God Blesses the Cheerful Giver

 The Ministry of Helping

 Book of 2 Corinthians Chapter 8

 

 This chapter deals with the need to help other believers and other human beings who were being threatened with starvation and death and were spiritually poor.

 Many of them did not know Jesus Christ as their Savior.

 The need for church missions is a never-ending call.

 We know we live in a sin-sick world and things are never going to get any better than they are now, at least until the return of Jesus Christ.

 2Ti_3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

 The desperate needs of the world will always confront the Church.

 The challenge for the church is to help whenever possible.

 What is stewardship? Believers also are described as stewards of God’s gifts and graces, to dispense the benefits of them to the world.

 While we are watching for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to remain busy in the work of the Lord.

 1Pe 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 

1Pe 4:8  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 

1Pe 4:9  Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 

1Pe 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

1Pe 4:11  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

 The ministry of helping is being a good steward of the manifold grace of God!

 *****2Co 8:1  Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 

 We sometimes forget as Americans that much of the world lives in poverty.

 Even in our own nation, people are dying of starvation, and there is no excuse for this.

 Paul encouraged every church to become good stewards of God's "Grace".

 1Co 16:1  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 

1Co 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 

1Co 16:3  And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. 

 At this time, the church in Jerusalem was suffering because every Christian had been excommunicated from Judaism, their jobs taken away from them, and no Jew would help them.

 The thing about humans and money is that everybody wants as much as they can get and then tries to hoard what they have.

 It is quite human of us to prosper and then forget those who have needs.

 Here is another place in the Scriptures where the church meets on Sunday before anyone set a decree.

 The plate was passed on the first day of the week, which was Sunday on the Jewish calendar.

 The challenge to the Church is clear! Give all you can to reach and help the desperate who live in our world.

 What we see today while our own costs for food skyrocket, people are dying of hunger while tons of food are destroyed to create an artificial demand and to keep the prices high.

I have never seen a time when so much food is being recalled and destroyed, and we should wonder why.

 Every day, there is some recall of food or people getting sick because of eating tainted food.

 Thousands of animals are destroyed every year without proving they needed to be destroyed.

There must be reasons this is taking place.

 The churches in Macedonia had accepted this challenge to help the church in Jerusalem and were giving because of the Grace and favor of God.

 The churches of Macedonia included Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

 These were not wealthy churches in monetary terms; they were rich in grace and mercy.

 These places had been ravaged by war, and Rome had stripped them of their wealth.

There should be no one upon this earth who defends the Rome of those years.

 We see this happening in Iran today, even though the rulers of Iran are to blame.

 It does not stop the fact that the Christians and the poor people in Iran need help.

 The poor people of Ukraine need help.

There are still poor people in Israel who need help.

 There are poor people in America who need help.

 Food is not the greatest need of the poor because most of them are also poor in the Spirit of God, but starving people will not respond to the Gospel. 

 There are always people who need help, and the church cannot feed them all, or can it?

 What do we know about giving?

 Paul does not speak about the percentage of income one should give. Everyone knows that the Old Testament norm was ten percent of the income.

 In the New Testament it is not about the amount but about the motive, the mind and the way of giving.

 *****2Co 8:2  How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

The self-sufficiency of some places of worship convinced them they no longer needed to depend on God; they were blind to their desperate poverty in the eyes of the Lord.

The Lord Jesus Christ speaks of this in the Book of Revelation.

To protect the Church from the deception of worldly riches, Paul was pointing out that all the riches and treasures that have eternal value are found in Christ. 

I like to say that the real riches we need are all the things that money cannot buy.

Biblical stewardship is living in the reality that everything we have belongs to God. We are managers, not owners. 

Wealth is a gift to be used wisely, held loosely, and shared generously.

God does not want us to live in poverty.

God prefers we do not live in riches because we will become dependent on our riches rather than upon Him.

What does all this have to do with giving?

The question isn't whether God will bless us with resources. The question is whether those resources will draw us closer to Christ or cause us to live as though we no longer need Him.

This is the main reason why the teaching of a prosperity gospel is a lie.

Wealth is a gift — not a god. It can meet certain needs but not the most important ones. Everything we own belongs to the Lord, and every blessing should draw us closer to Him, not farther away.

Biblical giving is the practice of generously and willingly sharing resources, time, or talents in accordance with God’s principles, motivated by love, gratitude, and faith.

There are 10 Principles of Christian Giving:

       1. The Lord Jesus expects and requires us to give. Jesus said to His disciples, "when you give," not "if you give"!

Mat 6:2  “Therefore when thou doest thine alms”, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Christian giving is not optional, but rather essential. We often hear folks say: "In the Old Testament they had to give, but not in the New - now we only give if we want to." This is clearly not Jesus' teaching. He expected all His followers to be givers. Christians will give. Are you giving?

       2. The Lord Jesus wants us to give for the right reasons. Jesus warned His disciples not to give for the sake of being admired by men. 

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them," 

Jesus said: Mat 6:1  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

When we give, we must be careful to examine our motives. We ought to give for the glory of God and the good of His people. We must desire His approval of our giving, rather than the praise and admiration of people. Are you giving for God's praise or men?

    3. The Lord Jesus wants us to practice benevolent or charitable giving. Jesus said, "When you give to the poor . . . 

(Matthew 6:2-3). Jesus is specifically teaching about "alms" in this passage: alms are, aid, charity, or benevolent offerings for the needy. 

Do you give enough to the Church that she can be generous in benevolent giving?

   4  The Lord Jesus reminds us that our giving is ultimately to the all-seeing heavenly Father. Jesus said, "When you give:

Mat 6:3  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 

Mat 6:4  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

When we give, we are not simply adding to the Church budget; we are giving up a thank-you offering to the Father Himself. 

Thus, we must all give "as unto the Lord." Our ultimate goal in giving is to please Him. Are you conscious of the fact that your giving is to the Lord and seen by the Lord?

  5. The Bible teaches that Christian giving is an act of worship. In connection with the previous point, we see this truth stressed in another way in Paul's words 

"On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save" :

1Co 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 

Paul here teaches the Corinthians that their taking up of the collection is an act of worship which is to be a part of their regular Lord's Day worship.

When we put our money in the plate, we are worshiping Almighty God in accordance with His Word. 

Note well, Paul is speaking here of a "collection for the saints" - this is giving by the Church to the Church for the Church. 

Did you realize that giving is a part of worship? 

Is your worship in this area abundant or inhibited? 

Is giving to the Church a priority with you?

   6. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in light of the incarnation. Many Christians argue about whether the tithe (10% of our income) is still the standard for our giving to the Church (disputants usually want to show that less than 10% is fine). Paul scuttles the whole debate in one verse. 

Paul says: 2Co 8:8  I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich"

Christ's self-giving is now the standard for our giving! We begin from the base of the tithe and aim for emulation of His self-sacrifice. 

Our giving is to be inspired and instructed by Christ's inexpressible gift. In light of such a challenge, who could satisfy himself with asking "how little a percentage is acceptable for me to give

Do you try to get by giving as little as possible to the Lord, or do you give in view of the Lord's costly sacrifice?

    7. The Bible teaches that Christian giving should be done in accordance with our means. Paul is quite clear on this: "For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.

2 Co 8:12  For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 

Put another way, Paul is saying that you should give in proportion to what God has given you. 

He said it this way in 1 Corinthians 16:2: each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper." This means at least two things: 

(A) Since we are all supposed to give proportionately, those who have more money are expected to give more [those who are particularly blessed materially must remember this], 

(B) The Lord never asks us to give what we do not have or contribute beyond our means.

 Are you really giving in proportion to the material blessings that the Lord has given you?

    8. The Bible teaches that the liberality of God's blessings to us is connected to the liberality of our Christian giving. 

Though it may seem strange, both Jesus and Paul emphasize that there is a relation between our giving to the Lord and the Lord's giving to us. 

As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:6:  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 

   9. The Bible teaches that Christian giving must be willing giving, free giving.

2Co 9:7  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 

 But doesn't this contradict what we learned under the first principle, that Christian giving is not optional? The answer is no. 

True Christian giving is both mandatory and voluntary. It is required by God, but always willingly given by the believer. 

Is your giving to the Church something you do wholeheartedly, or indifferently, or grudgingly?

  10. The Bible teaches that Christian giving ought to be cheerful giving. As Paul says "God loves a cheerful giver."

Paul assures us here that the Lord takes a special delight in those who are joyful, energetic, merry givers.

Is there joy in your heart as you give? Can you truly be characterized as a "cheerful giver"?

Giving to the work of the Lord is rooted in Scripture, reflects our stewardship of God’s resources, and yields both spiritual and practical benefits.

What is the Biblical foundation for helping those in need?

From the Old Testament, Israel was commanded to bring tithes and offerings to support the Levites, priests, and the temple work.

In the New Testament, the early church shared resources freely.

The principle is that all we have comes from God, so we are stewards, not owners, of our resources.

It honors and reveres God – Giving is an act of worship, acknowledging God as the source of all we have 

It aligns with God’s pattern – Biblical examples show godly people consistently giving a portion of their resources.

It brings God’s wisdom and order to finances – Prioritizing God’s work helps guard against materialism.

It is a practical reminder that God owns everything.

It opens the way for God’s blessings.

It supports ministry and outreach – Giving sustains pastors, missionaries, and church projects.

It yields eternal rewards – Faithful giving is recorded in heaven and linked to spiritual growth and eternal treasure.

Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 

1Ti 6:18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 

1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

It reflects God’s love through service – Giving time, talents, and spiritual gifts is part of the work of the Lord.

Spiritual and personal benefits

Joy and gratitude – Giving cultivates a heart of thankfulness and trust in God’s provision

Spiritual growth – Supporting God’s work deepens faith and dependence on Him.

Eternal perspective – It shifts focus from temporary gains to lasting spiritual rewards.

Community impact – It strengthens the body of Christ and enables outreach to the needy.

*****2Co 8:3  For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; 

2Co 8:4  Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 

 The number one priority of the Church is to gather to worship the Almighty Living God.

 Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

 The number two priority of the Church is bringing souls to the Lord Jesus for salvation, and this will never change.

 The third priority of the Church is to make disciples.

 As far as giving to the Church, giving to God can never be measured by the amount.

 God doesn’t measure the gift by the amount. God measures the gift by the cost to the giver.

 You see, if you’re making a million dollars a year and you give God a hundred thousand dollars tithe, you’re not really giving very much.

 Doesn’t really cost you much. Look at all you’ve got left to live on.

 Now if you make only ten thousand dollars and you give a thousand dollars, still a tithe, that is giving a lot because it does not give you that much to live on.

 So, we see that according to the Lord Jesus, a tithe is not always enough in the modern church.

 To the poor a tithe may be looked on as enough, but to the rich a tithe may not be near enough in the eyes of God.

 Even the Lord Jesus gave something to the poor!

 Joh 13:29  For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 

 Biblical foundation:

 From the Old Testament, Israel was commanded to bring tithes and offerings to support the Levites, priests, and the temple work.

 Mal 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  

In the New Testament, the early church shared resources freely.

 Paul taught that “God loves a cheerful giver”.

 The principle is that all we have comes from God, so we are stewards, not owners, of our resources.

 Psa 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 

Psa 24:2  For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. 

 The area of Macedonia had been in three civil wars, and Rome had stripped this area of its riches.

 These new converts to the church still gave more than they had to give.

 What did Jesus actually say? Luk 11:41  But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. 

  1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 

 The Church in Corinth was filled with people who were not poor like the Macedonians.

 Corinth was a rich city.

 Corinth was Grecian city, on the isthmus which joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece. It is about 48 miles west of Athens. The ancient city was destroyed by the Romans (146 B.C.), and that mentioned in the New Testament was quite a new city, having been rebuilt about a century afterwards and peopled by a colony of freedmen from Rome. It became under the Romans the seat of government for Southern Greece or Achaia. It was noted for its wealth, and for the luxurious, immoral, and vicious habits of the people.

 What is the most important thing we can do as the church founded by Jesus Christ?

 *****2Co 8:5  And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 

2Co 8:6  Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. 

2Co 8:7  Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

 Those who have given themselves to the Lord are more apt to be generous in their giving.

 Remember the Lord Jesus gave all He had for our salvation, including His life.

 It always seems that those who are poor give more to others who are poor because they know how it feels to be poor.

 Those with a pocket full of money are just too stingy to share any of it, but that is not the way of God.

 God does not expect all Christians to be poor. This would set the wrong example of Christianity.

 God wants us to help those around us when a need arises.

 First, those who are in need in the church, and second, those in the community.

 Then there are ministries to support.

 There are missionaries to support.

 A pastor deserves our support.

 The maintenance of the church must be supported.

 Part of the mission of Titus was to collect the offerings they had laid aside for Jerusalem.

 Nothing was going to Paul or the other preachers.

 There was no manipulation or exploitation.

 If not for the first Christian church in Jerusalem, there might not be Christianity today.

 Giving keeps the Church moving in the right direction if done properly.

 My church is independent, and we have total control over where church money is spent as we try to answer the call of God.

 As we study the Book of 2 Corinthians, we can see that this church had been obedient to the things Paul had written in the Book of 1 Corinthians.

 We should always love those who brought us to the Lord!

 They cared enough for us to try to keep us out of Hell.

 The Pastor who preaches the truth of God without watering it down or twisting God’s words into something false is also someone who loves us.

 God sent us His love letter from Heaven, so we know He loves us.

 Love is the key to keeping a functioning church in the modern world, but not some carnal love, love in the Spirit of the Word of God.

 *****2Co 8:8  I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. 

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 

 Every true man of God does not issue commands to his church; he is just a messenger to deliver the Word of God.

 Every message must come by the Holy Spirit.

What's wrong with the modern church? The Holy Spirit is not allowed to do His work because the Word of God is rejected.

We say all the time that we want to be more like Jesus Christ, that He is our example to live by.

We know the Lord Jesus Christ was rich, yet for our sake He became poor.

Yes, He has a great inheritance, but He has chosen to share His inheritance with us.

That inheritance is in Heaven; we only need enough in this world to get us through it until the Lord returns to take us home or we go home by the way of the grave.

The Lord Jesus Christ proved His great love for us with the things He did for us, especially His dying for us.

Sometimes we just don't see that the God who made us came down to this earth in the form of a man and then died for us that we might live an eternal life.

Stewardship is trying to be like Jesus Christ.

*****2Co 8:10  And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. 

God expects us all to give to His work upon this earth, and He has special instructions for the rich.

1Ti 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 

1Ti 6:18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; 

1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 

These same guidelines work for us all!

All gifts that are given are God's to begin with!

So, it is the "Giver" that is important.

Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

Giving is sharing.

Giving is the ability and willingness to share our material goods with others.

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 

Rom 12:10  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 

 Rom 12:13  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 

Giving with liberality refers to open-handed and open-hearted giving out of compassion and singleness of purpose, but not from ambition.

The Philippians helped Paul the Missionary when no one else would.

Php 4:18  But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. 

Where would the Church be without the Apostle Paul today? But remember the "Giver" resides in Heaven and He wants all of us to be a part of giving to the Church.

Only you know how much you can give without it seriously affecting your family, which means most of us could give more, but God does not expect us to live in borderline poverty.

There is no such thing as a prosperity Gospel! We are to build up a treasure in Heaven, not here on Earth.

*****2Co 8:11  Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. 

2Co 8:12  For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 

A year earlier, these Corinthians began to do something for the poor; it stopped when the church was going through sin that made its way inside the church.

They wholeheartedly had a great desire to help the Church of Jerusalem. They needed to finish what they had started.

Great intentions are not a help to anyone!

Willingness to give is not actual giving!

As we make plans for giving, we need to follow through with that plan consistently!

There must first be a willing mind!

We give from what we have and not from what we do not have!

We must put great emphasis on supporting the missions of the Church and those men and women who give all their lives to these ministries.

Some things that Jesus said:

Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Mat 19:24  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 

Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 

The truth is: Luk 11:41  But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. 

The truth is, we are to give as we have, and we will be blessed for it.

God has never asked us to do more than our very best!

Amen

Spiritual Understanding

 The Ministry of Spiritual Understanding

Book of 2 Corinthians Chapter 5

 

 Most people look at Christians as a bunch of religious fanatics, but this is true for only a few people who have their doctrine mixed up, and they need to get it straight before the Lord returns.

 There is nothing fanatical about preserving our future, and this is what a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will do; it will preserve your future.

 I may get a little off track for just a moment, but I think we need to know these things.

 According to those who live by the Marxist movement in our nation today, the greatest enemy of America is the white Christian. They say so without blinking an eye.

 The truth is their greatest enemy is Jesus Christ because they are the children of the Devil.

 A Marxist is a supporter of the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels:

 Marxism, a body of doctrine developed by Karl Marx and, to a lesser extent, by Friedrich Engels in the mid-19th century. It originally consisted of three related ideas:

 1) philosophical anthropology,

2) a theory of history and evolution.

3) an economic and political program.

 There is also Marxism as it has been understood and practiced by the various socialist movements, particularly before 1914.

Then there is Soviet Marxism as worked out by Vladimir Ilich Lenin and modified by Joseph Stalin, which, under the name of Marxism-Leninism which has become the doctrine of the communist parties set up after the Russian Revolution.

Offshoots of this include Marxism as interpreted by the anti-Stalinist Leon Trotsky and his followers, Mao Zedong’s Chinese variant of Marxism-Leninism, and various Marxists in the developing world.

There were also the post-World War II nondogmatic Marxists who have modified Marx’s thought with borrowings from modern philosophies, principally from those of Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger but also from Sigmund Freud and others.

 In nations that adopt some version of Marxism, they have started in a way that looks good to many people, but in the end, it turns to socialism, and then some version of communism, and it never works out to be a benefit to the real people who have to give their lives to support such a system and have no say-so in that government.

 Marxism has never worked because evil men enforce their version on the people, and the government will then control every aspect of their lives and their economic classes.

There is no home ownership for the people and really no true freedom.

In fact, in Marxism, the government owns everything from land to homes, and all else.

 Capitalism, far from perfect, allows freedom to those who are willing to work for it.

The trouble with people today is they do not want to work for anything and expect everything to be free.

Free health care, free education, free life to do as they please, but they do not want to think that someone has to pay for these things, or they are okay with these things as long as someone else is paying for them besides themselves.

Look at how many of them refuse to pay for the education that they borrowed from the taxpayers.

Marxism still uses an anti-supernatural approach to life and its origin and begins with the premise that there is no God and tries to explain a life that is lived without God, which we, as Christians know, is not possible.

We have already tried life without Christ, and found it meaningless.

They all believe in the theory of evolution or some part of it, even if they claim to be liberal Christians.

The term "liberal" has come to mean "my way or the highway"!

Liberal so-called Christians accept the Gap Theory or some version of a gap theory and many of the theories of evolution and try to put them in the Creation Story given to us in the Book of Genesis.

To accept this is to say sin was in the world when God created us and that the death of the Lord Jesus was unnecessary and just a fable.

To accept this is to call God the Holy Spirit a liar!

 The truth is, if God created man, then man is a morally responsible being. Responsible for his own actions.

This is not some new thing!

Jdg 21:25  In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 

Much of this is coming from the younger generation, and God warns them about these things.

Ecc 11:9  Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 

Ecc 11:10  Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Those without God say they are not morally responsible for themselves or to any god and are free to do as they please.

See if you believe you descended from some animal, you are taught that animals do not have a moral understanding, but even this is a lie.

 This is the very reason the world was destroyed in the day of Noah and will be destroyed when the Lord returns.

When the Lord Jesus says, “as in the days of Noah,” this is part of what He was referring to.

 In either case, the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer, but there is far more corruption in Marxism than in Capitalism, and the people have no real say-so in the government with leaders who put forth their own version of Marxism.

The same ones who teach Marxism made their own millions under Capitalism, so they are hypocrites to begin with.

What many of them seek is the destruction of America and a full-on atheist society.

 Every Marxist politician has their own version of Marxism, and none of them are the same.

 It is a fact that it was Marxism that began the Liberalism we see in the false church today!

It is Marxism that began liberalism in our government.

 It is Marxism that is pushing the Liberal church into social change, which goes against the Word of God.

 It is Marxism that pushes liberals to conceive that change is not achieved through individual salvation and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but through the church itself confronting society concerning injustices.

The Church is not to be an object of worship, and it is becoming nothing more than an idol.

The Book of Revelation says the Church has left its first love, who is Christ Jesus.

The only true Church is based upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co_3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

 Marxism in itself is humanism, more indebted to liberal theology than it is to Scripture, and Scripture that does not go along with their Marxist liberal thinking is removed from Scripture.

This is why there are so many versions of the Word of God today.

 As Christians, we place our hope in the Theocratic government of the Almighty God!

 We will answer to God for everything we have done, even for every word that we have spoken.

 God says: Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

 Marxism and liberal theology are all about works, and there is no hope in works!

 Where is our hope and the hope of the true church?

 *****2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

 We must not get discouraged every time our body will not let us do what we want to do.

 We will fall into a state of exhaustion and weariness from time to time, and we will suffer for the cause of Christ.

 With all our troubles and difficulties, it does not change what we are waiting for. What are we waiting for?

 We are waiting on the day we will be with the Lord where we will receive a new body with none of these difficulties.

 Through all our uncertainties, we can be certain about this thing that Jesus promised.

 For we know it is true!

 We will not receive some temporary body when we get to Heaven; we live in our temporary body now as we live upon this earth, but we will receive a glorified body when Jesus Christ returns to take us home.

 1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Much of the world looks upon this as some imaginary fable, but there is more physical proof that the Word of God is true than it is false!

 So, what does happen to us when we die?

 When we die, we go immediately to Heaven to be with the Lord! Here we will stay until Christ returns to claim this earth as His own on the Day of the Rapture.

 Rev_6:11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

 You cannot place a robe on a spirit; there has to be a body to wear a robe.

 1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

 One thing is sure, even if we existed for a time without a body, we would still be more alive than we are today!

 Just as our present bodies will be part of our eternal bodies, temporary bodies could be part of our eternal bodies.

 That glorified body gets in there somewhere!

 Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 

 1) We will receive immortality!

2) We will receive a home, an eternal mansion in God's New Heaven.

 As we get older, we all feel the truth of verse 2.

 *****2Co 5:2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 

2Co 5:3  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 

2Co 5:4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 

 God never said it would be fun growing old.

 One thing I have noticed as I aged is that time seems to fly by.

 The years are going so fast that it’s Christmas before you know it and another birthday has taken place and you get to see doctors more than you see some family members.

 As Christians the Scriptures give us a picture of our bodies as a tent which houses our spirit.

 In fact, our spirit is our conscience, and our heart is our soul, and this is our real self and this sack of flesh that covers them is the thing that is perishing with age.

 God is a spirit; the human soul is a spirit.

 God made man after His own image and endowed him with attributes which belong to His own nature as a spirit.

 Therefore, man is different from all other of God's creations.

 Only man is capable of communion with our Maker.

 If we were not like God in some of our characteristics, we could not know Him; we would be like the animals that God created.

 The human spirit was rational, moral, and a free agent before the Devil caused Adam to sin, but we still have those attributes, so we can be saved.

 This sack of flesh we wear as a covering will spend some time in the grave unless you are alive at the time of the Rapture, but this flesh must certainly die one way or the other.

 2Pe_1:13  Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

2Pe_1:14  Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

 Job 19:25  For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 

Job 19:26  And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

 The body we have now is our means of glorifying God since after salvation the Holy Spirit moves into our heart.

 1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

 Our bodies are not to be our masters; our bodies are to be submitted to God in order that Jesus Christ can be glorified in that body.

 Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

 Php 1:20  According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. 

 Once Adam and Eve had sin in their hearts, the first thing they realized was that they were naked.

 Noah cursed his grandson because he looked upon Noah while he was drunk and naked.

To the Jew, nakedness was a terrible sin because Adam and Eve knew their nakedness after sin, and they were ashamed.

 This is the way Jesus Christ presents to us the modern church.

 Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 

 Nakedness describes a soul that is uncovered before the Lord.

Our nakedness must be wrapped in the Lord's righteousness!

 A sinner who remains lost has nothing to cover himself against the wrath of God.

 Those who know the Lord are now clothed with the robe of righteousness.

This is the robe that we will wear when we first get to Heaven!

 Isa_61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

 *****2Co 5:4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 

 Once we understand we will be clothed, which means our bodies will be transformed at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

 Any underclothing we had on will be swallowed up by our upper clothing until nothing is left of those garments.

 The old is completely replaced by the new!

 1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 

1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 

1Co 15:55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 

 Don't you just love the Word of God that never leaves anything out?

 We do not have to guess about our salvation; it is real!

 Our salvation is also eternal!

 *****2Co 5:5  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 

2Co 5:6  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 

2Co 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 

2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

 The Holy Spirit is not some influence sent to us from Heaven; the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune God.

Believe me when I say there is no order in those three persons of the Triune God except for the order that Jesus gave us.

God is the same no matter what person you are dealing with; He is One God, not three Gods!

 The Holy Spirit has characteristics, and He has personality.

 He has intellect, knowledge, a mind, and emotions and a genuine personality.

 He teaches, He testifies, He guides, He convicts, He regenerates, He intercedes, and He commands.

 When He moves into our hearts, we will know it and our transformation will begin.

 There is a saying that our youth used to use: "If you are what you were, then you ain't".

 It's simple: if you are the same old person you were before your salvation and you just say the Holy Spirit moved in, then you have been deceived, and you are not saved.

 2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

 That word "earnest" can be interpreted as "a down payment" on our redemption which will come when the Lord Jesus returns.

 We have this confidence when we no longer look at our circumstances, but we only look upward and forward to a future so wonderful that it is hard to imagine the wonderful things God has planned for us.

 1Co_2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

 When we walk in the faith of the truth of God, then surely, we can put up with this wicked world for a few short years.

The greatest relief we can obtain in this world is to be busy serving the LORD.

 No matter what we face, the Holy Spirit will stir up our courage to face it all, if we listen to Him.

 We need a refilling of the Holy Spirit daily and sometimes on the same day, and God will provide that refilling if we ask Him, in the name of Jesus.

 The Holy Spirit will stir up the faith that is in us, so if you have no faith, the Holy Spirit has nothing to work with.

 Now this does not make us blind to the things going on around us; He just gives us the courage to go through them.

 This shows up in our power to be a witness for the truth of the Gospel!

 *****2Co 5:9  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 

2Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 

We must make it our ambition to speak and act in a way that our life pleases the LORD.

If we live only for the LORD, it does not matter if we are still in the body that the Lord gave us or we are absent from that body which is to be at home with the LORD in Heaven.

Wherever we are, our goal is to make the Lord rejoice by living for Him and in His will for us.

If we are not in the will the LORD has for us, we will be miserable even though we may be saved.

The "Judgment Seat of Christ" is the judgment of believers, not unbelievers.

There will be no unbeliever there.

Paul is speaking to the Church, all the ones who have a new nature in Jesus Christ.

Only believers have a new nature in Jesus Christ.

1) The judgment of believers is a surety; it will happen, and nothing can stop it from happening.

2) The judge who will judge us will be the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Joh 5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 

Joh 5:23  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

3) Each believer will be judged for the things we have done in the body we lived in after salvation until that body died.

a.) We will not be judged for sin because the Lord Jesus died for all our sin and our sin is under the blood.

God will never again charge us with any sin. Though we must still ask for forgiveness because it is like a slap in the face to our Lord Jesus Christ.

 b) Each believer will be conformed perfectly to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We will receive that perfect, eternal body, a body just like the one that Christ went back to Heaven in.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

 c) When God saved us, He had a purpose for each of us, and He will judge us on how well we have accomplished what He gives us to do.

This judgment will decide on any gifts we may or may not receive.

1Co 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 

1Co 3:14  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 

1Co 3:15  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

4) This judgment will determine our rewards and the degree of those rewards, whether good(gain) or bad(loss)

All those who survive the fire of the "Bema Seat Judgment" will be greatly rewarded. So great that it would blow our minds if we knew them today.

Glory, honor, immortality, part of the inheritance of the Lord Jesus, a mansion, just a few that are mentioned in the Scriptures.

We will behold the face of God and have a glorified body. We will be treated as kings and priests. The joy of life and pleasures that never end are just a few more of the rewards we could receive.

This is just a taste of the rewards we can receive at the "judgment Seat of Christ," which will take place at the Rapture of the Church when we meet the Lord Jesus in the clouds.

Only the Church will be at this judgment at that time. Not one lost soul will be there!

*****2Co 5:11  Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 

I know that God will use everyone He saves, but we have to wonder sometimes what keeps that good Pastor from quitting on God.

They are attacked and criticized for the stance they take on the Word of God.

They have to deal with problems on the inside and on the outside of the church.

They have to deal with church members, many who are still babes in Christ and others who think they know it all.

This verse gives us some idea of what keeps good men of God preaching and ministering, and we should take notice of what God says here.

The word "terror" here means fear, reverence, being in awe of the Lord.

It does not mean the kind of fear that trembles and shrinks back from God, though he must be aware of it.

The Lord must be held in the Highest regard and respect; He is God!

These things compel that good Pastor or Evangelist or Missionary to spread the "Good News" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

He will preach the judgment of God:

Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

He will preach the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

He will preach the desperate need for all of us to reconcile our relationship with the One True God:

2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

God knows what kind of person we are, and He will use that to assign us all a ministry.

1Co 4:1  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 

1Co 4:2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 

That good man of God will preach faithfulness!

1Ti 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 

1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 

1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 

Amen

Forgiveness In the Church

The Ministry of Forgiveness

 Book of 2 Corinthians Chapter 2

 

 Only God can forgive sin!

We are to forgive those who sin against us, but only God can forgive that sin against Him!

 Isa 43:25  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

 Mat 9:6  But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,

 God could not forgive sin without a proper payment for that sin.

 How do we explain God's forgiveness? Forgiveness is a legal act of God where He removes the charges against us because the atonement for those sins has been made.

 We each have a book of our life written in Heaven, and God will open that book in our name and blot out the sin in that book because the Lord Jesus Christ has made the atonement for the sin we committed against our Heavenly Father.

 The Lord Jesus paid our sin debt! Our debts were nailed to His cross!

 Col 2:13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 

Col 2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

 Forgiveness means we have been set free from the burdens of our sin because of the "Grace" of God the Father.

 Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 

Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 

Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 

 Forgiveness means we have a daily forgiveness of sin as we serve the Lord.

 1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

The Book of John says: Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 

 We will never have fellowship with God until we deal with our sin debt! We can only deal with our sin debt through the Lord Jesus Christ, The Word.

 We should understand that God's forgiveness is linked to God's "Grace"; there is nothing we as humans can do; the Lord Jesus has done all that was needed for us to be forgiven.

 Our chains of bondage are broken.

Our debt is cancelled.

We have received a pardon.

Our punishment has been cancelled.

We will not see the wrath of God come upon us.

 Because of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father has canceled the debt of sin that we could have never paid except by dying and spending eternity in Hell!

Rom_3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

 This is what forgiveness means to God!

 What does forgiveness mean to each believer?

 *****2Co 2:1  But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 

2Co 2:2  For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 

2Co 2:3  And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 

 We should not doubt that the Apostle Paul loved the people in every church he had planted. Christianity brings Godly love!

 We all know the problems in the church at Corinth if we have read 1 Corinthians.

 Paul longed to go to minister again to this church but not with controversies and sin surrounding them.

 Paul had written to this church urging them to put the Lord Jesus Christ first and end their controversies.

 No church will stand very long that does not put the Lord Jesus Christ first; He is the foundation of the Church, of every true church.

In fact, no group that gathers can be a church unless they have accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 No Pastor or Preacher can reach God's people if the message he preaches causes controversy in that church.

 That church would first have to recognize sin, address the problem of sinners, and return to the truth of God; then they would be ready to receive the meat of the Gospel and grow in Christ.

 1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 

1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

 A true Pastor will bring joy to his flock because the Gospel is a message of peace to the soul.

 Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 *****2Co 2:4  For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 

 The letter Paul wrote, which is called the Book of 1 Corinthians, was a painful letter for him to write.

 Paul did not write to them to cause pain; Paul wrote to them in love, his heart broken for the sin in that church.

 Every church needs to understand that God is full of "Grace," but God has rules that must be followed.

 Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

Heb 12:12  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 

Heb 12:13  And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 

 1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

 Tit 3:10  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 

Tit 3:11  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. 

When we reject the truth of the Gospel, we have condemned ourselves, and we can only blame ourselves.

 Then once the sin problem is solved, the next step is forgiveness and restoration of those who had committed such sin.

 Our forgiveness must be led by the example of forgiveness given to us by God Himself.

 We have not forgiven anyone unless that forgiveness comes from the heart!

 *****2Co 2:5  But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. 

 We have not forgiven unless that forgiveness comes from the heart!

 Certain offenders had caused grief for the whole church in Corinth.

 It could be that man who had taken his father’s wife, or it could be some Jewish ringleader who was trying to destroy the Church and destroy the Apostle Paul's ministry, or both of them.

 It could be this Jew because Paul does not mention immorality in these verses.

 Act_14:2  But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

 Act_17:5  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

 There were some of these wicked men at Corinth who were attacking the Apostle Paul and stirring up controversy, causing disturbance, and hurting the whole church, and they needed to be run off.

 There are times when there must be church discipline.

 1Ti_3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

 This church had done so to those who were full of immorality.

To run those wicked Jews off, they had to cling to the Word of God they had gotten from Paul, Timothy, and Apollos.

The Church must stand its ground against any and all those who reject the truth of the Scriptures.

 *****2Co 2:6  Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

We do not know what punishment was given to this man, but we do know that Paul had said to excommunicate that man.

To hand that man over to Satan!

This was done, not to just keep this man out of the church, but to awaken him to repentance and to secure his salvation.

1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

1Co 5:5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

All actions in the Church should be done with the desire to bring salvation to all!

We should note that those who voted to punish this man were only a majority and not unanimous because we see that word many and not the word all.

If I am not mistaken in my church, we require a vote of at least eighty percent before such action as this could be taken.

We never want to divide the church and make matters worse.

There will always be differences of opinion when it comes to church discipline, but there will be times when it must take place.

We see today that major denominations have split, and many of those decisions were made when the vote was a simple majority rather than a high percentage such as eighty percent or at least seventy percent. Fifty-one percent would mean the church is divided, and that church should just make sure to obey the Word of God. Those who reject the Word of God should not be counted.

Church discipline should come without destruction.

Our discipline should come with thought of forgiveness after repentance takes place because this is the way of God.

Any soul that has been disciplined should be welcomed back with open arms once the fruit of repentance is seen in them.

We must repent of our sin and turn toward the ways of God before He will forgive us!

This is the example we are to always follow!

Notice also that the name of this man is not mentioned by the Apostle Paul.

Discipline in the Church should remain in the Church.

We cannot allow the world to dictate the work of the Church.

*****2Co 2:7  So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 

2Co 2:8  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

What appears here is that the "many" of this church in Corinth wanted discipline to a lesser degree than the rest of the church members.

Again, all things must be done in accordance with the Word of God!

Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 

Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 

Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 

If at all possible, we are to use great effort not to make this person an enemy of the Church.

2Th 3:14  And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 

2Th 3:15  Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 

We should understand that if we do not follow the Word of God in Church discipline, Satan is waiting at the door to receive that person who needs Church discipline. 

This is the time to show great love to that person and try to lead them to repentance and show that person we are being obedient to the Word of God, the same Word of God that he should be obedient to.

1) The entire church must forgive this person.

Mar 11:25  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 

Mar 11:26  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. 

2) The entire church must be an encouragement to this person.

1Th 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 

1Th 5:12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 

1Th 5:13  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. 

1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 

3) This person must repent and turn back to the truth of God.

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 

4) There must be assurance demonstrated by the love of the church.

Eph 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Eph 4:31  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 

Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

We must do everything that we can to keep the Holy Spirit working in our churches!

Dead churches are places of misery!

We must accept all the Word of God and not take away from it nor add to it!

*****2Co 2:9  For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 

There is another purpose of Church discipline.

It shows the Lord that we are obedient to the mission of the Church.

As long as we allow the world to work inside the Church, then the Church cannot focus upon the mission that the Lord has given to us.

We cannot allow controversy and division to rule the Church as it is doing today in many denominations.

If we are to obey the Lord Jesus Christ, then there must be Church discipline!

If the Church is not concerned with obeying Jesus Christ, then it is not a Church to begin with.

Mat_18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

A church is a place where people gather in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!

All other places are places of Devil worship!

We must prove to the Lord Jesus Christ that we are faithful to Him and faithful to the Holy Trinity.

Nothing in this world is more important than our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

We are to be just as forgiving as He is forgiving!

Php 1:27  Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; 

Php 1:28  And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 

*****2Co 2:10  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 

2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

The Apostle Paul had given instructions on how to manage this incident that happened at the Church of Corinth, and we know there was more than one incident.

This church was tearing itself apart.

What Paul is saying is that he would stand by the discipline this church had come to because the majority of the church had chosen what they would do, even if they had not followed his exact words.

The important thing was this church had come together and acted in accordance with the Word of God.

By being united around the Word of God, Satan could not claim any victory at this church.

This man had repented and had been restored to the Church.

Satan will use any discord in the Church to get his foot in the door.

In fact, at least one of Satan's followers attends every church service just waiting for a chance to create havoc.

Satan uses many devices in his attempt to turn God's children and cause harm to the church.

Everything concerning the Church must be in accordance with the Word of God.

There is a spiritual battle going on around us at all times.

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

We must not give Satan easy access to cause chaos in the Church.

We must beware that He is already causing havoc in many places of worship today.

If we are not willing to forgive a repentant sinner, then what does that say about the Church that is full of repentant sinners that the Lord Jesus Christ has forgiven?

Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 

 Mat 6:14  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 

Mat 6:15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Satan will do his very best to stop the work of the Church, and we do not need to provide him with opportunities to do so.

Satan hates the Gospel, and Satan hates the Lord Jesus Christ!

Only the Holy Ghost-filled Church can hinder the work of Satan, and we make it far too easy for him.

Only saved souls and changed lives show that Satan the Devil is a defeated foe.

The Lord Jesus Christ defeated Satan on the cross and we can't allow him to have the smallest victory.

The loving, forgiving Church that is obedient to the Word of God cannot be overcome by the devices of Satan!

Amen

The Restoration of the Kingdom of Israel

 The Restoration of the Kingdom of Israel

 Book of Micah Chapters 3-5

 How important is good leadership? Leadership is a matter of life and death to any nation and to any church.

 What's wrong with America today?

 1) America has walked away from God.

2) The leadership in America has done nothing to keep America secure, militarily or financially, nor to provide proper care for its people.

3) The politicians have forgotten that they are to serve the people and not themselves.

They act like a bunch of cackling hens, forgetting what they are in Washington to do, and it is not to play politician; it is to serve our nation that is going to the dogs.

 The leadership in America has failed its people, and they do not care to change their ways, and foolish Americans keep them in office to do nothing. If they had a real job, most of them would be fired and replaced, yet we the people do not have that option, but we should.

 To be honest, I do not believe there is an honest leader in any nation today who serves to benefit their people.

 This was the case in Israel.

 The government of Israel was divided into civil, judicial, and religious branches, and the leaders of all three branches had become corrupt.

 Sounds familiar, does it not?

 Every leader in every leadership position is to act fairly with integrity and fair dealing, while upholding the laws of the land they serve.

 They are to administer justice.

 If we as voters send someone into leadership positions in our government offices or our courts, many of them become corrupt before they do any good at all.

 It is a well-known fact that much of the Church has become corrupt, and it is the same in the false religions.

We absolutely cannot attempt to rewrite the Word of God every time we see something we do not like.

 Just as Israel will be judged by God, so will the Church and the leaders of every nation upon this world.

 Justice will extend to every part of the societies of this world and every aspect of human behavior.

 In the Church, justice goes far beyond the legal systems of this world.

 The Ten Commandments are all about justice.

 God's Law requires much more than avoiding wrongdoing toward others.

 God's Law requires much more than not harming or hurting others.

 God's Law requires much more than refraining from doing wrong.

 True justice always seeks to do what is right and what is good.

 True justice is the purpose of the Word of God, so we can be more like Christ Jesus.

 Jas 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 

Jas 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. 

 *****Mic 4:1  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

Mic 4:2  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

 Many people throughout this world live in quiet desperation when they do not have to.

 In Israel, the Temple was destroyed.

 Today, we see the Church also falling apart.

 The truth is that it is impossible that the Houses of God lie in waste forever!

 The Bride of Christ is certain, and the Lord Jesus Christ will return to get His bride, and He will come just as soon as God the Father decides it is time.

 Mar 13:32  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

This is a true statement because this was the procedure for all Jewish marriages. The bridegroom would build on to the Father’s House, and only the Father would know that everything was ready to accept the new Bride.

 We know this entire world could collapse at any moment when one of the foolish leaders sets off an atomic bomb,  and then all those weapons would be fired, and there are certainly some foolish leaders who could one day do this.

 The fact is that the Temple of God will be rebuilt.

 The Church will hang on till the end.

 The Lord Jesus will return, first to get His Bride, the Church, then to remove sin from this world.

 These are the facts.

 Abraham, who is the father of faith, clearly understood this truth.

 Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 

Heb 11:9  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 

Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 

 What is left of the world after the return of Jesus Christ will walk to please the Lord!

 The Gospel will be located in Jerusalem, and the world that remains will want to know all about it!

 Jesus Christ caused the Gospel to begin in Jerusalem.

 Jerusalem is the place where His ministry began, where He died, where He arose from that death, where He ascended back to Heaven, where He gave the Apostles their commission, and where the Church received the Holy Spirit.

 It is only in Jerusalem that we can walk in the actual paths of the Lord.

 All those who remain after the Lord has judged this world will remember what they had so easily forgotten.

 Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

 The Gospel is the fulfillment of God's Law.

 Why would any other city be chosen for Jesus to return to?

 Why would we as Christians give up so easily? Where is our faith?

 *****Mic 4:3  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Mic 4:4  But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. 

Mic 4:5  For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. 

 Our world has not been at peace since the sin of Adam and Eve, but the world will finally be at peace when the Lord Jesus returns, after He causes peace to happen.

 As in every war, food will be scarce, so all military hardware that was used for war will be converted to farm equipment.

We may see tanks pulling plow equipment and building roads and repairing a broken world.

 The word "war" will be totally forgotten and replaced with "love thy neighbor".

 Many a believer has thought, how wonderful it would be to sit at the feet of Jesus, and this will finally be possible when King Jesus rules from Jerusalem.

 King Jesus will also "Judge" all disputes between nations wherever they are located upon this earth.

 I believe the task of those whom the Lord brought with Him, the wife He will no longer separate Himself from, will be to sit and judge the disputes of individuals.

 1Co_6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

 Can you just imagine the savings when there is no money spent on war, no money spent to combat drugs, no money spent to combat sin, no money spent on bad health, and no money spent on politicians, for none of these things will exist.

 There will be no United Nations, which has never been what it set out to be.

 Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

Rom 14:18  For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

People will be changed: Tit 3:2  To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

 People will enjoy life completely safe.

 The Jewish people and the Jewish nation will be honored among all people.

 Deu 28:1  And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 

Deu 28:2  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 

 Jerusalem will then be the actual center of the world.

 We should remember God's promise to Abraham.

 Gen 12:1  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: 

Gen 12:2  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: 

Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 

 God never breaks a promise!

 All the people of the world will walk to Jerusalem in the laws of their god, but they will leave Jerusalem walking in the laws of the Lord God of Israel, and now the Lord God of all His Creation.

 It's like salvation. I walked in my own ways before I met Jesus. Now, I walk in His laws and will do so forever and ever!

 All nations will recognize the Word of God as the Laws of God, which is much higher, much deeper, and more complete than anything previous.

 All those who have had to hide their worship of the Lord because of their faith in Him can now walk openly.

All those who were outcasts because of their faith in Jesus Christ can walk with their heads held high.

All those whose walk was not perfect in the Lord will now walk in perfection.

All those who were afflicted because of their faith in Christ will no longer be afflicted.

 There will be no power that can overcome the power of our Savior and our King, King Jesus!

 Prophecy will be fulfilled: Dan 2:44  And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 

 King Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem because all the prophecies of the Bible will have been fulfilled!

 The Lord Jesus was born in a humble stable, to humble parents, and He served His life as a humble Shepherd, and He humbled Himself and died on a cruel cross, but this same Jesus is God Almighty and now sits as the eternal King of all His Creation.

 This is how the true Judge of Israel began His life on earth.

 *****Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 

Mic 5:3  Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. 

Mic 5:4  And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

 The Prophet Micah begins to tell us about the true Judge of Israel in more detail.

 It is easy to see that the future of the Church, the Bride of Christ, and the future of Israel lies in that Babe that was born in Bethlehem Ephratah some two thousand years ago.

 The prophecy of Micah was some seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, our King.

 We read all the time about the prophecies of men who may get one or two things right, but the prophets of God had to get every prophecy of God right, or we could not consider them true prophets of God and the Word of God could not be trusted.

 We know that this prophecy of the birth of our Savior was true, so why should we doubt that the Lord Jesus will sit as King of this world for a thousand years?

 It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is our life because He is our future.

 He was born of a virgin just as the Word of God, by the Prophet Isaiah, wrote.

 Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

 This Immanuel is the true food of His people: Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 

 It is this Jesus who will gather His Church to bear the fruit of God: Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 

 The world does not get excited about these things, but we who believe and have faith in the work that the Lord Jesus did for our salvation should be excited and should stay excited about the truth of the Word of God. It is time to look up, for our redemption is closer than it has ever been.

 Jer 23:5  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 

Jer 23:6  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

 It is Israel that has given us our Messiah and our soon-coming King.

 Rev 12:1  And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 

Rev 12:2  And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

 When the Lord Jesus returns to this earth, He will come in His full power.

 He will stand up for His people.

He will defeat the enemies of His people.

He will then be King but also a Shepherd and provide for the needs of His people.

He is God's ideal King.

 The Church, His Bride, will be with Him.

 1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 

1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 

1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

 The remnant of Israel will join with the Church; all will be the children of God.

 Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 

Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 

Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 

 *****Mic 5:7  And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. 

Mic 5:8  And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. 

Mic 5:9  Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off. 

We should all know by now the promises made to Abraham, and here in the Book of Micah, we see Micah give us information about the fulfillment of that prophecy.

God will make true believers out of that remnant of Jacob.

We need to understand clearly the promises God made to Abraham.

Paul wrote: Rom 9:8  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 

Rom 9:9  For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 

Rom 9:10  And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 

Rom 9:11  (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 

Rom 9:12  It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 

Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 

It was Jacob who inherited his father's blessing, but Jacob was never a perfect man, and no patriarch of Israel can be seen as a perfect model of Christian morals.

We should also understand that it was the fear of his brother Esau that sent Jacob to find a Gentile bride. That Gentile bride is the Church.

The promise to Abraham was to be a blessing to all nations and not just to the Jews.

Micah describes a remnant that will be as fresh as the morning dew, sharing the water of life with the nations that remain after the Tribulation period.

Jer_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.

It is only at this time that the Jews become true believers.

After this remnant is noted as fresh as the morning dew, they will be to the Gentiles as a lion among the beasts.

At this time, all the animals will have become docile, and none of them will be against mankind nor mankind against the animals.

That remnant of the Jews will be associated with the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

Gen 49:9  Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 

Rev 5:5  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. 

Israel will finally become a tool in the hand of God during the Tribulation period of seven years.

God will bring the Tribulation period to an end.

Mic 5:15  And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. 

Zep 3:8  Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

These things have already begun to take place.

Amen

Looking Forward to the End

 The Beginning of the End

 Book of Luke Chapter 21

 

 This is one of the chapters in the New Testament that is known as the Olivet Discourse.

 The Lord Jesus will teach us:

 1) The destruction of the Temple.

2) His return.

3) The end of the world.

 The Book of Matthew, Chapters twenty-four and twenty-five, along with the Book of Mark Chapter 13, should also be studied to get a complete picture of what the Lord Jesus is teaching here.

 The Lord Jesus begins with the destruction of the Temple.

 We should understand that this Temple was intended to be a House of Prayer.

 Mat_21:13  And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Mrk_11:17  And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Luk_19:46  Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

 The Temple had been made into a house of commerce and was no longer the house of God, but a house of men.

 Only for faith did it have any value, such as that poor widow who had given all she had in faith.

 The disciples of the Lord were still blind to the corruption in the House of God at this time.

 Much of the Church is blind to the corruption in many houses of God today, which are more entertainment centers than they are Houses of Prayer.

 What is wrong with the Houses of God today? Repentance is no longer required, and the Bible is not preached, or it has been changed to reveal a false gospel.

 *****Luk 21:5  And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 

Luk 21:6  As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

 The Lord Jesus begins to reveal to them what will happen to this Temple that they are so proud of, and some of them may have still been alive to see it happen.

 The Lord Jesus describes to them the destruction of Jerusalem and the total destruction of the Temple that took place in 70 AD.

 The siege of Jerusalem began in April 70 AD, led by the Roman general Titus, as part of the First Jewish Revolt against Roman rule (66-73 AD).

 The city was already weakened by internal strife among various Jewish factions, including the Zealots, which hindered their ability to mount a unified defense against the Roman forces.

 After months of intense fighting, the Romans breached the city walls and captured Jerusalem. The climax of the siege occurred in the summer of 70 AD when the Romans set fire to the Second Temple.

 Estimates suggest that over a million Jews died during the conflict, with many more enslaved or displaced.

 The Romans systematically destroyed much of the city, leaving only a few structures, including parts of the Western Wall, which remains a site of pilgrimage today.

 The fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple fundamentally altered Jewish religious life and still does today. 

 The destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 AD was a significant event that reshaped Jewish history, culture, and religion, with effects that are still felt today.

 It is said that Titus did not want the Temple to be destroyed, but he lost control of his  armies and  Temple was set on fire to melt all the gold that could be captured.

 Josephus the historian wrote that, except for Herod’s three great towers and part of the western wall, the whole circuit of the city was so thoroughly levelled and dug up that no one visiting it would believe that it had ever been inhabited.

This is why the Muslim say today that Israel never existed.

 The disciples then wanted to know when these things would take place.

 *****Luk 21:7  And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? 

Luk 21:8  And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

 The Book of Mark tells us that Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked this question.

 They also asked if there would be a sign before it happened.

 The Jews did love their Temple. We know that King Herod had spent forty-six years making the Temple one of the great wonders of the world.

 The government of the Jews had no respect for Jehovah God.

 The disciples had already begun to see that the Lord Jesus was not going to sit as King of the Jews at this time, and this thing told of the Lord made this more real to them.

 The Lord Jesus told them that this destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was not one of the signs of the end times.

 The Apostles of Jesus Christ would face some terrible times as they taught the first words of Christianity and the beginning of the Church.

 In other words, there will come a time of the destruction of Jerusalem and a new rebuilt Temple, which would take place during the time of the Gentiles.

 Mat 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. 

Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 

 We get the idea that it would certainly be centuries before the return of Jesus Christ, first to get His Church and Second to reclaim Jerusalem and all the earth.

 2Pe 3:2  That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 

2Pe 3:3  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 

2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 

2Pe 3:5  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 

2Pe 3:6  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 

What is the greatest sign mentioned by the Lord Jesus Christ?

 The sign of deception!

 Mat 24:23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 

Mat 24:25  Behold, I have told you before.

 The Lord Jesus is dealing with the end of the Temple and the end of the world, the destruction of the Temple and the destruction of the world.

 It is sin that causes the judgment of God upon this entire world and not just the sin of the Jews!

 Deception is the state of being misled.

 As Christians, we recognize that the Church Age will end with the judgment at the return of Jesus Christ.

 Because God is Holy, He must judge all that is unholy; otherwise, He would no longer be Holy Himself.

 God is judging in this present age as every true Christian has been justified, but this future judgment goes much further than this.

 At some point in the past, God judged Lucifer and the fallen angels.

 God judged the people of the earth when He sent the flood.

 God judged the people at the Tower of Babel, and the different languages began. 

 God judged the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and then later He judged the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

 None of these things were the final judgment.

 Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 Believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.

 Rom 14:10  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

 Unbelievers will stand before the White Throne Judgment!

 Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 

Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 

 At the end of the ages, God will judge Satan and his demons together with the beasts and the false prophet.

 Yes, judgment is coming to all God's created people!

 A great deception is already in place today in the Church and in the world.

We believe that after the Rapture of the Church and the Church meets the Lord Jesus in the air, it is at this time or near this time that a covenant of peace will be signed with Israel, and the Temple will be rebuilt, and the priestly duties, along with animal sacrifices, will begin again.

This begins the time of Jacob's trouble, when Israel has relative peace until they find out that the Antichrist, who is the great deceiver, has no intention of peace, the sacrifices will stop, and the Temple will again be destroyed in what we know of as the Great Tribulation.

Dan 9:27  And he 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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Mat_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.

This is the time of Israel, and God has removed the Church just as he promised before this takes place.

Some things should not bother us too much, for the Church will not see this wrath of God as He has promised.

As long as the Church is upon this earth, we are to stay busy spreading the Gospel. 

The Lord Jesus says that we will live in a time of unrest, and we are today, and it may get worse before 

we go home to Heaven.

 We have seen this unrest since the Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of the Church Age.

 *****Luk 21:9  But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

Luk 21:10  Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: 

 What have we seen?

 1) We have seen nations fight each other and kingdoms take up arms against each other.

2) We have seen that the earth has been moved by great earthquakes and natural disasters.

3) Heaven has also spoken; terrible things have happened that make great impressions, and great signs in the heavens have already been seen.

 The Lord Jesus said that these things are going to happen, but they are not necessarily signs that the end is imminent.

 The Lord Jesus Christ was preparing His Apostles for His death and departure and preparing them to carry on without Him.

 We already know that these eleven men and the Apostle Paul faced some terrible times in which they were all martyred, but the Apostle John.

 The most important thing we can gain from this message of Jesus Christ is that we must not grow weary in waiting for His return.

 He was telling us all that we will see and experience so much trouble in our world that our faith might falter, and we must guard against this happening.

 Many walk this earth today after their own lusts, not even caring if Christ will return, in fact stating, where is He, where is His promise.

 One of the key signs of the return of Jesus Christ is what we see today: 1Jn 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.  

1Jn 2:19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 

1Jn 2:20  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

 Many of the doubters come from the Church itself.

 We see a falling away from the Church today, but this speaks of those who belong to Satan who have become leaders in many churches and now deny Jesus Christ.

 We should know that God is never caught off guard. He is still on the throne and still in charge of His creation.

 We should not get caught off guard ourselves. We can expect these things from a corrupt world, so we must not get discouraged.

 Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

 We will face challenges that will try to draw us away from God, our Savior.

 We must concentrate our trust on New Heaven and the New Earth and not in this world.

 We must remember that the Lord Jesus was not preaching a sermon here; He was answering the questions from His Apostles.

 Joh 16:31  Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 

Joh 16:32  Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 

Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 

 We should also understand that the turmoil we see in our world is not part of the plan of God; He just knows that these things will happen.

 It is because of the lust, the greed, and the wickedness in this evil world, which never goes away.

 Jas 4:1  From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 

Jas 4:2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 

Jas 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 

Jas 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 

 We must not get caught off guard by these things we see every day!

 We see how violent our world has become, so we believe that the end is near, and it may be, but it may not be.

 We are to remain busy with the work of the Lord!

 Jer 51:45  My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD. 

Jer 51:46  And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.

 There will most certainly be natural disasters, which may increase and have.

 We do live in a cursed world!

 *****Luk 21:11  And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. 

 We can say that since the time of the flood, there have been great earthquakes.

 We seem to forget sometimes that when the Lord Jesus first created this earth, all the land was in one great continent.

 During and after the flood, this big continent broke apart, and volcanoes and earthquakes began as the tectonic plates began to shift and are still shifting.

 Gen_7:11  In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

 Gen_10:25  And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.

 What do we know about earthquakes?

 Just on March 30th.

 Map data from National Geographic

5.1 magnitude Celebes Sea

3.9 magnitude Road Town, British Virgin Islands

4.9 magnitude, Lakatoro, Malampa, Vanuatu

4.2 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla

4.1 magnitude, Road Town, British Virgin Islands

4.6 magnitude, Fiji

Another 5.0 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla

Another 3.9 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla

Another 3.6 magnitude, Road Town, British Virgin Islands

Another 3.7 magnitude, The Valley, Anguilla

 There have been 195 earthquakes in the past 24 hours

1,278 earthquakes in the past 7 days

5,452 earthquakes in the past 30 days

50,842 earthquakes in the past 365 days

 Earthquakes are one of the most feared disasters among people.

 The historian Josephus made a record of the earthquake that fulfilled the prophecy of the Lord Jesus upon the cross.

 Josephus also thought the world was coming to an end on the day Jesus died.

 He wrote: There broke out a prodigious storm in the night, with utmost violence, and very strong winds, with the largest shower of rain and continuous lightnings, terrible thundering, and amazing concussions and bellowings of the earth, that was in an earthquake.

 He added: These things were a manifest indication that some destruction was coming upon men, when the system of the world was put into this disorder, and anyone would guess that these wonders foretold some grand calamities that were coming.

 The Lord Jesus speaks of "great earthquakes" more powerful than what we see daily.

 Food is one of the necessities we cannot do without. Jesus said there would be a great famine before Jerusalem falls again.

 Rev 6:5  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. 

Rev 6:6  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. 

 The Bible says that those who are slain with the sword are better off than they that die from hunger.

 There will be great diseases, and we know disease shows no partiality.

 No one can buy their way out of an epidemic of disease.

 There will be fearful sights and great signs in the heavens.

 We know that the earth can be darkened by the dust of volcanoes, windstorms, and even smoke from huge fires.

 Whatever darkens the sun will also affect the moon.

 Meteorites fall from the sky, and we have been seeing very large meteorites pass through our solar system lately.

 Large enough to destroy our planet.

 The earth is primed for all these things to take place, but if we believe that the "Rapture" is the next event on God's calendar to take place, then there is one more thing that will take place.

 *****Luk 21:12  But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 

Luk 21:13  And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 

Luk 21:14  Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 

Luk 21:15  For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. 

 This is the sign that concerns the Christian that will happen before God removes His Church.

 Right now, there is a Christian murdered every two hours just for following the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is only going to get worse.

 For them, following the Lord Jesus Christ has cost them everything!

 They are tortured and murdered just for saying "I believe in Jesus Christ".

 This is the reality for Christians who live in the Islamic World.

 More than 388 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.

 We had better understand that we will face persecution for claiming our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 We stand for godliness; the world is not godly, nor does the world seek to become godly.

 The Muslims claim to serve the God of Abraham, yet they reject the Lord Jesus Christ, so this is an outright lie; they serve the Devil.

 All those who live for the world do not think they should have to change; therefore, the message of Jesus Christ is that they will die in their sin.

 Repentance is not even taught in many so-called houses of God today because few people left are willing to change their lives.

 When this persecution happens, we must be settled in our hearts that we will remain with Christ, and the Holy Spirit will use our own mouths to speak the words of Jesus Christ.

 Without a test of our faithfulness, we will never have a testimony!

 What will our persecution look like?

 Luk 21:16  And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. 

Luk 21:17  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. 

Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish. 

Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls. 

 *****Luk 21:20  And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 

 Many believe that the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome in 70 AD was the fulfillment of this prophecy.

 1.1 million Jews were slaughtered.

 97,000 were taken captive and removed from Jerusalem.

 Not one Jew was left alive in Jerusalem.

 Not one Christian died because they fled Jerusalem before the siege of Jerusalem took place.

 Many Jews have used this as an excuse to hate Christians ever since, but our main job is to obey the Word of God and not this world.

 The Romans not only destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem, but they also ransacked the entire area around Jerusalem, so that it looked as if no one had ever lived there.

 Was this even what the Lord Jesus described?

 After the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews predicted by Jesus in the previous verses, there would come a long period when Jerusalem would be dominated by Gentiles.

 But miraculously, in 1948, Israel again became a nation, and in 1967 Jerusalem was captured again by the Jews and is now again one of the mightiest nations on this earth.

 As long as the Muslim rule on the Temple Mount, Jerusalem is still trampled by the Gentiles, there remains prophecy to be fulfilled.

 Dan 9:27  And he 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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. 

 As Christians, we believe that this one week is the seven years of tribulation that have not taken place yet and will not until the Rapture of the Church has taken place.

 The truth is that no one knows exactly when these things will happen, and the Lord Jesus says to watch and pray.

 To watch means to keep up with what is going on in Israel and Jerusalem at all times.

 *****Luk 21:21  Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 

Luk 21:22  For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 

Luk 21:23  But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 

Luk 21:24  And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. 

 No doubt these things took place in the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

 Some who Jesus was teaching were alive to see these things happen.

 Some of the Apostles and the Christians fled to a place called Pella in the district of Decapolis.

 In reality, we are still to be prepared for the coming judgment of the end times because we know they have not taken place yet.

 As Christians, we may be actual witnesses to the beginning of these things of the end times.

 *****Luk 21:25  And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 

Luk 21:26  Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 

Luk 21:27  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 

Luk 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 

We should understand that Jesus describes things that did not happen in the years around 70 AD, so the Lord Jesus is describing a future event.

Revelation Chapters 6, 8-9, 15-18 give us a much clearer picture of what the Lord Jesus is teaching here.

Our universe will be in complete turmoil.

What Size Asteroid Would it take to destroy Earth?

It is believed that no single asteroid can completely and utterly destroy the Earth as a planet. However, an asteroid approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) in diameter or larger could trigger a global catastrophe that renders the planet largely uninhabitable for humans and many other species.

In the last few years, there have been asteroids or comets that have entered our solar system larger than this.

Gravity is another power in the heavens, and gravity in some way must fail before the stars of heaven can fall.

The power above all power is in God, the Holy Trinity, who only can cause such things to fail.

It is at the end of these things that the Lord Jesus will return to this earth.

The Church will already be in Heaven or will be returning with the Lord Jesus, so those who are gathered would be those who were saved during the Great Tribulation, and they would be mostly Jews, who still have God’s covenant.

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 

Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 

Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 

Rom 11:28  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. 

This is the remnant that is mentioned throughout the Bible.

Isa 10:21  The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. 

This is a lot to take in, but when we see any of these things begin to take place, then we need to look up, lift our heads high, because we are soon going home.

Remembering that deception is the main culprit affecting the Church, we should be holding our heads up high now and not be deceived.

The Church will be out of here soon.

Amen