When Christ Returns - What Will He Do?

By Justin Edwards

We continue with the series When Christ Returns as Loran Livingston teaches what Christ will do when He returns to set up His Kingdom.

Direct mp3 download: When Christ Returns - What Will He Do? mp3

The US Has Questioned Its Unwavering Support of Israel in Recent Days

By Dr. Jimmy DeYoung
Prophecy Today

With the different meetings being held at the White House between US President Obama and the Israeli PM Netanyahu there has emerged the question of the unwavering support for the Jewish state of Israel that has been the mainstay down through the years of America's intimate alliance with Israel as being good for both the US and Israel.

The condemnation of the Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, the insistence by Israel that they have a right to defend their borders including the area of the Gaza Strip, and the controversy surrounding the city of Jerusalem have been the sticking points that have caused these questions by US leaders as to whether their support is as strong as it has been for the Jewish state.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

The US starting to waver on its support for the Jewish state of Israel is done at its own peril and does set the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.

For over 200 years, the US has been one of the major supporters and protectors of the Jewish people and since 1948 America has been the mainstay of support for the Jewish state. Over the last several years and moving towards a low mark in US support for Israel, which has been good for both countries, we are seeing this relationship drift apart more and more almost on a daily basis.

America's disapproval of Jewish settlements has been a focus of US critics as well as the right for Jews to buy, build, and live in any section of the city of Jerusalem. I mentioned earlier that America breaks these ties with Israel at its own peril. God told Abraham, Genesis 12:3, I will bless those who bless thee and I will curse those who curse thee. I do not mean that Israel is right all of the time, but when Israel does what God's Word says and God rewards the Jewish people, all peoples must support them

The ancient Jewish prophets wrote of God returning the Jews to their land, Ezekiel 34:35. He promised to give them a state, Ezekiel 37. These prophecies are in the process of being fulfilled.

If America or any other nation of the world decides to drop their support for the Jewish state, they do it at their own peril.

(HT: BPT)

Are You Good Enough to Go to Heaven?

By Justin Edwards

Have you ever thought about what happens when you die? What's on the other side when you walk out of here? Since the life after death is for eternity, it's a pretty important answer to find out, wouldn't you agree? It is guaranteed that 10 out of 10 people die, and I'm sure every one of us wants to go to heaven. In fact, arguably 5-10% of the United States population are atheists/agnostics, so that's a pretty good assumption that most Americans believe they will be in heaven after they breathe their last breath. But that's not exactly accurate with Jesus' words in Matthew 7:13-14

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

How do we know we will go to heaven when we die? How do we know if we are on the narrow path that leads to eternal life? Well, there is a way we can know with 100% confidence where we will spend the rest of eternity, so let's see if you are good enough to go to heaven.

God has a standard whereby He judges us to see if we are good enough to enter His presence. You may have heard have of these before - they are called the 10 Commandments. Let's look at a few of them:

Have you ever told a lie before? If so, you would be called a liar - join the club.

Have you ever stolen anything before? Even something small and a long time ago? If so, you would be a thief.

How about using God's name in vain? Substituting God's name for any expletive is breaking His Law, and this includes the various derivatives of God or Jesus Christ. This is called blasphemy.

Have you ever been angry at anyone before? If so, God says you commit murder in your heart (Matthew 5:21-22).

Have you ever lusted after anyone? Jesus says if you have, you have committed adultery in your heart (Matthew 5:27-28).

If you have answered yes to these questions, and if you are like me you probably did, you have admitted that you are a lying thief, a blasphemer, an adulterer at heart, and a murderer at heart. When you stand before God on Judgment Day and He judges you according to His standard, would you be guilty or innocent? And if you are guilty, would you deserve heaven or hell? If you are like me, then your answer is probably hell.

You may have admitted to breaking these laws of God and that would make you a law breaker. When we break the law of America, there must be a penalty paid for that offense. We can't just tell the judge we're sorry and we'll never do it again. He would tell us "well you should be sorry and you shouldn't do it again", but if he is a just judge, he cannot let us go simply because we were sorry. It's the same thing with the Law of God. When the Law is broken, there must be a penalty paid. God would be more wicked than any of us if He allowed our lawlessness to go unpunished. Unfortunately, none of us are able pay this debt. We are all condemned and must pay the consequence, which is spending eternity in hell separated from God forever. That is, of course, unless someone paid our fine for us.

There is good news! 2,000 years ago, God loved us so much that He became a man in the flesh through His Son Jesus Christ. He was born of a virgin and went on to live a perfect, sinless life. The only way sin can be atoned for is through the offering of a bloody sacrifice. In the Old Testament, this was done by offering a spotless lamb and this would atone for sins temporarily. But Jesus offered Himself as the spotless Lamb of God in order to wash away the sins of the world once and for all, thereby no longer requiring a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins ever again. It is why He said, "It is finished." Jesus the Son of God paid the penalty for your sins, for my sins. He stepped in and actually took the punishment for you. He paid a debt He did not owe because you and I have a debt we cannot pay. He actually became sin on the cross so God could punish His own Son instead of us. When God raised Jesus from the dead 3 days later, He accepted the sacrifice of His one and only Son as payment in full. This is God's gift to us.

Would you like to know how to receive this gift? Do you believe that Jesus did this for you? Do you believe that He is the Son of God, who died on the cross for you, and God raised Him from the dead 3 days later? Do you believe you are a sinner? Do you believe you need a Savior?

Jesus says we must repent and believe in the Gospel. Confessing you are a sinner means you agree with God that you have broken His Law. Repenting means that you realize you cannot save yourself, that your life is hopeless without Jesus Christ, and you turn from yourself and what you can do for you and you turn to God in complete trust in Him to save your soul. You forsake yourself and your sins. No amount of work can save you, being a good person doesn't save you, Jesus Christ is the only one who can justify you before God. This means you can be declared innocent before the Righteous Judge in Heaven, but you must give up on yourself and put your faith and total confidence in Jesus and what He did for you 2,000 years ago.

If you believe in these things, and you are ready to commit everything you are to Jesus Christ, you can do this now. All you have to do is cry out to Him - ask Him to save you. Tell Him you are a wretched sinner in desperate need of a Savior, that you cannot do this on your own, and you are hopeless without Him. Cry out to Him with all of your heart and commit your life to Him. Call on the name of Jesus and confess Him Lord of your life and you will be saved. You must surrender your life to Jesus Christ, but before you do, make sure you have counted the cost.

Are you ready to count the cost? Are you ready to lay your life down for the King of kings and the Lord of lords? His grace and mercy await you - run to Him, with nothing in your hands. Flee from the wrath that is to come, and run to Him.

Why The Church Has Not Replaced Israel

(Why Replacement Theology Is A False Doctrine)

By Daymond Duck


1) God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) is an everlasting covenant that will never be cancelled.

“And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Gen. 17:7-8).

2) God delivered the Jews from Egypt because He loves them and He will keep the covenant He made with their ancestors.

“The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deut. 7:7-8).

3) God said Israel would disobey Him, but He said He will still remember the covenant for the sake of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

“And yet for all that [Israel’s disobedience], when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD” (Lev. 26:44-45).

4) God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob extends to all the earth and He is a faithful God who will never forget that the Land of Canaan is Israel’s inheritance forever.

“He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance” (Psalm 105:7-11).

5) God has not cast away Israel, her blindness is temporary, and God will never change His mind about Israel’s gifts and calling.

“I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew” (Rom. 11:1-2b).

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. 11:25).

“For the gifts (land, etc.) and calling of God are without repentance [they cannot be changed, taken back or revoked]” (Rom. 11:29).

6) God clearly says the Jews will be my people after the nation is re-established.

In the Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones which is widely recognized as a prophecy about the restoration of Israel at the end-of-the-age, God said, “Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD” (Ezek. 37:11-14).

7) God clearly says the Jews will be my people in the latter days and latter years.

“After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them” (Ezek. 38:8).

“And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes” (Ezek. 38:16).

8) God clearly says some of the Jews will be servants of our God during the Tribulation Period.

“Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand” (Rev. 7:3-8).

9) God clearly said the Jews are enemies of the Gospel for the sake of the Church, but He also clearly said all Israel will be saved because He will remove their ungodliness and remove their sins in response to the covenant with the Jews and His love for them as descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This will happen at the Second Coming of Jesus (Zech. 11, 12, 13).

“And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes” (Rom. 11:26-28).

10) God clearly said the Jews will be my people when the Battle of Armageddon takes place at the Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation Period.

“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land” (Joel 3:2).

In conclusion, from the above Scriptures and many more like them, we therefore understand that God is not through with Israel, and the teaching that the Church has permanently replaced Israel as God’s people is a false doctrine. The New Covenant has as much to do with Israel (Jer. 31:31-37; Heb. 8:8) as it does the Church (Matt. 26:28).

False Security on the Broad Road

The writer has met many people who profess to be Christians, but whose daily lives differ in nothing from thousands of non-professors all around them. They are rarely, if ever, found at the prayer-meeting, they have no Family Worship, they seldom read the Scriptures, they will not talk with you about the things of God, their walk is thoroughly worldly; and yet they are quite sure they are bound for heaven!

Inquire into the ground of their confidence, and they will tell you that so many years ago they accepted Christ as their Savior, and “once saved always saved” is now their comfort. There are thousands of such people on earth today, who are nevertheless, on the Broad Road, that leadeth to destruction, treading it with a false peace in their hearts and a vain profession on their lips.

A.W. Pink

(HT: AM)

Transformation

By Mike Ratliff

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)

Despite the fact that the unregenerate refuse to accept what I am about to say as being true, it does not change the fact that it is the truth. The true Christian walk is one of faith that results in faithfulness while the counterfeit or false Christian walk is one of works righteousness that results in a pragmatic form of religious works meant to counter failures of the flesh. The true Christian will be on a path of continual, progressive transformation unto Christlikeness that will result in God using him or her in doing His good works (Ephesians 2:10). On the other hand, the false Christian, not being regenerate, may still be fooled by their religiosity into believing that he or she is on that narrow path. They may even zealously do good works and call that a transformed life, but it is still nothing more than works righteousness. The enemy of men’s souls has produced a counterfeit version of Christian Transformation, but it is totally different and only produces temporal fruit while genuine Christian Transformation produces fruit that is eternal. 

Carefully read the passage I placed at the top of this post. Here is that passage in Greek:

καὶ μὴ συσχηματίζεσθε τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ μεταμορφοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοός ὑμῶν, εἰς τὸ δοκιμάζειν ὑμᾶς τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον.(Romans 12:2 GNT)

Notice that it is impossible for a Christian to be both conformed to this world and to be in the process of being transformed by the renewal of his or her mind at the same time. The Greek word translated here as “conformed” is συσχηματίζεσθε, which means to “be fashioned together.” However, Paul preceded it in this passage with the word μὴ, which mean “not,” therefore, we are being told to not be fashioned or conformed to this world or αἰῶνι, which could also be translated as “age,” and I think that is good way to understand what Paul is talking about here. If a person is fashioned together with this present age then he or she is not of God. He or she is not regenerate. If professing Christians are more in love with this present age than they are with denying themselves, taking up their crosses and following Christ because of what He has done for them on the Cross then they have not been truly saved. The real Christian is regenerate and will love Christ. Yes, the flesh remains and the tug of this world, this present age, will still be there, but there will be a difference for him or her. There will be a power to deny self and turn from evil to present self to God as a living sacrifice. That battle will always be there, but the power to repent will be with the regenerate. The battle to mortify our sins is part of our sanctification.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1 ESV)

These living sacrifices present themselves to Christ and the process of mind renewal (v2). What is this? This is the actual process whereby the Holy Spirit changes our thinking through consistent study and meditation on Scripture (Psalm 119:11; cf. Philippians 4:8; Colossians 1:29; 3:10, 16). This is the mind that has become so saturated with the Word of God that the Mind of Christ has become sharp and full and in control. We see this in disciples that go through serious revivals where they go from self-centered religious people to Jesus-centered, humble, slaves of the most high after some considerable time in prayer and time in the Word of God. I am one of those.  It is a work of God, not anything I have done.

This is what all Christians are called to become. It is sad that so few actually make it this far. Usually those that do are the ones God uses to be the watchmen and guides to those who are on the way to becoming living sacrifices living truly transformed lives. Tragically, our enemy has muddied the waters by taking this concept and counterfeiting it with a works righteousness based system that includes Transformative Learning, the Hegelian Dialectic processes, Spiritual Formation, Contemplative Prayer, and other forms of mysticism that are not in any way Christian. This is tragic and we are seeing entire denominations going head over heels after this sort of thing.

I am so tired of hearing Rick Warren talking about the thousands of “transformed lives” that have resulted from his ministry. The Purpose Driven paradigm is nothing but religious pragmatism and the transformation he is talking about is the result of these man-made processes of works righteousness not what we just looked at above. We know this because he boasts of how they are moved through his system as part of “his plan,” they are put to work, and this is the reason they are transformed. I do not see that anywhere in Sacred Scripture. What I see is God transforming people who humbly submit themselves to Him as living sacrifices and He develops the mind of Christ in them and uses them in the Kingdom. Also, they never boast of what “they have done,” but give God all the glory.

What is a truly transformed life in Christ? It is not one that is produced via a man devised program. It is one that is the fruit of becoming a living sacrifice in which God develops the mind of Christ via his plan of mind renewal. I know that any Christian maturity that I possess is the work of God, by His grace, according to His will. I am only a δοῦλος of the Κύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστόν. Remember no one on their own path or the path of the enemy is on the path of true Biblical Transformation.

Soli Deo Gloria!

(HT: Possessing the Treasure)

Are You the 25%?

By Justin Edwards

Think about this - according to God, only 25% of those who hear the Gospel message are truly saved and justified by the blood of Jesus Christ. Some will reject the message upon hearing; others will hear and believe, even with joy and gladness, but only endure for a little while for they will fall away as they are faced with temptations, trials, and tribulations; and yet others will receive the message, only to allow the cares, riches, and pleasures of this world to choke them out as they become unfruitful. None of these first 3 types of hearers of the Gospel actually commit themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, thus resulting in a false conversion or blatant apostasy. It is only the seed sown on the fertile soil that went on to bear fruit because the hearer understood and received the Word with a noble heart. This fourth soil is the only hearer that is born again - and you must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:3)

If you are a professing Christian, have you taken the time to examine yourself to see if you have truly committed your life to Christ? (2 Corinthians 13:5) Not everyone who professes the name of Jesus is actually saved. Many will be told to depart from Jesus on the day of judgment, and although they thought their works were good enough, Jesus will tell them He never knew them (Matthew 7:21-23). So it's not so much that you know Jesus, it's whether He knows you that is important (1 Corinthians 8:3; John 10:27-29) . The road that leads to destruction is broad and many will find this death. The road to eternal life is narrow and only few will find this Life (Matthew 7:13-14). Make sure you are on the narrow road. If you do not know how or what that means, please ask me.

Watch Greg Laurie as he explains the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, then read the words of Jesus below for further examination. I challenge you to make your calling and election sure (1 Peter 1:10), for it would be a terrible day indeed if you find out your belief was in vain, and the consequences are an eternity in hell separated from the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

The Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:3-9 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Parable of the Sower Explained

Luke 8:11-15 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

In Matthew 13:18-23 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

And in Mark 4:13-20 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
 

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Romans 13:11-14