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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2016

WARNING: for the next few messages we will be discussing the coming elections from a BIBLICAL, Christian, and practical perspective.

Those who are easily offended, and cannot stand when someone else offers a point of view different from their own SHOULD SKIP THESE MESSAGES.

Read them at your own risk.

THE PERFECT CANDIDATE

With the November 8 general election looming in the horizon, all Americans of voting age should be SERIOUSLY considering their choices.

We have two major political parties in the U.S. and, as far as the office of President is concerned, we are usually given two main choices: the Democratic nominee and the Republican nominee.

In the interest of transparency, I am neither Democrat nor Republican, but registered as having “NO PARTY AFFILIATION”.

I HAVE VOTED for Democrats in the past, several times. In recent elections, however, I have voted Republican for the simple reason that the Democratic Party has gone TOO FAR TO THE LEFT for my taste.

And in the previous general election (2012) FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY ADULT LIFE I abstained from voting because I COULD NOT support either President Obama or Mitt Romney without VIOLATING MY CONSCIENCE.

I have made my choice for the November 8, 2016 general election based on each candidate’s agenda, including their attitude toward Israel and toward Christians.

You don’t have to agree with anything that I say, and you retain the right to vote for the candidate OF YOUR CHOICE, WHOEVER “HE” OR “SHE” MAY BE.

My candidate of choice happens to be Mr. Trump.

Mr. Trump is far from perfect, but then again, so am I.

I’ve never been a fan of Mr. Trump, but now that he has entered the political arena, he has in my humble opinion, THE WINNING MESSAGE, the message that America (should Jesus tarry) and THE WORLD desperately needs.

When you take away the New York street talk, the bluster and the bravado, the oversized ego of a multi-billionaire used to getting his way, used to saying and doing pretty much what he wants…

We are left WITH IDEAS.

And IDEAS have CONSEQUENCES.

Mr. Trump’s ideas of:

1. Bringing jobs back from overseas.

2. Defeating Isis.

3. Strengthening our military.

4. Curbing ILLEGAL immigration.

5. Imposing a TEMPORARY BAN on Muslim immigration UNTIL we have a system in place where we KNOW, WITH GREAT CERTAINTY, who the immigrants REALLY are, and what their TRUE PURPOSE IS.

6. Appointing CONSERVATIVE justices to the Supreme Court, who will UPHOLD the Constitution instead of “interpreting it”.

7. Offering STRONG SUPPORT to Israel, our greatest ally in the Middle East, and the Chosen People of God.

8. Supporting evangelical Christians and the Christian faith.

9. Being anti-abortion and, therefore, PRO-LIFE.

10. Putting AMERICA FIRST, and making America great again.

REALLY DOES IT FOR ME.

Should Jesus tarry, (underscore THAT) Trump’s agenda would put our country, once again, ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

Mr. Trump is a PROVEN leader with a PROVEN track record of getting things done.

His opponent, on the other hand, has been in politics for 30 years, and has ZERO accomplishments.

Her tenure as Secretary of State was one of the worst, if not THE absolute worst disaster, in American foreign policy.

I also like that Mr. Trump is a straight shooter: Perhaps TOO straight.

But I’ll take someone who TELLS IT LIKE IT IS, however bluntly and politically incorrect, over a lying hypocrite ANY DAY.

And that goes for religion as well as politics.

Another thing in his favor, for which I feel Mr. Trump DOES NOT GET THE CREDIT HE DESERVES is that he has USED HIS OWN MONEY AND RESOURCES TO FINANCE HIS CAMPAIGN:

UNLIKE OTHER CANDIDATES WHO ARE BEHOLDEN TO SPECIAL INTERESTS that DONATED TO THEIR CAMPAIGNS – this makes President Trump FREE TO DO what REALLY IS BEST for our declining nation.

We will discuss Hillary, Lord willing, in the NEXT message.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

UNCONFESSED SIN

Religion has INVENTED the lie that UNCONFESSED sins remain unforgiven.

There isn’t ONE Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation that teaches such nonsense.

God's word teaches we should confess our sins to God, and to one another (Psalms 32:5; Daniel 9:20; James 5:16).

Such confession RELEASES OUR INDIVIDUAL CONSCIENCE from sin but it is NOT a “condition” for forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 says "if we confess (ADMIT) our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to CLEANSE US from ALL unrighteousness".

Does that verse say we have to confess EVERY SINGLE SIN?

Does it say we have to come before God with an ITEMIZED LIST of every sin we've ever committed?

Does it say that UNCONFESSED SINS are NOT forgiven?

Only LEGALISTS ON THE LUNATIC FRINGE believe that.

Yet, believe it or not, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT CERTAIN heretical sects teach.

Consequently, some Christians LIVE IN FEAR that they may have some "unconfessed sin" hidden somewhere, that's hindering their success, or their spiritual walk, or worse, that may keep them from heaven.

Such doctrine is A TOTAL PERVERSION OF 1 John 1:9 (quoted above).

1 John 1:9 SAYS NO SUCH THING.

Let’s look at THE CONTEXT:

“IF WE SAY THAT WE HAVE NO SIN, we deceive ourselves, and THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US.

If we confess (admit) our sins, he is faithful and just TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (1 John 1:8-9).

This passage is clearly referring to individuals who CLAIM they have NO SIN.

The Greek word translated “confess” in verse 9 (omologōmen, a derivative of homologeo) means TO ADMIT or TO ACKNOWLEDGE.

John merely says that those who claim to “have no sin” are self-deceived liars, who CONTRADICT JESUS.

If, on the other hand, THEY ADMIT or ACKNOWLEDGE that they have sinned, repent and receive Christ into their hearts, Jesus is faithful and just to forgive them and cleanse them FROM ALL SIN, FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.

Nowhere does it say that confession of EACH AND EVERY SIN is NECESSARY to obtain forgiveness.

John was talking about holier-than-thou LEGALISTIC “Christians” who SAID that they never sinned.

Who CLAIMED to ALWAYS “follow the law”.

In case you’re wondering who, in their right mind, would make such claim, there are MILLIONS today who claim to “keep” God’s Law and BOAST of “not being like those SINFUL evangelicals who TRUST Jesus completely and DON’T LIVE UNDER the law”.

I encounter them EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY LIFE.

Jesus Himself had at least ONE such encounter with the rich young ruler, who told God, to His Face, that he’d “kept ALL the commandments since childhood”.

Jesus, of course, KNEW that the young ruler WAS LYING (John 7:19)

Jesus (God) answered him (paraphrasing):  “Baloney!  NO ONE IS GOOD, EXCEPT GOD ALONE” (Mark 10:18).

Do you think THE THIEF who hung on the cross next to Jesus HAD TIME TO ITEMIZE EVERY SIN he'd ever committed?

Of course not!

Yet Jesus ASSURED HIM, he'd be with Him in Paradise (Luke 23:43).

Do you think if some born-again Christian dies, and "missed" confessing a certain sin, that sin won't be forgiven?

That's ridiculous and absurd!

That sin was forgiven BEFORE it was even committed.

That sin was forgiven THE MOMENT he/she gave his or her heart to Jesus.

I'm sure I've committed sins that I've completely forgotten about, or that I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE I WAS COMMITTING.

The same can be said for everyone else.

Therefore, if forgiveness and Salvation depended on us NAMING EVERY SINGLE SIN EVER COMMITTED – NO ONE – and I mean, NO ONE would be saved.

Jesus would have (perish the very thought) DIED IN VAIN.

That verse DOESN'T SAY we are to CONFESS EVERY SIN.

That verse DOESN'T SAY we need to come before God with an ITEMIZED LIST of every sin we've ever committed.

That verse DOESN'T SAY we need to confess every single sin we've committed AFTER RECEIVING Christ.

It just says that we need to ADMIT or ACKNOWLEDGE that we have sinned.

All God wants from us is to ACKNOWLEDGE we have sinned and RECEIVE HIS FORGIVENESS.

We should all humble ourselves before God regularly, acknowledge our TOTAL DEPENDENCE on Him, confess that by His Blood we're redeemed from ALL sins, and THANK HIM FOR IT.

Confessing sins is NOT done for His sake, but for our sakes.

My sisters, my brothers… God DOESN'T WANT YOU TO LIVE IN FEAR (2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18).

Jesus doesn’t want us to live in guilt.

Jesus doesn’t want us to be sin conscious, but rather CONSCIOUS of His Righteousness IN US (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 10:2)

God wants you to have His Peace.

He wants you to REST IN HIM, and TRUST HIM -- COMPLETELY (Matthew 11:28; John 14:27).

He wants us SECURE in His Salvation. (Romans 8:1; 31-39; 1 John 3:14)

God KNOWS you've sinned. He knows HOW MUCH, HOW OFTEN, AND EVERY DETAIL INVOLVED.

Jesus loves you UNCONDITIONALLY.

He's already PAID FOR ALL your sins, for ALL ETERNITY.

He's already FORGIVEN YOU.

He's ERASED every sin from your record, and even from His memory (Hebrews 8:12). 

He expects you to receive His forgiveness, and forget about them, too.

Only man-invented religion insists on “KEEPING SCORE” of sins, which God NO LONGER COUNTS against us (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Jesus has removed ALL sin for ALL time, as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12; Hebrews 9:26; 1 John 3:5).

If God is FOR US, WHO (or what) can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

WHO shall lay ANYTHING to the charge of God’s elect? (Romans 8:33)

God doesn't want you to be sin conscious.

He wants you to be Jesus conscious.  

 

MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2016

 PROPHECY GYMNASTS

In recent days we've talked about Prophecy Dinosaurs and Prophecy Mutants. But there's a third breed of self-proclaimed "expert" on mutilated prophecy:

The Prophecy Gymnast!

The gymnasts are those WHOSE PERSONAL PREFERENCE TRUMPS ALL ELSE, including God.

They will "bend over backwards" to make Scripture “fit” their belief, EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO PERFORM 50 DIFFERENT MANEUVERS TO "GET THERE".

Gymnasts are the ones who add this, subtract that, divide by the 153 fish the disciples caught in John chapter 21, and then multiply by the 120 disciples in the Upper Room to "arrive" at their PREDETERMINED conclusion.

They're the ones who toss both Scripture AND HUMAN LOGIC out the window.

They're the ones who MIX ASTROLOGY AND PSEUDO SCIENCE with the Bible.

In recent years they've regaled us with such prophetic "gems" as the zodiac sign Virgo being the woman in Revelation 12, the myth of NONEXISTENT "Planet X" (a/k/a Nibiru), the alleged "apocalyptic horse" on Tahir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, the UFO over the so-called Temple Mount - all of which are PROVEN hoaxes - and mysterious "trumpet sounds", humming and bird chirping to which ONLY A FEW "CHOSEN ONES" ARE PRIVY.

They’re the ones who claim some “secret society” like the Illuminati, Opus Dei, Bohemian Grove, the Freemasons, Rockefellers or Bilderbergers is plotting to “take over the world”. They’ve been claiming for years that the U.S. is about to declare Martial Law and send nonconformists to “FEMA camps”.

They are STILL regaling us with the “mysterious wonders” and “apocalyptic forebodings” of comet Elenin, WHICH DISINTEGRATED FIVE YEARS AGO, in October 2011.

But EVEN THAT doesn't stop the PG's from keeping it "alive".

Don't you know that NASA is involved in a huge conspiracy to keep us in the dark about Elenin, and keep its existence and trajectory hidden from us?

Of course, stupid gymnasts never even consider that NASA ISN'T the only space observatory in the world. There are many others right here in the U.S. (including Texas & California) and in many other countries including Russia, China, Denmark, Chile and Argentina.

Apparently, then, the WHOLE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY ACROSS THE GLOBE is involved in this "conspiracy" to keep A DEAD COMET, which gymnasts claim IS STILL ALIVE, hidden from us.

Too bad THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME CONVICTION ABOUT the Resurrection of Jesus!

What exactly, a nonexistent comet may have to do with the end times is a mystery that the Gymnasts themselves CANNOT explain. Nor for what reason anyone would conspire to keep its existence a secret.

REAL Bible prophecy flows smoothly, dovetails effortlessly, and is self-evident.

When we resort to all these capricious formulas, we can "make" the Bible "say" ANYTHING WE WANT.

Those who perform these loony calculations are NOT seeking Truth, nor honoring God.

Gymnasts are delusional.

They are DISHONEST, SELF-SERVING MORONS who WILL GO TO ANY LENGTHS to "make" a case for what THEY'VE ALREADY CHOSEN TO BELIEVE, and FOR THE LIE they HAVE DELIBERATELY CHOSEN to SPREAD.

My advice to all Prophecy Gymnasts is:

Read, and RE-READ Jesus' warning in Revelation 22:18-19 about the SEVERE AND ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES of adding to His Word of Prophecy.

Bible prophecy ISN'T a game.

It's dead-serious Truth.

It's HISTORY (His Story) written IN ADVANCE.

Revelation 21:8 says that ALL LIARS (who contradict God's Truth) WILL HAVE THEIR PART IN THE LAKE OF FIRE.

Those who DISHONOR God's Word, WILL BE DISHONORED by God.

Gymnasts need to repent and seek God's will, INSTEAD OF THEIR OWN.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2016

PROPHECY MUTANTS

The modern counterpart to Prophecy Dinosaurs, are the equally misguided Prophecy Mutants.

The Mutants used to be Dinosaurs, and sold the same lies as Dinosaurs 20, 30 or 40 years ago, but as the world has changed, so have they. They’ve mutated.

The Mutants represent the "newer wave" of self-appointed teachers who - FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY - push FABRICATED conspiracy theories, Islamic antichrists, Islamic world rule, "blood moons", "harbingers", Turkish caliphates, and symbols in Arabic that, supposedly, somehow became part of the Holy Spirit INSPIRED Book of Revelation.

They've named everyone and their mother "Antichrist", except THE REAL guy who's been foretold in Scripture for 2,500 years. (Daniel 7:6; Revelation 13:2)

Mutants base their eschatology on a Godless MIXTURE OF CNN, SUPERMARKET TABLOIDS and YouTube nonsense, NOT on the Bible.

According to their dubious and ludicrous "scholarship", the Holy Spirit inspired John to write Revelation in Greek, then, ALL OF A SUDDEN, when He got to Revelation 13:18, He decided to insert three symbols in Arabic.

Never mind that Revelation was written in the first century A.D., when the Arabic language DID NOT EXIST - and that it would not come into existence until the 6th century A.D.

Likewise, Mutants claim that Isaiah 9:11 predicted the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon and Twin Towers.

Never mind that the ORIGINAL Bible text DID NOT CONTAIN ANY chapter numbers or verse numbers.

Never mind that those were ONLY added in the 15th century A.D. AT THE SOLE discretion of translators, and NOT by the Holy Spirit.

The sad part is that SO MANY Christians are SO TOTALLY IGNORANT and ill-informed about the Bible, that they ACTUALLY FALL FOR these moronic, thoroughly DISHONEST and unscrupulous gimmicks.

They then MINDLESSLY parrot the wrong teaching and, worse, DEFEND IT.

There are NO CONSPIRACY THEORIES in the Bible.

You can search from Genesis to Revelation until your gullible, pea-size brain explodes, you won't find such idiocy.

Just like there are NO Islamic Antichrists in the Bible.

There is NO Islamic world rule, no "harbingers" about 9/11, and NO Turkish caliphates in Scripture.

And NONE of the Bible was written in Arabic - not even ONE jot or tittle.

We can believe God or we can believe Prophecy Mutants.

We CANNOT believe BOTH.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29. 2016

PROPHECY DINOSAURS

Ever heard of a prophecy dinosaur?

It's a self-appointed prophecy teacher caught in an obsolete eschatological time warp, from which he seems unable to break free.

It's someone who BLINDLY BELIEVES EVERYTHING that someone else taught OVER A CENTURY AGO, as though it were inerrant.

It's someone who elevates John Nelson Darby and C.I. Scofield to the status of demigods, and considers their teachings on Bible prophecy sacrosanct.

I APPRECIATE Darby and Scofield for bringing to light the Truth of the pre-trib Rapture.

Even though they did a lousy job of supporting it with Scripture, I'm VERY THANKFUL to God, and GRATEFUL to them, for reintroducing that Truth to the Church at large.

Their contribution got the Church out of the eschatological Dark Ages -- both literally and figuratively -- and they deserve MUCH CREDIT FOR IT.

The fact they were right about ONE THING, however, does not mean that they were right ABOUT EVERYTHING.

In fact, they COULDN'T HAVE BEEN.

There's NO WAY that someone who taught Bible prophecy A CENTURY AGO could be right about everything because Jesus Himself SEALED ESCHATOLOGY 2,500 years ago. (Daniel 12:4, 9)

And ONLY Jesus (praise His Name eternally!) can UNSEAL IT.

Jesus even said WHEN He would UNSEAL end-time prophecy:

NOT in the 19th century, NOT in the 20th century, but AT THE VERY "TIME OF THE END" (Daniel 12:4, 9).

We must assume, from both God’s written Word and the multiple fulfillments of Bible prophecy taking place SIMULTANEOUSLY IN OUR TIME, that this 21^st century IS “the time of the end” of which God spoke through His prophets in antiquity.

And yet this great BIBLICAL truth seems to escape the Prophecy Dinos COMPLETELY.

It's AS IF THEY'D NEVER READ Daniel chapter 12.

I'm sure that Darby's and Scofield's minds and motives were "in the right place".

I'm sure that they DID NOT INTENTIONALLY teach error.

But one thing I've learned THE HARD WAY is that NO MATTER HOW MUCH we study the Bible, or HOW MUCH we THINK we know...

Until Jesus, by His Holy Spirit, REVEALS a matter, we're toiling IN VAIN.

We ALL see through a glass, darkly… UNTIL WE SEE Jesus, FACE TO FACE.

Revelation about His Word of Prophecy comes - like EVERYTHING ELSE God does - by Grace through Faith...

And that NOT OF OURSELVES: it is His GIFT, to us personally and to His Body COLLECTIVELY.

Glory to Jesus from everlasting to everlasting!

Prophecy dinosaurs still got their followers expecting a 7-year tribulation.

They still cling to the unbiblical "7-year peace treaty" as though their lives depended on it.

They still push a mysterious Roman Antichrist, living incognito in some remote, unknown location, until he chooses to introduce himself to the world.

And they still insist that NO SIGNS precede the Rapture. That it will happen, one of these days, "out of the blue", whenever God capriciously decides to zap us out of here.

Never mind that NONE of these doctrines are found in the Bible.

They also take the seals and trumpets in Revelation OUT OF GOD'S ESTABLISHED ORDER in a futile attempt to make their favored theories fit into the panoramic end-time.

Thank God that most PD's, by God's grace, ARE saved.

But I can't help wonder HOW THEY'LL FEEL when they appear before Jesus and suddenly realize that nearly EVERYTHING they SOLD to God's dumb sheep WAS A LIE.

Jesus' words in Matthew 16:2-3 come to mind:

"He answered and said to them: When it is evening, you say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

And in the morning: It will be bad weather today: for the sky is red and overcast. You hypocrites! YOU CAN DISCERN THE APPEARANCE OF THE SKY; BUT CANNOT DISCERN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES?"

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2016

THE 7-SEAL SCROLL

In the Book of Revelation, God the Father is seated on His Throne, holding a scroll in His Right Hand, which is sealed with seven seals.

In the “myths” page, I discuss the first four seals (the four horses), but several people have written asking what the scroll itself represents.

The scroll, which NO ONE IN HEAVEN, ON EARTH, OR UNDER THE EARTH was allowed to open... or even LOOK at – is the Book of Daniel. 

Daniel is THE ONLY BOOK in the Bible that was “sealed”. (Daniel 12:4, 9)

It was sealed UNTIL “the time of the end” (Daniel 12:4).

It contains, roughly, the last 3,000 years of Church history, with particular emphasis on the “time of the end”, the Revelation of the Antichrist, and the Second Coming of our Lord, to establish His eternal Reign of Righteousness.

Jesus Himself SEALED the Book of Daniel in the 6^th century B.C. Hence, ONLY Jesus Himself can open it.

After all, when He opens NO ONE can close, and when He closes NO ONE can open (Revelation 3:7).

Therefore, ONLY the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, our Lord Jesus Christ, is worthy and able to open (unseal) Daniel’s scroll (Revelation 5:5).

Jesus Himself lifts the seals, one by one, to inform His Church as to what will happen in these last days. (Revelation chapters 6, 7 and 8:1)

In Revelation chapter 10:2, the same Book of Daniel appears, only this time it’s open (compare with (Daniel 12:6, 7).

That is THE REASON that so much of Revelation contains the same symbols, and discusses the same characters and events as the Book of Daniel.

Revelation is primarily the UNSEALING of Daniel.

Therefore, the parallels between Daniel and John are startling:

Both were prophets.

Both saw Jesus.

Both got special revelation from him concerning the “time of the end”.

Both served God from their youth.

Both went into exile. (Daniel to Babylon, John to Patmos)

Both lived under oppressive regimes (Babylon & Rome)

Both were totally dedicated to Jesus.

Both wrote about, essentially, the same things.

Both gave prophetic time lines, and orderly chronologies of end time events.

Both identified the Antichrist.

Both were supernaturally delivered from death (Daniel from the lion’s den and John from frying in a pot of boiling oil).

Both were GREATLY BELOVED (Daniel 9:23; 10:11, 19; John 13:23; 20:2; 21:7, 20).

Every Christian should study their Books, and meditate their content, with an open heart and mind, especially in these last days.

The fact the Book of Daniel is no longer “sealed”, but is now open, is proof positive that we’re living in “the time of the end”.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016

THE CALLING

One of the myriad problems facing the modern Church is LACK OF CALLING.

People get into so-called ministry FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS:

Too many "ministers" view the ministry as A CAREER, a way to MAKE A LIVING.

They got into it because they saw that guy on TV who got rich SUPPOSEDLY "preaching the gospel".

Or they do it because they seek approval and admiration. They want to feel "important" and have others "look up to them".

They become a pastor o evangelist because their father, grandfather and great-grandfather were "ministers", NOT because Jesus CALLED them.

As if God's gifts and callings could be passed down through human DNA.

The son of a famous faith healer, claimed for years that he had been "called by God" into the "healing ministry".

FALSE!

HIS EARTHLY FATHER called him because his mantra was that "there's no success without a successor".

He even THREATENED HIS OWN SON – on his wedding day no less – saying that "God had shown him" that the son would die in a plane crash if he refused to follow in his own, crooked footsteps.

That’s NOT God calling anyone, that’s MANIPULATION, which is NOT of God.

Then, after daddy called him – the son CALLED HIMSELF.

God had NOTHING to do with it.

God never called him, and I have serious doubts that God ever called his father.

After being caught in improper financial deals, his ministry has all but disintegrated and the university bearing his father's name is now being managed by a board of trustees.

By the father's VERY OWN YARDSTICK, both he and his son are MINISTERIAL FAILURES.

I can tell you from personal experience that when God REALLY CALLS SOMEONE into ANY kind of ministry:

A) We KNOW IT beyond ANY doubt.

If there’s the slightest doubt, God DIDN’T call you.

B) That "calling" becomes THE ALL-CONSUMING PASSION in our lives.

C. That passion gives us THE DRIVE to carry out His calling.

We DON'T EVEN HAVE TO TRY. It just happens.

We serve Jesus and others BECAUSE WE CAN'T HELP OURSELVES, with NO ULTERIOR or MATERIAL motive.

That bears repeating: