Just because it's been a couple of thousand years does not mean the Lord is slow to keep His promises. After all, if He didn't delay this long just look at how many people would not have been born yet, including you and me! He delayed so that more could come to read His Word and believe what it says.That too was part of His plan. The Bible, simply put, is a marriage contract and a love letter to all who care to know what God has said to us. If you read it honestly and let your heart see His Love, you will see His Glory and praise Him for His mercy towards mankind.
Revelation 22:20 "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.' Amen Come, Lord Jesus!"
Revelation 20:1-3
The Thousand Years Also known as: The Millennium
"And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time."
The Millennium is the prelude to heaven. It's the overture to the New Heavens and the New Earth.
It's a time of great joy, prosperity, purity, peace, and prolonged life, with King Jesus reigning on the Throne of David.
Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.
Mathews 28:18bThen Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Time of Reflection
Dear Family and Friends,
I just received this newsletter from El Shaddai Ministries. Please take a moment and read this article. To see the newsletter: eNews@ElShaddaiMinistries.us
Pastor Mark is encouraging Christians to reflect on our own need for repentance just as John the Baptist taught in quoting Isaiah 40.
It is a good thing to approach the Jewish High Holy days in this manner because many believe the Seven God given Jewish Feast Days (see Leviticus) reflect the life of Christ.
The Apostle Paul said in Colossians 2:16-17 "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."
Pastor Byron MacDonald said,
" The fact that Jesus has fulfilled all the feasts on the exact day so far in progression is most significant. Passover, Christ's Crucifixion, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost all happened on the exact feast day.
Based on that pattern you would expect the three yet to be fulfilled would happen in the same sequence. Rosh Hashanah(rapture of the church), Day of Atonement(start of tribulation, two witnesses to Jerusalem and 144,000 Jews believe in Jesus), Feast of Tabernacles, (1000 year reign of Christ) - then the final judgment, new heaven and earth."
Rosh Hashana may be the time of the Rapture of the Chruch because it is a 2 day feast for the new year and no one knows the day or the time until the Jewish High Priest will sees the new moon.
Nevertheless, whether Jesus returns for the church this year or 10 years from now, it is still a good idea to reflect on our need to repent and get right before our Lord.
Read your Bible, Watch and Pray for yourself, your family and rely on the Peace of God.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Love,
Marcie
I just received this newsletter from El Shaddai Ministries. Please take a moment and read this article. To see the newsletter: eNews@ElShaddaiMinistries.us
Pastor Mark is encouraging Christians to reflect on our own need for repentance just as John the Baptist taught in quoting Isaiah 40.
It is a good thing to approach the Jewish High Holy days in this manner because many believe the Seven God given Jewish Feast Days (see Leviticus) reflect the life of Christ.
The Apostle Paul said in Colossians 2:16-17 "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."
Pastor Byron MacDonald said,
" The fact that Jesus has fulfilled all the feasts on the exact day so far in progression is most significant. Passover, Christ's Crucifixion, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost all happened on the exact feast day.
Based on that pattern you would expect the three yet to be fulfilled would happen in the same sequence. Rosh Hashanah(rapture of the church), Day of Atonement(start of tribulation, two witnesses to Jerusalem and 144,000 Jews believe in Jesus), Feast of Tabernacles, (1000 year reign of Christ) - then the final judgment, new heaven and earth."
Rosh Hashana may be the time of the Rapture of the Chruch because it is a 2 day feast for the new year and no one knows the day or the time until the Jewish High Priest will sees the new moon.
Nevertheless, whether Jesus returns for the church this year or 10 years from now, it is still a good idea to reflect on our need to repent and get right before our Lord.
Read your Bible, Watch and Pray for yourself, your family and rely on the Peace of God.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Love,
Marcie
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Isaiah 53
Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 9:6,,,a child is born
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem
Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
You who bring good tidings to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
"Here is your God!"
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
To whom, then, will you compare God?
What image will you compare him to?
As for an idol, a craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
A man too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not topple.
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
"To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God"?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
You who bring good tidings to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
"Here is your God!"
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
To whom, then, will you compare God?
What image will you compare him to?
As for an idol, a craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
A man too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not topple.
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
"To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God"?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
The Day or the Hour
August 13, 2009
Dear Pastor Byron,
Today on Christian Radio here in Sacramento I heard a group of Calvary Pastors say they did not think Rosh Hashanah would be the time of the Rapture because we “would not know the day or the hour”.
I think that is lazy thinking. What do you think?
Thank you,
Marcie Mathews
Byron MacDonald commented on your wall post:
"I think they need to study Rosh Hashanah a little more. It was actually a two day feast. It couldn't be officially declared until the high priest saw the moon, then news would go to the rest of Israel. So you could know the year but not know which hour of which day Jesus would come."
We all need to Watch and Pray...
Read the Bible until it becomes a part of your heart.
We all need to pray that we're able to overcome the snares of this world to
Trust God.
Blessings,
Marcie
Dear Pastor Byron,
Today on Christian Radio here in Sacramento I heard a group of Calvary Pastors say they did not think Rosh Hashanah would be the time of the Rapture because we “would not know the day or the hour”.
I think that is lazy thinking. What do you think?
Thank you,
Marcie Mathews
Byron MacDonald commented on your wall post:
"I think they need to study Rosh Hashanah a little more. It was actually a two day feast. It couldn't be officially declared until the high priest saw the moon, then news would go to the rest of Israel. So you could know the year but not know which hour of which day Jesus would come."
We all need to Watch and Pray...
Read the Bible until it becomes a part of your heart.
We all need to pray that we're able to overcome the snares of this world to
Trust God.
Blessings,
Marcie
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Ashes vs. God's will
Whatever You Acquire Outside Of God’s Will Eventually Turns To Ashes.
Charles Stanley Life Principle Bible pg 966
Ezekiel 25:6-7
Some people think that God’s refusal to give them some cherished need would be the worst thing that could ever happen to them. They think life would truly disappoint them if some urgent desire of theirs should go unmet.
So they pursue their desire, either in opposition to God’s will or in disregard of it—and end up truly disappointed, even if they get what they think they wanted. They remind me of the Israelites in Moses’ day who insisted on meat and got it: “He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul” (Psalm 106:15).
G.K. Chesterton said, “There are two ways to get enough: One is to accumulate more and more, the other is to desire less.”
While you can always accumulate more things, more relationships, and more success, there will always be room for more. And when there’s room for more, there’s room for wanting more. The cycle never ends.
If you choose the second route of Chesterton’s advice, “to desire less,” the likelihood of living a fulfilling life increases. But how does one simply want less?
By going back to the one desire present in every human heart: to know God.
You may not understand this longing as a desire for God; you may simply feel dissatisfaction with your life. Maybe the relationship you wanted and attained isn’t everything you thought it would be. Perhaps you have everything you’d ever wanted, yet still go through periods of longing, sadness and loneliness.
There is always more to be uncovered about God. We will never “get to the bottom” of Him while we live on earth. But once we enter into a relationship with the Lord, He promises to reveal more of Himself to us as we fellowship with Him. Hosea 2:19, 20 says, “I will betroth you to Me forever. Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice. In lovingkindness and mercy I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the LORD.”
To “fellowship” with God—to talk to Him and listen to Him as you study the Bible—is to get to know Him better. He has “betrothed” (or engaged) His people to Himself for one reason: to let Himself be known.
When you discover something about God that you have never recognized, the proverbial light bulb illuminates your heart and mind, giving you a greater desire to know more—and leave your fleshly desires behind.
As we test the waters of worldly desire, only to find ourselves drowning in them, God’s loyalty to us shines. As we find the things we acquire outside of His will turn to ashes, He rescues us and restores our desire for Him alone.
Glimpsing one of God’s characteristics in His Word, and then seeing it come to life through our experiences deepens:
• Our humility. As we see God’s sovereignty unveiled, we more deeply understand our need for Him.
• Our gratitude. Knowing that God’s lovingkindness motivates His forgiveness, deliverance, and guidance, gives us thankful heart. Instead of coming to God with complaints about our unfulfilled, selfish desires, we come to Him with adoration and praise.
• Our hunger. When the Holy Spirit sheds new light on an old verse (one we’ve read many times), our quest for more gets stronger. Our appreciation of God’s Word gives us a more profound delight in studying and applying its truth.
• Our reverence. Learning something new about our Creator reminds us that we don’t know everything about Him. As we come to terms with the depths and heights of God, our awe of Him grows.
• Our desire to please God. When we have a right, holy, respectful fear of the Lord, our wants change from satisfying ourselves to satisfying our God. Pleasing Him is not a chore; rather it becomes a joy done out of humility and thankfulness.
Amazingly, as we pursue our desire for God, He fulfills the other desire He has given us (Psalm 37:4) And so we learn afresh that while acquiring anything outside of His will leaves dust in our mouths, He desires to fill us with “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16).
Charles Stanley Life Principle Bible pg 966
Ezekiel 25:6-7
Some people think that God’s refusal to give them some cherished need would be the worst thing that could ever happen to them. They think life would truly disappoint them if some urgent desire of theirs should go unmet.
So they pursue their desire, either in opposition to God’s will or in disregard of it—and end up truly disappointed, even if they get what they think they wanted. They remind me of the Israelites in Moses’ day who insisted on meat and got it: “He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul” (Psalm 106:15).
G.K. Chesterton said, “There are two ways to get enough: One is to accumulate more and more, the other is to desire less.”
While you can always accumulate more things, more relationships, and more success, there will always be room for more. And when there’s room for more, there’s room for wanting more. The cycle never ends.
If you choose the second route of Chesterton’s advice, “to desire less,” the likelihood of living a fulfilling life increases. But how does one simply want less?
By going back to the one desire present in every human heart: to know God.
You may not understand this longing as a desire for God; you may simply feel dissatisfaction with your life. Maybe the relationship you wanted and attained isn’t everything you thought it would be. Perhaps you have everything you’d ever wanted, yet still go through periods of longing, sadness and loneliness.
There is always more to be uncovered about God. We will never “get to the bottom” of Him while we live on earth. But once we enter into a relationship with the Lord, He promises to reveal more of Himself to us as we fellowship with Him. Hosea 2:19, 20 says, “I will betroth you to Me forever. Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice. In lovingkindness and mercy I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the LORD.”
To “fellowship” with God—to talk to Him and listen to Him as you study the Bible—is to get to know Him better. He has “betrothed” (or engaged) His people to Himself for one reason: to let Himself be known.
When you discover something about God that you have never recognized, the proverbial light bulb illuminates your heart and mind, giving you a greater desire to know more—and leave your fleshly desires behind.
As we test the waters of worldly desire, only to find ourselves drowning in them, God’s loyalty to us shines. As we find the things we acquire outside of His will turn to ashes, He rescues us and restores our desire for Him alone.
Glimpsing one of God’s characteristics in His Word, and then seeing it come to life through our experiences deepens:
• Our humility. As we see God’s sovereignty unveiled, we more deeply understand our need for Him.
• Our gratitude. Knowing that God’s lovingkindness motivates His forgiveness, deliverance, and guidance, gives us thankful heart. Instead of coming to God with complaints about our unfulfilled, selfish desires, we come to Him with adoration and praise.
• Our hunger. When the Holy Spirit sheds new light on an old verse (one we’ve read many times), our quest for more gets stronger. Our appreciation of God’s Word gives us a more profound delight in studying and applying its truth.
• Our reverence. Learning something new about our Creator reminds us that we don’t know everything about Him. As we come to terms with the depths and heights of God, our awe of Him grows.
• Our desire to please God. When we have a right, holy, respectful fear of the Lord, our wants change from satisfying ourselves to satisfying our God. Pleasing Him is not a chore; rather it becomes a joy done out of humility and thankfulness.
Amazingly, as we pursue our desire for God, He fulfills the other desire He has given us (Psalm 37:4) And so we learn afresh that while acquiring anything outside of His will leaves dust in our mouths, He desires to fill us with “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16).
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