Studying God's Word

13. Study Bible prophecy:

Studying Bible prophecy is a subset of studying God’s Word but its importance is often overlooked. All Christians can see God in man, nature and the heavens yet scoffers have a different set of facts. The unbeliever has no adequate explanation for Bible prophecies that have been fulfilled.  God’s Word is 28% prophecy with over 1,000 prophecies, over 500 of which have already been fulfilled and documented.  Prophecy success rate so far is 100% which gives us confidence the remaining prophecies will also be fulfilled in due time.  Prophecy is history written in advance and can only come from God, the Author of history. All other religions of the world have no fulfilled prophecies which shows they are false religions sponsored by Satan to divert man from the truth of God. The wise man should know all the unfulfilled prophecies and prepare for their fulfillment.

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

14. Witness for Christ:

The entire Bible boils down to the revelation of Jesus Christ coming to earth in the flesh to save a fallen mankind from an eternity in hell by His death on the cross in our place. God in His mercy, grace and love has restored fellowship with us and given us eternal life in heaven in His presence. As disciples of Christ our main duty is to execute the Great Commission that Jesus gave to all believers and that is to witness for Christ to all the nations.  We are to spread the “good news” of the gospel of Christ to everyone.  We are to help save as many lost souls as possible for the kingdom of God. If we don’t do it who will? At the bema judgement seat of Christ the effectiveness of our witness for Him will be the number one thing we will be judged on. If we want to hear Jesus say, “Well done good and faithful servant,”  we had better focus on our witness for Christ. You can only be an effective witness for Christ if you make the conscious decision you will share the message of the gospel of truth and then plan and prepare to do it.

Proverbs 14:25 – A true witness delivers souls.

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.

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

Mark 1:17 – Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.

10. Read the Bible daily:

God’s Word has supernatural power. There’s no better way to keep Satan at bay than by reading the Bible daily. When the Bible is read the Holy Spirit of God is present and ready to fulfill the promises and commands of Almighty God. Numerous verses in the Bible tell us to stay in God’s Word every day. Daily Bible reading helps us prepare for our sanctification process as God transforms us day by day into the likeness of Jesus.

11. Study God’s Word:

The Bible exhorts us to always study God’s Word for knowledge, understanding and wisdom. The books of Psalms and Proverbs instruct us to study God’s Word so we can resist the attacks of Satan and his demons. Satan knows the Bible and we are defenseless if we don’t have equal knowledge.

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

Psalm 119:18 – Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

12. Meditate on God:

The human mind cannot comprehend the magnitude of God. Regardless, we should take the time to meditate on the attributes of God, the Creator of all things. Just looking at the names for God on a regular basis and thinking about them should keep us in fear of the Lord. And by fear I mean we should always look upon God with the awe, reverence and respect He deserves.

Psalm 86:11 – Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Proverbs 14:27 – The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.

Psalm 46:10 – Be still, and know that I am God.

8. Cultivate your love:

The Bible tells us God is love. God tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves and that this sums up the law of the prophets. Love describes the essence of God. God made us in His image so we’re also capable of a much greater capacity for love than we now have. It’s up to us to cultivate and grow our capacity to love by meditating on God’s Word and the promises God made to us, His beloved children.  We can stoke our love of God by praying continually to our heavenly Father with thanksgiving and gratitude for all He has done for us. God’s mercy, grace and love has given us eternal life in heaven in the presence of Almighty God and the untold riches He will shower on us, His special creation.

Philippians 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:20 – Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9. Be a prayer warrior:

God wants to communicate with us. God speaks to us through his Word and we speak to God through prayer. Jesus died on the cross to restore our fellowship with God which gives us the privilege of accessing the throne of grace where we can talk directly to God continually. The Bible says Gods hears the prayers of His children and He answers those prayers.  God wants to hear about every aspect of our lives and all our worries and concerns. God will never get bored with what we have to say. God is the perfect listener. The more we go to God in prayer the deeper our personal relationship with God.  God is our Creator and also our treasured friend.

Colossians 4:2 – Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Ephesians 6:18 – And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

6. Be holy:

In the Bible God commands us to be holy because He is holy. Our mission in life is to glorify the God who made us and we do that by obeying the commands of Almighty God. We are primarily to witness for Christ and emulate Jesus in our daily walk with God. Living a holy life before the Lord requires us to seek His face and assistance through continuous prayer, dedicated Bible study and obedience to the commands of God.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgement 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 Thessalonians 4:3-8 – For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

Ephesians 5:3-7 – But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakes with them.

7. Be resolute:

As Christians we can expect to suffer persecution in the name of Christ. In the Bible Jesus warns us of this and commands that we be ready to stand firm for the Lord. Throughout history Christians have suffered and died for their faith and the situation will only get worse as we get closer to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our great God will be our Rock, our Shield, in these turbulent times so we must have faith and stand firm in the Lord.

Luke 12:11-12 – Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

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

Philippians 4:1 – Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

4. Seek fellowship with other believers:

As the body of Christ, God’s plan for the church is for all believers to be equal members gathering together regularly to worship and give praise to God. There is security, support and encouragement when brothers and sisters of the faith meet together in fellowship to share their praise and love for God. It’s much easier for Satan to attack and discourage individuals than it is to attack someone in a group with a support network.  We see this principle play out in nature where the herd instinct of animals causes them to band together against predators to ensure their survival. Christian fellowship can take many forms. The most common form of fellowship for believers is organized churches but there are other effective ways to maintain fellowship such as home Bible study groups or even on-line communication through Christian blogs.

Hebrews 10:25 – Nor forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as in the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

5. Be courageous:

As disciples of Christ we are to be warriors for the faith by persisting in the good works God has planned for us to do. God has left us here after our salvation to be a witness to other unsaved souls and to emulate Christ by our actions in order to glorify God. To confront Satan and a fallen world takes courage.  Be of good cheer! On our own we are weak but through Jesus we can do all things. Through prayer God will supply all our needs.  We already know our citizenship is in heaven. We are simply to call on God in prayer and rely on God’s Word as we stand firm against Satan and his demons.  We can continue in our walk with God confident that He works all things to the benefit of those who love Him.

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 – But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

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

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 – Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

2. Forgive others:

We’re living in a fallen sin-filled world where strife and conflict is constantly stoked by Satan. It’s all around us. Forgiveness is not that easy to do even for believers. It takes real effort on our part. It’s so easy to harden our hearts to slights, both real and imagined, but in the end we do far more injury to ourselves than to others.  As disciples of Christ we desperately need God’s forgiveness of our trespasses, which God will freely do on one condition. In Matthew 18:35, Jesus says if we do not forgive others then God will not forgive us.

Therefore we must immediately forgive all those we hold grudges against. Take your grievances to God every day in prayer and give it to Him to handle. Forgive the transgressors and then forget about it. Move on with your life.  You don’t know what’s inside a person, what they’re coping with. Only God can read the thoughts of men and assess the condition of the heart. Only God is the righteous judge of the deeds of men done in the flesh, whether good or bad. Scripture makes it clear it’s up to God alone to repay for evil done on earth. Ask God for the spirit of forgiveness every day  as you emulate Jesus in your walk with God.

3. Don’t judge others:

Not judging others goes hand in hand with forgiving others. They are two sides of the same coin. The Bible is full of prophecies and Scripture warning against judging others. Judging others is also the responsibility of God alone and we are commanded by God not to do it or we risk condemnation ourselves. Ask God in prayer to help you not to judge others.

1 Corinthians 4:5 – Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Romans 14:10 – But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.

Romans 14:12-13 – So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge on another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

Romans 7:1-2 – Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

1. We must never lose heart:

As Christians in a fallen world we are under constant mental attack from Satan. We also know from Bible prophecy that the world will continue to descend into chaos as we get closer to the end times. As believers we also know that we’re not immune from the calamities of this world. We must cleave to God and never forget God’s promises.

2 Corinthians 4:14-16 – He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sake, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

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.

We know from the above Scriptures that our eternal destiny in heaven is secure. We know God loves us and will never forsake us. We know we are weak and we must lean on the strength of Jesus through prayer and let God continue the work of sanctifying the inner man.  Every morning when you get up go to a quiet place and speak to God in prayer.  Be sober. Be determined to press forward with the race God have given you and not to lose heart. Accept whatever God gives you and continually praise and glorify His name. We know that the God who loves us will work all things to the benefit of those who love Him.

The more I study God’s Word the more stunned I am how much God loves us. The Creator of the universe loves us, His special creation, with a boundless love that we’ll probably not understand this side of heaven. The Bible is God’s love letter to His beloved children. Always be secure in the knowledge that God will always do what is best for you even though you may not understand it at the time. Trust God. Have faith in His mercy, grace and love.

John 3:16 – 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.

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.

Matthew 18:14 – Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

John 3:37 – All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

John 6:39 – This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

John 6:40 – 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.

John 6:44 – No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

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

Psalm 66:5 – Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in his doings toward the sons of men.

Isaiah 66:18 – For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all the nations and tongues, and they shall come and see My glory.

Jeremiah 29:12-13 – Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your 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.

Many Bible scholars contend the two witnesses of God that prophesy in Jerusalem during the first 42 months of the tribulation are the prophets Moses and Elijah. Everyone thinks this because those are the two prophets seen during the Transfiguration on a high mountain talking to a glorified Christ by the disciples Peter, James and John.  The two situations are totally different. The Transfiguration was a revelation, a composite, of the future rapture of the church when the Lord in all His glory meets in the air with the raptured saints alive at that time represented by Elijah, who is alive.  The resurrected dead in Christ are supposedly represented by Moses, who died.

Elijah is alive in heaven today in his natural body because he was transported to heaven by God’s own chariot in the presence of Elisha the prophet, who replaced Elijah. The consensus is Elijah is one of the two witnesses during the tribulation, not only because he is currently living in heaven, but also because God tells us so in the following Scripture:

Malachi 4:5 – Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

Revelation 11:3 – And I will give power to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.

Hebrews 9:27 – It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement.

The only controversy is the identity of the second witness and God doesn’t tell us who he is.  During the Transfiguration we’ve been assuming Moses was already in his immortal glorified body but what if he wasn’t?  Could it really  be Moses with Elijah?  Moses died before the Israelites entered the promised land I’m thinking Moses can’t die twice, that is unless God brought him back to life.  There is another possibility.  I’ve always been puzzled why Satan and the archangel Michael were fighting over the body of Moses.  What benefit was there in that?  Could it be Michael was retrieving the body of Moses to take it to heaven so Moses could be brought back to life in his natural body in anticipation of his call to be one of the two witnesses in Jerusalem during the great tribulation?

I’ve always thought the second witness is the prophet Enoch, seventh from Adam, whose righteousness pleased God so much he was translated to heaven and never suffered death. The Bible only mentions two prophets who were translated to heaven in their natural bodies, Enoch and Elijah.  According to biblical accounts, only these two people meet the qualifications of being both a prophet and alive in heaven. Could it be that from the beginning God intended that these two men of faith would glorify His name by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem during the tribulation?  One thing is certain, the second witness is either Moses or Enoch.

The Old Testament is full of Scriptures that reference the Second Coming of Jesus and the Millennium. For example, take the minor prophet Hosea, who wrote his short book around 715 BC. Look at the following verses:

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

Nobody living in Hosea’s day understood this prophecy, not even Hosea himself.  It’s only after the birth, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus that the meaning of the above verses can be interpreted.  Hosea is pleading with Israel to return to the Lord, the Messiah, at some future unspecified date.  That means God must have distanced Himself from Israel also at some future unspecified date.  We know that Jesus Christ fulfilled Scripture when He came to Israel as their Messiah.  The Jewish leaders rejected Jesus and crucified Him in 33 AD.  From the Bible we know that when Jesus was cut off God distanced Himself from the Jews, simultaneously ushering in the time of the Gentiles, which we call the church age.  That’s what Hosea meant when he said Israel was torn and stricken.  Hosea goes on to say God will rescue His people by healing and binding them after the separation.  We know the time of the Gentiles officially started Pentecost, 50 days after the ascension Jesus.  The  the church age ends at the rapture.

In the second verse Hosea indicates this restoration of Israel will occur after two days and on day three God will glorify the Jews and bring them to live with Him.  Remember the Scripture where it says a day to God is a thousand years and a thousand years is a day.  That verse applies here and each day referred to in Hosea is a thousand years.  That means the church age will be 2 days , or 2,000 years long, and in the past God has been precise with His timing.  The third day in Hosea refers to the Second Coming of Christ where He will judge the nations and save the Jewish remnant, and raise them up to a place of honor during for 1 day, the  1,000 year Millennial reign of Christ.  There’s a parallel between creation and human history.  God created the world in 6 days and rested on the 7th day.  God has decreed 7,000 years for human history, 1,000 years for each God day of creation.  From creation to Abraham was 2,000 years.  From Abraham to Jesus was 2,000 years.  From Jesus to the Second Coming will be 2,000 years.  As God rested on the 7th day we will also rest in the Lord for a day (1,000 year Millennium).

The number 7 in God’s economy signifies completeness.  Jesus died at Passover in 33 AD and 2,000 years later would be Passover of 2033.  For God to fulfill His Word in Hosea Jesus can’t return before this date.  I believe God will rapture the church four months after Pentecost, at the Feast of Trumpets in 2033.  The Apostle Paul said we would be reunited with Jesus in the air at the sound of the last trump, which I think is a clue that our rapture happens during this festival.  I think Israel will sign a peace treaty 9 days until after the rapture, on the Day of Atonement.  Jesus will return to earth exactly 7 years to the day after the treaty is signed.  It’s okay to go over 2,000 years and still fulfill Scripture but not under.  According to Scripture once the time of the Gentiles has been fulfilled God will turn to Israel for the last 7 years allotted to them before the Second Coming. If the Jews signed their peace treaty on the day of Atonement in 2033 then Jesus would set foot on the Mount of Olives on the Day of Atonement in 2040 and judge the nations.  Five days after that is the Feast of Tabernacles begins and the parallel there is Jesus establishing His earthly kingdom.