Jesus and the End of the Church Age

 More Lessons from the King

Book of Matthew "Continuing" Chapter 13

If we want to understand the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven then, there is no better place in the Bible to find out than these parables that were preached and taught by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember a parable describes a "Spiritual Truth" from an earthly truth!

*****Mat 13:44  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 

Mat 13:45  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 

Mat 13:46  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 

Verse 38 describes this field as the world, and it probably means the same in this verse. There is no reason to think differently.

So what is this treasure and who is this man?

In the first two parables, the sower was the Lord Jesus Christ, and the seed was the Word of God or the "Gospel" the "Good News".

We know that to the Lord, the most valuable thing upon this earth is the soul of man.

It is so important that the Lord gave His life for our souls!

Mat 16:26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

In this verse we see that the Holy Spirit describes the "soul" to be of much more value than the totals of all this world.

This leaves us to believe without a doubt that this man is the Lord Jesus Christ, who laid the glory of Heaven aside and came to this earth to give all that He had, even His life for the "for all our souls".

The only thing we need to know is why it was hidden?

What we need to realize is the mystery of Israel and the mystery of the Church in these two parables.

Israel is that treasure hidden in the field:

Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 

Psa 135:4  For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure. 

When the Lord Jesus Christ came from Heaven, He found His people hidden in a field.

By His death, Jesus bought the whole world and with it, all the people who are His earthly treasure.

Jesus died for all people, but He also died for the nation of Israel.

Joh 11:51  And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 

Joh 11:52  And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. 

We do not read that Jesus then got possession of that treasure so, this treasure is still hidden in this field which He bought with such a great price for the sake of owning that treasure.

This is the key to these two parables!

Israel is the Lord's peculiar treasure.

Jesus has purchased His earthy people yet still, Israel is that hidden peculiar treasure, until He returns to get His Church first, then back to earth to get this treasure of Israel.

Israel will then be "justified", "separated" and become a Spirit-filled people!

The Lord Jesus died for the nation of Israel, but the results of that death are not at this time complete.

Israel is still hidden in the that purchased field in this world!

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. 

Much of the so-called Church says that God has cast away and forgotten these people, but this is far from the truth!

True Israel is that treasure still hidden in that field that was also purchased by the blood of Jesus, who will come again! 

1) To complete the redemption of His Church at the Rapture and 

2) Reclaim Israel.

The One pearl of greatest value is the Church.

Eph_5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

This pearl is taken out of the Sea, way down from the dark bottom out of the mouth of an animal!

We are told that a miserable grain of soil, embeds itself between the animal (the oyster) and its shell and this process continues until a beautiful pearl is produced.

A pearl of great price. 

A pearl with the colors of the rainbow from Heaven are blended together.

It is then taken up and becomes the priceless jewel in the crown of the kingdom.

This pearl is a type of the Church!

This pearl is still forming today and has not yet reached the beauty it will one day have, when the Lord calls the Church home!

The Lord returns to claim the treasure that is still hidden (Israel), He will bring that Pearl with Him!

*****Mat 13:47  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 

Mat 13:48  Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 

Mat 13:49  So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 

Mat 13:50  And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 

The kingdom of heaven is not the Church Age?

At the end of the Church Age, the Lord recalls His Church to remain with Him forevermore.

At the end of the Church Age, the seven years of Tribulation will begin.

In every age there is miscellaneous multitude of young and old, good and evil, people who move about this world at liberty in the wide expanse of what we call life.

It is the same for the fish that move about in the many oceans and seas.

God has dropped His invisible lines down into the Sea of Life and they are silently and slowly creeping in around us!

God will separate the wheat from the tares at the end of the Church Age.

Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. 

God will gather this large net into the shore one day and that day is not as far off as we may realize.

This shall be at the completion of the seven most horrible years upon this earth.

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

In the previous parables, the Church and Israel have been regathered. 

So this is not the "Gospel Net", as in the Church Age, as it is sometimes called.

We already know that the seas represent the nations.

Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 

Rev 14:7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

The angels will be used to separate the wicked from the just.

The wicked will be cast into the ever-burning flames of Hell.

As far as these disciples are concerned, they know nothing of the Church Age at this time and will not realize it until after the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and Pentecost.

We have learned from these 7 parables of the mysteries of the kingdom of heavens beginning with the Apostolic Age and then the conditions we face up to the end.

These last 3 parables have shown us the mystery of Israel, the mystery of the Church, and the mystery of the ending of these ages.

All these things were taught to the 12 disciples. That great multitude only heard the first 2 parables.

Even those 12 chosen would not understand these things until they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

So Jesus then asked, "have you understood these things"?

*****Mat 13:51  Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. 

Mat 13:52  Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. 

You see, since we know and understand these things, we are beginning our preparation to go out into the world in obedience to Jesus Christ just as the Apostles did!

The word "scribe" as used here means those who are skilled in the Word of God, who read and can make sense of the Word, as Ezra said, to the people of this world, especially those to whom God has called.

The old things are those things in the Old Testament that refer to the Messiah and the truth of God, and those new things are all the things of the New Covenant or the New Testament.

We need to understand, and we need to proclaim in a loving way to those who remain lost, this is the only opportunity they will have to spend time with those who are good according to the Word of God. 

Once they leave this world their eternity will be filled with violence and eternal damnation.

We do not just walk up and tell them this for they need the "Gospel" before they need any bad news!

Those new things are summarized in these parables!

Then Jesus teaches us that once He has revealed all He came to reveal, He will be going back to Heaven until these Ages run their course, of course under His supervision.

*****Mat 13:53  And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. 

Mat 13:54  And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 

We can understand His own country as Nazareth and the area around Nazareth.

Luk 4:16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 

Luk 4:17  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 

Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 

Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 

Jesus had never preached in this synagogue of Nazareth, His hometown, where He grew up with Mary and Joseph, but it was now time to do so.

No one had paid much attention to this Son of God as He grew, but they would now hear the true Word of God.

They were now astonished at His wisdom and this wisdom was from God, Jehovah God.

To His hometown, Jesus declared that He was the Messiah come from God.

Luk 4:20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 

Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. 

Luk 4:22  And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? 

Yes, this Jesus was the same Jesus who had a stepfather named Joseph who had trained Him to be a Carpenter.

This was a very humble family!

*****Mat 13:55  Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 

Mat 13:56  And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 

Mat 13:57  And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. 

Mat 13:58  And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Yes, this mother was the Virgin Mary, selected by God to bring the Messiah into the world.

This is the place where we learn some about the children fathered by Joseph, which were James, Joses, Simon and Judas and there were sisters also, which means more than one sister and some say three sisters.

The Lord Jesus was rejected because the people of Nazareth could not understand where such a man from such a humble family could have the wisdom of God!

The Virgin Mary had become housewife and mother and neither Mary nor Joseph had achieved any prominence nor had any of the children and nothing else changed with this family of children until the Lord Jesus was crucified and then He raised Himself from that grave.

The people of Nazareth decided that Jesus could not be who He claimed to be!

Jesus was rejected because these people were offended at Him!

The word offended means they stumbled over the truth!

They could not imagine that someone they had seen grow up, to be the Messiah sent from Heaven.

They could not imagine a man from their own little city could make such claims as Jesus was making.

This became the same sentiment of all of Israel.

Joh 5:18  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 

Mat 27:39  And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 

Mat 27:40  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 

This is where the world is at today.

If we think about it, how else would God have made Himself known.

He could have come down in a rocket ship and the whole world would have believed.

Many would have believed in fright.

Many would believe and tried to destroy Him.

The Book of Genesis says we were created in God's image, yet the same book says that God is Spirit.

So the image of God is not in looks, but in traits and the Lord Jesus Christ is the express image of His Father and the example we are to follow.

So we must choose to shrink King Jesus down to our level, or to accept Him for who He says He is!

If we look at all the miracles that He did, then we must accept Him as the Messiah.

If we look at all the prophecies that were fulfilled in Him, then we must accept Him as the Messiah.

If we believe the Word of God, then we must accept that Jesus is the Messiah.

If we look out at our created world, then we must believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

The Lord Jesus Christ is 100% God, and He was also 100% man.

There is no other explanation!

If Jesus is the Messiah, then He is our Lord and Savior, and this is my belief!

Unbelief leaves no alternative to salvation!

Unbelief hurts our God who has tried His best to show us the truth!

So choose to believe the truth and be saved, or choose to disregard the truth and suffer the wrath of God.

To not choose is to disregard the truth!

The greatest sin in all the world, is to be ignorant of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen

The Seven Sealed Scroll

The Lamb and the Scroll

Book of Revelation Chapter 5 Verses 1 through 14

As we continue in our study, let us review.

We have seen it is Jesus Christ who holds the candlesticks that represent all those seven Churches.

We have seen it is the Lord Jesus who holds the Pastors or, (whatever he is called by denominations), in His hand and they are responsible to Him for every message and for how they lead the church, and how they live their own lives.

We have seen the seven types of churches and somewhat how they also represent the seven Church Ages.

We are in the last of the Church Ages today!

We have seen that immediately after the last Church Age, that the Church has been called into Heaven, so most of the remaining Chapters in this great and final Book of the Bible happen after the Church has been called out of this world.

Chapter five introduces us to “the Lion of the Tribe of Juda”.

*****Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

We should understand that the "Rapture" of the Church will have taken place.

The "Bema Seat" judgment (the Judgment Seat of Christ) has taken place and rewards for the work each Christian has done after salvation, have been issued. The question of salvation had already been answered and the Bema Seat judgment was only about rewards.

Those rewards have been tossed at the feet of our Savior as each Christian felt unworthy of any reward, but only shame for not doing more when they had the opportunity. We will all feel this way when we look upon the Lamb of God!

Then there is this book.

We should be clear that John is continuing to tell us about the scene in the throne room of God.

It is some man who divided chapter 4 from chapter 5 and added the verse numbers, which are a blessing in most cases.

As God sits upon His throne, He thrust this book outward, to see if any of the saints now fill worthy to open the book He has in His right hand.

None were! None of us are worthy even to be in Heaven!

What do we know?

The right hand is the symbol of "wisdom".

Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

The right hand is the symbol of "power".

Job 36:5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

The right hand is the symbol of Divine operation. Our Holy God is Supreme in all His decisions!

Psa 118:16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

When Jehovah God thrust out His right hand that holds a book that He has written, then who does have the power and the knowledge to read this book.

The Bible is one of those amazing books that He has given to us and would have every Christian to have a copy of that book.

This book in His right hand is another book, a book in which we will find all the things that will happen after the Church is in Heaven and have missed out on the wrath of God.

We have heard a lot about executive orders, especially during the last two administrations and we could say maybe these things are executive orders from a Holy God who is not pleased with the actions of His own creation to rebel against Him.

Remember when the Church entered Heaven, the Antichrist was standing upon the earth with the answers to all the problems that were facing the earth in that day. A day maybe not so different as the day we have now as the world is facing a killer virus. Which by the way has many question marks!

The Angels knew that they were not worthy!

*****Rev 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

Rev 5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

John realized that this Angel that stepped forward had a voice that could be heard throughout all of Heaven and if need be throughout all God's creation.

This Angel could not have been Jesus Christ, Angels are created beings and the Lord Jesus Christ is the Creator.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

All the Angels in Heaven are mighty Angels. This Angel could be the Angel Gabriel who is known in the Scriptures as an Archangel who stands in the presence of God or some other Angel whose name we do not know.

Luk 1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

Some believe that Gabriel is the Trump of God, as do I!

What did this Strong Angel proclaim? It was a simple question but a question that only One person could answer.

" Who is worthy to open the Book that was projecting from the throne of God, which also had been sealed by our Heavenly Father"?

What did John realize?

There was no one in Heaven and no one upon this earth that is worthy to break the seals God had placed upon this book!

Sealing a document was equivalent to the signature of the Owner of that seal.

There were certainly one upon this earth worthy!

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Not one of the "Redeemed" would claim to be worthy.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Our worthiness comes only by Jesus Christ!

No Angel would even attempt to reach for this Book without the express permission of our Heavenly Father!

It did not take long to search in Heaven because all the Saints were still at the foot of the throne on their faces before God.

It did not take long to search on earth because all the Saints of God were in Heaven and no one left behind were worthy.

All these things caused the Apostle John to weep because he knew he was certainly unworthy to open this Book nor was he worthy to look upon this Book.

John knew what was happening to the Church that was still physically upon this earth and he knew they needed to understand what was written in this Book.

John understood he was having a vision of the future of the Church.

With all the persecution of the Church, John was craving for answers that he felt he could only get from this book.

John knew his days were short and the Holy Scriptures for the Church was not yet complete.

Remember Daniel was not allowed to write about these things.

Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

This time of increased knowledge would be also the time of the last Church Age or what we know is the Laodicean Church Age, which we are in today.

*****Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

Not one of God's Created beings was worthy enough to open the Book that was in God's right hand.

One look at the throne and John saw just how much superior Our Heavenly Father is to all creation.

There was no one anywhere worthy to reveal what God had written in that book that He was offering.

Our heavenly Father wanted the things in this book to be revealed!

John was to write down everything he saw.

We could say that none of the Word of God was written without tears.

We already know that without tears not much of the Word of God can even be understood!

If this book could not be opened, then it would prove God to be false!

Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, "and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter".

You see, if this book that contained all the things that we now know was written in the Book of Revelation, (the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ), that would happen after the Church was in Heaven, then God would have told John a lie.

John wept because of this!

Remember no one could approach God if they had sin, so no one on earth could be worthy. What did Jesus say?

Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, "that ye may be accounted worthy" to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

God has no secrets about His plan of salvation!

God will never hide the truth from us!

Are there things about God's creation that we know nothing about? Sure, but these things do not affect our relationship with our father in Heaven.

Those elders (the church) already knew the truth and as we all should do, one of those elders came to John with the truth.

You see the Book that God held was a book of destiny.

It is a book of God's wrath.

The book is in God's hands because it is He, who is in charge of human history and human future!

Our Heavenly Father has a plan and He will not be denied!

Many people do not like the Book of Revelation, but it will pay for all of us to study this great Book of the Bible and believe what the Word of God says!

This Book is the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ and it is only He who sacrificed Himself to pay for our sins and who will also save the true Israel, and only He is worthy to open this Book in the hand of our Father in Heaven!

*****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.

When John heard these things he knew he would then see his Savior.

What do we know?

We know that Jehovah God is holding a book in His right hand.

We know that a search has been conducted all over the earth for someone worthy to open this book.

We know that a search has been conducted all over Heaven for someone worthy to open this book.

We know it was the Lord Jesus Christ who was the speaker all through the first three Chapter of this Book we now have.

We know that Chapter 4 and much of Chapter 5 describe the Throne Room of God in Heaven.

We now know that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who will explain the remainder of the Book of Revelation.

How do we know this person is Jesus Christ?

1) He is the same One spoken by Jacob:

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?

Gen 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

This Shiloh is the Messiah.

This Shiloh is the "Lion of the tribe of Judah".

This Shiloh will be King of the Jews.

2) He is the same One spoken by Isaiah:

Isa 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Isa 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

Isa 11:4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Isa 11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

3) He is the same One spoken by Jeremiah:

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.

Jer 23:7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

Jer 23:8 But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

To this day, the Jews who have the Book of Jeremiah, do not realize it is the Lord Jesus Christ who brought them back out of captivity to the rebirth of the nation of Israel, but they will soon.

Jesus has conquered everything that has been placed in His path, by being the humble Savior and Redeemer that He is, but this book that He takes out of the hands of His Father will show the world another side of our Lord, the side of "judgment"!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is worthy to take this book and open the seven seals of God because He is God!

So let us meet Him.

*****Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

Notice He is in the midst of the throne.

Notice He is in the midst of the four beasts.

Notice this is the same exact same place as our Heavenly Father.

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the very center of everything in Heaven!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the center of everything in this world!

The Lord Jesus Christ is in the exact place to execute the offices of Prophet, Priest, and King!

He wore on His person, all the wounds which He received to take away my sin, and your sin, and all the sin of the world.

He had he appearance of a lamb that had been slain!

Because He had been sacrificed.

Because He had been buried.

Because He had raised from the dead.

He was the only One who was worthy to open up the book that had been in His Father's Right Hand!

Opening this book would bring great joy to His own people but it would bring great terror to His enemies!

He had seven horns and seven pairs of eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the Earth.

Zec 3:6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying,

Zec 3:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.

Zec 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Zec 3:9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

Zec 3:10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

Zec 4:8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Zec 4:9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.

Zec 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

The Lord Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice for our sins, but He was also the only Sacrifice for our sin, making Him the only way to get into God's New Heaven!

God's Holy Spirit is the only Spirit that can run to and fro throughout the whole earth to provide regeneration to the believers and hold Satan to limited power as he to, goes to and fro through this earth.

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

2Th_2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Satan is that mystery of iniquity who remains hidden, but who is the cause of all lies and the cause of all sin in our world, but he is also under the control of the Holy Spirit and cannot do anything without the express permission of our Savior.

So the Lord Jesus who is the absolute Power of God, takes the Book.

*****Rev 5:7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Jesus Christ the sovereign power of all Creation, bled and died that the entire world could be saved, but sadly there are people who just do not want to be saved because they have made themselves to be little gods who think they have some power, which they do not.

There are not really any true atheists!

A true atheist would not be concerned with those who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

There are only Christians and antichrists! These are the only two groups of people upon this planet!

Jesus Christ is the "Supreme Intelligence" in this entire universe or a better word is cosmos.

Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Because Jesus is sovereign, He only can take the Book in the right hand of God the Father, because He is the right hand of God the Father!

What happens when He takes the Book?

Heaven falls down on their faces in worship of Heavens Savior and Redeemer, the Almighty Living God!

The four beast whose only job is to worship God.

All those elders, the Church who are the redeemed and who know their Redeemer.

All Heaven and Earth broke loose in a song of praise.

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

You see once the Church is in Heaven, then will begin the wrath of God upon this earth of unbelievers.

All the prayers of the persecuted that have been saved in Heaven will be answered!

Every prayer contained in those vials are from God's children and are like a sweet-smelling aroma in His presence.

He does not forget, not a single one!

You know what? I cannot play a single musical instrument, but on that day, I will be a "harp player" and a good one and I definitely want to sing in Heavens Choir. Not because I can sing because I cannot. I just want to praise my Lord and my God.

Then, they all began to sing a new song in Heaven.

*****Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

First the song:

It would be a song that neither they nor any other had sung before.

It could be sung at this time because the redeeming work of the Lord is complete! (thou hast redeemed) We cannot sing this song until we get to God's "New Heaven". We know we are redeemed! We are redeemed! The Lord has just not delivered us unto His Father, which is what the "Rapture" is all about!

Presenting the Church (the Bride) to the Heavenly Father.

It would begin the unceasing worship of the redeemed for the Redeemer.

All the Old Testament prophesies of the Church are fulfilled.

All the New Testament teachings about the Church are fulfilled except the Book of Revelation!

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

It would be the first moment of a never-ending life!

Second the singers:

The four beasts. They are alive and they sang.

The twenty-four elders. They are alive and they sang.

The Angels. They are alive. They cannot sing the song of the Redeemed, but they can sing praises to the Lamb of God!

The Angels finally understood the work of the Master. These Angels now know more about God than they ever had before!

There is not one dead person in Heaven and there never will be!

They praise the Lamb of God because He is worthy.

They praise the Lamb of God because He was our sacrifice.

They praise the lamb of God because He has redeemed to God the Father.

They praise the Lamb of God because he used His Own Blood.

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

They praise the Lamb of God because He accepted any who called upon His name.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

They praised the Lamb of God because of His amazing gifts. Remember the Bema Seat is now in the past, yet the Adopted Children of God are given great gifts and a great work.

The Lord had to die, but He could not stay dead!

After the seven years of tribulation, especially the three and a half years of the Great Tribulation, those on earth who the Lord has allowed to survive along with that remnant of the Jews will see some new rulers under the King of the Jews.

King Jesus will rule the world.

King Jesus will be King of the Jews.

King Jesus will appoint the Redeemed to be Kings and Priest as His helpers, over the nations that remain and just whatever He so chooses.

Mat 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Again worthy is the Lamb. Heaven has never been a lonely place!

Heaven will never be a crowded place!

*****Rev 5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

Rev 5:12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

We could take that number of Angels just as it is written and it be 100 million and millions and millions more or we can accept the meaning to be an innumerable amount of Angels just as the 24 elders mean a number of Saints that are not given as it will be perfect number.

These Angels surround all the Saints of God, the Beast, and the lamb of God in the midst. They have been our protectors since we accepted the Lord as our Savior and they will continue to be our protectors throughout eternity.

They now stand equally with all the throng of Heaven.

They are not distressed or broken.

They are not divided nor do they feel betrayed.

Just like the Church they are just there to worship their God, the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ!

They have been our unseen guardians only occasionally taking on the form of a human for a reason that only the Lord knows.

They have served just because of the love for their Creator.

Notice those beasts are singing. Remember they had only one job!

Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

The whole time they were doing these things for a God who left Heaven in all His glory to come to this earth to die and then reclaim His life and return to Heaven.

They were now singing to the Lamb of God, who was standing in the midst of the throne of God. Still proof that God exist in three persons!

The Church has always known the Lord Jesus is the Almighty Living God.

And what where they all singing?

Worthy is the Lamb of God that had been slain to "redeem" His greatest creation!

Worthy is the Lamb of God who has the "power of God".

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Worthy is the Lamb of God who possesses all the riches of Heaven.

Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Worthy is the Lamb of God who has all the wisdom and strength and honor!

Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Worthy is the Lamb of God who possesses all the glory and blessings.

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Oh, what a Savior.

*****Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Rev 5:14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

All things were made by our Savior and for our Savior. All His creation knows Him, who He is and what He stands for!

It is only the puny humans who defy Him who in reality only have the power of grass in the field!

Isa 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isa 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Isa 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Isa 40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

Isa 40:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

Isa 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

All of Heaven is concerned about the opening to the seven seals.

The Church is in Heaven.

All the Angels are in Heaven at this moment.

The beasts are still around the throne of the Lord.

At this same time, Satan is placing his false trinity in place upon this earth and the seven-year tribulation period has begun along with death and destruction and the greatest deception known to mankind.

Amen

Let us Pray!

Perilous Times Near the End of Church Age

Precious Provision

Book of 2 Timothy 3

This Lesson will show us that according to the Word of God, we are in the last days of the Church Age. Remember the New Testament is written to the Church, even though we are still to become familiar with both the Old Testament and the New Testament.

We may also realize that our Lord knows this world is headed for trouble and He does want the church to work even harder at this time and not get caught up in all the distractions that are going on.

It amazes me that politicians use distractions, so they can ignore what they were put in office to do!

Everything going on in the politics of today are a distraction from the truth of what needs to be done!

We know that the Lord is soon coming to free the Redeemed and take them on home to Heaven. For all those who may disagree, the return of Christ is mentioned more than 300 times just in the New Testament! The Lord will return just as He has said He will!

Christ will return, and His return will be a literal, physical event! Jesus will return in the same way and the same place from where the disciples saw Him leave. This will be about seven years after He will lay claim to His Church.

Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Before these things can happen, the great falling away and our last chance to get busy for the Lord, we will experience what the Holy Spirit calls, "perilous times".

*****2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

As Christians we must be well aware of where we are on God's celestial clock!

God knows the church will see some hard times before the Lord returns to take us all home.

Now the Church will not go through the seven-year Tribulation period, but we will witness that period, called the last days of the Church Age!

The pulpits of the Church must preach of this perilous season that we have entered because all the Word of God must be preached!

We may even be witnessing the closing out of the time of preaching the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ, during the Church Age!

The Church Age began at the Lords Death and was guaranteed by His Resurrection from that death to "New Life"!

It is these days that will soon be coming to an end, and then the Lord will begin His work with the Jews as He promised!

These difficult times we are seeing, will not be about the treacherous things we are witnessing in our world.

These times will not be described as a loss of provisions, since these things are in the hand of God and He makes some serious promises that He will never break about providing our needs.

These times will not be about great wars that will continue to happen latter or of this profane world.

No, these last days will be the days that wickedness that have now come to the forefront in all the societies of this world!

We could say wickedness and has come out of the closet and is now in full view throughout this world!

Peter had these words:

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.

John had these words:

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.

This Scripture has never been truer than it is now!

There are many today that say our world is not that bad but, they have approved evil and rejected the Church in every way they can.

We live in a nation that is divided according to the Word of God, those who declare the truth of God's Word and those who will accept any and all types of immorality, calling it freedom.

Even some who are evil themselves, do also detest the evil that is seen today!

We must always remember that we are only better than any of those by the "Grace" of God!

By that same "Grace" they can be our equals in the Church!

The good thing that we must keep in mind is, that the Lord could come at any moment to get His Bride!

We have seen the gay lifestyle, rejected by the true Church because it is condemned by the Word of God. As God says this lifestyle is just sin as all sin is and all sin is condemned by the Word of God!

The only sin that will keep the sinner from receiving the free gift of salvation, is the sin of rejecting the work of the Lord Jesus Christ to pay the sin debt of all humanity.

So, what we are seeing is, that we are beginning to live in a godless world that will come in its entirety after the Church is removed by the Lord.

It is only the Church filled with the Holy Spirit that can hold back the evils of this world, if our "faith" remains!

Listen as the Holy Spirit describes our societies in today's era. We should be afraid to preach these same words with vigor!

*****2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit gave these words to Paul to describe the world we live in today!

We live in a world where most every human wants to please their own happiness "at the expense of all others"!

The Word of God will never change!

2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, "that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves", but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

In the days of Paul, he had witnessed many of these sins in his travels, especially in the Greek and Roman societies of that day!

Never has these Scriptures written to Timothy been truer, than they are today! We truly live in a wicked godless world!

Many of those who have the power to change things, do not want to for some unrealistic goal they have of changing America from a free society to some socialist society, knowing that most of the nations that have done the same, have all failed but maybe two who are communist.

AND, their own people have little or no freedoms left!

Any time we put ourselves before the written Word of God and the God who wrote it, we have made our own selves to be gods with no power!

It is very evident that we are seeing the last days of the Church and the Lord said to His Bride to make herself ready and strive for perfection!

It is the day of people who turn to and fro not knowing which way to go, and confusion brings tension and tension brings division!

Self-love is when someone has made themselves god and feel like nothing matters but having their own style of pleasure themselves.

They will be lovers of money and their possessions and cling to those things as if to change, would be their end!

They will covet more and more!

What did King Solomon find?

Ecc 5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

Have you noticed all the people who either have a job or do not have a job, but they have the time to go protest and carry around signs either showing what they stand for? Most of those signs cannot be read and certainly not understood but they still brag about the evil they are doing?

Many of these people must have things their own way, while at the same time denying those same rights to those who oppose them!

All those from both sides who look down on others, are also the blame for what is going on in our nation today.

Pride is a deadly act to follow and it will normally lead to destruction!

Have you ever seen such a time, where people will slander those who do not think like they do? This is our world today!

That so-called millennial bunch, will do anything to grab attention but in the end, they will not accomplish anything for their own beliefs. The politicians will abandon them after they get their vote just as they have always done!

Tell me how much the lives of our black brothers improved under the previous administration. Who made gains? Not our black brothers and sisters.

Those of LBGT may have become free and come out of the closet but a rainbow of colors on the White House has not helped them at all because they did not get real help from the previous administration. Who made gains? Not those who claimed this evilness!

The only thing we have seen that is real is "hatred" has begun to run deep in our nation!

The only ones who prospered were Planned Parenthood who is not only in the business of killing unborn babies but have the nerve to sell internal organs from these murdered babies who are not considered to be humans. Who are those filthy sinners who made gains off unborn babies!

How many doctors, brain surgeons, or all types of valuable people did not get a chance because they were aborted?

We must understand that to one certain party, aliens, illegal immigrants and a few others are nothing but votes in an attempt to gain control of congress and never letting it go to fill their own pockets and those of their friends. (Look at the Clintons who had less than a million dollars when they left the White House claiming to be broke, who are now multimillionaires.

Those who are promoted by a certain group of people have just made merchandise of those who are illegally in our nation and are just as much slaves who are made merchandise and they are too blind to see it.

Sorry for venting here.

Even some of these will show a form of godliness but they will still deny the true power of our Savior who has life within His own self!

As Christians we need to flee from any association with these groups but pray for them and witness to them "Gospel" if we get the opportunity.

*****2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

In the day of Paul, the women would be at home more or less secluded, while their husbands would be at work or whatever they did to provide an income.

These false teachers used fraud and deceit to creep into these homes while the fathers were not at home. Their entrance into these homes was much like a weasel going about its business. Weasels are unclean animals, coming out of their burrows in the ground only at certain times of the day.

We should always be aware that the coming of the antichrist will be like Satan, as Satan first attacked the woman and not the man!

This not saying that every woman would be vulnerable. It is just saying that Satan can spot those who are vulnerable to his unique style of deceit.

We have already been observing that corruptness and compromising has begun to take center stage in what at one time was steadfast observance of the Word of God and this cannot be denied except by those who are guilty of these things.

This is not only in America but worldwide!

We should understand that the keeping and the teaching of the children and the teaching of the lady’s classes is all that the Lord has offered to the precious ladies of the Church as the Church is to operate just as the Christian home and family is to operate.

With the false ministries of today, the ladies have been offered roles in the Church that the Lord has said no to but we see more of every day now even including gay ministers and female ministers that have taken away the fact that the Church is just an extension of the Christian family in which the Lord is the head, with the father being next, then that mother who also is to put the Lord before that husband but she is to follow after that husband in the order of things in the family, in the home, and in the church.

Those false leaders in the church have begun to teach their own truth disguising it as the truth of God which it is far from being true!

We have seen in many places that these false preachers along with their teachers have begun to take over one church after another.

For instance, many who have called themselves Baptist for years are filling the pews of the Jehovah's Witness, because they never had proper discipling in the places of worship where they had attended.

We should understand that the false preacher will always have some new notion or some new practice that will lead those who trust them deeper and deeper into a false religion that they simply will not recover from.

The false preacher will always deny the power of godliness, which is the one thing that is the mark of the true Church!

The false preacher will teach a works doctrine that has always been denied by the Lord.

We have no work to do in order to be saved and we have no works to do to keep us saved! Do not ever believe this lie straight from Hell!

God will expect for us to work after our salvation, but it has nothing to do to keep our salvation. We are expected to be witnesses of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible.

This one thing , "Jesus Christ the God of the Bible", is the stumbling block for many just as God has said!

*****2Ti 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

2Ti 3:9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

We should understand, these who would preach and teach a false message are not just going to be afraid and run whenever we know the truth of their message.

The members of the average church will not have the knowledge of the Word of God to counter act the deceiving message from them.

Jannes and Jambres were the sorcerers and magicians that went against Moses.

Exo 7:10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

Exo 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

Exo 7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

Exo 8:7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

Exo 8:18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.

We had better understand that Jannes is not to be got rid of with a laugh, nor Jambres with a smile of indifference. Those of the same that exist today are a source of constant danger, and their presence in the professing Church does more to paralyze its testimony than all the outward opposition and persecution it has ever met.

They will be hard to unseat even when they are found out to be nothing more than cheap magicians.

When Satan entrenches himself into the church, we will see power like we have never seen, and these are the things that will take place in the great falling away of God's people.

Only when these things begin to happen in those houses of God that have defended the "Grace" of God continuously, will they will be sent from the church after much damage.

A deceiving so called Christian, will fade away at the continuous bombardment of the truth of God!

Those who have a form of godliness, will always deny the power of God and in the end, saying only man can have such power.

We must know that it is only by the power of God that His truth will always come to the front with its life saving "Grace"!

We can say what we will, but every age since Noah has felt like it was the new age and saw more life and truth that the previous one.

This has been true for true science and technology and medicines but not true in human life and human behavior!

The truth of human behavior is that it becomes more sinful than the previous generation!

God says, "be sure your sin will find you out", every false teacher and false preacher will be exposed in the day Christ returns.

2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

2Th 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

There will be some in the Church that will go up in the Rapture and leave that false preacher behind, with those who have trusted him!

Now let's compare the true God called Pastor.

*****2Ti 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

2Ti 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

When Timothy was chosen to be the Pastor of Ephesus, it was because Paul knew that besides age, Timothy was much like the Apostle Paul.

Timothy had followed the godly example that was the Apostle Paul!

Paul had lived a godly life and Timothy had followed in His footsteps!

This is what discipling is all about!

The doctrine that Paul taught was the "Apostle's Doctrine" given to them by the Lord Jesus Christ!

This is the same doctrine that must be taught today, with even more vigor for we are certainly in the last days of the Church Age!

Godly people will follow godly preachers!

Godliness is based upon the truth of our Substitute, The Lord Jesus Christ!

1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

No person can live godly unless he learns godliness.

No person can teach godliness unless he follows godliness in others.

To be a disciple of the Lord is to follow the godly practices of the Lord!

We can understand that Paul practiced what he preached while he still acknowledged that he was far from perfect!

The greatest example of the Apostle Paul was that he lived what he preached, and we should expect this from every Pastor and not only him but we ourselves.

It is a fact that many young pastors who have answered the call of God may acknowledge those who discipled them but most of them prefer to go their own way and most of them will get discouraged and quit on God.

To all those who have godly examples then they need to follow them as they grow in the "Gospel".

Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

God has set some people in our lives to learn the good from!

God will also set some people in our area, so we can know what not to do!

God has given to us Jesus Christ and He is to be our example. If we know an elder who is following Christ, then he too can be an example for us to follow such as the Apostle Paul.

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Most every Christian understands the wrong meaning of patience.

Patience is not the spirit that just sets back and puts up with trials of life, taking whatever this world throws at them quietly.

Patience is standing up and meeting the trials of life head-on. Patience is actively going out to conquer and overcoming those things that hinder us.

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

What does the Lord say?

Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

We cannot get saved and then do nothing, it is sin to not get into the war with evil!

Thank goodness the Lord has a good hold on to my soul because I would just lose it again!

*****2Ti 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

Notice Paul does not stress all the times he was persecuted, he only mentions those that Timothy has seen with his own eyes or he at least knew about.

In Antioch the city government had tossed Paul out of their city.

In Iconium some from the government and a large mob tried to arrest Paul causing him to flee for his own safety.

In Lystra another mob stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, leaving him for dead.

But our miracle working God, the Lord Jesus Christ, saved Paul out of all these things and we already know that God is no respecter of people.

He still has the power to save and help every disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Throughout all these things Paul remained faithful to the work of the Lord, this is the truth of what godly patience is all about!

We cannot escape the fact that we are going to suffer some persecution.

We cannot escape the fact that Satan will send some of his followers to hinder us as we go about serving Christ!

We cannot escape the fact that we are aliens in this world and for a world to be so tickled to meet some alien, they will treat them no better than they will the Christian.

God simply says to just come out from them and be separate and be patiently working until He comes to take us home.

We will not be able to avoid persecution on some level before we go home to meet the Lord!

*****2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

When we refuse to walk the paths of this world, we will get noticed and we will not be liked!

The world we live subsidizes sin and when we speak of sin in a negative way it will only make those in the world mad even if it is the truth!

We already know this world we live in, does not want to hear the truth!

We will be persecuted by most all those, that reject the Lord Jesus Christ.

We live in a world that have decided to make themselves to be gods and they want to live by their own ways and hate all those who are different!

We live in a world where many so-called places of worship have compromised the Word of God, so they can be friends to the world.

We live in a world that is deceived by its concept and belief in the One true God!

Joh 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

Joh 16:3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

God is not some Supreme Grandfather who will cause no harm to those that reject Him but that He will not accept everything they do.

They just cannot understand the "Love of God" but He is also "just” and He demands "righteousness" from us all!

In fact, not only this but God demands "faith"!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Remember God said persecutions and hatred for all those who believe is only going to get worse. This does not mean that God will not save us out of them all as He did for Paul, but the world as a whole will continue to get worse!

*****2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

We must understand if we look out at the world today and then again tomorrow we will see a world that has gotten worse.

The world has gotten worse because the church is full of evil men and seducers and have quenched the Holy Spirit, who is the power of the true Church.

These evil men pictured here may have a form of godliness but who actively oppose righteousness and morality that God calls for from all those who claim the Lord Jesus Christ.

These seducers are those are imposters and deceivers in the church, who are hypocrites calling themselves Christian.

Many of these join the church just to be able to take advantage of the true Christian. In another place God calls them "tares".

We must remember that God has already judged the lost and they are already sentenced to eternal death.

God says the church will be judged first and these evil men and seducers will receive their evil reward that day.

We should see that these things are waxing worse and worse on each passing day.

We could say, well it is easy to see this happening in Rome but in truth every so-called denomination has allowed these things to happen!

Before you choose a denomination, choose Jesus Christ and only attend a place of worship where the Love of Christ Jesus still abounds.

What was the same for Timothy and the Church at Ephesus, is the same for every church today! I choose Jesus Christ!

1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

This is the only way to be acceptable to God the Father, and we must never be confused. Confusion brings with it death!

We will continue to see repeatedly men who use religion for their own selfish purpose which begin with a livelihood and profession and continue with compromising the Word of God to keep the pews filled and their own pockets full!

The Apostle Paul had great concerns for these things happening and they have.

Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Act 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

There is only one answer, and this is to remain in Jesus Christ!

2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

2Jn 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Church and the Church cannot stand without its foundation!

*****2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

We must learn by the Scriptures and never let go.

We must never accept a new version of the Scriptures just because someone says it is easier to read. They are only easier to read because they have removed some of the truth!

We must always know the Scriptures enough to prove every teacher and every Pastor and those who preach against the truth of the Scriptures run them clean out the door and get someone who clings to the truth of God.

We cannot call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ unless we abide in His truth and without Jesus you cannot get to Heaven. It is just that simple!

Joh_8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

It is only the Word of God that can make each of us wise unto salvation.

I certainly cannot understand why anyone would go against the Word of God and still say they are Christians. Christianity is the perfect wisdom of God!

God says to learn the Scriptures.

God says we can be assured that the Scriptures will apply to our lives.

God says make sure your teacher is teaching the truth of God.

God says we are to live in and by the Scriptures.

God says it is only by the Scriptures that we will become wise enough to be saved!

Then God says the sooner we get started the better off we will be. I will be quite honest, if you do not fall in love with the unchanging Word of God then you need to have your head examined!

It is only by the wisdom of God that we can know salvation and to ignore the Word of God brings death!

We are to never pick and choose like the Bible is a lunch buffet and discard the things we do not like!

*****2Ti 3:16 "All" scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Notice that word "all". It is not a mistake! God means what He says, and God says what He means!

To all those who pick and choose the Word of God like it is a food buffet, what do they do this Scripture? If the salvation message is true then so is this message from the Holy Ghost Inspired, Inerrant, Word of God.

Why do so many just want to die in their sin for rejecting the Word of God?

Some say that Paul was only speaking of the Old Testament Scriptures and that be great if that was all, but Paul had already realized the importance of Church Doctrine and this Second Book to Timothy are the last written words of the Apostle Paul.

There may be many who disagree but just maybe they have not realized that the New Testament teaches us the fulfillment of the Old Testament!

There is no doubt in my mind that God "breathed" out the Scriptures to all those who caused this love letter from God to be given to us!

God is saying it is the Scripture that is inspired and not the writer who in a sense, allowed God to use their hand, left or right to pin down all the Scriptures, New and Old!

We must understand that it is the same Holy Spirit who will open our eyes to the truth of God.

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

There is no doubt in my mind that God has preserved and protected His Holy Scriptures down through all the Ages!

If we want a personal relation with the Sovereign God of all creation then all the directions we need to know about Him, He has written down for us. Therefore, the Scriptures are so profitable for doctrine, which means the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must acknowledge that God wants us to know as much about Him as we can and most of our world will not read and study the Word of God which has the answer every question that can be asked in this world concerning "life"!

God also makes known the results of those who reject His Words. These words are just as true as all those concerning life and life eternal.

It bugs me that so many want to know the secret to long life, yet they reject the one and only method of "eternal life"!

The truth is the Holy Spirit will lead us in only one direction and this is toward the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

It is these words Inspired by the Holy Spirit that will equips us to work toward equipping us to do the Work of the Lord, until He returns!

God says we are not only to read the Word of God, but we must study the Word of God, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who caused it to be written!

Deu 17:19 And it (the Word of God) shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

It cannot get much plainer than these words written in the Book of Deuteronomy!

Amen.