May 2020 – Lift Up Your Eyes!

Be A Missouri Berean

Missouri is a state in the middle of the continental USA whose unofficial slogan is The Show-Me State. I know people from Missouri who pride themselves on needing proof. They just don’t believe what someone says. “Show me!” they say.

The people from Berea are noted in the Bible because they searched the Scriptures to prove whether the things they were hearing preached were true or false.

Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.
Acts 17:11 BSB

There is a lot of deception in the world today. Jesus told us to beware being deceived! When the disciples asked Him about the signs of the end, it was the first thing he talked about.

⁴And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”
Matthew 24:4-5 NKJV

⁵And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁶For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.”
Mark 13:5-6 NKJV

And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.”
Luke 21:8 NKJV

To not be deceived, you have to know what the Bible says. Be in the Word daily.

^{33 “}Hear instruction and be wise,
And do not disdain it.
³⁴Blessed is the man who listens to me,
Watching daily at my gates,
Waiting at the posts of my doors.
³⁵For whoever finds me finds life,
And obtains favor from the Lord;
³⁶But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul;
All those who hate me love death.”
Proverbs 8:33-36 NKJV

Pray daily.

“Give us this day our daily bread.”
Matthew 6:11 NKJV

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
Psalms 5:3 NKJV

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
Daniel 6:10 NKJV

Trust that God is leading you.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
John 10:27 NKJV

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
John 16:13 NKJV

Therefore when you hear something preached, make sure it is true! Be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit to investigate and prove.

And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.
Acts 17:11 NLT

Be a Berean – from Missouri!

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

⁴But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. ⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 NKJV

³²“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! ³⁴Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. ³⁵Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
Matthew 24:32-35 NKJV

³⁴“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. ³⁵For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:34-36 NKJV

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Photo credit: A Clay Jar

Rapture June 6th? Dr Barry Awe

I wrote software for 30 years. Here are a couple screenshots from the Microsoft documentation on the language C#. (Pronounced “See sharp.”) If you don’t know anything about programming computers, do you find this very important and highly accurate information helpful? I doubt it. It’s probably just “Blah, blah, blah.”

So has been my experience with all the wonderful online tools for studying the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible. Oh, sure, I do get better insight on the meanings of some words, but for the more complex things it’s mostly “Blah, blah, blah.” I don’t know Hebrew and Greek so I can’t understand the higher level things like the subtleties of grammar. For example I researched this well known statement of Jesus.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
Matthew 24:36 NKJV

One site said Jesus could have used Greek grammar that meant, “no one knows or will ever know,” but He didn’t. The site’s author(s) said the Greek grammar leaves open this possible meaning: “no one knows (now),” suggesting we could know in the future.

I cannot confirm or deny this analysis of the Greek of Matthew 24:36. I’ve looked at the BibleHub Greek but for me it’s mostly just “Blah, blah, blah.” (I almost resisted saying It’s Greek to me.)

However, notice what Jesus wrote to the church in Sardis.

“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.”
Revelation 3:3 NKJV

To me, Jesus is saying that if you do hold fast, repent, and watch, you can know the day and the hour!

There is also this Scripture from Amos.

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
Amos 3:7 KJV

Is Daniel’s book unsealed, and we can know end-time things? I think so. 🙂

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Daniel 12:4 NKJV

A few days ago I found the Dr Barry Awe YouTube channel. Here he is with Sally The Tribulation Saint and Bonesy.

I suggest you watch this video of his.

I’M SO EXCITED THAT I JUST CAN’T HIDE IT! THIS MIGHT MAKE YOU SHOUT OUT LOUD!

In my view he might be right about a June 6th rapture. 🙂

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Can Someone Today Know They Will Be A Martyr?

A recent YouTube video brought up the question of whether someone today can know whether or not they will be a martyr, that is, whether or not they will be put to death for believing in Jesus. Well, let’s look at some Scripture. Peter knew, because Jesus told him.

¹⁷He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”

And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. ¹⁸Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” ¹⁹This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
John 21:17-19 NKJV

Jesus knew where and when He would die.

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
Mark 8:31 NKJV

Samson asked God for strength to essentially commit suicide.

²⁸Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!” ²⁹And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left. ³⁰Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.
Judges 16:28-30 NKJV

(Don’t forget that Samson is listed in The Hall of Fame of Faith.)

³²And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: ³³who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Hebrews 11:32-34 NKJV

From the book of Acts we learn that God can communicate with people who are not yet saved.

³⁰So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, ³¹and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. ³²Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ ³³So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”
Acts 10:30-33 NKJV

Therefore I don’t have the slightest problem believing that God could be communicating with people not yet saved that in order to make it to heaven, they will have to be killed in the coming great tribulation.

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:4 NKJV

Personally, I hope to be in the Philadelphia church.

¹⁰“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”
Revelation 3:10-11 NKJV

But many Christians are being killed around the world because of their faith, and Jesus has this to say to the Smyrna church.

⁸“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,

‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: ⁹“I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

¹¹“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’ ”
Revelation 2:8-11 NKJV

Therefore I say Jesus has warned that some will be killed for their faith in Him, and I think it likely that some of these will be warned ahead of time when they certain Bible verses.

It seems appropriate to give a link to this post.

Death Is No Big Deal For Those Who Know Jesus

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Eternal Security is a Progressive, Possibly Fatal Doctrine

In yesterday’s post I wrote about a man who said in a YouTube video,

“I could be committing adultery with a whore and still go in the rapture.”

A common response is that a person like this was never saved. I think he was saved. Paul writes to Timothy.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
1 Timothy 4:1 NKJV

In order to depart from the faith, you would have to first be in the faith.

I prefer the Bible’s explanation to the “that person was never saved” explanation that I’ve seen time after time after time. No, “the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith.” Let’s just go with what the words say! A person can depart from the faith!

This man has been saved (if he’s still saved) about as long as me, 40-ish years. But to support his belief in eternal security, that post-salvation behavior doesn’t matter, he has had to discard much Scripture over the years. He has even ripped out the gospel of John out of “The Bible that applies to himself”. John 10:38 is an important part of my salvation story.

“But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
John 10:38 NIV

That is, some people told me that believing in Jesus worked for them. I believed them. I believed in the works of Jesus in these peoples’ lives. When I prayed, believing in those works, Jesus became real to me and saved me!

But this man told me he doubted my salvation because in the gospel of John Jesus is speaking to pre-His-resurrection Jews; John’s gospel is not for Christians today.

I have been down the road of discounting Scripture to justify my sinful behavior. For me it was progressive. Thank God that He saved me from destroying myself! These Scriptures are now my starting point for determining if and how a specific Bible passage applies to me and my life.

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
Matthew 4:4 NKJV

¹⁶All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV

I pray for that man, but I don’t watch his YouTube channel anymore.

And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
Mark‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

“I Could Be Committing Adultery With A Whore And Still Go In The Rapture”

A man whose YouTube videos I used to watch said this in one of those videos.

“I could be committing adultery with a whore and still go in the rapture.”

He believes in Eternal Security, in Once-Saved-Always-Saved, and in my opinion these are but a few of the Scriptures he has essentially ripped out of his Bible and thrown to the ground.

⁸“Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. ⁹Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, ¹⁰and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? ¹¹Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 7:8-11 NKJV

(Repeating with just the bold parts.)

⁸“Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. ⁹Will you … commit adultery … ¹⁰and then come and stand before Me … and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? ¹¹… Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.
From Jeremiah 7:8-11 NKJV

⁷Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? ⁸No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! ⁹Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:7-10 NKJV

¹⁵Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! ¹⁶Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” ¹⁷But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

¹⁸Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. ¹⁹Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 6:15-20 NKJV

⁶Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. ⁷And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” ⁸Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; ⁹nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; ¹⁰nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1 Corinthians 10:6-11 NKJV

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV

³But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; ⁴neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷Therefore do not be partakers with them.
Ephesians 5:3-7 NKJV

¹⁷Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. ¹⁸For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.
Philippians 3:17-19 NKJV

⁶And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. ⁷He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. ⁸But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Revelation 21:6-8 NKJV

¹²“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

¹⁴Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. ¹⁵But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

¹⁶“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
Revelation 22:12-16 NKJV

As for me and what Scripture applies to my life, my starting point is Jesus’ “every word” and Paul’s “All Scripture“.

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
Matthew 4:4 NKJV

Why would we be told to examine ourselves if it was impossible to fall away from the faith?

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV

I don’t see this Ezekiel Scripture as part of the law that Jesus fulfilled. I believe it is still true today, and Eternal Security / Once-Saved-Always-Saved is a lie.

“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.”
Ezekiel 18:24 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Lord, Make Seeing Eyes Blind

Our weapons are powerful!

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:4 ESV

One of these weapons is the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17 BSB

Jesus Himself used this weapon.

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Matthew 4:7 NKJV

He is going to use His weapon again.

¹⁹And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. ²⁰Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. ²¹And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
Revelation 19:19-21 NKJV

If the need arises, we can follow Elisha’s example and ask the Lord to make seeing eyes blind.

¹⁸So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

¹⁹Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria.

²⁰So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria!

²¹Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”

²²But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” ²³Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.
2 Kings 6:18-23 NKJV

Angels made the men of Sodom blind to protect Lot and his family.

And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.
Genesis 19:11 NKJV

Saul – Paul had his own three days of darkness.

⁸Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Acts 9:8-9 NKJV

“Brother Andrew” smuggled Bibles into communist countries beginning in the 1950’s, praying “Lord, make seeing eyes blind” to not have the Bibles discovered at checkpoints.

Although Van der Bijl was violating the laws of all of the countries that he visited by bringing religious literature, he often placed the material in view when he was stopped at police checkpoints, as a gesture of his trust in what he believed to be God’s protection.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_van_der_Bijl

(If you haven’t read Brother Andrew’s book God’s Smuggler I highly recommend it.)

Therefore I have confidence that if the need arises I can pray, “Lord, make seeing eyes blind” and He will answer those prayers. Those wanting to harm me may become totally blind, or they may just fail to perceive what is before their eyes.

Sidebar: The story of Elisha and the blinded Syrian soldiers makes me chuckle. Though the text doesn’t say so, I suspect the suddenly-blinded soldiers dropped their shields and weapons to put their hands on each other’s shoulders to shuffle off in the direction Elisha directed them. Then in the city the Lord opened their eyes and they realized they were trapped and probably about to be killed. In my mind’s eye I can see their expressions changing from wondering and confusion to fear and horror as they realize their situation. But Elisha takes the high road and treats them well.

²¹If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
²²For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
And the Lord will reward you.
Proverbs 25:21-22 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

War Psalms for These Times

A couple years ago I thought many of the Psalms didn’t apply to me personally. In these Psalms the Psalmist was talking to God about his enemies, and I didn’t think I had any. I didn’t know of anyone stalking me with weapons, trying to end my life.

But as I have been reading the Psalms every month it has slowly dawned on me that these Psalms do apply to me because I do indeed have enemies that are trying to take me out.

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

I need to make sure I’m dressed for success.

¹⁴Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV

Here then are some of the Scriptures in Psalms I know I can use in my combat. There are many others too.

Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
²Take hold of shield and buckler,
And stand up for my help.
³Also draw out the spear,
And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”

⁴Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor
Who seek after my life;
Let those be turned back and brought to confusion
Who plot my hurt.
⁵Let them be like chaff before the wind,
And let the angel of the Lord chase them.
⁶Let their way be dark and slippery,
And let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
⁷For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit,
Which they have dug without cause for my life.
Psalm 35:1-7 NKJV

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
Defend me from those who rise up against me.
²Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.
Psalm 59:1-2 NKJV

Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
²Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
³Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,
⁴That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.
Psalm 64:1-4 NKJV

Those who hate me without a cause
Are more than the hairs of my head;
They are mighty who would destroy me,
Being my enemies wrongfully;
Though I have stolen nothing,
I still must restore it.
Psalm 69:4 NKJV

O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs—
O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!
²Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
Render punishment to the proud.
³Lord, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?
Psalm 94:1-3 NKJV

Do not keep silent,
O God of my praise!
²For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful
Have opened against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
³They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without a cause.
⁴In return for my love they are my accusers,
But I give myself to prayer.
⁵Thus they have rewarded me evil for good,
And hatred for my love.
Psalm 109:1-5 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Do Not Quit!

I’m reminding myself stay focused!

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

¹²Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14 NKJV

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ²Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Colossians 3:1-4 NKJV

“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
Matthew 24:13 NKJV

But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:62 NKJV

But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
Hebrews 3:6 BSB

For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
Hebrews 3:14 NKJV

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

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

¹⁰Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. ¹¹And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. ¹²Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
Revelation 12:10-12 NKJV

This blessed thought is repeated three times in two Psalms!

^42:5Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him
For the help of His countenance.

¹¹Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

^43:5Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.
Psalm 42:5, 11, 43:5 NKJV

Continue to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ²looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV

²⁸“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

He is able, and will do it!

²⁴Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
²⁵To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
Jude 1:24-25 NKJV

³I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, ⁴always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, ⁵for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Philippians 1:3-6 NKJV

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Quoted Photos – 1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus

Free to use and share!

Jesus is coming soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.

Proverbs For Breakfast

It has long been my habit to do my Bible study at one sitting. Typically I read from Proverbs (blue ink), Psalms (green), the Old Testament (black), and the New Testament (red), writing verses that stand out. Here is an old notebook.

But recently I have felt led to break this up into four separate study sessions, and “digest” one part of the day’s readings before going on to the next. That is, Proverbs for breakfast, Psalms for lunch, the Old Testament for dinner, and the New Testament before retiring. There is Scripture that at least somewhat supports this idea.

⁹⁷Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.

¹⁴⁷I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
¹⁴⁸My eyes are awake through the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
Psalm 119:97, 147-148 NKJV

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
Job 23:12 KJV

In one way it is working well. I am better “digesting” what I read in each session. However, I am finding it challenging to actually do all four readings. My flesh gets lazy, and there are so many interesting YouTube videos! So I need to grow in discipline in this area.

Become strong in discipline, do not let go;
Watch over her, for she is your life.
Mishlĕ (Proverbs) 4:13 TS2009

I have found that changing my Bible study is usually a good thing, though sometimes it takes me a while to form the new, good habits. There’s more on this change principle in this early blog post.

New Bible — New, Lush Pasture

Jesus is coming very soon. Be ready!

Has the rapture happened?
   You can still be saved and go to heaven!
---
Are you following God's plan for your life?    
   You should.
     Your plan is not going to work. 
     It is a really, really bad plan. 
     Please come to Jesus to escape your plan! 

Most people are WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

Jesus is coming.
   Are you ready to meet Him?
   Give your life to Jesus Christ.
   Time is running out.