Syrian Prophecy
December 11, 2012
Syria is in the middle of a civil war as part of a Islamic revolution, in several nations, that has been ongoing in the Middle-East for a couple of years. The country is trying to topple their current dictator, Bashar al-Assad, and, probably, replace him with an even more radical fundamentalist Muslim leader.
In the meantime, Assad has threatened to use chemical and biological weapons on his own people in this violent struggle. He has also threatened to use these same weapons of mass destruction on Israel if the United States or United Nations tries to intervene in this civil war.
Damascus, of course, is the capital city of Syria, and it is the longest continually inhabited city on the face of the Earth (about 5000 years). There is a prophecy, however, regarding this city from the book of Isaiah: “…..See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid. The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus…..” (Isaiah 17:1-3).
If Benjamin Netanyahu stays in power, and the Syrian government unleashes its chemical and biological weapons on Israel, many believe the Israeli leader would use atomic weapons on Syria in response. This would fulfill the prophecy found in Isaiah l7.
What is the Christian to do in all of this? We are to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). And when we do this, we can know that God hears and answers prayer.
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Photo: worldatlas.com
A Timely Word
December 4, 2012
For the last five weeks, I have been fasting breakfast and lunch on Mondays. Fasting has been a spiritual discipline that I have neglected over the years. But the Lord has helped me to reincorporate this practice of late.
I had been making this effort for several specific spiritual reasons. And although I knew that fasting would pay off, I wondered if I would continue this discipline on Mondays.
A week ago today, a got a text from a friend. We hadn’t spoken about my renewed interest in fasting or what I was fasting about. But amazingly, here is what he sent me: “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6). This was just what I needed to hear, and when I needed to hear it. God spoke to me through the obedience of my friend. I had been fasting for those specific reasons. God is amazing!
Scripture quotations from The Authorized (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorized Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Reproduced by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press
Photo: wayoflife.org
Scripture Memorization
December 3, 2012
“Big Brother” is here. We see “him” everyday when the traffic light cameras monitor our vehicles, when our purchases are tracked through our debit and credit cards and when our Google searches are observed and stored. “He” is definitely watching.
At the same time this phenomena is happening, the cries of “hate speech” fill the air. Or in other words, anything that is spoken that is not politically-correct or does not adhere to the thinking of “Big Brother” is deemed unacceptable.
When one ties these two events together, it appears to me that it won’t be long before the Bible will be considered an inappropriate item for one to possess. After all, it is filled with hateful words like, “…..I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). This truth, spoken by Jesus, is offensive to those of other religions and cannot be tolerated.
With these thoughts in mind, is it possible that our Bible “apps” could be removed from our smart phones one day? Might some web-sites be taken down because they contain Scripture? Could our Bibles be confiscated from our homes? Unfortunately, I believe the answers to these questions is “yes.”
I believe, based on these assumptions, that it is imperative that we memorize God’s Word. We take for granted the access that we have to the Scriptures, and I fear that this access may soon be denied. Not only should we be studying Scripture for the aforementioned reasons, however, but because of the Psalmist’s admonition, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Photo: 1611kingjamesbible.com
Why Are the Jews Hated?
December 2, 2012
A few years ago, I heard a sermon explaining this condition that exists worldwide (although I can’t remember who preached the message). Basically, the antisemitism, that is so prevalent in our day, was shown to be broken down into three parts. And here they are:
First of all, Jews are hated because they gave us the Prophets and Apostles. These men of God prophesied about the coming Messiah, and they wrote of our Lord’s exploits in the Gospels and epistles.
Secondly, the Jews gave us the Bible. And for that, they are despised. The “Word of God,” that is the roadmap to heaven, was given us from the Jewish nation. The Scriptures have endured thousands of years, and they are God’s revealing of Himself to us.
Lastly, the people of Israel gave us Jesus. God’s Son came through one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus is referred to as “the Lion of Judah.”
These are the main reasons for the hatred, worldwide, for the Jewish race. The devil, the forces of evil, the unbelieving world and the mainstream media hate Israel for these causes. The “land issue” in the Middle-East is really only a “smoke-screen” for the underlying hatred mentioned in this sermon. Jesus, however, stated, “…..for salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22).
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Map: familybible.org
The Power of Blessing
November 20, 2012
Earlier this year (I think it was in February), I heard an amazing sermon on the subject of blessing. It had a tremendous impact on my life and on my family and acquaintances. It was preached by John Kilpatrick at Calvary Assembly of God in Orlando, Florida.
In this sermon, Pastor Kilpatrick spoke of the first recorded instance of a blessing in the Bible. It happened when Rebekah, the future wife of Issac, was preparing to go back with Abraham’s servant. Her family blessed her and this is what they said, “Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies” (Genesis 24:59).
We see the results of this blessing today, and we also see that it is still having its effects in the Israeli-Gazan conflict. No matter how man tries to say that the promises that God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are not in force regarding “Canaan land,” and that it has no bearing for today, Israel is still “possessing the gates of their enemies.”
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Photo: abebooks.com
Sweet Hour of Prayer
November 15, 2012
When I was a kid, we used to sing this song in church: “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” Growing up, I don’t know that I ever spent an entire hour in one day in prayer. It was not until I became an adult that I knew the value of “quality time” with the Lord. Yes, I did pray when I was a kid, but only for a few minutes at a time.
The Bible has much to say regarding prayer. And one of the most important things that Jesus did was to teach His disciples how to pray. The “Lord’s Prayer” is probably one of the most quoted passages in the whole of Scripture. It is the framework from which Christians build their “pipeline” to God.
One of my favorite Scriptural prayers, however, is the 23rd Psalm. David was, truly, inspired when he penned this comforting and encouraging piece of literature. Although I don’t pray it everyday, it blesses me when I do.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever” (Psalm 23:1-6).
Although I use the New International Version for most of my writing, I learned the 23rd Psalm in the King James. So when I pray it, I always pray it in the King James. It seems like it should be prayed this way somehow. And praying is the most important thing that we do.
* Scriptures used from The King James Version (KJV Bible)
Photo: en.wikipedia.org
The Light
November 14, 2012
The Bible is an amazing document. It contains sixty-six books written by thirty-nine authors who were all inspired by God to write “the truth.” And although separated by thousands of years, these writers all point toward the same person, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Of course, the New Testament was written in Greek, and the Greek word for “light” is “phos” (φῶς). This Greek word is where we get the English word “phosphorus.”
Phosphorus, when exposed to the elements (air), will glow in the dark. Jesus, when He came into the world, shone in the darkness of this world. John, also writing of Jesus, says, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Thank God for sending His Son, Jesus, the light “phos” (φῶς) of the world.
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Photo: liquidlightinc.com
Who is the Antichrist?
November 13, 2012
Many prophecy experts believe that he will come out of the EU (European Union). Some believe that he is to come from the Middle-East. Most, however, think that he is alive and breathing this very hour.
What does the Bible have to say about this subject? John the Disciple, who was the closest to Jesus of any of His followers, wrote, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). We see this happening in the world right now.
But for the Christian, it really doesn’t matter. Why not, you might ask? The answer is, once again, found in God’s Word. Paul writes, “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). We won’t be here when the antichrist comes into full power. We will have been raptured away to be with the Lord, and we will not have to suffer through the Great Tribulation. That, indeed, is “good news!”
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Photo: nationsonline.org
Blessings and Cursings
November 8, 2012
God told Abraham, “‘I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you”” (Genesis 12:3). Even though we have the new covenant that Jesus made with his shed blood, this promise that God made to the father of the Jews still remains. It was not taken away when the Messiah appeared on the earth.
During the last presidential debate, the subject of Israel came up. Sadly, both candidates were for a “two state solution.” The loser of the election was even more adamant about the need for an Arab nation in the middle of the Holy Land. What our leaders were saying is, “God, we don’t care about your promise to Abraham; we defy you and your Word.”
So we attribute the latest storms in the northeast to “global warming?” I think not! What America is experiencing is God’s judgment due to our treatment of Israel. God’s Word is truth, and we have “thumbed our nose” at Him. But here’s the point. Israel does exist, and it will exist because God wants it to exist. Praise the Lord!
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
A Post-Election Psalm
November 7, 2012
This chapter was part of my daily Bible reading and devotional time today. I thought that it spoke to the times of which we are a part.
Psalm 12
For the director of music. According to sheminith.[a] A psalm of David.
1 Help, Lord, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished from among men.
2 Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue
4 that says, “We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips[b]—who is our master?”
5 “Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise,” says the Lord.
“I will protect them from those who malign them.”
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.
7 O Lord, you will keep us safe
and protect us from such people forever.
8 The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
