Category: Bible Study
In the Eye of the Storm
I met a man many years ago who in fact changed my life.
He turned my life from a Church back pew warmer to a Church Leader.
But the thing that amazed me most about him was his Faith.
No Matter what happen to this man, he always had a smile and always said thank you Jesus, whether good or bad…
Daniel 3:17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”
STORY: Pastor Frank
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We must understand that the King of this world is Satan, and he has only one aim and that is to
keep you from Jesus, by letting little things get in your way and become an obstacle between you and salvation.
Don’t let the little troubles in life get you down. Jesus knows what you are going through, He knows your problems. He says “just put your truth in Me and I will take care of you.”
There are many Storms in life that we fight everyday, and if we try and fight them with our human strength we will fail, it is only as we depend on Jesus and put our trust in Him that he will enable us to meet the trial ahead and in His name be Victorious!
Let us Pray!
When thing are going bad for you, can you still hold up your head and say Praise you Jesus?
Bad things may happen, but if a bad thing happens at the right time is it still a bad thing?
Story: The Van in Florida:
When God has His hand over His people there is no need to worry, He is taking care of the little matters that we forget.
Have you ever been between a rock and a hard place?
Where no matter what decision you make it is going to be the wrong one…
Look at what happen to Jesus:
Some of the leading priest of his times, who he came to save; gave Him the hardest times and made His life very bitter.
Mark 12:14 “And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”
What a deception, if they knew that he was a true teacher, why did they keep on him with their malicious hate?
Continually they kept-up with their words of hate and drought. Beating upon God’s dear Son for no other reason then because He was different.
His holy life made there sinful life all the more revealing; In the presence of Jesus they could not hide or cover up there Sins.
15: Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
Jesus fully understood their motive and read into their malice therefore He said unto them
16: Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar’s.
17: And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.
Even though Jesus was the Son of God, He did not use any of His Godley power to withstand the attacks of satin,
He just like us today must fully rely on the protection of the Father.
We too, need to learn this lesson; many times we try in our ‘Human way’ of thinking to do it our own way, and it never works…
Too late sometimes, when all we needed was to trust in Jesus!
When in time of trouble, don’t worry about what you are going to say, just rely on Jesus, He will give you the right words to say that will convict the hearts of people who are truly seeking.
Hardly any stories in the Bible matches the Faith of three Hebrew young Men.
Story: One day a King made a decree, All he was trying to do is to get every one on the same playing field.
There were problems in the kingdom and so he made a plan to resolve it.
This is about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
All the King was asking for was a little compromise, a little helping out here, you scratch my back and I am going to scratch yours.
Was that too much to ask? He made this ‘decree,’ and it must be obeyed.
Everyone else was making a compromise, no one will care about you Hebrews, and you can go back to servicing your God tomorrow.
Daniel 3:16 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17: If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18: But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”
Many times in our life we become entangle in a storm that seam like there is no way out.
If we would only trust in God and not in Man we too would say “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnaces of Life, and he will deliver us out of hands of the king’s of this world.
Jesus will take all who put their trust in him through the fire’s of Life.
Story: Fire at Sea….
It was just an ordinary winter day back in February 1976. The M/V Aleutian Island was loading up to make another run to an offshore rig that was a little over 100 miles out to Sea. She was loaded with Drill Mud and 48 inch Cashion and had a full load of Fuel, Water and other drill rig supplies.
The weather started out very nice but by the time the Aleutian Island made it out to the Field the weather started getting bad.
Little to the Knowledge the crew, it would be a night they would never forget.
It all started while in transit from one Platform to another the first of many problems started.
1. Port Main Engine Exploded and caught the Engine room on fire.
After the fire was put out, they continued to the rig on one engine.
2. The Starboard main engine exploded and it too caught the engine room on fire again.
3. All they had was the ship’s anchor while they waited on a rescue tug.
4. Weather was getting bad.
That night there was 70 mile an hour winds and 30 foot seas, the ships anchor was not designed to hold in weather like this!
The Anchor stopper plates were kicked out by the force of the waves, the electrical brake was burnt out, the manual brakes was all they had left and they were not holding. Little by little the chain was being pulled out.
But somehow with God’s help the anchor chain held until the storm passed and help arrived.
No one could believe that we made it through that storm on one little anchor.
God will keep you through the storms of your life if you will trust Him.
Story of Paul:
Paul was taken prisoner, but he did not fear. Why? Because he knew that sometimes, bad things happen to God’s good people. But he was not going to let it get in his way, or let Satan have the victory.
He was going to find a way to let the bad things praise God.
He was put on a ship to go to Rome where he was to answer to Caesar because of his faith in Jesus
Acts 28:3 “And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4: And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
5: And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
6: Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.”
Each and every one of us will have trials that come before us, there will be times when it will look like the whole world will be against you, and more then likely it will be.
Our Hope must be in Jesus
Look at Isaiah 54:13 “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
14: In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.”
We have the promises of God that those who remain faithful that He will be their protector.
Psalms 91:5 “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6: Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7: A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8: Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9: Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10: There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11: For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12: They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
There is not a Christian today who can say he is not without trials in life. If you are having problems give Jesus praise for it.
Thank Him that you are counted as worthy to be tried
1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
Satan is not seeking his own people to persecute, they are already in his bag, he my friend, is after God’s people. To try them and to make sure their life is as bitter as he can make it!
All he is asking for is a little compromise, you will not have to give up much and you can go right back serving your God tomorrow.
Look at what the Bible says:
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.”
God’s people will love him so much that they would rather die then to sin.
Revelation 17:14 “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
While we may drink of a bitter cup now; the daylight of Christ’ return is coming. A day of hope and gladness for all who have kept the faith and put their trust in Him.
We are told by the Prophet John in Rev 21:1 “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
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.”
Daniel 3:17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”
Our God whom we serve will save His people from the fiery trials that Satan puts us through, because greater is He that is in us then he that is in this world.
So if your life is in the midst of a storm just remember Jesus, and like Peter, cry out from the bottom of your heart, Jesus save me, and He will be there to take your hand and lead you out of the fire, but only through your faith.
God bless and keep you my friend
Running From God!
Story: Have you ever been afraid to do something?
Jonah 1:2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.”
There was a young man who lived on an Island who was afraid of the dark.
He would not go anywhere unless there were a lot of lights on all around him, the problem on this particular Island the lights went out every night at 10pm and did not come back on until the next day.
There are a lot of places in the world where there is no 24 hour electricity. We here in the U.S., if the power goes out for 15 minutes, think we are going to die if the air condition doesn’t come back on soon.
One day this man was ask to take a job at the only fish factory on this Island. He worked there for about 4 months, then the factory rearranged the work schedule and this man found himself working the graveyard shift. But that was not a problem because the Fish Factory had 24 hour power.
Now there was an engine driven water pump that needed to be manually started and filled with fuel every night about midnight:
And it just happened that this water pump was right next to the graveyard, need I say more? He was afraid to go there, and some nights did not make it for fear.
But one day he met Jesus and it changed his life, no longer was he afraid.
Sometimes we too become afraid to do something that God is telling us to do and to go where God is telling us to go.
Let us Pray!
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RUNNING FROM GOD
Jonah Chapter 1
The Book of Jonah is a fitting example of our Christian life, we all like to sit doing nothing more with our time then playing Christians, until God calls and tells us He has a mission for us.
Two kinds of Missions
Those we want to go on… And those we don’t want to go on…..
A mission I want to go on is one of fun and Joy where I can take it easy and relax some.
The one I don’t want is full of hard work maybe in a field that has not been sown much. Or maybe I don’t like the place where God wants to send me or I don’t like the people there.
Let’s take for example God tells you to go to Houston and right there in the heart of the City and start preaching.
He tells you don’t worry about what you are going to say, He will give you the words all you is preach.
All God needs from you is for you to be there, open your mouth, and He will do the rest.
That is basically what happened to Jonah
Jonah 1:1″Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.
How much clearer could God have made this?
Jonah: Go
Where: Nineveh
Why: Wickedness
Serving God should be something that all Christian want to do, right?
Our problem is this; we want to service God as long as it is convenient to us to serve Him.
In other words, as long as I am not asked to do anything it is OK.
Listen to what God is saying to Jonah,
There is work for you Jonah; there are people that need to be saved.
God never gives up on us unless we first give up on God… The Ninevites were a very bad people; they killed, robbed, raped, destroyed people lives, but God in his Mercy and Love sought to save them, and He sent someone who did not think that the Ninevites should be saved. (Jonah)
We need to all understand that the world is full of Ninevites and that it is our duty as representatives of Jesus, that is to say CHRISTIANS, to help them to know that Jesus died for them too.
So why do we try and run from God ?
God tells us what he want us to do.
How many times do we hear the cries of the world as it falls farther and farther away from its creator?
We head out the door to go and do Gods will, but we become afraid when we think of the magnitude of the task God has given us.
Satan enters and diverts us from Gods path.
Have you ever noticed all of a sudden a Movie comes on TV that you’ve been wanting to see for a long long time? Or someone calls you to go with them to a place in the other direction of where Gods wants you to be?
How many times in our life is it just plain rebellion, telling God No! I will not go…
3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
Jonah shunted God’s will by heading for Tarshish when God wanted him to go to Nineveh. From that moment Jonah started a sad downward course as he tried to run from God.
“Had Jonah obeyed unquestioningly, he would have been spared many bitter experiences, and he would have been blessed abundantly.”
Our problems start when we too, turn away for God, when we quit and go our way instead of going God’s way.
Trouble was just over the horizon. For Jonah it happened so quickly.
5: Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
6: So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
7: And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
God sent a great WIND on the sea. Ships never sailed in the season when the infamous MELtimi winds from the North made sailing dangerously impossible. This was the season of smooth sailing. This savage wind was supernatural.
It would take a super storm to make seasoned sailors begin to send significant cargo seaward. These pagan seamen seize their sharp sword and scurry forth to save their sinking ship. Each sending their own S.O.S. to their gods.
God sometimes sends trouble when we stray from His will. Our God is too merciful and too loving to let his children drift off into open rebellion without trying to save them.
God uses special circumstances to try to salvage his backslidden people. Hebrews 12:6 – The Lord disciplines those that He loves.
Here is how this works:
Perhaps you have been lax in your Christian life. You know you are losing your hold on God.
God realizes this also. Then one day something unusual takes place. Maybe you experience a major setback in life.
It could be that God is trying to wake you up by not preventing certain bad things from happening to you.
In Psalms, David experienced God-sent trouble. David says: “Before I was Afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.”–Psalm 119:67
God does not do it to get even. Psalm 103:3 “He does not treat us as our sins deserve..” If He did, we would be chastised every moment of every day.
Perhaps you may be wondering why Storms are raging around you so often. The storms of life could be a wake up call from God for something in our life that is not in His will.
I’m glad God doesn’t easily give us over to our sin. He probably could, if He did not love us so much..
God was trying to save Jonah. But Jonah was Sleeping, Slumbering in a crisis hour. At ease while the ship is sinking.
Jonah was sleeping during the time of trouble.
Do you know why he could sleep so sound? Because he has a false sense of security!
It is hard to comprehend how he could sleep while the storm is raging. It shows how insensitive we can get. Sin quickly hardens the heart.
Ephesians 4:19 describes such: “They have LOST all SENSITIVITY, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
Every time God tries to help us and we insist on continuing our trip to Tarshish, our spiritual sensitivity weakens. Our sleep gets deeper.
Insensitive to the killer storm. Unaware that our very life is on the line. We are sleeping while the world rushes on to its destruction? Jonah should have been praying but he like Peter was sleeping.
8: Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
9: And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
10: Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
Jonah had lost his testimony. It is a sorry day when a prophet of God has to be asked: What is your occupation? If someone has been around us for a period of time and they have to ask us if we are Christians then we have lost Jesus.
Look at all the questions they asked Jonah:
• How can you sleep?
• Who is responsible?
• What do you do?
• Where do you come from?
• Why are you not praying? He was on trial for being a Christian & there was no evidence of it.
Jonah had concealed his identity but it did not work very long. You can run but you cannot hide forever. Do the people that you work with know that you are a Christian?
Jonah made a statement about himself – I Worship the Lord. But he didn’t. If he did, he would have been en-route to Nineveh. Jonah was deceived about his Christian experience.
His practice did not match his profession. He used to be a follower of God. But that was now in the past.
You can’t be saved on past experience. Our walk with Jesus must be fresh and new every day.
The storm was raging. Storms expose character. You can hide for a while, but eventually people will know about you.
11: Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous
Jonah had endangered the very lives of others by being out of God’s will. The storm was his fault.
Men, think about your life. If you are not following God’s will, what legacy are you leaving for your children or your wife or your loved ones?
12: And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
Jonah 1:12- The only prophecy of Jonah that ever came true!
This hurricane will stop the instant you throw me overboard. I will die, but you will be saved.
Running from God is strange. Jonah would rather die than do the will of God. At this point, Jonah was the worst minister in the world? Yet look at all his converts! All the sailors on that ship were saved.
15: So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
16: Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
They tried hard to row to shore. “But they could not”. Salvation is not by effort alone.
Our best effort is like a filthy rag. It is a happy day when we finally realize that our life lie in the hand of God!
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The Message for us today is to stop worrying about what lies ahead and start worrying about following what God says!
We need to stop being a Jonah, it will only get you in a whale of trouble.
We need to stop worrying about the road blocks when doing God will and take the Gospel to the people who are dying because they don’t know the truth about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes God needs to send a Whale of trouble to open our eyes!
Lord, open my eyes that I may see to do those things that will give you Glory, my ears that they may hear those things that will sing you praise, and that my speech may say those things that will lift up someone who is down in the pit of sin. That all things will be to your glory in Jesus name.
My friend we all have some kind of fear no matter how brave we think we might be. Just remember that if God is telling you to do something He will never leave you to do it by yourself. He knows our every weakness he knows our needs and inabilities. He is waiting to see if we will just trust in Him and go by Faith so that he can bless you and move the road blocks in your life.
May our Lord and Savior bless each of us today as we set out to do his will!
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.
D5 Creation
