Revealed Word

Posted on May 20, 2016 by ahabiblemoments.com

To understand the Word of God, one must grasp the reality that the Holy Spirit is the revealer of Truth and without His leading the Bible simply becomes words of historical relevance. The Holy Spirit not only empowers the believer, but directs the Christian through the illuminating of God’s Word. (John 16:13a) Whenever there is no divine revealing of the Scripture, a manipulating of the Word to satisfy the human questing of the individual will evolve. Much of the Scripture is shrouded or veiled and must be revealed through the Holy Spirit. So much Biblical misunderstanding is a direct result of carnal reading motivated by individual priorities. As one listens to the plethora of doctrines one can see that the Holy Spirit is not involved in many of the interpretations. Some of the teachings that come out of Scriptural manipulation give fuel to the critics who continue to make sport of the Christian’s beliefs.

Late night Bible Study

The Holy Spirit will help us begin our Biblical journey, but it will be our responsibility to accept and act upon the revealed Word. How we respond to the Word will determine what kind of Christian experience we will have. Revelation reveals the Word. Reason dilutes the Word. Faith experiences the Word. When conflicts arise in the Christian’s life, it is not time to revert to carnal man but to face the problem with the faith that God will guide us through His Word to the victory.

The Apostle Paul was called into the ministry not by self determination, but by “Jesus Christ and God the Father.” (Gal. 1:1) He stated that no human being was instrumental in his decision to follow Jesus. He further proclaimed that the message he brought was not something he learned, but rather that he received it by “revelation.” (v. 12) Success in one’s life is achieved by acting upon the revelation that is conveyed to us through the Holy Spirit. Blessings come when we stop leaning on our own understanding and start acknowledging the Truth that is shown to us. The Christian life is a journey of affirmative action. The Word “Go” is the catapult to not only spreading, but living, the Gospel. You can’t spell “good” or “Gospel” without it. When you the take the “Go” out of Gospel you have a “spell” and that is what some Christians seem to be in. When the Holy Spirit opens our understanding to His Word, we must respond as if our life depended upon it.

When we open the Word of God our expectancy level should be high, for we anticipate that the living God is going to speak to us. Reading the Word any other way is to make the Bible simply “literature.” When we read the Scripture, it is either LOGOS (God’s unspecified Word), or RHEMA (God’s revealed Word.) In John 1:1, it is declared that “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus is the living Word and the Bible is the written Word. How we treat the written Word is how we will treat the Living Word. To say we love Jesus and at the same time neglect the Bible will expose a flaw in our Christian walk. Let the Holy Spirit reveal to us the hidden treasures of God’s Word and then let us learn to say as Mary did, “be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke1:38)

The Millennial Reign

Posted on November 17, 2015 by ahabiblemoments.com

What happens during the Millennial Reign of God and Jesus?

I have often wondered what it is going to be like during the Millennial (1,000) Reign following the Tribulation. Let me begin by telling you there are many hints of how we will live during these years, what will happen to us, how long life expectancy will be, if work is still required, will there be families, children, animals? Let’s begin by understanding something that Isaiah 55:8 tells us:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.”

The meaning is too obvious. We need to take God and the Word of God at its word without trying to make God into something that fits our ideals. We need to understand that he makes us into something he wants. After all, if we created god then it/he is useless for eternal or even current needs or events. But God created us. That being so, he is the potter and I (we) are the clay. The clay pot does not tell the potter what we wish to look like; what shelf we want to be on; do we get a window view; or if am I going to be a tall, short, round, skinny or a corpulent pot. We are what we are so let’s get past that. What we need to know is our purpose. That is to worship the Lord God almighty, make Christianity a way of life not a religion, and realize our destiny is determined by our acceptance or neutral or flat out rejection of HIM.

Let’s avoid for now the discussion of the Tribulation (pre-post-or mid), plan of salvation, or any preaching. Let’s simply review the facts as the Bible tells us per what life will be like during the Millennial Reign of King Jesus.

Understand that this will not be a totally inclusive blog per life in the Millennial, but it will be inclusive of enough references to give us a great idea of what it will be like during the Millennial Reign.

Wikipedia defines the Millennial *Reign as:

*Often identified as Kingdom.

Millennialism (from millennium, Latin for “thousand years”), or chiliasm in Greek, is a belief held by some Christian denominations that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth in which “Christ will reign” for 1000 years prior to the final judgment and future eternal state (the “World to Come” of the New Heavens and New Earth).

Theopedia describes the Millennial Kingdom as: (http://www.theopedia.com/millennial-kingdom)

…the thousand-year reign of Christ specifically mentioned in Revelation 20:1-6. This is usually seen as the same Messianic Kingdom anticipated by the Old Testament prophets.

Let’s first realize the 1,000 years will not be spent on the beach, in churches, standing around the Throne of God in Jerusalem or flying about the universe with a pair of angel wings. All but the last are possible but not the norm for life during the Millennial Kingdom. Recall, or learn for the first time, this reign of Christ in Jerusalem will come out of and at the end of the Great Tribulation. The pre-Tribulation time will be as “the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37). It will be wise for the reader to read through to verse 39. This is the world situation leading up to the beginning of the 7-year tribulation and the Apocalypse, Day of Reckoning, Armageddon or Day of Destruction as so many movies, books and discussions have and continue to be based upon. But this is not a written monologue of pre-tribulation events.

Mankind, along with some strong assistance from Satan, will have all but been eliminated by wars, disease, starvation, murder when Christ returns to the Mount of Olives and proclaims himself King of Kings and ruler of the world. Yes, there is a little thing called Armageddon at this point in history and yet to be played out, but this article is about life for those who survive and enter the Millennial Kingdom.

Skipping past the resurrection of some of the dead, the return of those who were (will be) in the Rapture prior to the Tribulation period, and those Christians and Jews killed during the Tribulation we get to our goal; life during the Millennial Kingdom and reign of Jesus Christ ON EARTH. It is not my intention to explain why some of these prophecies have what is known as plural or dual points in history and that which has yet to happen. We are going to simply look at life during the Millennial Kingdom; ”thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth (millennial kingdom) as it is (already) done in heaven.”

Here is the setting: Christ returns to the Mount of Olives to the east of Jerusalem; an area now known as the West Bank. He declares himself King of the world then must defeat the combined forces of the King of the North (Antichrist: Europe or the resurrected Holy Roman Empire), the king of the South (Islam?: Middle East and Africa) and the forces from the north and east:*China and Russia? These forces will gather together to invade and eliminate Jerusalem/Israel (Joel 3:2; Zechariah 14:2; Matthew 24:29; Revelation 20:8) but only after having fought amongst themselves (Matthew 24:7). Continue reading →

The Voice of Hope

Posted on August 14, 2015 by ahabiblemoments.com

As soon as we wake up we are hit with all kinds of media from different sources. Cell phones ringing, texts from friends, Face Book, the news and even our own inner voice we call our conscience (self-talk). These “voices” will bombard us. I have found only One Voice that continues to give me Prevailing Hope.

too many voices

Our worst enemy is listening to the wrong “voices” of the world. The wrong voice may even be my own voice if I have a bad attitude or am tired of the world’s system. Not that we are to ignore the reality of the world condition. However, I know without regular study in the Word of God and spending time communicating with the LORD including having a thankful heart as Paul says to do; my days are dictated by what voices I listen to and believe and act on.

That is why I (we) must renew my (our) mind with the Word of God constantly. The Word of God is the Voice of Hope. It is the Truth and will never fail us. Apostle Paul said to rejoice always, always give thanks and he always prayed. It is God’s will for us as well.

Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB)¹⁶Rejoice always; ¹⁷pray without ceasing; ¹⁸in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

The Word of God, not the many words of men; is the solution to every problem we face. God is not religious; He is a loving Father. His plan for our lives is a forever plan with Him because He loves us with an everlasting love. The only way to prevail with hope is to have an ear for the Voice of Hope- The Living Word of God.

Perception of Pain

Posted on July 25, 2015 by ahabiblemoments.com

On my medication bottle it reads “take one every 6 hours as needed for pain.” Problem 1. Pain med seldom work for 6 hours. Problem 2. Even if the pain med worked for 6 hours, they will not prescribe the amount needed to get through a month taking it “as prescribed.” This world is a painful place to live and we all at sometime –seek long term relief -whatever the “PAIN” may be. For this reason temporary solutions do not have the power long term HOPE does. Psalm 38:¹⁵For in thee, O Lord, do I hope

” Our perception is our reality” is a concept I was taught many years ago. Time is an example of how our perception can change. When I was 20 years old, I thought my friend who was 25 at the time was “old.” Now that I am older someone who is 25 is young. What changed? My perception.

Physical, emotional, spiritual – All Pain Hurts

When the pain is severe a second can seem like an hour and a day can seem like an eternity. We seem to put more emphasis on living the “good life” investing in new homes, cars, raising family and building a future on earth. There is nothing wrong with these things. But we need to not neglect what God says about life.

James 4:14 For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

²Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

There are many things I do not know. The one thing I do know is to stay focused in the Word of God. His Word is Truth. God’s Word doesn’t change with my perception. His Truth stands unchanged even when everything changes around us. Life is like a vapor – obviously a short time in comparison to Heavens’ forever and ever. I am determined to stay focus to live my “vapor” to the best of my ability to share the Gospel, Good news to the world. John 3:16 Then One Day those of us who have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ will be with Him forever.

Rev. 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior will experience pain as I cannot describe and it will never end. God doesn’t send any human to Hell, it the choice man makes. Do not reject such a great salvation available by accepting Jesus Christ. Hell is a real place and even if life now is difficult and things we go through are painful; it is nothing compared to spending forever in Hell.

Hell is for the devil and his angels Matt. 25:41 and for all whose name is not written the book of life. Rev. 20:15

Hell is described as: a “furnace of fire…weeping and gnashing of teeth” Matthew 13:50

Hell is forever, never gets better, pain/anguish will have no remedy -“the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever and they have no rest day and night” Revelation 14:11

GOD LOVES YOU and He is gives you the free will to know Him or do your own thing and ignore this great salvation. Choices have consequences so choose wisely.

Pain is a reality of life on earth. Some people go through more, some people have very little, so it seems. My perception of pain has changed and infused with Hope. I know it won’t last forever. God’s Word says life is “like a vapor.” In the midst of it all by God’s grace live my “vapor” well for God’s honor and glory.