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Through great trails come great saints

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All about us the signs of sinning against God become the norm instead of the unusual. It is in these times of unbelief, doubt and outright disobedience that saints have risen to the top. Look at Job and Daniel for example.
In this year a horrific sin was exposed to the light and few saw it for what it truly was. The human sacrifice of babies has returned to this world sanctioned and supported by the governing powers of this nation. From it all other sins have flourished and grown. In return Judaism and Christianity have increasingly come under attack. The symbols of our faiths being torn down in the name of freedom and as a result more and more sin takes dominion and true freedom fades into non-existence.
As this happens fewer and fewer truly follow the teachings of God’s Holy Word.
Could it be by this lack of believe and faith that the Holy Ghost gives a greater portion to those that remain loyal to God?
Does this explain how parts of Acts 2:17 have become fact? Is it plausible that the rest of this verse is not far from coming to pass?
I believe so.
So as we move ever faster into the end times of humanity as a disobedient creation of the One and Only Creator I can’t help but look about and listen for news of actions by the few willing to stand against the masses and face whatever will occur even unto death itself.
Who is willing to stand up and shout: “ENOUGH!!!!!”
Only to have fewer and fewer listen till it is too late and the rise of the Antichrist takes place.
I see elements already falling into place that say: “Soon.. it will be soon.”

A Judgment and a prayer

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I have been going through the book of Daniel the last couple of weeks. Reading it studying it and reading commentaries. As I entered into the ninth chapter this morning I feel as Daniel did when he read the prophecy of the 70 years enslavement of the Israelites given by Jeremiah. Only I am reading Daniel.
In Daniels prophecies he was given an image of what turned out to be Antiochus Epiphanes, the first “little horn.” As study what this man did to the Jews and how he defiled the temple I came into understand of what is happening with this nation I live within, the United States. I know without a doubt that this was the second nation created under the blessing of God. I do not cater to those that say this is not true. There is too much evidence that states otherwise. Too much documentation, and the mere fact that the basis for our government was a slightly changed version of that used to govern the colony of Pennsylvania, which was written by the Quaker William Penn.
This is a Christian nation, yet now too many have turned from God. Too many say they are His, but in reality they are not. I have wondered why God allowed this nation to place under two terms of the obviously most anti-Christian and anti-Israeli president ever encountered in this nation and I suddenly realized through reading the book of Daniel that He was placed in power to usher this nation into a time of God’s judgment against those that call themselves Christian and Jew alike within this nation.
In many ways this man is reflecting the image of Antiochus Epiphanes. So he is the “little horn” of the “little horn” who is an image of the true “little horn” to come. His purpose is to punish this nations for turning its back upon God. Will others follow in his footsteps? That is the important question.
What can change this for the betterment of Christianity and this nation as a whole? The answer is simple. It is the answer that Daniel came to. It is the answer that Jesus gave us.
1) We are to pray for forgiveness for our sins against God by turning our backs upon His will and His teachings.
2) We are not just sit and pray but are to take action as well (James 2:14-19).
a) Turn form those that support sin
b) Become active in church and prayer
c) Vote for those that support God and against any that oppose God
d) Change laws that go against God and obey ALL laws that fall within the dictates of the Bible

Below is a modified version of the pray Daniel offered to God in Chapter nine of the book in his name:

“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands. But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations. We have refused to listen to your servants those that truly profess your Word and teaches, who spoke on your authority to our government officials and ancestors and to all the people of the land.
“Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of all the states and major cities and the entire nation, those scattered near and far, wherever you have placed us because of our disloyalty to you. O Lord, we and our government officials, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants those that truly profess your Word and teaches. All this nation the Untied States has disobeyed your instruction and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice.
“So now the solemn curses and judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down on us because of our sin. You have kept your word and done to us and our leaders exactly as you warned. Never has there been such a disaster that as happened in this nation. Every curse written against us in the Law of Moses has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by turning from our sins and recognizing his truth. Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster he prepared. The Lord our God was right to do all of these things, for we did not obey him.
“O Lord our God, you brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from sin through giving unto us your one and only Son as a Sacrifice upon the cross. But we have sinned and are full of wickedness. In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from your this nation. All the neighboring nations mock the United States and your people because of our sins and the sins of our ancestors.
“O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate nation that was only second to Israel.
“O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.
“O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and this nation.”

As I look about me……..

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For around 2600 years the time of the Gentiles has been heading down a journey. A journey toward the acknowledgement that God is the creator of everything. For longer than that they have rejected this believe because they do not wish to surrender themselves to the dominion of something above them. They make up fantasies which enable them to say “No there is no such thing as God.” Others go about saying there is a God, but they do not honor Him as such. They imagine Him to be a benevolent spirit that grants their wishes and allows them to live their lives as they please.
This is not what God wants. God wishes to have a relationship with us, not just as our Creator, but someone that will talk and share His creation with Him. There is only one way to accomplish this relationship with Him though and most of the human race has no real desire to do what is required of them.
What is required? Surrender. To turn over all that was, is and will be within us over to Him. To not only say He is God, but to truly follow what He asks of us. In the book of Daniel this happens two times. Once for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they are ask to bow to the image of Nebuchadnezzar and when those that were jealous of Daniel plotted to place him into the lion’s den.
What is the most important element in both instances is that these four men refuse to submit to what the world offers. They place more value in God over the world and all that is within the world including those in power.
This has been lost for the most part from those that say they are followers of God. They place more value in the world then they place in the Creator of all. They compromise too much when they should be standing their ground. They say that the world is grey when God through His Son Jesus Christ says it is black and white.
The compromising must end. Too much is happening too fast, must faster than we have ever thought would happen. Does this mean we are approaching end of times? More and more are saying yes it is, I am leaning strongly in the direction myself, but there are still things that must take place, more signs that were given unto us through the Bible. The handbook to salvation through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. But there are those that try to discount the Bible. Why? Because they still wish for humans to be the gods when they are not. So they blind themselves and other to the truth, for it is better to share misery than it is to share happiness.

My personal insight into the feet of iron and clay with the help of God

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In the book Daniel a statue is seen in a dream by Nebuchadnezzar. It has been established through the passage of time that Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome were the first parts of the statute.
The feet of iron and clay people do not wish to place a label upon since the do not wish to place this combined group of nations to any time period. Why they are doing this I do not know, but when you apply the translation to the wording and use commonsense and understanding you can formulate a very strong possibility.
In Daniel 41-43 – And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
As you can see there is a lot going on here. First a foremost it shall have the appearance of Rome, yet it shall be divided. This in its basic format fits the how Europe now appears today. It is within a good part of what use to be the Roman Empire geographically, yet the nations within it are separate yet they have joined together to make themselves stronger finically, but at the same time they are weak. Evidence of this is seen in how they are handling the sudden influx of migrates from the Middle East, which in itself brings in more elements of the former Roman Empire into the European Union, since most of the Middle East was part of the former Roman Empire. This gives some weight to the statement that it shall mix with man’s seed yet it shall be fractured and divided. Not only are the nations separate, but within their borders they are becoming divided as cultural groups slice up the regions into smaller fragments. As we look upon the turmoil that is happening within the EU and the Middle East events are transpiring which could lead the development of ten new powerful leaders that will encompass both the west (Europe) and the east (the Middle East), each have five powerful leaders emerging from the mayhem.
Events transpiring this very moment are unlike any others that have happened since Christ ascended into Heaven. Mainly since they are happening so quickly because most change has taken several generations to go by as change took place. Now though events are becoming hard to follow they are happening so quickly. Once solid cultural communities are be shattered and fractured. It is not nations, but regions and it is within these regions that ten powerful leaders will emerge.
Does this mean the way Europe is now is a sign we are nearing the return of Christ? This in itself would not give enough evidence to support this, but throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testament are other elements within the behavior of humanity that does lead credence to such a supposition. It is also important to note that the people as denoted by the degradation of the statute, become weaker and more susceptible to sin. More willing to embrace that which is wrong and hate that which is good. This again is witnessed throughout other areas of the Bible. A prime example being 2 Peter 2.
Now I do not place any confidence in my insight upon me alone. For like Daniel I give all my belief and ideas upon this to the glory of God. For without Him I would not be seeing what I do see, for only through Him is the world seen for what it truly is and where it is truly headed, but the Bible makes it clear that no human can say when the return of Christ will be, but we are to watch for the signs that are given within the Bible. Many of which are now transpiring. Are there enough of them to fully fulfill prophecy? Only time will tell, but it is better to be cautious and make yourself right with God through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: You know there are just some days you wish you could see the plan God has set for you

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As I write this I have encountered such a day. It would just be so cool to look over God’s shoulder as he is mapping out the way your life should go if you honor and trust His lead, which is what we are to do just for the record. When you are hit with a sudden and unexpected emotional punch in the gut. You are going along thinking you are doing fine and bam the wind is knocked out of you and your emotions go into a spiral.
Yes I got angry for about five minutes then I just started thinking and praying and I lost the anger. The anger would do me no good it would accomplish me nothing, so why be anger? Am I still depressed over the issues? Yes I am for I was becoming excited at the prospects that lay ahead of me and to once again having those goals, that I saw as something good for me and my family, kicked out from under me as they had been once before, but again not as depressed as happened the first time this occurred. Mainly due to the fact that I am placing my trust and faith in God as to how He wishes my life to go so it will honor Him.
Then I started to look at this at different perspectives. First and foremost was the prospective that God has something else in store for me or that His timing was not just write. Could it be He wanted to see if I would do what I am doing this very moment? Sharing it with you the reader. Giving you an insight into how God’s plans work under His time table and never under yours. For we are His servant not the other way around and any that tell you otherwise either do not know the Bible or are lying to you.
Yes it would have been a help for this event to occur for it would have allowed me to be more accessible to my family, but I will just have to try and figure out another method to do that better until God says I have accomplished my goals assigned by Him.
You see we all have tasks that we are assigned to do by God. For this life a test to see if we are worthy to go to the next level of existence. It will be approximately one hundred years now, then if we pass that we are told there will be a thousand years here on earth co-reigning with Jesus Christ, then there will be the eternal life beyond the Great White Throne Judgment. These latter two things are beyond our full comprehension to understand so God has saw fit not to tell us too much about them, but we are told they are real and will take place.
So in the mean time we must go through our maze of life, seek after the righteous path God desires for us to go down. Will we make the correct turn at the correct time? Not always, but that is the cost of free will. What is most important is to honor God, to trust God and believe all is possible through and with God. For once you forgotten this you have definitely turned down the wrong path.

The Plea to awaken for time is running out.

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More and more in what I see and hear, as I look about me, I believe more and more that the end times are upon all humanity. In Acts2:17 it states:
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
I have no question that I am a dreamer of dreams that deal with the Body of Christ. I know of those that have seen visions. As of yet I am aware of any that have prophesied. There are other things occurring that meet what the Bible tells us to watch out for and I see them increasingly every day.
Events are taking place I never thought possible a decade ago, but now I see them and know ever more that God is real, that Jesus is real and the Son of the Creator of the universe, including this tiny speck of dust on the edge of that which He created.
Too many are lukewarm and I have been tasked to attempt to get these to hear, to awaken once again to the glory of God. I am praying and hoping some have heard and are endeavoring to fix their ways and their place with God.
The Bible says people will listen to false teachings. The newest craze is the “God Loves all” false teachings. The thing is they mix just enough of the truth into what they are saying to confuse and befuddle those that are not aware of the full gospel. Yes God does love all, but there is a “but.” (Couldn’t resist doing that sorry)
Here is what the Bible does say. Yes God loves us, why? Because who wouldn’t love that which they have created. If you write something, if you make artwork, if you build something, do you not love it? The answer is yes, but don’t you just feel there is something you could have done differently to make it just a bit better than it is, yet you leave it alone.
That is how God sees humanity. The think is the little difference needed is already placed within us. We just have to act upon it.
“What is it?” you ask.
It is accepting that Jesus is your Savior and committing to a FULL relationship with God through His Son. To do this you must stop sinning. If you live in a sin and place that sin over everything else, especially God, then you are not repentant, you have no real desire to serve God, for the is sin more important to you than God. This is living a lukewarm life.
We are to place God first in all that we do. To do that you must fully honor His instructions, which are given within the entire Bible. If the Bible state that something is a sin, then you must turn away from this sin 100%. This is living hot for God.
Now all true Christians know that we do commit ourselves 100% mentally, but there comes times when we falter and fall. We trip over our sins, but here is the difference, we feel remorse, we feel sorrow, we feel regret. That is because we realize that God is real, His Son is real and we have, even for a very short time, place God second to our sin nature.
Being human we are stuck in this body, this corruptible, until we are finally called into the presence of God, and it will be then that we will finally put on the incorruptible. It is then that we will finally be able to fully and completely be free from the taint of Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God.
However, do not mistake what I am saying as permission to still live in sin. It is not, you must fight against it, you must pray to Jesus for strength to overcome your weaknesses and seek His forgiveness and glory.
You must leave your sin behind. You cannot serve two masters. It is either the sin or God. The Glorified Jesus Christ makes this perfectly clear in Revelation 3:15-16. God would rather you be cold or black for Him or hot and white for Him. It clear states that for those that live both in their sin and say they are for God will be spit out. “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”
In 2 Peter 2, in John 15 and in the verse above it makes it clear. That there are those that came to Christ, but turned their back upon Him. This believe of once saved always saved which is a man-made doctrine. So is going to confession, another man-made contrivance into lulling you into sin. For anything made of man is corrupt and ultimately leads back to its roots.
This is what Satan wants. He wants all to fail so none will be higher than he. He still believes that he shall defeat God, unaware that he has been living within one of his own lies. The father of lies caught within his own lies, the irony of that is just mind-blowing.
You have to understand that below that Holy Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost will be those within humanity that overcome their sins and fully commit to God through Jesus.
The Great White Throne Judgment will literally weed out the rest.
Those that overcome will be in the service of God, as it should be for we are His creation, but we will be given wondrous tasks to fulfill in this service to our Creator. Can you get your mind wrapped about that?
The end is closer than many think or believe or fear to believe. It is important that you think now, that you act now, that you turn from your sin now. Understand that yes God loves you, but also understand that due to this love He is willing to allow you to live with your choices. If those choices due to free will that leads to the darkness then so be it, but know that is not where He wishes you to be. He wishes you to come to the light, live in the light, and know that if the Bible states a sin is a sin, that it is never meant for the light. Leave the darkness and come to the light and to the glory of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

So folks are getting on Billy Graham’s case are they?

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So Billy Graham has released a new book entitled “Where I am.” Per his son Franklin Graham he had originally indented it to be all about Hell. He changed it a bit and decided to talk about his insight into events in the eternal life we are all going to face.
The thing is people are trying to change Billy Graham’s message into one where all will go to heaven, or as I see it go and serve God and be able to explore all of God’s creation, but both Billy and his son Franklin say that this is not the message that he has taught. The message he taught we you must repent of your sins and accept the will of God through the salvation offered by His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.
This however is not what those that wish to live in sin and expect to get to heaven wish to hear.
This reminds me of how people said that the events in the Bible are a myth, but the letters and the gospels were all written when those that had witnessed the events were alive and could say this is true or that is not true.
Well in this case Billy and Franklin are saying this is not true. They are saying you MUST repent. You MUST stop sinning and you MUST truly ask Jesus into your life and honor the teaching of the Bible. If it is called a sin in the Bible then it is a sin… period. This is also what the Grahams are saying.
So these “critics” need to stop trying to turn the words given by the elder Graham and twisting them and trying to turn them into mythology.
I agree fully with the Graham family. A sin is a sin. If the sin is more important than God then the sin is your master not God. Repent, Turn from your sin and accept Jesus as your Savior or face the consequences which includes Hell, the Pit of Fire, the Lake of Fire, which ever term you don’t wish to hear.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: The most compelling evidence yet

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Today as I was coming to the end of the book “The Case of Christ” by Lee Strobel I came across some of the strongest evidence of the reality of Christ’s resurrection. Now you have to understand. I have been a born again believer since 1985. I have had my ups and downs as is unfortunately normal for this day and age due to the weak society we live within. To hear this evidence worded in such a manner just deepened my belief and faith in God and His Son Jesus.
In the last chapter of the book Mr. Stobel is talking to Dr. J. P. Moreland. Here Dr. Moreland brings up the change that took place within thousands of Jews within Jerusalem. For thousands of year and to this day there were and is still a Jewish people. All other nations that existed since before Joseph led the Jewish nation into Egypt and their eventual enslavement have ceased to exist in their original form or are no longer even thought of. In that time the Jewish people have continued to exist. Many of those traditions are still in use today save the sacrifice and burnt offers. Yet soon after Christ’s crucifixion thousands of Jews abandoned these tradition. Why? Because many had seen the risen Christ and others were witness to the miracles performed by His disciples as well as seen the fires of Pentecost and heard the disciples talking in many languages which many of the Jew understood having come from far parts of the world upon pilgrimages to Jerusalem. This caused them to turn from their traditions to embrace Christianity.
You have to understand this. The world two thousand years ago was nothing like the world we now live within. Today those in this world are weak minded. Going to this fad or that fad. This bit of happiness over here and then a few days later running to this happiness over there. Face it we as a people are weak compared to those that lived not even a hundred years ago due to Television and other devices of technology. So it is hard for many to understand how people can turn away from their cultural foundations and wholeheartedly change literally overnight and stay that way the rest of their lives even under the threat of a torturous death.
God is real. Jesus is real. An eternal life is real and is for all of us. You, me, the person next to you. It is something that is truly worth dying for.
The disciples had run away from Jesus. They had thought Him killed, gone. Then within days after His death they suddenly were literally willing to die for their belief that Jesus rose from the dead, because He did and they attested to that till their deaths, many of which were horrifying.
Think upon that for a while.

What are the odds?

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As I explore deeper and deeper in my faith. I find just how much research has been done that just keeps showing that Jesus did walk the earth at this time two thousand years ago. Fact after fact, item after item confirming Jesus is real. What I found most fascinating though was that someone actually run the odds of a person showing up within the required time for Him to exist, which was just over two thousand years ago, and fulfill the prophecies set forth within the Old Testament. There are a total of forty-eight of these prophecies by the way.
Peter W. Stone ran the odds in “Science Speaks” published in 1969. He ran the odds for some person to accomplish all the prophecies which included a time frame as show in Daniel 22-27:
And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
The mere fact that a designated time frame was established for there to be a Messiah and Jesus was the only person to meet that criteria.
Anyway here are the odds as listed by Peter Stone for all forty-eight:
One in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion or 10^156.
Yet Jesus Christ fulfilled every single prophecy set forth within the Old Testament. Only someone that is beyond human could, can, did accomplish that goal.
Ponder that as you consider if there is a God and if He had a Son and know that there is more evidence supporting that is Jesus real. More than there is for any other person in history, in recorded ancient history.

“Son of Man”

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So it appears these three words are some folks reasoning to fully humanize Jesus. Removing Him from His place as the Son of God and a member of the Trinity. To me this again shows where people are not fully reading the Bible or are purposely ignoring parts so it will allow them to reject God or to live in sin and say they are “Christian” when if they live in sin this is questionable at the very least.
Here is the thing that folks need to hear:
Matthew 5:17 – Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Well is there a prophecy that mentions “Son of man?” Yes there is as follows:
Daniel 7:13-14 – I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
So Jesus when calling Himself the “Son of man” is identifying Himself as the person in this prophecy, which shows that the “Son of man” will be the leader of all and for all eternity.