"And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones . . . and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men." (Revelation 18:11-13)

This day of mourning will follow the destruction of Babylon the great, a mighty commercial and political center which "shall be utterly burned with fire" because "her sins have reached unto heaven" 

 And what are those sins? And is "Babylon the Great" a literal city, the capital city of the empire of the beast in the last days? Or is it a metaphor depicting the wickedness of all such cities throughout the ages? Perhaps it is both. In any case, this Babylon harbors many forms of wickedness hated by God--fornications, sorceries, bloodshed, etc. But the chief characteristic of its wickedness is its devotion to commercialism above all else. "The merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies"

"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen." (Romans 16:20)

This is an intriguing promise, suggesting that believers can somehow inflict bruises on the devil, who is perpetually seeking to "devour" them. This promise is a clear allusion to the primeval assurance of Genesis 3:15, when God promised that the unique "seed" of "the woman" would eventually "bruise" (actually "crush") the head of the old serpent, the devil. This prophecy will finally be fulfilled in Christ's ultimate victory, when Satan first will be bound for a thousand years in the bottomless pit and then confined forever in the lake of fire.

"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8)

This verse has proved of great comfort to many a sorrowing believer who has just lost a loved one. Especially if they know that the parent or child or friend was also a believer in the saving work and person of Christ, then--although they sorrow--they "sorrow not, even as others which have no hope".

For that loved one, though no longer in that old body which had perhaps been filled with pain, is now with the Lord. That is, he or she has been given a somewhat indescribable spiritual body in which to function in heaven until the coming resurrection day. Although that may not yet be the wonderful life that awaits them in their glorified, resurrection bodies in the ages to come, they will be "with Christ; which is far better" than this present life

"For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you." (Philippians 1:23-24

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As we mature in the Lord, our fear of death recedes into the background and ultimately, as this verse demonstrates, becomes a desire to leave this sin cursed world behind and pass into the presence of the Creator.

 

The word choices in this passage are unusual. The verse could be translated "I am held together out of two pressures, a passion to be loosed to be with Christ; which is very much more serviceable for me: but remaining here in the flesh is, out of necessity, more critical for you."

 

Thus, the tension of the true saint of God. The more that is known about the joy awaiting us in the presence of our Lord, the less we see earthly values and goals as things to work toward. Yet the needs of churches, new Christians, troubled souls, and challenges surrounding our lives require a commitment to complete the "course" that God has given us to finish.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16

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There are many wonderful promises to the believer listed in the Gospel of John. Many of these promises are things which "shall" happen, but let us consider seven of these which teach of things which "shall not" happen to the believer whose trust is in Christ.

 

Teaching of the indwelling Holy Spirit, Christ said, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life".

 

Similarly, "Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst".

 

Furthermore, He taught: "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life". Our deepest needs are met in Him.

 

Having once believed, we are placed into His family and He promises, "I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand". In Him, we are utterly secure. Why? "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life".

 

Consequently, we have no fear of death. "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

"Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." (Psalm 85:10)

 

The words "mercy" (Hebrew checed, also often translated by "kindness" or "loving kindness") and "truth" (Hebrew emeth) occur more often in the psalms than in any other book. In fact, "mercy" occurs more in the psalms than in all the rest of the Old Testament put together. Though at first these two concepts seem opposed to each other (for how can God's truth, which abhors sin, be compatible with His mercy, which forgives sin?), nevertheless they are "met together," for "his salvation," according to the previous verse, "is nigh them that fear him". "Mercy and truth" (or "loving kindness and truth") are brought together at least sixteen times in the Old Testament, including ten times in the psalms. And when God's eternal truth can be united with His loving mercy, both mediated through His Holy Word, there is great blessing indeed! "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies"

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36-37

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The lives of many people revolve almost completely around the stock exchange, and they never stop to realize that it easily may become a soul exchange, where they exchange their very souls for the imagined blessings of the great god Mammon. "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows".

 

Similarly, many are greatly exercised about their monthly profit-and-loss statements. But the Lord Jesus asks whether there is really a profit, even if one acquires the wealth of the whole world at the cost of his soul, and the answer to such a rhetorical question has to be: "No!" For "the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever"

Forgiven:A Murder

 

"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." (Luke 1:46-47

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Two Jewish ladies, each carrying children recently conceived, met to discuss their circumstances. Perhaps billions of mothers, before and since, have had similar encounters, but since this meeting between Mary and Elizabeth was so special and precious, perhaps we can all profit by its study.

 

The first thing we notice is that their conversation turned immediately to God, to praise of Him for His goodness and grace. No doubt each one experienced all the common difficulties and discomforts of these months, but chose instead to dwell on their blessings and the greatness of God.

 

"Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." (Genesis 6:14)

 

It may be surprising to learn that God's instructions to Noah concerning the Ark's design contain the first reference in the Bible to the great doctrine of atonement. The Hebrew word used here for pitch (kaphar) is the same word translated "atonement" in many other places in the Old Testament.

 

While the New Testament word "atonement" implies reconciliation, the Old Testament "atonement" was merely a covering (with many applications). As the pitch was to make the Ark watertight, keeping the judgment waters of the Flood from reaching those inside, so, on the sacrificial altar, "it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul", keeping the fires of God's wrath away from the sinner for whom the sacrifice was substituted and slain. The pitch was a covering for the Ark, and the blood was a covering for the soul, the first assuring physical deliverance; the second, spiritual salvation.

 

However, not even the shed blood on the altar could really produce salvation. It could assure it through faith in God's promises on the part of the sinner who offered it, but "the blood of bulls and of goats" could never "take away sins"

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2)


Although the book of 1 John is well known for its use of the word "love," various words, such as "know," "perceive," and "behold," occur almost as often. Several of these words refer to the work of Christ in salvation. "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins" . "We know that we have passed from death unto life" , and "hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us" . This knowledge brings great comfort and assurance: "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life"

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27

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The Greek word translated "conversation" emphasizes "citizenship," with all of its attendant loyalties and expectations for appropriate behavior. The structure of the introductory word "only" indicates that it is an adjective, not an adverb. Thus, the opening phrase could be rendered, "Your only citizenship must be lived out so that it becomes the gospel."

 

The New Testament employs three different Greek terms that are translated "conversation." Anastrepho is best understood as "dwelling" or "remaining" in a certain place: "Put off concerning the former conversation," we are commanded in.  Tropos stresses the manner of life, perhaps implying the reputation one gains by the lifestyle: "Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example

The God-O-Meter

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Romans 8:9)

 

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Note that in this one verse the Holy Spirit is called both "the Spirit of God" and "the Spirit of Christ." Thus the two terms are synonymous, which means that Christ is God, and so is the Holy Spirit.

 

Note also that we "have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father". In fact, our text assures each of us that we are actually living "in the Spirit," because He has come to "dwell in you." All of this has come about "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, . . . by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" This glorious new birth, with sins forgiven and eternal life, is accomplished by the Holy Spirit in response to our faith in Christ as Savior and Lord.

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12)

 

This very important verse conveys several vital truths. First of all, death came into the world only when sin came into the world. Suffering and death of conscious life, whether animal or human, were not a part of God's "finished" and "very good" creation. There was an abundance of food and all other provisions for both people and animals. There was certainly no "struggle for existence" or "survival of the fittest," for every creature was created "fit" for its own environment.

 

When Adam sinned, however, it became necessary for God to bring the curse of decay and death not only upon Adam, but also upon all his dominion

How to Worship

Which Jesus do you serve

Yes your right this one is a repeat and it I will continue to repeat this till i know that each of us has answered that question.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

 The call to imitate God is a call to separate ourselves from the world though we may be in but not of it  (Ephesians 4:17-19) and how we have been made new (Ephesians 4:20-24) and then gave us specific ways to do that (Ephesians4:25-32).

Our call is to live with the same love that Christ has demonstrated.  Jesus laying down his life for us, was first of all an expression of his love for his Father. Jesus did it, not only because of his love for us, but because first of all he loved the Father and this was  the Father’s will. This ‘life of love’ is not to be something we do to make ourselves feel good or appear good, it is to come out of and be an expression of our love for God Himself.  When John says, “We love because he first loved us,” (1 John 4:19). The first thing we need to do in the Christian life is become utterly convinced of God’s love.

On Sunday they raise their hands to heaven and declare that it is Jesus that they serve.

Then why do we look so much like the world?

Did you know that the wheat and the tare, the world can't tell which is which and quite frankly neither can I. So I pose the question again, which Jesus do you serve?

My Savior bleed and suffered and died and rose again for a sinner like me. My Savior, was a friend to friendless, He remembers the forgotten ones among us, Which Jesus do you follow?

 Which Jesus do you serve?

Is it this picture of the American dream that you chase after? Is the prince of this world who you serve or did you miss that part when you decided you want fortune and power?

If Jesus was here would you walk right by him or cross over to the other side of the street? 

Would you even recognize him or have time to speak to him?

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a white complexion Michael Angelo version of Jesus ,is that the Jesus you serve? My Savior was battered and bruised for my sins, did you miss that part? Sometimes I ponder do we really understand what the price he paid for us?

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they understand and they know My Savior. So which Jesus do we serve. is it the one whom we pray to bless us with great wealth? Or the Jesus who said

blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness?

 So who do you serve? The one whose promises are like shifting sand?

Marine says it God , then country and the marine Corp, what comes first for you?

My Jesus would he be accepted in your churches today? All bloody and bruised with no shoes on his feet, would we want him sitting next to us?  He was not rich he didn't have a pillow to lay his head upon. Today my Jesus would look like a homeless man or perhaps we would see him as mentally insane.

He spent His time with criminals and those that are considered the least among us. Did you know he had a heart for the poor, so which place would  He come to eat Sabbath meal at your house or among those that were forgotten by society?

Its time we decide which Jesus do we serve but I'm not sure we understand what that means to be like Christ,

Jesus said to live like HIM, love like HIM but then does that mean we must be willing to die for HIM as he died for you and I???

Can we be Imitators of Christ? Can we live like our Savior?  Which one do you want to be ? I turned on the TV set today and heard a man preaching Jesus wants to make you rich and that he never intended for us to be poor.  Is that the Jesus your seeking??? Heard a pastor say that his Jesus says that we should never be sad. Yet my Jesus wept when heard his good friend was dead. So which Jesus do you serve?  I know that I want to be more like my Savior and less like me.  I want to be an imitator of my Savior what about you????

Historically Japan has been a difficult society for evangelism. Many believers see the recent triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear radiation as a development that could soften the hearts of the Japanese people to the Gospel, “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, … that they may receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18, NKJV).
Our heart goes out to the people who have suffered. Many are grieving for lost loved ones and friends, tens of thousands are still missing, and hundreds of thousands have lost their homes. One eyewitness told me that after the earthquake there were three massive tsunami waves with one as high as at least 90 feet—a mountain of water. The devastation runs along the coast for about 300 miles.
Every pastor I spoke with in northeastern Japan last month has church members who are missing. One pastor of a church with 250 members cannot locate 50 of them. We visited this pastor after the earthquake and heard testimonies of how God spared the lives of many people.
Most churches in Japan are small. Many pastors do not have extensive training. At the request of church leaders, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team is now in Japan providing training in how to bring God’s hope and comfort to people whose lives have been shattered by loss.
None of us understands why things like this happen, but we know that God cares about the Japanese people. The Bible says that “when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
My father held many Crusades in Japan over the years, and BGEA has an office there. Prior to the earthquake we had already been talking with church leaders about going to Sendai for a major Crusade. I visited Sendai after the earthquake, a city at the center of the destruction, and we are praying about returning next year for an evangelistic campaign.
While there, I met some missionaries who had been serving in Japan since World War II. It was thrilling to hear of the work God has done through them and to see them bringing God’s love and comfort to the Japanese people in the middle of this disaster.
Even for a developed country like Japan, it will take years to recover. Pray for the churches as they share the hope of Jesus Christ among those who have lost hope. With your help, we intend to stand alongside them for as long as we are needed. My prayer is that out of the rubble of this earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, the Name of Jesus Christ will be lifted up to the people of this land. God loves Japan.