Wisdom of the ages

All human beings no matter where they’re born or what their ethnic background is they all want to have a happy and successful life. It’s what makes us human. Different cultures may define “happiness” and “success” differently but our basic human needs are all pretty much the same. Everyone wants to be loved and respected and have a sense of self-worth. Everyone wants to be financially secure. Everyone wants to be happy in their own skin. Everyone wants to be wise and live their best possible life. Every person has a picture of their ideal life in their head and that vision never leaves them. Unfortunately the reality of their life never really quite matches their expectations. Our lives never play out as we want it to or expect it to; not even close. Jehovah, the one true God of creation, defines a successful human life as one in which man seeks out his God, accepts God’s saving grace, and then is obedient to commands of God for their entire life. A successful life cannot be lived apart from God nor can anyone find true happiness without God. Common sense tells us there can be only one God but which one is real? There is overwhelming evidence that proves that Jehovah is the one true God; the Lord of both heaven and earth.

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

1 John 5:11-12 – And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

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

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

I know this is true; the only truly happy and successful people in the world are believing Christians. Christians are happy because they have the peace of God in their spirit and they are successful because they know they can count on eternal life in heaven in the presence Jesus because God has promised it to the saints and God cannot lie. Nobody else can make that boast. All the followers of fake religions and false gods aren’t happy or at peace no matter how much money, fame and power they have. They’re also not happy because they don’t have a personal relationship with their god because they can’t; they are all false. The life of the nonbeliever is not successful because their fake religions give no assurance of heaven because they can’t. The life of the nonbeliever is ultimately a failure because when they die they will suffer eternal death in hell forever. The proof of the Christian God Jehovah is self-evident for anyone who takes the time to look at the body of overwhelming evidence. In the Scriptures when God talks about profit he’s referring to eternal life in heaven and heavenly treasures stored up for the saints based on their works.

Isaiah 48:17 – Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way you should go.

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 (primarily witnessing for Christ). These things are good and profitable to men.

Job 22:2 – Can a man be profitable to God, though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?

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.

God gave us his word, our Holy Bible, so that we might know God and know ourselves. God gave us the Bible so we might know how to be saved unto eternal life in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. God gave us the Bible so we might know how precious we are in his sight and that believers are indeed royalty in heaven and children of the Most High God. If God and the host of heaven loves and respects believers then we should love and respect ourselves. If God thinks every believer is priceless so should we. If everyone knew that there would be less suicide in the world today. If God thinks the life of the believer has been successful because they have the righteousness of Christ Jesus who are we to argue with that? Jesus Christ is the righteous judge of the living and the dead on the last day. Everything we pictured in our head about an ideal life can only be realized by having a right relationship with the God who made us. God made us with a void in our heart that can only be filled by God. The Scriptures say God put eternity in the hearts of men so we would seek out God. Think of our lives as a big jigsaw puzzle with God as the missing piece.

Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good: and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 – Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

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

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

The Bible is the truth of God. The Bible is God’s wisdom. Without reading and studying the Bible we cannot fully know the truth of God nor can we gain true wisdom. We may be smart and we may go out and earn three PhD’s but knowing ” earthly things” is not the same as being wise about spiritual things or having wisdom. Having money, power and fame is all well and good but it’s a known fact that none of these things will bring true happiness. True happiness is only possible through a right relationship with God. Never believe anything I tell you, or anyone else for that matter, without first running it through the filter of God’s word to make sure it’s true according to the Scriptures. If what I’m telling you doesn’t agree with Scripture then discard it. Beware of those who teach church doctrine that’s not biblical. Let’s examine the Bible to see the revealed truth of God’s word.

Romans 11:33 – Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

Psalm 104:24 – O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions.

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

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 Old Testament books of Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are traditionally known as the wisdom literature books of the Bible. If the entire Bible is God’s wisdom then then these three books are God’s wisdom on steroids because they have a higher wisdom content than the other books of the Bible. The book of Psalms and the Song of Solomon are considered Bible poetry but they also contain much wisdom and they are often grouped with the other three to make five Bible books of God’s distilled wisdom. The book of Job may be the oldest book in the Bible. We don’t know who wrote Job or when it was written. Job deals with the problem of evil and why would God allow evil to seemingly triumph over good. Why is there an uneven distribution of suffering and success in the world? The answer is that God doesn’t tell us why he does what he does nor does God owe us any explanation. God doesn’t tell us everything he knows; but only what he wants us to know about the kingdom of God. I’m sure God will tell us everything in heaven. Even without knowing everything about God we can still be wise by fearing God (showing God awe, reverence and respect) and also by turning from evil (by trying not to sin and by being obedient to God). Remember that God’s glory is served even when evil is permitted.

Ephesians 6:19 – And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.

Ephesians 5:15-16 – See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 – But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

The dictionary defines “wise” as having or showing experience, knowledge and good judgment. The suffix “dom” is used to form nouns and denotes a state or condition of being. The definition of wisdom is “the quality or state of having experience, knowledge and good judgment. Wisdom essentially deals with knowing the way the world works and who knows that better than the God who made the world and established the physical laws that govern the universe. It’s just common sense that man can gain only a limited amount of wisdom on their own. God created the world and only he can give true insight into the way the world works, because God’s wisdom is seen in the light of eternity which man has no knowledge of.

Job 28:28 – And to man He said, behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.

Proverbs 14:27 – The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.

1 Corinthians 3:19 – For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness.”

Deuteronomy 17:19 – And it (God’s law) shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes.

The book of Proverbs is the primary book of Bible knowledge and it was written mostly by King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. Proverbs contains the basic principles of wisdom on how we are to live our lives. In a perfect world our children would be taught the Proverbs at an early age and all adults would know all the Proverbs by heart and fully incorporate them into their daily lives. If this were true we wouldn’t be seeing all the evil in the world today. However, that’s only wishful thinking. Satan is the god of this world and he has put blinders on the eyes of nonbelievers so they cannot see the truth of God. Satan has also set stumbling blocks before believers so they don’t read and study the Bible as they ought to. Proverbs should be read every day by the believer because in it God tells us how the world works and how we should live our lives. Proverbs views God’s wisdom from his perspective and if we want to please God we’ll do the same thing. God’s wisdom will sometimes only make sense to us when viewed from the perspective of eternity.

Psalm 19:7 – The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Psalm 119:97-99 – Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.

2 Corinthians 4:6 – For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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

The word “wise” appears in the Bible 247 times and “wisdom” 234 times. Of the 481 times the Bible uses one of these two words, 25% of the time the use occurs in the book of Proverbs. Another 25% of the time the words wise and wisdom occur in the other four books of wisdom literature (Job, Ecclesiastes, Psalms and Song of Solomon). Fully half of all biblical references to being wise or having wisdom occurs in these five books out of the 66 books of the Bible (less than 10%). That should tell us that anyone wanting to gain the wisdom of God would do well to focus their study on the wisdom literature of the Bible. There are 150 psalms, all examples of wisdom literature that are prayers and/or songs of worship to God. The psalms have many authors but primarily King David and King Solomon. Many of the psalms deal with the difficult problems of life. God tells us how to handle all situations in life. A theme that runs through the psalms is that while God allows his children to suffer he’ll never abandons them. God makes it clear in the Scriptures that when believers suffer like Christ both they and God are glorified. God will explain why that is when we get to heaven. We just have to trust God in the meantime.

Psalm 145:19 – He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and save them.

Psalm 33:18-19 – Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

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 90:12 – Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon near the end of his life. King Solomon observed that living life on a horizontal level (under the sun), without God, is meaningless. King Solomon came to the conclusion that our life gains meaning only through a right relationship with God. This insight from a man who was king of Israel for 40 years with all the power that entailed. This testimony from a man who had 300 wives and 700 concubines. This declaration from a man who owned 40,000 horses and commanded a great army. This understanding from a man who had more gold and silver than any man in history. And still it wasn’t enough to make King Solomon happy. King Solomon departed from his right relationship with God late in life by worshipping false gods so he knows what he’s talking about. You have the personal testimony of the wisest man who has ever lived or who will ever live. The Song of Solomon shares King Solomon’s wisdom on maintaining a good marriage which all married couples should read.

Isaiah 55:11 – So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

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.”

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.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.

King Solomon argues that his wisdom, or the wisdom of anyone else, is pointless unless one lives in fear and obedience to God. Therefore, the ultimate wisdom is to fear and obey God. The message is clear. Don’t waste your life in pursuits that mean nothing and gain nothing in the light of death and eternity. Enjoy your life but fear God because he is our creator and our judge on the last day. In the end we can’t discover life’s meaning on our own; it can only be revealed to us by a loving and gracious God through his word. How we live our lives is of eternal significance otherwise God wouldn’t have put us here on earth in the first place and he wouldn’t have left us here after our salvation. Obviously we have work to do for God on this earth and God is very clear in the Bible what that work is. We are to do the number one good work for God which is to witness the gospel message of Christ to all nations and all peoples. We are also to do other good works that glorify God. This message from God is abundantly clear to us if we open the eyes of our spiritual understanding by reading our Bible regularly. Our primary focus in life should always be on God’s revelation and on eternity because they are what define the true meaning and lasting outcome of life.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 – For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 – But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.

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 Peter 3:15 – But sanctify the Lord your 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.

Wisdom presupposes the fear of God because without fear there can be no wisdom. True wisdom goes beyond a set of memorized do’s and don’ts. True wisdom is to live according to God’s way by following God’s commands in his word until such time as it penetrates one’s thinking, values and actions. It’s a process that takes time; and sometimes a lifetime. The wisdom literature of the Bible deals with how to live well. Wisdom is needed for those who want to have harmonious relationships with friends, co-workers, family and God. Wisdom is needed to accomplish God’s plan for your life because you cannot “do” until you “know” what to do. Wisdom is needed for those who wish to avoid foolish mistakes in everyday life. Wisdom is needed for those who desire to raise their children in the fear of the Lord and everyone needs to go to the Bible’s wisdom literature for advice. God’s word is the wisdom of the ages and it has been around for 2000 years for a reason. The Bible is given to us for our edification so use it! Anyone who wants to be wise should read the Bible daily for knowledge, understanding and wisdom. It’s unfortunate that very few people take advantage of God’s wisdom as they should and they’ll regret it on the last day. Don’t be one of them! Go be wise, happy and successful by studying the Bible in depth.

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

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

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

Daniel 12:3 – And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

God’s wisdom literature features a lot of parallelism, which is a literary device using two statements to reiterate and reinforce each other. Daniel 12:3 is a perfect example. We can’t fully understand either line of this verse on their own but when read together as a single thought both lines become crystal clear. In the second line of the verse we learn that believers who witness the gospel and save many for the kingdom of God will shine like the stars forever. In the first line of the verse we learn that those who shine like the firmament God calls “wise.” In this one verse God has defined “wisdom” as the act of witnessing the gospel of Christ to all nations and all peoples. God has declared that those who save souls are “wise.” That confirms to me that my mission on this earth is to save as many as people for the kingdom of God as I can through witnessing the gospel of Christ to nonbelievers for as long as I’m able. You would be wise to do the same thing. Nothing is more important to God than our witnessing for Christ because it saves lost souls who are priceless in the eyes of God. Believers who fulfill the Great Commission that Jesus gave his disciples build up treasure in heaven and they also please God by their obedience.

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).

2 Corinthians 4:4 – (nonbelievers) Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

2 Corinthians 4:3 – But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

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.

God’s word is the wisdom of the ages and man becomes sanctified and wise when he reads the Bible daily. Man gains a heart of wisdom when he dedicates himself to studying the Bible for knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Fear of the Lord is maintained when we meditate on the magnitude and majesty of Almighty God often and by going before the throne of grace daily in prayer. If we believe on the name of Jesus Christ then we get to go to heaven but if we want to please God and earn treasure in heaven we must do more; we must witness the gospel of Christ to nonbelievers and save at least one more person for the kingdom of God. We enter heaven through faith but we earn treasure by our works. Fully 90% of the people who go to heaven will be there through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; not having saved even a single soul for the kingdom of God by witnessing for Christ. Can you see God giving heavenly treasure to a believer who has never done the one thing closest to God’s heart, which he has commanded we do? I can’t see God giving treasure to believers for their disobedience. I hope I’m wrong but that’s how I see it.

On the other hand, I can’t see God withholding treasure from any saint who has saved at least one other person for the kingdom of God because each person is priceless to God. God is all about quality not quantity. When my eyes open in the morning the first thing I think about is God and how I can save one more person for heaven, hence the name of this website, “www.onemoreforjesus,net.” To be “wise” in the eyes of God we need to save many by our witness for Christ and then God will make us shine in heaven like the noonday sun. God doesn’t quantify what he means by “many” but to me the number is 1000 saved souls. Make it your goal to first save 100 lost souls for the kingdom of God because in the Bible God calls a hundredfold a good harvest. If that number is good enough for God it’s good enough for me. Then shoot for 1000 saved souls or whatever number you decide is “many.” The important thing is to set a goal you can strive for and then persevere. Look, I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer but I do know the truth of God when I hear it. God made salvation so simple that anyone can understand it and do it. When I first heard and understood God’s salvation plan for man my soul said, “this is perfect.” I have told you the truth of God so you have no excuse when you stand before Jesus Christ on the last day.

Isaiah 45:5 – I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.

Isaiah 42:8 – I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another.

2 Peter 1:2 – Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

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.

The Roman Catholic Popes

I’m biased against the Roman Catholic church and you need to be aware of that as I post this blog. Like most believers today I too was once naive. I’m a Southern Baptist and I thought Catholicism was merely another denomination of Christianity. I didn’t know any better. It wasn’t until I started studying God’s word that the truth dawned on me. In my youth I even went to a Catholic service with a friend who was Catholic. I thought the service was a bit strange but it never entered my head that Catholics weren’t Christian. If you google world religions you’ll see there are supposedly 2.5 billion Christians so the whole world thinks all Catholics are Christians, including themselves. The whole world is wrong. Roman Catholics make up approximately two thirds of Christianity (1.5 billion people). Here’s the rub. While there are many Catholics who are Christian believers who are going to heaven, the majority aren’t. The majority of Catholics think they are saved unto eternal life in heaven but that’s simply not the case. I’m not making the call here. I’m simply stating what it says in God’s Word, which is the ultimate authority on who is going to heaven and who isn’t. If you believe the Bible is without error, as I do, then you must agree with me. To do otherwise is to stick your head in the sand. Let me explain myself.

Romans 3:4 – Let God be true but every man a liar.

Isaiah 48:11 – And I (God) will not give My glory to another.

Salvation is a personal thing between a person and the God who made them. There are many believers who are members of the Catholic church because they have personally gone to God in prayer and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. These people are saved unto eternal life in heaven not because they’re members of the Roman Catholic church; but in spite of it. To their credit, these individuals are risking the wrath of the church because they’ve gone against Catholic doctrines, traditions and dogma in order to save themselves. The Roman Catholic church wants salvation to run exclusively through them; bypassing God altogether. That’s not possible. Why do Catholic believers remain in the Catholic church? I don’t know the reason. Maybe their family and friends have always been Catholic and they don’t want to rock the boat. Scripture says believers are the church and Jesus is the head of the church and he’s in heaven sitting at the right hand of God the Father as our mediator. The Holy Spirit indwells the body of each believer to prove they are God’s possession and the Catholic church has no impact on that spiritual truth of heaven.

Psalm 29:2 – Give unto the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

Psalm 86:5 – For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Nowhere in Scripture does it say Jesus will appoint a church leader on earth to take his place (i.e., the pope). The Roman Catholic church likes to tie their legitimacy as God’s church to the conversation Jesus had with Peter where he said, “On this rock I will build my church.” They mistakenly thought Jesus was talking about Peter as the rock who would build God’s church . Since the Roman Catholic church has claimed Peter as the first pope that means they think they have the sole mandate to be God’s church. The Roman Catholic church claims that every pope who came after Peter has inherited the mantle of church leadership (i.e., the pope) through Peter. That’s a lie. That is a totally false assumption based on the interpretation of a single verse of Scripture taken out of context. If you look at the surrounding verses you’ll see Jesus was actually talking about the gospel message of Christ as being the “rock” upon which the church will be built and not Peter himself.

2 Corinthians 6:17 – Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.

Revelation 18:4 – And I hear another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive her plagues.”

Jesus never mentions the presence of the Catholic church directly by name nor does he make any reference to a pope who will lead his church. The Bible clearly says Jesus is the head of the church and no one else. However, I know of at least two places in the Bible where God commands believers to come out of an unholy church that professes to be the true church of God. This can only be a reference to the Roman Catholic church we know today. When I claim there are 500 million believers in the Catholic church I’m really just guessing and hoping there are that many believers in the Catholic church. I think I’m a bit on the high side but I’m always optimistic. Common sense tells me if God commands believers to come out of the Roman Catholic church then they’re in the minority and the majority who are left are nonbelievers. Believers are clearly in the minority whatever the true percentages are. By my math that leaves approximately one billion people who claim to be Catholics but who aren’t saved unto eternal life in heaven but who think they are. That’s tragic because on the last day they’ll have to stand before Jesus Christ and find out they’re condemned to an eternity in hell because Satan has put blinders over their eyes and hid the truth of God from them.

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.

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.

I share the truth of God through my blog because it’s an integral part of the ministry I received from the Holy Spirit. I don’t want to offend anyone but the truth needs to be told. If I don’t do it who will? If you’re a Catholic who hasn’t personally accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior then you are in great peril. What I’m telling you is backed up by Scripture. You don’t have to believe what I’m saying. You can go read it for yourself in the Bible. If you examine any of the doctrines of the Roman Catholic church you’ll see they are all diametrically opposed to what the Bible says we must do. They are all 180 degrees in the opposite direction! If you believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God then you must agree with me that the Roman Catholic church is a fraud and is, in fact, the church of Satan. If you look at Roman Catholic church traditions and dogma it’s the exact same thing. They’re all the opposite of the truth of God. If it was only one or two things maybe it could be a coincidence but when 100% of the Roman Catholic church doctrines, traditions and dogma are aligned against God’s word and for Satan’s agenda then it has to be on purpose and driven by a hatred of God. The odds are just too great for it to be a coincidence.

Matthew 6:7-8 – (Jesus speaking) – And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do (i.e., the rosary). For they think they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

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

If you’re a Catholic and you think you’re saved why not hedge your bets and make damn sure you are. What’s the harm in that? After all, your eternal soul hangs in the balance. Think of it as your salvation backup plan or your eternal insurance policy. Start by reading your Bible and then start praying directly to God. Read the verses in the “Roman Road” to salvation in the order I have them listed (John 3:16; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8; and Romans 10:9). Obey the commandments of God. Google “sinner’s prayer” and verbally follow the script; just you and God alone in prayer. If you believe what you’re saying to God when you pray then you’re saved unto eternal life in heaven, because God said so and God cannot lie. In the Bible God says salvation is simple and it is. As a new believer you can still remain in the Catholic church if you want to and nobody will be the wiser. You can have your cake and eat it too. However, I advise you to leave the Catholic church because it’s Satan’s church. Why would you want to be in the house of your enemy who seeks your destruction?

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

Matthew 7:23-23 – (Jesus speaking) – Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And I will then declare to them, “I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

Satan hates God and vice versa. Satan is the second most powerful being in the universe and only he has the power to effectively implement the evil that is inside the Roman Catholic church. We know God didn’t act against his word to perpetrate this evil so who else is there? Only Satan. When Satan couldn’t stamp out the early church he switched tactics and decided to corrupt the church from within. By the time of the papacy of Gregory the Great in 590 AD the Roman Catholic church belonged to Satan, and probably well before then. Catholic popes started declaring themselves infallible God’s who could interpret Scripture better than God the Father himself. The popes also stole God’s glory by declaring that they had the exclusive right to decide who goes to heaven or hell. Let’s take a look at the lives of a few of the 266 popes who ruled the Roman Catholic church over the last two thousand years. The Roman Catholic church says God works through men to choose the pope God wants to be his representative on earth; his “vicar of Christ.” I posit that Satan owns the Roman Catholic church and he makes sure each pope is an evil spawn of the devil:

Pope Stephen VI – (896 – 897 AD) – It was obvious to everyone from the beginning that this pope was insane, which led to riots that removed him from office after only one year as pope. Stephen came from an aristocratic Italian family that had apparently been badly mistreated by the previous pope and when Stephen was elected pope he became highly vindictive toward his predecessor. Stephen had the stinking corpse of the previous pope (Formosus) dug up and put on trial for his crimes. Stephen personally served as the prosecuting attorney while the dead pope was propped up on a papal throne and dressed in papal vestments. The dead Formosus was found guilty of course and Stephen then cut off the fingers of the dead pope, stripped off his papal vestments and then buried the dead pope in a pauper’s grave. Stephen’s anger still wasn’t appeased so later on he dug up the dead pope again and this time had his corpse thrown into the Tiber River. This insane pope was later imprisoned and strangled to death in his cell.

Would God make the mistake of choosing someone insane to lead his church? Would God choose someone so obviously full of pride, vengeance and hate? I don’t think so. Scripture says a good tree will produce good fruit and a bad tree bad fruit, but not vice versa. This spiritual truth of heaven also applies to God. God cannot produce the bad fruit that is pope Stephen VI but obviously Satan can and did. Can you see the fingerprints of Satan on all these evil popes? I certainly can. God does only good and God doesn’t make mistakes.

Matthew 7:17-18 – (Jesus speaking) – Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

Pope Sergius III – (904-911 AD) – This bloodthirsty and murderous pope had the distinction of being the only pope guilty of killing another pope; and he did it twice. In order to become pope Sergius killed two of his predecessors, Pope Leo V and his son Pope Christopher. Sergius was also shacked up with Marozia, the daughter of a powerful nobleman and ally. His illegitimate son grew up to be Pope John XI.

Throughout the history of the early church several powerful aristocratic Italian families fought among themselves to capture the Holy See and make one of their family members the pope. Bribery, treachery and force of arms usually decided who would be pope and not God. In the case of Sergius, he was from one of those aristocratic families and he used his army to capture Rome and have himself elected as pope. If someone becomes pope by the force of arms does that prove God didn’t choose them? Yes it does because God would never do it that way. Would God choose a murderer and a fornicator to lead his church? Not a chance. None of that is God’s doing. It’s Satan’s doing. Popes are chosen by evil men under the sway of Satan.

Pope John X – (914-928 AD) – This promiscuous pope took over his predecessor’s lover as his own mistress. He also later slept with Marozia’s mother. Marozia turned on Pope John X and married the pope’s greatest enemy; who then overthrew the papacy and had John X thrown into a dungeon where he was later smothered to death with a pillow.

Would God choose a pope who was a known fornicator who would sleep with anyone? Would God chose a pope who sleeps with a woman and her mother too? That illicit sex is an abomination to the Lord. How could God violate his word and choose such a person as pope? There is no way God could do that or he wouldn’t be God. Satan would, but not God.

Pope Paul II – (1464 1471 AD) – A repressive and autocratic ruler of the church who devoted his energies to games and festivities. A shallow man who lived in splendor. Paul was thin skinned and he had his critics imprisoned and tortured to death. He died in 1471 while he was being sodomized by a young page.

Would God choose a murderer to lead his church? How about someone who tortures people to death? Would God choose a sodomite to be pope when God declares that kind of sexual perversion to be an abomination before the Lord? I think not; but Satan would.

Pope Alexander VI – (1492 – 1503 AD) – Alexander VI openly sold church offices to the highest bidder. He fathered nine illegitimate children, including four with his live-in mistress. He had an incestuous affair with his own daughter. This pope bribed his way to becoming pope. He threw lavish parties and often hosted orgies at the papal palace.

Would God pick a pope who slept with his own daughter? That’s an abomination to God. Would God pick a leader who would sell the church for filthy lucre? Would God pick a pope who was such a notoriously promiscuous fornicator as his representative on earth? God wouldn’t but Satan would.

Pope Leo X – (1513 – 1521 AD) – An openly homosexual and promiscuous pope. This pope engaged in the wholesale selling of indulgences to raise money for his pet projects. An indulgence was a papal document attesting that the pope would move a person out of purgatory and into heaven for a price. The actions of this pope led Martin Luther to start the Protestant reformation because Martin Luther believed God’s word where it said we are saved by faith and not works. Martin Luther chose to believe God and not man. All Catholics should follow the example of this brave man and throw off the yoke of Satan.

God considers a homosexual to be an abomination. We’re supposed to accept such things in our politically correct world but I’ll stand on the word of God in such matters, against all comers. God hates sodomites. God hates fornicators. God hates liars. Would the Lord ever choose such a person as Leo X to lead his flock on earth? Not a chance; but Satan would.

Pope Paul III – (1534 – 1549 AD) – This pope was a known fornicator who was notoriously corrupt, murderous and a sexual pervert to boot. Paul took charge of the thousands of prostitutes in Rome and organized their trade. In exchange Pope Paul III took a cut of their earnings hence he is referred to as “pimp pope.” His daughter was his lover.

God hates whoremongers, murderers and sexual deviants. Incest is an abomination to God. Do you really think God would select someone like this to lead his church? Hell no he wouldn’t but this kind of person would be right up Satan’s alley.

Pope John XII – (955 – 963 AD) – The father of this pope was Alberic II, Duke of Spoleto. Because of his family wealth and power Alberic extracted a promise from the Roman nobility that it would make his son John the next pope. John XII became pope at age 18 and he wasn’t up to the job. He knew nothing about God. John turned the papal palace into a whorehouse. He was devoted to hunting, gambling, wine and women. He had a habit of toasting the devil and invoking pagan gods during dice games in the palace. He was a violent psychopath who once castrated a deacon before killing him. When his own confessor angered him he had him blinded before killing him. The papal palace was notorious for its orgies and drunken parties. John had sex with both men and women in his palace and raped whoever he wanted to have sex with, including a niece and his two younger sisters. After nine years as pope he was killed by an angry husband who caught him having sex with his wife.

This sordid pope did everything evil under the sun. God cannot abide sin and he certainly wouldn’t pick a vicar of Christ who openly worshipped Satan. This pope worshipped Satan and did unspeakable things in the name of the devil. Do you really think God would select a devil worshipper to be the pope of the Roman Catholic church? That’s simply not possible because then God would be a liar and not faithful to his word. God forbid! Satan is the god of this world and he controls the Roman Catholic church and he decides who will become pope. Satan always chooses one of his own. It can happen no other way.

Pope Benedict IX – (1032 – 1044 AD) – (1045) – (1047 – 1048 AD) – This pope had the distinction of being deposed as pope by force on three separate occasions and reinstated by force of arms each time. Benedict first became pope at age 20 because his powerful father used his family connections and bribery to secure his election. He hosted orgies and raped men, women, boys and girls. Benedict was a sadist who enjoyed torturing, burning, drowning, and flaying to death those who angered him. Benedict IX finally decided to retire after his third stint as pope so he sold the papacy to a priest.

I don’t know who was worse; this pope or John XII. This pope was despicable. He did unspeakable evil in the sight of God and he would be the last person God would chose to lead the Roman Catholic faithful. This pope was obviously one of Satan’s children. God cannot abide such sinful behavior. Who can argue otherwise?

Pope Julius III – (1550 – 1555 AD) – This pope was chosen even though he was a known pedophile who regularly had sex with children in the papal palace and he did it openly. Why didn’t some church official oppose this sordid behavior? Julius also looted the church treasury for his own purposes.

Children have a special place in God’s heart and to exploit them sexually is an abomination to God. Pedophiles and those who condone that behavior have a special place in hell reserved for them. God would never pick a pedophile to lead his church but Satan would.

God is faithful to his word and consistent in all his actions. God doesn’t change. In deciding whether or not God chooses who becomes pope of the Roman Catholic church there are only two logical choices because it doesn’t make any sense for God to pick some popes and not others. Either God selects all the popes or he selects none of them. Either the Roman Catholic church is God’s church or it isn’t and the two issues are tied together. God never sleeps. God never takes a day off or goes on vacation. God never takes his eyes off his creation. When we examine the facts and we see that the church has elected evil sinful popes then we must conclude that a holy God was not involved because God cannot abide sin. If God didn’t pick any of these evil popes I mentioned the he doesn’t pick any of the popes. When the Roman Catholic church does the exact opposite to what God says we must do in his word then we also have to conclude that the doctrines, traditions and dogma of the church did not come from God for the same reason. For those believers who are spiritually aware it’s obvious that the Roman Catholic church is Satan’s church not God’s. Anyone with an open mind who takes an honest look at the evidence in the Bible must come to the same conclusion I have. Satan has put blinders on the eyes of nonbelievers so they cannot see the truth of God. Nonbelievers must start praying to the Lord and start reading the Bible in order for the scales to be lifted from their eyes so they can see the glory of God and the love he has for them.

Romans 3:10 – There is none righteous, no, not one.

Exodus 20:4 – (God speaking) – You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

In this blog I’ve just reviewed ten of the worst popes in history to prove they are not godly men chosen by God to lead the Roman Catholic church. The rest of the popes may not be as bad as the ones I mention but they were all sinful, arrogant men who lied, cheated, and in many cases bribed their way to the top position. Throughout the history of the Roman Catholic church popes have personally led or directed armies in wars of conquest that have caused the death of millions of people in the name of God. It’s obvious the popes are not children of God. By their fruit they have shown themselves to be the children of Satan pursuing the devil’s agenda. The popes and the Roman Catholic church are consistent in their actions against the Lord, the one true God. Show me where I’m wrong? You cannot do it because everything I’m saying is backed up by Scripture. You don’t have a leg to stand on other than the lies that evil men have taught you. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if not a single pope makes it to heaven because of the evil they do on earth. Please wake up! Read the Bible yourself so you know the truth of God within your spirit while you still have time.

Isaiah 42:8 – I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another.

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.

The Roman Catholic church has the trappings of Christianity to fool their followers into thinking they are worshipping God when in reality they’re not. The Roman Catholic church worships Satan; also known as the devil; and sometimes referred to as the dragon or the beast. The church pays lip service to Jesus Christ while in their heart they elevate the pope and priests above God. The pope and priests declare themselves to be Christ on earth to steal God’s glory. They shame Jesus with their satanic mass by turning him into a cookie that they crucify again at every service (the Eucharist). Catholics are directed to pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and not God. Mary is a human being and she can’t hear our prayers. In the Bible believers are told to pray to God because only Almighty God can hear the prayers of the creatures he created. Satan does this to steal God’s glory so don’t be gullible enough to help him by praying to Mary or anyone else but God. Woe unto the popes and priest who lead their flock down to the pit! God will repay them for their iniquity. Popes and priests cannot forgive the sins of men. Only God can to that. Popes and priests can’t save you or condemn you. Only God can do that. There’s no such place as purgatory or God would have told us in the Bible. It’s an evil doctrine of the Catholic church to keep their flock shelling out money for their salvation. Catholicism is just an evil worldwide business enterprise.

Revelation 2:10 – Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 1:3 – Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

At the beginning of this blog I said I was biased against the Roman Catholic church. The truth is, I really hate the Roman Catholic church. I’ve accepted the fact that for the last two thousand years the church has led hundreds of millions of people straight to hell by fooling them into thinking they were saved when they weren’t. I’ve learned to accept the fact that the church in Rome blatantly disrespects God and steals his glory at every turn. I’ve studied the Bible for over twenty years and I’m a student of Bible prophecy. I know what’s coming during the seven year tribulation so let me warn you. My hatred of the Catholic church stems primarily from the fact that they’ll be the one world religion at the end of human history and the Catholic pope will be the prophesied false prophet of the antichrist.

Psalm 44:22 – Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Matthew 7:7 – (Jesus speaking) – Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.

I’ll be raptured to heaven before the tribulation begins because Jesus will come in the air for all believers. During the seven year tribulation period all nonbelievers will be left on earth but many millions of them will see the truth of God after the rapture and find salvation by turning to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Better late than never. The antichrist and the false prophet (the pope) both belong to the devil and they will hunt down all the Jews and saints and cut their heads off if they refuse to worship the antichrist and take his mark on their hand or forehead. It would be far better to suffer a martyr’s death than to take the mark of the beast (666) and be condemned to hell for all eternity. I cannot forgive the Catholic church for what they are going to do to the children of God during the tribulation period. As a believer, if you find yourself in this unenviable position things are dire but all is not lost. Revelation 2:10 and Psalm 44:22 were written to guide you during this perilous time. Grab your Bible. Find a hole, crawl into it and wait out the coming wrath of God. You won’t be able to work, buy food or do anything else without the mark of the beast so you’ll need to make your preparations for survival beforehand. If you’re very lucky you may be able to be one of the few to hold out until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth.

Romans 5:1 – Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Romans 3:28 – Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Is there another Christ?

Exodus 20:3 – You shall have no other Gods before Me.

Exodus 20:7 – You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Philippians 2:9-10 – Therefore God has also highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth.

Psalm 138:2 – I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

As you can see from the Scriptures above, there is only one God and the only real truth is God’s word. If anyone comes to you professing to be God’s only representative on earth (i.e., vicar of Christ) they are lying to you. Believers are the church of God and not a church leader (i.e., the pope) or some building constructed by man (i.e., the Vatican). For a believer God’s temple is our bodies which are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God. When we worship God our spirit communes with the Spirit of God inside us. There’s no need for an intermediary such as a church leader or physical church in order to speak to God or to be saved. If anyone comes to you declaring you must be a member of their church in order to be saved (i.e., the Catholic church) they are lying to you. If anyone comes to you saying only the head of their church can grant you eternal life in heaven (i.e., the pope) they are lying to you. If any church leader comes to you declaring only they can interpret what God means in his word (i.e., the pope) they are lying to you. God made his word available so that every man and woman could read it themselves for knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Don’t let anyone spoon feed religion to you or tell you what God requires of you. Everything you need to know to please God is in his word so read it for yourself. Every man has to deal with God directly for their salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Nobody else can condemn you or save you. You have to make that decision yourself.

John 14:6 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Romans 3:4 – Let God be true but every man a liar.

Numbers 23:19 – God is not man, that He should lie.

Galatians 1:8 – But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

John 12:48 – (Jesus speaking) – He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

Anyone who comes to you declaring they are another Christ (i.e., the pope) and what they say takes precedence over what God says, they are lying to you. If anyone says only they can save you unto eternal life in heaven because they’re Christ on earth (i.e., the pope) you are being lied too. If anyone says only they have the right to send someone to heaven or hell forever (i.e., the pope) they are lying to you. The Roman Catholic pope has declared that since he is Christ on earth his priests in the Roman Catholic church are also Christ on earth because they are his appointed representatives. I now understand what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 24:5,11. When Jesus said many will come claiming to be Christ he was referring the pope and priests of the Roman Catholic church. When Jesus said many will come claiming to be prophets of God he was referring to the popes of the Catholic church who claim to speak for God in earthly matters.

2 Corinthians 6:17 – Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.

Hebrews 12:2 – Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 10:12-13 – But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.

Hebrews 7:25 – Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

There have been 266 popes and all except maybe a very few at the beginning have all claimed to be Christ on earth and prophets of God. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and it wasn’t long before the Roman Catholic popes thought of themselves as God. They will all show up at the Great White Throne judgment expecting to receive honor and glory from God. Instead they will be condemned by Jesus for leading millions of people straight to hell and for stealing God’s glory and shaming Jesus Christ with their satanic mass. The Catholic mass is an abomination to God! After final judgment an angel of God will grab hold of each pope and throw them into the lake of fire. Believers will be there to see it all unfold.

John 1:1-2 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 – But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached (i.e., the pope), or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted – you may well put up with it!

John 8:44 – (Jesus speaking) – You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Romans 1:25 – (Men) Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature (Satan) rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Roman Catholic doctrines, traditions and dogma are all utter nonsense. If you want to know the truth of God go straight to the source and read the Bible for yourself. Cut out the middleman who seeks to tell you, for his own evil purposes, what you should do and what you should believe about God. For the Roman Catholic church it’s all about power, control and money. The church wants to force you to become members by saying you will go to hell if you don’t. They are dead wrong. Everything the Roman Catholic church stands for is nothing but a pack of lies! The Roman Catholic church is Satan’s church not God’s. The Bible says we’re saved by faith alone. The church wants to make you follow nonsensical doctrines, dogma and vain repetition (i.e., the rosary) by threatening eternal damnation if you don’t. It’s an empty threat because only God can send someone to hell. On the flip side, salvation unto eternal life in heaven is a gift from God.

Matthew 10:28 – (Jesus speaking) – And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

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

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 are all things, and through whom we live.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Scripture confirms that only God the Father can condemn a human soul to hell for all eternity. The Roman Catholic church just makes stuff up in order to control their flock with the threat of going to hell. The Roman Catholic church is nothing but an evil giant business enterprise and they’re all about keeping the money flowing into the church coffers at all costs. The Roman Catholic church invented “purgatory” in order to squeeze more money out of their flock by having them work for their salvation. Scripture says after death we’re all judged; period! The Roman Catholic church would have you believe the pope is another Christ on earth who is infallible and what he says takes precedence over what God says. What rational person would believe a man can tell God what to do? It is blasphemy!

2 Peter 3:16 – As also in all his (Paul’s) epistles, speaking in them of these things (salvation), in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

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 (the rapture), apart from sin, for salvation.

Hebrews 9:10-11 – And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

Hebrews 6:4-6 – For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

Basically the Roman Catholic church is saying the pope is God on earth. Can you buy that load of bull? I know I can’t. I have a book in my library on the history of the papacy and just about every pope in the book was a documented sinner of the worst sort. Yet popes are considered holy, infallible and Christ on earth. Give me a break! When the pope appoints a priest they also become Christ on earth, which is why they are able to hear confessions and forgive sins. Can you believe it? Only Jesus can forgive sins and not some priest in a box who may be a child molester which, by the way, the church knows many priests who are yet they try their best to cover it up. The Catholic church still gives lip service to Jesus only because they have to retain some semblance of Christianity in order to fool the faithful into thinking they are worshipping God when in reality they’re worshipping Satan. It’s the old bait and switch. The Eucharist is a part of the mass where a priest forces Jesus Christ to come from heaven to his church where Jesus is then turned into a cookie and eaten by the flock so that Jesus experiences crucifixion over and over again at each and every church service along with the shame that goes with it.

1 John 5:11-12 – And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

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.

Hebrews 4:16 – Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

2 Corinthians 4:3 – But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

Do you buy the story that a creature of God (a priest) has the power to drag the omnipotent Creator of the universe out of heaven against his will and make him suffer the shame of crucifixion repeatedly in every Catholic church throughout the world? If you believe that I have some oceanfront property in Arizona I’d like to sell you. Hebrews 6:4-6 and Hebrews 12:2 both say to crucify Jesus again is to openly shame the Lord. I wouldn’t want to be the person taking part in that service and have to face Jesus on the last day. The Catholic church has convinced their flock that Jesus is nothing more than a cookie to be crucified over and over again at every mass in every Catholic church throughout the world. The Bible says Jesus Christ was crucified once for the sins all men so there is no need for continual crucifixion of our Lord and Savior. To claim otherwise is shaming Jesus and calling God a liar to his face. To attend Catholic mass is to worship Satan. Woe unto that person on the last day!

Acts 20:28-30 – Therefore take heed of yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after My departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

Matthew 24:23-25 – (Jesus speaking) – Then if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ!” or “There!” do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.

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

Isaiah 48:11 – And I will not give My glory to another (i.e., to popes or priests).

When you read the Bible you can be confident you’re receiving the unfiltered truth of God with no middleman (church leader or physical church) to distort the divine message from God. God cannot lie but his words can be twisted by evil ungodly men. Detractors have been trying for 2000 years to discredit the Bible but no errors or inconsistencies have ever been proven to exist. However, evil men with their own agenda can and will lie to twist the truth of the Bible to suit their own purposes. As a believer and disciple of Christ you must trust only God and his word. Take what men say with a grain of salt because all men are sinners. Make sure your church teaches the Bible and not the doctrines, sacraments and traditions created by evil men seeking to gain power, money and control over their flock. The Roman Catholic church is a perfect example of this.

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

Ephesians 6:12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

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

Ephesians 6:19 – And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.

Satan couldn’t stamp out the early church by persecuting Christians so he switched tactics. If you can’t beat them then join them. Satan started a campaign to corrupt the Catholic church from within and he was so successful that by the time of the papacy of Gregory the Great around 600 AD Satan owned the Catholic church lock, stock and barrel. How do I know this? Because Satan hates God. Because every single doctrine, sacrament and tradition of the Catholic church is the exact opposite of what God commands us to do in his word. The odds of this all happening accidentally is zero so someone had to cause it and that person is Satan, the second most powerful being in the universe. There is no other logical explanation to account for this.

John 17:11 – (Jesus speaking) – Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

John 1:3 – All things were made through Him (Jesus), and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Ephesians 3:9 – And to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.

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.

The Bible says Jesus Christ is the word of God. God came off his throne in heaven and came to earth in the incarnation of Jesus Christ the man in order to die on the cross in our place. Jesus died in our place so that our sins could be forgiven by God through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God intentionally made salvation a simple process for man. There is no path to heaven other than a personal relationship with Jesus Christ by believing on his name. A man can’t save you. The pope can’t save you because he’s not Christ. He’s just a man with a large ego. A priest can’t save you because he can’t even save himself. Being a member of a church can’t save you. Following a set of church doctrines, sacraments and traditions gains you nothing. Every man must save himself by personally going to God in prayer, repenting of their sins and accepting the grace of God through the shed blood of Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.

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

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.

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 Thessalonians 1:5 – For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance.

The Roman Catholic church has found a way around the truth of God. The church has declared the pope to be Christ on earth with the power to interpret Scripture. The church has declared that all priests ordained by the pope are also Christ and can therefore forgive sins. In Roman Catholic theology a priest is “alter Christus” or “another Christ.” The church directed the flock to bypass Jesus with their prayers and instead pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus, a human being who cannot hear the prayers of man. Mary is shedding tears in heaven right now because man is praying to her instead of our blessed Savior Jesus Christ. Scripture is clear we are to pray to God and no one else. God says we’re not to make any carved image of God to worship yet the Catholic church is full of carved images of Jesus Christ on the cross. Satan wanted his church to have a constant reminder of the shameful death of Christ displayed prominently. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Every single thing the Roman Catholic church does is the opposite of what God requires and we have Satan to blame. If you’re a Catholic leave the church immediately before the wrath of God comes for you.

Matthew 24:5 – (Jesus speaking) – For many will come in My name, saying, “I am Christ,” and will deceive many.

Matthew 24:11 – (Jesus speaking) – Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

Matthew 24:26 – (Jesus speaking) – Therefore if they say to you, “Look, He is in the desert!” do not go out; or “Look, He is in the inner rooms!” do not believe it.

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.

During his Mount of Olives discourse Jesus was discussing with his disciples things that will occur at the end of time. I’ve always been confused by Matthew 24:5,11, where Jesus says many will come claiming to be Christ and many will come claiming to be prophets of God. I thought how could that even be possible. Who could get away with making those claims today? It makes perfect sense to me now that Jesus was talking about the Roman Catholic church because the popes have been claiming to be Christ for centuries. Every pope says they speak on behalf of God and are therefore prophets of God. Popes call themselves “Holy Father” when this title belongs only to God. The pope sits as Christ in the Vatican. And when the pope speaks ex cathedra, he speaks for God, in place of the Holy Spirit. The pope is given, in essence, all the titles of the Triune Godhead combined. This is not a one off. The popes are supposed to be infallible. Look at what they’ve said:

Pope Innocent III – He (the pope) judges all and is judged by no one.

Pope Boniface VIII – We declare, assert, define, and pronounce: To be subject to the Roman Pontiff is to every creature altogether necessary for salvation.

Pope Leo XIII – We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty.

John 19:30 – So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Matthew 27:50 – And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

John 14:15 – (Jesus speaking) – If you love Me, keep My commandments.

1 Samuel 15:22 – Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.

If you’re a Catholic you face a very important decision. Your eternal destiny depends on it. God’s Holy Word will judge you when you stand before the Lord Jesus Christ on the last day, just like it says in John 12:48. Many Catholics are saved, not because of the church, but in spite of it. Many Catholics have disregarded what the church says and they have personally accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. On the other hand, there are many Catholics who don’t have a personal relationship with Christ. Instead they depend on the church membership, church sacraments, the pope, and priests for their salvation. Many Catholics don’t see the need to go directly to Jesus because they think they’re already saved so what’s the point. They’re dead wrong! The Roman Catholic church and Satan are lying to you! Jesus Christ commands all believers to come to him for salvation. Catholics are told to come out of the church (Revelation 18:4) because it’s Satan’s church; the mother of abominations and the whore of Babylon. Will you choose to believe God … or men? If Roman Catholic teaching disagrees with God’s word, and it does in virtually every instance, then it’s wrong in God’s eyes. Many Roman Catholics are sincerely trying to please God but they’re going about it the wrong way. They’re obeying the church thinking that will save them when they should instead be obeying what God says in the Bible.

Revelation 18:4 – And I hear another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”

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.

Romans 3:28 – Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

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

The Catholic religious system is evil because it’s leading millions of people straight to hell and they don’t even know it. Satan is the pied piper leading man straight to hell. Many of the church faithful who think they’re saved unto eternal life in heaven will be shocked on the last day to discover they’ve been hoodwinked by Satan and they’re going to hell instead. Going back to my original question in this blog, “Is there another Christ?” The answer is, “No, there is only one Jesus Christ and he sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven as our mediator.” Jesus will one day come back to the earth, in the air, to rapture the saints of his church to himself and take them back to heaven. After this, Jesus will next set foot on the Mount of Olives at his Second Coming on the last day; at the battle of Armageddon to save Israel from destruction and set up his millennial kingdom on earth.

Romans 3:10 – There is none righteous, no, not one. (this includes popes & priests)

Exodus 20:4 – (God speaking) – You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

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.

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.

Being a member of the Roman Catholic church, or any church, doesn’t really matter. If you follow church sacraments, doctrines and traditions it’s all meaningless mumbo jumbo. By obeying the pope, priests, and pastors you gain nothing. You only get one shot at salvation so don’t screw it up because eternity is a very long time. An eternity in hell means being in pain and agony 24/7 forever and ever. That’s the worst possible decision anyone can make yet most of the people in the world are going to make that choice and go straight to hell. Don’t be one of them. See, I have told you what you should do but the ultimate decision is yours to make. God has given you the free will to choose your destiny. Will you choose to serve God or Satan? As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I rebuke Satan and his Roman Catholic church for leading millions of people straight to hell. In the name of Jesus I rebuke the Roman Catholic church for twisting the word of God to suit their evil purposes. In the name of Jesus I rebuke the Catholic pope and all his priests for claiming to be God when they are not, and never can be, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Great Flood

I’m retired now but for many years I worked in an office with a man I’ll call John for the sake of discussion. I know you’re not supposed to talk about politics, religion or sex at work but John and I were good friends and we could talk about anything and often did. John knew I was a believing Christian and he wasn’t offended when I attempted to save him with my witness for Christ. In return, I wasn’t offended when John attempted to convince me I was wrong about God and that religion was the opiate of the masses. We each gave as good as we got with no quarter given or expected.

Genesis 7:11-12 – In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the deep were broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.

You see, John is an engineer. Engineers are some of the smartest people you’ll ever run across. By and large, engineers only believe in what they can see and touch and measure in some way. Engineers depend on their intelligence, education and common sense to figure things out. Engineers are not big on faith and what they can’t see. John’s problem was a lack of faith. John was so intelligent he leaned heavily on his own understanding and nothing else. John was “wise” in his own eyes and only trusted his own conclusions. I’d be willing to bet you that the percentage of engineers and attorneys in heaven will be less than that of other professions because most engineers and attorneys consider themselves to be much smarter than everyone else. They don’t take advice. I don’t mean to offend anyone but this is what my life experiences have taught me.

Genesis 7:19-20 – And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered.

Although John was raised in a loving Christian home he just couldn’t accept the biblical account of “Noah’s Ark” and the “Great Flood”, even as a child. As an adult and an engineer John was even more convinced the Bible was wrong about Noah’s ark and therefore God’s word wasn’t true. In John’s mind, if the Bible contained errors like this then maybe God didn’t exist at all. John wasn’t convinced God existed because he was torn between what his mother taught him and what his common sense told him. As a result John was an agnostic. But deep down John wanted to be convinced there is a God. John wanted to believe what his mother taught him as a child. John’s first argument about Noah’s ark was there was no way all the animals of the earth could fit on the ark. After many discussions, I was finally able to convinced John it was possible that the ark was big enough to hold all the types of animals on earth. I talked about this proof extensively in earlier blogs so I won’t repeat myself here.

Genesis 8:1-2 – Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained.

The second issue John had was the “Great Flood.” John said the amount of water needed to cover all of the mountains of the earth is more than the earth has in all the groundwater reserves worldwide. He argued that Mount Everest is 29,035 feet high so it would require the oceans to be over five and half miles higher than they are today for all land to be underwater. Forty days and nights of continual rain wouldn’t have much of an impact on that much water because rain is recycled evaporation from the oceans. I told John we must have faith in what God tells us because God knows everything but he only tells us what he wants us to know. I had no other explanation for John; that is until today.

Isaiah 43:15-16 – I am the Lord, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your king. Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters.

I was reading an article on AOL earlier this week about scientists discovering a layer of sponge-like rock within the earth about 400 miles down. I forget the name they gave this layer of rock deep within the earth but they said it contains a massive amount of water. It contains so much water that one percent of it would cover the earth beyond the height of the “Great Flood” upon the earth in the time of Noah. The Bible mentions water coming up from the “fountains of the deep” which we all thought was just ground water because we didn’t know water existed further down in the earth. Even today we’re still discovering hidden truths mentioned in the Bible. What an awesome God we have!

Isaiah 49:22 – It is He (God) who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.

In earlier blogs I’ve talked about truths mentioned in the Bible that weren’t scientifically proven until thousands of years later. It’s one way we can know God is who he says he is. Let’s briefly review some of them. The Bible says the earth is round whereas everyone thought the world was flat until a few hundred years ago. The Bible says the earth hangs in space on nothing but in ancient times people thought the earth rested on the back of a giant turtle. The Bible says that things seen are made of things unseen which we now understand as the atomic structure of all things. The Bible says there are mountains and canyons in the oceans when in ancient times everyone thought the bottom of the oceans were smooth like the bottom of a bowl. The Bible says there are rivers in the oceans and we now know about the ocean currents. The Bible says there are fresh water volcanoes in the ocean. We now know that’s true but why are they there? The answer is simple. God made them in preparation for the “Great Flood” which he planned before the foundation of the world. God knows the end from the beginning. How else was water 400 miles down ever going to be able to reach the earth’s surface if not for volcanoes on the ocean floor? Fountains of the deep is merely a biblical term for volcanoes.

Job 26:7 – He (God) stretches out the north over empty space, He hangs the earth on nothing.

John was younger than me and he’s still working. I’ve lost track of John over the years but my hope is that one day he will stumble across my blog and know I’m talking about him. It’s possible because the Lord never stops pursuing nonbelievers and guiding them to the truth of God. God is called the “Hound of Heaven” for good reason. I know this to be true. You have my testimony. I was a backslider and God hounded me for forty years until I returned to fellowship with the God who made me. God will never give up on you! I hope John will one day come to the realization that the Bible is the truth of God and there are no errors in it; that God cannot lie. My hope is for John to be at peace with God by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior while there is still time.

Proverbs 8:27-28 – When He prepared the heavens, I was there, when He drew a circle on the face of the deep, when He established the clouds above, when He strengthened the deep.

I want John to have the peace of God that I have. I want John to know God loves him and has gifted him eternal life in heaven in his presence through faith in Jesus Christ. I have a dream about you John so don’t let me down. I’d love to see you in heaven one day. When I go to heaven to meet Jesus I’ll be looking around to see if John made it too. While this blog is primarily for John’s benefit, it’s also for everyone else out there who has doubts about God. We all have some doubts we want the answers too. We’ll get all the answers we need when we get to heaven but right now we’re required to have faith and trust in Almighty God and in his word. Seek the Lord while he may be found. God loves us all equally and Scripture says that God and all the angels in heaven rejoice whenever a lost soul is saved for the kingdom of God. When that happens God is glorified. Praise God for his love, mercy and grace!

Nehemiah 9:6 – You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and everything on it, the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.




The Glory of God

I go for a walk every morning to keep fit. It’s my personal time to be alone with God. During this quiet time I can talk to the Lord and consider the magnitude and majesty of his name. Sometimes it almost takes my breath away. This morning I was reflecting on God’s glory and how wonderful it’ll be when I get to see God’s glory in heaven. You don’t believe heaven is real? God’s word, our Holy Bible, is to be read and understood literally unless it’s obvious God is speaking metaphorically or symbolically like in the book of Revelation. Heaven is mentioned in the Bible 582 times so I can assure you heaven is a real literal place. The Bible mentions God 4456 times, which is understandable since the Bible is all about God and the revelation of his son Jesus Christ. Remember, God wrote the Bible and there are no errors in it. God cannot lie.

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

John 14:6 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

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 Him we live.

God is an invisible all-powerful being who has always existed. Try wrapping your head around that! God resides on a spiritual plane totally separate from our physical plane; in a place called heaven. These two planes of existence are both real places and they converge in the human mind. Our brain is the nexus between the physical world and the spiritual world and our mind is the organ through we reach across the veil between the two planes of existence to worship God. God is self-contained and by that I mean God doesn’t need or require anything he can’t provide himself. God is not lonely. God doesn’t change. God is forever!

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

Malachi 3:6 – For I am the Lord, I do not change.

However, in eternity past God chose to create an innumerable number of angels (untold millions) to serve him and glorify his name. God knows exactly how many angels he created and he knows them all by the name he gave them just like God knows our name and he has since before he laid the foundation of the world. God knows you personally and he’s always got his eye on you. God made you out of the dust of the earth to serve him. We know how to serve God but how do we glorify his name? The dictionary defines glory as great fame or honor (respect) won by notable achievements. I would say God creating the heavens, the earth and man count as notable achievements for which we should show God respect (honor). In the biblical sense the word “glorify” means to praise and worship God. Worship in the biblical sense means to show deep respect and admiration for God.

Colossians 1:16 – For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

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.

Isaiah 48:11 – And I will not give My glory to another.

Praise means to show respect and gratitude by some verbal action; in this case by singing songs or hymns to God or using your lips to proclaim respect and gratitude to God for what he has done. It’s impossible to praise God silently. In summary, to glorify God we must show him respect, gratitude and admiration for what he has done. What has God done for us? First, God has created us, both man and angel, out of nothing (or almost nothing). We have our existence, our being, through God and without God’s extended hand to uphold us even the very atoms of our bodies would fly apart and dissolve into nothing. Second, God has saved us to eternal life in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God has given us everything we’ll ever need. By his eternal power God is the glue holding the universe together and causing it to function with precision. How else can you explain the fact the universe moves in such perfectly synchronized motion; like a Swiss watch? How else can you explain the human body which is composed of thirty trillion highly specialized cells to create tissues, organs and body systems, all of which are needed for survival? Evolution is linear and cannot adequately explain the presence of man. Only God’s word gives us a feasible explanation for our existence.

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

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.

Hebrews 2:10 – For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.

In heaven the angels are continually glorifying God through worship and the praise of their lips by the singing of songs and hymns. God created Lucifer as the number one angel in heaven responsible for leading all the other angels in the worship of God; to glorify God. God made Lucifer more beautiful and powerful than any of the other angels. He was the “Brilliant One”, the “Morning Star.” Lucifer was made perfect but because of his power and beauty he became prideful and sinned against God. Lucifer then led a third of the angels in heaven in a revolt against God. Lucifer was defeated and thrown to earth along will all the rest of the fallen angels we now call demons. Never again will God choose to make an angel as powerful as Lucifer, whom he renamed Satan after his fall from grace. Satan means “adversary.” God is omnipotent and has no adversary. God gave Satan his name because he’s our adversary; the adversary of man not God. Satan is working on our destruction every minute of the day and we better wise up to that fact. Satan strives mightily to keep man away from the truth of God and our salvation.

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

Ezekiel 28:17 – (Satan) Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you.

1 Timothy 3:6 – Lest (a believer) being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

After the Lord made the angels he decided to make man in his image to serve and glorify God. God made man a little lower than the angels. The Spirit of God is eternal so when God gives us a part of himself at conception (our eternal spirit) we also become eternal beings. God created the heavens and the earth and put our spirit into physical bodies on this plane so that man might seek out his God and do good works to glorify God. With our free will to choose God or Satan comes a risk. If we seek out God and accept eternal salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we will fellowship with Jesus in heaven forever as sons of God. We will have glorified God by our obedience in accepting his grace. If nonbelievers choose to serve Satan and not God then they grieve the God who made them. Choosing Satan will result in the nonbeliever abiding in his sins and going to hell for all eternity.

1 John 5:10 – He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself (the Holy Spirit); 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.

Proverbs 16:18 – Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Galatians 1:4 – I am delivered from the power of darkness and I am translated into the kingdom of His dear Son.

God made us for his glory. Heaven and hell is all about glory, which is why the words glory or glorified appear 481 times in the Bible. The more you grieve God the deeper in hell you go. The more you please and glorify God the higher up in heaven you go. Glorifying God equates to building up riches in heaven; to receiving crowns and rewards in heaven on the last Day. Glory is the currency of heaven and as a believer you receive your wages (glory) by what you do on earth. What does God require you to do for your pay? You must seek out God and then acknowledge him. You must accept God’s saving grace through belief in his son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. As a believer you must obey the commandments of God; number one of which is to witness the gospel of Christ and do other good works; all to the glory of God. What you need to realize is every time you save a lost soul God is glorified in heaven and your riches in heaven go up as a result. Salvation is by faith but riches in heaven come from the work you do here on earth working in God’s harvest field to save lost souls for the kingdom of God.

John 4:36 – Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.

John 1:3 – All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

Daniel 12:3 – And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Every believer glorifies the Lord when he accepts God’s saving grace so everyone in heaven will have some amount of glory coming to them. God also glorifies a person when they reap a lost soul for the kingdom of God through their witness for Christ. When we help save someone as the sower of the gospel seed or the reaper of that soul we build up treasure in heaven (glory). Every believer glorifies God by their other good works and by their obedience to his commandments and in return God will glorify man on the last Day when he stands before the bema judgment seat of Jesus Christ. It grieves God when man rejects his grace. The salvation of God is purchased by the shed blood of his dear son Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who was crucified so that our sins could be forgiven. If a nonbeliever chooses Satan over God they have spit in God’s face. They will abide in their sins and be condemned to hell forever.

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

Matthew 4:19 – (Jesus speaking) – Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Mark 1:17 – (Jesus speaking) – Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.

God made us for his glory. That’s the bottom line. You please God when you work his harvest field alongside him to save lost souls. There may not be actual levels in heaven but scripture is clear that believers receive treasure and riches in heaven on a sliding scale based on their good works here on earth. Gold, silver and precious stones are worthless in heaven so those reward levels indicate how many lost souls a believer has saved for the kingdom of God. They equate to privileges and crowns in heaven based on rank, honor and glory. God is reciprocal. If there are levels in heaven based on good works then there must be levels in hell based on bad works. Do you really think a run of the mill nonbeliever who doesn’t believe in God will receive the same punishment in hell as a Hitler, Stalin or Judas? Not a chance. We get some indication of this in the Bible when learn that the Lord has chained fallen angels in the bottom of the pit of hell because they are an abomination to God.

These were the angels God sent to early man and who then left their estate by taking on human form and sleeping with women. If fallen angels are chained in the pit now they’ll still be chained after final judgment. If Satan is to be chained up for one thousand years after the Second Coming of Jesus and released for a little while then he’ll also be chained up at the Great White Throne judgment for all eternity. Nonbelievers in hell won’t be chained up or God would have said so. This tells me we have different levels of punishment in hell; some chained and some not. Another place in the Bible says Judas Iscariot went to his own special place in hell for his betrayal of Jesus. This tells me Judas won’t be able to move about because he’ll be in chains. Judas may be the only man in history who will wind up chained in hell. The fact Judas will be all alone in hell tells me his condemnation will be greater than other men. God will inflict the worst possible punishment on him for his betrayal of Jesus Christ which led to the crucifixion of our Lord.

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

2 Peter 2:4 – God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.

Jude 1:6 – And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

God is light! The glory of God the Father shines like intense sunlight. God is already at maximum glory so when we glorify God by our works on earth it’s like we’re shining a spotlight on something that’s already there. So how does that add to God’s glory? It doesn’t. Remember this spiritual truth about heaven, “you reap what you sow.” When believers sow glory to God through good works the Lord will hold onto that glory and give it back to us on the last Day. When we glorify God by our actions we’re actually building up our own treasure in heaven and pleasing God at the same time. Glory is the currency used in heaven and our glory is based on our good works here on earth. We have such a short time here on earth to earn our glory; seventy years if we’re lucky; and whatever wages we earn on earth will last forever. Man became an immortal being at conception and the most important time of our life is right now while we can still earn our wages. Don’t waste a minute of your time down here. Share the gospel of Christ with nonbelievers while you still can.

Ephesians 5:15-16 – See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

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

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.

How does a believer go about earning his wages? You must seek God and acknowledge him. You must accept the grace of God though faith in his son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. You must obey the commands of God, number one of which is to witness the gospel of Christ in order to save lost souls for the kingdom of God. Every time a believer sows the gospel seed that leads to salvation or reaps a soul for God the Lord is glorified and Jesus will return that glory to the believer on the last Day at the bema judgment seat. Other good works count in heaven as long as the believer has saved at least one soul for the kingdom of God. If a believer is not saving souls he can’t please God and all other good works are meaningless. They will be burned up on the last day as wood, straw and stubble. When believers save souls that equates to gold, silver and precious stones in heaven and those works won’t be burned up by the fire of God on the last Day. All believers will have to stand before the bema judgment seat of Jesus Christ on the last Day to receive their rewards for work done in the body here on earth. Salvation is by faith alone but if you want any treasure in heaven you must save at least one person by your witness for Christ so go save at least one more for Jesus.

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

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

1 Corinthians 3:14-15 – If anyone’s work which he has built on it (Jesus) endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss (no reward); but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

You would think that everyone on earth would be falling all over themselves searching for God and sharing the gospel of Christ. The truth of God is self-evident by what he has made (the universe, the earth and us). The Bible is everywhere in the world and it says plainly right there in God’s word what man is to do. So why isn’t this happening? Here’s the problem we have. God expelled Satan and his fallen angels (demons) from heaven after their failed rebellion. God imprisoned them all on earth. The fallen angels can’t leave the earth’s atmosphere so we’re stuck living with millions of powerful demons who hate our guts and seek to destroy us at every opportunity. Originally God gave Adam dominion over the earth but when Satan caused Adam to sin against God title to the earth passed to Satan. That’s why Satan is called the, “god of this world” and the “prince of the air.” Because Adam sinned against God in the Garden of Eden he lost his immortality and suffered physical death. Adam’s sin and physical death was imputed to all men who came after so we all bear the mark of Adam’s original sin in our bodies and we’ll all die physically. God came down from his throne in heaven and came to earth in the incarnation of Jesus Christ to redeem the earth and save man from eternal death through the blood of Christ shed for the forgiveness of our sins.

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.

Romans 4:8 – Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.

Ephesians 1:7 – In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Do you remember the Bible story about the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor? Jesus took Peter, John and James up on the mountain to pray. While Jesus was praying his personal appearance was changed into his glorified form. Light radiated from Jesus’ face and his clothing became dazzling white. Jesus allowed his disciples to behold him in his heavenly glory so they would gain a greater understanding who he was and as a testimony to all believers. Every believer in heaven will receive a glorified body just like the one Jesus has. Every believer in heaven will be able to radiate the glory of their salvation from their body. God will return to us the glory we gave him. That’s why the transformation God will make in us in heaven is called, “glorification.” Glorification is defined as , “the act of receiving glory”, and in the biblical sense it means receiving glory from God the Father.

Romans 8:30 – Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

In scripture God says he will not give his glory to another so where does the glory we receive from God come from? It’s not from God or angels so that leaves only us. God speaks plainly so our common sense should tell us the glory we receive is our own glory that God is storing up for us in heaven (our treasure) because of our good works done on earth. In the Bible angels always appear in white and radiate white light. In heaven man will be sons of God and judge angels so it’s obvious believers will rank above angels. We’ll also radiate glory like the angels. Every believer in heaven isn’t going to be running around glowing like a light bulb but we’ll be able to radiate our glory when we choose to do so. There will be no need for name tags or badges in heaven. Everyone will know everyone else by name and our glory level will be readily apparent to everyone we meet. If you’re a believer and a slacker on earth you’ll be on the bottom rung of heaven. Your work for the Lord will define who you are and what you do for all eternity.

Don’t worry when I repeat myself. Repetition is good. It’s a literary device God uses very effectively in his word and I’ve picked up on it in my writing. Repeating spiritual truths helps the mind accept them and believe them. Car advertisers understand this principle which is why we see the same car commercial over and over. If your mind hears the same car commercial fifty times it will eventually want you to buy that car. You’ve heard the saying, “garbage in garbage out.” Shield your mind from harmful things. Always feed your mind on the goodness, truth and wisdom of God’s word on a daily basis along with prayer and you’ll always have fellowship with God and the peace of God. Nothing is better than that.

Romans 4:5 – But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

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.

2 Corinthians 6:2 – In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

In heaven 90% of the saints will be there only through faith in Jesus Christ, never having saved even one lost soul for the kingdom of God through a witness for Christ. The wise believer will focus his efforts on doing the work of God by sharing the gospel and saving lost souls. The more souls saved the greater the glory to the saints who work God’s harvest field in order to save them. The primary reason God leaves us on earth after our salvation is so we can help save nonbelievers. The greater our glory for saving others the greater will be the radiance emanating from our glorified bodies on the last Day. One of my favorite passages of scripture is Daniel 12:3, because it states the ultimate goal God has for us. In the dictionary the word wise means to become aware of something. In the Bible wise means those who become aware of the gospel of Christ and then go out and share it with nonbelievers.

1 Corinthians 3:12-13 – Now if anyone builds on this foundation (Jesus Christ) with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it; because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

1 John 3:8 – He who sins is from the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

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

Daniel 12:3 says those who save souls will shine like the stars because of all the glory they will accumulate saving others. In the Bible angels are often referred as stars because they shine like stars. The above verse says some believers will shine as brightly as stars and angels. The key word of this verse is “many” which means a large number. In my mind “many” is one thousand saved souls. I need to save one thousand lost souls for the kingdom of God if I want to be in the top one percent of believers in heaven. Saving a thousand souls will be hard but not impossible. However, it’s virtually impossible for the layman witnessing for Christ to save that many souls one on one, unless you start young. You’ll probably need to leverage your witness like I’ve done if you want to save “many.”

I have reached thousands of people through my witness for Christ on my Christian blog site (onemoreforjesus.net). Every year I also distribute thousands of free Christian tracts and hundreds of Bibles to other godly men who witness on my behalf. You can go to my second website to read about it (christiantractministry.com). My ministry partners are all over the country and they are primarily prisons. Everyone needs to leverage their witness for Christ in a way that works for them. The important thing is to do something for God; anything! Take the first step. Plan your work and then go work your plan with perseverance! Godspeed!

Against All Odds

The Bible tells us God always does as he pleases and his will is never thwarted. God always prevails in all circumstances and against all odds. God has never been defeated and never can be. However, the greater the odds God faces and overcomes in his dealings with man the greater the “glory” God receives. Throughout the Bible we see numerous stories where God prevailed against tremendous odds. In each case the Bible informs us God was glorified. God gave us these Bible stories for our edification; so that we might know him and have faith in the Lord our God in all circumstances, no matter the odds.

Isaiah 55:11 – So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing in which I sent it.

Psalm 33:11 – The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

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.

2 Peter 3:18 – But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

What glory does God receive if he helps one army defeat another army of equal size? None. What glory does God receive if he uses the best and brightest of us to achieve his goals. None. We see this pattern play out in the Bible over and over where God uses the least of us for his purposes or God ensures the odds are heavily stacked against him before he acts. It’s as if God is trying to level the playing field so his victory is not a given. Or maybe God just wants to work up a sweat or get a good workout. I’m kidding of course. Everything is easy for God. What we do know is that God receives more glory the harder the task and the greater the odds are against God. Let’s take the Bible story of Gideon for example. Gideon was a timid Israelite who was scared of his own shadow. Gideon was probably the last person anyone would choose to be the savior of Israel yet God chose him to be a mighty man of valor and champion of Israel. God instructed Gideon to gather an army of 32,000 Israelites to go against 135,000 invading Midianites. The odds were still not great enough to glorify God to his satisfaction so God had Gideon send all but 300 soldiers home. God then used the 300 Israelites to defeat the 135,000 Midianites. God did this for his glory and to prove that he is God Almighty.

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!

Isaiah 46:9 – Remember the former things of old, for I am God and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me.

Luke 1:37 – For with God nothing will be impossible.

Psalm 18:46 – The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.

A second example is Moses. Egypt was the greatest country on earth when Israel was in bondage and they had the greatest army of that time. Did God raise an army to free his people? Did God stretch out his hand and destroy all of Egypt? No. Instead God used a stuttering eighty year old shepherd armed with a simple wooden staff to free his people Israel. It was Moses who delivered Israel out of Egyptian bondage by the strong right arm of Almighty God. No person would have conceived such a thing; only the mind of God. God stacked the odds against himself and triumphed; to his eternal glory! Are you starting to see the picture here and God’s modus operandi? God always goes against great odds, against all odds, otherwise what’s the point of the struggle? In addition, God almost always chooses an unlikely underdog to be his champion.

Isaiah 45:5 – I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.

Psalm 50:15 – Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

Psalm 34:19 – Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

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

Do you want another example? Let’s look at the Bible story of David and Goliath. In one corner we have a nine foot tall giant Phillistine warrior named Goliath who weighed in at close to 400 pounds. Every day for a month Goliath issued a challenge to the Israelite army to send their champion out to fight him in one on one combat to the death with the winner’s country being declared the victor in the war between the two countries. Goliath had no takers. Goliath also blasphemed God every day so God sent forth his underdog; a shepherd boy named David armed with only a sling. David hurled a stone that struck Goliath in the forehead knocking him unconscious. David then cut off Goliath’s head with his own sword and held it up for the Philistines to see. The Philistine army ran away in terror, knowing God was with Israel. God’s honor was restored and God was glorified!

Jeremiah 17:7 – Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.

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

Psalm 50:23 – Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.

Psalm 37:3 – Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

You’re probably telling yourself that could only happen in the Old Testament times but not today because God no longer does miracles. You’d be dead wrong. God does not change. If God did miracles in ancient times then he still does miracles today; they’re just not as obvious as in the past. I’ve studied all the Arab-Israeli wars and I can tell you in every instance God miraculously saved Israel from destruction. In every war Israel has fought Israel was outnumbered one thousand to one in personnel and equipment yet Israel managed to win and win convincingly. If it happened only once you could say maybe it was a lucky win or a coincidence. But Israel has won five or six times in the same fashion which tells me each victory was a miracle. The hand of God was at work protecting his beloved Israel. One thousand to one odds are right up God’s alley. God used his power to defeat the Arabs, who were supported by Satan. God saved his people and was glorified! The spiritually aware believer can see the hand of God at work when he performs miracles but the nonbelievers cannot see the truth of God because Satan, the god of this world, has put blinders over their eyes.

Malachi 3:6 – For I am the Lord, I do not change.

Ephesians 1:6 – To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Psalm 14:1 – The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.

2 Corinthians 4:4 – Whose minds the god of this age (Satan) has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

God will usually choose an unlikely underdog for his service; someone you’d least expect. That’s why I’m certain the Apostle Paul was appointed by God to bring the gospel message to the Gentiles. Saul of Tarsus (later called Paul), a Jewish Pharisee, was the perfect candidate for God and the last person on earth anyone in the ancient world would expect to serve Jesus Christ. Did God choose on of his disciples or another holy man of God to minister to the Gentiles? No. That would be too easy. Instead God chose the worst enemy of every Christian; a persecutor who hated all Christians and who relentlessly imprisoned and killed Christians at every opportunity. God’s choosing Paul was the personal equivalent of winning a battle against great odds. The result was the same. God was glorified by selecting Christianity’s greatest enemy and making him the champion of Christianity. Never before or since in recorded history has the greatest enemy of anything flipped to become the greatest champion in three days. That’s why I know without a doubt that Paul met Jesus Christ in his glorified body on the road to Damascus. That’s why I know Paul is an Apostle of Jesus Christ. There is no other feasible explanation for what happened. If Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus it could be for only one reason. Jesus was appointing Paul the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. God was flipping the script and charging Paul with helping those he previously persecuted. This about face brought glory to God!

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

1 Peter 1:25 – But the word of the Lord endures forever.

2 Peter 1:3 – As His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.

John 17:5 – (Jesus speaking) – And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Scripture says God is “inscrutable”, which just means God is impossible to understand and interpret. Nobody knows the mind of God. Prophets, kings, priest and holy men of ancient times served the Lord for forty years and never came close to knowing what was on God’s mind and why God acted as he did. God knows everything and we know next to nothing. What I’m saying is not new or unexpected. I don’t have any special knowledge of what motivates God. However, as Christians living in the current end times we have an advantage over all believers who came before us. God has provided us with a record of human history through his eyes. I’m referring to the Bible, where God recounts the history of man from creation to the last Day. We can look at the stories in the Bible to see how God handled various situations when dealing with man. Yes, God is unpredictable but God is also unchanging and he likes to do things a certain way. If we’re students of the Bible and spiritually aware we can detect patterns of behavior that not only verify God’s identity but also helps us predict what God will do in the future. I mean, God is not being sneaky about this. God is purposely telling us everything he has done in the past and will do in the future as an example to believers so we can know him and what is to come.

Psalm 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

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

Psalm 19:7 – The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

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.

It’s not hard to discern the patterns of history if you’re paying attention. King Solomon tells us there is nothing new under the sun. It is hard to see historical patterns in the times in which we live because we’re too close to the situation. We can’t see the forest for the trees. However, we can evaluate the current and future historical trends if we have a proper guide and that guide is the truth of God, our Holy Bible. What proof do we have that our God is the one true God? Only God can do two things; bring someone back to life and tell the future. Only our God Jehovah has the documented eyewitness testimony in the Bible of bringing several people back to life. Only the power of God can bring someone back to life. God’s word contains over 1000 prophecies, over 500 of which have been fulfilled and documented as historical fact. God is the author of history and prophecy is only history recorded in advance. Prophecy is telling the future and it’s easy for God. Prophecy that comes true verifies the identity of God. All the other fake religions and false gods sponsored by Satan throughout human history do not contain even one fulfilled prophecy. This proves our God is God and Satan is a liar and an imposter. Resist Satan and flee from him!

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

Hebrews 2:10 – For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.

1 Peter 4:16 – Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

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

The main purpose of this blog is to allay the fears of all believers living in these perilous times when it seems the world is going to hell in a hand basket. God said these times would come but we are not to worry because we have the hope of resurrection and eternal life in heaven. We are to put our faith in the Lord and persevere in our good works until the last Day. We know the times will become more evil, wars will flourish, and society will start to crumble. Man will ultimately destroy himself were it not for God’s intervention. This is all chronicled in the Bible so we shouldn’t be surprised by what is coming. Believers are in God’s hands. The question for nonbelievers is, “what are you going to do about it?”

Psalm 37:5-6 – Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass, He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday sun.

2 Corinthians 4:17 – For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

John 17:4 – (Jesus speaking) – I have glorified You on earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

2 Timothy 3:1 – But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.

Believers will be raptured to heaven before the end time tribulation starts but God is going to do what he’s always done for those left on earth and that is to save us from ourselves at the very last minute when the situation is bleak, the odds are greatest against us and our destruction seems imminent. For those who don’t know, I’m talking about the battle of Armageddon on the last Day. Then everyone will see the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth on the clouds of heaven and in the presence of his holy angels and all the saints; to save Israel from destruction. God will be glorified on earth and in heaven! It’s a little bit like those old western movies where right when it appears all is lost we hear the bugle of the U. S. Calvary coming to the rescue. Only this time the bugle is the trump of Almighty God and the calvary is Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords. Praise God in heaven for his mercy and grace!

Isaiah 40:5 – The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Revelation 19:16 – And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.

Titus 2:11 – For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

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

Man is God’s greatest creation yet man is born lost because of Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden. All men are therefore destined for eternal damnation in hell forever. God receives his greatest glory whenever a person is saved unto eternal life in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Bible tells us that God and all the angels in heaven rejoice whenever a human soul is saved. There is no greater glory to God than that. Very few people will go to heaven when you look at all those who have ever lived. Maybe only one in a thousand people go to heaven. All I know is the odds of going to heaven are great so whenever someone is saved God is glorified. This fits God’s pattern perfectly.

John 14:6 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

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.

2 Thessalonians 2:14 – To which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

If you’re a believer you’re one of the lucky few who will fellowship with God in heaven forever as a son of the Most High. As a nonbeliever you’re in trouble from the start because you’re going to hell when you die unless you make a dramatic change. The only way to escape hell is to accept the grace God is offering you through the blood of his son Jesus Christ. Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is easy and the instructions are in the Bible (see Romans 10:9). Jesus died on the cross for your sins so God is always ready to receive you, against all odds, but you must choose God of your own free will and you must do it before the rapture occurs or before you die. If you die unsaved you’ll abide in your sins and go to hell for all eternity where you’ll be in continual pain and torment. So you have a choice. You can go to hell and cause grief to the God who made you or you can glorify your heavenly Father by accepting his grace. Please don’t make the wrong choice on this one. Forever is a very long time. A trillion billion years is only a day in eternity! Give God the glory he deserves by accepting his precious gift of eternal life! As a disciple of Jesus Christ I’ve told you the truth of God which I’m commanded to do. It’s up to you to decide whether to serve God or Satan. Choose wisely!

When did Jesus die?

Oddly enough the Bible doesn’t tell us the year of Jesus’ crucifixion. Why is it important? It’s imperative we know the year of Christ’s death because the timing of God’s end time prophecies are very precise and they’re all tied to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world. It’s the most important event in human history because if Jesus rose from the dead it means our sins have been forgiven and we too will be resurrected when we die. Those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will not see eternal death in hell but instead will see the resurrection of eternal life in heaven as God’s children. It will be proof our sins have been forgiven by God.

Mark 13:32 – But about that day or hour (the rapture) no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

John 14:3 – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back (the rapture) and take you to be with me that you may also be where I am.

I’m a long time student of Bible prophecy, especially end time prophecy. Bible scholars almost universally agree Jesus died between 29 AD and 33 AD. That’s a five year gap which is unacceptable for those of us trying to pinpoint when the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will occur or when the rapture will happen. Most experts now think Jesus died in either 30 AD or 33 AD, with plenty of people advocating each date. I used 33 AD as the date of Christ’s deaths in my blog titled, “Jesus is Coming!!!” , posted on February 5, 2022. In that blog I calculated the date of the Second Coming of Christ and the rapture. What if I chose the wrong date? I’m currently taking a New Testament course and my renowned professor is of the opinion that Jesus died in 30 AD. My confidence has taken a hit so let’s go back and review the evidence for each date.

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

Matthew 24:30-31 – (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. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Before we start I need to explain how the world dating system came into being. It took several centuries after Christ’s death for Christianity to become the dominant religion of the world and for everyone to realize the importance of Jesus’ birth. A Roman world dating system was in use at that time, but in 527 AD Pope John 1 commissioned a noted monk and mathematician named Dionysius Exiguus to come up with a new world dating system that made the birth of Jesus Christ the dividing point of world history. Dionysius probably based his new world dating system on early Christian writings. There was no zero in his system so the birth of Jesus was set at 1 AD, which means the year before Jesus’ birth would have to be 1 BC, a difference of two years instead of one like it should be. The first year the new dating system was actually put in use became 532 AD. AD doesn’t mean “after death” like some people think. AD is from the Latin “Anno Domini” meaning, “the year of our Lord.” The use of BC (before Christ) for earlier periods in world history did not start until two centuries later, in 731 AD, by a man named Venerable Bede.

Luke 17:34-36 – (Jesus speaking about the rapture) – I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.

Philippians 3:20-21 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (the rapture), who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Right now the majority of scholars advocate the 30 AD date but most Christian laymen still believe Jesus died in 33 AD. If 30 AD is the right date it means Jesus was born some time between 2-4 BC and not 1 AD. God is so precise in everything he does I just can’t bring myself to believe that God would allow a mistake like that in the world dating system that honors his son Jesus Christ. In the gospels we learn that Jesus attended at least three Passovers and possibly four which is not consistent with a 30 AD crucifixion date. Jews can’t be called Rabbi or teach in the synagogue until age 30 and Jesus did both. If Jesus’ ministry lasted three and a half years that’s consistent with the crucifixion date being 33 AD and Jesus being 33 and a half years of age at his death. When Jesus was born and how old he was when he died is not nearly as important for us as the date Jesus died and rose from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 – (Paul describing the rapture) – 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 all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Romans 6:8 – Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.

What do the scholars say about the death of Jesus? First, Jesus was crucified by the Roman Prefect Pontius Pilate. We know from Roman historical records that Pilate was the Prefect of Judea from 26 AD to 36 AD which gives us a ten year window for Jesus’ death. Second, we know from the gospel accounts of Jesus’ death that Jesus died on a Thursday (preparation day) before the Passover the following day, which fell on a Friday. Jewish days start at sundown and continue to the following sundown. Jesus was buried before sundown on Thursday and was in the earth for three Jewish days and rose from the dead early Sunday morning, which is why Sunday is the sabbath for Christians. A review of the Jewish calendar and lunar astronomical records show that during that ten year window when Pilate was Prefect in Judea the Passover fell on a Friday only twice; in 30 AD and again in 33 AD. There’s a 99% probability Jesus died on one of those two dates. But which date is the correct date of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection?

Luke 3:1-3 – Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberias Caesar, Pontius Pilate became governor of Judea, Herod became tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Luke 2:1-5 – And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Agustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

Third, according to the gospel of Luke, John the Baptist’s ministry started in the fifteenth year of the reign of the Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar. John the Baptist was only six months older than Jesus and he was the prophesied forerunner of Christ, preaching in the wilderness shortly before Jesus started his ministry. The problem is there are two dates for the start of Tiberias’ reign. Tiberias became co-regent with Caesar Augustus in 11 AD and then he became sole regent and Caesar after Augustus’ death in 14 AD so Luke could be referring to either date and be technically correct. With the 11 AD date John the Baptist began his ministry in 26 AD and in 29 AD if the later date is right. That means Jesus Christ probably began his ministry in the following year; which is either 27 AD or 30 AD. The Bible makes no reference to a co-regent ruling with Tiberias so we have to assume their was none which makes the 30 AD ministry date more plausible. If Jesus started his ministry in 30 AD his crucifixion had to have occurred three and a half years later in 33 AD.

Matthew 27:45-46 – Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Daniel 12:2 – And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.

On the other hand, four noted historians from those times independently described a darkening of the sun in the eighteenth year of Tiberius on Nisan 14, the Passover which would be dated 30 AD. This perfectly correlates with the three hours of darkness when Jesus died. It was not a lunar eclipse because Passover is held on the full moon. Eclipses don’t last for three hours and cannot happen during the full moon of Passover. Scripture also indicates Jesus was born during the time of the first Roman census when Quirinius was governor of Syria in 5 BC, but not in 1 AD. The gospels said Herod died in 1 BC and Jesus was born before then (2-3 BC). I was once 90% sure of the 33 AD date for Jesus’ death. I’m still supporting 33 AD as the year Jesus died but my confidence level is down to about 70%. When your confidence level is only 70/30 your best option is to make sure you’re ready for either date to be correct.

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 (the tribulation), and to stand before the Son of Man.

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

I think the clincher for me to stick with the original 33 AD date for Jesus’ death was the actions of Pontius Pilate during the crucifixion week. The feckless behavior of Pilate during Passover week was consistent with 33 AD but not 30 AD. Let me explain. Prior to 30 AD the Roman Emperor Tiberius had retired to the Isle of Capri and left the running of the empire to Lucius Sejanus, the head of the Praetorian Guard in Rome. It was Sejanus who appointed his protege Pilate as Prefect in Judea. Both were antisemites. Normally Roman governors wouldn’t hesitate to ruthlessly exert Roman power at the slightest provocation. If Jesus had come before Pilate in 30 AD he would have been crucified immediately. Pilate wouldn’t have sent Jesus to Herod for judgment and he wouldn’t have tried to wash his hands of Jesus’ death because in 30 AD Pilate was secure politically and his benefactor Sejanus would have made sure nothing negative about Pilate or Judea ever reached the emperor’s ear.

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 (the rapture).

Philippians 2:9-11 – Therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on the earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Pontius Pilate’s situation had changed dramatically by 33 AD. In 31 AD Tiberias found out Sejanus planned a palace coup so Tiberias had Sejanus executed. Friends of Sejanus, like Pilate, were immediately under suspicion as possible collaborators in the attempted coup against Tiberias. Tiberias was looking for the slightest excuse to replace all of Sejanus’ political appointments so Pilate was on tender hooks and in a very weakened position politically. Pilate simply couldn’t afford a confrontation with Herod nor could he allow a Jewish uprising in Judea or Herod would send a bad report about Pilate back to Tiberias. In my mind, actions taken in those tumultuous times speak louder than the words of historians who lived hundreds of years after those events occurred. Pilate’s actions in Judea were consistent with the political realities that existed in 33 AD but not in 30 AD.

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

Hosea 6:1-2 – Come, 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.

In verse one of the above Scripture God is referring to nonbelieving Gentiles who receive his grace (salvation). In verse two God is saying the time of the Gentiles will last two days. God is referring to God-days lasting 1000 each, or 2000 years total. If the church age started on Pentecost of 33 AD then it must go to 2033 AD at Pentecost, which is exactly 2000 years, in order to fulfill the Scripture. After this 2000 years God says he will revive us, which is just another way of saying he will rapture the believer. In the same sentence God says he will raise the believer up on the third day so we may live in his sight. The word revive means to return an incapacitated person to their previous state. After Jesus calls all believers to himself in the air (the rapture) he will return us to our previous state of having glorified bodies like Adam and Eve had before they fell from grace. The word “revive” tells us everything we want and need to hear. It also tells us the second day was ended by the rapture and the third day is about to begin.

The beginning of the third day is the Second Coming of Christ and the third day is actually the millennial kingdom of Christ where we’ll reign with Jesus for a thousand years. God doesn’t say “then” after the second day but instead he pauses, which leaves an obvious gap between reviving us and raising us up at the Second Coming (the last Day). That gap is the seven year tribulation period. I’ve often heard the rapture could happen at anytime because there are no more prophecies that have to be fulfilled. I disagree with that. Hosea 6:1-2 tells me the rapture can’t happen until at least Pentecost of 2033 AD. The rapture has to happen between Pentecost 2033 AD and the signing of a peace agreement between Israel and the antichrist. That’s the window in which the rapture will occur but we don’t know the timeframe. The rapture could occur precisely on Pentecost of 2033 AD or God could wait months or years before he pulls the trigger. Godly men can figure out the approximate time of the rapture but only God knows the actual date and time of our “blessed hope.”

There are two more things that lead me to believe Jesus died in 33 AD. During the tribulation we know Russia attacks Israel. If Russia can’t defeat the Ukraine they are certainly no match for the Israeli defense force (IDF). Russia’s army is currently being destroyed by fighting in the Ukraine and who knows when that war will end. Military experts say it’ll take Russia at least ten years to rebuild their armed forces back to their pre-war levels. That timeframe coincides perfectly with 33 AD. If the rapture comes in 2033 AD as I predict then the Second Coming will be seven years later in 2040 AD. If you’re a student of the Bible like I am then you know God is fond of the number forty and any multiple of forty. 2040 AD not only ends in forty it’s a multiple of forty. Jesus left this earth at the Mount of Olives on Pentecost of 33 AD and the angels told the disciples Jesus would also return to that spot the same way he left. The Second Coming will come after the time of the Jews has been fulfilled. All of these facts support 2033 AD as the date for the rapture and 2040 AD as the date for 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 (the rapture), apart for sin, for salvation.

Matthew 24:42 – (Jesus speaking) – Watch therefore, you do not know what hour your Lord is coming (the rapture).

In a previous blog titled, “Jesus is Coming” I predicted the rapture would occur in April 2026 and the Second Coming on Easter Sunday of 2033. I mistakenly subtracted the seven year tribulation period from the time allotted to the Gentiles. I should have added the seven year tribulation period to the time God deals with Israel (Daniel’s seventieth week) which comes immediately after the time of the Gentiles has been fulfilled in 2033 AD. The Scriptures confirm that God has a sense of humor and we know God can laugh. I can see why God would laugh at my feeble attempt to figure out his timeline for the end of time. I don’t mind being laughed at by God or anyone else because I love Bible prophecy and my machinations will never stop. I know what I know and I’ll stand for my beliefs against all comers. I’ll let God decide whether I’ve been faithful or not on the last day. I personally think God is pleased when his servants meditate on the kingdom of God and look forward to the rapture; even if we do get the timing all wrong.

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.

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

As I mentioned in a previous blog, all of human history, from creation to the Great White throne judgment, will encompass only 7000 years. The seven days of creation represent our 7000 years of human history; seven God-days of 1000 years each. The seventh creation day of rest represents the 1000 year millennial kingdom of God where we’ll rest in Jesus. Do you really think God rested on the seventh day because he was tired? The Scriptures confirm the time of the Gentiles will be two God days, each 1000 years in length. This is the 2000 year church age we’re currently in. The church age began at Pentecost of 33 AD, ten days after the ascension of Jesus back to heaven, when God sent the Holy Spirit to earth to indwell all believers and be their helper forever. This 2000 year time of the Gentiles ends on Pentecost of 2033 at sundown. The rapture won’t occur before then or God’s word would be wrong and that can’t happen. The rapture could occur in the first hour of Pentecost or it’s possible God could decide to wait a little while in order to save as many of the lost as possible.

Isaiah 40:5 – The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Psalm 90:12 – Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

God could also choose to rapture the saints at the Feast of Trumpets which is next Jewish holiday on the calendar. Some people think the trumpets blown during this feast are the same trumpets that will announce the rapture so that makes sense. Next on the calendar comes the most important Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, when Jews repent of their sins and seek reconciliation with God. Yom Kippur would also make perfect sense for the Second Coming. In 2040 Yom Kippur falls on September 16. Or God might even decide to postpone the rapture until just prior to the prophesied peace agreement that Israel will sign because that agreement will begin the seven year Tribulation period. The rapture has to occur before then because God promised to remove his church before the time of God’s wrath, which starts immediately after the peace agreement signing between Israel and the antichrist. It’s true what Scripture says that no man knows the exact day and time of the rapture; only God the Father. However, spiritually aware Christians can know the approximate timeframe in which the rapture could occur. In fact, God wants believers to know the season of his coming so we’ll be ready for Jesus when he appears in the air.

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 (the rapture). 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.

Romans 8:18-19 – For I consider that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God (the rapture).

It’s important to remember that although the time of the Gentiles will end with the rapture of the saints, God still has to complete Daniel’s seventieth week because God suspended the last seven years of his dealing with Israel at 483 years when Christ was crucified. The Second Coming cannot happen until the 490 years of God’s promised time dealing with Israel has been completed. Believers need to be concerned with the time of the rapture because that’s the important event for us. Forget about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ for now because we won’t be on earth to see it. At the rapture all believers, both dead and alive, will be called to meet Jesus in the air where he’ll give us our glorified bodies before taking us back to heaven with him. At the Second Coming of Christ all the saints in heaven will return to earth in the air with Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:14 – Knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus (the rapture), and will present us with you.

Romans 14:9 – For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

In summary, don’t start worrying about the rapture until Pentecost of 2033 AD, but be looking for it from that point onward until the peace agreement is signed by Israel. The rapture could happen immediately after Pentecost of 2033 AD or it could take a while. Everyone will know when the peace agreement with Israel is about to be signed because it’ll be front page news. Don’t be surprised by these events because the Bible tells us they will happen. Continue to witness for Christ and do the good works that God has planned for you to do from the foundation of the world. Watch for the rapture and be ready for it to occur in 2033 AD. Over 500 prophecies in the Bible have already been fulfilled and documented as fact. That gives us confidence that the remaining 500 plus prophecies in the Bible will also be fulfilled in like manner. So far all the prophecies in the Bible have been fulfilled in the time that was allotted to them. Early church believers always greeted each other by saying, “Jesus is coming.” We need to start doing that again because the time of Jesus’ return is near; just ten short years away. When we expect Jesus to return soon there will be greater fellowship among believers and we’ll be better witnesses for Christ.

1 John 5:10 – He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself (the Holy Spirit); 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.

Our duty to God

Every human being has a duty to serve the God who made them whether they realize it or not. God always has a reason for everything he does and he made us to serve him. You’re a foot soldier for Christ if you accept your calling. We can either run toward our destiny and embrace it by doing our duty or we can run away and deny our reason for being here. Man’s first duty is to find out the reason for his existence. God made man in his image so that we would seek out our God and find salvation unto eternal life by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If a person does these two things then their life has been a success. In fact, life is meaningless without a right relationship with God. Don’t just take my word for it. King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, said the same thing in the book of Ecclesiastes. The second duty of man is to share the gospel of Christ with nonbelievers in order to save as many lost souls as possible for the kingdom of God. Man’s third duty is to do other good works so that nonbelievers will see the light of God in our actions and be attracted to God’s message of hope. These three duties are man’s all; it’s why believers are left here on earth after their salvation unto eternal life.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 – Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

As a believing Christian I’m constantly striving to maintain my fellowship with God the Father by being obedient to his commands and just by doing the right thing. It’s not easy to do because I’m weak and I’m a sinner. Believers are disciples of Jesus Christ and our number one priority is to share the gospel of Christ, the Great Commission, with all nations and all peoples. This is the work that Jesus gave us to do just before his ascension back to heaven. Witnessing should always be on our minds throughout the day every day as our number one mission in life. After all, witnessing for Christ is the primary reason God leaves us here on earth after our salvation. God should always be on our mind because man is always on God’s mind. Repeating things that are important is a literary device I picked up by reading my Bible.

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

Matthew 28:18-19 – (Jesus) – All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Witnessing for Christ is the number one good work we do for God. If we want to please God we must work alongside him (the Holy Spirit) in his harvest field to save lost souls for the kingdom of God. It’s the Holy Spirit who actually does the saving of the spirit of man unto eternal life and writes our names in the book of life. The Holy Spirit is God. It pleased God to allow us to help in his salvation plan for man. God does this to bless our lives. If believers don’t share the gospel message of Christ with nonbelievers then all the other good works they may do are meaningless when they have to stand before the bema judgment seat of Jesus Christ on the last day. Their works will be burned up by fire.

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.

Matthew 4:19 – (Jesus) – Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

Staying in fellowship with God is fairly easy if you follow this rule: love what God loves and hate what God hates. It sounds simple I know but in practice it’s harder than you realize. What does God love more than anything else? Us, of course; we’re God’s children and he loves us dearly. The fact that God the Father sent his beloved son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins proves beyond any doubt that God loves us. If God loves us that much then we should love ourselves and every other person just as much because God made us all and Jesus Christ died on the cross for each and every one of us. God made each one of us to be unique individuals in our own right and each person is equal and priceless in God’s eyes.

John 3:16 – (Jesus) – 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.

Isaiah 46:4 – Even to your old age and gray hair 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.

On the flip side, what does God hate the most? Losing us, of course; because we’re God’s beloved children. God hates Satan and so should we because he is evil incarnate, he causes us to sin and he steals the souls of men. Satan is our mortal enemy! Have you ever taken your children somewhere and lost them? I have. I lost my boys on three separate occasions and I’ll never forget the sheer panic I felt each time in that moment when I realized I’d lost them. As the author of history, God never panics about anything because he knows the end from the beginning. However, that doesn’t stop God from grieving for every human soul when it’s lost to the clutches of Satan. God loves deeply therefore God grieves deeply. It doesn’t have to be this way. God created all of us to live with him as royalty in heaven forever but he won’t force us to accept his grace. God has revealed himself to his creatures by the universe he has made and also by the word of God (the Bible) that he has left us so we can know God and find his salvation unto eternal life in heaven. God gives every man he has made the free will choice to serve God or Satan. Choose wisely!

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

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.

God is an eternal spirit so when he gave us a part of himself at our conception (our spirit) it means we too are eternal spirit beings. We will live forever like God. The only question to be decided is where we will live. Our eternal spirit is now housed in a physical body on earth that grows, matures, ages and eventually dies, leaving only our spirit behind. Our soul then returns to God in heaven if we’ve accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior during our life on earth. Our eternal spirit goes straight to hell when we die if we don’t acknowledge God and don’t believe in Jesus Christ while we’re alive in the flesh. God hates losing his children through the rejection of his saving grace because it results in man’s eternal separation from God and eternal damnation of that soul in the fires of hell for all eternity.

Proverbs 16:4 – The Lord has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.

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.

We’re talking about a billion trillion years being only a single day in eternity. The human mind cannot grasp the length of eternity. That’s why God grieves for every lost soul that he has made. Therefore the number one job of every Christian is to prevent as many people as possible from going to hell by witnessing Christ to nonbelievers in order to save them. By effectively witnessing for Christ we’re showing that we love what God loves (every person) and that we hate what God hates (losing human souls). When we witness for Christ we’re doing something about it, in the face of rejection and ridicule. We’re doing what God intended for us to do from the foundation of the world and we’ll receive rewards in heaven for our obedience to God’s number one command, which is to witness for Christ in order to save souls.

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

Proverbs 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.

Look, if you’re alive today congratulations because you’re an immortal being. Start acting like it by thinking about your future life after you depart this earth. With immortality comes responsibility and accountability. Our life on earth is very brief; seventy years if we’re lucky. Then what? You’ll have many trillions of years to spend somewhere. Where might that be? Don’t you think the issue is important enough to spend a little time now investigating your options before it’s too late? When your heart stops beating it’s too late. If you’re smart, you will seek out the truth of the Christian God Jehovah while you yet live. You’ll find in God’s word (the Bible) that the eternal soul can only end up in one of two places, heaven or hell, depending on whether you decide to serve God or Satan. If you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior it’ll be the smartest decision you’ll ever make in your life because it will save your soul and you’ll be royalty in heaven forever where you’ll be showered with heavenly riches from God the Father.

Joshua 24:15 – Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Ezekiel 36:27 – I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

On the other hand, if you reject God and his Christ you’ve made a bad decision that’ll result in you losing your soul to the fires of hell where you’ll be in pain and agony forever. Think it over carefully. It’s a stark choice and I find it hard to believe that anyone in their right mind would choose hell over heaven; but there are fools who will. In fact, most people do wind up choosing Satan because, as the god of this world, he has successfully deceived most men so that they cannot see the truth of God. Satan has put blinders over their eyes. Satan has convinced many people that there is no God and where he hasn’t been successful with that Satan has created fake religions and false gods to divert man from the truth of God and his saving grace. Don’t be fooled by the devil!

Exodus 20:3 – (God) – You shall have no other gods before Me.

Hosea 13:4 – (God) – Yet I am the Lord your God…there is no Savior besides Me.

As believers our duty to God is clear. We’re to witness Christ to nonbelievers in order to point the way to salvation for the lost. We’re to expose all the lies told by all the fake religions and false gods used by Satan as a smokescreen to hide the truth of God from man. Study your Bible (King James version only) so you can answer any questions the nonbeliever may have. Learn how to share the gospel message of Christ and how to guide the nonbeliever into accepting God’s grace unto salvation. In my earlier blogs I’ve created a set of useful guides and proofs that are a great help to anyone wanting to share their witness for Christ with nonbelievers. I have a list of 23 physical proofs of God (there are over 200). I have Bible proofs of God. I have a list of 36 prophecies foretold in the Old Testament and fulfilled by the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are over sixty prophecies about Jesus in the Bible. I also have a witness outline, known as the “Roman road” to salvation, using the Scriptures in the book of Romans to guide someone to the logical conclusion that they’re a sinner who needs God’s saving grace.

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.

These are all good starting points when discussing whatever it is that’s holding a person back from accepting God. You can prepare to witness all you want but in the end you must know your Bible well enough to answer any questions that come up. And you must also take a leap of faith and share your witness if you want to save someone. Don’t be afraid to fail. The Holy Spirit will help you. Preparation plus action equals success. It’s so very important that your witness for Christ be effective in order to save at least one soul for the kingdom of God. I don’t want to put any pressure on you but your witness for Christ might be a nonbelievers only chance at heaven so you want to be ready to do it well. You don’t want to stand before the bema judgment seat of Jesus Christ empty handed. Jesus will ask every believer if they’ve witnessed in his name and you must be able to answer yes. If any believer saves at least one priceless soul for the kingdom of God they will be rewarded by Jesus Christ on the last day. The Lord will be pleased with you. How could he not be?

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.

Jeremiah 17:7 – Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.

The vast majority of believers in heaven will be there only because of their faith in Jesus Christ, not having saved even a single soul for the kingdom of God. Because of that they’ll have eternal regret that they didn’t witness for Christ on earth. However, if you save at least one person for the kingdom of God you will be satisfied. More is always better but one will do. If you save one person for the kingdom of God you’ll probably be in the top ten percent of all believers in heaven, with the rewards that go with it. If you want to be great in heaven, like I do, that’s another matter entirely. That will require a lot more planning and hard work on your part to achieve it; plus the help of the Holy Spirit. Most people aren’t up to the task but if you think you are then follow me.

Habakkuk 2:2-3 – (God) – Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

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

First, set a goal for yourself. If you don’t have a goal then you’re not really serious about it. My first goal is to save one hundred nonbelievers to the kingdom of God and after I reach that goal my next goal is to save one thousand souls for heaven and then as many more as I can after that. I’ll never stop working God’s harvest field until the Lord takes me home. I don’t know how many people I’ll help save for the kingdom of God but God knows. All I know is God has protected me from harm all my life for this moment. I feel it more than I know it if that makes sense. I plan to shine for the Lord and be a co-worker with God in his harvest field. And so, I will work diligently, with love and gratitude toward God and joy in my heart.

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

Psalm 20:4 – May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose.

How did I come up with my goals in the first place? I came up with my first goal of saving one hundred lost souls because in the Bible God often talks about a good harvest being a “hundredfold.” If one hundred is good enough for God it’s good enough for me as my first goal. There’s not a doubt in my mind that if I save a hundred souls for the kingdom of God I’ll hear the Lord say on the last day, “well done good and faithful servant.” In the Scriptures the number one thousand is also important to God so it’s a logical number for my next goal after one hundred. One thousand saved souls will be hard for me to achieve but it’s not an impossible number to reach. In the Bible it says those who save many will shine like the stars in the firmament. In my mind I associate the term “many” with one thousand. I feel certain that if I save a thousand souls for the kingdom of God I’ll be in that top one percent of Christians in heaven who will likely shine like the stars in the firmament. I don’t know exactly what that means on a personal level but I trust in God that it’ll be wonderful.

Daniel 12:3 – And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Psalm 33:18-19 – Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in his mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

One on one witnessing is always the best way to go but let’s face it, you’re not going to save more than a half dozen people that way because the witness opportunities are few. The key to saving “many” is to leverage your witness so you get the gospel message out to as many people as possible. To be sure, witnessing is a volume business like any sales transaction only this time you’re selling God. So how do we do it successfully? It’s rare for anyone to accept Jesus Christ the first time they hear the gospel message. It usually takes hearing the gospel 15-20 times or more before someone internalizes the gospel message which allows the Holy Spirit to convict someone of their sin and make them aware of their need for God’s saving grace. The key is to focus on spreading the gospel seed because it moves someone along the path to salvation. God generously rewards each sower equally with the eventual reaper of every soul for the kingdom of God.

Psalm 16:11 – You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness and joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Isaiah 55:6 – Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.

If you want to save many and you haven’t been called to the ministry to preach then be a Sunday school teacher or a missionary. Share the gospel on a television show or radio program if you have the money to do it. You can start a Christian blog and share the gospel of Christ through the internet like I do (see also www.christiantractministry.com). You could become a Christian author and share the gospel that way. Do whatever the Holy Spirit calls you to do. God has a plan for your life but it’s up to you to find it. Everyone needs to brainstorm and come up with their own way to leverage their witness for Christ. I know the perfect way for me to witness for Christ. It’s been in use for many years and I’ve just adopted it as my own. I have bought and personally distributed Christian tracts for the last eight years. I leave them wherever I go when I’m out and about shopping, doing errands, etc. I have expanded my Christian tract ministry this past year to include fourteen new ministry partners (primarily prisons) so that other godly men can distribute for me the free tracts I provide for nonbelievers. A generous God will reward all sowers of the gospel seed, including those like me who provide tracts for that purpose.

Psalm 19:7 – The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony if the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

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.

These little Christian tracts are cartoon booklets that contain the gospel message in written form. There is documented proof that thousands of people have been saved over the last seventy five years by Christian tracts alone so I know they work. I also provide free Bibles for nonbelievers. I believe at least one tract out of a thousand will be instrumental in moving a nonbeliever along the gospel path that ultimately leads to salvation and I’ll be rewarded as a sower of that seed when the person is saved. I also believe that to be the case with one Bible out of every hundred I provide, because the Bibles aren’t disposable like tracts are. Bibles might get passed around for forty years. One tenth of one percent return on Christian tracts I’m providing is only a conservative guess but I prefer to be pleasantly surprised in heaven on the last day by the number of souls I’ve saved rather than over estimate and be disappointed. I also count one saved soul for ever one thousand hits on my two blogs with the same rationale. It’s just a way for me to keep score and stay on track. The number of souls we save for God isn’t as important as the consistent effort we give in working God’s harvest field. As 2022 comes to a close, my ministry this year has given away 20,445 Christian tracts, 910 Bibles and New Testaments and 255 gospel comics and pamphlets. In 2023 I pray that God will bless me even more!

Deuteronomy 12:32 – Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

Isaiah 64:4 – For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him.

The trick is to plan your work in God’s harvest field as his co-worker and then go work you plan. It’s all about the work we put in with perseverance. The Apostle Paul said it’s okay to strive for treasures in heaven. There’s nothing to be ashamed of so go for it. The point is even if there were no rewards in heaven for saving lost souls I’d still be doing the same thing because I love God and I love my fellow man. I don’t want to see anyone go to hell for the lack of a witness. Rewards in heaven are just a way of staying motivated; it’s the work for God that’s important. My goal is to always act in such a way that God is pleased. When I stand before the bema judgment seat of Jesus Christ on the last day my heart’s desire is to hear Jesus say, “well done good and faithful servant.” Join me in my work and you’ll share in my joy on the last day. The Holy Spirit has given me my ministry of blogging about the kingdom of God, although it took me a while to recognize it. I’ll never stop doing my duty to the Lord my God while I live. Don’t shirk you duty to God. It’s our responsibility to recognize our duty to God and then go do it. Now you have been told what you should do so you have no excuse. Pray and meditate on God’s word daily and he’ll show you the way you should go.

Psalm 95:6 – Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

Psalm 51:1 – Have mercy upon me, O God, according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

Why do we suffer?

Explaining the problem of suffering is probably the most difficult challenge of Christianity in modern times. Even ordained ministers and Bible scholars have a hard time explaining why a loving God allows suffering to continue in the world he created. I’m just a layman; a believer who loves studying God’s word and sharing what I know and think through my blog. Do I think I know more than the experts? No I don’t. But I do meditate daily on the magnitude and majesty of God and the issue of suffering is often on my mind. My ministry of writing about the kingdom of God was given to me by the Holy Spirit so I won’t belittle what I’ve been given. Let’s discuss human suffering but at the same time I want you to study your Bible and go to God in prayer asking for a personal revelation on the nature of suffering.

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.

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

Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 8:22 – For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pains together until now.

First of all, why do we always blame God for our suffering when we brought suffering on ourselves? God is perfect and his creation was once perfect. In the beginning there was no sin, pain, suffering or death in the world. The first man, Adam, was given dominion over the whole earth by God. But then Adam sinned against God and Adam became a fallen creature. As the father of the human race, that fate was imputed to all men who came after Adam. Sin, pain, suffering and death all entered the earth because of the disobedience of Adam to the commands of God and not through any action on God’s part. Adam’s sin allowed dominion over the earth to pass from him to Satan, who is the master of dispensing pain, suffering and death on the human race whom he hates.

1 Peter 4:16 – Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

1 Peter 4:19 – Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful creator.

Philippians 1:29 – For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.

Romans 8:17 – And if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

God has given all men the freewill choice to serve God and obey his commands or serve Satan through disobedience. One of the spiritual truths of heaven is, “you reap what you sow.” In Adam’s case, he sowed the seeds of sin, pain, suffering and death by his disobedience to God and, as a result, the human race has reaped what Adam has sown because he is the earthly father of us all. God does not change. God dispenses justice fairly to all. It grieves God greatly to see all the sin, pain, suffering and death in the world. That’s why God sent his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to the earth to defeat Satan, reclaim the earth and save mankind from their sins and eternal death in the fires of hell.

Joshua 24:15 – Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

1 Peter 2:21 – For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.

1 Peter 4:1 – Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.

1 Peter 5:10 – But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

It will take the entirety of human history (7000 years) to eliminate all sin from God’s creation and imprison Satan and all his demons in hell forever. Why does God take so long? I don’t know. God has his own timetable for doing things. God’s actions are perfect, as is his timing. God always does as he pleases when he pleases. We are not to question the motives and actions of Almighty God. The finite human mind cannot understand the infinite mind of God and his ultimate use of and purpose for our suffering. We know from our own experience that suffering is inevitable and that fact is confirmed numerous times in God’s word. The key for believers is to accept that suffering is part of the human condition and trust that God has a purpose for our suffering that will benefit us. Christ’s suffering and death is a prime example of this.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Revelation 2:10 – (Jesus speaking about the tribulation period) – Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

1 Peter 3:14 – But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.

John 16:33 – (Jesus) – These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

We know from a study of the Scriptures that when we suffer for the Christian faith then God is glorified. The more we suffer for God the more we ourselves are glorified in heaven. Through stories in the Bible we learn that our physical suffering for God purifies us spiritually and makes us more fit to live in heaven. Our earthly suffering is an important part of God’s sanctification process for us whereby we become more like Christ over time. Jesus could have died an easier death and it would’ve still redeemed us. Instead, Jesus died an excruciation death on the cross to the glory of God the Father. As believers we’re called to suffer in our lifetime as Christ suffered, although not to the same degree. No matter what suffering we encounter during our life it’ll never come close to matching Christ’s suffering on the cross. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the example how to bear up under suffering with dignity and grace and if believers emulate Jesus in their suffering they will receive honor and glory in heaven.

Philippians 3:10 – That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.

2 Corinthians 1:7 – And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.

1 Peter 4:13 – But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

James 5:10 – My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.

When the early church leaders compiled the books of the Bible they didn’t know where to place the book of Job. The 66 books of the Bible are the revelation of Jesus Christ and they also chronicle God’s relationship with man in general and God’s people (Israel) in particular. Job is different from any other book in the Bible. Job doesn’t add to the historical narrative of the human race in any way. Job also doesn’t quite fit any of the known sections of the Bible so the compilers eventually decided to put the book of Job in the poetry and wisdom section of the Bible, after Ester and before Psalms. Most of the Old Testament was written by the prophets of God but the author of Job is unknown. We do know the book of Job is one of the oldest books of the Bible. Job was a man of God and a contemporary of Abraham so the setting of the story was in the time of the patriarchs which means Job could be as old as the book of Genesis. The question is why did God give us the book of Job?

Job 1:21 – Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Job 14:1 – Anyone born of woman is short of days and full of trouble.

2 Corinthians 1:5-6 – For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

James 1:2-4 – My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The book of Job is in the Bible because God wants to talk to us about suffering. The book of Job teaches us that suffering comes to everyone, the righteous and unrighteous alike. Suffering comes to the innocent as well as the guilty. God does not always keep the righteous and innocent from danger or suffering. The fact that one person may suffer more than another is God’s choice as the Sovereign Lord of creation. God doesn’t have to explain his reasoning to his creatures, which we are. Ultimately, God controls all of life’s situations and we have to trust in God’s provision for us and his love for his children, which we are. In Job we get to see the veil of heaven pulled back with God talking to Satan. We see that Satan cannot harm one of God’s children without God’s permission. We learn that Satan does indeed go to and fro across the earth seeking to do evil to men and to cause suffering at every opportunity. The book of Job is a stark reminder that man is only safe in the arms of God.

Hebrews 12:5-6 – My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 – For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Romans 8:18 – For I consider that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

The Bible has many examples of godly men who endured suffering during their lives. These men were no different from you and me. They were persecuted for their faith and, in many cases, they compounded their suffering by making bad decisions. Take the psalmist David for example. David endured much pain and suffering in his life and this is reflected in many of his poems collected in the book of Psalms. David was hounded and chased by King Saul for years and after David became king himself he was punished by God for his adultery with Bathsheba. God loved David as a man after his own heart but he didn’t spare the rod.

James 1:12 – Blesses is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

2 Corinthians 12:10 – Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Psalm 22:1-2 – (David) – My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; and in the night season, and am not silent.

Romans 8:24-25 – For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

We all remember the Bible story of Joseph, son of Jacob, who was sold into slavery by his brothers. Joseph was taken to Egypt where he was later thrown into prison for years based on false charges. Joseph suffered greatly through no fault of his own. Then we have the example of the Apostle Paul who served the Lord for forty years. Paul was beaten up regularly for preaching the word of God and Paul was often cold and hungry. Several times Paul was whipped, stoned and imprisoned for sharing the gospel of Christ. Paul also had some sort of physical ailment he had to deal with all his life. Paul endured his hardships and sufferings with stoicism knowing his reward in heaven would be great. We should all have the same mindset as the Apostle Paul when it comes to dealing with suffering.

Philippians 1:21 – (Paul) – For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (go to heaven).

2 Corinthians 12:9 – (God speaking to Paul who asked God to relieve his physical suffering) – My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 – I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 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 those who have loved His appearing.

Proverbs 13:15 – Good understanding gives favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.

God could prevent suffering but if he did that he’d be perverting his perfect justice. Instead, God uses suffering to achieve his own purpose in our lives. God can use suffering for good. God can use suffering to draw us to God, to prove our faith is real or to make us focus on heaven and not earth. Suffering can be used by God as a form of discipline to bring the believer back into fellowship with God. Suffering enables Christians to identify with and encourage other sufferers. Suffering can remind us that this world is not our home. Our citizenship is in heaven. In the end, the genuineness of our faith determines our response to suffering.

1 Peter 1:6-7 – In this (salvation) you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that in the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glorify at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21:4 – (in heaven) – And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

Genesis 3:17-19 – (God speaking to Adam) – Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground.

John 18:36 – (Jesus) – My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I am not delivered to the Jews, but now My kingdom is not from here.

In summary, to live life is to suffer. There’s no way around it. Some will suffer more and some less. We have no say in the matter. It’s all up to God. What we do know is the believer has the hope of salvation. When the believer suffers in this life he’s suffering with Christ. When believers suffer they’re building up honor and glory in heaven. God has promised the believer they will not suffer more than they can bear. On the other hand, when the nonbeliever suffers they have no such assurance or comfort. They have no champion whereas the believer is protected by God. The nonbeliever is on their own and adrift in a sea of pain, suffering, misery and evil without end. They have no anchor in the storms of life. The nonbelievers are without hope which is one of the reasons they are prone to committing suicide. Decide beforehand whom you will serve, God or Satan, and also how you will endure suffering in this life. Gird yourself for the ordeal to come. Make sure you bear your sufferings with dignity and in such a way that it’s pleasing in the sight of God.

John 15:18-19 – (Jesus) – If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 14:6 – (Jesus) – I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Psalm 34:19 – Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Psalm 33:11 – The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

The Poetry & Prose of God

I’ve been an avid reader all of my life and I find the poetry and prose of the Bible to be uplifting and unparalleled, not only by its obvious wisdom, but also because of its beautiful words and the clear message of God’s love for us by the coming of Christ to save us from our sins. The books of the Bible were written starting around 3400 years ago with the book of Genesis written by Moses. The book of Revelation was the last book of the Bible and it was written approximately 1900 years ago by the Apostle John. Over this 1500 year period the Bible has been consistent in its message of Christ and also in the majesty of its writing. All 66 books of the Bible mesh together seamlessly without any contradictions or errors as if they were written by one author, which they were. God is the author of the Bible and he used holy men under the influence of the Holy Spirit to be his writers. Let’s look at a few of the Scriptures that sing to our soul:

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.

When God refers to the world he means us, you and me, and all human beings who have ever lived in the past or who will ever live in the future. The only begotten Son of God is Jesus Christ, the second person of the triune godhead. Jesus has always existed in heaven along with God the Father and the Holy Spirit because Jesus is God. Three distinct persons but one God. When God says he “gave” his son it means that he (God) voluntarily stepped down from his throne and humbled himself by coming to the earth in the incarnation of Jesus Christ as a sacrifice to save man. God came to this earth as a poor, humble servant to give his life as a ransom so that our sins could be forgiven by a just and loving God. God didn’t just simply die for us; God died for us in the most cruel and agonizing way possible. Roman crucifixion was designed to be torture of the worst kind; designed to keep the victim alive as long as possible while inflicting the most pain and suffering.

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

Titus 2:11 – For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

Luke 24:46 – (Jesus speaking) – Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.

John 10:28 – (Jesus speaking) – And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand.

Crucifixion was so cruel that by law no Roman citizen could die by that method. Crucifixion was so cruel that it only existed as a means of execution for about 200 years before Rome banned its use. When God says all who believe in Him (Jesus) he means the believer must acknowledge God, repent from their sins, and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. A believer must believe the gospel message; that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day, before returning to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father. God says believers will live forever in heaven in the presence of Jesus. Those who don’t believe in Jesus will perish. There is no middle ground. The human spirit received from the hand of God at our conception is immortal because God is giving us a part of himself. Since God is eternal that part of himself which he gives us must also be eternal. It can’t be any other way. When God refers to unbelievers being destroyed (perishing) he doesn’t mean they will cease to exist. God means they will separated from God and suffer eternal death by being condemned to hell for all eternity for their iniquity.

John 3:18 – (Jesus speaking) – He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Psalm 33:18-19 – Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

Psalm 62:1-2 – Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation; He is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

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.

We all know John 3:16 is the best known verse of the entire Bible. There’s a reason. It tells us unequivocally that God loves us. God is giving up his most treasured possession to save us and as human beings who love and value our own children we can see the love God has for us when he sends Jesus Christ to die in our place. Actions speak louder than words and God proved his love for us. Just think of the grief and anguish that God had to go through to watch his beloved son die on the cross. God allowed that to happen because God also loves us just as much as he loves Jesus.

It’s hard for us to understand the depth of God’s love for us but one day we’ll understand. We can see from John 3:16 that we can all have the free gift of salvation in heaven for simply believing the gospel message of Christ. There are no exclusions or exceptions to this precious gift from God. God loves every person that he has made equally. God is not only saving us; God is making it easy for all to accept his grace unto salvation. While salvation is freely offered to all people it must be accepted individually by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. There is no other way to heaven other than through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let’s look at another beloved set of verses from the Bible; Psalm 23:

Psalm 23:1-2 – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

If John 3:16 is the most memorized verse in the Bible then Psalm 23 is a close second. There’s a reason for this. John 3:16 gives us our fondest desire which is a promise of God’s love for us and a guarantee of salvation unto eternal life. Psalm 23 is beloved because it assures us in verse one that God will provide for all our needs. God will take care of us. In verse two God assures us we’ll have the peace of God that is beyond understanding. When we make peace with God he will give us his peace in this life and also later on when we’re living through the 1000 year millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ in our glorified bodies. I see verse two also pertaining to the new heaven and new earth at the close of the 1000 year millennium period. When God says in Scripture that he’ll never leave us he means it. Believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit forevermore.

Psalm 23:3-4 – He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

When God says, “He restores my soul”, he’s referring to Old Testament saints being declared “righteous” in the eyes of God for their faith. That means Old Testament saints went to Paradise within the earth when they died to await the coming of Christ so their sins could be forgiven. When Jesus was buried three days in the earth he went down to Paradise and escorted the saints to heaven. Jesus was restoring the souls of Old Testament saints to the condition they were in before Adam’s fall from grace in the Garden of Eden and sin entered the world.

In the New Testament God is referring to the fulfilled prophecy of Jesus Christ coming to die on the cross for the sins of all men, thereby restoring man’s soul to the way it was before it was stained by sin. Adam sinned against God in the Garden of Eden and he was expelled. Adam’s sin remained in his body and spirit and also in the body and spirit of all men who came after Adam. Man became a fallen creature full of sin whose destiny changed from eternal life in heaven to eternal death in hell in that moment. To make the restoration of man’s fellowship with God possible the Lord himself came to earth in the incarnation of Jesus Christ to die on the cross so our sins could be forgiven (removed). One of the spiritual truths of heaven is, “the wages of sin is death.” There was no qualifying sinless human sacrifice available on earth to save us so God himself had to save us or we all would’ve gone down to the pit (hell) for all eternity. For this reason Jesus Christ is our Savior and we must never forget for a moment what Jesus has done for us. All believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

While Jesus has reconciled us to God by his death on the cross, each person is responsible for completing the process by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It’s a two part process. God took the first step by his sinless sacrifice to remove our sins and we must take the second step by repenting and asking forgiveness of our sins. If we don’t do our part then we still abide in our sins before God and eternal death in hell is our fate. God himself will make the believer more like Christ during their lifetime in a process we see referred to in Scripture as “sanctification.” The Psalm says God is doing this to glorify his name. Once we get to heaven God will complete the process of making us like Christ (glorification). I don’t know exactly what that’ll look like but I know it’ll be wonderful.

Galatians 3:13 – Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.

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.

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

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.

In verse four of Psalm 23 we find the most important verse in the entire Psalm. Our journey through life is compared by God to a walk through a valley. Once we’re born we must continue on through the valley of life until we die, or we get raptured or we reach the other side safely. We can’t have the privilege of life without facing the almost certain probability of death. Most of us will die along the way. All believers, both dead and alive, will be raptured to Jesus in the air at his appearing. A small number of people who miss the rapture will later become believers during the tribulation period and reach the other side of the valley alive to see the second coming of Jesus Christ. Most people who miss the rapture and become believers during the tribulation period will have to live through God’s wrath on earth and possibly suffer a martyr’s death by having their head cut off. The raptured saints will go to heaven first in their glorified bodies but they will return with Jesus Christ at his Second Coming on the last day. All nonbelievers will go to hell forever.

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.

John 14:23 – (Jesus speaking) – If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him (Holy Spirit) and make Our home with him.

Romans 5:5 – Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Ephesians 1:4-5 – Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

The history of the world is divided into two parts; before Christ and after Christ. We see that in the world’s dating system. It’s not an accident. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the single most important event in the history of the world because it meant that believers would likewise rise from the dead and not die. Jesus’ death and resurrection was proof that believers were saved unto eternal life in heaven. Because if Jesus rose from the dead it means that we too will not see eternal death if we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We’re told not to fear physical death because death is the beginning not the end. God was with the “righteous” of the Old Testament and he saved them from eternal death. The Holy Spirit did not indwell all the righteous in Old Testament times but only a few selected individuals. Those New Testament believers living after the resurrection of Jesus are living under the new blood covenant of Christ and not the law. That means ALL believers are now indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God. What a marvelous thing to behold!

We are to have no fear of physical death because the Holy Spirit of God indwells all the believers as soon as they accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Praise God! When we die in Christ the Holy Spirit will immediately return our soul to heaven from whence it came to be in the presence of Jesus. How could it not? The Holy Spirit and our spirit are together inside our living body. One of the spiritual truths of God is eternal spirits cannot remain inside a corrupted (unclean) corpse so they have to come out immediately upon our death. At our death do you think the Holy Spirit is going to say to our spirit, “so long, see you later?” Of course not. The Holy Spirit is going to say, “come with me, let’s go home to Jesus.” It can happen no other way.

God is reciprocal so the opposite is also true. When nonbelievers die their souls are also expelled from their dead bodies. The difference is their immortal souls are taken down to hell by demons kind of like we saw in the movie “Ghost” only they will be much scarier. Nobody goes to hell voluntarily. The spirits of the damned must be dragged down to hell against their will. When we walk with God he will protect us, guide us and discipline us when we need it like any parent would their child; hence the reference to rod and staff in this verse. This shows God’s love for us which should comfort us as we go through the hardships of this life.

Psalm 23:5-6 – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

In verse five of the Psalm God assures us that all believers who obey his counsel will have his protection and live very fruitful lives in service to the Lord. Goodness and mercy will follow believers all their lives because they are attributes of God and God is on the inside of us. We know we’re talking about God because only God can dispense mercy. The anointing of someone’s head in Old Testament times symbolized their selection by God as his own. We see that in the case of the king of Israel or a ‘”righteous” saint or prophet if they belonged to God. After the time of Christ the anointing of believers is accomplished internally by the washing and regeneration of our eternal spirit by the Holy Spirit of God. Verse six reaffirms verse five by restating God’s salvation and provision for our lives by using different words so there can be no misunderstanding or ambiguity about what God is saying to us. The very last statement in the Psalm says it all. God doesn’t say believers could or might go to heaven; God says believers “will” live in heaven in the presence of Jesus Christ forever. This is a promise from God to us and God cannot lie or break a promise once made. Psalm 23 is so popular because it gives us a glorious “hope” for the future.

Deuteronomy 17:19 – And it (God’s law; the Bible) shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes.

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.

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

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

I have read the entire Bible several times and each time through I find a new revelation about the kingdom of God that I missed on prior readings. I’m currently reading in the Old Testament, in the book of Jeremiah. We know the entire Bible is about the coming of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. We see in Jeremiah 23:5-6 the complete revelation of Jesus Christ in two verses. The only thing missing is when Jesus comes in the air to rapture all believers to himself before taking all the saints with him back to heaven. Let’s break down the two verses to see what God is telling us about the coming of Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 23:5 – “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

Jeremiah was one of the major prophets of God and also one of the 15 writing prophets who produced books in the Old Testament. Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, also had the distinction of writing the longest book in the Bible, which bears his name, as well as a second book called Lamentations. Jeremiah served the Lord for forty years from 626 BC to 586 BC. In verse five we see that Jeremiah prophesied about the coming of the Messiah, the son of God, about 600 years before the blessed event took place. Jesus lived and died over 2000 years ago. The second statement in verse five is the prophesied millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ on the earth which hasn’t occurred yet. We know it will come true in the future because the first part of the prophecy came true. The Bible contains over 1000 prophecies, over 500 of which have been fulfilled and documented as historical fact. We know God promised King David that his branch, or descendant, would sit on his throne and rule forever and that branch is Jesus Christ; a direct descendant of King David and also God in the flesh.

Luke 1:32 – He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

Ephesians 1:7 – In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

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.

1 John 5:12 – He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

By capitalizing the word branch we know that Jeremiah is talking about the Messiah; Jesus Christ, the divine son of God, as well as a direct descendant of King David. There’s only one God so Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. God is righteous therefore Jesus is righteous. All believers God considers righteous because at our salvation Jesus gave his righteousness to us in exchange for our sins. The wages of sin is death so Jesus died so we wouldn’t have to. Let me say this again. When Jesus came down from heaven he took away our sins and in exchange gave his righteousness to everyone who believes in his name. That’s the best trade in the history of the world and it’s in our favor. Jesus took the sins of all men upon himself when he died on the cross in our place so that our sins might be forgiven by a just and loving God.

Psalm 18:30 – As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

1 Chronicles 22:19 – Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.

John 6:47 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

Hebrews 13:5 – I will never leave you nor forsake you.

The last statement of verse five is referring to the 1000 year millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ which starts immediately after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth on the last day. Jesus came to earth the first time as a suffering servant but his second coming will be to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. We know this is the prophesied second coming of Jesus because the word king is capitalized indicating a devine person (Jesus) will rule the entire earth and the Bible tells us that only happens during the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ. This is further emphasized by saying the king will execute judgment and righteousness in the earth, which only the Lord Jesus Christ has the authority and power to accomplish.

Jeremiah 23:6 – In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called:

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The divine pronoun is used three times to reinforce we’re talking about Jesus Christ. We know the Jews rejected Jesus Christ as their promised Messiah and they have been punished by God for over 2000 years for their sins. Make no mistake, the Jews are still God’s chosen people. God does not change. We know from this Scripture that a Jewish remnant (Judah) will be saved at the battle of Armageddon on the last day when Jesus sets foot on the Mount of Olives (the Second Coming). We know Israel will only dwell in safety with Jesus during the 1000 year millennial reign of Jesus Christ as King of the earth. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is righteousness (morally good; virtuous) and we have our righteousness through his sacrificial death on our behalf. “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS,” is capitalized which means we have our righteousness (salvation) because of Jesus and God is screaming out this truth of God from his throne in heaven and we better recognize it and praise God for his mercy and grace toward us. Only God could have saved us from an eternity in hell and he did it through Jesus Christ who voluntarily died on the cross in our place. Praise God for his love and mercy! Jesus Christ is Lord of all forevermore.

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 4:5 – But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

Hebrews 9:22 – And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission (of sins).

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

The three verses I’ve just commented on, John 3:16, Jeremiah 23:5-6, and Psalm 23, are prime examples of the beauty of God’s poetry and the majesty of God’s prose. There are millions of people dying every day and going to hell because they haven’t chosen to serve the Lord our God. Satan has blinded them. There are countless thousands of people every day who are committing suicide because they don’t know God. Satan has fooled them. They consider themselves to be failures in life whom nobody loves. Satan has convinced them of this and led them to take their own life. It’s so sad! There are millions more who suffer symptoms of depression and live out their lives in utter despair. Satan seeks our destruction continually, every second of the day. It doesn’t have to be this way! If every person would simply read the three sets of verses I’ve just described every morning it would totally change their outlook on life. Write them on index cards so they can be reviewed every day. If everyone took the time to just meditate on these words every day they would soon realize they’re God’s masterpiece of creation and just how precious they are in the eyes of God.

Knowing the love of God these people could then fend off the fiery darts of Satan trying to convince them they’re worthless. The scales would be removed from their eyes and they could see the truth of God clearly. If God loves you so should you. If God thinks you’re priceless so should you. If everyone saw themselves as God sees them suicide rates would likely drop dramatically. Once Satan has been exposed as the one who wants to kill us he can be easily rebuffed by the word of God. God has plans for all of us to prosper here on earth. God wants all believers to reside in heaven with Jesus Christ forever. God never created anyone with the intention of sending them to hell. That’s a choice we make. Don’t let Satan harvest your soul for the kingdom of hell and divert you from your true destiny which is to live in heaven with Jesus forever. Fight back with all your might! Resist Satan and he will flee according to Scripture. All you have to do is read the Bible daily and pray to God daily. If you are in fellowship with God Satan has no power over you other than what you give him. God will protect you from Satan and the powers of darkness if you ask him because Satan is no match for the power of God.

Isaiah 41:13 – For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, fear not, I will help you.

Psalm 31:15 – My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.

Psalm 62:8 – Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 50:15 – Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.

Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things.