The Kingdom of Heaven
May 23, 2013
About five years ago, I was introduced to a passage of Scripture that, previously, I had not been exposed to that often. Jesus said, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12, KJV). Jesus, a few verses earlier, had been giving the account of the greatness of his cousin, John the Baptist. But what does Jesus mean here?
Once again, the Amplifed Bible gives a great interpretation of this verse. In this version, it says, “And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion]” (Matthew 11:12, AMP).
Our entrance into heaven won’t be by accident or happen nonchalantly. It will take great effort according to this verse of Scripture. “Lord, help me to seek the kingdom of heaven with ‘most ardent zeal.’”
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.
“Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission.” (www.Lockman.org)
Photo: shieldoffaith62.blogspot.com
The Problem of Evil
May 20, 2013
There is a belief within philosophical thought that “God does not exist because there is evil in the world.” Or in other words, because there are wars, murders, disease or tornadoes, like the one that hit Norman, OK today, there could not be a God. This philosophy says also, “that if God existed and was good and omnipotent, He would not allow catastrophes and evil (like those mentioned before) to happen.”
How can a philosophy state that “God does not exist because of the existence of evil?” Yes, there is evil in the world, but it does not prove that God does not exist. It proves that humanity is fallen due to sin, and that God created humanity with the ability to choose either good or evil.
Blaming God for the evil that is in the world is not only ignorant, it is evil in itself. One of God’s attributes is His “goodness.” The Psalmist wrote, “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 136:1). How could a God who loves His creation and sent His Son to save the world be the instigator of evil? He is not! Evil came about when man believed Satan and sinned in the garden.
In the midst of evil, God shows up to save, deliver and heal. In fact, as the Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God has provided for our spiritual and physical needs. We can know that if we are trusting in Jesus, He will intervene to help us in the hour of need.
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: breakingnews.com
The Poor in Spirit
May 18, 2013
When Jesus preached the most famous sermon ever, “The Sermon on the Mount,” part of this message contained what we call, “The Beatitudes.” These words that the Lord gave us in this sermon included instruction on everything from fasting to praying to giving to marriage and a whole host of other topics important to the race of man. “The Beatitudes,” however, are probably some of the most quoted of Jesus’s sayings.
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter five, verse three, Jesus says, “‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’” (KJV). I’ve heard these words from the Bible all of my life, but, sometimes, I like to get a deeper understanding of what the Savior was trying to say. And just like we pick up a dictionary when we want the definition of a word, we are able to pick up a different translation of the Bible or a commentary to help us see more clearly into God’s Word.
The Amplified Bible explains the phrase “poor in spirit” unlike any way that I have heard it explained before. It says, “‘Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!’” (Matthew 5:3, Amplified). The ability for one to “rate themselves insignificant” is only something that one could do with the help of the Lord. “Poor in spirit” takes on a whole new meaning in the light of this revelation. The Lord, here, isn’t saying that one should view oneself as “worthless” but as “not important.” If one is looking at himself in this manner, his priorities are, indeed, placed correctly.
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.
“Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible,
Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission.” (www.Lockman.org)
Photo: joeiovino.com
Spiritual Renewal
May 17, 2013
Five years ago last night, I finished thirty-three consecutive nights of revival services (April 14, 2008 to May 16, 2008). It was one of the greatest times of my life. I wouldn’t trade anything for it.
I would “end up” attending fifty-eight nights of this six-month revival, here, in the heart-of-Florida. People would come from all over the world (approximately 300,000) for this outpouring from God. It was to be a life-changing event for me.
Specifically, before this time, I needed direction from the Lord. And, out of this “great awakening,” would come a thirty-six-thousand dollar scholarship to seminary (which led to an M.A. in Christian Ministries). Also, Jesus led us to the church that we are now attending due to this revival (we are now leading the evangelism ministry of this church). Overall, God did some amazing things during the Spring and Summer of 2008. To God be the glory!
But when I would invite people, during this time, to come to the services. I wouldn’t say, “come and see people being healed,” or “come see people get saved or filled with the Spirit.” I would say, “come and experience the power and the presence of God.” That is what would draw me back night after night: the power and presence of God!
The Genealogy of Jesus
May 13, 2013
In the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, the writer lists the “ancestors” of Jesus (though, technically, Jesus has always been). The Bible says, “So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations” (Matthew 1:17). Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience, and he is trying to impress upon them the “Jewishness” of Jesus.
It is interesting to note that God does two of His greatest works (the calling of Abraham and the installation of David as king) at the beginning and ending of the first genealogical segment in Matthew’s Gospel. The middle listings of ancestors are the kings of Israel or Judean kings. God, then, does His greatest work (the gift of His Son) at the end of the third generational period.
In Luke’s Gospel, however, Jesus’s lineage is traced all the way back to Adam. Luke links Jesus all the way back to the first man.
On the subject of Jesus and of the genealogical lines that were spoken of previously, when I was in seminary, one of my professors said, “I have to believe in Abraham.” What he was saying, in effect, was that he did not believe in the Bible’s accounts of the predecessors of Abraham. He did not believe in an actual “Adam” because he believed in the theory of evolution. Of evolution this same professor stated, “I don’t care that I’m evolving as long as I’m evolving well.” So, basically, without saying it, he believed the men listed before Abraham were mythological in nature.
This is the problem of “picking and choosing” which parts of the Bible one chooses to believe in. It casts doubt on the entire book. If some parts of the Bible are untrue, then the whole “thing” falls apart.
I am so glad that I was taught to believe that God’s Word is true from beginning to end. I believe in an actual “Adam,” an actual “Abraham,” an actual “David,” and a man called Jesus. And this man called Jesus is coming soon as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” These truths are undeniable.
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: examiner.com
Evangelist Steve Hill
May 12, 2013
For those of you who follow this blog, you know that I am a big believer in revival. My wife and I have had the privilege of attending three of the biggest revivals to have “hit” Florida in the past eighteen years. One of those was the Brownsville Revival which began on Father’s Day 1995 in Pensacola, Florida. This revival impacted the state, nation and the entire planet. Millions of people came from all over the world for this outpouring from God.
For the last five years, my wife and I have been members of Faith Assembly of God in Orlando, Florida. The senior pastor of our church is Carl Stephens, and we have been given the privilege of heading up the evangelism ministry of the church.
I found out this morning, after the 11:15 am service, that this same evangelist, Steve Hill, that was used so greatly by God in the Brownsville Revival is coming to our church! And not only that, he is coming on Father’s Day, eighteen years to the day of the beginning of the Brownsville Revival! This is monumental! Praise the Lord! I am believing that God is going to do great things, and Jesus is going to be lifted up! Let revival come!
Photo: charismanews.com
Paul’s Epistle to the Romans
May 11, 2013
Some have said that if the only book of the Bible that was available to man was the book of Romans, it would be enough. For in it, all that is necessary for salvation through Jesus Christ can be found. This Letter to the Romans could be called Paul’s “magnum opus” or “greatest work.”
For the last two weeks, I have been studying Romans by taking one chapter, daily, and looking at it in six Bible versions (NIV, KJV, AMP, NRSV, HCSB and the Greek New Testament). The study of this sixteen-chapter book of the New Testament has been a very productive and beneficial one.
Today, at the Cooper Memorial Library in Clermont, Florida, I was looking into the fifteenth chapter of Paul’s writing. And the passage that I focused on was verse four which says, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Isn’t it amazing to know that all one has to do to have hope for any circumstance is to open up God’s Word and let it do its work?
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: 1611kingjamesbible.com
John Hagee- Blood Red Moon
January 6, 2013
Today, on TBN, Pastor John Hagee finished his series on The Coming Four Blood Moons. He took his sermon text from the book of Revelation, chapter nineteen.
In this message, he looked at nations, both, in the Bible and in modern-times that have turned their backs on God. He said that the nations who turn God out of their countries are in danger.
But in a hopeful tone (for the Christian), he stated, “Shout for Joy; the King is coming!” This brought a great roar from the congregation at the home church in San Antonio, Texas.
Pastor Hagee also said, “Let there be a revival of righteousness!” I echo his sentiments. Without a change for the United States, we look to collapse economically, militarily, socially and otherwise. Let’s pray for our leaders that they will lead us back to Jesus and His precepts.
Photo: nasa.gov
The Truth of Christmas
December 25, 2012
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. (John 3:16-21)
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Photo: freechristmaswallpapers.net
Isaiah’s Messianic Prophecy
December 24, 2012
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death[a]
a light has dawned.
You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor,[b] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:2-7)
THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Photo: allthingschristmas.com
