Come Lord Jesus!

The destruction of Babylon precedes the return of Christ.

The attached picture illustrates some of the ways in which Babylon (kingdoms defiant of God’s rule) treat people. The bodies and souls of people are marketed like farm animals.

Have you noticed that many visions (movies) out of Hollywood involve the breaking of the Ten Commandments? Either with no mention of God (godless) or blaspheming His Name! Murder! Lying! Adultery! Covetousness! Defiant children! No sign of Sabbath (resting and trusting in God). Casting a vison of a world where evil runs rampant instead of the Biblical vision of the coming kingdom of Christ where there is no more hatred, division, crying, pain, war, death. Love, joy, and peace rules in the Kingdom of God.

When Revelation’s 7th angel sounds his trumpet, “The kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15)

This morning, after praying much in the night, I read Isaiah 25:1-9...

"O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your Name, for You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. For You have made a city a ruin, a fortified city a ruin, a palace of foreigners to be a city no more; it will never be rebuilt. Therefore the strong people will glorify You; the city of the terrible nations will fear You. For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. You will reduce the noise of aliens, as heat in a dry place; as heat in the shadow of a cloud, the song of the terrible ones will be diminished."

"And in this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees. And He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken. And it will be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.’”

“Even so, come Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

Christ’s Return – Solution to Pollution

The worst pollutant in the world is rebellion against God and against God’s ways. Breaking covenant with God! Marred humans trying to tell God what is right and what is wrong! Trying to exclude God! This pollutant destroys the earth.

“The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.” [1]

When Christ returns, creation will be set free from the defilement of sin. “The whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” [2]

The solution to personal pollution is faith in Jesus Christ. Each of us needs to bring our sin to the foot of the cross, and ask Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to forgive us. Cleanse us from the guilt we bear! Give us new hearts to know and praise Him!

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” A sinful heart does not realize the depths of its sinfulness before God. We need the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sins. We need the Holy Spirit to help us repent of our sin. “Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, For You are my praise.” [3]

The second coming of Christ is the solution to creation’s pollution. Asking Christ to forgive our sins and to save us from our sin, as well as believing in Him, and professing Him as Lord and Savior, is the solution to our personal unholiness.

Jesus Christ is returning. He is the solution to earth’s pollution. Thus, the next to last verse of the Bible exclaims, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” [4]

[1] Isaiah 24:5-6
[2] Romans 8:22
[3] Jeremiah 17:9, 14
[4] Revelation 22:20

The Word of the Lord Endures Forever [1]

Many have sought to cancel God’s Word from being published, proclaimed and appropriated, but His Word still stands, and His Kingdom will outlast all the kingdoms of this world.

“The dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” [2]

The dragon loses. [3]

Those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ win. [4]

Before Jerusalem fell before the invading Babylonian army, her king [Jehoiakim] had been warned to listen to the Word of the Lord that was proclaimed and published by the prophet Jeremiah. He chose to burn God's Word. Later, Jerusalem was burned to the ground, but the prophet [Jeremiah], was still standing and still proclaiming God’s Word. In fact, Jeremiah's words from the Lord are still with us today. He is still an inspiration for God's servants to never stop believing in God and to never stop speaking up for God.

[1] 1 Peter 1:25
[2] Revelation 12:17
[3] Revelation 20:10
[4] Revelation 21:7

Wheat, Good Fish, Sheep

What’s your relationship to Jesus Christ?

Your eternal destination is determined by what you do with Jesus Christ since He is the only Savior from sin.

There are many forms of sin, but the summation of all sin is rebellion against God. God gave you a Savior. His very own Son. He became a living sacrifice for the sins you committed. After He died, He resurrected on the third day, which set Him above every other name of those who claim (falsely) they can save you.

God’s Word explains your eternal salvation in very simple words below:

“And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the Name of the Son of God.” [1]

On the last day, the tares will be separated from the wheat, the bad fish from the good fish, and the goats from sheep. If you repent of your sin against God, believe in Jesus Christ and have His Holy Spirit abiding in you, you will be deemed by God as wheat, good fish and sheep. You will be welcomed into eternal paradise. Tares, bad fish and goats are cast into the fire where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. [2]

[1] 1 John 5:11-13
[2] See the attached picture for the references

Good Change for the Changed

The ability to get along with one another broke down. They turned to their idols, charmers, mediums and sorcerers for help, but they were no help. Their nation fell into the hands of a cruel ruler…

“I will set Egyptians against Egyptians; everyone will fight against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst; I will destroy their counsel, and they will consult the idols and the charmers, the mediums, and the sorcerers. And the Egyptians I will give into the hand of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” says the Lord, the Lord of hosts.” [1]

What should they have done that they did not do? They should have repented of idol worship and of occultism. Destroyed the objects connected to false gods and occultic practices! That’s what the Ephesians did after they heard God’s Word…

“Many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled 50,000 pieces of silver. So the Word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” [2]

When irreligious leaders commanded the apostles not to share God’s Word with people, Peter responded, “We are His [God’s] witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” Rather than succumb to the apostasy that was destroying people, Peter and the apostles declared, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” [3]

The Lord has promised in His Word that proud propagators of evil will be brought low. A day is coming when they will no longer be able to hurt those who serve Him.

“There shall by no means enter it [the celestial city] anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” [4]

The Lord is going to separate the bad from the good. The good being those who profess God’s Messiah Jesus and have His Holy Spirit abiding in them.

“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [5]

[1] Isaiah 19:2-4
[2] Acts 19:18-20
[3] Acts 5:29, 32
[4] Revelation 21:27
[5] Matthew 13:47-50

No More Night

During His experience in the belly of a great fish, Jonah declared, “Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own mercy.” Thank You Lord for Your mercy!

Once upon a time, a king was urged by a prophet to ask for a sign from the Lord. He did not want to ask, but the Lord gave him the sign anyway. It was a prophecy about the coming Messiah.

“The Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, ‘Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.’ But Ahaz said, ‘I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!’ Then he said, ‘Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His Name Immanuel.’” [2]

How often do I refuse to listen to the One who is trying to bless me? Lord, please continue to give me signs pointing me to You.

“The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts.” [3] Thank You Lord for helping me to know where my heart is in relationship to Yours.

“There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” [3] Thank You Jesus Christ for saving my soul and for bring me into Your kingdom of light and love.

For those who have had traumatic experiences in the night, how great will be there joy to enter Your kingdom where there is no more night.

[1] Jonah 2:8
[2] Isaiah 7:10-14
[3] Revelation 22:5

https://youtu.be/ZNE--CphCm8?si=VZE_aFYK420hv01T

Woe or Wow

The Lord says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! [1]

God’s pronouncement of “woe” means an undesirable consequence is on the way. God maintains the “good” standard recorded in His Word though mighty empires try to change it. He judges evil. In Isaiah’s day, God whistled for nations to bring judgment against the sin of his nation. [2]

Though a nation seems invincible, if it continues to propagate evil, God will bring it down. “Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down, says the Lord.” [3]

Let us pray for God to bring down evil schemes against the souls of people, and to give grace, faith, protection and wisdom to those who care about the eternal salvation of souls. God does more than we can ask or imagine with our prayers, so let us pray. Pray, pray, pray, and then, pray some more. Pray for a “Wow.” A wow because God will hear our prayers, and bring about a return to His ways so that our nation dodges a bullet once again.

[1] Isaiah 5:20
[2] Isaiah 5:26-29
[3] Obadiah 1:4

The Way to Know You Have Eternal Life

The way to know that you have eternal life is to ask God to forgive your sins, to believe on and profess Jesus Christ as the Savior sent from God to save you from your sin, and welcome His Holy Spirit to fill you and anoint you to serve God.

In other words, be converted by God... born again by His Spirit... and you will know that you have eternal life.

The Word of God verifies your new identity as a citizen of the Kingdom of God. All who believe in and profess Jesus Chirst as their Lord and Savior HAVE eternal life.

The Almighty more Precious than Gold or Silver

“When they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’” [1]

The religious and political leaders with the support of a mob criminalized the perfect Son of God. They crucified Jesus the God of love between two criminals.

Recently, as I was spending time before the Lord in prayer, He said to me, “This is the only way to exist among My people. You must forgive their failures and yours.”

The Lord also showed me that though serving Him involves conflict, He is with us in those moments. When Jesus ministered in synagogues of Galilee, despite the hostility of some towards Him, He still did miracles in those settings. He urges me to focus on the captives who were set free during the ministry, and not on those who chose to remain in bondage.

Job spoke of mining. “Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. Man puts an end to darkness and searches every recess for ore in the darkness and the shadow of death. He breaks open a shaft away from people; in places forgotten by feet they hang far away from men; they swing to and fro. As for the earth, from it comes bread, but underneath it is turned up as by fire; its stones are the source of sapphires, and it contains gold dust.” [2]

God has designed the earth’s soil as a location to grow food, and below the soil a location to find hidden treasures. Yet, God has in His reserve a greater treasure than delicious food, precious stones and rare metals.

“But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man does not know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living. The deep says, ‘It is not in me;’ and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’ It cannot be purchased for gold, nor can silver be weighed for its price. It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire. Neither gold nor crystal can equal it, nor can it be exchanged for jewelry of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or quartz, for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it, nor can it be valued in pure gold.” [3]

God’s wisdom and understanding are of more value than delicious food, precious stones, and rare metals.

Where is wisdom and understanding found? The answer is: “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.” [4]

The Lord Jesus shows us what the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord and the Spirit of understanding look like when robed in human flesh. Jesus Messiah is the One of whom the prophet Isaiah wrote: “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” [5]

While seldom valued by political and religious leaders, and definitely despised by self-serving mobs, Jesus demonstrated for us that God’s wisdom and understanding are worth more than a pearl of great price. Of greater worth than a treasure hidden a field! [6]

Wisdom and understanding are treasures that God gives to His servants.

God’s wisdom and understanding help us avoid an eternity in hell and to inherit an eternal happiness with God forever in His kingdom of love. God’s wisdom and understanding help us to navigate trials and come out finer than gold.

God is so good: “He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the Words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” [7]

Comparing ourselves with those who live to gratify the flesh is not helpful. Keeping our focus on God as the treasure we seek is helpful.

“To you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,’ and ‘a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’ They stumble, being disobedient to the Word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” [8]

“Yes, the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.” [9]

[1] Luke 23:34
[2] Job 28:1-6
[3] Job 28:12-19
[4] Job 28:28
[5] Isaiah 11:2
[6] Matthew 13:44-46
[7] Job 23:10-12
[8] 1 Peter 2:7-10
[9] Job 22:25

Share the Good News

When I was a teenager, the church I attended did an evangelism training. In the process of learning how to share the Gospel with others, I received the blessed assurance of knowing that I was saved by God's grace and not by my own works. That is why the Gospel is good news.

Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins so that we who believe in Him do not have to pay that price. The price of unforgiven sin is death and after that judgment, and being cast into the place of darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth and the fire is not quenched. The gift of God is eternal life in paradise with Christ and with all the joyful people who have believed and received Him.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Acts 16:31

I have attached pictures of God's words about sin and about salvation, as well as some illustrations that I memorized as a teenager for the purpose of sharing the Gospel with others. I am praying for opportunities and boldness to share this good news with people who have yet to hear, understand and believe it.

Jesus Christ is the Hero of the Story

I praise the Lord for including and preserving the writings of the prophet Jeremiah in the Bible.

I was an avid comic book reader during the early years of my life. My favorite genre of movies was about people who did great things to help others and prevailed against all the odds.

I like that God includes Jeremiah's inner thoughts as he serves the Lord. Just like in those comic books that I read so long ago, he has to weigh the cost of continuing in his service of others, 

I like that Jeremiah neither had a personal agenda for self-aggrandizement nor to make a business out of serving God. He served the Lord because he loved God and he loved people. 

Jeremiah ran the race that God set before him and finished well. The One he sought to please above all others is well pleased with him. He is with the Lord but his story continues to inspire thinkers, writers, speakers, and me to love God and love people for God’s glory alone.

Amidst warnings to his people of a coming invasion of their nation by the Babylonians, Jeremiah spoke of a day when they would enjoy a personal relationship with God.

 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” [1]

 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and He shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” [2] (A prophecy fulfilled by Jesus Christ.)

“This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” [3]

Thanks be to God; He sent His Son into the world to atone for our sins and has given unto us in Him the gateway to enjoy an everlasting personal relationship with God. Praise the Lord!

The hero of our story and the Savior of the world is Jesus Christ. God gives a hero’s welcome into His eternal kingdom to each person who embraces Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

[1] Jeremiah 31:3

[2] Jeremiah 33:14-16

[3] Jeremiah 31:33

Love God Love People

Jesus taught: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” [1]

As I was praying about the prophetic ministry this morning, especially thinking about the prophet of Jeremiah, the Lord reminded me of the passage above. “Love God. Love People.” That’s how the Lord summed up the passage for me!

God’s love is bigger than the moment. God’s love is about eternal life. Jeremiah warned people because God loved them. He did not want them to suffer the consequences of sin. He pointed them to the Lord. May the Lord open doors for us to do the same and graciously grant us the boldness to love as He loves.

Pray “for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” [2]

[1] Matthew 22:37-40
[2] Ephesians 6:19-20

Wisdom is to Hold to God and to His Word

“Turn at My rebuke; surely I will pour out My Spirit on you; I will make My Words known to you. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out My hand and no one regarded, because you disdained all My counsel, and would have none of My rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, when your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call on Me, but I will not answer; they will seek Me diligently, but they will not find Me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would have none of My counsel and despised My every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way and be filled to the full with their own fancies. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” [1]

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones. Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.” [2]

“The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just. Surely, He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.” [3]

“The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” [4]

“He who despises the Word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.” [5]

“A true witness delivers souls, but a deceitful witness speaks lies. In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.” [6]

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” [7]

“The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” [8]

[1] Proverbs 1:23-33
[2] Proverbs 3:6-10
[3] Proverbs 3:33-34
[4] Proverbs 4:18
[5] Proverbs 13:13
[6] Proverbs 14:25-27
[7] Proverbs 14:34
[8] James 3:17-18