Sunday, December 5, 2021

It’s Good News About Eternity :: By Jonathan Brentner Published on: December 5, 2021 by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles

It’s Good News About Eternity :: By Jonathan Brentner

Published on: December 5, 2021 by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles

There’s good news about eternity in the Gospel message. Of course, the saving message of the cross assures us as believers of the forgiveness of all our sins and empowers us to walk with the Savior. We must also remember, however, that its saving message also contains great news about forever. It’s this future tense of the Gospel that enables us to put the lawlessness, violence, and wickedness of our world into a proper context.

In Psalm 73, we have the account of Asaph contemplating “the prosperity of the wicked.” Despite their arrogant disregard for God, they enjoyed many of the pleasures and benefits of life. Although they spoke against God and His people, they prospered far above most of those who trusted the Lord and sought to please Him (73:3-12).

The Psalmist admitted the bitterness of his heart as he watched the wealthy strut about in their wickedness (73:13-15, 21-22). However, by the end of Psalm 73, Asaph praises the Lord (vv. 23-28). What caused his dramatic change of heart? He “went into the sanctuary of God” and “discerned their end,” speaking of the wicked (73:17).

An eternal perspective changed the heart of the Psalmist. He recognized the future judgment of those prospering in their evil behavior (v. 19) in contrast to the glory that awaited him in eternity (vv. 24-26).

If a modern-day Asaph walked into a church today, would he leave with the same eternal outlook? Would he find that the Gospel message directed his heart to eternity where the Lord will judge the wicked and abundantly reward those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb?

How does our Gospel hope of eternal life help us avoid the initial bitterness of Asaph?

It Reminds Us That God Will Judge the Wicked

The ancient Asaph recognized the fate of the wicked of his day, and that enabled him to cope with their worldly riches and success in spite of their arrogant rejection of God:

“Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!” (Psalm 73:18-19).

The terrors of our day do not escape those with the same perspective as that of Asaph. We see through the pervasive fake news and recognize that our world lies on the precipice of the Tribulation period when the Lord will pour out His wrath on a Christ-rejecting world. We watch as monsters carry out evil schemes, but we also understand that these wicked peddlers of death will someday stand before Jesus at the white throne judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).

I repeatedly go to Psalm 37:1-20 as well as Psalm 73 when the evils of our day begin to overwhelm me. I know that the elite will someday succeed in bringing about a worldwide empire that will become the kingdom of the antichrist, but the Bible tells me that the Lord will totally destroy this evil empire when He returns to the earth (Revelation 19:17-21; 2 Thessalonians 2:8).

Apart from a total collapse of the globalists’ agenda and cataclysmic changes in governments around the world, including that in the U.S., the world will continue its certain and rapid movement toward the seven-year Tribulation, during which time the Lord will judge all those who reject the Savior and promote the lawlessness growing rapidly in our world.

It Teaches Us to Value Eternity Above Temporal Aspirations

Ed Hindson, in his book Future Glory, writes,

“God has planned an incredible eternal experience for every believer. We were created for eternity and redeemed for eternity. But life has a way of focusing our attention on our immediate cares and not our ultimate goal…. No matter how hard we try, we are never satisfied with anything less than that which is eternal.” [i]

Dr. Hindson also quoted Joe Stowell; “Life is most disappointing, most despairing when it is lived as though this world is all we have.” [ii]

We need an eternal focus to see us through our lives. This does not mean that we fail to enjoy the blessings God sends our way, but we do so with the understanding that eternity will be far better than the grandest of our aspirations and dreams. Paul aptly expressed this two-world perspective in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

This is the New Testament version of the outlook on life that Asaph gained from considering the tragic fate of the wicked versus the glorious destiny of the redeemed. As New Testament saints, we have a decided advantage over Asaph in that we have a much clearer picture of our joyous future in eternity.

Our eternal journey begins with the Lord giving us immortal and imperishable bodies, snatching us away from the earth and taking us to the place He’s preparing for us in Heaven.

Jesus saved us so that we might possess eternal life and spend eternity with Him.

It Places Our Ultimate Hope in Eternity

As the writer of Hebrews looked back at the heroes of faith in the Old Testament, he noted that some “through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises… escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight” (Hebrews 11:33-34). We would like to think that our faith might have a similar result, and that may very well be the case. The Lord often blesses His children in a variety of ways.

However, the writer also cites other outcomes to trusting in the same Lord and the same Word of God. “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated — of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11: 34-38).

We do not know where a life of faith will take us. We may endure pain and suffering; spend lonely days and nights; watch loved ones die; or become the object of mocking and persecution from those who hate our Lord Jesus. The latter is the case for most followers of Jesus in this world at the present moment.

Please notice that the words of Hebrews 11:39-40 apply to all the heroes of faith, both the conquerors of kingdoms and those running for their lives because of persecution. “And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.”

Despite their great triumphs, even these Old Testament heroes of the faith did not receive what God promised them, the heavenly city mentioned in Hebrews 11:14-16. This is the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21:9-26.

The result of saving faith is paradise with joys and wonders that we can only now imagine. This is hope into which Jesus saves us. Earthly hopes fade away as time passes, but our eternal inheritance grows more precious by the day.

It Magnifies Christ as We Look at Our World Through the Lens of Biblical Prophecy

As a result of the mainstream media influence throughout the world, many believers remain oblivious to the fact that they live on the edge of eternity. As a result, they remain blind to how world events point to the nearness of the Tribulation and hence to the Rapture, which must happen before it.

In America, those of us who view the world through the lens of biblical prophecy recognize the dangers inherent with a government that mandates deadly vaccines, seeks to submit our nation to the whims of the globalists under the guise of “build back better,” and vigorously promotes the murder of children in the womb.

We view the rampant lawlessness that defines the U.S., as well as our world, as but a stepping stone leading to the appearance of the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-8).

An abundance of other signs reveals that we live in the last days as prophesied in Scripture. For example:

As debt grows exponentially in the U.S., as well as in many other nations, the world remains long overdue for an economic crisis of epic proportions.
Several flashpoints for war exist all around the globe that could quite easily erupt and result in the deaths of tens of millions, if not many more. It will not take much to spark the wars described in Revelation 6:3-4, 8).
We see the nations aligning precisely as Ezekiel predicted for the Gog-Magog war in chapters 38-39. As tensions continue to arise in Syria, it’s evident that these nations are on a path to conflict, just as the prophet said so long ago.

The good news is that Jesus is coming to take His true church out of this world before the calamity and unspeakable horrors of the Tribulation period. What we now see happening in our world is exactly what the Bible says would happen in the last days before Jesus returns to rule over the nations.

Looking at the world through the lens of biblical prophecy not only helps us better understand our world in the last days, but it also magnifies the person of Jesus.

The book of Revelation begins with these words, “The revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1) and exalts Him over and over again through His judgment of human wickedness, His all-glorious and triumphant return to the earth, His thousand-year reign over the nations, and His final victory over all sin and death as the white throne judgment leads to a spectacular eternal state.

When taken as an eyewitness account of the apostle John of prophetic end-time events (the very thing it repeatedly claims to be), the book of Revelation exalts Jesus from beginning to end. No other book glorifies the Lamb with such majesty from the church age all the way to the eternal state.

Just as with Asaph of old, a scripturally sound contemplation of eternity results in much praise for our Lord Jesus.

Biblical prophecy magnifies our Savior.

Jonathan Brentner
Website: Our Journey Home
Please consider signing up for my newsletter on my website. Thanks!
E-mail: Jonathanbrentner@yahoo.com

[i] Ed Hinson, Future Glory (Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 2021), p.7.
[ii] Joe Stowell, Eternity (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), p. 13.

Dirt Poor :: By Daymond Duck Published on: December 5, 2021 by RRadmin7 Category:Daymond Duck, General Articles

Dirt Poor :: By Daymond Duck

Published on: December 5, 2021 by RRadmin7 Category:Daymond Duck, General Articles

My generation is familiar with the expression, “I grew up dirt poor.” I remember when we could see hogs and dogs under the house through cracks in the floor, when we wore hand-me-down clothes or my mother made them, when we had no heat in the bedrooms, when we got electricity for the first time, when we got our first telephone, when we didn’t have running water, when we had to use an outdoor toilet, when we got our first TV set, our first vehicle, our first tractor, etc.

I remember when we didn’t have locks on the doors of the house we lived in, but that didn’t matter because we didn’t have anything worth stealing.

I remember when we raised a garden, canned our food, killed hogs, hunted rabbits and squirrels, and fished for food to eat.

I remember working in the field all week and crying if we didn’t get 25 cents to spend at the movies and stores when we went to town on Saturday afternoon (if we got to go).

I remember a few things about WWII, a cousin that died in the war, my dad being exempted to work on the farm, and rationed food.

America ended the war as a Christian nation, we started the school day with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, a preacher came to our school once a week to speak during chapel, each day a teacher would read the Bible to us during Study Hall, America prospered and God turned America into the envy of the world.

I don’t regret growing up “dirt poor” in a Christian nation.

With God’s help, my hard work and Christian values led to a good education, good jobs, a good place to live, and a blessed life.

At my age now, I couldn’t survive being “dirt poor” again, but I am not concerned about it (I expect to be Raptured).

Having said this, I am concerned that America has become unthankful; America has abandoned most of its Christian values; America is in the process of submitting to a godless New World Order; America has replaced Bible teaching at school with critical race theory, woke insanity, LGBTQ rights, etc.; and the result of America’s “Build Back Better” without God insanity is going to make living conditions worse than what I grew up under.

A New World Order without God is a major sign that God’s judgment, called the tribulation by Jesus (Matt. 24:21, 21), is on the way.

All but a handful of the very wealthy will be “dirt poor.”

There will be an economic collapse, hyperinflation, wars and natural disasters like birth pains, and people will try to live without electricity, without running water, without indoor toilets (without electricity, many wells and pumps won’t work), without food on the store shelves (without gardens, rabbits, and hogs), without vehicles (without electricity, gasoline pumps won’t work), etc.

If this sounds far-fetched to you, consider this before I move on:

Earlier this year, a World Economic Forum (WEF) video surfaced with a spokesperson (talking about the Great Reset) saying, “You will own nothing, and be happy” (starting in 2030 or sooner). Some people are trying to cover this up, walk it back, say it is false, etc., but here is a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcAO4-o_4UgRecall that the Biden administration has nominated a woman for the position of Comptroller of Currency that wants the government to take control of everyone’s bank accounts, and she had a confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee on Nov. 18, 2021. It is too early to tell if she will get the job or not, but centralized government control of everyone’s bank accounts sounds like government ownership of everything.
If the government owns everything, we will be “dirt poor.”

The existence of the WEF video saying we will own nothing and Biden’s nomination of a woman that has called for the government to take control of everyone’s bank accounts are facts, not far-fetched speculation.

Here are more prophecy-related events from last week’s news.

One, concerning world government: on Nov. 22, 2021, it was reported that Jeff Bezos (head of Amazon) is giving $100 million to the Barack and Michelle Obama Foundation to train and equip emerging domestic and global leaders to change their communities and the world.

Two, on November 26, 2021, Canada Free Press (CFP) carried an article by Ray DiLorenzo titled “Archbishop Vigano Calls for Action.”

DiLorenzo called the coming godless world government “an evil conspiracy without equal in human history.”

He added that “It will affect almost every living person on this planet with the potential to kill billions.”

Here is part of what DiLorenzo reported from Vigano’s Call for Action on Nov. 17, 2021 (quotes are Vigano’s words; non-quotes are the way this writer understands Vigano’s words):

A global elite has succeeded “in seizing control of part of national governments, public and private institutions, the media, the judiciary, politicians and religious leaders.”
This global elite is using promises of power, money, and social affirmation to corrupt legislative, executive, and judicial powers to deny citizens their rights.
They are doing it to enrich themselves, but their main goal is a global dictatorship.
In Vigano’s words, “It is the Great Reset of the World Economic Forum, the Agenda 2030 of the United Nations. It is the plan of the New World Order, in which a Universal Republic enslaves everyone and a Religion of Humanity cancels faith in Christ….”
Nations and individuals that don’t want to submit to this coming godless world government must unite, identify, and denounce the global elite to international tribunals, fight against their corruption and funding, and fight against the corruption of those in the media.
Vigano called for Catholics, Christians, and people of good will to unite and act soon, or the godless world government will be unstoppable.

Here is a link to the article. https://canadafreepress.com/article/archbishop-vigano-calls-for-action

(Note One: According to the Bible, there will be opposition to the coming world government (Dan. 7:8, 24; Rev. 6:1-2), but the Antichrist will be empowered by Satan, and God will let him prevail for 7 years (Dan. 9:24-27; Rev. 13:1-8)).

(Note Two: On Jan. 1, 2016, the Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development went into effect, so this phase in the surge toward world government will soon be 6 years old. Globalists have made great progress during these 6 years. We can expect them to surge forward faster and faster as they seek to meet their goal of a godless world government by 2030 or sooner.)

Three, concerning a world government without borders, on Nov. 27, 2021, it was reported that the UN gives free debit cards worth about $800 per month to families that want to cross the U.S. border with Mexico.

Because U.S. taxpayers pay about 22% of the UN budget, U.S. taxpayers are making monthly payments to illegal immigrants that cross into the U.S.

Four, concerning the globalist desire to reduce the population of the earth: on Nov. 19, 2021, it was reported that Steve Jalsevac, president and co-founder of LifeSiteNews, was asked in an interview if he thinks Covid injections are a weapon in the population control agenda, and he replied, “Absolutely. Without any doubt at all. Their primary objective is to stop what they claim to be climate change, and they believe the cause of ‘climate change’ is human beings, and human beings are a vermin on the earth.”

Some may not agree that Covid vaccinations are part of the population control agenda, but it is a fact that Pres. Biden made John Kerry America’s first ever Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, and he is pushing mandated vaccinations.

It may also explain why many globalists are opposed to known Covid cures (Ivermectin, etc.) and accurate reports on vaccination-caused deaths and adverse events.

(More: On Nov. 20, 2021, the official EU database (EudraVigilance) reported 31,014 deaths and 2,890,600 injuries (1,355,192 serious) from the 4 main Covid-19 Vaccinations. These numbers are thought to be low because they are reported deaths and injuries, and it is believed that many deaths and injuries don’t get reported.)

Five, on Nov. 26, 2021, it was reported that a 17-year employee of United Memorial Medical Center in New York said she was seeing a flood of Covid-19 adverse events in the ER of the hospital where she worked, but her bosses told her not to report them to the government Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System.

(More: Late in the day, on Nov. 30, 2021, it was reported that a federal judge in Louisiana issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Biden administration’s mandated Covid-19 vaccinations for healthcare workers all over the U.S.)

Six, concerning peace in the Middle East: on Nov. 24, 2021, Israel and Morocco signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pledging increased cooperation on intelligence issues, military training, industrial growth, and arms trade.

Seven, concerning pandemics: globalists are using a supposedly new version of Covid called Omicron (some groups use Greek names for the Covid variants; Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, Gamma, Iota, Kappa, Omicron, etc.) to scare the unvaccinated into getting vaccinated, and to scare the vaccinated into getting boosters, etc.

According to their latest fearmongering, Omicron has 32 mutations, it is the deadliest Covid virus ever, and multitudes may die this winter.

Other interesting reports claim that very few people have got Omicron, no cases have been reported in the U.S., and Omicron has only shown up in people that have been fully vaccinated.

Eight, concerning hyper-inflation and an economic collapse, on Nov. 25, 2021, Michael Snyder (the Economic Collapse Blog) reported that:

General Mills announced that hundreds of prices will rise dramatically starting at the beginning of 2022 (some about 20%).
Dollar Tree’s standard price point will go up from $1 to $1.25 (a 25% increase).
Other companies that have announced significant price increases include Tyson Foods, Kraft Heinz, Procter & Gamble, and Kimberly Clark.
A cart full of groceries that cost $250 in the past will soon cost $300-$400.

(Note: Readers that have recently received a raise should know that if their salary is not rising as fast as inflation, in terms of real dollars, their salary has gone down, not up, because it will buy less.)

Nine, concerning fraud in the 2020 Presidential election: on Nov. 18, 2021, The Gateway Pundit posted 3 whistleblower videos purporting to show election officials destroying election data and equipment in Delaware.

These videos can be seen at the following link:

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/11/breaking-video-whistleblower-releases-video-delaware-county-pennsylvania-election-officials-destroying-evidence-backroom-video/

Ten, concerning the Mark of the Beast in the right hand or forehead (Rev. 13:16): on Nov. 30, 2021, the Gateway Pundit reported that “Swedes are getting Covid vaccine passports implanted in their hands or elsewhere under the skin.”

This is voluntary (not mandatory), but it could become mandatory in the future.

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com

Celebrate His Birth, But Remember His Death :: By Nathele Graham Published on: December 5, 2021 by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles, Ron & Nathele Graham

Celebrate His Birth, But Remember His Death :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: December 5, 2021 by RRadmin7 Category:General Articles, Ron & Nathele Graham

Our finite human minds tend to think of life in terms of a timeline. A person is born, life events happen, then death comes. This timeline of events isn’t completely true of Jesus. God has no beginning and has no end. Jesus was God incarnate, but His birth only marked the beginning of His life on this earth.

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (Psalm 90:2).

Those words were written by Moses, who first met God when He spoke from a bush that was on fire but wasn’t consumed. God had chosen Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Moses asked who he should say sent him. “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you” (Exodus 3:14).

To our English-speaking minds, this sounds odd, but it speaks of the Eternal God who had no beginning… He just exists. He has no beginning and has no end.

Scripture begins with the beginning of creation. Jesus Christ was the Word who spoke everything (things seen and things unseen) into existence. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth… And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:1 and 3).

The Apostle John begins his Gospel by describing who Jesus was. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3).

The Gospel of Matthew contains the genealogy of Christ, proving Him to be of the Royal lineage of King David. Joseph, Jesus’ earthly adoptive father, was from this royal line through David’s son, King Solomon. The Gospel of Luke proves His human lineage through King David’s son Nathan, who was an ancestor of Mary. Luke’s account also tells us that Mary was a virgin and that Jesus was not conceived by a mortal man.

“And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).

Jesus was fully God and fully human. This can be very difficult to comprehend, but there are many things in Scripture that God doesn’t fully explain. Our human minds just can’t grasp God’s power.

Unfortunately, there are many false doctrines that arise when people try to explain God. God spoke and creation happened, but human false teaching says first there was nothing, then it exploded, and all of the diverse and marvelous things God created evolved over billions of years. It makes more sense to believe God than the fairytales of humanity.

Satan is a created being. Pride caused him to rebel against God, and his evil intentions are evident throughout history, beginning in the Garden of Eden. Satan hates humans; his lies and twisting of God’s words were the cause of the Fall of mankind. When Adam ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, sin separated him (and us) from God.

“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons” (Genesis 3:7).

This was the first act of religion… doing something by human efforts to try to cover sin. An apron made of fig leaves had to have been very uncomfortable and couldn’t take the sin away. God’s ways are always better, and faith, not works, honor God. There’s no doubt that God knew exactly what had happened but called for Adam. It was important for Adam to confess his sin. Of course, Adam blamed God. He was happy when God gave him a wife, but now it was the fault of the woman God gave him.

“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12).

God had been very clear with Adam not to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, and Scripture doesn’t say Eve forced the fruit into his mouth. In her turn, Eve had been deceived by the serpent. It was still her choice, but she blamed the serpent. Death entered all of creation, but God never stopped loving us. He had a plan to make way for humankind to be reunited with Him. The first thing God did was cover their sin by shedding blood. Death only came into the world after Adam sinned, and it took a death to cover them.

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). It took the shedding of the blood of an animal to make coats of skins to cover their sin.

God had an even greater plan of salvation, but it would take many years for that plan to be fulfilled. First, He had to call out a people from the nations of the earth. Abraham was called, and his descendants would be given the land we now know as Israel. Before they took possession of it, they became slaves in Egypt. When Moses led them from slavery, God first instituted Passover. A perfect lamb was chosen by each family, and, according to God’s directions, the chosen lamb was to be sacrificed and his blood put upon the doorposts of the houses. Death would pass over all houses that had the blood of the lamb to protect them. This, of course, foreshadowed the Lamb of God who would be God incarnate, and His blood would take sin away, not just cover it.

The Egyptian Pharaoh did grant freedom to the Israelites, and not long after they began their trip to the Promised Land, God gave them the Law. This Law had many “rules” that taught them how God expected them to live. Like the religion Adam and Eve tried to use to cover their sin, it was hard to deal with. Animal sacrifices were required to cover sin but could never take the sin away. Eventually, God would step into His creation and shed His own blood to take sin away.

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14).

The people before the cross looked forward to the coming Messiah. They had prophecy to help them recognize His arrival. Like us, most of them had their eyes shut and ignored prophecy.

The story of Jesus is about God’s love. His life was foretold in prophecy. Isaiah gave a prophecy that the Messiah would be born of a Virgin. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

Indeed, Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus. She was engaged to Joseph, but they had not come together as husband and wife. It’s important to understand this part of the story of Jesus because it’s important to understand that He was God. His mother was human, but the Holy Spirit impregnated her. In that way, Adam’s sin-tainted blood wouldn’t be passed on to Jesus. His blood was God’s pure, untainted blood. This made it possible for Jesus to be our Kinsman Redeemer.

The law of redemption says “If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold” (Leviticus 25:25). Only a close relative of the one who lost the possession could redeem it. In our case, Adam lost what he possessed. He was immortal until he ate the fruit and lost his immortality and Paradise. Adam was human, so Jesus had to be human (through Mary) in order to redeem what had been lost.

On the other hand, a human sacrifice is never required by God, so our Redeemer had to be divine. Animals don’t qualify as a kinsman redeemer because animals aren’t “next of kin” to humans, and their blood isn’t human. Only God in human form could qualify to shed His blood for our redemption. In order for God to take on human flesh, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary. She was a virgin and gave birth to the Son of God in a manger in Bethlehem. An angel appeared to shepherds that night and announced Christ’s birth.

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12).

Then a multitude of angels appeared, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:13-14).

The shepherds are part of the story of Jesus. They left their sheep to find Mary, Joseph, and the Child in the manger. Shepherds weren’t highly respected members of society, yet it was these lowly men who first found the Christ child.

The story of Jesus didn’t end in the manger. Wise men from the east had come to worship Him, bringing gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense. After their visit, King Herod, who was a very wicked man, tried to kill Him, but an angel warned Joseph to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt until it was safe to return to Israel. The valuable gifts that the wise men brought made it possible for them to flee to safety in Egypt until it was safe to return.

When Jesus grew to adulthood and began His ministry, He called twelve men to follow Him. Jesus traveled the Holy Land spreading the Good News that redemption had come. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and forgave sin. The Pharisees were offended by His teaching and accused Him of claiming to be God (blasphemy). Judas, a man who had followed Jesus, betrayed Him to the Pharisees, and they arrested Jesus and had Him crucified. This part of the story of Jesus was the plan of salvation even before Adam sinned. God sacrificed an animal to cover Adam and Eve, and the Passover Lamb was sacrificed each year to commemorate their release from slavery. The pure blood of Jesus, untainted by sin, had to be shed in order to take sin away.

Earnestly placing your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ will give you eternal life. No works or religion will bring salvation; only faith can do this. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The fig leaf aprons that Adam and Eve religiously made to cover their sin weren’t sufficient, nor was shedding animal blood. Only faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross will take your sin away. When you truly believe, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit.

“That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:12-14).

As we come to the time of year when we remember Christ’s birth, take time to remember that we celebrate God’s love for His creation. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

As we celebrate His birth, let us remember His death and honor Him with our lives.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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Ministers voted on Sunday to okay the immigration of thousands of Ethiopians who have been waiting for years to fly to Israel, many spending the period in transit camps. The decision came amid rising calls from leaders and members of Israel’s Ethiopian community to swiftly bring over those still waiting to emigrate as a civil war in the country heats up.

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Ministers voted on Sunday to okay the immigration of thousands of Ethiopians who have been waiting for years to fly to Israel, many spending the period in transit camps.

The decision came amid rising calls from leaders and members of Israel’s Ethiopian community to swiftly bring over those still waiting to emigrate as a civil war in the country heats up.

Be God's Light of Love to Holocaust Survivors During Hanukkah

Dear Carl,

We have almost reached the end of the wonderful Hanukkah celebration, but time is quickly running out for us to make a real difference for precious Holocaust survivors living in deep poverty and loneliness. Together we can show them true Christian love in action, and I'm asking for your help today to do just that.

As you know, the Jerusalem Prayer Team is heavily involved in meeting the needs of the poor of the House of Israel. Day after day and week after week, we are working to show true Christian love in action to people who have never seen it before. This year for Hanukkah, we will be holding special parties for poor Holocaust survivors both in Jerusalem and in Haifa, and we need your help.

Your gift today will be a powerful light of love shining in the darkness. The threats against Israel and the Jewish people are real, but so is God's power! Will you stand with us in showing Christian love to poor Holocaust survivors and the entire nation of Israel with your generous gift today?

Your ambassador to Jerusalem,

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Michael David Evans

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Every Promise Is True

All the Lord’s promises prove true. —Psalm 18:30 NLT

When God makes a promise to you, what does it take to actually believe it and receive its benefits? When Gabriel promised Mary amazing things about the birth and destiny of her son, he mentioned a “sign” that would confirm his message: Her relative Elizabeth, who had been childless, would “have a child in her old age” (Luke 1:36 NIV).

The Bible provides several examples of people like Moses and Gideon who were given supernatural signs to confirm God’s veracity and His calling in their lives. But our ultimate trust must be in the faithfulness of God’s Word—not just in some confirming sign. As Gabriel assured Mary, “No word from God will ever fail” (v. 37).

Pause for a moment to consider God’s promises in your life. Are you waiting for some “sign” before you will believe what the Lord has told you? Or will you believe His Word, knowing it will never fail?

When you send your gift of $100 or more, we will send you this “Here Am I” wall hanging.

Like the ancient prophet Isaiah, you have heard the voice of God, and this beautiful wall hanging is your declaration that you will stand in the gap for His Chosen People. It is a wonderful prayer reminder to you throughout the day and a witness to everyone who sees it that you are a friend of Israel and the Jewish people.

For Your Gift of $100 or More

There is no better way to keep up with what is really happening in Israel and the world—the truth the liberal media won't tell you—than with the redesigned and upgraded FOZ app. We have prepared this app to allow us to stay in touch with you and provide the most up-to-date news and prayer requests. This powerful tool will help you shape and focus your prayers, receive updates from Dr. Evans, and so much more. It is a must-have for every friend of Israel.

Jerusalem Prayer Team | PO BOX 30246, Phoenix, AZ 85046 | memi@jpteam.org | 1-888-390-7946
CONTACT US | PRIVACY POLICY

The New Under Ground Church-THE TRUTH MUST BE TOLD

Sunday, December 5, 2021