August 30, 2024

I’ve been a little obsessed with what’s going on lately in the world we live in: the governmental changes, rumors of wars, earthquakes, and environmental anomalies. They all seem to point to the season of the end and the return of Jesus. Jesus said we wouldn’t know the exact day of his return, but we would know the season. We can’t just sit around waiting for the inevitable; we must stay ready. We can see from the parables of Matthew 24 and 25 that the fig tree is budding, and time is at hand. Because you know he is coming soon, you must continue to maintain his house; don’t let him find you being lazy or mistreating God’s other servants because he’s been gone too long. Keep oil in your lamp because he is near; the Holy Spirit is your oil. Jesus has given each of us a portion of faith; some of us have more than others, but no matter how much you have, he expects you to invest it and bring more into the kingdom while you wait for him to return. Stay strong and hold on; He’s coming soon, and we will all be grateful!

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Matthew 25:34

August 29, 2024

How do we move our belief from our head to our heart? Love God. How do we love God, whom we’ve never seen? There are some steps you can take to increase your love for God:

1. Think about Him. When you get a break in the monotony of life, stop for a moment and meditate on Him. One of my favorite verses gives a picture of the throne room. Sometimes, when I’m having trouble sleeping, I picture myself like a child getting cozy in one of the folds of God’s robe that fills the temple.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Isaiah 6:1

Another of my favorite verses tells us that God rejoices over us with singing. Can you imagine the God of all creation loving you so much that He sings over you? Think about this verse to help you draw closer to Him:

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 

2. Get to know God. When you love someone, you try to get to know them. There is a book by Arthur Pink called The Attributes of God. If you want to love God intentionally, get this book and use it to dig deep into understanding who God is. 

3. Put in the time. How do you get to know someone without spending time with them? Take a walk in nature and notice the details of God’s creation. Talk to Him, and He will show you his excellence. 

4. Love others. If we don’t have love for others, do we actually love God? No. It’s impossible. 

We love him because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4:19-20

August 28, 2024

If your name is written in the Lamb's Book Of Life, you will honor NO man above Jesus. Get this right! Time is short, so if you are not honoring Jesus as he deserves, you should start digging deep into his word to get to know him better. He does not put up with insincerity; he drove the money changers out of the temple twice! Those people were religious and doing what was required rather than loving and honoring God. He didn't back down when people began to leave when he said in John 6:56, "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." And in John 6:61, "Doth this offend you?" He is not passive! We shouldn't be passive! Meek, yes; passive, no. Will you worship the beast, maybe by accident, not realizing who it is and expecting a savior other than Jesus? In Revelation, John writes as if the saints will be here during the time of the antichrist. It begs the question: If we are raptured, how will new believers stand up to the beast when seasoned believers barely believe the scriptures they dig into every day? Don't read into the scriptures something that is not there. Prepare for the worst, no rapture; expect the best, rapture before the beast takes over! I don't want to be here, so my hope is that we have been tested enough and we won't face the testing of our faith during the time of the antichrist. Don't be complacent; shore up your belief; move it from your head to your heart before it's too late.

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Revelation 13:7-8

August 27, 2024

Much of the evil we are dealing with today can be attributed to the ungodly men who were ordained and appointed in the old days to stir up trouble, false teachers for the time of the end. I recently opened an account on TikTok and found some of the videos quite informative. However, among those that are biblically sound, I found others sprinkled in that are corrupt messages brought to us by those assigned to lead us astray. They believe they are right but don't give scripture to support their belief. Also, don't listen to those who do not provide you with scripture in the context of the chapter or book. Don't just listen to the scripture they share; look it up in your Bible and see if it still makes sense and matches in context. If I'm experiencing false teachers, you probably are, too. I was listening to one girl who said you weren't saved if you didn't believe the rapture would happen at a particular time. That's a total lie! When she said that, I exited her video immediately. I could identify her lies right away, so I considered her a false teacher. Your faith in Jesus has nothing to do with when you believe the rapture will take place. We can dismiss minor errors, but when you hear a blatant lie, it cannot be dismissed. How many weak Christians have fallen victim to the lies of these types of false teachers? The closer we get to the end, the worse it will get. Be careful. Know the scriptures. Stay vigilant and allow no one to steer you in the wrong direction. 

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 1:4

August 26, 2024

There is such an outpouring of evil right now that I find it hard to believe that people don’t see it. Their minds must have a spiritual block so they do not notice they are aligning with the godless. When they tell you what they are up to and it gets ignored by masses of people who seem to be insane, you know the enemy has something to do with it. It’s like the enemy is a modern-day pied piper who promised to lure away the rats for a fee, but because he didn’t get paid, he turned on them and lured away the children. Are these people gone forever, like in the story? Is there any way to bring their minds back to cognition? These people have glazed over the truth and bought into the insanity. When the party leader repeats a slogan, Strength through Joy, reminiscent of a slogan used by a communist regime from the past, and they can’t see it or refuse to acknowledge it, there is a cloud over them. We must remember that we are not of this world, and it is not our problem if it falls apart. What is our problem is to make sure we bring everyone in who is destined for glory into the Kingdom of God before the end. 

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 3 John 1:11

August 25, 2024

If you remember, Judas was one of the disciples and was valued among the others. They trusted him and made him the treasurer. We know he was a scoundrel because we have the evidence in the Bible to tell us that he was the one who led a rowdy crew to seize Jesus. We are told that he masqueraded as a follower of Jesus for the entire time. Jesus even washed his feet before the Passover feast, knowing he was about to betray him. Judas knew the truth, yet his heart was hard, and his taste for money overpowered his knowledge of who Jesus was. Nowhere does it say he stayed behind when the disciples went out on a training exercise when Jesus gave them the authority to drive out impure spirits and heal diseases and sickness. He knew the power that Jesus had. You can bet that the antichrist will do the same thing and deceive the elect just as Judas deceived the disciples. That must have stung! John writes a letter to a fellow worker to warn her of possible deception from those she serves and cautions her not to participate in their evil deeds. The devil knows we are vulnerable, loving, and supportive of those who claim Christianity, and he will take advantage of our kindness and send deceivers amongst us. Be careful who you believe. 

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 2 John 1:7

If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 2 John 1:10-11

August 24, 2024

A couple of weeks ago, I prayed and asked God to give me more clarity in the scriptures. I felt like there were some missing pieces. Even though I know God’s word is complete, I lack understanding because He hasn’t revealed everything to me. He still hasn’t opened my eyes to everything, but he is slowly uncovering some details and giving me the confirmation I need from other teachers or pastors for confidence in what I have read in the Bible. Yes, there are some things we will not know because they are mysteries, but most of the information that we need is already written in the Bible. I think God may start to reveal more to His followers the closer we get to tribulation. Do we want Him to reveal everything? Probably not yet; I’m sure the details will be shocking and blow our minds. However, He paces us in knowledge so we won’t be devastated by what He discloses. As a caveat, especially in the age of false teachers and prophets, do not listen to anyone giving an opinion who doesn’t provide you with scripture backing. It’s up to you to follow up on any scripture to ensure it fits with what they proclaim. Is it in context with the rest of the chapter? If not, dismiss what is said that doesn’t match up. Mistakes don’t necessarily mean they are a false teacher, but you are responsible for the verification. Be a Berean, comb through the Bible, and verify that what is being said is true. When we ask, God will answer, so make sure you don’t dismiss what he reveals to you.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1 John 5:14-15

August 23, 2024

What in the world is happening in 1 John 5? Is it all John’s leftover thoughts that he combined to ensure he got everything on paper? He could have probably written chapters on many of the bits of information that he included. Some verses stand alone and didn’t seem to fit but could tell an entire story. He tells us that there are two different trinities: one in heaven and one in earth. We know about the first trinity mentioned: Father, Word, and Holy Spirit, but the trinity on earth had me searching for answers. Here’s the verse and the answer I found:

And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 1 John 5:8

The explanation I found was in the Benson Commentary. It explains that the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, the water is baptism, and the blood is The Lord's supper. All three of these bear witness to our belief in Jesus. If you haven't been baptized, making an appointment with your pastor may be a good idea. Baptism is our public profession of faith. The Baptist church is great at making sure you are baptized but lacks when it comes to communion. If your church doesn't participate in The Lord's supper, you may want to institute it at home in a solemn dedication to the Lord. With the turmoil happening, it may be a good idea to take care of these housekeeping issues. I may be jumping around in 1 John 5 for a few days, but even though it's a short chapter, it's so impactful.

August 22, 2024

We’ve all heard this verse and have probably memorized it: 

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 1 John 4:4

Take it to heart. Those who confess Jesus as our savior have a power beyond what we could imagine. It’s the power of Jesus within us and surrendering to Him to cause His power to take over. You will get nowhere if you continue in your own strength. Stop striving. 

From these same scriptures, we are called to test all the spirits and those who do not confess Jesus came in the flesh, is not of God, and is an antichrist. Are these words they cannot utter? Or is it that they are insincere? I know that certain cults use the name of Jesus, but they know a different Jesus than we do and call him the brother of Satan. They use His name, but it is powerless in their hands. Maybe it’s because they don’t believe He came as God in the flesh. Whatever the case, we need a certain amount of discernment, which comes through the Holy Spirit, to test the other spirits that have gone out into this world. How do we discern who the antichrist is? Deny your flesh and allow Jesus to take over. His power will be made perfect in your weakness.

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1 John 4:3

August 21, 2024

I went down a biblical rabbit hole this morning. In First John 3, he talks about loving one another, but not the kind of love that Cain had for Able when he killed him over his jealousy of God’s love. 

Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 1 John 3:12

The first part of that verse had me wandering through the scriptures in Genesis. Could some of us be the devil’s prodigy because John calls Cain “of the wicked one?” We don’t know the origin of Noah’s three daughters-in-law. Noah comes through the lineage of Seth, but where does Noah’s wife come from? Even Matthew Henry calls Cain the seed of the devil!!

“It showed that he was as the first-born of the serpent's seed; even he, the eldest son of the first man, was of the wicked one. He imitated and resembled the first wicked one, the devil.” Matthew Henry

But then this scripture from Genesis stopped me from digging any further:

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. Genesis 4:1

Any of us could be a product “of the wicked one” or “the seed of the serpent” if we follow a path of sin and fail to love one another as Christ loves the church. Through his sermon, my preacher convicted me of my slackness in praying for my church family as I should, my brothers and sisters in Christ, and for him and his family. I pray for them, but not as often as I should, especially during this time when spiritual warfare is at an all-time high. I’ve beefed up my prayer routine, and you are all included. I now make it a point to war on your behalf. It’s something we should all be doing. Love one another through your prayers. By the way, if you go down a rabbit hole like I did, you will learn something new and have your biblical knowledge increased. Dig in until you find your answer. 

August 20, 2024

Is tribulation close? No one really knows. However, there are a lot of signs that make it seem we are nearing it. Our money is not going very far; the cost of groceries is insane. If something doesn’t give, people are going to start losing everything. We are hearing of war and rumors of war, earthquakes, and terrible weather. Lawlessness is abounding, even in rural areas. These things are just the beginning; it’s going to get worse. You look at what’s going on and wonder how it could get any worse; Jesus warns that it will. I’ve been digging into 1 John, and he tells us that the antichrist will come from among us, that they know the ways of Christ but didn’t take it to heart. So he’s a fake Christian, proclaiming Christ but not accepting Him. Remember, and don’t be fooled; the devil comes as a beacon of light. Being he represents the devil, don’t you think he will use the Word of God against us? He will use scripture to convince us that he is one of us to seal the deceit as the devil did when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. I believe this person will proclaim Jesus from his lying lips but not take it into his heart. He knows the truth, but the truth doesn’t compensate him or give him power and wealth. Matthew Henry calls them entertainers or professors of apostolical doctrine. You will see inconsistency in his character; he is not Christ-like. You have the Holy Spirit, so you know the truth. Listen to him and stop pushing those whispers aside. Open your heart and mind so you will see when the deceiver comes; he may already be here.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 1 John 2:19

August 19, 2024

I've had difficulty writing for the last week. The words usually flow without trouble. I don't know if it's the subject matter or if it's the season we are in. Maybe it's a little of both. It also could be that I'm sharing information that is not the usual mainstream teaching and the powers and principalities want the secrets kept hidden. Whatever the case, I feel blocked. I'm privileged that God allows me to continue teaching His Word, so I will keep praying for His guidance each day until the fog has cleared and I can utter a few words of encouragement to the saints. Cling to Jesus because things are going to get rough in this world. The enemy is stirred and looking to take as many as he can into darkness. Stay vigilant in prayer, arm yourself with God's Word, and hide it in your heart. We are the light in this dark world, so shine for all to see. 

Side note: If you use an electronic Bible like I do, ensure you have a paper backup in case the grid collapses or the internet is removed. You always want to have access to God's truth. It will also be nice to know if the prophecy is being fulfilled, and without His Word in your hand, you may not know.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalms 119:11

August 18, 2024

Peace is a beautiful gift from Jesus. With all the turmoil in this world, we can rest easy and know that God is our stronghold from all adversity. We can hide under His wings, and he will shield us from the enemy's snare. The angels have charge over us to protect us. We will trample the lion and dragon under our feet! Whatever fears we might have of the antichrist or other enemy seem unfounded because we will rise above them. We can count on God to command his angels concerning us so we don't stumble. There is no one else we can trust more than Him. Don't allow the enemy to steal your peace and joy. We have a good reason to be thankful; our salvation rests in Jesus.

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psalms 91:14-16

August 17, 2024

My study on “the day of the Lord” has been good and eye-opening. I’m not sure if I’m finished with this study. However, I cannot reconcile the following verses with the pre-tribulation rapture teaching. They seem clear to me, but scripture seems to go against the teachings of some churches. These are Jesus’s words! I feel like the scriptures speak for themselves. Even Job knew. Though some in the 1800s who didn’t believe the pre-tribulation rapture were called heretics, I don’t believe your understanding of this subject will keep you out of heaven because we are saved by grace. Are we nearing tribulation? It seems that way, but hardships have happened in the past, and many thought the end was near, only to see the turmoil pass. Pray for understanding, pray for our country, and pray for the world. I will continue to dig deep, and if I come up with a different conclusion, I will let you know.

After tribulation we will see Jesus coming in the clouds: 

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:29-30

Heavens be no more and the wrath be past:

So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! Job 14:12-13

August 16, 2024

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:36

Don’t miss what’s going on around you. We are entering a challenging time; we may have to deal with the side effects of God’s recompense on the evil of this world. The enemy is stirred and lashing out. Are you sensitive to what is happening? Do you feel it? Stay vigilant and continue in your calling. God has not given us the spirit of fear! If not God, then who? Remember this: when fear strikes you, it’s the enemy’s taunting. Fear only comes from the enemy. Rebuke him and pray. 

August 15, 2024

Do not trust in man, but trust Jesus! He is about saving our soul, not our flesh or this world. Remember when Jesus said this:

And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. Luke 21:8

“Many shall come in my name; he does not mean in the name of Jesus, though there were some deceivers who pretended commissions from him, but usurping the title and character of the Messiah.” Matthew Henry 

Hmm, usurpers of the title and character of the Messiah; I wonder who is doing that right now. Nevertheless, we are not to fear what is coming.

“There shall be famines and pestilences, the common effects of war, which destroys the fruits of the earth, and, by exposing men to ill weather and reducing them to ill diet, occasions infectious diseases.” Matthew Henry

“Be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them, Jeremiah 10:2. And, as to the famines and pestilences, you fall into the hands of God, who has promised to those who are his that in the days of famine they shall be satisfied, and that he will keep them from the noisome pestilence; trust therefore in him, and be not afraid.” Matthew Henry

I’ve given you a lot of quotes from Matthew Henry today because what he said is a picture of what we are dealing with now. He wrote this commentary in the 1700s. These words give me peace and assurance that we will prevail no matter which way the world goes. Have confidence that we are living out the plan of God, and he holds us in his loving hands. 

August 14, 2024

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like there has been a change in the atmosphere. The heaviness seems to have lifted. Did it have something to do with the 9th of Av, which was yesterday? In the past, it was a day that a lot of bad things happened to Israel. I feel thankful that we are beyond it. However, my reflection on the scriptures was deepened by the Holy Spirit, and anytime you spend a significant amount of time in God’s Word, he blesses you, and I feel that’s what happened to me. When God gives you clarity on someone or something, you cannot unsee it, and it’s a blessing that God trusts you to with that information. We may differ on some things we believe. However, there is one thing we can agree on: that we cannot live without Jesus. He is the reason for our holiness here on earth and our hope for the future. Nobody can do that for us; he is our one and only. We are blessed and secure in him. Rest now because this world is wild and will only worsen. Sleep in your armor, but know this: our Savior has commanded his angels to watch over us. 

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. Psalms 91:14-16

August 13, 2024

After coming to grips with the possibility that we may be here during the tribulation, I have settled myself. We will not be the ones facing God’s wrath; that is what the unbelievers and persecutors will face. Remember what Jesus says in Matthew 10:28

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 

Believe me when I say I want to be raptured out of here before the tribulation begins, but the further I dig into the scriptures, the less I believe that will happen. I’m not trying to spoil your imagination, but I want you to prepare your hearts for the likelihood that the “Day of the Lord” is one day at the end of time. I’m starting to believe that Jesus will come in the clouds to gather his people right before he destroys the heaven and earth. With all the lies that we’ve been told about everything, why wouldn’t the devil infiltrate the church and steer us in the wrong direction so we would become complacent? If he surprises us because of a lie, we will not have time to contemplate our reaction to the mark and may take it because we thought we would be gone. All I’m saying is prepare your heart in case we are not raptured before tribulation begins. Confirm in your mind how you will react if presented with the option of the mark. If we are gone, praise God. I’m still hoping. 

August 12, 2024

The Day of the Lord will be unwelcome by those who exalt themselves and accept worship that belongs to God alone. Those who have put their trust in money, silver, and gold, or fake gods will be brought low. God is jealous, and anytime something or someone is praised above him, it causes him to seethe with anger. Those who aren't humble will be brought low that day.

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: Isaiah 2:11-12

However, that is different for us. We put no value on the physical things of this world and put all our trust in God alone. No other being can do what God does for us. We place our confidence in no one besides God and await that day with open arms as a Savior reaches out and relieves us of our weariness from our time in the enemy's dominion. Stay prayerful in the hope that those around us seek the Lord as we have and are saved from the wrath that will come upon the people and beings of the earth that day. 

August 11, 2024

In this day and age, we must be mindful of everything we see and believe. We live in a time drawing near the "Day of the Lord!" We wait in anticipation, but according to Paul, there are a couple of things that must happen first:

1. The falling away of the elite.
2. The Son of Perdition (antichrist) is revealed.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 2 Thessalonians 2:3

Matthew Henry's thoughts on the antichrist; "By pretended devotion, superstition and idolatry were advanced; and, by a pretended zeal for God and his glory, bigotry and persecution were promoted." He thought it was the Pope, but he may not be. Too much has happened to dismiss that idea.

Also, according to Matthew Henry, the second letter to the Thessalonians is to clarify the first. He is explaining that those who die that love the Lord will ascend before those who are still alive so they won't worry about their family who misses Jesus's return. Is there a difference between the "Day of the Lord" and the "Day of Christ?" Wouldn't the "Day of the Lord" be His third return if they were different days? You can see that I'm trying to work out my thoughts according to the scripture. I've prayed for understanding and that He would fill in the gaps in my mind. However, I don't want to wait until the end of the world to find out. I'm still praying for clarity and waiting. Does any of this matter in the whole scheme of things? No. However, I don't want a surprise. We must put our trust in Jesus because, ultimately, he is the One who will walk us through it. Keep your eyes on Him!