Called by God and no other

Do we need mankind to ordain us to the role we are called to live?  Is it enough to be called by God and God alone through the grace of Jesus Christ?  Paul was NOT ordained by any human. This man who was a DEVOUT Jew, who followed the laws perfectly, who believed he was doing God's work, he did not get the approval of other Pharisees, other temple rulers, to go and preach Jesus's gospel message. He did have their approval to persecute Jesus' followers-

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

Act 9:2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

He asked for LETTERS to go to the Damascus synagogues. Those letters would give him the approval, the right to persecute any who were disciples of Jesus Christ.  He wanted to destroy this Jesus sect which would interfere with the life of the Jewish people, taking them from the truth as He perceived it to be.

Jesus CHOSE Paul! It was by a PERSONAL encounter with Jesus Christ that Paul was convinced that those followers of Jesus Christ that he wanted to persecute were really God's chosen! Paul had been WRONG, tragically wrong! Everything Paul thought was true was not true!  The Messiah he'd been longing for as his religion taught Him, had actually been born and his religion rejected HIM! His religion denied the Messiah, his religion crucified the Messiah!

Read the following all the way through, please--

Gal 1:1  Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

(((Paul was called by JESUS CHRIST, not by any man. Paul was called by God the Father who raised Jesus Christ from the dead.))))

Gal 1:2  And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

Gal 1:3  Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

Gal 1:4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Gal 1:5  To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

(((This is OUR prayer!))))

Gal 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

(((Those who were called to know the grace of Christ were quickly having their heads turned to another gospel- one that wasn't of Christ!  People were already perverting the truth!  As soon as there was a truth, then Satan raised up his followers to pervert that truth with their own gospel and tried to use that gospel as Jesus'.  Why do we even begin to imagine that all the various truths out there are all right in their own way, when there really is only ONE gospel, ONE truth? How do we know which one? We follow ONLY our Savior's truth in His word and none other. You say people interpret things differently so how do we know which is really truth? We study to show ourselves approved, we seek God daily, we search the scriptures, we never, ever stop being willing to be led of the Holy Spirit into all truth!))))

Gal 1:8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

(((Cursed were those who believe any other gospel than the truth!))))

Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

(((If Paul were going to please men he would NOT be God's servant!  How true is this for us too? If we seek to please people we will NOT be pleasing GOD, what does this tell us? What? Seriously? If we want to be men-pleasers we will NOT be God's because mankind does NOT want the truth of God, they want things that are soothing to their ears. They don't want their conscience seared by truth. They want the feel good religion, they want partial truths that are easy to follow.  Some want to feel a bit of anxiety because it keeps them feeling good, some will chastise themselves, some will even physically hurt themselves - punishing themselves and they call this the truth, but honestly men do so many things that are NOT God's will that we can't begin to name them all. How do we know if we are following truth?  We know what God's word tells us, and if we are out of line with the word of God, if any are out of line with God's word they are not in the truth. We all have to be accountable for the truth we are called to know. I can't condemn anyone's eternal life, not a single person. They might not have all the truth now, but I can't know they won't come to the truth later, it's not in my power to ever know how God will work in others. I'm accountable for my walk with God, and following the truth He gives to me. I'm accountable for sharing the truth as God gives it to me, but not for making anyone believe anything, that isn't my role. The Holy Spirit convicts hearts,  not me and not you!))))

Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

Gal 1:12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Gal 1:13  For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

Gal 1:14  And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Gal 1:15  But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Gal 1:16  To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Gal 1:17  Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

(((Paul did NOT conferred with flesh and blood when he was called! Paul followed God's will! Why are we so gung-ho for the approval of men? Why? Why do we want their input, their point of view. When God's truth is what we long to follow we do NOT need the approval of any other.))))

Gal 1:18  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Gal 1:19  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Gal 1:20  Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

Gal 1:21  Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

Gal 1:22  And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

Gal 1:23  But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

Gal 1:24  And they glorified God in me.

Truth.

Do I have all the answers? No. But God does. And God will give us all the answers we need. We must believe. By grace we will believe.

God is our hope, no other.

Please, Father, please be our hope and stay now and forever all through the grace and mercy of our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord, now and forever and ever!

Please!

Amen.

The power the Lord gives

2Co 13:10  Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

Paul, the apostle, chosen by Jesus Christ. Paul, from the Pharisees, a strict Jew, turned Christian. Paul, the chief of sinners. Paul, sought after for edification, sought after for his words given to him by Jesus Christ. Paul, a teacher, a preacher, a prophet. Paul, just like you and I, had a temper.  Paul chose to write to these Christians rather than visit them and he tells them why. 'Lest being present I SHOULD USE SHARPNESS.'   He didn't want to be sharp with them, he didn't want to be angry with them, he didn't want his words to be used for destruction. He wanted to teach them, to edify them, not reprimand them. He wanted them to learn from his writing to them so he didn't have to yell at them, and hurt them with his admonition in person. 

The truth has the power to cut, to wound, to hurt, to injure, to destroy.  We can't believe the truth isn't REAL, that it isn't powerful- it is! 

Remember this--

Heb_4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The word of God is TRUTH! Our Savior is the WORD of God! Our Savior is TRUTH!

Paul didn't want to HURT people with his words of truth, but he wanted them to have the truth, to learn from the truth, to know the truth, to live by the truth. 

The truth is alive, the truth is something we cannot deny and live.

We need TRUTH! Can we get the truth without being hurt in order to learn it? Yes, it's possible. We need to study, to love the Lord with all our heart! To want His truth, not the lies that please our ears, not the lies that are easy to hear. We need truth and by the GRACE of God we will get the truth we need by studying His word!

2Co 13:14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Paul ended his letter to these Christians with those words.

Paul wanted the GRACE of the LORD JESUS CHRIST to be with them. Paul wanted the LOVE of GOD to be with them.

Paul wanted the COMMUNION of the HOLY GHOST to be with them.

Paul wanted all this for all of US!

Grace, Love, Communion with God!

Please, Father, we would have the grace of Your only begotten Son. We would have Your love. We would have communion with the Holy Spirit. Please!

Amen!

God be merciful to me, a sinner!

Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

God be merciful to me… a sinner!

None of our actions, not a single one entitle us to eternal life.

Out of the blue a friend stops by and holds out a gift to you for no reason at all other than they love you. Were you entitled to that gift? No. Did anything you do warrant them giving you that gift? No.  Have you ever given anyone a gift for no reason at all other than you love them? Or do you live your life based on the - 'They gave me this, so I'll give them that,' system? Or 'I did them a favor, now they owe me a favor.' Is this the way you live? Does the opposite prevail with you then? They didn't give me this so I'm not giving them that, and they didn't do me a favor, so I'm not doing them a favor. Is this the way you think it should be? A constant giving and receiving based upon fairness of getting and giving? It's a sad way to live, it really, really is.   We can't give a single thing to our Savior to warrant the gift of eternal life he offers us.  When we keep the moral commandments we aren't keeping them to earn a ticket to salvation. They are just, they are good, they are right, they are love. I don't keep the Sabbath to earn eternal life, I'm not punching a card on a weekly basis to show I've kept the Sabbath. I don't earn points for every commandment I keep. The BEST I can ever hope for is by keeping the moral commandments I am doing the will of my Creator, my Redeemer and I am LOVING Him and Others!  And notice I said 'hope for', because people can keep the moral law perfectly and still do it only to the letter without the true love. People can put on the outward appearance of being commandment keepers while inwardly they are seething with hatred, with selfishness, with deception.  When Jesus gave the parable in the above verses He was trying to get across this message.

A Pharisee- upright in all ways following every moral commandment given and all the ceremonial laws, and all the various laws passed down from Moses, as well as living a life that to ALL outward appearances was perfect. Even in his own eyes this man was perfect so much so he could pray to God in the temple and THANK God for NOT being like those who were not perfect as he was. His pride was so vivid in his words, so blatant and yet he could not see that pride for what it was. He was so focused on his perfection and the imperfection of others that he was blinded to his own faults, his own shortcomings which made him anything but acceptable in the eyes of God.

The ordinary man not a Pharisee but a publican - a tax collector, one who worked to collect taxes for the government of Rome- read this excerpt-

'During the time of Jesus in first century Israel, there were publicans and tax collectors who could walk up to a man and tax him for what he was carrying, and much more. These tax collectors were hated and despised because they were usually fellow Jews who worked for Rome.'

From <http://www.bible-history.com/sketches/ancient/tax-collector.html>

A fellow Jew working for Rome, coming to the temple alongside of a Pharisee.  The Pharisee, a Jew who belonged to a sect of believers in God who were very strict and sought a life of purity hoping to be closer to God through their beliefs.   These two men were opposites on the scale - one living a pure life devoted to God and what they believed to be God's ways, and the other living a life serving Rome, yet acknowledging God. 

Which was justified? The strict ritualistic law keeper, or the one who recognized his filthy sin-stained life?  Only those who recognize their sin stain as something they cannot of their own selves get rid of will have the hope of being justified by Christ. We must GO to God to become clean! We cannot ever rid ourselves of our sins, they must be taken from us.  Even if we get to a place that we believe we are not breaking a single moral law, we cannot ever get to a place in our hearts that through a single prideful thought, a single unloving moment we are sinless, not ever! Only Christ in us accomplishes that! Only being totally devoted to His ability to save us from ourselves can we have hope, true hope!

Yes, we have moral laws and yes, we are to do all we can to love God and love others through following those moral laws, but in and of themselves they'll never save us. To shun them and outright refuse to not even try to follow the law of love is a slap in God's face. To accept them and comprehend they are given to us so we have the truth of love, this is embracing God fully.  Jesus kept every single moral law! Jesus revealed the love in every single moral law. Jesus went so far as to rip down the belief that we don't sin because we keep from physically doing what our corrupt heart lusts for.  Jesus revealed the moral law was much more than outward show. Did Jesus tell the adulteress her adultery was okay? No! He told her to SIN no more! However none could cast that first stone because they knew their own guilty hearts condemned them. They might not have lain with this woman and committed adultery with her, but it's quite possible they all desired her in their hearts, in their thoughts. They could ALL have been guilty of adultery in their minds and Jesus was there to reveal their true selves, telling them to cast the stone at her if they had no sin.  They couldn't cast that stone, not a single one of them. Did this mean adultery was acceptable?! NO! It meant they were all guilty of sin, guilty of death because of their sin!  All of them were in need of salvation, and all of us are in need of salvation!

By the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! May we comprehend His worth and our worthlessness without Him!

Amen!

Unveiling a deceiver

2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

A wolf can dress up in sheep clothing but it will never make that wolf a sheep, never. God sees through the disguises we put on for others, and even to fool ourselves. Self-deception is a very real thing.

Satan TRANSFORMED into and ANGEL OF LIGHT.  

Then how are we to know the enemy if not by what we are shown?  If Satan and Satan's ministers can appear to be ministers of righteousness then how are we to discern between the true and the false?

Isa_8:20  To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Mar 7:8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Jesus had this to say about commandments-

Mat 19:16  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Mat 19:18  He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

Mat 19:19  Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 19:20  The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Keep the commandments. 

The MORAL commandments!  This man kept the moral law from his youth and on up.  Clearly before Jesus' ministry he was keeping the COMMANDMENTS that Jesus was talking about.   He was doing good, what he lacked was the LOVE in the commandments- the loving God and others before himself.

Jesus DID NOT COME TO DESTROY THE MORAL LAW!

Mat_5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Yet people will swear up and down that Jesus came to destroy the moral law, they will! They'll tell you outright that Jesus did away with the moral law because He knew we couldn't keep it.  They'll tell you that we do not have to keep any moral law at all. They'll call the moral law the law of Moses not God's law.  They'll say the moral law was nailed to the cross.  Yet Jesus is telling people to KEEP the commandments, why? Why would He do that? Why?! Why would He tell people to 'go and sin no more' if there is no such thing as sin?!  If you do away with the moral law then you've done away with sin!  So in essence people are saying Jesus did away with sin and there is no such thing as sin any longer.  Are we living in a sinless world? I don't know about you, but I'm not!

The TRUE essence of every single one of the ten moral laws is LOVE- love for GOD and love for Man.

Luk 10:25  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Luk 10:26  He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

Luk 10:27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Luk 10:28  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Love. 

To do away with the ten moral laws- the ten commandments the laws written by the FINGER of GOD- is to do away with love!

So how do we know if people are DISGUISED as ministers of righteousness but are anything but righteous? We know by God's word, by God's moral law, by the truth of our Savior.  

Ultimately all the works of everyone will be revealed. Ultimately the hidden truths of everyone will come to light and be seen. The pretend minister of righteousness will be exposed as a deceiver and while a person may cry out they were deceived and didn't know better, our Savior can point to His word and tell them the truth was in there and they failed to search for it with all their heart.

Satan and his deceivers will do EVERYTHING they can to deceive, we are powerless on our own to keep from being deceived. We need God's truth! We need His word!  Is it any wonder people all over our world DIE to read God's word?

Would you die for God's word?

May the HOLY SPIRIT guide us to ALL TRUTH!

May we not be numbered among the deceived. May we NOT be found wearing sheep clothing.

Please heavenly Father, we would be YOURS, wholly YOURS through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior- Your only begotten Son!

Now and forever!

Amen!!!!!!!

Miracles can be deception

"It is indicated that those on the side of the Lamb "are called, and chosen, and faithful." (17:14) Little do we realize what faithfulness in that hour will mean. To all appearances, Christ has come. Spiritual wonders convince the eye. "   ((( The FALSE CHRIST that many will fall victim too))))

Mat_24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall DECEIVE the very elect.

2Co_11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is TRANSFORMED into an angel of light.

Rev 13:13  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

Rev 13:14  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.

There will be MIRACLES and they will NOT be from God! Miracle, real miracles, real supernatural occurrences that will take place right before our eyes.  It's hard nowadays to keep anything spectacular from the public eye, right? Something amazing happens whether it's amazingly awful or amazingly wonderful and it's in the news, it's 'gone viral' online, it's all over the 'twitterverse' on our phones, it's everywhere you look. We will see the miracles the wonderful, wonderful miracles.  The deception of those miracles will be GREAT! We know ALL but God's very ELECT will be deceived! So what makes us think we can be among God's very elect?  God's grace! God's mercy! These alone through the power of our Savior let us know that it is possible for us to be among His elect. God WILL have an elect. God WILL have a people here on earth alive when He returns.

Spiritual wonders will be DECEIVING the majority of people. We will be called OUTCASTS! We will be called CHRIST HATERS! We will be called the DECEIVED! We will be called UNLOVING! We will be called every awful hateful name there is by those who believe they are following God and loving Jesus Christ. This is truth. This is what we have to look forward to. The days prior to our Savior's return will NOT be pleasant ones for God's people, not pleasant at all in the way we imagine things being okay in our lives. Things will NOT be okay, not for those who follow truth and aren't deceived by the lies headed our way.

Our eyes will want to deceive us, our hearts will long for us to follow what the majority are following, we'll want to fit in with others, we'll want to believe the wonderful, miraculous lies being told, being seen. And we can't for one minute let ourselves believe that we won't be allowed to witness the miracles up very close and personal. Can you let yourself imagine a loved one being healed of a horrible illness right before our eyes, and us saying that miracle, that healing wasn't of God? It could happen!  We can't bury our heads in the sand and let ourselves NOT think of the reality that is just around the corner for us. To NOT comprehend will mean to allow ourselves to be more susceptible to being deceived. We need to see the truth! We need to know BEFORE, not during, not after, but BEFORE these things happen. Please LORD help us be prepared for the final hours before Your return! Prepare us with YOUR TRUTH! Let the Holy Spirit guide us and NOT because we deserve it, but because we do NOT deserve it. Our Savior died so we could LIVE and it's through HIM that we have HOPE of Your return, of being YOURS when You return! You are our HOPE now and forever, our HOPE.

Open our hearts, open our minds all to Your TRUTH, to YOUR LOVE!

In Jesus' name now and forever!

Amen! 

He's returning soon!

'Within the two chapters - the 17th and the 18th -certain time references are given.

The ten horns "receive power as kings one hour with the beast." (17:12)

 While the harlot's plagues "come in one day" (18:8),

 in "one hour is [her] judgment come" (v. 10).

 "In one hour" her "great riches is come to nought" (v. 17).

 "In one hour is she made desolate" (v. 19).

A close comparison of the wording would indicate that the same time allocated to the reign of the ten horns, is the same amount of time that these horns use to turn on the harlot and make her "desolate." (Compare 17:12, 17 with 18:19)

Rev 17:12  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

Rev 18:19  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

While a prophetic day equals one year (Eze. 4:6), the hour, if reckoned as a 24th part of the prophetic day, would be 15 literal days. However, hora, the Greek word for hour, can mean a short period of time, rather than a literal 24 hours. Whatever reckoning of time is used, there is one thing certain - "the final movements will be rapid ones."  (From a study by William Grotheer)

*******

The final movements will be rapid ones.

I did this as part of a study last night, a study I'm continuing today by the grace of God. I have to relate something that happened to me today in the grocery store.  I was wearing my "Got Jesus?" tee-shirt and a lot of times when I wear this people will react to it with various comments, so far all positive ones, thank God. Today a man in the story walked past the checkout I was at and turned and looked at me and said, "He's coming soon you know."  I smiled and told him that yes, I know. And he said, "Really, really soon." And I agreed again. Then He said (all the while walking down the check out to leave) Within 365 days." And I told him I hoped so!   It was a weirdly wonderful encounter that I haven't been able to shake.  I asked JoAnna (my daughter) who was with me, "What if he was an angel in disguise giving us a warning, an encouragement?"  We really don't know do we?  We can't know. I do know I haven't been able to get the encounter out of my thoughts, it was really intense. 

Jesus is coming soon! This is a fact! And you can shake your head all you want, you can point your finger and laugh at me and call me a fool. You can say that people have thought this since right after Jesus went to heaven and I'd say you're right they have, why should I be any different? Every single person that has had the hope of Jesus' second coming must believe He will come soon, we are living for HIM. We are living for His return to take us home with Him. We are truly ONLY pilgrims here on earth with our real home in heaven.  The Bible is full of cryptic prophecies that would encourage God's people throughout their time here on earth. One prophecy after another unfolding.  One of the most recent major prophecies fulfilled occurred in 1980 when the 'times of the gentiles was fulfilled'.  We know the prophecy tells us that the generation of that fulfillment would not PASS before Christ came.

Luk 21:24  … and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Luk 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

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.

Luk 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Luk 21:29  And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

Luk 21:30  When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

Luk 21:31  So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

Luk 21:32  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Because this prophecy was fulfilled in 1980 we know that generation will NOT pass- until Christ returns!

It's been 35 years since 1980, surely it won't be long now.

The final events WILL be rapid ones beyond a doubt.

15 days, a short period of time, as the end draws ever closer and events transpire one after the other, as we LIVE through the final prophecies may God keep our hearts and minds open to only His truth!  May we be ready for HIM when He returns! He IS returning! And He IS returning SOON, we must all comprehend this urgency, we must all seek to live for HIM as He wills, not as we will.

Truly we must ask ourselves how we should live BELIEVING our Savior is returning soon. I believe our answers will reveal to us where we need to pray more and more for Christ to work IN US HIS WILL through the Holy Spirit!

Please, Father! WE pray Come LORD JESUS, COME!

In His name always!

Amen!

The final movements will be rapid ones

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

I want to look at what a Biblical scholar has to say on this chapter-- Please bear with me as we study this more in-depth. It's too easy for us to just take the milk (the easy to digest bits) from the Bible and not the meat (that which is much harder to digest but nourishes all the more).

*******

"So much Adventist tradition has been built around the "angel" of Revelation 18, that it is most difficult to analyze just what is written without reading into the text some aspects of that tradition.

Rev 18:1  And after these things I saw another angel (((The "angel" of Revelation 18)))) come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

Rev 18:2  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

Rev 18:3  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

The message of this angel which comes down from heaven "having great authority" is similar to the message of the second angel of Revelation 14 with certain distinct differences.

Babylon has now become "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird." (ver. 2) Instead of the proffered wine which Babylon made all nations drink (14:8), (((Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. ))))

the nations now have drunk (perfect tense), and the leaders ("kings") of the earth have committed fornication with her and the "merchants of the earth" have profited by their association. (18:3) The union between the combined forces of religion - "Babylon the great" - and the governments of earth is complete. The dire warning is that the power which activates these religious forces is the power of the devil. To all outward appearances, he has become the undisputed sovereign of the earth.

If we understand the symbolism of this angel the same as the symbolism of the three angels of Revelation 14, it represents a "movement" under the direction of this assigned angel of heaven who is given great authority to carry out his mandate. But when will this take place? Obviously from the text, it is just prior to the pouring out of the Seven Last Plagues, because these are spoken of as still future in the context (18:8).

Rev 18:8  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Yet the message declares that the forces of evil have fixed their abode in Babylon - "Babylon ... is become the habitation of devils." (18:2) This prior event noted in the prophecy is the working of "the spirits of devils" as they gather "the kings of the earth and the whole world" to "the battle of that great day of God Almighty." (Rev. 16:14) (Keep in mind that Revelation 16:13-16 describes activity in "the last remnant of time" which is the justification of the sixth plague, verse 12.

The revelation of what the Harlot says in her heart –

"I sit a queen, and am no more a widow..." (18:7) - clearly defines the time of the message of this fourth angel as congruent with the "harlot" riding forth out of the wilderness on the scarlet colored beast. (17:3-5) While yet future, it is the immediate future! We can even now see the beginnings of this final confrontation.

Within the two chapters - the 17th and the 18th -certain time references are given. The ten horns "receive power as kings one hour with the beast." (17:12) While the harlot's plagues "come in one day" (18:8), in "one hour is [her] judgment come" (v. 10). "In one hour" her "great riches is come to nought" (v. 17). "In one hour is she made desolate" (v. 19). A close comparison of the wording would indicate that the same time allocated to the reign of the ten horns, is the same amount of time that these horns use to turn on the harlot and make her "desolate." (Compare 17:12, 17 with 18:19) While a prophetic day equals one year (Eze. 4:6), the hour, if reckoned as a 24th part of the prophetic day, would be 15 literal days. However, hora, the Greek word for hour, can mean a short period of time, rather than a literal 24 hours. Whatever reckoning of time is used, there is one thing certain - "the final movements will be rapid ones."

It is indicated that those on the side of the Lamb "are called, and chosen, and faithful." (17:14) Little do we realize what faithfulness in that hour will mean. To all appearances, Christ has come. Spiritual wonders convince the eye. ((( The FALSE CHRIST that many will fall victim too))))

The third millenium projects unity, peace and prosperity. For the human instruments to give the warning of the fourth angel will require an absolute confidence in the revelation of the Word contrary to all outward appearances. (((CONTRARY TO ALL OUTWARD APPEARANCES!!!!!!!))))

For those on the side of the Lamb will have to call the great return to "moral values" the working of Satan disguised as an angel of light.

Those who cannot stand for truth now, how can they expect to stand then?

The 18th Chapter closes with an illustration. A mighty angel takes a millstone and casts it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence shall the great city be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." (18:21) Pen cannot describe, the carnage, the anarchy - "the violence" - which will ensue when the inhabitants of earth awaken to the fact that through religious deception they have lost all in the battle of life and have joined forces with Satan against Christ.

*******

The truth is-- FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT!!!!

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

FEW there be that find it!  We have to comprehend this!   We will NOT be in the majority! We will not be on Facebook with a whole slew of people liking our pages as we like theirs and all is well. This is so much more than the pseudo religion that sounds so incredible wonderful to our ears, our sense of justice, of rightness, of good.  So many have a desire for good things to happen, for a return to morals and right living and so on and so forth, but that desire does not extend to them the WHOLE TRUTH and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH. They ONLY want the parts of the truth that make them happy, that please them, that keep them in line with others of like mind. 

The great call to return to moral values- WE WILL HAVE TO CALL THIS the working of SATAN in disguise!  Imagine telling your friends that you do NOT want prayer back in schools. That you do NOT want the Ten Commandments posted in our court rooms. That you do NOT want to keep In God We Trust on our currency. That you do NOT want to keep 'One nation under God' in the pledge of allegiance.   Go on, imagine you're saying this to your friends and relatives that are great advocates for all of those things. What do you think they'd think of YOUR religion then, or YOUR walk with God. They certainly wouldn't think it is a good thing, not at all.

Now why don't we want these things?

We don't want CHURCH and STATE together- it is CHURCH mingled with STATE that created the Papacy- a powerful force that mingled religion and politics. The Beast of the Papacy, and now the Image of the Beast- combining church and state. Remember, people who receive the mark of the beast --

Rev 13:14  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.

Rev 13:15  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.

Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

Rev 13:17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

More tomorrow by the GRACE of GOD!

Please LORD we would ONLY believe YOUR truth! We would only be YOURS and keep the truth fully, wholly in the face of ALL that is to come, all through the HOLY SPIRIT, all through YOUR POWER ALONE! Please LORD, save us!

In the name of Jesus Christ our LORD and Savior now and forever-- amen!!!!!!!