Can You Lose Your Salvation?

We all handle trouble differently when we encounter it, we either run to God or run from God. Here in the Book of Revelation, we see quite a bit is happening from angelic ministries and how they are involved and what their duties are, to the trouble that is about to befall those left on the earth. What do you do when you find yourself in trouble? From that pink slip your boss hands you, to that call from your doctor. Where do you run?

Now more than ever I believe we are seeing more and more troubling things in this world from global economies in trouble to trouble with meteorological conditions in America. We have racism in trouble, violence in trouble, doctrine in trouble, marriages in trouble, and even government in trouble. I believe this is unprecedented for the first time in the history of the world. Why? I believe it is so we can call out to God in the midst of our troubles, but if we, as believers, don't call out to Him, repent from what we've been doing, and seek revival, then the troubles will only continue and get much worse. I believe these are all warning signs from God. If you doubt what I am saying that's fine, but I would encourage you to read Joel 1 to see how God allows things to happen to get our attention. He allows things to happen so that we might call out to Him.

As you might remember when we picked up our study last week about Chapter 7 in the Book of Revelation that this breaks up the chronological events for us to gather a bit of very important information derived directly from God before we can move on. Kinda of like pressing the pause button in the middle of the movie to give you some background information that helps you understand what will be happening before we move forward through the rest of the Book. We know that the information we read in Revelation is all about the future insights into what is coming to the world. John sees the Revelation of End Times.

When we left off on Friday, we learned that God has ordained four angels to hold back the very elements of earth and has assigned them that very duty for this time.

Revelation 7:1-3 ~ "After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angels coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea. "Do not hard the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 

We learned that salvation is being prepared to be delivered to the world at this terrible and dark time. We saw that there is an angelic ministry relating to the powers of nature. These angels have the power to hold back the things we take for granted. Do you know when the weather is about to change, the wind will always blow first? It's making an announcement that a change is coming in the weather if you have ever studied up on weather events. Imagine God will command the angels to hold back the winds. There will be horrific fall out because of that.

We then learned that an angel has been given the duty to place a seal upon 144,000 Jewish Hebrew-speaking virgin men from each of the 12 tribes of Israel and this has to happen before the wrath of God continues. No one knows what the "seal of the living God" means but we have speculated on what it might be. Whenever you look up the word "seal or sealing" in the Bible it is a very strong word of authority. When anything of value was purchased or owned it was sealed by its owner. It has hot wax poured over it, like a knot and then embossed with a signet ring from the owner until the time of redemption. That means it was sealed until such time as the owner came and took it. Kinda like a layaway program. They put your stuff away with a small deposit and no one can purchase it because it has your name on it. When you pay it off, it's yours to take.

Esther 8:8 ~ "And a decree shall be written concerning the Jews, (1) as it pleases you, (2) in the king's name and (3) seal it with the king's signet ring; benefit = for whatever is written in the king's name sealed with the king's signet ring shall no one revoke." 

This means that anything that has been sealed has been accepted, approved and marked on the authority of.

2 Corinthians 1:20-22 ~ "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."

For those of you that struggle in your salvation, questioning whether you have it one day and then cover yourselves with yet another altar call just to make sure, never quite knowing if you are truly saved or not, trust in the assurance of this verse that you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit the moment you said "Yes" to Jesus and asked for forgiveness of your sins, and Jesus came into your life, how did God do that? How does God the Father implement the salvation of His Son worked out upon the cross, in the life of a believer today? God the Father sends forth the Holy Spirit in the name of God and according to the Bible, you are baptized into the body of Christ. The Greek implies strongly that it is a once and for all thing. You are either saved today or you're not.

You're either going to heaven or you're not. You either have the Holy Spirit in you or you don't. If you don't by the way, that can all change by the hearing of the Word of God. It is very important to be sealed by the Holy Spirit. It means to be stamped approved, accepted and under the authority of God.

Ephesians 1:13-14 ~ "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory." 

I don't know about you, but I am going to heaven and it has nothing to do with what I have done. It has nothing to do with what I have said or didn't say. It has nothing to do with what I have given or haven't given. It has to do with the fact that I recognize that Jesus died on the cross for me, and that at that moment according the Bible, the Holy Spirit sealed me. The moment we come to faith, we are sealed! The moment any of us does it, the Bible says that angels rejoice in heaven over that! There is no where in Scripture does it say at any time you will be unsealed. The angels wouldn't rejoice if we kept getting our seal broken. That should be a comforting thing. If you have been saved, given your life to Jesus, been born again, the Bible strongly suggest that you will never been unborn again.

You may believe in Jesus just like you believe in George Washington, but you may not be trusting Jesus just like you don't trust George Washington in history. You believe in Jesus, you are religious, but you might not be going to heaven because of that. Have you come from that place of knowing all about Christ, and all the personal history of Christ, but have you come to personal know Christ by relationship? It's a big difference! To believe in Christ and then to come to trust in Christ! The Bible warns us that Satan and his demons believe in Jesus, and they tremble when they think of Him, but they are not saved are they? Have you put your faith in Christ?

Ephesians 4:29-30 ~ "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

The Holy Spirit seals us and with that sealing that He does, there will be no break in it. You've been accepted by Jesus, regardless of how you feel. How many of us, really feel worthy of what Jesus has done for us? He loves us. He died for us all personally. You are THE one! It's not the righteous or self righteous. Do you think anything you have done is more powerful than Christ? He died for all of our sins not just some of them.

God adores us. He has numbered the very hairs on our head. He tells us these things so we know what is coming. Remember as a Christian, our vantage point is from heaven. We will not be a part of this time that is coming. If you are not a Christian now, it's not too late for you! You can be a Christian today, because Jesus wants a personal relationship with Him. He is waiting for you to come to Him.

Do You Know About a Parenthetical Pause in Revelation?

We have just finished up the first six chapters of the Book of Revelation and we come to what is called a parenthetical insert or pause as we begin Chapter 7 today, it's God's way of pressing pause as it were, and provides us with some background information. Despite what you may hear that is going on around the world with regards to the Jews and Israel, that somehow God has abandoned them, here you will see what God's plan is for them, and how He enumerates 144,000 Hebrew Jewish believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, to present the gospel to the world. There are 12,000 from each tribe, they are Hebrew speaking, Jewish virgin men that are called by God for this special evangelistic event ministry as salvation is brought in the midst of trouble.

This is going to take us about 6 separate sessions to get through the magnitude of what is going on here as we come to a portion of Scripture that is very technical, not so much for its content but where it is placed in the Book of Revelation. Up to point, we have been walking through the book in a chronological order, and as the chronology goes on, the Lord in revealing to the apostle John futuristic events, puts a comma at the ending verse of chapter 6. In your Bible, there is a period there, but it should be a comma. God takes John's face at this point and turns him to two very specific events, phase one and phase two. things that will happen in a sense that are an overview with chapter 8 commencing the last three and a half years of the seven-year Tribulation Period. It explains some things before Chapter 8 begins. There are the first 3 1/2 years, a pause, God shows John some things which he tells us in chapter 7 and when he is finished speaking with us, then it picks back up again and it goes.

This chapter is very important in understanding the rest of this book. If you miss this chapter, you will never understand the rest of this book, and you will always be misunderstanding eschatology or the prophetic study of God's Word. We will look at the entire proximity of the first twelve verses and then begin an indepth study of just the first few today.

Revelation 7:1-12 ~ "After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000, from the tribe of Gad, 12,000, from the tribe of Asher, 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000. After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. AMEN!"

The word AMEN in Hebrew, Greek and English simply means "Let it be so, or let it be true." From the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah, keep this in mind, God spoke in times past. He said, "Thus sayeth the Lord, we have heard a voice of trembling, of great fear and not of peace. Ask me now and see whether a man has ever labored in pains to give birth as a woman does. So then why do I see every man holding his hands over his lions like a woman who suffers in labor? And all their faces shall turn pale from the pain. Alas for is this great and terrible day, it has come and there is none like it. For it is the time of Jacob's trouble, but Jacob shall be delivered out of it." Jeremiah 30:5-7. 

This portion of scripture from Revelation 7, introduces us in verses 1-8, to a dynamic group of people. And it lists them to give us no doubt as to who they are. There is an introduction of 144,000 people whom God will call out from their place in this world. They will be ordained. They will be summoned. They will be called and there will be 12,000 of them coming from the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel. Chapter 7 prepares for Chapter 8, that final 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation Period. It's going to be tough.

Remember the first 3 1/2 years has been the advent of the Antichrist, he will deceive the world through prosperity and demonic peace, he will deceive the world through a restoration or implementation of the environment, and he will be a tremendous politician. The Bible tells us that in the Old Testament, there is no doubt where he will arise, and will come out of what was, the Ancient Roman Empire, was has been affectionately labeled as the revised Roman Empire? The nations of ancient Rome, at the time of Christ and before, will come together in the last days and in that conglomeration of those nations there will arise 10 predominate leaders almost like what we have in the world today, you know like the G-7? Are you familiar with that?

They are the seven global economic powers of the world of which the United States, at least at this time is number 1, and they include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. Russia is not included in this list because of the amount of debt it owes everybody. But there is more than 7 nations in all the earth isn't there? Yet these are the 7 that manipulate the world through money, and they meet every year to discuss how things are going to go. It's a very powerful group of people right now but there is a time coming, which I don't think is very far away, where we are already seeing the revised Roman Empire which is called the U.S.E. or the United States of Europe or the EU, the European Union. They will have their own dollar, now it's called the Euro, they will have their own economic base, their own leaders, and the Bible says that out of 10 predominate nations like G7 types, but it will be 10 types and will arise and broker the powers of the world that be. This will happen under the power and control of the Antichrist. Then all the events that we read about in Chapter 6 will happen and all within the first 3 1/2 years of the 7-year Tribulation Period.

Now we come to the pause in Chapter 7, where we see the focus of God on the nation of Israel. Most people who oppose what I am about to say next and it's called heresy, and they are so called Christians, and its damnable heresy to say that it is antisemitic and demonic and there are those that have lived from generation to generation that believe this: that God is done with the Jewish nation. That whatever God promised to the nation of Israel was lifted when Christ was crucified, and is now placed not only on the church but some people have been so arrogant as to believe that those promises have been lifted from the nation of Israel and have been given to the English speaking peoples of the world. That is called British-Israelism. It is a demonic doctrine.

God is not done with the nation of Israel and is in fact preparing the nation of Israel not only for its existence, but it has some horrifically tough times ahead in the Tribulation period before its glorious days that God intended for it to enjoy comes. This is very important. If you don't understand it, you better take some time to study this in the Bible. Don't buy a book on it, just read the Bible and you'll be fine. God has not given up on His people and He prophesied in the Book of Jeremiah in Chapter 30 where they will have to undergo a very tremendous and horrific time. Yet God said He would deliver Jacob out of his trouble, a time known as Jacob's trouble. What was the other name God gave to Jacob after He changed his heart? Israel! When you read about Jacob in the Bible, you are reading about Israel. Yet when God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah about this terrible time that is forthcoming, it is called the time of Jacob's Trouble or Israel's Trouble. Yet Israel shall be delivered out of it.

Psalm 94:13-14 ~ "you grant him relief from days of trouble, till a pit is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance."

This is not a promise given to you and I. That is a promise given to Israel. We know however, that God will not forsake us either, but God will not forsake Israel either. This is something you need to keep in mind when you vote too! The first thing we should consider when contemplating any politician running for office is how do they feel about Israel. Why? Because I want America blessed. If you want America to be blessed, vote for someone who will support Israel! You want to see America come apart at the seams? Vote for someone who is not pro-Israel. We don't have to agree with everything Israel does, but God didn't ask us to agree with them with they do foolish things, God simply says I will bless those that bless you and curse those that curse you. You might not like that. It might upset you. Get your heart right with God and understand that it is God that says they, Israel, are His chosen people. God says He is not done with them.

Romans 11:1-5 ~ "I ask then: Did Gog reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah - how he appealed to God against Israel: "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me?" And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace."

God's not done with Israel. For the last 2000 years the Lord has placed aside the nation of Israel, the Jewish people, but He has not neglected them. What God is doing at this time is drawing out of the world at this time, a host called the church. A bride of Christ says the Bible. Made up of Gentile believers, but when the church is raptured up out of the earth, and the 7-year Tribulation Period begins, at some point after that, it will be God dealing with Israel again. Did you know that Jesus is espoused or engaged to the church which is a Gentile but God the Father has already married her and her name is called Israel! It's very important to keep that in mind.

But God will turn the nation of Israel during the Tribulation period they will cry out to the Lord and they will find out that not only did they have a Jewish prophet they did not listen to for the last 2000 years who goes by His Greek name Jesus, but He is also their Messiah! We are going to be reading about that in Revelation 7.

Luke 19:41-44 ~ "As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

Jesus is saying all these things are going to come upon you because you didn't recognize me as your Messiah! Has not that been true for the last 2000 years? They have suffered for their rejection of Him.

Romans 11:25 ~ "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in."

Just think that every time someone accepts Christ, we get one more closer to that number being fulfilled. Only God knows this but there is a number of Gentiles, that during the church age period which we are living in today, that when that number is reached, the fullness of the Gentiles will be complete. When that happens the focus of God shifts to the nation of Israel, to fulfill so much of the Old Testament prophecies. So when that number of believers is reached, the Gentile nations of believers and also those that won't believe, will be complete, God will rapture the church and then take the reins to deal with the nation of Israel and the remainder of those on the earth.

The challenge today is do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? If you don't, now is the time to meet Him and accept that Jesus Christ, died on the cross for your sins and mine, and He rose again from the dead. He is the God of the Bible, read it and you will fall in love with your Creator!

Why Are You Willing to Gamble with Your Eternity?

What exactly is a Tribulation Saint? As you read your Bible, this might help you to avoid confusion. There are three types of saints in the Bible. (1) Old Testament Saints - they died believing in the coming of the Messiah, (2) the Church Age Saints or us, we live and die here or await the rapture that is coming for us, as members of the church, the brides of Christ, the church here, (3) the Tribulation Saints are to die for Jesus. There is no rapture promise for them because it has already taken place. They must die.

We must live for Christ as living sacrifices like Romans 12 tells us, but the Tribulation Saints must die for Jesus Revelation 13, tells us their mode of death. It tells us that they will be beheaded for their faith in Christ. It's happening now everyday but it's going to happen during the Tribulation period against the Tribulation saints who are called to die for Jesus. Those are the saints who must die for the testimony of Christ. If you want to know more about that, read Daniel 7 beginning in verse 18 but specifically verse 21, Daniel chapter 7 will tell you all about the Tribulation Saints who must lay down their lives for the testimony of Christ. Makes you wonder why some people would put off that decision to accept Jesus into their life. They might miss out on the rapture and have this to look forward to for waiting to make that choice.

A life worth living for is a life that lives beyond death. Believers will be justified in eternity. That is great news!

Revelation 6:10 ~ " They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"

This is a time when God's wrath will be given over the the judgment of the earth. We already know how many times we look around at the stuff going on in our lives or in the lives of the world and wonder how much longer before God comes to judge the wrong that seems to go on without any judgment. The time is coming. The Bible says that God will judge the earth in righteousness. That is why He is the Savior. We have to be saved from something in order to have a Savior!

These here that are sacrificed at the hands of an unbelieving world, are none other than the Tribulation saints. The Bible says that there will be a group so big that gets saved during that time, that no man can number them, and you might wonder how that happens if the church is removed during the rapture? How will the gospel be preached? The Lord has His ways.

(1) The testimony of the witnesses. This will play on the minds of people that these people were willing to die for Jesus. (2) The preaching of the two prophets that will come out of Jerusalem, that we will study later, (3) the witnessing of the 144,000. If you are a Jehovah's witness and are reading this today, you have been lied to. They believe that the first believers of the Jehovah witnesses movement were the 144.000 that get to go to heaven. If you are the 144,001, you don't get to go, you go to annihilation land and cease to exist. That is no where in the Bible. But here is the bigger problem, the Bible says that out of each of the 12 tribes of Israel, will produce 12,000 from each tribe. They are Jews. If you are a Jehovah witness today, and you're one of the 144,000, what tribe are you from? And don't forget to have to be Jewish. The Bible says in future studies into the book of Revelation, you have to be a man. A male who is a man. I have to make that distinction now a days with the way things are going, especially in California. You have to speak Hebrew, according to the Bible, and you have never been with a woman. You are a virgin! There has to be 12,000 from each tribe, so that totals 144,000, you got to a man, you got to be a virgin, you have to be Jewish and you have to speak Hebrew. You've been lied to by Charles Russel. That is called a cult.

God will get the word out through the 144,000. I've got another theory. When we get raptured, do you realize how many Bibles will be left behind? Do you have a Bible at your house? You get raptured and your Bible is sitting there at home wide open! Bibles will be found. Think of all the Gideon Bibles in hotel rooms everywhere! I believe more people will be reading the Bible during the Tribulation period than they do now. People are going to wonder what happened. Read the book. All the answers are in the Book!

In looking back at verse 10, in Revelation, we also learn that the believer will never die. Jesus says if a man believes in Him, he shall never die. For those of us that believe, Christians, that is why we have this title because we follow Christ, and by the way, if you are not following Christ, you are NOT a Christian. If you don't adhere to His teachings, you are not a Christian. If you adhere to them, you are labeled as a Christian. The Bible says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Some people believe that if you are dying by some long drawn out process like cancer or persecution, we are bound by death. As a Christian, the moment your body stops existing in this life, in an instant you are in the presence of the Lord. Which means as the Scriptures say, that we pass from death to life. Which means if you get hit by a truck today, choke on a burger, or die of cancer, the moment that it happens, you are in God's presence! Do you understand that? We will not be held by the grave!

Our soul will immediately go to be with the Lord, and these bodies or space suits designed for earth will go into the ground, awaiting the Resurrection when the rapture happens! Think about that, if you die today as a believer, you will not be bound, locked up in some dark room, the grave will not hold us. As the room begins to darken around you as you're saying goodbye to your friends and loved ones, you won't have to worry what happens next or where you will be going. The Bible says, "to be absent with the body is to be present with the Lord." In an instant, our last breath here is our first breath in heaven! That is the most wonderful news to any believer! Why are you NOT believing in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? The Bible says, "these things have been written so that you might know you have eternal life!" Our eternal life begins the moment we breathe our last breath here.

Do you have a seat reserved in heaven just for you? There is a way to get that reserved and that is to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Lord and Savior. The believer will never die the death. Our body stops breathing and we go into the presence of the Lord. A life worth dying for is a life that continues on with others forever. A life with Jesus Christ is guaranteed! Notice what was given and what was said to those Tribulation saints - believers during those seven years.

Revelation 6:11 ~ "Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed."

Take notice of the words "white robes" it is different from what the church wears. The church does not simply have white robes, the church the Bible says, is given fine, white linen, marital gowns or a wedding dress. The Tribulation saints are given white robes, notice the difference. Life with Jesus is guaranteed. The white robe, is a declaration given to the believer of their purity. The Bible says "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." So then how can we be made pure? The Bible says "that we are washed by the water of the Word of God."

Notice that the robes are given to them. Do you read that anyone could buy a robe? You can't buy them. Those of you that have given your lives to Jesus, you know that you are dressed for eternity when it comes to forgiveness regarding sin. You know it. You sense it. I am not stressing feelings, but you know that you have been accepted. What a great feeling to know that you are accepted by God. Based only on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The Bible tells us that we will be in heaven with our brothers and sisters forever. Jesus Christ and this life He offers is guaranteed.

The verse goes on to say that they were told to "rest a little while longer." These means that they didn't have time to rest on earth, but rest has now been given to them. They are told to wait. Why? Because there is still time left in the Tribulation period, and other believers must die at that time. I am a firm believer that the church will be spared all of this and be raptured according to 1 Thessalonians 4, as promised by God. Life with Jesus makes perfect sense.

Revelation 6:11 ~ "Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed."

These means that God knows exactly how many believers will die during the Tribulation period and when that last person is in heaven, that will be the conclusion of it. The word "completed" is a very powerful word. We know that the Bible says that the blindness of the nation of Israel from the gospel until the fullness of the Gentiles is completed and then God will deal with Israel again. There is an exact number of believers in the church age that God knows and when that last person comes to Him, that is it, then the rapture of the church will happen. Don't you want to know who that last person is so you could go witness to him.

Jesus has come to give us hope. A hope that makes perfect sense. That is why Jesus Christ came, to take us to heaven. To show us back to God. He taught us that we can't make it on our own. Jesus came to show us that we can't do anything to get to heaven. We can't live a perfect life. We were never made to do that. We are simply made to trust in Him and what He did for us. He lived a perfect life and met the requirements of God's law, so we would never have to be held back in the grave.

The Bible says that hell was created for Satan. The sensation of those who live there are alone, falling forever, flames of heat that never kill, worms that gnaw on you forever, but realize that this was never created for man. Those who wind up in hell will be those who choose to not accept Jesus.

Those who accept Jesus spend an eternity in heaven. Those who deny Him will make that choice to spend an eternity on their own terms, and will wind up in hell. Those who accept Jesus will spend their eternity in heaven forever with Jesus based solely not on what we do, but what He did to restore that right relationship between us and God. To remove sin from our lives through forgiveness by the blood of Jesus that washes us clean. We can't do anything to earn this right. Not living a great righteous life, doing kind deeds but only by accepting the free gift of having putting their faith in Jesus is the ONLY way. Not through faith in Mohammad, Buddha, or any other false god that the world offers you. Only faith in Jesus Christ and what He did is the ONLY WAY!

Why would anyone want to gamble with their eternity? Are you going to wait it out and see how it goes? You're gambling. You can be sure of eternal life, not guess. Don't you want to know that if you were die today where you would wind up? Jesus didn't die for you to guess where that will be.

Where Do You Put Your Faith?

Do you ever stop and consider how truly wealthy you are? Not based on the world's standards of defining wealth, but in God's eyes. You are rich in the things that matter in God's eyes, not in earthly standards or earthly achievements, Jesus reminds us not to lay up for ourselves treasures in this world, which can corrupt or rot, but we are to store up our treasures in heaven instead where nothing can threaten your investment. In order for God to really use us, we need to get our eyes off the fact, that this is money, and view it instead as tools. Some times we will have more tools or less, but they are all used to bring about glory and honor to God, and not we have more money than we know what to do with, we will have grown spiritually. We need to remember not to do that.

"What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul." ~ Matthew 16:26

Poverty means that they once had something, but then lost it all. This doesn't mean that they live from check to check, but this is not the kind of poverty that Jesus was talking about. This was a church that was so poor because they were mocked based on their faith in Jesus, they were considered losers, because they refused to worship Caesar, and they weren't receiving any monetary compensation but instead were ostracized by the people living there. They were rejected and considered outcasts while everyone else around them, had it made.

Philippians 3:8 ~ "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things."

Philippians 4:11-12 ~ "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

When Jesus told them they were rich, He was telling them that they had invested wisely in eternal things.

2 Corinthians 8:1-2 ~ "And now brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity."

When times of difficulty surround you, you will be able to rejoice. Verse 9.

Revelation 2:9 ~"I know your works while being blasphemed..."

Blasphemia means to vilify, to speak against, to go about slandering another person. To speak evil of another person.

God has a particular hatred for this type of sin, and He judges both the believer and non believer alike.

Matthew 5:10-12 ~ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

Have you ever taken a stand for Jesus when it is biblical? How does that work out for you? 

Revelation 2:9 ~ I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan."

Remember the church of Ephesus, there was a warning to them about false apostles. Revelation 2:2 ~ "I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false."

These false apostles came in apostolic succession, that the apostles that Jesus founded, continued on in succession of church hierarchy to this day. "Those who say they are Jews."  These were a powerful group of Jews that came to Smyrna, while they claimed to be Christians. They believed themselves to be a special priesthood that was continuous (imposters). This was a false priestly system that tried to marry an elaborate legalism of Judaism to the simple grace of Christianity.

Revelation 2:6 ~ "But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate."

It means hierarchy, lordship, authoritative rule, a church serving the ministry, rather than the minister serving the church. Jesus said, "I hate that." This impostership has survived, in the merger of apostolic succession and a continuing priesthood. The Mormon church claims this apostolic priesthood. The Roman Catholic church claims this apostolic priesthood. A system of holy ordinances, performances, elaborate requirements, legalistic rights, and church dependence. It's all known as Romanism.

What kind of church are you, when eternity is an ever present reality in your life. Does that sound like you spiritually?

Revelation 2:10-11 ~ "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let  him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death." 

When eternity is an ever present reality, you'll see Jesus Christ as your shepherd.

Revelation 2:10 ~ "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer." 

Jesus tells us not to worry. If we go back to verse 9, we can see Jesus is saying, "I know...I have experienced it too!" That is supposed to translate to great peace in our life. We all want it to simply go away. Do you realize that 2 million people have died in the Sudan? Where is the U.N. on that issue? Where is the United States? Where is Europe? The Sudanese Christians are dying at a rate that is unbelievable. 2 million in 10 years, they are the persecuted church today. Churches are being burned with people in them. Locked in churches while bulldozers run over them. They hold onto their faith when that happens. This is real to them. Is Jesus your shepherd today?

Hebrews 4:15-16 ~ "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. "

Jesus feels and has felt everything you and I feel.

When eternity is an every present reality, you'll see Satan the devil as a tool in the hand of God.

Revelation 2:10 ~ " I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days."

He is a defeated enemy. God's got Satan right now under control. God uses everything he is doing, to bring about His will on the earth. No one knows what the precise meaning of the words "ten days." Jesus uses it specifically, because He is in reality. Some will suffer ten days. One day is like a thousand years to Jesus. When you keep your eyes on Jesus, time won't matter. It will pass. Jesus is basically saying, "I'm on it. That you might be tested, I'm on it." Remember Peter's sifting? You know that when you are enduring anything related to trials, time just seems to drag on by, but Jesus says, "I'm on it.!"

When eternity is an ever present reality, you'll see heaven, eternity as your next home.

Revelation 2:11 ~ " Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life."

First He wanted to close leaving them with a key thought, "I will give you the crown of life." Remember the citizens of Smyrna considered their city to be the crown of life. Jesus was reminding them they didn't belong here any longer. They had a new citizenship that could never be conquered. A crown that would be everlasting. Jesus mocks them, He says, "I will give you the crown of life." There is nothing God can't do!

The emperor isn't it. The city isn't it. The system wasn't it.

Let's look at the things that God promises to those that trust in Him.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ~ "Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

The Roman crown of victory was everyone to the Roman, but not to the Christian. What can I say to you, who are suffering? What can I say to you, who are about to suffer? I have one word. Bible. If the people who attend any church, gathered together to help you through your suffering, do you realize they couldn't do enough? To understand that if you had all the money in the world, that that money could not buy your health.

It is the Bible. It is His Word.

It was good enough for the church of Symrna. It was good enough for the apostle Paul. It was good enough for Mary. It was good enough for Jeremiah. It was good enough for Noah. It was good enough for John the Baptist. It was good enough for George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. It was good enough for the succession of Christians throughout the ages.

When suffering reaches the maximum, it is then, at those moments when the deepest of Christ's nature is translated into the life of His follower, until we are standing before Him in perfect peace.

Revelation 2:11 ~ "Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let  him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death." 

The second death is the worst of all. A Christ-less hell forever.

Without God. His blessings, His goodness, His mercies.

Among the apostle Paul's last recorded words are 2 Timothy 4:8 ~ "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

Don't be afraid. To get you through your altar of difficulty and it leads you to death, He has engineered this moment of trial. He will be with you through it all, He will hold your hand, He will not leave your or forsake you. Remember He has died and came back to life, and if you believe in me, so shall you! Ever human being will die at least one time, unless the rapture happens. You are going to die! It's going to happen. Taxes and death! We will eventually die. If you are a Christian, you will only die once, in this world and live forever more with God in heaven. When He speaks of spiritual death, that is coming to those who don't believe in Jesus. When they are escorted upon their death straight to hell. To be born once, you die twice. If you are born twice, you die once.

Are you born again? Have you been born a second time? That is the greatest question right now! Jesus will be with you if you put your faith in Him.

Let's pray before we leave today.

Father, today Lord as we are here, I ask you Lord God to move across this body right now, and Father that You would minister to us, your comfort, your strength, your truth to all of us that are your children. And the beautiful thing is Lord, that You will do that, no matter where we find ourselves today. But Father, today for those who do not know you as Lord and Savior, I ask you Father that You would come upon them right now, and Lord only You can do this, that You would so speak to them, that they Lord God, would know these verses, these words and considerations are true from Your throne, and that You can be known personally. 

Would you consider Jesus Christ? He died on the cross to forgive you of your sins, but the problem is that you are still holding your sins, you're in trouble by the way for them, but Jesus is saying, "Give me your sin. I died for those sins on the cross." You have to give those sins to Him. You have to tell Him, "Lord, I give you my sinful life, and then Lord, I want You to be with me in this life, to save me, to watch over me, to keep me."

If this is your decision today, and you agree with this prayer, you want to know if you died today, you want to go to heaven, you don't need to worry about it anymore. You've heard about Jesus, you might even have a cross around your neck, but you have no assurance if you died today, you'd go to heaven. That can change right now. I'm going to lead you in a prayer right now, and if you mean it, God will hear you. In a moment you will leave this religious experience and enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, which is far better. Right now, the Lord has engineered this day for you, repeat this as you read it as you mean it,

Dear Lord Jesus, 

Forgive me of my sins, write my name in Your book of Life. I give You my life, I ask You to save me now, and give me Your Holy Spirit, that I might live for You, thank You for dying for me on the cross, in Jesus Name I pray, AMEN!!!

You are now a wonderful believer in Jesus Christ right now, and if you died today, you would be with Jesus in Heaven today! You have that blessed assurance that when this life ends, your eternal life begins.

God loves you so much that all that stuff that has happened in your life, He has brought about for this moment, to bring you to Him, through making your way here today. From this moment on, now, decide to follow Jesus.

Prayer, Rain and Encouragement

The one thing I used to love about living in the desert was the most amazing thunderstorms we would get here. They would usually roll in around 3pm and last until about 7pm, sometimes longer. Not sure why that particular memory popped up but it did. I remember sitting on my couch with the sliding window wide open just to watch the darkened skies light up with flashes of lightning and then the boom of the thunder. It was fun to count the time between the lightning and the rumbles of thunder to see just how close or far away the storm was. I loved it when it was further away and hated when it was so close you could barely count to 1 one thousand and then the boom. I hated the ones that were accompanied by that distinctive crack of the thunder and the rumbles that would shake the whole house. I still hate those even today.

I guess that is a lot like the storms in our life. We hate the ones that are right on top of us, but can breathe a sigh of relief almost when they were a bit further away from us. I am asking you to keep a close friend in prayer this morning. Her name is Lyndee and she too lives in the desert. Her storm is happening even as we speak, and yes, she did give me permission to share her request. I won't go into the particulars of what is happening, but enough to say this could and can be a life and death surgical procedure. She went in at 8:00am and it should last about 3 hours. This procedure will definitely improve the quality of her life and thus the reason for my prayer request. Pray that the doctors are delivering a text book procedure and that there are no complications or infections post surgery. I am asking that she is well covered in prayer and protection to keep the enemy far from this warrior for Christ. Thank you in advance for those that will read this and offer your prayers up with mine.

For the last week, we've been hoping and praying for rain. Last night we got a few minutes of rain and are praying that the weather app will be correct and offer up more today and tomorrow. Yet in the midst of the desert that is always a hit and miss lately. Seems as if we are in a bubble of sorts and these promises seem to pass us by. I do get a kick out of it when God does cause it to rain however. I pray it finds us today and God opens the heavens for a bit so we can be clean again. Doesn't rain seem to do just that? It cleanses the earth and the skies from everything that has settled and covered up things.

Friends, I pray that if you happened by this post today, that you can be encouraged. If Christ is your personal Lord and Savior, you have the best possible news locked away in your heart and its time to share some of it with those around us. I mean since God could do everything, couldn't He have found a way for every single person in the world to hear about the salvation offered in Christ? Why did He choose instead to use us? Perhaps its like I can recall that when something good happens in our life, we simply can't wait to share it with everyone else! That's what we need to do, share it and let it be a reflection of what God is doing in our life today!

If you don't know Jesus, I can tell you that it is the greatest feeling in the world to know that when this life is over, it doesn't end for us. That whatever struggle we face today, it is the worst time we will ever have to endure because nothing worse than that will happen once we get into heaven. The struggles here are the worst things we have to face. Sure it can be beyond what we think we can handle, but we don't have to handle it alone. God is ready and waiting for you to invite Him into your life. He doesn't push or barge or even force His way in. He simply waits ready for your invitation. Considering all that is wrong in the world, don't you want to know you are going through it alone? That the Creator of heaven and earth stands by waiting for you to say, Hey God, I want you to take over my life. I've made a mess of things and could certainly use Your guidance instead of mine. Help me to know you Father in a way that makes sense to me. I want you to make me a new person and I want to invite you into my life and make me over. I know You sent Your only Son, Jesus to die for all the things I keep messing up, called sin in my life, and that He didn't stay dead. He rose up and was made alive again, just so that I could live forever when this life is over. Take me Lord, I am all yours! In Jesus Name, AMEN!

Prayer Request

People always pass around the comment, "Will you pray for me?"

Often times we say we will, but why don't we pray for them right when they ask? Are we too embarrassed, too busy or honestly believe by the end of the day we might remember? I wonder if it isn't a ploy by the enemy to keep us so distracted and busy, that opportunities to unleash the power of prayer is wasted by the busyness of this world.

Prayer has so much potential we don't even see, that when we simply stop and do it, it changes everything we may not see happening. Perhaps it is providing for protection for our loved ones on their travels to work or home. Perhaps it is to give them discernment regarding a decision that may not be what God wants in their life. Perhaps it is the reinforcements that are called to action in the spiritual realm that all they need is that one quick prayer to change the outcome in someone's life or offer that miracle we all seek to have.

The Bible is clear that the prayers of the saints, are keeping in a golden bowl in heaven. Not one is wasted. So why mention this unless prayer has a lot more power than we ever hoped to believe it does. Sometimes I believe our prayers are half-hearted, like we simply don't believe anything will change so our hearts lack the faith to believe that prayer will change anything. Perhaps you've been praying for the salvation of someone, a miracle from healing of cancer, or a thousand things I can't even think of, why do you doubt your prayer has any affect? Is it because you don't see those changes you want to happen right now, like praying for that person who has battled back cancer only to have it come back worse than ever? So why bother praying for it?

I know that God will always answer prayer in one of three ways, Yes! No. Or wait. We all hate the word No, from the time we were infants to even now, the word No is not one we want to accept. Yes is always the favored response, but then again God is not our genie in a bottle just waiting around for our wishes to be requested. Wait is even harder than No. At least with No, you can move on, but we all want to know just how long we will have to wait for that Yes or No. Sometimes it's til the end of the day, or for others it may not be until the other side of heaven for us to see, but one thing the Bible tells us is to not give up praying.

My pastor said it best when asked to pray for a dying man. While the family wanted a miracle, our pastor asked if he was saved. Not knowing the absolute answer to that question, he simply asked God for an opportunity to be able to share the gospel with this man before he died. Now that might seem harsh since that isn't what the family asked for, but we have to understand and know this, that nothing that robs us of the physical body transfers over to heaven, if we are saved through our faith in Christ. It stays behind in that physical suit we've been wearing called our body. But it is the condition of our souls that is the most important. Where we will be spending an eternity that matters most!!! So that should always be our first response to pray for the soul, then the body. We want to know when we breathe our last breath here, that our next breath will be in heaven free from everything that held us back on earth, like cancer, a permanent disability, age, you name it.

I'm asking for you to pray for two very important people, women I've never met, but know them through Facebook, and both going through difficult times, I wouldn't wish on anyone. Pray for my dear friend Sharon, who has been given news that her husband is not expected to live through the week. Also pray for my dear friend Lyndee who is to undergo surgery on March 20 for her heart, and that fear that always accompanies the unknown. I also ask for prayer for my dear friend Niki, who is undergoing her fourth battle against cancer and is going through chemo again. I pray that she will not suffer through any of the complications from chemo and that she will be strengthen to win this battle once and for all.

Lord, we pray for these three wonderful women who have been challenged to face their own challenges in this world in very different ways. We pray for them first of all that You would make Yourself very present in their lives right now. I ask for unprecedented favor in both their lives, for strength to get them through the day physical and not give up. I pray for protection against the enemy, that you would surround them with spiritual protection from thoughts that betray Your plans for them, to cast fear, worry and doubt aside. I ask that friends and family be rallied to help them in any physical way to act as Your hands and feet today. I ask for the peace that surpasses all understanding to fill them from the inside out with a warmth, every single time someone joins in agreement to pray for them. Fortify them in your strength and power Lord. Let them know that You love them so much during their difficulties and You stand ready with them through every single step. Let their faith best tested, so that it will be a faith that is trusted Lord and may their worries cease when they call on Your name for help, in Jesus Name, AMEN!!

If you have need of prayer, and would like us to pray for you, please leave a comment below and will be praying for you and your needs.

It is Finished!

It is hard to look back and see that 195 Bible Study sessions have walked us through the Book of Revelation, verse by verse so we can have a true understanding of what is contained in this Book. People have been afraid to read these words contained within it. The Book of Revelation begins with a blessing, and it ends with a provision of blessing of God's grace. You will never find another God's like ours. This is the final message in this series.

God did not give us prophecy to scare us, He gave us prophecy to prepare us.

Remember you will never understand the Book of Revelation without understanding the Old Testament, that is answered in the Book of Revelation by design.

We need to stand in our wholly Bibles unto the end.

Revelation 22:19 ~ "and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

We read yesterday about the warning "not to add to," the Bible which is a warning against cults. Those who add to the Bible are recognized as cults, like Jehovah's Witnesses, Scientology, Mormons. They breed abhorrent theology in thinking God's Word is not enough and it needs interpretations outside of the Bible to explain what it really means.

Verse 19 is a warning to those who want to "take away" from what the Bible has to say. It recognizes theological liberalism. This 'take away' is amazing because it directly warns against biblical liberalism in the last days. Biblical liberalism means to diminish, to revise, to suppress, to altar, to usurp over the Author with the intent to change its original meaning. To sum it up, a false prophet.

Deuteronomy 4:2 ~ "You shall not add to the word which I command you, not take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."

2 Peter 2:1-3 ~ "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber."

While the "taking away" from the Bible also gives birth to cults as well like Dan Brown (The DaVinci Code). Without knowing what the Bible has to say, how can you tell the truth from the lies permeating the world today. Their goal is to get you to question what is really true or not.

1 Peter 1:17-21 ~ "And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of you stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."

The Bible isn't some private interpretation, and man didn't write it. The Holy Spirit possessed man to write it. That is why it is without error.

How do I stand in my wholly Bible until the end?

1. Start to take your daily reading and glue it to your day. (No matter how many times you have started it, don't back up, pick it up today and keep on going. Get out a highlighter and highlight the verse that speaks to you in your daily reading. Incorporate that into your prayer and into your day.

2. Move out being confident because it's God's Word.

3. Confront the false, by using the Truth!

We need to trust in our Lord Jesus Christ right now.

Revelation 22:20 ~ "He who testifies to these things says, "Surely, I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"

But how do I trust Jesus more? Do it now! God have never lied or deceives you.

1. Know what He says is true beyond perceptions.
2. Let Him be personal with you.
3. Obey Him when he speaks to you.

Mark 5:35-36 ~ :While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."

We need to enjoy our Lord Jesus Christ every day.

Revelation 22:21 ~ "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

The grace - is the enemy of every cult and the stumbling block of every liberal. In the Greek, is is 'charis' meaning the divine influence upon the heart, being accepted, benefited, favored, gifted, to become an object of joy, pleasure, approval, unearned delight!

A cult says you have to work you way into heaven and the one saying that all can agree with that Jesus said is that you should tithe. They are all about you giving your money to them.

Ephesians 2:4-10 ~ "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

The Christian life begins with grace; it is sustained by His grace; and we will finish by His grace. And we, we're finished by His grace.

Amen - so let it be, it is the truth, that's it.

But how do I enjoy the Lord Jesus more?

1. Take hold of His grace.
2. Practice His presence moment by moment.
3. Rest in the fact that you are His special child.

Remember you will NEVER have to work to get saved. It is a gift from God, paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross and all it takes is for you to simply accept it and ask Him into your heart today. Won't you take God on His word and be saved?

My hope is that first of all you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and that you have enjoyed these 195 individual Bible Study sessions through the Book of Revelation. My goal is that Jesus Christ has been revealed to you in a more powerful and real way through our time together. Now it is time to begin to study how we can be more Christ-like in our own life! Hope you continue to join me.

What is Behind Door # 2?

Who doesn't love a vacation? In fact, most of us are counting down the number of days or hours until we leave for a vacation. You know what the best part of a vacation is? The anticipation! It is knowing all the planning, all the preparation is counting it down til the day you leave. That is the best part! That is how God wants you to be in anticipation of Jesus Christ's return.

He is coming soon! The more we think on that and the more real it becomes to us, we begin to prioritize what is really important and what isn't. We need to weed out those things that carry us far from what Jesus wants in our life and start digging in a bit more to what He wants us to know and do in these coming and final days.

In our study today, we will realize that Jesus doesn't say I am coming soon, but He says "I am coming quickly." As you look around the world today, doesn't it seem like things are becoming unhinged, a bit on the crazy side? When we see these things we know that they are signs that He will come quickly, when we least expect it.

We need to turn off those distractions and get some time alone with God. Pray that God will reveal those things in your life that are keeping us apart from God. To knowing who He really is. That is how we can prepare to get ready for His coming. We won't have time to look around when He does come back. He is coming quickly.

As we begin our study today, in these final lessons on the Book of Revelation, we see the last words of Jesus and they are found in the final book of the Bible. These are His last recorded words and the words, "Surely, I am coming quickly," answers any questions we might have regarding our Christian walk of faith. Why do we read our Bible? Why do we go to church? Why do we feed the poor? Why do we help the homeless? All because Jesus is coming quickly.

Now a days there are more theologies out there than you can shake a stick at. Everyone has their own theory, everyone has the right answer to get you into heaven, and to help you know God more fully. One thing is certain, that all roads lead to God!" The real meat of it is, however, that not everyone gets to stay. Every man and woman will stand before God one day regards of your religious beliefs or non religious beliefs. Every. Single. One. We need to be concerned however, about what lies behind door number 2. The first door gets us all into God's presence, it's what lies behind door number 2 that should really cause us to sit up and take notice.

Just like the television show, Let's Make a Deal. There were always three doors, and more than anything you wanted to ensure that you picked the right door to get the best prize. This is certainly the case here. It's what lies beyond door number 2 that matters. Is it heaven? Or is it hell? Those are our only two options, regardless of what your "religious" upbringing my have you to believe.

Revelation 22:18-21 ~ "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plague that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

These final words of Jesus Christ demand an attentiveness to exhort the church to be ready and stay awake. But how do we get ready and how do we stay awake?

These are the questions that we must answer if we're going to be faithful until the end, if we're going to persevere in this life, if we're going to be effective Christians.

There are those who would tell you that the Bible does not contain the Word of God, and that is true! The Bible IS the Word of God. To say that it contains the Word of God implies that not all of it is the Word of God and other interpretations are represented in it. That is 100% false. Every. Single. Word. of the Bible is the Word of God. Not of man. Don't be confused.

Because Jesus is coming quickly, we need to know our wholly Bibles like never before. Yes, I said, "wholly" Bible.

Revelation 22: 18 ~ "For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plague that are written in this book;"

"Wholly" means complete in its fullness. There is nothing more to add or take away. It is done. Here in the consummation of the Bible, warnings are given that ring loud and true in our day. Who hasn't heard of numerous versions of the Bible or additional books claiming to contain the Words of God? There have never been more cults on earth than right now.

"If anyone adds..." In other words: (1) to tamper with what the Father has said, God has preserved the Bible throughout all these years. (2)To confuse what Jesus has said; people have always argued with the words of Jesus Christ, and what He really meant or who He was really. (3) To improved upon what the Holy Spirit has said; the Holy Spirit is the author of the Scriptures.

Galatians 1:8-9 ~ "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you that what you have received, let him be accursed."

This was written more than 2000 years ago and now there are numerous other resources out there other than the Bible.

Acts 17:11 ~ "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

This is the standard on how we are to judge things today, from what our pastors have to say from the pulpit, and what other Christians say.

1 John 4:1 ~ "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

There have been and will continue to be...many false prophets in the world today, from Jim Jones, David Koresh, to even Dan Brown, author of the DaVinci Code, is a false prophet. In just one novel he has people second guessing what they know of the Bible to be true. He makes you doubt the Bible and only through a fictional novel.

Proverbs 30:5-6 ~ "Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to his words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar."

Even without the Bible as a resource, we know that in 1947, the Dead Sea scrolls have backed up the Bible, Word for Word, with the exclusion of the Book of Esther. So how can we know our wholly Bibles like never before? (1) stop pretending that you're a Christian, and become one. Put it into practice every single day, not just on Sunday's. Be a Christian every single day. (2) Determine now to put the Bible into practice daily. Don't just read it, live it out among your family and friends. (3) Go on a diet, eat up what it is saying to you!

We will finish our study on the Book of Revelation tomorrow. 

He Wants You!

I remember during World War 1 and 2, we saw posters of Uncle Sam saying, "I want YOU!" It was a plea to inspire men and women to do their part to win in the war effort. It was a strong message in hopes of pulling on the patriotic heart strings of those to do their part. They were needed. Wanted! Doesn't everyone everywhere desire to be needed and wanted? Deep inside all of our hearts, we have a thirst for someone to love us as we desire to be loved. To be wanted, cherished, admired and cared for unconditionally, don't we?

Jesus Christ is being proclaimed to know who He really is. Isn't it amazing that He is personally inviting us to eternal life in heaven with Him. As long as we are willing to give everything up we are holding on to just to follow Him. No other faith group extends this invitation, from a God who loves you so much He wants to do everything He can to make sure you're not left behind for all eternity. He's willing to remove all of our sings and allow us to start fresh today.

Isaiah 1:18 ~ "Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Whatever excuse you think you can make as to the reason why you have put off taking Jesus up on his offer, is not reason enough to separate you from Him for all eternity. Will you come to Him today, while you still have that chance and opportunity to do so? You can't do it when you're dead. It has to happen before them and no one is ever guaranteed a tomorrow.

We've been studying yesterday and continuing today about the deity of Jesus Christ and the scriptures that back up that Jesus Christ is God!

Psalm 2:11-12 ~ "Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling, Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are those who put their trust in Him."

Isaiah 7:14 ~ "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."

Luke 1:30-32 ~ "Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David."

Philippians 2:10-11 ~ "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Philippians 3:20 ~ "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

John 3:16 ~ "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

John 4:42 ~ "Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

1 John 4:14 ~ "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world."

2 Peter 1:11 ~ "for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

It's no wonder than that Jesus Christ is crying out to you today.

Romans 10:13 ~ "For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

Acts 4:12 ~ "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

And this is just the beginning....read the Bible from cover to cover! You can't help but see Jesus as God throughout! Now will you come please, because Jesus Christ is the request and He is requesting YOU!

Revelation 22:14-16 ~ "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."

When it says that outside...this is not referring to looking over the wall of the heavenly city and seeing those who have rejected Christ, it is simply referencing hell, the complete opposite of where Jesus is and as far away as possible as they can be.

Jesus, Himself, is making a personal plea and testimony. He is speaking to YOU! Confirming the message He has sent in the churches, inviting YOU to come to know Him personally in your heart. Jesus is the Root of David, He has engineered it all from the very beginning of creation.

Revelation 22:17 ~ "And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" and let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."

Come is a very common and simple word in the Greek language, which means to show up, to arrive, to return, to be there. There is a subtle, yet profound truth here in the Greek construction of this verse. Collectively, the confession is Come, Lord Jesus!

I would encourage you if you have been waiting on making your choice to follow Jesus, Come! Come to know Him today! Come let Him change your life forever! Come make the choice before it's too late. Come just as YOU are and He will do the work to restore, redeem and renew your life. Just invite Him in, He is waiting for You!

You will NOT Get to Heaven Based On Your Works!

A lot of Christians believe their Christianity or maintain their Christianity or somehow conclude their Christianity by salvation being established, kept or preserved by works. It's human nature, as fallen as it is, to assume the responsibility of works and in many cases it can be commendable, but not when it comes to your salvation.

You will NOT get to heaven based on your works. Jesus did the work to get you into heaven. As a born again Christian, the Holy Spirit dwelling within you will cause works to come out of your life. Words, deeds, actions, but it doesn't save you. It's just evidence that you are saved.

Don't make the mistake thinking you can work your way into heaven. That's an abomination. The unsaved will be condemned by their works, while the saved are rewarded for their works. That is exactly what the Bible teaches.

We start to approach God on our merits. We have good weeks so we attribute that to how much God must love us and we must be doing good in His eyes. But that is NOT how God loves us. That's not how we relate to Him or even love Him.

Because we have a true living relationship with the LORD, that new life produces good works, but we are not saved by them. It's just proof we are saved. You don't have to work your way into heaven and any religion that tells you that is false. That is why Jesus said, "It is finished," as He hung on the cross dying for our sins. He gave His life that we might be saved.

What is required of you?

Jesus said, "This is the work, to believe on Him, whom God has sent." That is the work you are to do. Singular! From that life flows a life of works as proof that you have been saved, and have faith in Christ.

Does the return of Jesus Christ excite you? If not, why not? If you are afraid, perhaps something in your life isn't right. Will you now open your heart and give up everything for Christ today? Perhaps finally give up after all these years...your status, your religion, your position and give everything up to Jesus and humble yourself before Him? All your righteousness? Give it up!

Revelation 22:12-17 ~ "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely."

Why should you come? Because Jesus Christ is the reality.

Revelation 22:12a ~ "And behold, I am coming quickly..." 

No less than six times does Jesus teach us about His return, twice as a warning (Revelation 2:5,16) and four times as a promise (Revelation 3:11, 22:7, 12, 20).

Why Jesus Christ?

He is our only hope! He could come suddenly and without warning! There is nothing worth living for in this world, if we don't have Jesus. He promised He would come the first time, and He'll come back as He has promised again for the second time! When death comes to us in this life, it is merely a doorway to eternity.

Jesus Christ is the reward.

Revelation 22:12b ~ "My reward is with me, to give to every one according to his work."

This is not a verse for justification for salvation by works as many would quote and point to, when they read this. Salvation is apart from works, says the Bible. But the LORD will give rewards according to the words which the Christian, the one who has come to Jesus, has done while in this world!

You and I will be rewarded for every penny that we've invested in work of the Lord. You and I will be rewarded for every effort that we've made to tell others about Jesus and His love for them. You and I will be rewarded for every act of obedience to Christ while in this life.

Matthew 13:23 ~ "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces; some a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty."

Here's a simple, but powerful self-test to determine if you are a real, fruit-bearing Christian...What "effect for Christ" have you left people? His reward will be the "complete redemption" of our person. It needs to be for God's glory and not ours!

Believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, not the Great White Throne judgment, not to determine salvation and our entrance into heaven, but to determine our rewards and our intents on our works whether for our glory or for Jesus'!

What will you do today for the glory of Jesus?

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.