Genesis 2:1-3 God put the word ‘remember’ in the fourth commandment. The Sabbath was given to Humanity before sin entered the world. Adam was created on the 6th day and then God created the Sabbath Day. God’s gift to humanity is a day to rest from your work. The devil hates the Sabbath. 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. The word ‘rest’ is mentioned 9 times in the above passage of Hebrews. The word ‘rest’ in the original greek is Sabbatismos. These passages of Hebrews are in the New Testament.
Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
Does God ever get tired? God rested on the ‘Seventh-Day’ which has been Saturday for thousands of years. God put special power and a mark on the seventh-day. God sanctified the day which means God set the day apart. God did this for us and set us apart for Holy Use. That is what sanctified means.
Exodus 16:4-8
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. 5 And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.”
6 Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt. 7 And in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD; for He hears your complaints against the LORD. But what are we, that you complain against us?” 8 Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the LORD hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD.”
God was taking care of His People. God’s commandments were in place at this time. Some of the people tried to gather manna on the Sabbath Day and there was none.
Exodus 16:15
So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.
Exodus 16:25-30
Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”
27 Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. 28 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29 See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.” 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
Exodus 20:8-11
“ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
God knew there would be a time when people would forget His Sabbath ( Holy Time ). God alone can make Holy Time, not man or a religion.
Deuteronomy 5:29
Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
God wants us to fear ( respect ) and keep His commandments. The Sabbath is a memorial of God’s creatorship. Refusing to keep God’s commandment about keeping the Sabbath can be deadly. Should a Christian expect God to take them to heaven when Jesus returns if the Christian doesn’t keep all of the commandments?
Ecclesiastes 3:14
I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
Whatever God does – it shall be forever. God wrote the 10 commandments Himself and is the only writing in the Bible written by God.
Luke 4:16
So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
Jesus Himself kept the Sabbath. Jesus is our example. He is Lord of the Sabbath.
Luke 23:54-56
That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. 55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
Going to church on Sunday because Jesus rose from the grave is not in the Bible. The women and disciples were following the fourth commandment. If you disobey one commandment you have disobeyed all of them. Jesus was resting in the tomb on Sabbath.
Luke 24:1
Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
We all need to examine our lives. Are we making Jesus happy or the devil happy? Jesus is example for every human being to follow.
Revelation 1:10
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet.
John was in vision on God’s settled and immovable day ( the translation of the Lord’s Day in Greek ).
Mark 2:27-28
And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
Anthropos is the original greek for man. God says you can be rested from your six days of work by resting on the Sabbath.
Hebrews 4:1-11
Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “ So I swore in My wrath, ‘ They shall not enter My rest,’ although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”
6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:
“ Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”
Revelation 14:6-7
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
Loud voice in greek is mega phonae.
Isaiah 66:22-23
“For as the new heavens and the new earth Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the LORD, “ So shall your descendants and your name remain. 23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the LORD.
God is going to recreate the world. When Jesus comes to get us, we will be keeping the Sabbath Day. Sabbath was not done away with at the cross.
John 4:22
You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
General
God has always had a law against cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery.
Hosea 4:1-4
Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel!
The Lord has brought charges against you, saying:
“There is no faithfulness, no kindness,
no knowledge of God in your land.
2 You make vows and break them;
you kill and steal and commit adultery.
There is violence everywhere—
one murder after another.
3 That is why your land is in mourning,
and everyone is wasting away.
Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky,
and the fish of the sea are disappearing.
4 “Don’t point your finger at someone else
and try to pass the blame!
My complaint, you priests,
is with you.
Hosea 4:6-9
6 My people are being destroyed
because they don’t know me.
Since you priests refuse to know me,
I refuse to recognize you as my priests.
Since you have forgotten the laws of your God,
I will forget to bless your children.
7 The more priests there are,
the more they sin against me.
They have exchanged the glory of God
for the shame of idols.
8 “When the people bring their sin offerings, the priests get fed.
So the priests are glad when the people sin!
9 ‘And what the priests do, the people also do.’
So now I will punish both priests and people
for their wicked deeds.
Knowledge is Power. People are attracted to the wrong kind of power. Seek divine power in the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
13 That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.
There is One Law. Solomon had made a mess of his life. He took reign over Israel at 17 years of age. Solomon came back to God after sacrificing children to idols and having 300 wifes that worshiped idols.
Moses obeyed God. He raised his cane and the Dead Sea departed. Forty years later, Israel was on the edge of the Promised Land of Canaan at the Jordan River.
James 2:10-12
For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free.
The majority of Christian preachers are preaching that we Christians are under grace. The United States is the freest nation in the world but has more law than any other country. God’s Law gives us freedom and liberty.
Revelation 14:12
This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.
If you are part of God’s people, you will have to endure persecution.
Revelation 12:17
And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.
Exodus 20:1-17
Open your Bible and see these commandments for yourself!
This is the ten commandments of the Bible before one religion decided it has the authority to change certain words and times. These versuses in Exodus say the same thing in the New Testament. God’s Law has not changed. God says work six days, and only God can make something holy, not man.
10 Principles for Daily Living
1. Loyalty
2. True Worship
3. Reverence {Are you a witness for God?)
4. Holy time (only commandment dealing with time)
5. Respect for Authority
6. Respect for Life Indians hunted enough animals needed to survive, no more, no less
7. Purity of Heart
8. Honesty
9. Truthfulness
10. Contentment
Have any of the above principles been done away with since Jesus died on the cross ? When ?
Romans 3:31
Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.
Romans 3:20-23
20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Christ Took Our Punishment
21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
God’s Law is like a mirror-Shows me my Sin-Gives me Grace.
Seeking the Greatest Gift Sermon Do Not Grieve the Spirit
Pastor Brandon Korter
Bellingham, Washington Seventh-Day Adventist Church
We see terrible things around us. Families are broken, weather woes, people losing jobs and incomes. Jesus gives us a choice. Follow Him and make sacrifice so we receive the greatest gift. Choices shape our life and destiny. We all face different issues. The disciples had to make choices.
Luke 22:14-18
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper
14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
Jesus took all the world’s shame and guilt and went to the cross and sacrificed His LIfe for our sins. Is the sacrifice of Jesus in vain today? What will we do with Jesus sacrifice?
Some people reject the Gift of Salvation. Some people don’t want to walk with Jesus. What is our choice to be? Jesus is waiting to eat and drink with us. He wants to save us. He is waiting for us. You are precious to Jesus. We are here ( Sabbath Communion Service ) to be forgiven of our sin-to start over with our Savior. It is easier to be saved than lost.
The Holy Spirit comes to people over and over again. When Jesus comes the second time, it will be our fault for not accepting Jesus. Daily seek and cooperate Jesus. the Holy Spirit will move in your life. We will want and seek to study His Word in the Bible. We will love righteousness and hate sin.
Ephesians 4:24-32
Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, putting away lying, “ Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil. 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Luke 11:13
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!
Jesus will answer your prayers.
Psalms 51:9-12
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
This Psalm is David turning his heart back to God! With Jesus, anything is possible. If Jesus can save David, he can save you! Let Him! If you have been slipping away from God, there are two steps to get right again:
1) Confess your sins
2) Receive the Holy Spirit
Psalms 103:8-13
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pities his children,
So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
This is what the cross is all about. The greatest gift is His Pardon. If you will come to the Cross today-through Jesus we are worthy and made righteous.
Don’t let the Devil keep you away from Jesus!
Here is a recent Wednesday night prayer meeting about the Most Holy Place and the Arc of the Covenant which contains the 10 commandments. The Ten commandments were written by Jesus and it is the only literature in the Bible that was done by Jesus. The New Priestly Service 1 Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2 a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. 1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Daniel 8:13-14
Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”
14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
Hebrews 8:1-8
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. 4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, in as much as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
God wants all man to come to repentance. The Sanctuary is where Israel sacrificed young animals to seek forgiveness before Jesus. People no longer have to sacrifice animals to seek forgiveness because Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself on the Cross for us.
The Arc of the Covenant is a Throne of Mercy. Not once was a High Priest found dead in the Most Holy Place.
Hebrews 9:23-28
Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice
23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.
1 John 2:1
Revelation 3:5
He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Jesus is our Judge and Justifier as He is in the Most Holy Place now.
Jesus is our Intercessor as represented by the 7 Candles.
The Laver in the Sanctuary represents Jesus baptism.
The Altar with a Burnt Offering represents Calvary and His Death on the cross for our sin.
The following spiritual principles are from Dr. Denis Waitley:
Servant Leadership
Roots
| Self Awareness | Potential |
| Self Esteem | Intrinsic Value |
| Self Honesty | Integrity |
| Self Determination | Responsibility |
| Self Discipline | Positive Habits |
Wings
| Self Motivation | Desire |
| Self Imagination | Creativity |
| Self Direction | Goals |
| Self Expectation | Optimism |
| Self Dimension | Perspective |
Our church has a Sabbath School Quarterly that gives a daily lesson to read and study scripture from the Bible each morning throughout the quarter. We are just starting the new quarter that is titled: Jesus Wept, The Bible and Human Emotions. Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th lessons were very powerful and I will share them here. If you want to access the daily lessons, click to the site here and select Current Lesson: Sabbath School Lesson Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Samuel 13, Gal. 5:22, Col. 3:12–14, Luke 19:41–44, John 16:20–24. Memory Text: Emotions are a vital part of the human personality. They can be powerful motivators, both for good and for evil. And, depending on the emotions, they make us happy, sad, fearful, or joyous. God wants us to enjoy the effects of positive emotions. However, because of sin, we often face the adverse effects of negative emotional experiences. Bible characters were not immune to emotional ups and downs either. Some succeeded in gaining control over them; others, losing control, allowed negative emotions to lead them into wrong actions. The relationship between emotions and behavior is not clear and direct. At times painful emotions may drive us to our knees in order to seek God as the ultimate source of help and support. At other times struggles may cause people to give up faith entirely. How crucial, then, that we learn more about our emotions and how they impact our lives. Read 2 Samuel 13, a story packed with adverse emotional experiences. In the midst of this turmoil, people ended up inflicting much physical and emotional pain on each other. The consequences of their behavior touched the entire royal family, impacting even future generations. What emotional states can be identified in the following participants? Amnon Tamar David Absalom Amnon’s “love” for Tamar could not have been true love, but rather a strong sexual drive, because as soon as he achieved his goal he “hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her” (vs. 15, NIV). Amnon’s experience illustrates emotional extremes: uncontrolled passion (in the context of an incestuous relationship) and hatred. Behaviors performed under such emotional states almost always will be unbalanced and cause serious consequences. Amnon’s “love” turned almost instantly into hatred. He disdained his sister’s final plea and drove her out of his quarters by force. Tamar was truly the victim. She did not permit any of Amnon’s advances, which frustrated him. She served her brother in obedience to the king. And when Amnon’s intentions became clear, she did her best to dissuade him and to outline the devastating consequences of such a wicked act. Being determined to do what he wanted, Amnon was not ready to seek sound advice. So he proceeded with his plan. As any woman who has suffered rape or abuse, Tamar must have felt angry, humiliated, and used; she surely suffered with significantly lowered self-esteem. Her brother Absalom did not offer much relief, but instead advised her to keep silent. However, Absalom devised a plan to kill Amnon in order to avenge her rape. (Besides, getting rid of Amnon increased his chances to sit on the throne of Israel.) David, father of all involved, experienced anger and grief over these events. When have you experienced hatred, sadness, fear, rage, or jealousy? How did you deal with them? What do you wish you had done differently? Positive Emotions Negative emotional states such as hatred, worry, fear, rage, and jealousy produce immediate physiological responses: a pounding heart, tense muscles, dryness of the mouth, cold sweat, butterflies in the stomach, and other physical manifestations. Longtime exposure to these symptoms have been associated with cardiac and digestive complications. In contrast, positive emotional states such as compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience are associated with a sense of well-being, a positive outlook, and an optimal relationship with others and with God. Positive psychology, a newly developed and widely accepted branch of psychology, aims at the promotion of positive emotions in order to obtain happiness and to prevent mental illness. In fact, there is evidence that harboring certain negative emotions will adversely affect health and longevity; in contrast, the promotion of a positive outlook can promote health and longevity. In other words, the more positive your outlook and emotions, the better overall health you can enjoy. Read Galatians 5:22. How should the fruit of the Spirit make a difference in the way people experience life? Read Colossians 3:12–14. What is the most outstanding positive emotion according to Paul? What is the meaning of “clothe yourselves” (NIV) as expressed in this passage? What consequences follow when someone puts into practice Paul’s words in this passage? Though love is more than an emotion, it is still the supreme emotion. God is love, and it is His plan for His children to experience love for others and from others; He wants us to know what it means to love God and to be loved by Him. Love brings about an array of other positive feelings and emotions that can be translated into highly desirable behaviors. What has been your own experience with how your emotional state impacts your actions? Why is it important not to make important decisions amid a flurry of emotions, be they positive or negative?
SABBATH AFTERNOON
” ‘I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy’ ” (John 16:20, NKJV).
“Positive” emotions can bring a feeling of satisfaction and well-being; “negative” ones tend to cause pain and anguish. Though the first ones can promote mental health, a prolonged exposure to “negative” emotions may bring about behavioral and relational problems. Thus, emotions can play an important part in our overall well-being.
Sunday 26. December 2010
Monday, 27. December 2010
The above passages are from the Seventh-day Adventist Church quarterly study guide and are not my writings.
The Most Amazing Bible Prophecy
As God’s People, we have the ability to Lead People to Jesus. The number one avenue is Bible Prophecy. Jesus first coming was foretold in the Old Testament. Prophecy is History written ahead of time.
Daniel 8:13-19
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?” 14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days;then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.
Daniel asked “how long” and the answer turns out to be 2,300 days which will be explained further down in the post.
Gabriel Interprets the Vision
15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.” 18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be.
Daniel 8:26-27
26 “ And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which was told is true;
Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the future.”
27 And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.
Daniel 9:1-5
Daniel’s Prayer for the People
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.
Fifteen years elapsed between Daniel Chapter 8 and 9. Babylon had fallen to the Medes. Gabriel interprets Daniel’s vision in Daniel 8. Gabriel replaced Lucifer and is the highest angel of Jesus. Daniel 8 and 9 is the longest Bible prophecy at 2,300 days.
Daniel 9:21-24
21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:
24 “ Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.
One day in Bible Prophecy symbolizes One Year. Here are the scriptures that point this truth.
Numbers 14:34
34 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection.
Ezekiel 4:5-6
5 For I have laid on you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days; so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 6 And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year.
In Daniel 9:24, an end of sins is stated. Let’s look at the New Testament and see where the prophecy of Daniel 9:24 comes true.
Matthew 3:13-17
John Baptizes Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
On our time line that will be at the end of this post, the year of Jesus birth is significant. Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan by John in 27 AD. This is fulfilling the prophecy of Daniel.
Matthew 4:1-4
Satan Tempts Jesus
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
The Jews knew Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Daniel also.
Mark 1:9-15
John Baptizes Jesus
9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately, coming up from[a] the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Satan Tempts Jesus
12 Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry
14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.
“The time is fulfilled” speaks about prophecy of Daniel 9.
Luke 4:13
Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Luke 4:17-21
7 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 “ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Daniel 9:25
Know therefore and understand,
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until Messiah the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The street shall be built again, and the wall,
Even in troublesome times.
Jesus is the Center of World History. A decree went out from King Artaxerxes in 457 BC to restore and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. This is recorded history.
Daniel 9:26-27
And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
Jesus was baptized in 27 AD. Jesus was crucified on the cross in 31 AD. Stephen was stoned to death by Jewish leaders in 34 AD.
So here we will lay out a timeline as best as possible on a blog. I have seen this about 10 times now since being a Seventh-Day Adventist and each time it amazes me
that the Bible has been 100 percent correct in world history prophecy so I chose to follow the Bible.
| Temple Rebuilt | Jesus Baptized | Jesus Crucified | Stephen Stoned | End Time | ||
| 457 BC | 27 AD | 31 AD | 34 AD | 1844 | ||
| Daniel 9:25 | Daniel 9:27 | |||||
| 483 years | 7 years | 1810 years | 2,300 years total |
When Jesus Steps In
What does Christmas mean to people? Think of a Mom raising children on her own. Old people living in huts in Africa. Missionaries living thousands of miles from home. Merchants depending on the shopping to keep them in business.
So many people feel depressed because they do not have a relationship with Jesus. We are living in the time of the end. Who really knew that Jesus had come back in year 1 AD. Will you let Jesus save YOU?
The final story of Christmas is that Jesus is coming back a second time. How serious do we take Jesus?
Luke 2:8-14
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men.
Prophecy had told 500 years before that Jesus would appear. The educated scribes and Pharisees did not care about being ready for the Messiah to appear. The Messiah would mess up their lives and egos. Is it possible today that we are not ready for the Messiah to return? Is our life full of things that keep us from being ready?
Jesus came at the worst time in history. Israel had been at war for many generations. The Roman Empire was the dominant power in the world and Jesus arrived right at the beginning of the Roman Empire. The Jews refused to give up what they were doing in the temple and carried on with their games instead of leading people to God.
God could no longer reach people. The Jews were corrupt – lost in sin – agents of Satan. Evil was now a part of their religion. Instead of destroying the world, God poured out a flood of healing grace and sent Jesus.
Are we so wrapped up in our lives that we will be fooled when Jesus comes the second time? Are we trying to keep our religion to ourselves? The Shepherds were the only people willing to listen to the arrival of the Messiah. The Church leaders were not willing to pay attention or listen. Will you be willing to listen and take Jesus seriously? When God made an announcement to the angels, they came down and did what God asked of them. We as God’s people must do our part.
Listen for Jesus, listen for the signs of His second coming. Can we be saved? God gave us a commission to share Jesus with others.
Luke 2:18
18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
The Shepherds were the only people to take the Gospel seriously. Shepherds were on the opposite end of the social ladder. They were nobodies as they lived in fields with their animals. They had no power or prestige. Yet God’s angels came unto the shepherds. No matter how insignificant you may think you are, God knows you and you are precious in His sight. If you feel you are not respected, just remember Jesus knows you. You are a shepherd for Jesus.
What do we value in this world? Being a shepherd means the light shines on you. God has called you. He can change you.
Revelation 22:11
He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.
Have you made your choice? When we have made a choice for Jesus – we will live for Jesus.
We do not like being told what to do or how to live. Do we do the same thing to Jesus? Righteousness is right doing. Some preachers are calling right doing legalism. The only way to know how to live right is follow the Bible.
Basic
Instructions
Before
Leaving
Earth
The Bible is elementary and the minimum we should strive to live by.
Revelation 22:12
And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Have you sown evil or righteousness? Anybody can chose to follow the Bible and Jesus. Are you willing to be a Shepherd for Jesus?
Victory in Jesus Is a recent prayer meeting that was led out by Pastor Brandon Korter at the Bellingham Seventh-day Adventist church.
Revelation 12:7
Satan Thrown Out of Heaven
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought.
If you are a Christian, you cannot live how you want but should live as Jesus did. This means smoking, drinking alcohol, gambling, and sexual promiscuity are not allowed. In Jesus time, the people believed He was going to be the new earthly King of Israel. Jesus said: “I come as a 2 edged sword”.
Peace comes as a gift from Jesus. We were created as an Image of God. Lucifer wanted in on creation and was not allowed. As a result of Lucifer’s fall, every human has a sinful nature.
We have a God shaped void (hole, shallowness, emptiness) inside of our human body if we don’t have Jesus in our hearts. Many people fill the void. What most people do is turn to things to fill the void: Tobacco, Alcohol, Sex, Gambling, Food, Money, and Work.
The void can only be filled by Jesus. He is the piece to the puzzle. Draw a heart. Inside the heart put dots all around the outer area and in the center of the heart draw a cross. That cross is the missing piece to the puzzle and only Jesus can give it to us.
Mega churches are packed because their religion is saying you can chose what you want like a buffet line. You will never hear that your lifestyle, tobacco, alcohol, or putting unclean things in your mind is an issue. It’s not about what these mega church pastors say. It’s all about what the BIBLE says. We must step out in faith and trust Jesus.
Revelation 12:11-12
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath,
because he knows that he has a short time.
You must receive the blood of Jesus. God promises you peace. The Devil is mad and knows his time is short. The Devil has to die but you don’t.
1 Peter 5:6-8
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
God wants us to understand that the Devil is like a roaring lion-a violent animal that attacks its prey.
John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Even the Devil believes in Jesus but the Devil doesn’t live by His Word. The Devil hates the Bible and the Word of God.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31
29 But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
30 When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice.
31 (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.
Romans 13:11-14
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
When our human nature comes out-don’t fall-put on Jesus.
Isaiah 1:16-19
6 “ Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
Cease to do evil,
17 Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Rebuke the oppressor;
Defend the fatherless,
Plead for the widow.
18 “ Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the LORD,
“ Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
John 17:13-17
13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
Pastor Brandon Korter shared this Bible study with us on a recent Wednesday evening prayer meeting. He recommended reading the book: “The Two Republics”. This book highlights the similarities between the Roman Empire and the United States of America. Our society right now feels it needs to meet the needs of all people. The same thing happened with the Roman Empire. Our nations priorities right now are the same as the former Roman Empire.
Man will not supply all of our needs. The Devil and his angels have lived in heaven. The Devil doesn’t want people to have eternal life. The Devil will do everything possible to keep man out of heaven. Here are some Bible verses that show eternity is for real.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
But as it is written:
“ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
Revelation 21:1-3
All Things Made New
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 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. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
Revelation 21:10-25
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
The Glory of the New Jerusalem
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
Just imagine streets of gold and gates of pearls and worshiping Jesus for eternity! Here is some Old Testament scripture to also reveal eternity and what we will be doing.
Isaiah 65:17
The Glorious New Creation The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them,
For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.
Isaiah 65:21-25
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
They shall not plant and another eat;
For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,
And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain,
Nor bring forth children for trouble;
For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD,
And their offspring with them.
24 “ It shall come to pass
That before they call, I will answer;
And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
The lion shall eat straw like the ox,
And dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,”
Says the LORD.
Isaiah 35:1
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
Isaiah 35:5-6
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.
1 John 3:2
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Was Jesus a real man?
Luke 24:36-43
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.43 And He took it and ate in their presence.
Jesus sat and ate fish and from a honeycomb. He had real flesh and bones like any man.
Revelation 21:1
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
Which heaven do you want to be in? I want to be in the new heaven when Christ comes again.
The Bible is very clear about the state of the righteous living, righteous dead, wicked living and wicked dead. It is easier to be saved than it is to be lost. The Holy Spirit will continue to try and reach lost souls throughout the person’s life. We were given free choice by God. Revelation gives us prophecy about what is coming at the second coming of Jesus.
Revelation 20:1-6
Satan Bound 1000 Years
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
The Saints Reign with Christ 1000 Years
4 And I saw thrones, and They sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
They means the Righteous or Saints. This is powerful. God is going to allow His Saints to judge the wicked.
John 5:28-29
Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
So the Righteous Living and Righteous Dead will meet the Lord in the air.
John 14:1-3
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Revelation 20:5
But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
So the Wicked dead stay dead for 1,000 years.
Revelation 6:14-17
Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?
The wicked living will beg for rocks to fall on them. Jesus is looking for that one time a human being will say: “Come into my heart”. Jesus will wait 1,000 times to get to that one time when a human seeks Jesus.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-10
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
The wicked living will not be able to stand the brightness of the Lord.
Jeremiah 4:23-28
I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void;
And the heavens, they had no light.
24 I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled,
And all the hills moved back and forth.
25 I beheld, and indeed there was no man,
And all the birds of the heavens had fled.
26 I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness,
And all its cities were broken down
At the presence of the LORD,
By His fierce anger.
27 For thus says the LORD:
The whole land shall be desolate;
Yet I will not make a full end.
28 For this shall the earth mourn,
And the heavens above be black,
Because I have spoken.
I have purposed and will not relent,
Nor will I turn back from it.
Now to sum up what happens at the second coming of Christ:
Revelation 20:1-9
Satan Bound 1000 Years
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
The Saints Reign with Christ 1000 Years
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Satanic Rebellion Crushed
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
Revelation 21:1-2
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 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.
I look forward to that day when Jesus returns. I gave my heart to Jesus and rededicated myself to Him in the past few years. All you have to do is ask, and Jesus will respond to a sincere heart. This old world is dying and getting hard to live in.
Can we really be perfect? Human beings are far from perfect. We are no different than politicians who we just elected. We look at their faults and expect them to be perfect. We might end up thinking the same about ourselves. Do we have a funny idea about being perfect?
Genesis 6:8-9
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.
Some people carry tremendous guilt because they are not perfect. God wants us to be enthusiastic. Noah found grace and God told him to be perfect. If you received grace from God (unmerited favor), praise God that you have 2 natures. If you weren’t converted you would only have one nature.
Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. God took Enoch to heaven. Do we understand what it means to walk with God? Look at what Paul wrote in Romans 4:11 about Abraham: Abraham can have the perfect life. Is there anyone else here who can be perfect? Have a perfect heart after God’s own heart. David committed terrible sins and admitted them in Psalms 116:9 Walk with God and be perfect. One definition of what being perfect is all about-in the Bible it says-Walk with God. Do not live apart from God, you are perfect and inseparable. The reason people leave God’s church is the incredible connection with God is not there. Once you are converted you will stay in God’s church. Enoch, Noah, David and Abraham were all considered perfect by God. Noah got drunk and naked one time. Abraham almost committed adultery. David dove head first into adultery and murder. God wants us to notice we can go from a miserable Christian to a happy and joyous Christian. God regards a person perfect when they are willing to walk with Him. Jesus is the center of our lives. Jesus must be in the center. Ask for a new heart. When we feel sorry about all the sin we engaged in, God rejoices. God also rejoices when we surrender to Jesus. It doesn’t matter if were were alcoholic, adulterer, thief, or a criminal. Jesus gives us a clean heart and soul. This process makes us whole. Jesus gives us His victorious life. We take on Jesus character. He takes our punishment. Love is vital in this experience. We cannot be happy with someone we do not love. As we walk with Jesus, we may be tempted. Everything makes sense if we have love for Jesus. Does God want us to be happy? Think about your Christian life. When someone asks you why you don’t drink, eat that particular food, or watch that movie or program-if you aren’t filled wtih joy, we would reply “my religion forbids that”. What about Jesus? He knows what is best. If we are filled with joy, we would respond: “I don’t do that because Jesus would not do that or drink that”. Jesus should be our first Love and we can ask Him: “Do you like it”? Jesus should determine our actions. Walk daily with Jesus-seek His counsel on every decision. Our religion should not determine our actions. We treat someone kindly because we love Jesus. It’s not about never making a mistake. Praise God the Bible’s idea of perfection is walking with God like Enoch, Noah, David, and Abraham. Jesus suffered on the cross cause He loves you. You may stumble or fall. Walk with God. When asked by the nominating committee to serve the church, do not consider the responsibility as a job but as a ministry for Jesus.
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also,
I will walk before the LORD-In the land of the living.
Here is an excellent sermon titled: “Friends Defend Their Friends” by Pastor Korter of Bellingham, Washington Seventh-Day Adventist Church on 30. October 2010. Pastor Korter and his family are serving the Bellingham district which includes one other church in Lynden, Washington. The sermon is centered around Ephesians 6:10-12.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
As we near the coming of Jesus, we will experience a spiritual battle going on between the powers of good versus evil. The devil hates followers of Jesus. The devil wants the sinful nature to win and he targets the mind and the will of people. The battlefield is the mind. The devil wants to gain control over our lives. Who has control over our minds?
As God’s people, we have an insight into the Great Controversy. The devil uses drugs, alcohol, pride, gambling, and sex to ensnare us. The devil wants to destroy us. Does God have a solution for us? Claim Ephesians 6:10 and be strong in the Lord and din the power of His might.
The battle has been raging since the Garden of Eden. The disciples came to Jesus and Jesus told them: “Do not be deceived”. The devil is cunning and treacherous. What is Temptation? Total effort that the devil puts forth to induce us into sin. Temptation itself is not a sin. If temptation flashes through your mind, don not be burdened with guilt. The devil manipulates us with guilt. You cannot prevent birds from flying over your head but you can prevent them from building a nest there.
Sin begins in the mind. We struggle against a highly intelligent being. The devil knows our weak points, but he cannot change our will unless we let him. Read Patriarchs and Prophets by Ellen White about how Satan attacks our weak points. In God’s strength, we can conquer our sinful nature.
The difference between sin and temptation:
Temptation is a telephone that is ringing. Sin would be to answer the phone. Let the phone ring but don’t answer. What can I do to resist temptation?
1. Think about something else.
2. Claim a Bible promise.
3. Law in Physics that one object can occupy space at one time. Seek the Lord in prayer when temptation comes.
4. Sing to resist temptation. Powers of darkness cannot stand to listen to praise to the Lord Jesus. They flee.
5. Get out your Bible and read aloud. The devil cannot stand the Word of God read to him.
Pastor Korter promises that if you run to the Lord in prayer, read the Bible and sing praises to God, temptation will leave. It works. No one was tempted more than Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane.
God’s people are not doing what works. Ephesians 6:17-18
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
The helmet of salvation-praying always-be in a spirit of prayer. Don’t give up. Direct commission from God of Heaven. Pray for each other. Love each other. VERY IMPORTANT.
Paul is giving an insight into the Roman soldier putting armor on. Put on the whole armor of God. Temptation comes-it should bound off you. Only one piece of armor is offensive-sword of the spirit-word of God. Never turn your back on the enemy. The moment we turn our back on the enemy-we are in trouble. The moment temptation is over-you grow stronger. Depend on Jesus. If we look to ourselves and our power, we are lost.
We live in a culture that says you are weak if you need God. Jesus is our friends and defender. He is pleading with us to help. The bully of the universe is out to get us. Jesus wants to be our friend and keep us with Him.
There was a 16 year old boy at school bullying other younger children for money. One 7 year old boy had a $1 per day to use for a snack. The 16 year old bully twisted the arm of the 7 year old boy and threatened to cut the young boy’s arm off if not given the $1. Every day the 7 year old boy had to give up the $1. One day the children were playing in the school yard and the 16 year old boy was bullying younger children and then ran into another boy the same size as he was. The 7 year old child ran up to the other larger boy and asked him if he wanted to make 50 cents a day. The boy agreed and then the 7 year old boy walked up to the 16 year old bully and said: “Never again am I going to give you money. The 7 year old’s new friend came running and defeated the bully. We are the 7 year old boy and the devil is the 16 year old bully.
The devil is trying to steal our lives. We need to ask our Friend ( Jesus ) to come and stop the bully. We don’t have to pay our friend as He has already paid on the Cross. When Jesus died, the devil thought he had won. If we don’t chose life with Jesus, we chose death with Satan. Every thing about Halloween is about honoring the bully and death. Verse 10 tells us to “Be Strong in the Lord and His Might”. We can make a choice. Satan trembles before Christ majesty. Satan falls back. Cry unto the Lord. Claim Jesus. He will hear you. He will help you in your temptation.
Pastor Korter stated that Sabbath School is just as important as the sermon each week. We grow in Jesus by spending time in His Word. Share with your class and learn each week. Here are some notes taken on 16. October 2010 from Pastor Korter’s sermon on Romans 7:18-22.
Living with a Wolf. We need the experience of conversion to be ready for Jesus second coming. Some churches preach a message that does not offend the church membership. Pastors must focus on the Bible and our Sin. Then we as sinners realize our need for Jesus. What do we do with conflict? There is a battle raging. Great controversy between good and evil. The Pharisees were attacking Jesus all the time. We all have a free will. There are two natures wrestling inside all of us.
Romans 7:18-22
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
Even though I want to serve the Lord, I want to do what is wrong. This issue is the same for any age. A man comes to his pastor and says: “I don’t feel like I am converted.” Why do Christians have more conflict in their lives than non-Christians? God wants us to understand this right away. There is help for us. People assume that God removes our sinful nature when we are converted. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we desired to sin no more? Human nature doesn’t work that way until Jesus comes back.
God doesn’t suddenly destroy our old nature. God places within a converted person a new heart or new nature. This new nature is Christ. What happens to the old nature ( wolf )? It stays there mortally wounded. We have two natures. This is what makes Christians different. The first time the old nature receives food and nourishment, it starts getting well and starts to fight the new nature to get rid of it. Don’t feed the old nature.
New converts encounter more conflict than non Christians. When you accept Jesus, expect more conflict. Sometimes you may be plunged into despondency and despair. The devil is a master deceiver and does not want us to know what is going on. Some new converts become miserable. We can be happy Christians. We are to be the happiest people on the earth. A person without Jesus only has one nature, the sinful nature. There is no conflict. When you surrender to Jesus, you now have a new nature that is in conflict with the old nature.
Romans 7:15-17
For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
Paul is showing this conflict in Romans 7. An unconverted person sins as easy as water going down a hill. It’s not that God has turned His back, left you, or given up on you. If we only have one nature, we are in serious trouble.
Galatians 5:16-17
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Pastor, do you mean my whole life is going to be a conflict? Not necessarily. There are two wild animals fighting in a cage. The trainers pull the animals apart and separate them. The trainers care for one of the animals and make sure it is given plenty of food and water. The other animal is not well cared for and is only given enough food and water to keep it alive. The two animals are put in the same cage and fight again. Which one wins? The one that has been well cared for.
How do we feed the two natures? We feed our nature by the five senses given to us by God. The natures of See, Hear and Taste are the most important as these natures feed either the old or new nature.
Against our wishes, we will encounter things that feed our old nature. Victory in our lives depends on which nature we are going to feed. We can starve the wolf. It is your choice. Jesus won’t force that decision. Read the book: Desire of Ages page 173.
When the human soul surrenders to God, His power which no human eye can see creates a new nature.
Galatians 5:24
And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If you want to be miserable, feed your old nature. Do you want to be happy and joyful? Feed the new nature. When Paul wrote these words, the Roman government declared the crucified were dead. Sometimes relatives would go and take a family member down and the crucified person was still alive. The person would go right back to their sinful life. We need to leave the old nature on the Cross of Calvary. You will no longer be a miserable, unhappy, weak Christian.
Are you willing to feed the new nature? The Lion of the Tribe of Judah will live happily in your life. God’s house will be an awesome place to be. Jesus guaranteed our victory. With Jesus, you are not a failure. He Loves You. Paul learned this secret. He wants you to learn this secret today. You will have a growing, Christian life by allowing Jesus in your heart.
Here is a moving sermon that Pastor Brandon Korter gave at Bellingham Seventh-day Adventist Christian church today 2. October 2010. I write notes as he preaches so this content in no way is meant to depict the exact message as he gave it. I do believe I have highlighted the major points he wishes Christians to be aware of in our daily walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother. 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” The rich young ruler belonged to a congregation and was raised under strict obedience to obey church rules and do as he was taught. He was not happy. He felt lost. He heard the church leaders asking Jesus some questions. Jesus did not answer their questions. Jesus noticed the mothers that had brought young children with them to church. Jesus picked up one of the children. Jesus wants His people to come to Him like little children. The rich young ruler was standing off to the side watching Jesus with the children. Young man ran up to Jesus v17. Jesus wanted the young ruler to learn the one thing he had not yet learned. Young man and the jailer of Paul both are asking what must I do to be saved? Jesus in v19 replies that “You know the commandments”. Jesus is saying keep the commandments. Young man looks frustrated and confused. In v20, he answered: “ALL THESE THINGS I HAVE DONE SINCE MY YOUTH”. Young man was not getting what Jesus meant. The young ruler sense of being lost increased. He is now more frustrated with Jesus. v21 Then Jesus looked at him and loved him. The young man was touched by Jesus love. Jesus does this to everyone of us. How can you resist the love of Jesus? Jesus loves you, He is passionate about you. Doesn’t matter if you are rich-poor-black-white. You are the most important person. Jesus loves you with your character problems and sin problems. Jesus accepts you just the way you are. Your life has denied you opportunities. You don’t even like or accept yourself. At this very moment, Jesus loves you. Jesus saw the young man lost in the church. v21 Jesus tells rich young ruler the one thing he lacks is go and sell his possessions and come follow me. Jesus is telling the young man: “You do not love me”. Your only concern is your money and wealth. You will continue in that terrible vacuum in your heart. Let’s fix this now. Take your love of things of this world and get rid of them, put me in the center of your heart and come back and follow me. v22 The rich young ruler was sad and walked away grieved. Even if it was making him miserable, he was more willing to keep the commandments than to love Jesus. It is easier to look good on the outside than to surrender your heart to Jesus. It is possible to obey the letter of the law without loving Jesus. Loving Jesus should be our first concern. So many Christians have the cart before the horse. These Christians look good on the outside but are miserable on the inside. People become dead. Churches become dead. Why do people leave the church? They do not love Jesus. When you love someone, you will never leave that person. Pastor gives an example of a woman who was married to a man for 60 years. She went to her pastor and said: “I do not love my husband”. Pastor asks: “Why did you marry the man?” Woman replies that her parents chose the man and that she obeyed for 60 years but was miserable. People will leave one church and then go to another church. Problem is they do not love Jesus. Impossible to be happy when we are not in love with Jesus. That is the message to the rich young ruler and to us today. Young man chose to turn away. It wasn’t about the riches or obey the commandments. It was all about loving Jesus. When we love Jesus, we support the church, we witness to others, we participate in evangelism to share the good news about Jesus with others. Jesus, I cannot live without you. You will be able to forgive yourself. What is your choice? Young man or Love Jesus? Will you turn away grieved or sad? Or surrender your heart to Jesus?
We are living in the last days. People are fearful of the time of the end. Is there a need to be fearful? Did you know there are people that are filled with incredible joy knowing that Jesus is coming back soon? Which group do you want to be in?
Many people are miserable in their Christian walk. Why? These Christians are not in harmony with the will of God. Everyone goes through trials. We can still have joy according to what is written in the Bible. Here is a story the pastor gave us about a Christian being miserable.
A young man went into the pastor’s office and sat down across the desk from the pastor. The young man says: “I am lost.” I just did something terribly bad that I have done several times already in my past. Everyone thought that the young man lived an outstanding Christian life. Is it possible to be lost in the Christian Church?
Mark 10:17-23
The Rich Man
17As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”