Thursday, July 15, 2010

Bible Study: Jesus' Return 07.14.10

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Wednesday July 14, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Psalms, chapters 108-118. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-july-14

Today's Message: Jesus' Return
As Christians we can rejoice in knowing that when Jesus does return we have an express cloud ride waiting for us to meet the Savior. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” - I Thessalonians 4:16,17. As long as you have personally accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior you do not have to worry about all the destruction that is and about to take place in the world. Just today I was reading an article about an interfaith forum starting this weekend, promoting harmony within all religions. Their motto is, “Everyone matters to god (they did not even have enough respect to capitalize His name)." Of course, everyone matters to God, otherwise He would not have sent His Son to save every person on the earth, but the truth is, not everyone gets saved. How are these religions going to join as one when they can not even agree on who Jesus is? I use to attend an interdenominational church and I thought that was a bit odd, but at least they knew who Jesus was and that He was the only way to heaven. While it is a great thing to imagine everyone living in harmony, there will never be harmony in the world, that is, until Jesus returns and all the false religions, prophets, and preachers, are cast into the lake of fire along with Satan. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” - Revelation 20:10. It is important that Christians remain separated from other religions, and even so called Christian religions who do not believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

God knew the importance of separating religions even when the first group of people tried to build a tower to reach heaven. “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.” - Genesis 11:6-8. God knew that if everyone remained together that all the people would be corrupted, therefore He created different languages and scattered the people so those who chose to follow God faithfully would not get corrupted by them. There is going to come a time when there is not going to be any harmony what so ever, only pure destruction between nations and even neighbors. “God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver; Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over Philistia will I triumph. Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou, O God, go forth with our hosts? Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.” - Psalm 108:7-13.

Many of the Psalms written have prophecies concerning the coming of, Jesus Christ, it is amazing to think that salvation for those before Christ was born had the same meaning as it does now. In fact, they were told since Adam and Eve committed the first sin that the Messiah would be coming to save them from death and it was that faith that got them saved as well. However, they still had to be cleansed from their sins and the only way at that time was through an animal sacrifice (something willing to take their place for their death), which was an unblemished (pure) animal. King David was inspired by the Holy Spirit to foretell many of the prophecies of Christ, here is one that was fulfilled when Jesus ascended up into heaven and is now sitting at thte right hand of God. “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.” - Psalm 110.

Christ will reign by divine appointment in Israel, as a nation, even though they rejected Him and their Messiah King. When we consider Him, we can rejoice with the psalmist who said, “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.” - Psalm 112:1-4.

God, the Father, who in His own time will reveal His Son from Heaven, is the God who, as we wait on Him, prepares us for the revelation of His Son. It is sometimes easier to be satisfied with our Christian experiences of the past or to study the prophetic events of the future than it is to be faithful in our responsibilities of today. There is also a danger of being more occupied with the things that are coming than with Him who is to come. Let us not allow the interest and pleasure of intellectual Bible study replace our true love of Jesus Christ and His appearing. “Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.” - Psalm 115:11-15.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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