Category Archives: Bible

February 4, 2024 · 10:00

God Hardens Hearts

And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. (Exodus 4:21)

I am not a pessimist, nor am I an optimist. I see myself as more of a realist. I analyze and evaluate things on a deeper rather than a superficial level. That is not to say that my perception is always accurate by any means, but I do try to assess things without relying on my emotions. That does not mean that I do not have or express emotion. However, I try not to allow emotions to influence my assessment of what I see taking place around me. In my analysis of the world around me, I do not rely on my experience because I have not experienced every situation that there is to experience. Rather, I evaluate things through the lens of God’s Word, which has something to say about every possible experience we may face. My worldview finds its basis in the Bible. Some may say that is a very narrowminded way to look at things, and it may be; however, I have found it to be accurate in every case.

The world is falling apart. The pessimist may want to give up and forgo any effort to improve his situation. He may turn off the news to avoid hearing another bad report. He may immerse himself in all sorts of distractions that drown out the clamor of doom and gloom. The optimist, on the other hand, appears oblivious to all that goes on around him, believing that it will all get better eventually. Because he knows that things will get better, he feels that he must do all in his power to improve the world around him like, saving the planet, saving the whales, feeding the hungry, etc. All the while, he fails to see that his efforts accomplish nothing, but he is happy in the knowledge that he is doing his part and things will get better, eventually.

Without going into specifics, we see the actions of world leaders (especially those of our own administration), and we wonder why in the world they do the things they do that only bring misery upon the peoples of the world. Then when certain leaders, like those of Israel, take the only sensible and logical actions in their self-defense and self-interest, the rest of the world rises up in protest against them. Anyone with the slightest bit of common sense understands that one side is right and the other is wrong. Yet, the protestors persist in their attacks on the righteous one. Why?

In our own country, we have the problem (among many others) of open borders.  We are not the only country with this problem, but this is the one in which I live and which affects me directly. We have thousands of people crossing our southern border daily. They come in such great numbers that our border officials are overwhelmed by the invasion. It is a mistake to think that these are coming from Mexico only. Indeed, they come from all over the world, especially from countries that are hostile to our own. What is more frightening is that the majority of these invaders are young, military-age men, not poor families looking for a better life. Rather than stop the infiltration, our federal government gives them money, gives them phones (supposedly for tracking purposes), and puts them on commercial flights to destinations of their choice. Meanwhile, U.S. citizens must show I.D. and be subjected to x-ray screening of their bodies and luggage. These, on the other hand, walk right on with no screening or vetting whatsoever. They are not even given a health exam to ensure they are not carrying some contagious disease. Those with any common sense say, “That’s crazy!” Yet our President, says there is nothing he can do unless Congress passes a new law that increases the budget for border control, never mind that there are already sufficient immigration laws in place that need only to be enforced. By ignoring and failing to enforce current laws, the President is in violation of his constitutional obligations as President, and in many respects, his lack of action can be considered treasonous. Yet, he says there is nothing he can do about it.

So, we remain astonished at how our leaders appear powerless to solve problems that to the rest of us seem to have a very simple solution. The root of the problem goes deeper than what is obvious on the surface. The fact is that God’s plan for the world is working according to His purpose. Jan Markell has a saying that resounds in truth. She says, “Things are not falling apart, they are falling together.”

God did not leave us clueless about future events. “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Indeed, all the problems experienced around the world were foretold thousands of years ago in the pages of our Bible. There is coming a “New World Order” that will attempt to control all of the world. There already exists a cabal of world “elites” dedicated to bringing all the nations of the world under a one-world government. These include the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and the World Health Organization, all working toward the common goal of unifying all the nations of the world under one governing body. That plan excludes any “super-power” nation. So, the demise of America meets that goal. So, when we consider the actions of our government that result in the weakening of our nation, the only thing that makes sense is that our leaders are in cahoots with the globalists of the world, and they aim to remove America’s super-power status so that they can assume control of the world without opposition.

“Well, that’s just un-American!” you protest. “Why would our leaders participate in the demise of our nation? Treason!” Why would they allow that? I believe Scripture answers the question. First of all, God has His plan, and His plan will supersede the plans of mankind. One way that He does this is by hardening the hearts of leaders so that they are impervious to the Word of God. We find a perfect example in the Book of Exodus.

The children of Israel had been captive in Egypt for over 400 years when God raised up Moses to deliver them from their captivity. Pharaoh’s heart was already hardened against his Hebrew slaves. They were essential to his economy. They provided much-needed labor. He had no sympathy for their harsh conditions. So, when God gave Moses his assignment, He prepared him for the opposition he would meet. “I will harden [Pharaoh’s] heart, that he shall not let the people go” (Exodus 4:21, emphasis mine). God had a plan to demonstrate His mighty power at Pharaoh’s expense. Pharaoh was already predisposed to the hardening of his heart, so God encouraged that attitude. That resulted in 10 terrible plagues upon Egypt that finally broke Pharaoh’s resolve.

In the same way, world leaders, including our own feckless President, have their hearts hardened against God. As Paul described in Romans, they “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 1:25, emphasis mine). The “creature” is all of God’s creation which includes the planet, the climate, and mankind. Paul continues: “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient” (Romans 1:28, emphasis mine). A “reprobate mind” is one that is totally incapable of proper reasoning. So, when you see our leaders make decisions that have no basis in logic or reason, there is your answer. God has hardened their hearts.

I am not troubled by any of this. I am a realist. I see what is going on, but it does not worry me because I know God’s plan is being carried out, and His plan will prevail. He has this in control!

If you want to know more about what is coming, read my articles on Revelation. If you do not know the Savior, read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

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January 7, 2024 · 10:00

How Are Humans Affecting Climate?

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:21-22)

It should not be a shock to anyone that a cabal of super-rich elites seeks to dominate the world by imposing ridiculous and drastic measures to reduce the human population and establish themselves as the dominating class of a utopian world. In an article published on the AMAC ™ website, Ben Shapiro says, “They appoint themselves the representatives of global interests — without elections, without accountability — and then create mechanisms of national and international order to control citizens over whom they claim to preside.”[1]

One of the sharpest arrows in their quiver claims that humans cause climate change. (Several years ago it was “global cooling,” but then the planet started warming. Then the danger came from “global warming,” but the planet started to cool again. In order to maintain a heightened level of panic over the demise of the planet, they changed the verbiage to “climate change.” That covers all variants, and they are all bad.)

Of course, anyone who pays attention knows that the earth’s temperatures fluctuate periodically. It’s called “weather,” and humans have nothing to do with it. Sadly, though, far too many, self-focused people ignorantly accept what the elitists say because it is backed by “science.” If “science” says so, it must be true. There is no need to think about it any further; let’s go have some fun!

However, is it really true that science confirms that humans cause climate change? Actually, more scientists reject the notion that “climate change” (in the scary sense) exists at all, much less that humans are the cause than those scientists (who are bought and paid for by the elites) that champion the idea.

In September 2019, 500 scientists signed a letter to the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, stating that there is no climate emergency. In the letter, they offered at least seven points challenging the notion. “(1) Natural as well as anthropogenic factors cause warming. (2) Warming is far slower than predicted. (3) Climate policy relies on inadequate models. (4) CO2 is not a pollutant. It is a plant food that is essential to all life on Earth. Photosynthesis is a blessing. More CO2 is beneficial for nature, greening the Earth: additional CO2 in the air has promoted growth in global plant biomass. It is also good for agriculture, increasing the yields of crops worldwide. (5) Global warming has not increased natural disasters. (6) Climate policy must respect scientific and economic realities. (7) There is no climate emergency. Therefore, there is no cause for panic.”[2] Have you heard about any of this in the media (which is bought and paid for by the elites)?

Of course, this does not deter the elitists. Their minds are made up; there is no need to confuse them with facts. They are charging full-steam-ahead with their mission to panic the peons into submission with their message of certain doom if we do not stop breathing and expelling our noxious gasses into the atmosphere. In order to help things along, we need to stop driving gasoline-powered cars and start driving electric cars. There is no need for concern that the power to charge those electric vehicles comes from power plants using fossil fuels. We also need to stop eating beef because cows pollute the air with their methane exhaust.  Ireland is acting proactively to do its part in combatting the climate emergency by killing off its cattle.[3] The elites would also have us live in “15-minute cities” where all of our needs can be met within 15 minutes of our homes. We would not be allowed to leave our area except for once a year and only if our “social credit scores,” imposed on us by the elites, allow it; and it would be closely monitored. China already does that to its subjects, and the globalists think it is the model for all of the world. In the words of Klaus Schwab, “You will own nothing and be happy.”

What is all this really about? Well, without getting too deep into the weeds, it is about power and it is about the destruction of humanity. It finds its roots in Genesis 3 when Satan caused Adam and Eve to sin. It happened again when the “sons of God” procreated with the “daughters of men” and spoiled the human race (except for Noah and his family).[4] Satan hates humans because they are created in the image of God and to them has God given dominion over the earth.[5] However, that dominion was temporarily lost, and it is now waiting for Jesus to return to reclaim it.[6] In the meantime, Satan wants to do all he can to leave Jesus with nothing left to reclaim. It will not work, but that does not stop him.

The globalist elites likewise, acting under Satan’s direction whether they know it or not, want to rid the world of “useless eaters” and bring the population down to a respectable 500-million (last I heard). “Climate change” is their weapon of choice. They believe they can accomplish their goal because they do not know God nor do they believe in Him. The “sheeple” who fall for their propaganda do so because they do not believe in God either.

Anyone who believes in God and in God’s Word does not live in fear that the planet will get too hot or too cold due to human agency. God made an unconditional promise after the Flood saying that He would not destroy the earth because of man.

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: (Genesis 9:8-12, emphasis mine)

The “token” of the covenant – God’s unconditional promise – was the rainbow that He set in the clouds as a reminder to us of His unconditional promise. That “token” has been perverted by Satan as he attempts to pervert everything that God has made. However, that changes nothing. God again restated His promise:

And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth. (Genesis 9:15-17, emphasis mine)

The Flood God sent upon the earth was truly a climate catastrophe. There was nothing like it before and there has not been anything like it since. These elites who “profess themselves to be wise have become fools.”[7] The psalmist says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good” (Psalm 14:1, emphasis mine). If they believed in God, whether they knew Him personally or not, they would understand that the climate is under God’s control and there is nothing man can do to alter it. God promised, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). Global warming, global cooling, it’s called weather, and it is under God’s control.

So, don’t listen to the climate alarmists. They are fools. Trust God and His Word.

Notes:

[1]  https://amac.us/newsline/society/the-elitists-who-want-to-rule-the-world/

[2]  https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/there-is-no-climate-emergency-say-500-experts-in-letter-to-the-united-nations/

[3]  https://humanevents.com/2023/06/03/ireland-moves-to-slaughter-200000-cows-over-climate-concerns

[4]  Genesis 6

[5]  Genesis 1:26-28

[6]  Revelation 5:6-8

[7]  Romans 1:22

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December 31, 2023 · 10:00

Come 2024!

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)

The last chapter in the Book of Revelation was my final reading for the year. There, the verse above jumped out at me. The verse is an invitation to those who are “outside” of the body of Christ to come and “take of the water of life freely.” Notice who issues the invitation: “the Spirit and the Bride.” We understand that “the Spirit” is the Holy Spirit. The “Bride” is the Church of Christ (not the denomination by that name) – the body of believers who have been saved by grace through faith.

Although we find this verse in the middle of a passage that describes the New Jerusalem (i.e., Heaven), which is yet future, the invitation is current. The fact that the invitation comes from both the Spirit and the Bride informs us that the invitation issues primarily from the Church. In writing to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul says, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). “Ye” in the King James English is a plural, second person pronoun, so he is addressing the whole body of the church saying that they are the “temple of God” in which the Holy Spirit dwells. So, as we read our starting verse, we can see that the invitation to come is from the Holy Spirit through the Church which is currently on Earth (but I pray not much longer).

The year (2024) that lies ahead does not promise improvement over the last. Indeed, since the year 2020 (and even long before that) things in the world continue to degenerate. The Middle East is on fire. The war in Ukraine continues with no end in sight. China will take Taiwan and the United States is too weak to do anything about it. Kim Jong Un is like a kid with a fist full of bottle rockets happily shooting them off daring anybody to stop him. Muslims are rioting and creating havoc in Europe, the United States, and other places around the world. The global decay of moral fiber infects every area of society and has even infiltrated the church. And there is no promise of improvement for 2024.

All of that seems rather gloomy and pessimistic, but I say, “Come 2024!” The darker the world becomes, the brighter will be the light of His appearing. Now, more than ever is the time for the church to shine her light. To His Bride, Jesus says, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14, 16). Jesus is coming for His Bride very soon; but while we are still here, our light must shine brighter than ever. “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ And I say, “Come 2024!”

Reader, the verse offers an invitation to come drink of the “water of life.” Are you thirsty for the only thing that can quench the thirst of your soul? Come to Jesus. If you want to know how to do that, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Happy New Year!

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December 25, 2023 · 10:00

Light of the World

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:4-5)

It is Christmas Eve as write this. June and I enjoyed a time of fellowship with our church. Our sermon today was based on Isaiah 9:6-7, which speaks of the child that was to be born whose name was “Wonderful Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” He is the One upon whose shoulder the government should rest and whose reign would have no end. It is one of those promises whose fulfillment is now and not yet. Truly He reigns within the heart of every believer, but He is yet to come to rule over all the earth.

After church, June and I came home to settle into our Sunday routine which includes “second breakfast” and listening to more Bible teachings and sermons on YouTube. One of those was Dr. Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church of Dallas. In his sermon, he spoke of Jesus coming to earth as “the Light of the World,” a term Jesus applied to Himself (John 8:12; 9:5).

As I listened to Jeffress’ exposition, my mind carried me back to Genesis 1:14-19 when God created all of the celestial bodies. “And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:17-18, emphasis mine). Was that not also Jesus’ purpose for coming to the earth? – “to give light upon the earth” and “to divide the light from the darkness”? It seems that the Apostle John made the same point – “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:4-5, emphasis mine).

As I mused on this, I remembered that God created the celestial luminaries on the fourth day of creation. That brought to mind what the Apostle Peter wrote about the way God reckons time. “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Of course, Peter was using simile to express the timeless nature of God, but as we consider biblical chronology, the comparison does seem to fit. It has been about 6000 years since creation, which is comparable to six days, and creation was accomplished in six literal days. God ceased from creation on the seventh day, and we yet await our seventh day of rest when Jesus rules on earth for 1000 years (1 day) – Revelation 20:1-8. So, it appears that the days of creation and the years of Earth’s history have a 1:1000 correspondence.

Taking this a step further, Jesus was born around 4000 years after creation which corresponds with the fourth day of creation when God created all the heavenly bodies. I wonder if God did that on purpose?

“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

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December 17, 2023 · 10:00

The Mystery of the Gospel

… that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, (Ephesians 6:19)

The Gospel is a mystery. The Gospel (Greek: euaggelion) means “good tidings” or “good news.” The angel brought the euaggelion to the shepherds who watched their flocks by night.[1] It was the euaggelion that the Savior was born in Bethlehem. But what did this euaggelion mean? When the angels departed, the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem to see the euaggelion for themselves. Once they had seen the baby, they spread the news to all who would hear. “And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds” (Luke 2:18, emphasis mine). It was a mystery!

At Christmastime, we sing the mournful carol, “Oh Come, Oh Come Emanuel.” The lyrics describe a deep yearning for the advent of Messiah. “Oh come, oh come Emanuel, and rescue captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.” However, Israel was not expecting the Son of God to appear. That was the mystery.

Indeed, the prophets foretold of the coming Messiah. When the magi later came searching for “he that is born King of the Jews,”[2] the religious leaders, who knew the Scriptures, directed them to Bethlehem. They quoted the Prophet Micah: “And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (Matthew 2:6, emphasis mine). However, they omitted the last phrase of Micah’s prophecy: “whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:9). That last part was a mystery to them. How could an earthly ruler/king exist “from of old, from everlasting”? That would mean this king existed from eternity past. That could only mean this coming king would be God. To them, that was impossible. It was a mystery.

Four hundred years prior, the last prophet spoke of the coming Messiah. “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness” (Malachi 3:3). This certainly speaks of authority, but the general tone of the prophecy expressed God’s displeasure with His people obscuring any hint of the Messiah’s divinity. After that, God stopped talking for four hundred years. A lot can be forgotten in four hundred years or blurred beyond recognition.

Previous prophets had spoken of a coming king who would sit on David’s throne. A favorite Christmas passage from Isaiah says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7, emphasis mine). While Isaiah clearly stated that His name would be “The mighty God” and “The everlasting Father,” the promise of His reign on David’s throne overshadowed (in their minds) the fact of His divinity. Since the fifth century before Christ, Israel had been ruled by outside forces; first Babylon, then Persia, then Greece, and now the Romans. The Jews wanted a king to make them a superpower. God coming to reign on earth in human flesh was unthinkable. It was a mystery!

Other prophecies held an even more unimaginable mystery – Messiah would suffer and die. Psalm 22 describes His crucifixion when such execution methods did not exist. Isaiah 53 also details the suffering of Messiah. The prophet Daniel precisely foretold the number of years when Messiah would be “cut off.”[3] The Messiah that was to be king and rule the world would have to die. That makes no sense! It was a mystery!

Even today, the idea that the Almighty, Creator God took on human flesh, in a virgin’s womb, was born by natural means in the lowliest of estates, grew up among “his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3). He was nailed to a cross for our sins and rose on the third day so “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). That is the mystery of the Gospel.

All religions of the world, including many so-called “Christian” religions, demand some kind of sacrifice from their adherents. The adherents of these false religions must do something to appease their gods in order to gain entry into eternal life. It is no wonder then that the idea that all one needs to do is believe in Jesus and trust in the sufficiency of His sacrifice for our sins. It’s too easy. It’s a mystery! Paul describes how Jesus left His first estate as God, and took on human flesh for the purpose of making Himself the perfect sacrifice for our sins.[4] Our God performed the work of salvation for us so that all we need to do is believe. “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, emphasis mine). It is a mystery! “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” (1 Corinthians 2:14). That is the mystery of the Gospel.

As we ponder the mystery of the Gospel, especially during this Christmas season, the thought of God coming to us in the form of a helpless baby should captivate us in awestruck wonder. How could such a thing be! The only thing that remains is praise and thanksgiving for the incalculable gift that He offers. “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” (John 3:16).

Reader, if you have not accepted God’s free gift of salvation, there is nothing you have to do but believe. Please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Luke 2:8-18

[2]  Matthew 2:1-12

[3]  Daniel 9:25-26

[4]  Philippians 2:5-11

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