laynepcp's Blog

"The Devil does not tempt unbelievers and sinners who are already his own."
—Thomas à Kempis

"That there is a Devil is a thing doubted by none but such as are under the influences of the Devil."
—Cotton Mather

These words should chill the very soul of a person who scoffs that there is a real being named Satan..... He is mankind's greatest enemy, yet often lampooned as if he were a mere joke.... but be assured that Satan is as real as the sofa you sit on, the cup you drink coffee from, and the bills you pay monthly.

Satan is a counterfeiter.... a liar. He is after one thing and one thing only....WORSHIP! And he will decieve as many as will allow to dine at his buffet of destruction just so the sin loving person will bow down to him. If you are not convinced of your sins and your need for a Savior in Jesus Christ alone then Satan has you right where he wants you.

Satan shuts the lights out on those who want life without God.

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."- 2 Cor. 4:3-4

He invites them in from an early age with beautiful buffets of every pleasure a person can ever want from a decietful heart

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?"- Jeremiah 17:9

Once inside his arms he deludes a person with pleasures on tap, that a person might go on pleasuring themselves to death. Once inside his arms he offers a person religion without the deity of Christ, without the cross of Christ, a religion devoid of any attachment to accountability for sin......

And if this isn't bad enough, Satan keeps those entrapped by convincing a person that it's all an illusion, that the he doesn't exist at all except as a bad fable meant to scare people. In his deception he leads a peson to believe that he or she has found their own way of their own desires.....

And worse yet.... once Satan has a person securely locked in his cell, there is only one thing left that he enjoys more than anything....to rob God;s creation from everlasting life, using that person's evil desires against them, consigning them to an eternity of doom in the lake of fire. Satan is a murderer.

"You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - Jesus (John 8:44)

Many will read this and get angry, scoff or mock. Many will blame christians for scare tactics. Many will blame God for providing laws that protect His creation. And many will sadly not heed this warning, wishing only to remain in blindness to the only escape there is....Jesus Christ.....

My friends, I PLEAD with you while you still have breath in your lungs and a heart beat in your chest.... if you can look around you and not see Satan in the music, televison, movies, false doctrines, scientific and philosophical intellect, agenda's against Christ alone, agenda's against Israel, in the "ghostly apparitions" people witness, in books, in cults, in the sexual culture, in the schools, the government, the church, in the tolrerance of all beliefs except those related to the deity of Christ.... you are locked in his cell. Some of us have had tabgible experiences with him or his demonic angels, please listen!!.... Satan is real folks.... I don't know how many different ways to inform you of this. Please, please, please.... Christ can unlock that cell and pull you out. He loves you, but you need to WANT TO BE rescued.

This is the ultimate man in the van tempting a child away from his parent with a treat. Satan has lured many a person into his van with the promises of doing what they whilst (the number one commandment in the satanic bible), and then slamming the van doors behind them and driving them off never to be seen again. And even though that child always has that escape route wherever he or she is taken to, to run to the loving and safe arms of Christ, they refuse to leave because blindness from darkness has shut their eyes and averted their attentions always to satisfying their desires. To pleasure themselves to death, all the way to the grave and beyond....

Once more I beseech of any who are not running to Christ for atonement for their sins, who are in the headlights of God's oncoming train of wrath against sin, ..... please.....the waters of your own desires (a life without Christ) may be most pleasureable for you.... but you have an anchor attached to your ankle that you can't feel, but will ultimately pull you under....and that anchor has a name.....Satan.

I wonder how many others that swam in those same waters, pulled under and down into the jaws of Hell, would do whatever it took to shove you out of them because of what they know now.....

"...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."- Romans 5:8

"By the Law the is the knowledge of sin....by the Gospel is the knowledge of salvation"

 "19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. "- Romans 1:19-20

"3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.  4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, 8 “ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 12 “ Honor your father and your mother 13 “You shall not murder. 14 “You shall not commit adultery. 15 “You shall not steal.  16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor 17 “You shall not covet."- Exodus 20: 3,4,7,8,12,13,14,15,16,17

"15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)"- Romans 2:15

"19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."- Romans 3:19-20

"20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were."- Romans 5:20a

"I would not have known sin except through the law."- Romans 7:7b

"But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful."- Romans 7:13b

"4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,"- Romans 2:4-5

"10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death."- 2 Corinthians 7:10

"30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”- Acts 17:30-31

"22 But the scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith."- Galatians 3:22,24

"36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”- John 3:36

"16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."- John 3:16

"6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."- John 14:6

"12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”- Acts 4:12

"27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,"- Hebrews 9:27

"16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,"- 2 Timothy 3:16

Please my friends, if you are putting your trust in yourselves, in science, in religion, in Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, New Age, the Occult, Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, a church, a priest, any other biblical charcaters other than Jesus, or any of the many different religion beliefs out there that deny the deity of Christ.... I beseech of you NOW to seek God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind  while He may yet still be found that He may draw you to Himself. God's wrath abides on the unrepentant sinner. Without the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ you will be lost forever from God in a place of eternal separation and fire called Hell. There is NO life there because God is the source of life. I CAN'T stress enough to make this a priority. STOP listening to all the "intelligent" philosophers and "wise" guru's out there whose end will be destruction. Satan uses them to blind you to the Truth of Christ. Through blindness your hearts harden to the gospel. Satan's other ways offer you salvation without repentance, without God's holy judgement. He steers you away from the fear of the Lord so that you can sin to your heart's delight. And while you are sinning and believing what you want to believe Satan is pulling you under Hell's water, into it's jaws.

"4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words."- Colossians 2:4

"8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" - Colossians 2:8-9

"3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them."- 2 Corinthians 4:3-4


 

 

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What Does the Bible Say About 2012?    

http://www.end-times-bible-prophecy.com

Should you expect the end of the world in 2012?

According to today's pop culture, you should.

Websites, television shows, various History Channel "documentaries," and the 2009 feature film "2012," all point toward 2012 as the end point of world history.

But is it really true? Where does this idea come from?

Amazingly, all this hype about the end of the world in 2012 comes from an ancient empire conquered nearly 500 years ago...

Is 2012 Doomsday?

Since the dawn of human civilization, mankind has held a fascination with future events.

The desire to know the future is evidenced by the number of popular books and media products touting psychics, Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, New Age philosophers, and self-proclaimed prophets.

But the idea that you'll see the end of the world in 2012 is a rather recent phenomenon.

It originates from speculations concerning the ancient Mayan civilization which was once centered in what is now modern day Mexico.

The Mayans erected elaborate temples throughout their land and religiously tracked the movement of the stars and planets.

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Through their observations, they developed the MesoAmerican calendar, a sophisticated method for keeping track of time.

While a detailed examination of the MesoAmerican calendar is beyond the scope of this article, for brevity's sake we'll note that two parts of this calendar system, the Tzolk'in and the Haab, synchronized for a period of 52 cycles (for an equivalent period of 52 years).

In order to track more than 52 years of time, the Mayans relied on the use of the Long Count calendar, which moved in 5,125 year cycles.

According to many who subscribe to the 2012 end of the world theory, the Mayan Long Count calendar ends its 5,125 year cycle on December 21, 2012.

However, what exactly is supposed to happen on that date remains a topic of ongoing debate.

Some New Age adherents claim a "consciousness shift" will transform the human race, while others await a golden age of human advancement.

Meanwhile, people who think it heralds the end of the world call for a whole plethora of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, solar storms, and magnetic pole reversals. Some even call for the earth to collide with an asteroid, a comet, or another planet!

While Mayan scholars and archeologists dispute these claims, public fascination with the end of the world in 2012 and the specific December 21, 2012 date in particular continues unabated.

The publication of numerous books such as New Age author Daniel Pinchbeck's book 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoati (2006) and mega-bestselling novelist Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol (2009) have only served to spread the 2012 phenomenon.

Even the History Channel has popularized these theories with a series of programs - Decoding the Past (2005-2007), 2012: End of Days (2006), Last Days on Earth (2006), Seven Signs of the Apocalypse (2007), and Nostradamus 2012 (2008).

But is there any truth to the idea that the world will end in 2012?

Does the Mayan Long Count calendar provide a glimpse into humanity's future?

Forgetting for a moment that Mayan scholars themselves totally dismiss the claim, I can tell you with absolute certainty that the world will NOT end in 2012.

How can I be so sure?

Because my worldview doesn't rely on the ideas of fiction writers or New Age gurus, it relies on the one source which has proven its credibility over the course of time, continually defending itself against the harshest of critics while demonstrating an unprecedented track record of foretelling the future.

What is this amazing source?

God's own Word - the Bible.

What Does the Bible Say About 2012?

The Bible's track record as a predictor of future events is well documented.

In the past 2,600 years, hundreds of bible prophecies have come to pass while hundreds more remain as yet to be fulfilled future events.

Entire libraries have been written about bible prophecy, and its unparalleled record of 100% accuracy is one of the many reasons I believe what it says about our future.

So what does the Bible say about 2012 and the end of the world?

Does it give any significance to the December 21, 2012 date?

Does it call for a magnetic polar reversal or the destruction of mankind?

No.

In fact, the Bible states that the planet itself is eternal.

"'As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear,' says the Lord." Isaiah 66:22 (NLT)

However, what isn't eternal is the present age and world in which we live.

"Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!" Isaiah 65:17-18 (NLT)

Okay, you might say. That's all well and good.

But could it be that 2012 signals the end of the age and the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ as predicted in the Bible?

No.

In fact, while Jesus can return at any moment for His followers (an event known as the rapture), the Bible makes it emphatically clear that His Glorious Appearing will not occur on December 21, 2012 or any day in 2012.

How can I be so sure?

Let's look at what the Bible says...

Why the World Will NOT End in 2012

The Bible states that the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ, which signals the end of this age and the establishment of His Millennial Kingdom, will be preceded by a 7-year period known as a the Tribulation.

At the midpoint of this 7-year Tribulation, the Antichrist will desecrate the Jewish Temple by engaging in an act known as the "abomination of desolation."

"The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him." Daniel 9:27 (NLT)

Again, God makes it clear that after the abomination of desolation, at least 3.5 years are left in the present age:

"Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months." Revelation 13:5 (NLT)

"He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time." Daniel 7:25 (NLT)

"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days." Revelation 12:6 (NLT)

So, according to the Bible, the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ and the end of this age will NOT occur until at least 3.5 years after the Antichrist desecrates the Temple.

Since it's less than 3.5 years before the passing of the December 21, 2012 date, and the Antichrist has not desecrated the Jewish Temple, we can say with absolute confidence that this popularized date has no bearing in regard to the return of Christ or the end of this age.

And since the end of this age will not come until Christ returns, we can be certain that neither the world nor this age will end in 2012.

The 2012 Countdown

In fact, just as the year 2000 approached with an abundance of media attention and even outright panic over Y2K, only to pass without incident - you can put me on record as saying December 21, 2012 will come and go without the end of the world.

Am I saying nothing of significance will happen on that day?

No. I'm not a prophet, and something newsworthy might very well happen on that day.

But, because of the Bible, I can say with absolute confidence that it won't be the end of the world or a worldwide "consciousness shift."

Understanding the 2012 Phenomenon

Given the lack of evidence, as well as the scholarly refutation of the Mayan Long Count calendar's ultimate meaning, why are so many people willing to believe in the 2012 end of the world idea?

My guess is the people who subscribe this theory are really searching for something from which they can derive a spiritual significance. Something that allows them to believe in a higher power or a higher intelligence.

Are you one of those people?

If so, then I've got good news.

A higher power and a higher intelligence does exist.

He's the God of Israel, but you won't draw closer to Him by studying the Mayan calendar.

However, you can build a solid relationship with Him by studying His Word, the Holy Bible.

While December 21, 2012 doesn't herald the end of the world, you do live in the end times.

The nation of Israel is God's testament to this:

"In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people - those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands. He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth." Isaiah 11:11-12 (NLT)

The modern day nation of Israel is a flag God has raised among the nations of the world, signaling the hour of His return is near.

Just as God promised, He has gathered a remnant of His people from among the nations where they were scattered and brought them back into the land of Israel.

We are living in the last days, and we have reason to believe God's future promises will be fulfilled as well.

While our planet will not be destroyed, the end of this age is near and the world as we know it will come to end.

Jesus Christ is coming, and when He does, He will conquer the enemies of God and establish His righteous Kingdom:

"Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him - even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the earth will weep because of him. Yes! Amen! 'I am the Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the end,' says the Lord God. 'I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One.'" Revelation 1:7-8 (NLT)

Are you ready for Christ's return?

 

 

 

 

Let's take the Thanksgiving season to check out the theory of chance here.

There is a boiling dispute in this late age between those who cling to a Creator versus those who adopt the theory of science.... that being that everything exists from chance.

Chance, as in big bang explosions (by the way, explosions are CHAOTIC by nature) and evolution from matter. Chance that exploded into a planet with gravity, oxygen, water, soil, weather, a sun, trees, fish and animals for food, vegetation, purposeful human bodies with brains.....all ready made for sustaining life!!

 Let's check out the friendly neighborhood living room fish tank to put this theory to the test, shall we?

We want a fish tank to enjoy. How will we get one? Shall we just wait and see if one falls together. Perhaps an explosion will ignite from nothing over a counter top and a piece of gooey matter will plop down. And while we wait year after year the matter will decide that it wants to become a tank. So the matter naturally selects becoming glass with rubber molding and shapes itself into a 20X by 20X rectangle. Then the matter that formed the glass and molding decides to select growing gravel, rocks, and plastic trees, because the matter knew decorum would look nice. But then the tank matter sat there for years before deciding there should be life. So the matter formed from the glass and molding, air tubes and a motor, and a filtering system because the matter just knew that these things would be needed for sustaining life. And over time, somehow, from somewhere water appeared and filled up the tank. Now the tank was ready for life, and to think that a chaotic explosion from nothing brought a very well thought out glob of matter from it...... by CHANCE an intelligent blob of matter which decided all this.

And many years passed and from some lifeless matter floating around in the water came a fish, equipped with fins to swim and gills to breathe, and a mouth to eat. And more fish came about, but not from reproduction. Another grew from the matter, and what a stroke of genius that the matter selected this second fish to be a different gender with compatible reproduction organs to the first fish!!! So now they could procreate!!

And after it was all done and the tank was teeming with life, fishes of all sorts, some fish realized that a hobbyist had to have bought the tank and accessories, set it all up, filled it with water, and brought the fish home form the pet store. And oh yes, the hobbyist was the one responsible for makling sure they were fed and cared for. But other fish refused to believe the order of the tank and the genius behind it all coming together so that they could live. It didn't stop them from eating the food that was falling into the water. Nor did they refuse the freedom they enjoyed to freely swim about. They just thanked in their opinion the CHANCE that somehow, something incredible happened and poof here they were in a ready made tank fit for life.

The idea that science and God are conflicting ideas and that one needs to be in one camp or the other is foolish. God gave us science to explore for ourselves the enormity and splendor of what He Himself created. He placed the earth in a perfect position to do this exploratory research of space. And brains to figure out the complexities of DNA. Nerves to feel, taste buds to enjoy food, ears to hear sound, and eyes to see our surroundings.

If you can come to the God given knowledge that He has given you concerning His existence through His creation, you can move towards the relationship He wants to have with you through the redemptive work of His Son Jesus Christ who was sent into the world He created to save His people from their sins. 

 

In 1977, a self-proclaimed messiah and leader of the People's Temple in San Francisco led his loyal followers from California to a jungle settlement in Guyana, South America. On November 18, 1978, Jim Jones ordered all the people who lived on his commune to drink cyanide-laced punch. That day 913 people died, including 276 children.

Why do people follow leaders like Jones? How could they have known that their personable leader was  mentally unstable- a wolf in sheep's clothing? For that matter, of all the world's religious leaders, how do we know whom to follow? Do Christians have any legitimate basis for saying that Jesus Christ has more to offer than Muhammad, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, or Sun Myung Moon? How can we know that Jesus told us the truth about God?

                                         WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY ABOUT JESUS?

Most people, even if they are not willing to acknowledge Him as the Son of God, would say that Jesus was a great moral teacher. Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948), for example, a Hindu and the father of modern India wrote:
"I could accept Jesus as a martyr, an embodiment of sacrifice, and a divine teacher, but not as the most perfect man ever born. His death on the cross was a great example to the world, but that there was anything like a mysterious or miraculous virtue in it, my heart could not accept (Gandhi: An Autobiography, pg 113).

The heart of Jesus' message however, was His claim to be the Son of God who took on human flesh to be our Savior. John Warwick Montgomery writes: " The earliest records we have of the life and ministry of Jesus give the overwhelming impression that this man went around not so much 'doing good' but making a decided nuisance of Himself..... Jesus alienated His contemporaries by continually forcing them to think their attitude to Him personally. 'Who do men say that  I the Son of man am? (HIstory and Christianity pg12).

When Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" they answered, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again." When He then asked for their opinion, Peter spoke up and said, " The Christ of God."

Peter's statement was remarkable in light of the Jews prevailing hope for a Messiah who would throw off Roman rule and reestablish the greatness of Israel. The people were not expecting a meek and humble man who was more concerned with rescuing sinners than restoring a state.

Jesus drew followers, however, with what He said and did. Matthew said that "the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority." The Bible also tells us that Jesus performed miracles. These included healings, controlling nature, and raising people from the dead. Christ's followers point to these remarkable demonstrations of power as support to His claims to be the Son of God.

                                                  WHY DID JESUS DIE?

Was He simply a martyr? Was He misunderstood? Was it a case of mistaken identity? Was He suicidal? Did He orchestrate His own death? Could He have accomplished more if He had lived to a ripe old age and died naturally?

Jesus' biographers tell us the reasons behind His execution. Matthew recorded that Jesus said, "The Son of God did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." His life was given as a sacrifice for us. Such a sacrifice was needed because all people have sinned, broken God's moral laws in action and in thought (Romans 3:23, 5:12). And because God is holy and just, He cannot ignore our sin. But God stepped into history to rescue us from certain judgement. Jesus, God's Son, became human so that He could, as the God-man, take the penalty for our sin (Heb. 10:10). He did for us what we could not do for ourselves (Romans 5:6-11, Eph. 2:8-9). This may be hard to understand, but it's what Jesus and His followers claimed He was doing.

Some people respond to all of this by saying, "interesting claims- but how do you know it's true? How do you know that the death of Jesus on a Roman cross really made our rescue from sin possible?" For the answer, we must examine the resurrection of Christ.

                                          DID JESUS RISE FROM THE DEAD?

The apostle Paul summed up the importance of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, " If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!..... If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are all men the most pitiable."

Obviously however, Paul believed that Jesus did rise from the dead. In fact, he mentioned that hundreds of people saw the risen Christ. He wrote, "He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brothers at once.... After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all, He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time (1 Cor. 15:5-8).

The Gospel accounts tell us of the shocked response of Jesus' followers- even though He had told them ahead of time that He would die and be resurrected. The reaction of one disciple in particular is worth special mention. After Jesus rose from the tomb and appeared to the other disciples, they told Thomas, but he didn't believe. He said to them," Unless I ses in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." 

A week later, Thomas was with the disciples when Jesus came into the room. He turned to Thomas and encouraged him to touch Him. He said, " Do not be unbelieving, but believing." To that Thomas replied, " My Lord and my God!"

One very important evidence for the resurrection is the empty tomb. The enemies of Christ could not produce a body to silence the claims. And it would not have made any sense for Christ's followers to steal the body and then devoted their lives to proclaiming a risen Lord- even if they could have gotten past the Roman guards!

The dramatic change in the disciples from hiding to boldly proclaiming Christ as a risen, even dying for their convictions, has no other reasonable explanation than that they had seen the risen Christ. 

                                                    WHAT ARE OUR CHOICES?

Who was Jesus? if you don't accept Him as the truth, you must conclude that He was a phony, a madman, or that His disciples started the greatest hoax on earth.

Could He have been a deceitful phony? Could He have been merely trying to gain a following for some unknown reason? Think about it. If He was, He certainly wasn't very successful- if you gauge success by power or financial gain. He turned many away by His high standards, and His unwillingness to overlook hypocrisy and halfheartedness. He didn't preach a popular message or promise instant fame and fortune. And He certainly wasn't tricking people to get their money. The evidence does not support that He was a charlatan.

Could He have been a madman? Self-deceived? Sincere, but deluded about His own identity? His words and actions do not reflect the behavior of a person who is mentally unstable. Such a charge against Him does not explain the miracles, the brilliance of His teaching, nor His resurrection.

Could the disciples have been guilty of painting a picture of Jesus that was far bigger than life? It doesn't make sense that all of the disciples would conspire to create a monstrous lie that would contradict what they knew knew to be true. Would you die for what you knew was a lie? The disciples wouldn't have either, yet most of them died as martyrs.

We have good reason to believe that the Bible presents an accurate picture of Jesus Christ. His fulfillment of prophecy, His impact on history, His life and teachings, and the response of His disciples all point to a conclusion that He was and is all that He claimed to be- the Son of God.

                                           HOW CAN WE TEST THE RELIABILITY OF THE BIBLE?

What kinds of criteria can we use to evaluate whether it's true? After all, if the Bible is not reliable, then how do we know what to believe about what Christ said or did?

The science of archeology can give us a lot of valuable evidence, which will either confirm or contradict the biblical record. One hundred years ago, many Bible critics were trying to dismiss much of its history as the work of creative storytellers. But in the the twentieth century, archeological finds have overwhelmingly supported the biblical data.

One case of archeological evidence is a recent study of ancient Jericho, which concluded that the walls of the city did tumble down as the Bible indicates. Archeologist Bryant K Wood of the University of Toronto said, "When we compare the archeological evidence at Jericho with the biblical narrative describing the Israelite destruction of Jericho, we find remarkable agreement."

                                                         WHEN WERE THE GOSPELS WRITTEN?

It was once popular to assign the Gospels to the second century and charge that they were later compilations of oral tradition. Thus they were considered historically unreliable. But careful scholarship has pointed to early dates for the writing of the entire New Testament.

Because of archeological evidence and manuscript discoveries, we now have good reason to believe that most of the New Testament was completed between AD 47 and AD 70, and that all of it was completed by AD 95.

An example of a manuscript find that has affected dating of the New Testament is the Rylands Fragment. This portion of John 18 was found in Egypt and has been dated about AD 125. This find supports the view that the last gospel to be written had already been in circulation for many years.

                                                           HAVE BIBLICAL PROPHECIES COME TRUE?

Some of the most dramatic examples of fulfilled Bible prophecy are those concerning Jesus Christ. Isaiah 52:13 through 53:12 and Psalm 22, for instance, record specific details about death by crucifixion hundreds of years before this terrible form of execution was ever practiced.  Another example of fulfilled prophecy was the destruction of the city of Tyre. Hundreds of years earlier, Ezekiel had predicted that the city would be destroyed and the ruins scraped off and dumped into the sea, never to be rebuilt. (EZEK. 26). It happened exactly as predicted. 

The predictions of the judgement of God against Nineveh (NAH. 1-3), Ammon and Moab (JER. 48-49), Babylon (IS. 13-14; JER. 51), and Edom (IS. 34; JER. 49; EZEK. 25, 35) were all fulfilled.

                                                                 DOES THE BIBLE HOLD TOGETHER? 

That is, does a collection of writings by 40 different authors from many different backgrounds and occupations, over about 1,600 years, in three different languages, and written on three different continents, have a consistent message? Or is it a confusing jumble of ideas?

From start to finish, the Bible tells how God has been working out His plan to rescue people from the penalty and power of sin. He revealed Himself to the patriarchs, then to the nation of Israel. He worked out His plan in Christ, in His disciples, and in the early church. And the last book, Revelation, tells how God will complete His plan. From the symbolic sacrificial system of the Old Testament to the reality of Christ's sacrifice of Himself on the cross, from the first chapters to the last, God is consistently described. This incredible unity points to the Bible's supernatural origin.

                                                   WHY IS THE BIBLE SO CONSISTENT AND RELIABLE?

For the answer to that question, let's look at the Bible itself. Peter wrote, "Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:21) 

And to Timothy, Paul said, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." (2 Tim. 3:16)

According to the Bible itself, therefore, it is not a compilation of men's ideas but God's. Even though God used men and their individual personalities to reveal His truth, the Bible professes to have but one author- God. That is why the Bible is so consistent and relaible from start to finish.

                               HOW DO WE KNOW WE HAVE THE BIBLE AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN?

Can we be sure that the book we read today has been passed along without tampering by special interest groups, or without serious mistakes in copying? Textual scholars say that we can be sure we have a relaible copy.

The 1947 discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls (some dating back to before the time of Christ) gave dramatic evidence that the Old Testament has been meticulously and accurately copied for centuries. 

And regarding the New Testament, Sir Frederic Kenyon, an authority in the field of textual criticism, stated, "The number of manuscripts of the New Testament, of early  translations from it, and of quotations from it in the oldest writers in the church, is so large taht it is practically certain that the true reading of every doubtful passage is preserved in some one or other of these ancient authorities. This can be said of no other book in the world."

How have people and society been affected by the Bible? No other book has come close to making the impact that the scriptures have. This number one best seller for years has been looked to for guidance, comfort, challenge, judicial equity, and wisdom. Its principles are timeless. Even those who don't want to believe its supernatural elements recognize it as great literature. The Bible's power has been recognized by tyrannical rulers, who banned it and sought to destroy every copy. Yet the Bible continues to pervade our world, in hundreds of languages, in nearly every society.

How did the computer you are reading from get in front of your eyes? Would you believe me if I said that my neighbor's cat built it? Would you simply accept the expalnaion that your computer just appeared one day out of thin air and you happened to pick it up and began using it? Would you believe that a sea monster printed the letters on your keyboard?

Forgive me for getting ridiculous, but I think you get the point. Just as your computer has a reasonable explanation for its existence, so do our lives, our world, and human history.

Many religions offer explanations for our human existence, the complexity and order of the universe, the problem of evil, our religious nature, the purpose of life, our eternal destiny, and much more. Chrstianity's contention, however, is that it offers an explanation that fits life as we know it, human nature as we know it, and God as He has revealed Himself.

Of course it would take volumes to discuss these matters adequately. But at the risk of sounding simplistic, here's a brief summary of Christianity's answers to some of these isues.

WHERE DID WE COME FROM? The Bible tell us that an intelligent, powerful, personal Being was actively involved in creating the universe. Does that fit life as we know it? Does life show design and order? Does human personality reflect a higer Personality?

The naturalistic explanation declares that time plus chance produced the complexity of the universe. But does that provide adequate answers? Even generous estiamtes of the earth's age do not include enough time for life to evolve.Too many things had to happen in too precise a manner. Although many scientists propose naturalistic evolution,they do so because of their assumption that no supernatural being was involved.

Eastern religions lump people, animals, and plants into the same category- created by an impersonal god-force that pervades the universe- and minimizes the great difference between them. Christianity, however, tells us that human beings are similiar yet very different from animals. People possess personality, self consciousness, a spirit, and an ability to relate to God on a personal level. Human beings are qualitatively different from aimals, plants and rocks.


WHERE DID EVIL COME FROM? Some religious faiths describe a type of god who possessess both good and evil elements. Other explanations have good and evil gods pitted against each other- with the outcome in doubt. Still other religions deal with evil by denying its reality; they say that evil is only an illusion.


Christianity, however, sees evil as an intruder in a good God's good creation.Evil came ito the world throug Adam and Eve's willing choice to rebel against God. They hd that opton because God wanted them to freely love Him- no because they forced to love Him.

According to Christianity, the choice for evil had a far reaching devastating impact on our relationship wth God, our relationsip with each other, and our relationship to th world. Instead of close fellowship wth God., thre has been estrangement. Instead o harmony between people, there has been self centeredness, conflict and heartache. Instead o humanity wrkin in harmony with nature, we have exploited our world. It's only by returning to a right relationship wth God that our lives can reverse the effects of evil.


Christianity also offers an explanation for what God i doing about the problem of evil. Jesus Christ is central to the solution. The Bible tells us that Jesus came to bridege the gap between a perfect God and imperfect people stained by evil. God has not been sitting idly by while humanity goes from bad  worse. Jesus came into a world of suffering and evil t suffer an die for us. He came to free us from our personal bondage to evil, and to ensure one day all evil wlll face God perfect justice.


WHY DO PEOPLE SEEK RELIGIOUS ANSWERS? Our heart has a void that cries to be filled. Christians believe that because manind was created to know and relate to the Creator, pople wll never be complete without Him.


So why doesn't everyone turn to the God of the Bible? Why do people turn to other gods instead? Part of the answer is that ever since Adam ad Eve chose to go their own way  instead of obeying God, people have contnued to choose to run their own lives. People have created their own gods- deities that the can manipulate through magic or appease throug rituals and self sacrifice.

And Christianity includes another reason that so many religions exist- a spirt being named Satan who is more than happy to offer substitute religions. He is called the father of lies, the one who has blinded the minds of people to the truth.  He offers counterfet spiritual experinces to those who choose false gods.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE? Christians believe that because man has lost his anchor in God, he has lost his sense of purpose. The author of the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes the different ways people try to find happiness. He was an expert on the topic becausehe had tried them all. That person was King Solomon, a man known for his wisdom, but who had tried many dead end pursuits in life. He sought fulfillment through education, but all his learning left him empty. He sought pleasure through food, wine, sex, music, and things of beauty, but again he never gt beyond superficial happiness. He tried findng the joy of life through hardwork and materialism, but he realized they could not fill the void in his heart.  Solomon filled his palace with 700 wives and 300 concubines, bu they coul not replace the Lord. Solomon concuded that a life that does not center around a relationship with God is empty.

DOES IT SOUND LOGICAL TO YOU? Is Chrstianity a reasonable explanation for the realtiies of life? Faith in Christ offers relief from the universal problem of sin and guilt. Jesus Christ offers to fill the God-shaped void in our hearts with Himself. Christianit offers a basis for values and morality, and knowing right  from wrong. The biblical views of human history describes the moral deterioration of society (while allowing for much good), and the eventual return of Jesus to execute judgement on the living and the dead. 

But even the best sounding and most reasonble human explanation is foolishnessif it lacks a basis in spirtual reality. Christianity standsor falls on the credibilty of its Holy Book (the Bible), its leader (Jesus Christ), its communiy (the church), and its practicality (as seen in the lives of indvdua believers). The next part will explore the reliabilty of the Bible. 

                                            HOW CAN I KNOW IF CHRISTIANITY IS TRUE?


How do you know if anything is true?How do you know taht water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit? How do you know that wooly mammoths once trudged across our land? How do you know cocaine is addictive? How do you know Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin and died in a theater? How do you know that NASA astronauts walked on the moon and not on a back lot in Hollywoood? How do you know that Japan's Emperor Hirohito died of cancer in 1989? Or that Julius Caesar ruled the Roman Empire?

In the above examples, the proofs and methods of confirmation vary greatly. A scientific experiment in a lab could confirm through repeated experiments taht water freezes at 32 degrees. Fossils and frozen remains are visible evidence that mammoths tramped around on earth. Physical and pyschological testing confirms cocaine's addictive quality.

But when it comes to hsitorical infrmation such as Lincoln's birthplace and where he was shot, man walking on the moon, and Caesar's exploits, wecannot perform repeatable experiments. In those cases we hav to rely on historical records, eyewitness accounts, and reputable historians who collected data.

Different  types of situations require different types of proof.  In some cases scientifc experiments anr extremely valuable. In other cases historical research must be used.

When it comes to testing the claims of competing religious views of life and God, several key areas need ot be examined. We will take a close look at Christianity according to fiv criteria. We will see if it presents a reasonable explanation for life as we know it. We will examine the reliabilty of the key Christian book,the Bible. We will take a look at he leader, Jess Christ.Then we will study the origen and influence of Christianity. Finally, we will look at th effect that faith in Christ has on individuals.

If Christianity were put on trial and you were appointed a juror, what would it take to convince you of its truthfulness? Would you look for convincing logic, thourough documentation, positive impact on society, stirring testimonials? Could a verdict be given?

Before you examine the case however, you would need to define clearly what's on trial. Otherwise you might prejudge it as true or false based on personal impressions instead of facts.

When you think of Christianity, do you think of: 1)an irrational leap of faith, 2) an intellecual or emotional crutch, 3) something for "losers," 4) superstition, 5) a bunch of do's and don't's, 6) alot of rituals, 7) fanatical, narrow-minded people, 8)the high moral teachings of Jesus, 9) one of many ways to know God, 10) the only way to know God?

The core of Christianity includes beliefs about who Jesus was and what He has done. Christianity holdsthat Jesus was and is more than a man; He is God in human flesh. As the Second Person of the triune God, He became a man, born of a virgin. He lived a perfect life, taught us how to please God, died on a cross to take on Himself the penalty for our sin against God, rose from the grave, appeared to hundeds of people, and then ascended to heaven. He did all this so that we might know God and live for Him now and with Him forever.

"I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you,.... that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day." -1Corinthians 15: 1, 3-4

The scriptures and Christ go hand in hand. And followers of Christ accept the statements of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. They believe it's more than just a compilation of men's lofty thoughts about God. They believe the Bible to be the record of God speaking through distinct human personalities in a way that resulted in a document that accurately speaks for God.


Christianity claims continuity with the faith of the first man and woman (Adam and Eve), with Abraham and the people of Israel who carried on his faith, with th disciples of Jesus who saw Him as the fulfullment of Old Testment prophecies and the sacrificial system, and wth men and wome of faith today who bow at the feet of Christ as their only Savior and only hope of forgiveness of sins, and the One through whom they can know God.


I hope you will read each part as it becomes made available thoughtfully, search the Bible firsthand to see what it says, and examine your beliefs. You are the jury.

This Seven Part Series is excerpted and written by Kur De Haan, managing editor of Our Daily Bread

Please keep checking back as each part is added. Thank You- Pete
 
 

"The wages of SIN is DEATH"- Romans 6:23  

   "......the passing pleasures of SIN"- Hebrews 11:25b

"Everyone who practices SIN also practices lawlessness...."- 1 John 3:4a    

"for all have SINNED and fall short of the glory of God."- Romans 3:23
 
"Fools mock at SIN."- Proverbs 14:9a     

"....through one man SIN entered into the world, DEATH through SIN, and so DEATH spreads To all men because all SINNED."- Romans 5:12                                                                              

SIN.....it's everywhere. In our book stores, at the Friday night Regal cinema, on out televisions, at work, at home.....everywhere. And it's a problem. A serious one. Why? Because it's in our hearts.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"-Jeremiah 17:9

We have a problem people. Because God says, whether we believe in Him or not, that every person has a court ordered appointment to stand trial in Judgement.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to DIE, but after this the JUDGEMENT."- Hebrews 9:27

Sin is simply everything you and I do that transgresses His Law,....you know.... the one's that have been kicked out of our schools and courthouses. The Ten Commandments. The Laws that shows us how sinful we are, how hopeless it is to save ourselves from eternal DEATH, and why we need to make a U-turn in our lifestyles and head towards the cross where Jesus Christ, God's Son bore the Father's full wrath for us.

How does SIN look in your life?

A) It's that lie you told to get away with not having to face the music,
B) It's the sexual thought you had of running your hands all over some stranger's body,
C) It's the moment when you took a pen from work because the office has so many of them anyway,
D) It's the gossip you told to your friend about what a co-worker is doing outside of work,

It's everytime you use foul language, want the same lifestyle your boss has. It's when you decide you're more important than your spouse. It's crushing your children's life by abusing them. It's acting on what you see on TV that looks cool. You and I are GUILTY. Not against each other, but against God.

"But the scripture has shut up EVERYONE under SIN...."- Galatians 3:22a

The death sentence is eternal death for our crimes against God.

"....the Lord came.....to execute JUDGEMENT upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ingodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."- Jude 14a, 15

How could a good, loving God do that? some always say. Or I don't believe God would sentence people to Hell others always say. But those very same people whistle on by the cross everytime. God came down into our world, our flesh and was CRUSHED for our SINS. By His blood are SIN PENALTY is paid in full. That's right.....God knew we couldn't save ourselves and took OUR SINS upon Himself that we might be saved.

"How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"- Hebrews 3a

If you will just look into the Laws and see just how sinful you have been against God you will see God's love for you hanging on that cross where He took your punishment.

"But He was PIERCED through for our TRANSGRESSIONS, He was CRUSHED for our INIQUITIES, the CHASTINEING for our well being fell upon Him, and by His SCOURGING we are HEALED."-Isaiah 53:5

So see, there is a very happy ending. But you have to SEE your need for salvation. You can't APPRECIATE Jesus until you SEE your wrethchedness and what He saved you from.

I write this with love....from one sinner to another. Or just one begger telling other beggers where to find the banquet hall.
 
 

                                
                                                          

 

What IS IT about that name?...... The Bible says that His Name is the Name above all names. That there is no other Name under Heaven given among men, where by we must be saved.

One can go anywhere in the world and mention God, as it relates to whoever God is to them. God is such a universal term that to mention the word barely puts a ripple in the waters of most social circles. But at the mere mentioning of the J word, teeth clench, feet run, anger boils, arguments flare up, torture and murder are commited.

His real name is Yeshua, but is more commonly known to the world as Jesus Christ. And His name either aggravates or delights. There is no middle ground over Jesus Christ. He HImself said that, "you are either for Me or against Me."

He is no longer welcomed in the schools or courthouses of America simply because He is the One who the fast vanishing Ten Commandments point us to for saving. We must be very careful in social settings not to use His name for fear of offending others (seems tolerance only works for the ones who DON"T want to hear about Him). Overseas, His followers are jeered, jailed, tortured and murdered.

Jesus is mocked in music, television, motion pictures, art work and video imagery, on clothing, and by rebellious lifestyles.

Every aspect of Christ's redemptive work, His name, His birth, His word, His crown of thorns, His cross, His last supper, His blood, His teachings, His love, His character, His uniqueness, His divinity, His power to save, and the faith He gave His life to establish are all targets, all having been systematically ridiculed, denied and diminished. But WHY??? What is it about HIM that provokes all of this?

If we are truly seeking the truth about why and not looking for excuses, than we immediatley find that Jesus is pronounced to be the Living Word;

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God....And the Word was made flesh (Jesus), and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and TRUTH."  - John 1:1, 14

The LIving Word......and if He is the Living Word, and the Bible is the Word of God, than those in search of another god or idea have a serious problem:

"Jesus said to him (Thomas), I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me." - John 14:6

So in a world where people love darkness more than they love truth and light, we can see why Jesus is the one who rubs people and nations the wrong way. What did Jesus say about THAT?

"If the world hates you (followers), you know that it hated Me before it hated you.....The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you......But all these things will they do unto you for My name's sake, because they know not Him (God the Father) who sent Me." -John 15:18, 20b, 21.

On the other hand, populations bend over backwards to welcome those worshipping other gods. Encouraging them to establish and grow their faiths, to teach others without fear of persecution. Trouble is, all other worldview gods are non existent. They cannot save, deliver, love, intervene. And their prophets and teachers are all still dead in their tombs.....except for the One whose Name means there is sin, there is Hell, there is a need to repent and be reconciled back to God....there is absolute truth.

Friends, like all of my stories and blogs, I write this in pure love for everyone reading it who refuses the gift of eternal life. PLEASE....I beseech of you to ask God, He of the Bible, to open your eyes and your heart to see this truth going on all around us. Why?

"That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." -Phillipians 2:10

 

   What must this old man and his sons be thinking, some of them wondered to themselves, and perhaps evern aloud. Surely, there were also those who mocked and heckled the intentions of these "ridiculous" carpenters. The mere idea of building a large boat in the middle of a desert, hundreds of miles form any such body of water was insane in itself, BUT building one for protection from a flooding rain was unherad of, UNTHINKABLE to people back in the ancient Middle East. Up to that point in time, the land was watered by a mist of water which came up through the ground. This old man must be out of his mind, and it was evident he raised his children to be as well.

   Today, the words of Jesus Christ draws an eerie image of a long ago boat, an ark if you will , being errected right before the eyes of an uncaring, unbelieving generation of idol worshippers:

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all."- Jesus (Luke 17:26-27)

   What was driving this small family of men to such irrational thinking? Wasn't it enough to be building a useless large boat in their midst, but preaching to them too about the coming wrath of God on top of it? What wacko's!

 Genesis 6: 5, 11-12 all note the backdrop to a culture in a downward spiral of indulgence. Evil continually, prompting God to say enough is enough. He would judge the earth. He would pour out His wrath upon all defiant flesh. He gave people 120 years (Genesis 6:3) to repent and reach for the salvation represented in that assembling ark, or for a better term, 120 years of grace, that they may all heed His warning and be saved.

   Today, 2010, we find that that ark represented the salvation offered in Jesus Christ. The same Jesus who professed in the above quote that like in those ancient days, the people of today would be just as indifferent and just as defiant to the warning of judgement coming preceding His Second Coming.

   Only this time God gave us more than 120 years. He gave us 1900 years warning that His wrath would once again be poured out on all unreedemed flesh. He gave us His Son Jesus Christ, to be the ark of our salvation. He told those He found favor (not because they were better than anyone else, but because they knew Him and reverenced Him) with to warn people of what was coming that they may repent and reach out for salvation.

   God told Noah that a world wide flood was coming. No one took him seriously. They never even batted an eye. Jesus showed John the world wide destruction to come in our day through Revelations. One has to wonder at how indifferent people really were when Noah and his family walked onto the ark amidst the distant warning of thunder rumbling and the door closed behind them. Did the blackening clouds and thunder and lightning even move people to care even then?!

   Again, the thunder is rumbling and the skies are blackening around us today. Today, in 2010, the storm is coming. It is right on top of us now. Jesus likened this storm to the birth pains of childbirth:

"Take heed that no one decieve you. For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall decieve many. And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and disease, and eartquakes in various places. ALL THESE ARE THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS." -Jesus (Matthew 24:4-8

   When a woman would go into sorrows generations ago, it was said that she was going into labor with child. And like with birth pains, the frequency and intensity build the closer and closer we come to the return of Jesus Christ.

   Today, the prophetic warnings are as visible as a giant ark sitting conspiculously in the middle of a desert. Yet, only a few stop by to see what is going on. Very few are asking about what they see going on around them, and even less are repenting and asking how they may get on board and be saved from the coming wrath of God.

   When Jesus said that His return in this generation would be not unlike the atmosphere during Noah's generation, He was emphasizing routine and mundane events of the last days, but to help us see how the very clear signs of His imminent return would be ignored right up to the moment He comes in the Heaven's.

   Christ equaled these last days to that of Noah's because He knew that the world today would be living in extreme sin and flagrant rebellion against God. Like in the period of the Great Flood, without further warning given when the door of the ark slammed shut, the floods came and took the unredeemed and they perished forever. It should be pointed out for those who cry unfair- people choose to reject Jesus. Many balk at the consequences. They stand outside the ark even as the storm is about to break open over them and mock the very ones who tried to tell them how much God loves them, how much He wants them to get saved.

   The news on your televsion is prophetic. The days ahead are NOT going to get better. The birth pains have been started and there is still time, though not too much any more. Jesus is the only ark of salvation. And as Jerusalem's future goes now, the door of the ark will begin its swift ascent upward. The thunder rumbling from the forced division of Jerusalem, the eternal capital city of the world is booming louder than at anytime in history. Please take this seriously if you don't know Jesus. Thank y

 

 

 

 

Are there other gods besides the God of Israel, also known as the Christian God? Are we to believe what our culture encourages today that tolerance is a must, that there is no right or wrong decisons concerning spirtual matters? That all worldview beliefs are praying to the same god?

Or are we living in a day and time in which the God of Israel is setting Himself apart in the eyes of those who choose their own beliefs, their own ways? Personal views which omit any tolerance for absolute truth? Beliefs and ways that call evil good and good evil? Even decisons which deny the reality of sin and it's eternal consequences?

"I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of My mouth, and I showed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass. Because I knew that you are obstinate and hard; I have even from the beginning decalred it to you ; before it came to pass I showed it to you: lest you should say, my idol has done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, have commanded them."- Isaiah 48:3-5

"Remember the former things of old: fro I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.....Hearken unto My words, you who are hard of heart, that are far from righteousness."- Isaiah 46: 9-10, 12

What is God saying here? That because of their stubboness and hard hearts, He proclaimed what would happen in the future so that when those events happened that people would not be able to credit their own idols, or gods. 

I lovingly ask you to please refer to my group story, God declared the end from the beginning as I go into more detail on how end-time prophecies are God's final warning to a dying world heading for Judgement. And I thank you for tking the time to read these. You will find other group stories there as well which speak to many issues concerning God. Thank you.

What I hope to do here is to show you the very real existence of a being who has been charcterized as a cartoon image, a fun halloween costume, or a made up story to explain away evil. If you haven't already, I would  please ask you to refer back to my story, Satan Wants YOU! for an indepth, but capsulized explanation of the very nature of a being so evil, so full of hate, and so bent on everyone's destruction that he is almost incomprehensible to believe he exists. His name is Satan and he is more than pleased to know many of you don't acknowledge him. Because he subscibes to "what you can't see will ultimately rise up and kill you." It's imperative if you don't know Jesus Christ, to please atleast read Satan Wants YOU! that you will atleast maybe understand better why Jesus had to die for you and the seriosness of the matter.

Below I will write out the lyrics of two songs, one by the group Megadeth (Prince of Darkness) and the other by the group Metallica (Prince Charming). The lyrics are chilling and very satanically inspired. It isn't often that Satan will show his hand, but he let his guard down on these two occassions, probably because he couldn't contain his pride, and spoke through the music of these two heavy metal bands. Let me be clear that this in not an indictment on the band members of either band (Jesus died for them as well), but of Satan himself. What is more chilling, lest you think I am just a goody goody Christian born with a Bible in my hand, is that I was a long time metal head who not just enjoyed these two songs, but embodied them.

                                                 PRINCE OF DARKNESS 

My victims are rich or poor, young or old, strong or weak

I cause millions of accidents, I am cancer in your bones

I fathered the lie, twist what you say, speak not the truth

I am insidious, impartial, deep inside your chromosones

I take what you love, and leave you in tears

I imprison your soul, your hopes are my games

I strip you of pride, my promise is in vain

While you burn at the stake I dance with the flames

I bring poverty, sickness, and death

A worthless handshake, the slickest thief, I steal your wealth

I answer your prayers for greed and lust

More than evil, I laugh at your trust

I am more powerful than all the armies of the world

I am more violent than violence, more deadly than death

I have destroyed more men than all the nation's wars

I am relentless, unpredictable, waiting for your last breath

Evil, more evil than violence

Violent, more violent than death

Deadly, more deadly than man

I am yeah, yeah, I'm evil I am

My kingdom corrupt with dissent

Your sins erupt by my intent

I loathe your prayer, I wallow in sin

Let the nightmare begin

Prince of darkness, your satanic highness

Prince of darkness, the devilish serpent, the dreaded Lucifer

Prince of darkness.

 

                             PRINCE CHARMING

There's a black cloud overhead, that's me

And the poison ivy chokes the tree, again it's me

I'm the filfthy one on Bourbon Street you walk on by,

I'm the little boy that pushes hard and makes it cry

There's a dirty needle in your child, stick me

Empty bottles still in hand, still dead, still me

I'm the suit and tie that bleeds the street and still wants more

I'm the forty-five that's in your mouth, I'm a dirty, dirty whore

And he wants to be called "Father" now, me again, me

The marks inside your arm spell me, spell only me

I'm the nothing face that plants the bomb and strolls away

I'm the one who doesn't look quite right as children play.

 

Again, this is not at all to judge the band members. What this is about is how Satan can use something as powerful as music to make himself known. Innocent lyrics? In light of what the Bible tells us concerning Satan, one must take a very hard look at what is happening here. And let's be clear here,  it is not being implied that Metallica and Megadeth are satanic bands. It goes way beyond heavy metal music. We see Satan's hand in al forms of media and culture today. In government, in children's toys, in the images we are told we need to emulate. The world is saturated in Satan, who the Bible calls the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4), the prince of this world (John 12:31). And he wants you pay no attention to the "foolishness of there being a devil" so that he can throw it all back on God.

But God is in control. And He is using evil to bring many to Himself. Though God already soundly judged Satan in the Garden, and roundly defeated him at the cross and resurrection, He has appointed a time in the future when Satan's punishment will become eternal.

Why are so many inclined to believe differently then? Why is it that some just can't see the truth right in front of them then? The Bible tells us that in 2 Corinthians 4:3,4-

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world (age) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

If you advance to the story of Satan Wants YOU! and it isn't there yet, it's only because I typed this out first. Please come back at a later time. Thank you