JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD!

I'm troubled by something an Episcopal priest said in defending that church's elevation to Bishop, a priest living in what the Bible would call a sinful lifestyle.  This priest charged that the Bible was not 'culturally correct."  She then said, "We worship the God of the Bible, we don't worship the Bible itself."

This caught my attention because I've heard this many times from Baptist pastors.  A while back, a local pastor asked my wife:  "Which is more important; that we worship the Jesus revealed in scripture or worship the scripture that reveals Jesus?"

I told her that this "chicken or egg" question seeks to piously separate God and His revealed Word.  Generally those who do this are questioning the very authority of scripture and I don't think there's one among us, be they Episcopal, Southern Baptist or anyone else who is sharp enough to divide God and His Word.

Although the Bible is full of scripture that reminds us that God alone is worthy of our worship and praise; have you considered:
Psalm 56:4; "In God I will praise His Word,...
Psalm 56:10; "In God I will praise His Word; in the Lord I will praise His Word."
Psalm 138:2; "...thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
Certainly John 1:1 comes to mind.  "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, :2, the same was in the beginning with God, :3, all thing were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.  :14, And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..."

1John 5:7 continues,  "For there are three that bear record in heaven, The Father, The Word, and The Holy Spirit and these three are one."

Finally, Revelation 19:13 says, "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called, THE WORD OF GOD."

Let us stop trying to divide God and His Word.  Apart from the Word of God, we can't know God!
James 1:21 says that we "receive the engrafted word which is able to save your souls."
As there is salvation in no other name than "Jesus", it is apparent that Jesus is the Living Word of God.  He and His Word are One!  So when you hear someone asking if we worship the Word of God or the Jesus revealed in the word of God - Just tell them that we don't have any knives in our drawers sharp enough to separate the two...

This is AuThor with a little thunder...

WILL YOU BE LEFT BEHIND WHEN THE TRUMPET SOUNDS?

The Partial Rapture of The Church!

Whoa!  What do you mean?

 

Most Christians don’t believe that Christ is coming back in their lifetime, so they’re not ready for his return; ‘Not even thinking in that direction.

I believe in the literal second coming of Christ and I believe this will happen in my lifetime!  (Some Christian theologians believe in the Second Coming of Christ but do not believe in the Rapture of the Church as a separate event preceding his coming.)   Of course, I believe scripture teaches the rapture and I am suggesting that Christ will return in my lifetime and that a literal rapture will precede the return of Christ.

 Just as Armageddon is not a single event but a campaign consisting of three major battles over a three and one-half year period  – so the Second Coming of Christ is not a single event but two events separated by seven years.

The two events are:

1) THE RAPTURE – This is the Bridegroom (Christ Jesus – God’s Son) coming to get his bride to carry her to his Father’s house for a wedding feast.

2) THE RETURN OF CHRIST TO EARTH – This will be the prophesied  event of Christ setting foot upon Mount Olivet in Jerusalem to begin his literal reign upon Earth.

If I am correct to teach that this Second Coming will occur in my lifetime, this places an urgency on the the believer.  After all I’m 62 years of age.

Why do I say Partial Rapture?  What is that?

Does scripture teach that only those who are ready and awaiting his return will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air; and those not ready will be ‘left behind?  If so, a lot of Christians will be left behind – to endure the seven years of the Great Tribulation upon the Earth.

Matthew 24 and 25 deal specifically with the ‘end of the age’.  It is here that we find the parable of the Ten Virgins.  Matthew 25:

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'
7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
9 "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'
10 "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'
12 "But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Let’s look at scripture.

All ten were invited.  All were supposed to be in the wedding party.  So let me suggest – All ten were saved! 

I am told that by Jewish tradition.  The groom keeps the exact time of the wedding a secret.  It’s like a game, and at an hour of his choosing he sends the best man ahead of him proclaiming and announcing his arrival.  When the best man shouts, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh” then the wedding party quickly makes ready and the parade to the Father of the Groom’s home proceeds.  The Wedding feast last seven days!

We see here a direct correlation with Jesus, God’s Son, coming to get his bride, the church and carry her to the Father’s house for a seven day feast.  This is the Rapture!

But if this is indeed a picture of the rapture, then this same scripture suggests that NOT ALL INVITED GUESTS WILL ACTUALLY GO BECAUSE  OF A LACK OF READINESS!  In fact fully half in this parable don’t make the cut; not because they are not a part of the wedding party but because they were foolish and were not prepared when the call came.  Verse 13 challenges believers, “Watch therefore, for YOU know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”  ...and this passage and verse specifically refer to the coming of the Son of Man for His Bride.

This speaks NOT of the return of Christ to Earth, for scripture tells a sequence of events that will take place and following those events, the exact day of Christ’s return to Earth WILL BE KNOWN.

For the final battle of the Armageddon campaign will be led by the Anti-Christ and will be for the express purpose of stopping Jesus’ return to Earth to reign as KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.

So if scripture teaches that No one knows the day and hour of His coming; and yet we will know the exact day of His return to Earth, is there an inconsistency?  Not at all!

No one knows the day or hour of the Rapture of the Church.  If the Rapture is for the purpose of extracting the Bride to the Father’s House for a seven day wedding party,  then there must be seven days that the Groom is tied up for this wedding feast at the Father’s house;  hence, the belief that the righteous will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and immediately turn around to be with Him as he sets foot upon the Earth is not a feasible argument.  For seven days or one week of years will pass before he returns.

Fact is, that Jewish history is divided into 70 weeks of years.  This is what scripture calls it – 'Weeks of Years.'   Scripture also teaches us that 69 of these weeks of years have passed and one is yet to come.  Jewish history entered a parenthesis some 2000 years ago.

The seventieth week of years (called one week in prophecy and yet lasting seven years upon Earth will be going on simultaneously with the week long wedding party in Heaven.

So you see, that:

The Seven years of Great tribulation upon Earth is the Seventieth week of Jewish history and comes after the Church Age or the Age of Grace has ended.

But those NOT ready – not awaiting the return of Christ for His Bride will be left behind to endure the Great Tribulation upon the Earth.    

AuThor

Come out of the Wilderness!

We all know the story of the twelve spies who went into Canaan to spy out the land for the nation of Israel.  Ten came back with the majority report, "We can not, We can not!"
Two, Joshua and Caleb, filed the minority report, "I think we can, I think we can!"  Actually, they said, "With God's help we can!"

Have you ever found yourself being critical of Israel... for wandering forty years in the wilderness when by God's promises, they could have entered the promised land?  Have you ever voiced your bewilderment that they would not trust God; only to wonder, "What's my excuse?"

When we don't take God at his Word, we are just like the majority of the Israelites, failing to enter into the promised land because we don't trust God to overcome the giants in our path.
WE DO IT! When it comes to trusting God, with ALL our needs; we wander in the wilderness because we are unwilling to enter into His Promises.  The Word says, in Phillipians 4:19, "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus."
I believe God!  Don't You?

WHICH IS THE GREATER THREAT: FAITH PREACHERS OR THE APOSTATE CHURCH?

I'm confused again!  I'll admit that's not too hard for me, but I've wondered why the fightings against faith preachers while we ignore the mainline denominational heresies.

For example, one of our mainline denominations endorses theological pluralism to the extent that it is sanctioned within the church for pastors to reject belief in a personal God, to reject the need for personal salvation, and to even reject Jesus Christ as the way of salvation.  It further sanctions these teachings as valid options for church members as young as fifth and sixth grade.

So, we fight the faith movement, while ignoring someone who doesn't believe in God or salvation; while ignoring a major church that sanctions non-belief.  Instead of denouncing them we call them 'liberal'.  Well, I'm like Dr. E.V. Hill about that.  "They're not liberal, they're LOST!"

I ask you, who constitutes the greater threat to faith?  The one who tells you there is no God and that you have no need of a savior; or the one who challenges you to believe God for everything you have need of, including health and finances?

I'd rather be wrong about believing that God will heal my body and my finances than wrong about believing that I don't need a savior!  One has earthly consequences, the other eternal!
Let's fight the real enemy! ...and he's not flesh and blood.

AuThor

I Know God's Will For You...!

Recently, I heard a radio preacher say, "I don't know what God's will is for you!"
Instantly, in my spirit, I responded out loud, "I do! I know God's will for you!"  I know because His will is the same for all of us...

It's so very common to ask the question.  People who love God want to know: "God, What is your will for me?" "What is your plan for my life?"  ...and while it's very obvious that we don't all have the same function or the same ministry, what God wants from us is primarily the same.

GOD'S WILL FOR YOU - is for you to take the time to get to know him better!  ...to establish a relationship with Him through Bible study and prayer so that you are able to hear His voice!

Scripture tells us, "Be still and know that I am God."  Our pellmell lifestyle is not conducive to hearing God.
He also says, "My sheep hear my voice." 
God's will for you?  STOP - Spend time alone with Him.  He wants a relationship with you, more than He wants service from you!  Service will follow, but, first things first!
Get to know Him!  Get so close to Him, that when He speaks, You don't miss it!

This is AuThor

Musings on Health & Wealth

I'm confused!  Granted that's not hard for me but,

I heard a pastor say that those who believe God for health and wealth are wrong; that the Bible doesn't promise these things.  This pastor drives a Mercedes-Benz, and I'm sure that if you were to ask, He would say that his prosperous state in life is a gift of God.
He also works out regularly to maintain his good health.  Again, I'm sure he would credit God for his good health!  Is he then saying that the fact that he is prosperous and healthy and others are not, is not a gift from God but rather the result of his own efforts, or even luck of the draw, ?

I think he would credit his own health and wealth to following principles of living that bear the fruit of health and wealth.  I bet he doesn't clog up his lungs with tobacco smoke and like I said earlier, I know he walks or runs regularly at the downtown Y.

I suggest that those who teach 'health and wealth' do so in the same way.  They suggest that following Biblical principles of living will promote health and prosperity.  Who could really argue with that? 
Is it because they try to define 'health and wealth' and present God with a 'you owe me'?

We teach at our church that when it comes to giving, you can't out give God!  We teach that if you tithe, God will pour out a blessing that you'll be unable to receive.  How is that different from the faith preacher?
True, we only teach that during our stewardship campaign to underwrite our budget, and we dare not promise financial blessings, although I believe the Bible does.
I think the rub comes in the attitude or the reason for giving.  Do we give to get, or do we give to honor and obey God?  True, genuine giving, is to honor and obey God, but HE does promise rewards for doing that!  If He promises, am I wrong to expect and await the fulfillment of that promise?

Now, if the faith preacher is trying to get you to believe God for more than the Bible promises, then he's wrong!  No doubt about it!  but if it's just a matter of interpretation then it would appear that we come up short, like the Israelites who would not go into Canaan to possess the promised land. 
Many times it looks like we're trying to hedge on God's promises to save face for ourselves.  Is there any validity to that?  For example: John 15:7 says, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
I've had preachers try and tell me that this verse doesn't mean what it says.  Sure it does!  It means exactly what it says!  The Bible wasn't written just for the PH.D.,  It was written for ordinary church going folks like you and me.  I don't need a doctor to tell me what that means.  It means that if I pay the price; I have a blank check. Period.

A lot of God's promises are conditional.  So is this one.
When I went away to college, my dad handed me a blank check; with just my name and his signature.  Later, he told me that he couldn't have given that blank check to either of my brothers, but I had earned his trust and he knew I would honor him with the use of that check.  Not many people live so close to God that they get a blank check, but John 15:7 say that one is available if you pay the price!

Many of God's promises are like that, they're misunderstood by folks who haven't paid the price to meet the conditions, or they have the wrong motives.  Doesn't mean the promises are not valid for those who do meet the conditions.  Let's not be guilty of denying God's promises!  They are "Yea" in Christ Jesus!  The NIV says it this way, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "yes" in Christ."
I take that to mean, they're mine!  He's stamped them, "VALIDATED"!

Think about it!