PARTIAL OBEDIENCE IS DISOBEDIENCE

To finish strong for God’s glory you require patient endurance. You have received the Holy Spirit to enable you if you will only say “Not my will but your will be done today“. Moreover, there is no higher calling, no bigger privilege, no greater joy, and you will be kept from the coming wrath of God.

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:10

The following Scripture delivers a tough message but Jesus must be at the top of our pecking order.

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26-27

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” 2 Timothy 2:3

We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.Colossians 1:9-14

Each of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3 represents the church in each of the last seven years (Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy) before Jesus returns first to rapture His church and then to return with the glorified Saints to conquer the Antichrist army at the battle of Armageddon.

The Scripture Revelation 3:7-13 is to the church of Philadelphia, the sixth church in the sixth year.

Jesus says, I have set before you an open door, no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial (Rapture) which shall come upon the whole earth (wrath of God).” (Revelation 3:7-13)

Just as the six churches represent the church in each of the last seven years, likewise the seven seals also represent what is happening on Earth in each of the last seven years. It is at the sixth seal, the sixth year, that we see the celestial signs that precede Jesus’ return to Earth to rapture the Saints and to begin to pour out His wrath upon the unrepentant.

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” ” Revelation 6:12-14.

It is at the trumpet blast at the opening of the seventh seal that the rapture takes place and the trumpet and bowl judgments are poured out on an unrepentant world for one year and ten days. Why one year and ten days. The year before a Jubilee year is always one year and ten days and the year following Jesus’ return will be a Jubilee year. It so happens that when God poured out His wrath the first time with Noah’s flood it also was for one year and ten days. Check it out.

If the rapture happens at the start of the seventh year it means that the seventh church. the church of Laodicea (Laodicea is a combination of two Greek words (LAO, meaning “God’s people”; and DIKE, meaning “justice or judgment”) Judgement of God’s people)

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.Revelation 3:15-19

Do you belong to a church that says we are rich, have prospered, and are in need of nothing? Or are you in a church like the church of Philadelphia?

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my nameBecause you have kept My command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial (Rapture) which shall come upon the whole earth (wrath of God).” Revelation 3:8,10

DID GOD PLAY A ROLE IN KANSAS CITY CHIEFS WINNING SUPER BOWL LVIII?

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes gave God the glory after winning Super Bowl LVIII Sunday night, saying that the Lord “challenged” his team as it faced adversity all season. Mahomes has often spoken about his faith when presented with the opportunity. He told reporters before last year’s Super Bowl that his faith plays a role in everything he does. 

My Christian faith plays a role in everything that I do,” Mahomes told the press. “I mean, I always ask God to lead me in the right direction and let me be who I am for His name.”

Mahomes, who threw for 333 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception en route to winning his third Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, said in a post-game interview on CBS that the team dealt with adversity all season as the offense struggled at times. “It means a ton. Just the adversity we dealt with this year and to come through. The guys never faltered,” the 28-year-old father of two said. “I give God the glory. He challenged us to make us better. I am proud of my guys. They did awesome. Legendary.”

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt also gave glory to God in his comments after receiving the Vince Lombardi Trophy on stage.  

“First of all I want to congratulate [head coach] Andy [Reid], the football team, our coaching staff on an incredible performance. It’s been an amazing five-year run,” Hunt said. “I want to thank the Lord for giving us this opportunity.”

God is in control of all that happens in His World so I ask could God have honoured these two men’s faith with a win? The secular media would not agree but I think so.

MAKING HEAVEN ON EARTH IS OUR BUSINESS

The founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth made this mission statement: “MAKING HEAVEN ON EARTH IS OUR BUSINESS”.

“When we consider that the only prayer Jesus taught us to pray includes up-front “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as it is done in heaven” Matthew 6:8-10, Booth got it right, and look what he achieved. Making disciples who were totally committed to praying and doing as Jesus commanded.

Sadly, now, like most institutions the Salvation Army has watered down God’s command and has compromised with the world. What is the lead statement on their website?

At the Salvos, we believe in good.

What does good mean to The Salvation Army? Good is a unique word — a simple yet profound term that takes on different faces and meanings for all of us.

For the Salvos, it is more than a word – it’s a belief. It is helping someone at their point of need, walking alongside a community through and after a crisis, and lending a kind and caring space for someone feeling isolated. And a whole lot more.

At the Salvos, we believe in good for everyone. It is this belief that drives us to find new ways and places where we can make a difference. From times of personal crisis to moments of national grief, we are at work each day, providing support, safety, community, and opportunity.”

God does not get a mention up front and this mission statement is not Booth’s mission statement: MAKING HEAVEN ON EARTH IS OUR BUSINESS but the Mission Statement does get to God.

Why good?

The meaning of good has been diluted over the years. But at the Salvos, we’ve always believed in the power of good. It reflects our belief in our good God and our calling to share the goodness of God with others. Through our decades of work, we know people can find themselves in hardship anywhere, at any time — be it homelessness or housing stress, drug or alcohol addiction, family and domestic violence, unemployment, financial stress, natural disaster, or another crisis.

Sydney, Australia church spokesman Major Bruce Harmer says the Salvos offer services to all who are in need, regardless of sexual orientation. “The Salvation Army has worked for many years with gay and lesbian people through their treatment centres and welfare agencies, we have employees who are gay and members of our church who are gay,” he said. “So it’s easy to take one phrase and run with it, but in reality, the Salvation Army is not homophobic.

In the end times, Jesus told us there would be a great falling away in the church, apostasy, and the love of many will grow cold. Christians need to be prepared for the coming tribulation and be totally committed to God’s agenda for their lives.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (The Day of the Lord) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;2 Thessalonians 2:3

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.Matthew 24:9-12

Biblical prophecy gives us a picture of the church which God raptures to heaven before pouring out His wrath upon an unrepentant world.

To the Church in Philadelphia (Philadelphus the “love for a brother” What remains of the faithful Church will be bound in brotherly love by the persecution of earth-shaking proportions.

‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name… Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.Revelation 3:8,10-11

Biblical prophecy also gives us a picture of the church that will be left behind to face the coming judgement.

To the Church in Laodicea (Laodicea is a combination of two Greek words (LAO, meaning “God’s people”; and DIKE, meaning “justice or judgment”) Judgement of God’s people

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.Revelation 3:15-19

JESUS COMING MILLENNIAL KINGDOM

The time is coming when this world will be radically changed for the better. It will last for a thousand years, bookended by resurrections. The following passage in Revelation is the summation of the event. However, many O.T. Scriptures give much detail on Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom with Jesus ruling the nations from a much elevated and improved Jerusalem compared to the Jerusalem that exists today. In fact, all of the O.T. prophets were shown the triumphant end of Israel’s story with their Messiah ruling the nations. God has unfinished business with the nation He established for His purposes. The Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3, Gen. 15:7-12, 17 ), Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:12-16), and the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) have yet to be fulfilled

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a little while.
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.Revelation 20:1-6

Go to http://www.millennialkingdom.net for more information and free resources on Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom.

APPOINTMENT OF MIKE JOHNSON AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Speaker Mike Johnson, U.S. Representative for the 4th District of Louisiana, sits down with Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council (www.frc.org) for a personal interview covering his Christian faith, the rise of anti-Semitism worldwide, and pressing priorities on Capitol Hill.

The House of Representatives had been in chaos for weeks after Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted by a motion to vacate. The House was paralyzed, and in such volatile times with tumultuous events in Israel and across the globe, the need for a strong Speaker of the House was evident. By an evident display of God’s providence, that need was filled by Speaker Mike Johnson.

Tony Perkins reported that before Speaker Johnson was elected, FRC had prayed for a speaker who would stand firm for biblical truth. In a remarkable display of the power of prayer, Mike Johnson was unanimously elected by the House Republicans as speaker. We are immensely grateful to have a speaker who shares our vision of advancing faith, family, and freedom.

IF ONLY HAMAS AND THE NATIONS THAT WAR AGAINST ISRAEL KNEW THIS TRUTH

For YHVH (God of Israel) of Armies says this: “After glory, He has sent me against the nations that plunder you (Israel), for the one who touches you (Israel) touches the apple of His eye” Zechariah 2:8

“Therefore, all who devour you (Israel) will be devoured, and all your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity. And those who plunder you will become plunder, and all who plunder you I will turn into plunder. For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds, declares YHVH – because they have called you an outcast, saying: ‘It is Zion; no one cares for her.’ This is what YHVH says: Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwellings. And the city will be rebuilt on its ruins, and the palace will stand on its rightful place” Jeremiah 30:16-18

This is just what God revealed to two of the Old Testament (O.T.) prophets. In fact, all of the O.T. prophets were shown the triumphant ending for Israel with its Messiah ruling and reigning over all the nations of the Earth – Jesus Millennial Kingdom (www.millennialkingdom.net)

Read what the New Testament prophet (N.T.) Paul has to say about the future of Israel.

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”Romans 11:25-27

Israel’s calling as a nation was (and remains) to love the God of Jacob “with all your heart and all your soul, and to obey His word“.

“And now, Israel, what does YHVH your God require of you, but to fear YHVH your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve YHVH your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep YHVH’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? Deuteronomy 10:11-13

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years... Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.Revelation 20:4,6

GOD RAISES UP THOSE IN AUTHORITY

There is no doubt that God is in control of history. Nothing happens in the Cosmos He created that He does not initiate or allow. However, often God allows people to elect the leader they want so they get what they deserve. Gay marriage, destruction of the family, etc.

By a slim majority, the Republicans have elected Mike Johnson, a devout Christian as House speaker, and in his opening speech, he spoke strongly about His belief that God is in control of history.

A devout Baptist, Johnson said that he does not “believe there are any coincidences in a matter like this,” saying that “the Bible is very clear that God is the One that raises up those in authority.”

“He raised up each of you, all of us,” Johnson said to his Republican and Democrat colleagues. “I believe that God has ordained and allowed each one of us to be brought here for this specific moment and this time.”

“This is my belief. I believe that each one of us has a huge responsibility today to use the gifts that God has given us to serve the extraordinary people of this great country and they deserve it.”

Johnson said God called Congress to help “ensure that our Republic remains standing as the great beacon of light and hope and freedom in a world that desperately needs it.”

Johnson spoke about the national motto “In God We Trust” and how the words were placed in the House chamber as a conscious rejection of communism during the Cold War.

He stressed the value of the Declaration of Independence and its statement that “all men are created equal” by God, quoting Christian writer and apologist G.K. Chesterton, who once said that “America is the only nation in the world that is founded on a creed.”

Johnson said that while he believes that right now is “a very dangerous time” and “the world is in turmoil,” he declared that “a strong America is good for the entire world.” “We are the beacon of freedom, and we must preserve this grand experiment in self-governance,” he said. “We’re only 247 years into this grand experiment; we don’t know how long it will last.” “We are in a time of extraordinary crisis right now, and the world needs us to be strong; they need us to remember our creed and our admonition.”

Johnson touched on the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, vowing that “the first bill that I’m going to bring to this floor in just a little while, will be in support of our dear friend, Israel.” “We’re going to show not only Israel but the entire world that the barbarism of Hamas that we have all seen play out in our television screens is wretched and wrong,” he said. “We are going to stand for the good in that conflict.”

He also spoke of the dangers presented by the wave of illegal immigration and the ongoing fentanyl crisis, declaring that “we must come together and address the broken border.”

Johnson acknowledged that Americans “live in a time of bitter partisanship” and “it has been on display here today” in the House of Representatives. “When our people are losing their faith in government when they are losing sight of the principles that made us the greatest nation in the history of the world, I think we’ve got to be mindful of that,” Johnson said.

“We’re going to fight; we’re going to fight vigorously over our core principles because they are at odds a lot of times now in this modern era. We have to sacrifice, sometimes our preferences, because that’s what’s necessary in a legislative body.”

Johnson noted that while “we will defend our core principles to the end,” noting that he considered the “core principles of American conservatism” to actually be “the core principles of our nation.”

“I boil them down to individual freedom, limited government, the rule of law, peace through strength, fiscal responsibility, free markets, and human dignity,” Johnson listed.

“Those are the foundations that made us the extraordinary nation that we are, and you and I today are the stewards of those principles.”

Knowing what the Bible has prophesied about the days we are living in, I doubt Mike Johnson will be able to change the trajectory of the USA as it continues to cast God out of all aspects of its life. Nevertheless, in His opening speech, he challenged the government’s representatives about the consequences of their decisions before God.

WHAT A LEADING U.S.A. FINANCIAL ANALYST IS SAYING ABOUT THE FUTURE

The following economic information on the US is taken from an article by Simon Black, Founder of Sovereign Man. His recommendations are radicalit makes sense to consider having another place to go for you and your family to be safe.

The US national debt is now $33.6 trillion… and it has increased more than HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS just so far this MONTH. Astonishing. And it’s a pretty safe bet that the US government will continue its wild spending spree.

In the last fiscal year which just ended a few weeks ago, a whopping 83% of US tax revenue was spent JUST on Social Security/Medicare, the military, and interest on the national debt. And spending on those three programs is probably not going down.

Does anyone honestly think that a majority of politicians in Congress will slash defense spending at a time like this? Or eliminate Social Security? Or default on the national debt? Those three spending items can’t really be cut. In all likelihood, they will INCREASE. Given all the conflict in the world, US defense spending will probably grow. Social Security spending is already scheduled to increase according to the program’s own published forecasts.

And, considering how quickly the national debt is rising– coupled with higher interest rates– annual interest payments will skyrocket. This means that spending on Social Security, military, and interest, will likely increase from 83% of tax revenue to ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of tax revenue, over the next several years.

America will have to go into debt to fund everything else in the federal government, from Veteran’s Benefits to Homeland Security. But don’t take my word for it. Even the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which is a government agency of the United States Congress, agrees.

The CBO’s most recent 10-year forecast shows that mandatory entitlement spending (like Social Security) plus annual interest payments on the national debt, will EXCEED all US federal tax revenue by 2031. And that doesn’t even include defense spending! This reality is only SEVEN YEARS AWAY.

Yet if that train wreck wasn’t enough, remember that Social Security’s key trust fund will also run out of money two years later in 2033, according to the program’s most recent annual report. And bailing out Social Security will cost trillions of dollars just to get started.

So, just to be clear, the government’s own projections show that they will reach the fiscal point of no return in just seven years… and then require a multi-trillion dollar bailout of Social Security two years later. Yet as grim as that timeline may be, these government forecasts also naively assume that there will be no major war, pandemic, or national emergency in the meantime. So in reality the doomsday may be much closer.

I’m not being dramatic or sensational. Again, I’m literally citing US government forecasts. Millions of unsuspecting people will have their lives turned upside down from the negative consequences.

Social Security is in serious trouble; 50+ million people are at risk of having their benefits slashed by 2033. There’s also a very high likelihood that the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates and printing money again in order to bail out the federal government… thus creating a LOT more inflation.

Taxes will almost certainly rise. Crime could definitely increase, especially petty theft and robbery. Business conditions could be a lot more difficult; it will be harder to raise capital, harder to borrow, and harder to sell, causing a number of companies to either fail or never be started in the first place.

If crime rates spike and civil disturbances become more frequent, it makes sense to consider having another place to go for you and your family to be safe. That might be somewhere overseas in a country where you enjoy visiting and your kids could pick up foreign language proficiency. It might even be a place where you could one day become eligible to apply for a second passport, creating a lifetime of benefit and flexibility for your entire family.

Also, if the value of the US dollar is going to decline… and the rest of the world seems likely to find a replacement as the dominant reserve currency… it makes sense to find alternative assets that can hold their value over time.

I have already written posts about how the elite: the World Economic Forum and the United Nations are planning to resolve this catastrophic scenario with The Great Reset and the Pact for the Future.

The United Nations Is Planning to make a Covenant with the Many in September 2024. Will this begin the Biblical prophesied last seven years and tribulation? The U.N. calls it the “Pact for the Future“. These proposals cover and I quote:  “A New Agenda for Peace that would reinvigorate our collective security framework; a global financial system that works for all; economic metrics that go beyond GDP [gross domestic product] to underpin policy decisions; a compact that would harness the benefits and manage the risks of digital technologies and artificial intelligence; a voluntary code of conduct on information integrity online; new protocols to manage global shocks more effectively; stronger cooperation in outer space; a transformation of education systems; the meaningful inclusion of young people in global decision‑making processes; ways to safeguard the future and uphold the rights of future generations; and a UN 2.0, better equipped to support Member States through the use of data, digital tools, innovation, foresight, and behavioral science. I commend the progress that has already been made on many of the mandated Our Common Agenda recommendations, through the debates convened last year by the President of the General Assembly; the establishment of the UN Youth Office; the five transformative measures for gender equality; the new vision for the rule of law; the Global Accelerator on jobs and social protection; and plans for the proposed open Biennial Summit among members of the G20 [Group of 20], ECOSOC [Economic and Social Council], leaders of international financial institutions and myself as Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The Pact for the Future will be your contract with each other and with your people.  It represents your pledge to use all the tools at your disposal at the global level to solve problems before those problems overwhelm us.  The challenges we face are universal. They require universal solutions and cannot be solved through small groupings of states or coalitions of the willing. The United Nations is the only forum where this can happen.  It will also be important to welcome the contributions of civil society, academia, the private sector, and other important stakeholders.

Former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has told CBN News she fears all the world’s nations are about to submit too much sovereignty to a United Nations organization.

The former congresswoman points out that the Bible warns that a world-dominating power will bring trouble. “When you look at what the Bible says and the convergence of events that we are seeing across the world right now, and what the prophets from the Bible have said, we need to really pay attention to what’s going on. Because this is the creation of a platform for global government.  And according to the Bible, things that are not good come out of a global government.”

Michelle is correct, what we see happening is fulfilling Biblical end-times prophesies. It is the first move toward a one-world government and the Antichrist spoken of by Daniel.

Before the Antichrist arrives on the scene, the Bible speaks of a battle between Iran and Turkey, the winner being Turkey and for a short period of time the re-establishment of a revived Ottoman Empire. It is then broken up into four possibly by United Nations forces.

Then the goat (revived Ottoman Empire) became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
Out of one of them came a little horn (Antichrist), which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.
Daniel 8:8-9

The Antichrist arises out of one of these four kingdoms.

All the evidence indicates we are fast approaching the last seven years prior to Jesus’ return so how should we live?

Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to enable us to live the Christian life. He is our Counsellor, Teacher, and Comforter. He produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives (all 9, Galatians 5:22-24) and provides the gifts of the Spirit (all 9, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11) for ministry so God has provided all we need. All we need to do is to say each minute of every day, not my will but Your will be done in me today. Then God will use you mightily for His purposes.

THE DAY GOD DESTROYS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WITH FIRE

God tells us in His Word (Bible): “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). But are you also aware that one day God will destroy the heavens and the earth with fire?

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.2 Peter 3:11-12

Shocking? Absolutely. Unbelievable? Not at all.

The Apostle Peter, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, delivered this staggering news to God’s people: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be burned up … That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat” (2 Peter 3:10,12).

Yes, you read that correctly. The heavens will be dissolved, and the earth will literally melt in the heat.

A few verses earlier Peter described how in the last days before Jesus returns scoffers will deny that God judged the world previously with the worldwide flood of Noah’s day.

 “Knowing this, first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffingFor they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s Word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and with water. By water also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:5-7).

The coming day of judgment is just as certain as God’s creation of the universe, and just as sure as the great flood in Noah’s day. The worldwide flood that buried millions of dead creatures all over the world, fossils, including fossil fuels (decayed vegetation under pressure), adequate evidence it occurred.

The good news: the Apostle John was given a vision of what will happen after God burns up the earth.

Then I saw a new Heaven and a new earth, for the first Heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ’Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” (Revelation 21:1-5).

Every child of God will inhabit the New Heaven and New Earth with a perfect body that is incorruptible.

The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).

Talk about an upgrade! If you could choose today between going to Heaven or going to Hell, you would certainly choose Heaven, right? After all, who wants to go to Hell? But do you realize that there is only one way to be forgiven of your sins and get into Heaven?

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Peter proclaimed: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Saved from what? 1. Sin, 2. Death, and 3. Hell. The final chapter of the Bible makes things crystal clear:

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also, he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end… The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:5-8

Those who have deliberately and persistently pursued their sinful desires will find themselves in the Lake of Fire where there is punishment and the second death.

Your good works cannot remove a single stain from your soul. Like everyone else, you need the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross 2,000 years ago. When you turn to Christ in faith and rely upon His death for your salvation, your robe is instantly washed clean and made white in the blood of the Lamb.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Peter informed believers: “In keeping with God’s promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13).

The day God burns up the earth will be terribly frightening, to say the least, but this global upheaval must take place before the Lord ushers in a New Heaven and a New Earth.

In the meantime, “God wants everyone to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth,” (1 Timothy 2:4), and “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

I have adapted this post from an article by Dan Delzell, The Day God Burns Up The Earth, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Papillion, Nebraska. 

GOD IS AT WORK IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE USA

Over 1,000 students attended the Texas A&M Corpus Christi worship event:

More than 120 people were reportedly baptized during a recent revival event on the Corpus Christi campus of Texas A&M University, a gathering that has spurred increased attendance in church young adult groups in recent weeks. 

New Life Church of Corpus Christi helped organize an on-campus worship event on Aug. 31 known as “One Night,” an annual gathering held in the area for the past eight years and on campus for the past two.

New Life Church Young Adults Pastor Tarik Whitmore, whose church has a student organization on campus known as New Life Young Adults, told The Christian Post that their ministry outreach to Texas A&M began in 2015, saying its influence on the campus has “gradually increased over time.”

Whitmore reported that while last year’s One Night event had about 600 attendees and 51 baptisms, this year, they saw more than 1,000 in attendance (out of a student enrollment of around 10,800) and 124 baptisms.

“From the very beginning of worship, it was clear that something significant was happening because it was just, it was so powerful,” White said, noting that the gathering included “faces [we’ve] never seen [in church] before” who were “lifting up the name of Jesus.”

“For young people, it’s one thing for them to do that in a comfortable, familiar context like the Sunday morning; it’s another thing for them to do that at their college outdoors in front of their peers.”

Whitmore was amazed by how much anticipation there was for One Night. In the days leading up to the event, when he and other NLYA members spread the word, they came across many students who already knew and were planning to go. God is doing something with students in certain colleges and universities in the USA.

In February, Asbury University in Kentucky garnered national headlines when students held an impromptu worship service at the campus chapel that lasted 16 days and brought in tens of thousands of visitors from across the United States.

The revival service also inspired the launching of worship events at other schools, both public and private, as well as the creation of “outpouring teams” comprised of Asbury students to share their experiences with others off-campus.

God is at work across the world, particularly in countries where Christians are being persecuted.

Also, we know the end of the story; Jesus will return first to rapture the Saints to heaven and pour out His wrath upon an unrepentant world. Then Jesus returns to Earth with the glorified Saints to rescue the nation God established for His purposes, Israel. This needs to happen so that the covenant promises God made with Abraham and David will be fulfilled. As well, the new covenant spoken by the prophet Jeremiah must be fulfilled.

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.Jeremiah 31:31-34

Christians, we need to show the Palestinians, better still all Muslims that this prophecy will be fulfilled. All the Biblical prophecies of Jesus’ first coming as well as many other Biblical prophecies have already been fulfilled exactly as prophesied so we can be sure the many prophecies of Jesus’ future Millennial reign from Jerusalem will be fulfilled as well.

Jesus will rule and reign on this earth for a further 1000 years before it is destroyed by fire. The rest of the dead are raised (saved and unsaved) to face Jesus at the White Throne Judgement. The unsaved are thrown into the Lake of Fire where they face punishment and a second death. The glorified Saints go to a new Earth where only the righteous dwell.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.Revelation 21:22-27

Note that even on the new earth there are kings and nations. There is a hierarchy on the new Earth as there is in heaven now with the Angels. The difference with the world today is the leaders on the new Earth will be humble servants of those they are assigned to direct their activities. Yes! there will be work to do on the new Earth and new Heaven.