Luke 11:33, “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.”
I can write an article like this because I am a Christian Myself. I am not writing this article to attack any Christians; on the contrary, I am writing this article to wake you up if you’re sleeping in this dark hour. Jesus asked His disciples to pray, but they went to sleep instead. MOST believers have gone to sleep spiritually worldwide, especially in America. I want you to awake to righteousness (1st Corinthians 15:34, “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame”). I want to help you in the spirit of meekness (Galatians 6:1).
Where is your light oh Christian?
One of the biggest problems with Christians today is that they are hiding their light within the church walls (in a “secret place” as mentioned in Luke 11:33). “Secret place” simply means “hidden place”. Why would a person light a candle and then cover it? Or in today’s thinking, why would you turn on a lamp and then cover it with a box? It is just as ridiculous for a child of God to hide their light from the world. Most believers know the Biblical teaching of the candle being hid under the bushel, but the true meaning just doesn’t register. There are churches all across America that meet a couple times a week behind closed doors and the local community has NO IDEA what the church believes. Their candle (light) is well hid.
Most Churches operate like the occult
Do you know what the definition of “occult” is?
OCCULT: Become concealed or hidden from view or have its light extinguished
I hate to say it, but it needs to be said…most churches operate more like occult organizations than they do local New Testament churches. Church members all across America think they only go to church to “worship” God. Show me that in the Bible. We are supposed to worship God at all times. Americas churches have fallen into the lie of the devil that we shouldn’t FORCE our beliefs upon other people. This is simply not true. Christians are supposed to stand up against the evil doers…
“Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?” -Psalm 94:16
I am NOT saying that the church is the occult. I am saying that most churches operate like the occult. Most communities across America know as much about their local church as they do about Skull and Bones or the Freemasons. I believe that every community in America should know clearly what their local New Testament church stands for and believes. Will this make some people angry? Of course, but that should not be a factor because God has commanded us to stand up against evil and iniquity.
The Early Church was Persecuted for Their Faithfulness to Christ
The believers in the early church were making things happen. God gave us the Book of Acts so we would have an example to follow. They were getting people saved (Acts 2:41 tells us that 3,000 souls were saved). The Devil doesn’t care what you believe, just so long as you keep it to yourself. The early believers were worrying Satan and giving him cause for concern. By Acts 4:4, the Bible tells us that 5,000 men were saved (not including women and children). By now the Devil was going ballistic. It is not surprising that Herod killed James in Acts 12:2 with the sword. Acts 12:3 says that the Jews were pleased with James’ execution, which prompted Herod to also put Peter on death row.
It’s no different today… the wicked love to see Christians get their heads chopped off.
I heard a deadbeat pastor say that he wasn’t trying to grow his church. Huh? He said that he only wants to pass to the next generation the doctrines which have been entrusted to him. The guys an idiot, pardon the expression. Who’s he going to pass the doctrines to? His biggest Sunday attendance since he became pastor is about 30 people. He spent 4-years in an Independent Fundamental Baptist Bible college. He needs to go back to school because he missed something.
He leads his congregation every Wednesday night to “pray about the abortion issue” while the local community never hears a word from his church about the sin of abortion. The abortion clinic down the street never sees a protester from his church. This is what’s wrong with America!
Churches today are mainly concerned about making money and going through the religious motions, but their candle is well hidden. When God says in 2nd Timothy 3:12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” If you are not experiencing persecution in this apostate world, then you are not living godly in Christ Jesus.
A Christ-honoring Church Stirs Things Up with the Truth
The early church in the Book of Acts was rocking the boat. They were making people angry by preaching the truth. Some people were martyred, willing to die for the cause of Christ. In Acts 19:19 many who had been involved with the occult brought their “curious arts” and burned them in a bonfire. The worth of the books and items were 50,000 pieces of silver (about $48,000 in today’s value, and millions in Bible times). A piece of silver was a day’s wage in the New Testament.
The local idol makers were so enraged at Paul, that the other believers had to keep him from the angry mob waiting to tear him to pieces (Acts 19:30). This is what the truth does friend, it puts the beer companies out of business. It puts the pornographic perverts out of business. It shuts down the taverns and whore houses. The truth cleans up the community. It cause women to keep their babies instead of murdering them. It puts the Rosary makers out of business. It puts the palm readers, Tarot card readers, and psychics out of business. It puts the Godless video game makers out of business. It puts Godless Hollywood and Devilish Walt Disney out of business. It puts the gambling casinos out of business. The truth puts the strip joints and nightclubs out of business. Praise God, when Jesus returns at the Second Coming, He will put all these evil people out of business!!!
Please notice that the early believers didn’t just preach a salvation message. The Apostle Paul preached about all the things concerning the kingdom of God (Acts 19:8). I actually had a preacher tell me, that when I came to his church, he only wanted me to preach a “salvation message.” He didn’t like me teaching that all modern Bibles are corrupt. He didn’t like when I preached against liquor. He didn’t like when I preached against bars and nightclubs. He didn’t like when I exposed the lies of Roman Catholicism. And he hated when I preached with zeal and fervor. He actually accused me of shouting at the people from the pulpit. I was shouting at anybody, I was zealously proclaiming the truth with excitement. I don’t know about you, but I get exciting knowing that I have found the truth in Christ Jesus. Eventually he threw me out the door.
Until Christ returns, we are responsible to stand against the evils of our day (Psalm 94:16). The truth will make people angry. The truth will cause others to come to God in repentance. The truth is emotional. The truth demands an answer. The truth cannot be ignored forever. The truth is the truth! 2nd Thessalonians 2:10 tells us that we should receive the love of the truth. Do you love the truth? Now, I don’t like to know of bad things, but I need to know the truth. I must know the truth!
It is Our Constitutional Right to Proclaim the Truth
When a man of God proclaims the truth and tries to reach people for Christ, he is simply exercising his Constitutional Bill of Rights, as well as his God-given call. Furthermore, EVERY believer is commanded to speak out against the wickednesses of our day! It’s not just the preacher’s job to witness to the lost and speak out against wrong doing… this is another lie of the Devil which many Christians have fallen for… it is ALL of our jobs. So why aren’t America’s men and women of God doing it? Wake up!!!
To accuse a zealous Christian of “forcing his or her beliefs” unto other people is simply the Devil’s lie. We have every right to speak out with contempt against contemptible things. I do NOT endorse deliberately being unkind to anyone, but unrepentant sinners will nonetheless be offended when we preach out against wickednesses. We should attack the sin, never the sinner. Though the wicked will claim the two are inseparable, there is indeed a great difference. God HATES sin, but not people. No one hates sin any more than God, yet no one loves sinners as much as God. We must follow Christ’s example by trying to do the same.
The Devils’ Crowd Parades Their Wickedness
Do you think the Devil plays by his own rules? I mean… America’s homosexuals proudly march up and down our streets promoting their wickednesses. When a few Christians protest the parade, the Christians end up being arrested and put into jail -Facing 47 years in prison! I just have a few webpages exposing the evils of homosexuality and the homosexuals go bizzerk, calling my everything imaginable. One homosexual told me that I’d better run when he sees me in Hell. Why can they have a parade, but I can’t have a few webpages? Talk about hypocrites!
I recently received an e-mail from a young man who said his teacher hated God and would sing “One nation under evolution” instead of “One nation under God” when he said the pledge. He asked me why a teacher would do that. I replied that “people need God.” I sent him Ephesians 2:2 which explains that Satan’s spirit works in the hearts of the unsaved (“…the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience”). The bottom line is that the righteous and the wicked will NEVER co-exist in harmony (“An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked, Proverb 29:27″). We can’t stand each other. This is the plain truth.
America’s Churches Need to Speak the Truth Publicly
As Christians, it is our responsibility to get the truth out. Every church in America should have a big sign out front that speaks to the drivers passing by… “Homosexuality is sin!”… “Harry Potter is wicked”… “It’s Jesus or Hell!” Every week you could change the message.
I greatly admire Dr. Roy Thompson (former pastor of the Cleveland Baptist Church in Ohio). Many years ago while driving by his church I saw a great big sign…”Abortion is cold-blooded murder!” Amen! I wanted to jump out of my seat. I was so encouraged to see a man of God with some GUTS! America’s pulpits are filled with sissy’s and wimps who are afraid to shell the corn. America needs a generation of Billy Sundays to set the fields on fire.
“There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by old-fashioned preaching.” —Dr. Jack Hyles
What does the Bible mean by “the Light”? The “Light” is simply the truth. Hence, it is our responsibility as Christians to get the truth out, the truth about everything! I am so disgusted with the attitude of wishy-washy believers who say that nothing else matters except the Gospel.
Certainly, the Gospel is the most important truth in the world, but the Bible contains much more truth than just the Gospel. If nothing else mattered except the Gospel, then God would have only written us a gospel tract, not an entire Book… the Bible.
Some Believers are Preaching Lies
So many Christians have their own concepts of what the Bible teaches. Obviously, some are correct and others are very wrong. Truth is intolerant! 2 + 2 = 4. You can sincerely believe that 2 + 2 = 5, but you are dead wrong. There is no compromise, there is no diversity. The modern-day neo-evangelical church preaches a watered-down gospel, but little else. This is the crowd that says it really doesn’t matter which Bible you use. They don’t fuss over MAJOR doctrinal differences such as the blood of Jesus, etc. Basically, they are a liability to the name of Christ.
I’d like to share with you the ministry of one neo-evangelical minister in particular. The pastor (and I use the term loosely) was a disgrace to his profession and faith. His sermonettes were so weak that any Catholic or Jehovah’s Witness would have felt at home listening to him. He preached a basic gospel, but never touched upon any doctrinal issues such as the deity of Jesus Christ or the virgin birth. The minister would simply promise his congregation that everything would get better in their life if they would simply say “yes” to Christ. He’d say things like, “Give your life to Jesus and you’ll never have any problem again.” I often wondered if he even thought about the statements he was making before he blurted them out. There are no such teachings in the Bible (Remember, Lazarus was the good guy in Luke 16…the guy begging for scraps from the garbage). Becoming a Christian doesn’t guarantee a smoother life. On the contrary, becoming a Christian guarantees you persecution…
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” -2nd Timothy 3:12
The minister I’m sharing with you didn’t care which Bible he used. He told his congregation that it didn’t matter what Bible they used either. He often made references in his sermons to movies because never missed a Hollywood movie. Truth meant nothing to the minister. He’d say, “We don’t preach anything here but the gospel.” Often he was angry because of something bad someone did to him and turned it into a sermon. His congregation starved spiritually. It wasn’t a surprise to me when the ministry closed it’s doors just 2 years later. Sadly, there are tens-of-thousands of such pathetic ministries still in existence today. Most churches just don’t care.
Most Christians Don’t Care About the Truth
The problem with many Christians is that we either don’t care about the truth (like the sinister minister above) or we don’t preach the truth outside of the church walls. It’s critical that America’s churches get riled up about the truth and proclaim it uncompromisingly and without apology. The problem with most Christians is that they’re at ease on Zion, complacent in their salvation…
“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation…” -Hebrews 2:3
Hebrews 2:3 was written to Christians. This verse is not talking about being saved. This verse is simply saying that we should not neglect our salvation. Perhaps you may want to read the excellent book, Salvation is More Than Being Saved. Look back to verse one…
“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” -Hebrews 2:1
God saved us to do more than fill up 18 inches of pew. The problem with most Christians today is that they’re “sitting on the premises” instead of “standing on the promises.” The world needs to hear the truth. We’re not going to reach the world by opening our church doors for a few hours a week and dishing our sermonettes.
Lazy Pastor Says He’s Not Trying to Grow His Church
I know of a pastor in Chicago who has about 15 to 20 people present on Sunday morning. I am mentioning him again because he is the epitome of what is wrong with America’s churches. I actually heard him say from the pulpit that he WASN’T trying to grow his church. He said his job was to pass on to the next generation what had been handed to him. What generation? You don’t have any members! Kindly said, the guys an idiot! Every pastor should want to grow his church. Look folks, God’s not interested in empty pews, He wants His house full (Luke 14:23). It wasn’t a surprise when the same pastor declined to go soul winning with me.
I looked through his weekly bulletin that’s passed out every Sunday in church. He had a list of things that the church was going to pray about on Wednesday. I noticed “the abortion issue”. Week after week his church prays about the “abortion issue,” but NEVER lifts a finger to do anything about the murdering of little children. There’s an abortion clinic right down the street, but the church is nowhere to be found. The local community never hears a word of protest from that little church. The light of the truth is hidden within the walls of the “church”. Like I said, most churches operate more like an occult organization than they do a New Testament church. It’s a disgrace.
Why Are the Churches Silent?
In the 1970’s Anita Bryant took a stand for decency and morality standing up and speaking out against the homosexual agenda. For her efforts, she was rewarded with being abandoned by the Christian churches across the Nation and ultimately suffered a divorce when the homosexuals began to make phone calls to the churches she was speaking at threatening to blow them up. The churches decided to give in to this terrorist tactic and abandon Anita. Then in the 1980’s Pastor Jerry Falwell took a stand against the homosexual agenda and many leading pastors and churches also ostracized him across the country as being a little too political and getting off focus of preaching the gospel. As a result the churches joined in with the liberal media in labeling Falwell as a hatemonger. Well today, churches are getting to reap what they have sown…
“Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” -Galatians 6:7
Here’s what Anita Bryant’s husband said…
Anita Bryant’s husband, Bob Green, was quoted as saying, “One thing we have noticed in letters we receive from people is the question, ‘Why should it have to be a woman and mother in the forefront of this battle, instead of the Christian leadership in this country.’ Since the petition drive began, Anita has had her life threatened almost daily…”
Shame! Shame on America’s Christians. We out to all be ashamed of ourselves for being so complacent and careless with our freedom.
“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for conscience people to remain silent.” -Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson, an unsaved man, had more sense than the average Christian does. Jefferson knew the road which leads to tyranny…silent citizens. If America’s Christians don’t speak out, then who will? Sadly, many of the heathen are speaking out while Christians play the religious game.
“Let’s quit fiddling with religion and do something to bring the world to Christ.”–Billy Sunday
Are you aware that God desires to favor you with His blessings? We find these words of promise in the book of Isaiah 30:18 – Therefore, the Lord longs to be gracious to you… The word “gracious” used in that verse means “to show favor” according to the Hebrew dictionary. In essence, this verse is saying, Therefore, the Lord longs to show favor to you…
If someone shows favor toward you, it means that they view you with high regard, treat you with special consideration and have delight in you and your interests. Such a person will go out of their way to help or assist you. This is God’s desire toward everyone who is in a love relationship with Him.
In Psalm 5:12 we find these words: For You, O Lord will bless the righteous, with FAVOR You will surround him as with a shield. Can you see in this verse that you have a promise from God of His shield of FAVOR surrounding you? You can not “earn” the favor of God, it is a gift that comes when you are born-again and given the righteousness of Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21)
You will not enjoy the benefits of any promise of God that you do not know about or understand and claim for your own life. It is similar to having an insurance policy on your car. You will only take advantage of the benefits that you know about. If your policy covers auto theft, but you never make a claim when your car is stolen because you think your policy only covers damage from an accident, you will never obtain that benefit, even though it belongs to you.
Take God at His word. He promised that His favor would surround you like a shield in your life. Are you experiencing God’s favor everywhere you go? Let us consider an example of how God’s favor can change life’s circumstances, even when a person is facing great difficulties. (And that is certainly when you could use an abundance of God’s favor!)
Joseph is one of the most outstanding characters in the Bible. His story of being favored by his father Jacob, yet hated by his older brothers is an amazing one. His brothers threw him into a pit and plotted to kill him. But at the urging of one brother, they instead sold him into slavery. Joseph’s experience after being sold as a slave to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officers in Egypt, demonstrates the power of God’s favor on a person’s life.
But the Lord was with Joseph, and he (though a slave) was a successful and prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to flourish and succeed in his hand. So Joseph pleased Potiphar and found favor in his sight, and he served him. And his master made him supervisor over his house and he put all that he had in his charge. From the time that he made him supervisor in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.
Genesis 39:2-5 (Amplified)
Allow me to make these observations of the results that Joseph experienced through the favor of God on his life:
- He prospered and became successful though he was in very distressing personal circumstances (slavery)
- His boss noticed that the Lord made everything Joseph touched to flourish
- He had favor in his boss’s eyes
- He received promotion
God’s favor will cause you to prosper, to be successful in your given occupation, to have others take note that the Lord is with you and bringing you success, it will give you favor with your boss and cause you to be promoted.
But take note of Joseph’s attitude in the midst of his difficult situation. The scripture tells us he pleased his boss and he served his boss. You must work in cooperation with God’s favor. If Joseph had been bitter, resentful, complained about his circumstances and resisted his boss’ instructions because he was in slavery, God’s favor would not have operated in his life. We must cooperate with the Spirit of God in every situation we face. If we maintain a clear conscience, walk in love, remain free from bitterness and show grace and favor toward others, we will be able to receive the free-flow of God’s favor in our own lives. In Luke 4:18-19 we find Jesus’ declaration about Himself:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed me to preach the Good News to the poor, He has sent me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed (who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed and broken down by calamity). To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord (the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound).
Jesus declared that He was announcing the day when the free favors of God profusely abound (Amplified Bible). Jesus came to bring us into right relationship with God through His death and resurrection. And then, once a person has entered this love relationship with God, he or she can receive the free favors of God in this life on the earth. His favor will “put you over” in life. It will give you success when failure seems imminent. It will cause other people to treat you favorably when all expectation or prior experience would have predicted the opposite. God’s favor is a powerful weapon in the circumstances you may be facing right now.
How do you “make a claim” for God’s favor to operate in your life? Like any promise of God, first you must accept His word as true. Take the promise found in Psalm 5:12 and pray: “Lord, I thank you that Your Word is true. I accept the truth that Your favor surrounds me like a shield. Now I will go forth believing and expecting that Word to come to pass today in my life. Thank You for giving me favor with others. I thank You that Your favor causes me to have success on the job today. I thank you that Your favor opens doors for me, gives me favor with clients, creates opportunities for promotion and causes others to notice Your hand of blessing on my life.”
It is important in this case to pray out loud so that you are making a declaration of your faith in God’s Word. It will encourage your own heart to hear yourself speaking by faith. Plus the devil can’t read your mind, so if you pray quietly in your heart he won’t be able to hear you using the weapon of God’s Word. And I like to let the devil know he’s “done for” when it comes to my personal circumstances!
If you are trying to sell a house pray: “Lord I thank You that Your favor on my life gives me favor with buyers and causes them to look favorably upon me and my house and brings me a favorable offer because of Your lovingkindness toward me!”
If you are having problems in a relationship, be sure to declare God’s favor over that particular situation. Pray: “Lord, I thank You that Your favor surrounds me like a shield and that it gives me favor with others especially with (name the person) and I can count on Your favor working in this situation. Help me to show grace and favor to that person as You have shown it to me.”
If you are looking for a job pray: “Lord, I believe Your favor surrounds me like a shield and therefore I have favor with employers and at every interview. Thank you for giving me favor in the eyes of others even to the point of bringing my application to the top of the stack!”
God wants to favor you today, but you must put in a claim for this precious promise…by believing the truth of His Word and then declaring it and expecting to see it come to pass in your life.
The book of Haggai is a marvelous lesson on how to get and keep the blessing and favor of the Lord. In utter simplicity the prophet Haggai outlines how God’s children can live and walk under God’s continual blessing and favor.
Yet Haggai also shows the causes and reasons why people lose God’s blessing – and what they must do to come back into His favor! This is true for nations, families, individuals.
The wonderful truth is, God blesses those who walk in faithfulness – He shows favor to those who favor Him. I don’t know about you, but I love to be around people who have the favor of God! There is something of the exuberance of Christ about them. And they have a settled peace. You don’t have to worry from one day to the next whether they’re up or down, because there is a steadiness about their walk with God.
One of the greatest sorrows a pastor has to bear, however, is to witness the awful changes that take place in Christians who go sour. These are believers who at one time were on fire for God, dedicated and zealous for His work. They were happy, blessed, growing in faith, maturing spiritually.
Then one day you began to sense that something had gone wrong. A frown had replaced their smile. Suddenly they’d stopped growing. Spiritual decay had set in!
This happens to married couples! Perhaps it is true of your marriage. Only a year or so ago, you both seemed so happy. There was a spark in your eyes, and you were sweethearts. Everywhere you turned God was blessing you. People around you thought nothing could ever come between you. You both enjoyed the fullness of God’s favor.
But now something is wrong. In a matter of just months, you both are walking in sorrow! You can’t agree on anything – there is constant misunderstanding between you. Your love for each other and for God’s work is waning. His blessing and favor on your marriage has been withdrawn!
This also happens to individual Christians! I have been greatly blessed by the faithfulness and zeal of many individual Christians, many of whom are single. They’re so full of joy, excited about the Word of God, always putting the Lord’s work first, When I see them I say to myself, “There goes one who will never quit and never grow stale. He [or she] is determined to go all the way with the Lord!”
Yet, sadly, some of these zealous believers begin to change. They start missing meetings, whereas they used to come to every service. And a sad, dour look has swept over their countenance, The blessing of God is no longer there – you can almost see it draining out of them!
Now when I see them, I wonder, “Lord – what happened? How could they just drift away? How did such coldness get into their spirit? How could they forget the secret of having Your blessing and favor upon them?”
The same thing happens to nations! From the day God commanded His blessings upon Israel, down to modern-day America – nations that once lived under bountiful goodness soon forget God! They forget why He blessed them – and they become His enemies, going from favor to awful judgments!
No nation was ever so blessed as Israel. God told them, “I picked you out of all the peoples of the nations – and I carried you in My arms! I found you, bathed and clothed you. But then you turned sour on Me! You turned against Me, committing spiritual adultery!”
Like Israel, America has lost God’s blessing and favor! At one time this nation was greatly blessed. Our forefathers were, for the most part, godly men. And up to just a few years ago, America blessed the whole world as the number-one lender nation. Not anymore! We are now the number-one debtor nation, owing more money than the rest of the world combined! We’re so deep in debt we’ll never get out!
What has happened to America? It has lost its soul, its blessing, its favor with God! No longer are we one nation under Him – because He has turned us over to our sins. We have become godless – and now we are under His divine discipline!
How do nations, families, individuals lose the blessing and favor of God? What causes this fall into ruin and shame? Haggai lists three reasons for this:
1. Self-Interests Begin to Replace God’s Interests!
“This people say, the time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built: (Haggai 1:2). The Israelites gave up building the Lord’s house – in order to build their own homes!
This scene took place sixty-eight years after Solomon’s temple was destroyed. A remnant had returned to Jerusalem out of Babylonian captivity specifically to rebuild God’s house. And, indeed, they laid the foundation of the temple with zeal and excitement!
But then they began running into some hard places – difficulties, discouragements. Slowly, they lost interest in the work of God. They said, “This just isn’t the time – we’re having too many problems. Besides, we’re spending so much time here. We’re neglecting our families and our businesses.”
One by one, they walked away to look after their own interests. And the Lord’s interests – which had everything to do with their own well-being – became secondary!
They began building their own houses. And they used the lumber that had been stored up to build the temple – all the beautiful cedar that had come from the mountainsides.
When Haggai came on the scene, he heard the pounding of nails and saw houses going up everywhere. Then he went by the house of God – and it was being neglected! Nobody was working on the temple!
He began to cry out: “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?… Thus saith the Lord… Consider your ways” (verses 4-5). He was saying, in other words, “Wake up – think about what you’re doing!”
You might ask: What is the temple of God that is being built today? Scripture says it is our bodies: “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Indeed, the church of Jesus Christ is His body on earth. He is the Head, in glory – and our primary work here on earth is to build up His spiritual body. Everything we do for Jesus doesn’t just build up a local church or ministry – it builds up Christ’s body on earth!
How, then, do believers today lose the blessing and favor of God? By stopping work on His temple! It happens when we stop praying and seeking God – when we stop building up His spiritual body!
Scripture says that if just one member hurts, the whole body suffers. I know if I bang my finger or stub my toe, my whole body reacts – even my head feels it! Therefore, if you’re not doing your part in building Christ’s house – if you’re not seeking Him with all your heart – then you’re hurting the whole body. You’re even hurting the Head, Jesus!
Here is the problem Haggai points out: When the people put God’s interests first, He provided their food and shelter. Indeed, they were cared for by Him in every way: Their vineyards grew, their grapes were heavy. They slept peacefully at night, and their children danced in the streets. None of their enemies prevailed against them. It was a marvelous time of God’s blessing. But then the people became absorbed with their own interests!
Now, God is not against our providing for our household. We are to be diligent in our daily work and business. But the Israelites had stopped doing God’s work completely. Self-interests had possessed their every thought!
Today, many Christians come to God’s house and just sit. They never do anything to build His body. They’re too concerned about their own careers and families – too busy with their own interests!
They say, “Someday I’ll have time – then I’ll be able to put the Lord’s interests first, As soon as I’ve paid my bills and put aside a little nest egg, then I’ll give more time to spiritual matters.” No! These are lukewarm, even cold – giving God less and less of their time and resources!
Perhaps at one time you came to God’s house with genuine zeal for Him. You were filled with Christ – He was your everything, your life. But now you have become wrapped up in making money, trying to improve your life-style. Suddenly, your interests have over-whelmed the interests of God. You have pushed His work out of your life!
God Says You Will Pay a High Price
for Putting Self-Interests First!
“Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes” (Haggai 1:6).
God was saying to the people: “You run after material things – houses, land, money – and they eat up all your time and energy! When you were consumed with doing My work, you had joy and satisfaction. But now you are empty, disillusioned, unsatisfied. And no matter what you do, nothing will ever satisfy you!”
“Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it, Why? saith the Lord of hosts, Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house” (verse 9).
God said, “You wanted it so badly and worked so hard for it. But you robbed from Me to get it! You brought it home, and it didn’t satisfy you – because I blew all the satisfaction away!”
This is what is happening in America today! Think about it: Never in the history of mankind has there been a country of so many, with so much – with no satisfaction! You buy things you coveted and worked so hard to get – but as soon as you bring them home, all the newness wears off! It brings no joy, no satisfaction. You can actually feel the emptiness flowing into you!
Our nation is consumed with self – self-pride, self-ambition, self-will – with every person out for his own interests! No wonder so many are drunk and dazed with drugs, wandering in darkness and confusion. God has blown on our materialistic pursuits – and nothing of it can ever satisfy!
God says: “I called for a drought upon [you]… upon all the labour of [your] hands” (verse 11). He is saying, “If you begin to neglect your soul and turn to material things, you will end up joyless, dissatisfied, empty, dry! I will bring a spiritual drought – and all your hard work will only make you feel worse! You will say, ‘Is that all there is to life?”‘
To the carnal Christian, God is saying: “I’ve called for misery, dryness, so you couldn’t find any satisfaction – so it would drive you back to Me! I want you to put My interests first, so I can once again bless and favor you!”
Thank God, He does that! Each of us ought to pray, “Lord, anytime I start to slip away from You, make me miserable!”
2. The Second Reason People Lose God’s Blessing and
Favor: They Refuse to ‘Give Up on Measuring Up’!
“The people did fear before the Lord… and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God” (1:12,14). Finally, the people were convicted of their self-interests and returned to working on the temple. They were back where they should be – building the house of God!
As they stood before the foundation of the temple, the walls started going up. But something was wrong – many of the older people began weeping! Why? Because they had seen the splendor of Solomon’s temple sixty-eight years before – and this new one did not measure up. In comparison, it seemed as nothing!
They began to talk of past glory, saying, “This temple has no ark in it. There is no mercy seat, no cherubim. There is no consuming fire on the altar, no shekinah glory coming down on the house. After all our hard work – all our sacrifice and obedience, all our putting God’s interests first – we don’t measure up! This is nothing compared to what we once saw. Why struggle, why go on, when we see so little for all that we’ve done?”
The implications of this attitude were very serious – and it angered God! Haggai said to them: “Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory?… Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?” (2:3). He was saying, “You’re standing here measuring your present situation with something in the past – and it’s making you miserable!”
This strikes at the very heart of what is happening in the church of Jesus Christ today. It is one of the key reasons people have lost the blessing and favor of God!
A host of God’s people today are giving up – because they don’t think they will ever measure up! Like the Israelites, they have gone back to God back to putting Him first, seeking His will, building His house. But when they look at their lives, they say, “I have so little to show for all my struggles! I have so little of God’s holiness, so little of His glory in my life. Compared to other Christians, I’ll never measure up. What’s the use of struggling? I’ll never have victory.”
I am convinced this is why many devoted Christians give up the fight. They compare themselves to other believers – and they become discouraged because they feel hopelessly inferior!
This happened to me years ago when I began reading the Puritan writers. I saw their holy fire for God – getting up at 4 and 5 in the morning, praying six and eight hours a day, never speaking a foolish word, consumed with the Word of God. They appeared so holy, so godly. It sent me on a guilt trip – I felt I could never measure up to them!
Beloved, the problem is we have our eyes on our condition! We don’t realize that, in the dealings of God in our lives, we’re at just the right place. We can’t measure our spiritual lives by somebody else’s. If you continue to do this, you’ll begin to think God’s glory has depleted, that it has run out for you. You won’t expect it in your life!
Haggai showed Israel they were focused on the wrong object. They had lost sight of the fact that God’s glory hadn’t been drained or depleted! God sent this word to them:
“I am with you, said the Lord of hosts… be strong, all ye people of the land… and work: for I am with you… my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not” (2:4-5). “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts” (verse 9).
God was saying to them, “You may have thought the glory of the first house was something. But it was nothing compared to the glory that’s ahead! You’ll have My peace upon you – My glory will flood your soul! Just stay in the precious fear of God. Keep going, keep doing My work, no matter how you feel. Be strong, for I am with you!”
If you’ll just stand faithful – if you’ll stay true to the Lord and not try to measure yourself by anything except your own love for Jesus – then you can be assured, you’re growing. And God promises to be with you!
Haggai warned them, “I beg you – before you get discouraged about not measuring up, look back and review your past walk with God. Remember what it was like when you quit on God. You lost His favor and blessing! Do you want to go back to those days when God had to blast you with mildew? When He rained down the hail of disappointments on you, and all you did was in vain?
“No – you have come back to the Lord, and you’re on the right track! God is with you, no matter how little progress you think you’re making. Keep going – the glory is just ahead!”
Then comes this incredible word from God:
“Consider now… this day… the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider it [mark it down]… From this day will I bless you” (verses 15-19).
Beloved, you can mark this down too – it is God’s promise to you! From the very hour you focus again on building up Christ’s body – setting aside all selfish ways, letting Him become your all – you can start looking to see His manifold blessing. You can literally mark it down! You will know He is favoring you, smiling on you – rejoicing in you!
3. The Final Reason for Losing God’s
Blessing and Favor: The Touch of Death!
Jewish law had said: “He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days… Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the Lord” (Numbers 19:11, 13).
Now, listen to Haggai’s word to Israel:
“Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean. Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean” (Haggai 2:13-14).
Haggai was saying, “If at any point death touches you or you touch death, you have become defiled. You’re unclean – you have defiled your whole body, the temple of God!”
God had imposed these strict laws for health purposes, to protect the people against the spread of contagious diseases. Yet to the Jewish mind, death was always a type of corruption and Sin. Even the New Testament ties death to sin: “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).
According to Ezra and Nehemiah, the death touching Israel was sensuality and mixture with the world. Israelite men had lusted after heathen Canaanite women and married them. They had children who didn’t even speak the Jewish language. There was an unholy mixture!
Beloved, if at any point in your Christian life you have a touch of the world – a tinge of compromise, a desire that’s pulling at you – that is a touch of death And it’s going to cost you the blessing and favor of God!
Haggai posed another question to the people:
“If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt to touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean” (Haggai 2:12).
Haggai pictures a priest carrying home a cut of sanctified meat from the altar of sacrifice. The prophet asks: “Does that holy meat transfer holiness to his garment? When he puts it on his table at home, does it communicate holiness to any of the other food there?” The answer was an emphatic, “No!”
Here is Haggai’s point: Being around holy things does not transfer holiness to you!
These Israelites thought the land itself was holy, so living on the land made them holy. Likewise today, many Christians convince themselves they are right with God as long as they come to His house. They think that through the sanctifying praise and prayers of God’s people, somehow the holiness of God will be transferred to them,
Yet singing in the choir, doing good works, sitting at the Lord’s table – none of these spiritual things in themselves can make you righteous. You can sit in a Holy Ghost meeting and soak in all the blessing of God – but it won’t make you holy if death is touching you!
On the other hand, the death and corruption of sin are transferable. Sin is a communicable disease – it spreads to everything it touches! If sin is touching you at some point, it begins to spread through your whole body. Show me a man who is touching death somewhere in his life, and I’ll show you how it has crept over his wife, his children, his entire household!
Here is why God shut off all His blessings upon Israel! It is why He struck them with blasting and mildew and brought disfavor, droughts, dissatisfaction, economic chaos, emptiness, poor harvests. It was because they were unclean before His altar! They had become careless about touching what was dead and they had become corrupt, wicked!
If there is something of the world in your heart – if the touch of death is not purified – you can have no blessing from God. You are in His disfavor – and all you do is unclean in His sight!
Thank God – He Has Made Provision for
the Cleansing Of Every Touch Of Sin!
Are you battling a secret sin? Has that sin hindered the flow of God’s blessing to you? Do you feel empty, dry, lonely? Listen to God’s Word to you:
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye may sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:1-2). “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (l John l:9).
If you want to be clean, run to Jesus! “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:13).
New life and new blessings are yours – right now, in Christ! It doesn’t take God long to clean it all up. Simply acknowledge before Him: “Lord, I have failed you. But I want it out – I want Your blessing!”
Call on His cleansing power. God will bring back to you all of His favor: “A faithful man shall abound with blessings” (Proverbs 28:20).
Dear saint, I urge you – determine in your heart not to look at the past. Become faithful once more, putting His interests first and seeking Him with all your heart. Start work again on the temple of the Holy Ghost. The Lord has promised you: “Mark it down on your calendar – from this day on I’m going to bless you. I’m going to favor you!”
Is Our Copy of the Bible a Reliable Copy of the Original?
by Rich Deem
Introduction
Many skeptics believe that the Bible has been drastically changed over the centuries. In reality, the Bible has been translated into a number of different languages (first Latin, then English and other languages, see History of the Bible). However, the ancient manuscripts (written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) have been reliably copied over the centuries – with very few alterations.
Old Testament
How do we know the Bible has been kept in tact for over 2,000 years of copying? Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, our earliest Hebrew copy of the Old Testament was the Masoretic text, dating around 800 A.D. The Dead Sea Scrolls date to the time of Jesus and were copied by the Qumran community, a Jewish sect living around the Dead Sea. We also have the Septuagint which is a Greek translation of the Old Testament dating in the second century B.C. When we compare these texts which have an 800-1000 years gap between them we are amazed that 95% of the texts are identical with only minor variations and a few discrepancies.
New Testament
There are tens of thousands of manuscripts from the New Testament, in part or in whole, dating from the second century A.D. to the late fifteenth century, when the printing press was invented. These manuscripts have been found in Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, making collusion unlikely. The oldest manuscript, the John Rylands manuscript, has been dated to 125 A.D. and was found in Egypt, some distance from where the New Testament was originally composed in Asia Minor. Many early Christian papyri, discovered in 1935, have been dated to 150 A.D., and include the four gospels. The Papyrus Bodmer II, discovered in 1956, has been dated to 200 A.D., and contains 14 chapters and portions of the last seven chapters of the gospel of John. The Chester Beatty biblical papyri, discovered in 1931, has been dated to 200-250 A.D. and contains the Gospels, Acts, Paul’s Epistles, and Revelation. The number of manuscripts is extensive compared to other ancient historical writings, such as Caesar’s “Gallic Wars” (10 Greek manuscripts, the earliest 950 years after the original), the “Annals” of Tacitus (2 manuscripts, the earliest 950 years after the original), Livy (20 manuscripts, the earliest 350 years after the original), and Plato (7 manuscripts).
Manuscript Evidence for Ancient Writings Author Written Earliest Copy Time Span # Mss.
Caesar 100-44 B.C. 900 A.D. 1,000 yrs 10
Plato 427-347 B.C. 900 A.D. 1,200 yrs 7
Thucydides 460-400 B.C. 900 A.D. 1,300 yrs 8
Tacitus 100 A.D. 1100 A.D. 1,000 yrs 20
Suetonius 75-160 A.D. 950 A.D. 800 yrs 8
Homer (Iliad) 900 B.C. 400 B.C. 500 yrs 643
New Testament 40-100 A.D. 125 A.D. 25-50 yrs 24,000
Thousands of early Christian writings and lexionaries (first and second century) cite verses from the New Testament. In fact, it is nearly possible to put together the entire New Testament just from early Christian writings. For example, the Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians (dated 95 A.D.) cites verses from the Gospels, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, Titus, Hebrews, and 1 Peter. The letters of Ignatius (dated 115 A.D.) were written to several churches in Asia Minor and cites verses from Matthew, John, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. These letters indicate that the entire New Testament was written in the first century A.D. In addition, there is internal evidence for a first century date for the writing of the New Testament. The book of Acts ends abruptly with Paul in prison, awaiting trial (Acts 28:30-31 (1)). It is likely that Luke wrote Acts during this time, before Paul finally appeared before Nero. This would be about 62-63 A.D., meaning that Acts and Luke were written within thirty years of ministry and death of Jesus. Another internal evidence is that there is no mention of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Although Matthew, Mark and Luke record Jesus’ prophecy that the temple and city would be destroyed within that generation (Matthew 24:1-2 (2),Mark 13:1-2 (3), Luke 21:5-9,20-24,32(4)), no New Testament book refers to this event as having happened. If they had been written after 70 A.D., it is likely that letters written after 70 A.D. would have mentioned the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy. As stated by Nelson Glueck, former president of the Jewish Theological Seminary in the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, and renowned Jewish archaeologist, “In my opinion, every book of the New Testament was written between the forties and eighties of the first century A.D.”
With all of the massive manuscript evidence you would think there would be massive discrepancies – just the opposite is true. New Testament manuscripts agree in 99.5% (5) of the text (compared to only 95% for the Iliad). Most of the discrepancies are in spelling and word order. A few words have been changed or added. There are two passages that are disputed but no discrepancy is of any doctrinal significance (i.e., none would alter basic Christian doctrine). Most Bibles include the options as footnotes when there are discrepancies. How could there be such accuracy over a period of 1,400 years of copying? Two reasons: The scribes that did the copying had meticulous methods for checking their copies for errors. 2) The Holy Spirit made sure we would have an accurate copy of God’s word so we would not be deceived. The Mormons, theological liberals as well as other cults and false religions such as Islam that claim the Bible has been tampered with are completely proven false by the extensive, historical manuscript evidence.
The following is a list of prophecies in the Jewish scriptures that Jesus fulfilled.
1. Genesis 3:15…..Seed of a woman (virgin birth)…..Luke 1:35, Matthew 1:18-20
2. Genesis 3:15…..He will bruise Satan’s head…..Hebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:18
3. Genesis 5:24….The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated….Mark 6:19
4. Genesis 9:26-27…The God of Shem will be the Son of Shem…Luke 3:36
5. Genesis 12:3…As Abraham’s seed, will bless all nations…Acts 3:25,26
6. Genesis 12:7…The The Promise made made to Abraham’s Seed…Galatians 3:16
7. Genesis 14:18…A priest after Melchizedek…Hebrews 6:20
8. Genesis 14:18……..A King also……..Hebrews 7:2
9. Genesis 14:18…The Last Supper foreshadowed…Matthew 26:26-29
10. Genesis 17:19…….The Seed of Isaac…….Romans. 9:7
11. Genesis 21:12 …Seed of Isaac…Romans 9:7, Hebrews 11:18
12. Genesis 22:8…The Lamb of God promised…John 1:29
13. Genesis 22:18…As Isaac’s seed, will bless all nations…Galatians 3:16
14. Genesis26:2-5..The Seed of Isaac promised as the Redeemer..Hebrews11:18
15. Genesis 49:10…The time of His coming…Luke 2:1-7; Galatians 4:4
16. Genesis 49:10…….The Seed of Judah…….Luke 3:33
17. Genesis 49:10……Called Shiloh or One Sent……John 17:3
18. Genesis 49:10…To come before Judah lost identity…John 11:47-52
19. Genesis 49:10…To Him shall the obedience of the people be…John 10:16
20. Exodus 3:13,14……..The Great “I Am”…….John 4:26
21. Exodus 12:5…A Lamb without blemish…1 Pet. 1:19
22. Exodus 12:13…The blood of the Lamb saves Romans wrath…Romans. 5:8
23. Exodus 12:21-27…Christ is our Passover…1 Corinthians 5;7
24. Exodus 12:46…Not a bone of the Lamb to be broken…John 19:31-36
25. Exodus 13:2…Blessing to first born son…Luke 2:23
26. Exodus 15:2…His exaltation predicted as Yeshua…Acts 7:55,56
27. Exodus 15:11…His Character-Holiness…Luke 1:35; Acts 4:27
28. Exodus 17:6…The Spiritual Rock of Israel…1 Corinthians 10;4
29. Exodus 33:19…His Character-Merciful…Luke 1:72
30. Leviticus14:11…The leper cleansed-Sign to priesthood..Luke5:12-14; Acts 6:7
31. Leviticus16:15-17…Prefigures Christ’s once-for-all death…Hebrews 9:7-14
32. Leviticus16:27…Suffering outside the Camp…Matthew 27:33; Hebrews 13:11, 12
33. Leviticus17:11…The Blood-the life of the flesh…Matthew 26;28; Mark 10:45
34. Leviticus17:11…It is the blood that makes atonement…1 John 3:14-18
35. Leviticus23:36-37…The Drink-offering: “If any man thirst.” ..John 19:31-36
36. Numbers 9:12…Not a bone of Him broken…John 19:31-36
37. Numbers 21:9…The serpent on a pole-Christ lifted up…John 3:14-18
38. Numbers 24:8… Flight to Egypt…Matthew 2:14
39. Numbers 24:17…Time: “I shall see him, but not now.”…Galatians 4:4
40. Numbers 24:17-19…A star out of Jacob…Matthew 2:2, Luke 1:33,78, Revelation 22:16
41. Deuteronomy 18:15…”This is of a truth that prophet.”…John 6:14
42. Deuteronomy 18:15-16…”Had ye believed Moses, ye would believe me.”…John 5:45-47
43. Deuteronomy 18:18…Sent by the Father to speak His word…John 8:28, 29
44. Deuteronomy 18:19…Whoever will not hear must bear his sin…John 12:15
45. Deuteronomy 21:13-23…As a prophet…John 6:14; 7:40, Acts 3:22,23
46. Deuteronomy 21:23…Cursed is he that hangs on a tree…Galatians 3:10-13
47. Ruth 4:4-9…Christ, our kinsman, has redeemed us…Ephesians 1:3-7
48. 1 Samuel 2:10…Shall be an anointed King to the Lord…Matthew 28:18; John 12:15
49. 2 Samuel 7:12…David’s Seed…Matthew 1:1
50. 2 Samuel 7:14a…The Son of God… Luke 1:32
51. 2 Samuel 7:16…David’s house established forever…Luke 3:31; Rev. 22:16
52. 2 Samuel 23:2-4…would be the “Rock”…1 Corinthians 10:4
53. 2 Samuel 23:2-4…would be as the “light of the morning”…Revelation 22:16
54. 2 Kings 2:11…The bodily ascension to heaven illustrated…Luke 24:51
55. 1 Chronicles 17:11…David’s Seed…Matthew 1:1; 9:27
56. 1 Chronicles 17:12, 13a…To reign on David’s throne forever…Luke 1:32, 33
57. 1 Chronicles 17:13a…”I will be His Father, He…my Son.”…Hebrews 1:5
58. Job 19:23-27…The Resurrection predicted…John 5:24-29
59. Psalms 2:1-3…The enmity of kings foreordained…Acts 4:25-28
60. Psalms 2:2…To own the title, Anointed (Christ)…Acts 2:36
61. Psalms 2:6…His Character-Holiness…John 8:46; Rev. 3:7
62. Psalms 2:6…To own the title King…Matthew 2:2
63. Psalms 2:7…Declared the Beloved Son…Matthew 3:17
64. Psalms 2:7, 8…The Crucifixion and Resurrection intimated…Acts 13:29-33
65. Psalms 2:12…Life comes through faith in Him…John 20:31
66. Psalms 8:2…The mouths of babes perfect His praise…Matthew 21:16
67. Psalms 8:5, 6…His humiliation and exaltation…Luke 24:50-53; 1 Corinthians 15:27
68. Psalms 16:10…Was not to see corruption…Acts 2:31
69. Psalms 16:9-11…Was to arise from the dead…John 20:9
70. Psalms 17;15…The resurrection predicted…Luke 24:6
71. Psalms 22:1…Forsaken because of sins of others…2 Corinthians 5:21
72. Psalms 22:1…Words spoken from Calvary, “My God…” Mark 15:34
73. Psalms 22:2…Darkness upon Calvary…Matthew 27:45
74. Psalms 22:7…They shoot out the lip and shake the head…Matthew 27:39
75. Psalms 22:8..” He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him “…Matthew 27:43
76. Psalms 22:9……Born the Savior……Luke 2:7
77. Psalms 22:14…Died of a broken (ruptured) heart…John 19:34
78. Psalms 22:14,15…Suffered agony on Calvary…Mark 15:34-37
79. Psalms 22:15……..He thirsted……..John 19:28
80. Psalms 22:16…They pierced His hands and His feet….John 19:34,37;20:27
81. Psalms 22:17,18…Stripped Him before the stares of men…Luke 23:34,35
82. Psalms 22:18…..They parted His garments…..John 19:23,24
83. Psalms 22:20,21…He committed Himself to God…Luke23:46
84. Psalms 22:20,21..Satanic power bruising the Redeemer’s heel.. Hebrews 2:14
85. Psalms 22:22…..His Resurrection declared…..John 20:17
86. Psalms 22:27…He shall be the governor of the nations…Col 1:16
87. Psalms 22:31……”It is finished”……John 19:30
88. Psalms 23:1….”I am the Good Shepherd”….John 10:11
89. Psalms 24:3……His exaltation predicted……Acts 1:11; Phil. 2:9
90. Psalms 27:12…Accused by false witnesses…Matthew 26:60,61, Mark 14:57,58
91. Psalms 30:3……His resurrection predicted……Acts 2:32
92. Psalms 31:5…”Into thy hands I commit my spirit”…Luke 23:46
93. Psalms 31:11…His acquaintances fled from Him…Mark 14:50
94. Psalms 31:13…They took counsel to put Him to death…John 11:53
95. Psalms 31:14,15…” He trusted in God, let Him deliver him”…Matthew 27:43
96. Psalms 34:20…..Not a bone of Him broken…..John 19:31-36
97. Psalms 35:11….False witnesses rose up against Him….Matthew 26:59
98. Psalms 35:19…He was hated without a cause…John 15:25
99. Psalms 38:11…..His friends stood afar off…..Luke 23:49
100. Psalms 40:2-5…The joy of His resurrection predicted…John 20:20
101. Psalms 40:6-8….His delight-the will of the Father….John 4:34
102. Psalms 40:9….He was to preach the Righteousness in Israel….Matthew 4:17
103. Psalms 40:14…Confronted by adversaries in the Garden…John
104. Psalms 41:9…..Betrayed by a familiar friend…..John 13:18
105. Psalms 45:2…Words of Grace come from His lips.. Luke 4:22
106. Psalms 45:6…To own the title, God or Elohim…Hebrews 1:8
107. Psalms 45:7…A special anointing by the Holy Spirit…Matthew3:16; Hebrews1:9
108. Psalms 45:7,8…Called the Christ (Messiah or Anointed)…Luke 2:11
109. Psalms 49-15…His Resurrection…Acts 2:27; 13:35, Mark 16:6
110. Psalms 55:12-14…Betrayed by a friend, not an enemy…John 13:18
111. Psalms 55:15…Unrepentant death of the Betrayer…Matthew 27:3-5; Acts 1:16-19
112. Psalms 68:18…To give gifts to men…Ephesians 4:7-16
113. Psalms 68:18…Ascended into Heaven…Luke 24:51
114. Psalms 69:4…Hated without a cause…John 15:25
115. Psalms 69:8…A stranger to own brethren…Luke 8;20,21
116. Psalms 69:9…Zealous for the Lord’s House…John 2:17
117. Psalms 69:14-20…Messiah’s anguish of soul before crucifixion…Matthew 26:36-45
118. Psalms 69:20…”My soul is exceeding sorrowful.”…Matthew 26:38
119. Psalms 69:21…Given vinegar in thirst…Matthew 27:34
120. Psalms 69:26…The Savior given and smitten by God…John 17:4; 18:11
121. Psalms 72:10,11…Great persons were to visit Him…Matthew 2:1-11
122. Psalms 72:16…The corn of wheat to fall into the Ground…John 12:24
123. Psalms 72:17…His name, Yinon, will produce offspring…John 1:12,13
124. Psalms 72:17…All nations shall be blessed by Him…Acts 2:11,12,41
125. Psalms 78:1.2…He would teach in parables…Matthew 13:34-35
126. Psalms 78:2b…To speak the Wisdom of God with authority…Matthew 7:29
127. Psalms 88:8…They stood afar off and watched…Luke 23:49
128. Psalms 89:26…Messiah will call God His Father…Matthew 11:27
129. Psalms 89:27…Emmanuel to be higher than earthly kings…Luke 1:32,33
130. Psalms 89:35-37…David’s Seed, throne, kingdom endure forever…Luke 1:32,33
131. Psalms 89:36-37…His character-Faithfulness…Rev. 1:5
132. Psalms 90:2…He is from everlasting (Micah 5:2)…John 1:1
133. Psalms 91:11,12…Identified as Messianic; used to tempt Christ…Luke 4;10,11
134. Psalms 97:9…His exaltation predicted…Acts 1:11;Ephesians 1:20
135. Psalms 100:5…His character-Goodness…Matthew 19:16,17
136. Psalms 102:1-11…The Suffering and Reproach of Calvary…John 21:16-30
137. Psalms 102:16…Son of Man comes in Glory…Luke 21:24
Revelation 12:5-10
138. Psalms 102:25-27…Messiah is the Preexistent Son…Hebrews 1:10-12
139. Psalms 109:4…Prays for His enemies…Luke 23:34
140. Psalms 109:7,8…Another to succeed Judas…Acts 1:16-20
141. Psalms 109:25…Ridiculed…Matthew 27:39
142. Psalms 110:1…Son of David…Matthew 22:43
143. Psalms 110:1…To ascend to the right-hand of the Father…Mark16:19
144. Psalms 110:1…David’s son called Lord…Matthew 22:44,45
145. Psalms 110:4…A priest after Melchizedek’s order…Hebrews 6:20
146. Psalms 112:4…His character-Compassionate, Gracious, et al… Matthew 9;36
147. Psalms 118:17,18…Messiah’s Resurrection assured…Luke 24:5-7;1 Corinthians 15:20
148. Psalms 118:22,23…The rejected stone is Head of the corner…Matthew 21:42,43
149. Psalms 118:26a…The Blessed One presented to Israel…Matthew 21:9
150. Psalms 118:26b…To come while Temple standing…Matthew 21;12-15
151. Psalms 132:11…The Seed of David (the fruit of His Body)…Luke 1:32
152. Psalms 138:1-6…The supremacy of David’s Seed amazes kings… Matthew 2:2-6
153. Psalms 147:3,6…The earthly ministry of Christ described…Luke 4:18
154. Psalms 1:23…He will send the Spirit of God… John 16;7
155. Proverbs 8:22-23…The Messiah would be from everlasting…John 17:5
156. Proverbs 30:4…Declared to be the Son of God…John 3:13, Romans 1:2-4, 10:6-9, 2 Peter 1:17
157. Song of Solomon 5:16…The altogether lovely One…John 1:17
158. Isaiah 2:2-4…Repentance for the nations…Luke 24:47
159. Isaiah 4:2…Messiah reigning
160. Isaiah 5:1-6…Son of God’s vineyard: a parable of judgment
161. Isaiah 6:1…When Isaiah saw His glory… John 12:40-41
162. Isaiah 6:9-10…Parables fall on deaf ears…Matthew 13:13-15
163. Isaiah 6:9-12…Blinded to Christ and deaf to His words…Acts 28:23-29
164. Isaiah 7:14…To be born of a virgin…Luke 1:35
165. Isaiah 7:14…To be Emmanuel-God with us… Matthew 1:18-23
166. Isaiah 8:8…Called Emmanuel…Matthew 28:20
167. Isaiah 8:14…A stone of stumbling, a Rock of offense… 1 Pet. 2:8
168. Isaiah 9:1,2…His ministry to begin in Galilee…Matthew 4:12-17
169. Isaiah 9:6…A child born-Humanity…Luke 1:31
170. Isaiah 9:6…A Son given-Deity…Luke 1:32; John 1;14; 1 Tim. 3:16
171. Isaiah 9:6…Declared to be the Son of God with power… Romans. 1:3,4
172. Isaiah 9:6…The Wonderful One, Peleh…Luke 4:22
173. Isaiah 9:6…The Counselor, Yaatz…Matthew 13:54
174. Isaiah 9:6…The Mighty God, El Gibor…Matthew 11:20
175. Isaiah 9:6…The Everlasting Father, Avi Adth…John 8:58
176. Isaiah 9:6…The Prince of Peace, Sar Shalom…John . 16:33
177. Isaiah 9:7…To establish an everlasting kingdom…Luke 1:32-33
178. Isaiah 9:7…His Character-Just…John 5:30
179. Isaiah 9:7…No end to his Government, Throne, and Peace…Luke 1:32-33
180. Isaiah 11:1…Called a Nazarene-the Branch, Netzer…Matthew 2:23
181. Isaiah 11:1…A rod out of Jesse-Son of Jesse…Luke 3:23,32
182. Isaiah 11:2…The anointed One by the Spirit…Matthew 3;16,17
183. Isaiah 11:2…His Character-Wisdom, Understanding, et al….John 4:4-26
184. Isaiah 11:4…His Character-Truth…John 14:6
185. Isaiah 11:10…The Gentiles seek Him…John 12:18-21
186. Isaiah 12:2…Called Jesus-Yeshua (salvation)…Matthew 1:21
187. Isaiah 16:4,5…Reigning in mercy…Luke 1:31-33
188. Isaiah 22:21-25…Peg in a sure place…Revelation 3:7
189. Isaiah 25:8…The Resurrection predicted…I Corinthians 15:54
190. Isaiah 26:19…His power of Resurrection predicted…John 11:43,44
191. Isaiah 28:16…The Messiah is the precious corner stone…Acts 4:11,12
192. Isaiah 29:13…He indicated hypocritical obedience to His Word…Matthew 15:7-9
193. Isaiah 29:14…The wise are confounded by the Word…I Corinthians 1:18-31
194. Isaiah 32:2…A Refuge-A man shall be a hiding place…Matthew 23:37
195. Isaiah 33:22…Son of the Highest…Luke 1:32; 1 Timothy 1:17 6:15
196. Isaiah 35:4…He will come and save you…Matthew 1:21
197. Isaiah 35:5…To have a ministry of miracles…Matthew 11:4-6
198. Isaiah 40:3,4…Preceded by forerunner…John 1:23
199. Isaiah 40:9…”Behold your God.”…John 1:36;19:14
200. Isaiah 40:11…A shepherd-compassionate life-giver…John 10:10-18
201. Isaiah 42:1-4…The Servant-as a faithful, patient redeemer… Matthew12:18-21
202. Isaiah 42:2…Meek and lowly… Matthew 11:28-30
203. Isaiah 42:3…He brings hope for the hopeless… John 4
204. Isaiah 42:4…The nations shall wait on His teachings… John 12:20-26
205. Isaiah 42:6…The Light (salvation) of the Gentiles…Luke 2:32
206. Isaiah 42:1,6…His is a Worldwide compassion… Matthew 28:19,20
207. Isaiah 42:7…Blind eyes opened… John 9:25-38
208. Isaiah 42:13-25…Messiah’s actions at His second coming…Revelation
209. Isaiah 43:11…He is the only Savior… Acts 4:12
210. Isaiah 44:3…He will send the Spirit of God… John 16:7,13
211. Isaiah 45:23…He will be the Judge… John 5:22;Romans. 14:11
212. Isaiah 48:12…The First and the Last…John 1:30;Rev. 1:8,17
213. Isaiah 48:17…He came as a Teacher…John 3:2
214. Isaiah 49:1…Called from the womb-His humanity…Matthew 1:18
215. Isaiah 49:5…A Servant from the womb…Luke 1:31;Phil. 2:7
216. Isaiah 49:6…He is Salvation for Israel…Luke 2:29-32
217. Isaiah 49:6…He is the Light of the Gentiles…Acts 13:47
218. Isaiah 49:6…He is Salvation unto the ends of the earth… Acts 15:7-18
219. Isaiah 49:7…He is despised of the Nation… John 8:48-49
220. Isaiah 50:3…Heaven is clothed in black at His humiliation… Luke 23:44,45
221. Isaiah 50:4…He is a learned counselor for the weary… Matthew 11:28,29
222. Isaiah 50:5…The Servant bound willingly to obedience… Matthew 26:39
223. Isaiah 50:6a…”I gave my back to the smiters.”… Matthew 27:26
224. Isaiah 50:6b…He was smitten on the cheeks… Matthew 26:67
225. Isaiah 50:6c…He was spat upon… Matthew 27:30
226. Isaiah 52:4-5…Suffered vicariously…Mark 15:3,4,27,28; Luke 23:1-25,32-34
227. Isaiah 52:7…To publish good tidings of peace… Luke 4:14,15
228. Isaiah 52:13…The Servant exalted…Acts 1:8-11; Ephesians 1:19-22
229. Isaiah 52:13…Behold, My Servant… Matthew 17:5; Phil. 2:5-8
230. Isaiah 52:14…The Servant shockingly abused… Luke 18:31-34; Matthew 26:67,68
231. Isaiah 52:15…Nations startled by message of the Servant… Romans. 15:18-21
232. Isaiah 52:15…His blood shed to make atonement for all… Rev. 1:5
233. Isaiah 53:1…His people would not believe Him… John 12:37-38
234. Isaiah 53:2a…He would grow up in a poor family…. Luke 2:7
235. Isaiah 53:2b…Appearance of an ordinary man… Phil. 2:7-8
236. Isaiah 53:3a…Despised…. Luke 4:28-29
237. Isaiah 53:3b…Rejected… Matthew 27:21-23
238. Isaiah 53:3c…Great sorrow and grief… Luke 19:41-42
239. Isaiah 53:3d…Men hide from being associated with Him… Mark 14:50-52
240. Isaiah 53:4a…He would have a healing ministry… Luke 6:17-19
241. Isaiah 53:4b…He would bear the sins of the world… 1 Pet. 2:24
242. Isaiah 53:4c…Thought to be cursed by God… Matthew 27:41-43
243. Isaiah 53:5a…Bears penalty for mankind’s transgressions… Luke 23:33
244. Isaiah 53:5b…His sacrifice would provide peace between man and God… Col. 1:20
245. Isaiah 53:5c…His back would be whipped… Matthew 27:26
246. Isaiah 53:6a…He would be the sin-bearer for all mankind…Galatians 1:4
247. Isaiah 53:6b…God’s will that He bear sin for all mankind… 1 John 4:10
248. Isaiah 53:7a…Oppressed and afflicted… Matthew 27:27-31
249. Isaiah 53:7b…Silent before his accusers… Matthew 27:12-14
250. Isaiah 53:7c…Sacrificial lamb… John 1:29
251. Isaiah 53:8a…Confined and persecuted… Matthew 26:47-27:31
252. Isaiah 53:8b…He would be judged… John 18:13-22
253. Isaiah 53:8c…Killed…. Matthew 27:35
254. Isaiah 53:8d…Dies for the sins of the world… 1 John 2:2
255. Isaiah 53:9a…Buried in a rich man’s grave… Matthew 27:57
256. Isaiah 53:9b…Innocent and had done no violence… Mark 15:3
257. Isaiah 53:9c…No deceit in his mouth… John 18:38
258. Isaiah 53:10a…God’s will that He die for mankind… John 18:11
259. Isaiah 53:10b…An offering for sin… Matthew 20:28
260. Isaiah 53:10c…Resurrected and live forever…. Mark 16:16
261. Isaiah 53:10d…He would prosper… John 17:1-5
262. Isaiah 53:11a…God fully satisfied with His suffering… John 12:27
263. Isaiah 53:11b…God’s servant… Romans. 5:18-19
264. Isaiah 53:11c…He would justify man before God… Romans. 5:8-9
265. Isaiah 53:11d…The sin-bearer for all mankind… Hebrews 9:28
266. Isaiah 53:12a…Exalted by God because of his sacrifice… Matthew 28:18
267. Isaiah 53:12b…He would give up his life to save mankind… Luke 23:46
268. Isaiah 53:12c…Grouped with criminals… Luke 23:32
269. Isaiah 53:12d…Sin-bearer for all mankind… 2 Corinthians 5:21
270. Isaiah 53:12e…Intercede to God in behalf of mankind… Luke 23:34
271. Isaiah 55:1…Every one come who is thirsty…New Testament
272. Isaiah 55:3…Resurrected by God… Acts 13:34
273. Isaiah 55:4…A witness… John 18:37
274. Isaiah 55:5…Foreign nations come to God…Acts
275. Isaiah 59:15-16a…He would come to provide salvation… John 6:40
276. Isaiah 59:15-16b…Intercessor between man and God… Matthew 10:32
277. Isaiah 59:20…He would come to Zion as their Redeemer… Luke 2:38
278. Isaiah 60:1-3…Nations walk in the light…Luke 2:32
279. Isaiah 61:1-2a…The Spirit of God upon him… Matthew 3:16-17
280. Isaiah 61:1-2b…The Messiah would preach the good news… Luke 4:17-21
281. Isaiah 61:1-2c…Provide freedom from the bondage of sin and death… John 8:31-32
282. Isaiah 61:1-2…Proclaim a period of grace… John 5:24
283. Isaiah 62:1-2…Called by an new name…Luke 2:32, Revelation 3:12
284. Isaiah 62:11…Thy King Cometh, Entered Jerusalem on Colt…Matthew 21:7
285. Isaiah 63:1-3…A vesture dipped in blood…Revelation 19:13
286. Isaiah 63:8,9…Afflicted with the afflicted…Matthew 25:34-40
287. Isaiah 65:9…The elect shall inherit…Romans 11 5-7, Hebrews 7:14, Revelation 5:5
288. Isaiah 65:17-25…New heaven/New Earth…2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1
289. Isaiah 66:18-19…All nations come to God…New Testament
290. Jeremiah23:5-6a…Descendant of David…Luke 3:23-31
291. Jeremiah 23:5-6b…The Messiah would be God… John 13:13
292. Jeremiah 23:5-6c…The Messiah would be both God and Man… 1 Tim. 3:16
293. Jeremiah 30:9…Born a King…John 18:37, Revelation 1:5
294. Jeremiah 31:15…Massacre of infants…Matthew 2:16-18
295. Jeremiah 31:22…Born of a virgin… Matthew 1:18-20
296. Jeremiah 31:31…The Messiah would be the new covenant… Matthew 26:28
297. Jeremiah 33:14-15…Descendant of David… Luke 3:23-31
298. Ezekiel17:22-24…Descendant of David… Luke 3:23-31
299. Ezekiel 21:26,27…The humble exalted…Luke 1:52
300. Ezekiel34:23-24…Descendant of David… Matthew 1:1
301. Daniel 2:34-35…Stone cut without hands…Acts 4:10-12
302. Daniel 2:44,45…His Kingdom Triumphant…Luke 1:33, 1 Corinthians 15:24, Revelation 11:15
303. Dan. 7:13-14a…He would ascend into heaven… Acts 1:9-11
304. Dan. 7:13-14b…Highly exalted… Ephesians 1:20-22
305. Dan. 7:13-14c…His dominion would be everlasting… Luke 1:31-33
306. Daniel 7:27…Kingdom for the Saints…Luke 1:33, 1 Corinthians 15:24, Revelation 11:15
307. Dan. 9:24a…To make an end to sins… Galatians 1:3-5
308. Dan. 9:24b…He would be holy… Luke 1:35
309. Dan. 9:25…Announced to his people 483 years, to the exact day, after the decree to rebuild the city of Jerusalem… John 12:12-13
310. Dan. 9:26a…Killed… Matthew 27:35
311. Dan. 9:26b…Die for the sins of the world… Hebrews 2:9
312. Dan. 9:26c…Killed before the destruction of the temple… Matthew 27:50-51
313. Dan. 10:5-6…Messiah in a glorified state… Rev. 1:13-16
314. Hosea 3:5…Israel restored…John 18:37, Romans 11:25-27
315. Hosea 11:1, Numbers 24:8…Flight to Egypt…Matthew 2:14
316. Hosea 13:14…He would defeat death… 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
317. Joel 2:28-32…Promise of the Spirit…Acts 2:17-21, Romans 10:13
318. Joel 2:32…Offer salvation to all mankind… Romans. 10:12-13
319. Micah 2:12-13…Israel Regathered…John 10:14,26
320. Micah 4:1-8…The Kingdom established – place of Birth Bethlehem…Luke 1:33, Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4,10,11
321. Micah 5:2a…Born in Bethlehem… Matthew 2:1-2
322. Micah 5:2b…God’s servant… John 15:10
323. Micah 5:2c…from everlasting… John 8:58
324. Haggai 2:6-9…He would visit the second Temple… Luke 2:27-32
325. Haggai 2:23…Descendant of Zerubbabel… Luke 3:23-27
326. Joel 2:28-32…Promise of the Spirit…Acts 2:17-21, Romans 10:13
327. Amos 8:9…The Sun Darkened…Matthew 24:29, Acts 2:20, Revelation 6:12
328. Amos 9:11-12…Restoration of tabernacle…Acts 14:16-18
329. Habakkuk 2:14…Earth filled with knowledge of the glory of the Lord…Romans 11:26, Revelation 21:23-26
330. Zechariah 2:10-13…The Lamb on the Throne…Revelation 5:13, 6:9, 21:24
331. Zechariah 3:8…God’s servant… John 17:4
332. Zechariah 6:12-13…Priest and King… Hebrews 8:1
333. Zechariah 9:9a…Greeted with rejoicing in Jerusalem… Matthew 21:8-10
334. Zechariah 9:9b…Beheld as King… John 12:12-13
335. Zechariah 9:9c…The Messiah would be just… John 5:30
336. Zechariah 9:9d…The Messiah would bring salvation… Luke 19:10
337. Zechariah 9:9e…The Messiah would be humble… Matthew 11:29
338. Zechariah 9:9f…Presented to Jerusalem riding on a donkey… Matthew 21:6-9
339. Zechariah 10:4…The cornerstone… Ephesians 2:20
340. Zechariah 11:4-6a…At His coming, Israel to have unfit leaders… Matthew 23:1-4
341. Zechariah 11:4-6b…Rejection causes God to remove His protection.. Luke 19:41-44
342. Zechariah 11:4-6c…Rejected in favor of another king… John 19:13-15
343. Zechariah 11:7…Ministry to “poor,” the believing remnant… Matthew 9:35-36
344. Zechariah 11:8a…Unbelief forces Messiah to reject them… Matthew 23:33
345. Zechariah 11:8b…Despised… Matthew 27:20
346. Zechariah 11:9…Stops ministering to the those who rejected Him… Matthew 13:10-11
347. Zechariah 11:10-11a…Rejection causes God to remove protection… Luke 19:41-44
348. Zechariah 11:10-11b…The Messiah would be God… John 14:7
349. Zechariah 11:12-13a…Betrayed for thirty pieces of silver… Matthew 26:14-15
350. Zechariah 11:12-13b…Rejected… Matthew 26:14-15
351. Zechariah 11:12-13c…Thirty pieces of silver thrown into the house of the Lord… Matthew 27:3-5
352. Zechariah 11:12-13d…The Messiah would be God… John 12:45
353. Zechariah 12:10a…The Messiah’s body would be pierced… John 19:34-37
354. Zechariah 12:10b…The Messiah would be both God and man… John 10:30
355. Zechariah 12:10c…The Messiah would be rejected… John 1:11
356. Zechariah 13:7a…God’s will He die for mankind… John 18:11
357. Zechariah 13:7b…A violent death… Matthew 27:35
358. Zechariah 13:7c…Both God and man.. John 14:9
359. Zechariah 13:7d…Israel scattered as a result of rejecting Him… Matthew 26:31-56
360. Malachi 3:1a…Messenger to prepare the way for Messiah… Matthew 11:10
361. Malachi 3:1b…Sudden appearance at the temple… Mark 11:15-16
362. Malachi 3:1c…Messenger of the new covenant… Luke 4:43
363. Malachi 3:3…Our Sins Are Purged…Luke 1:78, John 1:9; 12:46, 2 Peter 1:19, Revelation 2:28; 19:11-16; 22:16
364. Malachi 4:5…Forerunner in the spirit of Elijah… Matthew 3:1-2
365. Malachi 4:6…Forerunner would turn many to righteousness… Luke 1:16-17
And for leap year, you can have Psalm 21 as a Messianic Hymn and David’s praise.
What Does Worshipping the Image of the Beast (Revelation 13:15) Mean?
by Greg Loucks
Revelation 13:15 “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”
We today are bombarded by images everywhere. In one of my email accounts I get spam about X Rated links. Many of us do today! I choose not to click on them. But, if I did click on them and viewed the image. There is an emotional connection made to the image, when one views a pornographic image.
People need their emotions fulfilled. Some fill it with lust such as pornography. Some fill it with drugs and alcohol or cigarettes. Which, yes, I’m sorry, are another form of drug. Not everything may be a “drug” but everything and anything can be a drug to someone. Like pornography or sex.
We are also bombarded by ads everywhere. Subliminally they are proven to give us some form of emotional value to want to go buy the item. Movies and tv and music also have an emotional value. We are bombarded by images of violence, and sex and drug use, to name a few through movies and tv.
I believe the media has played a major role in the slow decline of our morality of our society. We are more accepting then we used to be of things. At one time in the 1960s, people had a fit that the tv show “I Dream of Genie” showed the main character’s belly button. In the tv show of the 1950s “I Dream of Genie” even though Desi and Lucy were married they slept in two different beds in the same bedroom.
I’m not saying we should go back to that, however tv shows and movies portray homosexuality as acceptable behavior, like “Will and Grace” and “Queer Eye For the Straight Guy” for example.
And it’s not just homosexuality we have embraced as a whole as a society, it is also many other numerous sins. Sex outside of marriage aka fornication, murder, lying, etc.
Many things, many, many, many things give us an emotional feeling, this is why so many things are popular today. And it has made us lose focus on things of God, things that really matter, that have eternal value. Our flesh is weak and our mortal bodies want to be fulfilled emotionally. Anything that has an emotional value to you, do you get pulled towards. I believe this is one of the ways in the future in Revelation and even now the enemy is using his schemes to trick us and lose our focus on God and the things of God. I also believe one day the anti-Christ will use the same tactics, but it is already happening today!
1. Be thankful for their faith and changed lives (1:3).
2. Ask God to help them know what he wants them to do (1:9).
3. Ask God to give them deep spiritual understanding (1:9).
4. Ask God to help them live for him (1:10).
5. Ask God to give them more knowledge of himself (1:10).
6. Ask God to give them strength for endurance (1:11).
7. Ask God to fill them with joy, strength, and thankfulness (1:11).
How many people in your life could be touched if you prayed in this way?
Romans 13 & Unlimited Subservience to the Government: Where should a Bible Believing Christian Draw the Line?
It seems that every time someone such as myself attempts to encourage our Christian brothers and sisters to resist an unconstitutional or otherwise reprehensible government policy, we hear the retort, “What about Romans Chapter 13? We Christians must submit to government. Any government. Read your Bible, and leave me alone.”
Or words to that effect.
No doubt, some who use this argument are sincere. They are only repeating what they have heard their pastor and other religious leaders say. On the other hand, let’s be honest enough to admit that some who use this argument are just plain lazy, apathetic, and indifferent.
And Romans 13 is their escape from responsibility. I suspect this is the much larger group, by the way.
Nevertheless, for the benefit of those who are sincere (but obviously misinformed), let’s briefly examine Romans Chapter 13. I quote Romans Chapter 13, verses 1 through 7, from the Authorized King James text:
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.”
Do our Christian friends who use these verses to teach that we should not oppose President Bush or any other political leader, really believe that civil magistrates have unlimited authority to do anything they want without opposition? I doubt whether they truly believe that.
For example, what if our President decided to resurrect the old monarchal custom of Jus Primae Noctis (Law of First Night)? That was the old medieval custom when the king claimed the right to sleep with a subject’s bride on the first night of their marriage. Would our sincere Christian brethren sheepishly say, “Romans Chapter 13 says we must submit to the government”?
I think not. And would any of us respect any man who would submit to such a law?
So, there are limits to authority.
A father has authority in his home, but does this give him power to abuse his wife and children? Of course not.
An employer has authority on the job, but does this give him power to control the private lives of his employees? No.
A pastor has overseer authority in the church, but does this give him power to tell employers in his church how to run their businesses? Of course not.
All human authority is limited in nature. No man has unlimited authority over the lives of other men. (Lordship and Sovereignty is the exclusive domain of Jesus Christ.)
By the same token, a civil magistrate has authority in civil matters, but his authority is limited and defined. Observe that Romans Chapter 13 clearly limits the authority of civil government by strictly defining its purpose: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil . . . For he is the minister of God to thee for good . . . for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
Notice that civil government must not be a “terror to good works.” It has no power or authority to terrorize good works or good people. God never gave it that authority. And any government that oversteps that divine boundary has no divine authority or protection.
Civil government is a “minister of God to thee for good.” It is a not a minister of God for evil. Civil magistrates have a divine duty to “execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” They have no authority to execute wrath upon him that doeth good. None. Zilch. Zero. And anyone who says they do is lying.
So, even in the midst of telling Christians to submit to civil authority, Romans Chapter 13 limits the power and reach of civil authority.
Did Moses violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he killed the Egyptian taskmaster in defense of his fellow Hebrew?
Did Elijah violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he openly challenged Ahab and Jezebel?
Did David violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he refused to surrender to Saul’s troops?
Did Daniel violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he disobeyed the king’s law to not pray audibly to God?
Did the three Hebrew children violate God’s principle of submission to authority when they refused to bow to the image of the state?
Did John the Baptist violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he publicly scolded King Herod for his infidelity?
Did Simon Peter and the other Apostles violate God’s principle of submission to authority when they refused to stop preaching on the streets of Jerusalem? Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Did Paul violate God’s principle of submission to authority when he refused to obey those authorities
who demanded that he abandon his missionary work? In fact, Paul spent almost as much time in jail as he did out of jail.
Remember that every apostle of Christ (except John) was killed by hostile civil authorities opposed to their endeavors. Christians throughout church history were imprisoned, tortured, or killed by civil authorities of all stripes for refusing to submit to their various laws and prohibitions. Did all of these Christian martyrs violate God’s principle of submission to authority?
So, even the great prophets, apostles, and writers of the Bible (including the writer of Romans Chapter 13) understood that human authority–even civil authority–is limited.
Plus, Paul makes it clear that our submission to civil authority must be predicated on more than fear of governmental retaliation. Notice, he said, “Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.” Meaning, our obedience to civil authority is more than just “because they said so.” It is also a matter of conscience. This means we must think and reason for ourselves regarding the justness and rightness of our government’s laws.
Obedience is not automatic or robotic. It is a result of both rational deliberation and moral approbation.
Therefore, there are times when civil authority may need to be resisted. Either governmental abuse of power or the violation of conscience (or both) could precipitate civil disobedience. Of course, how and when we decide to resist civil authority is an entirely separate issue. And I will reserve that discussion for another time.
Beyond that, we in the United States of America do not live under a monarchy. We have no king. There is no single governing official in this country. America’s “supreme Law” does not rest with any man or any group of men. America’s “supreme Law” does not rest with the President, the Congress, or even the Supreme Court. In America, the U.S. Constitution is the “supreme Law of the Land.” Under our laws, every governing official publicly promises to submit to the Constitution of the United States. Do readers understand the significance of this distinction?
This means that in America the “higher powers” are not the men who occupy elected office; they are the tenets and principles set forth in the U.S. Constitution. Under our laws and form of government, it is the duty of every citizen, including our elected officials, to obey the U.S. Constitution.
Dear Christian friend, the above is exactly the proper understanding of our responsibility to civil authority in these United States, as per the teaching of Romans Chapter 13.
Furthermore, Christians, above all people, should desire that their elected representatives submit to the Constitution, because it is constitutional government that has done more to protect Christian liberty than any governing document ever devised by man..
As a result, Christians in America (for the most part) have not had to face the painful decision to “obey God rather than men” and defy their civil authorities.
The problem in America today is that we have allowed our political leaders to violate their oaths of office and to ignore, and blatantly disobey, the “supreme Law of the Land,” the U.S. Constitution.
Therefore, if we truly believe Romans Chapter 13, we will insist and demand that our civil magistrates submit to the U.S. Constitution.
Now, how many of us Christians are going to truly obey Romans Chapter 13?
FAITH BASED 501-c-3 Churches are part of HOMELAND SECURITY NOW!
The old cliché “Come shekels, Come shackles” had never been more apparent than on March 7, 2006 when President George Bush gave Executive Order 13397, which literally turned the churches that have taken Faith Based Funds over to the clutches of the Department of Homeland Security.
Following is the order in its entirety with a brief comment at the end by Barbara Ketay, of Melbourne, Florida, who is the Legal Associate of the Biblical Law Center and the President of the United States Bar Association.
In a subsequent article we will analyze this Order and its consequences further.
Executive Order 13397 “Church as a Governmental Agency.”
For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary March 7, 2006
Executive Order: Responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security with Respect to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to help the Federal Government coordinate a national effort to expand opportunities for faith-based and other community organizations and to strengthen their capacity to better meet America’s social and community needs, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Establishment of a Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the Department of Homeland Security.
(a) The Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) shall establish within the Department of Homeland Security (Department) a Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (Center).
(b) The Center shall be supervised by a Director appointed by Secretary. The Secretary shall consult with the Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (WHOFBCI Director) prior to making such appointment.
(c) The Department shall provide the Center with appropriate staff, administrative support, and other resources to meet its responsibilities under this order.
(d) The Center shall begin operations no later than 45 days from the date of this order.
Sec. 2. Purpose of Center. The purpose of the Center shall be to coordinate agency efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the provision of social and community services.
Sec. 3. Responsibilities of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In carrying out the purpose set forth in section 2 of this order, the Center shall:
(a) conduct, in coordination with the WHOFBCI Director, a department-wide audit to identify all existing barriers to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the delivery of social and community services by the Department, including but not limited to regulations, rules, orders, procurement, and other internal policies and practices, and outreach activities that unlawfully discriminate against, or otherwise discourage or disadvantage the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in Federal programs;
(b) coordinate a comprehensive departmental effort to incorporate faith-based and other community organizations in Department programs and initiatives to the greatest extent possible;
(c) propose initiatives to remove barriers identified pursuant to section 3(a) of this order, including but not limited to reform of regulations, procurement, and other internal policies and practices, and outreach activities;
(d) propose the development of innovative pilot and demonstration programs to increase the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in Federal as well as State and local initiatives; and
(e) develop and coordinate Departmental outreach efforts to disseminate information more effectively to faith-based and other community organizations with respect to programming changes, contracting opportunities, and other agency initiatives, including but not limited to Web and Internet resources.
Sec. 4. Reporting Requirements.
(a) Report. Not later than 180 days from the date of this order and annually thereafter, the Center shall prepare and submit a report to the WHOFBCI Director.
(b) Contents. The report shall include a description of the Department’s efforts in carrying out its responsibilities under this order, including but not limited to:
(i) a comprehensive analysis of the barriers to the full participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the delivery of social and community services identified pursuant to section 3(a) of this order and the proposed strategies to eliminate those barriers; and
(ii) a summary of the technical assistance and other information that will be available to faith-based and other community organizations regarding the program activities of the agency and the preparation of applications or proposals for grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and procurement.
(c) Performance Indicators. The first report shall include annual performance indicators and measurable objectives for Departmental action. Each report filed thereafter shall measure the Department’s performance against the objectives set forth in the initial report.
Sec. 5. Responsibilities of the Secretary. The Secretary shall:
(a) designate an employee within the department to serve as the liaison and point of contact with the WHOFBCI Director; and
(b) cooperate with the WHOFBCI Director and provide such information, support, and assistance to the WHOFBCI Director as requested to implement this order.
Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be implemented subject to the availability of appropriations and to the extent permitted by law.
(b) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE
Comments by Barbara Ketay: In case you missed it, the separation of church and state is gone with the stroke of a pen. As of March 7, 2006, our nation’s illustrious leader signed another Executive Order, which tied the Department of Homeland Security to our leader’s “faith-based” churches. Wake up, all you non-profit churches – you now serve the federal government’s primary spying agency. That is now your primary function.
How stupid and positively corrupt can you possibly be to take money in exchange for manipulating your flocks of idiot sheep to the national slaughter? And will you also spy on your flock and provide reports to your new master? Remember that faith-based churches are now governmental agencies – just like public schools, mainline media, and all mass communication, etc. – nothing more and nothing less.
In exchange for money, have you agreed to pacify and organize your flock in the event of a national emergency? You certainly have, for you have been ordered to do so. You are being told what to do when more “crises” hits the nation, and we know more disasters will hit our nation, as all is now planned right down to our “weather emergencies.” All of this is providing the training and relocation exercises for the real crisis to come – the one that permanently collapses Constitutional America.
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