Year: 2011
Titanic
Story: One day in the courts of heaven, Satan accused Jesus of being a cheater!
All heaven was in an uproar at such an accusation, could it be true?
The Father knowing all things knew he would need to deal with the problem right away, so he devised a test between the two.
Matthew 24:14,15
They would both need to complete a essay about the Earth and its people on a computer. All heaven would be involved to watch over the two so that there could be no chance of cheating.
The essay was to be 1000 pages printed out and handed to the Father with in one earth hour.
The Father said let the test begin.
Satan started off in a fury typing as fast as he could go, when was had 100 pages on the computer he looked over at Jesus who had on 95 he could feel the Victory already.
At 45 minutes Satan had 950 pages, he again looked at Jesus who had only 925 pages he now felt assure that he would win.
All of a sudden the lights flickered and went out; the screen on the computers went blank, when the lights came back on everything was gone.
He started typing as fast as his he could only to hear the sound of the printer, as he looked there was Jesus counting 999, 1000.
Satan screamed out, “He cheated,” we both lost everything when the lights went out!
Gabriel leaned over and said, “not so, Jesus did not lose everything because Jesus Saves!”
Let US Pray!
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People we are living today in a Titanic Generation, all over the world things are happening that is calling our world to prepare for this soon coming collision.
There was a tragedy that happened almost 100 years ago. That is the parallel our world today
It is the story of the unsinkable ship called Titanic.
It was built in Belfast English at the shipyards of Harland & Wolff as the largest and most wealthy passenger vessel in the world.
Her specifications were:
Length overall: 882.5 feet
Gross tonnage: 46,329 tons
Beam: 92.5 feet
Depth: 59.5 feet
Cost: in 1912 was $7.5 million
On 10 April 1912, the Titanic commenced her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York, with 2,227 passengers and crew aboard.
As the ship made it way out to sea everyone aboard was excited, finally they were on there way to the new world.
You know the excitement of going on a Vacation, you can’t wait to leave, you can’t wait to get started, you are just popping at the seams to get started.
Many aboard Titanic could only imagine what America would be like for them
They all heard the stories !
Some dreamed of fortunes
Some dreamed of fame
Some were just glad to be going somewhere different in hopes of a better life.
Everyone there had a reason for being there, from the wealthiest to poorest, all in the hopes of some type of gain.
Titanic was an extremely beautiful built ship every accommodation for the wealthy was made nothing being spared.
Unfortunately because of her unsinkable nature the Titanic was built with on half of the required live saving gear that was normally fitted on a vessel of her size.
But no one seems to pay it any mind.
As the Giants Ship made it way out into the open sea and as it massive boilers now are heated to max capacity, the only desire of the ship captain was to make a record speed crossing the Atlantic.
Have you ever been out on the open Ocean way out in the middle of nowhere, with the sea like glass.
You could look straight up to the sky and see the Milky Way like you never seen it before and taking in a deep breath feel the present of God as his handy work is displayed before your eyes.
How awesome he must be to create such beauty.
As you look out at the horizon it is as if you will fall right off the edge if you would venture to go that far.
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Titanic was traveling at full speed, there were many messages sent to the Titanic about Icebergs ahead of them but they chose to ignore the warrens that were giving them. Ship after ship relayed to the Titanic, finally the radio man turned his unit off, after all even if they did hit a little iceberg it would only slow them down but a bit.
There was no wind to speak of that night. The frigid, dark sea was calm, like a plate glass mirror beneath the star-spangled heavens. It was an hour before midnight on a starry moonless night.
While the band played beneath the decks in the first class lounge, and while the night watch paced the Bridge high above, the greatest maritime tragedy in the history of sailing, stealthily, silently awaited them in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
Survivors recalled a gentle shudder that briefly shook the 900 foot long vessel. It came and went so quickly that nobody gave it much of a second thought. Except for the occupants of the Bridge–who in the split seconds before that collision saw the towering iceberg ahead floating in their unlighted pathway.
The helmsman swerved to miss the iceberg–but they would have been better off to have struck it head on. In narrowly avoiding a head-on collision, they suffered an even worse fate!
Three-fourths of the iceberg lay unseen beneath the calm ocean surface. When the Titanic swerved, it brushed the iceberg’s on the starboard side of the bow, slitting a quarter of an inch wide opening more than 300 feet down the side of the vessel.
Like a titanic can opener, the iceberg knifed open the side of the iron hull. The damage was just enough to cause the metal plates to buckle so that six watertight compartments began taking in sea water.
So scientifically had this great sailing ship been constructed, with 16 watertight compartments in a 1/6 mile long hull, that the captain had made a pre-voyage boast,
“Not even God himself could sink her”. The builders had calculated that even if four of the compartments should burst, the ship would still float! But on that starry night, six of them exploded and began to suck in the frigid water of the North Atlantic!
Mathematically, the “unsinkable ship” was mortally wounded. And, in two hours she was gone.
At 11:40 p.m. on the night of 14 April, out of 2,227 occupants, 1,522 met their death in those dark waters including most of the men, most of the third class, most of the crew, and the entire band. Only 713 people were rescued.
While the Titanic was sinking, many of the people left onboard started jumping off the deck of the ship into the icy water grave below
People in the life boats could hear the voices, cry’s for help, but no one dared to turn back to save anyone.
It is calculated that once someone hit the icy water they would be dead with in 15 min’s
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Our world today is on a collision Course with Sin
We have been giving the warning, but many today are like the Titanic, The Whistles and horns are blowing but our ears are deft with disbelief!
Look at our World in what Jesus said in Matthew 24:
4: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. Sound like today news
Over ½ of the world live in poverty, disease is at an all time high with many more new diseases coming upon our world everyday, Earthquake! Do we need to say more?
8: All these are just the beginning of sorrows. Jesus is telling us
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.
10: And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12: And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13: But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14: And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 50 years ago this was impossible!
15: When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Friends I tell you that this Titanic Generation is a no fear Generation!
We were at the Busch Gardens several months back and everyone wanted to go and ride the SHIRKA. This is a big corkscrew looking roller coaster that propels you 360 degrees through outer space at a force of a million G’s per second and leave you (looking like the Russian cosmonauts on that first Sputnik space flight!)
We’re living in the NO FEAR generation, NO FEAR about unprotected sex, NO FEAR about 
unrestrained actions, NO FEAR of the Consequences. There are millions today who believe in NO FEAR simply because they’re resigned to having NO FUTURE. “Party on, Dude!” Like there’s no tomorrow. Which is closer to the truth than any of us realizes today. Like many on the Titanic there was no tomorrow.
And yet what’s so paradoxical is that for a NO FEAR generation comes an urgent FEAR GOD message! It is actually a compelling language that simply but earnestly means–TAKE GOD SERIOUSLY!
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. Our world worships everything but the Creator
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This Titanic generation is headed for a direct collision
When the Captain of the Titanic sounded the warning to abandon ship many did not believe the report, after all this Titanic generation was made to believe that it was impossible for the Titanic to sink.
Many people in our world today don’t pay attention or believe the warnings God is giving.
32: Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors
We today are no different then those on the Titanic; Many of them just went back to there warn cabins and laugh as if someone was playing an April fool joke and they would not be a part of it.
And when it was too late, when all the life boats were now gone, and when probation closed they were left with choice they had made.
Like in the days of faithful Noah when the doors of the ark were open and the plead from heaven was giving one last time by Noah, no one listen, no one heard, no one feared, they just went back to there little warm spot and kept doing what they were doing, until the flood came and took them all away.
34: Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35: Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 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
There were few who did believe the warnings and got into the cold life boats and were headed away from the warm cabin of Titanic, away from the music the joy and laughter, because they believe the warning of the Ship Master.
The Titanic was fitted with only 20 life boats that could have saved over 1500 people but only 713 made there choice to believe and got into the life boats.
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There is hope for our world today in Jesus; He is the life boats for all who will by Faith believe in him.
Jesus has provided a way for all who through faith in him will be saved, Titanic only had 20 life boats, so even if everyone obeyed they could not all be saved.
With Jesus there is room for everyone. Who wants to be saved, no one needs to be lost.
But to just say you are a Christian will not get you a ticked in the life boat
The things that mean the most to us are not always the things that cost the most, sometimes the things that mean the most are the things that required a sacrifice in our behalf
And that was God dying on a cross for my Sins
There is hope for our world today because Jesus is the Life savior
Yes we are on a collision course with sin, but we don’t have to die if we choose to believe in what Jesus did for us.
In our Titanic Generation God is sending his angle to give us a warning about what it just ahead.
TAKE GOD SERIOUSLY for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
The life boats of heaven are waiting for this Titanic Generation to make a choice to get in and be saved or to stay behind and perish in this world of sin.
Don’t End Up In The Dark
Story: There was to be a 27 mile race through some very rough terrain. It would start at the end of town, go through swamp land, then through a forest, along a rocky road, and at last up a steep mountain terrain to the top, the first to get to the top would be the winner.
There were only two contestants and both were well skilled in this type of event, but Apple Jack was the favorite to win. He was bigger, faster, stronger, and had a winning record to show for it, so he partied on while waiting for the day of the big race to begin.
Tommy Tucker was small and thin guy and to look at him you could only wonder how he even got into this race. But day after day Tommy kept running, he kept working-out, no matter how hard or what the weather was he never stopped preparing for the race.
The day of the Race
Get on your mark, get set, Go!
Off they went, Apple Jack was way out in front, in fact so far ahead that he felt sure that Tommy would not catch up anytime soon, so he stopped in for a few laughs and drinks with the boys.
As he heard the crowd outside he looked and there was Tommy so he hurried out to catch up, but all of a sudden he could feel his legs getting weak, then his big arms were getting heavy then Apple Jack began having trouble breathing.
He tried to shake it off but he was just not in shape for the race, he procrastinated his time away in doing nothing to prepare himself for what was coming.
In the end Little Tommy won the big race, when he was asked how did you do it, he said it was all in the preparation!
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105
There is a story that Jesus tells in Matthew 25. It’s a warning to all Christians today; it’s a story about Ten Virgins. Now you might ask, “why should we be concerned about a story Jesus told 2000 years ago?”
Because the story is not about the people living in Jesus time, but about the people living in our time. We’re living in the ‘end times!’
In the book of Matthew, verse 25 and beginning at verse 1, here Jesus is saying:
1: Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,
- First we need to know what Jesus is referring to by the word virgins.
The Bible tells us that a Woman represents a Church:
The word woman in the book of Revelation
You will see that a pure woman represents Gods Church and an unpure woman represents a Church against Gods truth. – See Revelation 17:6
So a virgin must represent a Pure Church, God’s Church.
Matthew 25:1says, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.”
So what is that story about?
It is about a wedding right, I’d like to see that wedding!
So we know who the Virgins are, but who is the Bridegroom?
“And Jesus said unto them, can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. Mark 2:19
Jesus is saying that He is the bridegroom!
Question: When does the bridegroom come?
Answer: At the end of time, Correct
So we know, without a doubt, we are talking about the end of times.
OK, so what is the problem?
2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
What made the difference between 5 of them being wise and 5 of them being foolish? Let’s look, to see if we can find the answer.
3. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: Understand what is going on here
4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Do any of you remember the Old days, before there were Electric Lights?
You know back when the only light is the house was that of a candle or an oil lamp ,
Story: I Remember Living With Only 1 Light in the House
Look at verse 5. While the bridegroom tarried, or while he delayed they all slumbered and slept.
Now I want us to look at one of many similarities in the Bible.
Revelation Chapter 3 is about 7 churches, representing 7 different time frames, and here we are at the last church
Revelation 3:13 says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
14: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
The Church is in a slumbering time my friend, when it is a sleep and the people are not cold but they are not hot either. It is in a waiting time, waiting for Jesus to come, and while we are waiting some of the people are growing cold and becoming lukewarm.
STORY: Hot Sauna Baths
Matthew 25:6 says, And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7: Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8: And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
In scripture the meaning of the oil is not a difficult matter to make clear. A quick word study through the Bible will suffice. The oil quite typically represents the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The scriptures tell of the oil of gladness and the oil of anointing of God’s Presence.
The Old Testament scriptures showcase the oil of anointing for priests and kings. Throughout the Bible we also see the oil for the lamps which brings the Light of God’s illumination. Poetically the Word and Light of God is there as “a lamp unto our feet” to help guide us along the pathway when the hours of darkness come.
9: But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10: And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
So what was the difference then?
Those who were wise had looked around them and seen that the darkness was coming. They then made important preparations for the coming night.
They were not trusting and depending on the oil that was in the lamps of their own personal spirit. They knew that their own lamp would fail them somewhere down the line. So they had made it their priority to obtain a spiritual supply of oil outside of themselves.
They had that extra jar of oil. It was the ‘midnight oil‘. With that extra supply of oil the wise virgins were prepared. They were ready for the great drama that would unfold at the midnight hour.
When the hour of burnout came they were not left destitute in the darkness. They were prepared to recharge their lamps with a fresh supply of oil. The wise virgins then arose from their beds of ease and were ready to go out.
11: Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12: But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Matthew 25:31 says, When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
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. 37: Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38: When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39: Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
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.
41: Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44: Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45: Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
So how do we get this Extra Oil we need to keep us from the darkness, by doing what Jesus did helping others!
When Jesus shuts that door, my friend, I don’t want to be standing on the other side, I want to be ready to go in, because once he closes that door it will not open again.
Story: Noah Preached for 120 years
When the door of the ark closed those who were ready those who prepared went in to the safety of Gods protection.
People then had a choice just like we do today
There are two ways to look at this story.
1. The ten virgins may typify the whole Christian world at the time of Christ’s return given the fact that some (five) were ready for the Lord’s return and some (five) were not.
2. Christ is talking to his true church and saying prepare and be ready now so that your oil will not run out just before the bridegroom comments.
Preparation now will enable you to finish the race, so you don’t end up in the dark!
God Bless,
Tim
The Bible Millennium
There will be only four (4) groups when Jesus returns!
1. The righteous living
2. The righteous dead
3. The wicked living
4. The wicked dead
The coming of Jesus Christ will mark the beginning of the Bible millennium (1000 years).
There will be a resurrection at the beginning of the millennium and another resurrection after the millennium. You want to be in the first resurrection.
The Bible says it is at “His coming,” when “the trumpet sounds,” that “the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1 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:
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.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
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.
Notice that only the righteous who are called, “the dead in Christ,” rises at the coming of Jesus Christ. So Jesus’ return and the resurrection of the righteous marks the beginning of the 1000 years.
The dead in Christ (Righteous dead) are resurrected, and then together with the righteous living they are all “caught up” from earth to meet Jesus in the air.
What happens to those (wicked) who are not “caught up”? Many teachers say that they will have a second chance during a supposedly seven years of tribulation!
What does the Bible say!
“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. For when they shall say Peace and Safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them … and they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
Paul says that those who are not “caught up” will experience “sudden destruction” and shall “not escape.”
Jesus says it will be as in the days of Noah and “Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” (See Luke 17:26-30)
At the coming of Jesus, Scriptures describe a total destruction of all human beings all over the world!
Matthew 24:13, 14 – After the gospel is preached to all, “then shall the end come.”
1 Corinthians 15:23 – “At his coming, then cometh the end …”
1 Thessalonians 4:17; 5:3 – Those not “caught up,” will experience “sudden destruction.”
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 – When Jesus comes in flaming fire, the lost will be destroyed.
Revelation 16:17, 18 – During the seventh trumpet, cities crumble around the world.
Revelation 6:14; 16:20 – Every island sinks, and all the mountains disappear.
Jeremiah 4:23-26 – Planet Earth is totally devastated, with “no man” left alive.
Jeremiah 25:30-33 – Those slain by the Lord lie dead, unburied, all around the world.
Revelation 19:17, 18, 21 – The birds eat the flesh of every human being worldwide.
(Revelation 19 says that birds will be eating the flesh of all men!)
What will we see when we climb out of the grave?
It all depends if we are resurrected before OR after the 1000 years (millennium).
Speaking of the wicked Jeremiah says, “And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.” Jeremiah 25:33
“I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger” (Jeremiah 4:23-26).
The righteous will spend 1000 years in HEAVEN with God and the unsaved who are alive when Jesus comes will be killed.
Everyone who remains here on earth are DEAD! Satan and his evil angels are ‘chained by circumstances’ here on earth with no one to deceive. (Until the thousand years were up)
“But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.” Revelation 20:5a
What happens after the 1000 years?
Revelation 20 says:
The “rest of the dead” are raised to life (vs. 5a).
Satan is loosed (verses 3, 7).
When the lost are resurrected, Satan has people once again to deceive – so he is “loosed” from his chains.
Satan “will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea” (vs. 8).
Who will Satan gather together?
All the lost, through history, from the days of Adam all the way down to the last person who experienced “sudden destruction” (1 Thess. 5:3) at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ!
During the 1000 years, all the lost remained in their graves, but at the end of the 1000 years they are all raised to life in what Jesus called “the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:29).
How many lost will there be?
John said their “number is as the sand of the sea!”
What are the lost doing after they are resurrected?
“And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Revelation 20:9
The New Jerusalem comes down from heaven (see Revelation 21:10).
The Holy city comes down at the end of the 1000 years with the saved in it. When the “rest of the dead” are raised and Satan is loosed, the city has just landed. Satan then commands the resurrected nations to surround the “camp of the saints and the beloved city” to try and take over God’s new Jerusalem.
At this time, ALL the lost and ALL the saved are together for the first time, alive on earth!
The saved are inside the city and all the lost are outside the city!
The resurrected lost will have a chance to see the reward of the righteous, while the saved will see the fate of the wicked!
The following explains why the saved are inside the city, and why the lost are outside the new Jerusalem. It’s a solemn thought!
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14
“For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Revelation 22:15
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28, 29.
The Soldier and his Sword – Desmond Doss
Desmond T. Doss stood by his convictions under ridicule and enemy fire. As he continued to honor God throughout WWII, God honored him with the highest honor America can bestow. He would not drill or train on Saturday, the Sabbath. He would not carry a gun because he believed all killing was wrong. He wouldn’t even eat meat after seeing a chicken flopping around with its head cut off.
Some of the stories he recalls actually would have branded him a klutz rather than a smart, practical, and honorable leader. He did learn many valuable lessons during his childhood, though, that shaped his thinking and perhaps caused him to react the way he did during his time in the army.
Desmond Doss (February 7, 1919–March 23, 2006) was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor and one of only three so honored. He was a Private First Class (at the time of his Medal of Honor heroics) in the U.S. Army assigned to the Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. He died the same day as another Medal of Honor recipient, David Bleak.
Desmond refused to kill, or carry a weapon into combat, because of his personal beliefs as a Seventh-day Adventist. He thus became a medic, and by serving in the Pacific theatre of World War II helped his country by saving the lives of his comrades, while also adhering to his religious convictions.
His Medal of Honor was earned by the risks he took to save the lives of many comrades.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Private First Class, United States Army, Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Urasoe Mura, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, April 29, 1945 – May 21, 1945.
Entered service at: Lynchburg, Virginia
Birth: Lynchburg, Virginia
G.O. No.: 97, November 1, 1945.
Citation:
He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet (120 m) high. As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machine gun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back.
Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them 1 by 1 to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On May 2, he exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards (180 m) forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards (7.3 m) of enemy forces in a cave’s mouth, where he dressed his comrades’ wounds before making 4 separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On May 5, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer.
He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet (7.6 m) from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards (91 m) to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire.
On May 21, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter; and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man.
Awaiting the litter bearers’ return, he was again struck, by a sniper bullet while being carried off the field by a comrade, this time suffering a compound fracture of 1 arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards (270 m) over rough terrain to the aid station. Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.
Read more about Desmond at DesmondDoss.com
He is the subject of the award-winning documentary, The Conscientious Objector, with interviews with Doss as well as some of the soldiers whose lives he saved.
A True Story of An American Soldier, documentary film.
Infantrymen who once ridiculed and scoffed at Desmond’s simple faith and refusal to carry a weapon-now owed their lives to him. Director Terry Benedict tells Desmond’s incredible story through the eyes of the men who witnessed this humble man’s heroic acts. Winning the respect of his fellow soldiers, they recommended him for the highest honor America can bestow on one of her sons-The Congressional Medal of Honor.
Read the incredible story of a man who stood by his convictions under ridicule and enemy fire. As he continued to honor God throughout WWII, God honored him with the highest honor America can bestow. Written by Frances M. Doss
D5 Creation
