“Violence [Hebrew, châmâs, violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice] shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise” (Isaiah 60:18 KJV). Hamas is an acronym of the Arabic phrase حركة المقاومة الإسلامية or Ḥarakah al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah, meaning “Islamic Resistance Movement.” This acronym, HMS, was glossed in the 1988 Hamas Covenant by the Arabic word ḥamās (حماس) which itself means “zeal,” “strength,” or “bravery.” No doubt, modern Palestinians did not consult Hebrew Bibles for the coincidence of their naming, and as Jonathan Cahn remarks in “The Dragon’s Prophecy: Israel, the Dark Resurrection, and the End of Days” (2024): “But God always has the last word.” Isaiah was prophesying of a future time, where the “sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory” (60:19). John reiterates this hope in the last prophecy of the NT. “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:5). Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Uncategorized
Why New Heavens and New Earth?
New Heavens and New Earth mean creating a brand new existence for everything by the word of the Almighty. “And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new” (Revelation 21:5 KJV). Isaiah twice prophesied of New Heavens and New Earth (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22). “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17). This is not refurbishing or remodeling the old earth and heavens. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (21:1). Why is “new” so significant? In the Unseen Realm of the spiritual, “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2Corinthians 5:17). Only the Almighty can fashion a fresh, new physical world to match our new spiritual nature without the scar tissue and sin provoking tendencies of the past. In addition, the memory of His past mercy, love, and grace will still dwell in the consciousness of angels and saints to fortify against the possibility of any future rebellion in the heavenlies. “Nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Micah 4:3). LORD, we long for “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2Peter 3:13). We pray the time will come, and You will be glorified forever. We eagerly listen for You to say, I make all things new. In Jesus’ name, amen.
What is Faith?
For both the atheist and the Christian, “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). Atheists have confidence in what they hope for. Only they hope not for God. Atheists have assurance about what they do not see. Only they do not see God. Does that mean atheists have faith? Atheists believe something. They just say no to God.
Christians see God, “as seeing Him who is invisible” (11:27 KJV), because the Spirit of God has given them a foundation of reasons to believe, see, and choose God. In Hebrews 11:1 NIV, “confidence” is the Greek word hupostasis, which is a compound of hupo, meaning under, and stasis, meaning to stand. Hupostasis is to stand under, support, give substance, foundation, or confidence. Faith is the foundation of reasons to have confidence in God. God is a choice, otherwise God would not have given us a choice. We can only see, whom we choose to see, until God takes away our choice.
Seven Reasons to Believe
First, God is, not because I allow Him to exist, but because He could not do or be otherwise. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 KJV).
Second, God is, because He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. God is not an inanimate force, but a person, who rewards, calls, and does, when we diligently seek Him. “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it” (1Thessalonians 5:24).
Third, even the devils believe God is, only they have not chosen Him. “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19).
Fourth, our sense of moral rightness and judgment is that “He shall reward every man according to his works” (Matthew 16:27).
Fifth, even the demons know God is the Judge, who will judge them at the appointed time. “And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God? art Thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29).
Sixth, our sense that things can’t go on indefinitely without resolution, otherwise it is hopeless, unless Someone says, “It is done” (Revelation 16:17; 21:6), and initiates judgment and completion. “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment” (2Peter 2:4).
Seventh, our sense of incompleteness, emptiness, or “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) argues for a completeness only found in God. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
In conclusion, Godly Faith is confidence in God, whom we choose to believe, before we have no more choice whether to believe. According to prophecy, at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, everyone will see Him. Then, there will be no more choice. Somewhere between the gnashing of teeth at the end of the apocalyptic judgments poured out upon humanity and His actual appearing in the clouds, descending to earth, all of humanity that has chosen to see God, will have been born into His kingdom. “Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen” (Revelation 1:7). Choose God before you cannot. Once Jesus returns, no more debate. He is no longer Savior, but Judge. “But those Mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before Me” (Luke 19:27).
Faith is a choice. Believe God.
Waiting for Christ’s Return
How often do you hear a sermon about waiting for the return of Christ? “And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1Thessalonians 1:10 KJV). Paul devoted two entire books of the NT to the theme of waiting for the return of Christ. “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ” (2Thessalonians 3:5). This demonstrates the practical nature of properly teaching Bible prophecy. The Thessalonians lived as if they were waiting for Christ’s return, which, if properly taught, always promotes godly living (1Thessalonians 4-5). Sanctification was not simply a theoretical doctrine, but Spirit empowered daily living. “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” (1Thessalonians 5:23). LORD, may we, like the Thessalonians, be waiting for the return of Christ, and may we be full of your Spirit, as we live our daily lives, until You return. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Valley of the Shadow of Death
How we deal with aging and dying becomes increasingly important, as we advance in years. The birth rate of most nations is down. This is a crisis not only for the growth of a nation, but for its survival. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28 KJV). Not simply replacing two parents with two offspring, but multiplying, increases the population. This is a prime directive for prosperity. When we age, we are not alone, unless we never truly understood the Good Shepherd. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). If our spiritual walk is only facts and doctrines, then old age is fearful, because we are walking into the great unknown, only hoping our religion will keep us for eternity. But, we need not be afraid of the dark, the unknown, or the enemy, if we walk with the Lord, so that our innermost being cries out: “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death” (Philippians 3:10). Unless Christ is necessary for our very life and breath, then He is not essential at all. LORD, teach us now Your necessity that later, when the darkness closes around us in death, “I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). You are the Good Shepherd. Lead us Home to Heaven. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen.
Vial Producing Malignant Sores for Beast Worshippers (Revelation 16:2)
Malignant sores result from the first of the Seven Vial Judgments poured out upon Beast Worshippers in this series of Seven Vial Judgments. “And the first went, and poured out his vial [Greek, phialē, bowl] upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image” (Revelation 16:2 KJV). God’s angels begin pouring out these final judgments, each vial spaced about a day apart in this final “hour of temptation” (3:10) of approximately 15 days. This First Vial Judgment targets the Beast Worshippers with agonizing pain from sores that will not heal, not simply because they are worthy, but apparently there is astonishing wisdom in Jehovah’s conduct. The sum of the other Vial Judgments would kill the entirety of the planet in only a matter of days, but pain must have persuasive value, or it would not be used so profusely by the Almighty — or, His adversary.
Can Any Repent Who Receive the Mark of the Beast?
First, if the Mark of the Beast is Antichrist’s registration of ownership of his property, then small children and others can be marked without their willingness or permission. “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” (Revelation 13:16).
Second, worship of the Beast is required, in addition to reception of the Mark of the Beast. The reception of the Mark of the Beast “and” (Revelation 16:2) worshipping his image signifies two conditions to be fulfilled for the First Vial Judgment to target the recipient.
Third, for those with both the Mark of the Beast and who worship his image, the First Vial Judgment’s pain is guaranteed; but, why does the Angel preach the Gospel to everyone, if they cannot repent? “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6).
Fourth, who will Christ rule over during His Millennial Reign on earth? Israel as a nation must be reborn spiritually, in a literal day, at Messiah Jesus’ Second Coming. “Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children” (Isaiah 66:8). Gentiles will also enter the Millennium, for the devil will be released to “deceive the nations [Greek, ethnos, gentiles]” (Revelation 20:8).
Fifth, in no way does this sanction anyone to think they should willfully take the Mark of the Beast and worship the devil, so they can survive to enjoy the Millennium. God is not to be mocked! “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” (Hebrews 3:12-13).
In short, yes, it may be theoretically possible to repent after taking the Mark of the Beast and worshipping his image; but, be warned, Don’t count on it! “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26).
When I Say Duck
Do you drop your head to avoid being hit by a foul ball at a baseball park, or do you quickly look around to see a feathery bird swimming on the lake? How you interpret my words depends on your circumstances. How do we respond to the Almighty? Do we take Him at His word? Literal or figurative interpretation depends on context; but, shouldn’t we allow God the same benefit we give to anyone else of taking His words literally until shown otherwise? “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:21 KJV). Genesis is a miracle, but it has literal days and poetic language. Interpret it as literal as you can until you can’t, but trust God’s account of His miraculous work. LORD, You are our Creator. May we magnify You for Your wonderful work. Cause us not to limit Your glory in our attempt to understand Your creation. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Opinion: Why Christians Believe in Evolution
Christians believe in evolution, not because it is the best explanation supported by faith in the Scriptures, but because it best supports their rational mind seeking to reconcile their faith in explaining the universe. Jesus taught that humanity’s existence “from the beginning of the creation [that] God made them male and female” (Mark 10:6 KJV). He did not say how God created, but Genesis does. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). No missing link, but a direct connection between God’s breath, dust, and a living soul. Here’s where both theistic evolutionists and intelligent design creationists need to focus: Creation is a miracle wrought by the Creator, which conforms to the poetry and physics of speaking the universe into existence, then crowning it with His creation of man. Yet, neither science nor poetry can adequately explain the Miracle of Creation. LORD, You are the Creator of all things. We are the work of Your hands. Lend us the voice to praise You for Your miraculous work in creating us. Justify Yourself for all You have done in saving us. And, return quickly to deliver us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Explanation: Name of Jesus
The name of Jesus is powerful because Jesus saves us from the sin separating us from God, whose holiness frees us from the sin separating us from Jesus. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 KJV). The adversary hates the name of Jesus both because he loses followers, and he can no longer be saved from his own sins. Jesus, meaning ‘Jehovah is salvation,’ seeks to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). OT Israel had a limited view of salvation for the gentile world, just as the NT church has a limited view of salvation as only delivering us from the penalty of sin, but not from the necessity of having to sin. “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” (1Thessalonians 5:23). The “name of Jesus”: (1) is essential to “receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38), (2) was used for a lame man to “rise up and walk” (3:6), (3) was proclaimed, taught, spoken, and “preached boldly” by early disciples (4:10, 18; 5:40; 8:12; 9:27), and (4) was used to command a demon out of a fortune teller, “in the name of” (16:18). Why such critical importance for the “name of Jesus”? Because Jesus is the tip of the spear, the point of the arrow, the edge of the knife that defeats our true “adversary the devil” (1Peter 5:8), who tempts us to sin. But, of more importance, Jesus has promised to save us from ourselves. “He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19). Either sin separates us from God or God separates us from sin. LORD, You are the God of Salvation, who is able to save “to the uttermost” them that come to You through the name of Jesus (Hebrews 7:25). We do not want to waste our time with gods many and lords many, but only You. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). In Jesus name, we pray. Amen and amen.
Absolute Joy Only From God’s Presence
The world declares their joy of sex, money, and their enjoyment of inflicting pain upon their enemies; but, only the godly have access to absolute joy. “Thou wilt shew [shōw] me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy [Hebrew, simchâh, joy, gladness, mirth, pleasure]; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11 KJV). Our Creator has so constituted us to experience joy in His presence. Have you noticed? Should we not be expecting it? Shouldn’t we be grateful? Joy is the presence of God. Think on these things. “For Thou hast made him most blessed for ever: Thou hast made him exceeding glad [Hebrew, simchâh, joy, gladness, mirth, pleasure] with Thy countenance” (21:6). Just as modern science declares stress adversely affects our physical body, joy strengthens us. “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy [Hebrew, chedvâh, joy, gladness] of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). LORD, may we measure our joy by Your presence. And, may we cultivate Your presence as our most treasured Guest. We look forward to Your soon return and presence. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen.
We Need A Miracle 
You must be logged in to post a comment.