Truth Inspires

(Taken from my post on the Rapture Forums www.raptureforums.com ) Lately, I have been thinking about those that have faced rough times during this past year and many who are facing them now. The Christmas season is upon us and to me it is always the most wonderful time of the year. However, because of various trials and even hardships I am not immune to the realization that some do not share that same sentiment. Often I am teased by my family and called a “Christmas elf” because I enjoy the activities of the season so much. However, that aside, I feverishly relish the most important reason for the season, the birth of our Lord Jesus! That said, rough times can often obscure or veil our minds to the many blessings we have received in Christ because of the incarnation. The Bible is quick to tell us that as Christians we have been endued with His “Power from on high.”  For the record, Luke 24:49 states: Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerus

The Christmas season is upon us and the carols are being sung around the world and throughout the land.  Today I am thankful that here in America we still have the freedom to worship the Lord Jesus with virtually no hindrances.  Unlike many in other lands, we have been truly blessed with this freedom.  My prayers go out to my brothers and sisters in the other lands who have to hide to read a passage of Scripture or pray.  But thanks be to God He always hears the cries of His children.  A silent prayer or a passage memorized can never be taken away from the heart.  In America Christians have yet to be be tried through these fires.  It is altogether possible that they may never be, simply because of the faith of the many faithful today and that of our forefathers who saw to it that the Lord would be the foundation upon which this land would be built.  It warms my heart when I look back into the past history of the United States.  Even though humanity will never be perfect and many of t

I just got back from vacation and heard the news that the unemployment rate in America has climbed to 9.8%.  Many, many people are hurting during these days and my heart goes out to them in their struggles. I know the struggle having experienced many times where $20.00 would be enough to get me through till a payday.  But I am still here and the Lord has never forsaken me nor my family.  It' a funny thing however, when you speak about trusting the Lord during times of struggle.  Many have a differing view of just who God is and it is that view that drives their actions.  For instance, if we view the Lord as the "genie in the bottle" that can be ignored daily, weekly, or monthly-then called upon when trouble strikes we will be sorely disappointed.  Our God is not a tool in a bag of magic tricks that can be solicited to provide an answer to our dilemmas only when we choose to use Him.  But on the other hand, He does desire for us to call out to Him in our times of need. 

The New Testament reveals to us several veils that taken by themselves reveal great spiritual instruction, but if taken as a whole reveal a beautiful work of mysterious art. Matthew, Mark, and Luke speak of a veil that hung before the entryway into the Most Holy Place of the 2 nd Jewish temple. The apostle Paul speaks to us of a veil that Moses had to hang over His face after his descent from Mt. Sinai, his face shining brilliantly with the reflection of the presence of God from which he had just come (2 Cor. 3:13). The Scripture states that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly at his face without needing to turn away much in the same way we cannot bear to look upon the sun with the naked eye. Paul then speaks of this self-same veil figuratively representing the inability to view clearly the revelatory teachings of the Old Testament by those who refused to hear its content (2 Cor. 3:14); their hearts being veiled to its living truths because they refused to hear the instr

If you know anything about the history of Ancient Israel, you know that all too often she forgot the Lord and syncretized her faith with that of the other surrounding nations. In short, they committed spiritual adultery against the Lord. From 740 B.C. to 721 B.C., the once thriving 10 Northern tribes of Israel (the Northern Kingdom), were incrementally defeated by the Assyrians and forced out of their homeland. In addition, from 601B.C. to 586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Southern Kingdom of Judah, including Jerusalem, away into captivity to Babylon. Never again would Israel or Judah have a legitimate ruling King sitting on their throne, that is until the future return of Messiah Jesus. Isaiah the prophet trumpets before us the message of the Lord concerning their physical and spiritual state in his day and beyond that, until the final days before that heralded return. In chapter 51:21-23 he describes a transfer of the "Cup of Trembling" from the nation o

Years ago as a pastor, I faced an issue concerning the topic of “Grace.” I had noticed some congregants who were taking Grace to the extreme and beginning to teach that since our sins were bought and paid for at the cross—all of them, past, present, and future—there was no need to strive against sin. Thanks to our Lord, this was noticed and the He quickly allowed it to be curbed. This heresy occasionally rears its head in Christian circles and indeed must be stopped before it becomes out-of-control. The good thing is that a proper understanding of Grace can arrest the heresy in its steps. Because this false perception thrives in loose living, many well-meaning Christians go completely to the opposite extreme and throw the Biblical teaching of “Grace” out altogether. That too is heresy. How should we approach it? Grace, as a doctrine, should always be presented in its entirety. By that I mean, a starting definition, followed by why it is important, and concluding with keeping it scri

The article below, written by Dave Hunt of Berean Call ministries, references many of the false teachings that have come to the forefront of todays Christianity. It is worth the read.   http://www.raptureforums.com/FeaturedCommentary/whatshappeningtothefaith.cfm   My response, first posted on www.RaptureForums.com, is reiterated below: In reading this and in knowing of the many "other" so-called evangelical leaders (not my mentors) I have to believe that the root of all of this false teaching and disbelief and distrust of the Scripture goes back to the lie in the garden:   Genesis 3:1, Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”   The lie of course being to question God. All of the above in Bro, Hunts article, question the Scripture, thereby question God.   I just finished reading a book by a very prominent scholar, John

The last restraint that I would like to point out is the Restraint of the Church. Truly, Jesus was right when He said, "the gates of Hell would not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). The Church is the crowning glory of the Lord Jesus. He is the Head of the body, the Church, and High Priest over it. It is unfortunate, for so many, that they profess themselves Christians but will not take part in it. It pains the heart of Jesus when they choose to ignore the greatest organism ever--one He set up for their edification. Too many people find themselves content with walking an aisle. Hence, they deny themselves the favor of God by refusing to fellowship with other believers. They seek a future and a hope but are not willing to submit their heart and life to find out what that future is. There is no one on earth that can convince me that God can use them, to the extent that he called them, if they do not attend Church.   1 John 1:1-5 states: 1 That which was from the beginnin

Many of us have had a hard time articulating how we feel in our hearts about the Florida Pastor who wants to burn the Koran. As I read this I was moved with the love this brother has for the Lord.  I felt his message should be shared because he speaks the truth and helps us to better relate and express what we believers also feel in our hearts during these alarming days of choice.  I hope it blesses you as much as it blessed my wife and I.  I post it just as he wrote it.  Mike A Titanic Mistake A Titanic Mistake The Quran Burning Pastor ....I must confess reflects a carnal side of me I have Loved My Country, I've loved being an American ...small town born an raised.....right in the heart of America Grew up going to church ....sunday morning (sunday school and service), sunday night, wednesday night an choir practice night cause my mom was the church pianoist Grew up when you actually "hauled hay" ...The American flag wasn't something you burned but Held

At this time I would like us to consider the Fourth Restraint in the series, Grace. God has placed what I call an umbrella of Grace upon all of mankind. In referring to those days of the end when God would unseal the words of prophecy in the Book of Daniel we find an interesting statement that bears quoting. Daniel 12:10 says: "Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand." In this passage of Scripture we have a contrast between the wicked and the wise. We are told the wicked shall do wickedly as opposed to the wise who would understand (ie. the words of the prophecy). It also states that the wicked would not understand. I see two reasons for this lack of wisdom or illumination: First I believe that a person cannot understand spiritual truth unless he is allowed to do so by the Holy Spirit. Much in the same way that a Christian is not allowed to go on past elemen