The Gathering

II Corinthians 5:6-9 "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, wilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him."

John 14:2-4 "In my Fathers 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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."

Jesus came into the world to save sinners; that we, through faith, might have eternal life with him. We don't deserve it and we cannot earn it any more than your children could ever "earn" your love. You love them regardless of what kind of a mess they get into and you would do anything to keep them on the right track. It's a tragedy today, that most of the preaching seems to be focused on the present world; on material gain and the accumulation of "stuff." As a result, few seem to have their affections on things above; on the eternal realm of the everlasting. We should have our affections on the Lord Jesus Christ and earnestly desire to be with him. If your heart is contrary to this, some searching is in order. The Apostle Paul wrote about this desire to be with the Lord in his epistle to the Philippians.

Philippians 1:21-24 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful to you."

Paul had a completly Christ centered and unselfish attitude. He describes his fervent desire to be present with the Lord Jesus Christ; a desire that you should have if you're born again. He also expresses his love for the church and his desire to abide in this physical realm to address their needs. (This was the only reason that he had any desire to abide in this present world; to spread the gospel and minister to the saints who were needful of sound doctrine.) And such it is with us. I for one, would like very much to be present with the Lord Jesus at this very moment. This world is very much "not" my home and it's getting stranger every day. On the other hand, I know a lot of people whom I love dearly, that are not ready for eternity and I desire that they would know the Lord. To know him not as merely a historical figure or as someone far removed from the present, but as the risen Savior who desires a personal relationship with them. When it's all said and done, nothing else matters. I quoted this very recently, but here it is again as it amplifies this very thing.

II Peter 3:12-14 "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise look for a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless."

Ephesians 3:20-21 "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.

"World without end." The world to come will never ever end. That means that in ten trillion years, it'll still be in existance, although the concept of "time" will pass away with this present world. The human mind cannot even fathom such a concept; astronomers search the skies in search of how everything began and how everything will end up because they cannot grasp the concept of everlasting. They never consider that there's a spiritual realm and all that they see is the result of spiritual events. (God spoke the worlds into existance) The world to come will go on forever and as such if you know Jesus as your Savior you should be excited by just thinking about it. Your should rejoice when you think about the gathering of the saints together with the Lord jesus Christ. I know that I'm rambling a little, but read this next familiar passage.

I Thessalonians 4:16-18 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

"So shall we ever be with the Lord." What an absolutely glorious thought. We'll never again be absent from the Lord Jesus Christ. This corruption will put on incorruption and we shall be changed in an instant. If you know Jesus; if you have the promise of eternal life abiding in you, NOTHING in this world should ever "get to you." I know that we all struggle with this to one degree or another, but everything down here will come to pass. "It's all going to burn: literally!"

This is why I get perplexed by preachers who concentrate on material gains in a world that's soon to be no more instead of telling the saints to "LOOK UP; your redemption draweth nigh." Read what Job said concerning the world that's to come. (even though he was lamenting his then current trial of faith)

Job 3:17-19 "There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master."

Just a side note before continuing. The book of Job and Psalms, along with other portions of scripture, have such a flowing "poetic like" nature to them; you can only find it in the King James version.

We, in our fallen state cannot even begin to comprehend such a world where there's absolutly no sorrow, no wicked devices, no pride, no more parting and nothing that causes heartache. Yet it's real and it will abide forever. Saints of God; please stop naming and claiming a new SUV, a new house overlooking the ocean, or a new whatever it is that has taken your eyes off the world to come. SET YOUR HEART ON THE LORD JESUS AND YOUR AFFECTIONS ON THINGS ABOVE!

One of the biggest tragedies of all can be found in a nursing home such as the one that my dad is in now. These folks worked all of their lives; gained all that they could possibly gain, many had very rewarding careers, and now, as their days on earth approach their natural ending, what did it all mean?

Matthew 16:26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

I've bounced around a little this morning but the conclusion is this: Jesus is coming. This world will pass away but the one to come will abide forever and ever. If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, rejoice as the gathering of the saints is soon to take place.

Matthew 24:30-31 "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Please strive to be ready for that moment. Revisit the last two chapters of Revelation; get them deep into your heart. Let me close this out by referring to the event that the apostle Paul mentions in II Corinthians 12:1-4.

"It is not expediant for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago. (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

Confusion of Forces II

We are coming into the most perilous time in the earths history; a fact that I bring up continuously. I don't want to sound redundant, however, few in the world today really take it to heart. For those who don't know Jesus , it's nothing more than the same type of "doom and gloom" that we've been hearing about for centuries. For most christians, in this country at least, they subscribe to the "we're not going to be here" doctrine and therefore, they don't actively consider this matter. In other words, the abundance of warnings given throughout scripture go unheeded by the masses and as a result, very few are preparing themselves for the days ahead. I'm not talking necesarilly about physical preperations such as stocking up your bomb shelter, although I certainly wouldn't discourage anyone from doing so. I'm talking about spiritual preparation; seeking the will of the Lord Jesus, and having your treasures laid up in heaven.

II Timothy 2:4 "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

As we enter into the tribulation, the wheat and the tares will part company. As I write this, it's easy to say "I'm a christian" and to get into a church with a jazzed up worship service featuring all of the bells and whistles of your average rock concert. Such places draw thousands and as a result, we have the megachurch phenomenon of today. When the end time events told about in scripture are in full swing, you can expect a great falling away of "biblical proportions." The tares will never be able to stand and the carnal christians are going to find themselves in dire straits as they never gave thought to those things which they suddenly find themselves confronted with. The christians who follow after signs instead of the Lord Jesus will find themselves in a very confusing situation which brings me to the intended discussion topic of this post. There are real miracles and there will be false miracles; a situation not unlike the days when Moses went before Pharaoh. Here's a sampling of true signs.

Mark 16:16-17 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Ant these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

The gifts of the Spirit have an important role; the deliverance of folks from the power of the enemy being foremost. The gifts of the Spirit will always result in people coming to or drawing closer to the Lord Jesus Christ. For example, when a person is demon possessed and you cast that thing out in the name of Jesus, a deliverance takes place. A person is set free from a bondage that they had no ability to rid themselves of. (In such cases, it's imperative that the delivered person give their heart to Jesus after deliverance. Read Matthew 12:43-45 and Luke 11:24-26) The gift of tongues is the initial sign that a person has received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It's also important in prayer as we don't always know what to pray for and we need to be continuously refreshed. Here's some verses concerning this.

Romans 8:26-27 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

I Corinthians 14:2-3 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort."

Once again, the Holy Ghost will always draw people closer to Jesus. He will not bring honor to a person or a ministry. Jesus Christ will be glorified. This is one of the ways that you can discern between real and not real.

Jude 20-21 "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

As for taking up serpents, this is spiritual warfare that we engage in 24/7 as the enemy is continuously coming at us. I know that some churches in the Appalatians practice "snake handling" but I think that doing such may be tempting the Lord. Likewise, the Lord can protect us if we drink any deadly thing, however, don't go trying it intentionally. The apostle Paul was struck by a viper on the Island of Melita (Malta) as he was bringing firewood. He didn't know about the vipers presence. In this, Jesus Christ was glorified as the people who witnessed the event expected Paul to be done for, and another opportunity to share the gospel arose. Laying hands on the sick is a gift of the Spirit and in this, once again, Jesus Christ is glorified. When Jesus was on earth healing all that were sick and casting out devils, God was glorified. People came from miles around to see him. This brought glory to the Lord; a fact that is ever so important to remember as we come into the time of strong delusions.

False signs and wonders have one function only; to draw people away from the Lord Jesus. They don't offer any form of deliverance, they only serve to "shock and awe" people into following a lie. Here's some exapmles of false signs.

II Thessalonians 2:9-12 "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Two thoughts about this. One: if you don't get sin out of your life; I mean strive daily to live a holy life, you'll be in danger of following a strong delusion. In I John we're told that if you love Jesus, you'll want to live for him. Two: during the reign of the antichrist, christians are going to be "prevailed over" in the physical world. To many, this will seem to disprove the authenticity of their faith. They're going to be made to look like the proverbial "cog in the wheel" as the man of sin puts the world back in order. (The devil can only appeal to the flesh)

Revelation 13:12-14 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worshiup the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth bu the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did live."

These signs do not deliver. They don't set men free. They lead men into a delusional hope that will end up in a lake of fire. I cannot stress enough how perilous these times are. If you don't give your heart to jesus; if you hold on to sin, if you love your life in this world, if you continue going about your daily activities as though nothings ever going to change, you'll believe a lie. The antichrist is going to appear as a type of "messiah" He's going to bring the world into a new age of "enlightenment" and do away with the seemingly "backward thinking" christians and anyone who doesn't get on board with his plan for a new world order. If you have been watching the in-roads of new age thinking into our society as of late, you can see just how easy it will be for men to "wonder after the beast."

Revelation 16:13-14 "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."

If you don't know jesus, please turn to him now. If you've been following afar off, please draw nigh to him. Get as close as possible. The lies of the age are going to be so strong as to deceive even the very elect. Please give this matter all diligence. Search the scriptures and search your heart. I'll close with what Jesus told us in Luke 21:19. I quote it a lot, so let me quote it once again.

"In your patience possess ye your souls"

Truth or Consequences

I'm not exactly sure where this post is going to lead, however, I've been thinking tonight about the incredible amount of deception that's in the world today. As I write this, I uphold the holy bible to be the infalliable word of God and the basis by which all else is judged. I use only the King James version as all of the others tend to "alter" important passages; especially those which proclaim the deity of Jesus Christ. This is compounded by the fact that many christians prefer newer translations; claiming that they are "more accurate." The accuracy of the word of God has been under attack ever since the serpent told Eve "ye shall not surely die." I believe that there is one God who made all that is and that he is from everlasting to everlasting. He has manifested himself to us in three persons; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. These three are one. I Timothy 3:16 explains it like this.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

This establishes that the Lord Jesus Christ is who he told us he is in the bible. He is the Son of God; he is the express image of the Father. His name is above every other name. This is the name that you must call upon to be saved. This is the name that baptism should be done in. Colossians 3:17 says:

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

John 8:58 reads:

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

This fact, that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, is the single most important aspect to consider when discerning between truth and error. I bring this up because today, the world is filled with every kind of doctrine imaginable, ranging from the blatantly pagan such as hindu or wicca, to those with a christian looking facade such as mormonism or Jehovahs witnesses. They seem really honest, and they use nice sounding words. Further investigation of them, or of any false teaching, and you'll find a denial of the deity of Jesus Christ. Here is the admonition that the apostle Paul gave us in Colossians 2:8-10

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Anyone who tells you differently is preaching another Jesus; an occurance that We're warned about in Galatians 1:6-9. I remember back to the second friday in September of 1983 being in my folks living room at about 11:30 am. This was the moment that I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I understood that I was a sinner, deserving of hell, and that Jesus Christ had paid for my sins on Calvary so that I could have eternal life through faith in him. Not works, not a ten step plan, just simple faith. From the hour that I first believed, there were pitfalls. Almost instantly, the enemy whispered in my ear "oh, this will only last for a few days and you'll be back to your old self again." I determined all the more that I was serious. Later, I went to visit my sister who has been a mormon for years and guess what? She wanted me to become a mormon because "the bible contains inaccuracies" and they claim to have the "restored gospel." Mormons also believe that Jesus was created if I remember correctly. They attack the deity of Christ along with the infalliability of the word of God and sound "christian" while doing it. I knew very little concerning the scriptures , but something seemed "wrong." I didn't understand, at that time, the way in which the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth and will let us know when something's erroneous. He will always be in agreement with the word of God and will bring to rememberance that which we've read. He will always lift up the name of Jesus. We are instructed in I John 4:1-3 to try the spirits:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is in the world.

I talk about this because, the present confusion in the world concerning truth is soon to get far more confusing in the days ahead as the final showdown approaches. Mark 13:22 tells just how deceitful the times will be it will be.

For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

We need to walk in the Spirit and hide the word of God in our hearts more diligently than ever. Not the teachings of man, the word of God. Examine everything; make sure that what you believe is scripturally sound and not just doctrinally "in line." It's a slippery slope when you follow a man and "hope" that he's telling the truth. If you've never received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, you need to be seeking it. It's for today; it's for every generation according to Acts 2:39 and you really need to be endued with power from on high. The days ahead are going to be nearly unbearable as the age comes to it's end. I'm not trying to sound negative; but a wake up call is very much in order. Tornados are negative, but if one's coming toward the house, I want to know about it so that we can get everyone into the basement. Jesus told us that prior to his return, there would be tribulation like the world has never seen. It'll be worse than both world wars, Stalins purges, the civil war, the turmoil in the Congo, the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, the war in Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge reign of terror in Cambodia, the French Revolution, the Spanish civil war, and Saddam Husseins regime all rolled into one. It's going to be so bad that if the days weren't shortened, there wouldn't be anyone left alive. YOU NEED TO BE ENDUED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH! Read Matthew 10:19-20

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

Jesus is coming sooner than you think. I know that we've been hearing it for years. There are things transpiring in the world today that have never happened before such as global surveillance, chip implant technology, an emerging one world governing entity, most of our business transactions being done electronically, electronic voting that will forever ensure that the "right people" will be in power, and everything being hooked together via the internet. Trust me; every word that you've ever written on line is stored somewhere. (Here's a thought. Every word that you've ever spoken is also recorded in heaven.) The November issue of the Last trumpet newsletter talks about this in great detail. Here's another link to it along with links to other sites which expose some of the false teachings which are popular today.

www.lasttrumpetministries.org/2006/November2006.html

www.my.homewithgod.com/mpowell/Cultsexposed.html

www.sliceoflaodicea.com/

www.watchman.org

www.endtimepilgrim.org/corrie.htm

Well, I have to go for now. The things mentioned here; please search the scriptures and pray fervently for understanding. Each one of us should abide by James 1:5 which reads

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Euroclydon

Luke 21:25-27 "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Mens hearts failing them for fear, and looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

Daniel 12:1 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."

Hebrews 12:26-27 "Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

The preceeding scriptures tell of the times right before the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. One thing that can be gathered from these is the fact that everything is going to be turned upside down. Currently, there are areas of the world that are in unbelievable turmoil such as the middle east, Darfur, Congo, Americas inner cities, Myanmar, and a host of other hot spots that are too numerous to mention. Yet one can find areas of relative stability and stay out of places that are experiencing such distress. For example, the area that I live in is a rural setting where the deer almost outnumber the people. (Maybe they do) We don't have devastating earthquakes or hurricanes, and the crime rate is lower than many other parts of the country. (although, last night, they found a meth lab in the plant where I work. One normally wouldn't expect that anyone would place such an operation in a high profile area such as a factory.) Nonetheless, this is a relatively uneventful area, as is much of Babylon...I mean America these days. Folks will be aware of turmoil in other places but never think that it can happen to them and thus, they proclaim "peace and safety" while heaping treasure together for the last days. They climb corporate ladders, save up for college tuition, plan their retirement, enlarge their homes, pull down their barns to make room for bigger ones, and never ponder for a moment that it all can come crashing down with little or no warning.

Have you ever been in a storm at sea? When I was in the navy, we found ourselves in a massive storm about 250 miles east of the New Jersey coast as we were heading for the Mediterranean. One thing about it; when you're at sea, everything is shaken equally. There's no place to escape the effects of the storm. It was so intense that as we passed over the swells, the front edge of the flight deck would hit the surface of the water. (Our ship was an LPH, less than half the size of a full aircraft carrier. Still, it was impressive) This storm lasted for about four or five days and when it was over, we had lost helocoper blades, trucks off the flight deck, ammo lockers that were bolted down and other items too numerous to list.

I bring this up because, when the great tribulation is in full swing, there will be absolutly no place to run and escape those things transpiring on the earth. I've heard survivalists talk about safe zones in the United States and elsewhere. There won't be any safe zones when this hits and it's going to catch most of the population totally off guard. In fact, it's going to take most christians by surprise as they were told for years that they wouldn't be around to witness such events. (the pre-tribulation rapture theory appeals to the flesh. It goes down smooth and makes one sleepy) I really believe that even those who are daily observing the progression of events will be surprised by the degree of chaos that will ensue. This doesn't mean panic and if Jesus Christ is your Savior and Lord, you have absolutely nothing to be fearful about. You need only "endure to the end" Hold fast the profession of your faith steadfast unto the end.

If you think about it, there's really no place to run now. The "war on terror" has facillitated the implementation of extensive surveillance systems throughout the country and the NSA has absolutely no oversight as to what they do, much like the IRS. Here's a few things to ponder concerning this. (It's a rabbit trail, but here we go anyway)

(1) Do you remember the Mark Foley scandal? I remember CNN showing some of the instant messages. (not the really nasty ones; just the basic simple things) Their ability to retrieve those messages suggests that everything that you've ever written or done on the internet is stored somewhere. Even the stuff that you delete is stored somewhere. "They're making a list."

(2) Remember the president asking for "clarification" of the Geneva Convention; a treaty that never needed it before? It tells us that the rule of law isn't upheld by those in power, who have already displayed their disdain for human rights by using other countries to torture prisoners.

(3) Define "terrorist" Suppose that you belong to a group that the government one day decides is a terrorist group? Suppose that you're going around telling people that Jesus Christ is the only way to have eternal life and they decide that you're a "terrorist" because you're going around "terrorizing" people? Jesus told us about incredible persecution that would preceed his return; persecution that is already taking place in much of the world.

(4) Cell phones. If you carry one, they can pinpoint your location within an area of several feet; no matter where you are. The police state mentality is well in place and will only become more intrusive in the days to come.

(5) Chips ahoy. It's the final step as they track your every move and it'll be made to look like a desirable thing to have.

Have you ever watched a bull riding event? Before the gate opens, the rider is on the bull, penned up in a tiny area where the bull is almost going bonkers as he wants out. This is how the forces of darkness are today. We can see the forces of evil at work in the world and while each day is darker than the one before it, they're still being held back. When the Restrainer is taken out of the way and the man of sin is revealed, this world will enter will enter the most dangerous period in history. When the abomination that maketh desolate takes place, this world will seem to be coming apart at the seams as judgments are poured out on the antichrists kingdom. Jesus told us very specicically that the days to come would be worse than any other time in history. Read Revelation 13:7-8

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Nowhere to run; nowhere to hide. Falling rocks cannot hide you either. Only by giving your heart to Jesus can you be saved. There is no other pathway.

Acts 27:31 "Paul said to the centurian and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved."

I need to close this up, but let me part with a few verses that will be very familiar to anyone who is aware of the times that we're in. Saints of God; stablish your hearts! This cannot be stressed enough. "In your patience possess ye your souls."

Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

Revelation 14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

Revelation 20:4 "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and the lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

Revelation 22:20-21 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Confusion of Forces

In the seventh chapter of Exodus, we find Moses as he confronts Pharaoh concerning the captivity of the children of Israel. In verses 10 through 12, Aaron casts down his rod before Pharaoh and it becomes a serpent. This is followed by the sorcerers and magicians of Egypt "doing so with their enchantments." (Although when the event was finished, the sorcerers and magicians had to go and get new rods because their old ones had been consumed) In verses 20 and 21, Moses and Aaron smite the the river and it is turned to blood in the sight of all, the fish die, and it stinks. In verse 22 we find that "the magicians did so with their enchantments." Next, we find that in chapter eight the the Lord brings the plague of frogs upon the land at the hand of Moses. Once again in verse 7 it reads "And the magicians did so with their enchantments." These are the only three incidents during the plagues that the Lord brought upon Egypt that the magicians were able to "do so with their enchantments" however those three incidents are very telling and they underscore a very real danger that's present today. The Egyptians were obviously in contact with some powerful entities and were able to perform things which had no physical explanation. This must have been confusing, initially at least, to those who saw the Lord work miracles at the hand of Moses and then to see the magicians do likewise. As you know, the rest of the ensuing plagues brought Egypt to complete devastation and those events could not be duplicated by either the magicians or the sorcerers.

Today we find that the concepts of magic and sorcery have captured the fascination of millions in the world; a fact that can be established by simply looking at the popularity of Harry Potter, Narnia, or anything that centers around magic. In fact, Narnia exposes the depth of this deception as many christians flocked to its viewing, thinking that it was a christian movie. (I'm puzzled as to how these professing christians arrive at that conclusion) In short we have a world that's being groomed to embrace the man of sin (antichrist) and many undiscerning christians are allowing themselves to be set up for the great falling away. Without a doubt, apostasy and lukewarmness is rampant in the modern church and becoming increasingly widespread. Nonetheless, the actual "great falling away" as told about in I Thessalonians I believe, will transpire when the man of sin is revealed. Lukewarm fence sitters will be totally caught off guard as they allowed their discernment to become obscured by embracing such things as Narnia along with a general refusal to "come out from among them and be ye separate". These folks will be completly unprepared for what's told about in I Thessalonians 2:9-12 which reads:

Even whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For thgis cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

This passage of scripture tells how dangerous it is to continue to live in sin and reject the Lord Jesus Christ. It also has a warning to those who claim to know Jesus as their Savior and Lord, but don't abide by Hebrews 5:13 which talks about those who "by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." It's a dangerous thing to just "go with the flow" in an age when so much deception is permeating the very atmosphere. With the level of technology that we have today, one can formulate a lie, place it on the internet or on television and cover the entire world with it in a matter of seconds. A good example of modern deception would be anyone that proclaims that there are many paths to heaven; an inclusive idea that would indeed appeal to most, but is a lie because Jesus Christ is the only way. All have sinned and are deserving of eternal separation from God. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away sin. If anyone tells you that there's another way, they're speaking a lie. Here's a link that tells about some of the pitfalls of this age, many of which have a christian facade.

www.watchman.org

Amos 8:11-12 reads "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." We find this taking place today as folks run here and there "heaping unto themselves teachers, having itching ears" Seeking out smooth sayings and comforting words that cause one to feel good about themselves as they continue in their wicked lifestyle. Very few, today, abide by I Thessalonians 5:21-22 which reads:

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.

And so, we find ourselves in the year of 2006, with halloween only a week away and millions of Americans embracing the images of darkness thinking to themselves "it's just a day for having a little fun. What harm can come from it?" Let me propose a question. Would you allow your child to go trick or treating wearing an Adolph Hitler costume? I'm thinking that unless you're a complete dingaling, you probably wouldn't allow it. Why? Because Hitler was an evil person; responsible for sending millions of souls into eternity. And yet you allow them to take on the image of witches, demons, ghouls, and anything else that comes to mind and you think nothing of it. "It's just a game." Most folks, including many christians, have no understanding as to the dangers of taking on an image of darkness. When you transform yourself into another image, you are taking on the characteristics of that image. It's not a game and the devil is playing for keeps; to keep as many from the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ as he can. As I try to wrap this up, let's go to Revelation 13:13-15 which tells about the second beast that comes up out of the earth.

And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had a wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

There are so many lessons there as to the workings of delusion that time wouldn't permit one to go into all of them. Notice the operation of an "image" The image will "speak" and "cause all who don't worship the beast to be put to death" In Revelation 15:2, we read about those who had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his "image" and over his mark. One more thing before I close. The two witnesses will also be on the earth as told in Revelation chapter 11 which will have power to shut heaven up that it rain not and turn water into blood. Once again, this is going to be confusing to those that know not God; having chosen the pleasures of sin for a season. After the testimony of the two witnesses is completed, the beast that rises out of the bottomless pit shall kill them and the world will celebrate by sending gifts to each other. Three and a half days later, the Spirit of life from God shall enter into them and they shall ascend into heaven. I apolagize for paraphrasing. Please read Revelation chapter 11 to get the full account of this event. Mention of the two witnesses is also made in Zechariah chapter four.

Time is running out. IT REALLY IS RUNNING OUT! If you don't know Jesus, PLEASE turn to him now. Don't put it off even for a few hours. You never know when your final moment will take place. Jesus died on a cross and shed his blood for you; to pay for your sins along with the sins of the whole world. He rose again on the third day and all power is given unto him. He will save you if you ask him in sincerety. Regardless of your past or how wicked you may feel, he can, and will save you from all of that if you'll call upon him.

If you're interested in some in-depth understanding as to halloween along with the workings of occultism in the world today and endtime events as they are unfolding, the following links to David Meyers website are very informative. Also check out Kjos Ministries and demonbuster. Over on the Grace County blog site, listed in the links column, there's a number of additonal sites that are quite informative. Above all else, however, stay in fervent prayer and diligently hide the word of God in your heart.

www.lasttrumpetministries.org/tracts/tract10.html

www.lasttrumpetministries.org/tracts/tract_2.html

www.lasttrumpetministries.org

www.crossroad.to

www.demonbuster.com/index2.html

www.lastdaysmystery.info

www.endtime.com

Be Strong and Do Exploits

John 11:9-10 reads "Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him"

I quote this because there is a darkness that's falling across this land like never before. The grandiose delusions that are beginning to manifest will become so convincing as to "deceive, if it were possible, even the very elect." These are unbelievably dangerous times; not so much because of the physical tragedies that will come to pass, but because of the deceptions that will cause all, to receive a mark on their right hand or their forehead. They will, for a morsel of bread, sell their birthright and seal their doom. I've been thinking on Daniel chapter 11 tonight as it tells about those saints who will be alive during the tribulation. I'm aware of what most people believe concerning this and I would ask you to really examine it for yourself. Here's a link if you're interested in some things to ponder.

www.endtimepilgrim.org/post-tribrap.htm

Do you ever ponder what we're going to face in the days ahead? We know that the whole world is going to wonder after the beast saying "who is like him? and Who can make war with him?" I don't think that necessarily means who can come against him militarily, although arms will stand on his side. I'm certain that it means he'll seem like such a nice guy and he will seem to make everyones life better that you can't possibly be against him. Here's a recent example of a similar situation. Do you remember the death of Pope John Paul II? Folks came from all over the world, stood in line for days on end and wept uncontrollably as they passed by his body. They literally worshipped this "wonderful man of peace" and all of the reporters told of how great he was. Can you imagine the scene if one had gone in there and stated that this man held beliefs which were contrary to scripture? That person would have been made to look like a cold hearted, insensitive buffoon. Well this is the exact reaction that christians will get when they take a stand against the antichrist. They will be made out to look like the scum of the earth as they proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 1:18-31) The attitudes are already in place as new age thinking with it's "many paths to heaven" and "man is basically good" teachings sound like nice things to a delusioned populace that has no anchor of truth. When you tell people that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven (which is true) and that few are going to come to him (which is also true) they will think you to be suffering from "srcewloose syndrome." When this situation comes to fruition, it will be quite obvious as to who the real saints are and who was pretending.

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (Revelation 14:12)

In Daniel 11:32-35 we see how things will be for the tribulation saints. Some primary points are as follows: (these are just casual thoughts; please check it out as reading scripture is far better than anyones comments on scripture.)

(1) Be strong and do exploits. They will walk in the power of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of the Spirit will be manifest among them. If you're not walking in the Spirit, you'll be in serious danger of joining the great falling away of carnal and lukewarm believers. Please, if you've never received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues seek it diligently. You really need to be empowered from on high and it's a promise to all who believe.

(2) They will instruct many. I imagine that a few who heard the gospel of jesus when they were younger will be ready to listen, along with some christians who were expecting to be out of here when this all came to pass. These folks will need to be in touch with those who have understanding as they didn't prepare for such times as this. (an interesting note; I know of folks who don't claim to be christians, yet they notice the world situation getting increasingly worse. They like to discuss these events and their significance even more than most christians.)

(3) They shall fall by the sword, flame, captivity, and spoil. In short, there going to be killed in various fashion, none of which are pleasent to the flesh. This should not be frightening to those who know their God. Jesus has promised to be with us always. Just as he was with Stephen in Acts chapter 7.

(4) Holpen with a little help. A few will probably try to hide them or get food to them. This may be referring to when they come in contact with other saints. (There's going to be a great falling away when the antichrist is on the scene and true saints will be hard to come into contact with.)

(5) Many will cleave to them with flatteries. They will sound like they agree with them, either to sooth their own conscience or to set them up for betrayal. The apostle Paul told about "perils among false brethren" (II Corinthians 11:26)

(6) Trial of faith. Some will fall and they will have an opportunity to prove that they really believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You won't lay down your life for something that you don't believe. (Remember Revelation 12:11) This is much like the third point

(7) Trials will purge them and make them white. Trials bring you closer to the Lord Jesus Christ and will bring saints closer together also. It's similar to how soldiers in a combat situation will develop a bond with each other that never would have transpired in a secure environment.

In conclusion, things are undoubtedly going to be incredibally turbulant, but Jesus will never leave us or allow us to be tempted above what we're able. Just a side note here, I've often had situations arise and I would find myself praying "Lord, this is too much for me to deal with." I have to repent because that's an inaccurate thought. He'll never allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear and that prayer suggests that I think he did. It's something that I find myself having to watch out for. Jesus will be with us always; even unto the end of the world. We need to strive to be as close to him as we can be and stay in his word. Delusions are coming that would appear (in the physical realm) to disprove the gospel of Jesus Christ; we must be ready for this assault. "Hold the Fort" as the song goes. Let me close out with Jude 20-21

"But ye, beloved, building up your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

The Edge of Seventeen

On October 28, my oldest daughter, Morgan Lee, will have another birthday. As is the case with every parent, one ponders such times as this; how quickly they've grown, and the road that's ahead of them. It goes without saying that the world is a far more sinister place than it was in 1982 when I crossed the same threshhold. Evil men and seducers have waxed worse and worse; just as the bible said would happen. The world is merging into a single governing entity; just as the bible said would happen. The great falling away is ongoing as many today no longer endure sound doctrine but rather, heap unto themselves teachers, having itching ears, just as the bible said would happen. As a result, Morgan is maturing into a far more deceptive world than the one that existed on my seventeenth birthday, a mere twenty four years ago. In additon to Morgan, we have three other children whos names are:

Megan Marie- age 13

Matthew Edward- age 11

Ryan Lane- age 8.

As you can imagine, their well being is formost on my mind as is the case with every parent; not only in the physical world, but, more importantly in the spiritual realm. Each one of them has an eternal soul that will remain LONG after this present evil world has melted with a fervent heat. We tend to throw the bulk of our effort into preparing them for the world that is now, but will soon not be, while neglecting the more important issues. I'm as guilty as anyone concerning this and we all need to give heed to the things that are of real importance. This doesn't mean that you take your family, head to the tallest mountain, and sing "I'll Fly Away." (even though the moment of our Lords return is always in the forefront of our mind) It means that you put your priorities in the proper order. In other words, planning for the road ahead is indeed important, however, even the best laid plans won't amount to a hill of beans if today should happen to be your final one on this earth. Believe me, I'm not trying to sound negative, ( if a person is born again, leaving this world is absolutly not a negative) I'm just trying to be brutally honest. Here's a few verses to explain where I'm coming from.

(Proverbs 27:1) Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

(Ecclesiastes 2:16) For there is no rememberance of the wise more than the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? As the fool.

(Matthew 10:28) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Just a thought before continuing. If Jesus was to be on the earth in a body of flesh today, how many churches would invite him to preach?

(II Corinthians 4:18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

(II Corinthians 5:10-11) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made minifest in your conscience.

(I Timothy 6:7) For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. (read this whole chapter; it's very enlightening, as is all scripture.)

(James 4:13-15) Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

(I Peter 1:24-25) For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Here is the conclusion of this post: You are here for a very short time. Your time here can come to an end with little or no warning, You will stand before God and give an account of the things done in this life. It's good to have a plan for this life as we each are in this world and have to live day to day. But know also, that you may never see your plans come to fruition. The only thing that really matters is "DO YOU KNOW JESUS?" If you have never asked Jesus to forgiove you of your sin; to come into your heart and save you, please do it today. Eventually your final day WILL play out and then, all of your best laid plans will be nothing more than just that; "plans" that never came to be. But if you give your heart to Jesus, you'll have joy unspeakable in this life; be it long or short, and when it's over, eternal life with joy that you can't even begin to imagine. Please choose wisely.

If I had gone into eternity when I was seventeen, I would be in hell at this very moment with no hope whatsoever. There are no second chances after this life is over; there's no such place as purgatory and you don't reincarnate as somebody else. These are doctrines of men which have no scriptural backing. If, however, you sincerely ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and save you, he will do so at the moment you ask. Your name will be written in heaven and you'll be a new creation in Christ. He paid for your sins on the cross so that you could live forever with him in eternity. Please accept the gift of eternal life before it's too late

The Beginning of Sorrows

This is a powerblog as time is very pressing, but I wanted to comment on a few things before going to work today. First off, the situation in North Korea, I believe to be a diversion to the weightier matters of the day such as the true intentions of the Chinese and Russians. Again, if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, these events are not things to worry over, but are rather "indicators" or signs of the times that we're in. I find it fascinating how the United states government, along with all of the other UN members, treat the Chinese as though we're all on the same page. They have this "global community" mentality that will soon facillitate the man of sin who will seem to "put everything back together" after everything has seemingly fallen apart. It's all coming to pass before our eyes, while we're busy with every kind of silly diversion imaginable. The rhetoric against the North koreans is deafening, but I expect that it won't proceed much farther than words. You can be sure that the Chinese have other ambitions in this matter. (As do the Russians but that's another topic)

As for the Iranians, this is most likely where our next conflict will be as those in charge are planning to implement the apocalyptic senario that will bring about the twelth imam. They REALLY REALLY believe this and their actions will be in accordance with this belief. I really think that the Iranian situation is far more dangerous than what's transpiring in North Korea, although, anything that North Korea develops will eventually find its way into Iran. As you watch the situation in Iran unfold, along with the ressurgance of taliban activity in Afghanistan and the "CIVIL WAR" that's raging in Iraq, you can see how the war on terror is coming apart piece by piece. Most officials in Washington have concluded that we need a change in policy, but have no idea as to what kind of a change is workable. In other words, "we're stuck." The real tragedy of all of this is that thousands of unsaved souls are entering eternity with no remedy. THIS IS THE REAL TRAGEDY! Saints of God; pray fervently like never before as everything is going to be shaken to its core. That includes this country also. We have this notion that we're in no real danger, despite the 911 attacks and as a result, the slumber party continues on. There are also indications that the Syrians are busy with military preparations as they forsee military engagement in their future. The list could go on and on but you get the picture that kingdoms are rising against kingdoms as Jesus said they would do.

As for this country, there's a darkness falling across the land; a darkness that one can almost "feel." Do you remember the book "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote. I read it in high school back in the early eighties and it dealt with a the members of a family in Holcomb Kansas who were murdered in their house one night by two guys who happened to be passing through the area. The crime was so shocking that it drew national attention for months on end. My understanding is that the author of the book was on site while the trial was going on; writing in real time. This was a crime the likes of which used to take place maybe once every fifteen years or so. Not so in 2006. We have just had another round of school shootings. A family of four, the parents and their two children, all shot multiple times along a Florida interstate. Yesterday, I saw in the Kalamazoo paper where a 22 year old man murdered his parents and three teenage sisters in Iowa. The wickedness of this generation is almost beyond belief, and yet we know that it's going to only worsen in the days ahead. Look to Jesus while there's still time. Turn to him in true repentance and ask him into your heart before it's too late.

As I glanced at the news earlier, the pundits were busy punditing and the politicians were busy politicing; looking to turn any event into political gain. The election is less than a month away, and I have no confidence in the flesh. The electronic voting systems that are coming into play district by district will ensure that "honest elections" will most likely never again transpire in this land. Jesus Christ is coming and every eye shall behold him. The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord; please saints, don't lose sight of this. Hold fast the profession of your faith unto the end. The turmoil of the present is as nothing when compared to the glorious eternity that's just ahead. Let go of the flesh pots of Egypt and LOOK UP! Please pray all the more fervently for those who don't know Jesus that you rub shoulders with daily. As for me, I'm striving to be more sober-minded; a continuous struggle for me. Remember Thessalonians 5:16-24 reads:

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearence of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Sweet Hours of Prayer

"Pray without ceasing." This is the admonishment that's found in I Thessalonians 5:17 and it has been a goal of mine for quite a while. To spend every available moment with the Lord Jesus in prayer as he is always ALWAYS as close as the mention of his name. He knows every thought, every need, every struggle; he is a faithful creator who loves us and is intimatly concerned for us. If there's one thing to think on, it's this; that we never walk alone if we're born of the Spirit, and there's nothing too difficult for God. There's absolutly no situation that's out of his control. We will undoubtedly have trials and tribulation in this life and it may seem at times as though we're in dire straits. But if we'll stay in Gods word and stay in a state of continuous fellowship with him, his perfect peace will abide with us and he'll bring us through without fail. Even though we know these things, it's always good to hear them again. Psalm 37:25 is one of those verses that you hear quoted often, which reads:

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."

I have been seeking to spend every possible moment in fellowship with Jesus; be it at work, driving down the road, mowing the yard or whatever I may be doing. I would like to say that I've been successful, however, like most, distractions abound. In fact, it seems as though there are more distractions than ever as the spiritual war, that takes place all around us 24/7, is ever intensifying. The devil and his minions are fighting Gods people like never before. This is just all the more reason to press in; to give all the more diligence in seeking the Lord Jesus. We need to be alert to the ever so subtile devices that the enemy uses to hinder our prayer life, because it's in the prayer closet that strongholds are pulled down and captives are set free. James 5:16-18 reads:

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnistly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."

It almost makes no sense. We know how awesome time spent in sincere prayer is, we know that it's the place where battles are won, and yet we struggle to make time for it as we should. We tend to allow every kind of distraction available to keep us from our time with the Savior. We don't have time to play games in this late hour as I Peter 4:7-8 will attest. It reads:

"But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

Did you notice that in the in James 5:16-18 and in I Peter 47-8, we're instructed to pray for and love the brethren who are in the same battle as us? To be in one accord with those in whom we have fellowship and "let brotherly love continue."To seek the Lord wholeheartedly and lift up the saints as the world is falling apart all around us. There is no doubt in my mind about this; that the battle lines are becoming increasingly clear. We all need to become prayer warrors as the world is preparing to receive the big lie that the antichrist will profigate. Pray for discernment; pray for the saints, and pray all the more fervently for those around you who aren't ready to go into eternity. With so many souls hanging in the balance, this is as serious as it gets. I try to target those unsaved persons with whom I have continuous contact; that the Lord would grant wisdom in talking with them. I have a history of saying the wrong things at the wrong time and not speaking out when I need to. Walking in the Spirit is so important; not only for ourselves, but for those around us who need Jesus. I pray that we all would strive to be in continuous fellowship with the Lord with more diligence than ever before. Jesus really is returning. The more that we understand this, the more that we'll be about the business that really matters.

If Thine Eye Offend Thee

As I write this morning, the topic is one that I can relate to, personally, from a "don't let this happen to you" perspective. Proverbs 4:23 reads "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" I quote this verse often because we are in an age of unparalleled deception and many are in grave danger of being overcome by temptation. In an E-mail sent out by Millenial Voice Ministry, Pastor Pretlow spoke about the hour of temptation and how so many are toying with disaster. They do this by allowing little "thoughts" and "images" to linger in their minds. They will "entertain" wicked desires for a brief moment before casting them down. As time goes by, those "moments" will become gradually longer until, finally, discernment is obscured and sin, that was once a thing of the past, comes roaring back with a vengance. I was in a miserable backsliddeen state for over thirteen years because I began to entertain thoughts and eventualy, sexual sin became manifest. There was a time in which I was so "sure of myself" concerning spiritual matters, that the very idea of falling into sin was a danger that I didn't really take seriously. When opportunities arose, I tumbled. I praise God that I've been married for over fourteen years and I love my wife very much, but being "afar off" from the Lord Jesus for such a long time was depressing beyond description. It's SO IMPORTANT to not give any place to the devil. It's so important to keep our thoughts pure; to cast down imaginations, no matter how benign they may seem to be, that serve only to exhalt flesh. This is SO URGENT; I cannot stress it enough. The great falling away is currently ongoing and iniquity abounds. The very airwaves all around us are saturated with pornograghy, hatred, envy, sorcery, pride, and every form of evil imaginable. Pastor Pretlow mentioned the string of school shootings that have taken place over the past two weeks. People are going nuts; demonic posession is far more rampant than most of us can imagine. PLEASE SAINTS of the MOST HIGH GOD; diligently do the things that you know to do. Pray fervently, fast, and stay in the word of God. Jesus Christ is the True Vine; we are the branches, and if we don't abide in him, WE WILL DIE. There's no "maybe" about that. Here's some very familiar verses that need to be revisited.

Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

I Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Matthew Chapters 24 and 25 (please read them over again)

Ephesians 5:11-12 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done in secret.

Hebrews 3:12-13 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try nthe reins, and give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their own lives unto the death.

I know how familiar these scriptures are to those who spend time in the bible and the list could go on. We live in an age where prosperity and success in this life are dominate issues in much of the teaching that goes on. Sin is rampant in the church and we must all keep our guard up. I praise God for granting me a space of repentance when I went into rebellion. We dare not get so overly confident in our spirituality that we let our guard down for a second. Trials are going to come; temptation will always be lying in wait, the devil will continuously walk about as a roaring lion, this battle will be waged as long as we have another law working in our members. I pray that as this age comes to a close, we would all have a testimony like the apostle Paul in II Timothy 4:7-8 which reads:

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Jesus is returning for a bride without spot and blameless. I pray that this would be consistantly in our hearts and that we would look to him as we are going to be together for all of the ages before us; world without end.

The Wind Bloweth:

In I Kings 17:1, we are introduced to Elijah the Tishbite as he confronts Ahab. We have no written record concerning his life prior to this event, however, we can conclude that he walked with God and was sensitive to the Holy Spirit. In scripture, he seems to just "come on the scene" at the appropriate time. We can gather that this was commonplace when reading of the conversation that he had with Obadiah. He told Obadiah to tell King Ahab, that he would see him on that day. Obadiahs reply was "If I do that, while I'm gone, the Spirit of the Lord will take you elsewhere and Ahab will do me in" (I'm super paraphrasing here but the story can be found in I Kings chapter 18) A person who is really close to the Lord will do things and go places that make absolutly no sense to the physical realm. Jesus spoke of this to Nicodemus in John 3:8 which reads:

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Many examples are found in the new testament such as in II Corinthians 12:2-4 where Paul tells of a man who was caught up into paradise. In fact, as Paul is telling of the incident, he mentions not knowing if he was in the body or out. In Acts chapter 8, Philip told the Ethiopian eunuch about the Lord Jesus Christ and the eunuch, upon believing, was baptized by Philip. Verses 39 and 40 read:

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

If there's one thing that is needful today, it's walking in the Spirit and not trusting in the things that we can see and touch. We tend to put faith in our jobs, our education, technology, psychology, ten-step programs, political entities, anything and everything except the Lord who fills heaven and earth. As this age reaches its apocalyptic conclusion, it's more important than ever to hear the still small voice and then, upon hearing it, "just do what he says to do." It sounds so easy and the principle is indeed a very basic one, however, the flesh man hates having to do something that requires trusting in that which isn't seen. As a result, most of us never "launch out into the deep." We hug the shoreline, we entangle ourselves with the worlds system, we find our niche in a local assembly,we establish our career path, we become consumed with living day to day, and we "plateau." Not growing; not necessarily slipping back, just being "average." We conform to those saints with whom we have fellowship and we "mark time." The herd mentality is unbelievably dangerous; especially in this age of Laodiceanism and apostasy.

We really need to seek out the old paths and really seek the Lord. Here's a heart check for us all; myself included. Remember the rich ruler in Luke 18:18-27? What would you do if the Lord made it clear to you in no uncertain terms that he wanted you to do this? To cut all of your ties, sell everything, and go to another country; lets pick Eritrea. I fear that most would walk away sorrowful. All of us are too tied to this life; ALL OF US have too much confidence in the flesh. We gather with the saints,we spend time in the prayer closet and have an awesome time in the Lord, we search the scriptures, we proclaim truth to those around us, yet most of us are more entangled with this life than we realize. This issue requires seeking the Lord diligently as to line up with his will.

I remember back in 1986, I was in the navy and our ship was in New Orleans during the Mardi Gras "thing." We met a man who literally lived by faith. He went from town to town spreading the gospel, and seemed to have no ties to any one place. The meeting on that night wasn't a very long one. Nonetheless, as we went our separate ways I thought on this. How awesome it would be to just go from place to place; no ties to this life, just trusting God and being obediant. That would be so awesome. The time may well come when we will have no other choice. When the beast government is in place and economic activity requires a mark, we'll have no choice but to trust God and remember I Peter 4:19 which reads:

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator.

That's a hard verse to most and even though it's in scripture, you'll probably never hear anyone preach from it. Our life is in Christ; not this world. As I write tonight, I'm semi-distracted as Jeffery Epstein from "Americas Truth Forum" is on Coast to Coast talking about the situation with North Korea and Islamic Fundamentalists in this country. THE ARM OF FLESH WILL FAIL. We all know the scriptures concerning the end of this age and what is soon to befall the whole world. WE MUST GET CLOSE TO JESUS! We neglect this at our own peril. Please seek the Lord wholeheartedly and lay aside every weight and sin that would beset you.

Circles in the Sky

"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you." These are the words that Jesus spoke in Matthew 24:4 as he began to expound on the events that would be transpiring on the earth prior to his return. The first thing that he mentions is to beware of deception. I talk about the end times a lot, because we are living in them. Just as Simeon most likely talked about the first coming of Messiah; the Holy Ghost having revealed to him that he would lay eyes on the Savior, we are living in the time of Jesus return and therefore, we think about it often. (Well; a few of us do, at least) Usually when you talk about the tribulation, I've noticed some will get a little uncomfortable and will finally reach for the "escape clause." They will interject "that's interesting; boy I'm glad we're not going to be here because we're not appointed to wrath." They will dismiss Daniel chapter 7, Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 14:12, Revelation 15:2-5 Revelation 16:15, and Revelation 20:4-6 as applying only to Israel and to those who couldn't live for Jesus, who will now have to die for him to be saved. As mentioned in earlier posts, "If you can't live for him in time of peace and safety, how are you going to lay down your life then?" The timing of the rapture is not an issue dealing with is a person saved or not. I fellowship with a church that holds the view of a pre-tribulation rapture, as do most, however, they understand the scriptures concerning "what must I do to be saved?" They believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the gifts of the Spirit. The issue concerning the rapture is merely a question of timing; just as questions of timing came up when Jesus was with us in a fleshly body. (such as in Acts 1:6) I talk about it, however, because it will determine how you prepare spiritually for the days ahead. In earlier years, I was guilty of placing more faith in the pre-tribulation rapture teaching than in the Lord Jesus who has promised to be with us always. I was fearful of having to face anything like what the early church faced and so, like most, I embraced the pre-tribulation doctrine; memorizing the two primary verses used to support it. The timing of the Lords return is also a source of deception if one isn't ever so careful. Normally I'm leary of internet prophesies because there are so many out there and anyone can say anything. I bring this one up though, because, it depicts just how deceptive these days can be. You may believe it or not believe it; I'm just linking to it. www.stevequayle.com/News.alert/06_Prophetic/060825.rapture.html Is this vision real? I don't know; I wasn't there. Nonetheless, it shows just how dangerous the times are. Please ponder something for a moment. Just suppose, that tomorrow, a series of earth-changing events begin to take place, men begin to go crazy, a man with "all of the answers" steps in and brings restoration, he requires everyone to receive a mark "for their own protection" or whatever reason they use, and the church is still here. How many of us would be a little perplexed by, and very unprepared for, this situation? This is why I talk about it; to get anyone who may pass by here to think, to pray, and to search the scriptures. To focus on the things that really matter. To truly look to Jesus; the Author and Finisher of our faith. To pray that we may be accounted worthy to escape these things, but also to be ready for whatever may come our way. As I write this, christians are being killed in various parts of Asia and Africa for their faith. This has gone on ever since Abel was slain. Only four people were on the earth and we already had our first murder because someone wanted to enter in another way. And so it goes on, even today, as they that kill us will think that they do God a service. (I apolagize for paraphrasing a little) Jesus will NEVER EVER leave us hanging out to dry. Whatever we may have to go through, he's right there with us, while on the other side, thousands upon thousands of saints from every tribe under heaven are cheering us on. "And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (Revelation 6:11) Saints; my question is simply "Do you really love the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you really truly love him and is your treasure laid up somewhere beyond the blue? If so, then whatever transpires here isn't such a big issue. Our primary purpose is to be a light shining into a world in desperate need of a Saviour. I pray that whatever amount of time we have left, we would give all diligence to reaching the lost and praying ever so fervently for those around us who aren't ready for eternity. Jesus IS coming. When he appears, we shall be like him. This corruption must put on incorruption and this mortality must put on immortality. I pray that you would think on these things and keep your heart with all diligence.

Just a supplemental point. We are not appointed unto wrath; this is true. If you're born again and you love jesus, Gods wrath doesn't abide on you. However, the devil hates you and will try to destroy you. Your faith may have to undergo fiery trials; just as the early saints were tried. Read about the church of Smyrna. Jesus told them specifically that they were going to have tribulation ten days and some of them would be imprisoned and killed. They were not appointed unto wrath, however, their faith was tried by fire. Read II Timothy 2:4.