Another Smoke Signal: An Insight on The Coming of the LORD

Hosea 5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

In this passage we have an interesting insight into the coming of the LORD. The "I" and the "my" in this verse is speaking of the LORD God; this is easily discernible when you consider this in its context, from chapter 5:1, all the way through chapter 6, especially vs. 1-3.

Verse 15 above speaks of God going (departing) and returning to His place. When did God return to His place? And what is His place?

We know that the LORD God inhabits eternity, or that realm of His eternal kingdom (Is. 57:15) and in this passage of Hosea it says that He would return to this (eternal) place, but of course that would have to mean that He at one time, left it, otherwise He couldn't "return" there, could He?

So when DID God leave heaven, and then return? Obviously this is referring to the LORD God, the Son, the LORD Jesus Christ! The LORD Jesus after having risen from the dead, and then ascended into heaven, where He would and still does, sit at the right hand of the Father.

"Til . . ." His Second Coming where He will rule and reign a thousand years as the Meschiach Nagid or the Messiah King. When will this occur? Of course at the end of the time of Jacob's Trouble as spoken of in Jeremiah 30: 7 -

Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

Israel will be saved out of that dreadful time because they will be rescued from their enemies by the coming Messiah. And yet in this passage of Hosea, there is another indicator as to when the LORD will return.

". . . til they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face. . ."
Note that the word for 'offence' is in the singular; something singular in its transgression against the Holy God of which national Israel was guilty of.

I believe that this was the rejection of their Messiah, when nationally (but not individually, for His disciples certainly believed on Him, even to the giving up of their lives!) rejected their King.

"Affliction" here is speaking of Jacob's Trouble, Daniel's 70th week (as in Dan. 9: 24-27), also known as 'the Tribulation' and its at such a time that a remnant will seek the face of the LORD God and repent of their national sin.

There is another significant "til" in scripture related to this; a verse in the book of Romans:

Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Yet this blindness will begin to lift once the 'fulness of the Gentiles' is completed; which speaks of the church of Jesus Christ, His Gentile bride comprised of all nations (which itself is addressed in the Council in Jerusalem in Acts 15 as "a people called out for His name among the Gentiles").

In the book of Zechariah we have further insight into the coming of the LORD -

Zech 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

And at such a time Y'shua will be received as the rightful King of Israel, and reign in the righteousness of the LORD; this was a promise made to Mary, by the Messianic messenger, the angel Gabriel in Luke 1: 30-33, esp. vs. 32-33! This is in fulfillment of 2 Sam. ch 7 and Ps. 89 where the Davidic Covenant is spoken of, and speaks of the greater Son of David (a Messianic title of JESUS CHRIST) and His reign over Israel as well as the Gentile nations.

This is why the enemy Satan is working so diligently to wipe out Israel, using the nations of the world to come against her; we are seeing this transpire with greater intensity every day in our daily news broadcasts!

Nevertheless the Word of God stands sure and steadfast, and no weapon formed against Israel will prosper; God is her protector and will be diligent to keep His eye upon His beloved people -

Check out Psalm 122, and particularly vs. 6

Psalm 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

And -

Psalm 121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

What we are praying for is in all actuality for the Prince of Peace, the LORD Jesus Christ, to inaugurate His reign; until that happens, no peace in Israel will be possible in a world whose god is the devil, chief adversary of Israel!

So let us remain vigilant in our prayers for this nation, and for God to raise up a remnant who will proclaim the LORD Jesus Christ as their own and faithfully stand for the truth of God's Word. Though all the world should come against her (Zech 12:3), let the true bride of Christ stand with her and serve God's people with our intercessions and petitions! Baruch HaShem and maranatha!


James 5:7 ¶ Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

Hosea 6:1-3 ¶ Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

2nd CHRONICLES 7:14 - Is It Also for the Church?

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE IN "If My People"?

We are all witnessing on a daily basis the slide of morality in our nation and biblical Christianity with its alarming velocity towards utter ruin. We who are concerned are seeking God's face, turning away from known sin, and desirous in encouraging the saints to live whole heartedly for the LORD Jesus Christ and to warn others, both sinners and saints of the impending judgment should this nation (and the church)refuse to repent of her wicked ways.

Abortion with its tens of millions of babies murdered. Sexual promiscuity. Homosexual death-styles promoted and endorsed. Illegal drug usage (not to mention the 'legal' variety used in illegal ways). Wanton violence. Evolution taught as science fact (no longer a theory?). The deterioration of the sanctity of biblical marriage and the family relationship. The list can go on and on.

A very common verse that's used to express our prayerful hope in the restoration of our nation is found in:

2 CHRONICLES 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

And while I believe this verse is applicable on some fundamental, rudimentary basis for our situation here in America and among us Christian believers, who indeed are the people of "If My people. . . "?

Of course these words spoken by the LORD God to Solomon at the dedication of the newly built Temple in Jerusalem were addressed to the King himself, and his kingdom comprised of God's people, the Hebrew nation.

We read that should the LORD send judgment upon a wayward, rebellious Israel, He would restore that which the judgment destroyed if His people did four things:

1) Humble themselves - be broken of their pride and sin.
2) Pray - to petition God from a penitent heart.
3) Seek His face - To long after God until He is found.
4) Turn from their wicked ways - to repent.

And if Israel did these things from a sincere and broken heart, the LORD God promised to do three things:

1) He would hear from heaven - Acceptance of their prayer.
2) He would forgive their sin - Grace bestowed in restoring their relationship to Himself.
3) He would heal their land - restoration of the land.

Along with this "If . . . then" declaration by God found here, there are a number of others that preceded it found in chapter 6 (among other passages) in Solomon's prayer of dedication: verses 22-31, and 34-42. Even in vs. 32-33 is speaks of "the stranger" and if they "for Thy great Name's sake" if they come to the House of the LORD and pray, that they may indeed be heard by God in heaven!

Yet Israel enjoyed a special relationship with God, above all other nations in the Earth. After the Flood of Noah, God told the people of the Earth to go forth and multiply on the face of His world, but rather than obey God, they 'huddled together' and built a city and a tower "lest we be scattered abroad on the face of the whole Earth" (GEN 11:4). They were in blatant defiance of God's command! So because no one was obedient to the LORD God, He decided of His own volition to choose a man for Himself and establish by grace a relationship with Abram (later named Abraham) of the city of Ur.

From Abraham God built the nation of Israel and to this nation, through Moses, the Law of God and His covenants were given, as well as the holy oracles -

ROMANS 3:1-2
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision?
Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

ROMANS 9:4
Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God and the promises;

In Deuteronomy we read the following: 

DEUTERONOMY 4:4-8 
But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.
Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?
And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?

God's promises and covenants to Israel will be fulfilled precisely as He declared; Israel still has a future and a destiny as laid out plainly in scripture, and by no means were these abrogated, superseded or granted to another nation (including the church! Replacement Theology, Dominion and Kingdom Now are all biblically erroneous and are addressed later in this article). The Abrahamic and Davidic covenants are both unconditional, that is, God holds only Himself, not Israel, accountable to see to it that these covenants are fulfilled (See GEN 15:1-21; 2 SAM 7:10-16).

Gabriel, an angel who always seems to be delivering a Messianic message, appeared to Mary and declared that she would give birth to the King of Israel, the Messiah, and that God would grant to Him the throne of His father, David and would rule the nation Israel forever (See LUKE 1:30-33).

In ACTS 15 there was a council at Jerusalem to determine whether or not Gentile believers would be required to observe the Law and circumcision in order to be saved. Another issue brought up at that council was whether or not Israel had a future in light of the current dealings by God with the church, and the answer, as given by James the elder of the Jerusalem church was an emphatic YES!

See ACTS 15:7-11,13-17; note especially vs. 16 "build again the tabernacle of David . . . and will set it up" which follows after vs. 14 "God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His Name [i.e. the church]".

And of course there is Paul's indisputable treatment of God's plan for Israel as recorded in ROMANS chapters 9, 10,  and 11. Again, please note:

ROMANS 11:25-29 
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Note especially vs. 25 where it states that "blindness in part is happened to Israel, UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in"

The "fulness of the Gentiles" is an expression describing the church of Jesus Christ; when once the church is complete (something that only the Father knows), the LORD will bring us to heaven, and once again God's full attention to fulfilling the covenants and promises of Israel will commence.

So we see that 2 CHRON 7:14 has an explicit meaning for Israel as a nation that God has elected for a special relationship. Does this mean that the church cannot apply the truth of this passage for herself?

Or what about any of the other nations in the world?

Remember the preaching of Jonah in the dreaded city of Ninevah:

JONAH 3:3-4
So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

The Hebrew word used for "overthrown" is haphak, and it means "to turn about, over, return, pervert, to change, tumbled, turn back".
Obviously the Ninevites understood the message and what it entailed. Yet notice there was no "if . . . then" clause; no mention of God altering His pronouncement should this wicked Assyrian city repent of her sins. Basically its "forty days and you guys are toast!"

Ninevah's response?

JONAH 3:5, 9
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

The Ninevites apparently had no guarantee that God would hear their prayer and spare them.

They were a particularly barbaric and cruel people who commonly brought their prisoners of war back as slaves, dragging them by hooks in their jaws; people they left behind after the conquest were typically maimed by them as they sawed off opposing hands and feet.
Nations that were doomed by the assaults of these Assyrian soliders often committed suicide, rather than face fierce treatment as their prisoners.
The Ninevites were also in the habit of taking their new borns and burying them alive in the walls of their houses so that the gods would bless their dwellings.

So, with no amending proposal by God that He might indeed spare them "if . . ." they fasted and prayed and sought the LORD God, from the King, down to the least of his subjects and citizens; likewise even the animals were made to fast and dressed in sackcloth!

As we know, God indeed spared the city. Did that make Jonah a false prophet? Because he said that they would be destroyed in 40 days, and yet when the day of their destruction arrived, they were still alive and unjudged by God (until the days of Nahum, who came preaching the same message as Jonah, but Ninevah did not at that time repent). God made a declaration to Jeremiah the prophet:

JEREMIAH 18:7-10 
At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

And so here we have precedent that if any nation would repent of their sin, God would turn from the judgment He intended for them, just as He did for Ninevah. Likewise if a formerly righteous nation commit evil and not repent, God would judge them!

This does not however mean that God would establish a covenant with them as He has done with Israel, nor would they enjoy the same depth and breadth of blessings as Israel has had and will have again (even now we can see how the nation is been transformed from the wasteland it was a little over fifty years ago into the fertile beauty it is today that sells vegetables to Europe, flowers to Holland, electronics to Japan!). All the nations will one day be blessed by Israel when the Messiah comes and reigns over that nation, as well as the Gentile world, enjoying the Millennial age with all its benefits.

America has a chance, albeit a very slim chance - if a wicked nation like Ninevah could repent and be heard of God, then so can our nation: what is required are those righteous saints who will declare without compromise a message like Jonah; let us pray that God would raise up such a one in this late hour.

What the king of Ninevah said, I can echoe: "Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?" Of course we are far more accountable as a nation than Ninevah was, as we as America have received far more revelation from God in the Scriptures, thus we have far more to repent for!As for the church, should we humble ourselves and pray, and seek Gods face, and turn from our wicked ways, what can we expect? Lest any one claim that the church has nothing that serious to repent of, let me refer you to this warning from Understand the Times, with Roger Oakland, particularly for pastors, but also for the church at large -

RE: Open Letter To Evangelical and Protestant Pastors WorldwideNow is the Day to Turn Back to God’s Word

He will certainly forgive our sins -
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.

And He will raise us up in restoration if we will humble ourselves -
1 PETER 5:5-6 
. . . and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

And will He heal our land? But we have no land or sure dwelling place here on this Earth; we are pilgrims here, just passing through this world of sin looking forward to our eternal home in heaven!

1 PETER 2:9-11 
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (See also JOHN 17:14-16; 18:36).

If not a 'land' then a heart condition and spiritual blessing and vitality is what God will restore to a repentant church.

In closing let me also emphasize that if America repents, it MUST be on the biblical basis of REPENTING from our sin, and TURNING AWAY from our wickedness and pledging our allegiance to the LORD God.

There has been, for many years now, a growing movement of nationalism in America that's riding on the coat tails of Christendom in our nation. That we are somehow a more godly, more Christian people if we obtain and maintain a patriotism for America and that we cannot truly be Christian unless such patriotism is adhered to. Some such declarations are made by the Tea Party leaders of today -

There are many ministries and movements that are part of what's called 'Dominion' and 'Kingdom Now' theology which expresses its belief that the church will take over the world and if not convert ALL the souls within it, at the very least 'Christianize' it with high moral principles and that the LORD Jesus Christ CAN'T (??!) return until we achieve this goal.

Obviously an unbiblical, to say nothing of an untenable objective; to learn where Dominionism is today, please follow this link:

Dominionism Today
For more information re: this movement here is a two part series by The Berean Call (note: while these articles are more than 20 yrs old, they are remarkably relevent and still viable in their treatment of this heresy) -

Kingdom/Dominion Theology - Part 1
Kingdom/Dominion Theology - Part 2

I will close with the following quote from the web site: The Cross Church - (American Patriotism and Biblical Christianity: Are They The Same Thing?)

"Christianity in culture does have impact and does produce change. But it only does so as long as Christianity doesn’t become a political organization and remains at its very core deeply gospel-centered. Is it wrong for believers to enter politics? Of course not. Is it wrong for Christians in politics to use their office, driven by a biblical worldview, for the good of society and their fellow man as say, Wilberforce did on the issue of slavery? Absolutely not. But the church itself is not driven by the brilliance of U.S. Constitutional ethics, but by the Scriptures of the living God (emphasis mine).

"So again, what is the solution to the plight our nation finds itself in? The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that brief answer is not about offering cultural reform back to an era of family values and more virtuous days. Jesus Christ did not come to transform America, but to transform Americans. The gospel is not the new nationalism for the conservative, but the hope for any sinner (like me and you) who by God’s sovereign electing love trusts that eternal life and salvation is attained only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord alone.
[In other words] beloved, in this hour in our nations history may I propose a simple mandate: it is time for the church to be the church."

Let us continue to pray for America, her people as well as the saints of the church of the LORD Jesus Christ - both are in need of repentance and restoration. Will they be? As for America "who can tell?"; as for the church - I am confident that every true believer will be completed until the day of Christ Jesus:

PHILLIPIANS 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

This Is Not A Game

The TRUE GOSPEL (Accept No Imitations!)

Since I have already dealt with a biblical examination and explanation of the Gospel on The TRUTH Under FIRE:

The Simple and Serious Gospel of Salvation, part 1, and re-posted this series of articles on this vital subject here on FROM the MIND of FIRE, one might rightly ask the question - Why another article?

Its rather simple really; the previous treatment was a series, and it was rather comprehensive; it delved somewhat deeply into the various aspects of the Gospel and Salvation.

This is an abbreviated, 'user friendly' but faithful expression of the Gospel, and I hope to be succinct and sharp in this presentation.
In this day and age, we see many different Gospels - the Social Gospel, the Green Gospel, the Prosperity Gospel, the Kingdom Now Gospel - and so many others!

The same goes for different Christs - the New Age Christ, the Hindu Christ, the Islamic version of Christ, and many Christ impersonators and charlatans across our contemporary landscape.

The Bible warns us about these imitation Gospels in GAL 1:6-9; it warns us as well against Jesus imposters, also in 2 COR 11:4:

2 CORINTHIANS 11:4
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

These other Gospels can be quite complicated with lots of rules, regulations, rites and reason, appealing to the intellect and the flesh, but all of these detract from the simplicity that is in Christ: such simplicity that even a small child can understand and accept the Gospel of Salvation (my grand niece received salvation in Jesus Christ at just 3 years of age! Her hearts desire has been and remains to be a missionary):

2 CORINTHIANS 11:3
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

So what is the Gospel all about? Of course most of us realize that 'Gospel' means "good news" and it most certainly is! The best news one could possibly imagine, but not! I recall in sharing the Gospel last week end among some of our city's homeless, one man ("Eli") grew hot and irate when we tried to bring the Gospel to him when all he wanted was a dollar - he would prefer a dollar to eternal life!

Remember these 'R's: Realize, Repent, Receive, Regenerate, and Righteous:

First, REALIZE: We must first of all realize Who God is, and who we are - God is the Almighty Creator Who has every right to do with His creation what He wants, including you and I.

ISAIAH 45:18 
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

God is also purely holy and cannot as the KING of all creation, and the Judge of all living, tolerate sin. For simplicity's sake, let's just say that sin is disobedience to God's perfect, holy will.

Adam and Eve had only one command from God - don't eat the forbidden fruit, because the day that you do, you will surely die!

Simple, right? But what did they do? They disobeyed God and sinned.

When this happened, our First Parents received a sinful nature that was passed on to their children (Abel, Cain, Seth, etc.) and they likewise passed that same sinful nature onto their children, and so on, until today, we have several billion sinners on this planet.

Any who would doubt their own sinfulness and say, "Oh, I'm not that bad; I haven't murdered any body!" has to ask themselves, "Have I ever hated any one in my life?" According to Jesus Christ, if you ever hated (KJV "angry") anyone, you committed murder in your heart (MATT 5:21-22)!

Have you ever committed adultery? That's disobedience to the will of God who desires that we all have a monogamous relationship with a singular spouse; but even if you haven't actually committed the act, Jesus said if you look on (someone) with lust, you already committed adultery in your heart (MATT 5:27-28)!

A careful examination of the Ten Commandments (EXODUS 20) all on their own (there are many more commandments besides just these!) will prove that we all have sinned against God, without exception! See ROMANS 3:23.

We must REALIZE that God is Holy and that He has no choice but to judge and condemn us to an eternity of hell for our willful rebellion and sin against our Holy and Almighty King - Sin is spiritual treason against the LORD God!

We must also REALIZE that without God, we have no hope of eternal life, as He is the ONLY source of this life! Sin separates souls from the Living God!

EZEKIEL 18:4
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. (see also vs. 20)

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.

Once the Law of God convicts our hearts of sin (GAL 3:22-24; ROM 7:14), we then must understand that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 PET 3:9).

Once we REALIZE Who God is, and who we are, and what we have done against the Holy God of Creation, we must then REPENT.

What does it mean to "repent"? It means a change of mind or heart or purpose,to reconsider morally; it involves three basic steps:

1) Receiving new knowledge, that is the Holy Law and then, afterwards the Gospel message itself.

2) Regret for previous course, and displeasure with one self, that is the conviction of sin.

3) A change involving action - believing the Gospel and committing oneself and life to the LORD for salvation.

With so many Gospels today, and Gospel messages in our churches, the often overlooked or ignored aspect which is an essential part of the Gospel is repentance.

If we don't acknowledge that our sin is something that would worthily send us to hell for having offended the holy God, and that this is something we must turn away from so that we may have a right attitude in approaching God meekly and in the spirit of remorse and broken-heartedness, we are left with a Gospel where God 'forgives anyway' and sin becomes less dangerous and not something to be avoided as it should be!

The words "repent" and "repentance" occurs sixty nine times in the Bible; the prophets of old preached repentance, John the Baptist preached repentance, our LORD Jesus preached it as well as the apostles, but today's pulpits aren't approaching this needful truth for fear of offending people!
Let's not worry about offending God with our sin, we're too busy worrying about offending our congregations! Is it any wonder why our fellowships are filled with false converts and 'half-way Christians'?

MATTHEW 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

REVELATION 2:5
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Once we REALIZE our situation, and REPENT we must then RECEIVE the Gospel of our Salvation which God has accomplished for us through the Person of Jesus Christ!

2 CORINTHIANS 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-4
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:

The Old Testament is very eloquent and precise in the explanation of the Gospel; two primary sources are PSALM 22 and ISAIAH 53. Both explain different aspects of the Gospel message at the heart of the work of salvation: the cross!

PSALM 22 portrays in vivid detail the events during the crucifixion of Christ with such clarity, the obvious reference to the LORD Jesus cannot be denied except by the most spiritually blind of this world (2 COR 4:4).

ISAIAH 53 gets into the spiritual aspects of the cross and the Lamb of God, slain for our iniquities!

ISAIAH 53:5-6
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

And also:

ISAIAH 53:10
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Understanding that God's wrath was taken out on His own Son, who paid the penalty for our sins (remember, the soul that sins, it shall surely die - and Christ Jesus is our sin bearer; therefore He became sin for us, He Who knew no sin, and died in our place!) and yet He also rose from the dead!

We will be celebrating the Resurrection of our LORD in just a couple days from now (commonly called Easter, a pagan holiday, but that's another story!) and we have every cause to celebrate! It's because He rose from the dead that He proved He conquered over sin and death, and is now able to bring eternal life to all who will RECEIVE His salvation!

Once you understand that JESUS CHRIST died for your sins, and is able to free you from the penalty of sin, and judgment by the Holy Hand of God; once you turn from your sinful life and surrender your heart to the LORD God as His own, bought by the blood of Jesus, and receive Him (JOHN 1:12), He grants to you the GIFT (read that, "free" as all gifts are free to those who receive them!) of Eternal Life, the Holy Spirit then enters your heart, which has been cleansed of all sin and made a proper place for the Spirit of God; you then become a child of God!

This is what it means to be REGENERATE!

TITUS 3:3-7
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another.
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

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

Your life is no longer your own if you belong to Christ Jesus; you are now the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in you, who has brought you back to spiritual life!

1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

ACTS 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Incidentally, this is an awesome proof text verse to show that Jesus is God, for it states that GOD purchased with HIS OWN blood!)

And finally as a result of REALIZING, REPENTING, RECEIVING and REGENERATING, there is then RIGHTEOUSNESS, that is RIGHT LIVING, approved by God and in a RIGHT relationship with Him as we yield ourselves over to His Spirit and the power of the Cross - to allow ourselves to die to our sinful nature, daily, and thereby 'making room' for the Spirit of God to empower us to live holy, RIGHTEOUS lives, to the Glory of God!

ROMANS 6:13
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

And why would God go through all this bother for the sake of sinners like us, and not simply destroy this rebel planet and start over?

JOHN 3:16-17
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.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Also -

EPHESIANS 2:7
That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

May the LORD bless any who read this, that don't as yet KNOW the LORD Jesus as THE LORD and SAVIOR of all those that call upon the Most Holy Name of JESUS CHRIST!

HIS LOVE FOR YOU IS DEMONSTRATED BY THE CROSS AND EMPTY TOMB OF THE LORD JESUS the CHRIST!

For more details about this, see the TTUF article, REPENTANCE: What Is It And Is It Necessary?

Propaganda- G.O.S.P.E.L.[Official Video]

My Own Road To Damascus - The Testimony of Timothy Hinze

It gives me a great deal of pleasure and blessing to be able to share with all of you, the personal testimony of Timothy Hinze about how he came to know Jesus Christ as His LORD and SAVIOR!

Tim is a brother that I met and befriended on Facebook and when he shared a bit of his testimony with me there, I thought it would be awesome for him to go over it with a bit more detail on FROM the MIND of FIRE.

And so, without further ado, here is his testimony - My OWN ROAD to DAMASCUS

It was 1:00 pm on a bitter cold January in 1983 that would change my life forever: I just burst out the back door of my home running for my life (literally) with my mothers’ second husband only steps behind me. He was half drunk and wanted to do me harm.

Any second I could be in the grasp of this raging violent drunk. I leaped down 5 cement steps and dove over our backyard fence that bordered our neighbor’s property. With nine years of these violent experiences to draw on, hesitation on my part was unthinkable and my reactions were honed to perfection.

Another Smoke Signal: HE WALKS and TALKS with ME

PSALM 106:9
He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.

PSALM 77:20
Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. ~

PSALM 95:7 
For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, 

PSALM 95:8
Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

JEREMIAH 31:32
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

As most of you know, I do a lot of research and study, looking at current events and trends and examine the world scene, particularly what's happening in our own nation.

Things are looking grim aren't they? Wars around the globe (rumors too); earthquakes, tsunamis and storms; economic as well as nuclear fall out; fuel prices climbing with no promise of slowing down; joblessness creeping ever higher (ten percent unemployment rate, but another 15% of underemployment - those who are working but not making enough to live on).

Like yourselves, I have limited resources on my own, and know too well my vulnerability should I get laid off, or if I incur some enormous financial obligation. Naturally in such storms in life, in the face of uncertainty and signs of impending disaster (and for those who are looking, they are readily observable), one can worry about what's going to happen.

Not to mention how things are going for the church in America; she is getting flooded with heresies, seduced by deceivers, and weakened by the world and its satanic master.

One day a few weeks ago, I was walking about the neighborhood in the morning with my walk man, listening to some music by Chris Tomlin, praying to the LORD about all of these worries and burdens that can so easily weigh us down. At one point the song, All the Way My Savior Leads Me (originally written by Fanny Crosby, the well known hymnist who suffered a tragic accient as a baby through a doctor's mishap that resulted in her blindness) came on as I continued to pray.

Here is the song from youtube; have a listen, and then come back here, would you?

All The Way My Savior Leads Me

Well, as I was walking and praying, I heard the line - "you lead me, and keep me from falling", and at that exact moment I turned to my right and saw a sight that caused my breath to catch in my throat:

A grandfatherly man was gently, slowly walking with his grandchild securely, safely held by his hands over theirs. The little tyke took a wrong step, but the grandfather was there, and didn't allow him to stumble. The toddler was kept safe.
It was then that the LORD spoke so clearly through this sight before me; it was as though He was saying,

"James, you see how gently and lovingly and carefully that man is walking with his babe? He would never abandon that child and leave it on its own to stumble and fall and hurt himself. He isn't impatient with him, but willingly takes such small steps in order to accommodate that little one's own tiny stride.

"Am I not at least as gentle and as loving and as careful in my care for you? Will you not trust Me to care for your every step? Will you doubt My tender mercies for you?"

I must admit that I was ashamed of myself for my doubts and worries over my life before my heavenly Abba; as I continued to walk on, my vision became blurry as my eyes flooded with tears.

I had to repent for not only doubting God and His tender heart towards me, but for hurting His tender heart for all my lack of faith in His loving provision. Yet the LORD in proving His tenderness towards me, orchestrated that event and timed it so precisely that the meaning of that awesome sight was too, too obvious. It was a divinely appointed moment in which the LORD went out of His way to assure my faith.

I think about how the LORD led Israel out of Egypt and gently, patiently led them through the wilderness. Oh, to be sure, there was severe chastening for the people of Israel at the hand of God, but there was provision of grace in the midst of judgment as well. How could Israel have doubted His tender mercies and provision, after they saw such signs and wonders performed by the Almighty in Egypt on their behalf?

The same way that I can doubt Him, though He has performed such miracles in my own life that Israel never saw: namely His holy habitation in my heart as He became my LORD and Savior, and I became the temple of His Holy Spirit.

The same LORD that provided salvation for me, a sinner, and secured an eternal dwelling in the glories of everlasting heaven is the same LORD Who governs this entire universe, yet knows each and every sparrow when it falls, and numbers the hairs on my head (in my case, he counts my eyebrow hairs!). As the Fanny Crosby song goes,

"How could I doubt His tender mercies?" The LORD indeed "leads me and keeps me from falling" - He is ever willing to take me by the hand and gently walk with me, and softly talk with me through His Word, by His Spirit. And He knows every bend in the road of my life, sees every provision and how long it will last - and when it dries up, has a plan to supply my needs by other means: but all of them from His divine hand of grace.

Did you know that one of the titles of God is El Shaddai? In English, this title means the "Almighty Provider" or one who is Almighty in their ability to provide - the same God that proved His Almighty abilities in creation; the same God that proved His Almighty abilities in redemption (Jesus did what NO ONE else could have: he bore the sins of the ENTIRE Human race and paid the price for it all!) is the same God that will meet my needs, supply grace for every trial, grant strength to endure any hardships, be ever-present to help in time of need or persecution or illness.

GOD is indeed Almighty so He can do anything at all; nothing is impossible for Him!

GOD is also LOVE, which means He has the motive of our best and greatest good in mind for everything He brings into our lives. Sometimes He brings trouble into our lives, just so that He can prove Himself strong on our behalf as our Deliverer! He indeed delivers us out of our distresses!

What need then for anxiety or worry? What cause can I point to as a legitimate reason for such things? If I trust Him, He can even keep me from falling into sin and rebellion against Him - and this I greatly desire for my 'new man' (that is, that part of me that is born of God and lives by the power of the Divine nature [character] instilled by Jesus Christ) has no inclination to hurt His Holy Heart.

I want to bless Him by showing Him a heart that will rest in His care, and joy in His ability and demonstrations of love and provision! And I know you want to do the same, for His love and care for you, as for me, is also the same!

JUDE 1:24-25
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. And AMEN!

The MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTER in the BIBLE - Part 2

(note: this entry is based on a sermon delivered on 3-20-11 by yours truly; not everything mentioned here was preached on during the sermon, and likewise there were some things stated in the sermon that are not included here. LORD permitting, videos of these sermons will be available soon, and a link to it will be added to these entries).From last time, we finished the study including verse 20 -

vs. 20: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."

This phrase, 'first fruits' is very relevant; it refers to the first harvest of fruit that is grown with the promise of an even greater crop in the future. Just as the Bible commanded Israel to render to God their first fruits (in crops, in live stock, our first born children who were especially dedicated to the LORD) we as the church today, offer God the first fruits of our labor (working as unto the LORD and not human beings) and finances (as in tithes), our time in study of His Word, prayer, and fellowship, whatever ministry the LORD has given us, etc.

God offered up His First Born (a title for one who was pre-eminent, or rank #1), the LORD Jesus Christ on our behalf, and He has risen with a promise of even greater fruit, when all the church is likewise risen from the dead!

1 PETER 1:3-5 
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

The MOST IMPORTANT CHAPTER in the BIBLE - Part 1

(note: this entry is based on a sermon delivered on 3-13-11 by yours truly; not everything mentioned here was preached on during the sermon, and likewise there were some things stated in the sermon that are not included here. LORD permitting, a video of the sermon will be available soon, and a link to it will be added to this entry)

There are 66 books in our Bible today, each of them with chapters ranging from one or a few to over sixty or more. Which of these would YOU select as the most important chapter in the Bible?

What about GENESIS 1? 'Genesis' means "beginnings" and this chapter lays out the creation account. Did you know that the first 10 chapters of Genesis contains the foundation of all of the Bible's major, fundamental doctrines?

This is why evolution is so destructive to "the faith" because if evolution were true, then we couldn't possibly believe in a literal Adam and Eve (even though the LORD Jesus mentions them as actual people; MATT 19:4). And if they weren't real, how could we believe anything of the creation account? And if this was likewise contrived, the entire first ten chapters would be suspect, and therefore all the doctrines of the Bible would not be trustworthy.