Thursday, October 31, 2013

Russia/Israel #01


Will Russia invade Israel?
If so, under what circumstances? Also, clarify the importance of the Israeli capture of Jerusalem in 1967.

One of the most significant prophecies about the Middle East and the Rapture of the Church concerns Russia's imminent invasion of Israel. In the previous newsletter, we addressed the issue of Israel becoming a nation.

Why is that reality so vital to our discussion? 

Because eighteen times in Ezekiel 38-39, the prophet states that Russia will wage war against Israel. For nearly nineteen hundred years, there was no nation called Israel-thus no government and no specific piece of Middle East real estate that the Jews of the diaspora could call their own.

Now you and I have lived to see Israel become a mighty nation, a people to be reckoned with in the commonwealth of nations.

Therefore, when God's Word foretells a Russian invasion of Israel, and we know that such a nation now exists, we can only assume that the coming of the Lord must be near. Ezekiel 38:1-2 states, "And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him."

Since we will study these names in detail later, I will not spend time attempting to prove that this refers to Russia. I simply want you to see, for now, that this is a northern enemy, for they come from the north (see Ezekiel 38:15; 39:2).

Remember, Russia is due north of Israel. 
If one draws a line northward from Israel, he passes directly through Moscow. As this great end-time invasion begins, they will come against the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 38:8). Verse 16 says, "Thou shalt come up against my people of Israel." Verse 19: "Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel." Ezekiel 39:2 says, "I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel." Verse 4: "Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel. " Verse 12: "And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them."

Let me repeat that Russia's invasion of Israel could not occur until Israel became a nation.


There was no such nation, for two thousand years, until 1948. Thus, this event could not have occurred in times past. 

However, since Israel now exists as a viable, powerful nation (and has recaptured Jerusalem after twenty-five hundred years of dominance by Gentiles), and because Russia will move against Israel only when she is a nation, here is the thrilling scenario to follow-something that is already beginning to happen in front of our eyes today. Follow me closely. Ezekiel 36 and 37 describe the Jew returning to his own land and setting up his government. This occurred in 1948. In Ezekiel chapters 40-48, Messiah is back on earth-and that is when you and I have returned with Him to rule and reign for one thousand years (Revelation 20:4).

Between Israel's becoming a nation-which you and I have lived to see-and Messiah's return to earth, a war with Russia takes place in the Middle East (read Ezekiel 38 and 39).

The Jews are now home. 
Today Israel has its own government, monetary system, and well-fortified and -trained armed forces. Russia marches when Israel is a nation, followed by Messiah's return. There is no doubt that we are living at the very edge of this hour when the sign concerning Russia's march to the Middle East is about to be fulfilled. It could happen at any moment, followed by Christ's return. This ancient Jewish teaching is found in Avoda Zara 3B.

The clock is ticking toward midnight. Jesus is coming again, and the day of His return is at hand.

What Is the Importance of the Jews Finally Reclaiming Jerusalem?

Since 400 B.C. the city of Jerusalem has been handed over to one Gentile superpower after another. Here are a few of those " transference" dates since A.D. 70 concerning Jerusalem:
  • A.D. 70, the Romans. 
  • A.D. 614, the Persians. 
  • A.D. 637, the Caliph Omar. 
  • A.D. 1099, the Crusaders.
  • A.D. 1187, the Saladin. 
  • A.D. 1250, the Egyptian Mamelukes.
  • A.D. 1517, the Turks.
  • A.D. 1917, the British.
  • and finally, in 1967, the Jews captured Jerusalem.
The event took place during the Six-Day War, from June 5 to 10 of that year, The Jewish control of Jerusalem is a most important sign because of Jesus' statement in Luke 21:24. The disciples had asked Him, "When are you going to return to this earth?" Jesus replied, "[Jerusalem] shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." What was the Savior saying? Simply that the Jews would be scattered throughout the world and the city of Jerusalem controlled by Gentile powers until the time of His return. All the various Gentile groups-the Romans, the Persians, the Crusaders, the Egyptians, the Turks, and the English-controlled Jerusalem from A.D. 70 until May 1967.

Then, in June 1967 the Jews took control of Jerusalem for the first time in more than nineteen hundred years. When we tie this historical information to Ezekiel’s bones coming to life, the Jews returning from the Gentile nations, and the earlier prophecies already outlined, there can be only one conclusion: Christ must come to earth soon, primarily because during the third and final invasion of the Armageddon campaign, all nations come against Jerusalem to battle and to take it back from the Jews (Zechariah 14:2). This would have been impossible before 1967 since the Jewish people did not possess Jerusalem until that Six-Day War fought June 5-10,1967. Thus, when the final invasion during Armageddon occurs, Christ descends to the Mount of Olives to end the atrocities committed against Israel at Jerusalem and to then set up His kingdom (Zechariah 14:4).

What signs exist in Israel today that provide clues to a rapidly approaching Tribulation period?

Of the hundreds of questions I am asked, issues related to the Great Tribulation always seem to top the list. To review, there is going to be a terrible period of tribulation. Jeremiah 30:7 says, "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it. " Daniel 12:1 warns, "There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation," and Jesus Himself said in Matthew 24:21, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."

Although this event will not be the end of the world, it will bring death to one-half of our planet's inhabitants: "By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone" (Revelation 9:18). When one combines the cumulative facts and figures from the Book of Revelation in 9:18 and 6:8, he discovers that nearly one-half of the earth's population will be destroyed in the greatest fiery conflagration and pestilential judgment that have ever occurred in the history of mankind.

Again, however, let me remind you: 
This great war signals the coming of Jesus Christ to the earth, when He reveals Himself to the entire world and stops the carnage (Revelation 11:18). As we learned earlier, this event is called the Revelation, and it is the second phase of the Second Coming. We have also learned that prior to the Revelation, a Rapture-the evacuation of all saints, dead and living, from the earth-will occur (Revelation 4:1). Immediately following the Rapture, the Tribulation Hour, that period of seven years of unprecedented turmoil and trouble, begins. Then, at the end of the seven years, Jesus Christ comes back to the earth to set up His kingdom for a thousand years-called the Millennium.

Remember that all the signs of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 17 and 21 point directly to the second phase of the Second Coming, and not to the Rapture. If there were not one sign in existence anywhere at this moment, we could still go home to be with our Lord, because all the signs could occur during the seven-year period described in chapters 6-18 of the Book of Revelation. However, since all the signs point to Christ's return to the earth-not His coming in the clouds (Revelation 4:1) but His coming to the earth (Revelation 19:11), and since you and I as Christians return with Him to the earth-then every sign in Revelation 6-18 points to our coming back to the earth as well. This glorious event must occur soon since all signs are already in place.

Have these things happened?
For many decades Orthodox Jewish rabbis said: "When three signs appear in the Holy Land, it will be the hour for Messiah to return."

What are these three signs?
(1) Horseless carriages, or modern automobiles, running through the streets of Jerusalem.
(2) Jerusalem being defended by airplanes.
(3) The desert of Israel blossoming as a rose.

I will leave the answers to you. When my wife, Rexella, and I last visited the Holy Land, we had an opportunity to preach, teach, and spend time with Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. So what I am about to share with you regarding the "signs in Israel" is not theoretical. As I began to observe them, I said, "Rexella, these are the signs that point to our return with Jesus Christ." Since they are already in progress and are now being fulfilled, Jesus must be coming soon for His church in that glorious event called the Rapture. Let's investigate these three signs that the rabbis have so long awaited.

(1) Nahum 2:3-4 states, "The chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his [Messiah's] preparation. . . . The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another [accidents] in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches [headlights and taillights], they shall run like the lightnings [the speed of these vehicles running through the streets of Jerusalem]." This phenomenon is presently occurring!

(2) Isaiah 31:5 tells us, "As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem." Since A.D. 70 the much beleaguered city of Jerusalem has passed from one Gentile power to another. In 1517, the Turks took control and maintained their authority for exactly four hundred years. Then, in 1917, General Allenby of England marched into Jerusalem with his troops.

The British had just discovered airplanes, and as they flew overhead, the Turks, never having seen such machines, became frightened, dropped their guns, and fled the city. Britain's conquest of Jerusalem was one of the few battles in history won without weapons. Why? Because the Turks saw men flying as birds over Jerusalem. This event was the beginning of the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Today, as one stands anywhere in the Holy Land, he sees jets flying overhead daily. 

There is no end to it. The prophecy is here. It is being fulfilled now!

(3) Isaiah 35:1 promises, "The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose." During our first visit to the Holy Land in the late 1950s, Rexella and I noticed that everywhere we looked the ground was dry, arid, barren, rocky, and mountainous. Today, however, when one visits the Holy Land, it is anything but arid. It has been wondrously transformed into hundreds of square miles of fertile, blooming, productive land. Truly, Isaiah's promise has become a reality; the third major sign pointing to Messiah's coming.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

Grace #02

... at Home 

'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation...' 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

Here are three more steps to treating your spouse with grace: 

(1) See them as God created them to be. Focusing on your partner's flaws doesn't help either of you. The Pharisees saw only the worst in the woman caught in adultery. Jesus didn't minimise her sin, but chose to see what she could become through grace. He basically said, 'I don't condemn you. Go, and stop what you're doing.' (John 8:11) Grace enables you to see beyond your spouse's upsetting ways and work with God in helping them become the 'new creature' He's called them to be. 

(2) Celebrate them. Too often we try to impose on our spouse our desired image of them. We resent them and insist they change, see it our way, and do things to our required standard. If they don't, we think they're inconsiderate, unloving, and even un-Christian. Grace doesn't operate that way! It understands, accepts, forgives and leaves changing others up to God. Try telling yourself, 'Yes, that annoys me, but I wonder what God's trying to work out in my spouse.' Then step back, love and accept them and let God work on them. 

(3) Forgive them. Your spouse will irritate you at times because of what they are. We're all different. She thinks she's detailed; he thinks she's nit-picking. He thinks he's laid-back; she thinks he's lazy. We act out the image we hold of ourselves, and that'll change only when God changes it! Acknowledge your intolerance and forgive your partner's irritating behaviour - even before they do it again. That's 'pre-emptive forgiveness', the kind that denies resentment a toehold on your marriage.


SoulFood: Is 30-33, John 7:14-24, Ps 104:1-23, Pr 28:5-8

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
APPS available here

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Attitudes

... in Adversity

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
(Habakkuk 3:17–18, NIV)

We all face challenges, difficulties and times when things don’t go our way. God doesn't send these storms, but He will allow us to go through certain things in order to shape our character and prove our faith. Really, it’s in our times of difficulty that we grow and develop.

God wants to use the tough times in our lives to do a work in us. He wants to strengthen and develop us. Our attitude in times of adversity is the evidence of our maturity.

Are we going to treat people right even when we're being mistreated?

Are we going to stay full of joy even when the bottom falls out?

Are we going to be faithful even in the dry seasons of our lives when we don't see anything good happening?

It may take more effort. You may have to work harder to keep a good attitude, but remember, attitude and faith in God is the key to your promotion. As you keep that positive attitude of faith and expectancy, even in times of adversity, God will deliver you and move you forward into the destiny He has prepared for you!


A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Father, I want to grow spiritually and be more like You. I choose to trust You in times of adversity knowing that You are working things out for my good. Renew a right attitude in me by Your Spirit in Jesus’ name. Amen.

— Joel & Victoria Osteen

Halloween #03

Samhain: 
Facts, Dates, Traditions, And Rituals To Know

FOLLOWED by: Druids,  Neopagans, Pagans, Wiccan

Autumn has arrived, and with it comes the advent of Samhain, a Gaelic holiday celebrated by Pagans and Wiccans, which is the year's third and final harvest festival. 

Brush up on your Samhain knowledge with our 10 facts to know.


1. Samhain is celebrated from sunset on October 31 to sunset on November 1, almost halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice.

2. Some modern Pagans consider it the "witch's new year," though other traditions simply recognize Samhain as the end of the year, says Kelley Harrell, the author of 'Gift of the Dreamtime.'

3. Rituals surrounding Samhain include bonfires, healing, dancing, thanksgiving, and honoring of the dead.

4. It is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals along with Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh.

5. It's considered a liminal time, when the veil between life and death grows thin. Food is set aside for ancestors and protective spirits, and rituals honoring the dead take place.

6. Samhain is pronounced "sah-win" or "sow-in."

7. Samhain is one of the original festivals behind the holiday we know as Halloween.

8. As it was believed that faeries, witches, and demons roamed the earth on Samhain, food and drink were customarily set out to placate them. Later on, people began dressing up as these creatures and claiming the goodies for themselves, sometimes performing antics or tricks in exchange for food and drink. This practice evolved into trick-or-treating.

9. Some of Halloween's most common traditions are rooted in Samhain's harvest festival roots, such as the carving of pumpkins and bobbing for apples.

10. Some celebrate Samhain with a ritual to guide the dead home by opening a western-facing door or window and placing a candle by the opening.

original source : huffingtonpost.com


A note from 4CM Editor:
Christians need to be warned so they can take heed and obey the Word of God.
The apostle Paul wrote:
  1.  "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them" (Eph. 5:11). 
  2. "Abstain from all appearances of evil" (1 Thes. 5:22). 
  3. "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Really folks

1. Take no part in...

2. Abstain from all...

3. Whatever you do...


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Grace #01

at Home

'...But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.' Romans 5:20 NIV

You need a lot of grace in marriage. 

Even in the best of relationships, things happen that cause misunderstanding and hurt. Speaking about his marriage, therapist Michael Sytsma says: 'Before I was married, God said, "Mike, you have some rough edges. To help you become more Christ-like, I'm giving you Karen. That should do the trick." So he brought Karen...into my life to identify all my shortcomings. 

My first response when she points out my flaws? Not gratitude! Instead, I strike back: "How dare you point out those things? What's your problem?" Then I have the opportunity of either denying my feelings, or owning them and maturing. And Karen can either harbour anger and resentment, or offer grace and forgiveness. Imagine a marriage filled with grace: a spouse who extends joy, pleasure, sweetness, kind speech and unmerited favour. 

My wife does that. I'm still working at it.' 

Here is the first of four ways you can show grace to your spouse: 

Try to look at it differently.  
      ...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.' (Philippians 4:8 NIV) People usually try to live up to the image you hold of them! 
If you think your spouse is stubborn, feeling loving toward them is hard. But if you exercise grace and choose to see them as persistent and tenacious, loving them becomes much easier. If they're disorganised, by grace you can choose to see that as a sign they are spontaneous, or creative, or the flexible type, or even over-extended. '

SoulFood: Is 26-29, John 7:1-13, Ps 114, Pr 28:1-4

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Tuesday, 29 October 2013
APPS available here

Monday, October 28, 2013

Halloween #2

Should I Celebrate this?
Dr. John Barnett, Discover the Book Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Original Source: Crosswalk.com
"Let everyone who names the Name" Paul said, avoid iniquity.

Is Halloween a celebration of iniquity? Read on and judge for yourself!
Here are some quotes from what many different people have said over the years concerning the celebration of Halloween.

Someone once said, "For a Christian to celebrate Halloween would be as proper as a Holocaust survivor trying to celebrate Hitler's birthday." Yet so many believers continue to do so without considering what they are doing. 

Excited children masquerading as witches, ghosts, goblins, skeletons, demons, and other grotesque characters skipping through the neighborhood knocking one doors changing "trick or treat" while holding out a sack in which one is to drop a piece of candy or other goodies...the party at school, or church, or Sunday School where they bob for apples, tell fortunes, or go through "haunted houses"...decorations of jack-o-lanterns, witches on brooms and black cats with arched backs...IT'S "HALLOWEEN" - one of the strangest days of the year.

The word evokes a number of responses. 
Every year as October rolls around, there are those that look forward to it with excitement and those that cringe and wish it weren't there. Some argue violently against it, some yawn because they've heard it all before, may just look the other way and go ahead with it. Some view it as an abomination, while many others view it as a harmless tradition. 

What does it represent? And, what should the Christian think about it, if anything?

Where did this fast growing American tradition come from? 
History provides the answers.

The pagans believed that on one night of the year the souls of the dead returned to their original homes. "There was a prevailing belief among all nations that at death the souls of good men were taken possession of by good spirits and carried to paradise, but the souls of wicked men were left to wander in the space between the earth and moon, or consigned to the unseen world. These wandering spirits were in the habit of haunting the living...but there were means by which these ghosts might be exorcised."

To exorcise these ghosts, that is, to free yourself from their supposed evil sway, you would have to set out food - give the demons a treat - and proved shelter for them during the night. If they were satisfied with your treat, it was believed they would leave you in peace. If food and shelter were not provided, or if they were not satisfied, these spirits, it was believed, would "trick" you by casting an evil spell on you and cause havoc.

So Where Did The Elements Of Halloween Come From?
Trick Or Treat. "The modern custom of 'Trick-or-Treat' began in Ireland hundreds of years ago. A group of farmers went from house to house begging food for the village Halloween festivities in the name of their ancient gods. Good luck was promised to generous donors, and threats were made against those who would not give." Thus these ancient pagan traditions continue today as youngsters, masquerading as ghosts, skeletons, and demons go "trick-or-treating" - begging in a sense for food while promising to refrain from evil deeds... 

October 31ST. Though it was the Roman Catholic church who designated the October 31st date as All Hallow's Eve, or "eve of the holy one's day," in prelude to their November 1st All Saints' Day, it was earlier pagan peoples who gave the annual holiday the sinister meaning and traditions it still holds.

It is obvious that the elements, symbols, and traditions of the Halloween observance with its emphasis upon goblins and demons, witches and skeletons, ghosts and apparitions rising from cemeteries constitute a dabbling with the very things, which Scripture forbids to God's people and an open invitation to demonic activity. (Deuteronomy 18:10-13, Lev 19:31)

It is at this point that many will say, "But we don't worship demons on Halloween. It doesn't mean the same thing today as it did in the past. It's now just a harmless, innocent time of fun for the children and the young people."

Yet, history clearly shows that Halloween is unmistakably a "religious" (pagan and Roman) holiday. Religion is the adoration, obedience, and service rendered to the object of one's worship. It presupposes profession, practice, or observance of whatever belief and practice - in this case Halloween - as required by some superior authority.

It is indisputably clear that Halloween is NOT commanded or sanctioned by Jehovah God - the true Christian's Superior, Authority - in the Scriptures.

What Should We Do? Sadly enough, the biggest opposition to what has been said invariably comes from within professing Christendom. The witches, the occultists, and the secular sources all freely call it like it is. 

Note the following quotation from a contemporary witch. "Most of Christianity's holy days have their basis in pagan ritual. I get myself into a lot of hot water when I remind American Christians of that fact. No matter, it's true. But the level of tolerance is rising."

If we believe God's Word, then witchcraft is something that exists and is hated by God. It is an abomination. All occult practices are, and they are under the divine condemnation and wrath of the eternal God. 

Should the redeemed of God, His children, have anything to do with that which presents Satan?

Should children who "are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalm 127:3) be dressed up like witches and ghosts and goblins in light of God's displeasure? 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, "Abstain from all appearance of evil.

The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "Abstain from evil - shrink from it and keep aloof from it - in whatever form or whatever kind it may be."

The true child of God should be identified with the pure and holy Jesus Christ. With "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance..." (Galatians 5:22-23), not with the powers of darkness and evil. The witch, earlier in this article, clearly states that it's their holiday, their celebration. History bears that out. Christians, have nothing to do with this. It can only be dishonoring to the name of our Lord.

Today Halloween is the highest of all celebrations for Satan worshippers, witches and the occult. 

Christians need to be warned so they can take heed and obey the Word of God.
The apostle Paul wrote:
  1.  "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them" (Eph. 5:11). 
  2. "Abstain from all appearances of evil" (1 Thes. 5:22). 
  3. "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

A note from 4CM Editor:
Really folks


1. Take no part in...

2. Abstain from all...

3. Whatever you do...



Halloween

Invitation To The Occult?
This is always a difficult time for Christians, especially those with children.

It is also a dangerous time for some, since many of the seemingly "harmless" involvements associated with Halloween can also be entries for the occult.

What are the origins of Halloween?
Listen to Part 1 »

What does the Bible say about the occult?
Listen to Part 2 »

Is Halloween more than just putting on costumes?
Listen to Part 3 »

Is there a fun side to evil?
Listen to Part 4 »
How does Saul and the witch of Endor relate to Halloween?
Listen to Part 5 »

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Sunday, October 27, 2013

God's Claims (2)

.... on Your Life
'You were bought with a price...' 1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV

God's second claim on your life is Calvary. 
There's a story about two friends who went to law school.
One became a judge; the other became a law-breaker and ended up in court. Guess who was sitting in the judge's seat? His friend. So how could the judge be merciful, yet still be just? Taking off the black robes of justice, he walked over to the dock where the prisoner stood and said, 'Not only am I this man's friend, today I'm his saviour. I will stand chargeable with all his debts.'

At the cross, God took all your sin and put it on Christ's account, and took all Christ's righteousness and put it on your account. And the moment you trust Christ as your Saviour you're no longer under the sentence of death. The value of something is determined by the price a buyer is willing to pay for it.

At Calvary God said, 'This is how much I love you!
Your Creator became your Redeemer.

'The Maker of the universe, as Man for man was made a curse. 

The claims of law that He had made, unto the uttermost He paid.'

To fulfil His purposes in the earth, God always had a man.
To deliver the Israelites from Egypt, He used Moses. To challenge the prophets of Baal, He used Elijah. But when it came to your salvation, God 'saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation...' (Isaiah 59:16 NKJV)

When God could not find a man, He Himself became a man; that we who are the sons of men, might become the sons of God. Awesome!

SoulFood: Micah 1-4, Luke 22:24-38, Ps 78:65-72, Pr 24:11-14

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Friday, 20 September 2013




APPS available here

God's Claims (1)

.... on Your Life

'...You are not your own.' 1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV

Picture two people standing outside a house.
One says, 'This is my house.' The other replies, 'How come?' The first one says, 'For three reasons. I built it. I paid for it. I live in it.'

Let's look at the first reason why you belong to God: 

Creation: Some people think we all came from an amoeba. The problem is they can't tell us where the amoeba came from! The Bible says, 'God created man in His own image...male and female He created them.' (Genesis 1:27 NKJV) 

Some people say that the earth came into existence as a result of the 'big bang' theory. Yet if you told them, 'The car you drive right now was the result of an explosion at an assembly plant in Geelong,' they'd question your sanity.

  • If there's a design, there must be a designer. 
  • If there's a creation, there must be a Creator. 
  • And since God made you, He holds ownership rights over you. 
The Bible says: 'Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.' (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV)

Not only did God create you, He gave you certain gifts so that you could fulfil His purposes and bring glory to Him. 

So before they tag your toe and write your obituary, ask God what you were born to do. Only by finding and fulfilling His purpose, can you fill the God-shaped space within you, given to you when you were born.

Soul Food: (Feast of Tabernacles): Lev 23:33-44, Jn 7:1-40, Zech 14:16-21

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 19 September 2013
APPS available here

Mirror, Mirror #02

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (part two)

'Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous...' Psalm 139:14 NLT

So, how should you view the role of your physical appearance? 

(1) With gratitude. Thank God for the unique person He created you to be. You're not the result of random genetics. You're a genuine 'one-off', designed by God to fill a slot no one else can fill. He is what makes you who you are! 'You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.' (Psalm 139:13 NLT) 'Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous.' You didn't come from an assembly line like some product designed to fulfil a quota. No, you received the detailed, individualised focus of the Divine Architect. The Psalmist said, 'You watched me as I was being formed... as I was woven together in...the womb.' (Psalms 139:15 NLT) Now, that's attention at the highest level, right? So give God thanks: you were created, inspected and approved in Heaven before you moved a muscle on earth.

(2) With understanding. Discover God's purpose for your life. You weren't designed to impress others or to seek their approval. In God's eyes, your looks are not the measure of your worth. '...The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.' (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT) Start seeing yourself as God sees you. Ultimately, His opinion is the only one that matters. Indeed, '...He decided in advance that [His people] would be conformed to the image of His Son...' (Romans 8:29 CEB) Rejoice! God won't be finished working on you until He's made you just like Jesus.


SoulFood: Is 17-21, John 6:35-51, Ps 98, Pr 27:23-24

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Saturday, 26 October 2013
APPS available here

Mirror, Mirror #01

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

'...The clay doesn't ask, "Why did you make me this way?"...' Isaiah 45:9 CEV

A lot of us are unhappy with what we see in the mirror. Indeed, some of us are so unhappy that we spend a fortune to change it. And while it's good to look your best, God never intended our looks as a statement of our value to Him, or to others. Whatever physical features you may have inherited, here are some Scriptural truths worth considering: 

(1) Resenting your looks just puts you at odds with God. The Bible says, 'You have no right to argue with your Creator. You are...a clay pot shaped by a potter. The clay doesn't ask, "Why did you make me this way?"' (Isaiah 45:9 CEV) God intends you to be His clay container; a practical, usable vessel; not a fancy ornament for display. 'Our bodies are made of clay, yet we have the treasure of the Good News in them. This shows that the superior power of this treasure belongs to God and doesn't come from us.' (2 Corinthians 4:7 GWT) Your value isn't in how you look, but in what you contain - the life-changing message of God's grace! 

(2) Resenting your looks results from false comparisons. Today we're driven to become reflections of some unattainable ideal. Airbrushed models on TV sell us everything from cornflakes to cars. 

Let's get real! '...They are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!' (2 Corinthians 10:12 NLT) Unhappiness over your appearance results from ignorance of God's marvellous and creative purpose for you. And that'll become clear to you when you '...look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect...' (Hebrews 12:2 NCV)

SoulFood: Is 12-16, John 6:25-34, Ps 85, Pr 27:20-22

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Friday, 25 October 2013
APPS available here

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Let God

Let God

'I...lifted my eyes to Heaven, and...I was restored...' Daniel 4:34-36 NKJV

When King Nebuchadnezzar repented, his 'understanding...reason...honour and splendour returned...and...[he] was restored.' But when we have an image to maintain, we're reluctant to ask for help in case people think less of us.

One author writes: 'To fall is bad enough, but to fall and not cry out for help is worse... Some people are so full of pride and self-sufficiency they think, 'If I can't get up myself, I won't let anyone help me.'

Stop being so proud - that's what caused you to fall in the first place!

The Bible says: 'Those who walk in pride [God] is able to put down' (Daniel 4:37 NKJV).

Pride is dangerous, it forces you to lie needlessly in a helpless state for days - and sometimes years. If you'd asked for help immediately, you could have gotten up and gone on with your life.' Proverbs 14:12 NKJV says, 'There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is...death.'

Have you ever tried to rescue an injured animal?

It doesn't know your only desire is to help; it just knows it's in pain, and as a result it strikes out at the person who least deserves it. This is especially true when you've been wounded by someone close to you and didn't see it coming. You can hurt so much that you stop trusting everybody, including God. You stop praying and reading the Bible, you avoid those who want to help, and you refuse to let anybody pray for you.

The Bible says, 'Do not harden your hearts' (Hebrews 3:15 NKJV). Today, acknowledge that you've fallen and let God restore you.

SoulFood: 1 Sam 8-10, Luke 3:21-38, Psa 64, Pro 16:27-30

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Monday, 1 July 2013
APPS available here

Friday, October 25, 2013

New Birth 02 born twice

New Birth 01: we defined and described the new birth, now we want to prove that this experience is demanded by God. Jesus said... ye must be born again (John 3:7). He did not say that the birth was worthy of one’s consideration or that one’s acceptance of His proposal would be admirable. No, He said... ye must be born again. Why?

Adamic Nature

First, we must be born from above or born again spiritually because, through our physical birth, we have inherited the Adamic nature. We are "chips off the old block." Adam, as the head of the human race, passed on the "genes" of a corrupt nature to all his posterity.

Paul spells it out clearly in Romans 5:12; 18; and 19. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned... Therefore as by the offence of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Christ] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

We conclude, then, that every member of the human race inherited Adam’s rotten nature at birth, making each of us what our first dad was-a disobedient rebel. This old nature within us makes us lie, cheat, swear, and desire sin. One is not a sinner because he sins. He sins because he is a sinner.

That’s what the psalmist meant in Psalm 51:5 when he said, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity: and in sin did my mother conceive me. The sin in this text was not sex, for, Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled... (Hebrews 13:4). Instead, the "iniquity" refers to the old nature formed within one at conception. This old nature contains all the germs of every known sin. That’s why God declares in Psalm 58:3, 4; The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent....

In the light of this convicting evidence, only rebellious sinners would say, "I don’t need salvation," or "I am saved because I was born into a Christian family" God disagrees. He says ...here is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not (Ecclesiastes 7:20). . . . there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Psalm 14:3). All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him [Christ] the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net (Micah 7:2).

Jesus said . . . none is good, save one, that is God (Luke 18:19). Paul also adds a stroke on the canvas of life by stating in Romans 3:10-18: There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher [grave]; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the ways of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.

What a portrait of every member of the human race without God. Sinners possess naught but depraved natures passed on to them from generation to generation. They now need a "born again" experience that produces a "new nature" through "regeneration." No wonder Jesus said ...ye MUST be born again.

Secondly the "born again" experience is compulsory if one is to understand God.

1 Corinthians 2:11-14 depicts this. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing the spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. What a text! Let’s dissect it.

No man is able to understand another man except by the human spirit commonly possessed. This human spirit makes daily communication possible with other members of the human race, Though human beings enjoy such privileges among themselves, they are unable to conduct intelligible conversations with the animal kingdom, because the human spirit is missing in birds and beasts. Supposing I went into a pasture and began reading Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to Bozo the bull.

What would his reaction be if I looked into his eyes and said, "Bozo, here is one of England’s greatest masterpieces. Are you listening? ‘Oh, Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou, Romeo?"’ I think he might snort a little and give me a run for my money. In fact, I might fly over the fence faster than the Space Shuttle!

The problem?

A communication barrier. Now, Bozo might be the smartest bull in the herd and possess unusual qualities, but intelligible discourse would be an impossibility- he’s an animal.

However, if a veterinarian were able to "transplant" a human spirit within the breast of the beast, communication might become a reality Of course this is totally absurd.

It could never happen.

However, by way of analogy there is something that occurs at conversion which makes good "horse sense."

The "new birth" allows humans to become partakers of God’s nature (see 2 Peter 1:4). His nature enters a believer immediately as the "Great Physician" performs the miraculous transplant. Because of it, MAN, now possessing God’s Spirit, can, for the first time, understand God.

From this point onward he is able to grasp the truths of the Bible. The Scriptures are no longer mythological legends or contradictory pronouncements. God’s Spirit, present in the "new-born" convert, makes spiritual truths unbelievably comprehensible.

This is the meaning of the text which bears repeating. ...the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:11-13).

It is evident at this point that no human, regardless of I.Q., scholastic attainments, or academic degrees can by mere intelligence understand God.

That’s why 1 Corinthians 2:14 adds, (Get it all you college students who have been brainwashed and misled by educated pagans) But the natural man [or unsaved man] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: NEITHER CAN HE KNOW THEM, because they are spiritually discerned (emphasis mine).

The lost, even those with PhD’s, are hopelessly incapacitated when it comes to the Bible. They have no spiritual equipment to investigate the Spirit’s teachings. This takes a "supernatural" transplant by the Holy Spirit and is called the "new birth." Then, the believer partakes of the "divine nature" and God’s Spirit within makes God’s writing understandable. You see, one must know the Author of the Bible to understand the Author’s writings. Until then, the Bible is as difficult and dry as Egyptian hieroglyphics to a Chinaman.

Third, one needs a "new birth" experience to enter God’s presence. Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. And again, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:3 and 5).

Is it any wonder that the Saviour vehemently says in verse 7, Ye must be born again. None will ever see the light of the Holy City who reject Christ as personal Saviour. Instead, unbelievers and Christ-rejectors join the legion of the doomed for all eternity! Revelation 21:8 states, But the fearful, and UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whorernongers, and sorcerers and idolators, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN? 

He who has been born once dies twice, but he who is twice born, dies once. 

What strange language, you say? 
Not really If one is born but once-physically-he dies twice. First, the grave, then the lake of fire which is the second death (see Revelation 20:14). On the other hand, he who has been born twice-physically and spiritually-dies but once. For on such (the born again) the second death (lake of fire) hath no power! 

Will you die once or twice? Will you exit this earth instantly-via disease or disaster-and then enter the regions of the doomed forever? 

Why wonder? 
Why procrastinate? 
Eternity is ahead.

There is only one way to become spiritually born.

That is . . .Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... (Acts 16:31). Romans 10:13 adds ... whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.


A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM
DR. JACK VAN IMPE