Tue, Feb 20th - 12:22PM
STUDY # 1 WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY? God does not want anyone to perish (spend eternity with Satan and his angels in the fiery lake of burning sulfur (Rev. 21: 8), he wants everyone to repent (spend eternity with him in the Holy City, the new Jerusalem) (Rev. 21: 1 - 7), (2 Pet. 3: 9).
THE BIBLE IS GOD'S INSPIRED WORD 1) The Bible authenticates itself. We read: All Scripture is inspired by God and is helpful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in godly behaviour (2 Tim. 3: 16). Prophecy did not come from man's interpretation or man's will. The prophets wrote as they were enabled by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1: 20 - 21). 2) Fulfilled prophecies also authenticate the Bible. There are thousands of prophecies in the Bible. In his life, Jesus fulfilled more than 300 of them. We will focus on three. 1) When God created Adam and Eve, he gave them a command which they broke (Gen. 2: 16 - 17). God said to the serpent: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel" (Gen. 3: 15). For Jesus, this prophecy was fulfilled in his death and resurrection. For Satan, this prophecy is partially fulfilled in his binding (Rev. 20: 2) and will be completely fulfilled when he is thrown into the lake of burning sulfur (Rev. 20: 10). 2) The prophet Isaiah recorded this prophecy before 586 B.C. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9: 6). Jesus fulfilled this prophecy. We read: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ... He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ...Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God (John 1: 10, 12 - 13). "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel - which means, 'God with us' " (Matt. 1: 23). 3) Micah prophesied between 750 and 686 B.C. He recorded: " ... They will strike Israel's ruler on the cheek with a rod. But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times" (Micah 5: 1 - 2). ( "from ancient times" from days of eternity). Jesus fulfilled Micah's prophecy. He came from eternity. He was born in Bethlehem. He was Israel's king. He was beaten on his way to the cross. GOD HAS SET A DAY Dr. Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote: "In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead" (Acts 17: 30 - 31). THE DAY OF JUDGMENT On the day of judgment, our Lord Jesus Christ will gather all people before him, people from the creation of the world to the last person to be born before his coming. He will place the righteous on his right (those who have received him into their hearts) and the unrighteous on his left ( those who have rejected him) ( Matt 25: 33). He will say to those on his right: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matt. 25: 34). To those on his left, he will say: “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” ( Matt. 25: 41).
A PRAYER TO BE SAVED / BORN AGAIN Almighty God, I thank you that you sent your one and only Son, Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world. Lord Jesus, I thank you that you died on the cross for my sins. Almighty God, I believe that you raised him from the dead as the Bible declares. Jesus, I confess my sins to you. I am sorry for them and I turn away from them. Please forgive me I pray. Jesus, I now receive you into my heart as my Savior/Messiah and LORD. Please fulfill your plan for my life through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. NOTE - (italic - mine) scriptural quotation scriptural paraphrase "Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright c 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
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Thu, Dec 14th - 11:57AM
GOD'S PURPOSE FOR ISRAEL AND THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
STUDY # 2
Dear reader, if you have Jewish friends or know Jewish people, I will be grateful if you give this link to them http://blogs.christiansunite.com/hpesoj It is necessary for Jewish people to confess their sins and repent of them and ask our LORD Jesus Christ to forgive them of their sins and receive him into their hearts as their Savior/Messiah. It will be then, and only then, that they will have the assurance of spending eternity with God, in the Holy City, the new Jerusalem.
GOD'S PURPOSE FOR ISRAEL 1) To create a people for himself "... I will say, 'They are my people', and they will say, 'The Lord is our God'" (Zech.13:9). (See also Psalm 33:12). 2) To bring forth the Messiah God said to Abram: "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Gen. 12:2-3)."The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say 'and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but 'and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ" (Gal. 3: 16). Abraham and his offspring did not receive the promise that he would be heir of the world through the law but through righteousness as a result of faith (Rom.4: 13). When the appointed time came, God sent his son, born of a woman. He was born under the law to ransom those who were under the law so that they would receive all the rights of sons. Since they are sons, God sent the Holy Spirit into their hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father’ “ (Gal. 4: 4-6). 3)To record the Scriptures The entire Bible, with the exception of the Gospel of Luke and Acts, was written by Jewish authors. The Gospel of Luke and Acts were written by Dr. Luke, a medical doctor (Col. 4:14). All Scripture comes from God. It is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in morality. With the Scripture, servants of God will be well prepared for works of service (2Tim. 3:16). All prophecy came from God. Man had no input in prophecy. Man’s role was to record what the Holy Spirit revealed (2 Pet. 1: 20-21). 4) To expand the Kingdom of God Israel failed to expand the Kingdom. As a result, the Kingdom was taken away from her. Jesus said: "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit" (Matt. 21:43). Jesus told his disciples that they will be empowered when the Holy Spirit comes on them and they will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and all over the earth (Acts 1:8). Jesus informed his apostles that his Father gave him all authority in heaven and on earth. He commanded them to go out and make disciples in all nations. The disciples were to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The disciples were to obey everything that our Lord commanded his apostles. Our Lord promised his apostles that he will be with them till the end of the age (Matt. 28: 18-20). 5) To receive her Messiah The religious leaders of the Jews and the majority of the Jewish people rejected our Lord Jesus Christ as their Messiah. The high priest stood up and addressed Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?' But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, 'I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. ‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ When Jesus said that, the high priest tore his clothes and said that Jesus had spoken blasphemy. We do not need any more witnesses. You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, 'Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?” (Matt. 26: 62-68). Because Jesus was doing various things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. Jesus said to them: "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working" (John 5: 17). Because of that, the Jews tried harder to kill him. They claimed that he was not only breaking the Sabbath but he was making himself equal with God by calling God his own Father (John 5: 18). Let us recall what God the Father said about Jesus. "But about the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. …' “ (Heb 1:8). Jesus said to the Jewish leaders that he was telling them the truth when he said that he existed before Abraham was born. At the mention of that, they picked up stones to stone him but he hid and escaped from the temple grounds (John 8:58-59). "As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, ‘Crucify! Crucify!" (John 19:6).
THE FIRST COVENANT The first covenant was made with the people of Israel. God gave Moses this message. This is what you are to say to the people of Israel (Exod. 19: 3). You witnessed what I did to Egypt "and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. If you obey me completely and keep my covenant, you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. … “ (Exod. 19: 4 - 6). Under the first covenant, Israel was God's chosen people. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance" (Psalm 33: 12). God through Moses, gave the Israelites The Ten Commandments and a number of laws and regulations. God also gave them feasts to celebrate as well as holy days and a Sabbath. During the wilderness wandering the Israelites worshiped in a Tabernacle (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). When Israel entered the Promised Land, Tabernacle worship was replaced with Temple worship. t THE TEMPLE - BUILT AND DEDICATED
King Solomon ordered the building of the temple for the Name of the Lord (2 Chron. 2: 1-2). When construction was completed, he dedicated it. When Solomon finished praying fire came down from heaven. It consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices. The glory of the Lord filled the temple. As a result, the priests could not enter the temple. When the people saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement, their faces to the ground. They worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord. They said: “He is good, his love endures forever” (2 Chron. 7: 1 - 3). "... So the King and all the people dedicated the temple of God" (2 Chron. 7:5).
CALLED TO BE WITNESSES God called the people of Israel to be witnesses. But the religious leaders did not heed the call. Instead, they tried to kill the Son of God, the Savior of the world. "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior (Isa. 43: 10-11). Because of their unfaithfulness, God allowed the Babylonians and the Assyrians to take the Israelites into captivity. The LORD says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men (Isa. 29: 13). God said to the Israelites because you have rejected my words, I will bring all the people of the north and king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon against you and against all the surrounding nations. I will destroy them completely (Jeremiah 25: 8 - 10). “I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, ... This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jer. 25: 10 -11). The Israelites did evil things which greatly displeased the LORD. They built high places in all the towns. They placed sacred stones and Asherah poles in many places. They burned incense as the pagan nations had done previously. They made two idols in the shape of calves and an Asherah pole and they worshiped them. They practiced divination and sorcery and they sacrificed their children in the fire. The Lord warned the people of Israel and Judah, through his servants, that they should turn from their evil ways. But they did not.
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Thu, Dec 14th - 11:54AM
Because of his anger, the Lord allowed the Israelites to be taken into captivity. But Judah was allowed to remain. Sadly, they did exactly what the Israelites had done (2 Kings 17: 16 - 19). “ ... So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, … “ (2 Kings 17: 23).
GOD FOUND FAULT God made the first covenant with the Israelites. The covenant utilized animal sacrifices. The people were not faithful to the covenant and God promised to make a new covenant with them (Heb. 8: 7). “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people (Heb. 8: 10 - 12). (See Jer. 31: 31 - 34). WHO IS JESUS? Jesus is the Word. The Word is God. He was with God in the beginning. Everything that has been created was created through him (John 1: 1 - 3). The Word became flesh and lived for a while on this earth (John 1: 14). God the Father and God the Holy Spirit dwell in Jesus. "For in Christ all the fulness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ... " (Col. 2: 9). Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father interceding for us (Rom. 8: 34).
THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST "This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 3:6).
THE NEW COVENANT The new covenant was put into effect through the precious blood of our Savior and LORD. Although God, through the prophet Jeremiah, announced the new covenant to the people of Israel and the people of Judah (Jer. 31-34), Scripture asserts that the new covenant is for the world. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3: 16). Under the first covenant, the Israelites were God's chosen people (Exod. 19: 5-6; Psalm 33: 12), but under the new covenant, believers, both Jews and Gentiles are God's chosen people (Col. 3: 11-1 (4; 1 Pet. 2: 9-10; Gal. 3: 26-29).
The apostle Paul wrote concerning believers under the new covenant. "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, ... There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3: 26-29). (Please read 1 Peter 1: 2; Colossians 3: 11 - 14).
WHEN JESUS DIED When Jesus breathed his last, "the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom," exposing the Holy of Holies (Matt. 27: 51; Mark 15: 38), thus making the first covenant obsolete, as well as all the practices under it, including Judaism. The new covenant was then in effect. A believer in Jesus could now communicate with God the Father in the name of Jesus (John 14: 6). THE TEMPLE’S CURTAIN The curtain separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place: Only the high priest was allowed to go into the Holy of Holies once a year. It was on the Day of Atonement, when he atoned for his sins and the sins of the Jewish people. The curtain was four inches thick. The tearing of the curtain from top to bottom was a supernatural act. It was impossible for the tearing to occur naturally.
JESUS AND THE FIRST COVENANT The death of Jesus was relevant to Old Testament believers, those who functioned under the first covenant. We read: “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant” (Heb. 9:15).
A GREAT HIGH PRIEST “Therefore since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess” (Heb. 4: 14-16). God said concerning Jesus: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 5:6).
WHEN JESUS COMES AGAIN When believers in our Lord Jesus Christ die, their souls/spirits go to heaven (Phil. 1:23; Eccl. 12:7). When our Lord returns on the day of judgment, he will bring those souls/spirits who are in heaven (1 Thess. 4: 14). At his coming, the resurrection of all the dead will take place (Dan. 12: 2; John 5: 28-29; John 6: 39-40; Acts 24: 15). The judgment of all nations will follow (Matt. 25: 31-46; 2 Tim. 4: 1; 1 Pet.4: 4-5). Believers will go into eternal life in the Holy City, the new Jerusalem ( Matt. 25:46; Phil. 3: 20-21; Rev. 21: 1-4) and unbelievers into eternal punishment, in the “the fiery lake of burning sulfur” (Rev. 21: 8).
WHAT ABOUT ISRAEL? The prophet Isaiah penned the following: “The Redeemer will come to Zion to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the LORD (Isa. 59: 20). The prophet Zechariah paints a bleak word picture for the Israelites. He writes: “In the whole land,” declares the LORD, ‘two - thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one - third will be left in it. ...They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God' " (Zech. 13: 8-9).
Dear Jewish friends, please remember that eternity in "THE FIERY LAKE OF BURNING SULFUR" is beyond human comprehension. Dr. Luke informs us about Jesus. “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: Rulers and elders of the people! ... It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4: 8-12).
A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH The apostle John was given the privilege of seeing what lies in the future. He saw a new heaven and a new earth. He saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem descending from heaven. It was beautiful. He heard a voice from the throne which said: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. … There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ …. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death" (Rev. 21: 1 - 4, 8).
NOTE - (italic - mine) scriptural quotation scriptural paraphrase scriptural quotation (emphasis)
"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright c 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
CopyrightⒸ 2022 by Joseph E. Mahabir (B.A Hons. Psy. (York University, Tor.), M.Ed. Educ. Admin. (University of Toronto), M.A Biblical Studies, MAGNA CUM LAUDE, (Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA, USA).
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Thu, Dec 14th - 11:51AM
STUDY # 3 HOW TO AVOID THE LAKE OF BURNING SULFUR (Rev.21:8) THE NEW COVENANT When Jesus breathed his last the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom exposing the Holy of Holies (Matt. 27: 51), signifying that the new covenant was established. No longer was there need for a human high priest and animal sacrifice. Jesus was the final sacrifice. The first covenant became obsolete (Heb. 8: 13). All the laws, regulations, ceremonies and holy days observed under the first covenant came to an end. Judaism had run its course. Under the first covenant, Israel was God's chosen people (Exod. 19: 3 - 6). "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance" (Psalm 33: 12). But under the new covenant, believers, both Jews and Gentiles are God's chosen people (Gal. 3: 26 - 29; Col. 3: 11 - 12). The apostle Paul tells us that God has made one new person out of both Jew and Gentile. "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ... For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit" (Eph. 2: 14 - 16,18). The Apostle Paul cautioned the Colossians. He wrote: "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Therefore do not allow anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ" (Col. 2: 15 - 17).
THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST "This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 3:6).
SALVATION THROUGH JESUS AND JESUS ALONE
God does not want anyone to go to hell. "The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent" (2 Pet. 3: 9; NLT). But our Lord, Jesus Christ informs us that more people will spend eternity in the fiery lake of burning sulfur than in the Holy City, the new Jerusalem ( Matt. 7: 13 - 14). Jesus said: There are two roads. The road that leads to destruction is broad and many will travel that road, while the road that leads to life is narrow and only a few will walk on it.
Saul of Tarsus was a distinguished Rabbi. He was schooled under Gamaliel. He was zealous for the law and persecuted Christians. He had some believers imprisoned. Stephen was stoned to death. Saul gave his approval (Acts 8: 1). But when he was confronted by our Lord, Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, he yielded to the LORD. The notorious Saul became the beloved Paul. As an apostle, he wrote: "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile" (Rom. 1: 16). Scripture informs us that all people have sinned and fall short of God's holy standard. The penalty of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord, Jesus Christ (Rom. 3: 23; Rom. 6: 23). Jesus said to the Samaritan woman: "You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews" (John 4: 22)."The woman said, 'I know that Messiah' (called Christ) 'is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us' " (John 4: 25). "Then Jesus declared, 'I who speak to you am he' " (John 4: 26). The apostle Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said concerning Jesus: " ... Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4: 12). All who reject the gift of eternal life, by refusing to confess their sins and repent of them and ask our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive them of their sins and come into their hearts to be their Savior/Messiah and Lord, will spend eternity in the fiery lake of burning sulfur with Satan, his angels and all unbelievers (John 1: 12; John 3: 16; Eph. 1: 13 - 14; John 6: 47 - 48; 1 John 1: 9; Rev. 21: 8).
Where will you spend eternity? Will you spend it with God in the Holy City, the new Jerusalem? If not, why not? Please remember that Jesus loves you. He died for you. He wants you to spend eternity with him. My prayer is that God will bless the good works that he has prepared in advance for you to do (Eph. 2: 10) and that you will live with him eternally. (Please read Zechariah 13: 8 - 9; Matthew 25: 31 - 46; Rev. 21: 1 - 8). At death your fate is sealed. No one can do anything after you die to affect your eternal state. Prayers for the dead are meaningless. Eternity in the fiery lake of burning sulfur is beyond human comprehension.
Please make sure that you do not choose to go to hell. To have the assurance that you will spend eternity with God in the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, it is necessary for you to confess your sins, repent of them and ask our Lord, Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and invite him to come into your heart as your Savior/Messiah and Lord and be faithful to him to the end. Our Lord, Jesus Christ said: "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matt. 24: 12 - 13). When the Philippian jailer was about to kill himself, Paul said to him: "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" (Acts 16: 28). The jailer asked: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (v. 30). They replied: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household (v. 31). Our Lord Jesus Christ said to Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Ruling Council, You cannot go to heaven unless you are born again (John 3: 5 - 7). Will you confess your sins today, repent of them and ask our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and receive Him into your heart as your Savior/Messiah? Today is the day of salvation. "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts" (Heb. 4: 7).
THE DAY OF JUDGMENT On the day of judgment, our Lord Jesus Christ will gather all people before him, people from the creation of the world to the last person to be born before his coming. He will place the righteous on his right (those who have received him into their hearts) and the unrighteous on his left ( those who have rejected him) ( Matt 25: 33). He will say to those on his right: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matt. 25: 34). To those on his left, he will say: “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” ( Matt. 25: 41). A PRAYER TO BE SAVED / BORN AGAIN Almighty God, I thank you that you sent your one and only Son, Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world. Lord Jesus, I thank you that you died on the cross for my sins. Almighty God, I believe that you raised him from the dead as the Bible declares. Jesus, I confess my sins to you. I am sorry for them and I turn away from them. Please forgive me I pray. Jesus, I now receive you into my heart as my Savior/Messiah and LORD. Please fulfill your plan for my life through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
For more information please click on these links: http://blogs.christiansunite.com/mahabir youtube.com/user/777JEM333
NOTE: (italic mine) blue - scriptural quotation purple - scriptural paraphrase red - regular print (emphasis) "Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright c 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
STUDY # 4 ONE GOD REVEALED IN THREE PERSONS
Scripture declares that there is one God. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one" (Deut. 6: 4). But He is revealed in three persons - God the Father (Matt. 3: 17; John 17: 24), God the Son (Jesus Christ) (John 1: 18; John 3: 16) and God the Holy Spirit (Gen. 1: 2; John 14: 26; Acts 16: 6 - 7; 2 Cor. 1: 22; Eph. 4: 30).
GOD THE FATHER
God spoke from heaven, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matt. 3: 17). God has not been seen by anyone. But Jesus has made him known. Jesus is seated at his right hand (John 1: 18). When Jesus was on the cross, he cried out to his Father. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me" (Matt. 27: 46)? Jesus said to the Jewish people, you are desirous of killing me, but I have told you the truth that I heard from my Father (John 8: 40). God the Father is supreme, he is the only one in the universe who knows when this age will end. Jesus said: "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13: 32).
GOD THE SON
Jesus, the Son of God (Luke 1: 31 - 35), is identified with God the only Son (John 1: 17 - 18). The "son" is called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9: 6). The "Word" is God and Jesus is the "Word". "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1: 1). Jesus said: I always do what my Father commands me to do (John 14: 31). He tells us plainly: " ... for the Father is greater than I" (John 14: 28).
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit has been shown to be the Spirit of God the Father (2 Cor. 1: 21 - 22) and the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16: 6 - 7; Eph. 1: 13). Peter said to Ananias: " ... how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit ... (Acts 5: 3). "You have not lied to men but to God" (Acts 5: 4). The Holy Spirit is the third person of the "trinity". The Holy Spirit is God.
"THE TRINITY" The word trinity is not found in the Scriptures but the concept is. At the baptism of Jesus, we observe the Spirit of God (the Holy Spirit) and God the Father (Matt. 3: 16 - 17). All three persons of the Godhead were mentioned. Other contexts are (Gen. 1: 1 - 2; Luke 1: 26 - 36; Matt. 28 - 19; John 14: 26; John 16: 7 - 11; Gal. 4: 4 - 6; Titus 3: 4 - 6). God is not only a trinity, He is a unity. In each of the three persons dwell the other two (Deut. 6: 4; John 14: 7, 10). The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 1: 21 - 22). The Spirit of Jesus is the Holy Spirit (Acts 16: 6 - 7). God is also a plurality - "Let us make man in our image" (Gen. 1: 26). (see Gen. 3: 22; Gen. 11: 7; Isa. 6: 8).
NOTE: (italic - mine) scriptural quotation scriptural paraphrase
CopyrightⒸ 2023 by Joseph E. Mahabir (B.A Hons. Psy. (York University, Tor.), M.Ed. Educ. Admin. (University of Toronto), M.A Biblical Studies, MAGNA CUM LAUDE, (Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia).
"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright c 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
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Thu, Dec 14th - 11:47AM
STUDY # 5
THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
God has fixed a day when he will judge the world with justice. He will do it through his Son, our LORD Jesus Christ. He has made this clear to all people by raising him from the dead (Acts 17: 31). All humanity will stand before the judgment seat of our LORD Jesus Christ. He will reward people for what they have done during their lifetime (2 Cor. 5: 10).
" ... For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. …" (1 Cor. 3:11).
Everything that we think, say or do is known by GOD. Our lives will be evaluated by him (Heb. 4: 13).
On the day of judgment, when Jesus comes in blazing fire with his angels, he will punish unbelievers who "do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (v. 8). Their punishment will be everlasting destruction (2 Thess. 1: 7 - 9).
When our Lord Jesus Christ comes with his angels, he will sit on his throne with great power and glory. All people, from the creation of the world to the day of his coming, will stand before him. He will put the righteous on his right and the unrighteous on his left (Matt. 25: 31 - 33).
"Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world" (v. 34).
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (v. 41) ....
The unrighteous will go away to eternal punishment, and the righteous to eternal life (v. 46).
GOD'S CALL
If God commands you to do something, I would like to encourage you to do it. God will always enable you to accomplish whatever He has called you to do. I am speaking from the experiences of others and my own experience.
What God commands you to do may seem to be extremely difficult or impossible. But do not be fearful. When God commanded Noah to build the ark there were no shipbuilding schools. Noah believed that God would bring a flood and destroy all life. The ark was massive. It was four hundred and fifty feet long, seventy-five feet wide and forty-five feet high. The ark had three decks (Gen. 6: 13 - 17). The ark was built and it survived the flood. When the floodwaters receded to the tops of the mountains, the ark rested on Mt. Ararat (Gen. 8: 4).
God speaks to us in different ways. You will know when He calls you. Please remember that serving God is a great honor.
NOTE - (italic - mine) scriptural quotation, scriptural paraphrase, scriptural quotation (emphasis)
"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright c 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
WHAT IS A COVENANT? STUDY # 6
A covenant is a solemn agreement between God and man. God initiates the covenant.
THE FIRST COVENANT
God made the first covenant with the Israelites. Under this covenant, they were God's chosen people. The covenant utilized laws, regulations, feasts, holy days, a Sabbath day observance, animal sacrifices, a human high priest and a tabernacle for worship. Tabernacle worship was replaced with temple worship when the Israelites entered the promise land. God gave the Israelites the Sabbath as a sign between them and himself (Ezek. 20: 10 - 20). God found fault with the people because of their unfaithfulness and he promised to make a new covenant with them, both to Israel and Judah (Jer. 31: 31 - 34; Heb. 8: 8). Although the new covenant was promised to Israel and Judah, Scripture asserts that the new covenant is for the world.
God loved the world so much that he sent his only Son to die on the cross for its sins. Any one who believes in him will receive eternal life and will not go to hell (John 3: 16).
THE NEW COVENANT
When our Lord Jesus Christ breathed his last "the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" exposing the Holy of Holies. No longer was there a need for a human high priest and animal sacrifices. Our Lord's death was the final sacrifice. The new covenant was then in effect thus making the first covenant and all the practices that were associated with it obsolete, including Judaism. Under the new covenant, anyone, Jew or Gentile who receives Jesus Christ as Savior/Messiah becomes a child of God.
All who received Jesus, all who believed in his name, he enabled them to become children of God (John 1: 12).
The apostle Peter wrote to Christians who were scattered throughout the Roman world.
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Pet. 2: 9).
The apostle Paul informed the Galatians:
You have become sons of God because of your faith in Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no distinction because of your background or gender, you are one in Jesus. If you have received Jesus as your Savior then you are Abraham's descendants and heirs in keeping with the promise (Gal. 3: 26 - 29).
As children of God we are indwelt by God's Holy Spirit.
The apostle Paul writing to Corinthian believers stated:
I wish to remind you that you are God's temple and that His spirit lives in you (1 Cor. 3: 16).
Since believers are sealed with God's Holy Spirit (Eph. 1: 13 - 14); we can live lives that are pleasing to God by manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in our daily walk.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law associated with the fruit (Gal. 5: 22 - 23).
We can also live lives that are displeasing to God and in so doing grieve the Holy Spirit.
Born again believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption. They are exhorted not to grieve Him (Eph. 4: 30).
A WARNING TO BELIEVERS
The apostle wrote to the Galatians:
If anyone observes a law and does not continue to observe everything written in the Book of the Law, he/she is under a curse (Gal. 3: 10).
When you receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, you become children of God, for those who were baptized into Christ have been clothed in Christ.
Under the new covenant there is no ethnic, status or gender distinction because believers are all one in Christ. Anyone who belongs to Christ is a seed of Abraham and therefore heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3: 26 - 29).
The Colossians had strict counsel from the apostle Paul:
Do not allow anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or regarding a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath Day. These were only a shadow. The reality is found in Chris (Col. 2: 16 - 17).
The new covenant is based on faith and faith alone.
Christ became a curse for us and therefore redeemed us from the curse of the law. He did this that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Him, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit (Gal. 3: 13, 14).
As children of God, how should we live?
1) proclaim the death of our LORD by engaging in Holy Communion (1 Cor. 11: 26)
2) do the good works which God has prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2: 10)
3) live holy lives (Heb. 12: 14)
Make an effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12: 14).
NOTE - (italic - mine) scriptural quotation scriptural paraphrase
"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright c 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
THE RAPTURE STUDY # 7
What is the rapture? The rapture is:
1) The gathering of people before Jesus (Matt. 25: 32).
2) The gathering of people to Jesus (2 Thess. 2: 1).
3) The catching up of people in the clouds to meet Jesus (1 Thess. 4: 17).
4) Appearing with Christ in glory (Col. 3: 4).
5) The gathering of our Lord's elect (Matt. 24: 29 - 31).
The word rapture is not found in the Scriptures. It is derived from the Latin verb "rapio" which is used in the Latin Bible. It means seize, snatch or catch up. Many books have been written about the rapture. Theories abound.
They are:
1) The pretribulation
2) The midtribulation
3) The prewrath
4) The posttribulation (The last day, the end of the age)
Of all the rapture theories, the pretribulation is the most popular. A number of Bible Colleges teach the theory and many ministries preach it. But, is it scriptural? Satan did not stop with Adam and Eve. Lies! lies! lies! The pretribulation, midtribulation and prewrath rapture theories are BIG LIES. The pretribulation theory had its origin in 1830. A woman, Margaret Mc Donald, in a church in Scotland pastored by Edward Irving, in an utterance claimed that there will be a "secret rapture of the church before the Great Tribulation." The concept was spread by John Darby, a pastor and author, and it was kept alive by the Scofield Reference Bible.
Today, all over the globe, pastors, authors and Bible teachers feed believers with the BIG LIE of a pretribulation rapture by falsely referencing 1 Thessalonians 4: 16 - 17. These verses describe future activities but they do not state when they will occur. The apostle Peter informs us that there will be one future coming of our LORD and it will take place on the day of judgment (THE DAY OF THE LORD - THE DAY OF GOD), thus proving that the second coming and the coming down from heaven for the rapture are the same event (Matt. 25: 31 - 46; 1 Thess. 4: 16 - 17; 2 Pet. 3: 3 - 13).
The apostle's teaching proves unequivocally that the pretribulation, midtribulation and the prewrath rapture theories are false. The pretribulation, midtribulation and prewrath rapture theories are Satanic. They reject the teaching of our LORD and his apostles and that of Dr. Luke.
Those who preach, teach or believe in a pretribulation, midtribulation or prewrath rapture, all state that the righteous will go into eternity before the unrighteous. But the one whose voice will cause the dead to rise and whose command will make the rapture happen, taught that all people will go into eternity at the same time.
When our Lord Jesus Christ comes with his angels, he will sit gloriously on his throne (Matt. 25: 31). ... He will put the righteous on his right and the unrighteous on his left.
He will say to the righteous: 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world" (Matt. 25: 34).
And to the unrighteous he will say: 'Depart from me, you who are cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' " (Matt. 25: 41).
Our LORD taught that the resurrection will take place at the last day, thus making the last day the time of the rapture.
"And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day" (John 6: 39).
The apostle Paul informed the Thessalonians that the rapture will occur on the day of the Lord after "the man of lawlessness" (the Antichrist) is revealed (NIV).
Regarding the coming of our Lord and our gathering to him, do not be deceived by a prophecy, report or letter as coming from us advising that the day of the Lord has already come. Do not allow anyone to trick you by any means. Two things must happen before that day arrives. There will be a rebellion and the Antichrist will be revealed (2 Thess. 2: 1 - 3).
The apostle Paul shared a mystery with the Corinthian believers. The resurrection, the transformation and the rapture will happen after the last trumpet is sounded.
Pay attention, I share a mystery with you. We will not all die, but we will be changed in a moment when the last trumpet is sounded. When the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised never to die again and the living will be transformed (1 Corinthians 15: 51 - 52).
The apostle John stated that the time for judging the dead will be after the sounding of the seventh trumpet. Since there will be one resurrection of all the dead (John 5: 28 - 29), therefore, the rapture will take place after the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
"The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great - and for destroying those who destroy the earth" (Rev. 11: 18).
Dr. Luke informs us that our LORD must remain in heaven until the time when God will restore everything.
"He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets" (Acts 3: 21).
Since God will restore everything on the day of judgment by creating a new heaven and a new earth (2 Pet. 3: 13), therefore, our LORD will remain in heaven until the day of judgment. Thus making the second coming and the coming down from heaven for the rapture a single event (Matt. 25: 31, 1 Thess 4: 16 - 17).
The rapture will take place when our LORD sends out his angels to gather his elect immediately after the tribulation (Matt. 24: 29 - 31).
The rapture will take place when our LORD comes in his glory (Matt. 25: 31 - 32).
The rapture will take place when our LORD is revealed from heaven in blazing fire (2 Thess. 1: 7).
On the authority of the word of God, we conclude that the rapture will take place:
1) At the last day (John 6: 39).
2) On the day of the Lord (2 Thess. 1 - 2; 2 Pet. 3: 10).
3) After the last trumpet (1 Cor. 15: 51 - 52).
4) After the seventh trumpet (Rev. 11: 18).
5) On the day of judgment (2 Pet. 3: 7).
6) Immediately after the tribulation (Matt. 24: 29 - 31).
7) When the Son of Man comes in his glory (Matt. 25: 31 - 32).
8) When our Lord is revealed from heaven in blazing fire (2 Thess. 1: 7).
" ... Come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22: 20).
NOTE - (italic - mine) scriptural quotation scriptural paraphrase
"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright c 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers."
CopyrightⒸ 2022 by Joseph E. Mahabir (B.A Hons. Psy. (York University, Tor.), M.Ed. Educ. Admin. (University of Toronto), M.A Biblical Studies, MAGNA CUM LAUDE, (Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA, USA).
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Name: Joseph Emmanuel Mahabir
