End Times Perspective
In light of the recent predictions of the Rapture that did not materialize, my good friend Steven Davis provides this look at end times prophecy:
It’s a Matter of Perspective
I began writing this 20 minutes after the earthquake that was to end all earthquakes had failed to herald the end of life as we know it. No Judgment Day. No Rapture. Life goes on. So as you look at the lack of transpired events, don’t jump to conclusions based on a faulty perspective. One, and only one, influential and misguided man does not represent the Church. Nor does he represent the theological position most of Christianity holds so dearly. His perspective was only his, and as seen, was flawed.
There was another faulty perspective, one illustrated in a military campaign from the biblical times. A couple of millennia ago, there was a king in Jerusalem who was surrounded by an invading army from Assyria. Let’s start with comments from one of the Assyrian King’s lieutenants:
Then Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, “What is this confidence that you have? But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’? Have I now come up without the LORD’S approval against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’” (2 Kings 18:19, 22, 25)
Now it is true that Hezekiah had taken away the high places and altars. But there are three huge assumptions based on a faulty perspective at work here.
They were not the high places and altars of the Lord God; rather they belonged to false gods from other cultures who were foolishly worshipped at times by the Jews. Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. (2 Kings 18:1-4)
Hezekiah may have said: “You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem”, but his understanding came from what the LORD had said to David: He said to me, “Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts” (1 Chronicles 28:6); and to Solomon: The LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. (1 Kings 9:3) Where the LORD’s house and courts were, where He had placed His name, and where His eyes and heart perpetually were, that is where His worship must be.
The third misconception derived from this flawed perspective was that he, the King of Assyria, had been called by God to destroy the Jews.
Later in the confrontation we catch him contradicting himself:
Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. “Thus says the king, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from my hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ‘Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? ‘Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their land from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’” (2 Kings 18:28-30, 33-35)
So at one point the king of Assyria was saying he was following the Lord’s command to destroy the Jews, and the next he’s relegated the LORD with some backwater, tribal, false demigods. Why obey such a random and obscure supposed deity?
By now you’re probably asking: What does this have to do with the judgment day? I’m glad you asked. Hopefully you’ve seen that the king of Assyria and his lieutenant have a pretty messed up perspective as did the man predicting the massive earthquake that was to have happened today. I’m asking you to not suffer the same mistake. Don’t get your perspective from one solitary man. Get your perspective from Christ.
Judgment Day is coming. The Rapture is coming. Jesus is coming… just not today. Hear the words of Christ, trust Him, and get your perspective from Him:
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. (Matt 24:36-44)
So did we dodge a bullet? No, because the gun was never fired. When Mr. Camping proclaimed: “The Bible guarantees it”, he was right; he just had no business of assigning a date. You still have an opportunity to come to Christ today; to confess Him as Lord today. That’s why the Judgment Day didn’t come today. There are still some, maybe you, on whom the Lord God is waiting to come to Him.
No, Jesus didn’t come today. Judgment Day didn’t fall upon us, nor did Rapture raise us. Still, I join with the Apostle Paul as he cries out at the end of his letter to the Corinthians: Maranatha! (Our Lord come).
Do You KNOW Him?
It Is Finished
Often during the music worship time at church I am taken back to that moment in history where Jesus Christ hung on a cross and was punished for the sins of the world. In my mind's eye I see the entire universe, all of creation, and all of time, pivoting on that moment.
The Old Testament Saints were looking forward to the cross in faith and the New Testament Saints look back. That remarkable moment that affected future and past. Where God righted our wrong once and for all and for all time, past, present and future.
Several years ago I wrote how God showed me that it was the joy of my salvation (and yours) that gave Jesus strength as He went to the cross. It's a similar message that Musicianaries "Take No Glory" share in their song, "He Didn't Die in Vain."
Check out all of their music. They give it away for free!
John 19:30
“Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”
The story doesn’t end there. Jesus rose from the dead on the 3rd day! He appeared to His disciples and many others over a period of 40 days and then He ascended into Heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for the saints.
We are born with a sin nature thanx to the original sin committed by Adam, but God fixed it. Only He could. Sin (falling short of God’s perfection) demands a payment. Death. Jesus paid that price so God could be both Righteous and Love.
Righteous because God can’t say that sin brings death and then lie by not punishing sin. Because of God’s Love He sentenced His Son to our death so we could live with Him forever! It was the only way. That’s why Jesus said that the only way to the Father is through Him. And so it is. Finished. All you have to do is believe.
He is risen!
Luke 24 (NASB)
The Resurrection
1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing;
5and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?
6 “He is not here, but He has risen Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee,
7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”
8 And they remembered His words,
9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.
11 But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.
12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.
The Road to Emmaus
13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.
15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.
16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.
17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad.
18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?”
19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people,
20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.
21 “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.
22 “But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning,
23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.
24 “Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”
25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”
27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther.
29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them.
30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”
33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them,
34 saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.”
35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Other Appearances
36 While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.”
37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.
38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39 “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41 While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
42 They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish;
43 and He took it and ate it before them.
44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,
47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
48 “You are witnesses of these things.
49 “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
The Ascension
50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53 and were continually in the temple praising God.
God's Wrath?
A very respected pastor has made a dire prediction. That many of the nations, and the worlds, cities will soon be infernos. Pastor David Wilkerson is quoted in a World Net Daily exclusive:
David Wilkerson, author of “The Cross and the Switchblade,” a book about his ministry to troubled New York street kids that was later made into a movie starring Pat Boone, tells readers of his blog this weekend that he is “compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message” about his prediction.
“An earth-shattering calamity is about to happen,” he writes. “It is going to be so frightening, we are all going to tremble – even the godliest among us.”
He is quoted later in the article saying that it will be God pouring out His wrath in judgment on sinful nations. This is where I feel compelled to interject. While I don’t disagree that some horrible disaster might be on the horizon, I do NOT believe it will be God’s wrath!
We live in a fallen world and we have an enemy. Satan and a third of the angels have been cast out of Heaven. Revelation 12:12 says:
12“For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”
Yes, the devil is not happy. He hates you. You are made in God’s image. He wants to destroy God, but since he can’t, he’s after you and your testimony.
Now don’t get me wrong. God hates sin and He has, is, and will, deal with it. Just not the way some people think. First, God dealt with sin on the cross. He poured out His wrath on Jesus so He wouldn’t have to pour it out on you! If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior than the Bible says that you are redeemed from the curse of the law. That’s good news! That’s THE good news!
Abraham knew God and He knew God’s character. The LORD and a couple of His angels were on their way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham made a plea on Sodom’s behalf. You can read the whole thing in Genesis 18, but here’s a revealing snippet:
25“Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”
26So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.”
Abraham knew that God wouldn’t deal with the righteous unrighteously! God only found one righteous man in Sodom and he got Lot and his family out first before He destroyed the place. God’s character hasn’t changed.
After 911 many pastors said God was judging America for our sins. Same after Hurricane Katrina. Do you think there were 10 righteous believers in those planes that hit the twin towers? In the Pentagon? In New Orleans?
Prepare for hard times? Sure. It’s good to recognize the season and the times we are in. Blame God for it? No. I’m gonna blame our enemy and use uncertain times to tell people about a loving God who died for them so they don’t have to. A God who wants to make their future solid in Him.
Jesus said all of these things must come to pass. He is working out His plan. Jesus also said not to worry because He had overcome the world! We can overcome the world too, but only if we know Jesus; as Savior, as Lord and as a friend. I have no doubt that Pastor Wilkerson would agree. The bottom line to what I believe Pastor is saying is what Jesus is saying. Know God, make Him known and trust Him with your life no matter what.
This is the Day the Lord Has Made
Psalm 118:24 (NASB):
This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
If you are a Christian then you’ve likely heard this verse many many times. But in my humble opinion it is under applied. Not in frequency of application, but in actual application.
I do not disagree that the Bible has a lot to say about having joy in life. Having life and having it more abundantly. That each day is a gift from God. Yes, let us rejoice and be glad every day! Great idea! But if you stop there with this verse you are missing a wonderful blessing.
Let’s back up a few verses and reexamine what the Psalmist is getting at here. Let’s start in verse 20:
20This is the gate of the LORD;
The righteous will enter through it.
21I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me,
And You have become my salvation.
22The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief corner stone.
23This is the LORD’S doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25O LORD, do save, we beseech You;
O LORD, we beseech You, do send prosperity!
26Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD;
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
27The LORD is God, and He has given us light;
Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
You are my God, I extol You.
29Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
There is a lot there, so I’ll just get to the heart of it. In verse 21 the Psalmist says, “you have become my salvation.” In verse 22 “the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.” Corner stone? That sounds familiar.
Ephesians 2:19-21 explains it very well:
19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
In the Gospels, Jesus also quotes from Psalm 118 when he tells the parable of the landowner. Here in Ephesians Paul spells it out. Jesus is the cornerstone! We (if you believe in Christ) are the living stones that are being built up on the foundation of the prophets and the apostles, with Jesus as the very cornerstone!
So. Back to Psalm 118:24. What is the day we rejoice and be glad in? The day that Jesus Christ became the sacrifice for our sins and became the cornerstone for us! It is the gate of the Lord that the righteous will enter. (verse 20) Not because of our righteousness, but the very righteousness of God that He gives us when we trust Jesus.
He has become our salvation! (verse 21) It’s the Lord’s doing. (verse 23) It is a gift we receive from Him. It is not deserved, but the benefit is HUGE! We become sons and daughters of God! We become co-heirs with Christ! We who come in the name of the Lord are blessed! (verse 26) God has given us the light of the world which is Jesus (verse 27) We give thanks to God because of His lovingkindness that will last forever! (verse 28 & 29)
So, yeah. I say rejoice in every day. It is a gift from God. But next time you hear someone say, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it,” think about what that really means. God’s only son who was God made flesh died for you so that you could enter into His presence and live there forever! The day that He did that for the whole world is worthy of our praise EVERY DAY indeed!!!
Bible Sayings
Ever listen to people talk? Sure, not to would be just rude! It’s really cool to hear folks use phrases that come out of the Bible. The Bible’s impact on literature and society goes deeper than you might think. Here are a few of my favorite sayings that come from the Bible. I’ll add more as more come to mind.
A Leopard Can’t Change it’s Spots
I’m sure you’ve heard that a Leopard can’t change it’s spots? They heard it way back in Jeremiah’s time too! It was written in the scrolls around 600 B.C. Here’s Jeremiah 13:23:
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin
or the leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
who are accustomed to doing evil
Better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt – Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln was possibly our most spiritual President. Drawing on God for strength during a very trying time in our history. He also knew scripture! Compare his quote above to this out of the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 17 verse 28:
28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning if he holds his tongue.
Don’t Let Your Left Hand Know What Your Right Hand is Doing
You might have complained about a company that is so disorganized, “The left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing over there.” While this phrase is usually used as a criticism these days it wasn’t always so. Jesus said that when we give we should do it not to be seen by men, but to keep it between us and God. Matthew 6:3:
3“But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
Fall on Your Sword
You might “Fall on your sword” for a co-worker, so they don’t get in trouble. Or, maybe you just messed up and you are going to fall on your sword and accept the consequences. King Saul fell on his sword once, but only once. 1 Samuel 31:4&5:
4Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me ” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid So Saul took his sword and fell on it.
5When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.
Go the Extra Mile
How many times have you been encouraged to “Go the extra mile” for someone? When Israel was conquered by the Romans, an Israelite could be asked by any Roman soldier to carry his armor a mile. “But I have to be home, my wife is expecting me.” It didn’t matter. You had to do it. No excuses. Here’s how Jesus said we should respond in Matthew 5:41-42:
41“Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.
42“Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
Head on a Platter
Well, that’s never good. It certainly wasn’t for John the Baptist. King Herod had married his brother’s sister (that’s weird) and John the Baptist told the King that such a thing wasn’t legal (it’s weird too). Not a good idea to argue with the King if you want to stay out of prison. Of course, John was thrown in prison, but Herod was afraid of John, because he knew that John was a righteous man. So, Herod is having a party and his wife’s daughter (technically, Herod’s stepdaughter AND niece! weird) dances for the king. Herod was so pleased with the dance he says, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half my kingdom.” Here’s what happened next in Mark 6:24-28:
24And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
25Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her.
27Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded in the prison,
28and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
Needless to say, the Disciples were sad when they got the news. Good thing these days, “Head on a Platter” is just an expression!
He Will Take the Shirt Off Your Back/He Will Give You the Shirt Off His Back
Matthew 5:40 says:
40“If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also.
I guess if you really want to sue me for my shirt, I have an extra coat you can have too!
I barely escaped by the skin of my teeth.
Job can tell you more about that in Job 19:20:
20“My bone clings to my skin and my flesh,
And I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.”
If you are married, never go to bed mad at each other and you will have a long and happy marriage.
I remember when I got married, I was told the same thing. I wasn’t a Christian then and unfortunately didn’t take the advice. The scripture that this advice is based on is Ephesians 4:26:
26“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the Sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.
When I was much younger I tried stand-up comedy a few times. One of the few jokes that got laughs was, “When I got married I was told, if you never go to bed mad at each other you’ll have a long, happy, marriage. So, after three years of no sleep, I’m divorced…”
Pulling Your Hair Out!
Ever get so fed up and frustrated that you wanted to pull your hair out? Yeah. Ezra to:
Ezra 1: 1After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 2 They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”
3 When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.
There’s Nothing New Under the Sun
Solomon was very wise. The wisest King ever! (see 2 Chronicles 1:12) He wrote Ecclesiastes at the end of his life. He took his knowledge, mixed it with a lifetime of experience and added revelation from God. Solomon sums up a man’s life like this: The most important thing is to “Fear God and keep His commandments” – Ecclesiastes 12:13. Earlier in the book, Ecclesiastes 1:9, Solomon points out:
9That which has been is that which will be,
And that which has been done is that which will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun.
Thorn in My Side
Is someone bugging you? Are they a thorn in your side? It’s even a song by the Eurythmics. Thorns have been in peoples sides for a long time. When God was leading Israel to, and into, the Promised Land, He warned them about the inhabitants of the land. Judges 2:3 is a good example of what God was saying:
3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
The inhabitants in the land these days are temptation and sin. Be careful what you let into your heart because out of your heart flow the issues of your life! Entertaining sin in your life, or allowing it into your life can end up being a snare to you, and a Thorn in Your Side. Thankfully, we have Jesus we can run to and receive forgiveness and a clean heart. See 1 John 1:9 :-)
Writing On the Wall
Should’ve seen the handwriting on the wall. Or, “it’s gonna happen, you can see the writing on the wall.” There was a hand writing on the wall in ancient Babylon, and the news was not so good for young King Belshazzar. See, he decided to throw a party and use the “gold vessels” that had been taken out of the Temple in Jerusalem when Babylon conquered Israel. They were having such a great party! …and then in Daniel 5:5&6:
5Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing.
6Then the king’s face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together.
Daniel was called in to interpret. You can read it here. Let’s just say the news was not good for the young king. He was killed that very night. No hand’s writing on any walls for me please!
Knees Knocking Together
It’s right there in the story above! How cool is that?
You Don’t Know the Half of It
When the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon, she was amazed at his knowledge. Not only were the rumors true, but she hadn’t heard the half of it!
1 Kings 10-6:8
6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom.
7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame which I heard.
8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.
You Can Trust God's Word
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Pastor Scott Richards is the host of Scott Richards Live heard on stations across the U.S., and Pastor of Calvary Christian Fellowship in Tucson. Don’t forget to read Pastor Scott’s Blog for insights into current events!
This morning (Sunday, April 27, 2008) Pastor Scott gave us insight into a prophecy that Daniel received about 2,500 years ago. It was so specific that you could set your watch to it and it came true to the day!
It’s found in Daniel Chapter 9 verse 25:
25 “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.
A week represents 7 years. The Angel Gabriel is telling Daniel the he is to “know and discern” the meaning of what God was saying. God was not, and is not, hiding His plans from us. No. He is REVEALING them! And so He did to Daniel here (and us).
Sir Robert Anderson wrote a book, “The Coming Prince.” In it, he crunches all the numbers and based on the Jewish calendar that had 360 day years, with odd months thrown in to keep it all timed out over time. The decree to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem occurred on March 14, 445 B.C. You can read more about that in Nehemiah 2. Seven weeks (49 years) and sixty-two weeks (434 years) adds up to 483 years, or 173,880 days. According to Sir Richards’ math, that 173,880th day was the FIRST Palm Sunday! April 6, 32 A.D. Read more about that day in Luke 19
Better yet, enjoy the sermon in it’s entirety, linked here as an .mp3:
God’s Word – Can You Trust It?
Not just another reason to believe, but an awesome example of a sovergn God who knows everything and is in ultimate control over everything. You can trust Him to know that He is real and has the power to save you. You can trust Him when He says that He will never leave nor forsake you! God Loves You! He has the power to demonstrate it. Always. No matter what!
Married to Christ
If you are a Christian you are married to Christ! Ephesians 5 talks about this great mystery. God has an awesome plan for His bride that He has revealed through a combination of scripture and through the picture of a Jewish Wedding.
Listen and be very blessed and encouraged as Pastor Ben Martinez of Calvary Chapel Lubbock reveals God’s wedding plans for you and I!
Marriage Supper of the Lamb
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Pastor Ben Martinez is the Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Lubbock. His support is from his beautiful wife Nathalie and his two lovely daughters, Talia and Maranda. Ben started out in normal Calvary fashion… in the nursery! From there, Ben served at Calvary Chapel in Santa Fe, and in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, in various roles. Most recently he was the Assistant Pastor at Calvary Chapel in Rio Rancho. During the four years that Ben served as an assistant Pastor at Calvary Chapel Rio Rancho, he was being trained to go out and plant a church. After being ordained in November 2002, the Lord began to work on the heart of Ben, as well as the heart of his Pastor and family, that it was time to step out and begin a “new work” in Texas.
Read more about Pastor Ben at Calvary Chapel Lubbock’s Web Site
Communion
Communion is much more than eating the bread and drinking the juice in remembrance of what Jesus did for us on the cross until He comes again. Pastor Duane Sheriff teaches on Communion with a depth and clarity that will excite you to know that you are part of God’s Kingdom forever! The most exciting part of that is you can now know Him better and better forever! Enjoy this hour long teaching on Communion:
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Pastor Duane Sheriff is the Pastor of Victory Life Church in Durant, Oklahoma. Pastor Sheriff’s desire to make God’s Word available to everyone burned in his heart. Many times the people that need tapes the most are least able to pay for them. Pastor Duane started a FREE tape ministry in 1984 and has sown over 6.5 million cassette tapes and CD’s into people’s lives! God continues to bless Duane Sheriff Ministries. Pastor Duane can be seen in the United States on Sky Angel, and on many other television stations and networks. Victory Life Church even has their own cable channel seen in Durant!
You can also attend services over the web and discuss those messages during the week.
Pastor Duane’s quick wit and great sense of humor make him fun to listen too. His immense knowledge of God’s Word make his messages life changing! “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Let Pastor Duane plant, and water, some seeds in your heart. As you yield to God’s Word, He will give the increase!
To order tapes from Duane Sheriff Ministries, here’s the contact information:
Duane Sheriff Ministries
P.O. Box 427
Durant, Oklahoma 74702
(580) 920-1791
On the web: www.dsheriff.org
