A Momentous Change was Being Put in Place at the Time of the First Advent!
The exact date of the First Advent is unknown; Biblical scholars believe it took place in the winter of 5-4 BC. The birth of a baby in a stable in Bethlehem would hardly have any impact in the centers of world power; no historians or governmental authorities would carefully note such an event in the historic records of the nation!
Regardless of the humble nature of the birth of Jesus Christ, God was putting into place a plan that would change humanity forever. God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, would take on human form and be born of a virgin girl by the power of God, the Holy Spirit.
A totally unique person was brought into existence, undiminished deity and true humanity in one person forever; a unique person for a totally unique assignment! The nature of this assignment is revealed in Romans 5:6-11 where it is written:
“6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
The First Advent happened at “just the right time” every detail of the First Advent was scheduled in eternity past and many details had been revealed to the Old Testament prophets; nothing was left to chance! Christ took on human form that he might die for the ungodly!
As the Last Adam from heaven, Jesus Christ had to pay the penalty incurred for all mankind when the First Adam disobeyed a direct command from God. In 1 Corinthians 15:45-49 it is written:
45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.”
This Age of God’s Grace
The First Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ initiated events which resulted in this Age of Grace in which we now live. God’s offer of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior is still in full effect. This age will close when the True Church is called home. I encourage you to accept God’s offer while the doors of the True Church are still open to all who will receive Jesus Christ as Savior!
BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND YOU WILL BE SAVED!
The Seven Basic Biblical Premises that Separate the Successful from the Failures!
In the preceding essay, I wrote on the first four Basic Biblical Premises; reality, as it exists around us, is far different from what our eyes and experience would suggest.
There is only one fundamental question in life that each of us must answer; “DO YOU RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR? A yes answer means your life is a success, a no answer means you have failed in life!
Our environment is very deceptive and under the control of our arch-enemy, Satan. When the Bible tells us, “7 For we live by believing and not by seeing.” in 2 Corinthians 5:7, living that principle out in practice is totally dependent on the intersession of God, the Holy Spirit!
The Fifth Basic Biblical Premise
During the age of the multi-national church, immediate judgment for transgressions has been deferred; this is the age of grace, not judgment. In John 3:16-17 it is written:
“16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
Salvation, not judgment, is God’s focus during this age of grace! As with all things, this age of grace has come to pass; there is coming a time of severe judgment on this earth and each day that passes brings that time ever closer.
During this age of grace, there is only one sin that has not been paid for by the shed blood of Jesus Christ; that one sin is rejection of God’s offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord! I have written more on this in, “Is There One Unforgivable Sin?”
This age of grace is marked by a major change in God’s relationship with mankind; those who accept God’s offer of salvation have their dead spirits returned to life and are indwelt by God, the Holy Spirit. This union between God and man is eternal and unalterable.
While Adam was created in the image of God, the Christian is eternally indwelt by God!
This age will be brought to a close by the removal of all born-again Christians.
The Sixth Basic Biblical Premise
While Israel has been set aside during the Church Age, the age of grace, Israel’s restoration will take place according to God’s timetable!
In the Old Testament, God made many promises to Israel; while the fulfillment of some of those promises has been delayed by the mystery of the church age, God will faithfully fulfill those promises at the appointed time. With the removal of the church, God will be ready to place Israel at center stage in world affairs, Jerusalem will become the focus of world attention at a level unparalleled in history.
There is a period of seven years, God promised to Israel, that has yet to be fulfilled; Israel’s rejection of their Messiah, has resulted in a delay of over 1989 years and counting. This period of seven years, called the Tribulation, will be followed by the kingdom age which has been promised to Israel and will last 1,000 years. I have written more on the seven year period in, “The Seventy Weeks of Daniel.” , a three-part series.
At the end of the 1,000 years, God will judge those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior at the Great White Throne Judgment, and they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.
(A Purification Parenthetical
The following involves some speculation on my part as the Bible is not specific on certain details. My speculation, however, is based on a careful study of scripture.
The Bible reveals two episodes which I have come to see as processes of purification. Sin had left serious scars on both the church, and creation; scars which needed removal. In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 it is written:
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.”
In 2 Peter 3:11-13 it is written:
11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.”
I’m of the opinion these two fiery episodes are intended to purify and not destroy. As a sinner, saved by grace, I have memories of sinful episodes which can, on occasion, resurface in my memory much to my distress. I think it possible the “wall of flames” may be intended to purge my memory of those painful episodes; at the very least, I can hope that is the case. There are certain things best forgotten!
Regarding the heavens on fire and the elements melting away, I refer you to Romans 8:21 in the following section; I’m of the opinion this is part of a process of purification, not destruction.)
The Seventh Basic Biblical Premise
Living one’s entire life on a spiritual battlefield imposes severe restrictions on one’s ability to imagine a time of perfection. From birth to death, mankind is surrounded by sin, suffering and death. While there may be fleeting moments of peace and joy, the overall environment for life is distorted by the Satanic world system in which we live.
One of those fleeting moments came for me, one year, as I entered Wilderness Lodge at Christmas. This was our destination of choice when we visited Disney World for our family Christmas celebration. Tears of joy rolled down my cheeks as I saw the scene pictured below: feelings of peace, joy and contentment filled my mind!
Wilderness Lodge at Christmas with only one thing missing, crowds of happy people!
A time of eternal perfection is coming which will surpass anything we can even imagine; everything to this point has been preparatory for the eternity God has planned for his creation! I love the verses in Romans 8:18-25 where it is written:
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)
While there has been a terrible amount of suffering and pain for thousands of years, this era is only a brief preface to the vast volume of life and living that is coming! There is coming a time when all creation will join with God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay, a time when there will be no sin and suffering, a time when God’s children will be given their full rights as his adopted children along with their heavenly bodies!
Let us join together as we wait patiently and confidently!
The Bible closes with the following verses:
“20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.” Revelation 22:20-21
Life today is permeated by irrational behavior everywhere one looks. The homeless encampment shown above is only one of many! From Washington DC to the streets of San Francisco, one can observe decisions and choices being made that defy logic! Is there an underlying force that is driving this move to hurtful and irresponsible actions?
I’m of the opinion we are witnessing a well-planned move toward a new level of Satanic deception that will climax during the Tribulation. What we are seeing now, is only the beginning. As these deceptions increase, it becomes ever more important to anchor ourselves in the one source of truth, the Holy Bible!
The Bible is the only source of truth, it is only in the Bible we discover what is really happening and what we must do to survive.
It is only in the Bible we learn the massive significance of living by faith and not by sight! The Bible is a master of understatement; sometimes the most incredible events are described in the simplest of terms. A case in point is verse 7, of 2 Corinthians 5:
7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. (NLT)
As some of you may know, I have been a science fiction fan since my childhood. I have read more science fiction stories than I could count in any reasonable amount of time. One thing I can promise you, though, not one science fiction author, in all those stories, has managed to even come close to the actual reality in which we live as described in the Bible.
Biblical reality takes us to a level infinitely beyond anything the mind of man has conceived! It is truly a level of reality which can only be partially comprehended by faith! In this, and next week’s essay, I will examine the seven basic Biblical premises that form the foundation for the reality in which we live.
I propose to you that living by believing demands we embrace the Biblical view of reality!
The First Basic Biblical Premise
The Bible quickly establishes a basic premise which serves as the foundation for the entire Bible. The only true reality is the Holy Trinity, all else has been created by the Trinity and has, since it’s creation, consisted as a product of the omnipotent creator’s will.
In case you’re wondering, that means everything that can be seen, including you and me, are not truly real in a strict sense; we are created beings who exist at the will of our creator! I have written more on this previously in an essay, “What is Reality” published in September of 2011.
The essay begins with this sentence, “The dictionary defines reality as “the quality or state of being real: something that is neither derivative nor dependent but exists necessarily.”
No fictional universe, of which I have any knowledge, comes anywhere close to the Biblical universe. The Bible reveals that only the Holy Trinity qualifies as real as all else exists as a creation and continues only as the creator wills it to exist.
The Second Basic Biblical Premise
Mankind is unique in the creation process; mankind alone is created in the image of God. In Genesis 1:26 it is written:
26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
The implications of this decision by the Trinity are far-reaching, the living, spiritual essence of all human beings is made in the image of the creator and is eternal. This eternal essence is, however, placed in a physical body that is made of the earth.
The only part of a human being that can be seen is the portion made of the earth. The Trinity’s plan was to provide the Tree of Life for the body so it might live forever. After Adam’s disobedience, and the death of his spirit, the Trinity expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden so they could not eat of the Tree of Life and live forever. Genesis 3:22-24 where it is written:
“22 Then the Lord God said, “Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” 23 So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. 24 After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
The expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden was an act of grace and mercy, the idea of living forever with a dead spirit is truly horrendous!
The Third Basic Biblical Premise
The Trinity’s plan for restoration was complex and extremely challenging. The Bible is the record of the history of this plan as implemented by the Trinity. The Trinity would pay a great price to redeem mankind; the Second Person of the Trinity would become the Lamb of God who would take on human form and die for the sins of mankind.
At the time of the First Advent, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity would take on human form and be born to a virgin by the power of God, the Holy Spirit. The New Testament records the birth and the naming of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, who, in his humanity, would be named Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ would live a holy, sinless life, and then be killed in accordance with God’s plan; three days later, the Lord Jesus Christ would rise from the dead and, after a specified period of time, would ascend back into heaven.
The Fourth Basic Biblical Premise
After Adam’s failure, the Trinity had devised a new plan for the Second Adam from above. Salvation would include the indwelling of God, the Holy Spirit in everyone who received Jesus Christ as their Savior. The Second Person of the Holy Trinity had successfully completed the full payment for sin; now the Third Person of the Holy Trinity would minister to mankind until the end.
While the Trinity’s first plan focused on a people and a land, the Jews and Israel; the second plan would be multi-national in scope and have heaven as the homeland. Peoples of all nations could join this select group by simple faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
The appearance of this people would not change, there would be no way to look at them and know they had joined this very special group. The changes were spiritual, eternal, and profoundly significant! In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it is written:
“17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
Today, we live in this special, multi-national age of the church, the body of Christ. The clock is ticking on this age and the end of the age may come sooner rather than later. The signs the Bible has revealed, concerning the end of this age, are appearing all around us.
Next time, the Fifth through the Seventh of the Basic Biblical Premises.
On December 7th in 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The attack started somewhere between 7:48 and 7:58 AM local time on a Sunday morning. The public announcement of the attack was delayed by almost two hours so the announcement aired in the USA around 2:30 PM Eastern time and 9:30 AM Hawaiian time.
My mother, stepfather, and I were out on a Sunday afternoon drive looking for an alternate camping site for my stepfather’s Boy Scout troop. The time was around 1:31 PM when the announcer broke into the radio broadcast we were listening to and said the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor.
I was sitting in the back seat and still remember hearing the announcement; I don’t recall how we reacted at that point, but I’m certain none of us had any idea of the far-reaching implications of that action.
A number of the boys that had been scouts in my stepfather’s troop would be killed in WW II and the Korean War; a name that stands out to me is John Ditner, a remarkably fine young man who had been my Patrol Leader when I was in the troop and was killed in the Korean War.
I am always fascinated by the impact of seemingly remote activities; Pearl Harbor was so far away so how could that affect our lives? But it did affect our lives, and in a most profound way. The next several years would see a change in America that would deeply touch everyone.
Today, eighty-one years later, we still remember the day that “lives in infamy.” To that date we have added September 11, 2001; another date that will live in infamy. At Pearl Harbor 2,402 Americans were killed, on 911 there were 2,977 killed not counting the Muslim terrorists.
I hope and pray there will be no more days of infamy but that is unlikely; I suspect we can all agree the oft quoted warning, “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom” is as fully applicable today as it ever was. This year, 2022, may well go down in history for more than one reason; time will tell!
Recognizing the Devastation of the Spiritual War for What it Really Is!
In the past, I have written on the spiritual war in a six-part series named, “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War” In this series, I described the true, Biblical nature of what is happening in the world around us. One key point the Bible establishes, is a clear description of the enemy; in Ephesians 6:10-13 it is written:
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Mankind does itself a very great disservice when it seeks to wrestle against flesh and blood, our fellow man is not the enemy, we wrestle against the principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Racial conflict is nothing more than Satanic deception in action, in my essay, “Racism, Satanic Deception in Action!”, I described in some depth the issues being faced by societies today as we let Satanic deception control our actions. Racial conflict is being promoted all over the world and is nothing more than Satanic deception. While our appearances differ, we are all descended from one man, Adam, the first man created by God, and Eve, created from Adam’s rib; we are all one race descended from one man and his wife!
A War for the Souls of Mankind
Very sadly, Adam disobeyed a direct command from his creator and spiritually died on the spot; of equal sadness was the spiritual death of every human being, at the same time in the Garden, who would descend from Adam. In Romans 5:12, the Bible explains the basic sin problem we all face, we died spiritually in Adam and were born spiritually dead.
In his grace, God developed a plan for the redemption of mankind; God, the Son, would take on human form by being born of a virgin in order to die on the cross as complete payment for mankind’s sin. This was accomplished at the First Advent and now, sin is no longer the barrier between God and man.
I have written more on this in “Is There One Unforgivable Sin?” The only issue facing each of us is our personal salvation by faith in Jesus Christ as Savior; this is the one and only issue that divides mankind!
The main target of Satanic deception is to keep this basic issue out of sight; to so confuse the public mind with irrelevant, nonsensical issues that the most important, life changing, issue is buried below the tumult and rancor of contemporary events! We are truly surrounded by sound and fury signifying nothing!
Recognizing the Destruction of this War
This is a spiritual war, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” The carnage and destruction of this war is not physical, but spiritual, reflected in the lives being destroyed around us.
The news media is filled with accounts of human casualties in the spiritual war. In Galatians 5:19-21 we can find a prophetic commentary on the condition of society today.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
It seems as if the majority of the news is filled with reports of the suffering and damage being caused by this war; while many will not identify the cause, the Bible makes it clear the cause is the ancient spiritual war that has been waged for thousands of years. It may well be we are entering the final phase of this battle; a new battle is going to emerge where the stakes are even greater.
This final battle is called The Tribulation and will end in a mighty conflict called Armageddon which will be won when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, at his Second Advent, destroys the forces of the Antichrist and binds Satan for 1,000 years.
Our Responsibility as Soldiers of the Cross
While the events of the Tribulation are still future, today we are responsible to the Lord to faithfully continue the battle as we’ve been instructed; our marching orders are found in Matthew 28:18-20 where it is written:
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
One of the most staggering truths revealed in the Bible is the nature of God; God is love! Even when mankind, created in the image of God, committed spiritual suicide by disobeying a direct command; God still loved mankind so much He sent His own Son to be born of a virgin with the sole purpose of dying as the substitute payment for the penalty that had been incurred by that disobedience.
We are told in Romans 1 how creation reveals the majesty and power of God and one look at the heavens on a clear night reveals the magnitude of the one who created it all and sustains its existence from moment to moment. It is only in the Bible, however, the basic nature of this powerful creator is revealed; it is only in the Bible we discover God is love.
In 1 Corinthians 13 the Apostle Paul discusses faith, hope and love and concludes the greatest of these is love. The need for both faith and hope will pass when we are finally home with the Lord but the joy of love will always remain. A great beauty of the Christian life is the opportunity to experience the joy of God’s love right now.
Love Came First
In Romans 5, Paul writes of the order of events; in verses 6-8 we are told:
“6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Mankind, lost in sin, was the object of God’s love, mercy and grace and the Lord Jesus Christ, in His humanity, died on the cross to make redemption a possibility for all who receive Him as Savior.
At the point of salvation we receive the earnest of our inheritance; we are made spiritually alive and given the indwelling Holy Spirit of God to live with us forever; part of the gift of the Spirit is love, a love of God and all that is His.
The Apostle John gives us a beautiful summary of the blessings we have received at salvation when he writes in 1 John 4:7-12:
“7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
The Beauty and Blessings of Love
I’m sure we have all marveled at the positive and uplifting feelings love can generate; how the very core of our being seems to be stirred by the deep emotions we feel as we observe or think on someone loved very deeply. In my experience this has been true of not only human beings but also other living beings in which I see the hand of our Creator; I see the hand of God in the two cats who are members of our family, Abby Cat and Tomboy.
Abby Cat
Tomboy
In the beginning mankind was given the responsibility for all of the living creatures, in Genesis 1:26 it is written:
“26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Although mankind lost its position of rulership there still remains a responsibility to love and care for those creatures that were originally entrusted to us. The situation has changed dramatically under the curse of Genesis 3:14-19 but mankind still feels the responsibility to love and care for God’s creation as intended.
That we can love God’s creation, both animate and inanimate, is God’s gift of love to us that we might love and appreciate that which is important to God. In an earlier essay on God’s love I concluded with the following and would like to include it again.
A Final Thought
One of the joys of loving people and all of God’s creation is a better understanding of how God can love us. If each of us, with all of the flaws we know we possess, can love each other and God’s creation, it becomes much easier to believe a Holy God, who is free of all of these flaws, can really love us as much as He says He does.”
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
The day before the election, I told my wife it will be interesting to see what the Lord has planned for the USA. We speak of political parties and elections as if those parties and the electorate are solely responsible for the composition of the government. The Bible corrects that misconception in Romans 13:1-3 where it is written:
“13 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.”
It helps to remember that Nero was Emperor over the Roman Empire and Christians were being severely persecuted by the government when those verses were written!
Where is the USA?
Those individuals “winning” elections, have no Biblical basis for self-congratulatory exclamation as they are all there as a part of God’s plan for the nation and have been chosen by God to implement his plans. They have been placed in positions of authority to either bless or judge the nation in accordance with God’s will!
The total absence of the United States as a world power has long been noted in Biblical references to the “End Times!” What is going to happen that will remove the United States from the world scene? It appears we are now witnessing that process in real time as we watch the steady deterioration of this country.
Virtually everywhere you look, there are significant signs of deterioration and decay in both infrastructure and morality! This recent election placed grossly immoral issues on the table as election options and provided an opportunity to support those issues with your vote.
What’s Coming Next?
In light of the recent election, it does seem likely that God’s hand of judgment will remain on the United States. The future for this country does not look promising if we continue doing what we’ve been doing! From a Biblical perspective, there is no unfulfilled prophecy that must take place before the Lord can call the church home to heaven. The removal of the church could take place at any time.
The removal of the church will have a deadly affect on this country; the estimated population loss for the United States, at the removal of all Christians, would be in the area of 151,870,000. The devastation from such a sudden loss of people would be impossible to calculate. I suspect the confusion and chaos resulting from the disappearance of so many could well be the catalyst for the Psalms 83 attack on Israel and could include the United States.
As God’s ambassadors to the world, it is important we retain our focus on the work that has been given to us. The great commission is still in effect; our job has not changed!
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
My wife and I not only watched the game, we had recorded it as well. After the game was over, with the Astros victory secured, we decided to enjoy the last few innings again on our recording of the game. We started the game again when the score was 4-4 and watched the play with a sense of complete confidence and relaxation. There were no feelings of apprehension when the Yankees scored another run and took the lead at 5-4; we knew how the game would end, so why worry!
The second time around, we rejoiced once again as the Astros beat those Yankees and emerged victorious from the game. In a way, watching the game the second time was even more fun than watching it the first time because we knew our team would emerge victorious.
An Important Parallel!
Why do I mention this, I believe there are significant parallels between watching that recording and watching current events on the news. We already know how the world ends, our team wins, we emerge victorious from the battle that is now in progress. We even have a general idea how things will progress, inning by inning.
I’ll admit we do not know exactly which inning we are in, right now, but I think it entirely possible we are in the bottom of the ninth and have a substantial lead over the Satanic forces. I have written more on the spiritual war in a series that starts with “To the Soldiers in the Spiritual War.”
The World Series comes next in baseball and the Astros will play the Phillies; the outcome of that series has yet to be determined but we can surely root for the home team! The World Series in the spiritual conflict is yet future but we already know the final score; the Lord Jesus Christ is victorious!
The Spiritual World Series
The coming spiritual world series will last seven years, not seven games and we win! A major change in the lineup is due before that final series begins; during this age of the Church, we can think of the church as the starting pitcher; this pitcher is being retired from the game and going home after almost 2,000 years on the pitchers mound.
The new pitcher is named Israel and will pitch the entire series with no relief, all seven years, under extraordinarily difficult circumstances! We have been given a guide to the spiritual world series in the Book of Revelation and it won’t be pretty.
The Church Called Home!
Many living today may well be in the terminal generation of the church; I think it entirely possible that even I will be of that generation. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 it is written:
“13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 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 by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
The calling home is certain but the timing is known only to God; the signs of the times suggests it may be soon. Until that time comes, we, as the church, can know with absolute certainty, the Lord Jesus Christ is victorious. As we watch events unfold, let us maintain a relaxed calm as we observe them and comfort one another with these words!
As a Christian, Your Primary Responsibility is to Serve as God’s Representative in All Situations!
When a Christian is born-again, by the power of God, the Holy Spirit, everything changes forever! We are born into a new family and given a new father, and our former sin nature was crucified with Christ on the cross.
The profound importance of the changes we experience, when we are born-again, are of a spiritual nature and cannot be seen with our mortal senses. These spiritual changes will outlast our mortal bodies by an infinite amount of time, and are the determining factors in our coming eternal existence!
The following verses help us understand, to a limited degree, the changes that have taken place. In Galatians 2:20 it is revealed:
“20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
and then in Ephesians 2:1-10 it is written:
“2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
A Staggering New Reality!
The implications of those eleven verses is truly mind-blowing and reveal a staggering new reality in which all born-again Christians now exist; we are a new, totally unique, form of life! Recently, I published a three-part series on the subject of “What is Salvation?”
In this series, I attempted to show how extensive the changes are to individuals who receive Jesus Christ as Savior and are born-again by the power of God, the Holy Spirit.
In light of those amazing changes, what is expected of us as members of our new family? The Bible makes sure there is no question about that; in Mathew 28:18-20, the Lord Jesus Christ clearly specifies his commands to the new Christian community:
“18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
God’s Representatives
Mankind was intended to serve as God’s representative to his creation and to have dominion over the earth; but all that was lost, when Adam disobeyed a direct command from God and died spiritually there in the Garden of Eden along with all his descendants who would be born of an earthly father; the earth became the dominion of Satan and a spiritual battlefield in the spiritual war between God and Satan.
God’s plan for the redemption of his earthly creation was initiated at the First Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ; at that time, God inaugurated a brand new creation, the Christian, mankind indwelt by God, the Holy Spirit.
This new creation will continue to come into existence until the end of this age when all born-again believers will be called home to heaven. I have written more on this in an essay, “What Does Being a Christian Really Mean?
During this Age of the Church, Christians are intended to serve as God’s representatives to his creation. Christ is living his life in each individual Christian man or woman, in order to do the “good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
As God’s representatives on earth, we are charged by God with the responsibility to love and care for his creation. Our mission on earth is a continuation of the work of Jesus Christ, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
We have been given the opportunity to serve as messengers of God’s grace to all who will receive Jesus Christ as Savior. In addition, we can serve as God’s representative to all the big and little creatures which have been placed in our care.
In some instances, we may be the closest thing to God they will ever see; let them see their creator’s love reflected in you!
5 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.Ephesians 5:1-2
Recognition at Kingsland Baptist Church, Katy, Texas
Today my Wife and I Observe our Seventieth Year of Marriage!
On October 17, 1952 my wife and I were married at a small church in Houston, Texas. Her brother, a fresh graduate from seminary, performed the ceremony as his very first marriage ceremony. We were all nervous but the results have endured for seventy years and, by God’s grace, will endure even longer.
I was 19 years old and my wife was 17 years old
The ceremony took place at Woodland Christian Church which was later torn down to make room for the new freeway to Dallas. A close examination of the photo will reveal the hole in my right shoe; we were both monetarily challenged and had learned to make-do with what we had. My wife’s dress was made by her mother and was very lovely!
We had a reception for our guests there at the church and observed the usual cake-cutting ritual.
We had been given $100 ($1,120.00 in 2022 dollars) and a borrowed car to celebrate our honeymoon. That afternoon, we drove to New Braunfels and stayed at the Faust Hotel. Thus began an adventure which continues to this day.
Back home from New Braunfels
As I look back over those years, I can clearly see the Lord’s hand of blessing on our marriage. While there have been challenges, the Lord has always been faithful to us and helped us as we occasionally had to struggle with life events.
Together, we have grown in our faith and learned to love and trust the Lord in all circumstances. Today, our lives together are filled with joy and peace as we each delight in the presence of the other. While it is true our advanced age has brought new challenges, we can share these challenges together and rejoice in the companionship and love that 70 years of life together has produced!
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!Philippians 4:4
davidbowerkingwood 
Comments are Welcome