Bible Prophecy and Inspiration

In the time period we live in, it’s tough not to see the goals in America.  It doesn’t matter if one has wealth or doesn’t, the obsession appears to be to try and achieve it for the majority of people.

What does the New Testament have to say on these issues?  Where does it indicate we should be putting our resources?  Where are some the hints that we should take note of?

Matthew 13:44-46 – ⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.  ⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Luke 12:33-34 – ³³ Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 18:22-30 – ²² When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²³ When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. ²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ²⁵ Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” ²⁶ Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” ²⁷ Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
²⁸ Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” ²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God ³⁰ will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

In all of those verses mention above it doesn’t sound like, get a great job, invest, build an empire on earth, build up wealth, and also just acknowledge Jesus.

No I think it’s warning pretty clearly that we are to not concentrate solely on ourselves, but to live for the Lord and show love to others.  Our King didn’t come down with a gold spoon in his mouth as His example.  He was fully capable of doing so, He’s made everything and certainly powerful engough.  No, He came down as an example of how He wants us to live.

Matthew 23:11-12 – ¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

We’re not to exalt ourselves.  We aren’t supposed to take ego classes and build up our self esteem.  We’re to be humble and servants.

Now that we see how we can invest above.  Let’s see the warnings on trying to invest mightily down here.

Luke 12:15-21 – ¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
¹⁶ And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Matthew 13:22-23 – ²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Luke 16:13 – ¹³ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

It takes faith to deny yourself today and invest into what you can’t see yet.  Do you think God likes that kind of faith?

Hebrews 11:6 – ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

It’s pretty elementary.  If love yourself, your going to invest everything into yourself.  If you love the Lord you’re going to invest into Him.

As you can see the Word of God really isn’t silent on the issue.  The problem is man and his sinful nature wants to believe we can believe Satan and God at the same time.  Have the cake and eat it too.

God wants our obedience.  He wants us to faithfully believe His Word and serve Him.

Let’s invest into the Lord and not ourselves.

Matthew 28:16-20 – ¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 16:15 –¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

The commission for us all is to proclaim the Good News.

Isn’t it ironic that one of the things the world wants you to do is keep your faith to yourself?  Why do you think that is?  Because the deceiver knows that if the Good News is preached throughout the world, which Jesus is Lord and has died for their sins, his end will come.  Satan hates God.  Satan hates all.  He selfishly wants people to worship him and the reason is because he has always wanted to be god.

What did Jesus tell Peter to do if he loved Him?

John 21:15-17 – ¹⁵ When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

¹⁶ Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

You see that is what we are supposed to be doing for our Lord.  Some will feed thousands.  Others will feed hundreds, others tens of people.  The Lord will use any of His own that are willing to feed and nurture others.  It can be done in many ways and always needs to be done with the love of our Lord in mind.

Jesus said this in a parable:

Matthew 25:23 – ²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!

That doesn’t sound like the Lord is saying, just believe and take it easy, or sit around, enjoy life to the fullest and don’t burden yourself with things.  After all it’s about grace, right?

No, the Lord has given us all a commission.  We are all different and have unique gifts, but all of us are geared to be able to feed the Lord’s sheep one way or another.

If you love Him, feed His sheep.  Be responsible and faithful with a few things and allow Him later in the Kingdom to put you in charge of many things.

Matthew 7:7-8 – ⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

Why is no one going to be able to plead ignorance that has reached a point of accountability?

Matthew mentions it above.  If you seek the Lord and truth He will reveal it to you.  It’s my favorite scripture.  The reason it is, is because I used to be one of the lazy Christians who ask to be forgiven and then never sought the Truth.

The Lord doesn’t want anyone to perish, but He doesn’t want a bunch of blind followers who don’t want to seek Him or His Truth.  It’s not about getting the get out of free jail card and then living anyway you want.

Matthew 6:33 – ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

The Lord makes it clear.  Put Him first.   No, really, make Him first.

Matthew 6:24 – ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

There is a serious problem in the world and especially in America when it comes to serving finances.  How many put their time in their finances more than in the Lord?

Our relationship grows by seeking God and His Son.  Our faith grows by reading His Word and discovering the truth of it when we look around.

We need to earnestly seek God is what He asks.  What happens for those who do?  They find.  What do they find?  The Truth!  Why is the Truth important?

John 14:6 – ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 8:31-32 – ³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

If we don’t make it a point to seek the Truth then we are jeopardy of being swept away by the untruths or lies.

In the last days there is great falling away and I believe it’s because people don’t care about truth.  They are happy with just making the truth whatever they want it to be. 

Seek truth.  Ask, seek, knock.  He will open the door.  I’ll vouch for that personally.

Galatians 2:20 – ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This one scripture would put an end to our continuous problem of being selfish if we could just grasp it.

Do we chase after greed if we no longer live in our self centered state?  Do we get so upset we choose not to forgive if we no longer live, but Christ lives in us?

It’s a verse that asks us to be totally contrary to who we naturally are in the current body.  Why is that?  Product Malfunction!

Yet we have a God that loves us so much, that even as haywire and sinful we are, He died for us and took on the penalty that sin requires.

Jesus asks us to pick up our cross and follow Him.

Matthew 10:38-39 – ³⁸ Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

That’s not an easy scripture for today’s church to accept.  However it reads very clear.

In the areas we all struggle in, Galatians 2:20 explains that if we died to our selfish wants or vices, we wouldn’t continue to struggle in these areas.

For many it’s not just a struggling in the flesh thing.  The real problem comes in their faith.

Many say they believe in Heaven, yet they live on this earth like there’s no tomorrow.  Faith issue?  Absolutely. 

If you don’t believe Heaven’s tons better than this earth, you’re not going to invest into it or live like were supposed to here. 

Faith is strengthened by studying the Word.  Then it’s about looking around you and seeing it all being Truth.  The good, the bad, the history, the sinful nature, the persecution, selfishness, greed, addictions, unforgiveness, murder, hatred, etc.

So are we supposed to live gung ho for the world today and then hope for the best regarding Heaven tomorrow?

Not from what I read.

It’s supposed to be exactly the opposite for us.  Don’t chase the world.  The Lord knows you have needs.  Trust in the Lord and chase after Him.  He who is the least will be the greatest.  He who humbles himself will be exalted.

Did our Lord come as a rich king on this earth when He was here?  Who was peddling the riches and power?  That was Satan tempting Him in the desert.

Matthew 13:44 –  ⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

What does God want from you?  Your heart. 

What can you give a God that has made everything?  Your heart.

As a free will being He can’t make you love Him.  That’s what He wants you to give Him your heart.  Your love and obedience while a being a freewill individual.  The easiest way to surrender is to die to your sinful nature and self.

Here it is again –

Galatians 2:20 – ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Jesus isn’t a theory, Jesus is person, Jesus is the Son and God in the flesh that died for those who will make Him Lord and ask for that forgiveness.

If you don’t know Him as a person, as your best friend, the One you can trust, please make every effort to do so.

The Jews? 

No, it was God who made the rules.  God made the law.  God had His people conduct ceremonies, feasts, rituals, sacrifices, routines, etc.

The church today acts like if it comes from the Old Testament then that’s out.  That was back when the Jews did things.

Wait a minute, the Jews didn’t make a bunch of laws and rules and then attach God to them.  So when the church wants to ignore Israel and the Jews, what are they doing?  They just threw out all of God’s thinking in the Old Testament.

Problem?

Here is what the Bible says about God and Jesus.

Numbers 23:19 – ¹⁹ God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.  Does he speak and then not act?  Does he promise and not fulfill?

Psalm 145:13 – ¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.  The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.

Hebrews 13:8 – ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

So we know the Lord doesn’t lie, change His mind, speak and not act and He keeps His promises.

So why don’t we live exactly as the Jews?  We have had fulfillments for one.  We also can read that hypocritical man can put burdens on others that they can’t fulfill themselves.  The Lord made rules for the betterment not be burdensome or unrealistic.  The foods the Lord didn’t want eaten saved many lives at the time.  Later on Jesus explained that the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27).  You could heal or save your animals or livestock, it wasn’t crime (Matthew 12:11-12). 

The Lord has fulfilled the Spring Feasts.  He came the first time and fulfilled certain items. 

The law is still there for our benefit.  He still wants us to obey it.  He just died for our salvation that we may be saved when it’s broken.

Which one of the commandments does our Lord want us to break?  Even in the case of the Sabbath, I believe he still wants us to stop, rest, pray, and reflect on Him as often as we can.  The Sabbath made people do that.  Without it, it’s amazing how proclaimed Christians give no time to the Lord.

I’m not saying the church is to become Jewish, that’s what the replacement church is trying to do to an extent.  Except they want to take all the blessings for themselves and let the curses stay with the Jewish people.  No, the church is the church and Israel is Israel.  Each have their own promises.

We need to pay attention and understand all the things that the Lord has to say and understand them.  Not pass them off as Old Testament and sweep them under the rug.  Because the commands on how to live didn’t come from man, but God.

Deuteronomy 12:4 – ⁴ You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.

In the Old Testament God was telling the Jews that there was a right way to worship Him.

What?

I know that shouldn’t shock someone, but in the world we live in today and it’s getting to be so more every day, people think however I believe pleases God.  Whatever, I think, or my personal preference is, God respects that and you should too.

So are God and Jesus into the respect of Man’s thinking?

Proverbs 14:12 – ¹² There is a way which seems right to a man,
but in the end it leads to death.

John 14:6 – ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

I would say that if one reads the Bible, God has a lot of expectations and absolutes.  No wonder this generation doesn’t want to study or read it.

I’ve been preaching it for the last 3 years and it’s stronger today that yesterday.  The only intolerance in the world today is intolerance.

The world says we must include and tolerate all ideas when it comes to spirituality.

Sounds like the major priming of a one world religion to me?

Revelation 17:4-6 – ⁴ The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. ⁵ The name written on her forehead was a mystery:

babylon the great

the mother of prostitutes

and of the abominations of the earth.

⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.

It would appear that the Woman, which seems to represent something priestly by the description doesn’t have a liking for God’s holy people who will be giving testimony of Jesus.

The tolerant crowd today is not the tolerant crowd of God’s truth or His ways.  We need to stand firm and continue to seek His truth.

Remember the majority does not make the right decision or God’s Word wouldn’t be correct.

Matthew 7:13-14- ¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

God’s not looking for an elite crowd, just those who love Him, seek Him, repent, accept His death in the place of theirs, and want to make Him Lord of their lives.  By His Word only a few choose that.  Be one of those few and try to reach others to be also, before our time runs out.

Today’s post is inspired by a part of the sermon I received from church by Pastor Josh.

The message was on the Holy Spirit.

One of the pieces of the message was about a guy going out and purchasing a refrigerator.  It had all the bells, whistles, and was state of the art.  However, it didn’t work.  As it turns out, it didn’t work because it wasn’t plugged in.

So here’s the question.  Are we plugged in?

If we are not plugged in, we don’t have power from God.  The power is from the Holy Spirit.

In John we see Jesus speak of Him.

John 14:25-26 – ²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Jesus also said in the beginning of Acts:

Acts 1:8-  ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Today many proclaimed Christian’s are not plugged into God.  So how does one act that is a proclaimed Christian that is not plugged into the Holy Spirit?  The same as someone who isn’t saved at all.  You have a hard time differentiating between the two because the only difference on their actions is one says they are a Christian and another doesn’t.  However their actions are exactly the same.

The reason this is getting worse every day is because many Christians don’t know the Word of God.
Then they improvise to make God an individual that just so happens to think like they do.  That way anything they like to do is okay by God.

If we’re not plugged in we’re doomed to be those that try to use the wide road.

What happens when we have the Holy Spirit?

Acts:11:24 –  ²⁴ He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Romans 14:17- ¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 4:30 – ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

So He is our strength in reaching others.  He teaches us that the kingdom is not of this world but of heavenly things and God seals us with the Holy Spirit for our day of redemption.

Stay in the Word and remember that our bodies are the temple for the Holy Spirit.

Acts 5:27-29 – ²⁷ The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ²⁸ “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!

Everyday new laws are popping up that are contrary to God and His Word.  Now it is more important than ever to remember that “We must obey God rather than human beings!”

Many of our Christian brothers and sisters have perished for what would seem like some of the simplest things they could have gone along with.  However, most of those simple things are an abomination to God.

Stay strong!  This world is on a slippery pace to the One World Order and start of the Tribulation.  Unfortunately those who don’t know God’s Word are doomed to go against It and Him.