The Problem of Evil

Since the beginning of time, there has been a war raging in the cosmos. It is a war that starts in heaven when Lucifer decides that he wants to be God. Lucifer was God’s most beautiful creation. He walked before the throne room daily and was considered an archangel. But Lucifer became jealous of God, and it was out of that jealously that Lucifer convinced one third of the angels to join his efforts to overthrow God and become God himself. It was at this point He ceased being an archangel and became the Prince of Darkness. The Devil’s revolt resulted in him being cast out of Heaven by God and ever since Satan and God have been enemies.

In our time we look forward to the day that evil will no longer hold sway in the world. We long for a heaven on earth. And one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth. But until that day comes when evil is finally no longer, evil still remains and causes much pain on the earth. In God’s original creation everything that God created was good. In fact for a time, humanity itself knew no sin. Then man sinned, and evil manifested itself into the world. Evil can be defined “as the refusal to accept the true God as God. True evil elevates itself or another to replace God.” The question often arises, if God being holy and just knew that evil and sin would come to the earth than why did He not prevent it or stop it? There are three reasons why God allows evil to continue in the world and they are the following: 1.) God created man with free will and thus gave man the ability to choose to accept Him or reject Him, 2.) The fact that evil and suffering is so prevalent in our lives reveals the fact that we have our own inadequacies and that we need God, and 3.) God allows evil because He does not want His children to get used to the present life because as the Bible says, we are just pilgrims and sojourners passing through and as believers, Heaven is our final eternal state.
God created man with free will and thus gave man the ability to choose to accept Him or reject Him. God did not create evil. God did create persons with freedom who could practice it. So we are who actualize evil, not Him. He could have created a world without the possibility of evil, but He preferred a world with free choice. God created us with the power of choice. To quote from Ravi Zacharias,
“What would it take to create a loving world void of evil? A world in which love is capable of meaningful expression and experience would also imply a world in which there is choice. If someone tells you that they love you, those words mean something because they are freely given. If you learned that someone had told you they loved you but that they had been forced to say it, their words would not mean very much. Thus, if we want to speak of a loving world, we must also speak of a world in which choices are exercised. And in such a world, there is also the possibility of choosing a course of action that is not loving, i.e. evil.”
True love implies and demands a free choice! Or else you would have a fixed environment in which humanity would be robots. Alvin Plantinga claimed the following:
“If God creates human beings with true, morally significant free will (where humans can freely decide to act in ways that really do advance goodness in the world, or really do cause evil in the world against self, others or world), and if God wants a world in which there are significant amounts of moral goodness, it’s possible that God cannot get that kind of world without significant amounts of moral badness as well. After all, if people are left free by God, then the morally significant states of the world will in large part be up to the decisions of humans, not up to God.”

The fact that evil and suffering is so prevalent in our lives reveals the fact that we have our own inadequacies and that we need God. Simply put, all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. When Adam and Eve sinned, God promised that one day there would be one coming that would be a sacrifice for sin and would make a way for people to have there relationship restored to God. That was done when Jesus died on Calvary. Jesus took all of humanities sins, and bore them for all of humanity so that people might have a chance to be saved and inherit eternal life. We see here that “Christ’s atonement guarantees the final end of evil and suffering”. Alcorn says, “The drama of evil and suffering in Christ’s sacrifice addresses the very heart of the problem of evil and suffering. One day it will prove to be the final answer.” The answer to the problem of evil and suffering according to Alcorn,“is not a philosophy, but a Person; not words, but the Word.” Jesus Christ is the answer to the problem of evil. Only He can help us with the feeling of inadequacies and the feelings of hopelessness. Only He can save humanity from their sins. Only Jesus can provide true lasting peace.
God allows evil because He does not want His children to get used to the present life because as the Bible says, we are just pilgrims and sojourners passing through and as believers, Heaven is our final eternal state. If everything was perfect and no problems ever surfaced and there was no pain in life then people would not have to rely upon God anymore for anything. Alcorn points out that “in order to appreciate our eternal future, we will remember the sufferings of the present.” Because we have pain and suffering, we must rely upon an Almighty God. Human beings do not have all the answers. Dinesh D’ Sousa writes.

The only way for us to really triumph over evil and suffering is to live forever in a place where those things do not exist. It is the claim of Christianity that there is such a place and that is available to all who seek it. No one can deny that, if this claim is true, then evil and suffering are exposed as temporary hardships and injustices. They are as transient as our brief, mortal lives. In that case God has shown us a way to prevail over evil and suffering, which are finally overcome in the life to come.”

So in reality, in the big picture evil and suffering is only temporary. So every trial and every tribulation that we may face in life is well worth it, because one day those that believe in Jesus will receive new resurrected bodies that will no longer be corrupted. We will be in Heaven where Jesus is, and there will be no more sin. Revelation 21:1-7 best illustrates what will happen in the end: 1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
In conclusion, we have seen the three reasons why God allows evil to exist in our present world. According to Ed Hindson and Emir Caner,
“What evil forces us to conclude is either God is not good, or that our conception of God’s relationship toward us needs serious rethinking. The evidence about evil drives us decisively to this latter conclusion. God uses evil, suffering, and disorder to drive us to Himself. If He gave only good, we would be self-satisfied. If he had given immediate death when we sinned, He would be just. That He gives us partial goodness and partial suffering now forms a texture of hope that in the future, He will in fact make all things right in a final consummation and restoration. God is not through: He will continue to work on us, like a persistent sculptor working the metal with hard blows and constant lighter corrections, to help us become worthy of happiness if we receive Him and submit to His plan. On most occasions, it seems, we do not know why God allows certain evils. But we know someone who knows these things, and we can therefore trust Him to make good on His promise that “he who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Romans 13:11-12- And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

Wake Up Church of the Living God! I write this exhortation tell you that it is time for the Church to arise out of its slumber. It is time for the Church to let their candle burn bright again in a lost and dying world. While the world becomes more and more inherently evil, the Church needs to realize that our redemption draweth nigh, and we as a Church need to be about doing the Lord’s business and laboring for the King so that when He does return, he will not find us lax and apathetic towards the things of God.

The Church of the Living God has been duped by the demonic doctrines of hyper Calvinism and hyper Pragmatism. What I mean by hyper Calvinism is the belief that God predestined the elect (saved people) before the foundation of the world and that since they are predestined to heaven there is no way for them to turn from irresistable grace. On the other hand, God predestines some people to go to Hell and there is nothing that they can do to change their eternal destination because God already predestined it before the foundation of the earth. This particular idea is heresy, but nevertheless it is spreading in the churches of America at a unprecedented rate. What is so appalling about this particular aspect of Hyper-Calvinism is the fact that it teaches that some people from the moment they were born are damned to Hell and there is nothing they can do to change their destination! Oh, but I have good news for you. The Bible says that God would have none perish but that all might come to everlasting life. Focus on the word ALL. That is clear that God wants all of humanity (that includes every man, woman, boy and girl that has existed or ever will exist) to be saved, and to experience everlasting life. The fact of the matter is that God created us with a free will. People have the choice of whether to accept what he did on Calvary, or people can reject what he did on Calvary. God wants us to choose to love him. If we did not have a choice or a free will then we would be no better than robots.

There is also a heretical doctrine spreading known as Hyper-Pragmatism. Pragmatism says that if it feels right then it is okay to do. The truth is that every man thinks he is right in his own eyes. Pragmatism is currently sweeping through the Churches at an astonishing rate. Many Churches are compromising their convictions in order to appease the flesh. Many Churches are using the methodologies of the world and are in effect saying it is okay to use the world and the world system in order to keep people entertained and keep people happy. Folks the truth of the matter is that this whole idea of collaborating with the world is heresy and has no place in the Church of America. Churches have become so worldly and they have bought into the idea of pragmatism and the sad truth about it is they don’t even know it. When a evangelical Church in this country is playing secular songs in the pulpit there is something wrong. Not too long ago a evangelical Church played the AC/DC song I am on a Highway to Hell. The sad truth about it is that many people in that Church is probably really on the highway to Hell. It is so sad to see the Churches in America for the most part become so apathetic and become so duped by demonic doctrines. It is obvious that they are not reading the same Bible that I read. The Bible clearly states in 1st John to love not the world neither the things that are in the world. The Bible clearly tells the Church that we are not citizens of this world. We are pilgrims and sojourners passing through.

We must never expect the Lord to bless a church that is duped by these doctrines. We must never expect God to bless a church that is full of proud and conceited people. God will only start to bless the Church of the Living God when it is humbled to the dust under a sense of its own shortcomings. When the Church does this then God will look upon the Church with mercy. God blesses his people when they begin to pray, as well as when they confess their sins. The prayer is urgent, humble, and believing; therefore, it has to speed to the throne of God. “God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us”. These agonizing desires will be part of the mourning of a Church that is conscious of having lost the blessing from God when the entire Church is interceding with urgency and persistence.

Prayer is the best resort of an earnest people. I can testify to this. In my church (Second Baptist Church), we have had prayer meetings in which everyone has been stirred, much as the trees of the forest are moved in the wind, and afterward the presence of God has always been manifested by conversion of souls. Our best times of prayer have always been followed by joyful harvests of new believers. Churches everywhere must be prayerful, intensely so, or else they cannot expect that the sound of abundant rain will be heard throughout their land.

I call on the church to awake, to confess their sin, to awake to struggle in prayer for the souls of men. The the Lord God will visit us from on high. Come Holy Spirit, and rouse your slumbering people Stir up the lazy multitude of believers, for when Your power is felt, then the bright day of triumph has dawned upon us.

Successful People Learn How to Overcome Adversity

“Sometimes the worst things that come at you are opportunities to grow. If you can interpret the pain as dues you are paying to get to the other side —  be it happiness, a promotion, a greater sense of compassion, or whatever it is that we desire or require — that will help you have the guts to hang on.”

– Bill Boggs in his book, Got What it Takes? : Successful People Reveal How They Made it to the Top

Are there areas of your life that seem difficult or do you have a problem that you don’t know how to solve?  When have you been caught between a rock and a hard place? Read the Scripture below. How did Paul deal with the rocks that came along during his journey through life?

2 Corinthians 12:7, 9-10 (The Message)

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.

My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

Can you learn to take your limitations in stride? Are you willing to let Christ take over when you are at your weakest?

The Lord answered his (Paul’s) prayer, not by removing the thorn, but by giving grace to bear it, and by the assurance that Paul’s sense of weakness, caused by it, fitted him to receive the divine strength —  his infirmities fit him to enjoy the power that Christ bestows. What was true of Paul is true of every saint. It is when we feel our weakness that God strengthens us.

the above is from Barton W. Johnson’s Bible Commentaries

The apostle gives an account of the method God took to keep him humble, and to prevent his being lifted up above measure, on account of the visions and revelations he had. We are not told what this thorn in the flesh was, whether some great trouble, or some great temptation. But God often brings this good out of evil, that the reproaches of our enemies help to hide pride from us. If God loves us, he will keep us from being exalted above measure; and spiritual burdens are ordered to cure spiritual pride. Prayer is a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady; and when we are afflicted with thorns in the flesh, we should give ourselves to prayer.

If an answer be not given to the first prayer, nor to the second, we are to continue praying. Troubles are sent to teach us to pray; and are continued, to teach us to continue instant in prayer. When God does not take away our troubles and temptations, yet, if he gives grace enough for us, we have no reason to complain. Grace signifies the good-will of God towards us, and that is enough to enlighten and enliven us, sufficient to strengthen and comfort in all afflictions and distresses. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Thus his grace is manifested and magnified. When we are weak in ourselves, then we are strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; when we feel that we are weak in ourselves, then we go to Christ, receive strength from him, and enjoy most the supplies of Divine strength and grace.

the above is from Matthew Henry Concise Commentaries

Many Christians are dealing with abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks, family dischord, financial problems, death of a loved one, or other personal hardships.  Quit focusing on your problems and let Christ’s strength move in on your weakness.

Isaiah 43:1-4 (The Message)

But now, God’s Message, the God who

made you in the first place, Jacob,

the One who got you started, Israel:

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.

I’ve called your name. You’re mine.

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.

When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.

When you’re between a rock and a hard place,

it won’t be a dead end—

Because I am God, your personal God,

The Holy of Israel, your Savior.

I paid a huge price for you:

all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!

That’s how much you mean to me!

That’s how much I love you!

I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,

trade the creation just for you.”

The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:7-9

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21

“Nuggets of Wisdom” is a great Bible study resource. Pick up a copy today!

www.nuggetsofwisdom.us … spread the word

Many people have concerns about the images children – especially girls – see, and the things they think about. Especially because a recent study showed that girls are hitting puberty at an incredibly early age, something which will have many far-reaching social consequences.

Thankfully, such children don’t have to go through life worrying. While it’s normal, and okay, to be concerned, we can be certain that if we cast our cares on Jesus, He will help us through.

This problem can seem especially daunting, of course. Children don’t develop extremely complex comprehension of things quickly. One could say that God, in His love and wisdom, allowed children to enjoy the fun of childhood longer, so their minds could develop before their bodies underwent a change. Even if the more extreme findings from the early 1800s aren’t typical, there has certainly been a decrease in the age of puberty over the last few decades.

Mankind consistently messes up the perfection of God’s system through sin, and this is no exception. Whether its chemicals, the many images Hollywood and Madison Avenue throw at our children, or a combination, mankind has warped things to the point that it’s hard enough for young adult women, let alone girls, to understand the simple truth.

What is that simple truth?

God knows you’re beautiful. He made you, and He loves you, just the way you are. You are a champion in His sight.

Different societies have different images of beauty. But, all focus on the outside. The Bible tells us that “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) When children hit puberty, they begin to look more and more on the outward appearance of things. They won’t just think of a boy or girl as a nice playmate, or a good friend. They’ll start to think of how cute they are. Their hormones will take control. When they haven’t mastered the art of resisting those many impulses that cause them to act before thinking, problems surface.

They not only start to think about others in a different light, they begin to think of themselves that way. They may play grownup or teenager when little, but the ability to comprehend all that is involved in real life is limited. It’s like a three-year-old who pretends to cook dinner. They may throw something into a play oven, then get it out, without any comprehension of cooking time, recipes, or anything else that goes into making a meal. Let alone the mess that can result when they fix breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day, only to leave Mom with much more work when she comes downstairs.

We can see, then, that the problem of girls hitting puberty as younger ages is a big one – not only for the girls, as there will be those who reach it at the age they were meant to, but also for boys. And, this hasn’t even mentioend the parents!

So, what is the solution? The solution is the focus on the fabulous princess that God wants every girl to be – and the wonderful prince He wants every boy to be. Fabulous and wonderful not for what is on the outside, but for what is on the inside.

See, everyone has an internal monologue, which tells them things about themselves and the world. It can send positive or negative messages. The Psalmist may have hidden God’s Word in his heart, that he might not sin against God (Psalm 119:11), but God’s Word also has plenty of verses we can teach young people to hide in their hearts so they can learn to enjoy life and be free from the temptation to look like some Hollywood supermodel – someone who has likely been photo cropped, anyway, so doesn’t even look like that.

Consider verses such as Philippians 4:8 (things to think on that will help them: true, honest, just, lovely, etc.), Galatians 5:22-23 (Fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, etc.), Romans 8:1 (“There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” – which deals with sin being taken away, but which can help those who try to condemn themselves for not being good enough for something), all of Psalm 139 (such as being fearfully and wonderfuly made), and so on. So many thoughts can be part of girls’ and boys’ lives, thoughts which can build them up, as we are taught to edify one another.

How to Have that Perfect Relationship with God

That Holy Spirit guidance is there so that we may have life, and lfe more abundantly. (John 10:10) God wants us to have a good self image – but He wants us to have the right self image. An image based on the inside, which is the most important. It’s the part that is ultimately going to matter.

It’s true, of course, that we all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. He can’t have that perfect relationship with us because of that sin, so we can’t go to his perfect Heaven when w4e die, and we keep turning from Him here – as noted, messing up His perfect plan.

Thankfully, as quoted in Romans 8:1, there is a way for you to have no condemnation in you. You don’t have to be condemned for that sin, separated from God’s perfect love forever in a horrible place of suffering.

He reconciled Himself to each of us while we were yet sinners; He died for us before we could do anything for Him. (Romans 5:8) Then, the third day, He rose fromt he dead. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, etc.) He defeated sin and death, because He – jesus Christ – is God in the flesh. He was able to take our sin away, and make a way for us to have that perfect relationship with God again.

We just have to receive that forgiveness. He sees each person – you – as a wonderful person, beloved of God. And, all you need to do is believe with your whole heart that He has saved you from your sin, and call on Him to forgive you. It is by grace you are saved through faith – and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

It’s as easy as AB: Admit you’re a sinner, Believe Jesus Christ – God in flesh – died for your sins, and rose fromt he dead, and Choose to repent – turn from those sins and invite Him into your heart to make you new on the inside.

Dealing With Problems Once You’re Saved

of course, teens, tweens, and everyone has temptations. Even Christians can fall for those negative thoughts if they’re not careful. That internal monologue needs to be closely guarded.

There are resources out there which can help. There’s a great book called “Before You meet Prince Charming” for girls, which can help them to see and learn to focus on that wonderful beauty they have – the ministry which promotes this, “Tomorrow’s Forefathers,” has a number of good resources. There are probably a number of local ministries, such as “Stealing Hollywood,” which help girls to understand these things.

The most important thing to remember, though, is that a positive self-image starts by realizing that you are someone special for your inward beauty. Kindness, gentleness, long suffering, and so on are fruits of the Spirit for a reason – they help to build in us the kind of people God wants us to be. People who care about the heart of others, and who want to make a difference in the world by putting God first in their lives.

Because when we start to see God as the ultimate goal, and Christ as the way, then we start to see how those things of the flesh really don’t matter in the long run. Oh, they’re wonderful tools to provide pleasure for a time, between a married couple.

But, that same married couple will grow old together, become wrinkled, feeble, and son on together, and lose the outward things of youth. However, if a person has placed his or her trust in Christ, their joy, kindness, peace, love, and so on will be forever. Because while those crushes of youth will fade, there is nothing which can separate us from the love – deep, unconditional love – of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

The recent announcement that Wal-Mart would tag clothing with the RFID chip, and the chip’s use for other purposes, has raised concerns among privacy advocates, as well as questions about whether the RFID chip might be the Mark of the Beast, as discussed in Revelation 13. Perhaps not as many have heard of RFID specifically – indeed, my fingers seem to want to type RDIF. (Relax, Dude, it’s Friday?) However, the notion of chip implants for numerous purposes is in the news a lot.

The fact that God’s Word told of microchip technology – as well as webcams and other things – over 1900 years ago isn’t the only thing that makes many wonder about chip implants. Privacy advocates also warn that they could lead to an Orwellian society in which everything is monitored.

A look at both sides reveals this to be a fascinating new technology. It’s not all horrible, as it has great uses. Still, in the wrong hands, it will, someday, led to great troubles. As we’ll see, the Mark of the Beast is clearly not the same as the RFID chip as used in 2010. However, because it could be used for evil rather easily, it is definitely something that – like the above webcams and satellites – could be used for evil purposes. However, there is a way to escape such a fate.

What Is the Mark of the Beast?

First, a look at Revelation 13 shows what the Mark of the Beast will be:

16 And he [note: the false prophet] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast [the antichrist], or the number of his name.

This Mark is used for control and identification. The world ruler in this period will have great power. However, he won’t be just any ruler – he will eventually proclaim himself God (Dan. 9:27, 2 Thes. 2:4, Revelation 13, etc.) Indeed, that verse in Second Thessalonians says the ruler, known as the Antichrist, will exalt himself “above all that is called God, or that is worshipped.” He will force and demand worship. This is unlike God, as the Lord Jesus Christ lovingly lets us choose whether or not we wish to serve Him. He simply lets us know there can be severe consequences to our choices if they are poor ones.

In the beginning, though, this ruler will be just a great man – some will call him the greatest leader ever. He will unite many behind his global agenda. He will bring peace. In fact, he will likely be responsible – though maybe behind the scenes – for the rebuilding of a Jewish temple in Jerusalem. In the middle of a seven-year period, though, he will break a covenant with the Jewish people, and wage war against them. (Dan. 9:27)

His mark is one of control. Note that nobody may buy or sell without it. They will be forced to declare allegiance to the Antichrist and his government. Either he, or his realm, will suffer a deadly wound which will be healed.

Rev. 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon [the devil] which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
…
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

You can read all of Revelation 13 on your own, but notice that the one who sets up this image will also be the one implementing the Mark of the Beast. Through holograms, computer animation, or some other means, the image will speak.

We see, then, that the Mark of the Beast will be much more than just an ID tag. Oh, it will most likely contain that. It’s quite possible that it will contain all vital information. At the rate things are going, it could contain an internet connection!

People have worried many things were the Mark in the past – Bar codes, credit cards (VI is 6 in Latin, and the number of the Beast is 666), tattoos, and so on. The reason people believed things like credit cards were the Mark is because they twisted Bible prophecy to their own era. That’s normal – the Thessalonians did the same thing. Believers were confused because they thought they were supposed to all disappear in the twinkling of an eye, instead of dying one by one. Paul had to comfort them that those who trusted Christ as Savior and then died were in Heaven; (1 Thess. 4:13-18)

This doesn’t mean the mark won’t be like any of those. Each of those places us closer to the Mark. The Mark isn’t RFID in the way it is being used now. However, the RFID chip, like a credit card, is an ID that means people are more accustomed to these things.

it is a sign of the times. In other words, we probably know now how many of those things in Revelation chapter 13 occur.

We must read the Bible literally. Sometimes it’s hard, like before satellites, webcams, and the like, Rev. 11:9-10 (all the nations of the world looking on two dead bodies) was hard to understand. Like the Mark of the Beast, though, it will happen. Something will be put into people, to cause them to be monitored, to swear allegiance to the Antichrist, and so prevent them from buying or selling anything without it.

Still, privacy experts are worried. So, what is RFID, and what isn’t it?

The RFID Chip and Other Implants

Despite the typo I mentioned, RFID is not a typo for Relax, Dude, it’s Friday. It stands for Radio Frequency Identification. An RFID tag is used to monitor an item, animal, or person by using radio waves. It can be used to track and identify merchandise. However, it can also be used to monitor animals – such as finding lost pets – or humans. The FDA has approved one – called Verichip – for use in humans; and it has raised even more alarms.

It can be read from farther away than traditional bar codes. (A funny sounding term when one considers those haven’t been around for that many decades.) This leads to numerous concerns, such as identity theft. It also could be monitored if a tracking device such as a GPS system were placed inside of one.

There are, of course, benefits to RFID chips as well. At times, mankind has invented things and even put them into mass production without considering all the possible drawbacks or increasing safety first – people died on rare occasion from shocks caused the earliest lights, for instance.

While there are safety concerns, proponents of the chips, if they were honest, would likely acknowledge the potential problems, and promise to solve those, as was done with electricity. After all, microchip technology does allow things to be identified faster than ever, monitored for problems easier than ever, and so on.

However, problems with insulating electrical wires enough are technical in nature. It’s easy to fix a light switch when you have the technology. It’s impossible for people to fix human nature totally – sure, they can make things better, but imperfect people can’t lift other imperfect people above the level of imperfection. They can’t make people perfect.

Since people can’t become perfect on their own, there will always be people out there who can use microchip technology for their own, evil ends. Some of these can easily become leaders of entire nations. In other words, the RFID Chip as it is being used now is not yet the Mark of the Beast.

However, it’s easy to see how it can be. It’s easy to see how something that is meant only for identification can rob a person of liberty, and be used to control everything he or she consumes. It’s quite possible that the information on a chip can be programmed, so that a person’s identify can be changed or wiped out.

And, given human nature, it’s only a matter of time before someone does just that.

What’s better, though, is knowing how to avoid the pain and suffering. God has clearly wanred us that this Mark will be used as a sign of worship to the Beast, the devil. And, He has provided a way to avoid it.

Rev. 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

How to avoid that terrible fate?

q. Remember, this world is not our home. We will spend forever in one of two homes, Heaven or Hell. The verses above describe Hell. The Bible tells us many times what Heaven will be like. It is a place where nobody has seen, heard, or imagined the wonders. Just picture a world with no suffering, no pain, no death, where everyone is peaceful – including the animals!

Heaven will be filled with the most joyous things, and most amazing sights and sounds. It will be like a person, totally blind from birth, suddenly seeing perfectly. Our finite minds can’t grasp the wonders that await us.

The way to avoid the Mark now is to simply “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31) We are in the Church Age, and have not yet seen the worst that mankind will do. That may be hard to believe, with the increase in violence, hatred, lawlessness, and so on. But, it will continue to get worse.

Right now, though, you can put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you for your sin. We don’t all commit every sin. There are some who have never stolen, for example, but who haave told lies. No sin can enter into the presence of God. So, God Himself, in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, came to this world to die on the cross, and to rise from the dead. He took your sins and mine on Himself (2 Peter 2:24), taking the punishment so we could go to Heaven.

And, the wonderful thing is, He will come live in you right now, and guide you through the many problems of life. He does that through the Holy Spirit, which is another way God manifests Himself.

All if takes to do ths is to receive Him by simple faith: believe that He died for you and rose from the dead, that He took the punishment for your sins, and repent of them. That means agreeing with God that you need Him to save you, and invite Him to do so; invite Him to come live in your heart to change you on the inside.

One day, He which letteth (the Holy Spirit) will be taken out of the way, and the “man of lawlessness” (the Antichrist) will be revealed. (2 Thess. 2:7-8) If that time has come by the time you read this, you may still receive Him by faith, like above, but things will be a lot tougher. You may well be one of those who is beheaded in the end for the cause of Christ. However, you will be sure of going to heaven, and in the meantime, you can trust in God to guide you through things. It’s just that His Holy Spirit will not be able to indwell believers in the end, since He will have left the earth. Instead, He will be on believers to guide them, just as He was in the Old Testament.

Thankfully, we know that at that time, if you endure to the end, you will be saved.

Get wisdom, get understanding;

do not forget my words or swerve from them.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;

love her, and she will watch over you.

Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.

Whatever else you get, get understanding.

Proverbs 4:5-7 NIV

finding wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”  (James 1:5 NIV)

God is the source of all wisdom through Jesus Christ and Jesus is the central force in all of our relationships “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

James 3:13-18 explains that there are 2 kinds of wisdom. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”

As we seek and find wisdom, however, we should remember that divine wisdom is to be sought after above all other sources of wisdom.

In Ephesians 1:17-21 we learn more about the Spirit of Wisdom: “I keep asking that the God of our Lor d Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”

There is a bold difference between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God.  ”My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”   (1 Corinthians 2:4=5 )

Many times God reveals to us things that can only be understood through the Spirit.  In other words, we can only understand the things of God through the Spirit of God. “However, as it is written: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

So what if I am confused about what God is trying to tell me? I’m so glad you asked that question! If you do not understand the things of God, you shoud ask God to grant His wisdom so that you will be able to discern between the 2 wisdoms and use the correct one for the situation.

“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.” (1 Cor 2:12-13)

When we receive the wisdom of God and we utilize it as we go about doing God’s will, in the church as well as in the world, we are furthering the Kingdom of God! Words not taught by human wisdom

As we serve Jesus with the wisdom that comes from God, we will not be like those who are tyrants, but rather we will glady serve others with Jesus as our example.

In our church, we love to sing the hymn:

“How Great the Wisdom“

Words: Benjamin Beddome, 1817.    Music: John Chetham, 1718

How great the wisdom, power and grace,

Which in redemption shine!

The heavenly host with joy confess

The work is all divine.

The work is all divine.

The work is all divine.

Before His feet they cast their crowns,

Those crowns which Jesus gave,

And, with ten thousand tongues,

Proclaim His power to save.

Proclaim His power to save.

Proclaim His power to save.

They tell the triumphs of His cross,

The sufferings which He bore;

How low He stooped, how high He rose,

And rose to stoop no more.

And rose to stoop no more.

And rose to stoop no more.

With them let us our voices raise,

And still the song renew;

Salvation well deserves the praise

Of men, and angels, too.

Of men, and angels, too.

Of men, and angels, too.

One man, made from the dust of the Earth, bears the historical responsibility for tearing apart the very fabric of creation.

This one man and his wife – “flesh of my flesh” ADAM, made in the likeness of loving Father and Creator God, succumbed to temptation, and did what some have described as irreparable damage. Irreparable to man that is. Certainly NOT irreparable to God!

They were cast out of their Eden for their sin, forced to till the soil for food, to work for shelter and bear children in pain. Generation after generation – uncountable through the eons was loved mercifully by their creator God. Every one of them known intimately, every hair on their heads counted, and still they struggled for freedom. Freedom which separated them further from the time, created with them solely in mind.

Evil perpetuated, sanctity negated, ‘leave me alone I will choose my own fate’ their perpetual cry! A gift once given can never be rescinded – freedom to choose, to decide, to live or to die.

Loudly we hear them proclaim “We want a king”, a ruler like the other nations have…… They have an eternal King whom they deny!

And still they cry out “We choose to worship”, as the other nations worship – but not you Lord God – just idols and beasts… we know you not!

And through it all God pondered and watched. His hand always at the ready to assist if asked, his heart crying in longing for his rebellious children.

Chances and opportunities were given time after time. Prophets, wise men, holy seers sent with tidings and announcements –to be ignored and cast out. Promises fulfilled yet evil spread its ugly manifestations.

The King looked down from the heavenly throne, crying in pain at the loss of his beloved children. The chosen ones, here since time began, have no direction, no way; the veil was in place and masked the view. The way was closed.

To bring them back to the home prepared, required the divine act of redemption! Through the very gift of himself, through life and love, from the Alpha and Omega only, could this be accomplished.

The Triune Godhead has always known that mankind would waiver between flesh and spirit. So offering himself, in perfect love, to repair the fabric that Adam had destroyed “The Word made flesh” would come.

The ‘Word’ spoken at creation, never absent and always alive, had chosen to be birthed, to live and die – fully human and fully divine. He would open up the way.

Would they listen, would they follow and obey? There was always a chance they would deny him. Time and again they had refused, why would this be any different we ask.

They were his own, his chosen ones, and live amongst them for thirty plus years he did. He taught them, led them, prayed with them and cried with them. He turned water into wine for their wedding feast and danced with them, healed them, cast out their demons – and still they doubted!

They saw in him an earthy conquer, one who would defeat the occupying forces in their land, but that was not who He was, and to his death they led him, without ever knowing the real reason for his coming. The times were cruel, evil reigned; rulers feared him, and the crowds were swayed! But he had known since before time began, that this was to be his destiny, and he came willingly to the eternal sacrifice as our redeemer.

For by so doing – his sacrifice would repair the rift caused by his Adam, and the veil would be forever destroyed and the way made open to any who chose to traverse his path.

I want to be with Him, forever, and He has promised I may. For He Lives. He is the first to rise from the dead. I cannot fathom what it took for Him to assume a human form, to live and to die – crucified for my past present and future sins. Yet he took it all upon his shoulders, mine yes! And the sins of every other human being since time began and still to be born.

Willingly he accepted this most terrible death……… he stared death in the face and defeated it. He stared evil in the face and defeated it. He sat at the right hand of God the Father, stared Him in the face and said ‘I love them Father, forgive them please.’Father, I want everyone you have given me to be with me, wherever I am. Then they will see the glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the world was created.
John 17:24 (Contemporary English Version)

One Man (ADAM) tore apart the fabric of creation, and in its place we find the veil. There was no access to Our Heavenly Father and evil prevailed.

One Man –Jesus, through his death tore apart the veil. He took upon his shoulders our iniquities; He opened the way to brings us home.

Freedom is ours to choose, what will it be? Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life, our eternal light – or eternal darkness?

I beg you – Choose life and light!

1. Serve the Lord Christ

To serve the Lord Christ one is required to do whatever he/she does heartily as to the Lord and not to men. Whatever is done in word or deed should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Father through him.

Our sojourn here in the physical flesh is to help us become faithful and trustworthy stewards, learning how to rule and manage whatever God has placed under our care. Therefore we have been admonished saying; “Make use of worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into everlasting dwellings.

Life is typical of the parable that Jesus Christ gave concerning the noble man who went to a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return, so he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas and asked them to do business until he comes.

When he returned having received the kingdom he commanded the servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by trading. The first came saying, “Lord, your mina has made ten more.” And he said to him, ‘well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’

The second came saying, “Lord your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, “you take charge of five cities.’ But the one who did not invest his mina was severely reprimanded, and his mina was taken away from him and given to the one whose mina had gained ten minas, because to every one who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

The irony is, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if one has not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth: who will trust them with true riches? And if one has not been trustworthy with someone else’s property who will give them property of their own?

One therefore has to occupy themselves in doing whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, and if anything is excellent or praise worthy, meditate on these things. All things are to be done to the glory of God, and whatever one’s hands find to do, do it with all their might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

We serve the Lord Christ by exercising love, because Christ laid down his life for us, we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. If any one has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? My brethren let us not love in word or in tongue but with actions and in truth.

Because 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 sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats of his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in: or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?

The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

We put God first by loving the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind, which is expressed by seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, being thankful to God, and delight ourselves before him, which is the first and greatest commandment, and serve the Lord Christ, by loving our neighbors as ourselves, which is the fulfillment of the second great commandment.

This came from the outstretched arm of Perfection. This is a testimony and a lesson from God that I just have to share with the brethren. Some good food here. If you’re stiff necked as I am and disobey God, check this out -

I was looking at these verses after a flood of constant messages from the Lord about the voice of the Lord, the Angel’s voice, hearing from God, etc.

James1:²¹ Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. ²² But be doers of the word,and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he observes himself,goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does -

There are many times when I’m tempted by something, I will hear the Lord’s word, but I will ignore it (I hear it – seeing myself in the mirror, but I turn away, forgetting what I heard/saw). And when I forget what I heard, I commit an act of sin. Stiff necked! On the flip side, just as my previous postings have mentioned, He has also shown me that when I obey the voice of the Lord, blessings pour out. What a valuable lesson from God here.

Matthew 7:²⁶“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them,will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell.And great was its fall.”

I would hear, not do… the temptation came (winds and floods of thought), and great was my fall (sin). The temple is built on nothing. I realized at this moment that I did not have a relationship with Christ, again, stiff necked!

I examine these things in me… and I ask questions. I ask, “Why would I do such a thing with this knowledge He has blessed me with?” So I prayed…and during my prayer, it popped out. It may be obvious to the reader, but for me, it was hidden until I examined. I noticed that at the moment of choice, with the information of His voice and the temptation, I choose the temptations at times because I love them more than I love obeying the Lord’s voice. What a huge lesson from God. Even though this is a hard confession to make in prayer, but I knew He already knew.. It was truth. I said “Lord, I am stiff necked Israel..  Help me.  I need to be built on the Rock and my relationship isn’t there.. I am stiff necked”. The lesson started to come from God..

Matthew 7:²⁴ “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

Oh, this is important. Around a year ago, I had a dream… and have not understood it until now. I was standing outside my church in the yard on a sunny day. All of a sudden, the light from the sun got extremely bright.  I looked up and saw a huge golden glowing sun, bright as ever. While looking at it, dark lines started to get drawn on the sun, blocking out the light.  As I watched these lines and things get filled in, I started to see an artery, a vein, and bam..the sun was covered with a beating human heart.

So after my prayer… about being stiff necked and the lack of a relationship with Jesus, I went about my normal reading of the word in my already planned daily devotionals. Around 2 weeks later, He started to answer… and this is where it gets really good. I read a direct answer to my prayer -

Deut 10:¹⁶ Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff necked no longer.

I then prayed, and said “How do I circumcise my heart Lord?  What do I do?” The lesson from God came a few days later in my readings of Deut:
Deut ⁶ And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

Immediately, the following verse popped into my head:

John 15:¹ “I am the true vine,and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

The Lord will circumcise. The Lord is the pruner. I prayed, “Lord, circumcise the foreskin of my heart. Prune me as you say you will. What is my part?” Immediately, I start dwelling on this.. Pruning shears.. Circumcision knife.. Sharp object… SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.

Eph 6:¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Heb4:¹² For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

…and there are quite a few other verses like this, for example… there’s a couple of times when Jesus and Peter were speaking the word of God and the listeners were ‘cut to the heart’.

The word of God is the shears..the knife.. the sword…that will cut, circumcise, prune…  Watch this -

John 1:¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Then one of the final words I get on this brought everything full circle, which was also in Deut 30 -

Deuteronomy 30:¹¹ “For this commandment which I command you today istoo mysterious for you, nor is it far off. ¹² It is not in heaven, that you not should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹⁴ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

I received the answer on the dream.. “..and the life was the light of men… and the light shines in the darkness.”  See, the darkened human heart was a foreskin over the True Light.  The true heart, the light of a man, which is in the heart, never goes any where.  It is covered up, masked… by society, by worldly things.  The Word, Jesus…He’s the knife.  The Father is the vinedresser, the pruner. The darkness gets cut away by reading the Word.. and the True Light is still there and will start shining through.

He answered my stiff necked, my relationship with Christ and many other things… with this lesson. It all pointed to the Word and Christ.  Of course, prayer.. the Spirit and the Father are all doing their part.  Blessed be the Trinity!

I pray this word from God continues to work in me and others.. May His blessed seed be protected and be implanted on good ground.  Lord, the Tiller, please prepare the ground of the hearts of the readers before they begin reading this.. I pray and speak to the evil one, let His people go in the name of Jesus Christ.  It is His will that all are saved. In the authority I have as a royal priesthood, I take this authority in-Christ and I saith to you mountain… I saith to you satan, be cursed and cast into the sea.  In Jesus name, amen..amen..amen.

joseph

If you enjoyed this article by Joseph, you may also like: Keep it Simple Servant or Lesson from God – Stiff necked Pt2

 Lesson from God - Stiff necked Pt1 originally written at Serious Things

Boy, do I over complicate things. Keep It Simple Servant! Faith and obedience, it’s really that simple.

Obedience is an action – Moses, strike the Nile with your rod. Raise your rod Moses. Strike the rock with your rod Moses. March around Jericho 7 times and shout. Lepers, go show the priest you are healed. Pick up your mat and walk. Keep it simple servant – Have faith and choose God, hear His word, then take an action in obedience. Simple enough, right? It only gets complicated after my ideas start to get involved. I end up trying to figure things out myself (Proverbs 3:5-8). When I do this, I have walked right into the war zone, Spirit vs Flesh -

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William Shakespeare said, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.Today I invite you to consider yourself as an actor in a play.

Consider yourself up on stage in front of thousands of people who have come to hear you speak. For some, this is a terrifying thought while for others, it is electrifying. No matter how you feel about it, if you are a Christian, then that is a pretty accurate analogy for the life you are living.

Jesus said,

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a [basket], but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.

MATTHEW 5:14-16 AMP

Have you ever seen a play or watched a movie and witnessed the lack of chemistry and harmony between the actors? It’s horrible! It’s a big waste of your time because without harmony, the movie is dull, lifeless, and boring. You lose interest. You almost want to laugh at the actors attempts because they seem fake, forced and phony. Unfortunately that is the way that many people view Christianity. Many of us do not get along, we argue and treat each other with contempt, we run each other down. When we try to put up a ‘united front’ it seems anything but genuine.

But as part of this elaborate play, we have each been given specific roles and part of our job is to help one another to fulfill their roles, too. We are supposed to be working together as a team in perfect harmony. The Word says,

But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

1 JOHN 1:7 AMP, EMPHASIS MINE

The roles we play are not purely for entertainment. Your ability to effectively carry out the role our Creator has given you could be the difference between someone else having eternal life or eternal death. The Lord has the right people in the right place at the right time. He handpicked you out of the crowd. He saw you as noble, courageous, strong, brave and capable…even when you were just a random member of the crowd. You didn’t realize you were special. You didn’t know you had such a significant role to play. In fact, you are still learning how critical your role is to this play. With each scene you are slowly understanding that God is relying on you in order for this play to be glorious. This is your destiny.

Believers have no right to fade into the background. You are the LIGHT of the WORLD!

Sometimes this information is a lot to take in. Sometimes it is difficult for me to believe that God really does have a very specific plan for my life. When I look back over the years, I can see all that has happened has led me to the point where I am now, and it gives me confident hope for tomorrow. It is often times difficult to believe the incredible glory that is within our hearts. That’s because we’ve all made so many agreements with lies over the years, and only the Word of God can unveil the truth (see 1 Corinthians 2:10). My earnest prayer is that God has prepared your heart to receive the truth. The truth is this: you are much more than meets the eye. You could have been born anywhere in the world at any time in history, but God specifically chose you, your parents, your siblings, your place of birth, and your moment in time. You were handpicked for such a time as this. The time is NOW. It’s not a myth and it is not a fantasy. Before you were born you were destined to be like Jesus. Let’s read Romans 8:29-30 in The Message translation:

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.

(EMPHASIS MINE)

Amen! God already called you by name. He already set you on a solid basis with Himself. He already established you and He has already glorified you! Praise God!

Here’s a question for you: what if the life we are living has already happened?

There is no beginning or end aside from God. Jesus said He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end (see Rev 22:13). Many people believe the book of Revelation is written in past tense because the events have already occurred. Perhaps he simply had a vision about the future…but there is no future in eternity. I often speak of God’s existence outside of the confines of time. Since both the end and the beginning starts and ends with Him, He is able to see the “timeline” of humanity in its entirety. Therefore He has already destined us to be like Jesus. He has already called us by name. He has already justified us, we are already righteous through Christ Jesus and He has already glorified us – He has already completed the glorious work He began before the foundation of the world.

Wow. What does that really mean to you? Being like Jesus?

Is life really just a sum of day-to-day responsibilities?

Is that all?

What does God really expect from us? What does it really mean to be pre-destined to be like Jesus??? I’m so excited to explore this further!

After reading a brother’s post about Bible Study, I decided to put together a top 10 Bible Study suggestion list.

Proverbs 3:5-8 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

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James 1:12
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has
stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised
to those who love him.” James 1:12

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1. Be Thankful to God

The third priority in putting God first in one’s life is to show appreciation and be thankful to God, because it is of his fullness of grace we have all received grace upon grace, and since we are receiving what we were destined to receive, which is a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

We express our appreciation and gratitude to God by worshiping him in the acceptable manner with reverence and godly fear, and this is expressed in four (4) ways:-

1. Ascribing to the Lord the glory due to his Name

The main reason why we come and appear before the Lord is to humble ourselves before him because of his Sovereignty, and to express our grateful thanks to him. According to 1 Chronicles 16: 8-30; we are to; “Give thanks to the Lord! Call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing psalms to him; talk of all his wondrous works! For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; he is also to be feared above all gods.” Give to the Lord, glory and strength: give to the Lord the glory due to his name.

In Psalms 95 and 96 respectively we are told to; “Come, Let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song, for the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depth of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him, the sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.’

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

“Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name; bring an offering and come into his courts, worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; and tremble before him.”

We are told in no uncertain terms in 1John chapter one verses 3-4 that, “Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.” Therefore since Christian fellowship is with the Father and the Son, it is imperative that those who come before him are walking and practicing the truth, because, “God is light and in him is no darkness at all.’ And, “If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” True worshipers are to worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship him.

It is amazing and appalling to see how many people who profess to know and believe God, have very little respect for His word. They hold His commandments in gross contempt, and in the same breath, stand in awe at the doctrines, traditions, and commandments taught and practiced by men. Like Jesus Himself said to the Pharisees, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions.”

Only One God

Believe it or not there are many false gods which people inadvertently worship instead of the One and only true God. but even if there are so called gods, whether in heaven or on earth as indeed there are many gods and many lords, “There is but one God: the Father, from whom all things came, and for whom we live, and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live” (1 Corinthians 8:5-6).

Therefore, all credits, glory, honor and gratitude should be directed or channeled to the One and only true God, for to Him all glory and power belong, and it is He who gave to all life breath and everything else, and also in Him we all live , move and have our being. (Psalms 62:11 Acts 17:25, 28).

Unfortunately, however, we do not all channel our praises, glory, honor, and express our grateful thanks to the One and only true God. Whether wittingly or unwittingly, many serve and worship other gods rather than the One and only true God.

The Lord said to the nation of Israel, “To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other beside Him. Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire” (Deuteronomy 4:32-36).

The rationale for all this was for Israel to consider in their heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; and that there is no other besides him.

However, in order for God to distinguish Himself as the One and only true God, and distinguish His people from all others, He made a conditional covenant with them, so that if obeyed, they shall be a special treasure to Him above all people, for all the earth is His. They are to Him a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Those who obey the covenant are described as, “A chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that they may declare the praises of him who called them out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once they were not a people, but now they are the people of God; once they had not received mercy, but now they have received mercy” (Exodus 19:5-6, Leviticus 19:30; 26:2; 1 Peter 2:9)

1. Bring an Offering and come before his Courts

Bringing an offering before the Lord on his appointed holy convocation is the main objective for presenting ourselves before him. As a matter of fact, it is stated quite categorically in the book of Leviticus chapter 23: verse 37; “ These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day.”

This offering which we are to offer to the Lord whenever we present our selves before him, regularly, on every festival, and holy convocation is known as the burnt offering; with its grain and drink offering. This offering is so special and of such intrinsic importance, that it is, “Besides (or in addition to) the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your free will offerings which you give to the Lord.”

This special offering is of intrinsic importance: it is the offering which Jesus Christ as our High Priest is appointed to offer on behalf of our sins. In the book of Hebrews chapter 5: verse 1, and Chapter 8: verse three respectively states that; “Every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” And, “For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One (Jesus Christ) also have something to offer.”

This offering is of such great importance and valuable to God on behalf of our sins, it is required from our hands not only at the appointed festival or holy days, but also on a regular basis. This offering is as equally important and useful, as it is sacred and sanctified. The Lord said to Moses; “Command the children, and say to them, ‘My offering, my food for my offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to me, you shall be careful to offer to me at their appointed time.”

The Lord continues; “This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs in their first year without blemish (the shadow of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God), day by day, as a regular burnt offering. The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening.’ It is a regular burnt offering which was ordained at Mount Sinai for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord.”

A burnt offering as clearly indicated is, a combination of; an animal sacrifice without spot or blemish, with its accompanying grain offering, and it’s accompanying drink offering. In the Book of Numbers chapter fifteen, the Lord said to Moses; “All who are native born shall do these things in this manner, in presenting an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. And if a stranger sojourns with you, or whoever is among you throughout your generations, and would present an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord, just as you do, so shall they do. One ordinance shall be for you of the congregation and for the stranger who sojourns with you, an ordinance for ever throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the stranger be before the Lord. One law and one custom shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

• A Thanksgiving Offering to God.

Before Christ was led to be crucified, he said to his disciples, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. And he took a cup and when he had given thanks he said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes:’ And, “He took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (Lk.22:15-19).

Bread and wine is the designated thanksgiving offering attributed to the Melchizedek Priesthood from inception, because after Abram returned from rescuing his nephew lot, “Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand” (Gen.14:17-20).

To Moses the Lord said, “Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: See that you present to me at the appointed time the food for my offerings made by fire, as an aroma pleasing to me.” Say to them; this is the offering made by fire that you are to present to the Lord: two lambs a year old without defects, as a regular offering each day” (Num.28:1-3).

This regular burnt offering consisted of:-

• The lamb which represented Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself up for us as a sweet smelling aroma and sacrifice pleasing to God. (Eph.5:2).
• The grain offering which was made up of fine flour mixed with pressed olive oil represents the broken body of Jesus Christ in the form of unleavened bread
• The drink offering which was a quart of a hin of a fermented drink (wine) represents the blood of Jesus Christ.

The rationale behind the morning and evening thanksgiving offering is explained by David, in the psalms and in his last instructions to the Levites. In the psalms he wrote; “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your loving kindness in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten stringed lyre and the melody of the harp, for you make me glad by your deeds,

O Lord. How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts! The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed” (Ps. 92:1-4).

And in his final instructions to the Levites, David instructed that; “They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the Lord on Sabbaths, and at New Moon festivals, and at appointed feasts” (1Chro.23:30-31).

Previous Articles – Put God First – Part #1 - Put God First – Part #2