"Favorite Blog"  =  [ FB ]

Week of 12/1-5  (B1;14)     [ FB ]

Accurate Prophecy

Thanksgiving is  OVER  and the moving on from a thankful spirit is once
again the reality for most.  Just recall the Black Friday  battles this past
weekend.  WOW.  But an ONGOING grateful heart is not passed up by all.

By God's grace, I for one am seeking to be enduringly thankful for His many
provisions in Christ our Lord and accurate prophecy regarding Jesus Christ's
first coming is one of those sweet blessings - after all, it's the CHRISTMAS
season!

These supernaturally fulfilled predictions concerning Immanuel (God with us!)
speak to God's faithfulness to His holy Word, graciously preserved in the Bible. 
So let's rejoice dear Truth seekers.  May we - each and every one -  press on 
in our REJOICING  and  take the next step:

May we continue in His Word to us, including the  reading of end-time texts
which speak to our contemporary circumstances before the Incarnate Creator's
glorious return.

     God is good ... all the time ...   
          All the time ... God is good!

Lord, we praise You in our Savior, Christ Jesus' holy name,  Amen!

____________________

Week of 12/8-12  (B2;14)     [ FB ]

Predictions As GOD Intends Them

"But that's NOT my intent!" Bob said to a group expressing offense over some
of his recent actions.  Once Bob clarified his true purpose, the group had no
other choice, if they were in trusting relationship with him, to accept his testi-
mony as to why he did what he did.  Yet (although Bob was a man of integrity),
some of the group members persisted in telling Bob they knew Bob's inten-
tions more than he did.  RIGHT!  Their faulty presumption was shortly there-
after exposed for what it was:  false judgment.

There are those today who would presume to mold Bible prophecy in such a
way as to actually distort God's TRUE intent and meaning of the predictions
given.  Such is the case today RE: those who would tell you the 4 blood-moon
events during 2014 & 2015 are the fulfillments of Bible prophecies concerning
heavenly signs - including passages found in Matthew 24 (vs. 29), Acts 2
(vv. 19,20), Revelation 6 (vv. 12,13) and others.  Fair question in response:

How can we TEST their claims?  Answer:  We go to the passages at hand and
OBSERVE them in their context.  In this light, these appeals (that the blood-
moon events are the realization of the passages above) are found wanting.

How so?  Read the text.  The data speaks to additional things taking place
during this time, things we did NOT see happen during the unfolding of the
first two blood-moon moments  (which took place on April 15th and October
8th of this year; the other two blood-moon events are scheduled to occur on
April 4th and September 28th of 2015).  Please note:  The sun did NOT turn
black, there was NO great earthquake and the stars of heaven did NOT fall
to the earth during the period of the first two blood moons.  (Again, please
read Rev. 6:12,13; Mt. 24:29 and Acts 2:19,20.)

By the way, these heavenly signs are predicted to unfold AFTER certain
events take place and BEFORE other events occur.  The "Great Tribulation,"
for example, has NOT yet happened - it did NOT take place prior to the first
two blood moons.  (Simply another appeal to read Mt. 24 in its chronological
context!)

All the above to say:  Watch out for the  "Wolf, Wolf" syndrome.  Don't stop
"watching" (Mark 13:37) in light of His clear revelation to us - NOT in light
of the many popular Bible  INTERPRETATIONS  present in our pop Christian 
culture today!  (There's often a difference between observation of the text and
interpretation of the text these days, and this is increasing due, in part, to
Postmodern relativism being imposed upon explicit biblical data.)

In closing this week's blog:  Let's allow GOD's actual Word to be our guide
as we seek His Truths forever settled in heaven.  May we do the Berean thing
(Acts 17) and go to His Word, testing the claims of contemporary heralds who
speak on the end of days ... and this includes responding in like manner con-
cerning the biblical claims of Endurance Ministries!

"Thy Word is Truth."  (Christ Jesus in John 17:17;  also see Psalm 119 ...
especially vv. 89 & 160.  Pretty cool!)

Oh Lord God Almighty, we praise Thee!  In our Savior, Christ Jesus' holy
name we pray, amen!

____________________ 

Week of 12/15-19  (B3;14)

Closing 2014 With Christ-Honoring Intentions

A student with whom I've been most privileged to minister (both to  and with 
AND  who has sharpened me in many respects) told me this week he had
failed in relationship to a mental sin to the extent he took his mental lust a
step further - he acted out his covetousness.  He humbly confessed to us his
failure and demonstrated sincere remorse for his compromise.

IF  I would have mentally responded (that is, kept my thought only to myself
by thinking the following):  "Seth, are you really repentant or are you simply
stating this in a pseudo-repentant way so as to mislead us into believing you're
a humble man of God?"  IF  I would have responded in thought in this manner
I  would have actually sinned  IF  my pretense (i.e., my charge of misleading
intent) was incorrect.  By doing so, I would have falsely judged my Brother
in Christ when I had no real grounds to do so.

Here's my simple observation in light of God's holy Word:

On one hand, GOD knows our heart; others do not necessarily know our real
(true) intentions.  In this light, may we enjoy peace with God  IF  our intentions
have indeed been Christ-honoring ... even when others might say they are not.
Let's not allow them place to rob us of our victory and JOY in our Savior!  (RE:
responding to and judging others, see Mt. 6:12,14,15 ; 7:1-8  & Rom. 14)

On the other hand, may we close 2014 enjoying a forgiven state having con-
fessed to others (when appropriate) and to our Lord those times when we have
not had correct intentions.  GOD knows!

And may we - those of us who are in Christ - enter into 2015 rejoicing we've
been given cleansing through the blood of the Lamb - which not only brings a
positional righteousness in Christ but includes (both/and) an action-oriented
Luke 18:9-14 perspective.  May we transition into 2015 knowing that the One
Who has said "Be holy, for I am holy" continues to give us the means - His
Holy Spirit - to live this abundant victorious life in Christ unto His glory and
praise!  And when we fall,  let's quickly move, once again, to His provision
in our Lord Jesus:

     "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins      
      and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."   (I John 1:9 ; NKJV ;      
      also see Romans 5:8)

Oh Lord God Most High, we honor and praise Your glorious name ...
in Your Son's precious name we pray.  Amen!

____________________

Week of 12/22-26  (B4;14)

A Suggested 2015 End-Time Reading Schedule

I realize I'm stepping outside the genre box of a "blog" for this submission
BUT  it does speak to my ongoing passion as to our walk with God, so I
humbly appeal for your kind grace.

Since we're focusing on our Lord Jesus here, let's begin our reading with
the Gospels - one chapter a day (with some slight alterations so as to make
the reading schedule somewhat easier to recall). *

January

1st   Matthew 1
2nd  Mt. 2
3rd   Mt. 3
... etc.  ...
27    Mt. 27
28    Mt. 28
29    Mt. 24 (second time)
30    Mt. 25 (second time)
31    Mark 13

February

1st   Luke 1
2nd  Luke 2
3rd   Luke 3
...  etc.  ...
23    Luke 23
24    Luke 24
25    I Thes. 4
26    I Thes. 5
27    II Thes. 2
28    I Tim. 4

March

1st   John 1
2nd  John 2
3rd   John 3
... etc.  ...
20    John 20
21    John 21
22    Mark 1
23    Mark 2
24    Mark 3
25    Mark 4
26    Mark 5
27    Mark 6
28    Mark 7
29    Mark 8
30    Mark 9
31    Mark 10

See our BLOG in late March for the next quarter's reading schedule.

Oh Lord, please open our eyes that we may behold wonderful things
from Your Word.  In our Savior Jesus Christ's holy name we pray,
amen!  (see Psalm 119:18)

*  May we manifest child-like humility in being willing to reread His Word
even though some of us have read these passages many times.  Due to
the depth of His Word, we know we will enjoy blessings therein if we're
once again willing to sit at His feet.

____________________

Week of 12/29-1/2  (Year End)     [ FB ]

The Growing Perfect Storm

Do you know about the ways in which the "Jewish Police" went about
fostering darkness during WWII?  One effort was tied to censorship.

Today, as this perfect storm continues to build, there are those who are
seeking to censor some who are highlighting biblical insights addressing
important cultural affairs.  Like the Jewish Police of old (many of whom
were Jewish), some Christians  are exerting pressure to do the same.
"Discontinue writing as you do"  they say to those who are appealing
for godly living in Christ Jesus.  Those making the appeals also state
the intent behind their actions:  In His grace, they genuinely care about
His sheep to the extent they are willing to put themselves in harm's way
as they bring warning.  WOW!  What a day in which to live for Jesus
Christ - King of kings and Lord of lords.

WHY  is this a valid issue to raise at this time?

IF Bible-affirming heralds - especially those who accurately discern
cultural movements which will further contribute to the intensity of the
Perfect Storm  (once it hits in full strength) - IF these followers of Jesus
Christ are silenced, some will fail to discern some of the present
deceptions unfolding around us.  As God blessed His Old Covenant
people with heralds who were loving enough to bring messages of
warning, so too does He bless His Church with some who endure in
speaking His Truths in love.

So be watching for further increase of persecution* against those who
bring explicit Bible appeals.  In this context, even though the darkness
will seek to make these ambassadors of Christ seem evil, please give
their messages Berean-like consideration.  Pray and ponder their
appeals in light of the clear revelation God has graciously given in
His precious Word.

Once again, may we continue in His kind Word to us, including the
reading of end-time passages which speak to our present circumstances
before Jesus Christ's glorious appearing.

Heavenly Father, we praise Your holy name.  Lord, may You be our
focus in these days of growing darkness.  In Your Son's holy name
we pray.  Amen!

*  Persecution is not only unfolding in the persecuted church  areas.    
Let's endure.  Please read the N.T. book of Hebrews for helpful     
Counsel!

To EM's  2015 Archived Blogs  CLICK HERE