Author: hillturnfs

My junior high and high school years were back in the late 1960’s. I graduated from a small town in Oklahoma in 1970. Back then you went to school all day and you had a different class each hour. The school bell would ring and you had ten minutes to get to your next class. Some classes were mandatory and other classes you could choose as electives. I received a very good education. I can recall half a dozen times during my school years when my teachers gave us an open book test. An open book test means just that. You’re given graded test questions and you’re allowed to “open” your class textbook and look up the answers. The teacher always assured the students beforehand that the answers to every question were in the textbook.

Proverbs 23:12 – Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge.

Isaiah 33:6 – Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.

Let’s say you have twenty questions on the open book test worth five points each for a total possible score of 100 points. It’s relatively easy for every student in the class to look up the answers and score 95-100 points on the test every time with minimal effort; without even having to pay attention to any of the class lectures or study the textbook. Now if you only have three or four tests in each class year to determine your final grade then a good score on an open book test would raise your overall average so you pass the class with ease. An open book test is just a way to level the playing field for all students and ensure that every student passes the class.

Isaiah 43:11 – I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.

Psalm 18:31 – For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?

Personally, I hated open book tests at the time and I saw no reason to have them. I’m competitive by nature and I went into every class like it was mortal combat with all the other students. I was determined to be the last one standing. My goal was to always be the number one student in each class and I almost always ended up in the top three with that mindset. Since I was such a good student I resented open book tests because they stifled my competitive edge. It took away my advantage over the other students. Open book tests make it more difficult to identify the knowledge level of each student and in my mind it cheapened all my hard work to be the best in class. Back then I was totally self-centered and selfish. Everything was about “me” and what I wanted and needed. I really didn’t care about anyone else.

Psalm 46:10 – Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 144:4 – Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.

Looking back now I have a different perspective. I see now the teacher was only using the open book test as a way of letting students learn in class, kind of like homework done at school. An open book test never really affects how students are ranked in the bell curve of a normal class grading system because everyone scores well. In order to not discourage the better students all the open book tests I participated in had some bonus questions at the end of the test for extra points. It wasn’t mandatory to answer the bonus questions and many didn’t bother. These were always the tough essay questions where the answer wasn’t in the textbook. You had to know the material in the textbook as well as the lecture material to ace the bonus questions. You had to actually think and come to logical conclusions based on the facts instead of regurgitating answers from memory. Some points were awarded for partially correct answers.

Psalm 53:1 – The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.

Psalm 119:18 – Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

I haven’t relived my school years merely for nostalgia reasons, but to make a point. I want to make an analogy between taking an open book test during my school years and our brief lives on this planet. The life we’re living is an open book test whether we recognize it or not. When God gave us our life at conception, both physically and spiritually, there were strings attached. Our job in life is to understand what those strings are. At birth we’re all enrolled in the class called “life”, which lasts as long as we live. Being in this class is the price we pay for being alive and it’s an independent home study course. The life class isn’t graded on the curve; it’s strictly pass or fail. We are accountable only to our teacher, Jehovah God, who alone decides our grade. Our teacher created a textbook for the “life” course which we refer to as the Holy Bible. God assures us that all the answers to get a passing grade are in the textbook. There is only one question on the open book test of life; with a binary choice: “Will you serve God or will you serve Satan?”

Psalm 139:14 – I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.

Philippians 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God is our teacher and he created the open book test of life we all must take. Because of God’s actions we understand that God wants us all to get a passing grade on the test. God confirms that in his word, our Holy Bible. In fact, the Bible is one long love letter from God telling us how much he loves us and wants us to be with him in heaven forever. God makes the test so easy with only one question on the test we need to answer and a textbook with the answer explained clearly. If you select “God” on the open book test it means you believe Jehovah is the one true God of this world and Jesus is his son. By choosing God it means you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This gets you a “passing” grade for the class of life. This means all your sins against God are forgiven. The sinner’s prayer is in the Bible and following it is the well known process of salvation unto eternal life. Google sinner’s prayer and then do what it says.

Ecclesiastes 2:14 – The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness.

1 Corinthians 1:18 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The sinner’s prayer is also on the last page of every Christian tract from chick.com. God has intentionally made salvation easy for us. It’s not rocket science. Believe in God and his son Jesus Christ. Believe that Jesus came down from heaven and died on the cross for our sins. Accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As a believer you’re gifted eternal life and when you die you’ll go to heaven to be in the presence of Jesus for all eternity. You become an adopted child of God making you royalty in heaven. Salvation is only by faith but all believers still have to stand before the bema judgment seat of Christ on the last day to receive their rewards for works done in the body. These rewards determine what position and privileges we receive in heaven for all eternity. The number one good work for God is witnessing the gospel of Christ to nonbelievers.

Isaiah 45:22 – Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Proverbs 14:25 – A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies.

Think of witnessing for Christ as earning bonus points on the open book test of life. You’ve already passed the class and gone from eternal death to eternal life. Working for God after that is all for extra credit. The difference is God commands us to witness for Christ and those treasures we build up in heaven as a result of our service will last for all eternity. When you stand before Jesus he will ask you point blank, “Have you shared the gospel message with nonbelievers?” To get any kind of reward in heaven you need to be able to answer “yes” to that question. God leaves believers on earth primarily to save lost souls for the kingdom of God. As a foot soldier for Christ you must be worth your salt. Other good works we do for the kingdom of God like helping the poor and needy are just icing on the cake. Witnessing for Christ is the cake. When we reap souls for the kingdom of God and when we sow the gospel seed that ultimately becomes a link in the gospel chain that leads to someone being saved for the kingdom of God then we are building up treasure in heaven which we’ll receive on the last day. Think of our witnessing as making a “giant cake” in heaven. Without the cake the icing from other good works is useless and you might as well throw them in the trash. If we don’t do the main thing God requires of us, which is to share our witnessing for Christ with nonbelievers, we cannot please God. It’s that simple.

Isaiah 1:18 – Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Choosing God is the correct answer! If you select “Satan” on the open book test of life then all your sins will remain with you which means you get a “failing” grade on the open book test of life. At conception God gives everyone a piece of himself; a spirit that is eternal because God is eternal. Our physical body dies because of the sin in our body inherited from Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden due to his original sin against God. At death our immortal spirit must come out of the corpse and return to the God who made it. We belong to God. God has decided our eternal spirit, the real us, will reside in one of two places. We will spend all eternity in either heaven or hell. There is no third choice. The spirit of all believers who pass the open book test of life will go directly to heaven when they die to be in the presence of Jesus Christ forever. On the other hand, anyone who fails the open book test of life by selecting Satan will wind up in hell immediately upon death; for all eternity, in constant pain and torment. The Great White Throne judgement is just for nonbelievers whom God will resurrect bodily on the last day. All the damned of all ages; all those who failed the open book test of life, will stand before Jesus Christ for eternal judgment.

Isaiah 46:9-10 – Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel will stand, and I will do all My pleasure.

Jeremiah 17:10 – I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind. Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

All who have rejected the saving grace of God are without excuse when they stand before Jesus on the last day. All the right answers were right there in front of them all the time; in the textbook of life we know as God’s Word (the Holy Bible). God put eternity in the hearts of men so we would know there is a God and search for him. All nonbelievers who will stand before Jesus at the Great White Throne judgment will have no excuse because God made us to know deep down in our souls that he exists. God made the heavens and the earth which clearly carry his fingerprints. God made man and we are indeed wonderfully made. Do you really believe man evolved from one cell organisms? Give me a break. The human brain is the greatest computer in the universe and we still can’t figure out exactly how our mind works. Man only uses 10% of his brain capacity which totally destroys the theory of evolution and fits in perfectly with the story of creation found in the book of Genesis.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 – He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Psalm 8:3-4 – When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?

Over and over the Bible says God made man so why not believe the literal truth of God? It’s the simplest and most logical answer. Knowing that all this information about God is available in the Bible to anyone who seeks it can any nonbeliever have the audacity to stand before Jesus and honestly say they don’t know about God? Ignorance is no excuse. After being sentenced by God to eternal damnation on the last day every nonbeliever will be grabbed bodily by an angel of God and hurled into the lake of fire and brimstone forever. Visualize that happening to you; because it will if you don’t belong to God. Please don’t let that happen to you! Seek God’s salvation unto eternal life while you still can. By the way, if you failed to pick either “God” or “Satan” on the open book test of life then you have picked Satan by default. Your punishment is the same as if you had selected ‘Satan.” You have failed the open book test of life. Let me repeat myself. You only pass the open book test of life and go to heaven if you make a positive choice to serve God while you live. There is no do-over on the test. You only get one shot at this so don’t blow it. God is not mocked.

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

Zechariah 12:1 – The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him.

The really sad thing is the vast majority of human beings don’t even realize they’re taking an open book test with their life. If they did most people would pass the test with ease. So why don’t they realize it? Because Satan is the god of this world and he has put scales on the eyes of nonbelievers so they cannot see the truth of God. Satan has done a good job of diverting the truth of God from mankind through his lies and deception as evidenced by the fact the vast majority of people are on a path straight to hell. Satan has sponsored all the fake religions and false gods throughout history to fool man by hiding the truth of God. Our job as believers and witnesses for Christ is to open the eyes of nonbelievers about their test status on the earth and show them the truth of God before it’s too late. All the fake religions and false gods throughout the centuries have blinded countless millions of souls so they never found the grace of God. It’s so tragic and sad. As believers we know the truth of God and we feel the weight of all those lost souls on our shoulders. We feel the burden to tell nonbelievers about God. We must work God’s harvest field and save all we can. It’s our reasonable service for the grace of God we have received.

Proverbs 3:19 – The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens.

Psalm 84:2 – My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Before our salvation we care mostly about ourselves but now as believers we love every soul God has made because we know they are our brothers and sisters. We know we are possibly the last chance nonbelievers have for salvation unto eternal life. As believers we can’t bear the thought of someone burning in hell forever when we could’ve helped them find the truth of God. We witness for Christ out of love for Jesus and what he has done for us and also out of love for the lost. The chances for one on one witnessing are usually few and far between, especially in this age of the covid-19 virus. Find other ways to share your witness for Christ; be creative. I do “passive” witnessing through my Christian blog site and by distributing Christian tracts I purchase from www.chick.com. Find you own way to serve the Lord. Make it your mission to seek and save the lost souls of this world. Pray for God’s guidance and serve God where he leads you.

Psalm 63:1 – O God, You are My God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.

Psalm 107:9 – For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.

For Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and all other followers of fake religions and false gods of the world, I challenge you to prove me wrong. My God versus your god; like Elijah facing off against the priests of Baal. Your god stands lifeless and mute before the living God (Jehovah). Your souls are at risk by following a false god. Only my God Jehovah has proven he is God. Only Jehovah has fulfilled over 500 prophecies from the Bible whereas all the other false gods combined have fulfilled exactly zero prophecies in all of human history. They can’t because they’re all false gods from fake religions. Only Jehovah says to come taste him to see that he is good. Only Jehovah is unafraid of competition and examination because he is the truth! In Isaiah 1:18 and Isaiah 45:22 God clearly challenges man to check him out and he will come to the realization that he is God. Nobody can afford to get this decision wrong because eternity is a long time and being in hell in constant pain and agony is too horrible to imagine.

Jeremiah 29:13 – And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Anyone who reads the Bible twice with an open mind will find God and become a believer because the Holy Spirit of God is always there when the word of God is read. 98% of the people reading the Bible in its entirety for the first time, at some point, will come to the realization that they are holding the word of God. I still remember when it happened to me. Always cherish the moment. Even those few hardheads who make up the remaining 2% will know the truth of God by the end of their second reading of the Bible. I’ve never run across anyone who has read the Bible multiple times who isn’t a believer. On the other hand, I’ve never run across an atheist or agnostic who has ever read the entire Bible even one time so how can they be so sure they’re right? As a nonbeliever, when you read the Bible ask God to speak to your heart and reveal the truth of God to you. Don’t just take my word for it. Try if for yourself and see that I’m right about God. God has promised to reveal himself to you if you keep asking and patiently wait for God to answer. God says he will answer you and God cannot lie. This can be done even if you only have that small amount of faith God gives all men. Look at the thief who was crucified alongside Jesus. His faith was small yet he was saved. As you read the Bible all you have to do is pray and the small amount of faith you have will bring forth the truth of God if you give it time.

Psalm 143:6 – I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land.

Psalm 42:1 – As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you, O God.

I was on the internet last night and there was an article on AOL listing the rich and famous who didn’t believe in God. Their money, fame and, in some cases, great power has gone to their heads. In their pride and arrogance they think they know better than God. Not one of them has ever read the entire Bible so what makes them an authority on God? Satan has blinded them so they only do what’s right in their own eyes and they’ll reap the whirlwind as a result. In the eyes of God they are fools. All that money, fame and power will mean nothing when they’re on their deathbed. Death is the great equalizer. I know from personal experience from people I’ve witnessed to and from books I’ve read about how the rich and famous died and I can’t recall even one instance where a nonbeliever died happy and at peace. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

Everyone has a fear of death but especially the nonbeliever. No matter how cocky nonbelievers are now they’ll become terrified of the unknown as death approaches, whereas believers are at peace because they know they’re going home to be with Jesus. Nonbelievers will not go gently into that good night. Angels will escort believers to heaven when they die and nonbelievers who die will be escorted by demons to the pit of hell where they will face unimaginable horror for all eternity. I ask all nonbelievers to turn to God now and avoid the coming terror they will face at the end of their lives. I implore and exhort all nonbelievers to accept God’s saving grace and avoid eternal death in the lake of fire and brimstone where they’ll be in pain and agony forever.

Proverbs 1:25-27 – Because you disdained all My counsel, and would have none of My rebuke. I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

Psalm 34:8 – Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

As human beings our knowledge is limited to our physical world and what God tells us about the spiritual world through the revelation of his word. We all understand the godly principle of each species producing after its kind because we see it every day in the world. We’re also familiar with the normal birth process whereby a mother will grow a new life in her body until it’s time to come forth or be born. A male (or father) is needed to provide the other half of the chromosomes needed to produce this new life. This applies to most forms of life including both humans and animals. Let’s start by defining some key terms from my Oxford English dictionary so we’re on the same page when it comes to Bible interpretation:

1. Birth – the emergence of a baby or other young from the body of its mother
2. Born – existing as a result of birth
3. Reborn – brought back to life or activity
4. Renew – begin something again after an interruption
5. Again – returning to a previous position or condition
6. Regeneration – means the same thing as reborn

As a Christian reading these terms in the Bible I found it a little confusing at first and I’m sure that’s the case with most people. We think we know what God means by what is said in his word but we’re not absolutely sure all the time. When it comes to the phrase “born again” most of us see things a little bit like the Pharisee Nicodemus in the gospel of John. When Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Jesus, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born? Of course we all know we can’t be physically born a second time so we assume it must be a recalibration of our mind in order to be more righteous; to think the way God wants us to think. Does God gives us a completely new spirit or does he just wash or remove the sin from our existing spirit? I couldn’t make up mu mind what to think. I always leaned to the removal of the sin from the spirit because I was thinking in human terms and not from God’s viewpoint. If you have a new expensive shirt and you get a gravy stain on it you don’t throw the shirt away and go buy a new one. You wipe off the stain, use a wet cloth to remove the stain or throw it in the laundry and wash the stain away. The shirt comes out of the wash good as new. It turns out that I was dead wrong about this. When God gives us a new eternal spirit at salvation it’s a brand new one. We’re a new creation in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Romans 5:17 – For if by one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:12 – Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Philippians 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

With my limited understanding of God and spiritual things I just couldn’t grasp that God would instantaneously swap out two identical spirits, one without sin for the one with the stain of sin. Kind of like a heavenly shell game. Our spirits from God are like fingerprints, no two are exactly alike. My wife taught me when doing the laundry to separate the lights from the darks. If you accidentally wash something light in with the dark clothes there is a chance the darker colors will bleed into the light clothing (which I’ve done). Once that dark stain gets into the light clothes it’s embedded and is there permanently. Scripture refers to it as “corruption” in both our body and spirit. I think the sin nature we all inherited from Adam’s original sin in the Garden of Eden is like that. The original sin caused by Adam can’t be removed from our body or spirit so our spirit must be replaced and our body must die. We must be given a brand new spirit to be saved. There’s no other way. When my mother was alive she was adamant none of her kids would be cremated. Mother wanted to make sure there was a body in a grave for God to resurrect. Mom worried about that needlessly.

Psalm 35:9 – And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation.

When God gives believers their glorified bodies at the rapture and the resurrection saints on the last day those glorified bodies won’t have one atom from our old bodies because of the sin that permeated our old physical bodies. Scripture says you don’t sew an old piece of cloth on a new garment and you don’t put new wine into an old wineskin. That same principle applies to our bodies as well. God made us the first time and he can do it just as easily the second time, only without the sin nature from Adam. God hates sin; God cannot abide sin; and God will not allow sin in heaven. Our eternal spirit was stained by the original sin from Adam’s body and must be replaced in order for us to be able to go to heaven. After studying the Bible I find that God does indeed give each believer a brand spanking new spirit upon salvation unto eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We get our new glorified body at the rapture or the resurrection, depending on when you were saved. God does that because he loves us he is merciful. With God nothing is impossible. God made us to live with him forever in heaven so he came up with the salvation plan for man to restore the fellowship that existed between God and man before Adam’s fall.

John 3:5-8 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

As we can see from the above Scriptures every person has two births, one physical and one spiritual. Our physical birth we understand as I’ve previously explained. Our spiritual birth is something God explains in his word. God is Spirit and normally has no physical form. God made everything in the universe, including you and me. We exist and have our being because of the power of God. If God removed his hand from creation everything would instantly dissolve into nothing. At our physical conception God gives each new person a part of himself, a spirit that is eternal because God is eternal. That part of God that he puts into each person belongs to God and that spirit will one day return to God at our physical death. On the cross just before his death Jesus committed his spirit to God as a human being just like us. Jesus was being an example. It’ll be the same for us. There’s only one God, one divine being, so our spiritual birth can only be from God. God is both our birth mother and our birth father. God gives birth to our eternal spirit at our conception.

1 Corinthians 8:6 – Yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we are all things, and through whom we live.

Colossians 1:17 – And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

Luke 23:46 – (Jesus speaking) – Father, into your hands I commit My spirit.

Revelation 21:7 – He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Luke 8:55 – Then her spirit returned (Jairus’ daughter), and she arose immediately.

When you pray to God and call him father you’re being truthful. When God says you’re a child of God and his son God is also being truthful. As sons and daughters of the King we’re royalty in heaven but that’s a discussion for another time. We don’t have zombies or the walking dead in the real world. One of the spiritual truths of God is your spirit must leave the body when it dies and if you’re dead your body is not walking around without a spirit. If you’re a living human being you have both a flesh and blood life just like the animals of the earth and you have a spiritual life through your eternal spirit, which is God’s. Humans have their being in both the physical world (our bodies) and the spiritual world (our eternal spirit). Our mind is the conduit or interface between the physical world and the spiritual world. Our mind was given to us by God as our worship organ so we can know God and give praise, honor and glory to his name through prayer. Two gifts from God make human beings different from the other animals on earth; human beings have an eternal spirit and a mind that is the greatest computer in the universe.

Galatians 4:19 – My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.

John 3:3 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

1 Peter 1:23 – Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

1 Peter 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Isaiah 44:24 – Thus says the Lord, your redeemer, and He who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself.

How is it I know we get a brand new spirit upon salvation? I use Scripture to interpret Scripture. God almost always confirms spiritual truths in multiple Bible verses so all we have to do is find them and compare them in order to get a clearer picture of what God is actually saying to us. The five verses above all confirm in one way or another what Jesus says in John 3:7 about being born again. By definition to be born is to exist as a result of a birth. To be born again is to go through the process of birth a second time which is just like the first time. Reborn means to be brought back to life. We were all dead in our sins and Jesus brought us back to life by the shedding of his blood on the cross for our sins. We were reborn. Again means to return to a previous position or condition. Begotten is the past participle of beget which menas to produce a child. 1 Peter 1:3 goes on to say this second spiritual rebirth results in our salvation because Jesus rose from the dead. Since we know we cannot physically be born a second time then the verses must mean being born again spiritually, a spiritual rebirth. In Galatians 4:19 God clears up any ambiguity by telling us he is the one who births us with an eternal spirit, not only the first time but again the second time because only God can accomplish this miracle. 1 Peter 1:23 confirms to us that our new spirit is eternal and therefore can only have come from God.

John 6:40 – (Jesus speaking) – And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 – Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:6 – So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.

John 3:27 – A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.

Psalm 32:8 – I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

In summary, every human being goes through two births; a spiritual birth at conception from God and a physical birth nine months later with their birth mother and biological father. Believers who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior receive a third birth; a second spiritual birth to replace the original spirit received at conception which became stained as a result of Adam’s original sin in the body. This spiritual rebirth is the important one because it’s a part of God’s salvation plan for man to restore fellowship with God and allow believers to enter heaven and live with God forever. God is pure and God will not have anything to do with sin whatsoever. When God is birthing our first eternal spirit at conception there’s no sin on it; there can’t be. Adam’s original sin in the Garde of Eden was in his body not his spirit; giving him and all men who came after a sin nature. Even in a fallen world we all still receive a pure spirit from God at conception but the sins of our body inherited from Adam bleed over and stain our eternal spirit which then prevents us from entering heaven without a new spirit; a rebirth of our spirit from God.

Isaiah 45:22 – Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 – Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

Psalm 112:1 – Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments.

2 Corinthians 5:11 – Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

Isaiah 32:17 – The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.

By his grace, God washes away the sins of the body through the blood of Jesus Christ who died as an atonement for the sins of all men. This washing away of sins from the body and rebirthing our eternal spirit occur simultaneously as an act of a loving, gracious and merciful God. God gives everyone the free will choice to accept his saving grace; to decide whether to serve God or Satan. Those who decide to serve Satan and decline the second spiritual rebirth then their sins will remain with them to be judged on the last day. God’s eternal creatures, angels and men, were created to eternally reside in one of two locations, heaven or hell. Those whose sins have been removed go to heaven and those who still abide in their sins go to hell. Anyone who fails to choose God chooses Satan by default. The option to choose God is only open to men while they yet live and before the rapture happens, which could occur at any time. Don’t delay making your decision.

Isaiah 44:22 – I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.

Titus 3:5-7 – Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

John 1:12 – But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even those who believe in His name.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Isaiah 30:18 – Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are those who wait for Him.

Every time you read your Bible from now on and you read the verses that say you are reborn it should send a thrill through your soul. It’s not symbolism, an allegory or a spiritualization of God’s word. It’s the literal truth of God. Interpret God’s word literally unless the context indicates otherwise. By the word of God know you have a reborn eternal spirit without sin which is just as much proof you’re going to heaven as being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Actually, the opposite is also true. Being indwelt by the Holy Spirit proves your new spirit is without sin because the Holy Spirit couldn’t live in a body that still had its sin nature. Remember, God can’t live near sin and the Holy Spirit is God. There’s no way God will indwell a sinful body unless it has been purified by the blood of Christ. In the Old Testament times people worshipped God in the temple and God resided there. Under the new blood covenant of Jesus Christ believers are the church and our bodies are the temple of God and the proof is that God resides on the inside of believers as the Holy Spirit. Our body and our spirit belong to God and we need to start acting like it.

1 Corinthians 6:20 – For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s

Romans 8:12 – But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 – Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

2 Corinthians 5:1 – For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 Corinthians 4:16 – Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

In Scripture I kept running across the words regeneration and renewing and thinking they meant the same thing but they don’t. Regeneration means the same thing as being reborn. Renewing means to begin something again after an interruption. When Adam was in fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden he had the mind of God. After Adam sinned God broke off the fellowship with man (an interruption) until Jesus came and reestablished that fellowship with God (begin again). That is renewing. Believers have the mind of Christ and can now renew their minds through the word of God. Adam and Eve were immortal beings but when God kicked them out of the Garden of Eden because of their sin they became mortal beings who grew old and died like us. Adam originally had great mental powers but after the fall that was greatly reduced. That’s why fallen man can use only 10% of his brain capacity. God didn’t shrink our brain after Adam’s fall he just deactivated part of it.

Malachi 4:1 – For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, that will leave them neither root nor branch.

It’s as though God put some kind of governor on our mind like you would an engine, in order to limit our brain output temporarily. No doubt when we receive our glorified resurrection bodies we’ll regain 100% of the brain power that was once Adam’s. Our brain is another proof of God. The theory of evolution is linear which means a species only evolves to the capacity it needs to survive. The fact that man has more than 90% more brain power than needed to survive as a species debunks the theory of evolution and fits perfectly with the story of creation in the book of Genesis. Our highly complex human brain is far greater than what we need to survive and function as a species which proves beyond any doubt that man was made by God in his image.

Romans 12:2 – And do not be conformed to this world, be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

2 Timothy 1:7 – For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

1 Corinthians 2:14 – But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.

John 4:24 – (Jesus speaking) – God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

2 Corinthians 5:9 – Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

I’m calling on all Christian believers to don the armor of faith and contend with me for the souls of the lost and do good works for the kingdom of God while there’s still time. By my calculations we’re only four years and two months away from the rapture of the church and the beginning of the “time of sorrows”, the seven years of tribulation which will end with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to judge the nations of the earth for their sins against God before establishing the millennial kingdom of God on the earth. Time is short so believers need to focus on these important things. Believers need to obey God and his commands that are in the Bible. God doesn’t create anyone who is destined for hell from the start. God wants all of his creatures in heaven so anyone can go to heaven if they really want to. Each person is responsible for finding the true God, educating themselves about God and then following the path that leads to heaven that’s prescribed by God. Some people just need a little more help getting there. It may sound easy but it’s not; as evidenced by the fact the vast majority of people on this earth are going to hell. One thing I’ve discovered about God is that he’s just and fair to every person he has ever created.

1 Peter 1:17 – And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.

2 Timothy 2:15 – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Colossians 3:2 – Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:17 – And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

To the untrained observer it may look like God has given an unfair advantage to some people and hindered others in their search for God but that’s not the case at all. I used to bemoan the fact that God had dealt me a bad hand in life. I was raised in poverty, in a godless, dysfunctional family and I always wished my circumstances growing up were different. I blamed God and I held it against him for a long time. After I was saved I finally let go of my resentment against God when I realized my past has made me who I am and I have God to thank for that. God knows what he’s doing in every person’s life and he’s leveled the playing field so we all have an equal chance to find our own salvation unto eternal life. In a 400 meter race on an oval track the runners are staggered at the start of the race so it doesn’t look fair but the distance traveled in each lane is the same at the finish line. The race we run for God is like that. We all have to start where we are in life, with the abilities God gives us and then we have to run the best race we can for God. The path God gives each of us is unique because no two lives or races are exactly alike. Don’t worry about what you don’t have, didn’t get or don’t know; just start running for the Lord!

1 Corinthians 9:24 – Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

Hebrews 10:36 – For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

2 Corinthians 9:8 – And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

Nobody can be saved unless God first calls them and thing is this, God calls everyone. This is just another way of telling us that salvation unto eternal life is only gifted by God the Father. God always makes the first move to save us and he makes it repeatedly. Only the Holy Spirit of God can actually save someone unto eternal life by regenerating the spirit God gave them and washing away sin. Only the Holy Spirit writes the believer’s name in the book of life, ensuring the believer will live forever in heaven in the presence of God. It pleased God to save us by faith, by our believing in him and believing in the gospel of Christ. By believing that Jesus Christ is the son of God who came down from heaven, took on flesh, lived a sinless life, and was crucified on the cross for the forgiveness of the sins of all men, past, present and futire. By believing that on the third day Jesus rose from the dead and later ascended back to heaven where he sits at the right hand of God the Father as our mediator. It also pleased God to allow the children of God, believers, to participate in God’s salvation plan for man by commanding us to share our witness for Christ. God’s number one command for believers is to witness the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations and all peoples. Witnessing for Christ is the ultimate good work for the kingdom of God, without which all other good works mean nothing to God. In addition to witnessing, we are to do other good works such as helping the poor, the needy, the orphan and the widow.

Romans 11:29 – For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Romans 4:4 – Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

Titus 2:15 – Speak these things (the gospel), exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

1 Peter 3:15 – But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

When I became a believer and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior I was full of joy. I thought I was home free and my work on earth was done. I had found the Lord and my home in heaven! As I studied my Bible I was shocked to learn that my salvation came with strings attached. I learned my salvation was not the end of my journey with God but just the beginning. After we’re saved we are all servants and disciples of the King (Jesus) and therefore we all have a duty, a command, to fulfill the “Great Commission” that Jesus gave his disciples before ascending back to heaven, which is to share the gospel message of Christ to all nations and all peoples. God didn’t say we should do this but that we must do this. Disobeying God on this matter is not an option for believers who want to please God, and we should all want to please our maker.

2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Galatians 4:19 – My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you.

Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Gentile).

To disobey God is to sin against God and we’ll all be held accountable at the bema judgment seat of Christ. The first question Jesus will ask you is, “Have you shared the message of the gospel?” You need to be able to say “yes.” Our salvation is assured by our faith but our rewards are another matter. Our rewards in heaven will be burned up if we don’t obey this first and most important command of God, which is to share our witness for Christ. Salvation happens in an instant and is permanent whereas doing good works for the kingdom of God is a lifelong labor of love and what we receive in the way of a reward depends on what we do. It’s why God leaves us here on this earth after our salvation. Someone once helped save us and we owe it to the lost to repay that love shown us by helping to save others. We witness out of love for other people and because it’s our duty to God as disciples of Christ.

2 Timothy 4:1-2 – I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

1 Corinthians 3:7-9 – So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

Titus 3:8 – This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Romans 14:12 – So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

I’ve studied God’s Word for a long time and I’m a student of end time prophecy. I see the end times rushing toward us and it’s coming quicker than I thought it would. I now think the rapture of the saints could come as soon as four years and two months from now (see my previous blogs on this). I’m issuing a call to arms to all believers to maximize their efforts to witness for Christ and do good works for the kingdom of God. It’s now time for believers to put in some overtime for the Lord’s work. I know this won’t be easy but we’ll all need to be creative and improvise to make this work. I’ve been holed up in my house for two years because of covid-19. My wife and I are in our 70’s and we can’t afford to get the virus at our age, even with the shots. There are numerous ways we can still serve God even with these restrictions. I suggest that everyone do what I’ve been doing for many years, which is to distribute Christian tracts whenever you do have to go out into the local community.

I carry them in the console of my car and when I go to Walmart, Target, HEB, CVS, Costco, doctor’s offices, etc. I’ll grab five and place them in the bathrooms behind the soap dispensers, on top of the hand dryers and any other level space where they can be seen by anyone coming into the bathroom. I add my blog site on the back of each Christian tract I hand out. It’s the only advertising I do. I know that Christian tracts works because I used to pick them myself to read. You’re shooting for quantity here because probably only one in twenty people will be interested enough to take a tract home and read it. Many tracts are probably thrown in the trash by the cleaning staff. The point is whoever reads a Christian tract placed by you is receiving the gospel seed from your hand and therefore you are fulfilling the Great Commission. You’re obeying the number one command of God and that’s a very good thing. If you pass out tracts for 20 years and only wind up helping to save one person it’ll be worth it. A human soul is priceless to God and helping someone find salvation and heaven for all eternity is a wonderful thing for which God will bless you.

2 Timothy 2:21 – Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter (dishonor), he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

Hebrews 6:10 – For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

1 Corinthians 15:58 – Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

James 1:22 – Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Let me give you some background history on Christian tracts. They were started shortly after World War II by Jack T. Chick, a cartoonist and illustrator by trade who was a devout Christian. He was moved by the Holy spirit to create and distribute small cartoon booklets with a salvation message. That mission from God grew into a worldwide Christian ministry with close to a billion tracts sold. Jack Chick passed away in 2016 at age 92 but his legacy lives on with the Christian staff who run the company. Chick tracts only use Scriptures from the King James Bible originally published in 1611. All newer Bible versions have made changes to God’s word that are detrimental because the world’s media are under the influence of Satan and cannot be trusted to give you the pure word of God.

I personally will only use my new King James large print Bible to study God’s Word. Throw away all others Bibles. Jack Chick created over 200 Christian tracts in over 55 years of witnessing for Christ. Distributing Christian tracts is the easiest way to obey God’s command to witness for Christ. I call it “passive” witnessing for Christ but it works, especially in this time restricted personal interaction. People have been saved just by reading Christian tracts on their own because the sinner’s prayer is on the last page and following it will lead a person to salvation unto eternal life. Even after being saved by a Christian tract a new believer should reconfirm their commitment to God with a pastor as a witness before God.

2 Corinthians 9:6 – But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joint and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Galatians 6:9-10 – And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Romans 15:4 – For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

There are copycat Christian tracts out there but I stick with the original. I have gone to the www.chick.com website and personally read every tract they have. You can pull them up, read them and order the ones you want. I used to buy and distribute a dozen or more different Christian tracts when I was new at this. I don’t do that anymore. I now buy only one of their very first tracts and by far the best seller named, “This is your life.” I order them by the thousand lot and I pay 17 1/2 cents apiece for them (they may have gone up by now like everything else). In Louisiana before I retired I had plastic display cases full of tracts that I managed to place in local businesses and I kept them restocked. I’m retired now in south Texas and I haven’t done that here. South Texas is largely Hispanic and largely Catholic and the Catholic church is dead set against Christian tracts.

The Catholic clergy want to maintain their power, position and influence by having their flock depend solely on their priest and the Catholic church for salvation and not personal salvation by faith like the Bible says. I’m a Southern Baptist and I once thought Catholics were the same as me but slightly different, similar to a different denomination. I found out Catholics and Protestants are very different from each other. While we’re both Christians we believe different things. I once tried to pass out Christian tracts at a Catholic run hospital and I thought they were going to have me arrested. After I did some research I realized the Catholic church wants all salvation funneled through the church which is why they don’t mention the Great Commission in their services. I’ve never met a Catholic who witnesses for Christ. Catholics leave salvation up to their priests and through the doctrines and sacraments of the Catholic church.

Titus 2:7 – In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.

1 Corinthians 1:9 – God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 10:17 – So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

1 Corinthians 6:20 – For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

The Catholic church wants to lead their flock by the nose and they have reduced Jesus Christ to a cookie used at mass. They honor Jesus with their lips but in practice they dishonor him. The Catholic church won’t allow Christian tracts anywhere near them because tracts witness the gospel message of Christ which conflicts with the doctrines of Catholic church. The sinner’s prayer is stressed in the Bible as the way to salvation but you won’t find it being stressed in the Catholic church. I have a whole series of blogs describing how the Catholic church was corrupted by Satan by the time of Pope Gregory, over 1500 years ago, and as a result 100% of doctrines in the Catholic church today are completely opposite of what God commands in the Bible.

A changed doctrine here and could be coincidental but to have 100% of Catholic doctrines go against God’s word is proof of Satan at work. The Catholic church has declared Mary, a human being and mother of Jesus, as divine and instructed their flock pray to her instead of Jesus because Jesus is supposedly too busy to receive prayers. The rationale is Mary will receive our prayers, sort them out, and take them to Jesus on a need to know basis. Kind of like a heavenly receptionist. What a load of bull that is! I’m amazed people fall for it. Scripture says to pray to God only! How can an omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent God be too busy to receive prayers from the faithful?

Matthew 6:7 – (Jesus speaking) – And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them.

Matthew 15:9 – (Jesus speaking) – And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

1 Timothy 2:5 – For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6:18 – Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (only to God).

Mary is only briefly mentioned in the Bible and then only as a useful vessel for God’s purpose. Nowhere in the Bible does it say we’re to pray to Mary. That’s an invention of the Catholic church. Mary is a blessed resident of heaven and no doubt she’s mortified at the prospect of being prayed to. In Luke 1:47 Mary calls Jesus her Lord and Savior. If Mary needed saving like the rest of us she certainly isn’t devine. It’s blasphemy to even think such a thing. As a mere human being, and not divine, Mary can’t hear your prayers and God won’t help you if you’re not praying to him directly. Your prayers to Mary can’t be heard or answered which was Satan’s plan all along. Only God can forgive your sins and not some priest in a box who is himself a sinner. Do you really think a child-molesting priest can forgive your sins? A priest can’t forgive himself so he surely can’t forgive you. If you aren’t going to God directly for forgiveness of your sins then your sins are surely still with you.

In their sheer arrogance the Catholic church has decided that the Pope has the ultimate authority over God himself to interpret Scripture. The Pope and the Catholic church claim they have the power to send someone to hell on behalf of God or to purgatory for rehab. There’s no such thing as purgatory and only God can condemn our souls to hell. The Catholic church has created sacraments and instituted paganistic rituals over the centuries that only benefit and enrich the church at the expense of believers. Scripture says not to worship God with vain repetitions like the pagan do yet that is exactly what a Catholic church service looks like. Hearing the monotonous incantations of the rosary drives me nuts! The Catholic church has stolen the honor and glory of God and the Catholic clergy will have to answer for that on the last day. They think they’ll be first but they’ll be last.

1 John 3:17 – But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

2 Corinthians 9:7 – So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Hebrews 13:16 – But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

2 Corinthians 8:12 – For if there is first a willing mind, it is acceptable according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

There are many creative ways to witness the gospel of Christ so choose the way you’re most comfortable with; the way that suits your personality. Still be prepared to witness one on one but realistically those chance are few and far between and getting fewer. The Holy Spirit prepared me and pushed me to write a Christian blog through my love of reading the Bible and studying God’s Word. I had an itch I couldn’t scratch until I started blogging. Christian authors will tell you that’s why they write books. God is creative so you should be too. Chick.com has a ministry program where believers can send tracts by the thousand lot to third world countries where local believers who can’t afford them will distribute them for you. That’s long distance witnessing for anyone buying and sending the tracts to be passed out.

I was looking into doing that in India but I wanted to choose the location and church myself rather than have the company pick a location to send them. I think I just talked myself into pulling the trigger on doing this in the near future. The point is, passing out Christian tracts is spreading the gospel seed and is therefore a passive method of witnessing for Christ. When a soul is harvested for the kingdom of God the reaper gets credit from God but so do all the people who sowed the gospel seed along the way in order to get that person to the point of salvation. The sower receives wages equal to the reaper. It’s rare for someone to come to salvation the first time they hear the gospel message. Most people have to hear the gospel message 15-20 times before they accept God’s saving grace. God is generous to a fault and he will reward everyone in the gospel chain who had a hand in saving a lost soul.

1 Timothy 4:13 – Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Romans 10:13 – For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Galatians 6:7 – Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

While witnessing for Christ may be the most important good work we are commanded by God to do, it’s not something we may be able to do every day. However, other good works we can do every day if we look for those opportunities. Kindness doesn’t cost us a thing. I give money to charities of my choice. Do the same thing. The amount isn’t as important as giving regularly to bless those in need. Do you remember the Bible story of the old widow who gave two mites as an offering to the temple treasury? Jesus said her gift was greater than all the rest because while others gave of their increase she gave all she had to live on. You can do good works with little and you can do good works that don’t cost money. God will bless you based on what you have and not what you don’t have. God is fair to all.

I look for opportunities to help out my retirement community; to help those that may need assistance like picking up medication, taking them to the doctor’s office or something simple like bringing in their trash can from the street. I was a hospital volunteer at one time but the pandemic stopped that. Look for creative ways to volunteer that won’t expose you to the virus. The point is anyone can serve God and glorify his name where we are, by our Christian actions on behalf of the kingdom of God. When the light of God can be seen by what believers do then nonbelievers are attracted to the truth of God. Be the light of God; be the messenger for God! When we obey the commands of God we build up treasure in heaven that we’ll receive at the bema judgment seat of Jesus Christ. I think we only have four short years to save all the lost souls we can and build up our good works in heaven. This is my declaration to you and my call to arms to all believers to start where you are today and persevere in doing good until Jesus comes in the air for us to take us home.

As a long time student of the Bible and lover of end time prophecy I understand that Israel is the key to knowing when we’re getting close to the end of the age and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. By studying the Scriptures I’ve calculated the Second Coming will be over Easter weekend in April 2033 and the rapture exactly seven years before that in 2026. At the rapture Jesus will call all the saints to himself in the air, both dead and alive, and take us back to heaven with him in our glorified bodies. I know the Bible says no man knows the time of the Second Coming, only God the Father. God doesn’t say believers can’t make an educated guess about the time of the Second Coming. Who knows; my guess could be spot on or very close; and then again God could give someone like me a revelation about the end times. All I know is we should be watching both Israel and Europe for signs of the prophesied end times. The Bible tells us that the coming antichrist will be the leader of a ten nation federation from Europe. We know this will be from countries that make up the current European Union. European countries have been working closely together since World War II but they all stubbornly defend their individual sovereignty. Fear is the only thing that could possibly cause all of these European countries to give up their national identity, control of their weapons and their security to one man and that is the fear of war; the fear of being invaded by another country that is bigger and more powerful.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 – For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Historically, the only thing Europe is afraid of is being invaded from the east. First it was Genghis Khan and his Mongol horde; then it was Atilla and his Huns; and finally it has been Russia for the last 300 years. That’s why the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed after the last world war. I have long known that the antichrist, the man of sin, would not appear on the world stage in a vacuum. There had to be a major political upheaval of some kind in Europe in order to make the conditions just right for the antichrist to emerge. I also knew there had to be a time span for the evolution of the antichrist’s political power to come to fruition (months or years); a time in which spiritually mature Christians could discern the coming of the man of sin well before the rest of the world recognized him. Christians won’t be able to do anything about the antichrist even if they do identify him because the world won’t listen to us. We can’t stop it because it’s part of God’s plan so don’t even try. All we can do is put the word out; hoping to convince some people to accept God’s saving grace while there is still time. Many people will look at the coming prophetic signs of the end times and decide that now is the time to seek God’s salvation.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53 – Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

I say all this as background information, as a leadup to what I want to discuss, which is the current Russia-Ukraine crisis. I believe this impending war, and there will be a war, will be the beginning of the European struggle that causes the antichrist to emerge just as foretold in the Bible. Let me give you some additional background before I tell you what I think will happen. The old USSR unraveled back in 1991, 31 years ago, and fourteen republics within the boundaries of the old USSR declared their independence and the central government wasn’t able to do anything about it because it was in disarray. The Baltic provinces of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had been a part of Russia off and on for over 300 years. They declared their independence as soon as the USSR collapsed. Belarus, just east of Poland declared its independence too. The Ukraine and Moldova, forever at the heart of the Russian empire, also claimed their independence. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, three small provinces between the Dead Sea and the Caspian Sea just north of Turkey saw their chance and quickly claimed independence as well. The five large sparsely populated central Asian provinces of the old USSR also took the opportunity to declare independence (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan).

John 14:1-3 – (Jesus speaking) – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also.

Russia felt violated and robbed by the breakup of the USSR, and as a result it staggered around like a drunk sailor for ten long years until Vladimir Putin came to power and stopped the bleeding. Russia has never forgotten the sting and the shame of losing her former territories. The Russian people always seem to turn to a strongman in times of crisis and they did it again. Russia couldn’t have chosen a worse leader than Vladimir Putin. Putin was a former colonel in the Soviet secret police (KGB) and well trained in the communist style of leadership using oppression and terror; where the end always justifies the means. The man is a stone cold killer, a psychopath and a liar. Vladimir Putin is evil incarnate which means he doesn’t think like a rational person. He has personal control over Russia’s nuclear weapons and that should scare all of us. Mr. Putin has personally killed and tortured dozens of people when he was a KGB operative and even as the President of Russia he has ordered the deaths of hundreds of people including his political opponents. Putin is utterly ruthless and without remorse which why the man has been a successful dictator for over 20 years. Putin has said on a number of occasions that the greatest tragedy of the twentieth century was the demise of the USSR. From day one in office Putin’s goal has always been to regather the lost republics and remake Russia into the world power it once was. Putin seethes with anger and resentment because he feels that Russia has been humiliated and disrespected on the world stage. Putin plans to rectify the situation, by force if necessary. Putin has put every last ruble he can lay his hands on into modernizing and rebuilding the Russian military and dictators don’t do that unless they plan to use it.

Matthew 24:6 – (Jesus speaking) – And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

The honor of mother Russia and his personal legacy demand that Putin face off against the west. Minor concessions won’t buy Putin off and sanctions won’t deter him either. Putin has stoked Russian nation pride and called for conflict with the west to the point where he can’t back down now without losing face and possibly even power. Putin has made the case that it’s Russia who is the victim who is being attacked by western aggression through their puppet the Ukraine. It’s an “us against them” gambit straight out of the old Soviet Union playbook. Threats by NATO and the U.S. don’t scare Putin in the least. He knows NATO is a defensive alliance and the west won’t invade Russia because it’s not their mandate to defend non-member states plus it’d be utter suicide to attack Russia, who is armed to the teeth with tactical nuclear weapons. No country in history has ever attacked Russia on the ground, on their own soil, and been victorious and I don’t believe anyone ever will. The Russian winter and the resolve with which the Russian people defend their homeland has defeated everyone who has ever attempted to invade Russia.

Matthew 24:7-8 – (Jesus speaking) – For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

In 2008 Russia invaded Georgia briefly before retreating. Since then a proxy war using pro-Russian separatists has carved out territory in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan which continues to try to overthrow the country and rejoin Russia. In 2014 Russia took Crimea from the Ukraine and annexed it. That should tell you Russia doesn’t intend to install a pro-Russian government in Kyiv. That’s the thing with dictators; once they take a little nibble and get away with it they always come back for the whole apple. Russia means to annex all of the Ukraine this time. Russia set up pro-Russian separatist conflicts in the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk back in 2014 which have been ongoing for eight years at the cost of over 15,000 lives. Putin has been fighting judiciously by using separatist to do the fighting for him and unconventionally by using special forces, saboteurs, spies and cyber warfare while playing the long game. Putin means to conquer the Ukraine and at age 69 he’s running out of time to cement his legacy. Putin is a bully at heart and he only respects power. Moldova, which was once a western province of the old Russian Ukraine, is a long sliver of land between the Ukraine and Romania. Russia has also established pro-Russia separatists in the Transdneistr area between Moldova and Ukraine.

Matthew 24:27 – (Jesus speaking) – For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Step one for Putin is to absorb the five former Russian republics of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan before anyone can do anything about it, all under the pretext of defending the separatist struggles of the majority Russian-speaking population in those five countries. None of these countries are NATO members so Putin knows they won’t be defended militarily. All NATO and the U.S. can do is bluster a bit, rattle the saber, and threaten economic sanctions on Russia. Russia has had 20 years to prepare for any sanctions and get ready for this war. You can see how carefully planned this is by the way Russian forces have been strategically positioned surrounding the Ukraine. Everything has been carefully thought out ahead of time leaving nothing to chance. It’s the perfect time for Putin to act. NATO is divided, the U.S. congress is ineffective and Putin thinks he can push the U. S. President around. Putin can mass more forces on his borders than NATO can muster, he can strike faster and he has a smaller border area to defend, with shorter supply lines. Putin holds all the cards and he knows it. NATO is all talk. The west will vigorously defend its own territory but they don’t have the stomach for offensive warfare against the Russian bear so whatever Russia can grab quickly and hold is theirs to keep. Russia is resolute on this and the west is not.

Matthew 24:30 – (Jesus speaking) – Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Let me play Putin’s military hand for a moment with the assets he has in place. There are 40,000 troops in Crimea to the south, 40,000 troops in Russia to the east just behind the separatist areas of Luhansk and Donetsk and 40,000 troops in Russia 30 miles northeast Kharkiv, the second largest city in Ukraine. The eastern two thirds of the Ukraine has a majority of Russian-speaking people. Over half of the 250,000 Ukrainian army troops are in the east along the Luhansk-Donetsk defense line fighting the separatist war. The 40,000 Russian troops that are in Belarus are there to pose an invasion threat to Kyiv, the capital of the Ukraine, which is 45 miles from the northern border with Belarus. Most of the Ukraine’s remaining military forces are up north protecting the capital from invasion. If I’m Putin I bypass the major cities and urban centers. I would focus on military assets and attack eastern Ukraine first, from the northeast above Kharkiv and from Crimea in the south in a pincer movement designed to cut the Ukraine in half and come in behind the Ukrainian army at Luhansk and Donetsk. If Russia controls the mighty Dnieper River that runs down the middle of the Ukraine and the bridges that cross the river they own the eastern half of the country and effectively cut off any resupply for the Ukrainian forces dug in at Luhansk and Donetsk.

Luke 21:36 – (Jesus speaking) – Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.

When The Ukrainian army at Luhansk and Donetsk turns to face the new threat at their rear the 40,000 troops waiting behind the separatist areas will then attack. The surrounded Ukrainian army will be cut off from resupply while the rest of the Ukranian army is pinned down defending the capital. Putin will use his air power and precision munitions in a shock and awe campaign to wipe out the airfields, troop and equipment concentrations, fuel and ammunition depots and command and control centers in order to paralyze any organized resistance from the Ukraine military. The Ukraine only has a few aircraft so Russia will control the air almost immediately so there won’t be any resupply of war materials by air from the west or available to the Ukraine across any of its borders. The Russian navy will block the Ukraine from receiving any shipping at the Ukrainian seaport of Odessa on the Black Sea. Russia already has numerous warships on station there that will stop all incoming goods to the country. Putin will probably bypass the all the major cities as I said earlier, so as to not get his army bogged down and because urban warfare is costly. It’s better to starve out the city residents or wait for them to surrender after they know the rest of the country has fallen.

John 5:28-29 – (Jesus speaking) – For the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of the damned.

I think the 40,000 troops in Belarus are there mainly as a decoy, as reserves and for resupply. These troops will never leave Belarus to actually invade the Ukraine unless absolutely necessary because the Ukrainian forces are dug in and any invasion of Kyiv from the north would be costly and would have to be conducted through a massive swamp that is along the border between the two countries or an invasion route that runs through the radioactive Chernobyl area . After Putin takes Kyiv, probably from the south, he will then pivot his forces in Belarus to the border with Poland to defend against any possible NATO aggression. Putin will then complete his takeover of Belarus. The five “stan” republics are also in the Russian sphere of influence and can be absorbed whenever Putin chooses. It’ll take two or three years tops to complete all the military actions I’ve just laid out and mop up pockets of resistance. All the while NATO will be sitting on their hands doing nothing but watch the carnage unfold. That’ll leave only the three Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania left to conquer. Putin will save them for last. They were all part of Russia and now they are NATO members. Putin will mass his armored divisions at the border when he is ready and quickly overrun the Baltic countries and then fight a defensive war to hold them. When Putin takes the Baltic countries the fight with Europe will start.

Mark 1:15 – (Jesus speaking) – The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe in the gospel.

Russia’s conflict with NATO will last a couple of years with back and forth fighting. Europe will fear that Russia intends to conquer the rest of Europe and they will look for someone to lead them. They will place the combined leadership of NATO forces into the hands of one man, who will turn out to be the antichrist. At the same time Russia will be trying to secure the eastern Mediterranean Sea which will bring it into direct conflict with Israel. The prophesied end time peace agreement between the antichrist and Israel will actually be a mutual defense pact to protect each other against Russian aggression. Europe cannot afford to let Russia control the Mediterranean Sea and have access to the soft underbelly of Europe. I always wondered what would make Israel enter into a peace treaty with anyone. They’ll do if for the same reasons as the European countries; out of fear of the Russian bear. I’m looking at a conflict lasting roughly four years for all this fighting to take place and the antichrist to emerge on the scene.

John 8:32 – (Jesus speaking) – And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

What made me look twice at the current Ukraine crisis as a possible trigger point for the end times was because on my last blog I calculated the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to come in 2033 and the rapture to occur in four years and two months from now (April 2026 over Easter weekend). It then occurred to me that the timeline of the coming conflict in the Ukraine perfectly parallels my rapture prediction timeline. It’s made me a bit unsettled these last few weeks as I’ve mulled over these thoughts in my mind and thought through different scenarios; hence this blog and the two previous ones. I have a vivid imagination. I could be totally off base on this, but then again, I could be spot on and God has put me in this position to sound the alarm to all who will stop and listen. Look at my facts, give it some thought and join me in watching closely the events that will occur in Europe and Israel in the coming months and years. I sure hope I’m wrong about this. Either way I stand ready for the approaching storm. I will continue to work for the kingdom of God because I know, “Jesus is coming!”

Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming! As a keen observer of world events through the lens of history and the book of Revelation I can clearly see the onrush of the end times. The end is not immediate but near; maybe as close as four years from now. The humanist manifesto is in shreds. Almost gone is the humanist propaganda and dream that there is no god at all; that man himself is a god who can save himself and make the world a better place. We all sense that man cannot save himself and things are getting worse in the world and not better. The lie has been exposed. Man is beginning a slow death spiral that will lead to eternal death, and we have a front row seat to see it with our own eyes. We can feel it in our bones, whether you’re a Christian who believes or a nonbeliever. The difference between the believer and the nonbeliever is striking. While the nonbeliever lives in a state of constant fear, dread, and despair the Christian true believer is at peace because they know God is in control of his creation. Believers know they have a “blessed hope.” Believers hopefully watch the horizon for the promised return of Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior, who will one day appear in the air and call all those in Christ to himself, both dead and alive. At this rapture of the saints Jesus will give every believer their new eternal glorified bodies right there in the air, before returning to heaven with them. God will soon remove his church from the earth before pouring out his wrath on Israel and all the Gentile nations and peoples who have rejected the true God of this world and his salvation.

1 Timothy 6:14 – That you keep this commandment (to have faith) without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing.

Jehovah is the one true God and the author of the Christian faith. God has proven himself whereas all the false gods of all the fake religions that have ever existed in the world have not; they all stand mute before our God because they don’t have a shred of proof to back up their claims. There’s no evidence or testimony to back them up. They exist only because Satan has created them through weak-minded men as a smoke screen to lead men away from the truth of God and his salvation. What proof do I have of God? Let’s start with God’s Word, our Holy Bible, which God has given us. The Bible was written over a span of 1500 years by forty different writers (prophets of God) who wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit of God. We ended up with the inerrant Bible (without error), which is the truth of God that was written so we might know God and know his commandments that we are to follow for a prosperous life. The consistent theme of the Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ and the fact that none of the Bible writers varied from it, contradicted each other or walked over each others message proves God authored the Bible. God made the Bible one third prophecy, in part to prove he is who he says he is. God’s word contains over 1000 prophecies, over 500 of which have been fulfilled and documented as fact. Contrast that with all the false gods and fake religions that have ever existed who don’t have even one fulfilled prophecy between them. That proves without a doubt there’s a God in heaven.

Isaiah 1:18 – Come now and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

The Bible clearly teaches there will be three “appearings” of Jesus Christ on the earth. The first appearing has already happened in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, who came down from heaven, took on flesh, and lived a sinless human life during his three and half years of ministry. By his crucifixion and resurrection Jesus atoned for the sins of all men, past, present and furure; which will allow a gracious God to restore fellowship with man if they accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. How can we be certain that the Son of God has already come and gone? Many of the 500 prophecies already fulfilled in the Bible were about the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In fact, there are over sixty specific prophecies about Jesus that were fulfilled with his first appearing. In a previous blog I listed the 37 fulfilled prophecies of Jesus I thought were most important, including the Old Testament predictions and the New Testament fulfillment. I won’t provide all of them again here. I’ll list just fifteen prophecies literally fulfilled at the first coming (appearing) of Jesus Christ:

Isaiah 7:14 – Born of a virgin

Micah 5:2 – At Bethlehem

Jeremiah 31:15 – Slaughter of the children

Hosea 11:1 – Called out of Egypt

Isaiah 11:2 – Anointed with the Spirit

Zechariah 9:9 – Entry into Jerusalem

Psalm 41:9; 55:12-14 – Betrayed by a friend

Zechariah 13:7 – Disciples forsake him

Zechariah 11:12 – Sold for 30 pieces of silver

Zechariah 11:13 – Potter’s field bought

Isaiah 50:6 – Spit on and scourged

Exodus 12:46; Psalm 43:20 – Not a bone broken

Psalm 69:21 – Gall and vinegar

Psalm 22 – Hand and feet pierced. Garments parted; lots cast

Isaiah 53 – Poverty, suffering, patience, death

One fulfilled Bible prophecy is enough proof of God for me. What’re the odds of over 500 prophecies being fulfilled in the Bible and also that any one person could fulfill 15, 37 or over 60 prophecies in the Bible about the coming Messiah, the Son of God? I’ll tell you. The odds are so great as to make it a certainty that Jehovah is God as he says he is and that Jesus Christ is indeed the Messiah, the promised Son of God. Since the first appearing of Jesus happened literally, exactly like the Bible said it would, then we can have confidence the next two appearings of Jesus will unfold in like manner. Believers understand from the Scriptures that God cannot lie and the eyes of God roam to and fro across the earth to fulfill his word. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth is coming and it will be the most important event in human history; it will be the culmination of the age. Jesus Christ will set foot on the Mount of Olives as prophesied and he will judge Israel and all the Gentile nations for their sins against God. The Second Coming of Jesus will actually be in two stages, seven years apart. The Second Coming of Jesus is called that because Jesus actually sets foot on earth for only the second time; but it’ll actually be the third appearing of Christ.

Titus 11:13 – For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

If you’ll notice in the above Scripture God refers to the rapture and the Second Coming as separate events so we know they occur at different times. The rapture of the church saints in the air by Jesus is referred to in the Bible as the “blessed hope.” In the Bible the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth is also referred to as the “glorious appearing.” We also know from other verses in the Bible that these two events occur seven years apart. Believers are excited about this Second Coming of Jesus because it’ll usher in the 1000 year millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ on the earth. Believers aren’t as concerned now about how this third appearing of Jesus Christ affects them because they’ll know all about it before it happens because believers will already be in heaven by then and will accompany Jesus at the Second Coming. The focus of believers should be on the second appearing of Jesus, that’s the important one for believers, where Jesus is coming in the air to call all believers to himself (the rapture), to give all believers, both dead and alive, their resurrection bodies before returning to heaven with them.

Revelation 20:6 – Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

The Second Coming of Jesus to the earth (the glorious appearing) is not as important to believers as the rapture because with the rapture believers still have skin in the game. Believers have more time to build up treasures in heaven by their work for the kingdom of God. Believers can still witness for Christ and help save lost souls for God. Believers can still do good works and glorify God by their actions. On the other hand, the saints will know the exact date of the Second Coming before it happens because believers will be alongside Jesus in their new glorified bodies when Jesus does descend from heaven to the earth. Believers will have already ended all good works done in the body and will have already received their rewards at the bema judgment seat of Christ before attending the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. There are eight times more prophecies concerning the Second Coming of Jesus as there are for his first coming. Since the first coming of Jesus was documented as fact we’re eight times more certain that the Second Coming will also literally be fulfilled as written in the Bible. I’m listing some of the prophecies to be literally fulfilled at the Second Coming:

Acts 1:11 – That Jesus will come to the earth again

Zechariah 14:4 -At the Mount of Olives where he ascended

2 Thessalonians 1:8 – In flaming fire

Matt.24:30; 1 Peter 1:7; 4:13 – In the clouds of heaven with power and great glory

Job 19:25 – Jesus will stand upon the earth

Deut.33:2; 1 Thess.3:13; Jude 14 – His saints (the church) will come with him

Revelation 1:7 – Every eye will see him

2 Thessalonians 2:8 – He will destroy the antichrist

Matt.25:31; Rev.5:13 – He will sit on his throne

Matt. 25:32 – He will gather all nations before him and judge them

Isa.9:6-7; Luke 1:32; Ezek.21:25-27 – He will have the throne of David

Jeremiah 23:5-5 – His throne will be upon the earth

Daniel 7:13-14 – He will have a kingdom

Dan.7:18-22-27; Rev.5:10 – He will rule over it with his saints

Ps.72:11; Isa.49:6-7; Rev.15-4 – All kings and nations of the earth will serve him

Zech.9:10; Rev.11:15 – The kingdoms of this world are his

Genesis 49:10 – The people will gather unto him

Isaiah 45:23 – Every knee will bow to him

Zech.14:6; Ps.86:9 – Everyone will come and worship the king

Psalm 102:16 – He will build up Zion

Jer.3:17; Isa.33:20-21 – That his throne will be in Jerusalem

Matt.19:28; Luke 22:28-30 – The apostles will sit on thrones judging the tribes of Israel

Ps.2:8-9; Rev.2:27 – He will rule all nations

Isaiah 9:7 – He will rule with judgment and justice

Eze.40-48; 43:2-5; 44:4 – The temple will be rebuilt and the glory of the Lord will enter it

Isaiah 40:5 – The glory of the lord will be revealed

Isaiah 32:15 – The wilderness will be a fruitful field

Isaiah 35:1-2 – The desert will blossom as a rose

Isaiah 11:10 – His rest will be glorious

The second appearing of Jesus Christ (in the air) is never referred to in the Bible as the rapture. The word rapture is a human term taken from the Latin translation of the Bible which is no longer in print or in use. The rapture event is prophesied in God’s Word and referred to by the Apostle Paul as the, “blessed hope” and in other areas of the Bible as simply our “hope.” Nonbelievers scoff at the rapture but Scripture clearly says it will happen. Scripture says the word of God is only foolishness to those that are perishing (nonbelievers) and to those who believe it is the power of God unto salvation. Believe in what God says. Even some believers don’t believe Jesus Christ will literally come for them in the air. Now, either these believers haven’t read or studied the Scriptures as thoroughly as they should have or they can’t believe or accept the literal interpretation of the Bible as God intended. A believer who refutes the rapture is going against God. They are, in effect, calling God a liar to his face and they will be held accountable at the bema judgment seat of Christ. Faith is believing in what God say, with no questions asked. You either have faith or you don’t. There is no middle ground. I’m listing some Scriptures that prophesy about the coming rapture of all believers, our “blessed hope.”

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 – For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 – That Jesus will come to the earth himself and he will shout

John 5:28 – That the dead will hear the voice of Jesus and come forth

1 Thessalonians 4:17 – That the raised dead and the living believers will be caught together up to meet Jesus in the air

John 14:3 – That Jesus will receive them unto himself

Luke 12:37 – That Jesus will minister unto his watching servants

1 Corinthians 15:53 – Believer shall receive new eternal glorified bodies while in the air with Jesus

The Bible commands that all believers love the rapture and to continually watch for its coming in anticipation. Believers are never more alive than when they expect Jesus to come for them at any moment. They are encouraged and motivated to witness for Christ, do good works and over all live more godly lives. The explosive growth rate of the early church during the first three centuries after the death of Jesus can largely be attributed to believers expecting the imminent return of Jesus Christ to take believers to heaven. The standard greeting between believers in those days was, “Jesus is coming.” As believers we need to recapture the passion for the rapture that existed in the early church. The rapture event is also very important to God as evidenced by the fact that God will give a special crown in heaven to all those saints who show a special love for the rapture and who watch continuously for its coming. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:18 God wants all believers to keep in remembrance the coming rapture in order to encourage and comfort each other. I have no idea what rewards or privileges go along with the crown of rejoicing but I plan to work for it and you should too. I urge all believers to strive with me for this crown, to focus on the coming rapture of the saints as a way to energize our faith in God; to help us to be obedient to God’s commands and to encourage us to do good works for the kingdom of God during the short time we have left here on earth. All the rewards we’ll ever receive in heaven, for all eternity, are dependent upon the actions we take for God while we’re in the flesh here on earth. Let’s take advantage of our opportunities while we can. This is why God leaves us on the earth after our salvation; to do the work he has planned for us.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 – Therefore comfort one another with these words (the rapture).

Isaiah 66:8 – Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such a thing? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.

2 Peter 3:8 – But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

I’ve pondered long and hard over what God means by the above Scripture; 2 Peter 3:8. All Scripture is there for a reason and I believe 2 Peter 3:8 is one of the keys to unlocking God’s plan for human history. God didn’t need seven days to create the world. God could have made the world with a snap of his fingers. So why did God need to take seven days to create the universe? I believe God made the world in seven days to symbolize or represent the seven thousand years of human history he had planned for us on this planet. One day of creation was allotted for each God-day of 1000 years and vice versa, hence the meaning of the Scripture. We know from the time of creation to Abraham was 2000 years (two God-days of 1000 years each) and the time from Abraham to Jesus was 2000 years (two more God-days). From the time of Jesus to right now has been almost 2000 years (another two God-days). God made the world in six days and then he rested on the seventh day. That has always puzzled me because I know God never gets tired. Sunday’s day of rest was meant to symbolize the 1000 year millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ, when all believers will “rest in Christ.” If my calculations are correct we’re very near the end of 6000 years of human existence and near the end of the sixth God-day. God is not arbitrary. If God was exact with Daniel’s prophecy I believe God will also be exact with his 1000 year God-days. If we can determine when God starts each God-day we can determine the exact date each day ends.

Hebrews 9:26 – He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Scripture says only God the Father knows the day of Christ’s Second Coming. Jesus spoke in parables to share spiritual truths with believers that nonbelievers wouldn’t be able to understand. In much the same way, God has included prophecies in the Bible meant to be revealed in the end times to believers while keeping nonbelievers in the dark. The fulfilled prophecies of God will give spiritually aware believers a general sense of the timeline of end time prophetic events and let us know the “season” of their fulfillment. We need to clear up two end time false teachings prevalent among weak-minded Christians today who have been influenced by satanic forces. First, the rapture and Second Coming of Christ occur at the same time and are essentially one event. Scripture clearly teaches this is false. These are two distinct, separate events that occur for different reasons, to two different people and at different times. Second, that the rapture occurs at the halfway point or at the end of the seven years of the tribulation period prophesied by God. Again, this is a false teaching. Scripture is clear that the church will be raptured to heaven prior to the tribulation where God pours out his wrath on Israel and the nonbelieving Gentiles. We know that the seven year tribulation period starts with a signed peace agreement between Israel and the antichrist and the man of sin won’t be revealed until the church is removed from the earth. We know the rapture and the peace agreement with Israel occur very close together, seven years before the Second Coming.

Hebrews 9:28 – So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart for sin, for salvation.

I believe we can use Scripture to verify that we are indeed in the season for the impending rapture of the church. I believe we can further shrink the timeline based on historical events and a number of Scriptures. Isaiah 66:8 predicted Israel would be born again in a single day, which occurred on May 15, 1948. That started the prophetic time clock ticking on the end times because Jesus said everyone alive in that generation would not pass away before he returned for his church. It is now been 74 years since Israel was born. God has set our current normal lifespan at 70-80 years. A few will live much longer but nobody lives past 120 years in the modern age so even if someone was born the day before Israel became a state and lived to be 120 years old that’s only another 46 years from today. I believe we can narrow it down further. We know Israel is the key to God’s prophetic time clock and we know God is precise with his timing of Bible events.

Matthew 24:42 – Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

For example, when Daniel prophesied that the Messiah would be revealed in the city of Jerusalem in 483 years it occurred on the exact date foretold (using the Jewish calendar). Adam, the first man, was a type of Christ. Jesus is called the second Adam. Abraham was a type of Christ because he was the firstfruit of the Jewish people. Jesus is the firstfruit of the church, the first of many brethren. If God’s prophetic time clock is Israel then it makes sense God would start and end each 1000 years for a God-day based on Jesus. We’re almost at the end of the sixth God-day. It can’t end based on the anniversary of Jesus’ birth because we’re already past that date (the year 2000). The end of the sixth God-day can only end on the 1000 year anniversary of Christ’s death which will occur in April 2033, on good Friday. This date will coincide with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth to end the age.

Hebrews 9:24 – For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.

When God has important information to share with us he routinely uses other verses of Scripture in other Bible books to verify his message. The absolute best method of Bible interpretation is using Scripture to interpret Scripture. That way a Scripture that may be a little ambiguous is made crystal clear. I’ve already given you my analysis of 2 Peter 3:8 as talking about the seven days of creation representing seven thousand years of human history God has allotted us; one 24 hour creation day equaling 1000 years (one God-day). Does God mention this anywhere else in the Scriptures? Yes he does. Check out the following verses:

Hosea 6:1-2 – Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.

“Come, and let us return to the Lord;”

I love it when I see a Scripture start with the word “come” followed by a comma (see Isaiah 1:18). God is coming down to our level and speaking to us in a personal way, asking us, exhorting us to do what he’s asking us to do. In verse one God is asking us to return to the Lord which means we used to be with God but aren’t anymore. God is telling us he wants us back and he has made a way we can return to him. When God says “us” he’s talking to every person he has ever made.

“for He has torn; but He will heal us;”

Adam and Eve were in perfect fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden and they were immortal beings in glorified bodies that never grew old or got sick. When Adam and Eve sinned against God they were literally torn away from fellowship with God and torn away from the Garden of Eden. That has already happened. God says he will heal us (future tense). God will repair the torn relationship with man and restore fellowship with God based on our future individual actions. To return to the Lord each person must believe the gospel message of Christ and accept Jesus Christ ans Lord and Savior.

“He has stricken, but He will bind us up.”

God uses a common literary device of repeating a truth in a slightly different way to help clarify what he’s saying and drive home the truth so we understand it. God tore Adam and Eve away from his presence and kicked them out of the Garden of Eden. But Adam and Eve were also “stricken” by God by removing their glorified bodies and replacing it with sin-stained bodies like we all have, bodies that will get sick, grow old and die; leaving only our eternal spirit which returns to God for judgment. This curse has befallen all men after Adam but God in his mercy will rescue us. God says he will bind us up (bandage our wounds and heal us) if we accept God’s salvation (future tense). God will bind us up by giving us glorified bodies once we have restored our fellowship with the Father by accepting his saving grace unto salvation by acknowledging Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

“After two days He will revive us;”

This is a clear reference to all believers who have died in Christ in the 2000 years (two God-days) since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Believers, both alive and dead, will be raptured to meet Jesus in the air to receive their glorified resurrection bodies before returning to heaven with Jesus . The two thousand years that have passed since the death and resurrection of Christ is referred to as “two days” in this verse. This Scripture tells us explicitly that a God-day is 1000 years. You have to remember that the word “day” in the Bible can refer to a 24 hour creation day, a 12 hour Jewish day or a 1000 year God-day, depending on the context of the verse.

“on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.”

The third day referenced in this Scripture is the 1000 year God-day we know as the 1000 year millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ where he will reign on earth. God has promised in other Bible verses that believers will always be with Jesus and that is confirmed here. Believers will live and reign alongside Jesus in his earthly kingdom for 1000 years and beyond. Let’s not forget Jesus will also raise up all believers who died in Christ during the seven year tribulation period and give them their glorified resurrection bodies like the raptured saints.

Most Bible scholars think Jesus died on April 3, 33 AD, at the age 33, because Jewish men couldn’t teach in the synagogue or become a Rabbi until age 30, and we know Jesus taught in the synagogue and was acknowledged to be a Rabbi (teacher). We have to assume Jesus started his three and a half year ministry as soon as he turned 30 years of age. Based on the Scriptures the only other possible date for the death of Jesus is in April of 30 AD; but then Jesus would have had to start his ministry earlier and had it last longer. Biblical scholars are split on this issue but I believe in the 33 AD date as the date of Jesus’ death. I don’t think God makes any mistake with the world dating system so 33 AD is the right date. Jesus Christ is the focal point of history and it make total sense for God to start and end his God-days surrounding the activities of Jesus Christ. The fourth God-day could have ended with the death of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus began the first day of the fifth God-day. If we fast-forward 2000 years it would then be a logical assumption that the end of the sixth God-day would coincide with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth and the beginning of the seventh God-day (the millennial kingdom) starting the following day.

Luke 21:36 – (Jesus speaking) – Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.

If you use the Jewish calendar the Second Coming would then be on Easter Sunday of 2033. We know the tribulation period starts exactly seven years before the Second Coming and is triggered by the signing of a peace agreement by Israel with the antichrist. We’re talking about a timeline for the rapture to occur in April of 2026, probably on Good Friday or Easter Sunday. The rapture will occur before the signing of the peace treaty. Most Bible scholars think the two events occur almost simultaneously, but certainly no more than a day or two apart. If I’m right the rapture of the church will occur four years and two months from now, in 2026, over Easter weekend. It’s okay to speculate on the time of the “blessed hope” but it in the end it really doesn’t matter. What’s important for us is to be expecting it and we’re continuing to work for the kingdom of God as if Jesus were coming tomorrow. We’re to keep our eyes on the horizon watching for the coming of Jesus in the air for us. Believers are to do the work of God while it’s still day and continuously give praise, worship, honor and glory to God for all he has done for us. I wish you all Godspeed!

Revelation 16:15 – (Jesus speaking) – Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments (righteousness), lest he walk naked and they see his shame.

Hebrews 10:35-36 – Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

Hebrews 10:37-38 – For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 – For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

Christians will fall into one of three categories, those who think they’re saved, those who hope they’re saved and those who know they’re saved. Any Christian worth their salt needs to know they’re saved and they’re absolutely sure they’re going to heaven when they die. If you call yourself Christian which category do you think you fall under and why do you think so? A true Christian is someone who knows without a doubt they’re saved. So, are you going to heaven, to hell, somewhere in between or are you just not sure? If you don’t know your eternal destination for sure it’s imperative you find that out right now while there is still time. To effectively work for the kingdom of God every believer must first seek and find their own “full assurance” of salvation unto eternal life before they can help others. Every believer needs to know for certain they’re heaven bound otherwise they’re of little use to God. How can any Christian gain this “full assurance” of being saved and of being heaven bound? The answer, of course, is with God’s help. God tells us in the Bible how believers can know him and have “full assurance” of their salvation through daily prayer and a careful, thorough, systematic study of God’s Word.

1 Timothy 4:13 – Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Isaiah 32:17 – The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.

Isaiah 46:13 – I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger.

Isaiah 44:22 – I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.

If you’re not praying daily and reading your Bible daily then, of course, you’ll start to have doubts about your faith. It’s just our human nature. Most human beings need repetition and consistency to really learn something well and to internalize that knowledge so it becomes a part of who they are. Neglecting regular Bible reading leads to a stunted and dwarfed spiritual life. Neglecting regular prayers to God will make us fearful, doubtful, and more susceptible to false doctrine. Our regenerated soul needs the constant nourishment of God’s Word like a newborn baby needs its mother’s milk. Satan feasts on believers who have let their faith grow cold. Satan never stops trying to destroy the Christian’s faith so we need regular prayer and the daily reading God’s Word in order to stop the fiery darts of the wicked one. Why is that? When you pray you are talking to God one on one and he always hears the prayers of believers. When you read the Bible God is talking to you and the Holy Spirit always comes on the scene to help you understand the Word of God. That’s why the Holy Spirit is called the Helper.

Romans 10:17 – So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 17:17 – (Jesus speaking) – Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Matthew 4:4 – (Jesus speaking) – It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

John 10:27-30 – (Jesus speaking) – My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of His hand. I and My Father are one.

If you don’t have full assurance of heaven yourself how can you effectively resist Satan and, at the same time, witness for Christ to other people? The answer is you can’t because your motivation and your confidence won’t be where you need it to be. People can sense whether or not you’re passionate about God and whether or not you know what you’re talking about. Without “full assurance” of eternal life and forgiveness of your sins you may still do some good works before God out of a sense of duty or guilt, which is commendable. But when you truly have the peace of knowing your salvation is certain then your good works will be so much more; then your witness will be so much more powerful and effective; not because you feel you have to but out of the abundance of love you have for the Lord. You won’t be able to contain the joy you have for God in your heart.

Hebrews 6:10-12 – For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Acts 17:30-31 – Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.

Hebrews 10:19-22 – Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

John 6:37 – (Jesus speaking) – All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

As a believer, when I think about God’s salvation plan for man these words keep popping up in my mind, “this is perfect.” What dawned on me is only the mind of God could ever have conceived of such a thing! The Holy Spirit communed with my spirit so that the truth of God and his word were confirmed in my heart first and then it was settled in my soul forever. God confirms this in John 8:32 when he says, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Our spirit knows God the Father because we received our eternal spirit from God. Our spirit is a part of God that he gives each person at conception. Just imagine it; God, the King of the universe, coming off his throne to take on flesh and live a human life in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Just imagine God volunteering to die a horrible death on the cross in our place to remove our sins; so his creatures wouldn’t have to suffer eternal death in the lake of fire.

1 John 5:11 – And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

Isaiah 53:25 – I, even I, am He who blots out your transgression for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins.

Mark 1:15 – (Jesus speaking) – The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent, and believe in the gospel.

John 3:36 – (Jesus speaking) – He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

Oh, what love our Father has for us! I know the gospel can only come from God and it’s not something made by human hands because the human mind cannot comprehend the perfect love of God and the perfect justice of God. The entire Bible is God’s love letter to us. One of the spiritual laws of God is the wages of sin is death. The shed blood of Christ was the only possible way for a righteous God to uphold his perfect love while at the same time uphold his perfect justice. If you want proof of God and proof of your salvation look no further than the Bible, and especially the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 5:24 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

2 Timothy 1:8-10 – Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Romans 8:16 – The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

Jesus came to earth to be a sin offering to God the Father for the forgiveness of all sins. Nothing else would satisfy the justice of a holy God and allow us to enjoy eternal life in heaven. The sins of the whole world were placed on Jesus Christ, the Son of God, at his crucifixion because, as the sinless Lamb of God, he was the only person worthy enough to be a sacrifice for all sins for all time. I’m talking about your sins, my sins, the sins of every person who has ever lived in the past from Adam up to now and every person who will ever live in the future up to the time of the Second Coming of Christ. Crucifixion was the most cruel way to die ever devised by man, so cruel in fact that the Romans banned it after 200 years in use.

Ephesians 5:26 – That He might sanctify and cleanse her (the church) with the washing of water by the word.

John 3:27 – A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.

Acts 10:13 – To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.

Matthew 22:37 – (Jesus speaking) – You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

No doubt Jesus suffered tremendous physical pain and anguish on the cross but that pain and anguish paled in comparison to the spiritual torture Jesus endured in his Spirit as he was separated from God the Father for the first time while absorbing the full brunt of the unfiltered wrath of God for the sins of all mankind, past, present and future. The wrath God intended for all sinners, including us, was instead channeled through Jesus. We can’t comprehend what Jesus endured for us and he did it voluntarily because of his great love, mercy and grace toward us. Yes, Jesus is indeed our Savior! We need to remember daily what Jesus has done for us and offer up praise, worship, honor and glory to his name!

2 Corinthians 5:21 – For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

John 3:36 – He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

John 11:25-26 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

The death of Jesus made the forgiveness of sins possible for all men. The next step is for each person to receive remission of their individual sins by believing in the gospel message of Christ and accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. This is done by making a conscious decision to turn away from sin and turn toward God (repentance) and by a profession of faith in the Lord (sinner’s prayer). God put eternity into the heart of every person so they would know deep down there is a God and instinctively search for God. It’s a universal need of every people, nation and tribe on the face of the earth. No person will ever be truly happy until they find the true God that created them; the only God that can fill the void in their soul. If the gospel were reduced to one word it would be “resurrection.” Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ there would be no Christianity and our faith would be in vain.

1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

James 4:7 – Therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Romans 12:1 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice; holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

The death and resurrection of Jesus is proof from God that he has accepted full payment for our sins. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead gives every believer “full assurance” that their sins have been forgiven and that they will also rise from the dead on the last day in glorified bodies and then live with Jesus forever in heaven. We know God doesn’t allow sin in heaven. If God had not accepted Jesus’ sacrificial death for forgiveness of the sins of all men he never would have raised Jesus from the dead and we would all still be in our sins. If the sins of the world were still on Jesus then he wouldn’t be in heaven right now at the right hand of God. All believers have “full assurance” of eternal life in heaven and the remission of their sins because Jesus is risen and sits on his throne in heaven as our Mediator. A righteous God is satisfied with the finished work of Jesus on the cross. God won’t demand payment twice for your sins. God is not mocked. Your sin debt has been paid in full forever by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. That’s what the word “savior” means. This should give us inner peace and “full assurance” of our salvation.

Luke 19:10 – (Jesus speaking) – For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Romans 6:14 – For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Romans 6:11 – Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:10 – For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

The Bible is the inerrant word of God. People have tried for two thousand years to prove the Bible wrong and they have failed to find any errors in it. God claims the Bible is his word and we know God cannot lie. God is ever faithful to fulfill the promises he makes in the Bible. The Bible is one third prophecy with over 1000 prophecies, over 500 of which have already come true in their appointed time and have been documented at fact. The theme of the Bible is all about the revelation of Jesus Christ and believers can only find the “full assurance” of the salvation they seek by daily reading and studying the Bible themselves along with daily prayers to God. As a believer, if you doubt your salvation you’re calling God a liar to his face. You’re telling God his word is false. In Scripture God say, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Scripture also says the word of God is forever settled in heaven which means God will never change his mind.

Luke 6:17 – (Jesus speaking) – And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

Luke 21:33 – Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

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

John 3:6 – (Jesus speaking) – That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

In fact, God never changes at all so we can abide in God and trust his word to be true. Every believer will occasionally have doubts because we’re all human. When that happens immediately look to the Bible and to the cross; and have faith in Jesus. Trust in God because he is faithful. God is the only thing you can count on in this world. It’s the blood of Christ that saves us and the Word of God that confirms it in our hearts and minds. Believe in God because he cannot lie and he is ever faithful. Rest your hope on the finished work of Christ for your salvation. Rest your faith in the naked Word of God. Nothing else will do. The Bible believed gives “full assurance” to us of our salvation unto eternal life in heaven where we’ll be in the presence of Jesus forever.

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 – But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption – that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

1 John 5:10 – He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

John 6:40 – (Jesus speaking) – And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

God created us all and he’s been fair to everyone by giving each of us the same small amount of initial faith which is all we need to accept his saving grace. Anyone who wants to be saved can be saved. It’s true, God wants you! God never turns anyone away and he makes it easy to come to him. All you have to do is ask. Even the feeblest faith in Christ is saving faith because God wants all of us in heaven with him. That’s why God created us! The thief who died on the cross with Jesus had the feeblest faith I’ve ever seen yet it was enough to save him. God gave that example to prove to us anyone can come to God at any time, even when our faith is weak. It’s up to believers to grow the faith they were initially given through daily prayers to God and by reading their Bibles daily for knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Always remember this when you have doubts, which all of us will have at one time or another. Disregard how you may feel and just trust in what God says in the Bible. Salvation is not about us, it’s about God and what he wants for us. God made us especially for heaven. Salvation is about the love, mercy and grace of Almighty God!

Matthew 5:18 – (Jesus speaking) – For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Romans 5:18 – Therefore, as though one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

Psalm 119:89 – Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.

Matthew 5:16 – (Jesus speaking) – Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

The closer a believer gets to God the more they realize the holiness and glory of the Lord while at the same time they also see their own wretched sinfulness. Once a believer sees the vast gulf between holy God and sinful man the first thing they think is, “I’m not worthy of salvation,” and they’re right. Sinful man is an unclean thing to God, a filthy rag before the Lord. The thing is, none of us are worthy of God’s grace. We’re all in the same boat. But God in his love and mercy has decided to forgive us of our sins through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Once we have been reborn in Christ Jesus, when God looks upon us he sees only the righteousness of Jesus, his dear Son. Our sins were washed away by the blood of Jesus, In the eyes of God the death of Jesus was also our death and the life of Jesus is also our life. We were resurrected with Jesus therefore we are forever linked together. Because Jesus Christ lives forever and dwells in us, we too will live forever. Because Jesus lives eternally all who believe in him have “full assurance” of their eternal salvation in Jesus. Believers will live forever in heaven because Jesus is there.

Ephesians 1:11 – In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.

Colossians 3:1-4 – If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

1 John 4:13-16 – By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Romans 8:29-30 – For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

When we see the word predestined in Scripture it doesn’t mean God intended for some people to go to heaven and others to hell. God wants all men to go to heaven which is one of the reasons he is holding off on the rapture of the saints until the last possible moment; hoping more will come to Jesus before it’s too late. The word predestination means that God will conform believers to be like Jesus (sanctification) over time. The goal is for us to obey God and assist in this process through prayer and abiding in God’s Word. When we were reborn God forgave our sins and gave us a new spirit but the corrupt flesh remains. Sin in the flesh is not destroyed. We still have a sin nature in our physical bodies inherited from Adam’s original sin in the Garden of Eden. That means we all will continue to sin and be “sinners” because of that. The difference is that on earth we can’t keep from sinning but once we’re in heaven we’ll be unable to sin because God himself will “glorify” us and keep us from sinning forevermore.

Ephesians 1:5 – Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Isaiah 53:5-6 – But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Titus 3:5-7 – Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

As believers we should be sinning less and less over time as our fellowship with God deepens. Believers should hate sin and should find no satisfaction when they do sin (or at least not as much as they used to). Satan loves to tell Christians that because of their ongoing sin they can’t possibly be saved and that God doesn’t love them anymore. That is not true! Don’t believe it for a second. In the eyes of God every saint is priceless. Once a believer is saved their salvation is irrevocable. To prove it God indwells the believer with his Holy Spirit upon salvation as an earnest deposit on their soul. God will fulfill his promise and redeem believers when they die. Scripture says, “Precious in the eyes of God is the death of His saints.” The Scriptures also say Satan is a liar and the father of it (John 8:44). Believe what the Bible says. Have faith in God, push back against Satan, and trust in the Lord for his salvation and protection. God cannot lie; God is ever faithful; God will never leave you nor forsake you. Believers can have “full assurance” that they are saved and will go to heaven. Believers are secure in God’s hands forever and Satan can’t pluck us out no matter how hard he tries. All praise, worship, honor and glory to God our Father in heaven for our salvation unto eternal life, for those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Ephesians 1:13 – In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

1 Corinthians 1:18 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Titus 2:15 – Speak these things (the gospel), exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 – Therefore comfort one another with these words.

For over nineteen centuries Bible-believing Christians have had their eyes on the horizon, hoping to see the Lord Jesus Christ descending from heaven with a shout to call them home. The Apostle Paul called this future prophetic event, “The Blessed Hope”, but most Christians refer to it as, “The Rapture.” As believers we all want to go to heaven and miss the Tribulation but, more importantly, we want our “Blessed Hope”, which is Christ himself. The New Testament was originally written in Greek, the universal language of the ancient world. It was then translated into Latin in the fourth century and later into English. You won’t find the word rapture anywhere in the Bible. Rapture was a Latin term used in the Latin translation of the Bible but since Latin is now a dead language you won’t find it in print anymore.

However, the term rapture caught everyone’s imagination and the word stuck. The rapture event was described in the original Greek language by the word “harpadso” which means “snatched up.” Believers are literally going to be “snatched up” or “caught away” by Jesus at his promised return. The term rapture may be a better translation than the original Greek because it suggests a joyous exaltation in the prophetic event. Rapture gives Christians a sense of expectancy, a sense of immediacy that you simply don’t get with “snatched up”. Interpret Scripture, first and foremost, based on God’s intended audience. Determine whether God is talking to Israel, to the Gentiles or to the church, and then the Scriptures will start making more sense to you. All Scripture is for us but not all Scripture is about us. We need to know the difference between the two. Use Scripture to interpret Scripture. Then we are to interpret Scripture literally; using correct grammar and with an awareness of the historical setting in which the verses were written. If Scripture makes sense seek no other sense. Let’s take a look at the three main Bible verses on the rapture:

John 14:1-3 – (Jesus speaking) – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

The main theme of the Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of mankind through his substitutionary death on the cross in our place. The Old Testament is Jesus prophesied and the New Testament is Jesus fulfilled. In 685 BC the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the coming birth of the Messiah, the Son of God, who would save people from their sins. Fulfillment of this prophecy came during the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord, who lived on this earth from 0-33 AD. This was the “first” appearing of God on the earth, in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Since Jesus spoke the words of this Scripture some two thousand years ago Christians of every age have been thrilled at the prospect of living in heaven forever in the presence of Jesus Christ, who is God. It’s the “blessed hope” of every Christian. While the verse itself is not that specific we know from other verses in the Bible exactly what Jesus means. We know Jesus came off his throne in heaven, came to earth and lived a human life, was crucified and brought back to life three days later by God the Father. After his resurrection Jesus ascended back to heaven. We know Jesus is currently sitting at the right hand of God where he is our Mediator. Jesus has had two thousand years to make a place in heaven for us to live with him and he will come for us one day just as he promised. As far as how Jesus plans to call us to himself, that is explained in the following two verses.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 – For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

This is one of the “mysteries” of God revealed to us by the Apostle Paul, whom God has appointed to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. This is the “second” of the prophesied “appearing” of Jesus Christ on the earth. The first “appearing” of Christ was to save all men of every age through the forgiveness of sins by his sacrificial death. On the second “appearing” of Jesus he is coming some time in the future for his own, his church; those believing Christians who by faith have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Jesus will not be actually setting foot on the earth this time so the rapture can’t be confused with the Second Coming of Christ referred to as, “The Glorious Appearing.” At the rapture Jesus is remaining in the clouds at his second appearing and bringing all believers from every age, both dead and alive, instantaneously to his location where they will be given new “glorified bodies.” Jesus will then take all believers back to heaven as he said he would. The last sentence in the above verse lets all Christians know God wants believers to call to remembrance the coming rapture when they gather together.

This “rapture” of the saints is the same thing as God “translating” people in the Old Testament. In Genesis 5:24 we learned that the prophet Enoch pleased God and he was translated directly from earth to heaven without dying. Elijah, the great Hebrew prophet, was also translated by God directly from earth into heaven. Only this time God sent a fiery chariot of holy angels to pick him up while he was in the sight of his disciple Elisha (2 Kings 2:11). The important thing to remember is nothing is impossible with God and God does just as he pleases. We don’t have to understand exactly how or why God does something to believe it. Take the Bible literally unless the Scripture is obviously a spiritualization or an allegory. Believe what God tells you in his word and accept it at face value because God cannot lie and he always has our best interest at heart. God is good and God is great!

1 Corinthians 15:50-53 – Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

One of the spiritual truths of God is that sin cannot enter heaven. Every man born after the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden bears the mark of that original sin in his physical body, which is why our bodies decay and die. Adam and Eve were immortal until they sinned. Everything in heaven is infinite, eternal and our bodies are finite, just temporary housing for our eternal spirit so it’s just common sense our physical bodies can’t exist in heaven. That’s what the Apostle Paul is telling us in 1 Corinthians 15:50-53. Who wants our old worn out bodies anyway? I certainly don’t. Not when we can have new, younger, glorified bodies that never grow old or get sick. Jesus was resurrected into his glorified body and we’ll get one exactly like his. Think about it. We’ll be able to translate anywhere in the galaxy in the blink of an eye. The universe will be our playground. We’ll be able to walk through walls, walk on water, fly, you name it. The Bible doesn’t say what age our new body will look like but I’m assuming it’ll look enough like us so we’re recognizable and appear about 33 years of age, the same age as Jesus when he received his glorified body. Don’t worry about it either way. Whatever God decides to give us will be the perfect choice and we’ll be well pleased.

Foster the mindset that the rapture is imminent! Jesus could come for us today and the thing is we need to be ready to go and we need to always keep watch for Jesus to come in the air for us. As Christians we always need to maintain that sense of expectation; the imminence of the Lord’s soon return. The rapture of all believers is the next prophetic event on God’s calendar and it has been for two thousand years. No more Bible prophecies need to be fulfilled before the rapture occurs. The Apostles expected the rapture to occur in their lifetime as has every succeeding generation of Christian faithful, including ours. Jesus said he would come again within the lifetime of the generation alive at the rebirth of Israel, which we all know happened on May 15, 1948. After 74 years the clock is still ticking. How much longer can it be? Jesus commanded all believers to be ready for his return and to watch for his coming so we need to obey God. When Jesus does come at his second appearing it’ll only be for believers who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Simply going to church regularly and calling yourself a Christian won’t get you raptured if you haven’t also made the personal choice to serve God through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The church of God, millions of believing Christians, will suddenly vanish from the face of the earth because Jesus will personally call us to him in the air and take us back to heaven to be with him. All nonbelievers will be left on the earth to feel the wrath of God, including nonbelieving Jews who rejected Jesus at his first appearing.

1 Timothy 6:14 – That you keep this commandment (to have faith) without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing.

2 Timothy 1:10 – But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 – And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

2 Corinthians 5:20 – Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as through God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

There are two ways we can be sure we’re truly dealing with God and not some false god or Satan in disguise. God is the Creator, the Author of life. Only God can create life and only God can bring someone back to life. During the three and half year ministry of Jesus Christ he brought three people back to life. There was the widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17), Jairus’ daughter (Mt 9:18-26), and Lazarus (John 11:1-44). When Jesus brought these people back to life it was to demonstrate to us that Jesus is God in the flesh. When God the Father brought Jesus back to life after three days in the earth it was to prove to us that God is who he says he is and if he can resurrect Jesus then when we die God will do the same for us. We have peace knowing that Jesus will one day come for those who love him, whether we are dead or alive. That is truly our “blessed hope” and the reason we have the peace of God in our hearts and the reason we constantly watch the horizon in the hope that Jesus will soon appear for us. Believers are securely held for eternity in the loving arms of God.

Deuteronomy 33:27 – The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

John 11:25-26 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

John 5:21 – (Jesus speaking) – For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.

John 5:25 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

The second way we know we’re dealing with God is if his prophecies come true. God is the author of history and only God knows what’s going to happen in the future; because God creates history! Only God knows the end from the beginning. We know the Bible is God’s Word because he says it is and because the Bible is one third prophecy with over 1000 individual prophecies, over 500 of which have been fulfilled in their appointed time and documented as fact. Satan on the other hand, with all his fake religions and false gods throughout the centuries has not fulfilled even one prophecy. Satan is doing all he can to keep men from the truth of God. It’s easy to spot falsehood if you objectively look at all the evidence presented by God in the Bible because it proves without a doubt that Jehovah is the one true living God. We are blessed because God is ours and we are God’s children.

1 John 2:28 – And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

2 Timothy 4:1 – I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom.

Romans 8:1 – There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Titus 11:13 – For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

As we can see from Titus 11:13, the first appearing of Jesus Christ brought salvation to men by his sacrificial death. The second appearing of Jesus is referred to as the “blessed hope”, which we know is the coming rapture of believers to meet Jesus in the air before going to heaven. The third and final appearing of Jesus Christ is referred to in the above Scripture as the, “glorious appearing”, which we also know as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ because Jesus will set foot on the earth for the second time, on the Mount of Olives. All three appearances of Jesus are separate and distinct from each other and each occurs at different times and each has their own purpose. The Second Coming will end human history as we know it and Jesus will judge all peoples and nations for their sins. Jesus will then usher in his 1000 year millennial kingdom on earth. All believers will have been removed from the earth at least seven years prior to the Second Coming of Christ, at the rapture, or second appearing of Jesus in the air. Believers have their sins forgiven and therefore will not be on earth to go through the wrath of God known as the seven year tribulation period.

Romans 5:9 – Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Titus 2:13 – Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

1 John 3:3 – And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure.

2 Timothy 4:8 – Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

2 Timothy 4:8 tells us that it’s important to God for believers to be watching for the second appearing of Jesus Christ in the air, when he comes for his own. It’s important to God that believers be ready for the rapture when Jesus does comes. It’s so important to God that he will give a special crown to all believers who love the rapture event and watch for it. Nothing keeps Christians more righteous and grounded in the faith than knowing Jesus could come at any time. When we know Jesus is coming for us we get out and witness more, we go out and do more good works and we overall live more godly lives. We know from Scripture that God will remove the church from the earth before the tribulation period. Most pretribulationists, including myself, are Christians who believe that God has not appointed the church to receive the wrath of God, which is a time reserved for Israel and for those who have sinned against God and who have not repented of those sins.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 – For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 3:10 – (Jesus speaking) – Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 – Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Satan doesn’t want believers to be expecting God at any moment because that leads to righteous living, effective witnessing for Christ and doing numerous good works for the Lord. Satan has muddied the waters by causing some Christians to believe the rapture will occur at the half-way point of the tribulation (midtribulationist) or at the end of the seven years of tribulation (posttribulationist). If the mid-tribbers or post-tribbers are correct Christian enthusiasm would be dulled because then we would know the exact date of the rapture and have time to prepare for it. If they are right then Scripture would have no need to tell us to watch expectantly for the coming of the Son of Man on that day. If what they say is true then why does Scripture need to tell us the rapture would come like a thief in the night? If the mid-tribbers or post-tribbers are correct then all believers would have to go through some or all of God’s wrath which would make the Scripture promises a lie. The narrative of the mid-tribbers and post-tribbers doesn’t fit the facts as laid out in Scripture so they are obviously mistaken. God cannot lie and the Bible is the inerrant word of God.

2 Corinthians 5:8 – We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 – For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

1 Thessalonians 4:15 – For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

Isaiah 1:18 – Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

When believers die their spirit immediately returns to heaven to be in the presence of Jesus. At the rapture Jesus will come down from heaven and he’ll bring with him the spirits of all those who have died in Christ over the last two thousand years to give them their glorified bodies in the air above the earth. Immediately after doing this Jesus will translate all the believers still living on earth to himself and he will also give them their glorified bodies in the air. Jesus will then take all believers back to heaven to receive their reward and attend the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. In the book of Revelation the church is mentioned seventeen times in the first three chapters but that all stops in chapter four when John is called to heaven. The church isn’t mentioned again until the end of the book of Revelation and the only logical reason for this is because the church is no longer on earth. The next time the church is mentioned in Revelation it’s accompanying Jesus to earth at the Second Coming. It’s obvious the church was taken out of the earth earlier and that could only have occurred at the prophetic event known as the rapture in order for the saints to already be in heaven and ready to accompany Jesus back to earth at the Second Coming. There is no other logical explanation that fits the Scriptures and also makes sense.

Isaiah 30:18 – Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are those who wait for Him.

Hebrews 10:23-25 – Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as in the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 – For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

2 Peter 3:14 – Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things (heaven), be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.

Most Bible scholars see the Second Coming of Jesus Christ as coming in two stages, seven years apart. Stage one is the Rapture where Jesus comes to earth in the air to gather all believers to himself, where he will give them all glorified bodies before taking them back to heaven. The Rapture will end the two thousand year church age known as the, ” time of the Gentiles” and, “the age of grace.” When the church is removed from the earth it will start the clock ticking on the last seven year Tribulation period of God’s dealing with Israel. This will be the seventieth week prophesied by the prophet Daniel. The Tribulation is the time of God’s wrath against Israel, which is why the Tribulation is also called, “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” Jacob is another name for Israel. The church age is about grace for believers while the Tribulation period is all about the wrath of God and his judgment against Israel. The Rapture and the Glorious Appearing of Jesus must be separated by seven years to fit God’s time clock and because Jesus has a different purpose for each appearing. Scripture confirms that suffering is the portion of the believer, but not wrath. God reserves wrath for the nonbeliever, not for his children. What God has revealed in Scripture he also means to be understood by us.

Isaiah 33:6 – Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.

Hebrews 10:31 – It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 7:25 – Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him.

Zechariah 14:5 – Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, for the mountain valley shall reach Azal. Yes, you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with You.

Those who say the first half of the Tribulation won’t be all that bad are really deluding themselves. The first half of the Tribulation will be very bad; and the second half even worse. As a loving parent would you choose to let your children suffer through the most horrifying period in human history? No you wouldn’t and neither would God. As believers, we are God’s children and he loves us dearly. At Pentecost God sent the Holy Spirit to reside on earth and indwell all believers forever. When we die it’s the Holy Spirit that takes our spirit home to be with Jesus. When Jesus raptures the church the spirits of all those who died in Christ will be right there with him as will their constant companion, the Holy Spirit. As we accompany Jesus to the Second Coming the Holy Spirit will be there with us, indwelling our glorified bodies. During the 1000 year millennial kingdom of God on earth and then on through all of eternity the Holy Spirit will still be with us, our constant companion. We won’t be able to sin in heaven and the presence of the Holy Spirit may be why.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 – And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

Romans 8:9 – But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Colossians 3:4 – When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Philippians 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

God will not pour out his wrath on Israel and unbelieving Gentiles during the seven year Tribulation period until he removes his presence (the Holy Spirit). Shall God attack himself? Heaven forbid! Since all believers and the Holy Spirit are inseparable, forever joined at the hip, God cannot remove his presence from the earth without removing all believers too. The event known as the Rapture is when God removes his church (believers) from the earth, along with the Holy Spirit of God who indwells those believers. Scripture tells us the “Restrainer” will hold back the evil of this world until he is removed. The use of capitalized personal pronouns indicates God is talking about a divine person. The fact that the Restrainer has been holding back evil for thousands of years means he’s eternal. The Restrainer is obviously more powerful than Satan to be able hold him back. Since Satan is the second most powerful being in the universe after God it’s obvious the Restrainer is none other than the Holy Spirit; who is God. Nobody else fits the description.

John 14:16-17 – (Jesus speaking) – And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells within you and will be in you.

2 Peter 3:3-5 – Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 – Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.

Isaiah 45:22 – Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Scripture tells us the appearance of the antichrist, the man of sin, will not happen until the Restrainer has been removed. You can’t remove the Restrainer without also removing the saints of God. The Tribulation cannot start until the antichrist appears. Therefore, the rapture of the church has to occur before the Tribulation starts. There are no other feasible options. The mid-tribbers and post-tribbers would have Christians look, watch and wait for the coming of the antichrist instead of Jesus Christ our Lord. Satan would have us waiting for his man, the man of sin, instead of waiting for the “Blessed Hope”, in order to steal the glory of Jesus at his second appearing in the clouds. Don’t allow Satan’s lackeys to knock you off your spot by getting you to believe unscriptural doctrine. Get the facts straight in your head and be ready to push back on anyone who approaches you with this false doctrine. It’s part of your witness for Christ to tell the truth of God to all comers, and that includes the rapture. Scripture tells us that in these last days many Christians, and even a lot of Christian churches, will be deceived by satanic influences and flock to false doctrine. Don’t be one of them. Leave any church that does not teach the Word of God and abide by its teachings.

Hebrews 9:28 – So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many (his first appearance). To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin (which has nothing to do with our sins this time), for salvation (Jesus will save us from the wrath of God by snatching us out of the world before the Tribulation). * My explanation is in parenthesis.

Luke 12:37 – (Jesus speaking) – Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.

Luke 21:36 – (Jesus speaking) – Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man (at the Bema judgement seat).

Proverbs 23:12 – Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge.

Happy New Year, 2022! The first week of January is the perfect time to set new goals for the coming year. Success in any endeavor requires that you know where you’re going and that means you need to have a plan to get there. It’s a rare event when someone blindly stumbles into success. I don’t know anyone who has. You need to plan your work and then work your plan in order to be successful. For Christians the new year is also a good time to reflect on the past year and evaluate our contributions to the kingdom of God and our service to God. The main reason God put us on this earth is to make the free will decision to serve God or Satan. Those who choose to serve God are given eternal life in heaven by God the Father, through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Philippians 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 4:4 – Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

Proverbs 23:12 – Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge.

Philippians 4:6 – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Why doesn’t God take us home to heaven the moment we’re saved? The answer is God has a second reason for leaving us here on earth. All believers are commanded to witness the gospel of Christ to all peoples and all nations. Before Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives he gave this “Great Commission” to his disciples to carry out. As believers we automatically become disciples of Christ and witnessing for Christ then becomes our number one duty in service to God. Sharing the gospel message will always be our top priority in life. God made us all and loves us all equally. God doesn’t want anyone to go to hell so he reaches out to nonbelievers through the saints (us) in order to save as many as he can for the kingdom of God. Someone helped save us and we owe it to God to help save all we can. It’s our reasonable service to our Father in heaven.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 – For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Romans 12:1 – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

1 Corinthians 15:58 – Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Proverbs 11:30 – The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

God leaves us here on earth to do good works that bring honor and glory to God. When we witness for Christ we are doing the main thing, the number one “good work” for God. As a Christian if we are not witnessing for Christ in some form or fashion then any other good work we may offer up to God is like a filthy rag. It is meaningless. The Bible makes it clear that although we become citizens of heaven upon salvation, God purposely leaves us on earth to do the work of God. People don’t seem to understand what that means. People need to understand the implications of accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It means we acknowledge Jesus as our master and embrace our position as a servant of God. Being a servant of God brings with it certain responsibilities on our part that we are duty bound to perform. All believers are to obey the commands of God contained in the Bible. Obedience to the word of God is the key to pleasing God.

Matthew 28:19-20 – (Jesus speaking) – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

1 Corinthians 6:20 – For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 – I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Colossians 4:2 – Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

You can’t obey what you don’t know so it’s imperative that all Christians read God’s Word every day and study it so they have the knowledge, understanding and wisdom to serve God effectively. Every one of us sins before God every day because of our sin nature inherited from Adam. We are dust; we are weak. That’s why it’s critical we come before God daily in prayer to ask forgiveness for our daily sins and also ask God to strengthen us through his Holy Spirit so we can sin less over time and do the good works God has planned for us since the foundation of the world. Without the power of God on the inside of us we can do nothing. We must be humble before the throne of grace in order for God to hear our prayers because God is holy.

James 4:10 – Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

1 Timothy 2:8 – I desire therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

In my Bible guide I counted 129 direct commands from God that are in the Bible that believers are to obey (some were redundant). How many of God’s commands can you name off the top of your head? I’ll bet not many. 90% of Christians can’t name more than about fifteen of God’s commandments. How do I know this? Studies have shown that only about 10% of Christians who attend church regularly have read the entire Bible and fewer still read their Bibles daily and study it as God commands. How can you know what God expects of you if you don’t delve into the word of God? So if you’re a believer what have you done in the past year to please the Lord? What commandments of God have you obeyed on a consistent basis? Have you asked God to forgive your sins daily or did you just let them pile up? How have you contributed to the kingdom of God?

1 Timothy 4:13 – Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Titus 2:7 – In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility.

1 Peter 1:17 – And if you call on the Father who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.

James 4:2 – Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

We are all commanded to share the gospel of Christ with all peoples and nations. That is the number one good work for God and without it all other works for God are meaningless. As we witness for Christ we are also to do other good works such as helping the poor, the needy, the orphan and the widow. As we emulate Christ by our actions others will see the light of God by what we do and be attracted by the gospel message of Jesus Christ. The life of Jesus was an example of what we are to do as Christians. Believers need to study the life of Jesus so we can emulate all that he did. As we emulate what Jesus did during his three and a half years of earthly ministry we become more Christlike in the eyes of God, which is part of God’s plan for us. Plan your work for God and then work your plan.

Hebrews 6:10 – For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Galatians 6:9-10 – And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Hebrews 12:28-29 – Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Proverbs 14:25 – A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies.

I know I’ve gotten a little off track so let’s return to the original question. Looking back on 2021 how have you contributed to the kingdom of God? How many people have you witnessed to? How many people did you save? What other good works have you done? How much money did you give to Charity? I keep track of the number of people I share the gospel with and I keep a log of the charities I donate to during the year and the amount given so that I can review the totals as part of my reasonable service to God. When you help someone less fortunate the Bible says it’s as though you’re helping Jesus himself. Keep that in mind and give all you can.

1 John 3:17 – But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Ephesians 4:28 – Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

James 1:17 – For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Colossians 3:25 – But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.

Remember that 10% of your net income should be spent on God’s work as your required tithe to the Lord. When you die all your money in the bank is of no use to you. You can’t take it with you. The tax man will take his share. Others will spend the rest of the money you earned on things you do not approve of. The only way you get to keep your money is if you give it all back to God in some way. Pay your money forward into your heavenly bank account by using it to serve the kingdom of God. All you have belongs to God anyway so when you give to God you’re just giving God what is already his. God is testing you with this to see if you’re a good steward of the blessings he has bestowed upon you. Don’t fail God. What other activities did you do that helped people in need? Did you volunteer any of your time to help those less fortunate than yourself? I know the covid-19 pandemic impacts us all and curtails our good works to some degree but there are always opportunities to serve God if we look for them and our heart is open to the possibilities before us.

Titus 3:8 – This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

2 Corinthians 9:6 – But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Galatians 6:7 – Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My witnessing for Christ is now primarily through my blog site: www.onemoreforjesus.net. I supplement my “passive witnessing” by handing out Christian tracts whenever I go out to places like Walmart, the grocery store and to the doctor’s office. I buy my Christian tracts 1000 at a time from chick.com. The cartoon booklets contain the gospel message and includes the sinner’s prayer at the end. People have been saved unto eternal life through just reading Christian tracts. My purpose is to broadcast the gospel seed for those whom God has convicted of their sin. It’s rare for anyone to be saved the first time they hear the gospel message. Most of the time people need to hear the gospel message at least 15-20 times before they finally accept God’s saving grace unto eternal life. God expects us to persevere in spreading the gospel seed and each time we do we become a link in the salvation chain for that person who eventually does become a believer. The good part in all this is that God is generous to a fault and he will equally reward both the reaper of that soul for the kingdom of God and all those sowers of the gospel seed who crossed that person’s path leading up their salvation. I don’t know exactly what God’s reward for us will be when we get to heaven but I do know it’ll be more than we can possibly imagine.

Jeremiah 20:9 – Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.

1 Corinthians 2:9 – Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

Hebrews 13:15-16 – Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Romans 8:1 – There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

I started my Christian blog site over two years ago (December 2019) and I finished 2021 with 569 posted blogs. That works out to an average of over 22 blogs a month. I started with a flourish because I had all this pent up love and excitement for God and his word. I knew a great secret and I couldn’t keep it in. I was compelled by the Holy Spirit to share my witness with anyone who would listen, much like the prophet Jeremiah who also couldn’t withhold the truth of God from his people. As my blogs have evolved over time they have become much longer and less frequent. I’ve been averaging two blogs a month lately and that seems about the right pace going forward. The spiritual growth rate of ever person is different but the important thing is to just persevere. Everyone’s walk with God is one on one. Although our race with God is unique, God is fair to everyone and he gives us all of us the same chance to find God and his saving grace. The playing field is level for everyone no matter where you are in the world or what century you lived in. God is ready to meet you halfway so don’t blame God if you don’t find him. You have your chance and that’s all you can ask for. Don’t blame God for any of your inadequacies. It’s up to you to get off your butt and go find God and not vice versa.

Romans 1:20 – For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

Isaiah 1:18 – Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Isaiah 45:22 – Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Nobody is more detail oriented than God. God knows every hair on our head, every cell in our body and every thought we will ever think in our lifetime, before he spoke the universe into existence. God planned all along to share his truth with his special creation (us). God’s Word is his truth and in written form we refer to it as the Holy Bible. God cannot tell a lie therefore the Bible is the inerrant word of God. When God says something will happen in the Bible it always comes to pass. Nothing is impossible with God. God is the author of history. God wrote the Bible over a span of 1500 years (1400 BC to 100 AD) using a series of ghost writers (prophets) who wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. God chose his prophets carefully and God put his words in their mouth. The words written in the Bible were exactly what God wanted said while graciously allowing the personality of each writer to shine through. The only true wisdom is contained in God’s Word. Studying the Bible allows a gracious God to give us knowledge, understanding and wisdom. We don’t extract truth and wisdom from the Bible on our own. It is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit of God when we are spiritually ready to receive it.

Isaiah 30:21 – Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”

2 Peter 1:21 – For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

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

2 Peter 1:19 – And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

There are numerous Scriptures in the Bible that confirm the prophets were instructed to write down God’s testimony in a book. Why did God do it? Because God in his love, mercy and grace wanted to leave us the Bible as an instruction manual for a successful life. To please God in this world we must be obedient to God’s commandments. If we don’t know our Bible thoroughly we won’t know what God’s commandments are. We can’t obey what we don’t know and ignorance is no excuse. We must become more righteous through regular Bible reading and/or Bible study and we must also do good works. We need to help the poor, the needy, the orphan, and the widow; but the primary good work for God is witnessing for Christ. As we can see from 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the Bible is the only source we have or will ever need to accomplish the plans God has for our lives.

Isaiah 7:14 – Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 33:6 – Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.

Isaiah 5:20 – Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

Colossians 3:2 – Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

We ask ourselves, “Why am I here?” God answers that question in the Bible. God put us on this earth to make the free will choice whether to serve God or Satan. It’s a binary choice that must be made by all of us. It’s one or the other. We can’t opt out. We can’t “not decide.” If we don’t make the positive choice to serve God before we die then we will have automatically chosen to serve Satan by default. Those who choose to serve Satan, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, will go to hell forever. The Bible tells us all we need to know about God and how to make the choice to serve him through the “sinner’s prayer.” God graciously gives salvation unto eternal life to all who profess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. There is no other way to heaven except through Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.

Acts 4:12 – Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Hebrews 10:10 – By that which we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile).

1 John 2:25 – And this is the promise that He has promised us – eternal life.

Think about it a moment. We have seventy short years of life on this earth, if we’re lucky, in order to decide where we’ll be spending eternity. How long is eternity? Our minds cannot grasp how long “forever” is. A hundred trillion years is only a day in eternity. Think of that length of time in the fires of hell in constant pain and agony! The horror of it is unthinkable! It’s unfathomable to me that anyone would voluntarily make that choice. It makes no sense to me whatsoever yet the vast majority of people will take the path straight to hell. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord; and so should you. Remember, you must choose God before your heart stops beating because after that your “testing time” on earth is over and you’ll no longer have the choice where you’ll be spending eternity. Those who die with unforgiven sin on their books go to hell immediately upon their death. You must avoid that fate at all costs! Satan is the god of this world and he’s doing everything in his power to hide the truth of God from you. Don’t let Satan blind you to the truth! Don’t be fooled by Satan! Don’t let Satan harvest your soul! Seek God’s salvation while he may still be found!

Isaiah 45:22 – Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Romans 1:20 – For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

Hebrews 9:27 – And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.

Joshua 8:30-31 – Now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.”

When God chose a prophet it was final. A person chosen by God to be a prophet couldn’t say no. Prophets obeyed the call of God or they were disciplined until they came into obedience. The best example I can think of is the prophet Jonah, who ran from God and tried to escape having to preach to the people of Nineveh. Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale for three days until he relented and served God as commanded. The prophet Elijah also comes to mind when he fled from Queen Jezebel and asked God to let him die. God told him to suck it up and get back to the Lord’s work. That’s good advice for all disciples of Christ. We are to be obedient to the Lord always and persevere in whatever earthly ministry the Lord has given us to do.

Some of the greatest prophets of God were not chosen to write a book of the Bible. Elijah and Elisha come to mind. However, when God did select a prophet to write a Bible book they wrote it because they simply had no other choice. Each writing prophet wrote his Bible book exactly as God commanded it to be written, down to the last word and punctuation mark, because they couldn’t disobey God. Each prophet wrote his book knowing they were under the hand of the Holy Spirit and that they were writing holy Scriptures that were a part of God’s Word. Prophets didn’t always understand everything they were required to write but they obeyed God. The prophets shared revelations about the earth that were not proven scientifically for thousands of years. The prophets told us the earth is round and hangs on nothing. The prophets told us there are ocean currents and mountains under the seas. The prophets told us everything we see is made of things we can’t see (invisible atoms). All these revelations are further proofs of God.

Hebrews 1:1 – God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets.

Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joint and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Isaiah 30:8 – Now go, write it before them on a tablet, and note it on a scroll, that it may be for time to come, forever and ever.

Jeremiah 20:9 – Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.

God always does as he pleases and God always gets what he wants. There may be chaos going on in the world around us but God is still in control of his creation and everything is proceeding as God planned it to happen. When we serve God our eternal souls are safely in God’s hands and nothing can take us from him. That is the peace of God. In the Bible it says to expect tribulation but if we persevere in our faith our eternal home will be in heaven with God the Father when we die. If we always keep that in mind we’ll be able to persevere in service to the Lord and make it safely to our eternal home some day. By his written word God intended to reveal himself to us, his special creation. The Bible serves as our guide for salvation, for wisdom, and for fellowship with God the Father. Think of the Bible as our owner’s manual; our instruction manual on how to be righteous before God.

Isaiah 44:24 – Thus says the Lord, your redeemer, and He who formed you in the womb: I am the Lord, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by Myself.

2 Corinthians 5:1 – For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Jeremiah 36:2 – Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah even to this day.

Habakkuk 2:14 – For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

Of all the books of the prophets in the Old Testament I like Isaiah the best. The book of Isaiah was written by the prophet around 680 BC. The New Testament writers quoted Isaiah more than any other Old Testament book. This is because Isaiah gives us the most extensive prophetic message about the coming of Jesus Christ to die on the cross for the sins of man. The entire Bible is about Jesus from start to finish. Every book of the Bible has the thread of Jesus woven into its fabric, especially the gospels. The Old Testament can be summed up as “Jesus prophesied” and the New Testament as, “Jesus fulfilled.” Let’s examine some of the messianic Scriptures from Isaiah:

Isaiah 9:2 – The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”

We know that God is the source of all the illumination in the universe. Without the light of God there would be utter darkness. We know the word light in this verse is referring to God because they use the adjective “great” to describe the light. God is the only “great” light. The Israelites were the only monotheistic nation in ancient times and they worshipped the one true God, Jehovah, and as such they were aware they walked in the light of Almighty God. Everyone else in the world was a Gentile who walked in darkness because they were without the light of God. God is Spirit and for people to have seen God in the flesh means they saw Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah and Son of God. Jesus is God in the flesh.

“Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.”

In Scripture God often repeats a truth twice in the same verse using a slightly different context the second time to help drive home the message. The Israelites who lived in the light of God knew they would go to heaven when they died. The Gentiles living in darkness were under the shadow of death because when they died they would suffer eternal death in hell. Again, a light refers to the advent of Jesus Christ upon the earth. To the Jew hell is referred to as “outer darkness.” By using the present tense words “have seen” and “has” in this Scripture God is saying the light of God and his salvation are ongoing even in our day and going forward until the Last Day, when Jesus Christ returns to earth again (the second coming) to set his foot on the Mount of Olives. At that time Jesus will judge the nations for their sins against the Lord and usher in his millennial kingdom on the earth.

Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be on His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The names of God are always capitalized so we know we’re talking about a divine person. Jesus Christ will set up his millennial kingdom at his second coming and will rule the world from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 9:7 – Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.

Not only will Jesus rule on earth for 1000 years, Jesus will be King over the kingdom of God forever. Endless increase and endless peace mean heaven will be a place of bounty; full of love, wonder and joy. Nothing is better than living in heaven forever in the presence of God so let us continually praise God in prayer for our salvation. Let us always rejoice with our lips in the goodness and greatness of Almighty God!

Isaiah 42:1 – Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in who My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

God is proclaiming that his son Jesus Christ is coming to the earth to bring forgiveness of sins and salvation to the Gentile as well the Jew; for those who believe.

Isaiah 53:12 – Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

When we say Jesus is our Savior we’re not kidding! Sin cannot enter heaven so only Jesus dying on the cross for our sins can save us from what we deserve, which is eternal death in the fires of hell. Jesus took our sins upon himself because he is the only sinless sacrifice acceptable to God for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus died in our place so we wouldn’t have to. Jesus didn’t have to come to earth to die a horrible death on the cross in our place. Jesus could have said “no thanks” which would have resulted in our spending eternity in hell because of our sins. Jesus died so that we can live with God in heaven forever. So you see, we owe everything to Jesus! Jesus loves us so much he was willing to lay down his life for us and for that sacrifice Jesus is deserving of our praise, honor and worship forever.

1 Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Isaiah 43:13 – Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who can reverse it?

Isaiah 46:4 – Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Isaiah 1:18 – Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

All religions are mutually exclusive. All religions claim they’re the one true path to God; therefore only one religion can be true and all other religions must be false. How can we tell which religion is true? How can we spot the false gods and fake religions? A common denominator among all false religions is they were all devised by arrogant, prideful and sinful men, all under the influence of Satan, in an attempt to reach up to God by their own devices. All fake religions require their followers to do good works in order to reach heaven and then their adherents are never assured of going to heaven for what they do. This keeps all the people working continuously on the treadmill of life to serve their earthly masters. That includes all the world religions except Judaism and Christianity.

Romans 8:16 – The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

Romans 8:14 – For as many as are lead by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

1 John 3:1 – Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

Philippians 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Only our God Jehovah does just the opposite by reaching down from heaven to save us by his love, mercy and grace and not by the works of man. Salvation unto eternal life is a free gift of God. That is the uniqueness of the Judeo-Christian vision of God. The only caveat is we must meet God with a humble and contrite heart. We do that by realizing the greatness of God and our own sinfulness. We can achieve that by frequent prayer and regular Bible reading. Don’t fall for Satan’s great lie that there are multiple paths to God. There is only one way to God and heaven and that is through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Only God’s Word can show you the way to get there.

Isaiah 66:1-2 – “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” says the Lord. “But on this one I will look: on him who is poor (humble) and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.”

2 Peter 1:20 – Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.

1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

James 4:7 – Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The marvelous truth in Scripture is this: God intends for each of us to abandon our own efforts to save ourselves and to humbly receive His gift of eternal life, given by grace, received by faith in Jesus Christ, through the work of His Holy Spirit. It’s a very simple concept. So simple in fact that people think there must be a catch. There’s no catch. God made us to live with him forever in heaven as royalty, as children of the Most High. That is the destiny of those of us who believe in Christ Jesus. As such, we are aliens and strangers on the earth. Scripture confirms that our true citizenship is in heaven. God loves us dearly and he eagerly awaits our return home to him. We must make that choice by our free will.

At conception God reaches down from heaven with his fingers and gives each of us a part of himself (our spirit). Since God is eternal, so is the spirit he gives us. Our physical bodies will grow old and die so that in the end only our eternal spirit remains; the real us. We belong to God so our eternal spirit eventually returns where it came from (heaven) and to the Father who created us. That’s why we’re all citizens of heaven. However, there’s a major sticking point. God doesn’t allow sin in heaven. We saw that when a third of the angels in heaven joined Satan in rebelling against God. These fallen angels were defeated and banished from heaven because they sinned against God.

Because of Adam’s fall from grace in the Garden of Eden all men are born with a sin nature. God doesn’t allow sin in heaven so if we want to return home our sins must be forgiven, or washed away, by the blood of Christ. This cleansing is achieved by faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, as a free will choice. If we die in our sin without asking God for his saving grace he will not allow our eternal spirit to enter heaven. Instead, Jesus will judge us for our sins and the wages of sin is death (eternal death). Jesus will sentence all sinners with unforgiven sin to an eternity in the lake of fire along with Satan and his fallen angels.

Everyone who has ever attended church, especially saved Christians, are familiar with John 3:16. This is the most famous verse in the Bible and the one most often memorized and quoted. I memorized John 3:16 as a child in Sunday school and it has stuck with me ever since. It’s the only Bible verse I can recite correctly to this day even though my skill at memorization has faded badly over the years. John 3:16 is so popular with everyone because it tells us exactly what we want to know and what we need to know, in clear language. John 3:16 is refreshing, like a glass of cold water to a thirsty man. It really hits the mark.

John 3:16 – (Jesus speaking) – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

As human beings we fully understand the father-son relationship laid out in John 3:16 and the love that entails. We intuitively understand that God’s greatest possession in heaven is his Son Jesus Christ, just like our children are to us. We know without having to be told that God loves Jesus more than anything else in heaven. So when God tells us he is willingly sacrificing the life of Jesus to save us God is telling us he loves us just as much as he loves Jesus. God not only tells us how much he loves us, he proves it by sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. John 3:16 proves to us, without any reservation whatsoever, that God dearly loves us. The second thing John 3:16 tells us is that we have salvation unto eternal life if we believe in Jesus Christ. To believe means we, through faith, accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. This one sentence in the Scriptures confirms to us without any shadow of doubt that God loves us dearly and we have eternal life in heaven with God if we believe in Jesus Christ. John 3:16 gives us peace with God where before there was enmity and the peace of God where before there was fear about the future.

John 10:10 – (Jesus speaking) – I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The “they” in the above verse refers to the body of Christ; believers who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In this verse of Scripture Jesus is letting us know that he is the beloved Son of God referenced in John 3:16, who has come down from heaven to give his life as a ransom for us. That through the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross and the shedding of his blood we have forgiveness of our sins by God the Father. By “life” Jesus means eternal life in heaven. When Jesus says we “may” have life he means eternal life is not given automatically. Man has the free will choice to accept the grace of God or not. God has graciously provided a means for fallen man to escape eternal death in hell. Men must make the choice to serve God or Satan. The second part of the verse says that our promised life “may” be had more abundantly. Abundantly means, “in large quantities; plentifully.” Jesus is promising a more abundant life not only on earth but also in heaven. Again, the word “may” means the promise is not automatic from God but is contingent on us asking for our abundance in prayers to God. Praying to God in this life allows God to bless us now while building up treasures for us in heaven before we get there. We must become prayer warriors for God in order to receive the all the blessings God has planned for us.

James 5:16 – The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

God has prescribed prayer as the way for his special creatures (us) to talk with him. In James 5:16 God explains to us how we are to pray to him. God talks to us primarily through the Bible and God uses the Holy Spirit to reveal spiritual truths to us through the pages of the Bible so that we can know God better and what we must do to please God. As believers we are children of God and if we want to please God we must read the Bible regularly (daily if possible) and obey the commandments of God contained in his word. Our minds are the conduit between the physical world and the spiritual world. We access the throne of grace through out minds. Satan and his demons cannot attack us in the physical world but they can attack us from the spiritual world through our minds because our minds are portals to the spiritual world and they can reach through to oppress us mentally. We must be prepared to resist the mental assault of the wicked one and that comes by knowing the Bible and then praying to God for his help and protection.

To me James 5:16 is the most important verse in the entire Bible because it is the key that unlocks the blessings of God contained in the Bible. James 5:16 tells us exactly how to make our prayers pleasing to God so he will answer them. The ten words of this verse say a lot so let’s break down the seven most important words in this verse and examine each word for content and meaning (prayer, man, righteous, avails, much, fervent and effective):

1.Prayer – In the dictionary prayer is defined as, “a request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God.” Prayer is how we talk to God. We know that James 5:16 is exclusively talking about believers talking to God. Only believers have access to the throne room of God in prayer. Nonbelievers do not have their prayers heard or answered.

2.Man – In the dictionary man is defined as, “human beings in general”. Angels have no need for prayer because they’re always in the presence of God. Demons serve Satan and they could not and would not be praying to God. Prayer is the exclusive province of believers as God’s prescribed way for us to communicate with him one on one.

3.Righteous – The dictionary defines “righteous” as, “morally right or justifiable” or “morally good.” When man, by faith, repents of their sins and accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior unto salvation and eternal life then God forgives their sins. God then sees believers as righteous which means God sees them as morally right or good. God sees believers as justified, which is the same thing as saved unto eternal life. When believers are saved Jesus takes away our sins and gives us the righteousness of Christ. When God looks upon the believer all he sees is the righteousness of Jesus, his dearly beloved Son. To be saved is to be righteous before God. A righteous man is a man who has been saved unto eternal life.

4.Avails – In the dictionary “avails” means “to help or benefit someone.” In prayer we can pray for ourselves, someone else or both. Prayers are always positive, never negative. God is holy and good and any help from Almighty God is always for our benefit or the benefit of others. Only blessings come from God because the Spirit of God can only produce good fruit.

5.Much – The dictionary defines “much” as, “a large amount, to a great extent, a great deal, often.” With an open-ended word like much I can imagine a lot. God is generous to a fault and we know he loves us. God dotes on us like a favorite grandchild. We can’t begin to imagine the magnitude of the blessings God has in store for us if only we’ll ask for them in prayer.

6.Fervent – In the dictionary “fervent” is defined as, “intensely passionate.” When we pray it must be from the heart with great emotion. That tells me it’s not the words that are important, it’s what we feel in our heart that counts. That means canned prayers and rote incantations will not work if we want God to answer our prayers.

7.Effective – The dictionary defines “effective” as, “producing a desired or intended result.” Everyone who calls themselves a Christian has at one time or another prayed to God. I’ll bet not many of those prayers were answered. Why? They were not effective prayers. Why was that? The Bible tells us explicitly that if you’re not praying and reading God’s Word on a regular basis (i.e. daily) or studying God’s Word for knowledge, understanding and wisdom you are not in fellowship with God. You may be saved but you have no intimacy with God. When you pray to God you must believe that God will answer those prayers. If you’re not in close contact with God you may pray hoping they’ll be answered but you don’t have any confidence that they will be. Deep down you know you haven’t done anything that would warrant God answering your prayers. When you’re in fellowship with God you have no such doubts. When you know your Bible you know your prayers will be answered. Prayers must be repeated over and over until God answers them. God doesn’t respond to selfish prayers. Pray for a million bucks and see where that gets you. Prayers to God must be unselfish and according to his will. God never grants prayers that are detrimental to yourself or others. Prayers are just help from God because God is good, generous, kind, and gentle and he loves us. God loves to answer the prayers of his saints.

Mark 10:45 – (Jesus speaking) – For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Matthew 20:28 – (Jesus speaking) – Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

1 Timothy 2:5-6 – For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Philippians 4:6 – Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

Based on the definitions of the words in James 5:16 it’s abundantly clear that prayer to God is the way he intended for us to access the blessings of God, both here on earth and in heaven. Prayers must be made by believers speaking unselfishly from the heart according to God’s will and then repeated over and over to God knowing they will get an answer eventually. Prayers must be to help a believer or someone else; never to harm or hurt another person. Finally, effective prayer by a man of God will produce more fruit than we ever dreamed of. The Bible talks in terms of up to a hundredfold return when discussing the blessings of a righteous man. We must become prayer warriors for God if we want to receive the greatest blessings from the Lord our God. Write down John 3:16, John 10:10 and James 5:16 on index cards so you can review these three very important Bible verses often. They will remind you of your potential to do great things as a believer in the kingdom of God and they will show how it can be done.

Colossians 4:2 – Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

John 9:31 – Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him.

Mark 11:24 – (Jesus speaking) – Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask for when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Proverbs 28:9 – One who turns away his ear from hearing the law (the Bible), even his prayer is an abomination.