Helpers of Your Joy

2Corinthins 1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

     All who have tasted the joy that the Lord brings have known a peaceable pleasure that is wrought from Heaven itself and placed in the spirit of the saints.  Far to often we forfeit such a fundamental element of our Christianity.  Sin grows in the soul, and we become accustomed to fixing our hearts on temporal happiness.  Sin brings weakness, and in that state our attention begets a narrow focus on self.  Dear believer, do not faint at the feet of your present condition.  God desires better things for His elect!  And in these better things are the vital roles of ministry established.  They who minister are helpers of our joy. 
     Has your pastor rebuked your sin?  Then it is so that you may find a place of repentance and increase in joy!  Has he encouraged you while in weakness?  That is also for your joy.  Far to often we scorn at those who correct us.  We see one way but God has shown him- as a watcher for you soul-another path.  Rebuke hits a deep nerve, for none of us like correction.  Encouragement  is sweet like honey and is good to receive,  yet both are vital to your continuing joy.  The role of the minister is neither to dominate your faith nor exercise his self-will.  Yet the ministry is working in glorious harmony with the Holy Spirit pointing people to God's will which should dominate every life. 
     Has your joy been diminished?  Then seek the face of a loving God who cares for your soul.  Seek those whom God has appointed to be the ambassador of His Word.  Do not be like those who shunned Jesus instead of receiving life!  Seek out the true treasures of Christ . If our joy is full, then our strength shall return.     

Is Your God Trustwothy?

                                   Is Your God Trustworthy?

Jeremiah 10:2-5       Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.  They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

     Where is your trust placed this day Christian friend?  It is an age old fallacy to place tremendous confidence in things that cannot deliver true results.  In this example we find our admonition from the Lord by His prophet Jeremiah.  Do not wonder at the signs of the heavens but trust in the unchangeable word of God.  So many place their hopes in horoscopes, the reading of the stars, fortune tellers and etc.  God's powerful warning to all is to consider their origin.  They begin at the heathen, and therefore end in disappointments.  Grasping at such is a futile attempt to understand life without knowing the God who made life.  Truly such things may seem harmless but we can be sure that they are deceitful because of their origin.
    
     Now, God snaps our focus to another place of misguided trust.  This place of false assurance is the idol.  Today, our idols may not be of wood, but that is no matter any idol gives the same result: emptiness.  The idol depicted  is one of a tree taken from the forest.  The axe was used by workmen to cut and carve by making scooping motions that fashioned the imaged. Silver and gold jewelry was then forged and hung the ears, wrists and various other places to give the illusion of power and authority.  To smooth wood and metal surfaces today we run them through a machine called a planer.  A planer is what gives us the flat finished surfaces we know today on most of our table tops.  In Jeremiahs day however, a carving axe was the tool of predominance for many and could not bring forth a smooth surface as we know today.  This concludes into a vital thought: they have created a God that cannot stand on its own to feet, it wobbles, it falls.  It is then secured by nails, yet though it now stands it still cannot speak, hear, see, or feel.  Further more, what use is a god who we must secure when we are so soon shaken ourselves?  If man makes a god, they both shall fall; but if man believes that Christ made him, then they both may stand.
   
    Have you ever placed your trust in Christ and He fail you?  He never has, or else your faith was not in Him.  There is a line of witnesses for thousands of years who have tried Christ and have found Him fully adequate and much more.  Can so many faithful witnesses be wrong?  If you would find Christ today it would not be in the stars or in an idol.  Not in experience of feelings, no, it would be that you find Him in the Bible.  Any man who makes an honest approach, and asks God to show Himself and His Son in the Scripture will surely find Him.  Is your heart open to receive what God will show you whatever the cost?  If so, make an honest investigation of the Scripture and you will find the God you can place you trust in without fail.        

 

To Build or To Stumble?

1Peter 2:6-8
      Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
     There is a Chief Corner Stone which God has laid in Zion, and it is the Lord Jesus Christ.  He lies in the path of every man who lives and all arrive at Him.  Unto the unlearned He is the Maker evidenced in creation.  Unto the informed He is the only way to God and everlasting life.  He is, however, in the road of every life; and He must be dealt with.
  
    According to Jewish tradition and history, some of the builders of the temple had made a terrible mistake in the construction of it.  As the stones were being brought and ordered from the rock quarry, the first to be delivered was the corner stone.  The corner stone is what locks everything in place and is the stone upon which all other measurements are taken, similar to the cap of a pyramid.  The stone was laid in place and was different from the rest.  After being placed, the builders unaware, removed it.  It was in the way and just something to trip over.  The corner stone was then discarded.  After the arrival of many more materials they were ready to start construction.  The Jews sent to the rock quarry for the corner stone, only to be informed that it had already been sent.  Alas, the most important thing was not recognized for what it was and discarded.  So have the Jews done with Christ.  They shall send for the Messiah only for God to reveal He has already been sent and rejected.

     What will you do with this Chief Cornerstone?  Will Jesus be the One whom you will build the bricks of your life upon?  Or will you think this, He is simply in my way, therefore I must discard Him as He spoils all my sinful fun?  Once He is in the rightful place we can then build a little here and a little there.  Line upon line and brick upon brick becomes our pattern.  When He is in place every other area of life measures out correctly.  We observe an area of our life and say, "I will embrace this principle that proceeds from Christ."  Our marriages then are more joyful, and our children are more loved and correctly taught as we measure out our family from His teachings.  Our work becomes more diligent and our hands more fruitful as we obey in areas of industry.  Our souls rest peacefully and assured as our faith grows in seeing blessings from obedience to His word.  He can give us all these wonderful treasures now, all the while sculpting a service that brings rewards in Heaven also.  Yes, all this is ours! We must only have Christ as the Chief Conerstone! Set Him as the foundation of all you do, and you may then begin to measure out all the correct placements of your life in His Word.  Will you build on Christ, or stumble on Him?

Are You Faithful to God?

                                                      Are You Faithful To God?

Jer 35:18-19  (18) And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:
(19)  Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.
     Who can find faithfulness among God's people?  God demonstrates the faithfulness of the sons of Jonadab to Israel, giving the example of how they obeyed their father; even so should God's people obey Him.  The focus is not on Jonadab's commands, but rather on his sons' obedience.  God's reward for faithfulness to that family is that they would not want (or lack) a man of God in the family and to the family.  How our unfaithfulness at times must wound the heart of our Heavenly Father.  It is such an easy thing for His people to break the commandment of not forsaking the house of God.  Every week many Christians make a choice to avoid worship service, robbing God of praise and themselves of blessing.  An excuse they make,  "I must work."; yet to the eyes of Him who's eyes are as fire and penetrate the soul it will not stand.  Yes you must work, but not on the Lord's day.  Alas, your golden calf is forged in the fires of selfishness.  How do your family and children view your unfaithfulness?  They will learn it from you.  We are what we do- not what we say.  Will you condemn them to a poor judgment seat alongside yourself, losing rewards because of the unfaithfulness taught in your household?  Truly the problem is in the heart not the schedule, for everyone makes time for what is important to them.  What faithfulness was found in the house of Jonadab!

     Do we tell others about Jesus and the day He changed our life?  Who can find a faithful witness?  Are we so distracted by amusing things and entertainment that we never schedule a time for our Lord's work?  Again the household shall learn it from the father.  Do your children know the ten commandments?  Have they been taught modern pop songs or scripture?  Have we fashioned them from infancy to put importance on the temporary, which will fade away quickly, or the eternal?  Godliness is great gain and beneficial in this life and the next.  The children will learn from the parents.  Now examine your own life today, Christian.  Does it mimic the life of your Eternal Father?  Have you learned of Him how to act and live?  If not the reason is clearly evident to all:  we have not been around Him enough to learn of His ways.  My prayer is this, that all people will follow Christ, learn of Him, and offer up the praise and glory He so rightly deserves. 

End Time Christiainity

                                                              End-Time Christianity pt 1

1Ti 4:1-2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;      Every word of God is pure.  How much more then should we pay attention when the Divine decree is the Spirit speaks expressly.  The end times are marked by such things as we see in the these verses.  They should be recognized by God's people so that they may arm themselves with proper tools to avoid the participation in end-time apostasy.  The Spirit speaking expressly tells us pay close attention, this is very clear, heed and observe what is said.
    
     Firstly, the last times will be marked by departure.  Some shall depart from the faith.  The Greek word that gives us the word depart is aphistemi.  This word carries the idea of a falling away.  It means to desist and remove.  Apostasy is an accurate description we can ascribe to those who fall away.  This is not in reference to losing Christ but in never obtaining Him in the first place.  Therefore the world will run away from the direction of God, as will many professing Christians. What grace there is to be found in the word some, for some is not all!  The very children of God will cling to Christ to the very end and there will always be those who are unashamed at His name!

     The last times secondly will be marked by deception.  They will depart because of seducing spirits.  These are the Devil's invisible armies who whisper lies and deception into the ears of many.  They teach to man doctrines of devils.  So sad is it that many pulpits of the world today have the Devil's preachers in them.  They appear as angels of light, just as Satan appeared to Eve in the garden.  The devil never tempted Eve to fall down but to fall up.  She was told if she would eat she would be as God knowing right from wrong.  Little success would Satan have had if he had told the truth.  Never would she have eaten if the Devil had told her that this would ruin the human race, bring death to her family, and cause a life of misery and pain.  Alas, through deception many will be turned to teachings that are foreign to the Word of God.  A man may only be measured by God's Word.  To test his root, merely observe his fruit.  Does he faithfully hold the Son of God and the Bible correctly?.

     Thirdly, the last times will be marked by dramatization. People will speak lies in hypocrisy.  The Greek word for hypocrisy is the word hupokrisis.  It is the word that arrives at our English word actor.  The idea was of actors in the theatre.  As the play would progress the actors in Bible days would hold up masks like a masquerade depicting  happy, sad, or another expression.  They would act the part even in costume.  Just as an actor playing a navy seal is not a real navy seal, so is a hypocrite an actor and not a real Christian.  When the hypocrite is on stage he preforms.  It is when no one watches that separates him from that which is genuine.  This does not mean that any Christian is without error or sinful desires.  It does mean that without audience he desires to please Christ.  That is the Spirit of Christ crying Abba Father in them.  The Christian life is not marked by perfection but by direction.  The last days will be marked by dramatization, people acting as if they are from God.     

     Fourthly, the last days will be marked by depravity.  People will posses a conscience that's seared, just as flesh is burned by a hot iron.  That which is seared becomes scar tissue and has little feeling.  The inward guide of the conscience (which recognizes right and wrong) is built inside of every person.  In the last days it will be violated so often that it loses its ability to feel.  To be clear, the conscience cannot always be trusted even when strong and healthy.  The conscience is not the Holy Spirit, and therefore it will mold itself around whatever is taught, whether it be of God or man. Only a conscience can be trusted as it is formed and shaped around God's perfect Word. Even so, in all of this, the worst conscience is at least a working conscience!  Imagine a world where people are so over-exposed to violence, pornography, rape, murder, and the like that they lose their ability to feel badly about it.  We are heading there today in America.  We are over-exposed to terrible things and some of them are widely accepted as normal and tolerable.  This is surely a mark of the last days: depravity from a seared conscience will fill the earth. 

    






 

How Much Can You Handle?

                                                         How Much Can You Handle?
                                         
     Jeremiah 12:5  If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

     A luminous contrast has been stumbled upon by the ever faithful prophet Jeremiah.  Appearances have cast the perspective that the righteous are always troubled and the wicked prosper continually. Thus the prophet has fallen prey to the timeless trap of questioning the Almighty of Creation.  God's response is as follows in our text.  It is in the form of a question that God answers the prophet & his slumping faith.  Why should it be that God asks us a question?  Because it is always more meaningful when we self-indict by searching inwardly & answering honestly.  When others indict us we seethe in anger at the accusation, yet when we mine this diamond ourselves, it becomes an impacting reality.

     "Jeremiah.", God asks.  "If you cannot outrun fellow men, why would you race the horses?"  Such sobering truth here is revealed.  If we cannot endure to victory through the lesser things of life, then how are we ready for the mightier things?  We endure only that in which we can handle. God is faithful to ensure to us more grace than trouble.  If we wish to increase our influence and scope, let us then ask Him for more strength.  Surely we must grow stronger than the footman if we are to race with the horse.  

     Again, a co-equal question looms in the ears of the weeping prophet.  "Jeremiah."  God asks.  "If you are troubled in your own land which is in peace, then when true danger comes as the swelling Jordan, (whose flooding banks destroyed cities) how can you hold up?"  Again God's all knowing wisdom brings us into an often disregarded reality.  If we faint at adversity our strength is small.  If we cower at terror, our faith is only faintly smoldering. 

      May we reverse this walk of weakness in God's grace.  As we came to Him freely for salvation, let us come freely to Him for grace in the time of need.  His word is meat in which our spiritual parts are nourished and do recover.  His Spirit is our inner coach that conforms us to His word.  His presence is the rewarding joy that strengthens our resolve.  May we run to Him that holds all things in His hands, and we shall soon find that we excel against the horses.  Though the river should rage and defy the boundaries set for it, we should not quiver, only hold onto our unwavering faith in Christ.  Let no man think he may acquire this strength from determination but only from the Lord.  Such determination serves us well only in this way, that we are determined to stay in fellowship with Him.  Abide in Him, so that His strength may abide in you!  Though it may take time for the Potter to fashion the clay, remain true, His finished work with you will be greatly rewarding.         

Three Pillars of Repentance

                                              Three Pillars of Repentance 

     Jeremiah 4:1  If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

As Israel, often times many Christians find themselves in opposition to what God deems holy and just.  While in this rebellious state, the wandering sheep have not lost the love of the Shepard, but have placed themselves in proximity of chastisement.  What a wonderful mercy it is to be able to turn our hearts back to God before His loving hand corrects us through stern discipline.  If we would return to the Lord let us do these three things and it will be well pleasing to the Father, for Jesus' sake.

First we must return.  It must not be a half-hearted return, but one of full heart and weight.  Our desire is towards God and our plea is the blood of Jesus that will cleanse all our sin.  When we desire Him in this way, the Spirit is well pleased. With this plea He creates a renewed desire of holiness in the saint to yield to. Now he has a divine nature to obey, a nature which sends the reconciled heart into throngs of joy.  Christ's longings now become your longings, and a infinitely better choice is found within besides the law of sin. 

Second we must put away our abominations.  This is rightly described as vomiting of the soul.  We must reject the sin as the body rejects faulty and soured food.  This only can be done by yielding to the new desire of holiness found upon confessing the sin to Christ.  Though the flesh will never be finished with sin, the new nature is quick to be through with it.

Thirdly we must stand in the liberty of the Spirit.  Thou shalt not remove.  Do not faint to the ever-seducing pull of sin.  How often sin wrecks our soul with a vain promise and then paints its face of death with attraction and charm to deceive again those who pass by.  Do not fall for it, rather do not move from your place of repentance and liberty in Christ.  It is here in this liberty that we may find the freedom and joy that communion with Christ makes.  May we never let sin disrupt that communion.

How You Can be Certain God is Real

Philippians 1:9 - 10  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

      Today Christian, let us look at the commandment of God given by the apostle Paul and use it to His glory.  We are told to approve things that are excellent, (or test things and see if they are true) so that we will be without offence (not in error) till the day of Christ (until we see Jesus and be made like Him). We do this by abounding in knowledge and judgment.  Knowledge is what we learn; judgment is the decisions we make with what we learn.  Let us apply the evidence today and reveal Christ in creation.

     The Bible never explains the existence of God but rather reveals it as a certainty.  It goes beyond faith and into proof so overwhelming that to dismiss the Creator would be to do so against irrefutable proof.  Must we take it on faith?  Faith is the substance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1).  Substance is made of two English words sub and stance.  Sub means under you; stance is what you stand on.  The idea is as a subfloor, a place to put your feet. When God asks us to have faith it is not a blind shot in the dark of 'I had a feeling and I trust God will';  it is an evidence that we can stand on given by His Word.  It is a tangible evidence either in our hand or in our heart.  With this evidence, let us examine how God has left us proof of Him being Creator.

Test # 1 - Test of Science
Surely the God who made the earth understands it.  God revealed the workings of science long before man ever discovered it and recorded it in the Bible. 

A. Hydrology - The process of water explained before we held the scientific tools to understand
Job 36:27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:     (The process of water from evaporation to rain)

Psalms 135:7 He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.  (Water vapor gathered to be blown by the winds.  Also we see lightning for the rain.  Lightning strikes cause nitrogen to be loaded in the rain which is essential for vegetation growth.)
Job 26:8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them.
Job 36:28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.(The water are stored in the clouds, and they do not burst.  Only rain is produced.)

Psa 33:7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.  (The oceans are the source of gathering evaporation to store and produce moisture for the land.)

Job 38:22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,
(Again, nitrogen found in snow and hail allows us the wonderful miracle of growth in vegetation.  Nitrogen is a treasure in the snow and revealed to us by God before we had the means of knowing it.)

What is remarkable is that Job was the first book of the Bible written and outside of Divine revelation the science of this could not be understood at this time.  Job was written at approximately 1400 to 1500 b.c. 

B. Astronomy 
According to studies among secular scientists, astronomers are the highest percentage of scientists that believe in God.
Psalms 19 :1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Job 38:12-14 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
(Here Job shows the earth spins on its axis. At this time people believed the earth was flat.  The context or comparison is that the ends of the earth are turned as clay to the seal.  The seal was a type of stamp, a wheel with a stick run through it, and it would be run over soft clay on an envelope to stamp out the image or insignia of the king.  Holding the stick with a hand on each side of the wheel, the stamp rolled on its axis. Even so does the earth spin on its axis)

Job 28:25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.
(Here we see God reveals air has weight.  This is a discovery that was found by science only in recent times, yet God revealed this thousands of years ago.)

Job 26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing
(Revelation that the earth hangs on nothing was not known by science in that day.  Many religions believed statues held up a flat earth)

Isa 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in (Revelation that the earth is round)

Isa 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
(Science of isostasy revealed. This is the balance of the earth so that we do not have to walk around bent over sideways)

There are many more passages that deal with science, but now we will move on to prophecy.


Test #2- Test of prophecy

Isa 42:8-9 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

God tells us He will predict the future.

Isa 43:9-13 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.  Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.  I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.  I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.  Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

God is saying Israel is my witness; I want them to test me.  I am going to prophesy, and it will come true that you may know that only I am God and that there is no other.  I will call it forth and it must come to pass.

A. Gentile prophecy


1.Destruction of Nineveh
Nah 1:8-10 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.  What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.  For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.  We know this city as the city Jonah preached to after being swallowed by the whale.  Nineveh repented, and God spared them.  However, this is the sequel.  They returned to their wicked way,s and God destroyed them.

Historical evidence shows that the city was destroyed by a flood.  Archeologists also have discovered that the city had flood walls.  The inner wall was 100 feet tall and 50 feet thick.  There was a 150 foot wide mote to catch flood waters, and in addition there was an outer wall to serve as a levy.  Yet prophecy prevailed: the Lord was true.

2. Destruction of Tyre

Ezekiel chapters 26-28 Read these chapters
 

         Tyre will be destroyed by waves.  It will be made flat, desolate, and never be rebuilt.  It was also prophesied that Tyrus would be thrown into the sea.  It would be a place where fisherman dwell.
History tells us that the mighty Babylonian empire defeated the city in a 13 year campaign (according to Josephus antiquities) and brought it to economical rubble.  This is significant as Tyre was an economical power in the day (Ezek 27:32).  Yet at this point the prophecy is unfulfilled.    The city was predicted to be destroyed in waves.  It was Alexander the Great, the leader of the Greek army who brought much more to pass.  Alexander decided to use the city in rubble for naval purposes in his world wide war.  The city of Tyre refused, hoping to rebuild and in a rage Alexander the great changed the course of his army and pushed the remains of the city into the sea.  Thus the prophecy is closer to being fulfilled.  Tyre would try to have a revival in the Middle Ages only to finally be brought down in totality by the Saracens.  To this day it has never been rebuilt.  It is only a habitation for fishing commerce (Ezek 25:7, 29:19).  What is amazing is that Alexander's conquest was in 332 B.C. and the middle ages much later.  Ezekiel's final prophecy was around 571 B.C. over 200 years before Alexander was born.  To put this in perspective, it would be like George Washington predicting the events of 9/11 with accuracy down to the very details. 

Messianic Prophecies

Some scholars claim over 450 prophecies concerning Christ.  Others that are more conservative still give us around 350.  Regardless there are hundreds of prophecies that are directed to the Lord Jesus.  These prophecies were fulfilled according to history, and that is not up to debate.  There is more historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ than there is the existence of Julius Caesar.  Historians had to deal with Jesus in history, because He was a major factor in history.  Even time has been split according to His life B.C. - A.D. The Encyclopedia Britannica used to hold more historical evidence for Jesus Christ than for any other person in it.  My how satan is in a hurry to hide history; just read our American history books from the 1940's and of today. With this in mind, instead of going through the list of prophecies and Biblical location, allow me to take you through a mathematical formula of chance concerning these prophecies.

Remember that by prophecy God said we would know that He is God and there is no other.

Please keep in mind that these prophecies were written before the life of Jesus not after, so any attack on the authenticity of them are not valid.  The Jews held translations of the original Hebrew in Greek language in the days of Jesus.   This means to have a copy, the original had to be before the copy thus predating the life of Christ.  Jewish priests also read to Alexander to Great the book of Daniel telling him that the great leopard was his kingdom according to scripture. It is said for a moment in time Alexander bowed his head and worshipped the God of Heaven in the presence of the Jews.  This persuasion is for the most hardened skeptic.  There is no reason to ever doubt traditional dating and even most non-believers do. 

Proof of probability.  This is how insurance companies stay in business.  This is how lotteries make money not lose it.  Would you bet your life on a 1 in 1 million chance?  Of course not.  So consider these odds.

The odds of a man fulfilling just 8 prophecies is 10 to the 17 power.  To get the idea of the odds lets illustrate this.  If you filled the state of Texas up 3 feet deep with silver dollars then took one coin, marked it, stirred it up blindfolded a man and gave him one chance to pull out the coin, that is the chance that Jesus fulfilled 8 of these prophecies on accident.  Would you bet your life against those odds?  What about your eternity?

The odds of a man fulfilling just 48 prophecies is 1 in 10 to the 157 power.  What are those odds?  To illustrate this we need something smaller than the eye can see.  Lets take the electron.  If you were to draw a 1 inch line with your pencil, it would take you 19 million years to count the number of electrons in that line if you count at the speed of 4 electrons per second. 
     So take that idea of how many electrons are in a 1 inch line.  Now make a giant ball in the solar system that goes in every direction for 6 billion light years.  One light years is 6.4 trillion miles.  That's a big ball.  Now that you have done that, create trillions of more of these giant balls that are 6 billion light years in every direction.  Remember how many electrons are in a 1 inch line?  Now imagine how many you have with these trillions of gigantic spheres.  Mark one of these electrons.  Let a man take an inch of space any where he wants blindfolded.  Let him put in under the microscope and at random choose ONE.  That is the odds that a man accidently fulfilled 48 prophecies.  Never mind the fact that there are hundreds of other prophecies.  Never mind the fact that there are also non Jewish and Messianic prophecies.  Would you bet your life on those odds?  Would you bet your eternity on those odds?  At this point it is considered a mathematical impossibility that Jesus is any other that who He claims to be: the Son of God.

Test # 3 - The Witness of the Spirit

Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.


It is true that man can never know God unless the Spirit reveals Christ unto that person.  Even with all this proof and so much more that I cannot write due to time, it takes the inner witness of the Spirit of God to testify of the truths of these things.   If you stand in doubt this day my friend, then call God out.  He is ever ready to reveal Himself to you this day, and show you this hope:

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

That precious name given among men is the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  It is through the Son we come to the Father.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

And again, He will cast no one out who comes to Him.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.



Reference Materials: Zondervan's Pictorial Bible, Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament, John Ankerberg, Nelson, LWF, Grace To You, Turning Point Ministries












































































 

Christ, Helper of Our Souls

                                                         Christ, Helper of Our Souls
Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.      The watchful eye of our Savior is ever upon us.  His heart is always towards us, and His hands never fail us.  His fountain of love is never ending, and all the while He sits fittingly on creation's throne so to aid us in our time of need.  Descending from Heaven, Christ took hold of His Divinity in one hand and through the portal of Mary's womb laid hold of Humanity with the other.  This He deemed necessary, for the ability to represent man before the Father would require more than an academic knowledge but rather an experiential one.  As God veiled in flesh, He condescended to our level to know suffering as we would.  Was He tempted? Yes, but He was the victor of it.  Was He scorned?  Yes, but even so He overcame.  Had He physical torment?  Yes, unto death, but rose again.  If all the demons of hell assault your soul take comfort in this, Jesus suffered the same, and is able to succour them that are tempted.  To succour one is to come to the rescue and benefit of another.  Suppose you find yourself suddenly in dire physical straights.  It is expected that hospital staff come to your aid upon arrival.  Those with the finest medical pedigree wrap your wounds and restore you to your former health.  They were able to succour you in time of need. They come to your aid.  Christ is the spiritual healer for your soul.  Because He has suffered, He understands.  His heart reaches out with experience and pity to bind your wounds.  How often we take our burdens to so many others, and neglect to lay them at the feet of the One who truly knows us.  Only Christ can truly heal the deepest hurts.  The sorrows that run exceedingly deep may only be cleansed by Him.  He awaits this day beckoning you into the fellowship of this truth and to follow the commandment of scripture: cast your cares upon Him for He cares for you.  Never a commandment could be more sweet.

Understanding the Scriptures Romans

Romans 1:1
   Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

     Paul the apostle, a servant (doulos - slave) of Jesus Christ.  We are given servant in our text, as to signify the light yoke of Christ.  How gently are we handled here by Christ.  We are His and should respond with the obedience of a slave as according to the commandant, yet as a servant from the heart now that we are under grace.  Those who serve because they must are surely missing the joys of redemption.  Those who serve because they "can do no other" (quoting Martin Luther) serve as constrained by love that reciprocates from God's love to them, and thus that love is directed back towards God.  God's love is manifested in them by the Spirit. Then God's love is reflected to others. Through this, their hearts are taught to love by God, and they love Him because He first loved them.  We are merely vessels which bear the fruit of love produced by God.
     Paul is called (klētos - to be called or appointed) to his position of apostleship.  Let us be careful that we do not self-appoint ourselves to ministry, but serve as He has called us.  We should keep our minds fixed on the thought that God invites His people to serve: 1. Generally through His word (duties for all Christians) 2. Specifically through leading of the Spirit (the "where & when" of service - found through prayer, counsel, etc.) and 3.Through appointment of His sovereignty (calling out ministers by the Holy Spirit into His full-time work - they that preach the Gospel must live of the Gospel [be supported by it] 1 Cor 9:14).
     Paul is separated unto the Gospel.  We need not set ourselves on separating from things to gain holiness. If we separate unto Jesus, we have left all that is unholy.  Holiness is not the way to Jesus; Jesus is the way to holiness (God who justifies the unrighteous).  Let us not be known by what we have separated from, but by Who we have separated unto.  Discipline bears not saving fruit, but if we are separated unto Christ, then the fruit of the Spirit abounds, and in that fruit is the seed that the world needs.  The fruit of the Spirit is evidence that you are yielded and allowing Jesus to live His life through you.  Our scruples are no such evidence, only the Spirit's fruit is. 
      I remember a while back visiting a church out of town that was recommended to me while I was away traveling on vacation.  I entered in and sat down preparing myself for the service and looking forward to great preaching from God's Word.  As the service started I was somewhat shocked at the format.  The music was a little different, the presentation was not the same thing that I was familiar with, and I began to feel like a duck out of water.  I became uncomfortable and decided that this was displeasing to God.  As I remained in the service for a while it became obvious that the presence of God was in this place.  It became even more obvious that the fruit of the Spirit was in the people.  Love, joy, peace, and truth  without compromise doctrinally was the theme.  I then decided that if God was not displeased with them why should I be?  They were separated unto Christ, like Paul; and therefore, God was pleased with them.