that I’d noticed a few months ago. There was a wasp in my car trying to fly through the glass. I rolled down a window so he could fly out, but the only way he could see was through the window that would not roll down. I even tried to coax him over to the open window but he became even more determined to fly through the glass.

Also, yesterday, our dog had her cable jammed under the tire of a car. Had she pulled left instead of right she would have been free. But she pulled so hard in the wrong direction that it became terribly jammed under the tire. And she was immobilized.

God told me that we are the same way. We see only one way to a solution, but that solution will never work. And when it fails we try even harder… accomplishing nothing at best — or at worst, getting ourselves really jammed up.

But if we let go, and do what God leads us to do, no matter how ridiculous it may appear to us, we can fly right out of that glass prison.

It was that way with me and the 12-steps. There is no way the human mind can go from reading the 12-steps off the wall to understanding how doing these things can make it possible to stay sober. But once you do the steps, it just works. As simply as flying out the open window.

Stop beating yourself against the glass and let God guide you out.

The Healthcare Bill – One Step Closer to the End Times

Obamacare Is Not About Health Or Care

• Frank Marshall Davis
• Saul Alinsky
• Gregory Galluzo
• He received the endorsement of the Chicago branch of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) http://www.dsausa.org/dl/Summer_2008.pdf also, the Socialist International, and the Workers International League, and the Communist Party of the USA.

His voting record during his brief tenure in the senate was left of even the late Ted Kennedy!

Obama is not stupid. He knows full well that our economy cannot handle another burden. He should also just be able to look around him and see that the government cannot even handle the job they have taken on in the past such as Social Security and Medicare. How can anyone dream that they will handle an exponentially larger task?

Face it, he has no intentions of helping anybody. He wants government to control every aspect of our lives. An economic collapse is the best way for a dictator to take power. Remember how Adolph Hitler gained power? This is just the first step. Ronald Reagan saw this in the 1960s. You can hear his speech on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdLpem-AAs 

But the “Public Option” has been removed from the bill!

Government control is written in.

But we want to help people who can’t afford health care.

Since passing tort reform in 2004, Mississippi has seen the number of medical malpractice claims plummet by 91 percent from its peak. The state’s largest medical liability insurer dropped its premiums by 42 percent, and has offered an additional 20 percent rebate each year since tort reform went into effect.

Bob Parks http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/14958

This one act of tort reform by itself would make health care a non-issue… If it were even about health care in the first place.

In the end times, there is prophesied that a one-world government and one-world economy will be in place. We see it happening before our very eyes. Make no mistake. If one part of this passes, our freedoms and the American way of life are history.

How the 12-Steps Work and Why They Are so Effective

Unless this person can experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope of his recovery (Dr. William Silkworth, M.D. “The Doctor’s Opinion” – Alcoholics Anonymous page xxvii)

The Problem

Your mind can only handle so much negative emotion. At some point your mind snaps unless you do something about it. Some people pass the breaking point and have a nervous breakdown. Some abuse food sex, money, gambling, alcohol, drugs, etc. as a way to relieve their problems. Some become “workaholics”. To keep the reading smooth, I am using the words “alcoholic” or “addict”, but these principles apply to any problem that the 12-steps address such as Overeaters Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, SLAA, etc.
Though sometimes addictive activities may appear to relieve the suffering, they are always incomplete and temporary. The problems are still there. In fact, the abuse of their “crutch” usually adds to the problems instead of relieving them.
Inside the mind of every person are varying degrees of negative emotions. Fear, guilt, shame, remorse, anger, resentment, low self-esteem, and so on. In an alcoholic and drug addict’s mind these are usually aggravated more than in most people’s because alcohol reduces inhibitions and the drinking alcoholic will do things they would never do sober. Also, in order to fund their habit the addict/ alcoholic will do things they would not ordinarily do. Also lost jobs and productivity usually lead to financial despair if the addiction is left untreated.

Why can’t they “just” quit?

No room for any more bad stuff, crises, etc.

One problem with trying to “quit” without the aid of a 12-step program is that whether you are aware of it or not, the negative emotions are still there in the back of your mind — if not in the forefront — every waking moment (And sometimes in your sleep, too – especially in late stages). Life’s problems are like a water faucet that drips new problems and aggravations into the sufferer’s mind. There is already very little room in your brain for more bad things because of years of accumulation (remember your “crutch” has never relieved the problem, it just took your attention away from it temporarily — if you were lucky.) These new problems add to the already accumulated feelings of fear, guilt, self-pity, remorse, etc. until finally the breaking point is reached… and the addict reaches for the only solution they know of. Their “fix” – whatever it may be.

The Solution

The 12 steps help a person deal with the day-to-day stresses of life without your mind ever getting to the snapping point. (“Living life on life’s terms”) The addict/ alcoholic through the 12 steps, with the help of some activity (“working the steps”) the help of other people, and their higher power (usually God), the guilt fear, shame, anger, and remorse gradually begin to be replaced by serenity and positive emotions and thoughts such as love and real happiness — things the alcoholic has not found important for much too long.
As an added bonus, any new stresses that the faucet of life drips in do not immediately add to the remaining problems, they now “filter” through the renewed mind – and often are dissipated before ever being added to the current problems. The same event that use to be very stressful and emotional no longer seems like such a big deal.

Bad Emotions being replaced by Serenity

The guilt, fear, shame and remorse never go away completely. But as the good things keep coming in, there is no longer room for the bad things. They go away. Unlike when actively abusing the crutch, which only seems to temporarily distract the sufferer’s mind from the problem.

The 12 Steps Overview

In Steps 1-3 The sufferer realizes that they have a problem and that there is a solution, and choose to pursue the solution.
Steps 4-9 begin to remove the “bad” emotions by listing, discussing and analyzing their “defects of character” with the help of another person. By step 9, the alcoholic begins to make amends (restitution) to anyone whom they have harmed. These steps are very effective. Many people get the feeling that the drink problem has disappeared by step five. (Alcoholics Anonymous page 75)
By step 9, if they work thoroughly, the alcoholic has usually already started to get a whole new outlook on life. The guilt, shame, remorse, resentments, etc. are starting to vanish and be replaced with positive thinking — emotions and actions that most of us have never had to any significant degree. After step 9, some really amazing things begin to happen. Anyone who has not had an amazing experience of mind renewal (“Spiritual experience”) after step 5 will usually have it at step 9.
Steps 10-12 are the growing steps. They keep us on the right path day to day – these are essential to maintain sobriety. These last three must be worked continuously because left untreated, our minds will eventually slip back to the state they were in… and we may drink. And for many of us, to drink is to die. (Alcoholics Anonymous page 66)

Armageddon and World War 3

Armageddon and World War III

Armageddon

There is a lot of confusion about the war of Armageddon. It appears to be almost universally accepted — even by people who teach end-times prophecy — that it is going to be an all-out war-to-end-all-wars between people or nations. The thought is so prevalent that I feel I need to discuss this.

The war of Armageddon in the end times is going to be when Satan and his allies team up to do battle against God:

Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Rev 16:13-16 NIV)

The kings are gathered together at Armageddon – but notice no battle has taken place — until chapter 19 — (because chapter 16 continues with the next judgement)

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” (Rev 16:17 NIV)

Now we see the kings gathered together in chapter 19:

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh (Rev 19:19-21 NIV)

So where do we come up with the idea that the battle of Armageddon is going to be a war between people?

World War III

There is going to be a “World War III”. Several “Kings” (Governments) are going to gather together to try to do away with the little nation of Israel… and there is going to be a bloodbath. People from Russia and various middle Eastern countries are going to swarm on Israel — and be wiped out by the hand of God. Read the entire chapter of Ezekiel 38.

Concession

In Revelation, it is written about a 200 million person mounted army coming from the East. That can only be China. Clearly, when you make war with Israel, you are making war with God. Therefore “Armageddon” could look like a war between nations from down here. Satan is the prince of this earth and his demons run governments (in Daniel 10:5-13, an angel who was sent to Daniel was delayed by the “prince of Persia” – a being powerful enough to stop an angel for 21 days – sure could not be an ordinary “human” prince – it was a powerful demon) . Things will be much different than they are now (in 2010) on the earth before Armageddon…

When will World War 3/ Armageddon happen?

It is only a matter of time before Satan declares all-out war on God. But it is still a long way off. As of 2010, much still has to be done. If you read Revelation chapter 16, you will see that life will be very very different than it is now. People are going to be supremely wicked and will not repent of their ways. God will be pouring out vials of wrath, and people will curse God instead of repenting. There must be a mark of the beast, people who get the mark will get terrible sores… on and on and on – before Armageddon.

Will the rapture happen before Armageddon?

I am “mid-trib” meaning that I believe the rapture of the church will happen before God starts pouring out his wrath on the world. The church will be taken away from the earth before God begins pouring out His wrath.

According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.  (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 NIV)

But I do not believe that Christians will be spared the entire “tribulation” period. The saints (Christians) will be persecuted by the antichrist – and things are going to get very uncomfortable. It will not be convenient or “cool” to be a Christian. We will have to go underground. I hope I’m wrong, it would sure be nice to miss all of that… But it does not seem to be in the cards. Here is why. Notice that already four seals of judgement have been opened, and yet saints remain:

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. (Rev 6:9-11 NIV)

God bless you all

Deathbed Conversions – Can Seriously Wicked People Like Mass Murderers and Serial Killers Get Saved?

Deathbed conversions are entirely possible, according to scripture (The term “Scripture” now applies to both the Old and New Testaments, though when the New Testament writers referred to Scripture, it referred only to the Old Testament until the time when Peter compared the writings of Paul and the “other scriptures” in 2 Peter 3:15-16)

God does not make too hard terms with those who seek Him (Alcoholics Anonymous Page 46)
All that is required to get to heaven is to believe. (John 3:18)

There are still a few people out there who believe that you must be baptized to get to Heaven. And I have argued until I am blue in the face. Yes, baptism in the common circumstance is indispensable. Once you believe go get baptized immediately! But on the same token, for instance on a battlefield, somebody laying there dying sees the light, I do not see God turning him away. So God inspired John 3:18. God is willing that none should perish. God is love. (1 John 4:8) Not that He has love, but He is love. God has more love in his little finger than any of us will ever have our entire lives.

If it is as easy as believing, can’t everyone go to heaven? What about seriously deranged people like mass murderers and serial killers? Will they see the light at the end of their life and get saved?
I am sure there will be many people in heaven that will surprise a lot of people. However, it is not so easy to see the light. It is simply not possible with the unaided human mind to discern God. Jesus said it (Matthew 16:17) and I have confirmed this in my own personal experience. There is ample proof in both the Old and New Testaments. Think about this. Peter and company followed Jesus for three years, seeing miracle after miracle, and they were still basically as spiritually blind as bats. And think about the ancient Hebrews. How could anybody be delivered by miracle after miracle, walk through the Red Sea, and all that and still make a golden calf to worship?
And in my personal experience, I have debated with atheists until I was blue in the face… and it just cannot be done. You must seek God, and God must call you in order to find Him.

God made it as easy as believing to get to Heaven, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:9). At the same time, going from belief to unbelief is an infinite chasm that cannot be jumped by human power. Most of what God is and stands for makes no sense at all to the unbeliever. This is further exacerbated by the devil, explained below.

Some People Cannot Be Saved

God wishes that every man would come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) However, He knows that many will not. Jesus said that there are children of the devil and children of God (1 John 3:10). This is by the individual’s choice. There are some people who hate God and everything he stands for. Sad but true. And these people will never see the light. I am sure there are a lot of people reading this aghast… So a word of explanation is in order.
Satan is the god of this world system. Back when Adam ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he gave title deed of the planet over to Satan. Note that Eve was deceived, but Adam flat-out disobeyed. Adam had been given title deed to the earth. (Genesis 1:26) Adam, by his disobedience gave title deed over to Satan. Your God is whom you follow (Romans 6:16). Adam followed Satan and made Satan his god. Sad but true. This is how Satan was able to offer the kingdoms to Jesus, if Jesus would just worship him. But in the same way that one man’s disobedience plunged us into this system of pain and tears, another man’s obedience (Jesus) wrested it back.

God allows the “god” of this world to keep the spiritual eyes blinded of people who do not love God and God’s ways.

I said all that so that this Bible quote might make sense.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NIV)

And Satan’s best deception of all? That you have to be good enough to get to heaven. The Gospel makes no sense to unbelievers who are trying to work their way to heaven (1 Corinthians 1:23 ) But there is no such thing as earning your way to heaven. It is simply not possible. We cannot even comprehend what it would take to be “good enough” much less have any hope of achieving it.

For no human being will be justified in his sight by works of the law, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20 NASB)

God has a sense of justice that far surpasses ours. As much as He hates to destroy anyone, He also gave us a free will and He is not going to ram His ways down our throats. And by allowing Satan to keep people blinded, He is unlikely to allow unrepentant seriously wicked people into the kingdom of heaven.

Levels of Christian Discipleship and Taking Up Your Cross

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27 NIV)

There are various people in the world back in Jesus’ day as there are today. There were sometimes vast crowds (“multitude” In the KJV) of people numbering in the thousands. (Luke 12:1) The size of these crowds of people apparently ebbed and flowed. Sometimes there were just a few followers, and sometimes it was in the thousands.

Then there were the unnamed disciples. These apparently sometimes numbered in the hundreds. (John 6:66-67, Luke 6:17 NIV)

Then there were the twelve. (Matthew 10:1-4)

Then out of the twelve, there was an “inner circle”: Peter, who was given a promise that nobody else was given — namely that he would be the rock that Jesus would build His church upon (Matthew 16:18). Then there was James and John, the disciple that “Jesus loved” who were the only disciples present to see the transfiguration. (Mark 9:2)

Present day is little different. We all have different stations. There are evangelists, such as Billy Graham, teachers, like Joyce Meyer, and pastors of huge churches like Pastor David Yonggi Cho, and pastors of small community churches. There are elders and deacons and the congregation. There are people minister to youth, and the little old lady who brings the wonderful dishes to the pot luck dinners… All the way down to people who only go to church on Easter and Christmas.

Notice also that Jesus made promises and demands of the general populace that are different than the promises that he made to his closest disciples. The sermon on the mount was for everyone including the disciples, but the command to Peter to “feed my sheep” was directed at Peter. Sure it applies at some level to all of us. But God is very smart. Why would he make the same requirements for the poor old blue-collar worker as he does for an internationally-known evangelist? That would not make sense, would it?

Bloom where you are planted. Do not lay a greater burden upon yourself than even God does. You know your station in life and you know God’s requirements. You will do well to fulfill those and don’t expect to be able to walk on water — at least before your time.

So. How strong of a walk with Jesus do you want? It is up to you. Though God calls many, He is very polite. If you are among the called, He leaves it up to you how close you want to draw to him.

Sure it sounds great in theory – but in practice, you will find there is a cost. Sure the reward is great but so is the cost. And the devil will remind you of all the things you are “missing out on” in hopes of discouraging you.

You have to take up your cross. Not a fun task as anyone who has seen or heard about Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ will know. What is the “cross”? I misunderstood this for years. Your cross is not suffering for your own sins – though you will reap what you sow – everyone, believers or not, will in some fashion will reap what they sow. The cross that Jesus carried was a burden that he carried for others. If you take up burdens for other people, you are bearing your cross.

Remember Love is a choice of behavior – not a warm fuzzy emotion. Emotions go away. Love is eternal.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.(John 13:35 NIV)

The First End-Time Event

Dear brother in Jesus,

God says, “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times. what is still to come!…What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned that will I do!”  Isaiah 46:10a, 11b  This Bible study compares all the Scripture on each End-time topic and exposes over 12 absolute contradictions of God’s Word by dangerous and deceptive pre-trib doctrines. The next Bible study shows the 7 Bible clues which positively reveals the identity of 666. And finally there is a Bible study which shows how Obama may qualify to be the very deceptive False Prophet of 666.
Would greatly appreciate any comments or Bible studies you may have on the Last Days.
 
Your eternal friend in Jesus,
 
Richard

What is the First End-Time Event Christians Should Be Looking For????

 
I Peter 1:13: “Therefore, prepare your minds for ACTION, and set your hope *FULLY* on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is *REVEALED* Now the pre-tribbers claim that this glorious *REVEALING or *UNVEILING* of Jesus will be *CONCEALED* BEFORE the beginning of the Great Tribulation.  However, every other time the Word *REVEALED* {Greek-Apocalipsis} is used related to resurrection events it refers to the glorious REVEALING of Jesus on the *LAST DAY* of the Great Tribulation {See 2 Thess 1:7-10 & Luke 17:26-31}. And *CONCEALED* is the exact opposite of *REVEALED* according to every dictionary!  Titus 2:13: “*WE* wait for the *BLESSED HOPE*—the glorious *APPEARING* of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Hebrews 9:28 “Jesus will *APPEAR* a 2nd time to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him!”  Matthew 24:29,30: Jesus says, “Immediately AFTER the distress of those days {The Great Tribulation} the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will APPEAR {Read I John 2:28!} in the sky and the nations will *SEE* the Son of Man coming on the clouds!!” {See 1 Thess 1:7-10}  2 Tim 4:8: Paul said, There is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on THAT DAY—and not only to me, but to *ALL who have longed for His *APPEARING*!!”
God has always allowed His people to suffer tribulation and trials because they purify and perfect their faith and will gain countless eternal rewards when Jesus Christ is *REVEALED. There are over 40,000 saints martyred every year and the main culprit is no longer just Islam and the RC Church. The Main culprits now are the 21 Muslim countries and Korea, China, Sudan, Venezuela, Nigeria and the RC Church. Millions of saints were martyred after 1917 in Russia and after 1948 in China. Rome 8:35-37: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?… For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!! I Peter 1:6-8:  “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is *REVEALED.”  I Peter 2:20b,21: “But if you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow IN HIS STEPS.” I Peter 4:12,13: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is *REVEALED!” Read other persecution verses: Heb 13:35-40; 2 Tim 3:12; 2 Cor 1:7-10; I Thess 3:3,4; Phil 1:29; Phil 3:10; Rev 12:11; Rev 13:9,10 & Rev 14:13.
       The courageous and faithful Tribulation saints will *NOT* be hurt by God’s *WRATH* mentioned in Rev 14:9-11; 15:1,7; 16:1,19} or in any of the 7 trumpet or 7 bowl plagues as explained in Rev 9:4,20,21 & Rev 16:2,4-6,9,10,21; or in any of the plagues of God’s 2 witnesses as per Rev 11:6,10; or in *ETERNAL HELL*. Rev 14:9-11: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of *HIS WRATH*.  He will be tormented with burning sulfur and the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever.” In Rev 18:1-24 we read about the plagues that will destroy the headquarters of 666 during the Great Triubulation. This evil city on 7 hills {See Rev 17:9} is called “Babylon” which Peter implied was the nicknmame for Rome in 2 Peter 5:13. In Rev 18:4 a voice from Heaven will order God’s saints to stay away from Babylon {Rome-That great seaport-Rev 18:17-19} so that you will not participate in her sins or be hurt by God’s wrath which will completely destroy Rome with many horrific plagues. There are 260 verses from Revelation chapters 6 thru 20 and 128 {49%} of these verses tell of the wrath of God to unbelievers, 666, his False Prophet and Rome. However, not even one of these verses tells of any wrath of God toward His courageous and faithful Tribulation saints.
      However, in Matthew 24:3,9-13:  The disciples asked Jesus, “What will be the sign of your Coming and the end of the age?? Jesus answered….. {During the Great Tribulation} “Then *YOU* will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me.  At that time many will turn away from the Faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of *MOST* will grow cold,{THE GREAT APOSTASY} but he {The Called, Chosen & Faithful-Rev 17:14b} who stands firm to the End will be saved.” 2 Thess 2:1,3: “Concerning the Coming of our Lord Jesus and *OUR being gathered to Him…That day shall not come, except there come a falling away first!!” {NIV – Rebellion}
The pre-tribbers claim that the “YOU” in Matthew 24:9 above are Jews only and that the Gospel of Matthew was only written for Jews; which is of course completely ridiculous since Jesus said to His 11 Apostles in Matthew 28:19,20 “Go and make disciples of *ALL NATIONS*…teaching them to obey *EVERYTHING* I commanded you!”  {Read John 12:48 & John 14:23}  I John 2:3,4,6:  “We know that we have come to know Him {Jesus} if we obey His  commands.  The man who says, ”I know Him,” but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him… Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” According to Rev 12:17 the Tribulation Saints will also “Hold to the testimony of Jesus!” Jesus was a martyr as was Paul and Peter who walked IN HIS STEPS.  God will miraculously take care of His Faithful and Courageous Tribulation Saints {Just as he took care of the Israelites for 40 years in the Wilderness} even though they won’t be able to buy or sell anything as per Rev 13:17a. {See Matthew 6:25-34}  This will come as a tremendous shock for those who teach the Prosperity Gospel and who are mainly seeking earthly treasures rather than eternal Heavenly Rewards. They teach: If you accept Jesus as your Savior you have a free pass to Heaven and God forbid that you should suffer any persecution or go through the Great Tribulation; which fits in with the pre-trib doctrines which are designed to increase church membership at the expense of the Truth. When is the last time you heard a sermon on the virtues and courage of the many thousands of present-day martyrs?? And this is probably why there will be a great FALLING AWAY {THE GREAT APOSTASY} at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.
Rev 6:9-11: When He {Jesus} opened the 5th seal, I saw the souls of those who had been slain {Just like Jesus} because of the testimony they had maintained.  They called out in a loud voice, “How long until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”  The each of them was given a *WHITE ROBE*, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. Rev 7:9,13,14:  After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from *EVERY* NATION, TRIBE, PEOPLE  AND LANGUAGE, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb {Jesus}.  They were wearing *WHITE ROBES*…Then one of the {24} elders {Rev 4:4} asked me, “These in *WHITE ROBES*—who are they and where did they come from?”… And he said, “These are they who have come out of the Great Tribulation; {Martyrs just like Jesus} they have washed their robes and made them white in the *BLOOD OF THE LAMB* {Jesus}.” {See Rev 12:11 & Rev 13:8-10}   This passage in Rev 7:9 above shows that the Great Tribulation will be mainly for Christians in *ALL* Gentile nations and not just Jacob’s Jewish trouble which absolutely contradicts the main thesis of the pre-trib fairy tale.  Rev 12:11:  “They {TRIBULATION MARTYRS} overcame him {Satan} by the *BLOOD OF THE LAMB* and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”  Unfortunately most of the pre-tribbers actually believe that the tribulation saints will not be saved by the blood of Christ like the present church saints and will not be in the LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE.  However, in Revelation 13:8 we read: “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the Beast {666}….*ALL* whose names have not been written in the *LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE*!” Some of the immediate heavenly rewards for martyrs are found in Rev 7:14-17; 14:13; 15:2-4 & 20:4-6!
      2 Thess 1:1; 2:1,3,8”  “To the *CHURCH* of the Thessalonians…Concerning the *COMING* of our Lord Jesus Christ and *OUR* being gathered to Him…Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way for *THAT DAY* will not come *UNTIL* the man of lawlessness is revealed!!… Then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus Christ will destroy with the splendor of His *COMING*!” So anyone who claims that the church saints will be gathered *BEFORE* the coming of the lawless one {666} is absolutely contradicting God’s inspired words!!   This, of course, totally destroys the central pre-trib doctrine of the *IMMINENT* coming of Jesus!! {That Jesus could come RIGHT NOW} Since the *COMING of Jesus in I Thess 2:8 is POST-TRIB then the *COMING of Jesus when *WE are gathered to Him in I Thess 2:3 must also be POST-TRIB since it is in the same context and obviously refers to the same day.
      Mark 13:11: “When you are brought to trail {DURING THE GREAT TRIBULATION} do not worry about what to say, for it is not you speaking, but the *HOLY SPIRIT*.” This of course contradicts the ridiculous pre-trib idea that the Holy Spirit will be removed from the saints during the Great Tribulation. Mark 13 is a Tribulation chapter.
       Matthew 24:29-31: Jesus says, “Immediately after the distress of those {1260} days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light and the stars will fall from the sky.” {Luke 21:28 adds “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”} Then the nations will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud {7TH & LAST} *TRUMPET* CALL {See Rev 11:15-18; I Cor 15:52 & I Thess 4:16}, and they will gather *His elect* from the 4 winds {Mark 13:27b adds:} “from the ends of the earth {Saints on earth} to  the ends of the Heavens {Saints in Heaven}!!” JESUS WILL COME AGAIN WHEN THE *7TH* ANGEL SOUNDS THE LOUD *7th* AND *LAST* TRUMPET CALL OF GOD.  Rev 11:15a, 18: “The *7TH* angel sounded his trumpet… and the time has come for judging the dead and for rewarding your servants the prophets and saints.”  Rev 10:7: “But in the days when the *7th* angel is about to sound his trumpet the *MYSTERY* of God will be accomplished!  I Cor 15:51:  “Listen, I tell you a *MYSTERY*!  We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in a twinkling of an eye, at the *LAST* {Or *7TH*} trumpet.”   There are only 7 trumpets in God’s Word during the Great Tribulation and the 7th TRUMP is of course the *LAST TRUMP when the *MYSTERY* of God will be accomplished, and is also the TRUMPET CALL OF GOD in I Thess 4:16.
  Now the pre-tribbers claim that the phrase “His elect” in Matt 24:31 & Mark 13:27 refers only to Jews which is, of course, ridiculous and is refuted in Romans 10:12: “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all.” Gal 3:28,29: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise!!” See elect in 2 Tim 2:10 & Titus 1:1.
    John 6:40” Jesus says, “For my Father’s will is that *EVERYONE* who looks to the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the *LAST DAY*!”  Now the pre-tribbers wrongly believe that the *LAST DAY* mentioned 6 times in JOHN 6:39,40,44,54; 11:24 & 12:48 refers to a CONCEALED rapture 1260 days or 7 years *BEFORE THE LAST DAY*.  While John 12:48 shows that the lost will also be condemned on that same *LAST DAY*!
WHEN WILL THE LOST BE JUDGED AND SENT TO HELL*? John 12:48: Jesus says, “There is a Judge for the one who rejects Me and does not accept My words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the *LAST DAY*!!” {See Matthew 25:31-46}  2 Thess 1:1,6-10:  ‘To the *CHURCH* of the Thessalonians…God is just; He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well.  This will happen *WHEN* the Lord Jesus is *REVEALED* {See I Peter 1:13} from heaven in blazing fire….  He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will be punished with everlasting *DESTRUCTION* {See I Thess 5:3 above!!} and shut out from the presence of the Lord *ON THE DAY HE COMES* to be glorified in His holy people!!” Matt 25:31-33,41:  Jesus says, “*WHEN* the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another……He will put His sheep on His right and the goats on the left…. Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire!”   John 5:28,29:  Jesus says, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming {The Last Day} when *ALL* who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”  Daniel 12:1b,2,7b:  “There will be a time of distress {The Great Tribulation} such as not happened from the beginning of nations until then.  But at that time {The Last Day} your people–*EVERYONE* whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered.  Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt…It will be for a time. times and half a time {1260 days-Rev 12:6,14, or 42  {30-day} months-Rev 13:5-{Not 7 years} *ALL* these things will be *COMPLETED. 
  By comparing Rev 12:7b and Rev 12:14b we find that 1260 Days and Time {360 Days} Times {720 Days} and ½ a Time {180 Days} are the exact same period of time.  Likewise, when we compare Rev 13:5b with Daniel 7:25b we learn that 42 {30-day Bible} MONTHS and Time {12 Months}, Times {24 Months} and ½ a Time {6 Months} are also the exact same period of time. And therefore 42 {30-Day Bible Months} and Time, Times and ½ a Time are the exact same period of time since 42 X 30 days equal exactly 1260 days.  12 Months = 360 Days = {1 Time}   24 Months = 720 Days = {2 Times}   6 Months = 180 Days = {Half a Time}   and therefore: 42 Months = 1260 Days = {3 and a Half Times}
 Rev 13:5,7: The beast will be given a mouth to utter blasphemies and to exercise his authority for *42 {30-day} months {Not 7 years}…He will be given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. [COMPARE TO} Dan 7:25: “He will speak against the Most High and oppress His saints.  The saints will be handed over to him for time {12 months}, times {24 months} and ½ a time {6 months}. {Not 7 years} For example: If the coming of 666 will be on October 23rd, 2010 then the 2nd coming of Jesus would occur exactly 1260 days later on April 5th, 2014.    
      Now there are some who suggest that the Anti-Christ will exercise his authority for 7 years {Not 42 Months} and that the Great Tribulation will last 7 years {Not 1260 Days or 3 ½ Times}.  They have only **ONE** Bible verse {Daniel 9:27—which they grossly misinterpret} to support this idea which absolutely contradicts God’s Divine Time Periods as found in Rev 13:5b, Dan 7:25b & Dan 12:7b.  
       NOTE: About 280 years before the amazing Dan 9:24-27 Prophecy God made this amazing prophecy in Isaiah 44:28: The Lord… says of *CYRUS*, “He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of JERUSALEM LET IT BE REBUILT!” This verse absolutely contradicts the Artaxerxes theory!   NOTE: According to Leviticus 25:8 a Sabbath ‘week’ is *7 YEARS and 7 X 7 YEARS or ‘weeks’ is a Jubilee or 49 years.
Dan 9:24-27: “70 7’s {490 years} are decreed for your people to Anoint the Most Holy, TO ATONE FOR WICKEDNESS and to bring in everlasting righteousness… “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree {By Cyrus-Isa 44:28 above} to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One comes there will be 7 + 62 7?s {Which is 69 7?s or 483 years}. “After the 62 7?s {actually 1260 days after on April 3-5 AD 33} the Anointed One will be cut off but not for Himself….. He {The Anointed One} will confirm a COVENANT with many for one ‘seven’.  In the middle of the ‘seven’ {After 1260 days} He {The Anointed One} will put an end to SACRIFICE {And then after a long pause} the abomination of Desolation {666} will come {for 1260 days} until the decreed end is poured out on him.” And so the first half of the last 7 has already been completed. Hebrews 9:15,26b-28: Christ is the mediator of a NEW COVENANT so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance–now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins commtted under the first covenant…But now He has APPEARED once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the SACRIFICE of Himself… so Christ was SACRIFICED ONCE to take away the sins of many people, and He will *APPEAR* a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.
And so when the Anointed One came 69 7?s or 483 years were 100% completed [See Dan 9:25 above} leaving just one 7 in the future; which will be totally used by those who wrongly believe in a future 7-year Tribulation; which means that the Atonement for sin by Jesus about 3 ½ years after His Anointing can not be included in the 70 7?s Prophecy. However, God’s Word clearly states that 70 7?s are decreed …TO ATONE FOR WICKEDNESS which occurred about 3 ½ years after the end of the 69 7?s and therefore the first half of the last 7 has already been completed! And so the Great Tribulation & the rule of 666 will be 1260 days or 42 months or times, time and ½ a time which agrees which God’s Word in Dan 12:1,2,7b; Dan 7:25 & Rev 13:5.
   Rev 3:1,3: Jesus says, “To the angel of the *CHURCH* in Sardis write…But *IF you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.”  1 Thess 1:1, 5:4: “To the *CHURCH* of the Thessalonians…But you brothers, are not in darkness so that *THIS DAY*{Just Mentioned In I Thess 4:16,17} should surprise you like a thief.  You are all sons of the light and sons of the DAY.”  And so once the 1260-day Great Tribulation begins all of God’s saints will know the exact day that the Great Tribulation will end at the Second Coming of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on the *LAST DAY*.  And so the resurrection day of I Thess 4:16 to I Thess 5:4 will not be a surprise to the saints resurrected in I Thess 4:16,17 just as the resurrection day at the end of the 1260-day Great Tribulation will not be a surprise to *ALL* of God’s saints which proves that the resurrection day mentioned in I Thess 4:16,17 will also come  on the LAST DAY of the Great Tribulation!!!
      Also in the context of I Thess 4:16 to I Thess 5:4 is this interesting statement in I Thess 5:2,3:  “You know very well that the day of the Lord {Just mentioned in I Thess 4:16} will come like a thief in the night. {to unbelievers}  While people are saying ‘peace and safety,’ DESTRUCTION WILL COME ON THEM SUDDENLY… AND THEY WILL NOT ESCAPE!!” {See I Thess 1:6-10 and Matthew 25 :31-33,41-46}  After 6 of the last 7 bowl plagues of the Great Tribulation Jesus will make this statement in Rev 16:15: “Behold, I come like a thief!”{See 2 Pet 3:7,10 & Rev 3:3!!} And so at this time during the last part of the Great Tribulation Jesus had still not yet come as a thief!! This destruction of the lost in hell will occur on the LAST DAY of the Great Tribulation as shown above in Matt 25:31-33:41-46: John 5:28,29; Dan 12:1,2,7b & 2 Thess 1:6-10, which firmly places the resurrection mentioned in I Thess 4:16 to I Thess 5:4 on the Last day of the Great Tribulation and not a *CONCEALED* pre-trib rapture 1260 days BEFORE the LAST DAY of the Great Tribulation!! 
Moses and Elijah will begin their 1260 day testimony {Rev 11:3} 3 ½ days before the coming of 666 and the 1260-day Great Tribulation and 1263 ½ days before the Last Day. {*THE FIRST END-TIME EVENT*} Moses and Elijah will warn us of the coming of 666 & his False Prophet. God will allow 666 to martyr Moses and Elijah right where their Lord was crucified when their 1260-day testimony is completed.{Rev 11:7} 3 ½ days later they will rise to heaven minutes before the 7th angel sounds the 7th Trump at the 2nd coming of Jesus.{Rev 11:11-18}
       Revelation 1:7:  “Look, He is coming with the *CLOUDS*, and *EVERY EYE* will see Him, even those who pierced Him!” This 2nd Coming of Jesus with the *CLOUDS* is also mentioned in Matt 24:30 and I Thess 4:17 and in Matthew 26:64: Jesus replied, “But I say to all of you:  In the future you {Unsaved Jews at His trial} will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty one and coming on the *CLOUDS* of heaven!”  
2 Peter 7,10,13: “The present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of judgement and DESTRUCTION of ungodly men… But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief.{To unbelievers} The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up… But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH, the Home of RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Daniel 9:24: “70 7?s have been decreed…. and to bring in EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS.” {On the LAST DAY of the last 7} Revelation 21 1:1-3: Then I saw a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. {THEN} I saw a NEW JERUSALEM, coming down out of heaven from God…,And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them!!” You will note that the New Jerusalem will come only *AFTER the present heaven and earth have passed away! Read Hebrews 11:10, 14-16 & John 14:1-3. Jesus says in Rev 2:17; 3:3, 5, 12, 21: “To him who overcomes…I will give a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it…..He will walk with me for he is worthy….. I will acknowledge his name before My Father and His angels….. I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God…..I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem…..I will write on him my New Name… and I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” According to Rev 22:3 these 2 thrones will be the only thrones in the Heavenly New Jerusalem!. Dan 12:3: “Those who impart wisdom will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousneess like the stars for ever and ever.”
Now the pre-tribbers believe that there will be two resurrections. They believe the First Resurrection of the “Church saints” will occur just before the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the Second Resutrrection of the “Tribulation saints” will occur on the Last Day of the Great Tribulation, However, in Rev 20:4,5 we read ”I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded {Or executed} because of their testimony for Jesus…They had not worshipped the Beast {666} and had not received his mark on their foreheads. They came to life and reigned with Christ… This is the FIRST RESURRECTION!!” WHICH INCLUDES THE TRIBULATION MARTYRS!!!
There will be 2 Comings of Jesus on the same Last Day.  The First Coming will be *FOR* His saints and His second Coming will be *WITH* His saints on Heavenly White Horses right after they celebrate the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. {Read Rev 19:7-21 & Rev 17:14} They will conqer 666 and his 10 armies {See Rev 17:12-14}. This then explains the resurrection of God’s saints in Luke 17:30,35: Jesus says, “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is *REVEALED….two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” All of the lost who are left behind when Jesus is *REVEALED; will later be judged and then sent to hell on that same Last Day. {See 2 Thess 6-10; John 5:28,29; 12:48; Daniel 12:1,2,7b & Matt 25:31-33;41-46}
       Jesus {See Rev 1:10,18} said to John in Rev 1:19: “Write what you have seen, what is now {Rev chapters 2 & 3} and *WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE LATER*.” {Rev chapters 6-22}  Events that will occur on the Last Day of the Great Tribulation are recorded in Rev 6:12-17; Rev 11:15-19; Rev 14:14-20; Rev 16:17-21 and Revelation 19:1-21.  Question: How many words in Revelation, chapters 6-22 are devoted to a rapture before the beginning of the Great Tribulation??  Answer: *ZERO*!! In Rev 4:1 Jesus invited John to come up to Heaven in AD 96 so that he could write what he saw.  Rev 4:1b: Jesus said to John in AD 96, “Come up here, and I will show you *WHAT MUST TAKE PLACE.”  Unfortunately, there are some pre-tribbers who teach that Rev 4:1 actually proves a *CONCEALED* rapture of the church saints before the beginning of the Great Tribulation; which shows a new low in honest Bible exegesis. The Olivet discourse by Jesus about the End-Times are recorded in Matthew 24 & 25, Mark 13 and Luke 21.  Events which will occur on the Last Day of the Great Tribulation including His 2nd Coming are recorded in Matthew 24:29-31; Matthew 25:31-46; Mark 13:24-27 & Luke 21:25-28.  How many words of Jesus in His Olivet discourse are devoted to a rapture before the beginning of the Tribulation?  Answer: *ZERO*!!
       Revelation 22:18-19:  Jesus says, “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give *YOU* {The Greek for YOU is plural} this testimony {ALL OF REVELATION} *FOR* the CHURCHES.” {This contradicts the ridiculous pre-trib idea that Revelation, chapters 4-19, was not written *FOR* the CHURCHES!}… I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book.  If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.  And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in this book.”
It is time for all pre-trib *ADDERS* to repent; and all CLOSET Post-Tribbers to come out of their closets and teach ALL of God’s Word as per 2 Tim 4:1-8 since the End-Times are very near. Paul was inspired to write in 2 Timothy 4:8: “There is in store for me the Crown of Righteousness which the Lord will award to me on *THAT DAY*—and not only to me, but to *ALL who have longed for *HIS APPEARING*.”
 WHAT ARE THE 7 BIBLE CLUES WHICH REVEAL THE IDENTITY OF 666???
      Revelation 13:17b,18: “The mark of the beast {Or antichrist} is the *NAME* of the Beast or the number of *HIS NAME*. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, *LET HIM* calculate the number of the Beast {Even in AD 96 when Revelation was written}, for it is a man’s number {Or “Number of a MAN”}. *HIS* number is *666*.” God has promised in the above inspired passage that any saint {Even in AD 96–which implies that the name was known in AD 96} with spiritual wisdom and insight may calculate the name of the beast which is a *MAN’S NAME* and adds up to 666.
       In Thess 2:3 the Beast of the End-Times is called a “*MAN* of sin or lawlessness” or very SINFUL MAN and therefore the name of the Beast which adds up to 666 is a *MAN’S* name which is also confirmed in Rev 13:17b,18 above. Therefore, the NAME of the Beast which adds up to 666 is a sinful *MAN’S NAME* and could not be the name of a woman or a city, country, computer or Satan, etc..  666 is also identified with a MASCULINE pronoun 28 times in God’s Word which we will show later.
       Rev 13:16,17: “He {The False Prophet} forced everyone… to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead. No one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name {666}. The antichrist is called a “BEAST” 36 {6×6} times in Revelation. The BEAST is a much better name than antichrist since antichrist is mentioned 4 times in God’s Word {I John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7} and each time the word encompasses all who are against Christ.  I John 2:18: “Even now many antichrists have come.”  Surely all who receive the mark of the Beast are antichrists.
      666 is referred to in the MASCULINE gender 28 times and the Beast is never referred to in the feminine or neuter gender.  It is interesting to note that if the Beast of the end-times will be a religious organization, country or city it would be referred to in the female or neuter gender!!!  The masculine pronouns used for the Beast are “HIS” 11 times: Rev 13:1, 5,16b,18b; 14:9,11; 17:7b; 19:2; 20:4(2X) & Daniel 7:26.  “HE” 10 times: Rev 13:1;6a,7a,7; 17:8b; 17:11; 2 Thess 2:6; Daniel 7:24,25 & Daniel 9:27.   “HIM” 5 times: Rev 13:4b; 19:20; 2 Thess 2:6; Daniel 7:25 & Daniel 9:27.  “HIMSELF” 2 times in 2 Thess 2:4.
      Actually there are **7 BIBLE CLUES** that show who the BEAST of the future 1260-day Tribulation will be. By an amazing coincidence all 7 Bible clues can be applied to Nero Caesar!!
 {{1}}  The BEAST will be a “MAN OF SIN” or very sinful MAN as per 2 Thess 2:3 above.
{{2}}  The number of this sinful man’s name is 666 as per Rev 13:16-18.  The Bible was written by 40 divinely inspired Hebrews in Hebrew and Greek so then it is highly probable that this man’s name adds up to 666 in Hebrew or Greek.  Nero Caesar’s name adds up to 666 in Hebrew which we will show later in this Bible study.
{{3}}  This sinful man whose name adds up to 666 DIED BEFORE AD 96 when Revelation was written.{See Rev 17:8 below} We will show later why Revelation was written between Sept AD 95 and Sept AD 96. Nero Caesar lived from December 15th, AD 37 to June 9th AD 68.
{{4}} This sinful man who was alive and then died before AD 96 was FATALLY WOUNDED by a sword wound to his head. Nero Caesar committed suicide with a sword wound to his head on June 9th, AD 68. {See Rev 13:3 and Rev 13:14 below}
{{5}}  This very sinful man who died before AD 96 was a KING in the Roman Empire as per Daniel 7:24. There were 11 Roman Kings or Caesars who died before AD 96 including the 6th Caesar who killed Paul and Peter in AD 66; and whose name adds up to 666 in Hebrew. Domitian Caesar was the 12th Caesar who was alive when Revelation was written in AD 96.
{{6}}  The beast is also called an 8th KING who ruled before AD 96 as one of 7 KINGS crowned by the city on 7 hills. {See Rev 17:9-11}
{{7}}  This very sinful ROMAN KING whose name adds up to 666 and who was fatally wounded by a sword before AD 96, will “COME UP FROM THE *ABYSS* or *HELL* as per Rev 11:7 & Rev 17:8. We know that the ABYSS is HELL by comparing 2 Peter 2:4 with Luke 8:30b,31. We can be sure that Nero Caesar is now in the Abyss or Hell since he killed Paul and Peter and thousands of Christians and sent Vespasian {the father of Titus and Domitian Caesar} to kill the Jews and destroy their Temple. The MAN OF SIN or Nero also killed his own mother and killed his pregnant wife by kicking her in the stomach.   Inscriptions have been found in Ephesus in which Nero is called “Almighty God” and “Savior”.   In Revelation 13:8a we learn that all the unsaved inhabitants of the world will worship the Beast.  Nero and Caligula “abandoned all reserve” in promoting emperor worship – they were the only two Roman Caesars who demanded divine honors while still alive. Nero claimed to be the sun-god Apollo.  In 2 Thess 2:4 we read that the “Man of Sin” will proclaim that he is God!
      Revelation 17:8: The beast, which you saw, once was {alive}, Now {in AD 96} is not {alive} and will come up out of the ABYSS and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book life. … will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was {Alive before AD 96}, now {In AD 96} is not {Alive} and yet will come. Rev 13:14: He {The False Prophet} will order the inhabitants of the earth to set up an image in honor of the beast who was {FATALLY-Rev 13:3} wounded by the sword and yet lived.”  Rev 13:3: “One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been HEALED!! The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. “
During the last year of his rule Domitian Caesar decreed that everyone in the Roman Empire must worship idols of former Roman Caesar’s or else they would be killed or put in prison. Historical documents show us that the Apostle John {Who then lived in Ephesus} lived to about AD 100 and therefore would have been alive during Domitian’s evil decree of September AD 95 to September of AD 96.  Since we can be sure that the Apostle John would never worship an idol of a Roman Caesar it is then highly probable that John was put in prison on Patmos Isle sometime during Domitian’s evil decree from September AD 95 to September AD 96.
      When I was a missionary in Israel I studied the Hebrew language.  One of the first things that you learn when you study the OT Ancient Hebrew language {Which is also the language of Israel today!} is that the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet ALSO represent 22 numbers! When you read Psalm 119 you will note that the 176 sentences are divided into 22 sections; each section with 8 sentences or verses praising the Word of God. These 22 sections are each headed by one of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet in the exact same order as shown below. The ancient Hebrew language {Which is exactly the same as the modern Hebrew language} frequently used the letters of their alphabet to designate NUMBERS IN THE OT as follows:  ALEPH=1. BETH=2. GIMEL=3. DALET=4. HE=5. VAV=6. ZAYIN=7. CHETH=8. TETH=9. YODH=10. KAPH=20. LAMED=30. MEM=40. NUN=50. SAMEKH=60. AYIN=70. PE=80. TSADHE=90. KOPH=100. RESH=200. SHIN=300. TAV=400.
      NOTE: Most vowel sounds except “O” {VAV} are not used as letters in Hebrew. These vowel sounds are designated by dots and dashes under their *PRECEDING* consonants. In Hebrew “N” is added on the end of all foreign names ending in “O”. Therefore, the foreign name of Nero would be “NERON” in Hebrew. The name Nero Caesar would be pronounced Neron Kaysar in Hebrew. The “E” in Neron and the 2 “A” sounds in Kaysar {There is no “C” in Hebrew} are designated by dots and dashes under their preceding consonants and therefore are not letters in the 22 letter Hebrew alphabet, and so have no numerical value.
      Neron in Hebrew would use 4 letters with numerical value: N-R-O-N and Kaysar in Hebrew would use 3 letters with numerical value: K-S-R. There would be a dot under the first N to show the “E” sound in NEron There would also be 2 dots under the “K” to show the “AY” sound in KAYsar and a dash under the “S” to show the “AH” sound in KaySAHr.  The 4 letters with numerical value in NERON would be {SEE TABLE ABOVE} N = NUN = 50; R = RESH = 200; O = VAV = 6; and N = NUN = 50 and 50+20+6+50 equals 306. The 3 letters with numerical value in “KAYSAR would be K = KOPH = 100; S = SAMEKH = 60; and R = RESH =200 and 100+60+200 equals 360. And so the numerical value of Nero in Hebrew is 306 and the numerical value of Caesar in Hebrew is 360, and therefore the numerical value of Nero Caesar is 306+360 or exactly *666*!
      There is a very interesting footnote in the revised Standard Version concerning the number 666 which states that some ancient manuscripts have the number **616** which *DOUBLY* confirms that Nero Caesar may be the future Anti-Christ!! You will note that the Hebrew language adds an “N” to all foreign names ending in “O”. Now “N” or “NUN” in Hebrew has a numerical value of **50**!! and so if you decided not to add the last “N” in NERON then Nero Caesar would add up to exactly **616** in Hebrew. I think you will admit that this is an absolutely amazing coincidence!!
      Any honest Hebrew language scholar will confirm that the letters of Nero Caesar’s name add up to 666 in the Hebrew language whose 22 letters are also 22 numbers as shown above, and the Bible was written by 40 Jews. Since all of the prophecies concerning the antichrist are written in OT Hebrew {Like Daniel 7:8-25} or NT Koine Greek it would then seem logical that God would use one of these 2 Bible languages to identify the Name of the Beast whose letters add up to 666. One of the problems of doing this in NT Koine Greek is that the letters of their alphabet are not also numbers. And therefore you can only assign a numerical value of 22 to the 22nd letter, etc.. Using this formula you could not get any name to add up to over 250, let alone 666. You have the same problem with English & all other languages other than the Hebrew language! The 3 different Greek words used in Rev 13:18b to arrive at the number 666 are the 3 different Greek words for 600 and 60 and 6 and not 6 +6 + 6.
     And so the 6th Caesar {Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius & the *6th* was NERO who ordered the execution of Paul & Peter in AD *66* {And who has fulfilled *ALL 7 BIBLE CLUES as to the identity of *666} will be the Beast who comes up from the Abyss {Or Hell-See Rev 11:7 & Rev 17:8} in the coming Great Tribulation!!
   WHAT CITY WILL BE THE HEADQUARTERS OF 666?? Most Bible scholars believe that the book of First Peter was written shortly after the beginning of Nero’s Roman persecution of Christians in AD 64 because of I Peter 4:12,13 & 5:8,9. We know that Peter and his wife were living in Rome at this time. Peter was inspired to write in I Peter 5:13: “She {Peter’s wife} who is in *BABYLON* {Nickname for *ROME*!} sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark.” Apparently some Christians including Peter were inspired to call ROME “BABYLON” after Nero’s terrible persecution of Christians starting in AD 64. This is very interesting since the evil city of the End-Times is called “BABYLON” 6 times in Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2,10,21.
All encyclopedias agree that Babylon was completely evacuated in 275 BC and completely destroyed by 141 BC. The Wikipedia encyclopedia states, “By 141 BC, when the Parthian Empire took over the region, Babylon was in complete desolation and obscurity.” The only question that remains is: Was Babylon rebuilt so that there could be people living in Babylon around AD 65 when Peter wrote 1 Peter 5:13??? Which leads us to the promises of God in Jeremiah 50:1-3,13: This is the word the Lord spoke through Jeremiah concerning Babylon..”Babylon will be captured… A nation from the north will attack her and lay waste her land. No one will live in it; both men and animals will flee away!” Also read Jeremiah 52:52:61-64: And God ALWAYS keeps His promises. If you check out the latest Iraqi Tour Guides you will notice the following statement: “Today, Babylon lies COMPLETELY in ruins. A large and splendidly carved stone lion is all that remains of its former glories.”
“Babylon” {Nicknamed Rome by Peter} is a “GREAT SEAPORT” in Rev 18:17-19; JUST LIKE ROME and UNLIKE Babylon whose ruins are NOW 4 miles from the very shallow Euphrates River; and UNLIKE Jerusalem which is 2000 to 3000 feet above sea level and 35 miles from the Mediterranean Sea. Babylon is also completely FLAT whereas the End-Time “Babylon” will be a city built on 7 Hills JUST LIKE ROME!!  Rev 17:18: “The woman you saw {Rev 17:3–Who sits with the Beast with 7 heads} is the great *CITY* {Rome–nicknamed Babylon in I Peter 5:13–See Rev 17:5a} that will rule over the kings of the earth.” {During the Great Tribulation} The headquarters of 666 will be destroyed about 2 weeks before the Last Day. Rev 18:19: ”Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.” See Rev 17:5,6; & Rev 18:24.
INTERESTING SPECULATION AS TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT OBAMA MAY BE THE FUTURE FALSE PROPHET OF 666. THE FALSE PROPHET IS MENTIONED IN REVELATION 13:11-17; 16:13; 19:20 & 20:10
       Revelation 6:7,8: When the Lamb opened the 4th seal, I heard the voice of the 4th living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death {666 who will cause the death of millions} and Hades {The False Prophet who will cause millions to go to Hades by receiving the mark of 666} was following close behind him. THEY {Nero Caesar and the False Prophet} were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. Rev 13:3,4: “The whole world…worshipped the beast {666} and asked, “Who is like the beast?  Who can make war against him.”
Revelation 6:5,6: “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages!” This phrase can also be translated “A loaf of bread for a day’s wages.” This event will occur at the coming of the black horse rider {The False Prophet?} Who rides close behind 666 as per Rev 6:8} which will take place just before the beginning of the Great Tribulation.  Russia has said they are ceasing all WHEAT exports!! Becuase of tremendous droughts, plagues, fires and heat waves there has been tremendous drops in Wheat production in Russia, Ukraine, Australia, Argentina and even Canada which has caused a rapid acceleration in the price of Wheat and food prices in the 3rd world. There have been many food riots in the 3rd world because of a 30% rise in the price of bread in August, 2010. Because of the world’s present economic crisis the majority of people in the 40 poorest counties now have to pay a full day’s wages for a loaf of bread as per Rev 6:6.. And if the world experiences a world-wide depression this event could occur in over 100 countries. Many countries are far worse off than people in the USA during the Great Depression when there was 20% unemployment. The world economic crisis is rapidly accelerating. There are now 40 countries with unemployment rates of over 20 % and this should rapidly increase.  And then the world will certainly be looking for an Economic Savior such as 666 and his very deceptive False Prophet. They will be looking for someone who promises CHANGE!! If the Great Tribulation would begin in the near future is there a well-known, powerful world leader that may qualify to be the deceptive False Prophet of 666 who will promise CHANGE you can believe in!! Will this powerful world leader try to bankrupt the USA which will in turn cause a world-wide depression & cause the price of a loaf of bread to cost a day’s wages through out most of the world!!
The Greek word “PYRROS” which means “FIERY RED” is only mentioned 2 times in God’s Word in Rev 12:2 & Rev 6:3. In Rev 12:2 Satan is the enormous {FIERY} red dragon and would also be the {FIERY} red horse Rider and 2nd horseman of Rev 6:3. The fiery red dragon will be kicked out of Heaven {Rev 12:9} and then will chase some of God’s saints to a place in the wilderness {Rev 12:13-16} and then will wait for the coming of the 4th horseman or 666 {Rev 13:1} which will begin the 1260-day Tribulation. So who will be the White Horse Rider of Rev 6:1,2?? In Revelation only the good guys wear WHITE! The martyrs will wear WHITE robes as per Rev 6:11 & Rev 7:10,13. On the Last Day Jesus will mount a great WHITE horse {Rev 19:11} and His saints dressed in WHITE will follow Him on WHITE horses {Rev 19:14}In Malachi 4:5 God has promised that He would send Elijah {Who went to Heaven on horses-2 Kings 2:11,12} before the Last Day of the Lord. In Rev 11:3,6 God has promised that He would send His 2 witnesses and they would strike the earth with every kind of plague for 1260 days which as we have shown will begin 1263 ½ days before the Last Day. In Rev 6:1,2 it states that the White Horse Rider {Elijah?} will be given a bow and ride out as a conqueror. Elijah & Moses will certainly conquer many since fire from their mouths will destroy & conquer all who try to harm them. {Read Rev 11:5 & Rom 8:37}
The False Prophet is referred to as “HE” {Masculine Gender} 9 times in Rev 13:11-16 & Rev 19:20.  And “HE” will be a very “DECEPTIVE” False Prophet as shown in Rev 13:11-16 & Rev 19:20.    And so Nero Caesar with the help of the armies of the False Prophet {Obama??} and other nations aligned with him will conquer 1/4 of the world {See Rev 6:8; 13:4b} After appointing 10 kings who have never before ruled {See Rev 17:12,13} 666 will then have “authority over every tribe, people, language and nation” as per Rev 13:7b, from his headquarters in Rome. 666 and his false prophet will then quickly gain complete control over the radio, television, internet, newspaper, book and magazine medias.  It is interesting to note that Obama is presently trying to control all of these medias in the USA which may be the world’s most free country!! The Obama Internet kill switch plan was approved by Senate committee on June 27th, 2010!!  This would allow Obama to completely shut down the Internet when he feels there is a national emergency?? Obama {Who already controls about 80% of the USA medias} is presently trying to get authority to shut down certain talk radio stations and TV stations in case of what he considers to be a national emergency. Because of the probability that Obama could lose control of the House and Senate Obama will most likely create a national emegency in the weeks before the November 2nd election.
      Do Obama’s religious beliefs qualify him as the False Prophet??  Some insight into Obama’s “Christianity” comes from an interview he gave in 2004 to Chicago Sun-Times religion editor Cathleen Falsani for her book, “The God Factor: Inside the Spiritual Lives of Public People.”  “I’m rooted in the Christian tradition,” said Obama. He then adds something most Christians will see as universalism: “I believe there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people.” Jesus says of Himself, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” That sounds exclusive, but Obama says it depends on how this verse is heard. According to Falsani, Obama thinks that “all people of faith — Christians, Jews, Muslims, animists, everyone — know the same God. “Obama doesn’t believe he, or anyone else, will go to HELL. But he’s not sure he’ll be going to heaven, either.”  The False Prophet will certainly teach that you can have your cake and eat it too, and that you will not go to HELL if you receive the Mark of the Beast which will allow you to buy or sell everything.  However, Revelation 14:9:11; 19:20 & 20:10 confirm that he and all who receive the mark of the Beast will be tormented day and night forever and ever in HELL!! Obama told a crowd at Hocking College that he believes the Sermon on the Mount is a and JUSTIFIES his support for legal recognition of same-sex unions??  Obama approves of same sex romantic and sexual relationships as do his former church, his pastor, and his former (So-called} Christian denomination?? Obama said that the Sermon on the Mount is a big joke since you can’t have an army that offers up the other cheek!! The False Prophet should be hugely popular world-wide.  Interesting fact: Obama has greater worldwide popularity than any leader in modern history according to a recent poll in Reader’s Digest and was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize even though he did nothing to deserve it.  Jesus is our Messiah and the Prince of Peace and is called the LAMB 30 times in the book of Revelation.  The False Prophet is someone who is like a LAMB according to Rev 13:11b.  People from all over the world including Louis Farrakhan {A Muslim leader} have already given Obama this interesting nickname:  “THE MESSIAH”!!   In a recent poll taken by BBC in Sept, 2009 about 66% of those polled around the world thought Obama would make a great World President!!
       NOTE: There are many statues of the exact likeness of Nero Caesar including a 151 foot statue in the “Golden House” in Rome. The statue of Liberty {Without pedestal} is also exactly 151 feet high… hmmm. At the beginning of Great Tribulation the False Prophet of 666, Rev 13:14: “Will order the people of the earth to set up a statue in honor of the beast who was wounded {Fatally-Rev 13:3} by the SWORD and yet lived!” {Again} This statue of the Beast will be the “exact likeness” of Nero Caesar and could possibly be seen on World Wide TV so that people of all nations will be able to worship this statue as per Rev 13:15b. Obama’s Air Force 1 plane had a photo op with the Statue of Liberty….Hmmm…. The face of the Statue of Liberty could easily be changed to look like Nero Caesar within a few days with a giant mask!
      666 is called a BEAST 36 {6X6 times in Revelation and the False Prophet is also called a “BEAST” in Rev 13:11.  Obama has nicknamed his presidential limousine “THE BEAST”!!  In Revelation 13:11 the False Prophet is called the BEAST of the {PRESENT} EARTH.  Whereas all true Christians are looking forward to a new heaven and NEW EARTH as per 2 Peter 3:13:  “We are looking forward to a new heaven and a NEW EARTH the home of righteousness.” {See Rev 21:1}  Obama is the all-time world’s greatest champion of EARTH day and saving the PRESENT EARTH from Global Warming, Greenhouse gasses, coal burning and carbon emissions and he may bankrupt the world in trying to achieve these goals.
      If you dial O-B-A-M-A on your touch phone the “O” + “M” are both 6?s or 6+6 and the other 3 letters B + A + A are all 2?s or 2+2+2 which equals 6 for a grand total of 6+6+6 or 666.  If you dial O-B-A-M-A you will dial 666!
      In Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15 666 is called an “ABOMINATION”.  In a recent Middle East tour Obama declared that the USA was “NOT a Christian nation!”  I would tend to agree with Obama since with dominating majorities in the House, Senate and Supreme Court Obama are rapidly and surely turning this nation into an “OBAMANATION”!!  In the Health Care bill passed on March 21st, 2010 Obama demonstrated that through skillful Satanic lies, deceit and bribery he can completely control the richest, most powerful “Christian??” nation of the world.  In what political analysts termed a snub, Obama did not dine with Netanyahu as promised during their White House meeting in March and by keeping the talks closed to the media, denied him the courtesy of a photograph with the president.  In addition Obama’s Vice President and Secretary of State took turns embarrassing and condemning the Israeli Prime minister.  During the Great Tribulation 666 and his FALSE PROPHET will be responsible for the death of 2/3 {Which is exactly 66.6 %} of the Jews in the world {Read Zechariah 13:8,9} and 144,000 Jewish evangelists who will be in Heaven with Jesus {Apparently martyred} BEFORE the end of the Great Tribulation. {See Rev 7:4-8; 14:1-8}  And so it is entirely possible that everything the future False Prophet does will be both abominable and OBAMAnable!!  OBAMAnable now is Commander in Chief and has complete control of the most powerful armed forces in the world.  And so Obama meets all of the requirements to be the future False Prophet of 666 which makes it a very interesting speculation. God says, “I make known the end from the beginning God, from ancient times. what is still to come!…What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned that will I do!”  Isaiah 46:10a, 11b    In Matthew 24: 9-13 Jesus says that during the Great Tribulation: “Then *YOU* will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me.  At that time many will turn away from the Faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of *MOST* will grow cold, but he {The Called, Chosen & Faithful-Rev 17:14b} who stands firm to the End will be saved.” I Peter 1:13: “Therefore, prepare your minds for ACTION, and set your hope *FULLY* on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is *REVEALED*!”
All Bible studies try to compare all of the Scripture on each specific topic. You can make copies of this Bible study.

Why Prayer Makes The Demons Tremble

Demonic forces come to attention when people get into God’s Word, but they have a greater fear than Bible study. They shudder when God’s people begin to pray.

Chip Ingram The Invisible War Chapter 13

Why is prayer so powerful?

As everyone knows, Bible study is indispensable. You have to know God’s word before you can wield it (See Ephesians 6:17). But Satan has been around for much longer than the Bible has. He knows the Bible better than you do, and he is much smarter than you. Left alone with your knowledge of the Bible – strong as it may be, Satan will run circles around you — laughing. You don’t stand a chance.

But prayer to God is like having radio contact in combat with a general who has a spy satellite. The General (God) can see the big picture. He can see where forces are advancing and see weak points in the adversary’s positions. God is much smarter than Satan (God runs circles around him. The Old Testament prophets had told the world including Satan that Jesus would be crucified — hundreds of years in advance, yet Satan could not figure out what was really going on, and went ahead and crucified Jesus anyhow… sealing his fate.)

Better than a general, God spans time and space. He knows what is going to happen before it happens and He is much smarter than the devil. (Imagine how smart God is to have designed the eye that connects to the brain, which can interpret what it is seeing… and you will get a small glimpse of how smart God is. It is overwhelming.)

If you have direct “radio” contact with God, you can cause some serious damage to the enemy. The demons know that so they will try a million tactics to keep you from praying. They can make you feel tired, too busy, any number of things. But pay no attention pray anyhow. No matter what worldly thing you have before you. No matter how urgent, if you want to make a difference for the Kingdom of God — and in your own life, and the lives of your friends family, and the church as a whole, your little tasks suddenly pale in comparison. Nothing is more important than your prayer life.

Remember to strengthen the things that remain (See Revelation 3:2). The things of this world will be burned with fervent heat. But the things that will not burn you will be rewarded for all eternity — other people. If you are instrumental in saving other people, they will not burn, and you will get a reward (See 1 Corinthians 3:13-14). All else is vanity.

Do we get a second chance to go to heaven after we die?

Do we get a second chance to go to heaven after we die?

This is of course a sensitive subject. Especially if you have lost a loved one, or about to lose a loved one who is unsaved.

And it is also complex and difficult to explain.

Firstly, there is a difference between Eternal Life and Salvation. Technically they are not interchangable. I am not going to go into the details here, but for purposes of this discussion, “salvation” or being saved, means you are going to heaven.

Eternal Life is not something  we “do” or earn. It is a free gift from God. If you believe in your heart that Jesus rose from the dead, and confess this with your mouth, you have eternal life. You cannot be good enough to get to Heaven. God knows that, so He gave us a free gift. All you have to do is accept it like a child accepting a Christmas present. Smile, hold your your hands and say thank 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. (John 3:16 KJV)

Our spirits are immortal. (The term “immortal soul” is not technically correct – it is the spirit that is immortal) And I have it on good authority that when our hearts stop beating, it is not the end.

One thing God told me was so opposite to my theology that it was hard for me to adjust my understanding to the actual facts. I have preached that once you quit breathing, if you are not saved, and do not know God, you have missed heaven. God said that was not necessarily so. He said that there is a spot where the spirit of mankind may linger for a little time before going on to their permanent abode. Many people who have been clinically dead know they have had this experience.
Angels on Assignment Page 59 (1979) By Roland Buck Hunter Books.

I am not going to argue with you if this book is true revelation from God. I am strongly convinced that it is. The book is no longer in print, but his family has made it freely available online in HTML and PDF formats. Read it for yourself — don’t depend upon other people, even me.
Ask God to reveal if it is the truth or not.  http://www.angelsonassignment.org/

God is very merciful and wishes that none should perish. (2 Peter 3:9) He literally bends over backwards to get people saved. I know it grieves his wonderful heart to see anyone reject Him…

So, does it do any good to pray for the deceased? Does deathbed salvation occur? I don’t think any prayer is wasted. I believe just about anybody has a chance. I believe God won this war, and that Hell is going to be a mighty empty place!

Is Barack Obama the Antichrist?

Who is the Antichrist?

God is keeping certain things secret, and almost everything very obscure so Satan cannot foil God’s plan. Things are revealed over time, and they have been getting revealed at lightning speed these past few months.

Clearly, judging by the way the mainstream media and so many public figures and private individuals are fawning over Barack Hussein Obama, the American mentality is ripe to worship a charismatic leader; but it is still too early for the appearance of any of the major players of Revelation.

The Beasts: Firstly, a beast in prophecy represents some sort of power: a kingdom, alliance of Kingdoms, or government(s). Horns on beasts represent the kingdom’s ruler(s). For instance, Daniel’s vision of the Greek Empire was represented by a goat (Daniel 8:5-8) The prominent horn of the goat represents Alexander the Great.

There are actually three “Beasts” in Revelation.

The First Beast: The beast that rises out of the sea in Revelation 13 has seven heads and ten horns. One of the heads survives a fatal wound, and the dragon gives it power. Prophecy scholars are pretty much unanimous that this beast represents the European Economic Union (EEU). Unless he somehow manages to get empowered in the EEU, Barack Hussein Obama does not fit this description.

The Second Beast: This beast rises out of the dry land. He does great wonders and causes people to worship the first Beast.

The Image of the first Beast: The second beast makes an image of the first beast, then brings the image to life. The image of the first beast commands people to take the 666 mark in order to buy or sell.

The Third beast: A scarlet colored beast also with seven heads and ten horns upon which a woman rode who was drunk with the blood of the saints. The seven heads are seven hills. (Rome is the city of seven hills)

The scarlet beast that was alive and then died is the eighth king. He is like the other seven, and he, too, will go to his doom. His ten horns are ten kings who have not yet risen to power; they will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. They will all agree to give their power and authority to him. Together they will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord over all lords and King over all kings, and his people are the called and chosen and faithful ones.” (Revelation 17: 11-14)

The False Prophet: The false prophet that wrought miracles before the Beast. Not much is said about the false prophet, except that he is thrown alive in the lake of fire, so whatever he does, must be very evil. Unless Obama has something up his sleeve, I doubt he is the false prophet.

The Antichrist: So, bottom line, who is “the” Antichrist? This is probably the Scarlet Beast. He and “Man of lawlessness” from 2 Thessalonians are probably describing the same person:

Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed–the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy every god there is and tear down every object of adoration and worship. He will position himself in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God… And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes.
For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
This evil man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them. So God will send great deception upon them, and they will believe all these lies. Then they will be condemned for not believing the truth and for enjoying the evil they do.
(2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 NLT)

In summary, probably not. Obama does not seem to fit the picture. At worst, it appears he may be be a forerunner — maybe like a “John the Baptist” for the antichrist. But I see no evidence at present that he is the man of lawlessness.

Alcohol and Co-Dependency

Alcohol and Co-Dependency

By Shirley Thompson

When I think of alcohol I think of it as Satan being in a bottle & when you open it you are letting him out. But God is always there waiting to protect you if you’ll let him. We just need to turn to him and call on him and he will prevail. I thank God that even though the sickness was in my family both my parents loved God and taught us children to believe in him and to love him. Without God we would never have survived. God does not bring sickness, death, pain and suffering to us. All of that came about because of sin and we all know that Satan is the father of sin.

Alcoholism is a sickness that can destroy families, homes and lives if we let it. And it is not just the alcoholic it destroys. It also makes everyone else living around it sick. It starts with a genetic imbalance with a chemical that alcohol or drugs activates. It’s a chronic progressive disease and causes damage to body tissues, the brain and central nervous system and eventual death. It has no respect to age, sex, rich or poor. It claims millions of victims. It causes inflammation of nerves, depression of brain function leading to neuritis, stupor, hallucinations, loss of control and coordination. Causes inflammation and hardening of liver leading to cirrhosis. Also has a psychological factor such as feelings of personal inadequacy and self dislike. Causes loneliness, poverty and family and marital struggles. The alcoholic is unable to control his craving and will sacrifice his goals and values. The alcoholic is not a bad person. He or she is a sick person and needs help and understanding.

The active alcoholic may even be a Christian. Even when we are Christians our bodies are still weak. We still stumble and fall if we don’t keep holding on to Gods hand. When we have troubles we can’t be too ashamed or proud to ask for help and to accept it.

I said before that the family is also sick. When we live with an alcholic the disease progresses to us. The disease is inherited but even if we never start drinking or do not have the chemical in our brains that cause us to be alcoholics we are still affected by it. We love the alcoholic and hate the alcoholic. We may feel like we are to blame or that there should be something we can do to stop it. We feel insecure, afraid, depressed. We become Co-dependent. We become dependent on how the alcoholic acts to how we act.

My father was an alcoholic. Sometimes when he was drinking he was real mean. I grew up in a dysfunctional family. My father being an alcoholic and my mother a Co-dependent. There was always drinking, fighting, arguing, and confusion so in turn all the children developed Co-dependency behaviors. I learned how to be afraid, distrustful, insecure, angry, embarrassed, ashamed and confused at an early age. I say learned because we are taught to feel all these negative feelings by the environment we are in. Co-dependents learn not to trust good feelings and to be afraid of them because if you feel any of the good feelings they are soon snatched away.

I was so afraid of my father I ran away from home when I was 14. I had nowhere to go and of course no money. The first time I ran away I was gone 3 days. I spent those 3 days wandering the streets during the day and sleeping on benches in the bus station at night. I had a bottle of aspirin and I had heard that if you took too many aspirin you would die. I walked until I found some woods, ate the whole bottle of aspirin and laid down on the ground and waited to die. I didn’t die but I sure got sick. There are so many times that God heard my mothers prayers and took care of me.

From that time on I have run from one bad situation to another. I hated Daddy. I hated him because I was afraid of him. I hated him for all the things he had done. I hated him because I blamed him for me not being able to see my mother, brothers and sisters. I went home to visit when I was 17 and when I got there Daddy was in the hospital. I didn’t care that he was sick and I didn’t care about seeing him but I went anyway because the family was going and I wanted to be with them. When I walked into the room Daddy looked so pale and so pitiful lying in that hospital bed. I could see the pain in his eyes and the tears running down his cheeks and he said, “my baby did come to see me.” I felt my heart melt and the wall of hatred crumble and I started crying. At that moment I started loving my father. I am so thankful to God that I saw the love in Daddy’s heart and that I was able to forgive him for everything and was able to love him. We were very poor and never had a lot to eat and sometimes we only had cornmeal gravy but Daddy always made sure we had something to eat. There was a time when my Daddy was very well respected and owned a lot of property but with his drinking he lost everything. We didn’t get candy very often but when Daddy could he’d buy each of us a candy bar. There were six of us kids and Mama told me later that when I was gone Daddy would buy six candy bars and he would sit and hold mine and cry. So you see Daddy loved us but he was a sick man. I know now that he was a good tender hearted loving man. He kept drinking and things didn’t get any better but I never stopped loving him again.

Through the years I became more and more Co-dependent. I tried to be whatever would please someone else. I would act the way I thought would please someone else. I would dress the way I thought would please someone else. I would do whatever I had to, to please someone else. I became whatever would please others. I did this for so long I lost contact and knowledge of who I was. But no matter how hard I tried to please things continued to go wrong.

The man I had married at 17 had to be put in a mental institution. The weeks before he was taken away were weeks of fear and confusion. It was just me and my two little girls ages 3 and 4. We were in Oklahoma and I didn’t know where to turn or what to do. Again I ran taking the children with me. They were also confused and scared not knowing what was happening. Later he came and took the children away. It was 4 years until I was able to get them back.

Through my life I’ve went from one relationship to another. There were times I was out on the road alone, cold and hungry. The only feelings I knew were fear, pain, hunger, loneliness and weariness. Sometimes I even tried drinking to kill the pain and tried suicide twice more. I was sinking deeper and deeper into despair. My problem was I was trying everything except God. But I know that because of my mothers prayers and Gods great love he was there all along and watching over me and waiting for me to turn to him. At 24 years old I tried suicide for the third and last time. I locked myself in a room in Nashville and no one knew where I was. I took a bottle of sleeping pills and laid down on the bed to die. I was very calm no fear, no nothing, just a calm resignation. For three days I drifted in and out of consciousness. I saw people standing around my bed with a light surrounding their entire bodies watching me. They never spoke and I could not speak or move. I will always believe they may were angels watching over me. Whether it was angels or I was hallucinating I know that God spared me and after three days I came back to consciousness and knew I would never try to take my life again.

It was about two years later that I got down on my knees and gave up trying to control things and admitted defeat and begged God to forgive me and save my soul. Inside my chest was a big empty hole that ached and he filled that empty hole with such joy and peace that I had never known. Afterwards I was so excited and wanted to be baptized and start living for God. But because of the sickness and not knowing any other way of living I let Satan lead me instead of letting God. That’s why we also need Christian fellowship, help and understanding and guidance from our brothers and sisters in Christ.

In June 1989 me and Ricky left Bo and went to California. I guess you can say again I ran. But this time I had turned it all over to God and let him lead me because I was defeated again. I was miserable and sick in my mind. Bo went into a drug and alcohol treatment center and when he got out he came and got me. I was still sick and having panic attacks. But God had taken over and he wasn’t through yet. He was leading us to where we are today. Bo had gone through treatment so he was able to be a great help to me. He put me in the hospital where I could start recovering from Co-dependency. Sept 10, 1989 Bo was saved and we were both baptized Sept 17, 1989. Since then we have kept God in our lives and let him lead us. I am still Co-dependent and still recovering but with Gods help, the help and fellowship of our church our lives gets better and better and we get happier and happier. I shed a lot of tears now but they are tears of joy. Peace, love and joy fill the space now that only knew pain, hunger, loneliness and fear. These feelings didn’t know how to cry.

As I said at the beginning alcoholism is a progressive disease and makes the whole family sick. But we can be healed with Gods help. God does not force us to do anything. He has given us the ability to make a choice in our lives. Hate is cruel, pain, ugly and destructive and Satan is Hate. Love is good, kind, gentle, forgiving, and healing. God is love. In order to heal we must forgive. And one of the things that has been especially hard for me to do is we need to forgive ourselves. It has been much easier to forgive others than to forgive myself. One of the things about a co-dependent is we tend to take on all the blame for everything that goes wrong.

Alcohol is a problem. It’s tough to confront it. But it has to be confronted before anything can be done about it. The first step is to admit it exists. Remember it’s tougher to live with it. And if we let him – God will prevail.

Today I have so much to be thankful for. I thank God for my wonderful children. And although I know I have caused them pain because of my sickness I hope and pray that I too, like my parents did me, have planted a seed in their hearts the knowledge and faith that there is a God and love for God. I pray that they will seek salvation and let God guide them and I know that he will do for them what he has done for me. And I thank God for this church where we get so much love and support from you all. Thank you all so very much. We love you.

Thanksgiving day 1991

Shirley Thompson

Is Islam a religion of Peace?

Let the Ayatollah Khomeini tell you in his own words

“…Islam makes it incumbent on all adult males, provided they are not disabled or incapacitated, to prepare themselves for the conquest of [other] countries so that the writ of Islam is obeyed in every country in the world. . . . But those who study Islamic Holy War will understand why Islam wants to conquer the whole world. . . . Those who know nothing of Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. Those [who say this] are witless. Islam says: Kill all the unbelievers just as they would kill you all! Does this mean that Muslims should sit back until they are devoured by [the unbelievers]? Islam says: Kill them [the non-Muslims], put them to the sword and scatter [their armies]. Does this mean sitting back until [non-Muslims] overcome us? Islam says: Kill in the service of Allah those who may want to kill you! Does this mean that we should surrender [to the enemy]? Islam says: Whatever good there is exists thanks to the sword and in the shadow of the sword! People cannot be made obedient except with the sword! The sword is the key to Paradise, which can be opened only for the Holy Warriors! There are hundreds of other [Qura’nic] psalms and Hadiths [sayings of the Prophet] urging Muslims to value war and to fight. Does all this mean that Islam is a religion that prevents men from waging war? I spit upon those foolish souls who make such a claim.”

These are not the words of a “Wahhabi” extremist, but of a learned Shi’a theologian. He says nothing that does not have complete support in Islamic theology and ideology. No one has been able to show that Khomeini misuses the Qur’an, Hadith, or Sira — for he does not.

http://www.iranian.ws/cgi-bin/iran_news/exec/view.cgi/6/13539

The Agnostic Professor

The arguments have flaws, but it is a classic!

The story, below, was emailed to me. It has been circulating for years. I do not know who wrote it.

‘You’re a Christian, aren’t you, son?’
‘Yes sir,’ the student says.
‘So you believe in God?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Is God good?’
‘Sure! God’s good.’
‘Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you good or evil?’
‘The Bible says I’m evil.’
The professor grins knowingly. ‘Aha! The Bible!’ He considers for a moment. ‘Here’s one for you. Let’s say there’s a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?’
‘Yes sir, I would.’
‘So you’re good…!’
‘I wouldn’t say that.’
‘But why not say that? You’d help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn’t.’
The student does not answer, so the professor continues. ‘He doesn’t, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?’
The student remains silent.
‘No, you can’t, can you?’ the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.
‘Let’s start again, young fella. Is God good?’
‘Er…yes,’ the student says.
‘Is Satan good?’
The student doesn’t hesitate on this one. ‘No.’
‘Then where does Satan come from?’
The student falters. ‘From God’
‘That’s right. God made Satan, didn’t he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Evil’s everywhere, isn’t it? And God did make everything, correct?’
‘Yes.’
‘So who created evil?’ The professor continued, ‘If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.’
Again, the student has no answer. ‘Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?’
The student squirms on his feet. ‘Yes.’
‘So who created them?’
The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. ‘Who created them?’ There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. ‘Tell me,’ he continues onto another student. ‘Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?’
The student’s voice betrays him and cracks. ‘Yes, professor, I do.’
The old man stops pacing. ‘Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?’
‘No sir. I’ve never seen Him.’
‘Then tell us if you’ve ever heard your Jesus?’
‘No, sir, I have not.’
‘Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?’
‘No, sir, I’m afraid I haven’t.’
‘Yet you still believe in him?’
‘Yes.’
‘According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?’
‘Nothing,’ the student replies. ‘I only have my faith.’
‘Yes, faith,’ the professor repeats. ‘And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.’
The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. ‘Professor, is there such thing as heat?’
‘Yes,’ the professor replies. ‘There’s heat.’
‘And is there such a thing as cold?’
‘Yes, son, there’s cold too.’
‘No sir, there isn’t.’
The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. ‘You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don’t have anything called ‘cold’. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees.’
‘Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.’
Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.
‘What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?’
‘Yes,’ the professor replies without hesitation. ‘What is night if it isn’t darkness?’
‘You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it’s called darkness, isn’t it? That’s the meaning we use to define the word.’
‘In reality, darkness isn’t. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?’
The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. ‘So what point are you making, young man?’
‘Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.’
The professor’s face cannot hide his surprise this time. ‘Flawed? Can you explain how?’
‘You are working on the premise of duality,’ the student explains. ‘You argue that there is life and then there’s death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can’t even explain a thought.’
‘It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.’
‘Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?’
‘If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.’
‘Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?’
The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.
‘Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?’
The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.
‘To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.’
The student looks around the room. ‘Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor’s brain?’ The class breaks out into laughter.
‘Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor’s brain, felt the professor’s brain, touched or smelt the professor’s brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.’
‘So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?’
Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.
Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. ‘I guess you’ll have to take them on faith.’
‘Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,’ the student continues. ‘Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?’
Now uncertain, the professor responds, ‘Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man’s inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.’
To this the student replied, ‘Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself.. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.’
The professor sat down.

Is There a God?

Is God Make-Believe?

Many people – as did I most of my life – believe that God is imaginary. That some sort of explanation for our existance is required because ancient man was powerless to explain how the universe got here, so they dreamed up a buch of superstion to explain it.

If there is a God, why can’t I see Him?

As you can see, in the image below, visible light is only a tiny fraction of the Electromagnetic spectrum.

If anything is outside the narrow band labelled “visible” we cannot see it.

Actually, the electromagnetic spectrum is in all practicality, infinite. If the chart below were stretched out billions of miles, it still would not cover the actual spectrum.

Therefore, as you can tell, we can only “see” what is a tiny microscopic fraction of the spectrum.

However, just because we cannot see, doesn’t mean something doesn’t exist.

We cannot see microwaves (The acual microwave, not the oven, of course) because otherwise, how would we explain how our coffee heats up when placed in a microwave oven?

The practical individual of today is a stickler for facts and results. Nevertheless, the twentieth century readily accepts theories of all kinds, provided they are firmly grounded in fact. We have numerous theories, for example, about electricity. Everybody believes them without a murmur of doubt. Why this ready acceptance? Simply because it is impossible to explain what we see, feel, direct, and use, without a reasonable assumption as a starting point.

Everybody nowadays, believes in scores of assumptions for which there is good evidence, but no perfect visual proof. And does not science demonstrate that visual proof is the weakest proof? It is being constantly revealed, as mankind studies the material world, that outward appearances are not inward reality at all. To illustrate: The prosaic steel girder is a mass of electrons whirling around each other at incredible speed. These tiny bodies are governed by precise laws, and these laws hold true throughout the material world, Science tells us so. We have no reason to doubt it.

When, however, the perfectly logical assumption is suggested that underneath the material world and life as we see it, there is an All Powerful, Guiding, Creative Intelligence, right there our perverse streak comes to the surface and we laboriously set out to convince ourselves it isn´t so. We read wordy books and indulge in windy arguments, thinking we believe this universe needs no God to explain it. Were our contentions true, it would follow that life originated out of nothing, means nothing, and proceeds nowhere.

Instead of regarding ourselves as intelligent agents, spearheads of God´s ever advancing Creation, we agnostics and atheists chose to believe that our human intelligence was the last word, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and end of all. Rather vain of us, wasn´t it?

We, who have traveled this dubious path, beg you to lay aside prejudice, even against organized religion. We have learned that whatever the human frailties of various faiths may be, those faiths have given purpose and direction to millions. People of faith have a logical idea of what life is all about. Actually, we used to have no reasonable conception whatever. We used to amuse ourselves by cynically dissecting spiritual beliefs and practices when we might have observed that many spiritually-minded persons of all races, colors, and creeds were demonstrating a degree of stability, happiness and usefulness which we should have sought ourselves. (Alcoholics Anonymous pp. 48,49)

The Electromagnetic Spectrum image (above) is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 License. In short: you are free to share and make derivative works of the file under the conditions that you appropriately attribute it, and that you distribute it only under a license identical to this one. Official license

Better Biscuits – A Story of a Child’s Faith

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Greeting and blessings to you one and all! I am often convinced that in this day and age we have forgotten about the power of prayer. Sure we have more people talking about prayer; we even have more books written on prayer. And we as believers should be doing more as prayer warriors but prayers seem to barely squeak out as a last ditch effort.

Prayer is no longer the first thing we think of to do. Prayer is relegated to being one of those niceties that ‘Christians’ extend to others as a common courtesy; “Your child is sick . . . I’ll pray for them.” Or “I’ll put them on my prayer list.”

James 5:16 [KJV] states, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Put another way, this could be stated, “The effective [producing or capable of producing a result], fervent [with great intensity of feeling] prayer of a righteous man avails much.”. Translation: If your prayer is generated with great intensity of feeling or great belief, it is capable of accomplishing the desired result if you are in right standing (righteous and without doubt) with God.

My story today is about the simple prayer of a child, uttered without fear or doubt. I hope you enjoy it.

Back in the depression days of the early 1930’s, my husband pastored a small country church. We then had three little children. Many times our weekly income was less than $10. One day, we found ourselves out of bread and with only some rancid bacon grease for shortening. I used it, however, in making some hot biscuits and we managed to eat some of them for lunch.

Later, as we put the remaining biscuits on the supper table, our five-year-old daughter prayed very earnestly, “Dear Jesus, help us to eat these biscuits or else send us some better ones. Amen!”

Later, that evening, the doorbell rang. There, at the door, stood a member of our church who had a bakery route. Before we could tell him our story he began unloading his hugh bakery basket with all kinds of sweet rolls, buns and biscuits, besides dark and white bread.

“You know”, he said rather apologetically, “I was tired tonight and seven miles out here in the pouring rain seemed so far. I was tempted to wait until tomorrow evening and bring these bakery things on my way to prayer meeting as I usually do.” Then he added, “But I was strongly constrained to come tonight! I hope you can use these things!” – Anne S. Alexander in Power Magazine

The effective, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much. Be blessed this day and know that you are a blessing to God.

Ernest

Jehovah’s Witnesses vs. Christianity

The Jehovah’s Witness people are some of the most devout people you will ever meet. Sadly, they do what they do with such zeal not out of the love of God, but out of fear. But that will be covered later.

The problem is with the Jehovah’s Witness religion. They do not believe in the Trinity[1]

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. (John 8:58-59 KJV)

The New World Translation

I have struck this from the post pending further investigation. Charles Taze Russell may not have been personally involved in making the “New World Translation”. But whoever translated the Bible to make it conform to the Jehovah’s Witness theology is probably going to be in big trouble come judgement day.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are required to save themselves

Though Christians believe that it is impossible to save ourselves – Salvation is a gift from God, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have a complex, impossible, and completely unscriptural belief about how to get to Heaven.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a caste system. 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses will be the “Ruling Class” Then there is the “Earthly Class” – everyone else who manages to save themselves. [3]

The 144,000

1 What Does the Bible Really Teach?