Category: Bible Truth
The Divine Plan
Who, being in the form of God, . . . was made in the likeness of men: and . . . humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2:6-8.
In order to fully realize the value of salvation, it is necessary to understand what it cost. In consequence of the limited ideas of the sufferings of Christ, many people place a low estimate upon the great work of the atonement. The glorious plan of man’s salvation was brought about through the infinite love of God the Father. In this divine plan is seen the most marvelous manifestation of the love of God to the fallen race. Such love as is manifested in the gift of God’s beloved Son amazed the holy angels. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
*** Have you every took time to just think about what God did at creation,
1. How he created this world from nothing.
2. How he created the light and set it apart from the darkness
3. How he created Life, “plants, Trees, Fish of the Seas, & Beats of the Earth
4. Then how he created his crowning work, “ Man ”
God the Father had a Divine Plan in mind for this planet, it was to be filled with his new creation, Mankind was different from all others.
Man was to be created in the image of his Creator. No wonder satin wanted more then anything to cause the fall of this planet. He knew that nothing would hurt God more then to see the crowning work of his hand, those created in his image fall to his deceptions and lies
The Savior was the brightness of His Father’s glory and the express image of His person. He possessed divine majesty, perfection, and excellence. He was equal with God. “It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell”
Christ consented to die in the sinner’s stead, that man, by a life of obedience, might escape the penalty of the law of God.
Jesus was the majesty of heaven, the beloved commander of the angels, who delighted to do His pleasure. He was one with God, “in the bosom of the Father” (John 1:18), yet He thought it not a thing to be desired to be equal with God while man was lost in sin and misery.
He stepped down from His throne, He left His crown and royal scepter, and clothed His divinity with humanity. He humbled Himself even to the death of the cross, that man might be exalted to a seat with Him upon His throne. In Him we have a complete offering, an infinite sacrifice, a mighty Saviour, who is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. In love He comes to reveal the Father, to reconcile man to God, to make him a new creature renewed after the image of Him who created him.
Our heavenly Father made an infinite sacrifice in giving His Son to die for fallen man. The price paid for our redemption should give us exalted views of what we may become through Christ.
*** Have you ever considered what it took to keep Jesus on the Cross, this is Gods son he could have called ten legions of Angels to his side, But he didn’t. What kept him there?
1. The Roman Centurions didn’t keep him there!
2. It was not the priests who keep him there
3. It was not the Scribes and Pharisees that keep Jesus on the Cross
It was his love for Mankind that kept him there; The Divine Plan could only be paid by a Divine Saviour. Jesus laid a foundation that would never be moved. Greater Love has no man than this that he lay down his life for his Friend.
STORY: There was an old man that had no friends
Old dirty man who live down the street, no one like him WHY
Kids would through rock are cans at him, adult would curse at him. WHY
When you pass a person on the street in rag, pushing an old shopping cart with all there earthly procession what do you think of them.
If some one come up to you and ask for a hand out, what do you do, are say. What do you think?
Look at Matthew 9: 10-11
10: And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.
11: And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?
Look at what Jesus had to say about it Mark 2: 17
17: When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Jesus came to save people like you and me
Luke 18: 10-13
10: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11: The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12: I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13: And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Look at the answer that Jesus gave in verse 14
14: I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
What as Christian are we to do when someone is in need of help?
If someone in the Church is sick, don’t we all want to pray for them, what if they need work done around their house, or their grass cut in their yard. Now you are asking for my time too oh man I am just too busy.
What if they need money instead, Don’t you just hate when it hits you in the pocket book
Now, what if the person is not a member of your church, does that make a different !!!
Did not Jesus call us all his Children?
Now what if that person you prayed for, gave your time too, and even gave your money too. What if when he got better came up to you and spit in your face.
*** Is not that what we have all done to Jesus
Did not he pray for us, did he not give his time to us, and he gave more then money, He gave his Life.
And we all like Roman Solders spat in his face and nail him to a tree.
Look at Matthew: 5: 39-45
39: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40: And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41: And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42: Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43: Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45: That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
The Bible tell us how to deal with people, People at work, People in the world, People at home, and People in the Church.
By using the key he gave us (Love) we can deal with all types of people.
To be able help other we must first learn to LOVE unconditional
Not because they are our family
Not because they are the same color we are
Not because they go to the same church as we do
Not because they dress the same
Not because they talk the same
But because God Love them
Unconditional love is Christ likeness or Agape love
And we as Christ Ambassador mush learn to love
One day Peter and John were walking into the temple and a man at the gate asks for money. They said unto him silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give unto you, That in the name of Jesus I command you to get up and walk Act: 3:6
But such as I have I give unto you
God has giving to each of us the mean to help other, to show them the way to tell them of how God so love the world that he gave his only son, so that the world would not be condemn but have everlasting life in Jesus Christ its Savior.
STORY OF PETER:
Peter began: “I now see how true it is that God has no favourites, but that in every nation the man who is godfearing and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Acts 10:34, 35,
Peter . . . was called by God to take the gospel to Cornelius. . . .
As yet none of the disciples had preached the gospel to the Gentiles. In their minds the middle wall of partition, broken down by the death of Christ, still existed, and their labors had been confined to the Jews, for they had looked upon the Gentiles as excluded from the blessings of the gospel. Now the Lord was seeking to teach Peter the world-wide extent of the divine plan. . . .
How carefully the Lord worked to overcome the prejudice against the Gentiles that had been so firmly fixed in Peter’s mind by his Jewish training! By the vision of the sheet and its contents He sought to divest the apostle’s mind of this prejudice and to teach the important truth that in heaven there is no respect of persons; that Jew and Gentile are alike precious in God’s sight; that through Christ the heathen may be made partakers of the blessings and privileges of the gospel. . .
It was with reluctance at every step that he [Peter] undertook the duty laid upon him but he dared not disobey. . . . As Peter pointed those present Cornelius and his kinsmen and friends] to Jesus as the sinner’s only hope, he himself understood more fully the meaning of the vision he had seen, and his heart glowed with the spirit of the truth that he was presenting. . .
When the brethren in Judea heard that Peter had gone to the house of a Gentile and preached to those assembled, they were surprised and offended. They feared that such a course, which looked to them presumptuous, would have the effect of counteracting his own teaching. . .
Peter laid the whole matter before them. . . . Convinced that Peter’s course was in direct fulfillment of the plan of God, and that their prejudices and exclusiveness were utterly contrary to the spirit of the gospel, they glorified God, saying, “Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”
Many of the Gentiles had been interested listeners to the preaching of Peter and the other apostles, and many of the Greek Jews had become believers in Christ, but the conversion of Cornelius was to be the first of importance among the Gentiles.
The time had come for an entirely new phase of work to be entered upon by the church of Christ. The door that many of the Jewish converts had closed against the Gentiles was now to be thrown open. And the Gentiles who accepted the gospel were to be regarded as on an equality with the Jewish disciples, without the necessity of observing the rite of circumcision.
Christ unconditional love embraces the whole world
Forgiveness is free, but it is not cheap. It cost the life of God dear son.
The is the Divine Plan
STORY:
At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the school’s students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question. “Everything God does is done with perfection. Yet, my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is God’s plan reflected in my son?”
The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. “I believe,” the father answered, “that when God brings a child like Shay into the world, an opportunity to realize the Divine Plan presents itself. And it comes in the way people treat that child.”
Then, he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, “Do you think they will let me play?” Shay’s father knew that most boys would not want him on their team. But the father understood that if his son were allowed to play it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging.
Shay’s father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance from his teammates. Getting none, he took matters into his own hands and said, “We are losing by six runs, and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we’ll try to put him up to bat in the ninth inning.”
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay’s team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. At the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the outfield. Although no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay’s team scored again.
Now, with two outs and bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base. Shay was scheduled to be the next at-bat. Would the team actually let Shay bat at this juncture and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that it was all but impossible because Shay didn’t even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact.
The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly toward Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball to the pitcher. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could easily have thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have ended the game.
Instead, the pitcher took the ball and threw it on a high arc to right field, far beyond reach of the first baseman. Everyone started yelling, “Shay, run to first. Run to first.” Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled “Run to second, run to second!” By the time Shay was rounding first base, the right fielder had the ball. He could have thrown the ball to the second baseman for a tag. But the right fielder understood what the pitcher’s intentions had been, so he threw the ball high and far over the third baseman’s head.
Shay ran towards second base as the runners ahead of him deliriously circled the bases towards home. As Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him, turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, “Run to third!”
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming, “Shay! Run home!”
Shay ran home, stepped on home plate and was cheered as the hero, for hitting a “grand slam” and winning the game for his team.
“That day,” said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, “the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of the Divine Plan into this world.”
May the God of our fathers bless you as you share with other His divine plane
Jn:14:23: Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Elder Tim McNab
Restoring Gods Truth
As the days of Noah were so shall the end be
Mt:24: 36: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Have you ever wondered about this story that Jesus told His disciples, what is the meaning about the end days being like the days of Noah. With all the Christian Churches in our world today how would this be possible. Could it be that as we get closer to the end time there will be two difference classes of Christians in our world.
Jesus also told a parable about ten virgins, 5 of them were wise and 5 of them were foolish. If a woman in the Bible represents a Church then a virgin Woman would represent a Christian Church. OK so notices what happens to both of them. The bridegroom Jesus tarries or delays His coming. So all 10 of the Churches become lazy as they waited, but then the sound of the coming bridegroom arouses them and they got up and trim their lamps, but 5 of them run out of oil (the Holy Spirit) or they became spiritually blinded by the good things in this world while they were waiting, they became spiritually blinded.
These verses tell us that when the Son of Man appears again, people will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving up in marriage just as they did right up to the day when Noah went into the ark. Everything was normal, in other words, for those who were unaware of God’s intentions they way no alarm. But for Noah and his family, it very was clear that the time was coming when God would bring all of creation to an end, the same will be in the last days.
Looking at the story of Noah contained in Genesis 6, the condition of the world was vexatious to the Lord. He looked down from His throne in heaven to find that corruption had filled the world. The perfect creation of His hands had become everything He did not intend it to be, looking at it again, is there any difference in our World today.
According to Genesis 6:5, God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth. We hate to admit it but does wickedness run rampant today throughout the earth and mostly right here in good old America the land of the free.
Let’s take a trip through the Bible and see what else we can find about this time right before the 2nd coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Let us Pray!
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Let’s go back to the scripture for today and read it again: Mt:24: 36: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only
What was it that God the Son was telling to His disciples here in the book of Matthew Chapter 24: God is a God of Love, a God of mercy, He is longsuffering, Caring, and wants only the best for His children. We need to under just what Gods love is all about. The Bible describe the love of God in this way; jealous for His people Ezek:38:19: For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
We sometimes try to understand God in a human way, but that is a problem. Man is not capable of understanding true divine love that is why Jesus said in John: 15:13: Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.
This is as close as we can get to understanding the love that God has for His children. He is jealous for them because He wants what is best for them, but He can’t force it on them
2Cor:11:2: For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Now understand the kind of jealousy Paul was talking about, a Godly jealousy, a God that truly cares for His creation to the point that He the creator God would rather die then to let His creation die. That is a love that man can’t comprehend or understand all we can do is too accept it by Faith
Take a look now in the book of Genesis: 6: and start with verse 8
8: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Stop for just a moment: I heard some Christians talking and saying that we no longer need to keep Gods 10 commandments law that was Old Testament stuff and we are now New Testament Christians. Well if that is true then Noah must have been a New Testament Christian because the word of God is telling us that he found grace in the eyes of God.
9: These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
The Earth at the time of Noah was just as corrupt as it is today. No wonder Jesus was telling His disciples that as the days of Noah were filled with hate, violence and sexually immorality, so will it be right before the second coming of Jesus. It is a scary thing to hear as it seems like they are talking about what the USA has become.
11: The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12: And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Look all around you my friend, the morals of this world has changed. There is corruption all around, from the Governments of the world to the Churches that are to be a light to lead men to God. All in all God found only 8 people in all of the know World that Worshiped Him in truth and believed what He God was saying.
13: And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
How sad God must have been, the beautiful new world He just created corrupted itself through sin Genesse:6:5: And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
The sad part of this is that our World has once again corrupted itself and every imagination of the thoughts of our heart is only evil continually.
God did not destroy the World all at once, God in His love and mercy still pleaded with man to repent of his wicked ways. So God gave mankind 120 more years before He would destroy the Earth. Why to give everyone living time to hear the Gospels message of salvation. Noah preached for a 120 years, but the world looked at him as a foolish old man who built a Boat on dry land miles away from any water.
The World was ending and the only hope was to get into the ark to be saved. Through radio, Internet, and TV the message of the Gospel of Jesus is going to all the World. It is the same message that Noah was preaching, look at it in the book of
Revelation: 14:
7: Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Where do we find this same commandment in the Old Testament, look in the book of Exodus
Exodus: 20:
8: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Right there in the Old Testament is the 10 commandments that God Himself wrote with His own finger, and one of them God say to Remember. Why because it points to God as our Creator.
Today people are trying to find the answer to the question, where did we come from how did we get here. It is all there in the book of Genesis how God created and formed the World and God said let there be light and the evening and morning was the first day.
The Bible is very clear on who God is, He is the created God and there are no others like Him. All through the Bible it tells us about God and His love for Mankind, He wanted Man to be happy and live forever; all Man had to do was to obey God and live.
What Mother or Father is there that will not correct there children when they do something wrong or bad. Why do they do that, is it because they hate there children or because they love there children. Can we expect God to be any difference then we are. Our parents had rules when we were growing up, were those rules because they hated us or because they loved us. Our parents loved us so they gave us rules to keep us safe so we would not get into trouble so that we could grow up someday and be parents ourselves. God is no difference, He has rules to keep us safe because He loves us and by keeping them we show others who we love.
Our world became infected with a disease that disease is called Sin and it is killing Gods people. When Man sinned he rejected his creator God but that did not stop God from loving us. God in His love sent His Son to show man the depth of God’s love and that all who would believe in Him would be saved.
In our world today there are two types of people and only two.
There is one group who has a form of religion but it is only on the outside, they are also the ones who want the fun and happiness of this world, live it up with fun dance and song, drink all you want and live as if there is no tomorrow and in fact that might just be it because you can’t have the world and Jesus, it is one or the other.
Then there is another group, they are completely different, they live by the word of God. As the Bible said they love not their lives until the death, they keep the commandments of God and have the testimonies of Jesus Christ. They do not live for the world they live keeping the laws of their God and savior. Why because He asked them to. Jesus said if you love me keep my commandments.
Jesus told His people that he is going to prepare a place for them and that He will be coming back again to take them home that they will live with His in heaven. The same two classes of people that were in the world in the days of Noah are still in the world today.
Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray because no man knew the day or the hour when He Jesus would return.
Read Matthew 24:
36: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only
37: But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38: For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39: And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
All who study Gods word; and being lead by Gods holy spirit can look all around and see there are signs everywhere that the last days are upon us, and that this old world will soon very soon all pass away. People today are just like they were back in Noah days and they will continue until it is too late and the door of probation is once again closed.
I do all I can to live my life everyday by what I read in God’s word. By keeping His laws and His commandments, I don’t keep them to be saved I keep them because I am saved through the blood of my lord and savior Jesus Christ.
Luke:17:
28: Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29: But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
The angle messengers were sent from God above to see all the corruption in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. As they got close to the city Lot greeted them and welcomed them into his home, why because he knew there they would be safe.
We might live among ungodly people like Lot did, but that should never be a wall between us and God. We should be faithfully doing our duty everyday for the saving of lost souls.
The angles told Lot to get out and take his family because the city was going to be destroyed. Faithful Lot went to his daughters and son-in-laws but all they did was to laugh at the foolish old man. Finally the angles could wait no longer and had to take Lot and his wife and two daughters by the hand and lead them out of the city
People today is the day of salvation, today is the day that you will let God into your soul or lock Him out forever. We are in what the Bible calls the last days, many of the sings that God has giving have already come too passed.
Don’t be like the people in Sodom or like the son-in-laws of Lot, believe God and take Him at His word. This old world is not ripe for destruction; sin has reached its zenith. God had to destroy this world once by a flood but this time it will be by fire.
I ask of you today choose ye this day who you will serve
1 Kings 18:21
And Elijah came unto all the people and said, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people answered him not a word
Baal represents the false Churches and there teachings, don’t get hooked in any Church that said it is OK to forget what God said to Remember. You will know them
John 13:17
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them
People study the word of God daily, put it into your heart and mind, and when you see God telling you something or making something know to you do as the Bible tells you to do. Don’t get locked out or let the door of probation close on you, make your choice to follow Jesus and do it today
John 17:26
I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.’
There are many Churches out in the world today, they can’t all be right and they can’t all be wrong. You must check them by their Doctrines and there is only one way to do that
Isaiah 8:20: To the Law and too the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
The Bible tells you how to find the true Church, Look at Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Christ and Family
Revelation: 12:17: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ
The dragon Satan will not be fighting with the people of the world, he does not care about them. The ones he will be fighting with will be the true Church the ones who do as God has commanded them to do
God Bless
Elder Tim McNab
Restoring Gods Truth
A prophet is without honor
A prophet is without honor, in his own country, and among his own kin, and even in his own house!
Mark 6:4 4: But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
Many years ago I went to Visit a friend who lived in a far away county, he been there for about 20 years. He married a woman from there and had 4 children and had one on the way, wow I said for an old guy you are doing well. He invited me to stay and eat so I said no problem as I wanted to visit more anyway. So when it came time to eat we were called in to sit at the table but I felt a little uncountable. He looked at me and said is there a problem; I look at him and said is your wife and children coming to eat with us. He said no they will eat after we are finished, I did not say anymore just continue to eat with him. When we were finished the children came and took up the plates and cleaned up the table. They then followed him into the living room and made sure he was sitting in his recliner and brought him a large glass of limeade; they then took off his shoes and made sure he did not need anything else. They stood there until he told them he was ok, and then they left to go to the kitchen to eat. I was dumbfounded and just had to ask him what is the meaning of all this. He said it is all about respect, they respect the bread winner in the home this is something that the US has lost. The children in the US do not respect anyone let alone there parent. He then said to me they were raised with respect know that I provide for them everyday and so they do all these little things for me out of love and respect for providing for them. Boy he was right about one thing children in the US don’t treat there Father like that.
I find it very difficult to say anything to people I grew up with about God, and much worse sometimes my own family. Why is this, you see them headed for destruction but they don’t want to hear what you have to say in fact they will hear and listen to anyone else but me. If you had a son and he was going to touch a hot stove the first thing you would do is to step in and warn him not to touch the stove right, it’s the same thing. Now don’t get me wrong I too need guidance and I too make mistakes, but I generally try and see if in fact I need to do something about it, if I need to change. For me I go to the Bible and study asking God to please show me what I need to do.
I found that even when Jesus was here on Earth He too had the same problem when around people of His own household and Town where He grew-up.
One day Jesus was visiting His home town in Nazareth where He grow-up as a carpenter. He must of spent almost 25 years or more of His life in that town working at His father trade. But when He became 30 He left the carpenter shop and began His ministry on earth; going all over Judea telling the people about His Father God and healing them. He opened the eyes of the blind, gave hearing to the deaf and made the crippled walk again. But when He came home to the town He grow up in He found very few if any who believed Him.
A prophet is not without honor when in his own family or with in his own country. One reason for this is that it is almost natural for persons to hold a lesser account than they ought for those with whom they have been brought up with and have lived on familiar terms.
Prophets are commonly least regarded, and even envied, in their own country. However unworthy may be the feeling, the inhabitants of a town, City, or a community, do not like to see one of themselves put above them, more especially a young man over a senior, or a poor and humble man over a rich and well educated man.
But it should be remembered that God abhors the envious, and will withhold the wonders of his grace from those who grudge his gifts to others.
The men of Nazareth, when they saw Christ eating, and drinking, and sleeping, and working at his trade, like others, despised him when he claimed respect and reverence as a Prophet, and especially because his relations according to the flesh were of humble condition; and Joseph more particularly, whom they supposed to be his real father, for they could not imagine or believe that he was born of a virgin, and had God alone for his Father.
Even in our world today you will almost always find someone jealousy because someone who they held as a person who will never succeed move ahead of them to become a man of great significances.
*** Look at the story of boy named Joseph Genesis 37:
3: Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
4: And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
5: And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
6: And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
8: And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
9: And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
10: And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
11: And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
As the scripture said his brothers heated him for a number of reasons.
First because there Father loved him more then all the rest and Second because he had dreams of them bowing down and becoming greater than all of them. Can you see somewhat of a problem here, no one wants to be last we all want to be first. Like it or not we all tend to because jealous of someone who is just a normal everyday person moving up from a back street gutter boy to an CEO of a company like GE. We all tend to say where did that little dumb snot noise kid get all that knowledge & wisdom from.
It was no less the same with Joseph, but what we don’t see is the man inside; we view only the out side of people never seeing what they are really made of. God looks on the inside of all man even before we are born God knows us. Jeremiah:1:5: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
So be careful the next time you say something to that little running nose kid with the wet stinky diaper; he may just be Gods next prophet.
Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.”
Luke 6:22, 23: “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”
Jesus knew what His follower would have to go through; being rejected by there family & friends and sometimes being rejected by the entire community. None the less they were called by God to fulfill His mission giving to them.
John 15:16-19: “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
Jesus tells us not to worry or be dismayed by the world but to follow Him. The prophet are no different then all of us, except they have Faith that if God said it they believe it.
1 Peter 2:9: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
God’s People: This is an insert taking out of a book called Desire of Ages on the life of Jesus
As we read the word of God, how plain it appears that His people are to be peculiar and distinct from the unbelieving world around them.
Our position is interesting and fearful; living in the last days, how important that we imitate the example of Christ, and walk even as He walked. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” The opinions and wisdom of men must not guide or govern us because they always lead away from the cross.
The servants of Christ have neither their home nor their treasure here. I wish that all of them could understand that it is only because the Lord reigns that we are even permitted to dwell in peace and safety among our enemies. It is not our privilege to claim special favors of the world. We must consent to be poor and despised among men, until the warfare is finished and the victory won. The members of Christ are called to come out and be separate from the friendship and spirit of the world; their strength and power consists in being chosen and accepted of God.
The Son of God is the heir of all things, and the dominion and glory of the kingdoms of this world were promised to Him. Yet when He appeared in this world, it was without riches or splendor. The world understood not His union with the Father; the excellency and glory of His divine character were hid from them. He was therefore “despised and rejected of men,” and “we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” Even as Christ was in the world, so are His followers.
They are the sons of God, and joint heirs with Christ; and the kingdom and dominion belong to them. The world understands not their character and holy calling; they perceive not their adoption into the family of God. Their union and fellowship with the Father and Son is not manifest, and while the world beholds their humiliation and reproach, it does not appear what they are, or what they shall be. They are strangers. The world knows them not, and appreciates not the motives which actuate them.
The world is ripening for its destruction. God can bear with sinners but a little longer. They must drink the dregs of the cup of His wrath unmixed with mercy. Those who will be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ to the immortal inheritance, will be peculiar.
Yes, so peculiar that God will place a mark upon them as His, wholly His. Think ye that God will receive, honor, and acknowledge a people so mixed up with the world that they differ from them only in name?
It is soon to be known who is on the Lord’s side, who will not be ashamed of Jesus. Those who have not moral courage to conscientiously take their position in the face of unbelievers, leave the fashions of the world, and imitate the self-denying life of Christ, are ashamed of Him, and do not love His example.
During His childhood and youth, Jesus had worshiped among His brethren in the synagogue at Nazareth. Since the opening of His ministry He had been absent from them, but they had not been ignorant of what had befallen Him. As He again appeared among them, their interest and expectation were excited to the highest pitch. Here were the familiar forms and faces of those whom He had known from infancy. Here were His mother, His brothers and sisters, and all eyes were turned upon Him as He entered the synagogue upon the Sabbath day, and took His place among the worshipers.
In the regular service for the day, the elder read from the prophets, and exhorted the people still to hope for the Coming One, who would bring in a glorious reign, and banish all oppression. He sought to encourage his hearers by rehearsing the evidence that the Messiah’s coming was near. He described the glory of His advent, keeping prominent the thought that He would appear at the head of armies to deliver Israel.
When a rabbi was present at the synagogue, he was expected to deliver the sermon, and any Israelite might give the reading from the prophets. Upon this Sabbath Jesus was requested to take part in the service. He “stood up to read. And there was delivered unto Him a roll of the prophet Isaiah.” Luke 4:16, 17,. The scripture which He read was one that was understood as referring to the Messiah:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To preach deliverance to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
And He closed the roll, and gave it back to the attendant: . . . and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on Him. . . . And all bare Him witness, and wondered at the words of grace which proceeded out of His mouth.” Luke 4:20-22,
Jesus stood before the people as a living expositor of the prophecies concerning Himself. Explaining the words He had read, He spoke of the Messiah as a reliever of the oppressed, a liberator of captives, a healer of the afflicted, restoring sight to the blind, and revealing to the world the light of truth. His impressive manner and the wonderful import of His words thrilled the hearers with a power they had never felt before. The tide of divine influence broke every barrier down; like Moses, they beheld the Invisible. As their hearts were moved upon by the Holy Spirit, they responded with fervent amen’s and praises to the Lord.
But when Jesus announced, “Today is this scripture fulfilled in your ears,” Luke: 4:21 they were suddenly recalled to think of themselves, and of the claims of Him who had been addressing them. They, Israelites, children of Abraham, had been represented as in bondage. They had been addressed as prisoners to be delivered from the power of evil; as in darkness, and needing the light of truth. Their pride was offended, and their fears were roused. The words of Jesus indicated that His work for them was to be altogether different from what they desired. Their deeds might be investigated too closely.
Notwithstanding their exactness in outward ceremonies, they shrank from inspection by those clear, searching eyes Who is this Jesus? they questioned. He who had claimed for Himself the glory of the Messiah was the son of a carpenter, and had worked at His trade with His father Joseph. They had seen Him toiling up and down the hills; they were acquainted with His brothers and sisters, and knew His life and labors. They had seen Him develop from childhood to youth and from youth to manhood. Although His life had been spotless, they would not believe that He was the Promised One.
What a contrast between His teaching in regard to the new kingdom and that which they had heard from their elder! Jesus had said nothing of delivering them from the Romans. They had heard of His miracles, and had hoped that His power would be exercised for their advantage, but they had seen no indication of such purpose.
As they opened the door to doubt, their hearts became so much the harder for having been momentarily softened. Satan was determined that blind eyes should not that day be opened, nor souls bound in slavery be set at liberty. With intense energy he worked to fasten them in unbelief. They made no account of the sign already given, when they had been stirred by the conviction that it was their Redeemer who addressed them.
But Jesus now gave them an evidence of His divinity by revealing their secret thoughts. Luke 4:23-27, And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
By this relation of events in the lives of the prophets, Jesus met the questionings of His hearers. The servants whom God had chosen for a special work were not allowed to labor for a hardhearted and unbelieving people. But those who had hearts to feel and faith to believe were especially favored with evidences of His power through the prophets. In the days of Elijah, Israel had departed from God. They clung to their sins, and rejected the warnings of the Spirit through the Lord’s messengers. Thus they cut themselves off from the channel by which God’s blessing could come to them. The Lord passed by the homes of Israel, and found a refuge for His servant in a heathen land, with a woman who did not belong to the chosen people. But this woman was favored because she had followed the light she had received, and her heart was open to the greater light that God sent her through His prophet.
Our standing before God depends, not upon the amount of light we have received, but upon the use we make of what we have. Thus even the heathen who choose the right as far as they can distinguish it are in a more favorable condition than are those who have had great light, and profess to serve God, but who disregard the light, and by their daily life contradict their profession
The words of Jesus to His hearers in the synagogue struck at the root of their self-righteousness, pressing home upon them the bitter truth that they had departed from God and forfeited their claim to be His people. Every word cut like a knife as their real condition was set before them. They now scorned the faith with which Jesus had at first inspired them. They would not admit that He who had sprung from poverty and lowliness was other than a common man
Their unbelief bred malice. Satan controlled them, and in wrath they cried out against the Savior. They had turned from Him whose mission it was to heal and restore; now they manifested the attributes of the destroyer
When Jesus referred to the blessings given to the Gentiles, the fierce national pride of His hearers was aroused, and His words were drowned in a tumult of voices. These people had prided themselves on keeping the law; but now that their prejudices were offended, they were ready to commit murder. The assembly broke up, and laying hands upon Jesus, they thrust Him from the synagogue, and out of the city. All seemed eager for His destruction. They hurried Him to the brow of a precipice, intending to cast Him down headlong. Shouts and maledictions filled the air. Some were casting stones at Him, when suddenly He disappeared from among them. The heavenly messengers who had been by His side in the synagogue were with Him in the midst of that maddened throng. They shut Him in from His enemies, and conducted Him to a place of safety.
So angels protected Lot, and led him out safely from the midst of Sodom. So they protected Elisha in the little mountain city. When the encircling hills were filled with the horses and chariots of the king of Syria, and the great host of his armed men, Elisha beheld the nearer hill slopes covered with the armies of God,–horses and chariots of fire round about the servant of the Lord.
So, in all ages, angels have been near to Christ’s faithful followers. The vast confederacy of evil is arrayed against all who would overcome; but Christ would have us look to the things which are not seen, to the armies of heaven encamped about all who love God, to deliver them. From what dangers, seen and unseen, we have been preserved through the interposition of the angels, we shall never know, until in the light of eternity we see the providences of God. Then we shall know that the whole family of heaven was interested in the family here below, and that messengers from the throne of God attended our steps from day to day.
Oh, how Christ longed to open to Israel the precious treasures of the truth! But such was their spiritual blindness that it was impossible to reveal to them the truths relating to His kingdom. They clung to their creed and their useless ceremonies when the truth of Heaven awaited their acceptance.
They spent their money for chaff and husks, when the bread of life was within their reach. Why did they not go to the word of God, and search diligently to know whether they were in error? The Old Testament Scriptures stated plainly every detail of Christ’s ministry, and again and again He quoted from the prophets, and declared, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” If they had honestly searched the Scriptures, bringing their theories to the test of God’s word, Jesus need not have wept over their impenitence.
He need not have declared, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Luke 13:35. They might have been acquainted with the evidence of His Messiahship, and the calamity that laid their proud city in ruins might have been averted. But the minds of the Jews had become narrowed by their unreasoning bigotry. The lessons of Christ revealed their deficiencies of character, and demanded repentance. If they accepted His teachings, their practices must be changed, and their cherished hopes relinquished. In order to be honored by Heaven, they must sacrifice the honor of men. If they obeyed the words of this new rabbi, they must go contrary to the opinions of the great thinkers and teachers of the time.
Truth was unpopular in Christ’s day. It is unpopular in our day. It has been unpopular ever since Satan first gave man a disrelish for it by presenting fables that lead to self-exaltation. Do we not today meet theories and doctrines that have no foundation in the word of God? Men cling as tenaciously to them as did the Jews to their traditions.
The Jewish leaders were filled with spiritual pride. Their desire for the glorification of self manifested itself even in the service of the sanctuary. They loved the highest seats in the synagogue. They loved greetings in the market places, and were gratified with the sound of their titles on the lips of men. As real piety declined, they became more jealous for their traditions and ceremonies.
Because their understanding was darkened by selfish prejudice, they could not harmonize the power of Christ’s convicting words with the humility of His life. They did not appreciate the fact that real greatness can dispense with outward show. This Man’s poverty seemed wholly inconsistent with His claim to be the Messiah. They questioned, If He was what He claimed to be, why was He so unpretending? If He was satisfied to be without the force of arms, what would become of their sins, and the reproach they felt even from the presence of His purity.
Be careful of what you think because sometime God might send to you some of your own family to direct you to the real truth about Him and His love for you. Always test it by the Bible Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”
We need to study Gods word daily and let His word through the Holy Spirit bring us into the truth light. Taking the Old and New Testament together, they must agree with what we believe, if they don’t agree with what you believe then you are not following Gods true.
The Bible is never wrong look at 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Preach the word but make sure it is the true word of God; you will find many people who will reject what you say mostly among your own family. But never argue over what the Bible says. Just bring with you the truth of Gods word if they will not hear you then you have done your part.
God Bless you all my friend in Christ
Elder Tim McNab
Would we Crucify Jesus again!
The Bible is a book all about love and the Earth is a story about creatures made in the very image of their creator who rejected His love.
He Died for YOU
But God the Father loved them still so much that He sent His Son to show them the Father and that all who by faith in Him would have ever lasting life. Jesus is our example of what true love is all about, how could we have crucified someone so full of love. How can men be so full of hate to kill the only Son of the creator Father God.
Acts:20:
28: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
29: For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30: Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
I want to share something very important with you; something that I have been preaching in almost all of my sermons, and that is about our Churches and our Religious Leaders today. Are we as Christians truly following the word of God or that of man?
Everyone wants to defend what they believe as being the truth, but the question is what is truth? The Bible must define to us what truth is in order for us to know if we are keeping it or not. So what does the Bible say is truth John:17:17: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. So according to the Bible truth is Gods word.
2 Timothy:3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
So now we know what truth is and we know that all scripture is giving by inspiration of God, so that we might check and see if what we are being told by our Church is or is not truth.
STOP; and think about this; if Jesus came back to our world today would we try and crucify Him again. Come with me on a journey through the Old and New Testament and let’s find out the reason our Religious Leader 2000 years ago rejected His teaching and put Him to death. Then answer the question if Jesus came again today would He find the Church, His Bride as described in the book of Revelation ready for him to take home or to Crucify Him again.
Let’s look first in the Gospel of John: and start in chapter 15
9: As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10: If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12: This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
This is a very important subject so I will be using a lot of scripture from both the New & Old Testament, why because to understand the New we need to understand the Old and to understand the Old we need the New. Rv:11:3: And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Jesus said that His life on this Earth was to show us the Father love Jn:5:20: For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
What was Jesus model here on Earth, to be like His Father in Heaven. Many people even today have a misconception of God the Father; they believe Him to be some tyrant overbearing God who if you don’t serve Him He will burn you up in hell for ever and ever.
But that is not the Father God that Jesus came to show us, Jesus is showing us a Father God who loves and loves us so much that He sent His Son His only Son to show us the Father love. Our first parent sinned and separated us from the love of God by Sin, but it is through the work that Jesus did that give man forgiveness and reconciliation to bring us back to the Father.
John: 14
6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7: If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8: Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9: Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10: Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11: Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
Jesus was soon to leave and He wanted to make sure those that He left behind would not feel helpless or lost. He knew there mind was on becoming great and number one in this life, there were not fully prepared to endue the trial coming before them. He wanted them to understand that when He left another would come to open there minds to everything He taught them and that they would have faith and know that God the Father and Jesus were one in the same.
23: Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24: He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
Hi disciples were to teach others as Jesus taught them, and that was to worship God the Father. Jesus showed the Father love in His life on this earth, He walk and did the things His Father gave Him to do. The Leaders of the Church who were to be the ones showing the common people about God, the very God who gave them His laws and commandments were so far off of true worship they did not recognize the Fathers Son when He came to them.
They rejected Him and His teaching. Why because it was different from what they were teaching. How could this be, how could they get so far off from the truth about God, they were the Religious Leaders they were the very ones people looked to for help and guidance.
Stop and ask yourself this question, why are there so many different Christian Churches in our world today. There was only one back in Jesus time the one He started with 12 disciples so why so many now. Funny but we all like to play games and the most command game is follow the leader. Sad but true if someone does not like something in a church he will just leave and start a church of his own. If he is a good speaker and tells the people what they want to hear before long you will have another Christian Denomination.
If Jesus came back today what Church would He go too, I am sure it will be the one following His Commandants all Ten of them. Why I say that because when He was here the first time that is the one He went too..
What is bad about all of this is when the Religious Leaders are following the wrong way everyone else who are following them are also going the wrong way. If Jesus came back today what Church would He be going too, I am sure it will be the one following His Comandents
Jesus came to show His disciples the truth and to follow the commandments of God the Father the same ones He followed while He was here on the Earth. Men love to intrepid the Bible and tell others what is means. But the Bible does not need anyone to intrepid it 2Tm:2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. If we will just take time and study the word of God, His word, the Bible will intrepid itself, that is the gift of the Holy Spirit, to lead us into all truth.
31: But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.
Today there are many Christians and Religious Leaders telling us that we no longer need to keep all those old Commandments of God, or it is OK to keep them a different way. But was that what Jesus were teaching, or was that the problem with the Religious Leaders then, they were good men “sometimes”. But little by little they compromised the true teaching of God and put into place the teaching of men. Look at what the Bible is telling you in the book of revelation in the end time there will be a small group of true follower who will be keeping the commandments of God not the commandments of the Church.
Look at Matthew: 7: 21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
As you reading this, can you understand it; Jesus is telling this to men and women who called themselves Christians who profess to be keeping His truth
23: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
They are the Religious Leaders and there followers; so called Christians that Jesus is talking to, the question is why, why is Jesus saying I never knew you. Could it be for the same reason the Religious Leaders in His time wanted to kill Him.
We need to go back into history and look at some prophecy about the times we live in, turn with me to the Book of Daniel
God gave a King by the name of Nebuchadnezzar a dream, his dreams was about all the major kingdoms that would come up and rule this Earth. Those kingdoms were Babylon, Medes and Persians, Greek, and the very last Roam.
Daniel: 2:
36: This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37: Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38: And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39: And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40: And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41: And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42: And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43: And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44: And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
OK now let’s look at these kingdoms
Gold = Babylon: The head of gold represented Babylon, which was the ruling world power from 612-539 B.C.
Silver = Medo-Persia: The chest of silver represented Medo-Persia, the ruling world empire from 539-331 B.C.
Bronze = Greece: The thighs of bronze represented Greece, the dominant world ruler from 331-168 B.C.
Iron = Rome: The legs of iron represented Rome, which enjoyed world supremacy from 168 B.C.-A.D. 476. Jesus was born when Rome was in power
Iron and Clay = the Divided Empire: The feet that were partly iron and partly clay represented a divided empire that would not cleave together. No single power has ruled the world since A.D. 476, and it will remain divided until Christ’s return. But note that the legs of Iron representing Roam extend all the way into the very toes of the image, right down to the time we are living in.
Stone = Christ’s Eternal Kingdom, His Word, and His Law
We are living in the very toes of this image where soon Jesus is to return. Question is where will you be, on what side will you be standing. On the side of your Church or on the side of God Truth; the choice my friend is your
Now let’s go to the Old Testament and see some of prophecy about the Church that we find will come out of the Iron and Clay of the legs and feet
Dan:7:25: 23: Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
What makes this fourth beat or kingdom so different from all the rest, after the fall of the Roman kingdom When the Roman Empire began to crumble in A.D. 476, it was not overtaken by another world power. Instead, barbarian tribes conquered the Roman Empire and divided it just as Daniel prophesied. Ten of these tribes evolved into modern Europe. They were the Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Alemannians, Sueves, Anglo-Saxons, Heruls, Lombards, and Burgundians. Seven of them still exist today in Europe. For example, the Anglo-Saxons became the English, the Franks became the French, the Alemannians became the Germans, and the Lombards became the Italians.
24: And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Note; Roam never fell to another world power it was divided and change from a world empire to a religious empire. It is the same today in our time we are the feet of this great image that Daniel seen, and for many years the only church that ruled the world was the church of Roam, the legs of that great image.
25: And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they
Is there on Earth today a Religious power that claims it has power to make and change Gods Law and His Commandments? It is sad to say but it is true that the Church of Roam claims to have that power on Earth to do just that. And they changed who’s time and who’s Law. Look at the 4th commandments, Gods day of worship and His time to come and abide with His people the Sabbath to Sunday.
How log would this corrupt Religious power rule, look at the book of Revelations
Reveluation: 11:
2: But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
3: And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
During these times of persecution where would the true Church be Rv:12:6: And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Gods true Church would go into hiding because of the persecution of the corrupt Roam church. Read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs if you have any drought of how corrupt a church can become when lead under the power of an evil devil and not a loving God.
God has always had a people who kept the truth of His word even to death. Why because they follow the true teaching of Jesus and refused to follow the corrupt teaching of the church.
Mk:13:13: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mt:24:9: Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
During the dark-ages the Church of Roam killed many of good Christians, have you ever asked yourself why. Because they stood up against the corrupt teaching of the Church and paid the price with there very own life. They knew that they would be killed for telling others the truth about God the Father and His Son Jesus. But they would not compromise the truth even if it meant dyeing; they love Gods more then life itself.
John:15:
24: If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
25: But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
Jesus told us that if they would do these things to Him Gods Son, they would do it to us as well who followed His true teaching.
We are told that they will hate us, why because we are different because we keep the Commandments of God and have the Testimony of Jesus Christ
Rv:14:12: Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rv:19:10: And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
We are to worship God and God only; we are not to bow down and give any man or image the reverence that belongs to God alone.
Look at how the Bible describes the last kingdom, Jesus kingdom
The stone that was cut without human hands represents God’s kingdom. It will not be a conglomeration of earthly kingdoms, but a total replacement Revelation 21:1. The Scriptures declare that when Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will completely consume all the kingdoms of earth and establish an everlasting kingdom Daniel 2:44. What exciting news! Jesus Christ is coming again! All history is moving toward this climactic conclusion of when the Son of God shall return in majesty to bring in the kingdom of everlasting righteousness.
The Angle came to Daniel to show him what will happened in the latter days (End Time)
Dan 10: 14: Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.
Dan:7: 45: Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Look at what Paul said to the Church of Thessalonians: 4:
13: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Here Paul is preaching about the follower of Jesus who had died and sleeping in there graves. They wanted to know what is going too happened to them. They knew that when someone died they did not go to heaven or hell, that they were right there in the grave. So Paul told them not to worry that when Jesus came back all who are in the grave would rise first and then we who are still alive will go up to meet Jesus in the air
15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Jesus when He is coming back will call with a shout and the trump of God and all who died in the hope and faith of Jesus will come alive never to die again. How could this be; because they died in Faith what Jesus told His followers to do, that if He goes He would come back and take them with Him. Remember the story of Lazarus in the book of John (John:11:43) Jesus had to call for him by name so that all dead who was in the grave would not come back to life.
17: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18: Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Jesus is the Stone that was cut out of the rock with out hands and is coming back for all who by faith in Him believed and did the work He told them to do not what the Church tell you to do.
People need to study the word of God the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and let the Bible intrepid itself and go by Gods word not mans.
So what do you think, now some 2000 years after Jesus died if He was to come back as a man like He did to the Jews would they crucify Him again? There are so many different religions in our world today, how do you tell which is the true Church, Remember in the book of revelations it said that they will be a remnant a very small group compared to the Great mega Churches of the world.
Rv:12:17: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Who is satan mad with and will do all he can to destroy and kill them, that is right the ones who will be keeping the commandments of God. Remember keeping the commandments will not save you, we are not saved by keeping the commandments or the Law, we are saved by the grace of God. But we keep the commandments because Jesus told us by keeping them it will show to the world who we love; His true Church.
Jesus Himself kept His Father Commandments; the ones He gave Moses, for His commandments are the very character of God Himself
If you are in drought as to what the Truth is just do this: WWJD What Would Jesus Do
Jesus kept His Fathers Commandments all Ten of them
This is Elder Tim McNab for Restoring Gods Truth Ministries, Don’t be one of them that Jesus will say sorry but I never knew you.
Blind Spot in your life
Is there a Blind Spot in your life
I was driving the other day, doing my normal thing and needed to get into the other lane. I looked in the mirror and did not see anything so I started to pull over. But just as I started I seen a little white car in that lane so I quickly pulled back into my lane and said wow I almost ran over that little car where did it come from; well it was right there but it was in my blind spot I did not see it. There is danger in our life everyday but the worse danger is the one we don’t see until it is too late, the one that can change our life forever.
Let us Pray!
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Mt:15:14: Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Are there blind spots in your life that sometime you do see, or even know that they are there?
Maybe a place where we put things we don’t want to fully get rid of but at the same time don’t want to hold on too.
I want to look at the story in the Bible where a rich young man came running up to Jesus and asked a very powerful question, in fact the same question many people still ask today.
Matthew 19:
16: Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
• Now note the first problem,
What good thing shall I do, this rich young ruler, He had a blind spot he was lost and could not see it.
The same it is with many Christians who are trying to get to Heaven on there own accord
17: And he said unto him (Jesus speaking), Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Look at the answer Jesus gave seamed simple
It is very fitting for all of us here today to also understand what this means.
Can Keeping the Ten Commandments save us, (you might say that is what Jesus was saying) Wrong
We don’t keep the Commandments to be saved, we keep them because we are saved that Is the different and a very vital different.
• Now listen to the young man
18: He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19: Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20: The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Have you been to that point, maybe wondering, what lack I yet: in your Christian experience
Here was a blind spot a lost soul; he assumed that because of the little good he had done in keeping a few of the commandments he was ok with all of them.
What Jesus does next it to try and move the man in a position that he can see his true lost condition
21: Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
When Jesus was telling him to sell all he had and follow Him, it was not just his money Jesus was talking about, it was a complete life style change he needed.
Get rid of the garbage and material things that are holding you down and except Jesus as your savory
What an invitation that Jesus gave to him but he could not accept, I feel for this pore lost soul. Come and follow me the Savior said but he was lost in a world of material things he wanted eternity life but did not want to let go of what it takes to have eternity life.
His life was a fake, he was showing on the out side, something that he was not on the inside, he was lost and did not know it.
Jesus gave him directions on what to do to be saved
22: But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
How many times will we turn away from Jesus all because we can’t let go of the things of this world.
Things like:
Money
Time
Pride
Job
Position
Church
Friends
All are things we sometime put before serving God, and when we do they become our God.
There are many people who believe in God and call themselves Christians, but they are only a Christian on the outside. They are good people, they don’t hurt anyone, they go to Church every week, they pay there Tithe and give an offering.
On the outside they look just like the real thing, but what about the inside. Look at what Jesus said to the Religious Leaders in
Matthew: 23: 27: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28: Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
They believe they were OK, they are doing everything all the others are doing, on the outside they are Christians; the problem was all on the inside. God is in there life but He is not first in there life, so just like this rich young man he had other things before God. Exodus: 20: 3: Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
They live in there lots condition never knowing it and when truth is brought before them they don’t see or feel a need for it.
Jesus gave us a parallel about the truth of this man and many others like him there true condition in Luke 17: 32: Remember Lot’s wife.
What was the problem with Lots wife……..
• Story: Lots Wife:
Read the story of Lot & his family in Genesis 19:
14: And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
Some of Lots children’s lost there first love for God and traded there humble faith for the things of this world. Lots children were in a lost condition, when Lot told them the truth about what was fixing to happen they just looked at him as some crazy old man.
15: And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16: And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
17: And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
Is it important to listen to the instructions that God has giving to His true followers His true Children who are true Christians, what happened when Lots wife looked back?
26: But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Lots wife was lost in the trinkets of this world; they blinded her to her true spiritual condition
She could not see even when God sent Angles to rescue her and her family; the same is with many Christians in our world today
Many of people who call themselves Christians are lost
The very first step in being saved is to open your eyes and admit that you are lost.
Let’s look over here at Proverbs 28:13. He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
If you are not saved 100% present you are not saved at all, cast aside the cares of this world, don’t put anything between you and God.
That goes for Family,Husband, Children, Money, Friend, Church, Cars, Work, or health. Nothing is of more important then fowling what Jesus told you to do. Mark: 4:19: And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
John: 14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments. Not the commandments of this world or your Church but the commandments that Jesus Himself has giving to you.
Look at what Jesus was saying in Matthew: 7:
21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
In that day there will be many who call themselves Christian that Jesus will tell, I never knew you. They are ones blinded by following the world and there Church standard of being a Christian not Gods.
A woodsman was found wandering aimlessly in the deep woods then someone asked him: “Are you lost?” and the woodsman said, “No. I’m not lost! My campsite is lost!”
Matthew:7:13: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
We are a lot like that man, aren’t we?
We are too proud to admit that we are in a lost spiritual condition.
We are too proud to ask God to help and forgive us.
We are too proud to admit to our family that we are more interested in studying the Bible and praying then being a part of the world.
To proud to admit we need to confess our sins to the Lord!
Some men when they are lost will drive their car around and around for hours…they are not going to stop to ask for directions. They would drive until they run out of gas before they would ask for directions!
You are not like that, fortunately.
We need to admit that we are lost. God gave to men His Word, His Law, His Commandments, all in one Book called the Bible so that no one would be lost. The Bible is man GPS to help and guide us to see the need for a savoir.
Then we need to follow those directions.
• We need to admit our wickedness and not try to cover up our sins. It is said to think that sometimes we are like the woodsman who lost his campsite.
Paul Harvey tells a story of four young men who were late to school one morning. Very, very late.
They walked in, and the teacher asked “where have you been?” “Well, we had a flat tire.”
And the sympathetic teacher smiled and told them, “Well that’s too bad you are so late, you missed the test.
But I’ll tell you what. I will give you a paper and a pencil, and if you can answer one question I will give you a hundred percent on the test.
” So she put them in the four corners of the room. They each had a pencil and a white piece of paper, and she said “Just tell me this simple thing.
Which tire was flat?” They flunked.
• Why do human beings like to cover up our sins? Maybe we try to save face.
But God says, “Confess your sins” “Forsake your sins.” It takes an honest person to be saved.
• Charles Colson’s book, “Born Again,” is about the Watergate era.
He talks about Richard Milhouse Nixon.
Richard Nixon could never admit that he was wrong in anything. Colson was at a meeting one time with Nixon. Nixon obviously had a cold.
His nose was running, his face was red, he was sneezing. He had all the symptoms of a cold. But he would never admit it. He never admitted anything wrong.
WE need to tell Jesus. I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and God will forgave the iniquity of my sin.
• I think sometimes we are like the woodsman who lost his campsite.
We almost enjoy our lost condition. But we don’t want to admit it.
We’re out there. We actually love the world and it makes us feel secure. We feel safe out in the world.
But we live in a doomed world. All who do not come out of it and come to Jesus their Savior will die in their sins.
Like Lot’s wife, we could be lost and not know until it is too late.
Luke 17:33 says, Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
Lot’s wife felt secure in Sodom. She was probably the spice of the party by night, and the salt of death by day.
Admit that you are lost. Admit that you can’t save yourself. And invite Jesus in to your live
How to avoid having a blind spot in your life and being lost in this world. By doing what Jesus told us to do and showing our love to His by keeping His words and living as He lived.
Matthew 7:
1: Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2: For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3: And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4: Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5: Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
You don’t have to be Blind and you don’t have to be Lost, if you except Jesus as your savoir and invite him into your life.
Try giving Him control of the steering wheel; Just don’t think it is easy
He said I came to save all who will by Faith believe in me and do the things I tell them to do.
I pray for you my friend and for all who is reading this sermon. Give you life to Jesus today, read his word everyday, and do the things Jesus did, and find a Church that Keep all 10 of Gods commandments.
Remember no one if perfect and no Church is perfect, the only way we can become perfect is by letting Jesus take over our life.
Elder Tim McNab
Restoring Gods Truth.
Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds you!
I have a dog that can’t understand love; it is a good little dog and likes to lick me when we are playing. She also likes for me to rub her back, her head, and more then any rub behind her ears. My daughter had the dog for about a year but could not take care of her because she was always working, so like a good daughter she dropped the dog off on her parents, don’t you just love children.
The dog is a pretty little dog all most still a puppy and wants to play all the time; Well I am an old man and my play days are over. But we manage so like I said she is a good little dog, but she has one very bad problem, when it comes time to feed her.
If I stick my hand too close to her mouth while eating she will growl and even bits me. All I can say is where is the love you had for me just a little while ago. I am the one who give you a place to sleep, and place to live, I keep you warm in the winter time, and cool in the summer time, I take you to the vet when you get sick, and feed you when you get hungry
No matter what I do or what I try I can never get her to learn that I am the Hand that feeds you. I sometimes wonder if that is not the same thing we do to God everyday, He is the one that give us everything we have and everything we need, and all we do it too bite the hand of the one who gives us our very life. Forgive us dear Lord.Hosea:4: 6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
Let’s take a walk through the Bible and see what God has to say about this.
Let us Pray!
My Brother Son:
My brother die about 10 years ago and I want to do anything I can to help his children. One of his sons was in jail at the time of his death; we wanted him to be there at the funeral but they would not let him out of jail.
I wanted to help him as much as I could so I took on the task to visit him and try to keep in communicating with him. Well he got out about a year later and went back to New Orleans, but it was not long before he got back into trouble and they put him back in Prison again this time for 7 years.
Jn:10:10: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
I went to visit him when I could, just had a lot on my table at the time, but I felt I owed it to my brother to help his son. When it came time for him to be released none of his family wanted him because all he was is trouble.
Well I sad that is not right, he is my brother son, he got into trouble when he was younger but he is now a changed man. When I would visit him in prison he would tell me all his planes and that was to keep out of trouble and make a new life for himself. Well I decided to have him stay with me so we would be able to help him a lot better. I heard all the bad things about him but pushed all that in the back of my head, I was going to help and that was all it was to it. I gave him his own room and I paid for gas in his car, it was like when my children was at home, Dad did and paid for everything.
Ps:81:12: So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
Well my wife was in Tampa at the time so the first day that he was in my house he was there all day by himself. I always keep my room door locked because I don’t want anyone to be in there when I am not home. So after I got home from work, I notice that the number on my safe was wrong. I always leave it on 90 but when I check it, it was on 50, how did that get there, and then I thought. Someone had to have opened my safe but who my door was locked. Then I said oh no that boy opened my door and was rooting around in my room to see what I have.
I did not say anything that night but decided to leave my safe on a different number the next day, and sure enough when I got home it was changed. Well my wife was coming back from Tamps that same night and she will be at home everyday now, so I said nothing to him again. I wanted him to know that I trust him I love him I will do everything I can do to help him.
Mt:15:19: For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
He told me he found a job and everyday he would leave to go to work, but he was always getting off early. I figured something not right with that; no one gets to take off when they want when they just start a new job. Well I did all I could do to treat him like a son and let him know we trust and loved him. That week we had a camp meeting and so my wife and I went, I asked him to come with us but he say no someone was coming to pick him up to go to work, well ok I said.
We drove to the camp meeting about the time we got there a guy I know called me on my cell phone to let me know someone was driving my work truck. I said what, he said that boy who is staying with you took off in your work truck and he is calling me because he knows that no one drives that truck except me.
I could not believe it; he broke in my room to get the keys and then stole my truck. I drove home right away and when I got there sure enough my work truck was gone. About that time he shows up with my truck telling me that he had an emergency and needed to use my truck.
But this time I said no, no more and told him to pack his bag and get out of my house. He had a friend pick him who was a known drug head, what he was doing was stealing from me to pay for drugs. After he left I found a lot of my tools were missing my wife rings were missing; even my next door neighbor was missing tools from his shop.
Why! was all I could say, I did all I could for him, I took him in when no one else wanted him, I feed him and gave him a warm place to live. I loved him as my own son and would have done anything for him, but to him I was only someone else to abuse. That is why none of his family wanted him, they knew him better then I did. But I was praying that love would change him but he turned and walked away from my love because he wanted what was in the world.
Ps:14:1: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Sometime I wonder are we not the same way with God? God has giving us everything we have everything we need and we spit it back at Him saying thanks but no thanks.
Open your Bible with me to the book of Hosea and let’s read about God people Israel and see how God has viewed them.
Hosea:2:5: For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
God picked a man by the name of Abraham and from him he would make a nation of people who would love Him God for all He would do for them, they were to be called Gods holy people. Did it turn out that way; no, all that God did for them they were anything expect God people.
Hosea: 2:
8: For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.
9: Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness.
10: And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.
Gods love and mercy is right there for all who by faith accept what He did in our behalf, forgiveness is free by the blood of Jesus but it was not cheep.
Hosea:4:
6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
God wants a people who will love Him; He has provided everything we need and gives His blessing to us everyday. But look at what God is saying about His people
11: Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
12: My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their
We are Gods people, yet God is saying that we have turned away from following Him we have committed whoedom by following false teaching. The Bible and the Bible alone must be the standard of all truth in our life, nothing should be more importance to us but to follow what God has told us to do.
Isa:8:20: To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
God has blessed mankind by giving us His commandments that if a man will do them he will be blessed. Look at the Gospel of John and what is it saying.
John:7:
16: Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17: If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
18: He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
19: Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law?
Jesus plainly told the Religious Leaders in His day that He came not to do His will but the will of His Father. He also told them that God gave them His Law and His Commandments that If any man will do God’s will, he shall know of the doctrine that Jesus was teaching, whether it be of God, or of man.
Think about this, Jesus was speaking to the Religious Leaders the men who were put in charged of doing what God told them to do. They had a copy of everything God gave to Moses to pass down to them, but were they doing it.
This was the Religious Leaders who were supposed to be teaching the people Gods word, but they themselves were not keeping it. They had made other laws to help them keep God laws, but by the time Jesus came they were keeping there Laws and not the Laws or Commandments God gave to them.
Now I ask you is it possible that we today are doing the same thing.
Jesus came almost 2000 years ago; he left behind 12 disciples who were to teach us what Jesus gave them. They with the power of Gods Holy Spirit lead many people to know the only true God who has created everything. They did not teach others to break any of God Laws or Commandments but His disciples were examples to the world of how to live by them.
Look at what the Bible is saying about the time we are living in, go to the book of Daniel
7:25: And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel was not talking about his time but of future events that were to come. Look at what happened to the Church during the dark ages. The Church compromised the truth of God word for pagan belief’s durian the rule of Constantine. But true believes kept the words of God and separated them selves from the corrupt church of Roam.
Rome taught that all who did not acknowledge the pope as God’s representative on earth and the Roman Catholic Church as the only true church were damned. Salvation was confined within the teachings of the Roman Church. Every person who disagreed with the Roman Church was in line for a heresy trial and perhaps excommunication. Excommunication meant the loss of one’s soul and being condemned to death.
Look at what Daniel is saying about the future of this corrupt Religion
Daniel:7:
1. He shall speak great words against the most High: Making her own laws and saying she and she alone can forgive sin
2. He shall wear out the saints of the most High: Look at Fox’s book of Martyrs, all these Men & Women died because they would not except the teaching of this corrupt church. What gives any church the right to put someone to death for refusing to believe what they teach?
3. He will think to change times and laws:
Believe it or not but the Roman Church changed the 4th Commandment from the Seventh Sabbath day to the firth day of worship. God’s holy day a day we were to all come together and worship God and Him only; to a day to worship the Sun. Sun worship is Pagan and all who worship on that day are worshiping the Pagan Sun god.
The Bible tells us; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
God is a God of love a God of mercy and long suffering, but there will come a day when sin and sinners must have an end. We can’t continue to bite the hand that feeds us and expect to live forever.
I want you to read what Jesus was telling the people in the Book of Matthew
Matthew: 21:
33: Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35: And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36: Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
37: But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38: But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
39: And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40: When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41: They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42: Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43: Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
This was not the people Jesus was talking to in this parable; Jesus was talking to the High Priest and the Religious Leaders of His day. By rejecting Jesus they were rejecting the very God who gave them His Commandments. Jesus told them that His father will take away His blessing and give it to another people, who by faith will believe in Him and what He came to do to save them.
But even then Jesus knew that His new Church would become corrupt with false teaching because of evil men. Look at Matthew:7:15: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Satan would stop at nothing to keep people from hearing the truth. Remember back in Genesis the lie he told to Eve, God said in the day you eat of this fruit you will surely die, Satan said you will not surely die. One little word changed the meaning of what was and was not truth.
John:16:2: They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
Look at the Church of the Dark Ages and what she did to Christians who would not worship her as the true Church. Read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and see how many Thousands maybe Millions of good Christian Men and Women even Children she put to death all in the name of God. The Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind, she killed more people then all the World Wars put together could number.
Evil men pretending to serve God just like the Religious Leaders that put Jesus to death, all because He the Son of God would not except the traditions of the Church in place of God’s Commandments.
Even Paul knew that after his death evil men would come into the Church, look what he told the Christians there in Thessalonica
Thessalonians: 2:
7: For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
The mystery of iniquity (Evil Men) are already creeping into the Church The condition of the world under the Romish power presented a fearful and striking fulfillment of the words of the prophet Hosea:4:6: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee: . . . seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” “There is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.” Hosea 4:6, 1, 2. Such were the results of banishing the word of God.
We are not left in darkness because Jesus told us what will happen, what to expect. The dragon or Satan will persecute or go after God people just like in the Dark Ages once more Read the Book of Revelation and Daniel together.
Rv:12:17: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
A remnant is a very small amount, at the time of the end there will be only a few doing what God told us to do. The Religious Leaders of the end-time will be telling everyone not to worry everything is OK
So here we are 2000 years after the death of our Lord Jesus, as we come upon the end-times of this world and the soon return of Jesus, we again find the Churches Corrupt teaching the documents of men rather then God truth.
Look at the fearful warning giving by Jesus Himself to the Church of the end-times
Matthew:7: 21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Many of the so called great Religious Leaders of our day will not make it into heaven, why because they studied the word of God, they knew what they should do and say, but they did it not. Why many of these Religious Leaders sell religion for money and wealth, in there sermons they tell the people all is well just love each other and all will be well.
Turn with me now to the book of Revelation: 14: 12: Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The Angle was telling John there will be a people in the end times who will be doing what God said to do and not man.
Revelation:12:17: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Please remember we don’t keep Gods commandments to be saved, we keep them because we are saved. We are saved by the death Jesus gave; He paid the price of sin to save all who by faith loved Him
John:14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments.
I hope that someday I will be able to teach my little dog it is ok, I am not going to take your food away from you. I am the one who loves you and will provide for you all the days of your life.
Don’t bite the hand that feeds you
Elder Tim McNab
Restoring Gods Truth Ministry
What is the Real Truth about Death, Hell and the Grave!
Many years ago I lived on an Island in Central American; it was a great place for a kid to grow up and learned about the beautiful things that God created. ![images[1]](http://www.restoringgodstruth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/images1.jpg)
Being a city boy and thinking I knew everything what a shock to me to find out just how little I really knew about things. I made a lot of new friends there and want to tell you about one guy called Redmood, he was a little older then I was but that did not make a different because everyone looked out for the other.
Well I got married a few years later and came up to the US to go to work and we all kind of lost track of each other. Until I got a massage from my brother who stilled lived on the Island that Redmood had died. No one knew why he died they just found him in his bed dead, the local doctor check him and there was no blood pressure or breath in his body, so he pronounce him dead.
Now the problem living on a small Island in Central American is that there is no place to keep someone when they die, so they have to bury you as soon as they can. His family made all the arrangement and had the hole dug up in the grave yard. While everyone was there in the graveyard just about ready to lower him into the grave. They heard him knocking and screaming for someone to open the coffin, so when they did he jumped out because he had no idea of what was going on
Was he really dead, did he just come back to life? Or was he misdiagnosed as being dead. About a year later he died again but this time they checked him really good before going to bury him. He never said anything about where he was when he died the first time, only that he went to sleep that night and woke up in a coffin..
Does anyone really know what happens when a person dies, well for me there is only one place to go for truth and that is Gods word in the Bible!
Let us pray!
The only way to find the real truth about what happens is to see what the Bible says about Death, Hell and the Grave; why because no man or woman had every truly died and came back to tell about it except for a man named Lazarus.
There has been a lot of near death phoneme with people dyeing on a Hospital table then coming back to life, but was that really death. For me I want to see someone who has been dead for a few days then come back to life and tell about it. But there had been none except for a man in the Bible called Lazarus; lets see what he says about it.
John:11:43: And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
The story in the Bible about Lazarus dying and coming back to life is silent on the subject of where he was. There is no book in the Bible called Lazarus near death or Lazarus after death or anything from Lazarus about where he was for those 4 days, nothing.
Lazarus said nothing about where he was because as the Bible says he was dead, God told Adam on the day that you eat of the tree you will surely die. You will not go on living some place else but that he would die, he would go back to being dust in the earth and the Breath that God gave him would return back to God who gave it.
Psalms:104:29: Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
Ecclesiastes:12:7: Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Right here in these two scriptures God is telling us what happens when we die. We go back to being dust and the breath or spirit; what makes us what we are goes back to God who gave it. Life does not go on after we die, we die because of sin and because there is a Law that tells us the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Ezek:18:4: Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Now buckle down because I want to show you something about death in the Bible from the book of Revelation. But I want us to understand one thing first; this is not what I am saying it is what the Bible is saying, here we go word for word from the Bible.
Reverlation:2:11: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
What does the Bible mean by this saying second death?
If we die and go to Heaven or Hell right at death what is the second death thing all about. If the Bible is talking about a second death, what about the first death? Let’s look and see what the Bible is saying about this
Rv:20:6: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection. The Bible is saying that all people who are a part of the first resurrection will live forever with God in Heaven. The first resurrection will be for all people who by faith accepted Jesus as there savoir and did the things on this Earth He asked them to do to show there love for Him in there life.
So why is there a second resurrection, who is it for. In the first resurrection all who by faith believed in Jesus was resurrected from the grave and went to heaven
Then all who did not believe or did not keep the saying or commandment of Jesus must be the ones who will take part in this second resurrection, see what the Bible says.
Rv:21:8: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
This might be a hard subject for you but please stay with me; if you are like me I don’t want to know what some preacher or some big Religious Leader is saying, I want to know what the Bible is saying about Death, Hell, and the Grave
![images[8]](http://www.restoringgodstruth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/images8.jpg)
Rv:20:14: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Here is another one if when we die and if we go to Hell, how long will it be for, look at what the Bible says about what is going to happen to Hell. It will be cast into the lake of fire; the Bible calls this the second death. Rv:2:11: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
There will be an end to all Sin, an end to Hell, an end to suffering, sickness and pain. God is a merciful God look at Ezek:33:11: Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Now some good news, if we take our stand for truth and the only truth is in Gods Word, then we will overcome and not have a part of this second death.
Rv:20:6: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
The Bible is telling us that there will be a first resurrection, this will be all the people who dies or went to sleep as the Bible calls it with the hope of Jesus in there lives.
First Thessalonians 4:
13: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
Paul wanted to make sure the Christians in his days knew and understood what happened when a person died. He also wanted to make them understand that if you have the hope and faith of Jesus in you when you died that there would be a day when Jesus comes back to this world and take you home with Him.
14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Paul says don’t worry about the ones who have fell asleep in the faith, when Jesus comes back they will be the ones to rise first and then we who are alive will be caught up with the ones who died or went to sleep in Jesus.
17: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
There is something else it is saying here, when Jesus comes back for His people where will we meet Him. We will meet the Lord in the air; Jesus feet will not touch this earth when He comes back to bring all the righteous Saints back to life. I hear a lot of people saying that Jesus is back on this earth and he doing wonderful miracle. Well if that is so it is not the true Jesus, why because when He comes back His feet will not touch the earth, so who is it that clams to be Jesus and doing miracles to deceive the whole world.
Look at 2nd Corinthians: 11:
13: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14: And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15: Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Do you see what the Bible is saying; Satan and his ministers will be transformed to look just like the real thing; real Christians and will deceive many. You might ask how is this going to be, it is very easy. Most Christians don’t study there Bible or believe what it says, they go by what the preacher and what there Church believes and teachers and not by what Gods word the Bible is saying.
My friend the only truth in this world is found in the Bible and the Bible only, look at John: 17: 17: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. The only truth you will find in this world will be found in Gods book the Bible.
Let’s look at some other scripture in the Bible they all tell about death, none of them say anything about the soul living on after you die. This is Gods word speaking people and what does the Bible say about Gods word 2Tm:3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: All scripture is given by inspiration of God. The Bible is the guide that we use to correct everything else, if you don’t believe in the Bible you don’t believe in God word speaking to man. Remember the Bible is never wrong, the understanding or interpolation of man is unsurely what is wrong. So to understand the Bible we need to study and see what it says from cover to cover Old and New testament, for the old testament is the key to unlocking a lot of the new testament.
So what does the Bible says about death, read it word for word.
Ps: 39:13: O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.
Ps: 88: 5: Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.
Ps: 104: 29: Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust
Ps: 115: 17: The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
Ps: 143: 7: Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
Ecclesiastes: 9:5: For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6: Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
Ecclesiastes: 12: 7: Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Isaiah: 38: 18: For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
These are only a few references to different books in the Bible that talk about Death, Hell, the Pit and the Grave. None of them say anything about going to heaven or down to see the devil, they all talk about when you die you know nothing anymore until Jesus comes back to call you back to life. Look at the scripture the dead in Christ shall rise first: they are not going to rise if they are already in heaven.
Thessalonians 4:16: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
The Bible is very clear about Death and all the prophets who had lived had told it the way God gave it to them. Even when Jesus was alive on the Earth He did not change anything; remember the Story of Lazarus, and what Jesus said of him.
John:11: 11: These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
12: Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13: Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14: Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Jesus calls Death a Sleep, why because when we die that is what we do, we sleep until He Jesus comes back to call all who have died in Faith back to live with Him forever
Luke:8:
52: And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.
53: And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
54: And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.
55: And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.
56: And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
Again remember the story of the little girl who died, when Jesus told them she was not dead but sleeping they all laugh at Him, but who was right. Friend we have to go by the Bible as a whole you can’t take one scripture and make a doctoring out of it. We must study the Bible the way the Bible tells us to study it
Isa:28:10: For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Do you remember the story that Jesus told in the book of Luke Chapter 16: about a rich man and Lazarus. He said after they both died the rich man went to hell but Lazarus went to Abraham bosom. Then Jesus goes on to give more details about the story, but was it about death and what happens at death or was Jesus trying to bring home a point. Look at it and see what it is saying
Remember when you want to know truth you must study the Bible from cover to cover, from Genesis to Revelation Isa:28:10 precept upon precept; line upon line here a little, and there a little.
Anytime the Bible does not agree with itself, it is not the Bible that is wrong it is the interpolation that is wrong. It is when we don’t fully understand something written, but if you will study the subject in prayer and precept upon precept; line upon line here a little, and there a little the Holy Spirit will lead you into all Truth.
Here in [Luke 16:] starting with verse 19 to 31 is a story that Jesus was telling
Luke: 16:31: And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Christ shows that in this life men decide their eternal destiny. During probationary time the grace of God is offered to every soul. But if men waste their opportunities in self-pleasing, they cut themselves off from everlasting life. No after probation will be granted them. By their own choice they have fixed an impassable gulf between them and their God.
This parable draws a contrast between the rich who have not made God their dependence, and the poor who have made God their dependence. Christ shows that the time is coming when the position of the two classes will be reversed. Those who are poor in this world’s goods, yet who trust in God and are patient in suffering will one day be exalted above those who now hold the highest positions the world can give but who have not surrendered their life to God.
“There was a certain rich man,” Christ said, “which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, There were then no hospitals in which the sick might be cared for. The suffering and needy were brought to the notice of those to whom the Lord had entrusted wealth, that they might receive help and sympathy. Thus it was with the beggar and the rich man. Lazarus was in great need of help; for he was without friends, home, money, or food. Yet he was allowed to remain in this condition day after day, while the wealthy nobleman had every want supplied. The one who was abundantly able to relieve the sufferings of his fellow creature, lived to himself, as many live today.
There are today close beside us many who are hungry, naked, and homeless. A neglect to impart of our means to these needy, suffering ones places upon us a burden of guilt which we shall one day fear to meet. All covetousness is condemned as idolatry. All selfish indulgence is an offense in God’s sight.
God had made the rich man a steward of His means, and it was his duty to attend to just such cases as that of the beggar. The command had been given, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deut. 6:5); and “thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Lev. 19:18).
The rich man was a Jew, and he was acquainted with the command of God. But he forgot that he was accountable for the use of his entrusted means and capabilities. The Lord’s blessings rested upon him abundantly, but he employed them selfishly, to honor himself, not his Maker. In proportion to his abundance was his obligation to use his gifts for the uplifting of humanity.
This was the Lord’s command, but the rich man had no thought of his obligation to God. He lent money, and took interest for what he loaned; but he returned no interest for what God had lent him. He had knowledge and talents, but did not improve them. Forgetful of his accountability to God, he devoted all his powers to pleasure. Everything with which he was surrounded, his round of amusements, the praise and flattery of his friends, ministered to his selfish enjoyment. So engrossed was he in the society of his friends that he lost all sense of his responsibility to co-operate with God in His ministry of mercy the same is with many of men and women today. He had opportunity to understand the word of God, and to practice its teachings; but the pleasure-loving society he chose so occupied his time that he forgot the God of eternity.
The time came when a change took place in the condition of the two men. The poor man had suffered day by day, but he had patiently and quietly endured. In the course of time he died and was buried. There was no one to mourn for him; but by his patience in suffering he had witnessed for Christ, he had endured the test of his faith, and at his death he is represented as being carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.
Lazarus represents the suffering poor who believe in Christ. When the trumpet sounds and all that are in the graves hear Christ’s voice and come forth, they will receive their reward; for their faith in God was not a mere theory, but a reality.
“The rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” Luke: 16: 22
In this parable Christ was meeting the people on their own ground. The doctrine of a conscious state of existence between death and the resurrection was held by many of those who were listening to Christ’s words. The Savior knew of their ideas, and He framed His parable so as to inculcate important truths through these preconceived opinions. He held up before His hearers a mirror wherein they might see themselves in their true relation to God. He used the prevailing opinion to convey the idea He wished to make prominent to all–that no man is valued for his possessions; for all he has belongs to him only as lent by the Lord. A misuse of these gifts will place him below the poorest and most afflicted man who loves God and trusts in Him.
Christ desires His hearers to understand that it is impossible for men to secure the salvation of the soul after death. “Son,” Abraham is represented as answering, Luke: 16: 25 “remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed; so that they which would pass from hence to you can not; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.” Thus Christ represented the hopelessness of looking for a second probation. This life is the only time given to man in which to prepare for eternity.
The rich man had spent his life in self-pleasing, and too late he saw that he had made no provision for eternity. He realized his folly, and thought of his brothers, who would go on as he had gone, living to please themselves. Then he made the request, “I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him [Lazarus] to my father’s house; for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” But “Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.” Luke:16: 29-30
When the rich man solicited additional evidence for his brothers, he was plainly told that should this evidence be given, they would not be persuaded. His request cast a reflection on God. It was as if the rich man had said, If you had more thoroughly warned me, I should not now be here. Abraham in his answer to this request is represented as saying, Your brothers have been sufficiently warned. Light has been given them, but they would not see; truth has been presented to them, but they would not hear.
Moses and the Prophets
Luke:16:31 “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” These words were proved true in the history of the Jewish nation. Christ’s last and crowning miracle was the raising of Lazarus of Bethany, after he had been dead four days. The Jews were given this wonderful evidence of the Saviour’s divinity, but they rejected it. Lazarus rose from the dead and bore his testimony before them, but they hardened their hearts against all evidence, and even sought to take his life. (John 12:9-11.) 9: Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.
10: But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
11: Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
The law and the prophets are God’s appointed agencies for the salvation of men. Christ said; Let them give heed to these evidences. If they do not listen to the voice of God in His word, the testimony of a witness raised from the dead would not be heeded.
Those who heed Moses and the prophets will require no greater light than God has given; but if men reject the light, and fail to appreciate the opportunities granted them, they would not hear if one from the dead should come to them with a message. They would not be convinced even by this evidence; for those who reject the law and the prophets so harden their hearts that they will reject all light.
So you see the parable that Jesus told here was not about what happens after you die, the Bible was already clear about that subject. The parable here was about mans duty to his brother who is in need.
One last verse look at Matthew: 27: After Jesus died on Friday evening early on Sunday morning he rose from the grave, look at what happened at the same time Jesus rose.
52: And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53: And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
The Bible says that many bodies of the saints which slept arose. Where were they sleeping in the grave and when Jesus rose he took some of the sleeping saints with him to heaven as a kind of trophy of the victory He made. Now look again at 1Thes:4:16: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: or let’s say the dead saints in Christ will rise first. 17: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
My dear friend the only truth is what is in the Bible and the only way to understand it is to study it for yourself from cover to cover and let the Bible explain the meaning not man or some Religious leader who might be lost himself.
So what is the true end of all this when Jesus comes back, it is very clear in the book of Revelation
Rv:20:14: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rv:21:3-8:
3: And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5: And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6: And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7: He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
God will make all things new but this time there will be no more sin because Satan and all his followers will be cast into the lake of fire where they will die and never be again for ever and ever. This is the end of Sin and Sinner of Hell and the Grave this is eternal death and all who did not take part in the first resurrection will take part in the second.
My friend searcher the Bible from cover to cover and see what it says about Death, Hell and the Grave; if I am wrong please let me know but show me in Gods word that I am wrong. God bless and be with each of you as you study I pray that Gods Holy Spirit with guide you into all Truth, Truth in His word.
Restoring Gods Truth
Elder Tim McNab
Who’s on first
Mark 10: 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Who’s on first in your life?
There was an old man who one day had a dream!
In his dream the Holy Spirit told him to prepare himself for tomorrow the Lord would come and visit him in his house.
The old man got up very early and cleaned his house and made sure everything was dusted and put into its right place. He re-arranged his furnisher so that his special guess would have the best place to sit in his home. The last thing he did was to make some very special cookies just for his guess.
As the day slowly passed the old man notices that his special guess was late.
Soon the door bell rang and the old man jumped up and said at last. But wend he opened the door there was a little boy there. The young boy said hi Mr. I am collecting money to help feed the poor can you please help.
The old man looked at the boy and said sure, please come in and wait right here. The old man went to his room and got some money and gave it to the boy and said I hope this will help son. The boy could not help but notice the cookies on the plate, he said sir would you mind if I have a cookie. The old man said I made them for a very special guess who will be coming to see me today, I am sure he would not notices if a few cookie was missing. The young boy thanked the old man and went his way.
An hour went by and the door bell rang again. The old man rush to open it and see his special guess, but there was only a poor man in old rags standing there who said sir could you spare some food. The old man invited him in and gave him a nice meal and a cookie for dessert; he even found some clothes to keep him warm. And so this baggier went away full and with moor then he asked for.
The old man notices that the day was far spent and his special guess had not come. Just then there was a gentle knock at the door. That must be him the old man said as he rusted to open the door, only to find a little old lady standing their. Sir she said, could you please spare an old lady a place to sit and rest awhile.
So he invited her in, and she found a nice place to rest her tired old legs. The old man got her a cool glass of water as she ate the last of the cookies he made for his special guess. She thanks him for being so kind as she got up to leave.
The old man looked outside as the Sun was now setting the days was over and his special guess had not come. Did he misunderstand something or maybe he done something wrong, he just did not know why.
The old man cleaned up his kitchen and slowly made his way up to his bedroom. Disappointed that his special guess had not come, as he knelt by his bedside he prayed
O Lord, why “why did you not come today.
I waited for you all day long, I prepared my home as you asked me to do, but you did not come, did I do something wrong, O Lord I just don’t understand!
Then he heard a still small voice saying.
My dear friend!
Three times today my shadow passed over your threshold, and three times to day I did visited with you.
I was the young boy collecting money for the poor.
I was the bagger you let in your door.
I was the old lady who sat a rest in your chair.
Each time I knock you let me in and each time you treated me like your special friend. Do we do the same or do we sometime forget to treat others like we would treat Jesus.
Matt 25: 35-40
35: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
40: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Let us pray!
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Who is Jesus: Why would God the Father send His Son to a place like this, a place full of hate, war, and bloodshed?
The Bible tells us that God so loved this world (John: 3:16). The story of redemption is a mystery not only to mankind but unto the Heavenly host and the Billions and Billions of other worlds that God and His Son created. {John: 3:17} For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Jesus the Father only Son came to show us what the Father is like and to show us that He God loves and wants us to all be a part of His Kingdom forever. But in order for us to have eternal life we must believe by faith in what God the Son did in our behalf, and we must do the things God the Son told us to do. John:14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments. This will show the world who you really love and who is first in your life.
We are not only to love God but also the people all around us, why because God kingdom is a kingdom of love for one another.
Luke 10:
25: And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
No matter where you go in life you will always have a challenge before you. There are always people who believe in God but want to do it there way. This Lawyer believed but not in Jesus, he believed in God but not in Gods Son.
Many believe today in the Son but not in what the Son said to do. I am not a bad person so Jesus will just have to take me as I am. I don’t feel I am doing anything wrong, I go to Church sometimes, and I do pay tithes now and then, I even give a donations to the poor once a year. So you see I am not a bad person at all, I am really good on the inside.
What does Gods word say about this?
Prov:16:25:
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
OK So here we are back to our Lawyer, what did Jesus say unto him
Luke:10
26: He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27: And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28: And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Our Lawyer did well for himself did he not, but because he was a Lawyer he did not stop there. He though he could our smart Jesus because he felt pride in his heart.
29: But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
Friends do this and live, never question the Lord. Take him at his word, for in his word is life and that life is the life of all mankind.
30: And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
The best way to get peoples attention is with a story: You will find all through the Bible stories that Jesus told, always to illustrate a lesson or to bring home a meaning.
31: And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
Now Jesus was not using the characters in this story just to be mean, Jesus knew there hearts and told the fact as there were. God does not like pride, “Why” because pride started in the heart of Lucifer and was passed on to all mankind at the fall in the Garden.
32: And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
Who was the Levites; they were a people specially chosen by God to bare the Ark of God when Israel was on there way to the promise land. God did set them aside, surely if a Levite saw a man fallen in need of help he would stop and give a hand, but he did not.
33: But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
Who was the Samaritan, they were the outcast, because they were not full blooded Israelite. So these people were looked upon as the low class. Not having part of the promise that God gave to Abraham but yet Jesus said that this “Samaritan had compassion”
34: And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
The Samaritan did not only take care of this mans physical needs just then. He went even further in making sure the needs would be meet after he left. He made arrangements that if the bill would be more then the money left behind, he would pay the balance when he returned.
35: And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Now let’s look at what reaction the Lawyer had to the question Jesus had for him.
36: Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
The Lawyer had no choice but to answer the question correctly for now he seen clearly his responsibility, not just to his own family, or people living in the same subdivision that he live in, but his responsibility to all mankind.
37: And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Listen to what Jesus said in the book of
1John 4:20:
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Have you talked to Jesus lately, did he talk back to you, maybe you were too busy to hear
As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life”. Mark 10:17
This young man had fabulous wealth. He was the Bill Gates of 2000 years ago. A young, physically fit, aristocrat. Imagine this wealthy man Kneeling at the feet of Jesus, the penniless prophet from Galilee.
This physically fit young aristocrat had just happened to be watching earlier when Jesus tenderly took the children on his lap and lovingly received and blessed them. He watched as Jesus took these little children and blessed them and he thought, if Jesus can do that for them, He can do that for me. He could bless me. In the meantime, Jesus had moved on. Finally he decided: I’m going to chase after Him. I’ll see if HE will bless me. This mans heart was deeply touched. He felt a love for Jesus and desired to be one of His disciples. He was sincere and earnest. If Jesus could bless the little children He could bless him.
He was a ruler-( Luke 18:18) He was an official of the honored council of the Jews – he was in a high position for his young age. This important ruler kneels before the lowly Jesus, who never held any office or position.
It is a rare event when a young man has the best things this earthly life can offer early in his life. He had youth with its accompanying health. He had position or authority. He was a ruler. He had great wealth.
However he lacked eternal life which is a greater asset than all others combined. If you don’t have eternal life, it doesn’t matter what car you drive, it doesn’t matter where you live. Eternal life is the greatest thing that you can possess.
Jesus looked deeply into the face of this young man, and He recognized that this man was sincere. He read his character. Jesus saw that the man had qualifications which, if united with Jesus, Himself, would result in tremendous success for God.
He could be a fantastic disciple. Look at the qualifications he brought. He also saw that his supreme love of self must be totally eradicated. There was the problem. It must be surrendered.
So Jesus gave the man a test. Notice
(Mark 10:18 NIV) “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone.
Then Jesus proceeded to list six of the commandments that prohibit wrong actions against our neighbors. Obviously Jesus believed in all Ten Commandments. He only listed six of them. These six were chosen for a divine test.
He proceeds to list all those that have to do with wrong actions against people. These were the six that the rich young ruler was lacking in. Jesus knew that, and so He listed all of them: 19:”You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'”
20: “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jewish boys, at the age of thirteen and onward were considered men, and so they were responsible, they were taught to love the law of God.. He said, “I’ve kept them all. I haven’t lacked on one.
The rich young man was saying: In all my short life not once have I ever hurt anyone. But Jesus was talking more than avoiding evil. Jesus is asking if the man is willing to do some positive good to others.
There are millions of good people in this world. They have never hurt anyone. Have you seen this type of people? They sometimes sit in the pews of every Church; They avoid breaking the law and live a decent life. But they are lost. That’s the rich young ruler’s case.
Respectability involves a prohibition against doing wrong but not includes doing something positive or right. Christianity not only avoids evil but it performs a positive good. The rich young ruler had never stolen anything, but he had never been sacrificially generous. He had never killed anyone, but he hadn’t gone out saving any lives, either. He had avoided doing the wrong, but he really wasn’t involved in doing anything good, except accumulation wealth.
Now, he claimed to have kept all six of these commandments. Did he? No, he did not. It wasn’t true that he kept all six. Actually you can’t keep the second six commandments unless you have kept the first 4 commandments.
You have to keep them all. The world and its riches had become his idol. He loved wealth. God was not first in his heart. Therefore you can’t put people ahead unless God is first. You cannot unselfishly love people unless you have experienced the depth of the love of God.
Jesus listed the commandments that deal with our relationship to our fellow human beings. This was the rich mans downfall. He loved money more God, more than all else.
I think it’s true sometimes that America is headed toward a cashless society. You’ve heard this. We’re going to do away with all cash, just going to have debit cards, and have a national identity. If it is true that America is heading towards a cashless system, some of us are ahead of the times.
Some of us are already in a cashless society: we don’t have any money. But not this rich man; he had all kinds of money. Was money his problem? No, money was not his problem. I’ll tell you what his problem was in a minute.
Look at verse 21:- Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.
” Give all your money to the poor, the ones that are standing beside the road. Do you ever see them holding up signs that says, “I am homeless. I’m starved to death. I will work for food and money. What is he basically saying to you? “I want your money.” Do you give to those people? Well, this man was told, “you sell everything you’ve got. Go out and find the poor people and you give all of your money to these poor people. Then you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me.”
No-one can serve God and Money at the same time. It doesn’t work. You have to choose, and so Jesus imposed this test to detect covetousness. The man was a covetous person.
Many of the examinations of life come to test our allegiance to God. Like Zacchaeus, the central issue here is not money. The central test was not selling everything.
Salvation does not come through having an empty bank account. Every time your check bounces, you say, “That proves that I’m saved.” Not at all!! If that’s the case a lot of people are saved because they’re out there bouncing checks.
The issue here is not getting rid of all your assets and selling everything and giving it away. The true Christian places his trust completely in Jesus. That’s the issue. He places his trust completely in Jesus and not in his wealth or his money.
God the Father and God the Son showed what true love was at the Cross in Calvary. Not just to this world but to all of Creation. He showed us how to live in peace by putting God First and loving our neighbor
God is love and God expect from all of His created being love in return, but the love God wants is a love that is unconditional a total surrender of oneself into the hands of his creator God. In the book of (Genesis: 3:) is the story of how man fell away from his creator God.
God gave to man the same as He gives to all being whether spirit or flesh; the freedom of choice. For Adam and Eve it was a test of obedience, you see if you truly love someone you will do what they ask with out questions. The serpent made Eve believe that God was holding something back from them and so her love for God became distrust.
When she went to her husband Adam right away he knew it was the evil one that they have been told about. But here Adam sin was not only is eating of the forbidding tree, he sinned because he did not total trust God. He knew that God said “for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen 2:17)
Adam could not see how God could fix this problem; he could not see being separated from his wife Eve. Adam loved God but here he loved his Wife Eve more then he loved his creator God, Adam broke the first commandment.
We must learn to love God first above everything else in life. We must love God more then our Earthly Mothers and Fathers, more then our Brothers and Sisters, more then our Wife and Children, we must learn to love God more then our own life. God must be number one in your life; it is a total surrender into the hands of God by faith.
Look at {Exodus: 20: 3} Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Do you understand what God is saying, we are to put nothing before our love to God. God must be first in our life, look at (Rev: 12: 11) and they loved not their lives unto the death.
When you learn to love God first in your life you will begin to understand how true Christian in the passed would rather die then to dishonor the God they love.
Understand God must be first in your life, God must be first, God must be first, God must be first. Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty is what the angle is crying (Rv:4:8:)
Everything in this world must come second. Do you know how and why Jesus could do miracle, yes He was also God but He did not use His Godly power, He used His love to and through His Father to do all miracles.
John:14:12: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Look at the prayer Jesus said in John 11:
41: And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42: And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43: And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44: And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Jesus had already prayed to His father to preformed this miracle, why look at the scriptures. So that the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
Jesus wanted us to know with out a drought that the Father God has sent His Son to show us the love that the Father, Son, and Spirit God has for all His creation.
Can you understand what is going on, God the almighty Father Loves us with a Godly love that is passed mankind’s understanding. God loves us so much that His did not even spare His Son His only Son but gave Him as a ransom for the payment of the law that man broke in the garden(Ezek:18:4:) the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Can you understand that the death that Jesus went through on the Cross was Godly love was being ripped away from Gods Son Jesus who new no sin so that He could pay the price of sin for all who by faith would believe in Him.
Our understanding is so limited of the cost that the Father& Son paid in order to save man
All God wanted from man was his love in return for all the good things and blessing that God gave to us, but what did man do. We spit on His blessing as if they were nothing, to our creator we became angry because we wanted everything our way.
Mt:7:12: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Jesus never gave up; by His life and His death He made a way for Mankind to be reconnected to our heavenly Father, why because of Love. We can’t change ourselves we are born of sin, but by giving our life to God the Father He will do the changing in our life through His Holy Spirit that He gives to all who believe in Him.
John: 14:
13: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14: If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15: If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Everything is possible to someone who believe and has made God first in there lives.
Mt:21:22: And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Mk:9:23: Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Put your life and faith in the hands of a God that Loves you and died to show you what true love is about.
May God be with you and continue to send blessing upon you.
Elder Tim McNab
Restoring Gods Truth Ministries
John 3:16
One day when I was about 16 I was sitting in a dance hall drinking some bear. You see in Honduras when I was a young boy if you are old enough to buy it you are old enough to drink it. Well while I was sitting there drinking and day dreaming there at the door stood the most beautiful Woman my eyes have every seen. In my mind I was thinking to my self, man I wish she would walk over here and sit down with me. It was about then I seen her looking at me and boy my heart started to beat a little faster. Then she headed my way and all I could feel was the blood in my body moving faster. When I looked again she was standing right in fount of me asking me something but by then all my blood was in my feet and I could not say a word. It all happened just like I dreams it would but I became dumbfounded.
You see my cousin knew her and gave me a letter to give to her while I was there getting a transmission repaired. So she wanted to thanks me for bringing it and told me something to tell my cousin when I went back to the Island I lived on.
Well that was about it, but man I never could forget that first time I seen her. Then a year or so later, she came to visit my cousin and when I saw her aging I was not drinking this time. I told myself I need to get to know her so I hung around with my cousin in hope to get a date with her that night. Well that night we all went to the dance hall and I got to hold her close to me, then I walked my cousin and her home but before letting her go we kissed and man it was like no other kiss I every had.
Well about a year later we got married; wow is all I could say. In my prayers at night I always prayer asking God to send into my live a good woman and boy He did just that. We have been married now for just over 40 years, we have our up’s and down’s but we love each other with a love that can withstand the problems of life.
God loves us with a love passed understanding, let’s search the Bible and see what it has to say about the love God has for His children
Let us Pray!
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Let’s go to the Bible to find the answer about Love and exactly what is true love.
I have seen a lot of people who get married and just a few years later get devoiced. Sometime they have children who must suffer because of the parents not being able to live with each other. What went wrong, a few years before they were in love and now they hate each other; were they truly in love? The problem today is that people don’t understand the true meaning of what love is. To most people it is a love at first sight and then a few months later it is fight.
When you truly love someone you look over there faults and none of us are born with out faults. This is what makes the different in a marriage lasting 5 years and one lasting 75 years; being able to love and forgive each other as many times as it in needed.
So what about God, what about His love for mankind, the bible tells us in Genesis 1: 1 that In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Then in Genesis 1: 26 it tells us, Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Wow did you read that, we mankind male and female were created in the very image of our God and creator.
Now take a look at John: 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
What does that mean, for God so loved the world He gave His only Son, and by believing in Him you will never perish but will have everlasting life.
When God first created man He created him perfect and without a defect, without sin. So what happened what changed, did God stop loving mankind. Let’s go back to the Bible and see if we can find a reason.
Look at Genesis: 2
7: And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
8: And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
9: And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
God in His love for mankind did everything He could do so that His newly creation could enjoy the blessing of his maker. But there was one condition that God told them, one little test that God made to see if Mankind would love his creator back for all the blessing and care that He God was giving to them daily.
16: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
This one tree was a test of Mankind obedience, will mankind love and give his creator God his full allegiance or no.
Before the entrance of evil, there was only peace and joy throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with the Creator’s will. Love for God was supreme, love for one another impartial. Christ the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father,–one in nature, in character, and in purpose,–the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God.
By Christ, the Father wrought in the creation of all heavenly beings. “By him were all things created, that are in Heaven, . . . whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers;” [COL. 1:16.] and to Christ, equally with the Father, all Heaven gave allegiance.
The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all created beings depended upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness.
![gods-love[1]](http://www.restoringgodstruth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/gods-love1.jpg)
God desires only one thing from all his creatures and that is the service of love,– homage that springs from an intelligent appreciation of his character. He takes no pleasure in a forced allegiance, and to all he grants freedom of will, that they may render him voluntary service.
But there was one that chose to pervert this freedom. Sin originated with him, who, next to Christ, had been most honored of God, and who stood highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of Heaven. Before his fall, Lucifer was first of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled.
“Thus saith the Lord God: Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering.” “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so; thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” [EZE. 28:12-15, 17.]
Lucifer might have remained in favor with God, beloved and honored by all the angelic host, exercising his noble powers to bless others and to glorify his Maker. But, says the prophet,
“Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.” [EZE. 28:12-15, 17.]
Little by little, Lucifer came to indulge a desire for self-exaltation. “Thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God.” “Thou hast said: . . . I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation.” “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.” [EZE. 28:6; ISA. 14:13, 14.]
So instead of seeking to make God supreme in the affections and allegiance of his creatures, it was Lucifer’s endeavor to win their service and homage to himself. And, coveting the honor which the infinite Father had bestowed upon his Son, this prince of angels aspired the power which it was the prerogative of Christ alone to exercise.
Lucifer allowed jealousy of Christ to prevail, and he became the more determined. Pride in his own glory nourished the desire for supremacy. The high honors conferred upon Lucifer were not appreciated as the gift of God,
Lucifer now wanted nothing more then to have this new world as his own, to cause mankind to sin and to drought the love that God so freely gave to all.
Genesis: 3:
1: Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2: And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4: And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Right here is where all the problems started, it is the same problems we have in our world today, who do you believe; God or what someone else tells you. God said that if you eat of this tree you will Die, life will not go on. Then Satan steps in and said well you shall not surely die.
Do you know how many of the worlds great Religious Leaders today don’t fully understand what happens to a person when they die? Many will tell you when you die you keep living in Heaven or Hell, but that is not what Gods word says. The Bible tells us that when you die you do just that you die you stop living.
Jesus Himself called death a sleep, as I always say if God says it; stop believing in anything else and believe God.
Look at John:11:
11: These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
12: Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13: Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14: Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Jesus the Son of God who is God called death a sleep so why would some Religious Leaders want to tell you anything different, maybe because they are still hearing Satan speak, well they are not surely dead.
Now listen as Satan tells some truth, and this is a problem. Satan does not always lie, what he does is to mix a little lie into truth.
Genesis: 3: 5: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Oh yes our eyes were open alright and we knew about Good & Evil, also about sickness and pain, about suffering and dying, in that way yes we were like God. But that is what God did not want for us to ever know, He wanted us to know only good, only Love, only happiness, only peace and security with a God of Love.
Time and time again all through the Bible we see a God of love doing all He can to bring His wayward children back to Him. Just like a good Mother or Father telling there children not to touch a hot stove because it will burn you. God is telling us that He and He alone is the God who created us and wants our love back to Him so that He can give us what is good.
6: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Just like today’s world people are always looking for more, looking for something better, looking to get ahead of the next door neighbors. We are never satisfies with what we have we always want more of something to make us wiser, richer and better then others.
7: And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
So they believed what a devil told them rather then what there creator God told them. God said if you eat it you will die and that is what happens we die we don’t go on living in heaven or hell, God said we Die, believe what God has said not man.
Now can you understand what John: 3:16 is all about, it is about a love story that is beyond mans imagination. About a God of love who did not want to see His beautiful creating die. But because there was a law that said in Ezek:18:20: The soul that sinneth, it shall die. God the Son stepped in and took mans place, He God came to live as a man so He God as a man can die for every one of us.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
It is only by what God the Son did in behalf of mankind that we can live again in the last days when God the Son comes back to call all who died believing in Him to life once again
John:6:40: And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
When did Jesus say, He would raise up all who believed in Him, I will raise him up at the last day. Now just like Eve, you can believe what God said or you can believe what some pastor or priest told you. Me I am going to believe what God is saying
Now let’s look at the book of Revelation 20:5: But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.6: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
According to the Bible when you die you are dead, you are not living someplace else. The Bible is saying the dead who are not a part of the first resurrection will not live again until after a 1000 years. Where will they be, still in the grave still sleeping, but when Jesus comes back then and only then will he call the Unrighteous back to life.
Why is this, read again in the Bible, not what I think but what the Bible is saying.
Rv:20: 11: And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Here is describe a judgment sean in Heaven look at the next verse
12: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
So here all the unrighteous are called back to life, this is called the second resurrection. Why; for judgment of what was done in the flesh; the righteous are already living they were all part of the first resurrection. Look at verse 13
13: And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
So no matter where you died or how you died when God calls, you will come back to life for the judgment. After the judgment comes the punishment, it is there that all evil will be destroyed forever.
14: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Here is where Hell, Death, Evil, the Unrighteous, and Satin will all be casted into; the Bible calls it the second Death. This is a very hard time for God because He did everything He could do to save everyone of us, He gave us a choice believe what He tells us or what someone under the power of Satin tells you. The Truth is all in the Bible so no one has an excuse that they did not know.
Now all who believed in Jesus and what He did to save them, and all who did as Jesus told them to do. John:14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments. Will live forever in Heaven, where there is no more pain, sickness, no more suffering, and no more death.
Look at Revelation:21: God is telling us a little bit of why we can expect when we get to Heaven.
7: He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Friend God the Father and God the Son and the Holy Spirit loves each and every one of us. There is nothing more that could have been done to save mankind, God the Son even gave His life and endures the shame and brutal death of being nailed on a cross by the people he came to save.
Luke:23: 34: Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
Even while hanging on the cross, Gods love did not stop, even there came the words of forgiveness to all of us
John: 3: 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life
Friend remember there is nothing that can separate you from the Love of God except for you to choose to separate yourself from Him, and even then He will be waiting for you, to forgive you and take you back as if you never left.
Elder Tim McNab
Restoring Gods Truth
Gone Fishing!
If you are going to go Fishing what equipment will you need to bring.
![father--son-fishing--Father-s-Day-jpg[1]](http://www.restoringgodstruth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/father-son-fishing-Father-s-Day-jpg1.jpg)
- Fishing Line if outside of the US or Fishing Pole if you live in the USA.
- Hook
- Some type of Bate or Lure something to attract what you are trying to catch.
- It would help to have Water or a Place to Fish of course
Ever wonder what does satin uses to fish with?
I found that he has many different types of Lures for catching people fish.
What does God use to fish with? The only thing that God has that He can fish with is Truth
Try the water a little and see if you will catch anything
Jesus was about to start his Ministry one day and went looking for Men who would make good students.
Now I have to question this, because if you are going to look for people to start your business or ministry; would you knot go and look for the best people to have.
You know the smart one’s with a lot of schooling “I think they call them well educated” They know how to get things done, even if it is not the correct way so log as they meet their quota at the end of the day.
Jesus did not do it this way; why?
Well let take a look at where he found most of his disciples.
Matthew 4: 17-22
17: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Now we know that Jesus had just started because the scriptures say he began to preach.
The Jewish leaders thought themselves too wise to need instruction, too righteous to need salvation, too highly honored to need the honor that comes from Christ.
The Savior turned away from them to entrust to others the privileges they had abused and the work they had slighted.
God’s glory must be revealed, His word established.
Christ’s kingdom must be set up in the world.
The salvation of God must be made known in the cities and in the wilderness. The disciples of Jesus were called to do the work that the Jewish leaders & well educated men who clamed they had the truth had failed to do.
18: And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
These people were fishermen because they were unlearned men all they could do is fish to make a living.
Plus they were known to be violent men who sometimes could not control there temper. More then likely they drank and cursed and did a lot of fighting. But when Jesus saw them he knew they were just what he needed for the carrying on of His work, Christ did not choose the learning or eloquence of the Jewish Sanhedrin or the power of Rome.
Passing by the self-righteous Jewish teachers, the Master worker chose humble, unlearned men to proclaim the truths that were to move the world.
These men He purposed to train and educate as the leaders of His church. They in turn were to educate others and send them out with the gospel message. That they might have success in their work they were to be given the power of the Holy Spirit.
Not by human might or human wisdom was the gospel to be proclaimed, but by the power of God.
19: And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20: And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Mark 1: 19-22
19: And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
20: And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
For three years and a half the disciples were under the instruction of the greatest Teacher the world has ever known. By personal contact and association, Christ trained them for His service.
Day by day they walked and talked with Him, hearing His words of cheer to the weary and heavy-laden, and seeing the manifestation of His power in behalf of the sick and the afflicted.
Sometimes He taught them, sitting among them on the mountainside; sometimes beside the sea or walking by the way, He revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of God.
Wherever hearts were open to receive the divine message, He unfolded the truths of the way of salvation. He did not command the disciples to do this or that, but said, “Follow Me.
21: And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
22: And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes
The mission that Jesus had here on this Earth was to show us how much our Father in heaven loves each and every one of us.
Its was not the Father plan that Man should die; that came into play only after Man prove to be disobedience to God command
Jesus came that all Men may be saved, “All Men”! And that means there is no one on this Earth whom can’t be saved as long as they want to be saved.
Jesus will never force his way on you, you must freely choose to be lost..
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Story:
When Patrick was about three or four years old he always wanted to go fishing. He would be after me all the time lets go fishing dad, come on lets go fishing, sometimes that is all I could hear from him.
So we would go to a pond and I would get out his little fishing pole and get him all set-up and he would just stay there for hours fishing. I would go and find a place to rest and read a book or do something that I been needing to do, and at the same time keep and eye on him.
This worked very well for a few years till he discovered I would never put any bate on the end of his line. When he learned what bate was for, my happy days of fishing with him were over.
I remember one time wend he was just about 3 years old and by accident a little fish got court on his hook and he had a ball pulling it in, it was no bigger then a quarter. So after he pulled Moby-dick in I said hey puppy look you got your first fish, he was so happy.
So I through the little fish back into the water and played like I put bate back on his line and through it back in to the water and told him here you go puppy. But he just looked at me and said I want to go home.
Well I was not finish reading my book so I said no man, come on lets finish fishing, here is your pole. All he would do was to look at me with a sad look on his face and about to cry. So I said what’s the problem puppy why don’t you want to fish anymore, I am not ready to leave yet!
He looked at me and said I court a fish and wanted to show my Mama and you through my fish back in the water, I want to go home!
What could I do?
**** I learned a very good lesson that day that I will never forget. No matter what size the fish, it has a value to someone.
**** All of God’s people have a Value even the little ones, He “Jesus” wants to bring them home to show his Father.
Why because greater love has no Man then this that he lay down his life for his friend. Brothers and Sisters that is what Jesus did. He was the greatest fishers of men and he wanted all of us to live forever with him in his paradise home.
*** The Bible said that they forsook all and followed Jesus
It was at the ordination of the Twelve that the first step was taken in the organization of the church that after Christ’s departure was to carry on His work on the earth.
Of this ordination the record says, “He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto Him whom He would: and they came unto Him. And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach.” Mark 3:13, 14.
Look upon the touching scene. Behold the Majesty of heaven surrounded by the Twelve whom He has chosen. He is about to set them apart for their work. By these feeble agencies, through His word and Spirit, He designs to place salvation within the reach of all.
With gladness and rejoicing, God and the angels beheld this scene. The Father knew that from these men the light of heaven would shine forth; that the words spoken by them as they witnessed for His Son, would echo from generation to generation till the close of time.
The disciples were to go forth as Christ’s witnesses, to declare to the world what they had seen and heard of Him. Their office was the most important to which human beings had ever been called, second only to that of Christ Himself.
They were to be workers together with God for the saving of men. As in the Old Testament the twelve patriarchs stood as representatives of Israel, so the twelve apostles stand as representatives of the gospel church.
There would be many of others who were to follow in the foot step of these first fishers of men. Men who loved the Lord Jesus with all their might so that they would let nothing stand in there way of tell other about Jesus.
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Mission Story: Captain Mc Lean: Captain Mc Lean and his group of missionary were fishers of Men.
From the beginning God has wrought through His people to bring blessing to the world.
To the ancient Egyptian nation God made Joseph a fountain of life. Through the integrity of Joseph the life of that whole people was preserved.
Through Daniel God saved the life of all the wise men of Babylon. And these deliverances are as object lessons; they illustrate the spiritual blessings offered to the world through connection with the God whom Joseph and Daniel worshiped.
Everyone in whose heart Christ abides, everyone who will show forth His love to the world, is a worker together with God for the blessing of humanity
God chose Israel to reveal His character to men. He desired them to be as wells of salvation in the world. To them were committed the oracles of heaven, the revelation of God’s will.
In the early days of Israel the nations of the world, through corrupt practices, had lost the knowledge of God. They had once known Him; but because “they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, . . . their foolish heart was darkened.” Romans 1:21.
Yet in His mercy God did not blot them out of existence. He purposed to give them an opportunity of again becoming acquainted with Him through His chosen people.
Through the teachings of the sacrificial service, Christ was to be uplifted before all nations, and all who would look to Him should live.
Christ was the foundation of the Jewish economy. The whole system of types and symbols was a compacted prophecy of the gospel, a presentation in which were bound up the promises of redemption.
But the people of Israel lost sight of their high privileges as God’s representatives.
They forgot God and failed to fulfill their holy mission. The blessings they received brought no blessing to the world. All their advantages they appropriated for their own glorification.
They shut themselves away from the world in order to escape temptation. The restrictions that God had placed upon their association with idolaters as a means of preventing them from conforming to the practices of the heathen, they used to build up a wall of separation between themselves and all other nations.
Until at last they forgot what they were called to do! They forgot that they were to be the Light to this world, the fishers of men. That hold nation was to be a nation of men and woman who would show other and tell others of a God of love.
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There was another time when Patrick and I were Diving in Honduras and there was a big Barracuda following us. So when we came up I told Patrick to get in the boat and hook the little jimmy hind fish we had to the big hook and line. Then through it as far as he could so that the Barracuda would go after it, all I could think is man what a good meal he is going to make.
So Patrick did as I told him and the fish went after the bate and took it, so I told Patrick give him a lot of slack so he has time to swallow the bate and then yank on the line to set the hook.
So he got all excited just knowing that there was a really big fish on the other end of the line. But he never fished like an Islander before so the hand line got tango and all he could do was to let it come tight. Now he was in a real fight, he was pulling in and then the fish would pull out he would pull in some more then the fish again, till at last the fish was right up against the side of the boat. I was still in the water looking at the hold thing trying to keep out of the way. Patrick then tried to pull the big Fish in the boat, but the Fish jump out of the water and spit the hook out at him and got away.
If he had just a little more time the fish would have swallowed the bate good, and would have never got off the hook. He had a really good time that day anyway.
**** People are just like that, and thanks to Jesus if we don’t swallow satin lie all the way we can with the help of the Holy Spirit we can get off of satin hook and spit it back at him, but only in the power and strength of the name of Jesus.
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satin is also a fisher of man looking for that big catch of the day. He does not care how he catches his fish, he doesn’t mind if he steeled them or hooks them or catches them in a net.
He just wants to do one thing, and that is to keep you away from Jesus and tuck you away in his cooler.
Have you ever watch what happens after the fishermen catch their fish, they put them into what they call a live well.
The only kinds of fish I have ever seen in a live well are dead fish. So why call it a live well.
Brothers satin want us in his live well where he knows we will all die.
Jesus wants us in heaven where we would live for ever. He will take all who has accepted his grace and reel you in. Very tenderly he will pull you out of the polluted waters of this sinful place. He will wash away all the traces of sin that has fill you life using his own cleaning blood and then place you into that Heavenly stream to live forever more.
John 21:
3: Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
4: But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
5: Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
6: And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
As Christians when we obey our Lord by doing the work he gave us to do, by going where he told us to go and by telling others the words he told of to tell, we can’t help but to fill the net of God love for mankind to overfull.
There will be many of people in heaven, because of what we said even tho we thought they were not listening. Many because of how we lived our life’s even tho we though they were not looking. They will be there because someone cared enough to tell them about Jesus.
God Bless
Elder Tim McNab
D5 Creation
