Friday, February 28, 2014

You Need Faith

'Faith is the substance of things hoped for...' Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

You don't need faith unless you're hoping for something. 
Hope establishes the goal; faith is the bridge that gets you to it.  
There's no need to build a bridge if you're not going anywhere. But if you're going after something you can't reach on your own, you need the bridge of faith to get you there.
'...This is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith' (1 John 5:4 NKJV).
Never has it been more important to teach moral standards. 
But unless we also teach people how to stand in faith in God's Word, they'll end up using willpower and discipline to fight the devil, and they'll lose.  
Jesus told Peter, 
'I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail...' (Luke 22:32 NKJV). 
When you're up to your neck in problems and don't know which way to turn, speak to yourself and say, 'Faith, don't fail me now!'.  
The Bible says, 
'Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God' (Romans 10:17 NKJV). 
It's in hearing yourself declare God's Word that your faith grows.  
And here's another Scripture: '...But the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it' (Hebrews 4:2 NKJV).

You can have an expression of faith, yet not enjoy the benefits of faith. 
You can get excited about a sermon in church, yet nothing changes in your life. You've got to get the 'mix' right. You've got to take what you hear and mix it with what you think, say and do. 
Faith is not an emotion:
it's a decision to:
stand on God's Word.

Soul Food: 1 Kings 16:1 - 18:15, Matt 17:10-17, Ps 61, Pro 6:16-19

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Friday, 28 February 2014



APPS available here

Knowing God's Voice

'...His sheep follow him because they know his voice.' John 10:4 NIV


Here are seven occasions when knowing God's voice is all-important:
(1) Hearing from God before you entertain the ideas of others.
Why? Because their ideas are not His commands. Don't make commitments and end up bound by promises you can't keep. You must love others, but be led only by God's Spirit.  
(2) Hearing from God before you listen to the complaints of others.
Why? Because you are not responsible for their happiness. Your need to 'fix' others in order to feel good about yourself is called 'co-dependency'. Give them to God!  
(3) Hearing from God before you consider the needs of others.
Why? Because their needs are driving them; only the plan of God should be leading you.  
(4) Hearing from God before you respond to the requests of others.
Why? Because you must discern what's behind their requests. Check the soil before you sow your seed. 
(5) Hearing from God before you share your dream with others.
Why? Because it's not enough to have a dream, you must have a team. You need people to help you, cheer you on and lift you to a higher level. The right people motivate you to grow stronger, think better, work harder and risk more. They compel you to continue!  
(6) Hearing from God before you seek the approval of others.
Why? Because people with an agenda will flatter and manipulate you. Hearing God's voice will keep you from falling into their trap.  
(7) Hearing from God before you make significant changes.
Why? Because it's not your job to decide what God wants you to do, but to discover it and do it.
Soul Food: 1 Kings 12-13, Matt 16:21-28, Ps 53, Pro 6:9-11

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
APPS available here

You Are Under God's Protection

'He...shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' Psalm 91:1 NKJV

What is 'the shadow of the Almighty'?

In the wilderness where Israel wandered for forty years, temperatures could get up to 50 or 55 degrees Celsius. There was no shade except what was provided by the tents in which the people lived. So they understood this powerful metaphor, 'under the shadow of the Almighty'. 
If you were lost in the desert the children of Israel would have been required by the law of hospitality to satisfy your need for food, water, protection from an enemy, and shade from the blistering sun.  
It worked like this: 
first you had to find out the chief shepherd's name.  
Then you would take hold of the cord on his tent and cry out for help.  
When you did that, the law of hospitality required him to take you into the safety of his tent. Indeed, that same law said he had to protect you with his very life.
Are you getting the idea? 
God's name, El Shaddai,
describes two wonderful aspects of His character.
'El' speaks of His power and strength
'Shaddai' literally means 'strong-breasted-one', which refers to the gentleness of a nursing mother.  
Some days you have to go to God for the strength needed to withstand the enemy's attack; other days you just need to go to Him and let Him hold you in His arms and comfort you.
John Shairp wrote, 
'Let me no more my comfort draw, from my frail grasp on Thee; in this alone rejoice with awe - Thy mighty grasp of me.
When things get too 'hot' for you, run to 'the shadow of the Almighty'.

Soul Food: 1 Kings 14-15, Matt 17:1-9, Ps 58, Pro 6:12-15

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 27 February 2014
APPS available here

Thursday, February 27, 2014

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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

The Book of Revelation: Chapter 6: vs. 1 – 4

As we begin chapter six, which introduces the Tribulation hour upon earth, a word of explanation is in order concerning the placement of signs.

Some sincere Christians say:
Matthew 24:14 states 
that the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come.  
Since there are some tribes who have not yet heard, Jesus Christ cannot return. Such people have their signs in the wrong place, because the Rapture is a signless, timeless event. Let's investigate this statement further.

What relationship exists between the Rapture and prophetic signs? 
None. Are you shocked?
The Rapture is only an evacuation of believers before the great judgment of the Tribulation hour. 
It is a meeting in the heavenlies and not Christ's return to the earth.
Since His first coming was to earth, His second coming must also be to earth.  
The Rapture, then, is not a coming to earth, but a meeting in the clouds. Seven years later we return with Him, and all the signs point to this coming when He returns to earth. 
Watch the simplicity of this next statement unfold. Take two Bibles and place them side by side.  
Open one to the Book of Revelation, chapter 6, where the signs begin.
Then open the other to Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17 or Luke 21.  
Compare the signs in these chapters with those found in the Book of Revelation. {Comparison Chart}
The inescapable conclusion? 
They are identical! 
The texts are practically the same. 
The Church is raptured in chapter 4, verse 1, and believers-represented by the twenty-four elders in verses 10 and 11-are placing crowns at the Saviour's feet before the signs and judgments of the Tribulation hour begin in chapters 6 through 18.  
The signs, then, are post-Rapture and pre-Revelational. In other words, they are fulfilled after the Rapture and before the Revelation-after Christ calls His saints home to heaven and before He returns with them to earth.  
Not one sign needs to be fulfilled prior to the Rapture, because all the signs point to the Revelation, or the revealing of Christ to the earth. Thus, there is a period of seven years following the Rapture during which every sign can be adequately fulfilled. This, of course, is the Tribulation hour, after we Christians have been raptured. 
At this point every believer should praise the Lord, because the next statement is utterly fantastic. Since the signs point to Christ's return to earth, and since we believers return with Him, then the logical deduction is that all signs point to our return with Christ. Presently the signs are casting their shadows.  
They are all beginning to be fulfilled. Imagine! The prophecies that take place after we believers are gone and which indicate that we will return with Him are already beginning.  
If the signs indicate that we are coming back with Jesus soon, and we are still on earth, how very, very soon must the Rapture then occur to take us out of this earth so that, seven years later, we can return with Him!
Presently a number of the sealed judgments contained in this chapter deserve special emphasis. 
Each will be discussed thoroughly later. 
First, in 
verse 2
we discover a rider on a white horse.  
This coincides with Jesus' statement in Matthew 24:3-5, when His disciples asked Him,
What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said 'unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ. 
This rider on the white horse, depicting the first seal judgment, is a counterfeit. Satan always attempts to do everything that the Lord Jesus Christ is going to do.  
The Lord is seated on a white horse in chapter 19, verse 11, when He returns with you and me to the earth. Thus, seven years before Christ returns, the Antichrist also mounts a white horse.
This event is identical to the sign of Matthew 24:3
Next one should note 
verses 3 and 4:
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. 
This is the second sign Jesus mentioned: 
that there would be wars and rumors of wars (see Matthew 24:6).
Verses 5 and 6 state: 
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.  
This is a picture of mass starvation and agrees with Christ's third sign:
There shall be famines (Matthew 24:7).
In 
verses 7 and 8 we are told,
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.  
The fourth seal judgment agrees with Christ's statement:
[There shall be] pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places, destroying thousands, yea millions (Matthew 24:7).
Verse 9 states: 
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held.  
This is the fifth sign Jesus gave in Matthew 24:8 and 9:
These are the beginning of sorrows. 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.
Finally in 
John tells us,
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.  
The sixth seal is the sixth sign Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24:29: 
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven. 
Thus, it is evident that Matthew, Mark, and Luke contain the same signs as the Book of Revelation. However, one must realize that each sign is completed or fulfilled after chapter 4, verse 1, where the Church is called to heaven in the twinkling of an eye through the phrase, Come up hither.  
As previously stated, these signs that are to be fulfilled after we are gone are already transpiring. We see them before our eyes daily in world events. 
Today's "Bible Headlines" indicate that you and I will soon return with Jesus. 
However, we must first go home via the Rapture in order to return soon. 
Surely this momentous event is at the door! I think you know that the foregoing discussion of prophetic signs in relationship to the Rapture and the Revelation has given us a panoramic view of chapter 6
Now let's delve into this portion of God's Word more deeply.
In chapters 6 through 18, we witness firsthand the events which take place upon the earth during the Tribulation. The presentation occupies nearly two-thirds of the Book of Revelation-a total of thirteen chapters.  
One should also note that three additional Bible verses graphically describe this hour of horrendous judgment:  
(1) Jeremiah 30:7:
Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it; 
(2) Daniel 12:1:
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book; and 
(3) Matthew 24:21:
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 
These texts inform us of the fact that the Tribulation will constitute earth's bloodiest hour. There will not have been anything in past centuries to equal it, neither will there be any event in the future to match the judgment unleashed upon our planet.  
The catastrophic calamities arrive through a series of twenty-one judgments which are described as seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls.  
At the breaking of each seal, the blowing of each trumpet and the outpouring of each bowl, a new judgment is released.
The seal judgments are found in Revelation 6:1 through 8:1
The first six are located in chapter 6. Chapter 7 is a parenthesis, and the seventh seal judgment takes place in chapter 8, verse 1.
First seal

Verse 1: And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the voice of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
At this command, the apostle sees the One who is worthy to take the book and open the seals thereof, the blessed Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus, beginning the work of judgment.  
Immediately John hears the noise of thunder-a sign of impending catastrophe-as well as one of the living creatures (angels) saying, Come and see.  
The words, come and see, are not in the original, just the word Come. It is a command given to the rider on the white horse, the infamous Antichrist. His time has arrived!
Verse 2: And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

Satan has always tried to duplicate the works of God. 
Back in the day of Moses, the demon-possessed magicians of Pharaoh were able to accomplish the same miracles as Aaron. This has always been Satan's ploy. He is not the creator-God is. All he can do is imitate or fake the works of the Almighty. 
This rider appears at the outset, or beginning, of the Tribulation period. There can be no such hour without him.  
Since he is the master counterfeiter, who is he imitating? The answer is found in chapter 19, verses 11 through 16, which describe Christ's return at the conclusion of the Tribulation. 
The fake begins it and the Saviour ends it. 
John says, And I saw heaven opened. This is the second time an opening appears in heaven (see Revelation 19:11)
To provide an exit for Christ and His bride as they return to earth.  
As heaven is opened, John beholds a white horse;
and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
This is the coming of the true Christ. 
Since our Christ is God, the Antichrist also proclaims himself as God.
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4).  
We will study this hypocritical creep later. Presently let's just skim the surface. 
The Antichrist comes to power through an international peace pact (see Daniel 9:27). This is why the horse's rider has a bow but no arrows.  
The Antichrist conquers through diplomacy as a king, hence, the crown. In fact, when he takes control over the nations via a world government,
power [is] given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations (Revelation 13:7). 
The Antichrist is rapidly followed by three additional riders of judgment. Together, these four horsemen of the apocalypse bring heartache upon the globe such as has never been experienced in the annals of history. 
The Antichrist is called the Beast because of his character (chapter 13, verses 2 and 3), because he ascends out of the abyss (chapter 17, verse 8) and because he receives his power, his throne, and his authority from Satan (chapter 13, verse 2).  
The Antichrist's ascendancy to world leadership signals the unleashing of the remaining twenty judgments. 
The peace that was made by the first rider is broken by the one who mounts the red horse. This, of course, is in harmony with the first rider's-or Antichrist's-program. Daniel 9:27 outlines the peace package as well as its failure:
And he [the Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.  
When peace is confirmed, the Jews will feel at ease to conduct sacrifices without fear of war. However, in the midst of the week, or literally in the middle of the heptad, the contract is broken. The term heptad in the original means "seven years." As decade means "ten years" in English, so heptad means "seven years" in Greek.  
Now we understand more fully why the Tribulation covers a timetable of seven years-simply because Daniel 9:27 states that the Antichrist will make his proposal for a heptad-seven years-and then break it in the midst of the heptad, or after three and one-half years.
Second seal

Verse 3: And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. Verse 4: And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
One of the nations that marches during this period of time is Red Russia. How interesting that a rider on a red horse takes peace from the earth!  
Could Red Russia play such a major role during this hour?
In Ezekiel 38:2, the terms Magog, Meshech, Tubal, and Rosh are mentioned in connection with a march to the Middle East for the battle of battles, before Armageddon.  
Listen to the message God gave Ezekiel: 
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him (Ezekiel 38:2). 
Each of these names can be located within the present-day Russia. 
Tobolsk, historically the eastern capital of Russia, is the ancient "Tubal" mentioned in the text. It is southwest of Siberia on modern maps-the place where U2 pilot Gary Powers was gunned down years ago. 
Meshech is Moscow. 
The historical names for Moscow begin with:
"Meshech," then "Moshoch," then "Moschi," then "Moscoty," then "Moscovy" and finally, Moscow. "Rosh" is Russia herself. 
This "great bear" invades Israel from the north: 
And thou shalt come up from thy place of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes (Ezekiel 38:15,16).
Russia is directly north of Israel and moves against her in the latter days (see Ezekiel 38:8).
The attack centers around the Holy Land. In fact, the name Israel is used eighteen times to identify the nation being invaded in Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39. Such information attests to the divine inspiration of the Bible, for there was no nation in modern history called Israel until 1948. 
This war of the future undoubtedly occurs close to or during the Tribulation hour because the facts presented in this Book of Revelation tie in harmoniously with Ezekiel's prophecy. In fact, the eighth and ninth chapters contain two unusual predictions concerning the woes of the Tribulation hour which point to such a mid-East war. Chapter 8, verse 7, mentions the burning of one-third of the earth as the first angel sounded.  
I quote: 
The first angel sounded, And there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.  
In turn, Revelation 9:18 depicts the extinction of one-third of the world's inhabitants, for, by these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 
The Life Pictorial Atlas, which lists land areas and population figures for every country of the world, contains shocking proof that these prophecies and astronomical figures are capable of being fulfilled at the present time.  
According to this statistical survey, Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America incorporate a total of 56,889,581 square miles.  
Dividing this figure by three, one arrives at the sum of 18,963,194 square miles-the amount of land area that will burn during the Tribulation period according to Revelation 8:7.  
Comparing this figure with the combined land areas of the nations predicted to align themselves for the Middle East confrontations (Daniel chapters 2, 7 and 11, and Ezekiel 38 and 39), one discovers that the two sums are identical-one-third of the globe to the exact mile, believe it or not! Is this startling? 
Let's go one step further. 
The Atlas also lists the population figures for the nations of earth. 
The same alignment of pro- and anti-Russian nations for the war of wars totals one-third of earth's inhabitants! Revelation 8:7 and 9:18 could become factual events, fulfilling verse 4 very, very soon!
A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Daily Benefits


TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits...”
(Psalm 68:19, NKJV)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
When you live a life that honors God, when you obey His Word and you’re a person of excellence and integrity, the scripture says that God’s blessings will chase you down and overtake you. You won’t be able to outrun the good things of God. He daily loads us with benefits!
People get confused sometimes and think they have to go chasing after the blessings. But really, when you chase after God each and every day, when you make Him your highest priority, the blessings will automatically follow.
Today, make pleasing the Lord your top priority. Let go of anything that would hold you back or weigh you down. Be willing to deal with issues as God brings them to light. Don’t give in to compromise and temptation that will keep you from God’s best. Then get ready because His blessings will chase you down as He daily loads you with benefits!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, today I dedicate every area of my life to You. Help me to live a life of integrity and honor. Thank You for daily loading me with benefits as I put You first in everything that I do in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Dealing with Adversity (2)

'...God led you through the wilderness...to prove your character...' Deuteronomy 8:2 NLT
God led the children of Israel through the wilderness:
'to prove [their] character, and... find out whether or not [they] would obey His commandments'.
They could choose to perish there, or trust Him to bring them safely to the Promised Land.
One author writes:
How many times have you changed courses in life, rather than pass the test and get through the tough stuff to the promises of God?  
He wants to know if you are worthy of the blessing that awaits you on the other side of the Jordan. Do you have the courage to face the challenges, or will you go back and settle for second best? 
If you're facing a challenge that stands between you and your promise...look at Joshua 1:9 and Daniel 10:19 for courage. Ask God to give you the courage to face whatever hurdles stand in the way of your claiming what God has prepared for you'. 
The landscape along the USA's Florida's Everglades is dotted with wiry, primitive-looking trees known as Caribbean Pines. They thrive in a rugged environment, can withstand prolonged periods of drought and fire, and hold their own against the fiercest hurricanes. In fact, if you plant them in a cultivated setting they usually shrivel and die. 
Joni Eareckson Tada says:
'Like Caribbean Pines, our souls usually don't thrive during good times. Our hearts grow complacent, our need of God becomes less urgent, our hope of Heaven dims, and our prayer life dries up...in a beautiful setting with our needs met and every resource at our fingertips...our soul shrivels... We need an occasional blast of storm or fiery trial if our faith is to mature.'
Soul Food: 1 Kings 8-9, Matt 16:1-12, Ps 40:1-8, Pro 6:1-5

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Monday, 24 February 2014
APPS available here

Monday, February 24, 2014

Dealing with Adversity (1)

'...Is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy.' James 1:2 TLB

Lori Schneider is one of very few women to climb Mt. Everest - yet another step on a climb she started ten years earlier when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Terrified, but determined to achieve her goal, she quit her job and devoted herself to climbing.

Nine years later she'd conquered the highest peaks on six of the earth's continents!
'Lori sees MS not as a negative, but a positive,
her father said. 
'She accepted it as a challenge'. 
Unfurling a banner in honour of the first World MS Day, she called her dad on a satellite phone:
'I'm here Dad, I'm on the summit, I made it!
A dream sixteen years in the making realised! Now her goal is to show others who face challenges that even the highest mountain can be climbed one step at a time.

In 'Let It Go', Mark Atteberry writes: 



'The Christian life is about progress, not perfection. For that reason, you should never measure the distance between you and perfection (which is what all perfectionists insist on doing).

That distance is completely irrelevant. If you want to measure something, measure the distance between where you are today and where you were yesterday. 

If you made a little progress in the right direction, even if it was just an inch, celebrate!'[LS1]



Soul Food: Exo 20:15, Josh 7:1-26, Mal 3:8-11, Eph 4:28 (Commandment 8: Don't steal)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Sunday, 23 February 2014
APPS available here

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Relationship Based on Rules

'Blessed are those...who walk according to the law of the Lord.' Psalm 119:1 NIV

Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the Bible, with 176 verses, is a love song to God's law.
But you'll never understand the Psalmist's enthusiasm about a moral code until you think about children playing near a cliff's edge. Without a fence, they're always in danger, never able to relax. Because of the fence, they can play freely and without fear. 
God's law is a safety fence that brings incredible freedom. 

Of course, it's only a matter of time until a child starts to wonder what's on the other side of the fence.

If he or she doesn't know or trust the fence builder, they hop over the fence and fall off the cliff.

And if they're fortunate enough to survive, they come back saying like the Psalmist,
'Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word' (Psalm 119:67 NIV).
But there's more to this story. 
God's law is not only a safety fence, it's also a mirror that shows us we can't live up to His standards without His help. Only when we realise that the fence builder loves us and wants the best for us, are we happy to stay on the right side of the fence. 
The Ten Commandments begin with the words,
'I am the Lord your God...' (Exodus 20:2 NIV), therefore don't kill, steal, etc. 
God speaks about the relationship first, then about the rules that govern it.
The Christian life is not a question of rules or relationship, but rules based on relationship.
It's morality because of intimacy with God.
When you understand that, you'll trust whatever God asks of you.

Soul Food: 1 Kings 1-2, Matt 15:10-20, Ps 33:1-12, Pro 5:7-14

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 20 February 2014
APPS available here

WHAT TIME IS IT?

Put Your Love
into Action
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“If anyone has this world’s goods (resources for sustaining life) and sees his brother and fellow believer in need, yet closes his heart of compassion against him, how can the love of God live and remain in him? Little children, let us not love [merely] in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth...”
(1 John 3:17–18, AMP)
TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria
I've heard it said that you can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving. Notice this verse tells us that love isn't just about our words or thoughts; it’s about our actions. Love is about reaching out and meeting the needs of others. Sometimes meeting someone’s needs is as simple as a smile or sharing a word of encouragement. There are many ways to show the love of God. Can you pay for someone’s gas or groceries? Do you see a need in someone’s life that you can meet? Remember, you are the hands and feet of Jesus in the earth. The Lord wants to bless you today so that you can be a blessing to others. He wants to work through you to show His love and compassion.
Today and every day, look for ways to put your love into action. The Bible says that it’s His kindness that leads people to repentance. He wants to show His kindness in the earth through you. Step out and sow good seeds of love by meeting the needs of others. God promises that those seeds will produce an abundant harvest in your life in return!
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your hand of blessing in my life. Thank You for choosing to work through me today. I submit myself and my resources to You. Show me ways to be a blessing to others so that the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Your glory in Jesus’ name. Amen.
— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

The Book of Revelation: Chapter 5: vs. 1 – 14

Here is an important statement to consider: Bible chapters and verses came into existence 500 years ago. 
They are not inspired, but greatly assist one in finding texts. Sometimes, however, they break the continuity of a study.  
Such is the case at this point.  
Because John continues describing the heavenly scene, there should not have been a break between chapters 4 and 5.
Verse 1: And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
The book
in the right hand of the Lord Jesus Christ is actually a scroll of either sheepskin, papyrus, or vellum. 
Its subject is redemption
and its contents unlock the remainder of this chapter. The message is contained on the inside and outside, and is enclosed by seven seals.
Verse 2: And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
The search for a member of the human race, past or present, or any rank of angel to open the book proves fruitless.  
None is worthy!
Verse 3: And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
John is heartbroken!
Verse 4: And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
John's lament has to do with the fact that this scroll is also the title deed to the earth. As long as it remains sealed, Satan will be in complete control of the planet.
Verse 5: And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof
John's weeping ends at the place where all tears are dried.  
He is pointed to Christ where tears are turned to joy. Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.  
Since Judah is the leading tribe of Israel and a lion is the king of the beasts, Christ is thus pictured when He comes as Israel's King (see chapter 19, verse 16).  
It is at this same moment that the
Lord God gives unto him the throne of his father David (Luke 1:32)
Let's go further in proving that our Saviour is the One John sees.
Verse 6: And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
As mentioned previously, the seven-sealed scroll is the title deed to the earth and its subject is redemption. The Lamb of God (John 1:29), who earned the right by redemption to the title deed of the earth, is the only One worthy to open the seals. This is the Lamb who died for you and for me. Yes, Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3).
He shed His precious blood to purchase our redemption, for the blood of Jesus Christ [God's] son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7). John, who recorded the fact that Jesus was the Lamb of God when He walked upon the earth, now says that no one can overcome but by the blood of the Lamb (chapter 12, verse 11).

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
There is no other way! Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sins (see Hebrews 9:22).
This Lamb is worthy because of the sacrifice He paid for your sin and mine. Yes, worthy is the Lamb to be praised for time and eternity. 
The Lamb's seven horns picture strength.  
Jesus said,
All [authority] is given unto me in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18). 
The seven eyes picture the fact that He sees everything each of us does: 
All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (Hebrews 4:13). 
Since "seven" means perfection.
There will be no mistakes made as the judgment is meted out, because the seven spirits of God-a picture of the Holy Spirit in all of His fullness-rest upon Christ without measure.  
Coupling His power (seven horns), His all-seeing vision (seven eyes), along with His filling of the Spirit of God in a sevenfold way (see Isaiah 11:1, 2), not one mistake will be made during the Tribulation hour. 
The One found worthy now acts.
Verse 7: And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.  Verse 8: And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
The twenty-four elders, representatives of all of God's saved people, share in this glorious moment. The praise is so spectacular that the redeemed break out in song. What a heavenly choir-the largest ever assembled! Listen to them!
Verse 9: And they [sang] a new song, saying thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue and people, and nation; Verse 10: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
The song is in appreciation of the fact that Christ was slain on Calvary's cross, that His precious blood was shed (see 1 Peter 1:19), and that it was shed for the entire world. This includes Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, Catholics, and Baptists. Some Christians think they are going to have their own little corner, all alone, in heaven.  
Not so! Christ's sacrifice was for all kindreds, all tongues, and all people, all nations. God loves the world! The choir also sings about their soon return with Him when He comes as King of kings (chapter 19, verse 11). At that time they-the armies of heaven-will follow Him upon white horses. At this point the angels also join in praising the Lamb...
Verse 11: And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beast and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. Verse 12: Saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory and blessing.
Notice that this passage is not a song. 
Nowhere does the Bible teach that angels sing. They recite their praise, whereas the Church Triumphant sings her glorious message. 
The angels, associated with the Lord since their creation, know Him as few know Him-for they have lived with Him for thousands of years.
They praise the Lamb for seven reasons: 
(1) His power.(2) His spiritual riches.(3) His wisdom.(4) His might.(5) His honor.(6) His glory.(7) His blessing.
Carnal Christians who will not bow in worship to Christ here on earth, soon will!
Verse 13: And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
At this point Philippians 2:9-11 will be fulfilled:
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
What is the response as the heavenly hosts envision this future hour?
Verse 14: And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Notice they get a head start. They cannot wait to begin their worship of the Lamb-the Lord Jesus Christ!
A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE