FREEDOM TO CHOOSE apr29

REFERENCE: Revelation 20:7-8

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth - Gog and Magog - to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand of the seashore.

COMMENT:

 As mentioned in the previous article entitled “Satan the god of this world”, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who is also the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, did not intend to create robots or puppets. His plan and design was to make a man in his own image with an independent mind, will and emotion. He created Adam and then produced Eve from him. They were adults at creation with lots of abilities to manage the Garden of Eden and in the process make major decisions even to disagree or agree with God. God is just and keeps his word always. He changes not and does not withdraw all the gifts given to men even when they sin.

God set Adam and Eve free to go wherever they chose and eat all the fruits in the garden except one. They were not prevented from eating it but, they were told what would happen if they did. Despite the dire consequence for choosing to eat the forbidden fruit, Satan deceived them and they went ahead and ate it.

In the millennium, the Jews will reproduce and increase to billions and scatter all over the world (see the last sentence in the scripture under reference). It will be (utopia) a time of peace and prosperity without diseases and deaths hence the increased world population. The global weather is expected to be tropical as was before Noah’s flood.  The promise to Abraham that his children will increase and be like the stars in the sky will be fulfilled. The children of Abraham are also compared to the sand in the seashore. Many other promises will also be realized.

At the end of the millennium, something strange and unexpected will happen. Satan will be released from prison (bottomless pit) to test all those who were born when he was imprisoned and therefore had no chance to be tempted. He will deceive them and they will follow him. They will reject Jesus’ leadership even having enjoyed the prosperity for 1000 years. They will join Satan’s’ army and surround God’s camp to overthrow him but their mission will be doomed. They will be eliminated with fire from heaven.

The final judgment will then follow.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit! Help us to understand that we have the freedom to choose and it is a heavy responsibility with dire consequences.

SATAN THE GOD OF THIS WORLD apr 28

REFERENCE: 2 Corinthians 4:4 and John 14:30

The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2Cor4:4

I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me. John 14:30

COMMENT:

 Man (woman also included) was created in the image of God and from the beginning, God did not intend to create a robot or a puppet, but a man with his own mind, emotion and will. A man who can think freely without influence against his will. He can initiate a plan and take action on his own. He is able to design, execute the plan and finally achieve his goal. He was given absolute freedom to choose to follow God who created him or reject him. God is not a benevolent or hard dictator, as many think.  He is not like our parents or leaders who demand that we toe the line. He is not a military commander who expects all his orders, to be obeyed even the unreasonable ones, without question.

The freedom to choose is basic in man from as early as babyhood. To test this, give your baby a gift and demand it back. The baby will fight to retain the gift. That is exactly the way we are. We do not have to learn it. It is an instinct. The popular human rights now included in all modern constitutions, is a product of this same basic need of freedom or self determination. Freedom to choose is a basic and innate dignity of all human beings.  God cannot deny it, and remain God although he knows it has dire consequences.

God, who wants us to choose to cooperate with him, gave us the ability to decide. This is therefore the reason why he created Satan and allowed him to oppose him. If only God existed, man would have no choice to make. God allowed Satan to deceive Adam and Eve for this same reason of freedom to choose. The forbidden fruit was put in the Garden of Eden for the same reason.

Adam was created as a full grown adult and the same with his wife Eve. Both were given a lot of powers and abilities and were free to obey God or not. God however, warned them that business would not be as usual if they disobeyed. God did not follow them 24/7 wherever they went to see how they behaved. He visited them in the evening for fellowship. He did not employ a policeman to follow them wherever they went. Both were free as individuals or as a couple. The eating of the fruit was initiated by Eve and Adam did not object it despite his ability to do so.

The consequence for accepting the deception meant losing everything to Satan. They lost dominion and the possession of the world to Satan. They became slaves of Satan by choice. Satan achieved what would have been impossible without using Adam. He became the god of this age and the prince of this world. Tittles describing his role and rank in this world are many. A few are exposed here:

1.     Abaddon or Appolyon (Rev. 9::11)

2.     Evil one (Matt. 13:19)

3.     Belial (2Cor. 6:15)

4.     Prince of demons (Matt. 12:14)

5.     Ruler of the kingdom of the air (Eph.2:2)

6.     Murderer (John 8:44)

Satan is real but deceives people that he does not exist. He is not a school boy to play with. He is as powerful as the archangels because he was one of them and did not lose most of his powers. The old hymn, “stand up, stand up for Jesus” acknowledges that. He is also able to manifest himself as an “angel of light”.

With all these powers, Satan is not at all equal to God. His tenure (time) is almost up. Hell fire was made for him and his evil angels (demons).

PRAYER: Holy Spirit! Guide us in detecting the works of Satan.

TRIBULATION SAINTS apr21

REFERENCE: Revelation 20:4 (nkjv)

……………………..And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and 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.

COMMENT:

 The second half of the seven years of undisputed leadership of the Antichrist, will be a time of tribulation – the great tribulation. The bible says that, if this time of suffering will not be shortened nobody will survive. According to Revelation 13:16, the world population will be forced to receive the mark of the beast on the right hand or the forehead. The mark is an electronic microchip, the size of a rice grain. Once injected in the body, it will be impossible to remove it. Without the mark, nobody will buy or sell.  Rev. 13: 17. Cash will have been withdrawn following the crash of world currencies.

The cashless society is being introduced in the entire world today. Some people are no longer handling cash. They prefer cards and mobile phone money transfers. Cards and electronic money transfer are not as safe as the mark because they can be stolen and forged. In all life activities, the mark will become necessary very soon. On trial basis, some countries have already started using the mark. They have started with senior civil servants and when the law is passed that will requires all to have the mark, those who will refuse to take it, will be persecuted.

For Obamacare to work properly, all must have a way of identification and it is likely to be a microchip in the body. The appropriate law is already in place requiring all the US citizens to acquire a microchip. Other countries are likely to follow soon.

The penalty for rejecting the mark during the Antichrist’s rule will be death not by hanging or electric chair, but by guillotine. They will use guillotines because they need to harvest body parts for the sick that need them and perhaps for human sacrifice.   Rumor has it that already, guillotines have been ordered by some countries.

Many believers, who will have been left behind when the rapture takes place, will have to be beheaded. This will be the only way to heaven as recorded in Revelation 6:10 and 20:4. Take courage!!

The big question is, would you like to go to heaven with your head on, or with your head off? Make a decision now.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit! Prepare us for the rapture.

THE WOMAN AND THE DRAGON apr 21

REFERENCE: Revelation 12:6

The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

COMMENT:

 The woman in this scripture under reference is none other than the Jews, and the baby about to be born is Jesus. The dragon of course, is Satan. The given 1,260 days is three and half years, which is exactly half of the seven years that the Antichrist will rule the world. He (Antichrist) is a man with supernatural powers given by Satan to deal with all global problems. He will start with peace and the economy and having solved these two teething problems, he will win the hearts of the inhabitants of the entire world. Today as I write this message, wars, insecurity and poor economy are driving the world crazy. The world population is looking for anybody able to solve the problems. Politicians and other leaders have failed miserably and others are doing the opposite.

In the middle of his rule, the Antichrist enters the city of Jerusalem. He is popular due to the world problems he has solved and the miracles he has performed. He has even been raised from the dead by the False Prophet in imitation of Jesus Christ, and his image has been erected for people to worship. This time the new temple has been built in Jerusalem and animal sacrifice has begun. He enters the temple and demands that the Jews worship him but they adamantly reject his order. The abomination that causes desolation mentioned in the book of Daniel 9:27 will be standing in the holy place and the reader will have understood. (Refer to Matthew 24:15). The rejection will generate persecution to all Jews everywhere, especially in Israel. Satan will attempt to exterminate the Jews as he has tried several times in the past in Egypt, Persia and Europe but failed. This time the Jews will run to the south of Israel to a place prepared by God. They will be taken care of by God for 1,260 days. The evil rule of their enemy at that time will come to an end at the battle of Armageddon.

 God has allowed this as we approach the return of the Lord Jesus to set up his kingdom that will solve all the global problems. He will be the second Adam who will not hand over his power and authority to Satan, as the first Adam did and caused all the mess in the world today. The Lord Jesus Christ’s rule on earth will last 1000 years and the Jews will be the only people on earth with human bodies as we have today. They will function in the same way we do. They will have babies and increase considerably in the millennium because there will be no deaths or diseases. The promise by God to Abraham that he will be the father of children whose number is comparable to the stars will be fulfilled. Refer to Genesis 15:5

The rapture of the church will take place during or before the 1,260 days begin, and the believers left behind and do not receive the mark of the Antichrist, will join the raptured ones in heaven. Unfortunately, their heads will be cut off before they are rescued. The world population opposed to the Lord Jesus and have taken the mark of the beast (Antichrist) will be annihilated during the battle of Armageddon.

The raptured ones and the Old Testament saints will return accompanied by the Lord Jesus Christ to assist him to rule during the millennium. Abraham and the other patriarchs and leaders will be rewarded during this exciting time of the millennium. Real peace and prosperity (utopia) will be the order of the day. The deceiver will be in jail and so there will be no contact with the inhabitants of the earth.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit!  Open the eyes of those who believe and teach that God no longer deals with the Jews. 

   

THE DAY AND HOUR UNKNOWN apr19

REFERENCE: Matthew 24:36-40

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. v36

Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. v40

COMMENT: Jesus Christ is not walking in heaven wondering when he is coming to earth again. He knows exactly when he is coming. Before he was crucified, he announced that all authority had been restored to him. Refer to Matthew 28:18 and John 17:5.

The second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is in two separate events: one is referred to in verse 40 of the above scripture under reference. This is the rapture of the believers where one person will be taken and another left. 1Corin 15:51-52 and 1 Thess.4:16-17 refer to the rapture as well.

The second event which will follow the rapture is the physical arrival of the Lord Jesus to rescue his people in the battle of Armageddon. This will be the end of the Antichrist and the False Prophet who will be cast in the lake of fire alive. The armies of the Antichrist and all those who will be living on earth that time, except the Jews who will be hidden by God, will be annihilated. This will be the painful and anticipated end of the age.

This end of the age, is frightening to the devil himself and all non-believers. The issue is discussed more than most theological matters. However, the day and the hour he returns are kept secret by God for a good reason. Many false teachers have tried to point a day but have failed miserably.

In his wisdom, God has given us the ability to make choices to follow him or to reject him. To see the true believers and the false ones, the day of his return is kept secret.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit! Keep us alert for the coming of the Lord Jesus.   

Word for Life

"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
John 11:25-26

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He’s alive

‘He alone can believe in immortality who feels the resurrection in him already.Our Lord Jesus Christ lives. This is the hope provided to all those who believe in him. He promises that we too will rise when we die and live forever with him in eternity. Death is not the end, it is rather the beginning of our eternity in the wonderful presence of God; we should therefore not fear death.

We should also keep in mind that the scripture tells us to crucify our flesh with its desires and passions and die to ourselves every day. We are taught to live by the spirit and walk by the spirit. This means that our earthly nature which is the flesh that is governed by the soul, should die and give way to our spirit which after being born again, will grow and rise up to govern the soul and flesh and bring them into submission and into obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Easter period is over and many people spent it in different ways. How did you spend yours? I hope you took time to spend with the Lord and get closer to him. With the conclusion of the season, let us rededicate our lives to Jesus in true repentance and truly seek his face and as he promises, as we behold him, he will take us from glory to glory.

Word for Easter

The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
John 10:17-18

A time to thank GOD

‘I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be. All of us like receiving free things; this is why people rush to make all sorts of unnecessary purchases just because they are on sale. It is therefore quite puzzling that humans, who by nature don’t want to die and like free things, willingly reject the free gift of eternal life offered by God. The truth of this perhaps is that people don’t really realize that eternal life is a free gift from God; a gift that is neither earned nor deserved. They think, “Free gift”? That is too good to be true but it is. They think they have to earn their way to heaven and therefore spend their life in the bondage of trying to please God and end up feeling insignificant because they can never be good enough; this is why the young ruler asked Jesus, ‘What must I do to enter the kingdom.’

Jesus Christ was not killed on Easter Friday as most people put it but rather, that was when he laid his life down. They had tried to get him before but failed because it was not yet his time but when his time came, he surrendered in obedience to the father.

This Easter, let us take time to thank God for the gift of his son who though he did not sin, was accorded the punishment of the worst sins any of us can think about. This season should turn us back to God and our Lord Jesus Christ in praise and awe for what he did for us at the cross.

WATCH OUT! Apr 18

REFERENCE: Matthew 24:4-5(NIV)

Jesus answered, ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Christ” and will deceive many.

COMMENT:

 Non-believers do not bother much about Jesus Christ and for that reason are not likely to be deceived in the same way believers are taken for a ride. Even among the believers, it is those who are eagerly looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ who will be deceived first. They have read, discussed and taught about the soon return of the Lord and great interest has been created. As the going is getting tough every day, the expectation of Jesus’ return to evacuate mankind is even higher.

Mark 13:6 repeats the same issue of deception and warns that many will be mislead. It is the serious believers who pray and eagerly expect miracles who may be deceived easily. The Antichrist will receive supernatural powers (Refer to Revelation 13:13) and he will perform miracles at will. He will deceive many and they will follow him. His next step will be to force everybody to receive the mark of the beast on their faces and hands in order to transact any business.

 Muslims are expecting Al Mahdi to appear on earth and act in the same way as the Antichrist. Perhaps they are one and the same person. They are expected to bring peace in the entire world and win hearts of many. The whole world is looking for such a leader with the ability to solve persistent global problems.

Miracles can deceive many especially if the mainstream media, sides with the miracle worker. Within the given 3.5 initial years of his rule, the world will receive the mark of the beast. The rapture of the church will have taken place and those left behind will have to take the mark or their heads be cut off. However, there is hope for those whose heads are cut off. They will arrive in heaven holding their heads in their hands asking God to revenge for them. They will be comforted and be advised to hold on until more people arrive.  Refer to Revelation 6:10 and 11. The Jews will be protected somewhere by God until the Armageddon war takes place and Satan is defeated and the entire world population is wiped away. The Jews will be released from the protected place and then the millennium will begin.

The believers are advised not to look only at the miracles, but also the fruits produced by the miracle worker. Compare his behavior with the word of God and note the shortcomings. We are not to judge but only to inspect the fruit. Refer Matthew 7:16.

When the Antichrist’s time comes to an end after seven years from his installation, the Lord Jesus Christ will arrive from heaven with angels and the saints. He will fight the Antichrist in the battle of Armageddon, defeat him and send him with his assistant to the lake of burning fire. Satan will be placed in the bottomless pit for 1000 years (millennium).

Deception is a powerful tool for Satan and his two assistants (Antichrist and False Prophet). Their spirits are misleading many even today. This is the reason why heresies are being taught in many places. The elect are also being misled especially those who are not responsible to anybody and do not watch and pray. Money and fame are also used to entice them.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit! Open our ears so that we can hear the sound of the watchmen shouting.

 

Word for Today

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1

Dealing with Guilt and shame

‘Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change. All of us have dealt with guilt and shame in one way or the other. We feel guilty because of shameful things we have done, things we have done to other people and for sinning against God overall. But there comes a moment where each of us has to push aside these feelings so as to enjoy life.

You see guilt is like a heavy burden that we carry around and our shame is like a huge wall that we try to hide behind. We are afraid that if this wall comes down, we will be totally exposed and everyone will realize who we really are. So we go around life with a mask on, acting our way around life and projecting an image which we want other people to see rather than whom we really are. This is not the freedom that Jesus promised. In His death, Christ purchased freedom for us and we don’t have to live in guilt and shame anymore.

So the next time you feel guilty about your past, just remember that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. We have been forgiven and the Lord has broken away the chains holding us captive to our past thus taking away our shame. Now we can live in everlasting freedom.

 Hallelujah!

ABOMINATION CAUSING DESOLATION apr17

REFERENCES: Matthew 24: 15-16 & Luke 21: 20-22(NIV)

So when you see standing in the holy place, “the abomination that causes desolation”, spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.

COMMENT:

 The holy place is the temple in Jerusalem where the Roman soldiers entered in AD70 and destroyed not only the city but also the temple which was the pride of the Jews. The Lord Jesus talking to his disciples told them to get out of the city, and not enter it when they see armies surrounding Jerusalem. The reason for warning them is because of what was going to happen about 40 years later in AD 70. What we call crime against humanity today, is what was carried out by the savage Roman soldiers. The plan to wipe out the Jews was put in the soldiers by Satan himself who always wants to eliminate God’s children.

Thank God in AD 70, the Jews did not delay but ran away from their land. Some went as far as Europe, Asia and even North Africa. Although many who did not heed the warning were massacred, the Jews nation was not exterminated as planned by the evil one. It is in fact the Romans who lost their empire and later were completely wiped out. Unlike the Jews, today only their language exists. Nobody speaks Latin as a native language or can be referred to as a Roman, even the current Pope.

Hebrew language spoken during the time of the Romans is the same language spoken today by over six million people in Israel. Satan has failed to wipe them out of the world map and it is not possible despite constant threats by Iran and other Muslims.

The abomination that causes desolation will be experienced once again soon. When the new temple is constructed, the Anti-Christ in his second half of his rule on earth will enter the temple and demand that the Jews worship him as God. The Jews will not agree to worship him and therefore he will begin to persecute them. He will massacre them, but eventually their God will rescue them by sending them to a save place. He will lead them to Petra and take care of them up to the end of the battle of Armageddon when the Lord Jesus Christ will defeat Satan, the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet.

Finally, the end will come.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit! Teach us to treasure the truth so that we can wait patiently

DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE apr14

REFERENCE: Matthew 24:2 (Mark 13:2, Luke 21:5) NIV

“Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone will be left on another, every one will be thrown down”.

COMMENT:

 i24 News last night (Sunday 13 April 2014) carried a full documentary on the completed plans for construction of the long awaited Jewish temple in Jerusalem. The new temple will be the third to be put up. The first one was constructed by King Solomon (plans and building materials were provided by his father King David). It was a magnificent building and the pride of the Jews. NB. The detailed plans were actually given by God Himself according to the bible and it is not just any building and cannot be constructed anywhere. It must be in Jerusalem on the plot where the first one stood.

The first temple was destroyed by the Babylonians after fighting the Jews, defeating them and then carrying them away as slaves to Babylon. The second temple which is commonly referred to as Herod’s Temple was built after the return from Babylon.

The Herod’s temple was there during the Roman Empire and during the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. This is the temple Jesus prophesied that it would be destroyed and no stone would be left on another. In AD 70, exactly what had been foretold happened. The poor Jews were again persecuted, massacred and forced out of their land and scattered all over the world. The city of Jerusalem was burnt down and destroyed completely. Satan, the god of this world according to the powers surrendered to him by Adam, was out to destroy the entire Jewish nation so that the God’s future plans could be thwarted. Replacement theology which is being promoted these days is in the same league as destruction of the Jews. They teach that Christians are the Jews of today because God finished with the true Jews. They disregard Romans 11 which teaches that God is yet to reward the Jews. It is deliberate ignorance by the theologians and will lead to other sins which will deliver them to the evil one.

The warning by the Lord Jesus that the Jews run away immediately without delay when they see Jerusalem surrounded by armies partly refers to AD 70.  It also refers to the Anti-Christ entering the new temple in future, and demanding to be worshiped by the Jews and when they refuse, persecutions begin.

Please note carefully that the new and final temple will be constructed soon despite bitter opposition by Muslims all over the world.  Muslims have lots of both human and financial resources but the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is with his people. We are soon to witness the showdown.

We are in the final days. GET READY!!!

PRAYER: Holy Spirit! Teach us to stay awake with our hearts full of YOU.