Stand Silently, Praise Loudly

One of the greatest comforts of our Christian life is knowing that the battle is not ours. There are SO many passages which point to this, one of my favorites is 2 Chronicles 20: 15-19:

"thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's......'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.....The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice. "

There are many passages which say the same thing or illustrate it with Israel and in the New Testament with Christians. Too many to number, but here are some:

• Exodus 14:14 "The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."
• Deuteronomy 1:30 "The LORD your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, "
• Haggai 2:5 "As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!' "
• Proverbs 21:31 "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the LORD. "

These are not mere sayings, there are numerous examples of the few of God through an angel or His people, defeating the multitude of the enemy. Such as the angel of the Lord killing 185,000 in one night (2 Kings 19:35 / Isaiah 37:36)......100,000 killed by 7,232 in (1 Kings 20:29).......etc.

The fact that there is Spiritual warfare which is unseen to us is well documented in the Bible. What is amazing is that many people who don't want to believe the Bible, DO believe in the supernatural....as long as it doesn't ask them to obey and believe!

The Old Testament story of Balaam and his donkey is very interesting, starting at Numbers 22:22 the donkey sees an angel which the man does not and refuses to pass. Balaam gets mad at his animal and starts to strike him, at which point the angel appears to Balaam and explains that the donkey's actions saved Balaam's life!

No matter what, we must always remember to wait silently for God to act on our behalf, and when it's all over, praise LOUDLY, no matter what the outcome! I praise Him for everything! He is awesome!

Christian, Learn From Israel!

The more I study God's word, the Bible, the more I am convicted and relate to Israel! My own reading of the entire Bible, took me (reluctantly) into the Old Testament, and brought me from an initial position of criticizing the people of God for their unbelief to completely identifying with them! This completely took me by surprise.It became clear to me that it would be pure hypocrisy of me to be critical of them, when I myself did the same thing either by not being thankful for His blessings and leadings - or by a lack of faith over what He was working out in my life!

I often say I wish I had a "hot line" a red telephone straight to God so He could tell me what He wanted or expected of me. Eventually I realized I do have that, it's the Holy Spirit within me and everything He wants to say to me is in His Holy Scriptures. It was up to me to stay connected to Him!

As I read the Old Testament I felt Israel HAD that very intimate and tangible line to God. The more I read of their failures, the more I wondered at HOW a people who actually SAW and felt His presence in ways too numeous to name here are just a few:

• the pillar of fire by night and cloud by day
• the direct speaking to his chosen leaders and prophets
• the proof though fulfilled prophecy
• the battles only He could have won for Israel

These and SO many more were all signs that He alone was the one and only God and that He was protecting and blessing them. So how could Israel be so blind?!? Ignorant?!? Deceived!!!!!!!!!!! That was a constant question on my heart as I read through the Old Testament.

Yet, isn't that what we Christians do when we allow the enemy to deceive us into thinking that God isn't listening to our prayer? Do we not often believe that He doesn't care or is too busy to attend to our supplications? It's that same liw that Satan used in the garden of Eden when in his first recorded spoken words to man he planted seeds of doubt in her mind by saying "Indeed, has God said.....?" (Genesis 3:1).

In Galatians 3:6-7 we read "Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham." I love that verse. Abraham's faith saved him, in the same way our faith makes us descendants of Abraham in God's eyes. By faith Abraham was saved, by faith in Jesus Christ we are saved and grafted on to the family of Abraham. Romans 11 is rich on this subject. It speaks to my heart, I hope it will equally to yours. I wouldn't even dare try to comment on one of God's mysteries!

Romans 11:17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
Romans 11:18  do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.
Romans 11:19  You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in."
Romans 11:20  Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear;
Romans 11:21  for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.
Romans 11:22  Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
Romans 11:23  And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Romans 11:24  For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
Romans 11:25  For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;
Romans 11:26  and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB."
Romans 11:27  "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS."
Romans 11:28  From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies [Gk: hostile] for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers;
Romans 11:29  for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Romans 11:30  For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
Romans 11:31  so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
Romans 11:32  For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

I once heard someone distinguish the difference between mercy and grace. He said "Grace is getting what you don't deserve, mercy is NOT getting what you DO deserve". No one ever deserved the Salvation which was freely (by grace) to anyone who will receive it, by the suffering of Jesus Christ for our sins. It is only by the grace of Yahweh, the God of Israel, that we ARE saved!

As I have shared before on this blog, it was only when I came to the realization that I was NO DIFFERENT than the people (Israel) that my own Christian walk changed! Primarily the shallow teachings of most (even so-called "evangelical") churches of today no longer satisfied me. I suppose this is when I moved from milk to meat! There is a time for milk in our Christian lives, as in a child's life........but a child quickly graduates to meat as must we..........by CHOOSING to know God through His Scripture. Only then can we be of use to the Kingdom of God.

Hebrews 5:12  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Hebrews 5:13  For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
Hebrews 5:14  But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

A Life Out of Control

My life is out of control......it's not as dire as it sounds, it is a blessing! I am blessed because God is in control. When I look back and ponder His providence - and knowing my own heart, with by the help of the Holy Spirit I can see the possibilities of how the script of my life might have been different. I see only emptiness which would have filled my heart and helplessness to fill my life had I not given my heart to Jesus on that fateful day of Septermber 29th, 1985.

Proverbs 16:9 tells us that "The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.". That's pretty awesome when you think about it. Think of a small child who without the guidance of a more knowing caretaker would simply walk out into the highway into traffic! THAT is what our lives are like without the direction of the Lord. We can't fathom the dangers in our path nor would we understand it should we require an explanation from God! We could understand His perfect will no better than that small child would understand if someone explained the laws of physics, velocity, etc.

Equally, we until we give the Lord the reigns in our heart and life we no idea how much better life can be!
1 Corinthians 2:9 says:"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard," nor has it entered into the heart of man, "the things which God has prepared for those who love Him." About this passage Matthew Henry concluded and penned better than I ever could: "There are things God hath prepared for those that love him, and wait for him, which sense cannot discover, no teaching can convey to our ears, nor can it yet enter our hearts. We must take them as they stand in the Scriptures, as God hath been pleased to reveal them to us."

I can't wait for that awesome day of discovery! Maranatha!

Memory Verse: Isaiah 35:4

Isa. 35:4
Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you."

In context this passage speaks of the Millennium, but it reminds us not to worry, a Christian has access to all the power of the host of angels in heaven. So when I find myself in a worrisome situation I concentrate on the power that is within me and I say "bring it on!" ;o)

Where Is the U.S. in The Bible's End-Time Prophecies?

Many prophecy/Bible students look for clues to the U.S. in Bible End-Time prophecies. Man had not discovered the continent and hemisphere back 4000, 2000 or even 1000 years ago; however, God knew of its existance, and He may have left us clues.

There can only be 3 possibilities for the U.S. in the End-Times when Israel is invaded from the North:

1. It is an ally of Israel
2. It is unwilling to help Israel
3. It is unable to help Israel (due to destruction or crippling by Israel's and the U.S.'s enemies)

No one commentary I've read or heard can say for sure. One commentary speculated that perhaps Tarshish refers to England and as the U.S. is a "descendant of sorts" of the English, having been initially discovered and inhabitted by them, an extention of Tarshish. However, there is no definitive proof that Tarshish IS indeed England in the Bible. Should you wish to study up on that, the Biblical passages mentioning Tarshish are: Gen_10:4; 1Ki_10:22; 1Ki_22:48; 1Ch_1:7; 1Ch_7:10; 2Ch_9:21; 2Ch_20:36; 2Ch_20:37; Est_1:14; Psa_48:7; Psa_72:10; Isa_2:16; Isa_23:1; Isa_23:6; Isa_23:10; Isa_23:14; Isa_60:9; Isa_66:19; Jer_10:9; Eze_10:9; Eze_27:12; Eze_27:25; Eze_38:13; Jon_1:3; Jon_4:2;

In Isaiah 29:8 we get what may be a glimpse that the U.S. will be in the 2nd category (unwilling to help Israel) as it says: It will be as when a hungry man dreams-- And behold, he is eating; But when he awakens, his hunger is not satisfied, Or as when a thirsty man dreams-- And behold, he is drinking, But when he awakens, behold, he is faint And his thirst is not quenched. Thus the multitude of all the nations will be Who wage war against Mount Zion. [emphasis mine].

Additionally The Scriptures tell us:

Isa 34:2 For the anger of Jehovah is on all nations, and His fury on all their armies. He has completely destroyed them, He has delivered them to the slaughter.

Joel 3:2 I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will fight with them there for My people and for My inheritance Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and divided My land.

Zec 12:3 And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples. All who lift it shall be slashed, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.

Zec 14:2 For I will gather all nations to battle against Jerusalem; and the city shall be taken, and the houses plundered, and the women raped. And half of the city shall go into exile, and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Rev 14:8 And another angel followed, saying, The great city, Babylon, has fallen, has fallen; because of the wine of the anger of her fornication; she has made all nations to drink.

Rev 16:14 For they are spirits of demons, working miracles, which go forth to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that day, the great day of God Almighty.

I don't assume this is THE final answer to the question of U.S. in End-Times prophecy in the Bible. Though in this passage Isaiah IS speaking of the attack by the Assyrians, this can be seen as a "type" of future things to come, as often we see in Scripture.

From Matthew Henry's commentary: "This woe to Ariel [Jerusalem], which we have in this chapter, is the same with the “burden of the valley of vision” (Isa_22:1), and (it is very probable) points at the same event - the besieging of Jerusalem by the Assyrian army, which was cut off there by an angel; yet it is applicable to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, and its last desolations by the Romans. Here is, I. The event itself foretold, that Jerusalem should be greatly distressed (Isa_29:1-4, Isa_29:6), but that their enemies, who distressed them, should be baffled and defeated (Isa_29:5, Isa_29:7, Isa_29:8).


God is not ambiguous, when He says "all", He means "all"! I think for Israel to stand alone at that time would also follow the pattern we see all throughout the Scriptures - namely that God wants Israel and the entire world to come to reliance on Him rather than nations and peace treaties.

WHY Study Prophecy?

Many Christians think it's useless to study prophecy. If they believe God's will is sovereign they figure His perfect will is working itself out, so what's the point of studying it?!?

Since the Bible is sufficient for all, we go to it (as always) to see what is true:

1. Thankfully God answers this in no uncertain terms right at the beginning of the ultimate book of prophecy (and of the Bible itself) - Revelation 1:3 "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. " A BLESSING is given to those who pay attention to prophecy - why? Because "the time is near.", the end-time, time of judgment and thankfully to those who are saved, the time of rapture before the judgment!
2. If you know anything about end-times prophecy at all, you can see the signs working themselves out exactly as Jesus told us in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 (undeniable "birth pangs" such as earthquakes, plagues, famines, etc. All of which even non-Christian sources admit to having increased in the last few years.
   
3. As we see "future" prophecy coming to fruition in OUR OWN time we become like the sons of Isaachar (1Chronicles 12:32) as "men who understood the times"! In Matthew 16:3 Jesus Himself pointed to the foolishness of those who did not know God's word, and thus did not recognize Him as the promissed Messiah - they were UNLIKE the sons of Issachar - they could figure out the signs in the skies but could not see the coming of the Savior. This He said when the Pharisees and Saducees requested a sign from heaven that He was indeed the Messiah: "And in the morning [you say], 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? "
4. We know not to fear and indeed to be glad when we see these things as they are signs to us that our redemption is close, that we will be raptured from the Great Tribulation and Jesus is soon to come! Luke 21:9 "When you hear of wars and disturbances [rumors of wars], do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately."
   

Rapture Passages (just a few):

• 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
• Matthew 24:31 "And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. "
• Mark 13:26-27 "Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven."

Maranatha!

Jesus Prayed For YOU!

A study in John 17, Jesus' prayer before he was arrested shows us that Jesus not only prayed for the disciples He also prayed for those who would someday be saved by the teaching of the Gospel.

In verses 20-23 of John chapter 17 Jesus prayed for YOU blessed believer! He prayed: [emphasis mine]

John 17:20 "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;
John 17:21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
John 17:22 "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;
John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

That's pretty awesome! In our day to day living we often get bogged down with the worries, deceptions, challenges of earthly living and we forget that the one who foreknew us, who knows every hair on our head prayed for us long before we ever existed!