Are You Gambling With Your Soul?

It is the same question I posed to you yesterday, yet so many people do this every single day without any consideration what the eternal impact will be one day. The most scariest thing to think about is having today, the time God has given to you, it has been divinely given to you by God and we simply squander that time away. That is terrifying!

Some people treat their souls like it's a lottery world. The natural man doesn't care about the things of the Spirit. They are willing to take the most dangerous risks imaginable. They just don't care. When your living for your own pleasure, you don't really care about anyone else except for what people can give you. That's carnally-minded and ends in death. If you're spiritually-minded that will lead to life. Are you gambling with your soul? Trust me it is not worth it!

If we keep our eyes open to identify God in our day, then we will be drawing closer to Him. If we don't, we are going to drift, in our relationships, in our lifestyles, in our conversations, we will drift away from Him in our decision-making; you better anchor your soul to Christ or you will simply drift away.

It's time for us to present ourselves to the Lord because of the Word of God in our lives.

Revelation 22:8b-9a ~ "I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that."

This is the second time John has done this. He is so blown away by the Word of God that is being revealed here. But let's make one thing clear, no where did it say John worshiped the angel. It just says he fell down before the angel. The angel quickly reminds him not to do that. He admonishes him. Do you really believe heaven is next for you? Stand on the promises of God. He will not let you down, ever. What will separate you from the love of God? The Bible says, Nothing. Do you really believe this? Be a living sacrifice and present yourself willing to God.

Because of the God we worship.

Revelation 22:9c ~ "I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God."

Romans 12:1-2 ~ "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

But what does this mean to me?

A dead sacrifice can do nothing. It can't say anything. It can't sing. It can't love. It can't worship. Our presentation matters to God and man. Now is the time for us to proclaim to the world Jesus Christ.

Revelation 22:10 ~ "And he said to me, 'Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand."

There are 2 arguments as to what time it is today on God's clock. (1) It's time to proclaim the Bible. Reveal what God has to say. (2) It's time to do it now. The time is at hand. Every person should read this Book, at least every Christian should. There are denominations that seal up this Book, if you do that you are fighting against the Holy Spirit. By showing them who Jesus really is.

Revelation 22:10 ~ "And he said to me, 'Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book."

The world portrays Jesus as..just one of the many other religious leaders or good men.
The church portrays Jesus as...just being on our side. As if God chooses one side or the other.
The Christian portrays Jesus as...our best friend. He doesn't belong to the Christian club.

But who Jesus Christ really is determines the destinies of nations, and families and of people. Just Chapter 1 of the Book of Revelation, reveals who Jesus Christ really is. Who Jesus Christ really is determines the success of a church...or not. For us to proclaim to the world Jesus Christ, by showing them who Jesus really is, by giving them the love of God. It reveals that God loves every single one of us.

Revelation 22:10 ~ "And he said to me, 'Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book."

Do not seal or "Sphragizo" means to undo the stamp, open up that which was closed, announce that which was secret, release that which was closed, my public that which was private. For the time is at hand. The ordained times and seasons of God's keeping are soon to be taken hold of, to be gripped or squeezed out and into the world.

By looking for each day's appointment.

Revelation 22:10 ~ "for the time is at hand."

Time is of the utmost importance...today, every day.

Ephesians 2:10 ~ "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

But what does that mean to me?

There is a natural-supernatural encounter that the Lord has prearranged for you to experience today and every day. God should be expecting complete cooperation from us at any time. Lord, did I keep our appointment today? Or more like are you willing to keep God's appointment for you today?

For us to practice our lives before the Lord.

Revelation 22:11 ~ "He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy; let him be holy still."

Practice by getting before Him daily. Start today if you have slacked off  in going to church, reading your Bible, praying, worshiping the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18, 4:1 ~ "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart."

Don't give up. Don't give in. Don't let it take control, but get back to what God has called you to do. You have no other hope for salvation. Don't stop going to church.

Hebrews 10:24-26 ~ "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,"

Practice by letting go and letting Him. It is an American heritage practice to ring the bells of church for 5 minutes before it begins. It was a call to action, just like verse 11 of Revelation 22 is. It is an admonishment to some and an encouragement to others.

We need to practice by setting our eyes upon the finish line.

Revelation 22:11 ~ "He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy; let him be holy still."

This is a terrifying verse. There are those who will refuse to call out to God for forgiveness. He say os them, leave them alone.

Genesis 6:3 ~ "And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

Matthew 15:13-14 ~ "But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."

2 Corinthians 2:16 ~ "To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 

Now is the time to heed the call God has placed before you today.

One Stop Shopping at the Mall of the World

I don't know about you but I love to visit malls. Especially when visiting new cities, I love to see what their malls have inside, and for me the best ones are the all inclusive malls or one stop shopping malls, like the Mall of America. You have everything inside one location, food courts, banks, shops, entertainment venues of all kinds, you name it, you can pretty much find it here. One day in New Babylon, in Iraq, this will make all those malls pale by comparison.

In fact, rebuilding efforts are already underway to rebuild Iraq from the war, so this alone makes the Book of Revelation, as not being fulfilled as some have suggested. There are some who have been taught that this book of prophecy from the Bible has been fulfilled already and we are living in the Millennium right now. As you will hopefull see by the conclusion of this study, this is not true. This is a future event.

We need to realize that catastrophic things can happen at any time in a single hour, like they did on 9/11 when the World Trade Centers fell. People left for work, thinking it would be like any other day and they would be coming home. That would not be the case for some. This is why our choices we make in the next hour are not guaranteed that we will have any future in our day. Today in the weather, we have extremes like never before, super cells, super storms, super quakes and things are changing rapidly. Nothing in this world is permanent. Our soul and spirit operates our physical body but it will live on in eternity when we die. The choice of where we spend that eternity is up to us alone. No one else can make that choice for us.

Revelation 18:9-11 ~ "And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. They will stand far off, in fear of her torment and say, 'Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.' And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her since no one buys their cargo anymore,"

This will be the destruction of New Babylon as the new global commercial trade organization of economic commerce. These kings of the earth will in love with what they got from her. This will be the global center of commerce based on the reviling of the people for the antichrist, claiming to be god. They will absolutely love and adore him and fall for this hook, line and sinker. This will be the world's largest city of import and export trade in the globe. Not even New York or Hong Kong will be able to compete, and ships will be responsible for this from all over the world to make this possible.

So now lets take a look at the one stop shopping in the future Mall of the world! Climb aboard our elevator!

First floor is the jewelry department!

Revelation 18:12a ~ "cargo of gold, silver, jewels and pearls,"

Second floor is linens and things!

Revelation 18:12a ~ "fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth,"

Third floor is home furnishings!

Revelation 18:12b ~ "all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble,"

Fourth Floor is Gourmet and Health Foods!

Revelation 18:13a ~ "cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep,"

Fifth Floor is the Automotive section!

Revelation 18:13b ~ "horses and chariots,"

Sixth and final floor is the trafficking in the bodies and souls of men.

Revelation 18:13b ~ "and slaves, that is, human souls."

Slavery will ravage the world in the future. Marketing and selling will be based on desire and the black market trade will have nothing on this commodity in the future. Prices will be based on shape and ages, and will lead the world in a pornographic lifestyle and trade. Nothing will be off limits for the right price. Even in Los Angeles, in Northridge, is the largest pornographic studios in the world today.

Revelation 18:14-19 ~ "The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again! The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud. Alas, alas for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and with jewels and with pearls! For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste. And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning. What city was like the great city? And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, 'Alas, alas for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste."

Notice the shift now to heaven. This single city of Babylon, located in Iraq will NEVER be inhabited again, by humans. That is not the case now. People are rebuilding and living in Iraq today. This is why the Book of Revelation, can not be fulfilled today. It is a future event yet to come, not one that has come and gone.

Revelation 18:20-24 ~ "Rejoice over her O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her! Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more; and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be hard in you no more, and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. And in her was found the blood of the prophets and saints, and of all who have been slain on earth."

As believers, we will never see these things come to pass, this is what awaits those who remain left behind throughout the Tribulation Period. Evil and darkness are coming. You might still think you have time, but how do you know you'll go home today to heaven? Don't you want that assurance that we as believers in Jesus have? Which road are you on today?

Matthew 7:13-14 ~ "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

Luke 6:39 ~ "He also told them a parable, "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?"

That's exactly what you're doing if you're not listening to the Lord today.

John 14:6 ~ "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 3:3,5 ~ "Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

One thing we are guaranteed in this world, beside taxes, is that we all will die one day. Unless Jesus comes back and takes his believers, those will escape death who put their faith and trust in Him. Are you ready to face eternity? You can know with 100% certainty that you will go to heaven when you die.

1 John 5:13 ~ "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life."

Our assurance of heaven is not based on works we do but in putting our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and what He did by His death on the cross. We must be born again to enter heaven. If you pray to Him, He has promised to listen to you! Won't you take the time to make that guarantee today?