Let Me Sleep

 Why do you want me to witness your pain?

Why do you want me to see every hurt?

Why is it important to you that I agonize with you?

I can't understand why.

To see your grief, watching every single tear fall, why?

Your pain would be my pain. 

I would ache in the very core of my being to see you suffer.

My heart would break if I had to see all the agonies of life heaped upon you, upon your children, upon their children…

You say things like- I'm glad they are no longer suffering, 

Yet you say I am where I can see you, watch over you, and see you suffer.

What horrific pain it would be to watch and not be able to help.

To see your every action, to witness every step.

To watch you draw near to danger over and over, and never be able to stop you.

How can I not suffer terribly to see you suffer terribly. 

I would need to be made of stone to watch without my heart breaking over and over again. 

Tell me how I could smile as you cry? 

Convince me of the happiness I feel when you live in pain?

Shout out that I am at peace, all the while I see you at war.

Why do you want me to witness your life as it marches on towards death?

Why must you place me as one viewing it all, just so you can believe I know how much you love me?

How do you find comfort knowing I see your anguish every day? 

I am given no reprieve from the tortures of life if I must watch yours. 

I would rather endure my own endless pain than have to see you suffer, unable to stop any of your pain.

But I can no longer hide, if you believe I am a witness, then I do endure endless pain as I am forced to see yours.

Why, I ask, can't you imagine me at peace, unable to see, unable to know the agonies of the life you have left to live?

Does it sadden you to know I'm missing the joys of your life so much that you think I should endure the pain just to witness the joy?

How is this different from life?

How is this better than life?

How is this not something much worse?

How can you call it heaven?

Tell me, do you want to watch your loved ones suffer- is that your idea of joy in heaven? 

Is that your idea of a better place? 

The ultimate viewing box uncensored in any way for all those I love.

I get to see it all, and by all, I mean all.

You cannot pause heaven's view at will.

If you seek comfort from me when you hurt, I hurt to have to comfort, I hurt because you hurt.

And you call that joy.

And you call that happiness.

And you call that peace.

And you call that love.

For me to be able to see it all is evil.

I am not the Creator.

I am not the Redeemer.

I am not the Father God.

I am not able to endure, I am not given the power of God to know the end from the beginning.

I do NOT become a god!

What if…

What if I have to watch you slip from God's embrace into Satan's claws, and I can do nothing but watch as you are forever taken from me?

Let me sleep.

Let me be at peace.

Let me rest now.

Find your comfort in knowing I know nothing.

Find your comfort in knowing the next thing I will know is my Savior waking me from my sleep, calling me to be with Him- and with you as you join us on that great day of Jesus' return for all His children!

Let me sleep.

Do not keep me awake.

Let me sleep.

I knew you loved me.

God has you, look to Him, not me.

I am at peace. 

I trusted God to keep you, and He will.

Let me sleep now, knowing my God has you.

Let me sleep in peace.

Let me know nothing - peace.

Let me sleep undisturbed by the lives that continue on after I'm gone.

Let me sleep.

Ecc_9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing

*******

(Excerpt)

2. ANGELS ARE NOT THE SPIRITS OF THE DEAD

We cannot admit that the spirits of dead men ever come back to communicate with the living. And we affirm, upon the authority of the Holy Bible, that they know nothing concerning their friends here or of what is done in this world. Thus Job says: "Thou destroyest the hope of man. Thou prevailest forever against him, and he passeth [i. e., dies]; thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them." Chap. 14:1-21.

This testimony shows that after a man dies he has no knowledge of what befalls his friends here. It plainly contradicts the idea that our dead friends become our guardian angels, watching over us, sympathizing with us in our sorrows, and rejoicing with us in our prosperity. It plainly declares that after a man is dead he knows nothing of what befalls his children in this world. Here is Another testimony still more decisive; "For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything. . . . Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun." Eccl. 9:5, 6.

This text declares positively that the dead know nothing concerning things in this life. They have no part in anything that takes place under the sun. So says the word of the Lord, and so we believe. Indeed, it would be the source of the keenest anguish to a mother, after death, to see her children left destitute, abused, and led into crime and to degradation, as orphan children frequently are. How much of a heaven would this be to her? What good could result from consciousness in heaven under such circumstances? But there is neither reason nor revelation to support such a theory. Spiritualism is one of the greatest schemes that Satan ever devised for the deception and destruction of the human family. It is based upon the supposition that all the spirits who communicate are the spirits of the dead. We propose, therefore, to enter into a Bible investigation of this subject.

3. THE HEAVENLY FAMILY

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." Eph . 3:14, 15. By this we learn that there is a family in heaven.

Who compose that family? Not the spirits of our dead friends, but the holy angels who were created in heaven before man was made upon the earth. We read in many places of the angels in heaven. Thus in Rev. 5:11: "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands."

Spiritualists claim that these angels are the souls of the departed ones who once lived on this earth. As a man cannot die till he is created, of course if angels are only the souls of dead men, there could have been no angels until after the sixth day of creation; no, not even then until one or more men had died. But angels did exist before man was created, or even the foundations of the world were laid. If this be proved, the theory above named, that angels are the spirits of dead men, must fall to the ground.

In Gen. 3:24 we read that God placed cherubim to guard the way of the tree of life when Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden. Cherubim are a high order of angels. This was before any man had died; therefore they were not the souls of dead men. The word of the Lord to Job was: "Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job 38:3-7. 

By this we see that when God laid the foundations of the earth, the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. This proves that the heavenly family did exist before man was created; therefore they are not disembodied spirits.

Furthermore, men and angels are not of the same nature. Thus, the Psalmist says: "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? for Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels." Ps. 8:4, 5. 

Speaking of Christ, Paul says: "For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham." Heb. 2:16. Then in their very nature angels are different from men, and of course are not men. 

But does not the Bible say that at the resurrection we shall become angels?-It does not. Jesus says that the saints shall be equal to the angels, in that they can die no more.  Luke 20:36. But this does not intimate that angels and men are of the same nature.

*******

Angels: Their Nature and Ministry

 (Excerpt - for continuing study) Revised by J.H. Waggoner.  1891 by Pacific Press Publishing Co.)

Twisted, Sick, Painful, Beautiful Life.

 Time.

Time for us right now is finite.

Time when we die- ceases for us.

When Jesus Christ sounds the trumpet and the dead in Christ rise, time will begin again- and for those rising saved through Christ- it will be eternal time.

During our pilgrimage here on earth as the years go by we are caught up in a twisted, sick, painful, heartbreaking and also- beautiful life. 

Men's heart failing them for fear -

Luk 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 

Luk 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

Today, it is so easy to let ourselves fear. There is so much uncertainty in our world on every side. There is no such thing as feeling secure and safe in our life, not really. We can go days, weeks, months and years without too many problems, but that's not often the case. Some people live in a perpetual state of insecurity, uncertainty, feeling vulnerable and yes, scared, fearful. People can and do make themselves sick with fear and worry. Just knowing that we don't know what the future holds and only appears grim, can trouble us deeply. So much in our lives scream out for us to worry and be afraid. 

God tries to tell us this very important lesson we’re likely to forget-

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

Mat 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 

Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 

Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 

Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 

Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 

Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

So much TRUTH to learn!

We are living in very tumultuous times. And we have every reason to fear should we choose to allow this temporary life take precedence over our eternal life.

We are to SEEK the Kingdom of God and His righteousness FIRST before anything else- before money, food, clothes, shelter, health, all things.

Help us to this end, Lord. We would not that our hearts fail us for fear looking after the things coming, no matter what those things are. We ask that You uphold us with the right hand of Your righteousness and give us the peace that passes ALL understanding! Help us to trust in You with ALL our heart and lean NOT to our own understanding. We can't hope to understand what isn't ours to do so. Satan would have us understand everything, but he is evil and wants us to take our eyes off you and keep them on ourselves. Please, Lord, help us to keep our eyes EVER on you even as our individual lives fall apart piece by piece around us, never staying the same, never staying in a place we can be secure and content. Let us fine our security in YOU, no matter what chaos befalls us! Please, LORD, save us from ourselves! Save us! Keep us from evil! Keep our Hearts so they don't fail!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!!!!!! Amen!

CONTINUED- 

(Excerpt)

Christ and the Pharisees -OR Christ's Faithfulness in Sabbath-Keeping.

BY A. T. JONES. 1894 [Religious Liberty Library, No. 18] [Cont.]

But that was not the end of the story. They did this to save the nation from the Romans. They said, If we let this man thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation. They did not let him alone, and the Romans came and took away both their place and nation forevermore. Their efforts to save the nation destroyed the nation. 

Self-efforts for salvation will always destroy him who makes them.

But let us follow this in its direct intent and purpose. Their efforts to save the nation, not only brought destruction to the nation; but the thing which they did that night settled the doom of destruction for that nation forever. There was no more salvation for that nation, as such, after that night, than there was for Sodom when Lot went out of it. It was only a question of time when the destruction would come. And in view of that destruction Jesus sent forth his disciples with the everlasting gospel of this same Saviour whom they had crucified; to call every one in the nation, as an individual, to believe on him, not only for salvation from self, but for salvation from this destruction that was so certain to come.

Every believer in Jesus escaped the destruction that was to come. Those who did not believe on him, did not escape. From that time forth they needed Jesus Christ for their salvation in this life as well as for the other life. They were just as dependent upon Jesus Christ to save them from the ruin that was to come, as they were dependent upon him to save them from their own personal sins. And he gave them a sign by which they were to know when to flee for their lives and escape that ruin:-

"When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountain; let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto; let them that are in the midst of it depart out; let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return hack to take his clothes. But pray ye that your flight he not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day, for these be the days of

vengeance. Luke 21:20-22; Matt. 24:16-20.

So the doom of the nation was fixed that night. And all that the Lord himself could do for them after that was to send his saving message to the whole nation, to all the people, telling them to believe in Jesus and they would be saved out of the nation, and from the ruin that was to come upon all the nation who did not believe.

We have already spoken of a parallel to this line of things in our day. Let us notice this further now. There have been in this nation for nearly fifty years now, a people, the Seventh-day Adventists, giving a special message in which God's ideas of the Sabbath are most prominently advocated, believed, and observed. The Pharisees and the doctors of the law saw it when it began, and they have watched it ever since; and they have said, "O, it will amount to nothing; this is just a little flurry; their preaching creates quite a stir for a little while, but as soon as they are gone, the whole thing will die out, and it will amount to nothing." They have said that at the beginning, and all the way along; but steadily they have seen that it does not work that way. Steadily they have seen God's ideas of the Sabbath finding a place among the people, more and more, and becoming more widespread. Although the word might be spoken in weakness, there was that about the words that were spoken, which caused them to linger with the people, and to stay in a person's heart for twenty years or more, and at last bring him to God. They saw it doing this. And then they saw that they would have to take more active measures than that, if they were going to maintain man's ideas of the Sabbath against the Lord's, and they did it. They enforced the State Sunday laws to a greater or less extent at different times, and in different places; but that did not stop the spread of God's Sabbath. Still it went on. Then they said, "If we let this thing alone, and let this people alone, this will become a whole nation of Sabbath-breakers. They go into a community and preach, and they get only a few at the most, and probably none at all, to keep the Saturday; but they break up the people's keeping Sunday, and therefore they are simply making the nation a nation of Sabbathbreakers; and it must be stopped, or the nation will perish for Sabbath-breaking; the judgments of God will come upon the land, and destroy us all."

Therefore they were compelled to have the power of the nation joined to them to put under foot and crush out pf existence, as far as lay in their power, God's idea of the Sabbath, and exalt man's. They tried it little by little, and more and more, upon the national legislature and the national power; but large numbers of the national legislature, like Pilate of old, said at first: "We find no fault in this; we will have nothing to do with it; attend to it yourselves; it is a controversy of your own; it is a religious matter; and if it comes up here, we will vote against it, every one of us." Scores of them said that. Then these Pharisees and doctors of the law said to the representatives of the government, "If you do not do what we ask of you, if you do not vote for that Sunday law, setting up Sunday here for the Sabbath of this nation, we will never vote for one of you again as long as we live, for any office under the sun." 

Then too, just like Pilate at last, these legislators surrendered and said, "We will do it-we will do it." They sat down in their official seat and took jurisdiction of the case, under the threats of these Pharisees and doctors of the law. And in the doing of this, these Pharisees and doctors of the law did as certainly turn their backs upon God, and join themselves to Cesar-to earthly power-as did the Pharisees and priests and doctors of the law of old. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation; the power of God belongs to every professor of the gospel, and he who has the power of God cannot possibly have any other. No power can be added to the power of God. 

Then he who professes the gospel, and calls for any other power, denies the power of God; and when he denies the power of God, and puts his confidence in the power of man, whether man as an individual, or man assembled in governments, he puts his trust in human power instead of the power of God. And when these people sent up their petitions and their prayers to Congress instead of to God, they turned their backs upon the Lord, upon the power

that goes with the gospel, and turned their attention to man for their help, to carry out this work in which they were engaged.

And thus they got Congress-yes, they got the whole government of the United States-to take jurisdiction of the case. They took the fourth commandment as recorded in God's word, and put it in the official record of the governmental proceedings, and then deliberately changed it. They definitely and purposely put the Sabbath of the Lord, the seventh day, out of God's commandment, and put the Sunday of the papacy in its place. They said the words Sabbath day "may mean Saturday or Sunday; it may be one day or the other, and we declare that it is and shall be the first day of the week commonly called Sunday," and that that is the meaning of the fourth commandment. Thus under these threats the Pharisees and the doctors of the law of to-day, got the governmental authority to do just what it did back yonder,-they got the governmental power to put the Sabbath of the Lord under foot, and as far as lies in their power, to crush it out of existence, and put man's ideas of the Sabbath in it instead. That thing is done. Everybody on earth knows that that is past. And to day we are that far along in the record made by Jesus in his faithfulness to Sabbath-keeping. This nation stands now where that nation stood when it rejected Jesus Christ because of his ideas of Sabbath-keeping. Back there they did it to maintain their own ideas of the Sabbath against the

Lord's, and they did it to save their nation. And these here did it for the same purpose. Three United States senators, each one in his place, said definitely that this must be done for the salvation of the nation. Two of them had more to do than any others to carry it through, and the third one not much less,-Senators Hawley of Connecticut, Colquitt of Georgia, and Frye of Maine, each of the three placed the salvation of the nation as the purpose of setting up. Sunday as the Sabbath under these threats. Then, as the same thing has been done here and now by the like parties, for the same purpose, and by the same means, we are that far along in the account. Then what comes next? Will the rest of the account be met? Must assuredly it will; for it was all written for us.  (To Be Continued…)

Returned to Christ, or Christ Returns For Us?

 You have been warned.

You have been given all you need to know about the coming of the Lord and when it is close.

Again, I say that and you respond with people have been thinking the Lord was coming for 2000 years, what makes today any different?

Nothing. I tell you in truth, nothing.

By faith each and every Christ follower who has believed Christ was coming soon, and then died before seeing His return, they died in faith. They died and the next thing they'll know is Christ's return when He calls them up from their graves.

Do you see? They didn't die in vain. Their belief in the soon coming of the Lord wasn't a folly. They didn't die in disappointment. They died knowing that in truth the Lord was going to return, just not in their day.

Tell me this? Why does it matter that we believe in Christ's soon return if when we die we go right to Him? 

If we are to be returned to Christ, and not Christ returning for us, does it matter?

In TRUTH we are NOT returned to Christ when we die as so many millions believe. Christ has no reason to return IF we all just go to Him when we die. Just wiping us all out in some natural catastrophe would have all who are His with him, if that were true. 

The word of God tells us that the DEAD in CHRIST shall rise when Christ returns. Why do the dead need to rise if they are already with Christ? Why? WHY? Don't ignore this question! Don't pass over this as if it weren't a valid question! DO NOT shun the Holy Spirit pricking your conscious right this very moment! DO NOT let Satan keep the blinders on you! DO NOT let Satan  stop your ears up with His cherished, comfortable lies! You've believe the dead go to heaven ALL YOUR LIFE! You believe their spirit holding all their thoughts and memories are all intact and has flown off to heaven to be with Jesus and all the others who have gone on before them. ALL your friends believe this! Your church believes this! Your ministers, pastors, priest all believe this to be truth! Remember BROAD is the way and many are going that way but it won't lead to SALVATION! STOP believing the lies!

The dead are in their graves, their thoughts have perished, they sleep death's sleep and know ABSOLUTELY nothing until Jesus returns! 

They died in their hope of Jesus' soon coming and to them, the next thing they will know is His coming for them as He calls them from the grave!

Jesus will return. This awful sin filled world will be made new. There is an end of all sin, of all the results of sin- all tears, fears, pain, hate, agony, heartache, all of this will be gone completely and utterly and this will happen, first, Christ will return for ALL His followers, all His believers, all those He knows as His- dead and alive since the world was created. 

I want this evil world to end. I want evil to end. I want my SAVIOR to return!

I am watching as we are told to do.

I am praying as we are told to do.

I am studying the signs as we are told to do.

My Savior is coming soon. The prophecies are almost all complete.

We have the end of probation next, those who receive the mark of the beast right before that time (in their thoughts and actions are marked as Satan's) will be marked, and then a time of terrible trouble in which the plagues will fall, and the battle of the great day of God almighty will take place. 

During the time of trouble, as the plagues fall over the world here and there, as Satan makes his final stand before He is bound for 1000 years, we who are Christ's will be protected. It will NOT be a happy time for us, we will be tormented and tried by Satan mercilessly, but we will be Christ's and He will be our hope through it all, through all the darkness we will face.  We still have a lot to go through, but it will be cut short.

Mar_13:20  And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

Watch and pray, watch and pray, watch and pray.

May we be ready and found in Christ when He returns, and if we are blessed to be among those who are alive when He returns, may we strong in HIM and HIS righteousness, enduring all that may come through the power of the Holy Spirit!

All through Jesus Christ our LORD and SAVIOR, now and forever! AMEN!!!!!!!

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

OBJECT OF MATTHEW 24

Now we have a most important consideration to present to the minds of the readers. We think we have given facts and reasonings to prove that the coming of the Lord, mentioned in Matthew 24, is a literal, personal, visible coming. We have no idea that these facts can be controverted, or that these reasonings can be refuted. But if the question be asked of us, Do you, then, believe that the instruction of this chapter was given to prove that the second coming of Christ will be literal and personal, even as his first was? we answer, No, we do not. No such object was in view; no question concerning the nature of his coming was asked. Mark well this point. The disciples did not ask him, Master, will you actually come to this world again, that we may behold you personally as we see you now? No, no; this was not yet a matter of query. The Universalist, or spiritualizing, view of the second coming was not yet invented. Nor did the Saviour say, When ye see these things, then ye may know that my coming is personal and visible.

The question was, "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" It was a question concerning a certain event, and the time of its fulfillment; and the answer was to this question, and to no other. And to this it was direct: "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." 

Thus is shown the great mistake made by a majority of those who study this chapter. They appear to think that the sole object of the Saviour was to guard his followers against the idea that they can know anything about the time of his coming. But, to the contrary, he leads our minds down through a series of events and signs with the special object that we may know the time, not,  indeed, the day nor the hour, but the time when it is near,–very near, even at the doors. 

Verse 36 is often perverted when it is used to justify the oft-repeated assertion that "we cannot tell anything about the time of the Lord's coming." When our opposers quote this verse, we accept its statement fully and cheerfully. They seem to have exceeding strong confidence in our Saviour's words, that we cannot tell the day nor the hour. We have equal confidence in this

declaration. But will they accept, with the same confidence, the statement in verse 33, which gives assurance that we may know when it is near? If they accept this as they do verse 36, then the controversy of this chapter is ended. If they do not accept it, but still insist that we cannot know, then how can they consistently claim to be believers of the Saviour's words? We invite all readers to look candidly at this point, and answer to their own hearts before God this question: For what was the instruction of this chapter given? If the Lord did not intend that his people shall know anything about the time, what is the meaning of the words in verse 33? He says  that we may know when his coming is near, and we have too much reverence for, and fear of, his word to contradict him. And more than this, we believe that verse 33 is not merely

instructive but also preceptive. It contains not only a statement, but a commandment. It does not barely inform us that we may know, but it commands us to know. The original shows, but the English does not plainly show, that the Saviour spoke in the imperative; and therefore no one can justly claim exemption, and say it makes no difference whether we know or do not. To say that we cannot know is to slight the words of the Lord. To refuse to diligently and prayerfully search in order to know, is to disobey the Lord's commandment. Reverence, humility, and a spirit of obedience, all call for a careful examination of our Saviour's teachings, and a reception of the evidence of his near coming. By many the evidences of the soon coming of Christ are considered insufficient to base faith upon. But mark: the testimony

and acts of one man condemned the people destroyed by the flood. The evidences then were sufficient, otherwise the world would not have been condemned. But behold the evidences which come pouring in upon us on all sides that the day of the Lord is near, and hasteth greatly. We follow down the numerous prophetic chains of Daniel, and of the Revelation, and we find ourselves in every instance standing just before the day of wrath. We see the signs spoken of by prophets, by Christ, and in the Epistles, fulfilling or fulfilled. And at the right time, and in the right manner, to fulfill certain prophecies, a solemn message arises in different parts of the world: "Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand." Joel 2:1. Wherever we look, we see prophecy fulfilling. And while the knowledge of God and the spirit of holiness are departing, spiritual wickedness like a flood covers the land. But these evidences are considered insufficient to rest faith upon. Well, what kind of evidence is required? "When the signs of the end," says the skeptic, "are fulfilled, they will be so plain that no one can doubt." But if the signs are of such a nature, and are fulfilled in such a manner, as to compel all to believe in the coming of Christ, how can it be as it was in the days of Noah? Men were not then compelled to believe. But eight believing souls were saved, while all the world beside sunk in their unbelief beneath the waters of the flood. God has never revealed his truth to man in a manner to compel him to believe. Those who have wished to doubt his word, have found a wide field in which to doubt, and a broad road to perdition. Only those who wish to believe find solid rock on which to rest their faith. "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8. He will find but little. It will be as in the days of Noah. A few will believe, and stand complete in God amid all the perils of the last days. "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32. Just before the end, the world will be hardened in sin, indifferent to the claims of God, careless about heeding warnings of danger, blinded by cares, pleasures, and riches; an unbelieving and infidel  race, eating, drinking, marrying, building, planting, sowing. It is right to eat and drink, but the sin is in excess and gluttony. The marriage covenant is holy, but God's glory is seldom thought of. Building, planting, and sowing, necessary for convenient shelter, food, and doing, are right, but the world has gone wholly after these things, so that they have no time nor disposition to think of God, heaven, Christ's coming, and the judgment. This world is their god, and all their energies of body and mind bow down to serve it. And the evil day is put far away. The faithful watchman who sounds the alarm as he sees destruction coming, is considered a "fanatic," a "teacher of dangerous heresies;" while a long period of peace and prosperity is predicted from the popular pulpit. So the churches are quieted to sleep. The scoffer continues to scoff, and the mocker mocks on. But their day is coming. Thus saith the prophet of God: "Howl ye; for  the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt; and they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrow shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it." Isa. 13:6-9. 

Most dreadful day! And is it near, and hasting on as fast as the rapid wheels of time can bring it?–Yes, it hasteth! It hasteth greatly! What a description given by the prophet! Read it, and as you read, try to feel how dreadful will be that day. "The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord; the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy; for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land." Zeph. 1:14-18. 

Now we hear the cry from the pulpit, and all the way along down to the grog-shop, "Where is the promise of his coming?" But the scene will speedily change: "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them. . . . and they shall not escape." The scoffing of the haughty scoffer will soon be turned to wailing and howling." "The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon everyone that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low." Isa. 2:11, 12. "And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of  the earth even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground." Jer. 25:33.

The last plagues, in which is filled up the wrath of God, waiting for mercy to finish her last pleadings; will be poured out. See Rev. 15:1, and 16 entire. Unmingled wrath of Jehovah! And not one drop of mercy?–Not one! Jesus will lay off his priestly attire, eave [sic.] the mercy-seat, and put on the garments of vengeance, never more to offer his blood to cleanse the sinner from his sins. The angels will wipe away the last tear shed over sinners, while the mandate resounds through all heaven, Let them alone! The groaning, weeping, praying, preaching church on earth, who in the last message use every means within their reach, and employ every power of their being, to sound everywhere the loud cry, lest the blood of souls be found on their garments, are now hushed in solemn silence. The Holy Spirit has written within them these prophetic words of their soon-expected Lord: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Rev. 22:11.

Now the ministers of truth have a message for the people, and gladly speak the words of life; but then they will have no message. Now their prayers and strong cries go up to Heaven in behalf of sinners; then they will have no spirit of prayer for them. Now the church says to the sinner, Come; and Jesus stands ready to plead his blood in his behalf, that he may be washed from sin and live; but then salvation's hour will have passed, and the sinner will be shut

up in darkness and black despair. 

It will be a day of mourning and lamentation, and famine for hearing the words of the Lord. "I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will  make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord; and they be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." James 5:1-3. Now silver and gold may be used to God's glory, for the advancement of his cause, but in that day "they shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord; they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels; because it is the stumbling-block of their iniquity." Eze. 7:19. Now they may lay up a treasure in heaven, in bags that wax not old. Now they may deposit in the bank of heaven, and deliver their souls, Then, overwhelmed with terror, they will cast their wealth into the mire of the streets; but "their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord."  (End Excerpt) 

Faith Not Force.

 Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Mat_5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you

Rom_13:10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1Jn_4:7  Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

I love you. When I say those words, what do I mean by them? I can say I love you to my husband and in the next breath say I love you to my sister, is the love the same? I can love a friend and love a child, is the love the same? I can love a stranger, and love my parents, is the love the same? Over and over again the answer is unquestionably-- no, right? Yet there has to be a common ground for the word love, a commonality something all those loves share. 

All those loves come from a place of truth. I'm not lying when I tell a stranger I love them, that love I'm loving them with is the love of their being a part of the family of humanity, the brotherhood, the sisterhood, the humanhood.  

Can you love someone and not like things they do? Yes.

Can any of these people I love force me to stop loving them? No. You can't force someone to stop loving. They can choose not to love you, but they can't force you not to love them. You've heard of unrequited love, a one-side love that isn't reciprocated, you may have even been in love that way once or twice yourself. Could that person you love stop the love you were feeling for them? No. Did they want to? Most likely, yes. It's not easy having someone love you when you feel no love in return for them. 

You can't force someone to stop loving you, and you can't force someone to love you. 

Love is a choice.

When love is offered there is an element of faith involved, there has to be. You are believing in something you can't see, but the evidence can be noted. Then again, that can be a tricky thing, the evidence of love. 

If two people have different ideas of what constitutes love, they might not witness the love appropriately. Have you ever heard the words- If you loved me you would do this or that? That's based on that person's beliefs of what love means. All the while that person could love the other, but just not share that particular belief.  The other person could turn right around and say, if you loved me you wouldn't base my loving you on that belief. It could end up being a very vicious cycle.  In the end, it's choosing to accept each other's beliefs of what constitutes loving each other, choosing to love in spite of the disappointments.  Or not. A lot of people end up apart because they choose not to accept that the other person can love them without sharing their beliefs of what love is.

Faith. Believing. The Bible says, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  In love we are hoping for a bond that goes far beyond anything that would or could break the love, and it's a constant hope, a never ending hope because honestly- everyone knows the years of togetherness does not mean forever- the hope has to remain, that substance of things hoped for has to remain. Love is not seen a lot of the time, the worst of the worst is laid bare, yet the evidences of love you have seen is what you hold on to. You hope, you have the belief in the love you share.  

I'm not just talking marital love, I'm talking in all our love relationships - family love, friend love, acquaintance love, stranger love. There is an element of faith- not that you'll be loved in return- but that the love you give goes beyond the boundaries of all that would keep us from being loving- even when we are not loved. Sure, it's nice to be loved in return and in marital love you definitely want that, and in familial love you want to be loved in return, but not in all those you love are you looking for others to return the love. 

Forced love. No, it's not a real thing. Even if you are forced to say the words, and to commit the actions someone tells you means you love them- does not make you truly love in return. 

Forced faith. No, it's not a real thing either on the same premise as love- you can be forced to say the words and commit actions, but that does not make you believe. 

The ones filled with hate will try to force love, and force faith all the while telling you they love you, they want what's best for you. Truly they have been blinded by the evil of this world- as they call evil good, and good evil. Forcing  love, forcing faith- thinking that it is okay to do so, is always wrong. 

We are all free to believe inwardly if not outwardly, and if called to take a stand outwardly and face persecution - at that time all the power you need to do so will be given you. Our Lord never forces faith, never forces love, His is a faith that never forces.

We choose to follow our beliefs, and we pray our beliefs are the beliefs of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, and our Heavenly Father, wholly aligned with the Holy Spirit. 

All through His love, His faith, His righteousness, now and forever! By His grace and mercy! May we love all, as He loved all, leaving all to Him.  Choose love, choose faith, choose God, choose Jesus, choose the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Guidelines

 Signs-

History - 

May 19, 1780 Dark Day (Sun darkened, moon not give light)

From  10 A. M. of the 19th till the midnight following (Day dark and moon hid)

Nov. 13 1833 Stars Fall as never before and never since.

Prophecy-

Mat 24:29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken

History- 

The tribulations of those days- The great tribulation of Christians. From time the Christians fled Jerusalem they were persecuted. They received a bit of reprieve when Constantine ruled and accepted Christ- however, he furthered the corruption of Christianity mingling it further with pagan rites. The term Christianity was no longer that of true Christ followers. The true followers of Christ divorced themselves from the pagan Christ followers and the persecution continued. Any who dared question the powers that be of pagan founded Christianity were persecuted terribly. Finally after years and years of tribulation, the pagan founded Christianity finally was slowed down in its reign of terror. A reformation occurred and slowly many were freed from its tyranny. The tyranny stopped escalating and years passed - the process being very long, for the intense tribulation lasted many, many years. Then… the head of the tyrannical rule was losing power rapidly and just before the head received a deadly wound… prophecy was fulfilled…

Mat 24:29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken

This was fulfilled.  It took many, many, years for these prophecies to unfold. We aren't  always given set timelines, but guidelines. 

******* 

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

FULFILLMENT 

1. The sun shall be darkened." 

We have but little to say on this point–not that there is not much to say, but that so much has already been said. The dark day is a common phrase to denote the 19th of May, 1780. Not long since a few were living who saw it.  The writer well remembers that, in his boyhood, aged people made frequent mention of it in relating notable points in their experience. Four testimonies only we here give, from authorities of indisputable reliability. A publication of the American Tract Society, entitled, "Life of Edward Lee," says:–

"In the month of May, 1780, there was a very terrific dark day in New England, when 'all faces seemed to gather blackness,' and the people were filled with fear. There was great distress in the village where Edward Lee lived, 'men's hearts failed them for fear' that the judgment-day was at hand; and the neighbors all flocked around the holy man, for his lamp was trimmed, and shining brighter than ever, amidst the unnatural darkness. Happy and joyful in God, he pointed them to their only refuge from the wrath to come, and spent the gloomy hours in earnest prayer for the distressed multitude."–Tract No. 379 of American Tract Society–Life of Edward Lee. 

Had the author and publishers of this work intended to give a forcible illustration of the fulfillment of this prophecy, they could not better have chosen their language for that purpose. But they had no such intention–they had not this prophecy in view at all, which makes their testimony all the more emphatic as evidence on the question. Dr. Tenney, in 1785, in writing to the Historical Society concerning that day, says:–

"Although the uncommon darkness which attracted the attention of all ranks of people in this part of the country on the 19th of May, 1780, was a phenomenon which several gentlemen of considerable literary abilities have endeavored to solve, yet, I believe, you will agree with me that no satisfactory solution has yet appeared."

Herschel, the great astronomer, says:–

"The dark day in Northern America was one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will always be read with interest, but which philosophy is at a loss to explain."

2. "And the moon shall not give her light." 

In New England, where the sun's darkening was most noted, the moon, though full, was totally obscured till midnight, when it came out with brilliancy. Here is the evidence that the darkness lasted fourteen hours–from  10 A. M. of the 19th till the midnight following. Many descriptions have been given of the intense darkness of the night. One said that if every luminous body had been struck out of existence, he could not imagine that the darkness could have been more intense. "Almost, if not altogether alone, as the most mysterious and, as yet unexplained phenomenon of its kind in nature's diversified range of events during the last century, stands the dark day of May 19, 1780, a most unaccountable darkening of the whole visible heavens and atmosphere in New England, which brought intense alarm and distress to multitudes of minds, as well as dismay to the brute creation, the fowls fleeing, bewildered, to their roosts, and the birds to their nests, and the cattle returning to their stalls. Indeed, thousands of the good people of that day became fully convinced that the end of all things terrestrial had come; many gave up, for the time, their secular pursuits, and betook themselves to religious devotions."–

Our First Century. It was startling, and overpowering, and even painful to the senses, because of its intensity. And learned men say it cannot be explained or accounted for. We think it admits of just one explanation,– the God of heaven–the Ruler of nature–hung out these signs in the heavens to teach the student of his word that the Son of God would soon make his second advent to this world. And we are thankful that the warning has not been in vain. The marked fulfillment of the prophecies has led thousands to look, to hope for,  and to rejoice in, the "blessed hope" of the coming of the dear Redeemer.

3. "And the stars shall fall from heaven." 

We may be permitted to notice this more particularly, as efforts have been made to show that no past fulfillment can meet the requirements of this part of the prophecy. We believe that it was fulfilled in the fall of 1833. Professor Olmstead, of Yale College, said that they who were so fortunate as to witness the falling stars on November 13, 1833, probably beheld the greatest display of celestial fire-works that has ever been since the creation of the world–certainly the greatest that has ever occurred within the time covered by the annals of history. It was more than a "shower," as it has been called. They began to fall as early as 11 o'clock, and increased until they truly resembled a showery but of many hours' continuance. We witnessed them in all their glory for nearly three hours, till they were obscured by the dawning day. And when the day dispelled the appearance, they were still falling as numerous as ever, as was proved by their being visible in the west when the advancing light of the sun rendered them invisible in the east. During their fall, the largest and brightest would leave a mark of light down the heavens like a mark of phosphorus on a wall in a dark room. When it became so light that the mass of them could no longer be seen, one would occasionally make its presence known by such a penciling of the sky. We here give an extract from an article written by Henry Dana Ward, in regard to the falling stars of November 13, 1833, published in the Journal of Commerce, November 15, 1833:– "At the cry, 'Look out of the window,' I sprang from a deep sleep, and with wonder saw the east lighted up with the dawn and meteors. The zenith, the north, and the west also, showed the falling stars, in the very image of one thing, and only one, I ever heard of. I called to my wife to behold; and while robing, she exclaimed, 'See how the stars fall!' I replied, 'That is the wonder!' and we felt in our hearts that it was a sign of the last days. For, truly, 'the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is  shaken of a mighty wind.' Rev. 6:13. This language of the prophet has always been received as metaphorical. Yesterday, it was literally fulfilled. The ancients understood by aster, in Greek, and stella, in Latin, the smaller lights of heaven. The refinement of modern astronomy has made the distinction between, stars of heaven and meteors of heaven. Therefore, the idea of the prophet, as it is expressed in the original Greek, was literally fulfilled in the phenomenon of yesterday. "And how did they fall?–Neither myself, nor one of the family, heard any report; and were I to hunt through nature for a simile, I could not find one so apt to illustrate the appearance of the heavens, as that which St. John uses in the prophecy before quoted. "The stars fell 'even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.' Here is the exactness of the prophet. "The falling stars did not come as if from several trees shaken, but from one; those which appeared in the east, fell toward the east; those which appeared in the north, fell toward the north; those which appeared in the west, fell toward the west; and those which appeared in the south (for I went out of my residence into the park), fell toward the south. And they fell not as the ripe fruit falls. Far from it; but they flew, they were cast, like the unripe fruit which at first refuses to leave the branch, and when, under a violent pressure it does break its hold, it flies swiftly, straight off, descending; and in the multitude falling, some cross the track of other, as they are thrown with more or less force; but each one falls on its own side of the tree. Such was the appearance of the above phenomenon to the inmates of my house." No description can give any conception of the grandeur and glory of the scene. As our memory recalls it, we feel that the power of God was manifest to make known to the student of prophecy that the coming of the Son of man is near. 

By comparing the testimony of the evangelists we find these signs still more definitely located. We have noticed that the greatest tribulation, or affliction, whichever befell the church of Christ was under the papal; Roman power. This power was symbolized by the "little horn" of Daniel 7, into whose hands the saints of the Most High were given for a thousand two hundred and threescore prophetic days–1260 years. This period commenced A. D. 538, and ended when the civil power fell from the hands of the Papacy by The imprisonment and exile of Pius VI., in 1798. For more evidence on this point see "Thoughts on the Revelation." The persecution began to wane under the German Reformation, and ended in the first half of the eighteenth century. To this the Saviour doubtless referred when he spoke of shortening the days of affliction for the elect's sake. The affliction ceased before the expiration of the days spoken of bar the prophet. 

And Mark says, "In those days, after that tribulation, the sun, shall be darkened." Mark 13:24. This was actually fulfilled, in that order. The days of the prophecy closed at the very close of the eighteenth century. The power was still in the hands of the Papacy, but unused; the affliction was passed; the long, dark night of persecution upon the church of Christ had come to an end; there was a respite "for the elect's sake," lest no flesh should be saved–lest the faithful witnesses for Jesus should be exterminated by the power and malice of the Inquisition. And in this time of respite, while yet the power lingered in the hands of the man of sin, the sun was "darkened–God's "signs in the heavens above" commenced their fulfillment. The darkening of the sun in 1780 was the greatest that ever was known, and it took place at the very time specified in the "sure word of prophecy."  (End excerpt)

Meet Him In the Air!

 A brilliant flash of light all but blinding everyone in the world, all at the same time, how is this possible! We have time zones, we have a circular world making it impossible for us all to see the same thing at the same time unless it's electronically broadcast and everyone around the world stays awake to witness the event. The laws of physics tells us a lot of things are impossible. 

When our Lord returns every eye shall see Him.

Rev 1:7  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen

Did it say all at the same time? The truth of the matter is, we don't how Christ's coming will be in all actuality. We have a lot of information on it though, a lot! Here, read some of that information.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of HIS COMING: 

2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 

2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness

Rev 14:14  And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 

Rev 14:15  And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 

Rev 14:16  And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

Dan 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 

Dan 7:14  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Mat 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 

Mat 24:31  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 

Mat 26:64  Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 

Luk 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 

Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 

Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

And there are more! 

What a blessed time that will be! Words truly cannot express the awesome wonder of our Savior's return!

History, YES HISTORICAL FACTS have proven beyond a doubt that Jesus will return! You can laugh and call me delusional, but I hope you won't. I hope you'll study the book of Daniel and Revelation - along with history.  I hope you'll realize that hundreds of years before prophecy was fulfilled it was predicted and came to pass- if some of it came to pass, the rest of it WILL come to pass beyond any shadow of a doubt! It will! May the scales be removed from all our eyes so we are ready for our Lord when He returns. May the truth be visible to us all, and may we live in the truth of our Savior's righteousness, His forgiveness, His grace and mercy!

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember when reading the excerpt 131 years have passed since it was written. History does matter.))))

THE ADVENT WILL BE LITERAL

The advent of the Lord will be literal and personal. It is literal in distinction from a supposed figurative or representative coming, either at Jerusalem's overthrow or at any other time. It is personal in distinction from any supposed spiritual, secret, or intangible coming, for which many now contend.

1. Analogy calls for a literal, personal coming. His first coming was literal. It is claimed, and with much show of reason, too, that his first coming had mostly to do with the spiritual condition of men. Yet his coming was literal and physical. His second coming will have mostly to do with the physical condition of men. Why, then, shall not his second coming

be also literal–in the flesh? No repentance or pardon is offered at his second coming. It will be for "the redemption of our body;" the resurrection and translation of the saints, and the overthrow of his enemies. We say further:–

2. The resurrection of the dead will take place at his coming. That is not spiritual it is literal. Many now attempt to spiritualize the resurrection, but we can see neither reason nor propriety in the effort. (1) Jesus said that he was the resurrection, and proved the truth of his assertion, and showed the nature of the resurrection, by immediately calling Lazarus from the grave. (2) When Jesus himself was resurrected, he left the tomb vacant where he had lain, and the angel who said he was risen invited the disciples to examine the place where he lay, to be thus assured that he was not there but had risen. (3) They who deny the bodily resurrection assert that the resurrection means the rising of the spirit out of the body at death, which cannot be true, for Jesus was raised the third day after death. It did not take his spirit three days to leave his body after he died! (4) When Jesus referred to own resurrection under the figure of raising the temple, "he spake of the temple of his body." John 2:19-21. (5) After his resurrection he showed them is hands and his feet to identify himself to them, and invited them to handle him,–to examine the wounds in his hands and his side. What more could be done to prove his

bodily identity, and the physical nature of the resurrection? But his resurrection is the surety–he is the first-fruit–of the resurrection of them that are his. As was his resurrection, so will be theirs. At that day "this mortal shall put on immortality." We leave it with the spiritualizers whether that is spoken of the spirit or the body.

3. The Scripture expressions demand a personal coming. (1) Jesus said he came down from heaven, was going back to his Father, and would come again. If his coming and returning were literal, so will be his coming again. (2) The angel said when he ascended on high, and a cloud received him out of their sight, "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:11. We cannot imagine how anything but a bold perversion of language, or a peremptory denial of it, can make of this other than an actual, real, and bodily coming. (3) Paul said, speaking of his

coming, "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." 1 Thess. 4:16. This was not fulfilled by Titus, nor yet even by the Lord himself; but it will be.

4. Paul said, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." Col. 3:4. The saints were not glorified at the destruction of Jerusalem. Peter said, "And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Peter 5:4. No saint received a crown of glory at the destruction of Jerusalem, for the Chief Shepherd did not then appear. Jesus said, speaking by his servant John, nearly thirty years after the destruction of Jerusalem, Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Rev. 22:12. This agrees with his words in Luke 14:14, that recompense shall be given at the resurrection of the just, which, as has been

shown, takes place when the Lord comes.

5. Taking the negative, we inquire if the coming of the Lord, with all its attendant glory, the resurrection and translation of the saints, the gathering of the saints unto the Lord himself, the

bestowing of fadeless crowns of glory to the faithful,–if all this took place at the destruction of Jerusalem, what have we to hope for in the future? All the promises of redemption, glory, and immortality, cluster around the coming of the Lord. If that is already past, what is our hope? It is not difficult to show that they who have no part in the second coming of Christ have no part in his glory, no crown of life, no recompense of reward. Giving that away, they rob themselves of all

(End Excerpt)

I Cry Out! Forgive Me!

 Eph 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 

 

Does corrupt communication come from my mouth? What denotes corrupt communication? Perhaps it is anything that can't be used to edify a person, ministering grace to the hearers. If this is true, then I suppose a lot of what I speak is corrupt communication, doing no one any good.  The tongue is a wicked thing, the Bible tells us so and I believe we all comprehend the truth of the matter. Who has not been hurt by the tongue at some point in their lives? Who hasn't been whipped bloody by the tongue? Who hasn't been stabbed through the heart, with the tongue? Is it any wonder we aren't to let corrupt communication come out of our mouths? That we need to be mindful of our words? Vain babblings, murmuring, gossiping, these are all indicative of ungodliness. We make excuses for them, I make excuses for them because it has become a way of life to complain, to despair, to seek sympathy, to want to hear soothing words, to receive pity, to cry out woe is me. How much easier it is to spout worst fears while hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, and yet in such behavior where is faith, where is hope?

The fiery furnace is burning so hot all around my life and it is exposing my many, many faults! The fire is burning away any pretense I've covered myself in and is revealing the horrors of my sins daily.

My outward man is clothed in filthy robes of unrighteousness and the fires are burning away the layers upon layers of fine robes I've donned to disguise the filth upon my flesh.  

Corrupt communication- If you have nothing nice to say… say nothing at all. My mother's words, and I believe a lot of mother's have tried to teach these words to their children. Nothing nice to say… say nothing at all…. No corrupt communication is to come out of our mouths. When our mothers were trying to teach us to only speak nicely, they weren't trying to limit our speaking of our sadness, our worries, our pains,  they were telling us not to hurt anyone with our words, not to say anything about anyone that we couldn't say in their presence, not to be evil in our speaking.  But such wickedness has come from my mouth, I've hurt many with my wicked tongue. The words of corruption flow forth from me so naturally it's as if I'm trying to turn the tide when I attempt to keep from spewing forth vain babbling, murmurings, corruption, wickedness, gossip, and so on and so forth.  

I CRY OUT…    KEEP THE DOOR TO MY LIPS, LORD!  I can't seem to keep it myself at all.  

You've revealed my corrupt communication to me by burning away the many layers of finely spun silky justifications I've made to excuse it, that which I've tried to hide my sins in, and now they're exposed and I fall at Your feet….

Forgive me, please, forgive me, FORGIVE ME! I cry out! FORGIVE ME!

(Excerpt)

EXPOSITION OF MATTHEW XXIV  24  (((Written in 1890 - remember that when reading- 131 years have passed since this was written. History does matter.))))

VERSE 12: "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." 

It is evident that both the abounding of iniquity and the waxing cold of the love of many, are fulfilled in the professed church of Jesus Christ. Men must first experience the love of God and of heavenly things before that love can grow cold.

Hence, common, unconverted sinners are not here referred to as apostatizing. And, again, the prevalence of iniquity in the unconverted world alone, should stimulate the church to greater

diligence and more godliness, instead of being a cause of apostasy. Hence, the iniquity here mentioned is in the very heart of the professed church, diffusing its chilling influence through the whole body. As the result, the love of many has grown cold. With this agree the words of the apostle:–

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady,  high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." 2 Tim. 3:1-5. 

Here is a catalogue of eighteen sins, all resting upon those who have a form of godliness. These are not infidels and common worldly sinners, for they have not a form of godliness; but they are men and women professing to be followers of Jesus Christ. And although they make a profession of piety as high as heaven, these very sins lie at their doors. And by reason of their example, and their chilling influence, many are led from the humble path to heaven, and their love waxes cold.'  (End Excerpt)

Christ! My Hope!

1Jn 4:4  …greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 

Col_1:27  …Christ in you, the hope of glory

Col 3:11  … Christ is all, and in all. 

We look at ourselves. We focus on ourselves. We are directed over and over and over again to consider ourselves. My whole life has been filled with anxiety. Okay, let me amend that, since I was about ten years old, forty-six years ago, my life has been fraught with anxiety. Before ten I was considered a shy child, the kind that hid behind their mother's skirt so to speak. I was most likely born with that shyness gene to start with and had in a mix of family trauma in my young years, and top it off with a huge dollop of very toxic chemicals seeping in through the basement of our house (a playroom during my youngest years) and what do you get… TADA… a big ball of introverted, anxiety ridden, self-loathing me.  Did you catch the last bit? Self-loathing?  Now, did you take particular note of the first word, SELF? The shyness, the anxiety, the self-loathing all of this created a me- focused on myself always and how I was feeling-- terror.  Terror so much so that the physical reactions of panic attacks - sweating profusely, shaking, finding it hard to breath, feeling sick to my stomach, intestines instant roiling,  my heart trying to beat out of my chest running, jumping, and yes, skipping beats in palpitations? Why yes, yes that is my heart during panic attacks. Is it any wonder I'm all caught up in how I'm feeling when the feelings are so extreme? Is it any wonder for a while there I became scared to even leave my house as a young adult? Avoiding any anxiety provoking situations was my life's aim because of those awful soul crushing, dream smashing anxiety physical reactions. Even today I avoid as much as possible situations I know could produce such reactions. I've limited my life in many, many ways because of the reactions life provokes from me.  I FOCUS ON ME. 

Don't get me wrong. There have also been times in my life that the anxiety has taken a rare long vacation. During those times I was able to do more normal activities without crippling anxiety and fear. I can't explain it, I have no answers. The anxiety monster living within me has periods of dormancy that come and go at will and they're out of my control.

What a long tangent I've gone on, all to say that I know as long as I look at myself, as long as I allow the anxiety fear in me to be my focus, my focus cannot be on Christ in me, my hope.  I have to gently nudge Christ in me to the side and let my anxiety monster step up to the plate, which I've done all too often. Of course, most of the time it's not a gentle nudge, the Christ in me has often been knocked off His feet and thrown through a brick wall from the force of the panicked monster of anxiety. That monster blots out any sign of Christ in me, making me look only at him.

My husband is a big promoter of facing fears to get rid of them and you know what, I wished it worked. I can face a fear and be all…YAY I did it, but then when I go to do it again and the fear rears up and sometimes that fear is overwhelming. It's never been face the fear and you've conquered it forever, but rather, oh good you faced it today and conquered it, but the next time you might not be so lucky. I can conquer a fear for a few years consistently only to have it jump up out of its long slumber and knock me off my feet. Surprise! I'm back! And the cycle starts all over again.

One thing I do KNOW and now, if only I could keep knowing, is CHRIST in me will allow me to live a life for HIM, no matter the fear. CHRIST IN ME, MY HOPE today, just today, I have to live for just today and whatever it may bring my way.

Christ tells us this-

Mat_6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

AND it's soooo true!

Please, Christ, be my focus. Help me get myself out of the way of YOU LIVING IN ME, doing Your will! Help me to recognize the fears as they rise up, and they will- maybe not this moment, maybe not an hour or even all day, but eventually they will rise up. Help me to recognize the fears and even as all the effects of the fears begin- physical, mental, emotional- let me to SEE YOU IN ME and not the fear.  Don't let the fear push YOU out of my sight! Let the fear go right through You in me, so that I never lose sight of You. Be merciful to me a horrible sinner, and let me live for You, please.

GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.

And I know, Satan loves pushing anxiety buttons whenever he can, he is in the world doing all he can to keep me of the world, and not of Christ! But You have OVERCOME Satan!

GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME!

CHRIST IN ME, MY HOPE.

Comfort One Another.

There are words of comfort in this awful world. Yes, I said it, awful world. Does this make me a naysayer, a pessimist, one of those people who can't see the good in everything? Maybe, probably, you know what, who cares…it is the truth.

This world is awful in so many ways. Even Jesus did not like this world.

Mar_4:19  And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Joh_8:23  And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

Joh_12:31  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Joh_14:30  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

Joh_18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Rom_12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1Co_3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

2Co_4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 

Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 

Mat 4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 

Eph_2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience

Eph_6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

This world has rulers of darkness, a prince of power, a spirit working in disobedience, a god who blinds minds, a devil who owns all the kingdoms of this world, worries, deceit, lusts. This world gives us pain in all forms without regard to anything- not even the innocence of unaccountable youth, or the feeble minded innocence of the aged. You can learn of the world's injustice easily. Caught up in a protective bubble where you don't even allow the world's noise- it's news, it's actions in your life- refusing to seek others knowing the risk of pain from them is high, even then tragedy can strike in a moment for you- there is no escape from the horrors of this world we live in. We simply adjust to the horrors as being commonplace, expectable, lamenting them briefly and moving on to preserve what sanity we have. We strive to find the joy among all the heartache and pain running rampant through our lives. We cling to moments of joy given, we soak up the laughter, we long for the elusive true moments of peace amid the chaos knowing none of these things lasts for long.

A world of chaos surrounds us all, and we all long for peace in a place where everyone TRULY has everyone else's best interests at heart and it shows. We live in a broken world, a society of deceit where people are placed in positions of power only to get caught up in the abuse of that power where wickedness is a way of life. We have governments wanting to rule over even the thoughts of people they consider beneath them. We have governments corrupted so completely, twisted so tightly that they no longer work for the people under their control. The highest bidder gets their way, and the god of this world, the ruler of the darkness of this world, the prince of the power of this world controls them all, giving them sheep's clothing to wear that becomes such a form fitting suit they can't remove it, but allows the wolf beneath to reign unchecked.

So WHERE do we find comfort for each other? WHAT can I say to comfort all who recognize the horrors of their existence in this awful world?

Three words sum things up and hold the weight of so much hope-

Kingdom of Heaven.

'For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.'  1Th 4:16-18

The Kingdom of Heaven Christ preached to us is real, in fact it is a reality like no other. Is it any wonder that the prince of this world has blinded the eyes of the majority to the reality of what is to come? They call it fantasy, fables, lies, deceit, delusion, demented, falsehoods, fiction… so many names associated with the Kingdom of Heaven's reality, so many cover ups and counterfeits.

We are to comfort one another in this awful world with the words of hope being the return of the Lord to take us to the kingdom of heaven with Him, because of Him, through Him, by His grace and mercy, His love.

See the Eternal Things.

Obviously earthly treasures are not to be desired, though because we live in a Satan ruled world filled with his evil we are inclined towards earthly treasures. We are inclined to believe we are successful when we have earthly treasures, the more the better. We are inclined to believe we are successful when we can give others earthly treasures. We are inclined to label ourselves and others a success when we can enjoy the supposed good things life has to offer. Our bent is towards earthly treasures and it starts at a very young age.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 

Our eternal treasure- one that can never degrade in any way, one that can never be stolen is the heavenly treasure of eternal life given to us by Jesus Christ.

We cannot manufacture this treasure. We cannot dig deep into the earth and uncover this priceless gift. We, in and of ourselves cannot produce even the tiniest bit of this eternal, and very precious treasure no matter what we try to do.

This treasure must be given to us by another, and not just any other, but our God- Jesus Christ.

We ourselves are made of the earth. Our very flesh and bones are simply broken down into dust.  We are earthen vessels, and have no power of our own- the power lies with God.

All the treasures in the entire world would be easily given up and rejected if we only comprehended in full the eternal treasure awaiting us.

Read the following and please, pray for full comprehension. We are NOT as Christ followers, going to have an easy temporal life- it just isn't promised to us at all.  When our hope is in the eternal treasure there is not a single thing that take that from us, not a single trouble that exists for us, not one bit of distress or perplexity, because we cannot despair if we have the eternal hope.

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 

2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 

2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 

2Co 4:11  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 

2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 

2Co 4:13  We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 

2Co 4:14  Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. 

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 

2Co 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 

2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 

2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

We need to spiritually see the eternal things, all by the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord!