Are We Lost In Space? Or Maybe Lost On Earth?

When I was a kid, I used to LOVE watching the TV series “Lost In Space’, it is still one of my favorite TV shows of all time.  It’s all about the Robinson family of space explorers who are thrown off course and become lost in space (get it…. that’s where they get the name! yuk yuk)  Anyhow, the series is about this family traveling from one planet to the next always looking for a way back to earth.  

 YouTube has many clips of the show (here’s one example … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP-s3OqCGhA) Also, you can watch the entire series at http://www.fancast.com/tv/Lost-in-Space/)   I would heartily recommend this show for wholesome family viewing.

 The thing about the Robinson family was that they knew where they wanted to go, but they didn’t know how to get there.  I am afraid that this is the situation that many of us are experiencing in our lives today.  We desire peace, lasting joy, a sense of belonging, a sense of accomplishment, assurance of our destiny in the after life… the list goes on and on.  We know what we want but, sadly, many of us don’t know how to attain it.  We turn to many different worldly sources of advice to give us guidance in fulfilling our desires, but to no avail.  Nothing this side of heaven gives us the peace, joy and satisfaction and assurance that we so greatly desire. 

 If it were not for God’s grace, none of us would have the know-how or the ability to attain any of these goals.   But, thanks to Him, the realization of our goals becomes possible through His Word and His divine intervention in our lives.

 Let’s see what God’s Word says….

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. (1Co 1:27-31)

 THE STUDY:

 Lets quickly notice in our first set of verses:

1. The Lord makes it plain we should not be surprised at the world’s inability to give satisfaction and peace to man.  (vs 27-29) 

 2. The result of the world’s inability to satisfy is described in the phrase “That no flesh should glory in his presence”. (vs 29)  In other words, no earthly human being can stand up and say “I can give you true peace, joy and satisfaction, come follow me and I will fulfill all your desires.”  No human can supply to us our life’s needs.    

 3. The source of true peace and satisfaction and our eternal security is found in the Lord Jesus Christ.  If we have a personal relationship with Christ, His Spirit indwells us.  The Spirit, in turn gives us an understanding of His Word and supplies guidance to us as we live our day to day life on earth.  It is through Christ, and His Spirit, that we can find true spiritual satisfaction and security.  (vs. 30-31)

 4.  The Godly basis of our life’s satisfaction and security is described by four terms: 

      A. wisdom –  Godly wisdom is the ability to take God’s Word and apply it to the decision we make in life.  This is the wisdom that enables us to make choices that honor God and lead a life that is honest,  and kind towards man.  Possessing this wisdom gives us confidence knowing that our life is pleasing to God and man.

     B. righteousness -  Godly righteousness is being “lawful” in the eyes of God and also man.  To be righteous means to have peace within knowing our Lord has forgiven us of our sins and that we have  His innocence placed on our account.  Possessing His righteousness also means that we are now living lives that are just and fair to others around us.

     C. sanctification – Godly sanctification results in us being “set-apart’ for God’s use.  It places us in His family of believers, and takes us out of the dominion of sin.  Sanctification also aids us as we submit to His will and resist temptation.

     D. redemption - Godly redemption results in us being “purchased” through the death of Christ on the cross.  His redemption placed on our account tells us we are loved by God, the price for our sins has been paid, and we are eternally secure in Him.

 By knowing the Lord has intervened in our lives in all 4 ways gives us the peace, joy and satisfaction we so greatly desire.



The above picture by Paul Cheng illustrates the stark difference between a life lived with Christ and a life lived without Him. 

Paul's description is a great summary of our need to be sure we have been saved...  "As you can see, only in the cross there is life but outside there is no life. It is symbolically a parallel universe where our spiritual destiny is determined by our choice to believe in Jesus or not today (John 3:16)." 

(You can see more of Paul's wonderful art at his website:  http://www.certaintyofdrawings.blogspot.com/  Take a look at Paul's work... it will be a great blessing to you.  Also my thanks to Paul for allowing me to use his work on this blog posting.  It is greatly appreciated.)

 THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

 For those who are saved, let's be sure to praise and honor the One who has made our life complete.  It is only through Christ and His work that we can truly lead fulfilled, contented lives.

 For those who are not saved, if you have begun to see the great void that exists in your life, look to the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in Him to intervene, save you from your sins, and fulfill your desires for peace, love and security.  It is only then that you will be able to live your life to it’s fullest. 

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If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

Oh, How Good It Looks… Oh, How Bad It Is For You

One of my weaknesses is my desire for a cheeseburger.  I love cheeseburgers…. Burger King Whoppers with cheese to be exact.  But actually, how can anyone find fault with me?  Just take a look at this Burger King Whopper commercial…. (be forewarned, I don’t know how anyone can resist this!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pltp_xNrego

After having a mild heart attack about 5 years ago, it is for my good that I don’t make a habit of eating these babies.  It seems as if ever since I was told to “lay off the Whoppers” that I have only wanted them more.  We have all experienced something like this… temptation is universal, everyone has experienced it at one time or another.

Sadly, this universal experience is one of the greatest hindrances we face to living a faithful, obedient Christian life.  Why does temptation make such an impact in a Christian’s life?  How can we overcome such a strong influence?  Let’s see what the Bible has to say about temptation…

THE SCRIPTURE:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1Jn 2:15-17)

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (Gen 3:6)

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. (Mat 4:1-11)

THE STUDY:

1 John 2:15-17

Here, we find the three basic areas of attack that temptation takes… the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.  These are the three types of sinful desires we all have within us.  These are the areas that temptation appeals to and to which we submit, producing sin in our lives. (James 1:13-15)

Genesis 3:6

Here, we read of the very first temptation of mankind.  Note the three areas attacked by Satan during his temptation of man:

“the tree was good for food” (lust of the flesh);

“it was pleasant to the eyes” (lust of the eyes);

“a tree to be desired to make one wise” (the pride of life). 

This is a consistent pattern throughout the Scriptures.  Every temptation that is enacted upon man is aimed at one (or more) of these three types of sinful desires we all possess.

 Matt 4:1-11

In this account, we have the temptation of Christ brought into view. Notice that, again, temptation’s attack is in a three-fold direction:

 “command that these stones be made bread” – Christ’s hunger after His fasting (this would have appealed to His desires of the flesh)

 “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down:… lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” – By doing this, Christ would be proving to everyone His divine origin (this would have appealed to His desire to exalt Himself or His pride of life)

 “The devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, …if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” – This was appealing to the sight of all the kingdoms of the world.  (By doing this the temptation involved the desires of His eyes)

 In each case, a similar area of Christ’s life was being attacked (just like in the other two examples we looked at.)  However, in the case of Christ, we have a perfectly sinless response to these temptations.  Why?  Christ’s did not have a sinful nature that fallen mankind possesses.  This is one reason why Christ was perfectly able to resist these temptations. 

 THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION

 For the Christian….

 For our benefit, Christ clearly displayed the method in which to overcome any temptation that we may face.  Please notice, in each of the three attacks by Satan, the Lord used the Word of God to gain the victory over Satan.   “It is written”, “it is written”, “it is written”; was Christ’s constant refrain.

In each case Satan lied (John 8:44), in each case Christ refuted the lie by going to the source of all truth, God’s Word. 

 Satan can use our friends, our family, even our experiences to lie to us.  The only sure source of truth we can rely on is the Word of God.  If anything in our life leads us contrary to Scripture, we must put it aside, and follow the Scripture exclusively.

 The example of Christ, once again, speaks to us concerning the importance of Bible study and memorization for the Christian.  It is truly the only offensive weapon we have to deflect Satan’s attacks against us. (Eph 6:14-17)

 Another lesson from Christ’s example is the need to take special care when we see a weakness in any of these three areas in our life.  We should be constantly striving for control of our pride, control of our eyes and control of our fleshly desires.  When these begin to dominate us, we are headed for defeat.

 For those who have never submitted to the Lord…

 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (Jas 1:13-15)

 Without the forgiveness of Christ, spiritual, eternal death is the end result of temptations workings in mankind.  The only remedy for this is to look to Christ, the life-giver, who gave Himself on the cross so that we might share eternal life with Him. (2 Tim 1:8-10)

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If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

The Christians Labor Day

The US holiday we commonly call “Labor Day” was “dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”   (The History of Labor Day”, US Gvt DOL website - http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm)  In times past, Labor Day was commonly referred to as the “working man’s holiday”.  Specifically set aside in appreciation for the hard work of the American citizen (especially members of the Labor Unions).

Speaking for myself, I always look forward to Labor Day, enjoying an additional paid day off work and much needed time with my family.  But as much as I enjoy the US Labor Day celebration, there is a much greater Labor Day in the future for those of us that are servants of the Lord.  Let’s take a few minutes and learn more about the eternal Labor Day that the Lord has so graciously promised to us. 

THE SCRIPTURE:

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.  (Rev 14:13)

THE STUDY:

Here in Rev 14:13 we find one of many references to the eternal rest that the Lord has promised to those who serve Him.  Please note the four basic principles concerning this rest:

Principle #1 – “Blessed” This eternal rest we receive is a great blessing from the Lord. It not only is a reward for faithfulness but also a great encouragement as we serve the Lord on earth.   What a great blessing it is to know that we someday will enjoy eternal rest with Christ!

Principle #2 – “the dead which die in the Lord” We enter this eternal rest at the completion of our course here on earth.  Keep in mind, all who are servants of Jesus will enter into that rest, whether when we die or when He comes back to take us home at His second coming. 

Why do we not rest from our labors while we are still on the earth?  The Lord clearly explains to us that “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”   There is so much work left to do here on earth… now is not the time for rest…. It is the time for service!

Principle #3 – “they may rest from their labors” When the servant’s work on earth is completed, he enters into a very wonderful special type of rest… this rest is described in detail in Rev 21:3-4;  It involves a rest from pain, sorrow, and physical suffering.  But also, the Christian will no longer have to struggle against sinful flesh, but will now be able to worship the Lord in sinless freedom (Rev 22:3-5; Rom 8:21; ”glorious liberty of children of God”)

Principle #4 – “their works do follow them”  What a tremendous blessing! Just to know that when we serve the Lord on earth, our labors are remembered into eternity.  The rewarding of the faithful servant of the Lord is a central, widespread theme throughout God’s Word. (2 Tim 4:7-8; Heb 6:10-11)

Keep in mind, the rewards we will receive in heaven will have a wonderful significance.  The rewards are not given to faithful Christians to bring praise to the Christian.  Keep in mind, any service we have rendered to the Lord is entirely by His grace.  Our health, our physical life, our understanding of Scripture, our salvation, EVERYTHING having to do with our service to Him is a gift from Him.   This is why when we receive our rewards for service we lay them back down at His feet. (Rev 4:10-11)  It is our way of saying “If it was not for you Lord, we never could have served You”.

THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION

For the Christian….

On this Labor Day weekend, let’s take a few minutes to give thanks to the Lord for His laborers that are faithfully working the fields that are “white unto the harvest”.  Give your pastor, missionary or Sunday School teacher a quick call or email thanking them for their service as well.  But above all else, we need to be sure that we are doing what our Lord has called us to do, recognizing our time of rest has not yet come!

For those who have never trusted in Christ…

Take some time out this weekend to read the Bible and see the work that Christ has performed for His people.  Here are some chapters to get you started. If you read a Romans chapter in the morning and a John chapter in the evening you can easily finish these this holiday weekend. (Romans chapters 5, 8,11; John chapters 3,4,5;)

May the Lord bless you.

If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

The Year 2012, The 66 Ancient Books, and File 13 (Part #3)… Or, The King Of Kings Is In The House!

In this blog series we’ve been looking at the teachings of Matthew chapter 24. 

In part one, the Lord has shown us that no man, nor angel, will know the exact time of Christ’s coming and the end of the world.  From this we have drawn the conclusion that the 2012 theory cannot be relied upon, and therefore, must be discredited as pure speculation with no foundation in fact.

In part two, the Lord has taught us the ten groups of signs that reveal to us the general time frame of His coming and the world’s end.  We have seen that these signs are present in our world and many of these are increasing in intensity and frequency.  This allows us to know that the Lord’s coming is possible at any time.

Currently, we are in the time frame of waiting.  As we wait on the Lord to come back and waiting for the world to come to an end.  During this waiting period the world is slowly decaying around us.  (Roms 8:20-23)   The Lord’s second coming will begin the final phase of the world coming to an end.  This final phase will greatly accelerate the world’s ending.  So now, let’s see what will take place when the Lord actually comes back and the process leading to the world’s end as it enters it’s last stage.

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Mat 24:29-31)

 THE STUDY:

 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken”

The Greek word “tribulation” simply means to be burdened, to be pressured, or to face trials.  What is the “tribulation of those days”?  It is simply the different signs of his coming that we have already studied (false teaching, wars, famines, persecution of God’s people etc.).  In and of themselves, they are tribulation that we face on a day to day basis.  After Christ’s coming, however, far greater tribulation will fall upon the world.

In our text, at the coming of Christ, great changes will take place in the heavens. Christ’s glory and power are so great, He will outshine the moon, stars and even the sun.  In comparison to Christ, all of these will appear as if they are dark.  Or perhaps, the sun, moon and stars will actually be darkened and misplaced at His coming.  Remember, this is God, Himself, coming in the heavens to take His people home to be with Him; who knows exactly what effect His coming will have on the created world?

 “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” 

Please notice that the “secret rapture” of God’s people is not taught in Scripture.  Here, we find that when Christ comes back to take us home to be with Him the entire world will see Him (Rev 1:7).  Both lost and saved will see Him as He appears in the heavens.  Again, when He comes, we see Him coming with “power and great glory” … this is probably why the heavens will grow dark at His coming.

 “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

Here is the great purpose for His coming back in the heavens.  It is to take the living saved (and the bodies of the dead saved) home to be with Him (1 Thess 4:13-18).  This will entirely remove the saved from the world before His wrath falls against sinful mankind.   Note, that the angels play a big role in retrieving the Lord’s people from the earth. 

 This event is the FIRST reaping as described in Rev 14:14-20:

“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

 The SECOND reaping is the beginning of His wrath falling upon sinful mankind in Rev 14:16-20:

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.”

 The promise of His second coming, and of the saints removal from the earth before His wrath falls, is commonly described as “the Rapture”.  This is the event we are talking about in Matt 24:29-31. This is the beginning of the last phase of the earth’s existence.  Within a short period of time, immediately after the Great Tribulation, the earth will be totally renovated preparing the way for our Lord’s return to the earth to reign. (2 Pet 3:12-13, Isa 65:17, Rev 21:1-5)  These promises are a source of great encouragement and strength to believers everywhere. (2 Thess 2:1-2)

 Today, with joy in our hearts, let’s live our lives for Him!  ….

 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luk 21:28)

 In our final part to this study, we will be seeing the end result of these events and what our responsibility is concerning these events.

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace”  “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike”  http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

The Year 2012, The 66 Ancient Books, and File 13… Or, The Signs Of His Coming (Part #2)

In part number one of this series, we saw that the exact time of Christ’s coming and the end of the world would not be revealed to any man, nor angel, but only to God alone.  (Matt 24:3-6, Matt 25:13, 2Pet 3:10)  Also, because mankind will not be told of the exact time of Christ’s return, His return is described as if a thief was coming in the night. (1 Thess 5:1-11). 

These teachings of God, bring into question the year 2012 theory for His return.  According to the most popular version of the theory, the world is coming to an end on Dec 21, 2012.  We know the Lord clearly says that He will not reveal the exact time of His coming; because of this the 2012 theory must be labeled unscriptural and, therefore, false.  

We will now pickup with our Matt 24: study by looking at Christ’s teachings concerning the signs of his coming and the end of the world (Matt 24:3-28)

THE SCRIPTURE:

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? …. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.  (Mat 24:3-28)

THE STUDY:

Matt 24:3 – The context of our study… Christ is answering the question, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

The 10 great groups of signs pointing to His coming and the end of the world’:

Sign #1 - Matt 24:4-5 – The appearance of men who will claim to be anointed by God, but they will deliver a false message, some will even claim to be Christ Himself.  (2 Cor 11:13-15, 2 Thess 2:3 )

 Sign #2 - Matt 24:6- Wars will take place, combined with threatening of wars about to take place. 

Don’t let these things surprise you, they are a part of God’s plan and must take place before the end. (Luk 21:9)

 Sign #3 - Matt 24:7- Nations will oppose nations economically, politically etc.  Also, famines will take place with deadly diseases and earthquakes.  All of these things will take place in a variety of different, multiple places. (Ezek 14:21, Luke 21:11, 25-26)

Matt 24:8 – All the above signs (vs 4-7) are described as beginning of “sorrows”.  The Greek word for sorrows means “birth pains”.  The above signs are compared to birth pains, i.e. they will increase in frequency and intensity as the end times grow closer.  Much like a woman’s birth pains increase in frequency and intensity before the child is born.

 Sign #4 - Matt 24:9 – This speaks of the persecution of the followers of Christ. This includes physical, emotional, social, and economic abuse of God’s people. (John 15:19-20, Rev 2:10, Rev 6:9-10)

 Sign #5 - Matt 24:10 – Disagreements, legal disputes, hurt feelings, physical confrontations will take place between individuals.  These will stir up hatred for one another.  (Matt 10:21,35-36,  Matt 13:21)

 Sign #6 - Matt 24:11 – Many men will teach a message of error, yet claim it is God’s Word. This is speaking of false religions that teach salvation is received apart from Christ. (1 John 4:1)

 Sign #7 - Matt 24:12- Sin will be rampant as love for one another dwindles. Natural types of love will decrease (parents for child, man for woman, child for parents, etc.) Perverted, selfish lust will be on the rise. (Mark 13:12, Luk 21:16, Roms 1:26-32)

Matt 24:13 – One of the greatest marks of those who are saved is consistent service to Him. Perseverance in service to the Lord is one of the greatest proofs of genuine salvation.

 Sing #8 - Matt 24:14- Worldwide gospel outreach by ministries of the Lord.

 Sign #9 - Matt 24:15 – The Abomination of Desolation is Daniel’s account of the Hebrew temple being

defiled.  This was done by the Antiochus Epiphanes in 170 BC when he slew the pig on the Israelite altar. (see for more info - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abomination_of_Desolation) .   

This ceremonial defilement of the altar is a picture of God’s worship being defiled today through false teachings and harboring of sin in worship.  This sign is about sin and error creeping into the Lord’s assemblies causing the true worship of Him to be defiled. (Daniel 9:-12:, 2 Pet 2:1-3, Rev 2:12-17)

Matt 24:16-20 – All of the above events will be unstoppable and world-wide, causing even God’s people to flee in terror, knowing that these things cannot be overcome by mankind’s efforts.

Matt 24:21-22 – At the completion of these signs, the Great Tribulation will be ready to commence.  The Great Tribulation would even destroy God’s people, but the Lord will intervene and take them home before the GT begins.

 Sign #10 - Matt 24:23-28 – False accounts of Christ’s return will radically multiply as the end draws near. These false teachings will include Him physically coming back to the earth. These false claims about His return will give support to the rise of false Christs with miracle working powers coming on the scene.  They will be empowered through Satanic intervention deceiving virtually all men (with the exception of genuine believers. (2 Thess 2:9-11, Rev 13:13-14)

Only God’s people will reject these false teachings. Christ’s true followers will understand the Biblical teachings about His second coming.  They will understand He will come in the clouds and take His people to heaven to be with Him.  He WILL NOT return to the earth at this point in time. 

 (Note: I have included a few extra verses with each sign to supplement this study.  There are many, many more verses I could have included but the length of this study restrained me.)

 THE SUMMARY:

 By looking at the above list of signs of His coming and the end of the world, it is plain to see that we are living in the last days.  Every one of these signs has already appeared and many have become much more frequent and intense.

Although there is no way I can know exactly when he will come, I believe it will be soon… in any case, we all can echo Paul’s sentiments in Rom 13:11-14:

 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. “

 In the next part of our blog series we will be looking at our long-awaited event, the second coming of our Lord. 

If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace”“The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike”http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

May the Lord bless your study of His Word.

Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

The Year 2012, The 66 Ancient Books, and File 13… Or, The End Of The World Revealed (Part #1)

2012… just four little numbers that in the past few years have become a BIG DEAL!  What used to be simply a descriptor, for a 12 month segment of time on coming calendars, has become synonymous with the end of all mankind.  How did this happen?  Well, to tell you the truth, I think it takes a Mayan scholar and historian to really get the answer straight; there is much controversy over the whole theory.  I can’t read the Mayan language, nor do I understand how the Mayans went about creating their calendar; so to be fair to supporters of this theory, I think I’ll leave the explanation of all this to them.  If you are interested this link may help you…  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon   

 As far as I’m concerned, the only area of interest for me is … “What does God’s Word say about the world ending in 2012?”   From my perspective, God’s Word (made up of 66 separate books, Genesis - Revelation) is the only reliable authority on this whole issue.  Therefore, if God’s Word teaches that the world ends in 2012… so be it, then that proves to me that the Mayan’s had it right all along; but, if God’s Word proves the 2012 theory is baloney…. that settles it for me… I’m placing my faith in my Lord, and His Word, and I’m delegating the 2012 theory to my trash can (file 13).  (If anyone is interested in why I count God’s Word as the ultimate authority in matters like this, please refer to my previous blog entry on the Bible and Science: http://bit.ly/bYDWbZ for more info)

 THE SCRIPTURE:         

 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? … But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only… Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  (Mat 24:3, 36, 42; see also Matt 25:13, 2 Pet 3:10)

 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.  (1Th 5:1-11)

 THE STUDY:

 Matthew chapter 24 is a record of the teachings of Christ on the subject of His second coming and the events surrounding the end of the world:

 Matthew 24:1-3…

If you notice, the question that initiated the Lord’s teachings of Matthew 24 is found in verse 3 …” Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” 

So clearly, the context of this chapter is the second coming of Christ and the end of the world.  To say otherwise is to deny the context of this chapter.

(Please note, the “things” being referenced in verse 3 was the destruction of the temple by Rome a few years later in 70 AD by Roman general Titus.  This brought an end to the Hebrew worship of Jehovah in Jerusalem and began the time period we call the “latter days”.)

 Matthew 24:4-28

In these verses, the Lord describes the different events leading up to His second coming. An in-depth look at these signs will be presented in Part #2 of this blog series.

 Matthew 24:29-31

The coming of Christ is described as he takes His followers to heaven to be with Him. A closer look at these verses will follow in Part #3 of this blog series.

 Matthew 24:32-51

Here our responsibility to look for the signs and to be ready for His coming is brought into view.  These verses we’ll look at in detail in Part #4

 Note in verse 36 and verse 42 …

 He clearly says in verse 36, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”  

And then in verse 42, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” 

 In the context, watching the signs of His coming, He makes it plain that, as we watch, we should not expect the exact time to be revealed to us!   In other words, the signs are to help us know the basic time frame of His return, but we will not know exactly when He is coming.   

He explicitly states that no man, nor angel would ever know the exact time of His coming.  Even Christ, while on earth, as a human, who did not exercise His divine attributes (Phil 2:5-8), did not know the time of His second coming.  (Just a note here…. I believe that since Christ is ascended and has begun to exercise His divine attributes and authority, (Phil 2:9-11) He now knows when the second coming will take place.)

 This same principle is also brought out in the Scriptures in our other text, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 …

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”  

In other words, Paul did not need to write to the believers in Thessalonica about the times and seasons of Christ’s second coming because Christ had already addressed the topic.   But even though they already had teachings on the signs, there would be no specific announcement of when He would come.  In that sense, He would be coming as a thief, unannounced and unexpected by many.

 SUMMARY OF OUR STUDY SO FAR:

 So for this blog entry, it is important for us to see that Christ gave us signs marking a basic time frame of His coming.   However, the coming of Christ and the end of the world, will not be announced with any exact date. He specifically teaches that no man, nor angel will be shown the time of His coming.   It is a truth only known by the Triune God.  

 By the way, good old “2012 theory” is already rattling around in my file 13, and we are only one-fourth finished with our study!

 My next blog entry will answer the question, “What are the signs of His second coming?” from Matt 24:4-28.

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace”“The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.   Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

Golden Bears Are Everywheres! (Waynedale Golden Bears, That Is!)

In the mid 70s, I attended and graduated from Waynedale High School in Apple Creek, Ohio.  Waynedale had great students and fantastic teachers.  I credit the Lord with using Waynedale to give me the tools I needed to further my education and succeed in life.  I was blessed to have the privilege of attending Waynedale.  Sorry to say, in my younger days, I did not appreciate Waynedale as I should.

 For a closer look at Waynedale HS visit their websites:

http://www.southeast.k12.oh.us/school_home.aspx?schoolid=13         http://whsgoldenbears.olinesports.com/

 Waynedale’s mascot was a golden bear.   Like any high school, you could see golden bears all over the walls of the school building.  Why? Because the golden bear represented who we were.   The minute anyone stepped into our building they knew they were in Golden Bear Country!

 This is also why our school jackets had a golden bear on them… in the neighboring communities, at the sight of the bear on our coat the people immediately knew that we attended Waynedale. By simply wearing a golden bear on our clothing we were making a statement about ourselves. 

 Did you know that the Lord has given us the equivalent of a golden bear coat that we are to use to declare our relationship with Him?   Lets look at what the Bible has to say about our public announcement that we are Christ’s.

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal 3:26-27)

 THE STUDY:

 In Galatians 3:26-27 – gives us a clear teaching on the role of faith and baptism in our salvation.  If you notice, in verse 26 we can clearly see that faith is the entry way to adoption into the family of God.  In other words, we must have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to be forgiven of our sins and to become a part of God’s family.  

 Our Galatians text does not stop there.  It goes on in verse 27 to explain the role of baptism in our salvation.  Baptism is the “putting on” of Christ. By the way, the term “put on” in Greek means “to put on a suit of clothes”.  In other words, baptism is like putting on clothing that publicly declares that the work of Christ has been applied to our account and we are now dead to sin and alive to Christ. 

 Baptism is the equivalent to my Waynedale coat.  I was a student of Waynedale whether I wore my coat or not.  But, if I wanted others to know I was a Waynedale student, I would put my coat on.  The same principle applies to our baptism.  If we have God-given faith in Christ, we are saved.  Baptism has no effect on that.  However, if we want others to know of our salvation experience, we are to be immersed in water (baptized).   By being baptized, we are associating ourselves with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ; and, we are stating that we have died to sins and are raised to live a new life of submission to Him. (Roms 6:3-9)  Once we are baptized, everyone knows we are a follower of Jesus Christ.

 THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

 For those who are saved, the most important next step in obedience to the Lord is to be immersed in water (baptism).  This, in turn, pictures the work of Christ, our changed life, and our association with Him.  By being baptized, we are saying to the world… “My Lord has saved me, I now commit myself to living my life for Him and I am so very grateful to be able to be called a child of the living God!”

 Once we make this public declaration of our faith in Christ, we should strive to obey Him with our whole heart.  For we know that our association with Him is known and we are being watched by others to see if our commitment to His service is genuine.

 For those who have never been saved, first, it is vital to grasp the most important need of your life.  Above all else, you are in need of the Lord’s intervention in your life and the faith He so graciously gives to those who seek His face. 

 By understanding the true nature of baptism, you will not be misled by those who will tell you that baptism is a necessary part of your receiving God’s salvation and adoption.  Please allow me to repeat once again for clarity… faith alone is necessary for salvation.  By trusting in Christ, your salvation is complete.

 Baptism follows salvation and is necessary for a public declaration of your faith in Him.  For a closer look at salvation and the need for faith please read my blog page on “forgiveness”.

 “The name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth….neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Act 4:10-12)

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike”  http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

Here Comes De Judge!

Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In was a comedy sketch TV program that aired in the late 60s and early 70s.  My parents used to love that show.  One of the sketches I remember best was the “Here Comes De Judge” sketch that featured Flip Wilson and later Sammy Davis Jr.  In this sketch, you would have an innocent defendant stand before “De Judge” and receive all types of abuse.  For a sample of this sketch watch this: http://video.aol.com/video-detail/laugh-in-here-comes-the-judge/2172108200

 As funny as it was to watch some poor guy get misjudged and abused at the hands of a judge, we all know, in real life, being misjudged by others isn’t funny at all.  How many times have we been falsely accused of wrongdoing, or have our motives for an action totally misunderstood.  Think of how painful it was to have to defend yourself when you know you are an innocent victim of wrong headed judgment. 

 For many well-meaning people, the solution to making wrong judgments is simply to make no judgments at all… This sounds like a great solution, but, unfortunately, there are times when judgments need to be made.  Would you feel comfortable leaving your child at a babysitter, without making a judgment about that sitter’s character?  Or could you marry someone without ever examining their life to be sure they are a suitable mate for you?  Can you standby idly watching a loved one take a life path that would lead to their harm or even death?

 Making, or not making, judgments about others are a very complicated necessity of life.  The Lord has given us insight into this subject in His Word…

  THE SCRIPTURE:

 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

(Joh 7:20-24)

 THE STUDY:

 In a nutshell, our text gives us the Lord’s teachings on the judgment of others... there is a righteous type of judgment and there is an unrighteous type of judgment.  Therefore, the core of our study is this… which type of judgment is righteous and what type is unrighteous.  Once again, the Lord does not leave us guessing about these things. 

 Here are the basic principles we are to use to help us render the proper type of “righteous” judgment:

1. When we judge others without looking at ourselves first, we are judging unrighteously.  Matt 7:1-5, Rom 2:1-1.  Many times this type of judgment can become a stumblingblock for those being judged.  Rom 14:10-13


2. When we judge other’s motives, by trying to guess what is in their heart, is an unrighteous judgment 1 Cor 4:1-5


3. We should not be critical of others who choose not to keep the dictates of OT ceremonial laws, they no longer mandatory for us to keep. They were fulfilled, and ended, with the first coming of Christ to earth.  These laws were given to teach the OT believers about the first coming of Christ (a shadow of things to come). When Christ came the purpose of these laws was fulfilled and they are no longer to be observed.  Col 2:13-17, John 7:20-23


4. Our judgments should not be influenced based upon the possibility of personal gain. James 2:1-9


5. Our motives for judging others must ALWAYS be with the intent to help those we are judging.  We should never judge others with the intent to find fault so we can justify our own lives or look better in the eyes of others around us.  James 4:10-12  As we seek to help others it should be with a humble attitude realizing, apart from God’s grace, we would be in the same shape, or worse, than the person we are judging.  1 Thess 5:14-28, Gals 6:1-6


6. We must judge others to choose our teachers, leaders and associates in life.  To not render this judgment is to open us up to false teachings and sinful practices in our life.  Matt 7:15-20, 2 Cor 6:14-18


7. We must be constantly making life decisions based on the context of God’s Word.  We must judge other’s actions and teachings before we follow in their footsteps.  Roms 2:26-29, 1 Cor 2:13-16, Luke 12:56-59

 (Note:  I’ve only been able to summarize the basic teachings found in the above references for the sake of this study.  I would suggest that we prayerfully study each of the above references for a much more complete understanding of the principles for Scriptural judgment making.)

 THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

 For followers of Christ, righteous judgments should be a daily, habitual action.  How many different decisions are we called upon that dictates a judgment be made?  How many times do we fail the Lord by making unrighteous judgments concerning our lives and the lives of others?  For the Christian, knowing, understanding and applying the above principles is of utmost importance.

 For those who are not yet followers of Christ, the first and most important judgment you will ever make is to decide the truthfulness of God’s Word.  Does the Bible contain errors?  Are the historical accounts of both Old and New Testament fictional or are they factual?  Finally, and most importantly, are the Bible’s claims about Christ true; and therefore, can I trust in Christ with my soul’s eternal destiny?

 By God’s grace, you will come to an acceptance of the truthfulness of Scripture and the need to trust in Christ and His work on the cross.  1 John 1:1-4  

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace”  “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike”http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

Alien Sightings and Alien Abductions in the Last Days (Part 2 of 2)

(Please refer to my previous post... "Do Aliens From Other Planets Exist?... A Biblical Perspective" For Part 1 of This 2 Part Series)

Beginning in the 1950s, reports of alien sightings and abductions have been steadily increasing across the globe.  Explanations for these events range from misidentifying military/governmental flight vehicles or heavenly bodies, to drug abuse or psychological issues on the part of those making the sightings.  However, some experts believe these explanations are not sufficient.  There are still reported sightings and abductions that, according to them, cannot be rationalized using earthly explanations.  Could they be right? 

 In my previous blog entry, “Do Aliens From Other Planets Exist? A Biblical Prospective.”, we saw that aliens from other planets simply do not exist.  So, from a Biblical standpoint, aliens cannot be the cause of these events.  In this study, we’ll try to answer these questions… Is there another possible explanation for these “alien sightings/abductions”?  How are “alien sightings/abductions” connected with the end time teachings of Scripture?

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.  (Rev 1:7)

 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Mat 24:30-31)

 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.  (Rev 14:14-16)

 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.  (Luk 17:34-37)

 THE STUDY:

 To begin a Scriptural study of alien sightings/abductions it is important that we understand a little about Satan and his workings among men: 

 Satan, throughout both Old and New Testament, is clearly revealed as a Deceiver of mankind (Rev 12:9).  Beginning in the Garden of Eden with his deception of Eve (2 Cor 11:3, Gen 3:1-5) and continuing throughout history, Satan lived up to his title Deceiver, Opposer of Mankind (John 8:44, Zech 3:1-2).   One way that Satan deceives men is by performing miracles imitating the very works of God. (Ex 7:9-13, Deu 13:1-3, Matt 24:24, 2 Thes 2:7-12, Rev 13:11-15)

Satan was cast out from heaven along with other wicked angels (fallen angels, demons) (Rev 12:7-11)

These fallen angels became Satan’s followers serve him in the pursuit of the deception of mankind about the truth of God’s Word (2 Cor 11:13-15, 1 Tim 4:1-3).

 The Bible does not specifically mention Satan’s use of the alien sightings/abduction phenomenon. But after examining how Satan and his demons work among mankind; I believe, it is possible, that some of the alien “events” our society is experiencing could be the workings of the powers of darkness (Satan and other fallen angels).  It is very possible they are trying to mislead mankind about Christ’s second coming and the rapture (taking of His saints to heaven)…

 First, demons posing as aliens could be Satan’s way of imitating, and explaining away the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Rev 1:7 and  Matt 24:30-31 clearly teach that when the Lord Jesus comes back at the rapture the entire world will see Him.   How could Satan “explain away” Christ’s coming?  With a foundation of deception (alien visitations) already laid it would be very easy!  Satan could mislead a blinded, lost world into believing that what they saw was simply another of many alien visitations.

 Secondly, what about alien abductions?  Keep in mind, when Christ comes back, He will take His followers to heaven to live with Him eternally (Rev 14:14-16, Lk 17:34-37).  You will have millions of people disappearing from off the face of the planet earth when Christ appears.  The Bible is not clear, but possibly, the lost world will actually see the saints ascending to heaven.  How can the disappearance of millions be explained?  Once again, it would be very easy (in the context of alien abductions).   When the lost world sees Christ’s return, and the saints taken to heaven, it could be explained as a mass abduction caused by the visiting alien (Christ at His coming).  

 What would be the result of this demonic deception?  Millions of lost men and women will totally misunderstand one of the greatest displays of God’s power and grace that will ever be exhibited to mankind.   Instead of viewing the event as a call to submit to the Lord’s authority and power, it would be viewed as a ”call to arms” preparing the nations for an “alien invasion”.  

 THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

 All Christians are embattled by Satan and his demonic followers and need the spiritual armour that our Lord so graciously gives to us. (Eph 6:11-13).   As we understand more of the great ability of Satan to deceive man, we need to heighten our guard against his workings in our life (2 Cor 2:11, Matt 24:23-25)

 If you have never been saved you are already under the control of Satan being blinded to the truths of God’s Word (Eph 2:1-3, 2 Cor 4:4)  You are entirely helpless to attain salvation of your own ability or works (Isa 64:6-8).  But all hope is not lost!  If you look to Christ by faith, submitting to His Lordship,  and totally relying on His working in your life you will receive the forgiveness of your sin.  (John 15:3-7)

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

May the Lord bless your study of His Word.

Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

The Justification of Lebron James …

This past week Lebron James made his nationally televised “decision” and left the Cleveland Cavaliers to play for the Miami Heat of the NBA.  As a Christian, I am abhorred by his justification for leaving.   During James’ interview on ESPN, he repeatedly stated his reason for leaving the Cavs.  There was a two-fold motive behind his decision:

 A. So he would be happy

B. So that he would win multiple NBA championships  (in doing so, he will supposedly be classed with the greatest players of all time like Jordan, Russell, Bryant etc.)

 (In case you missed his ESPN interview please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIw7BakUoTU to see his justification for the move.)

When I was younger, I was always told that my decisions were to be made with the following in mind…

 A.  Above all else, I was to put the Lord’s will first in all my decision making

B.  Next, my immediate family’s welfare was to dictate what my decision was to be.

C.  Thirdly, the good of other people around me was to take a third place in my decisions.

D.  My own desires were to take fourth place in my decisions.

 I have always thought that this was a pretty good way of making decisions and it certainly appears to support Biblical teachings… (Luke 10:27-28, Eph 5:25, 5:28-29).   Then along comes Lebron James… what example does he set for all the young people who look up to him as a role model?   His entire justification for moving to Miami is basically turning the above list of priorities on it’s head.  

 He is telling his followers, by his words and example, that putting themselves first, and making their happiness the number one priority in life, they are making the most of their life on earth.  This reminds me of the King in Ecclesiates that wasted his life seeking happiness and power in all the world had to offer.  (Eccl  1:-12:)

His actions and his words clearly tell us that happiness and lasting fame are the ultimate priority in James’ decision making process.  It is enough to make any Christian weep.

My question is this…. “Since happiness and fame take priority in his decisions, does this mean they are his gods?”  It is really something to think about and something to warn our children about.

Do Aliens From Other Planets Exist? A Biblical Perspective. (Part 1 of 2)

{A note to my readers:  This blog entry is the first of several entries answering my reader’s questions.  I trust they will be of interest to all of you. I enjoy answering your questions and reading your comments… keep them coming!   Finally, thanks to everyone who is reading my blog, you are a blessing to me. }

 With the increased number of reports of UFO sightings, comes increased curiosity concerning the legitimacy of those reports.  Google “UFO sightings” and you will see a list of over half a million websites, recording multiplied thousands of UFO sighting reports.  

We are constantly bombarded with the opinions of scientists and other researchers attempting to prove or disprove alien’s existence.   So let’s go to the final Authority, our God. 

What does the Lord have to say about the existence of UFO’s and aliens from outer space?  I will share with you some of the Biblical teachings on this subject. 

 (Note for an in-depth scientific answer from a Bible believing scientist please refer to the following link Institute for Creation Research)  Dr Henry Morris is director of the Institute for Creation research.  He is a dedicated Christian scientist who has contributed to many different areas of scientific thought.  I encourage you to make use of his website for Biblically based research.

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2Pe 3:10-13)

 THE STUDY:

 There are several Biblical principles that help us to understand the Lord’s teachings concerning the existence of aliens….

 Principle #1 – In all the creation accounts, the Bible never describes God creating life on other planets.  

Man is the jewel of God’s creation… God gave man the dominion of all creation - Gen 1:26-28; God made man exalted over all earthly creation - Psa 8:5-9.  The earth was given to man, all the rest is possessed by God - Psa 115:16.  He gave none of the other parts of creation to alien beings.  There is nothing mentioned about aliens or any role that God has given to them to fulfill in His creation scenario.

 Principle #2 - Gen 6:17 – describes the flood as destroying “all flesh under heaven”…

in other words, the only flesh that exists “under heaven” (ie the third heaven see 2 Cor 12:2) is the flesh which is on the earth, that was capable of being destroyed in the flood of Noah’s day. 

 Principle #3 – There is no reason to believe that the Bible records any alien sighting by man.

Every supposed account of men seeing alien beings in the Bible is better interpreted as …

God revealing Himself to man in a vision (Isa 6:1 etc etc) or  God symbolically revealing creatures that live in heaven with God (the third heaven see 2 Cor 12:2) (Isa 6:2, Ezek 1:1-28, Rev 1:12-17, Rev 9:3-5  etc etc )  There is NOT ONE account that, due to context, must be interpreted as a man seeing an alien being.  

 Principle #4 – God’s earthly creation is the central theme of His Word and His eternal plan laid before the foundation of creation itself.

God sent His Son to die on the cross to redeem human beings from their sin.  Earth and human beings are in the center of God’s attention and workings.   It is extremely difficult to conclude God has other worlds filled with life when everything in His Word points to the earth, and the earth alone, as the cradle of life.  (John 3:16-18 – “world” is speaking of this earth, the center of His orderly creation.) 

In our text, 2 Pet 3:10-13, the entire creation, including the special universe, are connected to God’s plan for man.  As a part of His second coming to earth, all the universe will be remade for His followers to dwell in.  Once again, we see how mankind is dominate in the plan and ways of God.  All creation (including the heavens) fall under that plan.

Roms 8:18-22 – When Adam fell “all creation” was affected.  The sin of one man dictated the state of the entire universe.  Once again, we see man as the dominate created being in all the universe.

Gen 1:14-15 - He made the lights in the heavens to give light to man on earth, no where is it said He made the heavens to house other beings.

 All 4 of these principles point to man as being at the center of God’s attention and workings in the universe.  With no mention of aliens in God’s creative or redemptive plan for the universe.

 THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

 For those who are saved, understanding the central role of earth and it’s inhabitants in God’s eternal plan is very reassuring…. we can fully trust in the principle that God’s redemptive attention is on those He has chosen to save.   He physically made us, He chose to save us, He sent His Son to die for us, and He secures our salvation through His workings in our heart (Rom 8:14-39)

 For those who have never accepted Christ as Lord and Savior; understanding His great love and workings on behalf of His people, magnifies the need to look to Him for salvation.  If God Himself has sacrificed so greatly for His people, how can we neglect the salvation He so graciously offers?   (Hebs 2:1-10) 

 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: …(Gen 16:13)

His attention is always upon us… for the saved, it is a great comforting blessing; for the lost, it is an important reminder of the certainty of no escaping judgment apart from His forgiveness of our sins.

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

I’m Saved! In Church I Walked Down The Aisle and Said A Prayer…

As a Pastor of 15 years, I used to ask the question, “Have you ever been saved from your sins?”.  I have received many different responses to this question.  Here are a few of them…

 “Of course, I was baptized as a baby in (church name)”; 

“Yes, I am saved, I am a member of (church name)”;

“Yes, I have kept all the sacraments of my church”;

“Yes, I was born into a Christian family, we’ve been Christians for at least four generations”;

“Why yes, thank you for asking, I walked down the aisle of (church name) and said the sinners prayer back in September of 2001”;

and many, many more.

It has broken my heart to hear responses like this coming from those for whom I care.  If you notice, in every case, the above responses imply that our salvation is based on something we have done.  The Bible makes it plain that our salvation does not lie in what we have done, but what the Lord has done in us.  (John 6:44-45, 6:63-66, Eph 2:8-10, Php 2:12-13, Col 1:25-29, Titus 3:4-5)

 So where did we get the idea that salvation is based on something that we have done?  Sad to say, in many cases, the churches of today must take responsibility for fostering this false belief.  Since I am a Baptist pastor, I will use Baptist churches for my example… my heart aches when I see other Baptist pastors, at the close of the service, beg and plead for people to “come down the aisle and be saved” or “repeat the sinners prayer after me and be saved”. 

 In many cases, this is done by well-meaning pastors who are trying to encourage those in attendance to make a commitment to Christ.   But, instead of bringing about commitment, they are encouraging others to trust in a work for their salvation. 

 Please remember, a person can be saved just as easily standing in the pew, or sitting in a chair, or lying in a bed etc etc.  The Lord can work in the heart at anytime and any place, not just at the altar in the front of the church.  Likewise, salvation comes through Christ creating faith into the heart of the faithless, not by us saying any prayer. 

 Whenever the gospel message is given out in the Bible, it is never accompanied with the instructions to walk an aisle, or say a “sinner’s prayer” (the same can be said for baptism, church membership, keeping the sacraments, or being born into a Christian family).   The gospel message, when given in the Bible, is accompanied with the instructions to trust in Christ and His work. (Acts 16:30-31, John 3:15-16 etc etc)

 The only way we can be certain we are saved is by knowing the Lord has worked in our lives.  How can we know this for sure?  The Bible makes it plain….

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. … For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2Co 5:17-21)

 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.  (Jas 2:14-26)

 THE STUDY:

 In the Bible, a true salvation experience brings about change in the life of the believer.  When God intervenes in the life of a sinner and brings him to salvation, the newly saved person becomes a new creation in Christ. (2 Cor 5:17-21)  This “new creation” involves a new attitude about the Lord and sin.  (Eph  4:22-24)  The newly saved now sees Christ as their Lord and despises the sin in their life.  This new attitude then motivates the Christian to begin a life of service to their Lord and Savior.  This service is described as fruit bearing. (John 15:1-5, Gals 5:19-26)  This changed life is one of the reasons why God has saved us (Eph 2:8-10). 

 Also, this changed life is what gives us the ultimate assurance that the Lord has worked a work of saving grace in our lives. James clearly presented this principle in James chapter 2.  In verses 14-26, James refers to “dead” faith as opposed to a Godly saving faith.  How can we tell the difference?  James tells us the works that we perform will reveal the true nature of the faith we have within us.   The lack of a changed life shows us that the faith we possess is not of God but simply a work that we performed in and of ourselves (a dead faith).  A changed life brought about by our faith, shows us that our faith is a work of God in our heart. (Please read James 2:14-26 in it’s entirety to come to a full understanding of James’ teachings.) 

 THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

 So let me rephrase my original question, “Have you ever exercised faith in Christ?  If so, has this faith produced a changed life within you?  Do you now love the Lord and seek to please Him with your life.  Do you now hate sin and strive to rid it from your life?”  These questions get to the heart of our spiritual condition. 

 If you can say, “yes” to all three, you can be assured that you have been forgiven of your sins and are a part of God’s family.  If you must say “no” to any, or all, of these then you must come to the realization you are yet in your sins.  If you are yet in your sins, please follow the dictates of God’s Word….  

 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”(1Jn 5:11-13)

 If you would like more information about salvation, please refer to my blog page entitled “forgiveness”.

 Also, if you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace”  “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike”http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

I’m Late, I’m Late for a Very Important Da...errr… Discovery! (Part #2)

We have previously looked at seven different scientific “discoveries” that were first revealed to man by God in His Word.  It was only after many years that the scientific community “caught up” to the Bible, and affirmed the existence of these wonders of nature. 

 Unfortunately for mankind, a majority of the scientific community has still not caught up to the Bible.  In particular, there are at least two scientific truths revealed in the Bible that science has not accepted, but has actually rejected.  The denials of these truths have widespread ramifications for all of mankind.

  THE SCRIPTURE:

 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 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, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  (Rom 1:20-23)

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.  (Psa 139:13-18)

THE STUDY:

Here in Rom 1:20-22, the Bible describes men who have blinded themselves to the revelation of the Creator that is found in nature (Psa 19:1-6, Isa 40:22-26, Psa 8:3-9).  By misleading themselves, they deny the very existence of a Creator God.  These verses can easily be applied to many scientists that have existed both in the past and the present day.  They have claimed much wisdom and, yet, are shown to be foolish, by denying the unquestionable evidence of God found in all of nature. 

There is at least one other truth that science has yet to come to accept.  In Psa 139:13-18 – we find the truth that a child’s life begins at the child’s conception.  It is at conception that the child’s formation begins with the receipt of their genetic code (the book), before any of the child’s distinct body parts were existing (that which is unperfect).  It is this genetic code that dictates how the child’s members are fashioned and formed.     The Bible makes it a very plain truth that, at conception, a child exists with a life of their own.  This is proven by possessing a distinct genetic code (DNA) from their mother’s body.  God was actively at work in the life of this child while yet in it’s mother’s womb. (Jer 1:5, Psa 71:5-6, Isa 49:1 + 5, Gal 1:15-16, Luke 1:15, Psa 22:10)

Because most of science has actively denied the obvious facts of the existence of a Creator God and the existence of life at the conception of a child, we are forced to question every “discovery” that science comes up with.  We must compare any scientific discovery with Biblical teachings and call into question any discovery that is not supported by Biblical teachings.  

THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

Why is the recognition of a divine Creator so important for mankind?  God’s role as Creator is the very origin of His authority over all (Roms 9:20-23).  Because God created us He can do with us as He pleases. He is our ultimate lawgiver, our judge, and our King all because He made us.  To do away with His creatorship, is to do away with His authority over all mankind and mankind’s need to submit to His will and way. (Dan 4:34-37)

 The truth that life begins at conception is very important for mankind to understand.  Most importantly, the murdering of the innocent life (abortion) is a heinous sin, bringing to a society God’s hottest wrath (Matt 18:3-14, Hosea 13:16).

Also, the principle of the value of HUMAN life, no matter at what stage of development, is essential to the existence of our form of society.  Our founders believed every person has a right to LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  By taking the right to life from the youngest members of our society opens the door to taking the right to life from others as well.  Older American’s right to life is now being threatened. 

The “value to society” of both the youngest and the oldest of our nation is now being discussed openly.  This is leading to a belief that if a person does not contribute to society, their life is of less value. This will lead to the taking of more life as time progresses.

 If we are saved, we need to be aware of the changes to our society that are taking place and the belief system that is leading to these changes.  As the Lord says “the truth shall make you free”.  Our responsibility as Christians is to stand up for the Word of God by teaching our acquaintances and family the truths about God’s creatorship and life’s value.   We should also be voting for those who believe these truths so that our government will begin to uphold these Godly, Biblical values.  Finally, we should PRAY that the Lord would intervene in our nation and bring about a spirit of repentance upon our people so that our nation would turn from its sin and God’s wrath would be withheld.

 For those who have not turned from their sins and turned to Christ as Lord and Savior…  study the Bible with an open mind, and see the great truths He has revealed to man.  Believe His Word, trust His message about His Son and look to Jesus for forgiveness for your sin.  He will abundantly pardon. (Act 4:10-12)

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  

Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

If I Only Had The Nerve

We all remember “The Wizard of OZ” from our childhood.  When I was young, I used to watch it with my family, sitting on my mom’s lap… boy was I scared!    Even though the cowardly lion is the one who said he needed “nerve,”  I needed more nerve than he did, as I watched that movie.  

There were so many weird things in it to scare a fella!  For example, it had lions, scarecrows and tin men that could talk; it had munchkins, witches and that crazy wizard; but most importantly, it had those flying monkeys…. I HATED those flying monkeys!   I used to dream about those monkeys… to this day, I don’t like those monkeys!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SESI19h4wDo  I could have said, just like the lion, …“If I only had the nerve”.

Anyhow, back to my original point, In “the Wizard of Oz”, because of the lion’s lack of courage, he was pictured as weak and helpless.  It made him look downright pitiful   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98W7zg2ByKY  That helpless, pitiful condition that accompanies cowardice some people associate with not only cowardice but meekness as well.  Being meek, they say,   means they do not have the strength to stand up for themselves, but to allow others to manipulate or “walk all over” them.   The exact opposite is true.  It takes courage to lead meek life.  

To be meek, as used in the Bible, is “the confidence that leads to obedience, through the release of self-pride”.  Being meek is an act of strength and courage, not an act of weakness and cowardice.

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  (Gal 5:22-25)

 THE STUDY:

Noah is the perfect example of a meek man.   Noah believed that His God knew what was best for his life.  Therefore, Noah submitted himself to God’s authority by building an ark in spite of his neighbors ridicule. (Gen 6:10-Gen 9:17)   It took a great amount of courage for Noah to build that ark.  It also took a humble spirit as he withstood his neighbor’s jeers.   Noah was a bold, courageous, meek man. 

The Bible mentions others who led meek (humble) lives as they served their God…

Nums 12:3 – Moses

2 Chron 34:1, 27 - Josiah

Matt 11:29, 21:5 – Our Lord Jesus Christ

Remember, Christ was God Himself, yet he was willing to humble Himself so that we might have access to salvation from our sins… Phils 2:5-11 gives us a variety of ways that Christ showed His meekness to us:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. “

We have so much to thank Him for!  God becoming man, and then dying unjustly on a cross to pay the price for our sins… this is, truly, the ultimate example of meekness for all of us to follow.  

THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

If you are like me, the pursuit of humility is an extremely difficult one.  As a matter of fact, to bear the fruit of meekness is, perhaps, the most difficult of all the fruits.  Our gracious Lord understands this and promises great benefits for living a meek life for His glory:

Psa 10:17  The Lord will hear the prayers of the meek and bless them with Godly desires for their life.

Psa 25:9 The Lord will guide and teach the humble

Psa 34:2  The Lord will bless the humble with joy as they see others serving Him.

Psa 37:11 The Lord will cause the meek to inherit the earth and live a life of inward peace

Psa 149:4  The Lord will give the meek deliverance

Prov 29:23  The Lord gives those who are humble an honorable reputation.

Isa 11:4  The Lord defends the meek

Isa 29:19  The Lord multiplies the joy of the meek

Zeph 2:3 The Lord hides the humble from His anger

Matt 18:4  The Lord gives the meek a high position in the His kingdom

James 4:6 The Lord blesses the humility with grace

Although extremely difficult, living a meek life is one of the most blessed lives that a person can live.  When we are willing to serve the Lord, by faith, putting Him first above all else, we are placing ourselves in a position of great blessings for now and eternity.  This is what leading a meek life is about.  What better way can we thank Him for all the times He humbled Himself for us!

“But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”  (Luk 17:7-10)

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

A Place that has to be Believed to be Seen

How many times have we heard the saying…. “seeing is believing”?  In other words, experience leads to belief.  It is only when we experience something that we can then place our faith in it. This is a generally accepted attitude that has existed throughout the generations, to say otherwise is just being foolish.  Or is it? 

In their song  “Walk On” the group U2 sings the following lyrics… “Walk on, walk on;   What you got, they can't steal it;   No they can't even feel it;   Walk on, walk on;   Stay safe tonight... You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been;   A place that has to be believed to be seen”  (http://www.macphisto.net/u2lyrics/Walk_On.html)  In the context, they point out that heaven must be believed in BEFORE it can be experienced.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wfjPmDlCB0   

The need to have belief before someone can enter into heaven aligns itself with Bible teachings … “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” … “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.” (Heb 11:1, 13-14) The need for faith to precede experience is not a principle limited to our experience of heaven, the Word of God makes it clear that faith is an absolute necessity in many areas of our Christian life…

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal 5:22-25)

 THE STUDY:

 Faith is a basic Biblical principle, going far beyond the subject of heaven.  It applies to many different aspects of Christian living… when it comes to spiritual living, belief must precede experience.   Faith is necessary for the forgiveness of sin, for the receipt of the promises of God, as well as the experience of God’s glory after our death. (Roms 5:1, Roms 4:13, Roms 5:2)   Truly the life of a Christian is a life centered on faith, which then leads to experience.

One of the most amazing things about faith is that it is not a natural part of man, it is given to us as a gift from God. (Eph 2:8-9).  This emphasizes our need for Him in all areas of our life.   At our initial salvation experience, we could not trust in Him apart from His intervention in our lives. (John 6:44)  During our Christian life on earth, we are helpless to trust His promises and receive His blessings apart from His gift of faith. (Matt 13:58)  And finally, we would all be without hope for our future without His faith being granted to us. (1 Pet 1:18-21).  Yes, the Word is so true when it says that “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. (Joh 9:33)

 THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

 In Gals 5:22-25, “faith” is described as a “fruit of the Spirit”.  In other words, like all the other fruits of the Spirit, our life should be a living testament of the faith that has been so graciously given to us.   As we live our life on earth, the choices we make exhibits our faith to others. Pastor Charles Stanley of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta Ga.; says that we should “obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.”  This is a very simple way of stating the role of faith in the life of a Christian.  By choosing to obey the Lord, we are choosing to exercise faith in Him and His promises, instead of relying on our own abilities and devices.  This is the testimony we should be living in the sight of others…ALWAYS putting the Lord first and then, by faith, trusting Him to take care of the consequences of our actions.   

 For those who have never received the Lord’s faith into your life…. Your most important responsibility is to look to Him for salvation, realizing apart from Christ, you can do nothing for your own salvation.  He must intervene in your life and save you from your sins.  By totally trusting on Christ for your salvation, you are fulfilling your responsibility and can be assured that He has given you spiritual life and a wonderful eternity awaiting you…

“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:5-10)

If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

May the Lord bless your study of His Word.

Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”