Tag: word of God

Jesus and the Second Seal, the Red Horse

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Recently I spoke about Jesus and the First Seal, the White Horse, which ushers in the false christs. But now it’s time to turn to our attention to the second seal in the Book of Revelation and compare it to the teachings of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It’s important for Churches to be teaching these things that are leading up to the tribulations, the end times, along with preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ so people can understand what will take place and what the Lord Jesus Christ said about this difficult time.

The Second Seal – Peace From Earth, War

Revelation 6:3,4 – When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and See.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

The second seal introduces the rider on the red horse. But let’s read Matthew, Mark and Luke to see how it aligns with the Second Seal of Revelation.

Matthew 24:6,7a – And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

Mark 13:7,8a – But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

Luke 21:9,10 – But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately. Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

Notice in Matthew, I use 7a and in Mark 8a. The reason I wrote the scriptures in this way is because the earliest manuscripts in Greek did not contain punctuation, spaces between words, had no Chapter Dividers, no individual headings, but, one long, continuous page of words. Man is the one who added punctuation, spaces, chapters and headings for ease of reading. This could be one of the reasons many people do not associate the teachings of Christ to the Seals found in the Book of Revelation. But as you can see, from the very teachings of the Lord Christ Jesus, His words aligns perfectly with what the Apostle John saw in the Book of Revelation regarding the second seal.

Glory be to God, we are drawing near! Make sure your heart is right with God Almighty and if it’s not REPENT now and follow our King, the Lord Jesus Christ! God bless you all…

Jesus and the First Seal, the White Horse

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When Christians begin reading the Book of Revelation they often find themselves confused by the language regarding the Seals, the Trumpets, the Bowls, God’s Judgment and the Harvest. But I will show you how Matthew, Mark, and Luke all mirror the seven seals spoken of in the Book of Revelation. Starting with the first seal I will apply each of the scriptures and show how they connect to one of the 7 Seals.

The First Seal – The Conqueror

Revelation 6:1,2 – Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and See.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

So we see that the first seal is a rider on a white horse. But let’s read Matthew, Mark Luke and John and see how it aligns with the First Seal of Revelation.

Matthew 24:4,5 – And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My Name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many.”

Mark 13:5,6 – And Jesus, answering them, began to say: Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My Name, saying I am He, and will deceive many.

Luke 21:8,9 – And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived.” For many will come in My Name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’

These three Gospels align with what the Apostle John sees in the Book of Revelation regarding the first seal.

It’s at this stage that many connect Him to Christ since Christ rides a white horse. But to prove the rider on the White Horse is NOT Christ, let’s see how Christ is described when He is seen riding the White Horse, the Scriptures read;

Revelation 19:11,13 – Now I saw heaven opened, and He who sat on Him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God.

As one can see from this description found in Revelation, the only time Christ rides a white horse is when He comes to strike the nations.

There is another point I would like to make, there isn’t any scriptures stating Christ with a bow, but, there are many which speaks of Jesus as a Sword or baring a Sword. For instance, Jesus tells us;

Matthew 10:34 – Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.

Jesus Christ is the Word of God and we know from the Armor of God that the Sword of the Spirit, is the Word of God!

The rider of the first seal, with one crown is none other than those who represent false christs who claim to be the Lord Jesus Christ, which also includes the antichrist. Many will come in His name and these false Christ will use His name to deceive many. Think Jim Jones, David Koresh and many others…

Jesus warned us, do not be deceived!

Light

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These scriptures in John 1 shows us that Jesus is the Word of God and is God and that he made everything.

These scriptures also say that Jesus gives life and the life was the light of men.

The life Jesus gives us is our own spirit that is given to all humans at conception, without our own spirit we could not live and grow.

In the Old Testament and New Testament, the scriptures say that God the Father gave us all our own spirit:

Hebrews 12:9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!

Numbers 27:16 “May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation

Zechariah 12:1 An oracle of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth, who forms the spirit of man within him:

Our spirit is a light within us.

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Proverbs 20:20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.

Now read these scriptures, it says plainly that Jesus is life and the life that was the light of men, that he lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  The Old Testament scriptures say God the Father is the one who gives all humans their spirit that gives them light.  This proves that Jesus is God the Father come in the flesh as a son.

The Beginning

John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made…

Christian Defense of the Truth
LIGHT

He is Risen

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Can you imagine the anguish and pain the Apostles felt along with the disciples after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ? Now imagine their joy and happiness when they realized He had risen.

Matthew 28:6 – He is not here; for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

He has Risen! Glory hallelujah our King is Risen!

Going Against the Grain

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Everything transpiring throughout America’s culture with our children is absolutely disgraceful. Those who follow Jesus Christ know it’s part of Satan’s schemes to undermine God’s Ways. As parents we also bare a responsibility. The Scripture I’m referring to reads;

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6

The scriptures clearly indicate we play a large part in our children’s future. Which means parents also must take some of the blame. But as a Christian I know this world’s false teachings and ideologies go completely against the Word of God.

But, please remember, we’re not called to judge those who follow this world’s false teaching, instead, we are called to speak God’s Truth through love in a gracious, respectful, peaceful manner. Then, the decision each individual makes is entirely up to them. Unfortunately, these false teaching are everywhere, schools, churches, hospitals, clinics, government offices, colleges, and the work environment. The scriptures read;

1 Timothy 4:1,2 – Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

2 Timothy 4:3,4 – For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

And remember, it’s not only the transgender ideology or the LGBQT community that are in error, but, ALL worldly temptations. If your a Christian and fall within one of these categories, please, REPENT! The reason being is because the scriptures read;

Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute
becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will
become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes
one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin
a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral
person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that
your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you
have from God? You are not your own, for you were
bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:16-20

Every Word

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With everything taking place within the United States it’s easy to see how Christians will fall away from the Faith. Maybe it’s due to a lack of love for God, maybe because some are luke warm, maybe they’re afraid of persecution, maybe they’re a Christian in name only, or maybe they’re just to worldly and refuse to give it up.

But, now more than ever, we need to ensure we’re following the Word of God. That we’re putting Christ and His teachings to work in us. We’re memorizing scriptures and have made peace with the knowledge that some of us may be called to give our lives for Christ, just as He did for us. But remember what Christ said;

I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

John 16:33

Washing of Water

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While looking at an assortment of gospel tracts and reading them to ensure they align with the scriptures, one verse in particular really stood out to me. Now, I’ve read the New Testament several times, and as simple as the message is to comprehend, the Bible is very deep and complex. Personally, I believe God made the Good News simple to understand and grasp so anyone could experience salvation. But as I said, as simple as the message is, the Bible, God’s Word, is very deep. One of those scriptures is found in Ephesians 5:25,26 and reads;

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ
loved the Church and gave Himself up
for her, so that He might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the
washing of water with the word.

The reason this scripture is so important to me and really stood out is, for approximately the past month I have felt like I was being washed on the inside. The only way I can explain it is, I felt in the lower stomach toward my back area like someone was taking a hose and spraying the inside of me. I could actually feel the water and at times could hear a voice speaking.

Since I didn’t realize what was happening, I would often rebuke or even cast out unclean spirits because I thought I was experiencing Spiritual Warfare. That is, until I heard the Lord say, Robin, why are you going against me? That stopped me in my tracks and made me think and ask, how was I going against the Lord?

Through the Holy Spirit I realized what was happening to me had nothing to do with Spiritual Warfare, it was the work of Christ. But until I came across this scripture, I still didn’t understand the full weight of what was transpiring in me. After reading this scripture I now know I wasn’t being attacked, but instead, I am being sanctified by the washing of water with the Word of God.

When we read the Word of God it becomes more than just words on a page, it becomes God’s LIVING Word and begins working inside us. This reminds me of the scripture found in Hebrews 4:12, it reads;

For the Word of God is living and active,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing to the division of soul and spirit,
of joints and of marrow, and discerning
the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Renewing the Mind

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Lately it seems I’ve been warring with the mind. Meaning, out of the blue a thought will appear out of nowhere that I know is not of my own. Which means, these thoughts are the result of the enemy waging war against me. How do I handle these thoughts? What can I do to fight against them? Luckily the Bible gives us information, but, it’s crucial to understand that;

For the word of God is living and active,
and sharper than any two-edged sword,
even penetrating as far as the division of
the soul and spirit, of both joints and
marrow, and able to judge the thoughts
and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

While I believe in the word and read it daily (mostly), it wasn’t until recently that I actually realized the implication of this scripture. Because during my difficulty, I prayed and turned to the scriptures to help fight against these thoughts and several scriptures stood out to me.

Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

How can one renew the mind?

For me it’s reading the word daily, praying, memorizing scripture and applying those scriptures to my life. But I really didn’t realize just how important the Hebrews 4:12 scripture really was, till recently. Because, the very words have suddenly came alive in me. They’re no longer just words on the page that I need to apply to my life. No, the scriptures have absolutely taken hold of me in a way I’ve never experienced! Some of those scriptures which have helped during my warfare are;

Galatians 5:24 – those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passion and desires.

Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Knowing I’ve been crucified with Christ and He lives inside of me, I now have the weapon of the cross to fight against these unwanted thoughts or even temptations that often lure people away. Since Christ lives in me, He is in my mind, my heart and the rest of my body. So when a thought appears I picture that thought being held up against the cross and I see it demolished while reciting;

But He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities; the
punishment that brought us peace was upon
Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

For me this has worked wonders, so, if you’re being plagued with unwanted thoughts, unwanted temptations, letting your imagination run wild or trauma from your past. Try this technique because nothing can stand against Christ being crucified on the cross!

Spending Time With Christ

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There’s so much going on in the world today that it seems many Christians find it impossible to spend time in God’s word. Whether it’s due to work, family time, or pleasure many Christians rarely open their Bibles. Many attend Church, but, as soon as service is over the preacher’s lesson is often forgotten. Please understand, I’m not judging or condemning because this is a lesson I had to learn for myself.

But the truth is reading God’s word is crucial because it helps us to build a relationship with Christ by reading what He taught and allowing us to put His teachings into practice. You see, if we only read the words and not practice what He taught we’re deceiving ourselves. Because it’s the Word which teaches us right from wrong and helps us to follow Christ the way He instructs. It teaches us discernment, keeps us from following false teachers and allows us to fight the enemy by applying God’s Word to the many snares he sets. Remember these words of Jesus, which read;

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I
came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 10:10

Jesus gave us tools to fight the enemy and with what’s on the horizon we need every tool available to fight against what’s coming!

How to Have a Can-Do Attitude

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If you’ve followed this blog long, you know Philippians is my favorite book of the bible. Today, I’ll reflect on two verses that show use how to have a can-do attitude no matter what we’re facing.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Philippians 2:13 KJV

I love that these verses are verse thirteen in their respective chapters. Not that I believe the chapter and verse divisions are inspired by God. But I have always been that weird gal who looks at unlucky 13 as her lucky number….

Continue Reading @ A New Perspective
http://apewperspective.com/2023/09/13/how-to-have-a-can-do-attitude/

Memorizing Scripture

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A couple of weeks ago I decided to implement a plan to help me memorize scripture. While I love reading and studying the Bible I believe it’s extremely important to have scriptures memorized. But it can be difficult so I thought I would share my process.

A few things I’ve found helpful, is to start with scriptures which you’re drawn to, start with shorter scriptures, and memorize one scripture per week. Since the first day of the week is Sunday for me, that’s usually when I will start and try to end it on the Sabbath. Of course, there are exceptions and if for some reason you find yourself straying from the process don’t beat yourself up, just start over.

First, Pray to God asking for help memorizing scripture then I use a large spiral notebook with lined pages and write the scripture location as the heading. Example, Luke 4:8

Next, I write the actual scripture in the lined body portion of the page underneath the heading.

And Jesus answered and said to him, Get behind Me, satan! For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve. Luke 4:8

But to actually help me memorize the scripture, after I’ve written it down the first time, I will skip one line and rewrite it. I do this process over and over for a whole week on the same page I started with, the front, the back and even the next blank page if needed.

If for some reason I’m still having difficulty with this scripture I will change things up and go to a new one. If I still have time left within the week I will go back to the one I was having difficulty with and continue the same process as before. And if I still can’t get it I completely back away from it and return at a later date.

But there are other ways to help you memorize scripture you just need to find the one which works best for you. For me it’s writing the scripture then rewriting it over and over until it’s cemented into my brain. For you it maybe;

Using index cards. Write the verse on one side and the location on the backside.

Record your voice reading the scripture than while studying, relaxing or sleeping listen to your recording.

Meditate on the scripture during your one on one time.

Turn the scripture into a song. Now you don’t have to write your own music, use a tune that sticks in your head and apply the words. Select music that is catchy or upbeat to make the process easier.

But why should we memorize scripture anyway?

One of the main reasons to memorize scripture is because Jesus Himself, the Word of God, quoted scriptures throughout His ministry. It also helps us fight temptation by putting on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20). It helps us live in obedience to God by following His word since we’re told to let the word of Christ dwell within us (Colossians 3:16). And of course, memorizing scriptures makes us a better witness to non-believers (1 Peter 3:15).

But I believe there’s another reason, because I believe a time is coming when the Bible will be a crime, Christian Churches will be closed down, and Christianity will no longer be tolerated. It will be a crime to own a Bible, a crime to mention the name Jesus and a crime to attend a Christian Church. And when you look at Bible Prophecy, specifically, the Book of Revelation it says;

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood? Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. Revelation 6:9-11

See what I mean? There will be more persecution, and this is another reason to memorize scriptures so that you can stand strong in your faith if and when that time comes.

Plus, memorizing scriptures reaffirms our faith, gives us peace of mind, gives us hope knowing the Lord Christ Jesus is coming again…..

Should We Follow The Ten Commandments?

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Many Christians today believe that we are no longer under the law, or what’s better known as the Ten commandments. They believe they were nailed to the cross when Jesus was crucified and we’re no longer obligated to it. But, before I share my thoughts on this let’s look at what the Ten Commandments actually are which is found in Exodus 20:3,17

  1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
  2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
  3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
  4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore, the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
  5. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
  6. Thou shalt not kill.
  7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
  8. Thou shalt not steal.
  9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
  10. Thou shalt not covet thou neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing tht is thy neighbour’s.

So if you notice majority of the commandments are already used in our society today, at least they were. For example; killing, stealing and lying in a court case, or to law enforcement, are crimes which would get you thrown into jail. Disobeying your mother and father has consequences and often lead to punishment. And committing adultery creates trust issues, hurt feelings and often affected others which could lead to breakups. Then there’s the issue of not taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain, and, where I was raised, you just didin’t do that. Which brings me to the very first commandment, no other gods before me. America was built on God, in fact, our money is printed with, in God we trust.  So having said all of this, why is it so difficult for many Christians to believe that the Ten Commandments aren’t relevant today? Let’s take a  look and see what Jesus has to say about it.

Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you certainly will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 5:17,19(NIV)

Couple of things I want to point out. First, Jesus says until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter, not the least stroke of a pen will disappear from the law until EVERYTHING is accomplished. This is the scripture many Christians use to justify abandoning the Law because their argument is Jesus accomplished what he set out to. He was sacrificed on the cross, therefore, the Law was no longer valid. But, if you continue reading the scriptures Jesus goes on to say unless your righteousness exceeds the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will NOT enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

For me it’s pretty simple, the Ten Commandments are just as relevant today as they were when God gave them to Moses. Yes, we are saved by grace through Jesus Christ, but the law, makes us better people! Jesus Christ saves us but it is the law that prevents additional sin and this is why it’s so important to follow them. Plus, Jesus also said in Matthew 22:37 the greatest command is to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, all our soul and all our mind. But notice what he says in verse 40, On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Because if you “truly” love the Lord you’ll follow his commands.

If more of us followed these commandments today our world wouldn’t be in such a decline!

But, that’s just my thoughts……