Purpose of the 2nd Advent - 5

Re-establish David’s  Throne and His Kingdom 

Jeremiah 30:7

Alas! For that day is great,
 So that none is like it;
 And it is the time of Jacob's trouble,
 But he shall be saved out of it.

Ezekiel 37:20-26

And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.

   “Then say to them, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

   “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore

Luke 1:31-33

And behold, you will conceive in your womb a
 the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Acts 15:13-16

And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:

  ‘After this I will return

 And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;
 I will rebuild its ruins,
 And I will set it up;

[Message No: 5931]

Last Day (31-12-2017) – In front of Iron Gate?

"Peter was kept in prison: but prayer (instant and earnest prayer) was made for him" (Acts 12:5, margin).

Peter was in prison awaiting his execution. The Church had neither human power nor influence to save him. There was no earthly help, but there was help to be obtained by the way of Heaven. They gave themselves to fervent, importunate prayer. God sent His angel, who aroused Peter from sleep and led him out through the first and second wards of the prison; and when they came to the iron gate, it opened to them of its own accord, and Peter was free.

There may be some iron gate in your life that has blocked your way. Like a caged bird you have often beaten against the bars, but instead of helping, you have only had to fall back tired, exhausted and sore at heart. There is a secret for you to learn, and that is believing prayer; and when you come to the iron gate, it will open of its own accord.

Putting Off Procrastination

Acts 24:24-27

Some people like to say they are “born procrastinators.” But according to Scripture, that is not acceptable for believers. Procrastination is a form of bondage in a person’s life, and God, who desires the best for us, didn’t design us to be enslaved.

Procrastination is no laughing matter. Are you given to delay? Identify any problem areas in your life—as well as the feelings that accompany them. Then confess your procrastination to the heavenly Father, and rely on His strength to face what needs to be done.

Acts 9:4-5

“He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. —

When Paul teaches that the Church is the Body of Christ, he isn't being theoretical. The Church is Jesus' presence, his Body in this world. What is done to the Church as a collective group of people is done to Jesus.

What is done to individual Christians is done to their Savior. Jesus is present in the world through us! The saying is true: the only Jesus many will see today is the Jesus they see through you and me.

John 1:11

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. —

Jesus came to his own things — the world he had created and the land he had promised his people — and his very own people didn't receive him.

Sometimes we are blinded by our desires and dreams for Jesus and we really miss what he wants for us and from us. Let's not let the following be true in our lives. "Jesus came to me, but I wasn't ready to receive him.

I had other things I wanted to do and other things I wanted to experience before I fully surrendered my heart to him." Each time we put off surrendering our will to Jesus, each time we push him away as Lord, we allow our hearts to harden and it becomes easier and easier to push him away.
Now, while our hearts are still attentive to his grace, let's renew our commitment to him afresh and completely offer him hearts and lives for his glory and grace.

A Passion to Know Christ

Philippians 3:3-11

Victorious living:

“being conformed to His death.” Christians who know Jesus well count themselves dead to the sins that once dominated their lives.

Is your life characterized by a deep, abiding passion for Christ, or is your relationship with Him shallow and mechanical? Believers must not let worldly pleasures, opportunities, and responsibilities rob them of the treasure of knowing Jesus. It’s time to count all that as loss and pursue Christ.

Come to Me

[Jesus said,] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28

At the end of the year, it sure is nice to be invited to rest in Jesus. So before we begin a new year, let’s pause and place our hopes, our future, our dreams, and especially our burdens down at his feet and let him give us rest.

Prayer

Teach me, O God, to learn to rest in your grace and providence more and worry less. I want to surrender my burdens to Jesus and let him teach me his way and how to find his rest. Sometimes I am so tired and weary I don’t think I can continue, so please, dear Father, let me find rest in Jesus. In his holy name I offer this prayer. Amen.

Purpose of the 2nd Advent – 9

Make resurrected saints eternal rulers of earth

Matthew 19:28

So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

1 Corinthians 6:1-3

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?

Revelation 2:26

And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

Revelation 5:10

And have made us kings and priests to our God;
 And we shall reign on the earth.”

Revelation 20:4-9

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

      Satanic Rebellion Crushed

     Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

Read Daniel 7:18-27

[Message No: 5935]

A Guide to Reading the Bible in a year

January 2018

Day    Bible Portion

1    Gen. 1-2

2    Gen 3-5

3    Gen 6-9

4    Gen 10-11

5    Gen 12-15

6    Gen 16-19

7    Gen 20-22

8    Gen 23-26

9    Gen 27-29

10    Gen 30-32

11    Gen 33-36

12    Gen 37-39

13    Gen 40-42

14    Gen 43-46

15    Gen 47-50

16    Exd. 1-4

17    Exd. 5-7

18    Exd. 8-10

19    Exd. 11-13

20    Exd. 14-17

21    Exd. 18-20

22    Exd. 21-24

23    Exd. 25-27

24    Exd. 28-31

25    Exd. 32-34

26    Exd. 35-37

27    Exd. 38-40

28    Lev. 1-4

29    Lev. 5-7

30    Lev. 8-10

31    Lev. 11-13

[Message No: 5951]

The Chief of Sinners Saved

 Matthew 12:31 

“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

Romans 10:9-10

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 John 1-2

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

3 John 1:5

Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers

Hosea 8:14

“Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire upon their cities that will consume their fortresses.”

In prosperity, God's people left the LORD and followed their own gods and practiced their own morality. Except neither was "their own." The northern tribes of Israel simply became like the pagan people around them — practicing the same detestable immoral lifestyles, forgetting the poor and the alien, cheating the widows and the powerless. God wanted them to know that he knew what they were doing.

The Almighty wanted them to realize that he would act and bring justice. The Sovereign LORD wanted the northern tribes of Israel to realize that they have sown their own destruction, and even though they cannot even fathom its possibility, God made sure it was coming because of their hardness of heart and their refusal to live with character. Their destruction is a great reminder to us that our name of Christian, our claim to be God's chosen people and his holy priesthood (1 Peter 2),! Doesn’t matter unless our lives portray his character, our heart displays his compassion, and hands do his will.

[Message No: 5937]

The Power of Antichrist

Daniel 8:24

His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
 He shall destroy fearfully,
 And shall prosper and thrive;
 He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.


Revelation 19:20

Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Read Revelation 13:1-18

2 Chronicles 7:14

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

While this is a passage often emphasized when talking about the problems with nations and governments, let's remember that the truest application of this must find its home in us and in our churches. We can begin revival in our land if we will commit to daily prayer, weekly fasting, and hearts yearning for God to enter our world and transform it.

Prayer

. O LORD, God of heaven and earth, Ruler of all creation, I praise you. I praise you for your power and glory. I praise you for your wisdom and creativity. I praise you for your mercy and righteousness. I praise you, because you alone are worthy of my praise. O LORD, you alone can bring me full salvation. Please, shine your face upon me. Please, make your presence known in my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Quotes 

. It is great wisdom not to be rash in our sayings nor to maintain too obstinately our own opinions. - Thomas a Kempis

. How many Christians look upon it as a burden and a duty and a difficulty to get alone with God!  That is the great hindrance to our Christian life everywhere. - Andrew Murray

. Grace–getting what you don’t deserve.

Mercy–not getting what you deserve. – Unknown

[Message No: 5936]

Divine Riches

Riches of Mercy – Ephesians 2:4

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

Riches of Grace – Ephesians 1:7

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Riches of Goodness – Romans 2:4

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Riches of Glory – Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Riches of God – Romans 11:33

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

1 Corinthians 9:15

“[In talking about others having the right to be supported in their ministry, the apostle Paul says,] But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.”

Paul was careful not to take support from the Corinthians even though it was his right as a minister of the Gospel. Instead, he knew their problems with generosity and showed them a great example in living for Jesus without obvious and instant reward. Oftentimes we must show our values before others will share them. Paul was a master at reading the needs around him and living in a way that was an example. Let's make a commitment to do the same!

Evangelism 

"A minister, who prays not, who is not in love with prayer, is not a minister of the Church of God. He is a dry tree, which occupies in vain a place in Christ's garden. He is an enemy, and not a father, of the people. He is a stranger, who has taken the place of the shepherd, and to whom the salvation of the flock is an indifferent thing." – Thomas Coke

[Message No: 5926]

Purpose of the 2nd Advent – 8

Reign over all nations

 

Daniel  2:44-45

And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.” 

Daniel 7:13-14

I was watching in the night visions,

 And behold, One like the Son of Man,

 Coming with the clouds of heaven!

 He came to the Ancient of Days,

 And they brought Him near before Him.

  Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

 That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

 His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

 Which shall not pass away,

 And His kingdom the one

 Which shall not be destroyed.

Revelation 11:15

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

Prayer

. In our own time of terror and wickeness, O LORD, please make worthless the threats of the wicked and make their memory a foul stench in the nostrils of those they are trying to deceive and co-opt to do their evil will. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

[Message No: 5934]

Three Circles For Prayer

All Saints –

Ephesians 6:8

knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.

Colossians 1:3

We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

Colossians 4:12

Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

All Men –

1 Timothy 2:1

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,

Matthew 5:14

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

All Things –

Matthew 21;22

And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Mark 9:7

Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" —

Who are you listening to in your life? We can hear all sorts of different voices, but we can follow only one. So who are you going to listen to as you make your decisions about morality, values, ethics, and character? Who has earned the right to be heard regarding life, death, salvation, and sin? God makes it unmistakably clear; we must listen to his Son Jesus!

[Message No: 5925]

Advantages of Being Alone with God

John 8:9

Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

Genesis 32:24-29

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.”
  But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
   So He said to him, “What is your name?”
  He said, “Jacob.”
   And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
   Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.”
  And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there.

Exodus 19:20

Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.”

[Message No: 5924]

Purpose of the 2nd Advent – 7

Meet out justice to all

Isaiah 42:1-4

The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

      The Wickedness of Judah
    Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!

 For the Lord has spoken:

 “I have nourished and brought up children,
 And they have rebelled against Me;
  The ox knows its owner
 And the donkey its master's crib;
 But Israel does not know,
 My people do not consider.”
  Alas, sinful nation,
 A people laden with iniquity,
 A brood of evildoers,
 Children who are corrupters!
 They have forsaken the Lord,
 They have provoked to anger
 The Holy One of Israel,
 They have turned away backward.

Jeremiah 23:5-6

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
 “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
 A King shall reign and prosper,
 And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
  In His days Judah will be saved,
 And Israel will dwell safely;
 Now this is His name by which He will be called:
 THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

1 Corinthians 15:24-28

Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

[Message No: 5933]

Purpose of the 2nd Advent – 6

Deliver creation from Bondage 

Romans 8:21-24

because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?

Isaiah 11:1-2

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
   And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
  The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
 The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
 The Spirit of counsel and might,
 The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

Read Isaiah 35:1-8 & 20-25

Bring Salvation

Isaiah 11:9

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
 For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
 As the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 49:6

Indeed He says,

 ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
 To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
 And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
 I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
 That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful upon the mountains
 Are the feet of him who brings good news,
 Who proclaims peace,
 Who brings glad tidings of good things,
 Who proclaims salvation,
 Who says to Zion,
 “Your God reigns!”

Read 1 Peter 1:5-13 & Romans 11:25-29

[Message No: 5932]

Luke 5:27

“After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.”

After capturing the hearts of the crowd, Jesus now calls another disciple, Levi (Matthew). Two things are significant about this calling.

 First, Jesus called someone no other religious leader would have chosen, a tax collector and Roman sympathizer — to any Jew of Jesus' era, Matthew would have seemed very much like a traitor to his heritage and to his faith.

Second, the tax collector followed, leaving behind his livelihood and his fortune.

This is a powerful reminder that there is no one we should write off as unreachable with the Gospel and as unusable by our Lord.

Matthew 6:6

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Prayer is an incredible invitation from God to share with him what is on our hearts. Even when we don't have words to say, he helps us through his Spirit in those moments. This incredibly intimate conversation, sustained by the very precious Spirit of God within us, must never be debased by crass showmanship or pride. Prayer is not done to prove our piety, but to deepen our relationship with Almighty God!

Prayers 

. O LORD, please be near me today. Make your presence known in my life. Father, I also ask that you bless those I know who are struggling with their faith, and with broken and disappointed hearts. Please be active in their lives and make your presence known in their lives. In Jesus' name. Amen.

. Father, our world needs your deliverance. In your majesty and power, please destroy the plans of the wicked. In your mercy and grace, please raise up your people who find themselves facing hardship and trouble. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Purpose of the 2nd Advent - 5

Re-establish David’s  Throne and His Kingdom 

Jeremiah 30:7

Alas! For that day is great,
 So that none is like it;
 And it is the time of Jacob's trouble,
 But he shall be saved out of it.

Ezekiel 37:20-26

And the sticks on which you write will be in your hand before their eyes.

   “Then say to them, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

   “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore

Luke 1:31-33

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Acts 15:13-16

And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:

  ‘After this I will return
 And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;
 I will rebuild its ruins,
 And I will set it up;

[Message No: 5931]

Paul’s example of Conduct

Acts 20:17

From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.

Acts 20:36

And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

Philippians 3:17

Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

Philippians 4:9

The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Ezekiel 7:8

"I am about to pour out my wrath on you and spend my anger against you; I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices."

Because God's people had repeatedly rebelled and chosen to turn an unhearing ear toward his will, God is about to let them face the consequences of their own sinfulness. He is ready to judge them using the harshest of standards because of their entrenched rebellion. We must remember that he wants us to be a holy people just as much as he did his Old Testament people. Let's be faithful to him, no matter the values of our culture.

Quotes 

. If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give. - George Macdonald

. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations–these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.  But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit–immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. - C. S. Lewis

. Next to faith this is the highest art–to be content with the calling in which God has placed you.  I have not learned it yet. - Martin Luther

. Friendships are fragile things, and require as much care in handling as any other fragile and precious thing. - Randolph S. Bourne

[Message No: 5918]

Purposes of the 2nd Advent – 4

Destroy Enemies

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

2 Thessalonians 2:8-10

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Read Revelation 19:11-21 & Zechariah 14

Re-establish David’s  Throne and His Kingdom

Isaiah 9:6-7

For unto us a Child is born,
 Unto us a Son is given;
 And the government will be upon His shoulder.
 And His name will be called
 Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
 Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
  Of the increase of His government and peace
 There will be no end,
 Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
 To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
 From that time forward, even forever.
 The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Contd.,

[Message No: 5930]

Searching for God

Deuteronomy 4:29

“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” 

When was the last time you truly searched after God? I'm not talking about an obscure theological insight about God or another bestselling book about God. When was the last time you sought after the Father so that you could know him better and appreciate him more? Let's open our hearts and go on the Great Quest to find God. Like the prodigal son in Luke 15, we will find he's waiting and watching for us to come home!

Quotes 

. You know the value of prayer: it is precious beyond all price.  Never, never neglect it. - Thomas Buxton

. We must know men to love them, but love God to know Him. - Blaise Pascal

. Everyone has noticed how hard it is to turn our thoughts to God when everything is going well with us.  We “have all we want” is a terrible saying when “all” does not include God. - C. S. Lewis

.  God is the only goal worthy of man’s efforts; the fitting end of human existence is a loving union with God. - Augustine

Evangelism

"We have found no means so much blessed to keep religion alive as FASTING and PRAYER." - Edward Payson 

One of the major barriers to church growth is “People blindness”.

"Many are willing that Christ should be something, but few will consent that Christ should be everything." - Alexander Moody Stuart

Hang onto the grace

Ephesians 6:24

“Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.”

Ephesians makes some of the greatest declarations in the entire Bible about the grace of God. This one, however, may be the very richest. Grace is offered to us whether we accept it or not. But, grace is with us in rich abundance and blessing as we love Jesus and hang on to his love with a grip of faith that is unwavering.

[Message No: 5917]

Purposes of the 2nd Advent – 3

Deliver Israel

Romans 11:25-29

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

  “The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
 And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
  For this is My covenant with them,
 When I take away their sins.”

      Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Isaiah 63:1-6

Who is this who comes from Edom,
   With dyed garments from Bozrah,
 This One who is glorious in His apparel,
 Traveling in the greatness of His strength?—
 “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
  Why is Your apparel red,
 And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?
  “I have trodden the winepress alone,
 And from the peoples no one was with Me.
 For I have trodden them in My anger,
 And trampled them in My fury;
 Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,
 And I have stained all My robes.
  For the day of vengeance is in My heart,
 And the year of My redeemed has come.
I looked, but there was no one to help,
 And I wondered
 That there was no one to uphold;
 Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me;
 And My own fury, it sustained Me.
  I have trodden down the peoples in My anger,
 Made them drunk in My fury,
 And brought down their strength to the earth.”

[Message No: 5929]

Be Ready!

Matthew 10:22

“All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

Jesus' words are very strong! His emphasis is for a reason. Christians need to realize that they are not going to be the dominant culture. Discipleship can be hard and demanding; most folks want things simple and easy. The values that disciples are called to put into place in their lives are not going to be the dominant cultural ones. "So be ready!"
Jesus is telling us. "Be ready to face criticism and rejection." But while we know it may be an uphill battle to change the hearts of men and women, we can be God's tools to bless others and to lead them closer to him! And for us, salvation in all its glory awaits us at the end of the journey.

Character 

1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

In the face of temptation, God has promised us two things: (1) a way out, and (2) the power to stand up under trial. Can we truly believe this? Yes, of course, because Jesus demonstrated this power, God promised us this power, and we can look at brothers and sisters in Christ who have triumphed by this power! However, we must not think that the way out means that we are not going to face challenges, hardships, or difficulties.

Character is produced by both refusing to give into the temptation and also refusing to give up during the challenges we face for remaining faithful. God will provide us a way out, but he is also interested in developing our holy character. Where the balance is between the two is God's work. Whether we choose to remain faithful is our work. (Romans 5:1-5; 1 Peter 1:7! )

[Message No: 5916]

Purposes of the 2nd Advent – 2

Establish Universal Religion and Civil Government

Psalm 72:11

Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him;
 All nations shall serve Him.

Isaiah 2:1-4

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
  Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
 That the mountain of the Lord's house
 Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
 And shall be exalted above the hills;
 And all nations shall flow to it.
  Many people shall come and say,
 “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
 To the house of the God of Jacob;
 He will teach us His ways,
 And we shall walk in His paths.”
 For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
 And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
  He shall judge between the nations,
 And rebuke many people;
 They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
 And their spears into pruning hooks;
 Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
 Neither shall they learn war anymore.

Malachi 1:11

For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down,
 My name shall be great among the Gentiles;
 In every place incense shall be offered to My name,
 And a pure offering;
 For My name shall be great among the nations,”
 Says the Lord of hosts.

Revelation 11:15

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

[Message No: 5928]

Marks of Backsliding

Living the world

2 Timothy 4:10

for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.

Hardening of heart

Hebrews 3:8

Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
Jealous eye

1 Samuel 18:2

Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father's house anymore.

1 Samuel 18:9

So Saul eyed David from that day forward.

Forsaking love

Revelation 2:4

Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Getting offended

John 6:61

When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?

John 6:66

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

Prayer

. Father, thank you for giving me new life in Jesus. I am truly thankful that my guilt is covered by your grace. I ask for the power to live my life of freedom from sin. Forgive me for my times of mediocrity and flirtation with sin. Give me a strong sense of revulsion toward anything that would pollute my soul or distract my heart from your will. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
[Message No: 5915]

Purposes of the 2nd Advent – 1

Take vengeance on rebels –

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Judge Living Nations –

Psalm 67:4

Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
 For You shall judge the people righteously,
 And govern the nations on earth.

Psalm 96:10-13

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
 The world also is firmly established,
 It shall not be moved;
 He shall judge the peoples righteously.”
  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
  Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
 Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.
  For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
 He shall judge the world with righteousness,
 And the peoples with His truth.

Psalm 98:9

For He is coming to judge the earth.
 With righteousness He shall judge the world,
 And the peoples with equity.

[Message No: 5927]

What is Backsliding?

1. It is waywardness

Hosea 14:4

“I will heal their backsliding,
 I will love them freely,
 For My anger has turned away from him.

2. It is forsaking God

Jeremiah 2:13

“For My people have committed two evils:
 They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
 And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

3. It is love becoming cold

Matthew 24:12

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

4. It is to be lukewarm

Revelation 2:4

Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

5. It is unbelief

Hebrews 3:12

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;

Quotes 

. Down through the centuries in times of trouble and trial God has brought courage to the hearts of those who love Him.  The Bible is filled with assurances of God’s help and comfort in every kind of trouble which might cause fears to arise in the human heart.  You can look ahead with promise, hope, and joy. - Billy Graham

. When you are reading a book in a dark room, and come to a difficult part, you take it to a window to get more light.  So take your Bibles to Christ. - Robert Murray M’Cheyne

. Love is not one of the attributes of God, but the sum of them all. - J. M. Gibbon

. Faith like Job’s cannot be shaken because it is the result of having been shaken. - Abraham Heschel

[Message No: 5914]

Manner of His Coming – 4

With clouds:

Matthew 24:29-31

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew 26:64

Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Daniel 7: 13-14

I was watching in the night visions,
 And behold, One like the Son of Man,
 Coming with the clouds of heaven!
 He came to the Ancient of Days,
 And they brought Him near before Him.
  Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
 That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
 His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
 Which shall not pass away,
 And His kingdom the one
 Which shall not be destroyed.

As a Thief:

1 Thessalonians 5:2-4

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.

Revelation 16:15

Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

[Message No: 5922]

Manner of His Coming – 3

With power and great glory:

Matthew 16:27

For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Matthew 24:27-31

For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

      The Coming of the Son of Man

     “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

With saints and angels:

Zechariah 14:5

Then you shall flee through My mountain valley,
 For the mountain valley shall reach to Azal.
 Yes, you shall flee
 As you fled from the earthquake
 In the days of Uzziah king of Judah.
 Thus the Lord my God will come,
 And all the saints with You.

Matthew 24:29-31

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Revelation 17:14

These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

Revelation 19:14

And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

[Message No: 5921]

Manner of His Coming – 2

In vengeance and wrath:

Revelation 14:14-20

Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

      Reaping the Grapes of Wrath

     Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
   And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Galatians 6:10

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

We are to be a people who do good deeds. That's a very significant part of who we are as Jesus' followers. So let's look for the many opportunities that God places in our paths to bless others. Let's use all of these blessings to bring God glory!

[Message No: 5920]

How to live

 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. — 1

Thessalonians 5:6

So many sleep walk through life. They never are awake enough to really live. But we are not going to do that with our lives! We are alive because we know Jesus has come and not only brought us life, but he has also showed us how to live.
So we are going to be alert. we are going to be self-controlled. We're going to be fully alive, because we know Jesus' return is imminent and our day of salvation and deliverance is near.

Prayer...

Forgive me, Heavenly Father, for the times that I have lost my sense of urgency to live for Jesus. Use the Holy Spirit within me to arouse my passions to serve him with my eyes wide open and heart set on great and heavenly things.

I know you can, and will, do more than I can ask or imagine, but please, awaken me to dream great dreams and imagine great things for your glory. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Daily wisdom

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:17

Passion of Praise 

The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: "I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts." - Isaiah 57:15

Evangelism 

"It is morally impossible to exercise trust in God while there is failure to wait upon Him for guidance and direction.

The man who does not learn to wait upon the Lord and have his thoughts molded by Him will never possess that steady purpose and calm trust, which is essential to the exercise of wise influence upon others, in times of crisis and difficulty."

- D. E. Hoste

[Message No: 5913]

Manner of His Coming – 1

In brightness and fire

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

2 Thessalonians 2:8

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming

Ezekiel 38:17-21

 Thus says the Lord God: “Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?

    Judgment on Gog

    “And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord God, “that My fury will show in My face. For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.’ I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord God. “Every man's sword will be against his brother.

Psalm 10:2

“In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises.”
God absolutely hates violence, intimidation, or any means used for the powerful to control, manipulate, or hound those who are weaker. He loathes wickedness that is based upon the strong and the mighty preying on the weak and powerless. We should, by our actions and resources, demonstrate both to the weak and the powerless that there is a God of love.

[Message No: 5919]