Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem!

 

They shall prosper that love thee.”

Psalm 122:6

 

  How can

true

peace

come

to

Jerusalem?

 

 

Can man find a way of true peace?  Islam desires Jerusalem.  Judaism and Christianity desire Jerusalem.  What is the answer?  Who is wise enough to find the solution?

The only answer to true peace is the Prince of Peace!

Who is this prince?

His name is Jesus.

Jesus will return to Jerusalem one day (probably soon) and He will bring peace.

Until then……..pray!

 

 

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The Great Tribulation

What is the Great Tribulation?

Jacob’s Trouble

The Wrath of The Lamb

The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord

 

Zephaniah 1:14-18  “That terrible day of the Lord is near. Swiftly it comes — a day of bitter tears, a day when even strong men will cry out. It will be a day when the Lord’s anger is poured out—

a day of terrible distress and anguish, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of trumpet calls and battle cries.

Down go the walled cities and the strongest battlements!

“Because you have sinned against the Lord, I will make you grope around like the blind. Your blood will be poured into the dust, and your bodies will lie rotting on the ground.”

Your silver and gold will not save you on that day of the Lord’s anger. For the whole land will be devoured by the fire of his jealousy.

He will make a terrifying end of all the people on earth.

The Great Tribulation is a 7-year period of time that occurs just prior to the return of Jesus Christ.  It will be a time showing the wrath of God to all people who have not accepted His Son Jesus Christ as their Savior.  It will also be a time when even Jesus pours out His fury on those who did not accept Him.

This horrible time will also be when God allows Satan to come to earth in all of his fury.  The peoples of the earth will have the privilege of experiencing what it is like to live in a literal “hell on earth” rather than the rule of Jesus Christ.

The Church (people who have already believed in Jesus as their Savior) will not be present for this terrible time. They will have been “taken up”  to heaven before the tribulation begins.  See Rapture of the Church for more information.

The Great Tribulation is a time for God to punish Israel for not accepting Jesus as their Messiah.  The Gentile nations will be punished also for not accepting Jesus as  Savior.   God is loving and merciful and provided a way of escape through Jesus.  Anyone that truly accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior will not go through the horrible punishment.  Those that refuse have only themselves to blame when they enter into this horrible time!

Even during the tribulation there will still be a chance to accept Jesus Christ.  You will still endure the suffering of this world…..but will have the hope of eternity with God instead of going to hell.

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The Great Tribulation begins when Jesus Christ (the Lamb of God)

opens the seven seals of judgement. 

The first seal opened is the rise of the Antichrist to power.  At first he will seem like a wonderful leader for all of the world to embrace.  However, after a while he will show his true self.  The Antichrist will be a cruel leader such as the world has never seen before.  He will want every person to worship him instead of God. You will not be able to buy or sell unless you take his “mark” or “666”.  Many will be killed because they refuse.  Those that do take the mark of the Antichrist are doomed to spend eternity in hell. True believers that accepted Jesus during the tribulation period will NOT take the mark and will be martyred for the sake of Jesus! (their reward in eternity will be great)

Revelation 6:1-2  As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll. Then I heard one of the four living beings say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory.  (See more about this rider who is the Antichrist).

The second seal opened is war.

Revelation 6:3-4  When the Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living being say, “Come!” Then another horse appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to take peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere.

The third seal opened is a time when it takes a day’s wages to buy only enough food to survive.

Revelation 6:5-6  When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, “Come!” I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice from among the four living beings say, “A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day’s pay. And don’t waste the olive oil and wine.”

The fourth seal opened is Death. 

Revelation 6:7-8  When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living being say, “Come!” looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green. Its rider was named Death, and his companion was the Grave. These two were given authority over one-fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword and famine and disease and wild animals.

The fifth seal is martyrdom for those who accept Jesus Christ during the tribulation period.

Revelation 6:9-11  When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.

The sixth seal is signs and wonders on earth and in the heavens.

Revelation 6:12-14  I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places.

Revelation 6:15-18   Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?”

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The Seventh Seal contains

Seven Trumpet judgements. 

Revelation 8:1-13  When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.

Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out. Then the angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down upon the earth; and thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and there was a terrible earthquake.

Then the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow their mighty blasts.

The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was burned.

Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea.  One-third of the water in the sea became blood, one-third of all things living in the sea died, and one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed.

Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch. It fell on one-third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star was Bitterness. It made one-third of the water bitter, and many people died from drinking the bitter water.

Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and one-third of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars, and they became dark. And one-third of the day was dark, and also one-third of the night.

Then I looked, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly

as it flew through the air,

“Terror, terror, terror

to all who belong to this world

because of what will happen

when the last three angels

blow their trumpets.”

____________

The First Terror

Revelation 9:1-12  Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. When he opened it, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight and air turned dark from the smoke.

Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions. They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting. In those days people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them!

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. They had what looked like gold crowns on their heads, and their faces looked like human faces. They had hair like women’s hair and teeth like the teeth of a lion. They wore armor made of iron, and their wings roared like an army of chariots rushing into battle. They had tails that stung like scorpions, and for five months they had the power to torment people. Their king is the angel from the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon—the Destroyer.

The first terror is past, but look, two more terrors are coming!

The Second Terror

Revelation 9:13-20  Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice speaking from the four horns of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. And the voice said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River.” Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth. I heard the size of their army, which was 200 million mounted troops.

And in my vision, I saw the horses and the riders sitting on them. The riders wore armor that was fiery red and dark blue and yellow. The horses had heads like lions, and fire and smoke and burning sulfur billowed from their mouths. One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues—by the fire and smoke and burning sulfur that came from the mouths of the horses. Their power was in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails had heads like snakes, with the power to injure people.

But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

The Third Terror

Revelation 11:15-19   Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven:

“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”

The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign.

The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come.

It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest.

It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.”

Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.

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There are many more horrors during this time of Great Tribulation!  Read the Book of Revelation to see them all.  The prophets of old told of this time as well as the writer of Revelation.  This time will come!

The truth is that the Great Tribulation is fast approaching us!

Remember this…….

God is a just and merciful God.  He has already made a way for you to have peace with Him.  We all have sinned and must accept Jesus Christ (the Son of God) as our Lord and Savior!  Jesus is the only way.

There is no other way to God, but through the Son.  God does not want anyone to go to hell OR go through the Great Tribulation.  His perfect will is that everyone would accept Jesus (see more here)!

7 Promises to the Church of Philadelphia

Our Lord Jesus Christ made seven wonderful promises to

The Church of Philadelphia in the Book of Revelation.

Every Christian should earnestly desire

to be counted among this church!

 

Jesus promised:

1. “I have opened a door no one can close.”
2. “I will force those of the Synagogue of Satan to bow down at your feet and acknowledge you are the ones I love.”
3. “I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world.”
4. “I will make you pillars in the temple of my God and you will never have to leave it.”
5. “I will write on you the name of my God.”
6. “You will be citizens in the city of my God.”
7. “I will write on you my new name.

Revelation 3:7-13  “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia.

This is the message from the one who is holy and true,

the one who has the key of David.

What he opens, no one can close;

and what he closes, no one can open:

“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me. Look, I will force those who belong to Satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.

“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name.

“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

This was a message to an actual church in Philadelphia (located in what is now Turkey).  More importantly it is also a message from our Lord to each of us.  There are seven letters to seven churches in the Book of Revelation.  Each church existed when John wrote Revelation.  They also are a type of church that exists today.

We must strive to be like the Church of Philadelphia!  What had they done that pleased Jesus?  He had seen what they were doing. 

They had a little strength, were obeying Him and had not denied His name.

They had obeyed His command to persevere through trials and temptations.

Jesus Christ warned them to hold on to what they had!   He then promised that no one would take away their crown!

Take heed to the warning!

Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit Each Day

Allow the Holy Spirit to Guide Every Step of Your Walk

Listen to Him and Obey Him!

Hold Fast to Your Faith in Jesus Christ as Your Lord and Savior!

Never…….

Never…

Deny Jesus!

Christian Martyrs

Everyday a Christian Suffers

for the Cause of Jesus Christ

Somewhere in the World a Believer is Being Martyred

Right Now……..Today

 

Several hundred thousand Christians are killed every year. More followers of Jesus Christ have been killed in the 21st Century than all the other centuries combined. These people are precious to their Heavenly Father and to their Lord Jesus Christ!  They have given the ultimate price of faith and love.  Christians around the world MUST pray for these dear brothers and sisters!

Jesus asked His followers to pick up their cross and follow Him.  Most of us have never experienced the sort of hatred that is capable of murder.  We don’t think we will ever  be imprisoned for our faith or beaten for loving Jesus.  These dear  people HAVE BEEN imprisoned, beaten, run out of their homes, their business destroyed, their churches burned……..and sometimes even their very lives taken.  Why?

The world hates Jesus Christ.  He warned us that the world would hate us also…….if we truly follow Him.  We shouldn’t be surprised.  Especially in these last days we live in…….true believers in Christ must understand.

                         

Jesus warned the first believers who followed him that they would be hated for His sake.

Mathew 10:17-21  “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.  When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.

Matthew 24:9-14  “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”

Stephen was the first Christian martyr.  He preached the true gospel and was hated for it.  His testimony convicted the people and they wanted him dead. 

We begin with Stephen preaching to the people:

Acts 7:51-59  “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.”  Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”

Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

The Early Church had many martyrs.  The early believers were burned at the stake, crucified like Jesus was and fed to lions at the Roman Coliseum.  It is hard to believe, but it is true!  People are capable of horrific things.

Many suffered under Communism and other dictator regimes.  Thousands were killed by the Nazis during WWII.  Throughout the ages…..believers in Jesus Christ have been someone’s enemy simply because of their faith.

A true believer in Jesus Christ knows that nothing is more important than believing in the Lord.  We must NEVER deny him.  Christians in many countries are refusing to deny Jesus…..even at a great cost. Their reward will be great in heaven! 

Jesus said if we confess Him before man, He will confess us before the Father. 

Matthew 10:32-33  “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”

We are living in the last days.  No one knows the day or the hour……but tribulation is coming quickly!  All Christians must realize this and strengthen themselves in the Lord!  We must put our trust in our dear Lord Jesus and be willing to live and/or die for Him!

Many believe that we won’t go through tribulation.  The Great Tribulation will be something that Jesus Christ protects His church from.  However……that does not mean there won’t be ANY persecution.  Just ask your brothers and sisters that are already suffering.

Jesus said this about the persecution of His followers:

John 15:18-26  “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

All believers in Jesus Christ should remember the reward their Heavenly Father has for them in heaven.  We will reign with Jesus!

Revelation 20:4-6    Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.

Christian believers need the Holy Spirit to fill them in order to walk with Jesus through whatever may come.  The Holy Spirit is the Comforter and He gives us power and strength. 

Ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life

in a deeper and stronger way than ever before. 

You need Him in order to be a faithful witness

to Jesus in these times we live in!

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• The Child Martyr (zenaszone.wordpress.com)
• A Resolution for Life – I Have Decided to Follow Jesus (frommyheart2u.wordpress.com)

The Laodicean Church Age

We live in the Laodicean Church Age

The Majority of Christendom is a Lukewarm Church

That Has Forgotten Her First Love!

 

Many Christians today attend churches that barely teach the real gospel of Jesus Christ.      The preachers teach a “feel-good” message that makes everyone feel good about themselves.  This is allowed to replace true preaching about Jesus dying on the cross.  Sin is rarely mentioned.  The people are led to believe that they can give mental assent to Jesus and they will go to heaven.  No true salvation experience has occurred.  No repentance from sin is taught.  No confession of sin is taught.  It is a “watered down” gospel!  This belief system can eventually lead to horrible outcomes.  The truth must be taught in our churches!

Romans 1:18-32   But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.

So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.

Woe to the church that actually allows sin without repentance!

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Everything is done to attract people to attend the church service.  Coffee bars, casual attire, rock bands,  celebrity speakers or musicians, etc. have become the normal experience in many churches.  Other churches remain more liturgical.  However, sin is tolerated.  The person attending the church service is never made to feel “uncomfortable” in any way.  No mention of sexual sin or any other sin at all.  The message is all about feeling good and finding “your calling” or gaining self-esteem.

These churches evidently feel that they are responsible for getting people to attend their services.  That is not scriptural.  No one can come to the real living God unless the Holy Spirit draws them.  If a person “seeks” God on his own without the help of the Holy Spirit…….that person finds a god of his own making…..not the real living God!

John 6:44-45  For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

John 14:16   You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

Many churches teach that many of the scriptures aren’t actually true, but are only parables.   This simply is not true.  All of the holy scriptures are inspired by God!  Adding to scripture or taking away from scripture in any way is a very serious offense to God.

II Timothy 3:16-17   All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Even when the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior is given………no one is required to come to the front and make a public testimony of faith.  Everything is geared to make the person feel comfortable.  Many churches don’t even bother inviting people to accept Jesus!

Christianity is NOT a comfortable belief system!  We are commanded to die to self and follow Jesus Christ!  We are commanded to have a brave confession of faith and to strive to obey our Lord and Savior.  His death was a dear price that He paid for our eternal salvation.  We should be grateful and love Him dearly for this sacrifice.  Surely we should be willing to “inconvenience ourselves” enough to worship Him in spirit and truth rather than make attending church like going to some social event.

Matthew 10: 32-39  “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.  I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.  Your enemies will be right in your own household!’^l

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

Furthermore…….expecting a non-believers to be comfortable in church is ludicrous.  They should be encountering a living God who is presenting His Holy truth.  THAT would not be comfortable for a non-believing sinner!  Even believers that are living in sin knowingly should not be comfortable.  Both types of people should be feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ had a great deal to say about this type of church.  He accuses the Church in Laodicea of being lukewarm.  See below what He has to say about this church!

The Message to the Church in Laodicea

Revelation 3:14-22   “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’

And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich.

Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.

“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the church.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ is making it clear that He does not approve of the Laodicean Church.  We must come out of that type of church and seek a church that is pleasing in God’s sight.  The Church of Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13) is that church.

Each Christian has the responsibility to live their Christian walk as a member of the Church of Philadelphia.  Jesus made His approval very clear and gave wonderful promises to that church!

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Repent..Confess Your Sin..Be Forgiven!

This is a letter to the modern Church.

The Lord Jesus Christ is calling you to

Repentance (turn away from your sin)

Confession (confess your sins to God)

Forgiveness (God will forgive you)

 

Jesus Christ is holy. 

He expects His followers to be holy.

I Peter 1:13-19   So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children.

Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

Ephesians 5:1-9  Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Jesus Christ is coming back very soon for His Bride (the Church).

He is returning for a Bride without spot or blemish!

Ephesians 5:25-27  For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.  He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.

(Also see the Parable of the Ten Virgins)

Revelation 19:7-8   Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him.  For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.

She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.

Each and every one of His people

that  profess to be His followers must judge themselves.

  We all need to see our sin for what it is.

We must repent of our sin and confess it to our Heavenly Father. 

He will be quick to forgive our sin!

Lord Jesus……..your Bride longs for your coming!

 

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Come Let Us Adore Him!

Oh Come All You Faithful

Come and Adore Jesus Christ our King! 

Oh Come all You Believers

Adore Jesus Your Lord!                                                  

Christmas is the season that Christians all around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus.   We need to celebrate his birth every day of the year.  However, this season is a wonderful time to lavish Him with our love and adoration.

Jesus is worthy of all our praise and worship. 

He is the Son of God

He is our Savior

He is the Light of the World

He is the Prince of Peace

He is our Intercessor

He is the King of Kings

He is the Lords of Lords

Holy is His Mighty Name

We call Him worthy of all blessing and honor

Thank you, dear Jesus, for coming to us as a baby born in a manger

Thank you for loving us

We love you and give you all of our praise

We cry holy…..holy….holy!

Romans 14:11   For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.”

Psalm 100:1-5   Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God!

He made us, and we are his.  We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good.

His unfailing love continues forever,  and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Let every person that confesses Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior

continually have His praises in the mouth! 

  Let us all bow down

and

worship our King!

Psalms of Thanksgiving

Enter his gates with thanksgiving…….

Go into his courts with praise!

God’s people have many reasons to be thankful! 

The Book of Psalms has many scriptures thanking God for His Goodness….Forgiveness….Mercy….Provision….

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This psalm is perfect for a group of people to give praise and thanksgiving to God for all of His goodness to them!  The Lord has been so good to His people.  He has created all things and has made provision for each and every one of us.  God is good……let us give thanks!

Psalm 65

What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. 

We will fulfill our vows to you, for you answer our prayers.

All of us must come to you.

Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.

What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts.

What festivities await us inside your holy Temple.

You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior.

You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.

You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength.

You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations.

Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders.

From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy.

You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile.

The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so.

You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges.

You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops.

You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.

The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy.

The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep,  and the valleys are carpeted with grain.

They all shout and sing for joy!

Every person has reason to be grateful to our Lord God.  He forgives us of our sin!  He protects us and loves us.  Give praise and thanks to your Lord for His tender mercies and lovingkindness!

Psalm 32

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!

Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long.

Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.

My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.

I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”

And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble.

You surround me with songs of victory.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you and watch over you.

Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.

So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!

Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

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Hebrew Wedding Traditions – A “Type and Shadow” of Jesus and His Church

The Hebrew Wedding Traditions 

Prophesy the story of Jesus Christ and His Bride (the Church)

It is a story of the love between a groom and his bride.  The different aspects of the courtship, betrothal and ultimate marriage portray the deep love Jesus Christ has for the church (His bride).  The Jewish people didn’t understand this back in the ancient days.  However, Messianic Jews do understand completely.

The believers in Jesus Christ (whether Jews or Gentiles) were bought with a great price.  He loved us so very much that He was willing to die for us.  We are His.  In return…….we adore Him with a great abiding love.  Jesus is everything to His bride.  She waits for Him to return to her and take her with Him to dwell forever.  She prepares herself and adorns herself with purity and holiness.  Her eyes see no other but Jesus.  She is faithful to her love!  How beautiful it will be when Jesus Christ returns in the clouds and calls her to come up to Him!  The Lord and His Bride will enjoy the Marriage Supper and celebrate their wedding for seven years.  What joy!  ____________________________________________________________

Below are the Hebrew traditions (given by God) and their prophetic meaning in the story of Jesus Christ and His Bride!

 Shiddukhin – The selection of the bride.  In the old days, the father chose the bride. God the Father chose the people that would accept His Son.  They are the Bride of Christ.

Ephsians 1:4-5  Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.

______________________________________________________________________ Mohar – The bride price.  The groom pays a price for his true love.  She has great value to him. Jesus paid the ultimate price for His Bride (the Church).  He died for her!

1 Peter 1:18-19: “Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from our aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” I Corinthians 6:10-20  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?    For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

_________________________________________________________________ Ketubah – The Engagement – The engagement was so binding that it took a religious divorce to end it.  Only the groom could do this.   What Takes Place During the Engagement: 1.   The Ketubah (marriage contract) is presented by the groom to the bride. This contract contains all of the groom’s promises to her.  She holds this dear in her heart. Jesus made a covenant (contract) with His Bride.  He sealed the contract with His own blood!   The word of God tells of the promises that the Bride of Christ can claim as hers! _____________________________________________________________ 2.  The Bride’s Consent is given.  The marriage contract is entered into by both groom and bride.  She only has to accept Him as Her groom. The Bride of Christ accepts Him as their Lord, Savior and Husband.  We happily agree to the marriage contract with Jesus! ________________________________________________________________________ 3.  The Cup of the Covenant.  A cup of wine is shared to seal the marriage covenant.  The next cup of wine will be shared at the Marriage Ceremony. Jesus drank a cup of wine with His disciples at the Last Supper.  He was sealing His marriage covenant with His Bride.  He said He would not drink of the cup again until He was reunited with us!

Matthew 26:29  Jesus said, “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”

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4. Matan – Bridal Gift.  The groom has to go away to prepare their new home together.  He gives his betrothed a valuable gift to show her how much he loves her.  This gift can remind the bride-to-be of how much her future husband loves her and that he WILL return for her. The Bride of Christ is given many gifts by Jesus!  The gift of eternal salvation, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, and many more! ________________________________________________________________________ 5. Mikveh – Ritual Immersion.  Both the groom and the bride went through an immersion in water that signified spiritual cleansing. Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and then His ministry became official.  His bride follows Him in baptism to testify to the world of her death to sin and that she has been reborn in Jesus! __________________________________________________________________ 6.  Departure of the Groom.  The groom leaves His Bride-to-Be  and goes to prepare a place for her at His father’s house.  No one knows when He will return for his bride except the groom’s father. Jesus left us and went to heaven to prepare a place for us there.  He said no one knew the day or hour of His return except the Father.

Matthew 9:15   Jesus said, “Can the friends of the Bridegroom mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.” John 14:2: “I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2-3   Jesus said “In My Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

_____________________________________________________________________

7.  The Bride Waits for the Groom’s Return.  The bride prepares her wedding clothes and other things she will need for her marriage.  She waits for her true love,  pines for him and remains faithful.

The Bride of Christ waits for Jesus to come for her in the clouds!  She adorns herself with good deeds and faithfulness to Him.  She loves Him and waits eagerly for His return! 

_________________________________________________________________________

8.  Huppah – The Hometaking.   The groom returns unexpectedly for his bride. He takes her back to His father’s home.  They spend seven days alone in their wedding chamber He has prepared for her.  The Huppah is a canopy signifying the wedding chamber in more recent times.

Jesus will return soon for His bride.  He will call her with a shout to meet Him in the clouds.  Together they go to their wedding chamber for seven years.  The Bride of Christ will dwell there in the love and safety of the Lord.  This will be during the time of the seven-year Tribulation.  That will be a time of great sorrow and destruction for the world below!

Isaiah 26:20-21  “Come my people, enter our chambers and shut the door behind you, hide yourself as it were, for a little moment until the indignation is past. For behold the Lord comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity.”

I Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.  First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

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9.  The Marriage Feast.   After the seven days alone…..the groom and his bride join their guests for a wedding feast.  It is a great celebration with food, music and dancing.

The Lord Jesus (the Lamb of God) and His Bride will celebrate their marriage feast!  It is called the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Revelation 19:6-9: “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.’ Then he said to me, Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!’ And he said to me ‘These are the true sayings of God.'”

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Read here to learn more about the Church as the Bride of Christ! Suggested Reading:  The Song of Solomon _________________________________________________________________________

The Church – The Bride of Jesus Christ

The Church (believers in Jesus Christ) is the Bride of Christ. 

This is a mystery, but can be explained in the scriptures.  

Jesus referred to Himself as the bridegroom in the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 9:15Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Marriage was taught by the apostles to represent the relationship of Jesus to His church.

Ephesians 5:23-27  For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.

The early teachers of the church taught that the followers of Jesus

were to be as a pure bride.

II Corinthians 11:2  For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself.  I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ.

The Book of Revelation speaks of the wedding feast

of the Lamb (Jesus Christ….the Lamb of God).

Revelation 19:7-9  Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him.  For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself.

She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.”

For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”

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