What does the BIBLE teach about Israel and the Jews?

by Amir Tsarfati (from a Behold Israel Bible bites’ Devotional)

In an age where Replacement Theology (that the church has replaced Israel) is dominant in the church and antisemitism is growing in the the world, just as the Bible said it would, Jesus gives us a very timely reminder through the dividing of the sheep from the goats.

Genesis 17:7

“And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.”

The reminder for us today is that everlasting means everlasting. God has established a covenant with the descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob that stands yet to this day. This covenant includes what the Lord first said to Abram when he called him out of the land he was dwelling in, to a land occupied by the Canaanites that would become the “everlasting possession” of the Jewish people. (Genesis 17:8)

Genesis 12:3

“I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Since this was true in Genesis and the dividing of the sheep and goats takes place at the end of the tribulation, this means from inception to final fruition. Therefore the blessings and cursing associated with the treatment of the Jews is true today.

Some would say there are many familiar names who held or hold to Replacement Theology. May I remind you that the One who bears the name above all names is the one speaking in the Olivet Discourse and He says that the treatment of the Jews by the Gentiles during the 70th week of Daniel will reveal what was truly in their hearts. The sheep will care for and love on the Jews while the goats will be indifferent to their plight. Joel 3:1-3 makes the point for us;
“For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land. They have cast lots for My people, Have given a boy as payment for a harlot, And sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.”

“At that time” indicates a future event to Joel which is now history to us. This is the regathering of the Jews into the land given to them by the covenant. The consequences of cursing Israel is also underscored by what Jesus said as He concluded his comments concerning the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:41-46 – “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Understand this does not mean that Gentiles will be saved by their “good works” toward the Jews during the tribulation, it does mean that Gentiles who are born again (made righteous) during the tribulation are going to understand the Jews are the chosen people of God and He is finishing His discipline of His chosen people, and through that, opening their eyes to “look upon the One whom they pierced” and will realize the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is the one whom Pilate called, The King of the Jews!

The 4 Progressive Steps to Apostasy

Written by Mike Gendron – Intro by Day Ashton

Jesus Himself warns us a number of times, “Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you“(Matt 24:4) and in Mark 13:5-6 “Jesus began to say to them, “Be careful and see to it that no one misleads you.  Many will come in My name [misusing My name or claiming to be the Messiah], saying, ‘I am He!’ and will deceive and mislead many”.  This deception is happening before our very eyes both within the church and secular society as a whole.  This excellent article by Mike Gendron shows clearly the deception in the church and the downward spiral to apostasy.  This is  a must-read …

 

​​Throughout the 2000 year history of the Church, we have seen a continual departure of people and churches from the faith of the apostles. As incredibly tragic as this has been, it should not surprise us because Paul warned: “The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1).  Shortly after our Lord began building His Church, the apostle John records one of the first occurrences of apostasy. “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19).  Since then, many other professing Christians, churches, denominations, and seminaries, who once upheld the truth and authority of God’s Word, have drifted into apostasy. One of the interesting characteristics of apostasy is that it does not happen overnight. It actually develops over a period of time th
rough a process that can be categorized into four steps.

First Step into Apostasy

​​

God’s Word is neglected as the
supreme authority for faith and practice.

• Man’s words and wisdom become as important as God’s Word.
• Traditions and movements of men cause confusion and divided loyalties.
• People start following “Christian” personalities instead of the Word of God.
• Pastors discard the Lord’s blue print for building His church and create their own strategy.
• Pastors win the approval of men for the size of their church, rather than their faithfulness and fidelity to God’s Word.
• The power of the Gospel is weakened by compromise and made more inclusive to gain a larger following.
• Biblical evangelism is replaced by man’s methods of conversion.
• Churches give people what they want instead of what they need.
• The pursuit of sanctification is neglected.
• Biblical warnings to expose false teachers are ignored. A little leaven in the form of heresy is allowed to circulate.
• Contenders for the faith are labeled as divisive and intolerant.
• Women are allowed to teach men.

Second Step into Apostasy

 ​​

Scripture is twisted and distorted for self-serving agendas.

• Truth becomes subjective and relative.
• Doctrinal error and sin are tolerated by pastors who neglect their responsibility to protect the sheep.
• Satan sows his tares with little resistance.
• Pastors become more determined to build their own church rather than the Lord’s church.
• The Gospel becomes more inclusive to attract more people.
• Expository preaching is replaced by topical messages.
• Biblical ignorance in the pew provides fertile ground for false teachers to prosper.
• Trials and persecution expose dead and spurious faith.
• The exhortation to contend earnestly for the faith is ignored.
• People honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him.
• “Infallible” men claim to be successors of the apostles and are embraced as brothers-in-Christ.
• Ungodly men creep in and turn the grace of our God into licentiousness.
• Contenders for the faith are asked to leave.

Third Step into Apostasy

​​

Entertainment, idolatry, liturgy and rituals have
replaced the Lord Jesus from the central focus of worship.

• Pastors are more interested in entertaining the goats than feeding the sheep.
• Ear-tickling messages give people what they want instead of what they need.
• Sound doctrine and truth is suppressed for the sake of ecumenical unity.
• Hearts become hardened and love for God grows cold.
• Doctrinal error flourishes and is embraced with stubborn pride.
• There is no love for the truth and no discernment.
• People stand for nothing and fall for everything.
• A form of godliness exists, but it’s void of power.
• Idolatry is practiced and encouraged.
• Sin and immoral lifestyles are tolerated.
• Women are ordained as pastors.

Fourth Step into Apostasy

​​

Teaching is heavily influenced by doctrines of demons.
Jesus has been removed from the church. Deception is full-blown.

• Lying signs and wonders, including apparitions, are embraced as messages from God or Mary.
• Idolatry and prayers to the dead are encouraged.
• Those who proclaim the Gospel truth are condemned with anathema or put to death.

• Grace is turned into a license to sin.
• There is no longer any evidence of the fruit of the Spirit.
• God’s grace and forgiveness are sold for a price.
• The church’s lamp stand has been removed, and a certain terrifying judgment is now unavoidable.

Are you in a church or denomination drifting into apostasy?

Perhaps you are in a church or denomination that is drifting into apostasy. Will Jesus Christ use you to contend earnestly for the faith and protect the sanctity of His Church? In these last days of growing apostasy and deception, we all need to heed the warning of Peter and encourage others to do the same: “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position” (2 Peter 3:17). Will you defend the glory and honor of our great God and Saviour and protect the purity of His Gospel?

May God’s Word exhort and encourage us to fight the good fight of faith!

(Article used with permission)

If you have questions about this topic or anything related, please do not hesitate to contact Mike Gendron(1) via his website, Proclaiming the Gospel

or

contact me, Day Ashton, at indefenceofthefaith77@gmail.com

 

(1)Mike Gendron – For over 34 years, Evangelist Mike Gendron was a devout Roman Catholic and a strong defender of the “one true church.” He was taught from a very early age, to trust and rely on the church, its priests, the sacraments and his own good works for salvation. However in 1981 while attending an evangelical seminar, he realized the Bible is the supreme authority for knowing truth.  Find out much more about Mike and his tremendous ministry to the honour of His Saviour, at his website, PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL

 

It’s not a matter of luck!

This is a quote I saw this morning in an email I received …

“Life is fragile: Yet it is relative. It thrives only in a narrow range of temperatures between freezing and boiling. How lucky that our planet is just the right distance from the sun: a little farther, and the death of the perpetual Antarctic winter – or worse – would prevail; a little closer, and the surface would truly fry anything that touched it.”

Immediately it came to my mind that it’s not a matter of “luck” that our planet is just the right distance from the sun.  Oh no, absolutely not.

Genesis 1:1 tells us: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” There was Someone who set it all up; Someone who created this amazing planet and universe of ours. And this Someone who created the heavens and the earth is Jesus … “In the beginning the Word (Jesus) already existed. The Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word (Jesus) gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone”. (John 1:1-4)

I always find it ludicrous to think that highly educated and scientific folk can believe a lie which is being perpetuated day after day and fed to generation after generation.  Put in realistic terms, they believe and teach that “first there was nothing, then it blew up and then nothing became everything gradually and without direction” (that is simply what the big bang and evolutionary theory is in reality and certainly it is ridiculous to its very core – but don’t get me started!).

No, we serve an awesome and powerful God.   “For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17)

Yesterday I posted a quote I’d recently read which said: “You’re not man-made, so you can’t be man changed”.  God created man in His own image.  He created us for His glory.  Unfortunately, the evil one caused those God had created to sin and thus the relationship with God was broken.  BUT GOD … He knew this would happen and He already had a plan in place to bring us back into a perfect relationship with Himself.   Jesus … He died in our place. He took the punishment of OUR sin on HIM (who knew no sin) at Calvary.  If we are willing to repent of our sin and put our trust in Him, He will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and restore fellowship with God.   AND … when we come into a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, HE makes ALL THINGS NEW.   The New Living Translation puts it like this: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Cor 5:17)   I love the way the Amplified Bible puts this verse … so very clear: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Saviour], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].”

John W Peterson (1921 – 2006) was a marvellous songwriter in the 50-70s. He wrote a beautiful song that sums up what I’ve been talking about.   In fact, how he came to write it was wonderful in and of itself.   He had been an air-force pilot and often flew over rugged mountains, etc.  One day as he flew and observed the rugged terrain below and the glories of the heavens above, he was overwhelmed by the power of our Creator and the glory of His creation in general. Then the thought gripped him, that the same God who created this universe with its never-ending wonders was the God who loved him and sent His only begotten Son to take his place on the cross. John Peterson then said: “I was quite overwhelmed as I began to think of these two aspects of God’s power and love; and suddenly, the words of a new song began to form in my heart. Within a very short time, I was sketching the words and melody of a new song.”   It took a miracle …

My Father is omnipotent,
And that you can’t deny;
A God of might and miracles-
‘Tis written in the sky.

CHORUS:
It took a miracle to put the stars in place,
It took a miracle to hang the world in space;
But when He saved my soul,
Cleansed and made me whole,
It took a miracle of love and grace!

Though here His glory has been shown,
We still can’t fully see
The wonders of His might, His throne-
‘Twill take eternity.

The Bible tells us of His power
And wisdom all way through,
And every little bird and flower
Are testimonies too.

 

If you want to know more about getting to know the Lord Jesus personally, CLICK HERE for free information.

Who is to blame?

When things go wrong, people are quick to blame others … not themselves.  Many even go as far as blaming God!

Even extra marital affairs and lifestyle issues are so often blamed on God.  Just this morning I read an example of this: “If God didn’t want me to leave my wife and fall in love with (name) and marry her, why did He bring her into my life?”

I am sure you can think of many other types of examples of people irrationally blaming God for the pickle they are in or a situation that has arisen and has become an incredibly serious issue with dire consequences.

The Bible in James 1:13 tells us very clearly: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” As the New Living Translation puts it: “And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else.”  God NEVER tempts anyone to sin!  Verses 14 and 15 of James one gives it to us straight: “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”   In fact, “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow” (James 1:17)

We need to think carefully before we go blaming others, and more importantly, God.  Solomon, in his God-given wisdom, warned us to be careful about being rash with our words: “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God…” (Ecclesiastes 5:2)

We do not always understand why things happen as they do.   But, it is not for us to blame God.  If you do not understand why things have happened as they have, or you want to question God, then ask Him directly, BUT do so reverently, remembering that He IS God!

We do tend to become worried and upset when things go wrong, but take heart and remember He has promised to help us and be with us through it all … “… do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

J Sidlow Baxter put it so well: “God doesn’t want to keep changing your circumstances; He wants to change you”.

If you have never got to know the Lord Jesus Christ personally as your Saviour and Lord, please don’t delay in taking that step.  Find out more today.

Bad News? … Good News? …

I was so blessed by an article in the online version of Decision Magazine Devotional this morning, I had to share a few extracts from it with you all …

“Paul established this balance in Romans 1, saying he was not ashamed of the Gospel because it is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (verse 16). But then, in verse 18, he wrote, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness.” This theological tension reminds us we’ll never appreciate the Good News until we understand the bad news. It’s the bad news that compels the Good News to be supplied. Wrath summons mercy and grace …

God’s wrath is the result of our sin. He isn’t just randomly angry, or wrathful by nature; going back to Eden, we have offended Him by our sinful behavior, based on our choices to do things our way instead of His. But He wants us to come back to Him—His goodness should lead us to repentance, but true repentance starts only when we fully realize that we are sinners, that we deserve God’s judgment…

The entire world is guilty before God, including any who consider themselves to be just and moral people. No one keeps every part of God’s law perfectly. Paul wrote, “We know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). God never changes; He is always perfect, holy, just and righteous. We’ve all fallen short of God’s standards, we all deserve His judgment, and we’ll never find a solution for our predicament apart from Him…

But God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). In fact, He is willing to suffer if that’s what it takes to turn our hearts back to Him. That’s where Jesus comes in. He bought back—with His own blood—the possibility that we can be in God’s favour, and when we receive Him as our risen Lord and Saviour, God passes over our sins “that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). God paid the price we could never pay because not only is He eternally holy and just, He is also eternally loving and, until the end of this age of grace, continually merciful and forgiving. That’s the Good News—and oh, is it good! …

The Bible makes it clear that God’s wrath is coming. He has given us one way out: Jesus Christ. What He has not given us is a list of excuses for why we can’t use His exit strategy. Once we’re a new creation in Christ, He will give us what we need to overcome old habits that incur wrath and start new ones that honor Him.”

Extracts taken from the Original article published as “Bad News, Good News: God’s Wrath and Mercy” by Skip Heitzig   •   June 6, 2018
Decision Magazine –

This World is Not our Home

Do you remember the brilliant song … This World is not my home?  It goes on to say, “I can’t feel at home in this world anymore”  Well that is certainly how I feel.   How about you?

This is why when I think of the prospect of the Lord coming to take us to be with Him imminently, it really excites me.  Whilst exciting for those who are ready to meet the Lord, those of us who know Him as our Lord and Saviour are longing for those who do not yet know Him, to get to know Him and to be ready when that trumpet sounds and we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air.  

We do not know the day nor the hour, but the LORD tells us what to look for as the day of His return draws near.  ¹⁾

We are living in dangerous but also very exciting times. ²⁾
What is happening in the Middle East and Europe is very significant.
On May 2, 2018, Pastor Jack Hibbs gave an update on current-events regarding the Middle East developments between Israel and Iran.”  Much more has happened since this particular update, but I have included it below as it has valuable and important info.

As Christians who truly love the Lord, we should be encouraged to be watchmen on the wall and be about our Father’s business.” ³⁾    

It is time to stop playing church; to stop being “Sunday Christians”.

It is time to stop believing that WE have to make the world a better place before the Lord can come back. That teaching is false folks.” ⁴⁾

We need to make people aware of the times we are living in. This is why I am sharing a lot about the end times. We need to be alert and ready for the Lord’s imminent return.”

The footnotes below will provide more detail on the various points in my original post.

And to get back to this world not being our home, we’re just a-passing through …

This world is not our home.  As Christians, Christ followers, we must remember that our citizenship is in heaven – “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Saviour” (Philippians 3:20).  We are to live as pilgrims passing through; sojourners. As the New Living Translation puts it: “temporary residents and foreigners” (1 Peter 2:11).  The fact that we are temporary residents does NOT detach us from the world around us and its needs.  On the contrary … we are called to minister and reach out to those around us. We who represent Christ should do so as His ambassadors, showing forth His compassion in whatever way we can.

And, whilst we care for others around us, as Christ’s ambassadors, we need to care not only for the material, social and physical needs around us, but (very importantly) the spiritual needs too.  “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV).  And, as the NLT puts it so beautifully … “So, we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!””

Remember Whose we are!  Live for Him.   Be used of Him.  Be watchmen on the walls warning people that it is time to be reconciled with God because Jesus’ return is very close.

 

Footnotes:

1. To know more about “not knowing the day nor the hour”, read Matthew 25:13 – “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” and also Luke 21:36)
2. Exciting times? Yes, the reason the times are exciting is because we are seeing Bible prophecy being fulfilled right before our eyes, with increasing speed.  This tells us that the LORD Himself will soon be coming to take His church, the Bride of Christ, to be with Him.  We’ll be caught up to meet Him in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
   Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18: “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words”
3. Be involved in the Lord’s work – praying, Bible study & witnessing – living for Jesus- point out the urgency of getting right with God before it is too late
4. There is teaching that says it is the duty of the church to gain dominion over the world and restore it to a righteous environment and only then to hand it over to Christ when He returns. In other words, Christ will return only after the earth is made righteous by the church.  The only way we are made righteous is through the precious blood of Jesus which He shed for us on Calvary.  It is a finished work.

5 Guidelines to find God’s Plan for our Lives

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21)

How do we find God’s Plan fro our lives?   It is not always easy, but these 5 principles were highlighted in a message I heard a few years ago.   I pray you will find them helpful too.

1. Commit EVERYTHING to the LORD in the first instance
   “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes His steps” (Proverbs 16:9)
   “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established” (Proverbs 16:3)
   “Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and He will help you” (Psalm 37:5)
   “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov 1:7)
   
2. Ask God for Wisdom
   Our wisdom regarding our lives – spiritual and secular – is found in Christ “… in Whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge [regarding the word and purposes of God]” (Amplified).  As the New Living Translation (NLT) puts it … “In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3)
   “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (James 1:5- NLT)
3. Take Advice
   It is often good to seek advice.  Just be careful who you discuss things with.   Find someone experienced in the area you are seeking wisdom – someone who is not simply talking and only interested in what they can possibly get out of the direction they are “guiding” you.   Seek someone with Godly wisdom – someone walking close to the LORD and who will also seek God’s wisdom before advising or counselling you.
   “Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war” (Proverbs 20: 18)
   “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed” (Prov 15:22)
4. Accept God’s Providence
   “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Prov 16:33 ESV)
   “We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall” (Prov 16:33 NLT)
   We don’t always understand why things work out as they do, but we must be thankful that the LORD knows the end from the beginning and He will be with you through the good and the rough times.
5. Remember God’s purpose for our Lives
   God IS in total control.
   We do tend to want to wait for God to show us His personal will.  This is not always possible.  It is often necessary to move forward assuming that you are in His will (having followed some of the guidelines above!), and the LORD will indeed guide you and reveal more of His will for your life as you walk with Him.
   There are times we would love to have a clear message from the LORD detailing the steps to take. We know this does not  happen.  Or, we sit waiting around for a “sign” or allow others to control our lives and make decisions for us.

REMEMBER THIS …  Each one of us was designed to fulfill a unique purpose whilst here on earth – one that not only glorifies our Heavenly Father, but also brings us great joy and fulfillment.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.
“They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”.
(Jeremiah 29:11)

 

 

 

 

How to get the most out of your DAILY Bible Reading …

When people rush around, grabbing a bite to eat as they go from one place to another, or gulp down food because they don’t have time to sit down and enjoy their meal, they are hardly likely to have tasted the food or drink, leave alone digest it properly.  Many skip meals because they are “too busy”.

If one tries to live one’s Christian life in that manner, your spiritual growth will be stinted and you will not discover the incredible things the Lord has for you in His Word!

In 1901, Professor James McConaughy of Mount Hermon School in Northfield, Massachusetts, wrote a little book on Bible Study.  He suggested the following:

“To get the most good from your daily (Bible) reading keep in mind these key words:

1. Think. Keep the mind fixed on the passage. If it is difficult, read aloud.
2. Pray. The heart must be taught as well as the mind. God’s Spirit only can do this.
3. Obey. God’s Word is more than history, more than literature. It is a revelation of His will, a message to the reader… Only those who do what is written in it are blessed.
4. Share. The Gospel is not private property. The things which have been seen and heard must be spoken…The privilege of following a course of Bible study brings with it the responsibility of using the results for God.”

These are brilliant and practical suggestions.  The Bible is such a precious Book and “… is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Tim 3:16). Who wouldn’t want to find out more?

As someone recently said: “We should anticipate Bible study as those seeking light and truth, for His Word “is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105)”. 

And furthermore, we must remember and understand “… that no prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever brought about through human initiative, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). And as the Amplified version puts it so clearly … “But understand this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of or comes from one’s own [personal or special] interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”  It is the infallible Word of God!

Make sure you have a daily appointment with the Lord and His precious Word!

 

Bible study differs from all other study in this respect;
it is profitless unless the Guide is ever present and leading into the Truth. 
(James McConaughy)

The Middle East … Understanding the Times

There are SO many people who are totally unaware of the incredible significance of what is taking place in the Middle East at this moment in time.

Some reasons for this?

1. Secular news coverage is predominantly very biased and the real truth is not told
2. People have not been taught this in their churches – that Israel is pivotal to end-time teaching (Ezekiel 36-39 & many other Scriptures)
3. Because of the above, people do not realize what is really happening in Israel at the moment (and the significance of the rebirth of Israel as a nation), nor do they realize there is an alliance forming against Israel (Iran, Russia & Turkey in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy – read more in Ezekiel 38-39

So, to help you understand what is REALLY going on, please watch this video – only about 18 minutes.

Whether you are a Christian or not, do NOT miss this video

This Book has the Power to Change Your Life!

One of the very well-known and largest online bookstores has more than 3 million book titles for sale.   But, despite many claims some of those books might make, only the Bible makes this claim about itself: it is alive!

“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12 – NLT)

This simply means, the Bible is not merely “words”.

In Jeremiah 23:29  “Does not my word burn like fire?” says the LORD. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces?”  God’s Word is Powerful!   It is purifying!

When the Lord joined two of His followers on their way back to Emmaus following His death and resurrection, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.  When they realized it had been the Lord who had spoken with them, they said: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32- NLT)

“All Scripture is inspired by God (God-breathed) and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Timothy 3:16 – NLT). As a result, these words can find their way into the heart and lives of all those who read them – right down into the inner and deep parts of our life.   His Word can also enable us to see what the true intentions of our thoughts and desires are.   Because it is ALIVE, it is able to produce life, as we read in 1 Peter 1:23 “For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God” (NLT)

So I encourage you to read His Word, life-changing Word, every day.  It is not like any other book, it has the power to change lives!

(The inspiration for this devotional came from part of my quiet time with the Lord earlier today, including the reading of Dr David Jeremiah’s Turning Point Devotional (available online or by snail mail)