Posted by: missionventureministries | August 18, 2021

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE LEFT BEHIND AFTER THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

Catching away of the church 

Here is a PDF file for you to print:

LETTER LEFT BEHIND AFTER THE RAPTURE TAKES PLACE (Pamphlet-correct order)) – Copy (1)

Dear Friend: 

As you are reading this note that has been left in this Bible, please know that God loves you and that He wants you to be with Him for all eternity. The book of John tells us in Chapter 3 verse 16 that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son (Jesus Christ), that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

You might have heard the Bible taught and you might have postponed accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and now you are confronted with a situation that is very puzzling and frightening to you. 

With the chaotic state that the world is now, you probably were awakened by the sound of sirens and your phone might have been broadcasting an emergency channel alert. You might have run to turn on the television to see what the news had to say, or you might have gotten the news on your smart phone and heard that the world is in a state of chaos. All kinds of disasters have happened, people are injured and then there are reports of people missing all over the world. 

There are rumors that people just vanished and many say that UFOs have taken them away.  

You might have small children, only to find out that they have disappeared also. Then on the evening news the announcement is made that the Untied Security Counsel, in emergency session, has concluded that the earth had indeed been visited by a craft from another planet and had taken many people. THESE ARE ALL LIES. 

I want you to know the truth of God’s word and why people have vanished. Please take a look at the book of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. If you are not familiar with the Bible, there is an index in the front, look in the listing for the page where you will find 1 Thessalonians and then go to chapter 4 and then verses 13-18. They are all numbered, but I will write it out for you here: “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed  about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 

You might have heard the term “rapture” it means catching away. And as the Bible tells us the catching away will be in an instant. Here is more information in 1 Corinthians 15:50-52 – I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 

Christ has come for His bride and has taken all the people that put their trust in Him to Heaven. In John 14:1-3 Jesus told His disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. 

Another verse that foretold the catching away is found in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 – “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man (Adam), the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man (Jesus). For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him.” 

Only believers were able to see Christ and hear the calling when He came, and were transformed and taken out of this world to be with Him. The Christian believers knew from the verse in Philippians 3:20-21 that their citizenship is in heaven. And they eagerly waited for the Savior to come, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, transformed our lowly bodies so that it became like His glorious body. 

Believers were prepared because they knew that the rapture or catching away could happen at any moment. And Jesus promised the Christian believers that: “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” (Revelation 3:10).

You might be asking what are these commands, and what is it that they did. The book of Titus in chapter 2 verses 12-14 tells us that: They (the Christians) said “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,  upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. 

The tribulation period which will last 7 years will be a time as there never has been before and you might be killed for your faith, but your reward will be to spend eternity with your loving Savior and Redeemer if you accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Jesus said in Matthew 24:21 – “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.” 

Now that this has all happened you might be asking what can I do? There is hope even in the terrible times ahead for those who realize that Jesus Christ is the only way of escaping an eternity in the Lake of Fire. Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). 

RECEIVING ETERNAL LIFE IS AS SIMPLE AS

A – B – C 

A – ADMIT YOU ARE A SINNER – “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). A sinner needs to acknowledge that they have sinned. 

B – BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED FOR YOUR SINS, ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND THAT YOU TRUST IN HIM ALONE FOR YOUR SALVATION, COMMITTING YOUR LIFE TO HIS SERVICE – “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31) Believing in Him is the key to salvation as the prophet Isaiah wrote: I, only I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me (Isaiah 43:11).   

C – CONFESS YOUR SINS – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins” (1 John 1:9). We need to tell Jesus that we have sinned and ask for Him for forgiveness. If we are sincere He will forgive us, no matter what sins we have committed. 

WARNING: You are going to hear much false information from many people, so study this Bible that is yours now. And beware that in the middle of the seven year tribulation period there will be a mandate to take a MARK. The mark of the beast is a mark that will be placed on a person’s forehead or right hand as a sign of allegiance to the Antichrist (Revelation 13:15–18). Further, no one will be allowed to engage in buying or selling without the mark (Revelation 13:17). It appears that some form of worship of the Antichrist is associated with receiving the mark as we read in (Revelation 14:9-10 and Revelation 16:2), and those who refuse to worship the image of the beast will be killed (Revelation 13:15). 

The question then arises as to whether a person who has received the mark of the beast can be forgiven. The answer to this question seems to be “no” according to Revelation 14:9–11, which describes the fate of someone who takes the mark of the beast, “Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” 

The eternal destiny of those who take the mark of the beast is the Lake of Fire. Why is taking the mark of the beast a damnable sin against God? Why would God condemn a person to hell for taking the mark of the beast? The Bible confirms that taking the mark of the beast will be a blasphemous act of willful defiance against God. Receiving the mark of the beast is essentially worshiping Satan. Those who take the mark have made the choice to serve Satan rather than obey God and receive Christ as Savior. When people make that decision during the tribulation, God will grant their request to be eternally separated from Him. 

Now that you have this Bible, trust in the Lord and become a believer. Study His Word, pray and ask the Father to help you as you navigate thru these upcoming difficult times, and if you are sincere He WILL. Because the Bible tells us that: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). And always remember to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). 

Here is and example of how you might pray. Use your own words, and remember that it needs to come from a sincere heart because, if you regard wickedness in your heart, the Lord will not hear (Psalm 66:18). 

Lord Jesus, You love me even though I have not loved You. I admit that I am a sinner and I know that there is no other way to have my many sins forgiven except through Your blood, that was shed at Calvary for sinners such as me. I believe that You died for me and that You took all the punishment for my sins that I justly deserve. Lord I repent of all my sins and pray that You would forgive me all my trespasses. Please come into my life – I receive You as my Savior for You promised that as many as receive You, You will give the right to become Your children (John 1:12). Lord I believe and want to follow You as My Lord and Savior, from this day forward. Thank You for hearing my prayer, and for saving me from an eternity apart from You. Amen

******

DISCLAIMER MVM

14 Comments

Posted in INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE LEFT BEHIND AFTER THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH, Rapture | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: missionventureministries | August 11, 2021

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A WATCHMAN TODAY? – Ezekiel 33:7

Ezekiel 33

“Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them a warning from Me.” (Ezekiel 33:7) 

God appointed prophets in the Old Testament and today He appoints believers as ambassadors to proclaim the gospel and the word of God to give people the opportunity to find out about the good news of salvation, because “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). 

A Watchman’s job was to watch from the tower all through the night and guard the entry gate from any enemy attack. They had to keep an eye out to see any encroaching danger. Their job was to warn the people when danger was near. In the same way we are to warn everyone of the impending danger of going to hell instead of heaven if people don’t repent, change their bad habits and come to Christ. 

God delegate to Ezekiel this great responsibility, “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me;” this is so important that God starts off by giving this command first here in Chapter 3:17, and then gives it again in chapter 33:7. “When I say to the wicked, ‘You will certainly die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way so that he may live, that wicked person shall die for wrongdoing, but his blood I will require from your hand. However if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die for wrongdoing, but you have saved yourself” (Ezekiel 3:17-19). 

In other words, God is reminding Ezekiel of his duty to warn in the face of danger. He was to warn the Israelites in light of the urgency of God’s wrath. If Ezekiel refused to warn his people of pending danger the blood would be on his hands and the Lord would hold Ezekiel accountable for his failure to warn them.  However, if he executed his duties properly and warned the person and they still chose wickedness Ezekiel would not be held accountable for their action. 

While the concept of a watchman positioned at the city gates tower to warn people of imminent danger pertains to a time past, the idea that God continues to use us as His mouthpiece to declare the good news of salvation is still very much applicable today and will always be. 

2 Corinthians 5:20, is the most equivalent scripture that reinforces our New Testament expression of being watchman – “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” Here we are appointed as ambassadors with the same purpose. God intends to use us as He used Ezekiel to call out to, with urgency that the day of the Lord compels to “be reconciled to God.” 

We are called to declare His truth and call people to faith and repentance; especially to a society that like in Isaiah’s time calls good evil and evil good, (Isaiah 5:20). 

We need to inform and alert those that are within our reach of their wrong thinking and that if there is no change that judgment will come. We must openly talk about the lamentable things that are going on, like the breakdown of marriage and family, the murdering of innocent human life, about the loss of Christian values, and to warn of the coming persecution of Christians. Never forget that Christians are seen by secular progressives and left-wing social movements as narrow-minded and intolerant; and that they would like to silence us completely. Because of their hatred for integrity and truth, all dictators will always attack the truth that true Christians present. 

We need to be courageous for the cause of the gospel so that not only in America, but in every country in the world, people will see the errors of their thinking and come to Jesus while there is still time. 

Sadly the major roadblock is the church, pastors, leaders and immature “Christians”. Too often Christians want to play it safe, not take risks, and just get along with the prevailing culture. Unfortunately that does not change biblical prophecy and the coming wrath of the King of kings during the tribulation and then when Jesus returns as a Judge, to judge the faithful and the unfaithful that remain alive at the end of this terrible time that is still to come. 

Christian pastors, leaders, and congregations are the ones that need to speak up for Jesus and give direction and warning to our fallen culture. Jesus said: “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and don’t do what I say” (Luke 6:46). We are called to speak up and give testimony of our blessed Savior’s love and sacrifice for us. We need to warn of what is to come, or face the consequences of our disobedience ourselves. 

Are you speaking up and being heard? Are you being a watchman for Jesus Christ? In the Old Testament the watchman’s job was also to urge God’s people to live faithfully and warn them of the dangers involved in falling away from the Lord and doing evil. If you call yourself a believer in Jesus Christ then your voice needs to be heard in the same way, wherever you go, testifying of His truth, His purpose, and His judgment. 

The time for Jesus’ return is getting closer every second that goes by, therefore, as believers we need to speak up today, calling people to faith, and giving glory to the Lord Jesus when a soul by grace is saved, through faith; and this is not from ourselves, it is the gift of God; not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

God calls all Christians to be watchmen. Jesus told His disciples to “watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38). We should all be ready and waiting for the Lord’s return, “because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him” (Luke 12:40). 

God has established the believers as watchmen, because we can clearly see the coming danger in both the physical and in the spiritual realm. Therefore, we must not be silent. We must warn the people about the difficult times that are coming upon us and inspire them to abandon sin and turn their hearts towards God. 

Many natural disasters have already caught different nations by surprise in the last few years, including tsunamis, hurricanes, frequent earthquakes and disastrous fires, which have devastated entire cities. These are all signs that God’s judgment are intensifying. Jesus told His disciples: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:4-8). This will take place before Jesus returns to this earth at His second coming; and only those who are spiritually prepared will be saved. 

Remember that Noah warned the people of a great disastrous flood while people had never even seen rain before; however, most people were apathetic. This condition in today’s terms is called the “normalcy bias” syndrome, which describes people who believe nothing really dangerous is ever going to happen, no matter what kind of facts you may present. Normalcy bias is a cognitive bias that makes us believe, irrationally, that nothing bad will ever happen to us because it has never happened to us. That is, everything will always be “normal” and nothing will break with that normality. This was a reason why so many Jews refused to leave Germany before being killed. 

Sadly, when you try to warn people, most will be uninterested, some will appreciate your concern, but others may even become irritated and angry. Consequently, to be a watchman today requires overcoming some serious obstacles, such as the mind-numbing effects of mainstream media and the dumbed-down public education system. 

Though we understand the End Times are a time of heightened trials, there are scriptures that emphasize we are to encourage one another with the blessed hope, since “the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). 

*******

DISCLAIMER MVM

2 Comments

Posted in WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A WATCHMAN TODAY? – Ezekiel 33:7 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: missionventureministries | August 4, 2021

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – Galatians 5:22-23

Fruit of the Spirit (E)

Paul has just finished listing the results of yielding to our flesh. Now he explains the result of yielding to the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  (Galatians 5:22-23)

Before we look at the fruit of the Spirit we need to note the closing sentence: “Against such things there is no law” (5:23b). Paul is contrasting the freedom that Christians have as a result of their salvation by faith in Christ, and of God now dwelling within them by the presence of the Holy Spirit, with the futility associated with having to perfectly keep the law of God as given in the Old Testament in order to be saved, since Paul had already mentioned in Galatians 2:16 that “by the works of the law will no one be justified.”

Nevertheless, even though Christians now have the indwelling Spirit of God, and are saved apart from the works of the law, they still also have within themselves their old fleshly natures, which tempt them to take actions and exhibit attitudes that the law prohibited; that is, to misuse their new freedom by turning it into license.

Therefore, as Paul said, they should be led by the Spirit, and draw on the Spirit’s guidance and assistance to refrain from the kinds of actions and attitudes that the law prohibited and punished. Not as a means of being saved, but out of love and gratitude to God for the salvation that they have already received through faith in Christ; and to be witness to others of their new relationship with God, and of the active presence of God in their life.

Now let’s examine the fruit of the Spirit one by one.

LOVE

Is the first fruit of the Spirit mentioned 

In Greek, there are at least four words for love.

  • Eros – Romantic love of the intimate relationship between man and woman.
  • Philia – Brotherly love between people – friendships.
  • Storge – Natural affection – love for family members and close relatives.
  • Agape – Unconditional, selfless and sacrificial love. God’s perfect love.

Agape love is the unconditional and perfect love of God, found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. He is described as selfless, fair, true, patient and is above everyone else. Another characteristic is that the agape love from God is an infinite love and is granted to humanity undeservedly.

God wants people to follow His example, and to express this feeling towards others as a form of gratitude for His love manifested to all mankind.

Through agape love people are able to become kind, expecting nothing in return.

JOY

Is the second fruit of the Spirit

It’s easy to have joy when things are going our way. It’s a different story when they are not so wonderful. However, followers of Jesus are called to have joy all the time, not just when everything is going well.

To have joy means to be “happy” and the Bible tells us to: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Even is we are sad, if we listen to Jesus’ words and obey them we will be filled with joy because we know that we are obeying our Savior.

The only thing that can steal our joy is sin because, is difficult to experience the joy of our relationship with God when we have done something that damages that relationship.  Joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit; when we grieve the Holy Spirit by our sin, we hinder our fellowship with God.  If we find that we are experiencing less and less joy in our life, we need to re-evaluate our relationship with Jesus Christ to make sure we are living as we should.

Biblical joy is choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish His work in and through our lives.

PEACE

Is the third fruit of the Spirit 

Sadly, the world doesn’t offer much peace; and the reason the world does not have peace is because they do not know the Prince of Peace. The Bible tells us: Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks. And God’s peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The peace that God gives is so great that we cannot understand it. (Philippians 4:6-7) 

Peace is directly related to the actions and attitudes of individuals; but it is ultimately a gift from God (Isaiah 45:7; Leviticus 26:6; John 14:27). The presence of peace indicates God’s blessing on man’s obedience (Isaiah 32:17; Malachi 2:5) and faith (Isaiah 26:3). 

Therefore, if we allow the Spirit of God to rule in our lives, we will experience His peace (Galatians 5:22-23). To be spiritually minded brings life and peace, according to Romans 8:6. And once His peace rules in our hearts, we are able to share that peace with others and become messengers of peace (Isaiah 52:7) and ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).

The Holy Spirit brings inner peace, which can exist in the midst of outward conflict. This peace flows from an implicit faith and a trust in God, that He will handle all the problems. And this faith itself is increased by the Holy Spirit, who introduces us to more and more of the depths of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).

This inner peace also comes through rejoicing, praying, and focusing our thoughts on the positive rather than the negative. Jesus said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

PATIENCE

Is the fourth fruit of the Spirit

As we live in a very fast-paced world we don’t find many people that have the patience Jesus wants us to have. Those who call themselves Christians and who have the Holy Spirit living in them should be patient with others. We are to be patient with those who are handicapped, those who are old and cannot move so fast anymore, and there are many other reasons that we can think of to practice being patient with.

Just as God is patient with us and waits for the lost to come to Him because He wants everyone to be saved  (2 Peter 3:9), we should show our love by being patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2).

A patient person is slow to anger as he waits for God to provide comfort and punish wrongdoing. A person may have the ability to take revenge or cause trouble, but patience brings self-restraint and careful thinking. We are patient through trying situations out of faith for a coming deliverance. We are patient with a difficult person out of compassion, and we choose to love them and want what’s best for them because we have the fruit of patience residing in us.

KINDNESS

Is the fifth fruit of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit can do some wonderful things in our life when we ask Him to give us a pure heart, because kindness yields marvelous fruit both in our lives and the lives of those around us. Scripture says:  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Kindness is the characteristic that led God to provide salvation for us (Titus 3:4-5; Romans 2:4; 11:22). Kindness leads God to give us green pastures, quiet waters, and the restoration of our souls when we’re weary (Psalm 23:2-3). It is God’s tender care that makes Him want to gather us under His wings, to protect us and keep us close to Him (Psalm 17:8; 36:7; 61:4).

On multiple occasions, kindness induced Jesus to stop what He was doing and help others in need (Mark 6:34; Mark 7:29; Mark 10:46-52).

We must always remember that a kind word or kind action to a person can do wonders for them. They may be having a bad day, but when you are kind to them, you give them the opportunity to see the love of Jesus in you, and smile. And when we exhibit the kindness of God, being tender, benevolent, and useful to others; our every action, every word will have the essence of grace.

The Golden Rule is to do unto others as you would want then to do unto you (Luke 6:31).

GOODNESS

Is the sixth fruit of the Spirit

Goodness is virtue and holiness in action. It results in a life characterized by deeds motivated by righteousness and a desire to be a blessing.

God is good towards us and He wants you to treat other with goodness. The Bible says that it is the goodness of God that will lead sinners to repentance and salvation.

In letting the Holy Spirit control us, we are blessed with the fruit of goodness. Many people say that what drew them to want to know more about God was the love and goodness they saw shining through a believer, and that believer can be you!

FAITHFULNESS

Is the seventh fruit of the Spirit

Faithfulness is being committed, dependable, loyal; it is being conscious of what we are entrusted with. It is also having the certainty that the Scriptures accurately reflect truth. Biblical faithfulness requires belief in what the Bible says about God; His existence, His works, and His character. Faithfulness is the result of the Spirit working in us.

Being faithful to God means not putting other things above what He tells us to do like being kind to one another, following thru on something you promised someone you would do; it means being faithful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by obeying Him every day.

Do you give others a reason to trust you and have faith in you? Do you keep your promises? Always remember that God is faithful and keeps His promises, just as we must also do if we are to produce good fruit.

GENTLENESS

Is the eighth fruit of the Spirit

Gentleness, also translated “meekness,” does not mean weakness. Rather, it involves humility and thankfulness toward God, and polite, restrained behavior toward others.

When we are filled with the Spirit’s fruit of gentleness, we will correct others gently instead of arguing in resentment and anger, knowing that their salvation is far more important than our pride (2 Timothy 2:24-25). We will forgive readily, because any offense toward us is nothing compared to our offenses against God; offenses He’s already forgiven (Matthew 18:23-35).

The opposites of gentleness are anger, a desire for revenge, and self-aggrandizement. If, however, we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we will be filled with the fruit of gentleness like Jesus wants us to be filled with.

Jesus teaches us to deal with others in a gentle and compassionate way just like He did throughout His ministry here on earth. He gave us the perfect picture of gentleness: “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey” (Matthew 21:5), and now He offers us His gentleness as a gift. If we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we will be filled with fruit of gentleness.

SELF-CONTROL

Is the ninth and last fruit of the Spirit

One of the proofs of God’s working in our life is the ability to control our own thoughts, words, and actions. Self-control leads to perseverance and godliness (2 Peter 1:6) instead of the instant gratification the world has to offer.

Self-control is a gift that frees us to enjoy the benefits of a healthy mind and body. It frees us from a guilty conscience. Self-control puts the brakes on our foolish desires, giving us the freedom to love and live as we are destined to in Christ Jesus.

——–

As true born again Christians, we have the Holy Spirit producing fruit through us and we have the Holy Spirit’s power available to conquer the acts of the sinful nature. God’s Word tells us that, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Jesus said: “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16). Evidently not! So what kind of tree are you? Are you a good tree with healthy fruit?  If you think you are, have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and made things right with Him? Are you obeying Him every day and making Him the Lord of your life? Or do you think that you can have good fruit on your own merits?

Remember that just as a tree is recognized by its fruit; you cannot live life without God and produce good fruit.  You cannot be the “good” person that God desires you to be without becoming His obedient child, meaning you cannot do it on your own.  You need the power of the Holy Spirit to work in you and through you.  Only then, will you produce the kind of fruit of the Spirit that the Bible teaches us about.

If you want to live a life filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control remember what the Bible teaches: “I can do all this through Him (Jesus) who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

*******

DISCLAIMER MVM

Leave a Comment

Posted in THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – Galatians 5:22-23 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: missionventureministries | July 28, 2021

ONE DAY AT A TIME – Matthew 6:33-34

Matthew 6 vs 33-34

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33-34) 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that we need to start by giving God top priority because He commands us not to worry. That is sufficient reason to have hope in His plan for tomorrow. James and Proverbs tell us not to boast about tomorrow either (James 4:13; Proverbs 27:1). Whether it is boasting or worrying, God calls us to live our life one day at a time in Him. God is with us here and now, and if it is destined for us to be here tomorrow He will be there with us also. 

Jesus is saying that born-again believers ought to let tomorrow worry about itself. He’s not saying Christians cannot or should not make wise plans. Nor is He saying believers ought to literally ignore everything. His context here is about the emotions of fear and anxiety; because those who trust in God shouldn’t worry over the future. Trials and tribulations could come to pass when tomorrow comes anyway. Today has sufficient troubles with which we need to trust God. Jesus commands His followers to focus on trusting God in a moment-by-moment basis and letting God provide what is needed a day at a time. 

Many people think that emotions such as worry are unavoidable. But they only become such, when we do NOT take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), or keep our minds unwavering on Christ and our trust in God because, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You” (Isaiah 26:3). 

We need not fret about basic necessities, or anything else as Paul writes to the Philippian church. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). That includes any decision we make. 

When we’re not sure what to do in a certain situation, Jesus’ words become our compass. Each day’s circumstances are different, but when we choose to honor Christ by making good decision, we leave room for the Holy Spirit to guide our mind. 

Thinking about tomorrow is wise when it comes to considering how to apply biblical principles so that one day we will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23). 

Being a good steward of the time God gives is not really a matter of guarding the minutes so we can spend our time productively. Certainly we need to use our time wisely, but even more importantly we need to trust God in each moment, being stewards of each hour of our lives for the honor and glory of God. 

Does this mean we never save money, never plan a schedule, and never enjoy life? By no means, we will be held accountable tomorrow only for the way we handled what we’ve been entrusted with today (Matthew 25:14-30). 

If one lives on biblical principles and trusts God, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness today, then tomorrow will be a wonderful day. How good it is to live this way, never dwelling on the past, and never worrying about the future. 

We should never forget that we are here as ambassadors of Christ called to a world-wide mission of making disciples of all nations and reaching out to the uttermost part of the earth (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). We are here to represent the Savior, to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever. 

Is there something you need to do to start seeing differently? How might the perspective of living life a day at a time be beneficial in your situation? If you seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, your heavenly Father knows that you need and all blessings will be given to you as well. 

Think about this…when we worry, that means we do not trust our heavenly Father and Jesus tells us “who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:27) 

Therefore, remember to “cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). 

Click here to hear a beautiful song entitled A DAY AT A TIME

 *******

DISCLAIMER MVM

Leave a Comment

Posted in ONE DAY AT A TIME – Matthew 6:33-34 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: missionventureministries | July 21, 2021

WHO ARE THE SAINTS OF WHICH THE BIBLE SPEAKS? – Ephesians 4:11-12

Ephesians 4 vs 11-12

And He Himself (Jesus) gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12) 

This means that Jesus established these vocations and that they are appointed and gifted by Jesus, and not by man. The purpose of these gifts of leadership is also clear. It is that saints (God’s people) might be equipped for the work of ministry (service), so that the body of Christ would be built up, expanded and strengthened. 

Leaders in the church have the first responsibility to equip people to serve and to direct their service as God leads. This is to perfect, complete and mature, the saints for the ministry and edification of the body of Christ. 

Paul in his writings addresses the body of believers as those who are called to be saints. We read this in Romans 1:7, “To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

And again in 1 Corinthians 1:2-3: “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

The word saints are never used of a special group of believers who serve God better than others. Scripture is clear that all born again believers are saints. 

The word saint originates from the Greek word meaning “holy” or “set apart.” Christians are called saints because they are called to live a life set apart from the corruption of the world. Followers of Christ are called to be holy, “as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15-16). 

When we search for the word saints in the Bible we see that the word is almost exclusively referred to in plural form “saints.” Even when we read Philippians 4:21 which uses the word saint in the singular form – “Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you” – its implication reflects plurality.  

The idea of the word “saints” is a group of people set apart for the Lord and His kingdom. There are three references referring to godly character of saints as Paul writes:

  • To assist: “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also” (Romans 16:1-2).
  • To equip: “the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).
  • To stay pure: “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, because these are improper among saints“ (Ephesians 5:3). 

As we see, “saints” are referred to in the Bible as the body of Christ. All born again believers are considered saints and are called to be saints. Christians are saints by virtue of their union with Jesus Christ – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). 

Christians are called to be saints, to increasingly allow their daily life to more closely resemble their position in Christ. This is the biblical description and calling of the saints. 

If you have put your trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, then He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14) through His own blood (Hebrews 13:12) and you have been washed and justified in His Name (1 Corinthians 6:11). 

Christians are made holy by the atoning work of Christ at Calvary on the cross. Once this takes place, they are set apart for holy use by God and that is to glorify God and share the Good News with those who are not yet saved. 

Some religious groups make wooden and metal images and idols of the people that they call “saints.” This pagan practice is extremely evil and a blatant abomination to our Holy Creator, God and King. People and nations were destroyed because they worshipped and prayed to idols, false gods and the people that they considered “saints.”  

This is and extremely evil and dangerous practice and everyone who practices idol worship and teaches people to worship idols will be cast into the Lake of Fire for all of eternity. 

God said it, God commanded it, that settles it. This is what He spoke. 

Thou shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:3) 

Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shall not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6) 

If you belong to Him, you are a saint!  When God looks at you, He sees Jesus’ holiness in you. As it is written in Isaiah 61:10, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” 

********

DISCLAIMER MVM

Leave a Comment

Posted in WHO ARE THE SAINTS OF WHICH THE BIBLE SPEAKS? – Ephesians 4:11-12 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: missionventureministries | July 14, 2021

LESSONS LEARNED FROM ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA’S DISHONESTY – Acts 5:1-11

Acts 5 vs 1-11

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 5:1-2) 

In the early Christian church in Jerusalem, the believers were very close and very caring, to the point that they sold their excess land or possessions and donated the money so no one would go hungry. This sharing of resources was not a requirement of the church, but those who participated were looked upon favorably. Their generosity was a sign of their love for one another. Barnabas was one such generous person in the early church (Acts 4:36). 

Believers were one in heart and mind and realized that everything they had was from God, and that what they had was not given to them for their own exclusive use, but to be shared with those in need. There was no coercion involved; any believer was free to own property if he so chose and no one would think less of him for it. But most of them were selling their material possessions and giving the money to the apostles to be distributed to those who were in need. They were sacrificing their own comforts and conveniences for the good of all. 

The result of this unselfish spirit was great power and blessing on the entire church. As “the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33). 

Ananias and Sapphira were part of this congregation of believers and just like everyone around them; they want to participate in the blessings being shared by giving of their own possessions to support the brethren. But there was a problem in their thinking. They sold a piece of property, received money for it. Then in agreement, they kept back some of the proceeds for themselves and brought the rest to the apostles (Acts 5:2). 

Ananias shows up first at the congregation with the partial money of their sale. Now Peter with the discernment of the Holy Spirit reprimands Ananias and asks why he chose to lie to the Holy Spirit by keeping some of the money he had received for the land (Acts 5:3). While the land was in Ananias possession it all belonged to him to do with as he pleased; and when he sold it, he still had control over what he did with the money. The problem was that he had chosen to lie about donating the total amount of the selling price and Peter confronts him by telling him that he had not lied to men but to God (Acts 5:4). As soon as Ananias heard these words he fell down and died (Acts 5:5). 

Now, Sapphira was not with Ananias when this occurred. Three hours later, she comes to the where the believers are gathered and she does not know what has happened to her husband (Acts 5:7). Now Peter asks her a question, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” And she answers yes, that is the price (Acts 5:8). 

And just as it happened with Ananias, Peter confronts Sapphira and tells her: “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also” (Acts 5:9). At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband (Acts 5:10). 

Because of their greed and dishonesty, Ananias and Sapphira held back part of the money from the sale; they could have kept it all if God had told them to do so (Acts 5:4). No one told them they had to give the entire portion of the sale of their land. They had choices; they could have given the proceedings of the sale and then trusted the brethren to help them to cover whatever their own needs were. They could have chosen not to sell the land, or they could have sold the land and given a portion to the apostles without trying to make it look as though they had given the full amount. This couple was to be stewards of all that God had blessed them with, since the land and everything we have belongs to Him anyway. 

So what lessons are there to learn from this? 

FIRST, do not lie about your good deeds to make them seem better than what they are. Peter, with divine discernment, attributed their scheme to Satan and called it lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). He explained that they were under no obligation to sell their property. And even after they sold it, they were under no obligation to give all the money to the church. But they were obligated to be honest (Acts 5:4). Ananias and Sapphire’s sin was dishonesty, deceit, hypocrisy, pretense, presenting a false image of themselves, implying a greater spirituality than they actually possessed, letting people think more highly of them than what they knew was warranted. They were more interested in appearances than in honesty and they lied to God (Acts 5:4). 

SECOND, do not go along with your spouse in wrongdoing. Acts 5:2 says that Ananias did this thing with “his wife’s full knowledge.” She knew how much they got for the land, she knew they were keeping a portion for themselves, and she knew Ananias was going to present the offering to the apostles as though it were the total quantity of the sale. Ananias made the delivery of the donation since he was the head of the household; however, this did not give her the right to participate in this. Submission to your husband does not mean going along with him in sinful behavior. 

THIRD, when you do something wrong, and someone asks you straight out if you are lying, stop right there and admit that you are lying and tell the truth. Peter gave Sapphira an opportunity to repent of the sin she was involved in. She had a chance to confess the lie. The implication of the text is that she would not have died had she told the truth to Peter. Instead, Sapphira held to the lie and lost her life. 

FOURTH, it is not enough to say that you are a Christian and to go to church every Sunday. We must not pretend but must “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God… and not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2). 

As a body of believers we must say “NO to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13). 

FIFTH, lying will lose you the entrance to heaven as surely as murder will, unless you repent as Paul writes: “Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart” (Acts 8:22). Sin is sin – all are equal in that the result will be the same, separation from God. Therefore, do not be deceived because “the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). 

And lastly, greed will always cause us to commit sin. The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Greed will cause man to commit all sorts of sin; and in this case, it was lying to the Holy Spirit and faking an image of generosity. In other cases, it could be anything from stealing, manipulation, lying, coercion, and the like. 

Peter merely exposed Ananias’ hypocrisy by the insight God gave him. It was the disciplinary hand of God that took the lives of Ananias and Sapphira causing the congregation to learn a very strong lesson. Had God permitted Ananias and Sapphira to continue their charade, it would have destroyed the witness of the early church. Therefore, the sudden, dramatic deaths of Ananias and Sapphira served to purify and warn the church since “great fear seized the whole church” (Acts 5:11). Right away, in the church’s infancy, God made it plain that hypocrisy and deceit were not going to be tolerated, and His judgment of Ananias and Sapphira helped guard the church against future exploitation. 

This is a lesson to be learned by all churches, just at Jesus told the compromising church in Thyatira, “All the churches will know that I am He who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds” (Revelation 2:23). Repayment might not happen instantly as it did for Ananias and Sapphira but judgment will come and we need to remember that: “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). 

*******

DISCLAIMER MVM

Leave a Comment

Posted in LESSONS LEARNED FROM ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA’S DISHONESTY – Acts 5:1-11 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: missionventureministries | July 7, 2021

THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S TIME – 2 Peter 3:4 and Galatians 4:4-5

2 Peter 3 vs 4

“Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:4) 

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoptions as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5) 

Our Lord is an amazing God of order. He names and numbers the stars (Psalm 147:4), He set the boundary for the seas (Job 38:11), He numbers the hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30), and He orders the steps of the righteous (Psalm 37:23). 

The fullness of time refers to God’s appointed time in His plan for human kind; in Galatians 4:4-5 it refers to the time for Jesus to come from heaven to earth to be born as man. And without a doubt the fullness of God’s time will come to pass again when Jesus comes to earth at His second coming. 

As we wait, we must be careful not to mock or scoff and say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:4). Because, just as when the fullness of the time had come when He sent forth His Son to be born of a woman; when the next fullness of the times comes in God’s appointed times, He is going to send Jesus back to rule as King. 

When we look at history we come to understand that God is working in His time; and as hard as it is for humans to be patient we need obediently wait and let Him do what He has deemed in His eternal plan for us. 

Since God rules over human history, He undeniably shaped the history of the nations, including the dominance of the Roman Empire that had an impact on Israel, on Jesus, and on the spread of the Gospel by the early Christian church. Certainly this was a part of God’s preparation, for God uses the historical events to achieve His purposes as we see throughout Scripture. 

Our amazing God has not only arranged and ordered all things in the universe, He has ordered all things within His universe in their appointed times. Presently we are living in the time of the Gentiles and soon the world will experience the rapture of the church and the beginning of the 70th week written in the book of Daniel. 

Everything has an appointed time just as the vision Habakkuk had seen of the coming Babylonian Empire. “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Habakkuk 2:3). 

Waiting for the fullness of time requires patience because God works according to His own calendar and measures time differently than we because, “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). 

When we read the account in Daniel or future things to come we recognize that presently we are living in a huge gap between the 69th week and the 70th week since the prophetic clock has stopped now for nearly 2000 years. And the final “seven weeks” spoken of by Daniel, “the tribulation period”, is still to come. 

We see another significant pause or gap regarding the coming of the Messiah, when we compare Isaiah 9:6 prophecies to Luke 1:31-33. The book of Isaiah was written between 739 and 681 B.C. where he prophesied the coming of Messiah, and it was not until sometime between 6 and 4 BC that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. 

Our God is a God of order. He has pre-determined every moment in time, lasting no longer than it takes for a twinkling of an eye, when He commands His Son to meet the dead in Christ and the church in the air in their new incorruptible bodies (1 Corinthians 15:52). Yes, the rapture is always imminent and is getting closer by the day. Signs of Jesus’ coming are more visible now then at any other time in history. The Jews are back in the Promised Land, the church is becoming more and more apostate, and lawlessness and perilous times are upon us. Therefore, we could say that it is more imminent now than ever before. 

While no man knows the day or the hour of the rapture of the church, we do know that one morning we will awake to the day when in a twinkling of an eye the church age is going to end. Yes, people will get saved during the tribulation, but they will die for their faith under the reign of terror of the Beast. If you can’t live for Jesus now, what makes you think you will be able to die for Him when this takes place? 

Don’t wait! Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:1-2), for our salvation from this world is nearer today than it has ever been before. 

The Bible tells us that the fullness of the Gentiles is coming…and the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again, but we do not know the moment when either of those things will happen. Some day in the future, God will once again gather His people unto Himself and bless His people with prosperity and peace, but that time has not yet come. It is coming, but not until the “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). 

How long will it take for God’s promised blessings to be completely fulfilled? No one knows because God has His own calendar, which He reveals to no one. Only when Christ comes again will we know that God’s promises have attained their intended fullness. Until then we witness and wait patiently with confident hope as the Psalmist wrights; “rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7). 

And we should also heed the prophet Micah as he writes: I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation (Micah 7:7). Therefore let us also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that we do not expect (Matthew 24:44). 

*******

DISCLAIMER MVM

Leave a Comment

Posted in THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S TIME – 2 Peter 3:4 and Galatians 4:4-5 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: missionventureministries | June 30, 2021

MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE – Hosea 4:6

Hosea 4 vs 6

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because you have rejected knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6)

This statement found in Hosea was written about two thousand seven hundred years ago; however, it reflects a principle that is just as applicable today as when it was written. People are destroyed for lack of knowledge because they have rejected the knowledge that God had made available to them through His Holy Scripture. 

Hosea 4:1-2 emphasize that Israel’s lack of knowledge was not mere ignorance, but active sin against God: “There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.” 

When we read the rest of verse 6 it helps us to better understand what Hosea is declaring: “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.” It’s important to note the structure of the verse: “rejected knowledge” is parallel to “forgotten the law.” This fits the context of the opening verse of the chapter, which states that Israel failed to acknowledge the LORD as their God (Hosea 4:1). The people did not simply lack knowledge; they actively rejected it and ignored it. 

Another parallel offers a deeper understanding of the passage. Because Israel had “rejected” knowledge – God’s Law, God would “reject” them. Because Israel had “forgotten” God’s Law, He would “forget” their children; He would remove His future blessing from the nation. As a result of God “rejecting” and “forgetting” Israel, they would be destroyed. Hosea’s message is in line with Moses’ warning to the nation that God would remove His blessing from a disobedient people as Deuteronomy 28 declares. 

Since, Hosea’s warnings went unheeded; Israel was conquered by the Assyrians. 

When we read these verses, it brings to mind the very disturbing parallels that are going on in the world today. We have sunk to moral depths lower than could have been imagined only a generation ago. We murder babies that are socially inconvenient. Our entertainment industry celebrates adultery, fornication, violence, aberrant sex practices, and every imaginable form of evil; and this is just to name a few of our decaying moral standards in the world. 

Immorality and deceit have also come to characterize the highest offices of our nations as well. Our politics overlook and cover up more murders than we dare list. Our public enterprises have been prostituted to the convenience of the influential that rule the world. 

As we see, there is nothing new in the “new morality.” They practiced it in 700 B.C. and were ultimately destroyed as a result; and so it will be for us if we continue on the path we are going, it will result in catastrophic consequences. 

Israel had neglected the Word of God for two hundred years. So have we. We have become virtually ignorant of God’s Word. We have outlawed Him from our schools and exiled Him from our lives. Consequently, the minute we get away from the Word of God, we are doomed to failure in both our Christian life and our national life.  Therefore, we need to urgently give attention to history and consider how the Israelites turned their backs on God since at this moment we need to look no further than the mirror in front of us to see a reflection of those same Israelites. 

In the United States of America it is fashionable to refer to the blessing of God as the source of material prosperity. However we need to understand that not all affluence are blessings. We do well to observe the profound wisdom of Agur son of Jakeh, who wrote in Proverbs 30:7-9, “Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” 

Only by remembering how much God has done for each of us will we be able to avoid rejecting the One who can give us eternal life in glory instead of the hell we deserve. It is essential that we learn to respect our Creator. Hosea has shown us God’s heart of loving commitment. When we sin, if we have a sorrowful heart filled with repentance, God will bring us back to Himself and show His never-ending love to us; as stated in 1 John 1:9,  if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

The problem is that when men and women lack the knowledge that would bring them to Christ for salvation, it is because they have already rejected knowledge that would have led them to the understanding that they need to be saved. Paul writes that “in the last days” men and women would be “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). And the next verse tells us why. It is because they “resist the truth” (v. 8). A chapter later we read in 2 Timothy 4:4, that people “will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths (or fables).” 

When people die without being saved, it is not that God did not want them to be saved, for He would “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). 

We need to understand that true knowledge is the knowledge of Biblical truth. True knowledge is a relationship with God, which Israel had lost and most of the world has also lost in the present day. The Word is the vehicle of God’s revelation of Himself as the book of Proverbs states: “Where there is no understanding of the Word of the Lord, the people do whatever they want to, but happy is he who keeps the law” (29:18). 

Therefore, a prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The foolish person goes blindly on and suffers the consequences (Proverbs 22:3). And, furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done (Romans 1:28).

Always remember that God has given obtainable knowledge, and He has also given us free will, so that what ever choice we make, that is the one that we will have to live with for eternity. 

*******

DISCLAIMER MVM

Leave a Comment

Posted in MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE – Hosea 4:6 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: missionventureministries | June 23, 2021

HOW TO TRUST GOD IN TIMES OF TRIALS – Genesis 50:20

Genesis 50 vs 20

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive. (Genesis 50:20) 

The Bible clearly teaches that God loves those who are His children, “and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Therefore, for the believer, when trials and tribulations come they have a divine purpose. 

A good example is seen in Joseph’s life between the hatred of his brothers who sold him into slavery, the anger and lies of his master’s wife, and incarceration that left him forgotten in prison. It would have been easy for Joseph to lose hope, and those 13 years of his life must have seemed like an eternity, but Joseph trusted in the Lord, stayed close to Him and kept his faith strong. 

Just like Joseph we need to choose to believe God’s promises and trust that He is always in control of our life. He loves us and cares about us and He will never leave or forsake His children, no matter how we may feel when going through trials, tribulation and hardships. 

When we are going through tough times, we need to bring to our mind that our feelings are unreliable factors on which to base our decisions, since they are constantly changing, and can be flawed. For that reason, we need to make a conscious effort to base our decisions on biblical truth rather than on our emotions. We need to trust that the Holy Spirit is with us as we are dealing with hardships, even when we don’t sense His presence or understand what is happening. 

Instead of asking “why?” we need to ask “how?” When we ask why? God may or may not choose to give us an answer. However, when we ask God how, He will often reveal the purposes that He wants us to fulfill as we go through our trial. We should always remind ourselves that during these tough times we need to draw closer to God because “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust” (Psalm 91:2). 

All through out the Bible, God’s people have asked why certain things happened, or will happen, and many times He explained why things have happened like they did, or will happen. Daniel, Paul, David and all of the prophets have asked God to explain why events have happened and will happen. All through out the Bible God has invited us to inquire of Him why certain things have happened and will happen in the future.  

Jeremiah 33:3 is just one scripture where God gives us a command and an invitation to inquire of His great plans and purposes and says: “Call unto me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  

God wants His true children to be fully informed about many things that we need to know; He even blessed us with the promise that true Christians “have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). 

We need to understand that trials develop godly character, which enables us to “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Romans 5:3-5). This is the way God refines us to accomplish His purpose for our life. 

Jesus Christ set the perfect example. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). These verses reveal aspects of His divine purpose for both Jesus Christ’s trials and tribulations and ours; knowing that “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). 

We must however, be careful never to make excuses for our “trials and tribulations” if they are a result of our own sins and rebellion. God will forgive our sins because the eternal punishment for sin has been paid by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Never the less, we still have to suffer the natural consequences in this life for our sins and bad choices. But God uses even those sufferings to mold and shape us for His purposes and our ultimate good. 

Scripture tells us that trials and tribulations come with both a purpose and a reward. “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. . . . Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:2-4, 12). 

As believers we need to know that we have victory as we overcome life’s trials and tribulations since God has given us His Word to guide us, His Holy Spirit to enable us, and the privilege of coming to Him anywhere, at any time, to pray about anything – “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). 

We need to have strong faith like Joseph who in the midst of trials and tribulations trusted that God was with him every step of the way. And at the end of the dark years, he proclaimed he had learned that what man meant for evil “God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result” (Genesis 50:20). 

One of the primary reasons we struggle in adversity and give in to despair and hopelessness is ignorance of the Scriptures. The Lord wants to help us through affliction, but we must open His Word to receive His guidance, comfort, and assurance. 

When we are confident of the Lord’s love for us and understand how He uses adversity in our lives, we will be able to trust Him and respond in a way that benefits us knowing that God is always with us and that He promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). 

God’s ultimate purpose for us is to grow more and more into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This is the goal of the Christian, and everything in life, including the trials and tribulations, are designed to enable us to reach that goal. It is part of the process of sanctification, being set apart for God’s purposes and fitted to live for His glory. The way trials accomplish this is explained in 1 Peter 1:6-7: “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 

The believer’s faith will be made strong by the trials we experience so that we can rest in the knowledge that God is with us and His purpose is to refine us, giving us the hope needed for enduring with assurance and peace in our inner most being. 

*******

DISCLAIMER MVM

Leave a Comment

Posted in HOW TO TRUST GOD IN TIMES OF TRIALS - Genesis 50:20 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: missionventureministries | June 16, 2021

THE NAMES OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

THE NAMES OF GOD

Here are some of the better-known names of God in the Bible. Each of these names of God describes a different aspect of His many-faceted character. 

ADONAI: “Lord” (Genesis 15:2; Judges 6:15) – used in place of YHWH, which was thought by the Jews to be too sacred to be uttered by sinful men. In the Old Testament, YHWH is more often used in God’s dealings with His people, while Adonai is used more when He deals with the Gentiles. 

EL ELOAH: God “mighty, strong, prominent” (Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 139:19) – etymologically, El appears to mean “power” and “might” (Genesis 31:29). El is associated with other qualities, such as integrity (Numbers 23:19), jealousy (Deuteronomy 5:9), and compassion (Nehemiah 9:31), but the root idea of “might” remains. 

EL ELYON: “Most High” (Deuteronomy 26:19) – derived from the Hebrew root for “go up” or “ascend,” so the implication is of that which is the very highest. El Elyon denotes exaltation and speaks of absolute right to lordship. 

EL GIBHOR: “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) – the name describing the Messiah, Christ Jesus, in this prophetic portion of Isaiah. As a powerful and mighty warrior, the Messiah, the Mighty God, will accomplish the destruction of God’s enemies and rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15). 

ELOHIM: God “Creator, Mighty and Strong” (Genesis 17:7; Jeremiah 31:33) – the plural form of Eloah, which accommodates the doctrine of the Trinity. From the Bible’s first sentence, the superlative nature of God’s power is evident as God (Elohim) speaks the world into existence (Genesis 1:1). 

EL OLAM: “Everlasting God” (Psalm 90:1-3) – God’s nature is without beginning or end, free from all constraints of time, and He contains within Himself the very cause of time itself. “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” 

EL ROI: “God of Seeing” (Genesis 16:13) – the name ascribed to God by Hagar, alone and desperate in the wilderness after being driven out by Sarah (Genesis 16:1-14). When Hagar met the Angel of the Lord, she realized she had seen God Himself in a theophany. She also realized that El Roi saw her in her distress and testified that He is a God who lives and sees all. 

EL SHADDAI: “God Almighty,” “The Mighty One of Jacob” (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 132:2,5) – speaks to God’s ultimate power over all. 

YAHWEH-ELOHIM: “LORD God” (Genesis 2:4; Psalm 59:5) – a combination of God’s unique name YHWH and the generic “Lord,” signifying that He is the Lord of Lords. 

YAHWEH-JIREH: “The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14) – the name memorialized by Abraham when God provided the ram to be sacrificed in place of Isaac. 

YAHWEH-M’KADDESH: “The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy” (Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:28) – God makes it clear that He alone, not the law, can cleanse His people and make them holy. 

YAHWEH-NISSI: “The Lord Our Banner” (Exodus 17:15), where banner is understood to be a rallying place. This name commemorates the desert victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17. 

YAHWEH-RAPHA: “The Lord Who Heals” (Exodus 15:26) – “I am Jehovah who heals you” both in body and soul. In body, by preserving from and curing diseases, and in soul, by pardoning iniquities. 

YAHWEH-ROHI: “The Lord Our Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1) – After David pondered his relationship as a shepherd to his sheep, he realized that was exactly the relationship God had with him, and so he declares, “Yahweh-Rohi is my Shepherd. I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). 

YAHWEH-SABAOTH: “The Lord of Hosts” (Isaiah 1:24; Psalm 46:7) – Hosts means “hordes,” both of angels and of men. He is Lord of the host of heaven and of the inhabitants of the earth, of Jews and Gentiles, of rich and poor, master and slave. The name is expressive of the majesty, power, and authority of God and shows that He is able to accomplish what He determines to do. 

YAHWEH-SHALOM: “The Lord Our Peace” (Judges 6:24) – the name given by Gideon to the altar he built after the Angel of the Lord assured him he would not die as he thought he would after seeing Him. 

YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: “The Lord Is There” (Ezekiel 48:35) – the name ascribed to Jerusalem and the Temple there, indicating that the once-departed glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 8—11) had returned (Ezekiel 44:1-4). 

YAHWEH-TSIDKENU: “The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16) – As with YHWH-M’Kaddesh, it is God alone who provides righteousness (from the Hebrew word tsidkenu) to man, ultimately in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who became sin for us “that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). 

YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH: “LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14) – strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles “LORD” (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai, “Lord.” The revelation of the name is given to Moses “I Am who I Am” (Exodus 3:14). This name specifies an immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance (Psalm 107:13), forgiveness (Psalm 25:11) and guidance (Psalm 31:3).

*******

DISCLAIMER MVM

2 Comments

Posted in THE NAMES OF GOD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories