Hare's Cuts

Are You Ready To Die Yet ?

2011-05-23T11:29:00.002-05:00

SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD!

2011-02-05T16:06:00.007-06:00

By Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
Enfield, Connecticut
July 8, 1741

"...their foot shall slide in due time..."
Deuteronomy 32:35

In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God's visible people, and who lived under the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God's wonderful works towards them, remained (as verse 28.) void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit; as in the two verses next preceding the text. The expression I have chosen for my text, Their foot shall slide in due time, seems to imply the following doings, relating to the punishment and destruction to which these wicked Israelites were exposed.

That they were always exposed to destruction; as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall. This is implied in the manner of their destruction coming upon them, being represented by their foot sliding. The same is expressed, Psalm 73:18, "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction."

It implies, that they were always exposed to sudden unexpected destruction. As he that walks in slippery places is every moment liable to fall, he cannot foresee one moment whether he shall stand or fall the next; and when he does fall, he falls at once without warning: Which is also expressed in Psalm 73:18,19, "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction: How are they brought into desolation as in a moment!"

Another thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down.

That the reason why they are not fallen already, and do not fall now, is only that God's appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or appointed time comes, their foot shall slide. Then they shall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own weight. God will not hold them up in these slippery places any longer, but will let them go; and then at that very instant, they shall fall into destruction; as he that stands on such slippery declining ground, on the edge of a pit, he cannot stand alone, when he is let go he immediately falls and is lost.

The observation from the words that I would now insist upon is this. "There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God." By the mere pleasure of God, I mean his sovereign pleasure, his arbitrary will, restrained by no obligation, hindered by no manner of difficulty, any more than if nothing else but God's mere will had in the least degree, or in any respect whatsoever, any hand in the preservation of wicked men one moment.

The truth of this observation may appear by the following considerations.

There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men's hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands.-He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defence from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by: thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?

They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God's using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, "Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?", Luke 13:7. The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God's mere will, that holds it back.

They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John iii. 18. "He that believeth not is condemned already." So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John 8:23, "Ye are from beneath." And thither be is bound; it is the place that justice, and God's word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him.

They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell.

So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.

The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion. The scripture represents them as his goods, Luke xi. 12. The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back. If God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should permit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost.

There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning, that would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire, if it were not for God's restraints. There is laid in the very nature of carnal men, a foundation for the torments of hell. There are those corrupt principles, in reigning power in them, and in full possession of them, that are seeds of hell fire. These principles are active and powerful, exceeding violent in their nature, and if it were not for the restraining hand of God upon them, they would soon break out, they would flame out after the same manner as the same corruptions, the same enmity does in the hearts of damned souls, and would beget the same torments as they do in them. The souls of the wicked are in scripture compared to the troubled sea, Isaiah 57:20. For the present, God restrains their wickedness by his mighty power, as he does the raging waves of the troubled sea, saying, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;" but if God should withdraw that restraining power, it would soon carry all before it. Sin is the ruin and misery of the soul; it is destructive in its nature; and if God should leave it without restraint, there would need nothing else to make the soul perfectly miserable. The corruption of the heart of man is immoderate and boundless in its fury; and while wicked men live here, it is like fire pent up by God's restraints, whereas if it were let loose, it would set on fire the course of nature; and as the heart is now a sink of sin, so if sin was not restrained, it would immediately turn the soul into a fiery oven, or a furnace of fire and brimstone.

It is no security to wicked men for one moment, that there are no visible means of death at hand. It is no security to a natural man, that he is now in health, and that he does not see which way he should now immediately go out of the world by any accident, and that there is no visible danger in any respect in his circumstances. The manifold and continual experience of the world in all ages, shows this is no evidence, that a man is not on the very brink of eternity, and that the next step will not be into another world. The unseen, unthought-of ways and means of persons going suddenly out of the world are innumerable and inconceivable. Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are innumerable places in this covering so weak that they will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen. The arrows of death fly unseen at noon-day; the sharpest sight cannot discern them. God has so many different unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending them to hell, that there is nothing to make it appear, that God had need to be at the expense of a miracle, or go out of the ordinary course of his providence, to destroy any wicked man, at any moment. All the means that there are of sinners going out of the world, are so in God's hands, and so universally and absolutely subject to his power and determination, that it does not depend at all the less on the mere will of God, whether sinners shall at any moment go to hell, than if means were never made use of, or at all concerned in the case.

Natural men's prudence and care to preserve their own lives, or the care of others to preserve them, do not secure them a moment. To this, divine providence and universal experience do also bear testimony. There is this clear evidence that men's own wisdom is no security to them from death; that if it were otherwise we should see some difference between the wise and politic men of the world, and others, with regard to their liableness to early and unexpected death: but how is it in fact? Ecclesiastes 2:16, "How dieth the wise man? even as the fool."

All wicked men's pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail.

But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell ever to be the subjects of that misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, "No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself: I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief: Death outwitted me: God's wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then suddenly destruction came upon me.

God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are given in Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen. But surely they have no interest in the promises of the covenant of grace who are not the children of the covenant, who do not believe in any of the promises, and have no interest in the Mediator of the covenant.

So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men's earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction.

So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out: and they have no interest in any Mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of, all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God.

APPLICATION

The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ.-That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of, there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up.

You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but do not see the hand of God in it; but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his band, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it.

Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider's web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God's enemies. God's creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and do not willingly subserve to any other purpose, and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of him who hath subjected it in hope. There are black clouds of God's wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God, it would immediately burst forth upon you. The sovereign pleasure of God, for the present, stays his rough wind; otherwise it would come with fury, and your destruction would come like a whirlwind, and you would be like the chaff of the summer threshing floor.

The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God's vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw his hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea, ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it.

The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, are in the hands of an angry God. However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction. However unconvinced you may now be of the truth of what you hear, by and by you will be fully convinced of it. Those that are gone from being in the like circumstances with you, see that it was so with them; for destruction came suddenly upon most of them; when they expected nothing of it, and while they were saying, Peace and safety: now they see, that those things on which they depended for peace and safety, were nothing but thin air and empty shadows.

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God's hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell.

O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment. And consider here more particularly,

Whose wrath it is: it is the wrath of the infinite God. If it were only the wrath of man, though it were of the most potent prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, who have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their mere will. Proverb 20:2. "The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul." The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments that human art can invent, or human power can inflict. But the greatest earthly potentates in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. It is but little that they can do, when most enraged, and when they have exerted the utmost of their fury. All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing: both their love and their hatred is to be despised. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as his majesty is greater. Luke 12:4, 5, "And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him."

It is the fierceness of his wrath that you are exposed to. We often read of the fury of God; as in Isaiah 59:18, "According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries." So Isaiah 66:15, "For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire." And in many other places. So, Revelation 19:15, we read of "the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." The words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been said, "the wrath of God," the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is "the fierceness and wrath of God." The fury of God! the fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful must that be! Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them! But it is also "the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." As though there would be a very great manifestation of his almighty power in what the fierceness of his wrath should inflict, as though omnipotence should be as it were enraged, and exerted, as men are wont to exert their strength in the fierceness of their wrath. Oh! then, what will be the consequence! What will become of the poor worms that shall suffer it! Whose hands can be strong? And whose heart can endure? To what a dreadful, inexpressible, inconceivable depth of misery must the poor creature be sunk who shall be the subject of this!

Consider this, you that are here present, that yet remain in an unregenerate state. That God will execute the fierceness of his anger, implies, that he will inflict wrath without any pity. When God beholds the ineffable extremity of your case, and sees your torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your strength, and sees how your poor soul is crushed, and sinks down, as it were, into an infinite gloom; he will have no compassion upon you, he will not forbear the executions of his wrath, or in the least lighten his hand; there shall be no moderation or mercy, nor will God then at all stay his rough wind; he will have no regard to your welfare, nor be at all careful lest you should suffer too much in any other sense, than only that you shall not suffer beyond what strict justice requires. Nothing shall be withheld, because it is so hard for you to bear. Ezekiel 8:18, "Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them." Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy. But when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous cries and shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God, as to any regard to your welfare. God will have no other use to put you to, but to suffer misery; you shall be continued in being to no other end; for you will be a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction; and there will be no other use of this vessel, but to be filled full of wrath. God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to him, that it is said he will only "laugh and mock," Proverb 1:25, 26.

How awful are those words, Isaiah 63:3, which are the words of the great God. "I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment." It is perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, vis. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favour, that instead of that, he will only tread you under foot. And though he will know that you cannot bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he will not regard that, but he will crush you under his feet without mercy; he will crush out your blood, and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you, in the utmost contempt: no place shall be thought fit for you, but under his feet to be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

The misery you are exposed to is that which God will inflict to that end, that he might show what that wrath of Jehovah is. God hath had it on his heart to show to angels and men, both how excellent his love is, and also how terrible his wrath is. Sometimes earthly kings have a mind to show how terrible their wrath is, by the extreme punishments they would execute on those that would provoke them. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty monarch of the Chaldean empire, was willing to show his wrath when enraged with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and accordingly gave orders that the burning fiery furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was before; doubtless, it was raised to the utmost degree of fierceness that human art could raise it. But the great God is also willing to show his wrath, and magnify his awful majesty and mighty power in the extreme sufferings of his enemies. Rom. ix. 22. "What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endure with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?" And seeing this is his design, and what he has determined, even to show how terrible the unrestrained wrath, the fury and fierceness of Jehovah is, he will do it to effect. There will be something accomplished and brought to pass that will be dreadful with a witness. When the great and angry God hath risen up and executed his awful vengeance on the poor sinner, and the wretch is actually suffering the infinite weight and power of his indignation, then will God call upon the whole universe to behold that awful majesty and mighty power that is to be seen in it. Isaiah 33:12-14. "And the people shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites, Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?.

Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted state, if you continue in it; the infinite might, and majesty, and terribleness of the omnipotent God shall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable strength of your torments. You shall be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and when you shall be in this state of suffering, the glorious inhabitants of heaven shall go forth and look on the awful spectacle, that they may see what the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty is; and when they have seen it, they will fall down and adore that great power and majesty. Isaiah 66:23, 24. "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."

It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For "who knows the power of God's anger?"

How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell? And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, even before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit here, in some seats of this meeting-house, in health, quiet and secure, should be there before to-morrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest will be there in a little time! your damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned hopeless souls give for one day's opportunity such as you now enjoy!

And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition? Are not your souls as precious as the souls of the people at Suffield, where they are flocking from day to day to Christ?

Are there not many here who have lived long in the world, and are not to this day born again? and so are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and have done nothing ever since they have lived, but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath? Oh, sirs, your case, in an especial manner, is extremely dangerous. Your guilt and hardness of heart is extremely great. Do you not see how generally persons of your years are passed over and left, in the present remarkable and wonderful dispensation of God's mercy? You had need to consider yourselves, and awake thoroughly out of sleep. You cannot bear the fierceness and wrath of the infinite God.-And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy, when so many others of your age are renouncing all youthful vanities, and flocking to Christ? You especially have now an extraordinary opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as with those persons who spent all the precious days of youth in sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness. And you, children, who are unconverted, do not you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God, who is now angry with you every day and every night? Will you be content to be the children of the devil, when so many other children in the land are converted, and are become the holy and happy children of the King of kings?

And let every one that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now harken to the loud calls of God's word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favours to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men's hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls; and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the greater part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on the great out-pouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles' days; the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God's Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire.

Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation: Let every one fly out of Sodom: "Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed."

Which WAY Are You Going?

2011-01-17T11:41:00.003-06:00

Have you ever wondered if you are on the right path in life? It seems that now a days there is more and more confusion in the public eye. What is right? Those of you that have read my blog and older articles of mine know that I have conservative Christian views and beliefs.

I am not writing this article to impose my view, but to make you seriously think of your views and beliefs. Why are you Muslim? Why are you a Hindu? Why are you a Catholic? Why are you a Baptist? Why are you what you are, and why do you believe the WAY you believe?

I know many people are born into a religion without any personal choice of their own. I was born into a religion that I could honestly say today is a false religion. I could never be an atheist though, because everything has design, order, and purpose. This can be proven from any tiny DNA molecular code, or from the giant clock/calender we call the solar system. There are many more infallible proofs of an intelligent Creator.
However, today I do not want to talk about my beliefs. It is more important for you to know what direction YOU are going?

Do you feel that your WAY is right? How many WAYS are there anyway?If your WAY is right, how does it benefit you now, and in the hereafter?How does it benefit others around you such as family and friends?

Did your parents pray to statues? Did your father beat your mother for little things he didn't like? Does your father's religion torture and kill people that do not believe like him? Maybe your mom prays to a woman deity? Were you brought up that way? How do you know it's right?

I'm not trying to pick on your religion. I also fell into one of the categories mentioned above. For the most part, the majority of people reading this article believe in God. The Bible does say that the devil's also believe in God and tremble (James 2:19).

Today's theme on my blog is "Which WAY Are You Going?". I would like to leave you with some thought provoking Bible verses. I know that these verses have helped me to come to understand which Way I was going, and how to correct my travels to a better WAY. May they enrich your soul forever.

Proverbs 14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

John 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not wither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

I hope you know the way before it's too late.

by Mike Hare

WILL YOU BE BEATEN WITH MANY STRIPES ??

2010-12-09T15:40:00.008-06:00

There are those that hold to the view that some saved people will be beaten with many stripes after they go to be with God. The most common passage used is Luke chapter 12 and verses 47 & 48, which read as follows :

Lu 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Lu 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

This passage is a parable of Jesus. Now first off one must understand that a parable can have a dual interpretation. Also it would be wise to understand doctrinal dispensation. Many of the parables of Jesus are prophetic for He is a prophet in the true sense of the word, unlike others from the middle east that call themselves prophets and never prophesied anything.

In this same chapter of Luke, verse 36 to be exact, Jesus says, " And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding"

What wedding? The only wedding I know of that the Lord returns from is the marriage supper of the Lamb. That takes place after the rapture of the Bride of Christ, which is the church. So if this passage is prophetic, it has to be referring to the second coming of Christ.

In verses 37 & 38 it mentions servants. If this is a prophetic parable, the servants have to be survivors of the tribulation who are waiting for their Lord to return (the second coming of Christ).

Lu 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. This seems like a millennial passage of God serving his people during his reign.

Lu 12:38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. The second or third watch simply refers to the time of day, as you know time zones are different all over the world.

Verse 12:39 seems to indicate a bad time on the earth. Perhaps the time of Jacobs trouble mentioned in the O.T. The thief would refer to the anti Christ. The house being broken through would be the defilement of the temple during the tribulation period, after the rapture but before the second coming of Christ.

Lu 12:39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

In light of prophecy, this doctrinally lines up. After Christians are raptured, the Bible will still remain on earth and the Jews will be waiting for Messiah. We are now living in the church age, otherwise known as the dispensation of grace. The book of Hebrews was written to the Hebrews, not to the church. That is why some take the book of Hebrews and say you can loose your salvation, The time period during the tribulation will not be that of grace, but that of works by keeping the commandments. The woman in Rev.12:17 is not Mary, but Israel and the remnant of her seed, are Jews.

Re 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Where is the Church during all of this ? The answer is she is now married to her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Remember in verse 36 the Lord was returning from the wedding? She is in Christ and part of Christ. Jesus is not a wife beater. Those of us who are saved have been washed in Christ's blood at the moment we believed with our whole heart. You see when Jesus died on the cross 2 millennium ago, all of our sin was future sin. So if you are part of the church now and you are truly born again then your future is secure in Christ and you will never be tormented, that includes never being beaten with many stripes.
Thank You Jesus

by: Mike Hare

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

2010-11-26T02:24:00.001-06:00

Ready or Not, Jesus Christ is Coming Very Soon!

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." (II Pet. 3:3-4)

This portion of scripture tells us that people are going to be doubting the Second Coming of Christ in the last days. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon? If not, have you taken the time to study this matter to see what the word of God says about it? Did you know that the Bible has a great deal to say about the days preceding the Second Coming of Christ? Friend, don't be like the ignorant scoffers in the above portion of scripture. Don't allow the philosophies of your fellow men to damn your soul to Hell! Why not get the facts? The Bible has much to say about the time of the Second Coming. Just like signs on a highway, the Lord has given us many signs which suggest that His return is very near. Why not take a few minutes to consider the signs of the times?

The Fulfillment of the Matthew 24 Prophecies

In Matthew chapter 24, the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of various signs that would precede His return. Among these signs, Jesus mentions false Christs, wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. Some might argue that people have witnessed such things throughout history and that nothing really new is happening today, but this is NOT true. The very words of the Lord Jesus Christ are being fulfilled today before our very eyes, and this has NOT been true throughout history.

Jesus said that false Christs would arise. So we shouldn't be surprised to see such people as David Koresh, "Reverend Moon", and Daniel Waswa professing to be Christ, the Messiah. In this century alone, there have been over one thousand religious leaders around the world who have claimed to be Christ. This cannot be said of any other century in history.

I have in my files a copy of a full page advertisement from USA TODAY, January 12, 1987, which says "THE CHRIST IS IN THE WORLD." The ad goes on to say that "A great World Teacher for people of every religion and no religion...Christ is here, my Friends, Your Brother walks among you." The ad was sponsored by a New Age group in California. Only in our lifetime have so many people been so bold, and Jesus told us this would happen.

The Lord said there would be WARS, and that kingdoms would rise against kingdoms. Only in the twentieth century have we had two

"World Wars." It is true that men have always fought, but never like today. It has been estimated that 100,000,000 people have lost their lives due to the wars of the 1900's! With nuclear weapons now on the scene, a Third World War would be catastrophic. Perhaps this is why Jesus says, "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved..." (Mat. 24:22)

Jesus also spoke of famines and pestilences. In spite of the advancement of science, technology, and medicine, people are still dying by the millions from starvation and disease. The World Health Organization estimates that ONE THIRD of the world is starving. Around four million people die from starvation annually.

New diseases are affecting millions also. Just in the past twenty years we have witnessed the emergence of such new diseases as Toxic Shock Syndrome, Lyme disease, and A.I.D.S. Discovered only in 1981, HIV (the AIDS virus) has already infected over one million people in America alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Earthquakes? A person would have to be very blind to think that earthquake activity hasn't increased in the past few decades. It has increased enormously! From 1900 through 1969, there were 48 major earthquakes, an average of about 7 per decade. Then from 1970 through 1989, there were 33 major earthquakes, an average of 17 per decade. Since 1989, there have been well over 200 major earthquakes! Twenty thousand people die per year due to earthquakes, which totals about 1.9 million since 1900. At no other time in history have earthquakes been as frequent and as catastrophic as they are today.

Friend, God's word is true. The very words of the Lord Jesus Christ are being fulfilled every day. It's time to wake up and face the facts.

The Restoration of Israel

The restoration of Israel as a nation is perhaps the greatest sign that Jesus is coming soon. God allowed the Romans to destroy Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and He allowed the Jews to be dispersed among the gentile nations of the world. Throughout church history the Jews have wondered from nation to nation suffering persecution all over the world. Many have traditionally believed that God is finished with the Jews because they rejected Christ, but this is NOT what the Bible says. The Bible firmly declares that God is NOT finished with Israel, and that He has every intention of restoring the Jews to their ancient homeland and reestablishing them as a nation. Notice these important portions of scripture:

"But, the LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers." (Jer. 16:15)

"And I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God." (Amos 9:14-15)

Paul writes in Romans 11:25-26 that all of Israel will be converted. Acts 15:14-16 tells us that the "tabernacle of David" will be rebuilt. We read in Hebrews 8:8-10 that God plans to make a "new covenant" with the house of Israel. If there is one thing clear in the Bible, it is the fact that God has every intention of keeping His promises to Israel.

But we have a lot more than promises. We have actually lived to see many of these promises fulfilled! It wasn't until the late 1800's that the Jews began to migrate back to Palestine in large numbers. By 1939, when World War II began, there were over 400,000 Jews living in Palestine. After the war, the United Nations granted 5000 square miles of Palestinian land to the Jews. In 1948, Israel became an independent nation for the first time in over 2,500 years! Today there are over 4,000,000 Jews living in Israel (over 200,000 migrated from the Soviet Union in 1990!). Friend, why has God restored Israel as a nation, if He isn't fulfilling His promises to them and preparing them for His Second Coming? He IS preparing them for His return! Israel, the "fig tree" (Jer. 24:2-8; Luk. 13:6-9) has put forth leaves as a nation, and Jesus said that the generation which witnesses this will also witness His return (Mat. 24:32-34)! The restoration of Israel is a definite sign that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon--very soon.

The Revision of the Roman Empire

Did you know that modern Europe is in the Bible? Did you know that the Bible speaks of ten European powers being associated with the coming Antichrist? It's true. Daniel 7:1-8 speaks of four separate "beasts" rising up from the sea. We are told in Daniel 7:17-28 that these four beasts represent four "kings" and "kingdoms" which would rise to power, and the fourth beast is said to be worse than all of the other three. Most agree that these four beasts represent the empires of Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome, and we know from history that these four kingdoms did arise in this order, with the fourth kingdom, Rome, being the most "dreadful and terrible" beast of all (Dan. 7:7).

However, the prophecies about this fourth beast have not been completely fulfilled. In fact, this same beast reappears in Revelation 13:1-2, which is PROPHECY--not history! The "ten horns" on this beast are "ten kings," according to Daniel 7:24, and they reappear in Revelation 13:1-2. These ten horns are ten kings which will be associated with the Antichrist (Rev. 17:12-13), and they are PART of the Roman beast. That is, they make up the Revised Roman Empire. In the early 1900's, Bible teachers C. I. Scofield and Clarence Larkin both taught that the Roman Empire would be revived as an empire of ten federated kingdoms. These men did not live to see this Bible prophecy fulfilled, but you and I are seeing it fulfilled before our very eyes!

For centuries Europe has wanted to reunite its separate nations, but only in the twentieth century have we seen the actual formation of the "European Community." Since World War II, various treaties have been signed and various organizations have been established to bring Europe closer to being a world super power (NATO, 1949; Treaty of Paris, 1951; Treaty of Rome, 1957; The Merger Treaty, 1965; The European Monetary System, 1979; The European Single Act, 1986; The European Economic Area, 1991). The EC is the world's largest trading power controlling about twenty percent of all international trade, and there is presently much talk about a "common currency" for the member nations of the EC. Some European leaders are even considering the elimination of all currency, by replacing it with "Smart Cards."

The EC also consists of a European Commission, a Council of Ministers, a European Parliament, and a European Court of Justice. So with every passing day, the nations of the ancient Roman Empire grow a step closer to forming their own federated kingdom. The Bible says there will be TEN kings which make up this federation, and that they will give their power to the Antichrist who also rises up among them (Rev. 13:1-8; 17:12-13). No one knows for sure which ten European nations will make up this federation in its final form, but one thing is very certain: The "ten horns" of Revelation 13:1 and 17:12-13 are now a reality. Europe has come a long way in her attempts to revise the Roman Empire, and it is only a matter of time before the "United States in Europe" is formed with the Antichrist in control. Dr. Henry Spaak, former Secretary General of NATO said it this way: "What we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the alliances of all people and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such a man, and be he god or devil, we will receive him."

The European leaders have every intention of establishing a modern-day Roman Empire, and they'll stop at nothing in their efforts to get it. This is truly a sign that our Lord's return is very near.

Mark of the Beast Technology

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred three score and six." (Rev. 13:16-18)

Many Bible readers over the centuries have been puzzled wondering just how such a system could ever be established, but it's no longer a puzzle. Advanced technology has brought the world closer to the Mark of the Beast than anything else in history.

We know that the coming Mark of the Beast will somehow be connected with the economy, for the Bible says that no one may buy or sell without it. It may very well be that cash, checks, and credit cards are soon to become a thing of the past, because electronic money is becoming more popular all the time.

One form of electronic money is the use of smart cards. A smart card looks like a credit or debit card, except it contains a small computer chip with all sorts of information about the card holder, including bank account numbers and balances. When a smart card is used, the card holder's bank account is immediately debited at the point of sale by computer transaction. This means more profits to retailers and banks alike, for bad checks and credit card abuse would be eliminated.

Smart Cards are most popular in Europe, but Japan and the United States are expected to be leaders in this new technology as well. In fact, the Clinton Administration has suggested the use of Smart Cards in their proposed heath care package.

Many banks and credit card companies believe that electronic money will eventually usher in a cashless society where everyone will buy and sell electronically. Terry Galanoy, former director of communications for what is now Visa International has made this bold remark: "Protesting too loudly about it isn't going to help either, because the disturbance you kick up is going to end up in one of your files. And on that come-and-get-it day when we're all totally and completely dependent upon our card--or whatever security device might replace it--you might be left all alone without one!"

In promotional literature from the Danyl Corporation of Moorestown, New Jersey, Robert J. Merkert, Sr., senior vice president, says: "One day in the near future, we'll be able to pay for almost everything with just one 'prepaid stored value' or 'smart card.'" This system has actually been tested at the University of Rochester with great success.

Though many industry leaders are very much in favor of a cashless society where buying and selling is done electronically, there is a problem. How can it be guaranteed that the individual using a Smart Card is the authorized card holder? Some believe that this problem can be solved by combining Smart Card technology with Biometric Technology. After all, a Smart "Card" is only a piece of plastic. It's the computer chip inside the card that stores the needed information. As unbelievable as it may sound, biometric technology has now made it possible to implant small computer chips under the skin of animals and people. The European Community's Executive Commission has already passed legislation which REQUIRES farmers in the EC to have their livestock implanted with microchips! In many cities across the U.S., the Humane Society is selling such implants for pets, as a replacement for dog tags.

You say, "Well, that's just for animals. No one would ever try this technology on people." I wouldn't be too sure about that. According to the book, The Mark of the Beast, by Peter and Paul Lalond, a plastic surgeon in Florida has hit upon the idea of implanting microchips in people. This would be helpful in locating missing people, such as run away children, kidnapped children, wondering victims of Alzheimer's disease, and parolees. The surgeon has even been awarded a patent on this device!

Just for a moment, use your imagination and think about the convenience of implanted microchips. You wouldn't need any cash or checks for making purchases, for your bank account would be automatically debited every time you went through a check-out stand. You wouldn't need to keep up with a social security card, a driver's license, a Medicare card, a credit card, or even a smart card, because all of this information could be stored in the implanted chip. You wouldn't have to worry about getting mugged on the street, because there would be no demand for cash in a cashless society.

So what are we saying? Are we saying that the government is going to make you receive a microchip implant? No, we are simply pointing out the fact that THE TECHNOLOGY IS HERE. We do not profess to know exactly what the Mark of the Beast will be in it's final form. It may be UPC bar codes, implanted microchips, or something yet to be thought of, but it is obvious that the possibilities are greater today than ever before, and this is a definite sign that the events of Revelation 13 are not far away.

The Forming of the New World Order

The Bible says that "all the world" will conform to the system of the Antichrist (Rev. 13:3-8; 19:19), but this will not be possible unless Satan is successful in bringing about a "New World Order" where the people of the world are brought under the control of ONE central government. As eerie as this may sound, we must be honest enough to face the fact that this is precisely what the Bible says will happen. Notice the prophetic words of Zephaniah 3:8: "Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." God said that He would "assemble the kingdoms." Have you ever heard of the United Nations General ASSEMBLY? Our world leaders are fulfilling Bible prophecy by bringing about their own destruction!

God created man and gave him the responsibility of governing society on a NATIONAL basis (Gen. 10:5; Deu. 32:8), but God despises the idea of man trying to govern society on an INTERNATIONAL basis. Remember the tower of Babel in Genesis chapter eleven? It has never been God's will for men to form a single world government. The right of governing the world is reserved for none other than God's beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Psa. 8; Rev. 20:1-7; Isa. 2:1-4); therefore, any attempt by man to establish a one-world government is purely Satanic, and it will end with the intervening judgment of God.

Nevertheless, man has ignored God and went about establishing all sorts of world government organizations. Such establish- ments as the United Nations, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Court, the International Finance Corporation, the World Trade Organization, and the Council of Foreign Relations are all wicked, because they are all a part of man's open rebellion against God.

Politicians today are pushing harder than ever for a "New World Order," and the Bible says that they are going to push themselves right into the hands of the Antichrist (Rev. 13:1-18).

God's Sabbath Rest

II Peter 3:8 tells us that "...one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." This means that the coming one thousand-year kingdom of Christ will only be ONE DAY in God's eyes. This is interesting, for we read in Hebrews chapter four that there is going to be a SABBATH REST for God's people. This means that the one thousand-year reign of Revelation 20:1-7 will be a SABBATH REST. As everyone knows, God RESTED on the SEVENTH day of creation (Gen. 2:1-3). He worked for six days, and then He rested on the seventh day.

Well, that was SIX thousand years ago. Man has been on earth for about six thousand years; so the SEVENTH millennium will be a SABBATH millennium, a time of rest for God's creation. The Millennial Reign of Revelation 20:1-7 will be the SEVENTH DAY of world history in God's eyes, because II Peter 3:8 tells us that one day is like a thousand years.

This becomes more interesting when we consider a few other portions of scripture. For example, Hosea 6:1-2 says that God will revive Israel after TWO DAYS. This is exactly what is happening! Israel rejected Christ nearly 2000 years ago (two DAYS), but God is restoring the nation in this present century. Hosea 6:2 says, "After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight." The verse says that the Jews will live IN HIS SIGHT in the THIRD DAY, so the church age is around 2000 years in length, or two days, and then the Lord returns and establishes the promised Kingdom, which is the THIRD DAY after Israel rejected Him. It's the SEVENTH day in history, and it's the THIRD day after the First Coming.

Notice in John chapter eleven that Jesus waits TWO DAYS before going to raise Lazarus from the dead (John 11:6, 43-44). This pictures the fact that He has waited 2000 years to revive Israel as a nation, and to call the church out to be with Him. Similar references concerning the "two days" can be found in Luke 13:31-33 and John 4:43-45.

God has a 7000-year plan, and we are right on the threshold of God's Sabbath Rest, the Kingdom of Christ and His saints. If you have never repented (turned from) your sins and received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, then right now is the time. God has given you many signs to warn you, because He loves you and He wants to save you. We urge you to pay very close attention to the following section, because only by receiving Christ as your Savior can you be taken up to Heaven before God's judgment strikes this earth (I Ths. 4:13-18; 1:10; 5:9). If you've never been saved, or if you aren't sure about your salvation, then you need to trust Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. The Bible says in the book of Romans chapter 10 and verse 9,That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,thou shalt be saved. May God find you fully prepared to meet Him at His coming (Amos 4:12).

How to Protect Yourself From Liability When Signing a Contract

2010-11-26T00:37:00.000-06:00

By sovereigns, eHow Member
User-Submitted Article
Your signature may be the most valuable piece of property you'll ever own. It creates the credit we use in everyday life. A check from your checkbook is just a piece of paper until someone signs their name to it. Then it's treated with the same reverence as any other form of money. The signature on a credit card application creates the credit. Signatures can obligate a person to pay a debt, perform a service or comply to a court order.

No bills from Congress can become law without signatures. War can not be officially declared (according to the U.S. Constitution Article I Section 8[11] without the proper signatures.

The power of one's name as an endorsement is vast and, consequentially, so is it's liability. So how does someone protect themselves from the many possible negative scenarios that can effect his or her life?
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
• an inquiring mind
• willingness not to conform
1. 1
ADD THE WORDS "WITHOUT PREJUDICE" TO YOUR SIGNATURE

Sign your name with any of the following words: "without prejudice," "All rights reserved without: prejudice, recourse or notice," or "UCC 1-308." The purpose? On most occasions, you are considered to have waived your rights unless you specifically reserve them. These words/phrases legally signify that you, in no way, waive any rights not specified on the document you signed.
2. 2
EDUCATE YOURSELF

These simple words are extremely powerful, but unless you know why and what they can do, a savvy businessman or lawyer can trick you to their benefit. Research the terms "without prejudice," "without recourse," and "without notice" in any law dictionary (I use Black's Law Dictionary 6th Edition) and on the internet. Research Section 1-308 of the Uniform Commercial Code at your local library and/or on the internet. Inquire about the rights and remedies associated with these words with a competent (if there is such a thing) lawyer (Preferably a contract lawyer).
3. 3
BUILD UP YOUR COURAGE

Not many people sign their name with any additional words. You'll get weird looks, questions and even opposition to you reserving your rights. I'm of the firm belief that there is absolutely no situation where anyone can force you from signing any document without full expressed reservation of your rights. Not a lawyer, police officer, judge, or even the President.
4. 4
THE AUTHOR'S PERSONAL FEELINGS

I sign every single possible document with any one of the listed terms in STEP 1. Whether it's a credit card receipt, parking fine, marriage certificate, etc., I never let my signature go without an expressed reservation of rights. If anyone tells me I can't sign that way, I ask them to prove it. "Show me 'officer' the law that says I can't sign like that." "Please explain to me 'Your Honor' why I can't reserve any right I so choose."

Others do not have to do "business" with you because of the way you sign, but I am of the firm belief that no one can make you sign without reserving your rights.

Praise God For God's People !

2009-01-04T02:21:00.001-06:00

Praise God For God's People !
So many that know us have prayed for us as a family. I would like to thank all of you
for your contribution in prevailing in prayer for us. Some of you have sent us gifts
and we are grateful even though you are anonymous, and I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Acts 20:35 (KJV) I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Now I would rather be on the giving end, but I realize that having brothers and sisters in the faith is even a greater gift.

1 Peter 1:22 (KJV) Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently:

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers, I'm still praying for a decent job. I applied at some hopeful prospects and trust the Lord Jesus for His continual guidance in my quest.

I Thank God for all of you,
Mike

The Hope

2008-03-31T19:06:00.007-05:00

Enjoy this movie "The Hope". Make sure you press the "entire video" button or the movie will stop after every chapter. You can change the video format to "Flash", "Quicken"' or "Windows Media", whichever is common to your computer. If you select "Windows media", you can right click your mouse on the windows media screen and select "ZOOM" then select "Full Screen". This one works well for me.This movie is about an hour and a half, so if you can watch in full screen mode your viewing will be more enjoyable.The website above also has a place where you can purchase this video if you wish.

Enjoy, Mike

PS. Some of the Bible quotations in this movie are from the NIV translation of the Bible. Though I only recommend the King James Authorized non-copyrighted translation, I believe this movie is well done and maintains an overall panoramic view of the Bible with sound doctrine and a clear salvation appeal after chapter 12.

Nebula of Life

2008-01-21T10:14:00.000-06:00

Interestingly enough, the heavens do declare the glory of God.

Please enjoy touring the Hubble site by clicking on the link above.

Please note,the information written at the Hubble site expresses absolutely no belief in the holy scriptures.However, as a Bible believer myself, I take great pleasure in knowing Him who is responsible for all creation and give all honor and glory and praise to Jesus Christ who is the Great God Almighty and also my personal savior.

The description below is from the Hubble site. It describes the nebula pictured above.

Thousands of sparkling young stars are nestled within the giant nebula NGC 3603. This stellar "jewel box" is one of the most massive young star clusters in the Milky Way Galaxy. NGC 3603 is a prominent star-forming region in the Carina spiral arm of the Milky Way, about 20,000 light-years away. This latest image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope shows a young star cluster surrounded by a vast region of dust and gas. The image reveals stages in the life cycle of stars.

Unforgiveness

2008-01-06T08:40:00.000-06:00

Hindrances to Prayer

by Evangelist John R. Rice

III. Unforgiveness Grieves God and Hinders Prayers
Unforgiveness in the heart of a Christian hinders the answer to his prayers. A grudge, a root of bitterness, or even hate, it may be, may be blocking the answer to your prayers.

In Matthew 6:9-13 we are given the model prayer, or the Lord's Prayer. And in that model prayer the Saviour taught us to pray daily, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." And when the prayer was finished Jesus added this plain, sharp word of warning,

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt. 6:14,15).

Here it is clearly taught in the solemn words of our Saviour that Christians who will not forgive others will not be heard when they ask for forgiveness. And when we come to pray that our Heavenly Father will take sins out of the way, will cleanse them and forgive them, not let them hinder our communion with Him or our service for Him, all our praying is useless unless we forgive others who may have wronged us.

You understand, I trust, that forgiveness of sins has two meanings in the Bible. In the first place, when a poor lost sinner comes to Christ and trusts Him for salvation, then all of his sins are forgiven and blotted out and will be remembered against him no more forever, as far as the damnation of his soul is concerned. "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin" (Romans 4:8). In getting saved we do not get sins forgiven one at a time; but all at once the glorious transaction is finished and all of our sins are laid on Jesus and forgiven, blotted out, never to be held against us any more and never to endanger our poor souls again! What wonderful salvation! What marvelous mercy in the forgiveness of vile sinners!

But after one is already a child of God, after one is born again, after one has been made a partaker of the divine nature, he is still, while in this world, as sinner. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (I John 1:8). Paul, the mighty apostle, yet in the midst of his great ministry claimed still to be the very chief of sinners (I Tim. 1:15). And David in that inspired fifty-first Psalm, was led to write, "My sin is ever before me." And the Saviour in the Lord's Prayer is expressly teaching us that we ought daily to confess our sins and ask forgiveness. so besides the forgiveness of our sins we get in salvation, one can have, and needs a day-to-day clearing of sin out of the way.

Although the Lord has forgiven all of our sins, yet He still hates sin. God hates sin in David or in Peter or in Paul; God hates it in you, beloved Christian. And if your sin is not confessed and cleansed day by day, it piles up between you and God to hinder your communion, to block your prayers, to taint your testimony, and to grieve the blessed Holy Spirit. So the Lord teaches us here to come daily and confess our sins, asking for forgiveness.

The Scofield Reference Bible has wonderful helps; I use it constantly and recommend it. But no one man can know all about the Bible, and here the Scofield Reference Bible has a very foolish note, saying this is legal ground. No, this is not legal ground. This does not contradict Ephesians 4:32.

We should forgive others, Ephesians 4:32 tells us, because Christ has already forgiven us all o four sins in salvation so that they are not held against our souls' welfare. But here in Matthew 6:14,15 the Saviour warns us that we should forgive others that we as Christians may have the daily cleansing, the daily renewal of fellowship, the daily fullness of the Holy Spirit which God desires for all His dear children, but which He cannot give without a daily confession and forsaking of sin.

When Jesus washed the disciples' feet, He said, "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all" (John 13:10). He meant that the disciples were already saved and all their sins were under the blood. But Christians walking in a dirty world need day-by-day confession of their defilement that they may have daily forgiveness and cleansing as the dear children of God in order to have His fullness and power and fellowship. The washing of the whole body, which these disciples already had, represents salvation, the forgiveness of all sin. That cleansing is once for all at regeneration. Bu the washing of the disciples' feet represented that day-by-day cleansing which is offered Christians who confess and forsake their sins (I John 1:9).

But unforgiveness blocks this daily cleansing and forgiveness and so hinders our prayers. Unforgiveness, holding grudges or enmity against others, may seem to be a very respectable sin. People who would never get drunk, who would not gamble, who would not steal, who scorn a lie, are yet guilty of this wicked sin. The temptation to this sin attacks preachers and soul winners who would never be tempted to grosser things. I know Christians who would never attend the theater nor belong to a lodge nor play a game of bridge, but who have been guilty of this horrible sin. In God's sight, it is truly hideous.

In Matthew 18:21-35 is the following remarkable teaching of our Saviour about the need for Christians to forgive others and of how God hates the wicked sin of unforgiveness.

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him and hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then is lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."

How many times shall we forgive one who sins against us? Peter thought seven times would be the perfect number; but Jesus answered back, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." And when you have forgiven the same person 490 times, no doubt you would have lost count and would have conquered that wicked disposition to temper and bitterness in your own heart!

In the above parable, the Saviour illustrates our awful debt to God by the man who owed his king 10,000 talents. Ten thousand talents would be nearly twenty million dollars if they were silver talents, nearly three hundred million dollars if the talents were gold. In either case it would be an unpayable amount, no doubt beyond the capacity of any man living in the world at that time. So great is our sin toward God which needs forgiveness!

And then the sins of one against others is represented by the Saviour in this parable by the debt of one hundred pence. And the servant who had been forgiven 10,000 talents took his fellowservant by the throat saying, "Pay me that thou owest," and would not give him time, but cast him into prison until he should pay that trifling debt of a hundred pence, when he himself had been forgiven 10,000 talents that he owed!

How trifling, how insignificant are all the sins that anybody ever did against us compared to our horrible sins against God all the days of our lives! This parable tells us how God sees the sin of unforgiveness.

And note the punishment of the wicked servant. Jesus said, "And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him."

Here the king delivered the evil servant "to the tormentors." And then Jesus warns Simon Peter and the other disciples, in a lesson which is meant for us Christians, "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." God will deliver His own children over to tormentors, will allow their hearts to be miserable, their lives to be unhappy, their prayers to be blocked, their homes to be accursed, if they do not forgive others! The Lord does not mean that saved people will lose their salvation and go to Hell because of unforgiveness, but He certainly does mean that here in this life they will miss many, many blessings and suffer torment of soul because of the horrible sin of unforgiveness. And how ashamed they will be when they face Jesus!

I have known brother who would not speak to brother. I have seen churches split into factions, I have seen homes broken, I have seen Christians so embittered by this horrible sin that they made shipwreck of all their lives. Terrible punishment will be the lot of every Christian who carries a grudge and unforgiveness in his heart.

And note that the Saviour said this forgiveness must be "from your hearts." To live nominally at peace is not enough. Sometimes a Christian will say, "Well, I will forgive her, but I will never forget." Or a brother may say, "I will forgive him, yes, because it is commanded me; but I will never have anything more to do with him." Such forgiveness is no forgiveness at all in God's sight. When God forgives, He forgets. How would you like for God to say about you, "Well, I will forgive your sins; but I never want to have anything more to do with you"? You know that is not forgiveness in a real, genuine sense. By God's grace, a Christian can so forgive that every memory brings not bitterness but a sweet sense of peace without any rancor or bitterness whatever.

If we want to be like Jesus, we must forgive. Dying on the cross, He prayed about the people who crucified Him, who mocked Him while He died, who gave Him vinegar mingled with gall when He was thirsty, who had spit in His face - for these He prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." One of the names of the Lord Jesus is "Prince of Peace." And if we forgive, we become Christlike. That is the reason why the Beatitudes say, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matt. 5:9). Every one who makes peace is that much like Jesus Christ. The Beatitudes promise that those who are pure in heart shall see God, that the meek shall inherit the earth; but they give the blessed promise to the peacemakers that they shall not only see God but shall be called His children, and shall not only inherit the earth, but even inherit Heaven as heirs of God! How blessed to be a peacemaker, with forgiveness toward brethren, "even as God for Christ's sake hat forgiven you."

And that attitude of mind and heart which Jesus had is to be ours, also. Stephen had it when, dying, he prayed about his tormentors, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60). And, oh, dear Christian, if you are to have your prayers answered, you, too, must learn to forgive!

When boiled down to its essence, unforgiveness it hatred. And I John 3:15 says, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer." If you think a little grudge is very respectable, then you should remember that God looks into your wicked heart and calls it murder!

In Mark 11:22-24 is that marvelous promise about prayer that "whosoever" (anybody) can have "whatsoever" (anything) he asks, if he has faith. But Jesus qualifies even that great promise by these words in the following verses: "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mark 11:25,26). It is obvious that every Christian who tries to pray with unforgiveness in his heart finds a great wall of his sins piled up between him and God which he cannot get removed and cannot get taken out of the way until he forgives all that others have done against him.

The Lord's Prayer is to be a daily prayer, for daily bread and daily needs, and confessing daily sins. And that indicates that every Christian every day ought to go about this important matter of seeing that all grudges are forgiven. Thus Ephesians 4:26 commands us, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath." A grudge, if left in your heart overnight, may so take root as to embitter your whole life and ruin your testimony. So daily, before sundown every day, search out your heart, judge every little grudge, every bit of enmity, every slightest passion of unforgiveness. Confess it to God as a sin and turn your heart away from it, and God will take i tout and cleanse it. But if you do not forgive, neither will you be forgiven.

Have you honestly searched your heart as you have read this? Is there any root of bitterness, any of the sin of unforgiveness in your heart blocking your prayers?

King James Onlyism

2007-10-16T16:46:00.000-05:00

I came across this subject one day while looking over the Rapture Ready homepage.
I enjoy reading their articles and I recommend Christians to check them out.
After reading this article by Todd Strandberg, I felt compelled to email him about this information.I didn't think about it at the time, but this thing turned into an unofficial King James Bible 1611 debate.Please click on the link above and read the article,then come back to my blog to read our email correspondence.

King James Onlyism Debate ( email correspondence )

Mike Hare:
Todd,
Everything in Rapture Ready is great stuff.I really think the Lord is using your research and info to help Christians, However your attack on King James only people, is an attack on God's people. King James Bible believers are not ignorant stupid people.Many have earned doctorates. As for the 1611 compared to today's King James Version, there are no revisions in the text.The text has been edited for clarity.Words such as the word " Olde" was changed to " Old ", the text is never changed.Now, in Hosea 11:12,most modern translations change the text. See for yourself.

A simple,yet clear book on this subject is:

"The Answer Book" by Dr. Sam Gipp

I trust you will look into this issue without prejudice. I too believed like you. I attended Bob Jones University in Greenville , SC.

The King James only position was scoffed at and looked upon as foolishness just like an evolutionist scoffs at a creationist position.

Dr. Stuart Custer was my hero on higher criticism of the Bible, but not anymore.Todd, you are a good man and I believe that you are a saved man. Please take a new look at the old Book.

In Christ, Mike Hare

Todd Strandberg:
I don’t know why you would say I’m attacking these KJVO folks. My goal in the article was to defend truth. If you want to go after unfairness, they are the ones who are saying that the new translation authors are working for Satan. When is it OK to trash someone’s life work without any real proof?

The translation differences between these Bibles are so minor, they have no effect on the key gospel message. None of the new translations says, Jesus was not the Son of God. Your old and olde explain just proves my point.

Todd

Mike:
Todd,
I'm sending just a few examples of words missing in modern translations. I know some KJVO people can appear to get out of hand at times, and seam like they're trashing someones life work, but isn't that what Jesus did when exposing the errors of the scribes and pharisees? The Lord Jesus always spoke the truth and it offended the religious crowd.Their life's work was being trashed.As for any real proof,I'm sending you some in this e-mail.
Todd I'm not trying to argue with you.I'm just asking you to look fairly at both sides of the coin.That's all I'm asking.I really like you and your commitment to the Lord.Please don't think I'm attacking you in any way.You've been a lot of help to me as well as a comfort in many of your articles.May God continue to bless you.Sincerely, Mike Hare

Section 1
Key Passages Missing
The first list is a sampling depicting omissions that are commonplace in modern versions. These omissions often diminish basic doctrines. The New International Version, which we have used as a representative, has somewhat fewer omissions than the New American Standard, Revised Standard, New English, etc. Yet even in the NIV, the deletions are considerable and noteworthy. This will become increasingly evident when the second list, which gives all of the Names of Deity that have been omitted, is perused. The two translations have been placed side by side so that the earnest inquirer can readily perceive the magnitude of the situation and determine for himself whether the NIV has the same authority and reverence as the Authorized Version.
King James Bible New International Version
MAT 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son... But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son.
MAT 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
MAT 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.
MAT 9:13 ...for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. ...For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.
MAT 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
MAT 16:3 ...O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
MAT 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. ———
MAT 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness and marries another woman commits adultery.
MAT 20:16 So the last shall be first and the first last: for many be called but few chosen. So the last will be first, and the first will be last.
MAT 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?... You don't know what you are asking, Jesus said to them. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?
MAT 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. ———
MAT 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
MAT 28:2 ...for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. ...for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
MAT 28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail... Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said...
MAR 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
MAR 1:31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her.
MAR 2:17 ...I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. ...I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
MAR 6:11 ...shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that city. ...shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.
MAR 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. Ye have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.
MAR 7:16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. ———
MAR 9:44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. ———
MAR 9:46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. ———
MAR 9:49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Everyone will be salted with fire.
MAR 10:21 ...and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. ...give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.
MAR 10:24 ...Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God. ...Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God.
MAR 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. ———
MAR 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not,... When you see the abomination that causes desolation standing where it does not belong,
MAR 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.
MAR 14:68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. But he denied it. "I don't know or understand what you're talking about." he said, and went out into the entryway.
MAR 15:28 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. ———
LUK 1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
LUK 2:43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
LUK 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.' "
LUK 9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"
LUK 9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. But Jesus turned and rebuked them.
LUK 11:2–4 ...When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. When you pray, say: Father hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.
LUK 11:29 ...This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. ...This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.
LUK 17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ———
LUK 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.
LUK 22:64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who hit you?"
LUK 23:17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) ———
LUK 23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
JOH 1:27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.
JOH 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven the Son of man.
JOH 5:3–4 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie – the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.
JOH 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
JOH 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. So they took away the stone.
JOH 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name... While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me...
ACT 10:6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. He is staying with Simon the tanner whose house is by the sea.
ACT 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace,... Now I commit you to God and the word of his grace.
ACT 24:6–8 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law. But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him. and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.
ACT 24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
ACT 28:16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
ACT 28:29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves. ———
ROM 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,... They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed...
ROM 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.
ROM 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.
ROM 13:9 ...Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet;... ... "Do not steal," "Do not covet,"...
ROM 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. He who regards one day as special does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
ROM 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that will cause your brother to fall.
ROM 15:29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.
1CO 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast as you really are. For Christ our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
1CO 7:5 ...that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, ...so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again...
1CO 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.
1CO 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body which is for you: do this in remembrance of me."
GAL 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth,... You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?
EPH 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For we are members of his body.
EPH 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
PHI 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
COL 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
COL 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
2TH 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, He will punish those who do not know God.
1TI 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,
1TI 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, charity, in spirit, in faith, purity. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
1TI 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. And constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
2TI 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
PHM 1:12 Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: I am sending him – who is my very heart – back to you.
HEB 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
HEB 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor.
HEB 7:21 ...The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. ..."The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: You are a priest forever."
HEB 10:34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
1PE 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body.
1PE 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
1PE 5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
2PE 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.
1JO 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.
JUD 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
REV 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest... I know where you live...
REV 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (Also in verses 3, 5, and 7) I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come."
REV 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. saying: We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
REV 12:12 ...Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you,... ..."But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!
REV 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done."
REV 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.

None of the underlined words appear in the NIV text (1978 edition). Occasional reference is made to omitted passages in footnotes. Many of the passages which the NIV does include (but are omitted by the other modern versions) are given a footnote expressing doubt.
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Todd Strandberg:

Mike,

The problem with the KJV and the NIV is that the KJV tends to be more
wordy that the other translations.

The KJV will say "The Lord Jesus" and the NIV will say "the Lord." The
original Greek only says "the Lord," so the NIV is correct by not
adding to the text.

These lists of edited passage are deceptive. They only show the NIV in
a negative light. There are total of 1,000 passages like the ones you
cited,but there are about 700 NIV passages that provide greater detail than
their KJV counterparts.

Mike:
Todd, there is no deceit in the evidence I sent you. It is a fact that that all modern translations have eliminated thousands of words from the Greek and Hebrew texts. The lie that is being taught today, is that the oldest manuscripts are the best, just because they're older. What is not mentioned is that these manuscripts were available to the King James translators but were rejected.

There are basically two lines of manuscripts.The Textus Receptus, and the Alexandrian manuscripts. All new bibles are derived from the Alexandrian line which came from Egypt. The Textus Receptus is where the King James Bible is translated from.This manuscript came from Antioch of Syria which is where the Bible says they were first called Christians ( Acts 11:26 ).

I have one example below of which the actual text itself was changed not just the words to make it easier to read, but the text.Which one do we believe? Which one is right? God said He would preserve His Words, not just His thoughts or his doctrines. I truly believe that God has done that, otherwise He would be like us, flawed.

Again Todd, I didn't want to make a big thing out of this issue. I struggled with this subject over twenty years ago and I have great peace in knowing that God's words are flawless and he gave us perfect copy of it.There are no originals in existence today. Just copies of copies. It is true that some are older than others, but that doesn't mean they're better.

Examples of Textual changes:

The Holy Bible, King James Version Hosea 11:12
12)Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit:
but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

Hosea 11:12 NIV
12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
the house of Israel with deceit.
And Judah is unruly against God,
even against the faithful Holy One.

Title: The Good News Translation

12 The LORD says, "The people of Israel have surrounded me with lies and
deceit, and the people of Judah are still rebelling against me, the faithful and holy
God.

Hosea 11:12 (New American Standard Bible)
12Ephraim surrounds Me with (A)lies
And the house of Israel with deceit;
Judah is also unruly against God,
Even against the Holy One who is faithful.

Contemporary English Version
Hosea 11:12
12Israel is deceitful to me,
their loyal and holy God;
they surround me with lies,
and Judah worships
other gods. [a]
Footnotes:
Hosea 11:12 and Judah worships other gods: Or " but Judah remains faithful."

So, Which is it Todd? Does Judah worship other gods, or does Judah remain faithful?

The King James says that our Lord sprang out of Juda and that He is the Lion of the tribe of Juda.

Hebrews 7:14 (KJV) For [it is] evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

Revelation 5:5 (KJV) And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

To be honest with you Todd, I have a whole lot more on this issue, but my prayer is that you look at this thing without any bias.That was the hardest thing for me to do. I prayed and asked the Lord to show me if there is anything to this stuff, and after swallowing my pride, He did. I'm no better than you, and I'm sure I'm not smarter than you, as a brother in Christ I felt compelled to share some of this with you. Thank You for your great investigating work at Rapture Ready.
In Christ, Mike Hare

Todd:

You’re deceiving yourself by failing to validate your error theory. You can find the same type of errors in the KJV.

Here is a partial listing of King James Version translation errors:

Genesis 1:2 should read "And the earth became without form . . . ." The word translated "was" is hayah, and denotes a condition different than a former condition, as in Genesis 19:26.

Genesis 10:9 should read " . . . Nimrod the mighty hunter in place of [in opposition to] the LORD." The word "before" is incorrect and gives the connotation that Nimrod was a good guy, which is false.

Leviticus 16:8, 10, 26 in the KJV is "scapegoat" which today has the connotation of someone who is unjustly blamed for other's sins. The Hebrew is Azazel, which means "one removed or separated." The Azazel goal represents Satan, who is no scapegoat. He is guilty of his part in our sins.

Deuteronomy 24:1, "then let him" should be "and he." As the Savior explained in Matthew 19, Moses did not command divorcement. This statute is regulating the permission of divorce because of the hardness of their hearts.

II Kings 2:23, should be "young men", not "little children."

Isaiah 65:17 should be "I am creating [am about to create] new heavens and new earth . . . ."

Ezekiel 20:25 should read "Wherefore I permitted them, or gave them over to, [false] statutes that are not good, and judgments whereby they should not live." God's laws are good, perfect and right. This verse shows that since Israel rejected God's laws, He allowed them to hurt themselves by following false man made customs and laws.

Daniel 8:14 is correct in the margin, which substitutes "evening morning" for "days." Too bad William Miller didn't realize this.

Malachi 4:6 should read " . . . lest I come and smite the earth with utter destruction." "Curse" doesn't give the proper sense here. Same word used in Zechariah 14:11.

Matthew 5:48 should be "Become ye therefore perfect" rather than "be ye therefore perfect." "Perfect" here means "spiritually mature." Sanctification is a process of overcoming with the aid of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 24:22 needs an additional word to clarify the meaning. It should say "there should no flesh be saved alive."

Matthew 27:49 omits text which was in the original. Moffatt correctly adds it, while the RSV puts it in a footnote: "And another took a spear and pierced His side, and out came water and blood." The Savior's death came when a soldier pierced His side, Revelation 1:7.

Matthew 28:1, "In the end of the sabbath as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week . . ." should be translated literally, "Now late on Sabbath, as it was getting dusk toward the first day of the week . . . ." The Sabbath does not end at dawn but at dusk.

Luke 2:14 should say, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of God's good pleasure or choosing." That is, there will be peace on earth among men who have God's good will in their hearts.

Luke 14:26 has the unfortunate translation of the Greek word miseo, Strong's #3404, as "hate", when it should be rendered "love less by comparison." We are not to hate our parents and family!

John 1:31, 33 should say "baptize" or "baptizing IN water" not with water. Pouring or sprinkling with water is not the scriptural method of baptism, but only thorough immersion in water.

John 1:17 is another instance of a poor preposition. "By" should be "through": "For the law was given by [through] Moses . . . ." Moses did not proclaim his law, but God's Law.

John 13:2 should be "And during supper" (RSV) rather than "And supper being ended" (KJV).

Acts 12:4 has the inaccurate word "Easter" which should be rendered "Passover." The Greek word is pascha which is translated correctly as Passover in Matthew 26:2, etc.

I Corinthians 1:18 should be: "For the preaching of the cross is to them that are perishing foolishness; but unto us which are being saved it is the power of God", rather than "perish" and "are saved." Likewise, II Thessalonians 2:10 should be "are perishing" rather than "perish."

I Corinthians 15:29 should be: "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the hope of the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the hope of the dead?"

II Corinthians 6:2 should be "a day of salvation", instead of "the day of salvation." This is a quote from Isaiah 49:8, which is correct. The day of salvation is not the same for each individual. The firstfruits have their day of salvation during this life. The rest in the second resurrection.

I Timothy 4:8 should say, "For bodily exercise profiteth for a little time: but godliness in profitable unto all things . . . ."

I Timothy 6:10 should be, "For the love of money is a [not the] root of all evil . . . ."

Hebrews 4:8 should be "Joshua" rather than "Jesus", although these two words are Hebrew and Greek equivalents.

Hebrews 4:9 should read, "There remaineth therefore a keeping of a sabbath to the people of God."

Hebrews 9:28 is out of proper order in the King James. It should be: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them without sin that look for him shall he appear the second time unto salvation."

I John 5:7-8 contains additional text which was added to the original. "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." The italicized text was added to the original manuscripts. Most modern translations agree that this was an uninspired addition to the Latin Vulgate to support the unscriptural trinity doctrine.

Revelation 14:4 should be "a firstfruits", because the 144,000 are not all the firstfruits.

Revelation 20:4-5 in the KJV is a little confusing until you realize that the sentence "This is the first resurrection." in verse five refers back to "they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years" in verse four.

Revelation 20:10, "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are [correction: should be 'were cast' because the beast and false prophet were mortal human beings who were burned up in the lake of fire 1,000 years previous to this time, Revelation 19:20], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." The point is that Satan will be cast into the same lake of fire into which the beast and false prophet were cast a thousand years previously.

Revelation 22:2 should be "health" rather than "healing."

Italics: Sometimes Helpful, Sometimes Wrong

No language can be translated word for word into another language. Hebrew and Greek idioms often do not come through clearly into literal English. Thus, beginning in 1560 with the Geneva Bible, translators initiated the practice of adding italicized clarifying words to make the original language more plain. The fifty-four King James translators did the same. Often, the added italicized words do help make the meaning clearer. At other times, the translators through their doctrinal misunderstandings added errors instead.

In Psalms 81:4, "was" is totally uncalled for and not in the original Hebrew. New Moons are still a statute of God.

We have shown how in Revelation 20:10 that the italicized "are" is incorrect and that "were cast" in italics would have been more appropriate. Another instance is John 8:28 where Jesus said (KJV), "I am he." The "he" is in italics and was not actually spoken by Jesus, completely obscuring the fact the Jesus was claiming to be the great "I AM" of the Old Testament, John 8:58 and Exodus 3:14.

In Luke 3:23-38, the italicized words "the son" are not in the original Greek. Actually, Luke gives the fleshly descent of the Savior through Mary, while Matthew gives the legal descent through Joseph.

Matthew 24:24 should not have the italicized words "it were". It IS possible for the elect to be deceived. We need to be on guard!

Romans 1:7 incorrectly has the italicized words "to be." The fact is, Christians are now saints.

I Corinthians 7:19 needs some italicized words to make the meaning clear. It should say: "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but [the important thing is] the keeping of the commandments of God."

Colossians 2:16-17 can be properly understood only if the KJV italicized word "is" in verse 17 is left out, as it should be. The message of these verses is: don't let men judge you as doing wrong when you observe the holy days, new moons and sabbaths; let the body of Christ (the Church) do the judging.

I Timothy 3:11 has "their" in italics, which is not implied in the original.

II Peter 2:5 should not have "person, a." Noah was the eighth preacher of righteousness.

I John 2:23 has "[but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also" in italics. This is an addition based upon the Latin text and not in the original Greek.

Punctuation Problems

Luke 23:43 has been erroneously used by some to claim that Jesus went straight to heaven at His death. The original Greek did not have punctuation marks as we do today. The KJV states, "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." The comma should not be after "thee", but "day." The believing malefactor would be with Christ in the paradise of the redeemed when he was resurrected far into the future.

Mark 16:9 does not say that Jesus was resurrected Sunday morning. There is a missing implied comma between "risen" and "early" and there should be no comma after week as the KJV has it: "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene . . . ." Thus, it should say, "Now when Jesus was risen, early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene . . . ."

Word Differences

Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that the 1611 A.D. King James English is somewhat different than today's English language. The meaning of certain words has changed, and/or the King James sometimes uses words not familiar to most people today in their common speech. In addition, certain idioms in the original Hebrew and Greek are a little difficult to understand today. The Oxford Wide Margin KJV has excellent marginal references which often explain the correct meanings. Here is a partial listing of changed word meanings:

King James Phrase (on top)

Modern English (on bottom)

Abraham's bosom

"the Kingdom of God " in which the redeemed will have an intimate relationship with father Abraham in sharing the eternal inheritance of the earth.

adoption

"sonship", as in Romans 8:23, 9:4, Ephesians 1:5.

affections

"passions", as in Galatians 5:24, "mind" as in Colossians 3:2.

afflict soul

"fast" as in Leviticus 23:27, 32 (Psalms 35:13).

beguile

"judge against you", as in Colossians 2:18.

betimes

"early", as in Proverbs 13:24.

blains

"blisters", as in Exodus 9:9.

bosom, in his

"have an intimate relationship with", as in II Samuel 12:3, 8, John 1:18.

bruit

"report, rumor", as in Jeremiah 10:22, Nahum 3:19.

charity

"spiritual love", as in I Corinthians 13.

clean heart

"right attitude", as in Psalms 51:10, 73:1.

communicate

"share", as in Hebrews 13:16.

communications

"associations, companionships", as in I Corinthians 15:33.

conversation

"conduct", as in Philippians 2:27, I Peter 3:1, "citizenship" as in Philippians 3:20.

convince

"convict", as in Titus 1:9, James 2:9.

corn

"grain", as in Leviticus 23:14, Deuteronomy 23:25.

cover his feet

"go to the toilet", as in I Samuel 24:3.

creature

"creation", as in Romans 8:20-21, II Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15.

cross

"stake"

damned

"judged", as in Mark 16:16.

devils

"demons", as in I Timothy 4:1.

dissimulation

"hypocrisy", as in Galatians 2:13.

divers

"different" places, persons or things as in Matthew 24:7 and Acts 19:9, Hebrews 1:1, James 1:2.

dividing

"expounding, dissecting", as in II Timothy 2:15.

doting

"sick", as in I Timothy 6:4.

due benevolence

"sexual dues", as in I Corinthians 7:3.

ensamples

"examples, types", as in I Corinthians 10:11.

faint

"give up" as in Luke 18:1, Galatians 6:9.

froward

"evil, wrong", as in Proverbs 2:12.

gay

"expensive, costly", as in James 2:3.

Ghost

"Holy Ghost" should be rendered "Holy Spirit."

glass

"mirror", as in I Corinthians 13:12, James 1:23.

hardness

"blindness" as in Mark 3:5.

he

In reference to the Holy Spirit, the KJV usage of "he" rather than "it" implies the false notion of the trinity. The Holy Spirit is not a separate person, but the mind of God the Father and God the Son. See John 14:16, 17, 26 and 16:7-8, 13-15.

heart

"attitude of mind", as in Jeremiah 17:9.

hell

There are three Greek words rendered "hell" in the New Testament: gehenna, hades (equivalent of Hebrew sheol used in the Old Testament), and tartaroo. Gehenna is the lake of fire, hades is the grave and tartaroo is the abyss, the place of restraint for Satan. For English speaking people during the time of King James, "hell" [hades] was a cellar to store potatoes, not a lake of burning brimstone. In Acts 2:27, "hell" is hades, meaning the grave, while in Matthew 10: 28 and Mark 9:43-48 "hell" means the lake of fire. The only place tartaroo is used is in II Peter 2:4.

husbandman

"farmer, rancher", as in James 5:7.

iniquity

"lawlessness", as in Matthew 24:12.

jealous

"zealous", as in II Corinthians 11:2.

knew

"had sexual relations with", as in Genesis 4:1.

leasing

"lying", as in Psalms 4:2, 5:6.

letteth

"restrains", as in II Thessalonians 2:7.

lusteth after

"earnestly desires" as in Deuteronomy 14:26.

mansions

"offices" as in John 14:2.

meat offering

"meal offering", as in Leviticus 23:13, etc.

meet

"fitting, proper", Matthew 3:8, Genesis 2:18.

mocked

"deceived", as in Galatians 6:7.

morning stars

"angels", as in Job 38:7.

nether

"lower", as in Deuteronomy 24:6.

outlandish

"foreign", as in Nehemiah 13:26.

perfect

"spiritually mature", as in II Timothy 3:17, or "upright or sincere" as in Genesis 17:1.

perform

"finish", as in Philippians 1:6.

him that "pisseth against the wall"

"males", as in II Kings 9:8, etc.

press, the

"the crowd", as in Luke 19:3.

prevent

"precede", Psalms 88:13, I Thessalonians 4:15.

prophesy

"inspired preaching", as in I Corinthians 14.

quicken

"make alive", as in Romans 8:11.

quit

"keep on", as in I Corinthians 16:13.

rain

"teach", as in Hosea 10:12, Isaiah 2:3.

rentest

"distort", as in Jeremiah 4:30.

requite

"offer support for", as in I Timothy 5:4.

rereward

rear guard" as in I Samuel 29:2.

rudiments

"elements", as in Colossians 2:8.

those who "seemed to be somewhat"

"boasters", as in Galatians 2:6.

servant

"slave", as in Philippians 2:7.

simple

"harmless", as in Romans 16:19.

sincerity

"with incorruption", as in Ephesians 6:24.

slept with his fathers

"died", as in II Kings 13:9, II Chronicles 16:12.

sons of God

"angels", as in Job 1:6.

spiritual wickedness

"wicked spirits", as in Ephesians 6:12.

sprinkle

"astonish, startle", as in Isaiah 52:15.

stranger

"newcomer, new convert", as in Deuteronomy 14:29.

suffer

"let, allow, permit" as in Mark 10:14, Revelation 11:9.

tarry

"wait", as in Luke 24:49, I Corinthians 16:8, which is explained in Acts 1:4.

tempted

"tried or tested", as in I Corinthians 10:13, James 1:13.

tenor

"intent or purpose", as in Exodus 34:27.

tongues

"foreign languages", Mark 16:17, I Corinthians 14.

virtue

"power" as in Mark 5:30.

visage

"appearance", as in Isaiah 52:14.

Unjustified Additions to the KJV
Derived From Latin Vulgate, Not in Greek Text

These additions should be omitted from the KJV:

Matthew 27:35

"that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots." This verse appears properly in John 19:24.

John 8:9-10

Delete: "being convicted by their own conscience . . . unto the last . . . alone . . . and saw none but the woman . . . those thine accusers."

The Greek properly reads: "But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left with the woman being before him. Jesus lifted himself up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'"

Acts 9:5-6

"it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him . . . ."

Acts 10:6

"he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do"

Acts 10:21

"which were sent unto him from Cornelius"

Acts 21:8

"that were of Paul's company"

Romans 13:9

"Thou shalt not bear false witness"

Romans 16:20

"Amen"

Colossians 1:14

"through his blood"

Hebrews 2:7

"and didst set him over the works of thy hands"

Hebrews 11:13

"and were persuaded of them and embraced them"

Hebrews 12:20

"or with a dart shot through"

I John 2:23

"(but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also" is placed in italics in the KJV. The Greek Text omits this portion entirely.

I John 5:7-8

"in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these thee are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth" As previously explained, this is not part of the original Greek text.

Revelation 1:8

"the beginning and the ending"

Revelation 1:11

"I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and . . . which are in Asia "

Revelation 1:20

"which thou sawest"

Revelation 2:17

"to eat of"

Revelation 5:4

"and to read"

Revelation 5:14

"four and twenty . . . him that lives forever and ever"

Revelation 11:1

"and the angel stood"

Revelation 12:12

"the inhabiters of"

Revelation 14:5

"before the throne of God"

Revelation 15:2

"over his mark"

Revelation 16:7

"another out of"

Revelation 16:14

"of the earth and"

Revelation 21:3

"and be their God"

Misplaced Verses in the KJV

In Matthew 23:13-14, the proper order is: "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."

Romans 16:25-27 belongs after Romans 14:23, not at the end of the book.

Items Wrongly Substituted or Left Out of the KJV,
Should be Reinstated

Matthew 27:49

"And another took a spear and pierced his side and out came water and blood."

[The Orthodox Church says this was part of the Greek Text until mistakenly deleted in 511 A.D.]

Luke 9:50

". . . for his is not against you."

This verse should read: "And Jesus said to him, Forbid him not, for he is not against you. For whoever is not against you is for you."

Luke 10:22

"And having turned to the disciples, he said:"

John 1:28

" Bethany " instead of "Bethabara", which was a corrupt Egyptian reading.

Acts 9:19

Should read, "Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at the time in Damascus ."

Acts 20:28

Should read, " . . . the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of the Lord and God, which He purchased with His own blood."

Philippians 3:3

Should be "serve in (the) Spirit of God" rather than "serve God in the spirit."

Colossians 1:6

Should have added "and is growing" after "bringeth forth fruits."

Colossians 2:13

Should read, "And you--being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh--you hath He quickened together with him, having forgiven us all the trespasses . . . "

I Thess. 5:21

Should read, "Despise not prophesyings, but prove all things . . . ."

II Timothy 2:19

"of (the) Lord" rather than "of Christ."

Hebrews 8:8

"To them", not "with them."

Hebrews 13:9

"Carried away", not "carried about."

James 5:12

Should be "into hypocrisy" instead of "under judgment."

I Peter 2:2

End of verse should have added: "unto salvation."

Revelation 2:21

Should be " . . . and she wills not to repent of her fornication."

Revelation 6:12

Should be " . . . and the whole moon became blood . . . ."

Revelation 8:7

Should be " . . . and the third part of the land was burnt up, and the third part of the trees . . . ."

Revelation 8:13

"eagle" rather than "angel."

Revelation 11:18

"nations" instead of "dead."

Revelation 12:6

Should read, "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has there a place prepared of God . . . ."

Revelation 13:5

Should read, " . . . and power was given it to make war forty-two months . . . ."

Revelation 14:1

Should read, "having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads . . . ."

Revelation 15:3

"nations" instead of "saints."

Revelation 17:8

Should read, " . . . when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and shall be present . . . ."

Revelation 18:17

Should read, " . . . everyone who sails to any place . . . " instead of "and all the company in ships."

Revelation 18:20

Should read, " . . . ye holy saints and apostles and prophets."

Revelation 19:12

Should read, " . . . and on his head were many crowns, having names written, and a name written that no man knew . . . ."

Revelation 19:17

Should read, " . . . gather yourselves together unto the great supper of God . . . ", not "supper of the great God."

Revelation 21:24

Should read, "And the nations shall walk by means of its light."

Revelation 22:19

Should read, "tree of life" instead of "book of life."

Revelation 22:21

Should close with "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all of the saints. Amen."

Mike:
Todd, You appear to be upset and you're accusing me of deceiving myself in your last letter.You insist on correcting the KJV with the Greek, However you're using Nestles Greek text to do it.Your correcting God's word instead of letting God's word correct you.

In my last letter I mentioned that there were Two lines of manuscripts, Antioch of Syria (Textus Receptus) & Alexandria Egypt (Sinaticus, Vaticanus).You are using the wrong manuscripts to correct the King James Bible.

If I were Chinese, Russian, Italian, or whatever,I believe God would give me a copy of His word in my language. I'm sure the Textus Receptus is God's choice of manuscripts.
The Roman Catholic Church is responsible for all these changes in the Sinaticus & Vaticanus manuscripts of which all modern translations are derived.That is why you find so many "ERRORS" in the King James Bible.If you use Vines Textus Receptus Interlinear Bible,you would see a big difference in your comparisons on the King James Bible.

Also we do agree on something.In your article you said that the New World Translation ( JW bible), that they "REVISED" John 1:1.From " God" to "a god". They changed the text and its meaning.The issue at hand is "REVISION". The King James 1611 has NEVER BEEN REVISED. In 1629, 1638, 1762, 1769 there were only "EDITING"issues , print and spelling changes, never "REVISIONS" in the text. Later 1871, 1881, 1884 is where Brooke Foss Wescott & Fenton John Anthony Hort decided to form a "Revision Revised Committee " here is where the water gets murky.They had Unitarians and unbelievers on their committee.Their goal was to change doctrines that were offensive to their beliefs. All this stuff is documented in the writings of Wecott & Hort.It's too bad though that the"scholars "
of today idolize these guys. They were the liberals of their day.John "Dean" Bergen was one of the men exposing these guys for their apostasy he truly was on the Lord's side.

I can see that we are not going to agree on this issue.I suppose I'm just a deceived simpleton in your view.I don't think that this is a trivial issue as mentioned in your article.I hope some day we could see eye to eye on this. I wouldn't call this a distraction though, also written in your article, if anything it's a blessing. It gets us in the book, it solidifies our convictions,it makes us stronger for the cause of Christ.
I still believe soul winning is important, and prayer, church attendance, and tithing. Knowing God starts by believing God. How can I Believe Him when there are discrepancies in His word? The many Bibles out there can't be all right. So which one do I choose? Either God's Word is preserved perfectly in my language or He would be an imperfect God.He is Perfect, and so is His word.

The King James Bible was written at a sixth grade reading level.Thee means "you", and Thou means " you". Websters Dictionary could take care of the rest.

Sometimes it's hard to change our views because we love our pastors, professors, friends and relatives.Changing our views would impact so many relationships of those we love especially when they believe the same way we do.I understand all this,I went through it.

I must close now.
In Christ,Mike Hare

Another Example:

The King James reads, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O LUCIFER, son of the morning!..." The NIV, NASV, NRSV etc. reads, "How you have fallen from heaven, O MORNING STAR, son of the dawn..." The new per-versions change "Lucifer" to "morning star." According to Revelation 22:16, the "morning star" is the Lord Jesus Christ. What blasphemy! What perversion! And there's no basis whatsoever for the change, as the Hebrew word for star [kokab] is not even found in Isaiah

Todd:
Mike,

I’m not upset. I’ve been down the road many times.

The Texus Receptus conspiracy theory is a bunch of nonsense. The new translations are based on several manuscripts – Egyptian, Caesarean, Byzantine…

Texus Receptus is based on a copy of the Byzantine text.

It’s a bit pointless to say the 1611 KJV has never been revised. Tyndale's [1525], or Coverdale's [1535], or Matthew's [1537], or the Great [1539], or the Geneva Bible [1560] have also never been revised. The KJV is a work in progress with revisions in: 1613, 1629, 1638, 1644, 1664, 1701, 1744, 1762, 1769, and the last one in 1850.

Have you ever seen an original copy of the 1611 text? There is no surviving copy. I seen some text from that area, and it is so different from Today’s English, you might mistake it for German or French.

"O Day Star" (Lucifer) is a human origin nickname for the devil in Medieval Christian thought.

Mike:
Todd,
One thing you said in your last letter is correct.The Textus Receptus & the Byzantine text are one in the same.Not to be confused with the Sinaticus & Vaticanus which is used in all modern translations.Always remember all the bibles in existence are compared to the King James Bible.You even endorse the King James Bible on your website as the"King of Bible Translations",and I would have to agree with you on that statement.To listen to all of your arguments,one would think that you despise the King James Translation.

As for the 1611, there are many copies available, whether they are originals or not is irrelevant.Yes they are very difficult to read,undoubtedly, I have no argument with you on that issue.That is why it was "EDITED" and not " REVISED" the text remains the same.People that believe the King James 1611 understand this, because today's King James Bible has kept up with the times by "EDITING" archaic words as I mentioned in my first letter to you. The 1611 text remains unchanged even to this day. This is a proven FACT, and has been proven time and time again.

The, "O Day Star" (Lucifer) is a human origin nickname for the devil in Medieval Christian thought." is an extremely poor argument for proper textual criticism.I thought you were more intelligent than that.I digress, I'm sorry.I won't bother you anymore.I still like your work.The Evolution vs Creation message that you wrote seems to give a little too much credence to the evolutionists, but it seems you're on the right side of the issue.Check out Kent Hovind's website on creation.He does use theory, but he also uses scientific evidence in his research.

In Christ, Mike Hare

Mansions In Heaven,What kind do you have?

2007-10-14T13:14:00.000-05:00

To find your mansion,click on the link above.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also. John 14:2 (KJV)

FALSE FORGIVENESS

Do I need to forgive someone even if it doesn’t seem that he is sorry?

Luke 17:3-4 answers that question this way: “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” Jesus said that without genuine repentance there is no forgiveness. One example of this principle is when he says:

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10).

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as Christ forgave you” (Eph. 4:32).

We are forgiven for our sins the moment we repent of them—acknowledge, feel remorse, turn from them. Without true repentance, there is no change. Just as the Lord will not forgive an unrepentant heart, neither should we forgive an unrepentant brother. But, that means we withhold the forgiveness that is already in our hearts. We cannot allow bitterness to fester. Our desire must be for restoration of the relationship.

Should my family become involved in Halloween?

The majority of people who allow their children to dress up as characters and go door-to-door “trick-or-treating” are not thinking of witches and satanic rituals; it is just some fun. Some people decide not to participate in Halloween activities simply because of safety issues. And then there are those who fully understand the spiritual activity behind the celebration of Halloween and thus do not participate.

Halloween originated as a Druid celebration that honored the god of the dead. It was believed that on this day, spirits returned to their homes and demanded a type of worship. This became depicted in the practice of trick-or-treating. Prosperity was promised to the generous donors, and tricks to all who refused, during the Irish, Druid event. It was hoped that a glowing pumpkin placed on the doorstep would keep away the evil spirits. And black cats were considered to be reincarnated beings with the ability to divine the future.

Traditional Halloween symbols, such as witches, black cats, the death's head cut from a pumpkin, candles, masks, and parties appeared in the U.S. during the late 1800s. Occultic groups still celebrate Halloween as a tribute to Satan. And witchcraft practitioners continue to declare October 31st as the best time to practice their arts.

It is necessary that each family determines plans for Halloween based on their own convictions and understanding. This is a responsibility for the parents to undertake. Children can greatly pressure the decision-making process but should not be allowed to do so. The pressure that children face at school and in the neighborhood can keep them from seeing the situation clearly. Some families decide that it is okay for their kids to wear costumes and go trick-or-treating. Others find alternatives like getting involved with a youth group that is organizing a Christian option. Other families completely check out of the whole process and go to a movie or do some other fun thing.

This issue is serious because your decision about whether to participate in Halloween activities sends a strong message to your children about what they should allow in their lives. If you decide to participate, let me encourage you to make it a teaching opportunity. Inform your kids; let them know what the day is all about. Then let them help you think of ways to reach out to other kids. Handing out Gospel tracts with the candy, hosting your own neighborhood party where kids dress up as Bible characters…you get the idea. Try to make every day Christ-centered, especially this day.

The Reality of HELL. Click link below :
http://www.rapturealert.com/video/realityofhell.asp

To Illeagal Immigrants Across The USA

2007-10-11T18:45:00.000-05:00

Let me make this perfectly clear!

THIS IS MY COUNTRY!

And, because I make this statement DOES NOT mean I'm against immigration!!!

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE IN MY COUNTRY.

Welcome to come through like everyone else has.

Get a sponsor!

Get a place to lay your head!

Get a job!

Live by OUR rules!

Pay YOUR taxes!

And

LEARN THE LANGUAGE LIKE ALL OTHER IMMIGRANTS HAVE IN THE PAST!!!

AND PLEASE DON'T DEMAND THAT WE HAND OVER OUR LIFETIME SAVINGS OF SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDS TO YOU TO MAKE UP FOR ''YOUR'' LOSSES.

When will AMERICAN'S STOP giving away THEIR RIGHTS???

We've gone so far the other way ... bent over backwards not to offend anyone. But it
seems no one cares about the AMERICAN that's being offended!

WAKE UP America !!!

If you agree , spread the word and tell your friends.

Creation Video

2007-10-04T18:12:00.000-05:00

Kent Hovind Creation Seminar Clips

God,Where Are You? Why Can't You Hear Me?

2007-10-03T17:21:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it seems as if God doesn't hear me.Sometimes it seems He is nowhere to be found.Atheist's have good reason to believe there is no God. God does not answer their prayers when they call upon Him during times of distress.Why?

Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him".

I can understand why atheists don't get their prayers answered, it is because of their faith or lack thereof.What about those of us who have faith and have sought after God diligently, and nothing seems to get better? Christians loose their jobs and pray.No steady work comes their way.They ask Him to meet their financial needs.The bills pile up and no steady work comes their way again and gain.Christians know that God chastens His own children because He (Loves) them.

Hebrews 12:6 (KJV) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:7 (KJV) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But what if you're sick and tired of being sick and tired and at the end of your rope?
Nothing ever goes your way in the sense of happiness.You're sick of church,and the people in it.You're Bible reading seems redundant,You,re tired of praying and getting no answer from God? What do you do?

No one can be on top all the time not even Born Again Christians.That is why the Blessed Hope,otherwise known as the rapture is so precious to us.Just knowing that it will be all over some glad day.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (KJV) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. {prevent: or, come before, or, anticipate, or, precede}

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Maybe today He will come,but until then, we must endure hardships for God's glory.We must also encourage each other and pray for others and not for ourselves only.Everyone is having a tough time, including atheists,Maybe if we pray for them also, their hearts might turn to the Lord, Jesus Christ.I know many unsaved people that have no hope and need salvation. All of us Christians can impact the lives of anyone that crosses our path. If lost souls will not listen to us and the gospel message, we can avail much in praying for them.

There are people in our churches today, good people, who pray and care, yet they are proud.Some think they're better than others because of their name in the church or nationality.They think they are thoroughbreds and everyone else is a mut.They don't realize their pride, but it shows, and others can see it clearly.This ethnic pride must stop immediately.This is no different than Israel's pride, and they payed for it too.It does not matter if we are German, Italian, Spanish, French, or Dutch. Gentiles are considered dogs whether they are thoroughbreds or not.There needs to be humility among God's people, not pride. Lucifer was proud and he was a thoroughbred,and he was booted out of Heaven.We are no better than each other.My dad gave me this phrase and I'll never forget it," A chain is only as strong as its weakest link".

Good Words Can Make You Glad

2007-09-06T08:02:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

When you look into your future, do you see an end? Will your gladness someday stop?
If you only have temporary gladness,you have a short view of your life.
If you could look into the future a hundred or a thousand years from now,could you expect to see gladness in your life?
Lasting Gladness is a result of your salvation.You will never have that unless you get saved.Please consider what the Scriptures say.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

It is easy to believe in Jesus, but the Scriptures also teach that there is repentance on your part.A change of heart is evident.Repentance is turning away from unbelief to belief in God and excepting His way over yours.That includes ceasing from your sinning.

Ezekiel 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.

For instance, If you are committing adultery/fornication/doing drugs/getting drunk/or just doing things that you know are wrong in your conscience,you are telling God that your way is more important to you than His way.In true salvation surrendering your whole life to God is a minimum requirement, not a maximum one.A good example would be if you fell off a cliff and someone threw a rope down to help you.You knew in your heart that rope was your life line, but you didn't grab hold of it, you just kept looking at it.That is how people are that think they're saved,but have never repented.They never grab hold of the life line even though they know it's there.Salvation is taking hold of the life line and securing it around your waist. Now when you gab the rope and tie it around your waist, the guy at the top will pull you up. You could sit back and enjoy the ride.For those of you who are sceptics,I'm not talking about works.Good works can't save you.But good works are evidence of salvation.That is what James meant when he said in James 2:18 "shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."

We are not saved by doing good works.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Because we are all sinners,God hid his face from us.God hates sin, but He loved you so much that He sent His only begotten Son (Jesus)to shed His blood on the cross and die for you.That is the only way He could remove your sin and restore your fellowship with Him.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.

If you need help to quit some sin in your life,ask the Lord Jesus Christ to help you and he will.These Bible verses below are God's help to you, and He cannot lie.Listen what He has to say:

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Hebrews 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

YOU can have this for free. Jesus Christ already paid the price for you with His Life:2 Corinthians 5:15 And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Death is sure and Life is uncertain.Don't wait another minute, The next one may be your last.Ask Jesus Christ to save you today.You will never regret it.

In Christ, Mike Hare

Is There More To Life ?

2007-08-24T11:06:00.000-05:00

There are those of us who dream as children of a wonderful future. Our teachers in grade school asked us to write reports of what we want to do when we grow up. Some kids write about becoming a veterinarian to help animals. Others write about becoming doctor's,nurses,and firemen, etc. Some children don't know what they want to do, but for the most part they want a future that helps others. Money usually is not the first motivation for a child. The older a child gets, those innocent careers seem to change to a more self gratifying future.This is not to say that children are not selfish by nature, we all are to some degree, but the older people get, the more we need money.

Money has been said to be the root of all evil,however the Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil.

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

The motivation seems to shift in people from helping others to helping oneself.
Humanists would disagree with this observation.They say they care about the poor and needy and have outreach programs to meet their needs,but in reality they're looking for tax write offs, and to feel good about themselves.

Jesus Christ knew how the hearts of people change as they get older, that is why He said: Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.(Matthew 18:3)
Adults of this world are always looking to get ahead in this life.Without Jesus Christ in their lives they tend to wander.Wealth, Fortune, and Fame.You can watch the news. Most people are interested in what is happening in Hollywood,the stock market,and the weather.

To many, that is all there is to life here on Earth.The Bible addresses this matter as well:

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.(Ecclesiastes 1:14)

For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.(Ecclesiastes 1:18)

Whereas ye know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.(James 4:14)

Is there more to life? Do we just leave our mark in history and cease to exist? Is there life after death? These questions have been around for thousands of years, but everyone gets them answered either before they die, or when they die.I have chosen to get these answers before I die. Why? Because the answers are already here.

Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;Ephesians 3:4,5

Is there more to life?

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.(John 10:10)

Do we just leave our mark in history and cease to exist?

Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? (Ecclesiastes 3:21)

For who knoweth what [is] good for man in [this] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? (Ecclesiastes 6:12)

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.(Proverbs 14:12)

What is history? Look closely, His Story. This is God's story. Everything that is past, present, and future is already written down.

The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun.
Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.(Ecclesiastes 1:9,10)

God has everything written down in books.

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.(Daniel 12:1)

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.(Revelation 20:12)

Is there life after death?

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.(Daniel 12:2)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.(John 3:16)

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.(John 6:40)

Yes, there is more to life, and that is an understatement. Not only is there eternal life, but there is a city up there more beautiful than anyone could ever imagine.God has invited you to become a citizen of His city,but you must choose.Please except His invitation and call upon Jesus to save you today before it is too late.Make sure your name is written in the book of life.

by Mike Hare

What Happens To Believers Who Hurt Others

2007-08-15T09:16:00.000-05:00

Praise God for the truth.
I had a discussion with someone the other day that said I insulted him with something that I published in my blog.This was not my intention at all. Open rebuke is better than secret love.I exposed the fact that I was lied to.I was told that I wasn't man enough to confront him about the matter in spite of the fact I tried to phone him several times.I told him that he wasn't man enough to be a man of his word, and that he lied to me.I'm not going to mud sling any more.This man is in denial and there is nothing left but to pray for him, which by the way he told me not to pray for him anymore.I told him, no one has ever said that to me before.Are we to obey God or man?Anyway, enough said on that.

There is a story entitled,"What Happens To Believers Who Hurt Others". that depicts my heart attitude on the matter.
Please read.

What Happens To Believers Who Hurt Others?

by David J. Stewart

For many years I had believed that God would NOT bring up any negative issues when we stand at the judgment seat of Christ. I had believed that since Jesus paid for all our sins, God could not bring them up anymore. I simply believed that God would reward us for the good and not mention anything bad. I never really had second thoughts about this until I personally had suffered evil at the hands of other Christians. Because of my sincere beliefs, I became bitter because I believed that the perpetrators had gotten away with it. I felt like they would NEVER have to answer to God for anything because their sins were under the blood of Christ. I was very discouraged because I had been deeply hurt by their words and actions--I WANTED THEM TO PAY. In my heart I believed that they would never have to pay for anything. I felt it was wrong for me to expect restitution since God had already forgiven their sins. Yet, they had wronged me and I wanted justice. As you will see, I was ignorant of the Scriptures back then and am so happy that God has opened my eyes to the truth. The last thing God wants is for us to sulk and stew over the hurtful things other Christians have done to us.

It's Often Harder to Forgive Fellow Christians

It has always been easier for me to forgive an unsaved person who wrongs me because I at least know that they don't know the Lord. I always stop and realize that hell is very likely going to be their future home. I am not happy about that fact, but it helps me to have compassion upon them and pray for their salvation. Christians who wrong me; on the other hand, are a different story. They're going to be in heaven walking streets of gold with me. They're going to enjoy the presence of the Lord and all the wonderful blessings of heaven, just like me. The mere thought of seeing those people in heaven made me angry. It just didn't seem fair. I knew that no one was deserving of heaven, but the fact still remained that they had wronged me! As I mentioned, I was able to let things go for the most part if an unsaved person wronged me; however, I had a difficult time when a believer did me wrong. So what was I to do? I had bitterness built up against other believers who had hurt me. I tried praying and finding Scriptures to help me but I was spinning in circles. It seemed like I would just have to live with those thorns in the flesh. I just couldn't put the puzzle together. I had a hand full of verses, but I also knew that God forgets when He forgives. The big questions loomed in my mind, "Will mean and crooked believers get away with their wrong doing?" "Does the fact that Jesus paid for their sins mean that they have a license to sin?" "Will I just have to accept injustices committed against me by other believers?" These were the questions circling in my mind. I was asking God daily to help remove the hurt feelings and bitterness from my heart and mind. They wouldn't go away. It seemed hopeless.

One man in particular (a minister) had really hurt me. He had broken a solemn financial promise to me (which he had made to me with his hand in the air as a pledge). I really put my trust in this man, but he soon broke his promise. This man also disrespected me and my family in many ways. He lied about several other matters as well. He even stole $1,000 from me (which had been entrusted to him to deliver to me). He slandered my name, etc. We read in Psalm 103:12, "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." It was Scriptures such as this which caused me to boil in anger. Does this Scripture mean that the man I just mentioned won't have to give account to God? Does the fact that his sins are forgiven and forgotten mean that I will not be avenged? By the way, the man I just mentioned has still not repented of his ways. He never did pay me back or make good on his promises. His attitude is that he lives for the present, not the past. That's fine if you have righted ALL your wrongs in the past. If not, you need to back up a few steps, make restitution, and then move forward. This man refuses to make restitution; he is blinded to his sins. How sad! How wicked! I haven't seen the man for quite a while, and I doubt if I'll ever see him again. The bottom line is that he wronged me. Yet, I had never done him wrong in any way.

Now, I sincerely believe the man is a born-again believer. He is definitely not a good Christian. I am not allowed to hate him. We must not hate anyone. Though the fleshly hatred may come upon us from time to time, we must NOT make a decision to hate anyone. We cannot control our natural feelings, but we surely can control what we decide to feel. I have never decided to hate anyone. We must turn to the Lord and His Word for strength when we experience painful memories and hate. I do not hate the man who wronged me. I must pray for him that God will soften his hard heart. Ephesians 4:30&31 remind me that I must be "tenderhearted" and "forgiving." I am to forgive, just as Jesus forgave me. However, I have a god-given RIGHT to expect justice in the matter.

Most Believers are Ignorant Concerning the Judgment Seat of Christ

I would like to share with you a few of the truths which I have learned that helped me let go of my bitterness and hatred. I began to read several books by men of God. I wanted to find out as much as I could about the "judgment seat of Christ" (a judgment for believers only). I continued to search my Bible for answers. Little by little, I began to see the big picture. Let me stop right here and quote to you Romans 12:19, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." We have a direct PROMISE from God that He WILL AVENGE US of those who have hurt and wronged us. This means that you have a god-given RIGHT to EXPECT to be avenged of your enemies (those who have hurt you). You have a PROMISE from God Almighty that He will PUNISH (repay) the evildoer. Likewise, we will give account to God for the wrongs we have committed against others throughout our life. God's judgment will be most severe for those who have not repented of their evil ways, but have continued hurting others.

I would like to now quote to you a few statements by Dr. Lee Roberson:

"Our salvation was settled by our acceptance of Jesus, but now we are to be judged for our works and service. Paul tells us that every one of us shall give an account of himself to God. No Christian will escape; therefore, the apostle reminds us that we are not to waste our time judging our brethren, for the time of their judgment is coming when they must stand before the judgment seat of Christ." -Dr. Lee Roberson, Chapter 2, Some Golden Daybreak.

Very well put. You see friend, Just because you are a believer doesn't relieve you of your responsibility to live right and treat people right. Every believer who hurts other people will be punished in some way. The Greek word for "repay" in Romans 12:19 means "to punish." We will be awarded compensatory and punitive damages in heaven for the evils which have befallen us at the hands of other believers. They will lose rewards. I believe their rewards will be given to their victims. This is justice.

Now please don't misunderstand, there is NO CONDEMNATION to those who are in Jesus Christ. Every believer, no matter how sinful he or she may live upon the earth, is forever safe and secure in the arms of Jesus. Their soul is not at stake. Jesus died to pay for their sins (and yours). However, their happiness in heaven is very much at stake. Why do you think there will be tears throughout the millennium (the 1,000 year reign of Christ upon the earth). Many believers will weep in bitter remorse and sadness over the abuses and injustices they've committed against others throughout their earthly life. Romans 12:19 makes clear that God will "repay." Though the offender himself may be safe and secure from hell, the sins in his life will be judged and he will have to give an answer to God for the things he has done. No Christian will escape. God's anger against the sin in our lives will be expressed, as well as his love for us as His child. It will be an emotional time for all. Listen to the powerful words of Dr. John R. Rice:

"At the judgment seat of Christ God's anger is not expressed against any individual who has thoroughly repented of his sins, confessed them and forsaken them. But God's judgment on the sin itself may continue where there is no judgment against the individual as such. It seems to me that we need to make a distinction between the proper anger and wrath of God against one who goes on unrepentant in sin, and God's proper wise judgment against the sin itself even when the sinner has been reconciled completely and forgiven." -Dr. John R. Rice, from the excellent book Dr. Rice, Here's My Question.

As I've grown older in the Lord, I now realize that I was very wrong in my thinking when I was a young believer. I thought that God would never bring up anything bad when we get to heaven. On the contrary, God will bring up EVERYTHING. We must give account for every idle word spoken, every offense, every evil thought, every sin we've committed. No, we don't have to pay for them in hell; however, we must give account. No one will be on trial (as in a criminal court) at the judgment seat of Christ. I believe it will be much like a civil court where God will be the judge. When you enter into civil court, you are financially at risk. No one goes to prison or the electric chair in civil court. Likewise, no one goes to hell at the judgment seat of Christ. Your rewards and happiness will be at risk. When O jay Simpson was acquitted of murder in criminal court, he was soon found guilty of murder in civil court. Though he had been found guilty in civil court, he could not go to prison because he had been acquitted. Well, God went much further than just acquitting us, He also justified us (just-if-I'd never sinned). But He went even further, He placed the righteousness' of Jesus Christ upon our record. Wow! What a great Savior! As far as our salvation is concerned, our sins are forgotten. Howbeit, we will still stand in judgment in civil court at the judgment seat of Christ. There we will stand to lose much, but not our soul. O jay Simpson lost millions for being found guilty of one crime...Is God less just? We will stand to lose much in heaven if we hurt others during this life on earth. No Christian will escape.

All Wrongs Must Be Righted

You see friend, All the scales of justice must be balanced. At salvation, the scales of justice are balanced between us and God. At the judgment seat of Christ, the scales of justice will be balanced between us and others who have hurt and wronged us. I have learned and now realize that Christians WILL give account for their sins. Though the individual will not be condemned, the sins in his or her life surely will be. Tears will flow and hearts will break. I do not need to waste my energy and time fuming over the wrongs which other people have committed towards me--God has promised to avenge me. This is exactly why I can let it go for now...because God has made me a promise to repay. I no longer am upset when I read about God's unlimited forgiveness. I now realize that in spite of God's wonderful forgiveness, those who have wronged me will still have to give account to God. They may be forgiven with God as far as salvation is concerned, but they must still face those whom they have wronged and make restitution. I am trusting God upon His Word. It is a shame when a believer becomes so stubborn and cold-hearted that God will have to force them to make things right in heaven. This is a sin. We should be humble and quick to right our wrongs. This is exactly what Jesus meant when He said to "turn the other cheek." Some body doesn't just sue you or punch you in the mouth for no reason. When we defraud someone, we are commanded by the Lord to go out of our way to make restitution to resolve the matter. Unfortunately, people are often stubborn and unwilling to be honest about things. Be rest assured, no one will get away with anything! We will all be held accountable by God for even the smallest offenses against others.

The Sinister Minister

You'd be surprised how many people would knife you in the back for simply not returning an e-mail, like a Baptist pastor in Chicago did to me. I and my wife trusted him to watch our pets while we were relocating for several months. He originally agreed to accept $1,200. His exact words to us in his living room was, "You know, we were going to watch your animals for nothing anyway." After further thought, I and my wife decided on giving him our van that had just cost us $4,800. I still owed all the money on my VISA credit card when I gave him the van. It was a very nice van with no damage, tinted windows, a new stereo radio, air-conditioning, a very nice alarm system, and even a remote starter which I paid to have installed. After we moved, I didn't respond to his e-mail because he was a smart-Alec with his words and a bully at that. I thought he would get the message. My wife called his wife to give her information concerning our pets. I didn't want to have any dealings with the tyrant pastor for the sake of preventing an argument. He acted like a big baby and threw a tantrum. He then did something illegal and hurt my wife and children very horribly by going back on his word. He gave our animals away. My children loved those animals more than themselves. They cried for months. He stole over $4,800 from my family and cost us another $4,000 in legal fees and efforts to recoup the animals. I didn't want to take him to court, but I had to hire a lawyer to try to track down our animals. Our children loved their pets indescribably, but now they were gone forever. He gave my wife's dog away to a stranger on the street in his anger. That monster pastor even gave the four cats belonging to our children away. I can't comprehend a professed man of God being such a heartless and evil monster, cold-hearted enough to knife a family in the back who gave him so much. When we were members of his church, we gave cherry pie and Vanilla ice cream to the pastor's wife. We bought them a large Pizzeria Uno pizza from downtown and brought it to their front door. We even gave them our own deep dish pizza pan to cook the pizza in. We gave them several hundred dollars in tools and household items. We gave them all of the pet's water and food containers, with a carrier for each pet, and lots of food for the animals. We gave that pastor and his wife the works.

We went soul winning while we attended his church. We tithed faithfully. We came to church regularly. We could have gone elsewhere. We trusted him and he betrayed our trust woefully like a common criminal. We even had to have a police investigator to go to the church to interrogate him because he wouldn't tell us what he did with our pets. His exact words were, "I'm not at liberty to tell you that information." What a jerk! I feel sorry for his wife. When we were at his church, he got mad at her from the pulpit for coughing during his sermon. She wasn't even allowed to speak to us for more than 2 seconds. She was his slave. When he wasn't around she would talk to us, but the minute he came she had to immediately walk away. We never said or did anything unkind to him or anyone else in his church.

In addition, the day I handed over the title and the keys for the van, the pastor promised to destroy my license plates. I gave him the receipts for the van, the radio, the alarm, and the new $500 water pump I just had installed a week prior. The van was about 10 years old, but with no body damage and it ran nice. Six months later, I received over $200 in vehicle fines because he lied to me about the plates. One citation was for him not wearing a seat belt, another for being doubled parked, etc. I had to pay those fines, and I did. I said, "Lord, I know you'll take care of all this down the road." I don't like to see anything bad happen to anyone, but that pastor is one tough guy punk that needs to be humbled and taught a serious lesson that only the Holy Spirit can teach him (or someone that gets mad at him and cleans his clock one day). I still remember the first day we went to his church. He didn't say anything to us or talk to us when we were there. Then he found out we had put a $50 check in his offering plate. That fat slob literally came running down the street after the service to talk with us after he found out we had given $50. No wonder America is going to hell with brutish fools like this pastoring churches! "For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered." -Jeremiah 10:21

We fully expect God to deal with him accordingly.

We Must Live for God

I want to be happy in heaven. I am sincerely glad that the pastor mentioned above hurt us and not us him. I am going to be very careful not to hurt or wrong anyone in my own life. I want to love people and treat them as Jesus would treat them if He were in my shoes. I cannot control what other people do, but I can certainly control the things I say and do. Surely, we cannot grasp the intricacies of God's judgment simply because the Bible does not go into great detail. However, we have a direct statement (a promise) in Romans 12:19 telling us that God will avenge us. "Vengeance is mine saith the Lord."

"Why do we make so much of differences when the Lord is coming, and at His coming, every difference will be made straight and right? As a Christian looking for the Lord Jesus, pass by the slights and insults which are given you. Your attention is fastened on something a thousand times bigger. Don't try to get revenge against those who mistreat you. Leave it all in the hands of the Lord." -Dr. Lee Roberson, Chapter 17, Some Golden Daybreak.

In Jesus' name,

David J. Stewart

Who Is The Biggest Liar ?

2007-08-14T09:14:00.000-05:00

This seems to be the topic of interest lately.Click on the link above.Enjoy !

Something to see

2007-08-13T07:42:00.000-05:00

Paul Potts .This is a must see.I'm not one for talent shows.I stumbled across these clips looking for Pavarotti.This is an inspiration for the little guy, a kind of a rags to riches story if you will.Anyway I got a blessing out of it.Hope you do to.

Your Just Like Adam & Eve

2007-08-08T23:14:00.000-05:00

You're Just Like Adam and Eve!

God had commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil...

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." -Genesis 2:17

Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit anyway...

"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." -Genesis 3:6

God was displeased. As a result, Adam and Eve were punished and driven out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:16-19, 22-24). Sin had now entered the human race and mankind became sinful by nature...

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" -Romans 5:12

We are all prone as human beings to do the things we know we're not supposed to do. God stereotypes humanity in Ephesians 2:2, calling us by nature the "children of disobedience" and the "children of wrath." Listen to the words of the Word of God...

"They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." -Romans 3:12

We are ALL sinners deserving of death...

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." -Romans 6:23

The Bible warns us about a "second death," a lake of fire...

"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power..." -Revelation 20:6

"And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." -Revelation 20:14-15

All Christ-rejecters WILL be cast into the lake of fire to burn in torment for all eternity...

"In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:" -2nd Thessalonians 1:8

The way to be saved is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." -Romans 1:16

The Gospel is the atoning work of Christ: His death, burial and resurrection...

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:" -1st Corinthians 15:1-4

Jesus shed His blood to pay for our many sins...

"...and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." -1st John 1:7

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:" -Colossians 1:14

If you are willing to confess your sinful condition to God, then you only need to believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Simply come to the Saviour and ask Him to forgive your sins and take you to heaven...

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." -Romans 10:13

There is no magic in a prayer to save you. Salvation is a supernatural act of a Divine God in response to your faith. We are not saved because we pray a prayer, we are saved because we believe upon Jesus Christ as our Saviour (Acts 16:31). Salvation is of God, not man...our only part is to believe upon the Lord. Good works cannot save us...

"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." -Romans 4:5

The ONLY Way to heaven is through the Saviour, Jesus Christ...

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." -John 14:6

Oh won't you come to the Saviour right now? Jesus wants to save you and has promised never to turn anyone away who comes to Him...

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." -John 6:37

It's so simple to be saved: you are a sinner, and Jesus is the Saviour. If you'll simply turn from your unbelief and trust upon Jesus Christ 100% to save and forgive you...then you will indeed become a born again child of God. Listen to the beautiful words of Isaiah 45:22 (the Scripture which led to the salvation of London's greatest preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon)...

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." -Isaiah 45:22

Look and live my friend...look to Jesus and live!

Are There UFO's In The Bible ?

2007-08-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

You might be thinking,are there UFOs in the Bible? Well I know of an IFO (Identified Flying Object)In Bible.God took Elijah:

2 Kings 2:11 (KJV) And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Other verses that have more descriptive details about God's transportation in heaven is in:

Ezekiel 1:19 (KJV) And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.

20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither [was their] spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature [was] in the wheels.

21 When those went, [these] went; and when those stood, [these] stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature [was] in the wheels.

Are there real UFOs mentioned in the Bible? I know for a fact that there are, but they are considered evil, and you need to understand this.The Scriptures are clear that this is wickedness.

Zechariah 5:1 (KJV) Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.

2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof [is] twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.

5 Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what [is] this that goeth forth.

6 And I said, What [is] it? And he said, This [is] an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This [is] their resemblance through all the earth.

7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this [is] a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

8 And he said, This [is] wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.

9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind [was] in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.

10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?

11 And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

An ephah is an ancient measuring container like a bowl, cup, or saucer. A {talent: is a, weighty piece}.

There is more Bible verses on the subject, but I think you get the picture.The whole fifth chapter in Zechariah is describing UFO phenomena, and where there base is located on the Earth. It is also wise to understand that this is ancient writing not modern day babble.

Do You Regret Your Tatoo ?

2007-08-02T09:30:00.000-05:00

This person wrote a letter in response to an article at ,"Dial- the- Truth Ministry". I thought it necessary to publish :

I've just completed reading your article on tattooing and the truth of it all deeply troubled me. I am a Christian, and like most I've back-slidden several times throughout my life. During one of these times, I received two tattoos.

One is a "tribal" band on my left arm, though it doesn't fully circle the whole upper-arm. The other is on my right shoulder, the letters "MSC" in cursive writing signifying the names of my best friend, his wife, and their little daughter. Even though I love my friend and his family, I deeply regret getting their initials tattooed onto my body. Moreover, I seriously and gravely regret with all my heart getting my other tattoo (the tribal band on my left arm).

Being a few years older now (29 and married) there is not a day that goes by that I don't regret getting these tattoos. When I dress, I'm forced to see them in the mirror. When I shower I'm forced to see them.

What makes matters worse, is that I knew all along that it is was wrong. I justified it with a back-slidden mind by thinking such things as "God only considers the heart and mind", "physical sins don't compare to spiritual sins", and so on, and so on. With my depraved and back-slidden mind, I justified an abomination to God Himself, who instructs us through His divine law not to print any marks on our bodies (Leviticus 19:28)(KJV) Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I [am] the LORD.. If this is the law that will be used to rightly judge the world, how much more should we as Christians observe and uphold it?

The woman doing my first tattoo (the tribal band) had to stop several times for mysterious reasons. She was visibly shaken and could not concentrate. She kept saying, "man, I need a break." Though It wasn't for my sake, I hid the pain very well and tuned it out for the most part--but this woman could not wait to get me out of that chair. She claimed that she drank quite a bit the night before (I was getting the tattoo on a Saturday afternoon), and this seemed to be the most logical reason that she was having such a tough time. I can't help but wonder, however, if there was more to it. Even then my diminished discernment was working, and I sensed a spiritual conflict taking place. When the woman had finished, she made a disturbing remark that will forever echo in mind, "there ya go, you're no longer a virgin." Of course, she spoke not of physical sexuality, but of spiritual defilement against God in the form of marking my flesh. Now I was "one of the gang", one of the "cool people", and one of the rebels who shakes their fist at the law of God.

I'm still troubled, even knowing that I'm forgiven. My only hope is for the glorification of the body, when the Lord shall raise us incorruptible. My tattoos stand as constant reminders of my past depravity when I forsook truly walking with God, and only rendered Him lip-service. They will continue to be my marks of shame for the rest of the time appointed. Thank you for your article. Hopefully this message will get out and all the right people will hear it, and save them from the fate of my shame and regret. It would bring great solace to know that another person would read your article and avert my mistakes--which I would take back in a second if only I had the chance. Through my own research, I've drawn all the same conclusions you have concerning tattooing, body modification, and other self-destructive practices.

May the Lord bless you and grant you peace and understanding,

Ancient Warnings of Global Warming

2007-07-31T11:32:00.000-05:00

There is much talk today about global warming. Scientists are doing more and more research on the subject. Many of us have opinions about the subject from what we hear on television, or some other news media source. One of the biggest news complaints today is that mankind is responsible for melting the polar ice caps, and raising the greenhouse gases, otherwise known as co2. Scientists have been studying the greenhouse gases and temperatures on and around Earth for many, many years. There is a left and a right side to the issue. The left says it is man's fault, and that he must finance and fund programs that cost a lot of money so that more research could be done to correct the Earth's problem. This would be a typical Al Gore approach. The scientists on the right have taken temperature readings around the world for over seventy years and say there is only a 1 degree change in their readings throughout the years, which is not significant enough to worry about.

There is ancient recorded information dealing with this topic that takes no sides on the issue accept to inform us that global warming is inevitable. This information is in most homes in America. It can be obtained just about anywhere especially on the Internet.Give up? It's that blessed King James Bible.Hear what God has to say :

Isaiah 24:6 (KJV) Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

Zechariah 14:12 (KJV) And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

Zephaniah 3:8 (KJV) Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination [is] to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, [even] all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

Malachi 4:1 (KJV) For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2 Peter 3:10 (KJV) 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.

These are just a few of the Ancient Warnings of Global Warming. Beware !

You Don't Work For A Gift

2007-07-28T09:51:00.001-05:00

This is my personal testimony. I would like to tell you about a time when nothing else mattered but fame, fortune, and success. As a young man (teen years 13 - 19 ) I thought of nothing else than to be a professional musician in a progressive rock band. This was not only my goal, but my dream. I studied hard to be the best at playing guitar. I was in a few cover bands and performed at some large halls in Chicago, IL. As a young man I felt that nothing could stop me. Of course, alcohol, and drugs entered the picture during that time (1974 -1979). Disappointed with high school, I continued working in a band and doing odd jobs to make some cash. Everything seemed more and more difficult to accomplish as time went on.

I was raised as a Catholic, but the older I became the less I believed in God. I was taught the theory of evolution in school. In earth science class I was told as a FACT not THEORY that the earth was millions of years old. When evolution was presented as a fact and not theory, it made all of my Catholic teaching meaningless, almost a fairy tail if you will. So I became an atheist.

Around the springtime of my twentieth birthday, two men came to visit me at my apartment. I didn't know either of them and I would have sent them away, accept one of them said he met my brother, and that he gave him my address. This somewhat intrigued me so I let him talk. After some small talk, he asked me the question, " If you were to die today would you go to Heaven or Hell ?". I had to think about it for a minute before I answered. I thought about the beer in the fridge, the bong on the counter, the cigarettes in my pocket, and a number of things I've done that I wasn't proud of. Even though I was an atheist, I still wanted to be honest with these guys, so I said, " I'll probably go to Hell." Thinking that was the end of our conversation, he asked me, " do you want to go to hell ?",
I said, " no". And then he asked me a pivotal question that changed everything ,
"If I could show you one verse in the Bible that you could know today that you can go to Heaven when you die, would you be interested ?" I answered ," Yes". He showed me a verse that has changed my life forever, and when he read it , it seemed to have jumped off the page at me ," THESE THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN UNTO YOU THAT BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE OF THE SON OF GOD; THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, AND THAT YE MAY BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD "1John 5:13. After he read that verse he told me the word " know " was in the present tense not future, and then he asked me if I wanted to pray to God and ask him to save my soul. I replied "yes".

In that prayer I asked Jesus to forgive me for my sins, and to live in my heart. I was at that point washed of all of my sins in the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ. After recognising that something spiritual was done here, and the supernatural events that took place in the early months of my salvation, I realized that I was lied to by my high school teachers. But, what really ticked me off, and please don't take offence to what I'm about to say, is I was lied to by the Catholic Church.The Scriptures clearly teach " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved..."Acts16:31. There is NO sacraments to keep, NO prayer beads,
NO praying to Mary, (or any other saints for that matter), NO purgatory, NO being saved by baptism, NO statues or images to worship, and NO Pope mentioned in the Holy Scriptures at all.

As a youngster I did learn some wonderful things in the Catholic Church. I was told that Jesus was the son of God, that God is a trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), and that there is a Heaven and a Hell. I was also taught that it was God's will to care for the needy. These are things that are taught in the Holy Bible. So there is some good teachings, however these teachings fall short of the Biblical doctrine of salvation. Romans chapter 3 and verse 12 says " there is none that doeth good, no, not one ". This teaches us that mankind at it's best is not good enough. This includes all religions. The only religion that God ever endorsed in the Bible was Judaism, and that was before the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christianity is not a religion, but a way of life. Religion is man's way to Heaven to reach God through man's own efforts or works. Christianity is God reaching down to man through His finished work on the cross. Simply believing, and trusting in your heart in the finished work of Jesus Christ is what eternal life is all about. The moment I asked Jesus to save my soul from hell I became born again. This simply means that the Holy Spirit enters your soul and makes your spirit alive forever more. That's all there is to it. It is the gift of God and from God, not a religion. You don't work for a gift.

" For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. " Ephesians 2:8

Something to see

2007-03-05T07:32:00.000-06:00

This young lady can play guitar better than most young people her age. Oh I forgot to mention she is blind. How does she read complex pieces? How does she keep perfect classical guitar formation with both hands? She truly has a gift.Watch Ioana Gandrabur perform.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT501gr8PJM&feature=RecentlyWatched&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;page=1&t=t&f=b
http://www.ioanagandrabur.com/

Who am I ?

2007-03-04T09:50:00.000-06:00

My name is Mike Hare. I present myself as a Bible believer, Natural born American citizen, Home owner, Family man, Classical guitarist, and Consumer. My wife Margaret and I were married March 25, 1989.
We have two sons Michael, and Matthew. Michael went to be with Jesus
May 23, 2005 . age: 15. We miss him every day.

The purpose for this blog is not so I could rant 'n' rave, but to inform those who
have similar interests or maybe help others cope with their situations.Whatever the case may be, I'm hoping that this blog will give glory to Jesus Christ who is the only one worthy in the whole universe and beyond. I hope it will be a blessing to you too.

Thank You,
Mike Hare