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Prophetess Carmen
7/14/2009 12:30 AM UTC
Thank you for listening to the Testimony show call in and share your testimony Much Love and Peace Prophetess Carmen
Our Native Family
6/6/2009 4:00 PM UTC
Woman of God thank God for you and prophecy. We are honored that you are delivering a rhema Word. Evangelist Robinson
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FLWI is dedicated to sharing truth that will make a positive impact on lives throughout the world. This program features Bible teaching (especially End-time prophecy), and interviews with special guests that can inform and empower in the areas of family, finances & health. We pray for our Church leaders, government officials, service personnel, and for the Peace of Jerusalem.
Min. Ann Maria
Date / Time: 11/28/2009 3:00 PM UTC
Category: Religion
Call-in Number: (347) 539-5909
Join us as we study various Biblical topics including Bible Prophecy concerning that last days. Special guests include experts on Israel and the Jewish people, experts on building healthy foundations for individuals and families, and those with information to help and support our troops. God bless you as you listen.
Upcoming Episodes
12/5/2009 3:00 PM UTC - Fountains of Living Waters
12/12/2009 3:00 PM UTC - Fountains of Living Waters
12/19/2009 3:00 PM UTC - Fountains of Living Waters
Date / Time: 11/21/2009 3:00 PM UTC
PROPHET MARK ROBINSON GIVES A POWERFUL WORD ABOUT BEING A NEW PERSON IN CHRIST-- DON'T COMPROMISE- STAND!
Date / Time: 5/31/2009 10:47 AM UTC
SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE
Some believe that science and belief in the Bible are contradictory. They think that the Bible is an archaic volume of prose that has nothing to do with scientific fact. The very opposite is true. There is much scientific fact throughout the Bible, and the more that scientists discover, the more they realize how accurate the Bible is. They now must acknowledge that the universe is not the result of an accidental cosmic explosion of gasses, but the result of very complex and intricate design. The established laws of physics point to the fact that Intelligent Design had its Hand in it all. For instance, our solar system had to be designed so exactly in order to make life on earth possible. Jupiter’s relative position with the Earth—it’s fixed distance of 40 light minutes from the earth and 2 ½ times the size and its weight allows for it to shield the Earth from destruction of comets and asteroids that could destroy it completely. The exact position and mass of the planets have to be perfectly lined up in circular, horizontal orbits around the sun (unlike other galaxies) in order to allow for Earth’s temperature and gravity to maintain life. This cosmic order points to a Creative Designer.
Additionally, the fact that the galaxies are moving apart and their relative temperatures prove that there was a BEGINNING of matter, energy, space and time. Renowned astrophysicist Dr. Hugh Ross states that all matter, space and time came into existence at one time. Einstein’s General Law of Relativity shows the universe had a beginning and that it expands away from each other. Temperature fluctuations show that the “Big Bang” model is correct as cosmic background radiation and the expansion of the universe demonstrate. In other words, there was a “Big Bang”... God spoke, “Let there be...” and BANG—it happened! Astronomy observes the past by seeing light waves and radio waves—showing there was a specific beginning of matter, energy, space and time.
Astronomy proves that light separated from darkness instantaneously. (Sounds like Genesis 1, doesn’t it?!) Astrophysics confirms there was a singular beginning of matter; that matter had to be created. The cooling down of the universe, dark energy, the relation of the Milky Way, sun, moon and earth all point to Divine design. The inception of the universe was an instantaneous, carefully fine-tuned, intelligently controlled phenomenon... not a random explosion. Sir Isaac Newton said, “This most beautiful system of the sun, planet and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent Being.” Dr. Charles Towne (recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for Physics and inventor of the Laser Beam) states, “Somehow intelligence must have been involved in the Laws of the Universe.” Albert Einstein said, “Everyone who is seriously interested in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a Spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe—a Spirit vastly superior to man, and one in the face of which, we, with our modest powers, must feel humble.” The first and last Word on the subject is, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth...” (Genesis 1:1)
Scientific discovery continues to prove the Biblical account of creation. In the past researchers believed the earth to be billions of years old. They assigned names to the various geological “ages. They believed that bacteria developed 3.5 billion years ago, and that 530 million years ago living systems began to develop. The Mesozoic Age, for example, supposedly spans 65 to 300 million years ago and has five divisions. According to their theory, dinosaurs died off 64 million years ago and man did not appear until 2.5 million years ago, with modern man only appearing 60,000 years ago. However, all of these arbitrarily assigned geological periods were not based on scientific fact. There is no scientific technique to determine the age of rocks. The earth is not billions or even millions of years old, as new scientific discovery proves. In a 1950 Texas oil dig the Gulf Oil Company uncovered a fossilized human footprint in the “Permian Strata” of rock. The Permian age stratus is supposedly 250 million years old. when (according to evolutionary theory) dinosaurs had not even developed. And yet, they found scientific evidence that human beings existed during that period. In Glenrose, Texas in 2000 a human footprint was found in the rock layer with a large dinosaur footprint on top of it. There were water ripples in the strata, showing that these prints were made in mud, which had been quickly covered perhaps by lava, encapsulating both prints in the fossil record. These prints were in the Cretaceous strata of rock, purported to be 110 million years old. This totally shatters the entire evolutionary “Geologic column” that theorizes the earth as being millions of years old. Geology also destroys the theory of evolution in that NOT ONE transitional life form for ANY species has ever been found. In other words, there has never been a missing link in the fossil record or living record today. Apes are still apes, humans are still human. If apes evolved into humans, then why do apes still exist? There is no transitional form between apes & humans... apes are still apes, and humans are still human. The “great” missing link finds that anthropologists have found have actually turned out to be chimpanzee bones, not an intermediary species. The human bones in Germany with somewhat hunched backs turned out to be modern man skeletons with signs of severe rickets— consistent with lack of vitamin D (sun exposure) in the Black Forest area in which they were discovered.
There are many other scientific discoveries that prove that the earth is very young, and that the earth’s strata did not develop over millions of years. An example of this is poly-straight fossils. These are fossils that transverse several strata of rock. One very tall plant fossil was discovered in its upright position extending through several layers of rock that supposedly took 5 million years to deposit. This particular plant was not a tree with a hard xylem, but a very tall reed type plant with a flaccid cambium. This plant could not have maintained its upright position allowing layers of sediment to accumulate on it for even thousands of years, much less millions. This fossilized plant (and many like it) that traverses many strata of sediment show that the layers of mud & sediment had to accumulate very quickly, which would be the case in a flood scenario. The fact that there is the same sandstone sedimentary layers are found consistently all over the world show that at one time the whole earth was covered with water --allowing for the deposit of sediment to form the same strata world wide. Archeologists frequently find fossilized marine life (sharks teeth, etc.) on the top of mountains. This is scientific evidence that this world wide flood engulfed dry land, effectively drowning any creature that was not amphibious. That sound a lot like Genesis, doesn’t it?
“The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. Every living thing that moved on the earth perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind.” (Genesis 7:18-21)
An interesting aspect about the world-wide flood as described in the Bible is that it mentions “the fountains of the great deep” were broken up. (Genesis 7:11.) This is consistent with underwater volcanic eruptions from cracks in the earth’s mantle (deep “broken up”) occurring. These eruptions allow for a very rapid deposition of lava to form layers of rock in a relatively short period of time. When Mount Saint Helens erupted some time ago the nearby lake had lava accumulate in layers under the water in just a matter of days. The layers looked like a mini Grand Canyon. When looking at the lake bed without knowing that a volcano had deposited the rock layers, one might assume that it took hundreds of thousands or even millions of years for sediment to deposit and form the rock strata, when in actuality it took only a few days. Scientific proof from fossils throughout the world points to the fact that at one time there was very rapid accumulation of sediment which covered plant & animal life. These fossilized remains of plants & animals are intact without showing normal decomposition and deterioration. This could not be the case if the sediment only gradually accumulated on their remains over many thousands (or millions) of years.
Biology also proves that the Bible is very accurate. The Biblical account of creation tells us that in the beginning of God created one man & one woman, and that the world was populated by this one set of parents. DNA can trace the ancestry mitochondrial, which proves there was only one man and one woman from whom the whole world descended. Additionally, the 6.5 billion Y genes show that all of the world’s population came from one gene pool (DNA) source. This is consistent with the Biblical account of the flood, in which the only gene pool was Noah’s family who survived to repopulate the earth. Had the flood not occurred, the population would be so large today (in the trillions) that the earth could not support life. The population of 6.5 billion people alive today is consistent with what it would be given the eight individuals who began reproducing after the flood 4,500 years ago.
Additionally, the complexity of cells is such that even bacteria are not “simple” life forms. Cells are specific and highly organized. In each cell there are 60,000 proteins in exact arrangement. If the proteins are not in the prescribed order the cell begins to biodegrade in a matter of minutes. The odds that 60,000 proteins “self-organized” into effective arrangement to make cell function is 1 chance in 10 to the 4,478,000 power. (Just 10 to the 50th power mathematically has ZERO chance of occurring.) It is impossible for proteins-- the basis for all cells—to have “randomly” arranged. They did not evolve. Proteins for cells had to be intelligently designed.
What about mutations in genes? Doesn’t that result in “evolution?” No. Not evolution in which an entity changes to a different species. THAT is the theory of “macroevolution” (the Darwinian Theory.) Yes, MICROevolution DOES occur within a species genetic boundaries that allow for adaptability. However, the changes are not due to new DNA being introduced, but existing DNA proteins that are allowed to express themselves given different environmental conditions. In other words, a moth species may have the genetic DNA to express itself in a variety of colors (even as we have DNA from parents & grandparents that could result in some offspring being dark haired, and others in the same family having red or blond hair.) If the conditions for the moth in the jungle favored longevity due to it’s green color camouflaging it, then eventually the gene pool would favor and change to eliminate, say, a white colored moth with the same DNA. There is not a change of the DNA, but simply environmental conditions that allow for one trait or another to be dominant. Within a species there is this “microevolution”... (small changes of characteristics expressed within the species.) But there is no living or fossilized record of ANY entity changing from one species to another. That is macroevolution—which is only a theory with no scientific basis. In fact, macroevolution is genetically impossible. It is genetically impossible for a chimpanzee to become a human or a human to degenerate into a chimpanzee. There are 48,000,000 differences between the nucleotides of the DNA of a human and the nearest DNA of a chimpanzee. A series of only 3 differences in nucleotides causes fatality of a species or causes the following generation to be sterile. Genetically speaking, evolution is impossible. The genetic code dictates that “like begets like” and that the genetic seed (code) that you sow is what you will reap. There has never been evolution in which one species changes into another. And the complexity of life-- even at the most “basic” level-- is such that it could not have occurred by random forces. The whole ecosystem is so complex and interdependent on all the systems (the sun, water, air, plant & animal kingdoms) working together in order to maintain life that it had to be Intelligently designed.
Furthermore, the Biblical accounts of how the earth relates to the universe have proven to be 100% accurate. In Job 26:7 the Bible states that God “hangs the earth upon nothing”. Ancient philosophies often depict the earth as being held up by a god (perhaps in the form of a man, or an elephant, etc.) However, when our astronauts & space probes sent back pictures of the earth, this ancient book of the Bible (Job) was validated completely… the earth hangs on nothing. The Holy Scripture also describes the earth as being spherical and refers to the circumference of the earth. Had the early explorers attended to Biblical truth they would not have worried about falling off the edge of a “flat earth” during their oceanic explorations. Additionally, the Bible accurately describes undersea “rivers,” the wind and sea currents, oceanic underwater volcanic activity, the rain cycle, etc. Also see the book of Leviticus. In it God warned the Jews about the spread of disease and the need to quarantine and cleanse people and facilities to prevent death. Only within these past 200 years has science discovered that disease is caused by micro-organisms. The various cleansing & quarantine methods prescribed in the Bible to stop the spread of disease were millenniums ahead of their time medically.
What does all of this mean? It means that the Bible is an accurate record of how this world came into being. It has never been successfully refuted scientifically or otherwise. However, the purpose of the Bible is not so much to be a book on science (although it is that) but rather to be a roadmap from a loving Heavenly Creator to His children. He has set out statutes to give us abundant life on earth and directions on how to get to heaven. In it He describes how man through his own rebellion brought sin and death into the world. In the Father’s love for us He did not leave us without hope. He promised that the remedy for sin and death is through His Son, Jesus Christ:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life... He that believes on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6) The Bible clearly teaches that there are not multiple ways to get to God. The only way is through the Lord Jesus Christ. Humble yourself before God and admit that you are a sinner. Confess your sins to God and ask Him to cleanse you through Jesus’ shed blood sacrifice. Then invite the Lord Jesus to be the Master of your life. “For whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
Date / Time: 5/31/2009 10:40 AM UTC
HEALING IS THE CHILDREN’S BREAD
During Jesus’ earthly ministry many of the children of Israel came to Him for healing. On one occasion a Gentile woman approached Him for a healing on behalf of her daughter. Before the Cross, Jesus’ ministry was only supposed to be to the nation of Israel. In Matthew 15:24-28 He explained it to the woman like this: But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” Here Jesus said that God’s children were entitled to healing. It is a benefit that we as God’s children can expect, even as a natural father would provide bread for his own children. Because of the woman’s persistent faith, He made an exception and granted her daughter healing even before the Cross. God cannot turn away anyone who comes with expectant, and persistent faith. At the Cross, salvation and healing were provided for all mankind through Jesus shed Blood and the stripes upon His Body. All who call upon Him in faith are entitled to the benefits He purchased and freely gives us…salvation, healing, deliverance. If you are a child of God, healing belongs to you, for “healing is the children’s bread.” In Matthew 7:7-11 Jesus explained how our Heavenly Father desires to give us good things:
“ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? No good thing will God withhold from them that walk uprightly. We simply must ask Him in faith, knowing that He has already provided the healing for us through the Cross. Isaiah 53:3-5 promises:
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs (diseases), and carried our sorrows (pains): yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
We simply must ask in faith, nothing wavering, knowing that if God promised it, He will do it, for “God cannot lie.” Sometimes He answers immediately, and manifestations are instant, as in the cases of miraculous healings. Other times a healing may be gradual. However God chooses to manifest His healing power, it is His promise and He will keep His word. If God allows us to have our faith tested in delaying our promised healing, it’s only to make our faith stronger. God wants us to be blessed spiritually as well as physically, and the testing of our faith is how we progress spiritually. I Peter 1:7 states that God allows our faith to be tried so that when Jesus appears we can have a glorious reward in heaven. God allowed Abraham to be tested for 25 years before His promise [Isaac] was manifested. During that time Abraham grew strong in his faith, giving glory to God. He thanked God and praised Him for Isaac, even when it was physically impossible for Abraham and Sarah to have a child. Faith pleases God. That is why Abraham was called the “friend of God”. He trusted God’s promise even when he couldn’t see the manifestation right away. “But without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) Are you waiting for a promise of God to manifest in your life? Then praise Him and thank Him for it until He manifests it to you. God wants you to prosper in your spirit, as well as physically and financially (III John 2.) Put God first. Keep diligently seeking Him. Meditate on His promises in His Word, and He will bring His word to pass for you!
Date / Time: 5/31/2009 9:35 AM UTC
J E S U S I S C O M I N G S O O N !
THE BIBLE DECLARES that the generation that sees Israel reestablished as a nation will see the coming of Jesus Christ for His Church and to judge the world. For almost 2,000 years the people of Israel had no homeland until May 14, 1948. WE ARE THAT GENERATION. (Luke 21:24-32; Hosea 9: 10; Ezekiel 36.)
THE BIBLE PREDICTED THE SIGNS of the last days: "..false prophets and false Christs, nation (ethnic group) shall rise against ethnic group, great earthquakes in various places, famine, deadly contagious diseases, sights that evoke terror [terrorist activity], signs in the sun, moon and stars, on earth distress of nations with no solutions for their problems, the sea and waves roaring [increased winds, storms, hurricanes], men’s hearts failing them for fear. "(Lk 21) These signs (like birth pangs) will become more frequent and severe as Jesus' return approaches (Matt.24, I Thes.5.)
THE BIBLE DESCRIBES SOCIETY of the last days: As the days of Noah (violence, men's thoughts evil continually) and of Lot (homosexuality), people will be "eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, buying, selling, building, and planting until the very day it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. " The righteous escape right before judgment fell. (Luke 17) It Timothy 3 states: "In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, no self-control, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, high- minded... religious, but lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. ”
THE BIBLE PREDICTED talk of "peace and safety" [the 2 main issues between Israel and the Palestinians] right before horrible destruction and war comes upon the earth. War will break out in the Middle East when Russia and Moslem nations attack Israel. God will supernaturally protect Israel. (Eze.38,39; I Thes. 5:1-9) In the midst of this conflict a nation overseas from Israel that feels secure is going to have fire fall on it. References to "eagle’s wings" point to the United States as being that nation. (Eze.38; Jer. 49; Dan.7; Is.18) Those who stay close to the Lord are promised protection. (Ps9l, Is.54:17)
THE BIBLE PREDICTED the European Community (Union) as the political, economic, and military power dominating the world when Jesus returns. (Dan. 2) The E.C. will control the world economy by mandating a personal identification mark in the skin in order to buy or sell. Veterinary clinics currently use computer implants for animal identification. These microchips are easily injected under the skin and allow for positive pet identification. Advantages to human microchip identification are that all of one's pertinent information can be stored for banking transactions and medical emergencies, and that it cannot be lost or stolen-as can a debit or bank card. This mandated computer implant will be monitored by the world's main computer terminal in Brussels, Belgium, called the "B.E.A.S.T." (Brussels Electronic Accounting Surveillance Terminal.) The Bible calls this the "mark of the Beast." All who receive the mark are damned (Rev. 13,14.) The E.C. will form a multinational peacekeeping army with which the anti-Christ will dominate the world. (Dan.7; Rev.17)
TRUE, BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS WILL ESCAPE the worst destruction when Jesus comes to take them to heaven BEFORE the 7 year “tribulation“ (time of the anti-Christ, mark of the beast, and God's wrath poured out on the ungodly -Mt. 24, 1Thes 4&5.) Jesus warned His followers to “take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare it shall come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 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 21:34-36.) After 7 years, Jesus returns with His Church, destroys the anti-Christ forces, and reigns on earth. (Rev. 19-21)
THE BIBLE PREDICTS SCOFFERSwalking after their own lusts, who mock Jesus’coming and all the signs saying-"Where is His coming? All things continue on earth just the same as from the beginning of creation," But judgment will come, in the which the earth will melt with fervent heat. (II Peter 3) Remember ...
GOD LOVES YOU !!! He is not willing that any should perish, but desires all to come to repentance. He sent His Son to die for your sins and give you eternal life. He gave these Bible predictions to warn you to flee from the wrath to come.
HOW TO BE READY FOR JESUS' COMING: REPENT-confess your sins to God and be willing to turn from them. (I John 1:9) BELIEVE that Jesus took your sin penalty when He died on the cross, was buried, and rose to life the third day. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life," (John 3:16) CONFESS with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (Ruler of your life) and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead and you shall be saved. (Romans 10: 9, 10) RECEIVE Jesus by inviting Him to come into your heart and life. Jesus said-"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone opens the door, I will come into him." (Rev.3:20) ACT NOW- He said, "Be ready ... for I come at an hour that you do not expect. When you see all these signs, know that it is near, right at the door." (Matt.24:33,44)
Date / Time: 5/31/2009 9:32 AM UTC
As President Obama and President Abbas convene in Washington this week (May 25, 2009) to discuss the "peace" process, it's imperative that our leaders consider history-- particularly Palestinian Authority history. Though they have signed off on the 2003 Road Map to Peace calling for a two state solution, Palestinian institutes STILL incite terror against Israel. Their schoolrooms have textbooks that glorify terror and their media continue to demonize Israel and celebrate "martyrs" who kill their Jewish neighbors. Though they signed the peace pact, there has been no appreciable change in action towards Israel. Since the Gaza "land for peace" agreement was implemented there have been almost 7000 missiles, rockets, and mortars launched from Gaza into Israel commons. The "moderate" Abbas was quoted in Ramallah as recently as last month saying; "I do not accept the Jewish State" (while holding a map up for his Muslim audience.) As other P.A. leaders have done in the past when dealing with the West, they say what we want to hear for political points but do not really change their agenda to eliminate Israel.
Another consideration for President Obama is the Iranian threat against Israel and Western interests. For the U.S. to pressure Israel into not defending herself is hypocritical and short-sighted. With just 4 "flying missiles" lobbed at us on 9/11 we sent tens of thousands of our young men and women across the sea to defend the U.S. on foreign soil. How much more should Israel have the right to defend itself from continual attacks and threats from her neighbors on her own soil? Appeasing madmen doesn't work. The insolent test firing of long range missiles in Iran this past week demonstrate the threat is imminent. Let's stop listening to peace rhetoric from those who historically do not keep their agreements and demand that substantive changes are implemented to cease terrorist activity against Israel.
Date / Time: 5/31/2009 9:28 AM UTC
A special girl on my high school basketball team was instrumental in leading me to the Lord. She was a sophomore playing varsity when I was a senior. Jeanette was a beautiful girl that came from a very large, very poor family. They lived in a little ghetto community (Hatcherville) outside of the main city. It was a community of all black, mostly migrant worker families. She was one of, I believe 14 children, and they all lived in a shabby little house about the size of a small garage. I would occasionally drive Jeanette home after a game or practice and I always felt so sad for the people of the community. They had to deal with prejudice people who put them down because they were black, but then also had the cycle of poverty that seemed to control their destiny and give them a hopeless existence. But one day Jeanette came to school and asked me if I saw a change in her. She was beaming and said "I got the Holy Ghost." She seemed so elated that it interested me. Being raised Catholic I was already religious and believed in God, but she seemed to have something I wasn't familiar with. From my perspective, I figured my being baptized and going to confession and communion and basically keeping the 10 commandments would eventually warrant my way into heaven. Being good and believing in God were the criteria for heaven (I thought.) However, no one ever told me that Jesus said "you MUST be born again to enter the kingdom of God" (John 3) so out of curiosity I started visiting her little Church (which was an old, dilapidated building about the size of a 2 car garage.) I saw something there I hadn't expected. There were just a few older people and even fewer younger people all from this community, but they had JOY. I couldn't figure out why they could be happy when their plight seemed so hopeless. But they had eternal faith in God and knew that this place here is just a dress rehearsal for our really living in heaven. I saw that God was a reality in their lives and I wanted that same reality in my life. I started attending their services and reading the Bible. They had certain regulations about dress (women shouldn't wear pants or jewelry), and so I started abiding by their rules. I worked hard at being righteous. I finally got to the place by my religious good works that I considered myself "saved." This was during the 70's when the drug culture was at a high (no pun intended), and certain of my brothers and sisters were into the partying lifestyle. I indignantly turned my nose up at the wicked lifestyles of my "sinner" siblings. Then God sent a rather unpopular girl across my path. I didn't deal with her much during the school year, but she needed a place to stay a few weeks and ended up at our house. She was a Baptist girl who took me at my word that I was saved. However in the ensuing days she observed my holier than thou attitude toward my family. She took me aside and told me that she had prayed about something and had something very serious to tell me. I could tell she was hesitant, but I believed God had a message for me through her. She said, "Ann, I don't really want to tell you this, but your attitude STINKS! That hit my self-righteous, religious attitude with a spiritual 2 by 4 in the head and finally woke me up spiritually. God saw me as I was (a filthy sinner with impure, self-exalting motives, trying to be holy on my own.) He made it very real to me that He saw me as that hypocritical Pharisee standing in the temple condemning the sinner when I was in much worse shape spiritually than any of my brothers or sisters. "You hypocrite, why do you try to take a splinter out of your brother's eye when you have a log in your own eye." He let me know that I could not stand in His holy presence by my righteousness (which was like filthy rags), and that I deserved hell. He showed me that my self-righteous attitude toward my family was worse than being a murderer, because a murderer only kills the body. I was actually responsible for killing them spiritually by misrepresenting Christ to them. He didn't come to condemn the world but to save them, but I was turning them away from religion by my condemning attitude.
I finally truly repented, acknowledged I was a sinner and could not save myself, and was truly worthy of hell. By His grace He saved me and gave me the GIFT of salvation [I didn't have to work for it!] and let me know that it's "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by His grace [undeserved, unmerited favor] He saved me. Obviously after we are saved out of gratitude for what Christ has done for us we should not willfully continue in sin. But we should never look to our own righteousness a means for being justified before God. We can only stand before God pure and clean because of the Blood of Jesus that "cleanses from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:7-9) I had the reality of truly being born again and the joy of knowing I was going to heaven. I used to bother my Mother because I would subconsciously be humming and happy inside while she was talking to me, thinking I was ignoring her with humming (I didn't realize I was doing it.) Through the years there have been many times that circumstances seemingly should have robbed me of all peace and joy in my living. But like the people at Jeanette's Church, I have had the peace to know that what we see here is just temporary. Our real existence is eternal and God Almighty controls our destiny. So, my confession as a Christian of 31 years is that Jesus Christ Himself is my righteousness. He is the way, the Truth and the life. Without Him I can do nothing, but with Him, I can do all things. Make that your confession today!
Date / Time: 5/31/2009 9:22 AM UTC
PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE . . . OUR BLESSED HOPE WHY STUDY ABOUT THE RAPTURE? -John 8:31, 32- “you shall know the Truth, and the truth shall make you free” -II Timothy 2:16-19- error concerning the resurrection considered spiritual cancer and iniquity -I Thessalonians 4:18- the Rapture doctrine is a comfort and encouragement to believers -I Corinthians 15:58- the doctrine of the Rapture motivates us to Christian service -I John 3:2,3- the hope of Jesus’ appearing causes believers to purify their lives WHAT IS THE “RAPTURE”? The Rapture is the bodily resurrection of living & dead saints to meet Jesus when He appears. John 14:1-6 states Jesus went to heaven but that He promised to come again and take us back to heaven with Him. We will be “caught up” (hence the word “rapture”) when we meet Him the air (I Thes. 4:14-18): “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” The Greek word here for “caught up” is “HARPAZO”, meaning “to snatch or catch away” “force suddenly exercised, to seize.” The Rapture is also described in I Corinthians 15:51-57, Isaiah 26:19-21, Job 19:25, 26. When Christ returns He will come with the glorified, resurrected, physical Body with which He left. (Acts 1:9-11; Phil. 3:21) False teachings (like the Jehovah Witnesses) that say Christ returned SPIRITUALLY and set up His millennial kingdom on earth in 1918 contradict scripture. Jesus did not return then. When Jesus does return, it will be “this SAME Jesus” that the disciples saw, touched and ate with after His resurrection. The Bible says when He shall appear [at the Rapture] “we shall be like Him” for we will “be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” when our “mortality puts on immortality.” That is our blessed Hope! WHEN IS THE RAPTURE? No man know the exact “day and hour”, but when you see the signs you can “know it’s near” (Matthew 24:33-36,44) Hebrews 10:25-We can see the day approaching, but never put an exact date on His coming. The signs of His coming- Matthew 24:7,8, 32-39; Luke 21:10,11;25-32; II Timothy 3:1-5 are all here now. The #1 sign is the reestablished of Israel-May 14, 1948. Symbolically called the “fig tree nation that shoots forth fruit” Hosea 9:10; Joel 1:7; Jeremiah 24:1-6; Ezekiel 36:1-12; Luke 21:29-32; Matthew 24:32-34. Why did Jesus use a parable to symbolize Israel? So that every generation would be looking for Him. But it’s our generation that has been enlightened to see the literal nation of Israel established, and so will see His return. The generation that sees Israel established will not pass away till ALL be fulfilled. “Generation” is not a 40 year period, but refers to the people alive during a certain time. Some consider the generation as those born at a time. Others consider it to be adults living at a time. If “generation” is defined as adults (those 20 years and older according to Numbers 14 & Hebrews 3:10) then the youngest of the 1948 fig tree generation is now 75 years old. Jesus said all prophecy (the Rapture, 7 year tribulation, & 2nd coming of Christ) would be fulfilled before this generation passes away. If the Rapture happened tonight, the very youngest would be 82 years old at the end of the 7 year tribulation. Psalm 90:10 tells us the average life span is only 70 years (or 80 if one’s healthy.) When these signs BEGIN TO COME TO PASS, THEN LOOK UP... Jesus is coming SOON! (Luke 21:28) WHICH RAPTURE? PRE- MID- OR POST- TRIBULATION The Bible states one must “RIGHTLY DIVIDE THE WORD OF TRUTH” (II Timothy 2:15) Confusion comes because many do not recognize that prophecy often has a 2 fold fulfillment...a partial, near (immediate) fulfillment, and a complete, far (futuristic) fulfillment. Daniel 8 prophesied about the “abomination of desolation” which was fulfilled in part by Antiochus Ephiphanes in 168 BC, but will not be completely fulfilled until the anti-Christ defiles the Temple during the tribulation (over 2,500 years later-Matt.24:15.) Isaiah 7:14-8:4 prophesied of a son being born. It was partially fulfilled in Isaiah’s wife bearing a son, but completely fulfilled 700+ years later at Christ’s birth. The purpose of a partial, immediate fulfillment this was to validate the prophet’s words as being truth to his generation so that his words would be preserved as scripture for future generations. Christ’s prophecies also have a 2 fold fulfillment. He stated that the temple would be destroyed (which occurred in 70 AD) and that when armies would surround Jerusalem the inhabitants should flee (Luke 21-20-24, Matt. 24:16-21.) This was partially fulfilled in 70 AD, but will not be completely fulfilled until the anti-Christ forces invade Jerusalem after the Church has been raptured. Those who state that Jesus has already returned (came back in 70 AD) misinterpret “this generation shall not pass till all be fulfilled.” It’s the now (fig tree) generation, not 70 AD, that will see the complete fulfillment of Christ’s return for His Church at the Rapture, the anti-Christ invading Jerusalem, & Christ’s 2nd coming to reign on earth. It was clear to the disciples that Jesus addressed different groups when He taught and prophesied. Peter asked Him, “Lord, speak Thou this parable unto us [exclusively], or even to all?” in Luke 12:41. Matthew 24 is a classic prophecy chapter in which Jesus addresses 4 different groups at three different times in history. (Hence, the need to “rightly divide” the Word, so that you don’t take something out of context that was not directed to you.) In Matthew 24:2,3 Jesus is asked when the Temple would be destroyed [70 AD], what signs there would be before His coming [present “beginning of sorrows” we see now]; and the sign of the “end of the age” [the end of the 7 year tribulation.] Jesus addresses His first century disciples (vs. 2); present day believers (vss.5-8); tribulation saints who receive Christ after the Rapture (vs.. 9-13, 29-31); & the Jewish nation during the tribulation (vs.. 15-31.) The context defines who He is addressing. For instance, the section dealing with the anti-Christ invading Jerusalem and praying that they would not have to flee on the Sabbath day [when by the Law Jews can only travel less than 1 mile] does not apply to present day Christians. He is addressing the Jews of the tribulation period after the Church is gone. Because many do not recognize that Jesus’ prophecies are not exclusively directed to the Church, they misinterpret scripture. Some have a Post-tribulation mentality (thinking that the Church is not raptured until AFTER the tribulation.) They base this on Matthew 24:29-31. This describes God gathering His elect at the end of the 7 years when Christ returns to reign on earth. However, the “elect” here are the Jews & trib. saints who receive Christ after the Church is gone. The term “elect” does not apply exclusively to the Church. Mid-tribulation mentality is based on Daniel 12:1,2 and Rev. 12 which describes a resurrection in the middle of the 7 year tribulation. They assume any resurrection (or rapture) must refer to the Church. However, Rev. 14:1-4 & Dan. 12:1 clearly tells us that it is the 144,000 Jewish evangelists who are raptured in the middle of the tribulation. (Many don’t realize God resurrects several different groups at different times in end-time prophecy-not just the Church before the tribulation time.) NOTE: Those who have heard the Gospel but are not ready for Jesus’ coming ARE NOT promised another chance! II Thes. 2:11,12 states that those who heard the Truth but didn’t love Christ enough to obey it will be deceived by the anti-Christ and damned to hell. Don’t have a “Left Behind” mentality that “if I miss the Rapture, I’ll get saved afterward.” Matt. 25 says heaven’s door is closed to those who were not ready for the Bridegroom’s coming. Jesus admonishes us: “Be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an hour that you think not.” (Luke 12:40) WHAT SCRIPTURES PROVE THE PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE? *I Thes.5:9 “for God has not appointed us [the Church] to WRATH, but to obtain salvation [deliverance] by our Lord Jesus Christ, that whether we wake or sleep, we will live together with Him.” True Christians will not experience ANY of God’s wrath. The tribulation time is called the “Day of the Lord’s wrath” Rev.6:17; Zeph.1:14, 15; Isaiah 13:9-11; & Joel 1:15. God’s wrath is poured out on the inhabitants of the earth but not upon us, for we are then in heaven. “He reserves His wrath for His enemies”-Nahum 1:2 Before we were God’s enemies (Col.1:21, Rom.5:10), but now in Christ we are reconciled to & have peace with God. *Rev. 3:8-10 Jesus keeps the true Church from the tribulation time that will come on “all that dwell on the earth.” *Luke 21:34-36 Jesus says “that day will come on ALL that dwell on the earth” but if you “watch and pray always you ESCAPE ALL these things and stand before the Son of Man.” *Isaiah 26:19-21 shows the Church’s resurrection & call to our Heavenly abode while God punishes those who dwell on the earth. Thank God, we are not appointed to God’s wrath, but we will be “CAUGHT UP to meet the Lord in the air... and so shall we EVER be with the LORD.” What a Blessed Hope--the Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church
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