Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation

Does The "All Israel Shall Be Saved" Doctrine Include Non-Believing Jews?

2012-01-29T07:13:00.000-08:00

One of the most debated quotes in the Bible is Romans 11:26, which is part of the Apostle Paul's dissertation concerning "Israel", which most Zionists (both Jewish and Christians) use as proof that all Jews will be redeemed before the return of Jesus; therefore, Israel should be supported on all issues, regardless of its current behavior.

I have spent over 35 years researching this aspect of the Gospel and have written my findings in my book, The End Times Passover. In the 1st chapter of my book (Who Are God's Children of Promise?) I provide an exhaustive presentation that God's chosen people are not the Jewish race, but solely those who believe in, trust and obey the will of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Obviously, including all the data I have gathered after 35 years of rsearch cannot fit on this posting. However, there is one great writer (Philip Mauro) who wrote the book, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, in 1928, that provides possibly the most excellent explanation in one of his chapters, entitled, So All Israel Shall Be Saved. There is no Bible student, teacher nor preacher who can adequately represent the Gospel unless they have read this magnificent work, which we are presenting in this blog today. This article is in the public domain.

Say a little prayer before reading this, and ask the Holy Spirit for His confirmation.

SO ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED

Chapter 15

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOMWith an Examination of DISPENSATIONALISM
and the "Scofield Bible"
by

Philip Mauro

IN my comments on the words, "until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in" (Rom. 11:25) I pointed out that, notwithstanding that the passage in which those words occur is plainly a prophecy of the state in which the Jewish people were to exist throughout this present age, and that it says nothing whatever as to their state thereafter, it is now commonly interpreted as predicting that, in a future "dispensation," the whole nation is to be healed of its spiritual blindness. The next words of the passage are these:
"And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, there shall come out of Zion 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." (Rom. 11:26-28).
This passage likewise has been very badly treated in the interest of the new dispensationalism. And, like as the preceding passage has been transmuted from a prophecy strictly limited to this age into one relating wholly to a future age, so this passage also is lifted bodily out of the age where the Spirit of God has placed it, and is transported to a future age, an age which exists only in the imagination of men. For the passage is usually interpreted precisely as if it read, "And then all Israel shall be saved," instead of "And so all Israel shall be saved."

Indeed all that is needed for the correction of this gigantic "dispensational" error is first to note the significance of that little word "so," and then to ascertain its meaning from the context, which is easily done.

The adverb "so" answers to the question "How?" It says nothing at all in answer to the question "When?" Yet my experience has been that, whenever Romans 11:26 is cited by dispensationalists, it is presented as proof that the entire Jewish race, reconstituted into an earthly nation, is to be saved in a future "dispensation." In fact, however, the passage teaches the very opposite; namely: that the phrase "all Israel" means, not the entire Jewish race of a future age, but the entire body of the redeemed of this gospel age. The word "so" occurs in the concluding part of the passage and hence necessarily refers back to the preceding verses, where the apostle, after explaining who they are that constitute God's true "Israel," tells in detail, and illustrates by the figure of the "good olive tree," just how God's Israel was to "be saved." He there describes beforehand precisely what God has been doing from that day to this; and when he finished his description, and has illustrated it with marvellous clearness by the figure of the olive tree, he brings the matter to a conclusion by saying: "And so" --that is, in the manner he had been describing-- "all Israel shall be saved." And he adds that the saving of "all Israel" in that manner would fulfil certain Old Testament prophecies, which he quotes.

If therefore we simply ascertain from the preceding verses (as can be done with little trouble and with certainty) who are the "all Israel" of God's purpose, and how they were to "be saved," we shall also ascertain in the process when they were to be saved.

WHO ARE THE "ALL ISRAEL" OF ROM. 11:26? The "all Israel" of Rom. 11:26 is the whole body of God's redeemed people. It is composed of "the election" (which, as we have seen, has "obtained" what the natural Israel as a whole had "not obtained") with the addition thereto of believers from among the Gentiles. For the main purpose of this passage (Rom. IX-XI) and that also of chapter IV, and likewise of Galatians (chapters III and IV) is to make known that the real "Israel," the true "children of Abraham," who inherit the promises of God, are not the natural seed of Abraham but his spiritual seed.

Paul proves his doctrine, and at the same time exhibits the great difference between Abraham's natural seed and his spiritual, by citing the historical fact that "Abraham had TWO sons" (Gal. 4: 22); and from the Old Testament records of the very different things that befell Ishmael and Isaac respectively, Paul deduces the great difference, in the purposes of God, between the unbelieving mass of the Israelitish people (answering to the son of the bondwoman) and the believing "remnant" (answering to the son of the freewoman). For those things, the apostle tells us, "are an allegory," the meaning of which he proceeds to explain (Gal. 4:21-31).

Abraham's elder son, Ishmael, represents the natural Israel, those "born after the flesh." Ishmael had the first-born's place in Abraham's house for a number of years before Isaac, who was to be the true and sole heir, was born. And during all that time, which answers to the period from Sinai to Pentecost--that is the era of the old covenant--Ishmael was the heir apparent of all that Abraham had. Moreover, even after Isaac appeared upon the scene, Ishmael continued for a time in occupation of the premises, and took advantage of his position to persecute the true heir. The period when Ishmael and Isaac were both under one roof and the former still had the status of a son and heir of Abraham, answers to the time from Pentecost to the destruction of Jerusalem. For during that period the natural Israel, "the son of the bondwoman," still occupied the holy land and city, and "persecuted" the true Israel (Gal. 4:29: 1 Thess. 2:15).

But that era of the overlapping of "the two covenants" was of short duration. For "what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bond woman and her son: for the son of the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman" (Gal. 4: 30). And the next verse gives us the application of the incident: "So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bond woman, but of the free."

The meaning of the words, "shall not be heir," is free from all uncertainty. Those words mean that the promises of God to Abraham are all for his spiritual seed. And this, moreover, is precisely what the apostle had already said in plain language: "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham" (3:7). "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (3:29). The same truth is plainly taught in Romans 4:13-16.

Coming now to Romans IX-XI, it is the plain teaching of that passage (1) that God's true "Israel," the nation concerning which it is said, "And so all Israel shall be saved," is the whole body of the redeemed of the Lord: and (2) that, that body is composed of the believing "remnant" of the natural Israel (the "remnant according to the election of grace," Ch. 11:15) with the addition thereto of believing Gentiles. Those two elements, so diverse and antagonistic by nature, are incorporated into a spiritual unity, "the unity of the Spirit" (Eph. 2:12-18, 4:3). And this is according to that "mystery" of God's eternal purpose, which was not clearly revealed in ages past, but now is made fully known (Eph. 3:4-6). That "mystery" is what is graphically illustrated by the olive tree of Romans XI. And as regards the salvation of the natural Israel in a future era, so far from teaching that doctrine, the passage we are studying was written for the purpose of refuting it. This will very clearly appear in what follows.

This section of the Epistle begins with the declaration of a fact which caused the apostle great heaviness and continual sorrow in his heart, namely, that "they are not all Israel which are of Israel" (9: 6). Observe here the phrase, "all Israel," concerning which we are now inquiring. And observe further that what we here are told is, not what it includes, but what it does not include. The "all Israel" of this passage does not embrace all who are Israelites. Paul is here speaking of his "kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites" (ver. 3,4). And what caused him such acute anguish of mind was the fact, revealed to him by the Spirit of God, that not all these, but indeed only a few of them, were to be included in the "all Israel" of God's purposes.

It is simply impossible that Paul could have penned those words of poignant grief; it is impossible, I say, that he could have wished himself "accursed from Christ" for the sake of his "kinsmen according to the flesh" if he had held and was about to declare the doctrine now frequently attributed to him, namely, that all the Israelites in the world were to be saved at the second coming of Christ--an event the christians of that day regarded as imminent. That doctrine, which was the very corner stone of the Judaism of that day, Paul had cast aside; and it was moreover an important part of his ministry to expose the falsity of it. The next two verses (Rom. 9:7,8 ) make the matter still clearer. There we read:

"Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children: but 'in Isaac shall thy seed be called.' That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."

This calls for no explanation; for it is the Spirit's own explanation. We need only to observe that the reason why the truth here stated caused the apostle such acute distress was that it so rigidly excludes from God's salvation all the natural descendants of Abraham except the few who were of the faith of Abraham (Rom. 4:13-16) that is, those who believed the gospel.

The apostle then proceeds to make known that it had been God's plan and purpose from the beginning to save--not all the natural descendants of Abraham, but--only such as He should choose. And here we have the doctrine of "election" (Rom. 9:10-26) which takes its name from the fact that God makes an "election" or choice, from among Jews and Gentiles, of those He will save and have eternally as His people. This principle of God's sovereign choice is illustrated by the case of Esau and Jacob (vv. 10-13) where His choice was made before the children were born.

In the closing verses of chapter IX (27-33). Paul returns to the matter that was causing him such acute sorrow, namely that, as Isaiah had prophesied, "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant (only) shall be saved." That remnant is the Jewish part of "the election"; and thus we have a clear light upon verse 26 of Chapter XI; for the words "a remnant shall be saved," explain the words, "all Israel shall be saved."

In chapter X the apostle, after expressing the desire of his heart and his prayer to God for Israel "that they might be saved," goes on to show that none can "be saved" except by believing the gospel ("the word of faith which we preach," v. 8); and that in respect to this vital matter there is "no difference between the Jew and the Greek. For whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved." And the chapter closes with a strong intimation that the Israelitish nation as a whole would not be saved; the word of Jehovah to that nation being, "All day long I have stretched forth My hands unto a disobedient and galnsaying people" (v. 21).

Special heed should be given to the first part of chapter XI. It shows that God's rejection of Israel nationally does not warrant the conclusion that God has cast away His people. For, as we have already seen, God's part of the nation, that is, the election, He did not then cast away, and never will. Hence, in bestowing upon "the election" what had been promised to "Israel," God was fulfilling His promises strictly in accordance with their true intent.

The result is that "Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded" (11:7).

Seeing therefore that "the election," by believing the gospel of Christ, has obtained (and certainly will never be deprived of) that which God had promised to "Israel," it is clear that "the remnant according to the election of grace," with believers from among the Gentiles added, is the "Israel" of the prophetic Scriptures. Indeed it is evident, upon an impartial study of the entire passage, that its main purpose is to make known that very fact.

And this purpose stands forth in the clearest light in the figure of the olive tree, whereby the apostle, at the end of the passage, illustrates the truth he has been expounding. That olive tree represents "the Israel of God," "the election," the "one body" of the redeemed. Not all who are of Israel are in it. On the contrary, many of the natural branches, "because of unbelief were broken off" (v. 20). And on the other hand, many believing Gentiles are included; these being the branches of "the olive tree which is wild by nature," which branches have been "grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree." This is the fulfilment of all God's purposes and promises, the final outcome of all His dealings in grace with both Jews and Gentiles.

And now, in seeking an answer to the question, who are the all Israel that are to be saved? We have found also the answer to the other question. How shall they be save? For, as we have seen, the passage teaches in the plalnest way that they are to be saved by believing in Jesus Christ. And in so teaching, it simply affirms the foundation truth of the Gospel, namely, that there is no other way of salvation; for "he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36). The natural branches of the olive tree were broken off "because of unbelief," and any of them that are saved, must be saved by personal and individual faith; for there is no other way.

Furthermore, in saying that "God is able to graft them in again," and that He will do so "if they abide not still in unbelief" (v. 23 ), the passage bears a clear witness to the truth that there is no other salvation for them but that which the olive tree represents. This verse alone forbids the idea that there is, or can be, a national salvation for the Jewish race in some future era.

God, in His great forbearance and long suffering (II Pet. 3:9,15) still keeps open to them the door of salvation, so that individual Israelites, by personal faith in Jesus Christ, may enter in and be saved. But when He rises up and shuts that door, then they who begin to seek Him for salvation will hear Him say, "I know you not; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity," and it was to Jews He said this (Luke 13:25,27).

Furthermore the word "So," in Romans 11:26, meaning in the manner described above and illustrated by the figure of the olive tree, plainly answers the question, How all Israel is to be saved. They will "all be saved" precisely "SO," and not otherwise.

And finally we have found also, in what has been set forth above, the answer to the question, "When shall they be saved?" For, seeing that all Israel shall be saved so -- that is, by means of "the word of faith" which the apostles preached, --then most certainly they must be saved ere this day of gospel-salvation comes to an end. And this is plainly declared in other Scriptures, as has been shown above.

Philip Mauro (1859-1952) was a brilliant lawyer who practiced before the Supreme Court, popular author, and well known Bible Teacher. He contributed articles to The Fundamentals, (ed. R. A. Torrey) and published several popular books including: The Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation, The Gospel of the Kingdom: Examining Dispensationalism, The Wonders of Bible Chronology, The Hope Of Israel, and Which Version? Authorized or Revised?

2012-01-22T06:21:00.000-08:00

GodDoes Not Operate a Convenience Store, But He Does Provide All of Your Needs!

     “Ask and it will be given to you; seekand you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; theone who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
   ⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks forbread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will givehim a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil,know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father inheaven give good gifts to those who ask him, (Matthew7:7-11)

     Almostevery city in the United States has a convenience store, that local retailoutlet that is usually open 24 hours a day, where you can buy almost anythingyou need, when you don’t have time to go the large market where you normallybuy your weekly provisions. In California (and probably even in your state),the biggest and most well known is the 7-Eleven. And probably thebusiest small shop in your neighborhood.
     It’sinteresting that the above group scripture speaks to the issue of asking Godfor the things you want and desire, but many miss the more succinct messagebeing conveyed. Sadly, many of us look to God (on a 24 hour basis) to provideus gifts that may not necessarily be what we need. This past Christmas, most ofus went all out to buy gifts for our family members, which include luxuriesthey did not necessarily need, but stuff we felt would ingratiate them to us through ourlargess.
     Many mayagree or disagree with this mind-set, but, in reality there is an inherentnature for us to bless those who are closest to us, and that’s not all thatbad. However, after we open the gifts, play with them or use them all the time,my deep feeling is that the even more important aspect to relationships is fellowship,and appreciation for each other. This is inherently what I believe God seeks fromHis children.
     The above scripture actually conveys this to us and the key to understand better this group of scripture is the wordGIFTS, which we find in verse 11. We read:
     If you, then, though you are evil, know how togive good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven givegood gifts to those who ask him, (Matthew 7:11)

MostChristians believe this implies that more often than not we go to God not only for our dailyprovisions (food, shelter, clothing etc.), but most often for whatever ourhearts desires. Many prosperity preachers nowadays use this group of scripture to get their flock to claim what they want because God says in His word that we can do this!
However, upon closer examination of the word gifts, we find the Greek word there is doma, which has a more profound message we need to understand. While the word does represent a present,it is not always a gratuitous or wholly unsuggestive of recompense, but rather, it denotes itis a gratuity, hence the benefactions of a sovereign, which God confers as possessorof all things. In essence its deeper meaning is more so an expression of God’s favor.

Themessage here is that through our prayers we are to seek more so thatrelationship that provides for us the security in the knowledge that we arechildren of promise and He will never forsake us. Until the return of Christ,He recognizes our journey will be a perilous one, coming under constant attacks(from unbelievers and all who oppose Christ), but one that will be gloriouslyrewarded upon His return. In the interim, He also knows our needs and willprovide them. But He will provide those things we need and not necessarilythose things we desire that are not consistent to His will.
The following is a Commentary by oneclassical theologian, Matthew Henry, who brings these verses into greaterclarity.

Mat 7:7-11

Our Saviour, in the foregoing chapter, hadspoken of prayer as a commanded duty, by which God is honoured, and which, ifdone aright, shall be rewarded; here he speaks of it as the appointed means ofobtaining what we need, especially grace to obey the precepts he had given,some of which are so displeasing to flesh and blood.

I. Here is a precept in three words to thesame purport, Ask, Seek, Knock (v. 7); that is, in one word, "Pray;pray often; pray with sincerity and seriousness; pray, and pray again; makeconscience of prayer, and be constant in it; make a business of prayer, and beearnest in it. Ask, as a beggar asks alms.’’ Those that would be rich ingrace, must betake themselves to the poor trade of begging, and they shall findit a thriving trade. "Ask; represent your wants and burdens to God,and refer yourselves to him for support and supply, according to his promise. Askas a traveler asks the way; to pray is to enquire of God, Eze. 36:37. Seek,as for a thing of value that we have lost, or as the merchantman that seeksgoodly pearls. Seek by prayer, Dan. 9:3. Knock, ashe that desires to enter into the house knocks at the door.’’ We would beadmitted to converse with God, would be taken into his love, and favour, andkingdom; sin has shut and barred the door against us; by prayer, we knock; Lord,Lord, open to us. Christ knocks at our door (Rev. 3:20; Cant. 5:2); and allows usto knock at his, which is a favour we do not allow to common beggars. Seekingand knocking imply something more than asking and praying. 1. We must not only ask but seek;we must second our prayers with ourendeavors; we must, in the use of the appointed means, seek for thatwhich we ask for, else we tempt God. When the dresser of the vineyardasked for a year’s respite for the barren fig-tree, he added, I will digabout it, Lu. 13:7,8. God gives knowledge and grace tothose that search the scriptures, and wait at Wisdom’s gates; and power againstsin to those that avoid the occasions of it. 2. We must not only ask,but knock; we must come to God’s door, must ask importunately;not only pray, but plead and wrestle with God; we must seek diligently;we must continue knocking; must persevere in prayer, and in the use of means;must endure to the end in the duty.

II. Here is a promised annexed: ourlabour in prayer, if indeed we do labour in it, shall not be in vain:where God finds a praying heart, he will be found a prayer-hearing God; heshall give thee an answer of peace. The precept is threefold, ask, seek,knock; there is precept upon precept; but the promise is six-fold, lineupon line, for our encouragement; because a firm belief of the promisewould make us cheerful and constant in our obedience. Now here,

1. The promise is made, and made so asexactly to answer the precept, v. 7. Ask, and it shall be given you; notlent you, not sold you, but given you; and what is more free than gift?Whatever you pray for, according to the promise, whatever you ask, shall begiven you, if God see it fit for you, and what would you have more? It isbut ask and have; ye have not, because ye ask not, or asknot aright: what is not worth asking is not worth having, and then it is worthnothing. Seek, and ye shall find, and then you do not lose yourlabour; God is himself found of thosethat seek him, and if we find him we have enough. "Knock, andit shall be opened; the door of mercy and grace shall no longer be shutagainst you as enemies and intruders, but opened to you as friends andchildren. It will be asked, who is at the door? If you be able to say, afriend, and have the ticket of promise ready to produce in the hand of faith,doubt not of admission. If the door be not opened at the first knock,continue instant in prayer; it is an affront to a friend to knock athis door, and then go away; though he tarry, yet wait.’’

2. It is repeated, v. 8. It is to the samepurport, yet with some addition. (1.) It is made to extend to all that prayaright; "Not only you my disciples shall receive what you pray for, but everyone that asketh, receiveth, whether Jew or Gentile, young or old, rich orpoor, high or low, master or servant, learned or unlearned, they are all alikewelcome to the throne of grace, if they come in faith: for God is norespecter of persons.’’ (2.) It is made so as to amount to a grant, inwords of the present tense, which is more than a promise for the future. Everyone that asketh, not only shall receive, but receiveth; byfaith, applying and appropriating the promise, we are actually interested andinvested in the good promised: so sure and inviolable are the promises of God,that they do, in effect, give present possession: an active believer entersimmediately, and makes the blessings promised his own. What have we in hope,according to the promise, is as sure, and should be as sweet, as what we havein hand. God hath spoken in his holiness, and then Gilead is mine,Manasseh mine (Ps. 108:7,8); it is all mine own, if I can but make it so by believing it so. Conditionalgrants become absolute upon the performance of the condition; so here, hethat asketh, receiveth. Christ hereby puts his fiat to the petition;and he having all power, that is enough.

3. It is illustrated, by a similitude takenfrom earthly parents, and their innate readiness to give their children whatthey ask. Christ appeals to his hearers, What man is there of you,though never so morose and ill-humoured, whom if his son ask bread, will hegive him a stone? v. 9, 10. Whence he infers (v. 11), If ye then, beingevil, yet grant your children’s requests, much more will your heavenlyFather give you the good things you ask. Now this is of use,

(1.)To direct our prayers and expectations. [1.] We must come to God, as children to a Father in heaven, withreverence and confidence. How naturally does a child in want or distress run tothe father with its complaints; My head, my head; thus should thenew nature send us to God for supports and supplies. [2.] We must come to himfor good things, for those he gives to them that ask him; whichteaches us to refer ourselves to him; weknow not what is good for ourselves (Eccl. 6:12), but he knowswhat is good for us, we must therefore leave it with him; Father, thy willbe done. The child is here supposed to ask bread, that isnecessary, and a fish, that is wholesome; but if the child should foolishlyask for a stone, or a serpent, for unripe fruit to eat, or asharp knife to play with, the father, though kind, is so wise as to deny him. We often ask that of God which would do usharm if we had it; he knows this, and therefore does not give it to us. Denialsin love are better than grants in anger; we should have been undone erethis if we had had all we desired; this is admirably well expressed by aheathen, Juvenal, Sat. 10, (Matthew Henry Commentary on Matthew 7:7-11)

     Thank you, Matthew Henry, for your words of wisdom.And for reminding us that prayer is not about asking God to grant us our wishesas if He were a magic Genie in a bottle, there to provide us the luxuries thatmortal men seek, such as fame, power and wealth; but the sustenance to get usthrough the day, with the bread of life (His words of wisdom and guidance), tobe an effective disciple, to enhance His kingdom, for His everlasting praiseand glory!
     Our eternal reward is guaranteed as we abide in Him and endure to the very end.
     By the way, the next time you go to the 7-Eleven, don’tforget to pick up some of those hot wings! They are awesome!

For more information about the author and his books, clickon JoeOrtiz.

An Open Letter to Christians, Jews and Others Who Believe We Have to Support the State of Israel by Bombing Iran!

2012-01-05T03:25:00.000-08:00

Dear fellowJewish friends as well as believers of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who has fulfilled all thePromises God made to His Children.

Thishistorical debate that Christians must support the state of Israel, based on amisunderstanding of Genesis 12:3 (I will bless those who bless you, andwhoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessedthrough you), must needs to be resolved, once and for all; if for no otherreasons than to prevent the destruction of mankind that looms in the immediatehorizon.

As most of you know, Benjamin Netanyahu, the current Prime Minister of thestate of Israel is applying pressure on the President of the United States to militarily support and join him in his quest to bomb the nation of Iran forostensibly developing nuclear weapons to annihilate the Jewish country ofIsrael. The Prime Minister, in his heart of hearts genuinely believes He hasthe right to launch a nuclear attack on Iran because He believes God is on the side of Israel and his alleged proof is based on Genesis 12:3. A great percentage ofChristians agree with him, such as John Hagee, Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, MikeEvans, and a myriad of other evangelical as well as politicial leaders throughout America.

But yet, you, fellow Christians and many of our Jewish friends rather thanquestion this war plan, you believe this myth rather than to read, study andrealize that God does not, nor ever has urged any of His children to fighttheir enemies (perceived or otherwise) through military action. Let me help you out here.

There is one group of scripture in the NewTestament that clearly dismisses and trumps the misunderstood caveat stated inGenesis 12:3 (which is really intended for Abraham and his children of faith,and not for the Jewish race, a group that did not even exist when thisstatement was made by God. This clarification is found in the entire book ofHebrews (most precisely in Chapter 11), which makes it clear that the currentgeographical area in the Middle East (today known as the Land of Israel), was amere stopover for all of the patriarchs (from Abel up through King David andthe prophets, including all of the Apostles) in their journey to the truePromised Land that God has ever so clearly stated to His people throughout Hisword.

Please read the entire chapter:

Hebrews 11

By Faith

¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ²This is what the ancients were commended for.

³ by faith we understand that the universe was formed atGod’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

⁴ By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did.By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of hisofferings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

⁵ by faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did notexperience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. Forbefore he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. ⁶ Andwithout faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to himmust believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

⁷ by faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, inholy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the worldand became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

⁸ By faith Abraham,when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyedand went, even though he did not know where he was going. ⁹ By faithhe made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; helived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the samepromise. ¹⁰ for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,whose architect and builder is God.

¹¹ by faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarahherself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he^[a] consideredhim faithful who had made the promise. ¹² And so from this one man,and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the skyand as countless as the sand on the seashore.

¹³ All these peoplewere still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the thingspromised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And theyadmitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. ¹⁴ People whosay such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have hadopportunity to return. ¹⁶ Instead, they were longing for abetter country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called theirGod, for he has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ by faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as asacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one andonly son, ¹⁸ even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaacthat your offspring^[b] will bereckoned.”^[c] ¹⁹Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, hedid receive Isaac back from death.

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to theirfuture.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’ssons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

²² by faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about theexodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

²³ by faith Moses ’ parents hid him for three months after hewas born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraidof the king’s edict.

²⁴ by faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be knownas the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. ²⁵ He chose to be mistreated alongwith the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a shorttime. ²⁶ He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greatervalue than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. ²⁷by faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because hesaw him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith he kept the Passover and thesprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch thefirstborn of Israel.

²⁹ By faith the people passed through the Red Sea^[d] as on dryland; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

³⁰ by faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people hadmarched around them for seven days.

³¹ by faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed thespies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.^[e]

³² And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell aboutGideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, ³³who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what waspromised; who shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the fury of theflames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned tostrength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. ³⁵Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured andrefused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. ³⁶Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put inprison. ³⁷ They were stoned^[f]; they weresawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about insheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— ³⁸the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, andin caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹ These were all commended for their faith, yet none of themreceived what had been promised. ⁴⁰ God had planned something better for us so that only together withus would they be made perfect, (Hebrews 11:1-40)

Dear Christian and Jewish friends,if you will note carefully above, to verses 15 and 16, all the patriarchs,Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (and ALL of Israel) had the opportunity then (and even today)to return to that country; but they didn’t because they were looking for abetter country, a heavenly country, not a parcel of land in the Middle East astheir eternal resting place.

More importantly (as we read in verse 40 above) God had planned somethingbetter for us (who were not part of the commonwealth), which were excluded fromcitizenship in Israel, and were foreigners to the covenants and of the promise,without hope and without God in the world. However, that entire problem wassolved when Jesus Christ (God in the flesh) sacrificed His life on the crossand accomplished something as basic as the salvation plan that each of usChristians should know by heart. In essence, Dear Christian and Jewish friends, the better planthan residing in a parcel of land in the Middle East was that only togetherwith us (who call ourselves ‘Christian’ and Jewish Israelites today) could be made perfect. God’ssacrifice on Calvary accomplished that task! There are no longer any Jewishpeople nor any other nation that needs be considered in God’s future plans,whatsoever, because people of faith (the only way to qualify to be called trulychosen children of God), are ‘one in Christ’

One in Christ

¹¹ Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth andcalled “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (thatdone in the body by the hands of men) — ¹² remember that at thattime you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel andforeigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in theworld. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away havebeen brought near through the blood of Christ.

¹⁴ for he himself is our peace, who has made the two one andhas destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ byabolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. Hispurpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,¹⁶ and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through thecross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came andpreached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, butfellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himselfas the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joinedtogether and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And inhim you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives byhis Spirit.

Many who choose to believe the myths of men rather than theword of God keep insisting that God has a future plan for the current nation ofIsrael, and that Christians and Jews must support what they perceive is rightful ownership ofthat region in the Middle East; but God’s word does not agree with that line ofthinking. God’s initial land promises were fulfilled (read Joshua 21:43-45); but for themost part ownership of that land was conditional, which since then the Israelites abrogated by virtue of their consistent disobedience to the will of God. Moreover, those patriarchs of“faith” (which is what a true Child of God should be) recognized then and shouldacknowledge today is that the true promise land is not located in the MiddleEast, but it is a ‘heavenly’ city that will descend when Jesus Christ returnsto rule and reign on earth forever, with the prophets and apostles (and all believers in Messiah Jesus) as His administrative assistants. We are warned not to entertainfables and Pharisaical myths throughout God’s word; most especially we are warned ofthis in Hebrews 13:9-14:

⁹ Do not be carried away by all kinds ofstrange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, notby ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. ¹⁰We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no rightto eat.
¹¹ Thehigh priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sinoffering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. ¹² And soJesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through hisown blood. ¹³ Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing thedisgrace he bore. ¹⁴ forhere we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that isto come.

DearFellow Child of God? Who are you going to believe? Men who have a hidden agenda thatwant to control the world with its financial and military power, or the word ofGod?

Then I saw a newheaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passedaway, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the NewJerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifullydressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the thronesaying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. Theywill be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death ormourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4).

Dear Children of God! You have the choice, and the power, to inundate both President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with emails, phone calls, letters to your elected officials, local and international media, to abandon their war plans, and better to seek peace between the Jewish and Palestinian people, and the entire Middle East region, before they light the match stick that will (and can) destroy the world through the senseless act of bombing the nation of Iran.

For information about the author and his books, web sites and blogs, please click on Joe Ortiz.

Christ tells the Pharisees who they really are!

2012-01-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

The debate whether the state of Israel and the Jews have the right to forcibly occupy Palestine is the oldest, the most heated and least understood paradigm ever conceived. Sadly, most of Christianity falls on the side of supporting the state and governmental leaders of Israel, based primarily in its inability to comprehend and trust what God's word specifically states in the Bible. Jesus spoke directly to the Pharisees (those who concocted the concept that they are God's chosen peoples) and have ever since been scheming to take away the Kingdom of God that has been given to Jesus Christ for what He did on the cross for humanity.

The following article (posted by permission from Ian Welsh, webmaster of The Overloards of Chaos web site) discusses in great detail the conversation Jesus had with the Pharisees, who they really are and what position should be adopted by all Christians.

"With the destruction of the Temple [70 AD] the Sadducees disappeared altogether, leaving the regulation of all Jewish affairs in the hands of the Pharisees. Henceforth, Jewish life was regulated by the Pharisees; the whole history of Judaism was reconstructed from the Pharisaic point of view, and a new aspect was given to the Sanhedrin of the past. A new chain of tradition supplanted the older priestly tradition (Abot 1:1). Pharisaism shaped the character of Judaism and the life and thought of the Jew for all the future." Jewish Encyclopedia (1905)

"The Jewish religion as it is today traces its descent, without a break, through all the centuries, from the Pharisees. Their leading ideas and methods found expression in a literature of enormous extent, of which a very great deal is still in existence. The Talmud is the largest and most important single piece of that literature … and the study of it is essential for any real understanding of Pharisaism." Universal Jewish Encyclopedia (1943)

In The Gospel According to St. John there is an account of Christ's meeting with a group ofPharisees that is known as Christ's Discourse with the Pharisees. This fateful meeting revealed the true nature of the Pharisee creed, its true spiritual nature, and its relationship to Christ.

John 8 begins with Jesus going to the Mount of Olives on the evening of the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles (a celebration both of the general harvest festival and the anniversary of the beginnings of the wanderings in the wilderness). He did this for several good reasons one of which was to the escape the snares "the Jews" might lay for Him in the night having been disappointed and confounded in the daytime. What follows is the story of the woman taken in adultery who Christ delivers from her Pharisee tormentors and the time He declares himself the Light of the World(8:12). Then, after the cavils of certain Pharisees, Christ answers and shows His authority (8:14-20). Then, He properly begins His Discourse with the Pharisees.

Immediately in His altercation with the Pharisees, Christ tells them He speaks with authority to which they reply that they too speak with authority, for, they are"Abraham's children." Christ replied that if they were indeed Abraham's children they would do the works of Abraham, but instead they seek His death. While Christ sets himself to convince and convert them they, the Pharisees, set themselves to contradict and oppose Him. Christ tells them that His teaching is from Heaven, copied out of the counsels of infinite wisdom, and the kind intentions of infinite love; and His revelations are of God and are not grounded upon conjecture and hearsay, but upon direct experience. Consequently, He understands their exact nature and was assured of the TRUTH of all he said. His great task is to be a witness to the people of the TRUTH of what God has done, and therefore, because of His exalted status as the Son of God, His Word is unimpeachable.

Christ by His arguments began to show the vanity of the Pharisee pretensions and the wickedness in the hearts of "the Jews" that did not believe in Him and sought His death. Christ tells them that His teaching is not a farrago of nonsense and conjecture like those given by learned rabbis, but an exact counterpart of the Incontestable Truthslodged in the Universal Mind. Furthermore, it was not only what He had heard from His Father but also what He had seen with Him when the counsel of peace was between them both. Although Moses repeated what he heard from Yahweh, he was not allowed to see the Face of Yahweh. Similarly, although the Apostle Paul had been in the Third Heaven, he also could not say what he had seen. For, such things were the prerogatives of Christ: to have seen what He spoke, and to speak what He had seen.

Christ tells the Pharisees that their works are man-made and error-ridden and are not the Work of God. Moreover:"You do that which you have seen with your father" by which Christ charges that by their malicious opposition to Him and the Gospel they have made themselves as like the Devil, as if they had willingly used him for their model, their father-figure. And thus, by inference, their works came from Hell and the Devil was their "father."

By pleading a special relation to Abraham, that they are "Abraham's children," the Pharisees' intention was to arrogate honour for themselves, and to make themselves look eminent and authoritative. Christ rounds on them for their vainglorious boasts of a relation to Abraham and to God as their "fathers," and shows the vanity and falsehood of their dissembling. Christ said "Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother a Hittite" (Ezek. 16: 3) thereby alluding to the true lineage of "the Jews" that boasted of Abraham and plotted the death of Him, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Hence, Christ alluded to the true, degenerate ancestors of these scheming, unbelieving "Jews" and in whose steps they trod; for, certainly, they did not follow those of Abraham, the first founder of the Hebrew family.

Just as it is common for once great and eminent families now fallen into decay to boast of their pedigree, so too is it common for corrupt and depraved churches to value themselves according to their antiquity and the eminence of their founders. Thus, boasted the Pharisee of their perceived lineage to Abraham and so pleaded the nobility and advantages of their birth. The Pharisee assertion that they were "Abraham's children" was also designed to insinuate that by attacking them by speaking of their father as one they had learned evil from, Christ attacked the patriarch Abraham.

Christ overthrows this argument and exposes the vanity of it by a simple argument:

"If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham" (John 8:38).

Christ makes it clear that if these Pharisees were truly "Abraham's children," after the flesh, and thus could claim an interest in the Yahweh Covenant made with him and his seed, it would indeed put an honour upon them. Furthermore, if this was the case, then the Pharisees would do the works of Abraham, for, it was only to these of Abraham's House,who followed God's laws, as Abraham did, that God would deliver what He promised (Gen. 18:19). Only those, who tread in the steps of his faith and obedience are reckoned to be the Seed of Abraham, to whom the Yahweh promise belongs (Rom. 4 12).

The "Jews" had genealogies and kept them exact and they could use them to make out their relation to Abraham, yet, to take the advantage of the ancient land promise they were perforce obliged to walk in the same spirit as Abraham. For, Christ said, those who would claim to be of Abraham's seed must not only be of Abraham's faith, but do Abraham's works (James 2: 21-22) and must come at God's call, as Abraham did. Moreover, they must resign their dearest comforts to him, they must be strangers and sojourners in this world and must maintain worship of God in their families and always walk righteousness before God. These were the works of Abraham and these are works the Pharisees did not do. They did not do the works of Abraham and although they were Abraham's offspring, after the flesh; they were notin a spiritual sense. The Pharisees were not followers of the faith of Abraham because they opposed everything Christ represented:

"I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham." (John 8:37-41).

The Pharisees showed their true nature by seeking the life of a man, a mortal man like themselves, who had done them no harm, nor given them any provocation. Their enmity was boundless in seeking the life of one that had told them the TRUTH, had done them no injury but had done them the greatest kindness that could be, by instructing them in the most necessary and important truths. Moreover, the Pharisees were so impious as to seek the life of one that told them the truth, which He had heard from God. Who were a messenger sent from God to them, and thus their attempt against Him was an affront to God. This was their wicked work, and they persisted in it even when He, Christ, counselled against such iniquity. Such actions do not become the children of Abraham, the great patriarch who was filled with humanity, piety and a complete belief in God.

Whereas the Pharisees, who boast of their forebear, were obstinate in unbelief. Where Abraham followed God, they fought against Him, to such a degree that Abraham would not recognise them and would not acknowledge them as his children, for, they were so unlike him. Moreover, Abraham would not have done these things the Pharisees had done if he had lived now. Nor would he have behaved so abominably towards Jesus Christ had He lived in Abraham's time. For, he would have easily recognised His God when He stood before him.

Whatever the boasts and pretensions of the Pharisees were, Christ, assured them that they were not Abraham's children in the spirit, but that they spiritually come from another family. There is a "father," Christ told them, whose deeds they did and whose spirit they were of, and whom they resembled. Christ said that there are "two fathers"according to the "two families" into which the sons of men are divided: God and the Devil. And, without argument, these are inimical to each other. The Pharisees, said Christ, were the Devil's children. Thus, Christ described the essence of the Pharisee creed:

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." (John 8:44-45)

Christ here meant that they, the Pharisee and those like them, had given themselves over to the Dark Side and did the bidding of Evil. Here is the concept of the Two Seeds or Two Vines threading their way through human history: the Seed of the Women and the Seed of the Serpent - the followers of God and the followers of Satan. That the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees were predominantly of the Seed of the Serpent was evident in their hostility to Christ and the manifest hate they had for Him:

"If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." (John 8:41).

Christ had disproved the Pharisees' spiritual relation to Abraham by recording their great enmity for Him and their repeated attempts to have Him killed. But, now, He disproves their relation to God by their hostility and hatred of Him and God.

A man may pass for Abraham's seed and be accepted as one of Abraham's biological descendants if he does not appear to be an enemy to Christ. However, a man cannot confirm himself a child of Godunless he was a faithful friend and follower of Christ. This is because all that have God for their Father have a true love of Christ. Thus, children of God will not only esteem Christ, have a grateful sense of His love and a sincere affection to His cause and kingdom, but also have utter certainty in the salvation brought by Him and in the method and terms of it. Moreover, they would also ensure that they to keep His Commandments, which is the surest evidence of love for Him. Mankind is on Earth in a state of probation, and how we conduct ourselves towards our Maker will ultimately be with us in the act of Final Judgement. God has repeatedly used various methods to test us in our trial on Earth, and the Incarnation of Christ was one. The past Incarnation of Lucifer and the future Incarnations of Lucifer and Ahriman in human form are others still to come.

God had sent his Son into the world, with sufficient proofs of His status and mission, and all who called God, "Father,"would kiss his Son, and welcome Him as the Representative of Man who was the first-born among many brethren. Hence, proof of the real nature of a person and with whom they spiritually belong revolves around this simple question: Do we love Christ, or not?

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him" (1 John 5:1).

If the Pharisees were the true spiritual heirs of Abraham they would love Christ, for, He said:

"I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." (John 8:42).

They, the Pharisee and those like him, will love Him if they believe that Christ was the Son of God. They will love Him if they understand that He came, as was the command of God on the matter, to be the source of their redemption. They will love Him if they understand His Divine exeleusis, or origin from the Father, and also the union of the Divine Logos (Christ) to his human nature (Jesus), were bound in His Person: the Divine Person of Jesus Christ. A union that is not abstract or figurative but a union that is physical, a union of two substances or natures to make one substance, one person. A union that means that God is man and man is God in the Divine Person of Jesus Christ. Understanding this could not but lead all those who are born of God to an indisputable conclusion: Christ is King.

And, being the Beloved of the Father, Christ is thus called the "beloved" and is therefore the most beloved of all the saints. Furthermore, God sent Christ as an ambassador to the world of mankind, but not only as a Divine Emissary but also to be the Representative of Man and the Redeemer of us all. False prophets have neither their mission nor their message from God: Christ had both, for, He did not come of himself but was sent to us by God. Christ possessed both His credentials and His instructions from God who came to Earth to gather together in one the children of God (John 11:51), to bring "many sons unto glory" (Heb. 2:10).

Proper understanding of all this would compel all God's children to warmly welcome such a Messenger sent from their Father on such errands. But, these Pharisees, these apostate "Jews," made it quite clear that they were not of God, by their hostility and hatred towards the Messenger from God, towards Jesus Christ. This was because the Pharisees' alienation from God and their immersion in the spirit of Ahriman meant that they were spiritually blinded to God and could not perceive or understand Christ's message.

"Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word." (John 8:43).

This incomprehension was a sign they did not belong to God's family since they did not understand the language and dialect of the family. Although Christ's speech was divine and heavenly it was phrased and rendered intelligible by Him so that all those who heard it or was acquainted with the voice of Christ in the Old Testament, could apprehend the truth of His message. All those who have the love of God in their hearts needed no other key to the dialect of theDivine Emissary, the Messenger from God, the Representative of Man and the Redeemer of us all. But, those who secretly hated God and served different masters found Christ's words unwelcome and disturbing and some mischievously, like the Pharisee and Sadducee, attempted to pervert their meaning. Some even dared called the Son of God a barbarian even when He spoke the Will of God in the words of the Spirit of God.

The Pharisees, who ostensibly practised the religion of Abraham, were far removed from the spirit of this great Patriarch. They pretended to belong to the Kingdom but its spirit eluded them and consequently they were unable to understand the dialect of the Kingdom of God and the message in the Words of Christ. The Pharisee understood the works of men inspired by Ahriman and not the idioms and properties of Divine Speech. And, when spoken to by Christ they, strangers to it, ridiculed it and despised it. They not only failed to hear but also consciously made the effort notto hear. Moreover, this deep resentment and refusal to listen to God is an endemic trait of those who have immersed themselves in the spirit of Ahriman and whose corrupted hearts are hardened to the Message of Christ.

The Pharisees did not hear Christ's words because they had closed their ears, narrowed their minds, hardened their hearts, content in the falsity of their man-made construct, the Talmud; a work ultimately inspired by the Dark God,Ahriman who the Bible calls Satan. That is why, Christ, after disproving the Pharisee boast of their relation to both Abraham and to God, condemns them as Satan's seed. For, they are of the Serpent's Seed and thus "are of your father the Devil." Then, after this shocking charge, Christ proves it by a disputation that leaves no doubt of His knowledge of them and whom they truly worshipped. Christ condemns them as the willing tool of Evil.

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." (John 8:44-45).

The very actions and words of the Pharisees condemn them. They satisfy their lusts that are the Devil's lusts, and compelled by this Evil, gratify and please Satan, who is also called Ahriman, who is their true god of worship. And, by yielding to Ahriman's temptation, they are not only led captives by him, compliant to his will, but also they do those lusts, which Ahriman himself carries out. Ahriman is a spiritual being of immense power but he cannot himself satisfy fleshly and worldly lusts which he must enjoy vicariously by corrupting mortal men to commit them for him. Spiritual wickedness is Ahriman's forte. He induces men to crave intellectual power but an intellect devoid of Divine Wisdom. Acorrupt reasoning that ultimately leads to alienation of the spirit and the denial of mankind's spiritual nature and so his true spiritual inheritance. Also, such craving of the intellect cultivates pride and envy, arrogance and jealousy, wrath and malice, and thereby a fostering a great enmity to that which is "good." Moreover, it nurtures a great desire to entice others into this corruption.

Consequently, those who are in thraldom of these intellectual lusts resemble Ahriman/Satan, as the child does the parent. The more men contemplate the nature of reality and of God with an abiding intellectual arrogance and in self-satisfaction the more their constructs fall into error and the more it resembles the lusts of Ahriman. And, when sin is committed by choice and not by accident, with pleasure and not with prudence, when it is persisted in with effrontery and resoluteness, then, as Christ told them: "the lusts of your father ye will do."

The Pharisees revelled in two great sins by whose possession they manifestly resembled Evil: murder and lying, For,Evil is the enemy of Life while God is the God of Life and life is the happiness of man; similarly, Evil is the enemy toTruth, because God is the God of Truth and truth is the bond of human society. .

Posted with permission from Ian Welsh, web master of this great web site, The Overlords of Chaos. <<<Click to visit their magnificent web site.

For more information about the author, his books and web sites, please click on Joe Ortiz

The True "Vine" Is Jesus Christ, by Alf Hutchinson

2011-12-31T04:24:00.000-08:00

A Profound Message from our brother Alf Hutchinson of Obadiah Ministries...

THE TRUE VINE JESUS CHRIST

Throughout 2011 God has been challenging me regarding the present day State of Israel…at first I was very puzzled, and in fact at times extremely perplexed by the questions which I found myself constantly asking … “Are these inhabitants of the State of Israel, founded in 1948, the actual decedents of Abraham through his sons Isaac and Jacob… or are they not Jews at all but proselytes…or is there a remnant of true descendants and the vast majority fakes?

ROM 9:27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of thechildren of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved.

When I first started investigating who these inhabitants of the State of Israel since 1948, really are, I was shocked almost speechless…it was so bad that at times I could not bring myself to write on the Jews, for fear of what the bible warns… Gen 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

People were writing into this ministry threatening me!! ‘God was going to curse me because I was questioning the validity of His chosen ones, the Jews.’

I had for years shared this same view that they were ‘His chosen ones’ , ‘the apple of His eye’; and that I should come alongside them, encourage them and help them, regardless of any atrocities they might be committing, simply because everything that they did had God’s approval; and who was I to question God?

I know understand that the promise was made to Abraham and never to the Jewish nation…but this verse has been used by ‘Jews’ with evil intent, to warn the Christian and non-Christian nations to “Back off, Goyim, we are the untouchables…we are God’s chosen race to this day BEWARE!!!”… if you still believe this, then I beg you to stay reading, because, believe it or not, there are Zionist ‘evangelist’ preaching this unscriptural nonsense. Dispensationalists with no consciences…

Remember well Paul’s words to those in Rome Rom 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

11:23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, forGod is able to graft them in again.

Severity (Wrath) fell upon the Jews (who do not believe in Jesus the Messiah)… and goodness comes to all who believe in Jesus the Messiah; but beware you can be cut off if you do not continue in His goodness…God will graft the Jews back into the Vine only when they believe in Jesus their Messiah and not a second before

Here it is in a nutshell… here is both the goodness and the wrath of God!! We see God’s goodness towards all who continue in His goodness i.e. continue doing God’s will …remember Jesus’ words?... John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

15:4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

15:6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

15:7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

15:8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will beMy disciples.

15:9 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

15:10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.

And there is the answer, right before our very eyes; but through false teaching and cunning Zionist indoctrination, Christians have been blinded "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser … neither Israel, nor the Jews, or their religion, or keeping of the Law is the vine … we as Christians are not grafted into them we are grafted into the TRUE Vine Jesus …we in fact owe man absolutely nothing , but we owe Jesus everything … He is the vine into which we are grafted … His is the great nation of people without number… His is the trueIsrael of God… not some piece of real estate. And we who believe in Jesus are the true children of Israel…the true chosen of God.

The writer of Hebrews explains it so well HEB 11:16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. And John witnessed that new Citycoming down out of Heaven RV 3:12 "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

RV 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Now in 2012 start worshipping this great God of ours…Jesus The Christ…in Spirit and in truth…Amen

There is no better time than right now to spread the Gospel of God’s unbelievable Grace; why not do it?

Yours In His Name

Alf Hutchison

info@obadiahoutreach.org

www.obadiahoutreach.org

http://www.youtube.com/obadiahoutreach

2011-11-28T07:17:00.001-08:00

Apostasy? What Does That Word Really Mean?

Most knowledgable Christians have heard about The Apostasy, which is written about in the Bible in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, connecting it to their understanding of 'end times' chronology, of which they believe Jesus cannot Rapture them to Heaven until first 'The Apostasy' occurs. Interestingly enough they attribute this apostasy concerns more so to the moral declination of the world than viewing its application to Christians turning away from their faith in Jesus Christ.

Obviously, our world today (and for many preceeding centuries) the morality of mankind has been corrupt almost from its beginning, and it's obvious it has not become more holy, nor can we view it as such in the future, any time soon. Those in the "Postmillennian" doctrinal camp, as well as those in the "Dominionist" movement are optimistic that man's proclivity to sin can be conquered before Jesus Christ returns to set things straight.

Actually the word aposty cannot be found in the Bible, although many interpret it as such as the original Greek word in that verse is the noun apostasia (of which W.E. Vine's Greek Dictionary states it means "a defection, revolt, apostasy," is used in the NT of religious apostasy; in Acts 21:21, it is translated "to forsake," lit., "thou teachest apostasy from Moses." In 2 Thess. 2:3 "the falling away" signifies apostasy from the faith. In papyri documents it is used politically of rebels. Note: For "mighty fall," Rev. 18:21, RV).

The words defection, revolt, forsake, rebellion and falling away actually project a more defined meaning, one that the apostle Paul is telling us has to be applied to those people who (heretofore) had great faith in Jesus Christ. For those who believe that a Christian cannot lose their salvation once they accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour, they need to reexamine the fact that they could (and will face) experiences and or circumstances in their future that could very well lump them into that group.

Most certainly, Jesus Christ has promised Christians that nothing can come between Him and His love for His servants (See Romans 8:28-39), which is so true. However, it is obvious in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 that this great falling away is will become a reality for many who claim (or have claimed) they are Christian; but, yet, for some reason they rebelled, defected and forsook their relationship with Jesus. The Lord will never forsake His loved ones, but can and will His loved ones forsake Him under certain circumstances? Being that Christians have not gained perfection in their lives (and never will until Jesus returns), does this mean that every time we commit a sin we are rebelling, forsaking and defecting the faith? If we decide to leave our respective churches because we don't like the pastor nor his sermons mean we have also abandoned the faith? These are legitimate questions, which we have answered in the Seventh Chapter of our book, Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation (The Sequel to The End Times Passover).

To help you to better understand this extremely important question (if not the most important one a Christian needs an answer to), we are posting the entire chapter here for your examination:

Why Christians WillSuffer Great Tribulation

By Joe Ortiz

Chapter 7 TheApostasy

According to the belief held byproponents in their secret pre-tribulation escape to heaven theory, the ChristianChurch will not have to endure any form of persecution before The SecondAdvent. Instead, it will be “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air andthen whisked up to reside safely in heaven during a time of great tribulationthat supposedly will last between three and a half to seven years. The Christian Church, then, supposedlyreturns with Christ after this a period of great tribulation on earth, which isto include the punishing of the Jacob’s descendants (Jews) untorepentance. As their theory goes, the Christian Church will be Raptured (1Thessalonians 4:16, 17) before this awesome period they call The GreatTribulation. Hal Lindsey contendsthat the Rapture takes place somewhere between 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 2Thessalonians 2:1, where it speaks about the coming of the Lord at His SecondAdvent after the seven years of tribulation have expired.

Lindsey and other theoristsclaim that what is spoken about in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (the dead in Christare raised first and those who are still alive at that time are “caught uptogether” to be with the Lord in heaven), and what is spoken about in 2Thessalonians 2:1-3 (that day, the coming of the Lord, will not come until therebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed), is supposedlydescribing two separate events, ostensibly separated by a seven-year period oftime. One question the author would asktheorists, at this juncture, is, “If Paul is informing the called out onesin 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that they will be caught together with those whosleep in Christ to be with the Lord to heaven before the Great Tribulation, whyis it necessary for Paul to reassure the ecclesia (in 2 Thessalonians2:1-3) that The Second Advent of the Lord will not happen until afterthe rebellion and the revealing of the man of lawlessness?” If (as theorists’ scenarios go) the calledout ones are supposed to be in heaven before the apostasy and the man oflawlessness will be revealed, why is it necessary that the Christian Churchbe informed about this aspect, a prospect that it would take for granted ifindeed it supposedly will be returning with the Lord from heaven at TheSecond Advent?

Theorists claim that 1Thessalonians 4:16-17 addresses solely the Pre-tribulation Rapture that issupposed to happen seven years before The Second Advent and that 2Thessalonians 2:1-3 pertains only to The Second Advent of Christ. Theyclaim that Paul (in these two letters) is discussing two different events.Rather than enter this debate again, we will ask the reader to go back andreread Chapter 7 (He Comes With HisHoly Ones) ofthis book for explicit clarification.

The author believes thatscripture clearly conveys that both letters to the Thessalonians were writtenby Paul solely to encourage the ecclesia about The Second Advent. In the first letter, Paul discusses theresurrection (which theorists call The Rapture), which is the fact that thedead in Christ will be raised first and those called out ones who arestill alive and waiting will immediately be caught together with them to meetthe Lord in the air, and then be with Him forever. In the second letter, Paul’s main messageconcerns the timing of the resurrection and the Lord’s returnand, he states emphatically, that this cannot happen until “the rebellionand the man of lawlessness is revealed.”

Let’s examine this apostasyaspect. First of all, what causes this rebellion? Who does the rebelling? Andwhat do these apostates rebel against? These are very important questions,which the author will attempt to answer.

Firstly, at the beginning ofthe second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul is seen boasting about the “perseveranceand faith in all the persecutions and trials” that the Thessalonians areenduring. Here, Paul is acknowledging tothem (and to all of the ecclesia) that to stand up for God will resultin much tribulation. Since the time ofChrist’s resurrection, ascension and subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit(which sealed the down payment on God’s redemption program), the single mostimportant requirement for the ecclesia has been to preach the Gospel andbelieve in the Lord Jesus Christ by faith and “Thou shalt be saved, (Romans 10:9, KJV).” Throughout the beginningof time, and even more so since the resurrection of Christ, it has been Satan’sprimary mission to hammer a wedge between the believer and God. This historic war has been waged from the timeof Adam and Eve and continues to this very day. However, during the last days (when tribulation will increaseexponentially, leading to Christ’s return), the battle will intensify as neverbefore. One of the missions (if not theprimary one) of Satan (during this period) will be to try even harder toseparate as many believers as he can from their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,because he knows his time is short. Theincreased times of persecutions to be unleashed by the Satanically-imbued manof lawlessness, during thisperiod of great tribulation, will be primarily for that purpose. It is notdesigned for God to punish a special group of people (supposedly Jacob and hisdescendants) for turning their backs on Him, and much less for inflictingenough pain on Jacob’s descendants so that they will eventually buckle under itand repent. One of the main purposes for the increased time of tribulation atthe hands of the man of lawlessness is for God to purify and separate His ecclesiafrom the unrepentant. This is why during this period of persecution we willwitness the greatest evangelizing season in history, a time of reckoning whereall of humanity (including Christians) will have to finally choose their allegiancebetween God and Satan, regardless of the consequences that may befall them!

Many in the Christian Churchtoday believe that when they accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior they nowhave immunity from persecution and a safety net in what theorists call TheRapture. They believe that by merely accepting Jesus Christ in their hearts,everything in their Christian journey from now on will be one smooth ride toheaven. The debate between those who believe that “once saved, always saved”continues to this very day. The author will not enter this debate other than tosay scripture clearly says two things about this issue. One is found in Romans8:1, 35-39, which basically states that nothing can separate us from the loveof Christ. However, even though He will always be committed to loving us, canwe say the same thing about Him, regardless of the horrendous circumstancesthat await the ecclesia before The Second Advent? Therefore, theproverbial question begs to be asked: Can a person lose their salvation aftercoming to Christ?” The answer is“Yes!” In Hebrews 6:1-6, the authorprovides the following warning:

Thereforelet us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, notlaying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and offaith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, theresurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,who have tasted the heavenly gift,who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the wordof God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to bebrought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Sonof God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace, (Hebrews6:1-6, NIV). [Underline and bold is by the author, solely for emphasis]

Verse four is very important,in that it clearly states that even those who have tasted the heavenly gift(which is the power gifts from the Holy Spirit), they can fall away into astate of apostasy. However, as the Bible states in 1 John 1:9-10, “If weconfess our sins, he is faithful to forgive us our sins and purify us from allunrighteousness. If, however, we claim we have not sinned we make Himout to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.” It should be obvious to all true believersthat to claim there is no sin in us is to not only call the Lord a liar, but itwould also find us denying the power of the Holy Spirit, which convicts us ofsin. Here is where the Christian comesperilously close to committing the unpardonable sin spoken of in Matthew 12:31and Mark 3:29:

And soI tell you, every sin and blasphemy against the Spirit will not beforgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a wordagainst the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the HolySpirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come, (Matthew 12:31,32, NIV).

What is blasphemy? This is anissue that has been debated for centuries. However, W. E. Vine provides a soundunderstanding of blasphemy, when he stated that, “As to Christ's teachingconcerning "blasphemy" against the Holy Spirit, e.g., Matt. 12:32,that anyone, with the evidence of the Lord's power before His eyes, shoulddeclare it to be Satanic, exhibited a condition of heart beyond Divineillumination and therefore hopeless. Divine forgiveness would be inconsistentwith the moral nature of God. As to the Son of Man, in his state ofhumiliation, there might be misunderstanding, but not so with the Holy Spirit'spower demonstrated.” (W. E. Vine’s, An Expository Dictionary of BiblicalWords, Page 124, Thomas Nelson Publishers) [Underline is by the author, solelyfor emphasis]

Can our salvation be lost ortaken away without our acquiescence? Theauthor believes the answer is a resounding no! In Romans 8:35-39, it emphatically states that nothing can separate usfrom the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. He will forgive those who seek His forgiveness. However, during the timeof tribulation (and even today), many that profess to believe in the Lord JesusChrist will rebel and will turn away from their faith in Christ!During these times of trials and testing, many will renounce Jesus Christ asLord and savior merely to survive tribulation at the hands of anti-Christianforces. For example, in Luke 8:4-8, we read about the parable of the sower,which perfectly describes the degree of effectiveness the word of God has on mankind. In verses 11 through 15, Jesus gives thedisciples the exact meaning of the parable so there will be nomisunderstanding:

This isthe meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones whohear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, sothat they cannot believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy whenthey hear it, but they have not root. Theybelieve for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands forthose who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries,riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for thosewith a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by perseveringproduce crop, (Luke 8:11-15, NIV). [Bold and underline is by the author, solelyfor emphasis]

This parable is identical tothe one in Matthew 13:1-9, which is interpreted in verses 18 through 23, andMark 4:1-9, and verses 13 through 20. However, in Matthew’s and Mark’s account, we see how much of a crop is producedby the “good soil” man, “yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what wassown.”

This message of sowing andreaping is immersed throughout the New Testament, including the parable of thetalents (Matt. 25:14-30 and the ten Minas (Luke 19:11-27). Let’s briefly look at Matthew 25:14-30:

Again,it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrustedhis property to them. 14 To one he gavefive talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, eachaccording to his ability. Then he wenton his journey. 16 The man who hadreceived the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gainedfive more. 17 So also, the one with thetwo talents gained two more. 18 But theman who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hidhis master’s money. 19 After a long timethe master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talentsbrought the other five. ‘Master,’ hesaid, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; Iwill put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with twotalents; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 his master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; Iwill put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are ahard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have notscattered seed. 25 So I was afraid andwent out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have notsown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money ondeposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it backwith interest. 28 Take the talent fromhim and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be givenmore, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, wherethere will be seeping and gnashing of teeth, (Matthew 25:14-30, NIV)[Underline and bold is by the author, solely for emphasis]

We all know that a person issaved by grace, not of works, that any one should boast. This merely implies that we didn’t have towork to receive the gift of salvation. However, throughout the entire Bible, wesee that God has chosen (Acts 13:48) and called out from amongthe world, a people (ecclesia) for a specific purpose. These people (ecclesia) who have been calledout from (ecclesia) the world have not been called out to escape thetribulation of the world; but, rather, to be a major influence (if not anintegral part) in the fulfillment of God’s overall plan of redemption!

Therefore, the degree ofeffectiveness that the word of God has on the individual believer, as evidencedin the parable of the sower, will have much to say about who will turn awayfrom God during great persecutionsthat will intensify immediately prior to the Lord’s return! Let’s examine Luke, Chapter 8.

There appears to be four typesof people who are referred to in the parable of the sower. There is the path group, those whohear the message about the kingdom, but don’t understand. The rocky places group, those thathear the word and receive it with joy, but have no root; henceforth, the wordlasts for a short time and, then, when trouble or persecution comes, because ofthe word, they quickly fall away. Thenthere is the thorns group, those who hear the word, but the worries ofthis life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. Then, there is the good soil group,the ones who hear the word and understand it. And, as Luke 8:15 states, “But the seed on good soil stands for thosewith those with a noble and good heart, who hear he word, retain it, and bypersevering, he produces a crop, (Luke 8:15, NIV).”

One of the greatest phenomenabeing experienced in evangelical circles today is the massive rallies andcrusades that feature dynamic preachers extolling the gospel of JesusChrist. At these events, many are movedto a so-called conversion by the charisma of the speakers and the greatemotional swell that springs up from the crowds. The author believes that many are sincerewhen they come to the forefront and truly surrender their hearts to the callingof the Holy Spirit. But have theysurrendered all to follow Christ? Have they made a commitment to pick up theircross and give up everything, even their life to do his will? The authorbelieves that many are caught up more so with the swell of emotional andeuphoric experience produced by the theatrics of the event, and possibly experiencea brief moment of remorse. But, for the most part, many have not really made atrue commitment to the totality of the Christian walk. While many enjoy the healing, forgiveness andthe blessings contained within Christianity, most are not prepared to surrendereverything and make Jesus the Lord and Master of their lives. They love theblessings, but won’t pick up their cross!

The author remembers anexperience of this sort while attending a Baptist Bible conference in HumeLake, California, back in 1956. Theauthor can still hear the preacher belting out those oft heard words: “You have to repent, you have to accept theblood of Jesus, you have to be saved or you’re going to Hell!” The author can still remember going up to thealtar, getting down on his knees and pouring out his soul, tearfully asking Godto forgive him for his sins. However,after he came back to his hometown, after momentarily feeling a beautiful peacein his heart, the memory of the event would soon become an isolated part of hisyouthful past. The author never attendedanother event like that again until January 5, 1975, at a small Assemblies ofGod Church in Montebello, California. Itwas there that he was again led to Christ by a youthful pastor named DavidTanner. Since then, the author’s life inJesus has grown at a consistent pace, albeit filled with much strife andlife-altering challenges. Was the authortruly saved back at Hume Lake when he accepted Christ in 1956? Or was he saved on January 5, l975? The author does not truly know. However, theimportant aspect to this story is not when the author was saved, but ratherwhen did the word of God take hold of him and begin producing fruit?

The Bible specifically statesthat we (called out ones) were chosen in Him before the creation of theworld to be holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4) and that we were alsopredestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son that he might be thefirstborn among many brothers. And those(called out ones) He predestined, He also called; those He called, Hejustified; those He justified, He also glorified (Romans 8:29, 30). These scriptural verses assure the authorthat God has chosen him and has called him out from the world for apurpose. But, should the author everreject this calling (as Judas, one of the Lord’s original apostles did), thenhe doesn’t believe that he can rest solely on his church membership to assurehim a spot at the great reunion God has in store for His true disciples!

It appears then that the onlysin that God cannot forgive is when the called out ones blatantly rejectthe calling by Holy Spirit, which is an act of blasphemy against almightyGod. All other sins He forgives, if theycome to the throne of grace and confess them to Him. But how will the author (and the totalprofessing community of Christians) react when these horrific times ofincreased tribulation come upon us? Those represented as the pathway group evidently have notunderstood the word of God, and it would appear that they would have adifficult time holding firm during this period if they know not how to live bythe word of God. Those of the rockgroup will also have difficulty, because they have no root (although theybelieve for a while); but, in the time of extreme testing (as prophesied inMatthew 24:5-12), many will definitely fall away! Those of the thorngroup appear headed for an even greater time of trouble because their hopes layin wealth, which deceitfully seduces their need for security. But, moreimportantly, they are choked from life’s worries, riches and pleasures - andthey do not mature! The good soil group, those with a noble and goodheart, however, hears and retains the word of God and, by persevering, producesa crop! If we were to view these fourgroups of people (the pathway group, the rock group, the thorngroup and the good soil group) existing during the time of tribulation,which group would we most likely see coming through great tribulation more orless unscathed.

In the Book of Revelation,where it speaks about the letters to the seven angels of the seven churches(which could represent varying degrees of the Christian walk, throughouthistory), it appears that the pathway group is not mentioned; the rockgroup could very well be applied to the church in Ephesus, you have forsakenyour first love, (Revelation 2:4); the thorn group could very wellbe applied to the church in Laodicea, You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquiredwealth and do not need a thing, (Revelation 3:17); and the good soilgroup could very well be applied to the church of Philadelphia, Since youhave kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour oftrial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth,(Revelation 3:10). The author is notproposing a new theory here, but rather, demonstrating how these verses blendharmoniously with each other, and how God’s word appears to be providing uswith an overall theme concerning the attitude (and walk) that should bemanifested in all professing Christians, especially those of the good soilgroup!

Theorists contend that the apostasymentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 does not apply to the Christian Churchbecause it will have been secretly caughtup from earth to heaven before the increasing times of greattribulation. They contend that the apostasyhere should be applied to the so-called “Roman Church” or other humanisticoriented religious groups, which will be more prevalent during this time. But, if they apply their theories solely tothese groups, or to unbelieving Jews, how can they see someone fall away fromsomething they never had, which is true faith in Jesus Christ?

Throughout history, satanicforces have waged a spiritual warfare against God and His people, and theycontinue to this very day. However, asthe end times approach the world, as we know it today, these battles willincrease tremendously. While many in theevangelical community continue to reach out for the lost through muchcommercialism and theatrics, Satan’s power is being felt with greater measurebecause he knows his time is short. Aquick cursory glance in the daily newspaper, and through radio and televisionreports, we can see Satan intensely pumping the bellows of his furnace ofdeception, hatred, violence and chaos, which, unfortunately (due to theincessant exploitation of these maladies by media) has also numbed much ofChristendom throughout the world, thereby fanning the flames of apostasy asnever before. These flames are reachinggreater heights and, unfortunately, we see way too many Christians falling intoone of these four groups by virtue of their spiritual malaise. Far too many Christians have become part ofthe “pathway” group, those who hear but don’t understand. Many are thosewho walk with the “rocky places” group, those who hear and accept withjoy but have no root to resist during times of trouble. Most of today’sChristians can be found among the “thorns” group, those who hear theword of God; however they are being choked by worries, riches andpleasures. Thank God for those of the “goodsoil,” whom the author believes are the ones which will be primarilyresponsible for bringing more lost sinners into the Kingdom of God, especiallyduring the last days!

True, we do have an apostasyperiod now; however, as Paul states in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the fulfillment ofthe final rebellion (by those who profess to be walking with God) will occur inmassive proportions immediately before the Lord’s Second Advent! Let’s examine a group of scriptures thatspeaks directly to this period of time:

Butmark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, loversof money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful,unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal,not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasurerather than lovers of God – 5 having a form of godliness but denying itspower. Have nothing to dowith them. 6 They are the kindwho worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who areloaded down with desires, 7 always learning but never able to acknowledgethe truth. 8 Just as Jannes andJambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth – men of depravedminds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, asin the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone, (2 Timothy3:1-9, NIV). [Underline and bold is by the author, solely for emphasis]

Here we see a perfect exampleof the people who fit the “thorn” group. The key to this group of scriptures is found in verse 5, which bearsrepeating: “Having a form ofGodliness but denying its power!” Here we see a group of so-called ‘church’ people who mouth religiousprecepts, make claim to being God-fearing and righteous. However, when it comesto living and walking a life of faith in Christ, they struggle between truefaith verses money, power and their own glories, which will include theoverindulgence of worldly pleasures. Throughout history, and now more recently, many well-known people of thecloth have been excommunicated from their church groups, or convicted of crimesthat go against the will of God. Sadly, many who have once been enlightened, ifthey fall away, it will be impossible to be brought back to repentance, becauseto their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjectinghim to public disgrace, (Hebrews 6:4-6,NIV). This sad fact will become more pronounced as the day of wrath draws nigh.In verses 10 through 17, however, we see the author describing so beautifullythe “good soil” group.

You,however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith,patience, love, endurance, 11 persecutions, sufferings –what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, thepersecutions I endured. Yet the Lordrescued me from all of them. 12 Infact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will bepersecuted, 13 while evil men and imposters will go from bad toworse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have becomeconvinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how frominfancy you have known the Holy Scripture, which are able to make you wise forsalvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may bethoroughly equipped for every good work, (2 Timothy 3:10-17, NIV). [Underlineand bold is by the author, solely for emphasis]

The key to this group ofscriptures is found in verse 12, which also deserves repeating: “In fact, everyone who wants to live agodly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted!” Therefore, it appears that during the endtimes, two major groups of confessing Christians will exist in the world: thosewho will turn away from their faith in God during horrendous times, and thosewho will knowingly face persecution for the testimony of Jesus. God is no respecter of men. He either is for you because you believe inthe saving grace of Jesus Christ, or He is against you because you haverejected His gift of salvation. It isobvious from the examples we have given so far that the first three groups (thepathway, the rocky places and the thorns) will not befound enduring times of great tribulation. Instead, they will be giving in tohorrific pressures (including the mark of the beast), while those people whohave decided to trust in Jesus (even if it means being executed) will inheritthe fulfillment of the Kingdom of God when the Lord returns.

It should therefore beconcluded that a “falling away” is to be seen from the beginning of time;however, its massive culmination will be seen during the persecutory reign ofthe man of lawlessness. If, as theoristscontend, the antichrist (or Beast) is known to exist three and a half yearsbefore his true nature is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3), and has subtlyimplemented his 666 program (where no one can buy or sell without the mark), itbecomes evident that enduring for Jesus Christ will require a greater amount offaith and commitment than ever before, which will be obviously lacking in the pathway,rocky places and thorn groups, but not in the good soilpeople of Christ!

Hal Lindsey and others see thisapostasy as being a single event (which can be measured in a day’s time);however, as scripture reveals, the “apostasy” should not be viewed in a timelyevent-like fashion, but rather, as an escalating swell of rebellion towardJesus Christ! There is no set magicalday seen here in 2 Thessalonians 2:3; but, rather, it will be a rapidly andincreasing fulfillment of a defection and revolt against God’s savinggrace. Sides will be chosen! Those who are Christ’s will stand up and becounted! Those who are not trulycommitted (unto to death) for Christ, will align themselves with the man oflawlessness and accept the mark of the Beast. Many professing Christians will even join the Beast as he makes war onthe called out ones until he has overpowered and killed many of them(Daniel 7:21; 11:32-35; 12:7). However, part of the ecclesia will come through this ordeal unscathed, having beenprotected by God’s End Times Passover program! Those that remain will get to see their dead brethren in Christ risefirst as they themselves will be caught together with them greet and have ameeting with the Lord in the air, then escort Him back to earth in all Hisglory, as He returns to judge those who believed not, then to reign with Him onearth forever and ever.

As the author stated earlier,these that remain are not the so-called “tribulation saints” in the sense thatthey were left behind after theso-called Rapture and eventually repented due to tribulation and or God’swrath. These are all of those called out ones who will be on earthduring the reign of the man of lawlessness and will eventually overcome him byfaithfully preaching the Gospel to the glory of Jesus Christ, even untodeath! Yes! Many will be martyred but many will also passthrough the tribulation of antichristian forces unscathed! These will not be semi-converted Christiansor Jews who accept salvation resulting fromGod-inflicted-punishment-until-you-repent. These will be the called out onesof Christ, God’s ecclesia, who will be victorious in the greatestspiritual warfare ever witnessed by mankind. These will be God’s ChristianSoldiers who will be preaching the gospel to the end, even if it means givingup their lives so others can live in eternity with Jesus Christ, our Lord andour God!

~30~

For more information about the author and his books, web sites and blogs, please click on Joe Ortiz

When Are We Saved? Do We Really Know?

2011-10-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

It is always a pleasure to repost the works of our dear friend, Alf Hutchinson, who ministers in South Africa. Brother Alf, a disciple of Christ who has been blessed with Holy Spirit wisdom, always provides us with unique Bible insights that edifies and enhances the Kingdom of God. Enjoy!

WHEN ARE WE SAVED?

We know beyond doubt that we are saved by Grace EPH 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, …note that we are saved by grace THROUGH FAITH …. How many times have I heard people saying “I am saved by grace and grace alone”.

When we are called by God, a process is put into action …the first step being an inexplicable urge within us to turn from your sinful, wicked ways (in many spheres this is known as Prevenient Grace); and it is the initial prompting of the Holy Spirit of God for us mere sinful mortals to ask for forgiveness and turn to Him; a process referred to as repentance; this happens after hearing or reading of the Kingdom and Jesus’ work on Calvary’s cross… we may respond immediately to this anomaly; or it may takes days, weeks or even months for us to respond…or we may never respond. ROM 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Jesus referred to this process in His parable of the Sower Matt 13:18 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:

13:19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

13:20 "But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

13:21 "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

13:22 "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

13:23 "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

From the above parable we can see various ways that the message (seed) is received and our subsequent responding to it by faith. We must ask ourselves the question “Were those that received the word by the wayside, or on stony ground, or among the thorns saved, and then subsequently lost their salvation?” How many times have I heard the argument “Oh he or she obviously was not saved in the first place” or “If they were truly saved they would never have done that”…

Jesus never ever said that ‘being saved’ would be easy and He tells us this inMatt 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.

7:14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. That is correct dear reader THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND SALVATION.

We as believers get so hooked up on certain elements of doctrine that sometimes we are blinded to the truth…we are so frightened of this word ‘works’ that we believe that we can do nothing to enter into salvation it is solely by grace … well possibly we are wrong. Paul tells those at Philippi 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

John writes in his epistles of the importance of loving our brothers and he goes on to say 1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. The inference here is that there are some who did not continue to believe and no longer have eternal life…

James tells us categorically that we are justified by our works

James 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble!

2:20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.

2:24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Jesus tells all the believers Matt 24:12 "And because lawlessness will abound,the love of many will grow cold.24:13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Please note that these are true believing Christians Jesus is referring to, not some group of ‘Left behind’ Jews as some Dispensationalist preachers would have us believe in there false “Rapture’ doctrine.

Here Jesus is talking to the likes of you and me and He is saying “Keep the faith….keep going in spite of all tribulation…Love your God with all your heart mind and soul…love your neighbor as yourself …do unto others as you would have them do unto you…THEN YOU WILL BE SAVED….

Paul did exactly that until he breathed his last and fell asleep 2TM 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Jesus paid the price for our sins upon Calvary’s cross, this gift comes with a price (nowhere does it say that it is a FREE gift) Love the Lord your God with all your mind, heart and soul and your fellow man as yourself…If you are not doing that, then I would suggest you start right away…remember well what happened to the man who never used his Talent?

Matt 25:30 'And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

There is no better time than right now to spread the Gospel; why not do it?

Yours In His Name

Alf Hutchison

info@obadiahoutreach.org

www.obadiahoutreach.org

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American Patriotism: What is the Christian's Duty?

2011-09-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

The tenth anniversary of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks (by alleged Muslim radicals) was brought boldly into the eyes of the American public, through a myriad of media and sporting events. Even on the Internet, millions of people commented with well-wishes and prayers of remembrance, especially for the surviving family members who lost loved ones. Many politicians and other renowned celebrities were provided the opportunity to express their resolve through patriotic remarks. Extra special commemorations were viewed by television and audiences attending numerous sporting events. Reactions to the commemorations ranged from somber emotions to teary-eye sadness, some with resolute patriotism, others with epithetical remarks ranging from resolute patriotism to ethnic and religious vitriol (primarily) aimed at Muslims and dark-skinned Middle East peoples.
I too became emotional, remembering my first reaction to the news on September 11, 2001 that the TWC had been attacked. Ever since that horrible day, my thoughts have always been, "I knew this would happen one day, but it didn't have to be so!!"
Throughout my years of study (especially Bible precepts), I have accepted the fact that there exists a "sowing and reaping" reality that applies to all aspects of human life, whether it be individually or collectively, that basically states that God will not be mocked. As the Bible clearly documents (especially when you read the books of 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles), those nations that placed God first always prospered, those that chose to worship other gods faltered. War is a god!!
Americans continuously proclaim that our country was founded on godly principles and, for the most part they have worked hard to implement this edict. Sadly, American leaders, especially, believed that Americans were blessed by God and through divine providence have been destined to rule the free world. By virtue of their historically documented Imperial journey, it conquered many countries throughout the world (mostly defenseless ethnic regions like the Philippines, Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico), and historically acquired and built a military arsenal that proved victorious in most of its (chosen) conflicts, Viet Nam being the possible exception. [To best understand this phenomenon, I urge you to read The Imperial Cruise, written by James Bradley, the son of one of the soldiers who hoisted the American flag on Iwo Jima]

Most of America's imperial treks have been overseas and it has been fortunate in not experiencing any invasive assaults on U.S. soil in its history. The only war in the United States occurred among brothers and sisters (who lived in the North and the South), and that one we called a civil war. Ten years ago we finally experienced the first attack in this country, which has left most American stunned! It didn't have to happen, but true divine providence occurred, and that was a long-time coming. And, we can expect more attacks in the future!

I will be accused of being a wimpy pacifist for stating my feelings about war, which I have expressed as far back as I can remember, even though for a while, I was just as Gung Ho as John Wayne when I served in the Air Force in the early 60's. By the grace of God, I was never in any combat situations, but have worked with a myriad of veterans throughout my career (especially those who served in Viet Nam), and the horror stories they shared with me literally churned my stomach to nauseous apoplexy. That was the same feeling I had all day long, as I witnessed all of the commemoration ceremonies of 911.

Am I being "anti-American" for feeling this way? Not in the least because this issue is not about patriotism, it's about witnessing how millions upon millions of people who have not only been duped by its imperial-bent leaders, but the majority of them (along with many self-avowed Christians) cannot make a distinction between who they should serve, the flag or the cross. Albert James Dager, who wrote the following article, stated it best:

AmericanPatriotism by Albert James Dager.

What is the Christian's Duty?

Duringthe 1991 war in the Persian Gulf, and the period leading up to it, acontroversy of no small proportions arose among Christians -- a controversythat actually split the brethren over the issue of patriotism. The accusationsof treason and being un-American lodged against those who opposed the war inthe Persian Gulf, exposed as nothing short of idolatry the blind patriotismdearly clung to by many professing Christians.

Treason means to involve oneself in subversive activities to the detriment ofone's country with the purpose of benefitting another country or politicalentity. By this definition, a mere difference of opinion about governmentpolicy, or refusal to support the government in its agenda for war, does notmake one a traitor or un-American. This is a mentality suited to totalitariangovernments wherein one is considered a traitor for his opposition to the stateregardless of how contrary to the interests of the citizenry the policies ofthe state may be.

Christians should probably not break fellowship over the policies of nationalgovernments. Nevertheless, while going to war over the Persian Gulf maycertainly have been viewed by many as a matter of national duty, we areconvinced it cannot be Biblically viewed as a matter of ourChristian duty. To equate loyalty to any political or military agenda asrequired service to God makes an idol of that agenda and the nation that holdsit.

Whatever one chooses to do or think regarding a Christian's duty "to fightfor his country," he must be led by the Spirit of God. Of allareas in life that we should seek God's leading, it must be whether we shouldjoin an organization led by unregenerate men that would require us to killothers. To enter into killing others on the basis of trust of men in governmentis to play very loosely with our freedom in Christ.

When we become impassioned over the world's conflicts to the point where we arewilling to kill others or to die merely upon the orders of government, we havelost sight of our Lord's calling upon our lives. And, more importantly, we'velost sight of His ability to control the destinies of nations without ourinvolvement or interference.

In the face of the world's conflicts, we rightly discern that the destructionwreaked by a tyrant is evil; but we fail to perceive that the destruction maybe God's will in order to work out His sovereign purposes. We do not fullyunderstand God's plan in worldly conflicts. In some cases, He may want a tyrantto succeed. And we may find ourselves fighting against God's purpose.

If this sounds incredible to our carnal minds, let us remember how Goddestroyed nations for the benefit of Israel, then destroyedIsrael for its failure to live in obedience to Him. Let us consider especiallyHis stern warning to Israel to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king ofBabylon (Jer. 27).

Many of today's Christians would have rallied to Israel's defense and said thatGod's prophets who instructed Israel to submit to Nebuchadnezzar were falseprophets. After all, "Would God send His people into captivity underpaganism, especially knowing that they would be serving pagan gods?"

Failing to understand this vital principle of God's sovereignty in the affairsof the nations, many Christians assume without question that the nation whichconfronts the tyrant with military force is acting with just cause -- yea, evenwith God's blessing! After all, its side in the conflict is "good."They assume that patriotism requires that they take up arms to kill in order todefend a country's "way of life" or to preserve its so-called"God-given liberties."

But true patriotism is love of the people, not love of the governmentalsystem. Whether democratic, dictatorship, communist, monarchy, or any otherform, governments exist for their own benefit. This world system is under thedirection of Satan. Within the world system there is little room for honor orfor truth for truth's sake. Governments do not look out for the welfare of thepeople; they look out for their own welfare.

Love for the people compels us to minister God's grace through the preaching ofthe Gospel. Until we have demonstrated that love to the people, we hardly havecause to kill or die for the government. How many Christians arewilling to die for their country, while refusing to die to self for their God?

Blind patriotism is idolatry. While our responsibility is greater to the nationin which we live, that responsibility, for the Christian, must be viewed inlight of our greater responsibility to the Kingdom of God. Is not theChristian's duty at least as important to the brethren in other nations as itis to our brethren in the nation in which we live? And shouldn't that duty helpus define our duty to the nation?

Yet the idolatrous message of blind patriotism has been the message from manypulpits in time of war. Christians go to war against Christians because theirgovernments tell them to do so. The 1991 Gulf War was an exception only to theextent that we went to war against one Moslem dictatorship in order to defendtwo other Moslem slave-holding states. Our chaplains could not even wearcrosses, and Bibles could not be mailed to our servicemen. American pilotsbombed churches out of existence, but not the mosques. Yet we were told that itwas our Christian duty to stand in support of this war.

"But," it is argued, "We cannot sit idly by. We must do what wecan to stop tyrants." While it is natural to think this way, Christiansmust be spiritually-minded. Natural-mindedness essentially questions God'sability to act in a sovereign manner without our help. But can any tyrant goany further than God allows him to go? The obvious answer is no. Can anyonestop the tyrant from going as far as God allows him to go? Again, the answer isno. No tyrant (and this includes Saddam Hussein) can deviate one iota fromGod's sovereign plan.

The Christian's greatest weapon is prayer. Scripture commands us to pray forour leaders. We are also to abide by the laws of the nation, to pay our taxes,and not to speak evil of dignitaries. This does not mean we cannot exposeungodliness, or refuse to obey laws that conflict with God's laws. Nor does itmean we must kill others or die for the government. God will use theungodly to stop the ungodly. He doesn't need our interference. TheChristian's involvement won't mean one iota of difference to the outcome of anyconflict. So why should God's people presume to take up arms andsuggest that they must be God's instrument of judgment -- especially in view ofgovernment's selective indignation for geo-political purposes?

Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world; if it were of this world,then would my servants fight." Yet Christians think that, in order toserve God, we must be willing to die or to kill for earthly governments. Isthis not a cult mentality? The Christian must ask himself, "Would the HolySpirit lead me to kill another person; and, if so, under whatcircumstances?"

Scripture tells us the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Gal. 5:22-23) -- attributesthe natural mind classifies as relevant to wimps. The works of the fleshinclude hatred, wrath, and strife (Gal. 5:20) -- attributes stirred by a spiritof warfare. If we are led by the Spirit of God, we will exhibit His fruit inour lives.

To follow after the dictates of government because of perceived righteousness,and not the leading of the Holy Spirit, demonstrates lack of trust in God's Word.Is it not peculiar that when a child wants to do what his friends are doing,and which adults perceive as wrong, the adults counter with the argument,"If your friends jumped off a bridge would you jump too?" Yet thosesame adults follow like lemmings the commands of unregenerate men whom theywouldn't even call friends.

The point is this: we must objectively weigh every command of authority againstGod's Word and against our conscience. But patriotism, peer pressure,indignation against tyrants, perception of "just" causes -- none ofthese take precedence over the leading of the Holy Spirit and God's Word forthe Christian's decisions. The only truly valid consideration is God's will asclearly set forth in His Word and through one's conscience as he matures in theFaith.

Yes, there will be a price to pay for those who, in good conscience, refuse tobe sent as lambs to the slaughter. Some will say that those who refuse to fightwill hurt their testimony, and will be looked upon as cowards. But cowardicedoes not always seek escape from death or dismemberment. Sometimes cowardicecan be found in those who, in spite of their convictions, allow themselves tobe herded like cattle to the slaughter rather than face the taunts of otherswho live in ignorance. To stand on patriotism alone blinds one to the will ofGod.

The United States seems prepared to continue to provide the economic andmilitary impetus to the globalist' agenda -- the New World Order. During andafter the 1991 Gulf War, President Bush spoke incessantly of a New World Order.It appears as if we will continue to expend ourselves in waging war orthreatening war until all nations comply with this agenda. We no longer fightfor sovereign kings and for the defense of our nation's soil, but insteadstrive for this New World Order, which the Bible tells us will eventuallyculminate in the unification of mankind in opposition to Jesus Christ when Hereturns.

The purpose in pointing out these things is to warn the brethren not to getinvolved in the globalists' agenda through the world's disputes lest theysuffer undue consequences. What is the role of the follower of Christ in themidst of this heady geo-political agenda? Is it not clear -- as we look at theteachings of Jesus and the apostles -- that we are not to take sides in theworld's disputes? We are but strangers and pilgrims here. Our citizenship is inheaven. Let heaven be the focus of our "patriotic fervor."

* This material has been excerpted and/or adapted from twoarticles that appeared in Media Spotlight ("Patriotism:What is the Christian's Duty?" Vol. 12 - No. 1, pp. 6-7; and "TheGulf Crisis," 2/91 Special Report, p. 6), both by Albert James Dager.

As a special feature, please click on The Flag or the Cross, to listen to an interview with guest Joe Ortiz conducted by Derek Gilbert on his View From the Bunker radio show on September 5, 2010. Joe expresses his views on the difference between loyalty to God and to country.

What is the biggest killer of all time? Wars? Diseases? Famines? Earthquakes? Nope! It's your tongue!

2011-09-07T05:47:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed the increase in acrimony, anger and evenhatred between you and your friends, family members and other associates? Thisis a growing problem and those who know and follow Jesus should know what isreally going on; and you don't have to be either a victim nor one who may beresponsible for promoting this destructive action.

We are told in Matthew 24 "that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved, (Matthew 24:10-13)."

Many may not be experiencing this malady, but I believe many do and may not realize they are feeding into this diabolical temptation because their heart is not right with God. Little do these sad and afflicted people realize that they pour gasoline into the fire when they gossip and embellish snide and even joking comments about others behind their backs. Those who do this are narcissistic control freaks who need healing.

We are told that arguments and acrimony and even hatred towards others is not really coming from you or the other person in question, that it is really the demons and evil spirits who are trying to create divisions among friends and relatives, as we are told in Ephesians 6:

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, (Ephesians 6:12).

We also see how we can overcome this negative participation (through gossip, lying and spreading unfounded rumors) in the following verse:

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints,

(Ephesians 6:14-18)."

Unfortunately, even though we know the instigator of this evil behavior, many of you continue this negative behavior because your own pain and past injuries from others are too difficult to forget, and your pride prevents you from forgiving and forgetting. You feel your power and control over others will be taken away from you, not realizing you are committing grave harm not only to yourself, but to those who actually love you.

Remember, these two things:

There are six things that the Lord hates,

seven that are an abomination to him:

haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

and hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that devises wicked plans,

feet that hurry to run to evil,

a lying witness who testifies falsely,

and one who sows discord in a family.

- Proverbs 6:16-19

Secondly, God knows how difficult it is to tame the tongue (James 3:7-8). But He also says it can be prevented if you keep your mouth shut! If you don't talk, then you can't gossip, can't spread gossip, and can't create gossip. What usually happens is that people spread misinformation, not having all the facts and someone's life and reputation are injured or destroyed. Remember, we are accountable to God for every word that comes out of our mouth (Matthew 12:36). Be careful what you say and type, for you will be held accountable by God, Who is omniscient (that is, God knows all, even the very number of hairs on our head).

Does this message seem rather harsh? We see in the news where people are dying all over the world due to wars, famine, natural calamities such as floods, tornadoes, earthquakes and other natural disasters we have no control of. But we do have control of the biggest killer of all time...your tongue!

Some may thing a little rumor here and there or passing gossip to another is no big thing. But, remember, It is the tongue that starts wars, arguments, dissension, false rumors, slander, ruined reputations and other never ending conflicts. The tongue is the fired bullet that can never be retrieved, injuring and even killing heart and soul!

Can you tame yours? Or will you be responsible for others and your own destruction?

I'm in His Peace!

For information about the author's two books, please click onThe End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation. To access his other blogs and web sites, please click on Joe Ortiz

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

2011-09-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

Vanitas painting by Harmen Steenwyck (1612-1656)

King Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, whoactually wrote the Book of Proverbs, summed up his life with the followingconclusion: Then I looked on all the works that my hands hadwrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit underthe sun,(Ecclesiastes 2:11).

The subject of Vanity isthoroughly and exhaustively discussed by Solomon in the Book of Ecclesiastes,another book he is credited to have written. Both books are (and have been)revered throughout history for unparalleled wisdom. During his 40 year reign ofthe nation of Israel, he was sought out by other kings and world leaders foradvice on myriad of issues and topics. Even today, no one can walk away afterreading either book, especially Proverbs, without feeling a profound sense ofgaining new and profitable knowledge to deal with specific issues on ethics,morals, parenting, marriage, business and almost every subject life presentsmankind.

Solomonwas granted this wisdom contained in these books, as well as fame and fortune byGod, above all men, before and after his time. By today’s standards, Solomon’sfortune during his reign would rival that of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and thefifty richest Arabs in the world, all rolled into one. As the story goes in thebook of 1 Kings, chapter three, beginning in verse 5, we are told why Godafforded him that honor and blessing:

In Gibeonthe LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what Ishall give thee. ⁶And Solomon said, Thouhast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as hewalked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heartwith thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast givenhim a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.⁷And now, O LORD my God,thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but alittle child: I know not how to go out or come in.⁸And thy servant is inthe midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot benumbered nor counted for multitude.⁹Give thereforethy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discernbetween good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? ¹⁰And the speech pleasedthe LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.¹¹And God said unto him,Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life;neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thineenemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; ¹²Behold, I have doneaccording to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understandingheart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shallany arise like unto thee. ¹³And I havealso given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: sothat there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. ¹⁴And if thou wilt walkin my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David didwalk, then I will lengthen thy days, (1 Kings 3:5-14).

Sadly,King Solomon lost it all because he did not follow the statutes andcommandments as his father did. After reigning as the mightiest King ever, forforty years, as we read in 1Kings11:1-6, Solomon turned away from God, erectingand praying to various idols at the behest of his many wives and concubines (approximately1000 in total), God turned over Solomon’s fortune to another, dividing hisKingdom, which began the downfall of ALL of Israel.

What is vanity? The dictionary tellsus that it is excessive pride in one’s appearance, qualities, abilities,achievements, character or the quality of being vain. There is no human beingalive or ever lived who has not been guilty of vanity, at one time or theother, some more so than others. If examined carefully, acts of possessing thecharacter of vanity is actually committing the gravest (if not the mostimportant) sin of all the Ten Commandments. It is not the greatest of the 10Commandments (as we read in Matthew 22:36-39), but it is important to recognizeit was chronologically elucidated as the first in Exodus 20:3-4.

The first (Gr protos=chief, best)) andgreatest as we read in Matthew 22:36-39) is Thoushalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and withall thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And thesecond is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (Matthew22:36-39).

We purposely focused on the Greekrendering of the word first todemonstrate that there is a difference between first (as in 1st) in chronological order and first as in chief or best, an extremely important point wediscussed in our book, The End TimesPassover(pages 377-381), where we point out that the “first resurrection” mentioned inRevelation 20:6 is describing the best way to be resurrected and it is notdescribing there will be more than one resurrection, as so many Bible students(and many professors, as well) have the tendency to do. But we digress from theimportance of vanity and the negative impact in can have in our walk withChrist.

We broached the subject of vanityand the life of the author of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes to make one extremelyimportant point: No matter who, or how rich and famous, or even how blessed byGod a person may be or feel, if they allow vanity to rule their walk withChrist, and do not obey God’s statutes or commandments, we can lose it all.

As stated earlier, thereis no human alive or that ever lived who has not experience the sin of vanity.I, myself, have been accused of being vain and at times those accusers areprobably correct. We all want to be appreciated and recognized for our achievements,whether they include being the winner of a baseball game in our school, winningan Oscar for Best Actor, and yes, even for writing what one believes is aprofound book on theological matters. For that matter, thousands upon thousandsof people are on FaceBook and other social networks seeking recognition and praise daily by quotingscripture or unique pearls of wisdom, or even starting a ministry web site andor hosting their brand of religious radio. Thriving for approval andrecognition is probably one of the most preoccupying activities in our dailylives!

What truly lay at theheart of vanity? Is it mere self-confidence, or self assurance based on beingblessed with exterior beauty and high intellect? Many individuals (and evennations) have assumed leadership roles based on such attributes. Sadly, manyhave conquered their immediate terrain and pushed forward for higher and largerterritories based on an evil affliction we know as narcissism. What isnarcissism?

Dr. Mike Gropper, an American psychotherapist and marital therapist, inan article I read sometime back described ‘narcissism’ thus:

“At first glance, itappears that these people love themselves, yet, deep down, they don't lovethemselves in fact, their "self" barely exists, and what part doesexist is deemed worthless. All energy is devoted to inflating the self, likethe stepmother's seeking reassurance about her beauty and perfection from themagic mirror. Narcissism is named after the ancient Greek myth of Narcissus, ahandsome Greek youth who rejected the desperate advances of the nymph Echo. Inpunishment for his cruelty, he was doomed to fall in love with his ownreflection in a pool of water. Unable to consummate his love, he pined away and changedinto the flower that bears his name to this very day.

Because they needcontinuous proof of the significance of their "voice," narcissistsmust find people, particularly important people, to hear and valuethem. If they are not heard, their childhood wound opens, and they quicklybegin to feel threatened, like the evil stepmother in Snow White. This terrifiesthem. Narcissists use everyone around them to keep themselves inflated. Oftenthey find flaws in others and criticize them fiercely, as this further"distinguishes" them from those who are "defective."

Repeatedly, in order to keep himself inflated, the narcissist has to controland dominate those that are around him; usually these are his immediate familymembers. There is not enough room for more than one correct viewpoint in themind of a narcissist, unless that viewpoint is in agreement with his own. Thenarcissist does not really like others. Rather, others are used to reflect backthe image he quite cleverly imposes on the world to keep his grandiosityinflated. This behavior of selling an image is to have people reflect, admire,applaud or even detest, in order to have the narcissist feel his existence.Because of their underlying need to be heard, narcissists often work their wayto the center of their "circle," or the top of their organization, orcommunity. They may strive to be part of theinner circle of friends, making surethat they do so at any cost. These patterns often get played out in socialsettings like a civic organization or club or synagogue. Indeed, they may bethe mentor or guru for others. The second they are snubbed, however, they rageat their "enemy", (Dr. MikeGropper).

This form of vanityexpressed so eloquently by Dr. Gropper is more prevalent in the church thanmany realize. Albeit they may have that external beauty and high intellect,deep down inside they have acquired self-disdain by virtue of childhoodinjuries stemming from mean-spirited parents and siblings, as well as childhoodfriends. Yet we are told in the Bible that those who claim to be ‘Christian’ nolonger manifest whatever maladaptive traits they may have been burdened withbefore coming to Christ:

¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: oldthings are passed away; behold, all things are become new, (2 Corinthians 5:17,KJV).

Yet, the issue of vanityprevails amid the church in greater fashion than even in early Christian era.Why is this so?

For those who haveaccomplished much (by society’s modern-day standards), there is nothing trulywrong in being proud of their achievements. It is only when those achievementsbecome the engine that drives and motivates their respective ministries. Manyevangelists and renown pastors have been known (as has glowingly beenpublished) to have stumbled due to abusing their ill-gained fame and fortunethrough vain methods, just as did King Solomon. No one is immune from the headystuff of being admired (some even adored) for their vast knowledge, charismaand great eloquence in preaching the Gospel. No need to mention names but thelist of fallen-from-grace ministers is growing rapidly.

What many fail to realize isthat this malady has existed forever and a great throng of vanity-filled churchfolk can be found in the New Testament, as well as the Old. As we read in theGospel of Mark, James and John appeared more concerned about being praised fortheir work rather than recognizing that much will be required of them if they aretrue servants of Christ:

³⁵And James and John, thesons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest dofor us whatsoever we shall desire. ³⁶Andhe said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? ³⁷Theysaid unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and theother on thy left hand, in thy glory. ³⁸ButJesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that Idrink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? ³⁹Andthey said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink ofthe cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shallye be baptized: ⁴⁰But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give;but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared, (Mark 10:35-40).

Speaking of the word “prepared” in verse 40, thisword is the same Greek word (hetoimazo) Jesus uses to describe what it is He goesto prepare in John 14:2, which is a future position of authority each disciplewill receive when Christ returns. This subject is dealt with at great length inChapter 10 (Heavenly Minded) in our book, TheEnd Times Passover. In other words, Jesus is not preparing the mansions weare supposed to occupy in Heaven which many associate with the Rapture myth;but, rather it is the positional status His disciples will serve and be administrators of in Hissoon-to-come-Kingdom on earth, based on the works (in Christ) which He iscurrently recording. This is the reward He brings with Him as is spoken of inRevelation 22:12: “Behold,I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone accordingto what he has done. Again, I digress from the issue of vanity, which doesnot discriminate any person. We all struggle with this malady. Even Paul, thegreatest evangelist who ever lived (who was also martyred) struggled with theissue of vanity, as we read in 2 Corinthians 12:4-9:

¹ I must go on boasting. Although thereis nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from theLord. ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago wascaught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body Ido not know—God knows. ³ And I know that thisman—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but Godknows— ⁴ was caught up to paradise. He heardinexpressible things, things that manis not permitted to tell. ⁵ I will boast about aman like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about myweaknesses. ⁶ Even if I should choose to boast, Iwould not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, sono one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say. ⁷ To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations,there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Threetimes I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ Buthe said to me, “My grace issufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about myweaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ Thatis why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong, (2 Corinthians 12:1-10).

Many theorists focus primarily on what that thornwas, offering a myriad of afflictions. But the most important aspect of thisgroup of scripture is why Paul had to be afflicted by the thorn, which (the Bible clearly states in verse 7) was designedto keep him from being conceited. Obviously, having been exposed by Christ toinexpressible things things that man is not permitted to reveal to others cancreate a heady trip in a person. When Paul tells us that eye has not seen, ear hasnot heard, nor the mind conceived what glories God has in store for Hischildren (which he obviously saw and heard when he was caught up to the 3rd heaven), one very well could become extremely conceited by virtue of thisknowledge.

There are other examples of Christ-loving andobedient servants who had trouble with the vanity issue, but these two exampleswill suffice it is a bigger problem than many are willing to admit. A biggerproblem they never noticed before; one that even haunts them daily. God willsoon humble them unless they humble themselves first.

I know of many, many individuals in publicministry who suffer this afflicting vanity malady, which will eventually come to adestructive end. Many, who actually believe they are gaining points with Christbecause they still believe they have unique skills, talents or intellect but willbe amazed once they enter the Kingdom upon His return. Many will be surprised when they actually see who will be seated next to Christ as John and James yearned for. Many willwonder why the renowned minister and pastor who had a giant mega churchwith 35,000 members cannot be seen up front, instead will be occupying a row in the back of the proverbial Rapturebus; barely making it into the Kingdom by the skin of his teeth.

Many self-professed servants of God believed they have beenblessed above others, and that their esoteric knowledge in what they believe tobe new areas of discovery are unique. As we read in Ecclesiastes 1:9, 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 thingunder the sun.

Yet, themajority of us work hard at coming up with something new to add to the Gospelequation; efforts (that we believe to be of a religious nature) that actuallydistracts and takes us away from doing what God requires, as I often quote inJames 1:26-27:

²⁶Ifany man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, butdeceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. ²⁷Purereligion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit thefatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted fromthe world.

Sadly, abiding in the above mentioned work is notexciting, not as rewarding as receiving praise for preaching or writing aboutthe latest paranormal anomalies that inundate the Internet and media. Those works above donot gain us the notice, praise, acceptance and nor the positional status in thechurch we believe is servant duty. We relish the “great” or “good job” from the fans and groupies we acquired bypreaching, teaching or writing about “our version” of Bible prophecy that, whencompared to the masters of yesteryear, would fall on deaf ear. We smugly feel weNOW have the answers to eschatological issues, proffering new and uniqueformula and time frames regarding the return of Christ. And all the timeturning our backs on Christ who told us in Acts 1:7: "It is not foryou to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But “Damn be the word of God, I’m going to do itanyway!”

One of the biggest questions, and the prevailingtopic amongst Christian leaders, concerns the decline and dwindling interest inthe “Church” not recognizing that the true ecclesia has its marching ordersstrewn throughout the Bible. It’s about picking up our crosses and following Jesus, not about ceremony, style, size, nor whetherit’s politically correct from the liberal or conservative perspective. It’sabout serving, not the service; it’s about caring and character, not crying norcharacters.

How does the sincere and committed servantovercome this powerful temptation, especially since childhood most of us havebeen trained and conditioned to pursue excellence? How does the genuinedisciple adopt and put on the attitude that should be prevalent among those whogenuinely want to be recognized and acknowledge by Christ rather than man? It seasy to say, humble thyself. We are given one example in one of the wedding parablesfound in Luke 14:

⁷ Whenhe noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told themthis parable: ⁸ “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do nottake the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have beeninvited. ⁹ If so, the host who invited both of you will come and sayto you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take theleast important place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, take the lowestplace, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to abetter place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellowguests, (Luke14:7-10).

Yet, we see in many so-calledservants of God, leading ministries that have failed to shed their egos and arefilled with vanities, seeking recognition for the false appearance of godlymatters. If instead each would gather themselves in their prayer closets andseek God to reveal their inner motives.

“Am I doing this for your gloryor for mine, Lord? Please reveal myheart! Examine me and let your true will be known."

David, the Psalmist, like the godly Paul, didthis all the time as we see in the entire chapter of Psalm26:1-12. Both were aware of the great (and costly) sinof vanity. David learned his lesson the hard way, not realizing his vanityenacted a heavy price on his respective ministry, as it can for ours. David,boastfully feeling mighty by virtue of his vast military power (1Chronicles 21:1-30), examined his kingdom and sought to count itsvast powers, boastfully in belief its greatness was of his own doing. Godshowed His anger and plagued him with pestilence that ended with the death of 70,000 of hismilitary that included thousand thousandand an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundredthreescore and ten thousand men that drew sword, (vs. 5). Recentlyhistory shows us how so many Christian leaders have seen their ministriescrumble before their very eyes due to haughtiness, pride and vanity; therefore, thissin affects others as well.

Conversely, there are many who areworthy by virtue of faith and trust, by living solely by the word of God (notman-perceived notions), not seeking or even concerned about any recognition fortheir work; they just do it! These will enter the Kingdom to feast with Jesusupon His return. While thousands more who trusted their own strength and feltthey earned points with God by working with and trusting their own skills andtalents (with great pride in and of their respective accomplishments) will beamazed to see who is seated next to the throne of Christ. They may not recognizethose humble servants but will be stunned to see the widow who tended to adozen orphans in the remote hinterlands of a 3^rd world country; or aonce pregnant woman of an illegitimate child, who sat by a cancer-stricken oldman, tending to his sores and wounds for years until he departed. Or even that littleold handicapped man who rose at 5 in the morning for over 40 years tofaithfully feed the farm hands on a southern cotton plantation.

None of these faithful servants will nor canboast about their blogs for Christ, producing and or hosting a thousand radioand television broadcasts, nor for appearing (or holding the record for being aguest) on TBN, nor of even leading one, ten, fifty or a thousand people toChrist. Nor with those who can quote every verse in the Bible and itscorresponding numbers, nor repeating eloquent prayers or even in sharing wordsof wisdom. But they practiced true religionas we read about in James 1:26-27. They will not posses Oscars, Emmys,Grammies, Nobel Peace prizes, nor ten photo albums filled with press clippingof their so-called spirit-filled fruit, nor a member of anyone’s Hall of Fame,nor on the New York Times best author list.

No, those who will be seated next to Christ willnot be renowned nor recognizable names in the annals of “Christian” ministry,they will be people with names no one knows or ever heard of. But they will be known by Christ. These folksmay not even know how to spell the word VANITY. But they did the will of theFather.

I pray God will help me to getback to the real reason He called me in the first place, to trust, serve andobey. And most importantly, that He will find me no longer worrying about whatI feel I am contributing to His Kingdom, but to find me worthy to be included among those truly humble servants of God!

"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."(Proverbs 16:18-19).

For more information about theauthor and his books, please click on TheEnd Times Passover and WhyChristians Will Suffer Great Tribulation. Toaccess his blogs and other web sites, please click on JoeOrtiz

Carly Simon Said It Best!

A Farewell Address by the Apostle Paul ~ by Ted Noel

2011-08-25T06:50:00.000-07:00

A study on Acts 20:17-38

At the end of Paul's third missionary journey, hepauses in Miletus to address the elders of the church. We have to ask why hewould think this was important. Several keys come to mind.

· This was the last time he'd see them, and hewanted a last visit

· Thiswas his last chance to make sure that the church had every useful bit ofinformation and instruction he could give them

· Thiswas his last chance to emphasize that he'd done his part completely, passing onthe message of grace and warning of the plans of the enemy

While the message isn't this orderly, there areseveral keys that stand out. First, Paul claims the privilege of innocence asthe faithful watchman on the walls of Zion (Ezek 33). If anyone dies by notaccepting the gospel, it's not Paul's fault, since he has declared all that isprofitable "publicly and from house to house" (Acts 20:20). And thisimplies that anything beyond what Paul has taught is "another gospel"to be rejected (cf. Gal 1:8-9). It further implies that the church is Zion, andthe attachment that the Jews and many modern Christians have for that plot ofground is misplaced (cf. Heb 12:18-25).

Also implied here is that Paul's example is to beimitated, since he presents himself as the model to be imitated (20:18-21, cf.1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1). Of course this is an echo of Jesus' charge to the disciplesat the Last Supper, where he has been the perfect imitator of God (John 10:37;14:6-11). He has done his job even though the Jews tried to kill him (20:19).This is likely to continue (20:22-23). The church should regard its life onthis earth lightly in comparison to the task at hand (20:24). After all, thechurch was purchased with Jesus' blood (20:28).

There will be "savage wolves" who willtry to destroy the message and the church, just like the Jews did (20:29). Thechurch must be on guard against the "perverse things" they wouldteach (20:30). In other words, it must preserve the gospel against every falseteaching.

These things are parallel to every farewelladdress everywhere in the Bible. God has a mission that is higher than anythingelse. It must be promoted and protected. It cannot be allowed to be pervertedby anything. It cannot become subservient to politics, like the Marxist socialgospel. It cannot be allowed to become tolerant of sin, like modern moves tomake homosexuality acceptable inside Christianity.

Paul was willing to die to save the people whoopposed him. But he was not willing, and we should not be willing to compromiseon anything where the Bible records "Thus saith the Lord." That wouldbe placing us above God, which is the original sin of Satan.

Aboutthe Author, Ted Noel

Who are the deceived "elect?" Most Christians are!!

2011-07-09T04:29:00.000-07:00

It is always a joy to repost the wonderfully written messgaes from my dear friend and brother in Christ, Alf Hutchinson of Obadiah Outreach Ministries in South Africa. There are few brothers and sister who I agree more with each others deep understanding of God's word. Todays message is extremely important (as they all are); but this particular one should be a blaring clarion wake up call to the many Christians on the Internet, especially, who those who need to tighten up their walk with Christ!

WHO ARE THE DECEIVED ELECT?

24:24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders todeceive, if possible, even the elect.

Jesus warns us that false prophets and teachers would arise in the last days, prior to His return; and they would be so convincing that they would, if it were possible, deceive even the elect…

Firstly we have to put to bed exactly who is, or who are, the ELECT…Some would have us believe that they are Jewish believers, who have come through the great tribulation…some say that they are only OT Saints…but we care not what people say; what do the Holy Scriptures reveal? Paul tells us that the elect are those who believe in Jesus; and are the elect of God…known as the ecclesia; both OT and NT elect…Called out by God

ROM 11:7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it,and the rest were blinded.

COL 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

TI 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith ofGod's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness,

If you are reading this missive and have given your life to Jesus, repented, and are walking in His ways …you are one of His elect…

The Holy Scriptures tell us that Jesus said that people would be deceived …but then goes on to insinuate, that this deception will be so clever and cunning that if it were possible, even the elect, His chosen ones would be deceived ….and that dear reader includes you ! Deception is taking place in the church to-day and many are being deceived.

Our Bibles are simple to read and understand, there are no hidden agendas…there are no secret ‘Rapture’ escapes to Heaven…there are no people who are going to be ‘left behind’ to face ‘Hell on earth’…there are no 144000 now living in heaven…there are no references to any man or woman getting any extra revelation, other than what is written in the Holy Scriptures…they are sufficient unto salvation …Jesus did not die for only a chosen few…Jesus died for every man and woman that God has ever breathed life into… JN 3:15 "thatwhoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.… God loves His creation and those He created…Matt 18:14 "Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. We perish because we don’t take up His offer, or we do and then return to our old lives…We must understand that being saved isn’t a magical ‘quick fix’ and we are saved immediately, forever …being saved is a difficult path and it is an ongoing process Matt7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.

7:14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

We are initially saved by God’s Grace and Grace alone; but Paul reminds us PHIL 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; Jesus’ brother James put it more succinctly James2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?...In a nutshell what is being conveyed by both Paul and James is that once you have committed your life to Christ Jesus put that faith into works…remember well what Jesus thought of the servant whom he gave one Talent to; and he did nothing with it …was he welcomed into the Kingdom ? No… he was caste into the outer darkness…Matt 25:30 'And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

If I am to believe “Once saved always saved” then why did Jesus insists MT 24:13 "But he who endures to the end shall be saved…the obverse of this statement would surely imply"But he who does not endure to the end shall not be saved…

Over the last century there have been more secular books which lead people away from the truth of the Holy Bible, than those which lead us to the simple truth. But, humans being human (and sinful) just love to have there ears tickled…Paul saw us coming two thousand years ago2TM 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

To-day great deception is upon us; and we, en masse, are falling for the lies…I admit without hesitation that I was totally deceived myself… but I thank God that I was put on the correct track again…I was one of those elect whom Jesus talked of; and I say it unashamedly …I was deceived…but I am still under construction …clay in my Potter’s precious Hands …and teachable.

I had visited Jerusalem several times to do God’s work; and felt that it was a cursed city. I wrote a missive in 2001 on how I felt…God gave me a vivid vision on the old Roman streets of Jerusalem in an archeological dig below the via Delarosa. A daytime vision of Jews dying, woman being ravaged in the streets, and I stood amongst the carnage as if it were real and actually happening there and then, all around me… It is without doubt the most fearful experience I have ever had in my 68 years upon this earth…The people were in great tribulation and still it has taken nearly 10 years for me to at last say…Jerusalem is truly cursed and is Babylon; and that the present day Israel is the whore of Revelation…and Holy Scripture verifies the fact.

REV 18:20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!" 18:21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.(Don’t be confused by the millstone and the sea; they are used metaphorically to represent judgment …remember what Jesus said about those who would cause His Children to falter and stumble? MK 9:42 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.)

Zech14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD is coming,

And your spoil will be divided in your midst.

14:2 For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem;

The city shall be taken,

The houses rifled,

And the women ravished.

Half of the city shall go into captivity,

But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

There are Jews in Israel…there are Palestinians in Israel, and they are all God’s creation…none was made better than the other...they all need the Gospel in order to be saved…we cannot choose which neighbor we must love…

JOHN 3:17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Yours In His Name

Alf Hutchison

info@obadiahoutreach.org

www.obadiahoutreach.org

http://www.youtube.com/obadiahoutreach

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Does The Glory Belong to Kim, Kim, Hinn or Him?

2011-06-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isaiah 6:3).

I’m sorry! But if I see one more magazine at the check-out counter with a photo of Kim Kardasian on the front cover, I’m going to regurgitate!

Oh, there is no denying she has a beautiful face and figure; however, the incessant promulgation of celebrity icons is getting boring. One can’t turn left or right, nor switch the television channels with having some new or old idol thrown into your face. Be it Kim, Brittany, Johnny or (even dead ones like) Michael, Americans especially are caught up with their icons like no other society on earth. Not just movies stars, mind you, but other idols like that new Chevy pick-up truck and jazzy sports car, the latest telephone-combo Internet phone, as well as Nouvelle foods, Haute fashions and raw political power fusions.

Now, Kim and the rest of these glamour icons are probably very nice people; but the issue is not about being nice, it’s about humanity being able to distinguish between what is important in our lives and what is sheer, unabashed idolatry.

Idolatry has been with us from the very beginning, the biggest and oldest example being the Golden Calf that was erected soon after God had freed “His” people from the clutches of Egyptian rule. The irony of the idolatry mindset is that even after we witness and experience that one entity that freed us from bondage, we go right back and begin to bow before the culprits that enslaved us. Masochists? Gluttons for punishment? Or, are these idols so appealing and nurturing to who we are and who want to be like? Yup! We want to be just like God, and receive the kudos that were never intended for His creation but He and He alone! It all started with Eve, who fell for the deception of knowing all things, all wisdom and an omniscient nature. And all of this to mostly indulge and please self?

Yet, there is an inner weakness and lack of self-esteem that languishes within our hearts and souls that finds a certain degree of redemption by virtue of someone else’s beauty, wisdom and strength, and by bowing or praising that entity we lift up ourselves through vicarious emulation.

What many fail to realize is that by not giving praise, honor and glory to God instead of mortal beings or intangible items, the net result garners nothing but emptiness. Instead, it is when we give glory to God above anything or anyone is when we see true purpose in every aspect of our lives.

God has told us that in the end, through our faithfulness in Him, the ultimate reward will be not only salvation and spending eternity with him as co-administrators of His kingdom, but that we will also share in His Glory!

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory, (Colossians 3:4)

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2 Thessalonians 2:14)

What is that Glory? Paul didn’t go into any specific details other than telling us, But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, (1 Corinthians 2:14).

But yet, those who lack faith in God and instead glorify others (for themselves), shun the promises of a future for temporal gratification. Sadly, amongst many professing Christians, they lift others to god-like status.

Sadly, this idolatry is not only existent in a secular world; Christians have their American idols as well. Most of these professing Christians lack faith in God and instead glorify others (for themselves), they shun the promises of a glorious future for temporal gratification.

Sadly, amongst many professing Christians, they lift others to god-like status; such as that charismatic preacher or pastor, the latest Christian rock singer, newly emerging authors and novice talk show hosts and others with esoteric data concerning how the devil is seducing the flock through emerging evidence of extra-terrestrials and other conspiratorial schema, or those with a new slant on the Gospel, writing or preaching about so-called prophecies gleaned from connecting CNN news items to Old Testament prophecies that have already been fulfilled by Jesus Christ
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Oh, many of them love Jesus and are well-intended. But, are we truly fulfilling the command Jesus gave us as He ascended to Heaven, departing because the holy Spirit could not come down to help His disciples to fulfill that mission (Acts1:4-7)?

Now, it’s not fair to single out just a few people in this article, but those we focus on are emblematic of the problem that idolatry can have on the public, especially the one it has on self-avowed Christians. For example, I recently met a young lady on Facebook who wanted to ‘buddy connect’ with me and claimed she was a Christian; everything on her profile page alluded so, therefore I accepted her request.
Shortly thereafter, she asked me what I thought about Kim Clement, a popular television evangelist who is known for making many predictions. I told her that I really don’t follow any of today’s televangelists, especially those who profess they have the unique ability to predict the future, which I feel is not biblically-based.

She then asked me if I had ever attended one of Clement's rallies and I said no I had not. No sooner had I finished typing my answer and the young lady went ballistics. She began using the most putrid and foul language I had even seen on FaceBook, calling me a heretic and telling me that I was not saved unless I had been exposed to Clement’s amazing messages and the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit at one of his rallies. I was stunned! I could not believe what just happened!

Now this may appear to be an aberrational experience, and that for the most part, people like her are far and few in between the normal Christians who genuinely seek wisdom from and about Christ! However, I will argue that assumption after having attended many such revival rallies, as well as (in my formal life) having attended some pretty weird rock concerts many years ago. Trust me; that frenetic frenzy most often cannot be distinguishable from the other. And many Christians call this worshipping and giving glory to God!

Now, Kim Kardasian, Kim Clement, Benny Hinn and the rest of the most well-known "Christian" icons are probably very nice people. But the issue is not about being nice, it’s about distinguishing between giving the appropriate glory to God and idolizing human beings for whatever appearance of greatness they may appear to possess.

Many Christians sincerely do want to follow and serve Christ and many of them have turned to Internet social networks for answers, as well as forums (the pulpits of today) to either learn more about God and or contribute their views. Gaining the needed wisdom is not theological rocket science. God has already provided everything we need to know to accomplish our respective missions.

One of those things He has provided includes a complete understanding as to what the word GLORY truly means. At, first (as a novice disciple) every time I used to see that we should always give glory to God I would begin to think that He is an egotistical God, one who focuses more on our obeisance rather taking care of people’s needs. After discovering that He not only provides all we need, He went above and beyond the call of duty, which was best exemplified by He coming down in the form of the flesh man Jesus and offering His life in order for each one of us to have eternal life. That makes no sense at all, but it made me realize that God more than anything else in existence not only should receive Glory, it should be our most important focus in life on a daily basis.

Alas! Instead we focus on our contribution, our endeavors, our own strength and talent, never realizing had it not been for Him, we would not possess any these.

His message to His children has been made clear from the beginning and He has repeated this over and over again and again. He has assured us of faithfulness, salvation, and any other thing we need to get through this journey we call life. He isn’t a burdensome task master, asking us to do anything different than any other mere mortal. All He wants is for us to acknowledge who He is and what He does. Glory should be nothing else for us but to give Him credit for who He is and what He has done through Jesus Christ!

But No! Instead we go about praising others, lifting others to pedestals, as well as ourselves, above God!

My dear friend and mentor, A.W. Tozer, once again tells us he difference between man’s religion and recognizing who God is and acknowledging through praise what He has done:

“If you want to pray strategically, in a way which would please God, pray that God might raise up men who would see the beauty of the Lord our God and would begin to preach it and hold it out to people, instead of offering peace of mind, deliverance from cigarettes, a better job and nicer cottage....

What good is all our busy religion if God isn't in it? What good is it if we've lost majesty, reverence, worship--an awareness of the divine? What good is it if we've lost a sense of the Presence and the ability to retreat within our own hearts and meet God in the garden?

If we've lost that, why build another church? Why make more converts to an effete Christianity? Why bring people to follow after a Savior so far off that He doesn't own them?

We need to improve the quality of our Christianity, and we never will until we raise our concept of God back to that held by apostle, sage, prophet, saint and reformer.

When we put God back where He belongs, we will instinctively and automatically move up again; the whole spiral of our religious direction will be upward. The Attributes of God, pp 194-195, by A.W. Tozer.”

To become more familiar with the word glory, click this link below and read them, slowly and carefully, and begin to focus on Him rather than those other entities that provide us no eternal GLORY whatsoever!

To access the author’s two books, please click on The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation To access the author’s blogs and web sites, please click on Joe Ortiz.

SALLY ANN WILSON: She Knows Where She’s Going, Because She Knows Where She Has Been!

2011-06-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to thank so many of you folks who responded to prayer request concerning my sister Sally Ann Wilson, who has been battling cancer for over a year and her condition turned worse the other day. I personally believe (due to preliminary reports I received late Saturday night), that her condition worsened and it looked like she was leaving us.

Therefore, I rushed down to my hometown of Indio, California yesterday morning (Monday) to hopefully see her one more time.

As I arrived at the hospital, carrying my Bible and prepared to even administer ‘last rites,’ I was stunned as I walked into her room and there she sat, upright, with a straw in a glass of water, as the nurse instructed to her to gulp the water slowly. I say stunned because as she looked towards me with a big smile on her face, I couldn’t take my eyes off her face which appeared to be glowing with beautiful hues of pink, brown and a rosiness on her cheeks that totally contradicts the look one would expect from a person who doctors had said hours earlier that the family should begin making last minute ‘preparations.”

As I sat down next to her bed, she immediately said, “Hey big brother, I heard you have not been feeling well lately.”

“What?” I mused to myself. “Here I come, the unofficial ‘priest’ of the family, prepared to console and impart the word of God to a woman who I was told was barely hanging by a thread, and she asks about my health!

But, then, that is the Sally Ann I have known for over 63 years, the one member in the family that has always greeted each and every one of us with a big smile, always with warm greetings and friendly salutation.

I asked her how she was feeling and she said she was fine, that she was going home on Wednesday and would be under-going more radiation treatment on the fast spreading cancer that has grown into her neck, which she said does make it hard for her to swallow food and water. I looked at her nurse, Shannon, with a quizzical look on my face as if to say, “I heard her condition had turned for the worse,” but that’s not what I see on my sister’s face.” Shannon smiled back as if to say that Sally Ann came in the night before in a very serious condition and the doctors were not optimistic at all. But, here my sister is looking better than the last time I saw her back in December of 2010. Could it be that God had immediately answered the prayers of all of those folks on Facebook whom I asked to pray for Sally Ann?

I began to tell her that many family members were also on the way to see her and suddenly a slight scowl came to her radiating face as if to say, “Please, family, just let me get some rest; I don’t need a houseful of people doting on me, I’m fine!”

We spent another 45 minutes talking about the family, trying to remember family birthdays, when other members of the family had passed away, such as our father, our youngest brother Robin, our sister Diane (who also died of cancer in 2001) and most of all our mother Sally (her namesake) who passed away in February 2008.

We also talked about her son Nicholas, who at 19 years of age was injured in a car crash in 2001, left immobile and wheel chair-bound for the rest of his life. Nick was hardcore into gangs then, but was rescued in a unique fashion few can understand. The doctors had told Sally Ann that Nick was going to be totally paralyzed from the neck down and she immediately said, “No way.” She and her other sons Jason and Garry have nurtured Nick with exercise and therapy and he is more mobile than anyone ever expected. In addition to holding a regular job managing a business machine store, and also opening up her dream taco shop she calls “Peppers” in Cole Camp, Missouri during the summer time, Sally Ann has devoted her life to eventually having her son Nick pick up his pallet and walk.

That’s the kind of person Sally Ann has been throughout her entire life. Always putting other people first, always shunning offers of help and assistance in her personal affairs. Life has not been a bed of roses for Sally Ann. Like so many others, she has experienced broken marriages and other normal disappointments in life. She never complains. But, it has always been about helping others before herself. Unlike so many who wear their religion on their sleeves (like I have rightly been accused) Sally Ann displayed hers by her actions.

Right before I left the hospital, being the detailed and always planning type of guy that I am, I asked her if she needed any help with anything and she said no, everything has been taken care, she meaning funeral arrangements, and all of her legal matters have been taken care of. Then, being the theology-minded person that I am, I asked her if she had any Bible questions, and she smiled back and said, with a big grin on her face, “Hey, me and God are OK and we have resolved all of our issues. I know where I’m going, big brother, because I know where I have been.”

I blew a kiss towards her as I turned away to leave; I didn’t want her to see me crying, not knowing if my tears were tears of joy because I knew where she was going once she passes away, or sadness that I may not be close by to kiss her one last time before she goes.
Her statement reminded me of the song by that same name which was recorded by Queen Latifah, which she sang in the film Hair Spray. I began humming that beautiful song as I got into my car to drive back to Redlands. I kept humming the song all the way home, as the tears continued to roll down my cheeks.

(click to start the song and then click back on her photo as you listen to it) I Know Where I've Been.

Learning How to Cope with Death of Loved Ones is Crucial!

2011-05-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

     The predicted Rapture to Heaven event failed to materialize. Many were glad, many were sad.
     This predicted (but failed event) provided hope for many people who believe in Jesus Christ, and His promise to return to earth and eventually establish His Heavenly Kingdom. The way the world is going now, with wars, rumors of war, earthquakes in diverse places, natural disasters like the ones being experienced in the Midwest (where over 100 people were killed yesterday by a tornado in the Joplin, Missouri area) has many people in great fear for their lives. Obviously, an escape from these horrors would be a welcome sight. Folks better get used to this because the Rapture to Heaven doctrine is not biblical, it ain't going to happen. Christians will suffer great tribulation whether we want to believe it or not.
    Yes, the fear of pain and death weighs heavily on most people. No one knows when death will strike. In some cases, when a close friend or relatives is dying from a terminal illness, especially those who have lived a long life, their death is expected. But, when someone is taken unexpectedly, suddenly, through natural or man-related incidents, that trauma can be devastating. No one knows when their number is up. However, there is much we can learn and do in those cases where a loved one is on their death bed.
     In today's blog, we have added a batch of 4 MP3s of a special radio show that was conducted back in 1986, that deals in depth with what we can do to prepare our hearts and souls for the impending demise of friends and loved ones. The radio show is called "Heart & Soul" which was hosted by my dear friend and former pastor, Michael O'Brien, pastor of "My Friend's House," a great church he administered in Highland Park, California. The show aired on KPPC-AM Radio in Pasadena, California.
    This particular show is entitled "Dealing with Death" and it featured in-studio guest, Scott Bauer, one of the pastors of "Church on the Way" located in the San Fernando Vally, California. Scott is the son-in-law of Pastor Jack Hayford, the renowned Christian leader who founded that congregation.
     In this show, we exhaustively explored every aspect about the death process and also discussed the entire issue of "hospice" and how that program works. The show begins with a small drama that was one of the features of our weekly programs, which were produced by Bob Luttrell and Carol Covington.
     The show is two-hours long. Listen to it now or download it and share it with family members, friends and even fellow church members and your pastor as well. You will be blessed by the plethora of information that is presented in this dynamic program, which will enrich your heart and soul. It was relevant back in 1986, and it's even more relevant today as we witness so many people dying as never before.
     We never know when our number is up, nor when someone close to us is called home but there is much we can do to prepare for that eventuality. One thing is certain, as Hebrews 2:1-15 clearly states, one of the main missions of Jesus Christ, above paying for our sins through His crucifixion, He most definitely wants to free those who all their lives have been held in slavery by their fear of death.
     Double click the following link to listen to the show, or right click it to download.

How to deal with the death of loved ones on "Heart & Sould" Radio Show

[This radio show may be broadcast without permission as long as credit is given to the owner. They may also be used for educational purpose, but may not be sold under any circumstances.]

     For more information about the author's two books, click on the following titles The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation. To access Joe Ortiz' web sites and blogs, please click on Joe Ortiz.