Bible Discussion Replies PAGE 66

Camp of Saint is Bride of Christi , who is going into Wilderness.

Beloved City is Jerusalem , who stand now against Gog and Magog ( Ezekiel 38).

Bride of Christ = only Philadelphia (faithful remnant).

Laodicea = not truly His Bride - but an adulteress.

She claims Christ but is unfaithful.

She is spiritually adopted into Babylon Harlot Beast.

She shares the fate of the system she clings to.

So when we read:

Rev 12 - the Woman = only Philadelphia (faithful Bride, protected in the wilderness).

Rev 20:9 - Camp of Saints = again only Philadelphia (Resistance, surrounded but defended by God).

Laodicea does not appear here, because she has already gone over to the Harlot and Beast.

This means:

There is no double Bride.

Only Philadelphia is Bride.

Laodicea is adulteress she is counted with Babylon, not with the Church.

1. Phoenician Legacy and the Great Harlot

Phoenicians (Tyre, Sidon, Carthage) = first great maritime trading empire, controlling colonies across the Mediterranean.

Rome absorbed that legacy after Carthage fell.

Later, Venice, Genoa carried it for a while.

Thus Harlot = the modern Tyre + Rome's imperial heir.

Revelation 17:18: "The woman is that great city which reigns over the kings of the

The Seventh Kingdom (USA)

Revelation 17:10: "Five are fallen, one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space."

Five fallen = Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece.

One is = Rome (St John's time).

Seventh = USA-led order (short-lived compared to Rome's centuries).

Why USA?

Global dominance after WWII (military, economy, culture).

Short space compared to ancient empires (Rome = 500+ years, USA hegemony =

Gen.13.16-17 Father of many nations" (2 of 2)

" And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered."

The upper limit of God's exceeding reward was the great river Euphrates to whch are four angels bound, " Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates./And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men."(Rev.9.14-15). God counts from his throne to his footstool. (Isa.66.1) The earth and lower parts included form the other boundary. So God tells him, "Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee."(v.17) Unless the word is ready by the light what are you? "John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven."( Jn 3.27)

God separated light from darkness and by the same token God calls Abram out,"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:/And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:"(12.1-3). Abram refused to accept even a shoe latchet from the king of Sodom and it obeyed the word which is eternal. "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you./And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."(2 Cor.6.17-18)

Abraham is therefore set as blessed which cannot be said for all 'thy seed'. Why did an horror of 'great' darkness fell over Abram? The curse . Whence did this two- state problem arise for the Jews. Land is like a bride, is it not? "Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein." Then as now.(Deut.28.30)

Hello Mspat. Thank you for your question on Daniel 5:12,16. After looking at these verses, would I be correct to assume that some words within those verses are a little difficult to interpret? But if I'm on the wrong track, then could you give us more detail about your question.

As you read at the start of Daniel chap 5, King Belshazzar, (better known according to other records, as Belsharusus, son of Nabonidus, and maybe a grandson of King Nebuchadnezzar), was feasting with his family, lords and princes praising their man-made gods even as the Persian armies were at their their (Babylonian) walls. At this feast, Belshazzar saw a vision of a hand writing on a wall and was troubled by this. He called for his astrologers & mystics to interpret this unknown writing but they could not. Then the queen (actually his Mother) recalled that Belteshazzar (Daniel) had divine powers of interpretation. So in verse 12 that you were reading, there are some words that could require interpretation. As his Mother spoke of Daniel, she mentioned here some of his abilities displayed. Daniel had an "excellent spirit": this was not just an extraordinary spirit or ability, but the Hebrew word suggests that 'another spirit' was working in Daniel that far surpassed those of the astrologers & mystics.

Daniel also demonstrated this spirit in his 'knowledge, understanding and interpreting of dreams'. As well as "shewing of hard sentences". This basically means that he could solve riddles & dark sayings. He could also 'dissolve doubts', or explain difficult problems, or things that get people's minds into a knot (Heb. ketar).

So Daniel was brought before the king & the king acknowledged Daniel's fame that went before him and requested him to interpret the handwriting on the wall, which his mystics were unable to do. And we know from the rest of the chapter, that Daniel did so, pronouncing the King's immediate death and that his kingdom would go to the Medes/Persians. GBU.

Gen.15.12 " "Great darkness" (1 of 2)

"And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him."

Here we have God appearing to Abram in a vision. What is he to him. He announces, " Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."(v.1) The Holy Spirit sets the adjective 'great' in the same sense in all other instances.Bothing blessing and curse are determined from heaven. So we have blessing promised in v.1. It follows in strict accordance with the Covenant in seven days. God is yet to rename him but God's Covenant is inviolable. Blessing to man 'in our image and after our likeness' is under offer. "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us."(2 Cor.1.20). It is thus Abram has been taken under his shield. God shall indeed prove to be his exceeding 'great reward' if he has faith. Abram believed and it was counted to him for righteousness.

God shows him the extent of his inheritance,"Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be." Here we have the generation of Jesus Christ." There is a lower limit to which we have reference,"herefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable."(Heb.11.12)

To illustrate it we have boundaries mentioned. 'From the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:' It is bounded by waters. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Notice the river, the 'great river Euphrates? Now we shall explain why 'an horror of great darkness fell upon him." Gen.1.2."and darkness was upon the face of the deep." which is uttermost end of it from which the beast shall arise, and the sea of sand gives its context.(Rev.13.1;11.7) "And I stood upon the sand of the sea," cf. 'sand which is by the sea shore innumerable'

The end game as best as I can understand it.

Whatever happens now; there is going to be a process taking us to the start of the Tribulation.

Without getting too much into geopolitics what I have studied lately seems to corroborate the soon demise of the structure in Europe particularly with the UN and EU. This reminds us of the iron and clay prophecy in Daniel 2:43.

The situation in Israel right now is accelerating rapidly as the fate of the multitudes in Gaza is soon to be determined. The world is watching and forced displacement or massive killings isn't going to fare well; not to mention what seems the inevitable second Iranian conflagration about to commence.

The Antichrist will be coming with the unique parameters of a power vacuum in Europe; threats from Russia and China and of course with the means to settle the disputes and enact the confirmation of what is likely the Abraham covenant. It may be that he is revealed and that is our sign of the Rapture if someone comes along who suddenly gets the attention of the world and plans a day to sign this treaty. It is likely the Pope will herald it as well. I can't be certain we will get this warning or not.

It does seem significant the trumpet was blown on or near the Temple mount if indeed that is the first time in recent history for such an event.

The cratering world economies particularly in the west will have to be saved and I would assume before the mark it will be a one world currency likely backed by precious metals that is soon doomed to fail. The recent BRICS success is a barrier; so some worldwide economic agreement will have to be involved which I would say likely involves this new road in Asia for a trade route.

Again with the US likely supporting Israel less financially this Beast will have to offer things to all perties thus fulfilling the verse in Daniel about dividing the land for gain ( Daniel 11:39).

No doubt a world sense of humanistic patriotism will overcome the world.

A state of readiness: In light of the Rapture and His soon return

We are while on this earth subject to trials. I have gone into detail as to God chastising His own; and of course part of the testing of our faith is how we react with persecution and suffering. Remember the verse Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. IF we are walking in the Spirit He gives us strength and our souls are given peace as well. Our souls are subject to spiritual attacks so we need to be on guard. Our confidence is in Him; and His promises to save us from this world with eventual physical removal. This is also something the whole body of Christ can look forward to. We are therefore to encourage one another with these words ( 1 THessalonians 4:18) at the end of a chapter discussing the Rapture. How often we see this is unknown; I surely haven't heard much about it short of being pesky and constantly prompting a response.

When our lives are relatively comfortable we don't sense that we want to get out of here; but surely others in the fires of open persecution feel differently.

With all this obsession on the Rapture I don't honestly know how to feel. If I were a betting man I would say that most likely this month of September will come and go and the datesetters will for the most part chill out until next year and come up with some other prediction. No wonder the Philadelphia church is said to continue faithfully with little strength ( Revelation 3:8). These are the ones going through the open door at the Rapture and it seems the only church promised in general to make it.

It is better to focus on our strength in the Body of Christ as we are already seated in heavenly places; so if we are martyred or die before He comes to be absent from the body is present with the Lord ( 2 Cor. 5:8).

It seems He is coming soon but it is His decision.

Agape.

1. Seventh Bowl: "It is done!" ( Rev 16:17-21)

The Seventh Angel pours the final bowl.

Cosmic judgment follows (earthquake, hail).

Babylon is "remembered." At this point she is already doomed, but the details are not yet given.

2. The Same Seventh Angel The Vision of the Harlot ( Rev 17:1)

, .

"And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls saying, Come, I will show you the judgment of the Great Harlot."

So the same angel who just poured out the final plague now turns to John and explains the fate of Babylon.

3. Literary Technique: Announcement Expansion

This is very St. John

In 16:19, the fate of Babylon is announced in one line.

In 17-18, the vision of the Harlot expands and dramatizes that fate.

That means we proposed tense shift -

"Babylon the Great was remembered; God will give her the cup"

- is fully justified:

At the Seventh Bowl she is already "remembered for judgment."

The execution of that judgment is unfolded narratively in the following chapters.

4. Theological Structure

Harlot destroyed (ch. 17-18) Bride revealed (ch. 19-21).

One city dies; the other descends.

Same angel links them, showing continuity: the wrath that ended Babylon prepares the way for the marriage of the Lamb.

Resolution - "God will give her the cup of the wine of His wrath" - fits both the grammar (future sense implied after remembrance) and the narrative flow (the same angel shows St. John the execution and judgment.

My propose is change text .

Dear Heavenly Father, Creator of old and new, thank You for loving and keeping myself and my family. I declare that my children will revere You, follow You and fall in love with Your word. Thank You for touching my heart and my mind. There was a time when I felt far from You but, I now know that my every breath is breathed only because You allow it. I enjoy our quiet time as Your mysteries are whispered into the depths of my soul. There is no room for the enemy in my heart it is reserved only for the Holy Spirit. On today I pray for anyone who doesn't know the kind of love that I have experienced walking with You. I pray hearts are restored, minds are renewed, and souls are saved through Jesus Christ name. You have quieted the noise inside of my mind and renewed my strength. Father, I refuse to go back to way that I was when I was trying to control my own situations. I never understood peace until You instilled it in me. Thank You Father and I Love YOU!!! In Jesus Christ name Amen!!!

Amn. Matthew Chapter 13:9

"Who hath eares to heare, let him heare."

trying to get a understanding on Daniel 5-12 and 16

Deut.28. 10 "By the name of the Lord"

Revelation of Jesus Christ, the entire book in series of sevens is certified as true by the Law of the Spirit. Whosoever trifles with it and gives it an evil report is under curse. "God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."(Rev.22.18-19;1,1-3). Revelation of the Son that God gave Jesus Christ is 'of the testimony of Jesus Christ.'

Coming back to the third horsmean on a black horse refers to famine, hunger and hoarding. Moses had warned "Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field./ Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store./ Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep."(Deut.28.16-18) Fourth horseman on a pale horse, "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."(6.8)

Jer ch.14 evoke the curse working then as now. "Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed./ And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them." Have we not heard imposter churches prophesy lies similarly. Having cut out the pith of God's blessing contained in the Covenant in seven days what we wade through are false divinations from false teachers. "And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy."(Jer.15.1-3) ' Rev.19.16

Deut.28.10 "By the name of the Lord" (1 of 2))

"And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee."

Moses a servant of God is administering this blessing by the name of the Lord. None of which is outside the Son who is sanctified by the Lord, as the Day. "And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God." In refusing to obey the nation demonstrated that there was no light in them. (Deut.28.2) The Covenant in seven days is instituted by the Law of the Spirit so as with the nations,- the Jews and the Gentiles do not have an alternative but trust in him. Blessedness of man is in hearkening unto the voice of the Lord thy God. "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."(Ps.2.12)

What was the significance of God naming the firmament Heaven? Jesus Christ serves as the sign for nations, ' Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.'.( Acts 4.12; Phil 2.9-11). "And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters so generations of man have no other name to be saved for which the firmament is a witness. Isaiah calls to witness heaven and earth (Isa.1.2) The Law of the Spirit sets the vision of the Four horse 'of the Apocalypse and we see consequences down through generations. For those who refuse to obey the voice of the Lord war shall be a curse. A great sword is one. "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." What happens in Gaza and Ukraine is a sign that the curse works.

Greeting's

1 Corinthians 4:20

"For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power."

Blessings

Revelation 3:3

Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.



Daniel:29-45. Daniel 12:1-3. Matthew 24:9-44. Revelation 7:9-17. Revelation 15:1-8.



Revelation 11:19

And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.



Zephaniah 2:2-3.



Revelation 16

17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Gen.1.7-8 "God names heaven"

And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so./And God callIsa.8ed the firmament Heaven."

God names the only begotten Son as the Day we see significance of the light in terms of the word of God. Works of man is judged by this light."if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." So a fool says,'There is no God' because there is no light in them.

God names the firmament as Heaven. God separated the waters above from waters below in order to make this sign Person specific. Significance of First day derived from the word of God making the light synonymous with the Son. So is second day and it renders the firmament as a sign, Heavenn declares the glory of God and the firmament the handiwork of God.

From this separation we have the river going out from Eden, another name as Zion so named to indicate the Authority of the Word, the law. The river of God serves as a Mediator between the heaven and the earth. Jesus as the word become flesh at the Jacob's well speaks to us of his humanity. We are also shown his deity in this passage, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:/But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life"( Jn 4,13-14) The Intent of the Holy Spirit is to instruct as how we are to approach the natural feature as river. The river may be called Euphrates but is tied up with the Son. " In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard." (Isa.7.20)The Son also is the Word of God. "he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven strs so that anyone can cross over in sandals" (Isa,11.15) .

Isa.8.20 'No light"

"if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

Before we consider the key verse we have God himself choosing the name for the sons of Isaiah. They were two witnesses for the events, calamity that was to engulf the nation. It was determined when God sent forth his word. The voice went around the world. "Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." As a sign we have the Son whom is qualified by the word as the 'only begotten Son." In this context we have a name," Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz."He was a sign and so written, "Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz." The other witness is Shearjashub thy son, and they bear witness of the sign who we are really to keep in mind, what does the name Immanuel mean in the narrative?

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isa.7.14) All these names given in the bible are placed there against the word of God. These two sons lived some 600 years before the Advent. Yet in the world of the Spirit God had determined his name. "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".(Rev.19.13-14) When we entered into the rest of God all our battles are fought from above. For this reason after the temptation of Jesus,"Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him."(Mt.4.11)

In Rev.3,20-21 whosoever answers the call, exercised his ear of faith. He is an overcomes as the risen Jesus. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne." and a new name.will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written."(2.17)

Faddaman,

Perhaps you are thinking of Heb. 1:8 which refers to Ps. 45:6-7 or Heb. 1:13 which refers to Ps. 110:1.

You've opened my eyes . Thank you , may God mercies , blessing , and healing be upon you and all my beloved sisters and brothers in Christ.

Again in Mark 1:11 , Matthew 17: 5

Matthew 3:17

And lo a voice from heaven , This is my beloved son , in whom I am well pleased.

2 Corinthians 5:21

"For our sake he made him who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

James 1:14-15

"But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desire and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death."

Meditation for my the coming years.

God Bless Yours.

Where is the verse where God calls Hos Son my Lord?

I do not wish to be invasive in your conversation, but I pray that my opinion on this matter of family may remain bound like an umbilical cord between mother and child. For when we bring to light memories of the past that seem unresolved, we must reflect that living together is a daily walk, and each person carries their own struggles. It is in love, in patience, and in the grace of God that we learn to bear with one another.

I can give my own example: many years ago, the roles between mother and daughter were reversed, for my mother suffered with the bondage of drinking. Today, by the grace of God and through her own effort, that season has been overcome. She is no longer a slave to alcohol, and I can testify that, with the help of the Lord, she is now well and at peace.

Blessings

Rev.19.11-16 "Name" (3 of 3)

In the opening of the book of Genesis the Holy Spirit is not giving us any creation account but of the holiness of God "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."(1 Thess.5.24). Apostle Peter also corroborates it. "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things thatpertainunto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."( 2 Pet. 1.3). "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"(Rom.8.23). All things do not mean what belongs to the nation under the curse. Jesus could testify, "for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." For the same reason Abram would delineate what he believed. "And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto theLord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:" Mind you he proved his faith before God would rename him. The same blessing God assured children of light by the Covenant was extended to him that is all.

From the gospels we see the poeple who sat is darkness saw a great light, and it was a sign to him as Jesus entered into Jerusalem was a sign for the Jews. It is thus we reckon that what setbacks he faced from the nation of Israel was not happenstance. As God had prepared ravens for Elijah He provided for the ass with her colt."Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and w; 21.1-5hen thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee."(Mt.17.27) The word of God was already sent forth. That was the sound; Advent of Jesus, a sign. " If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: Jn 15.22

Hello Reedm9974,

That is a very good question. And of great importance in our Day when many people want some message from God in a sign or a wonder.

The only place we will "hear" the voice of God in the Bible itself. When we read or listen to the Bible we are sitting at the feet of God Himself as He speaks to us. We should never be looking for an audible voice or a dream or a vision or a tongue as being the articulated Word of God.

Once God completed writing the Bible in its original languages, God ceased speaking directly to mankind outside of the Bible itself. He made this crystal clear in Revelation 22:18-19

18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.

My advice to you and anyone is: Read the Bible, Read the Bible, Read, the Bible. That is God speaking directly to you.

May God richly bless you.

Wrapping it up: The Rapture

In sensing the Spirit's lead here let me say that when the Rapture does happen there will be at least for undiscerning surprises of who goes up and who doesn't. It seems from scripture and the parable of the feast that there will be a fairly large number of shall we say 11th hour converts who make it; and it seems those long time believers may be part of those who don't.

Unlike the salvation issue I do think personally that not every believer is raptured and God may purge them so that their white garments that they already have but are blemished can be made white and unwrinkled to be worthy of the wedding supper of the Lamb. Whether that is true or not as to my thesis; I will say that of course some who profess Christ aren't true believers.

I am focusing here on last minute converts or perhaps those who have avoided church for various reasons but are sensitive to the Spirit's leading. This is a mistake we can make in thinking when sharing the Gospel we can't discuss the Rapture for those who we may percieve aren't of the faith or perhaps will be after hearing about the subject. Many sense the end is near but the church often isn't delivering the Good News of the Gospel or discussing the times and seasons. We don't have liberty to dogmatically pronounce a certain day as being the time He comes but no doubt we must be preaching the Word with conviction along with the offer to flee from the wrath to come ( Matt. 3:7).

Of course we can't just talk about it or even be enthusiastic alone we have to live it out in our daily lives; at work; with family and our own circle of friends. Hypocrisy is something we will be accused of if indeed we display it; even though it is often a false accusation we need to acknowledge that such exists within organized Christianity and that we are no better than anyone else but saved by grace. In everything of course HE must be exalted; and as John the Baptist stated we must decrease.

Agape.

Preparing for the Rapture (Part 6) More on the Devil's tactics

What I am saying is no doubt some cause for controversy but I consider it very important. What I mean is that Satan tempts us and we yield to it and indeed do sin at times but the deception for a true believer is that we can go back to our old familiar ways of the old nature and we soon find out that there is no more pleasure to the sin as it used to be. At that point the accuser torments our minds with fear; and then many it seems are subject to the false doctrine of losing salvation. This causes utter despair and many to give up on their walk. Hence we have a number of individuals like the walking dead or zombies where they are rendered useless or close to it in propagating the Gospel and that is Satan's chief endeavor.

If he can succeed in stealing our joy then the message or "display" we show forth to the world is something not drawing men to faith. Many don't want to admit their failures unlike some who are immature in the faith and at times tell us more than we want to know; but I would say if we err to that side there is much more hope that we will continue on in the faith. PRIDE is something which was mentioned in the earlier verse; the pride of life. ( 1 John 2:16). Satan's fall was because of this and if we think we are self sufficient spiritually we are likely to become this way. Again things must be in balance; I myself am alone often and we all need to learn to feed on the Word and grow in maturity as no one can do anything for us ultimately but to help us learn the tools which we eventually put to practice; even if that is in more service to others. I won't go so far to say that national pride HAS to be wrong; but taking a look at any holiday in America the idolatry as the chief end all of the weekend involved doesn't take a rocket scientist to ascertain.

Let this be a wake up call to those not taking the times seriously or those who have allowed the enemy to sideline.

Preparation for the Rapture (Part 5)

The Devil: 1 Corinthians 5:9 states: For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

and Isaiah 24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.

We read further in Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

This is the fate of those who are Raptured; to see that day when the accuser is finally cast down and his minions. To tempt us then accuse us when we fall is something God has allowed the enemy to do so we learn to trust in the Lord and rely not on our own understanding. There is a way which seems right unto a man but leads to death ( Prov. 14:12).

This subject if understood properly shows us that none of has any strength to do battle in our own efforts. We see this when the prophet Daniel encountered visions of the beast to come in the final world kingdom as well as with the angels that ministered to him. Job learned he couldn't contend with God and was apparently unaware that Satan was allowed to test him and cause much of his misery physically and in the original blitz he was on with the whirlwind that destroyed his family; the tribesmen that came down as well to ruin his crops. We need to keep this in mind or we will think that all we need to do is change our behavior to avoid repercussions or think that is the only problem. The fact is our old nature in a true believer IS in reality dead but the enemy does things to revitalize the feelings we had before we came to faith. For a true believer the new life in Christ IS what and who they really are and the old nature an illusion. The enemy induces a thought and still can elicit sin which causes God's chastisement.