God’s Church
What is Truth?
John 18
37 Pilate therefore said unto Him, Are You a King then? (This question is not exactly asked in sarcasm or sincerity; quite probably, there is a little of both!) Jesus answered, You say that I am a King (is the same as saying “yes, it is so!”). To this end was I born (addresses the Incarnation, God becoming Man [Isa. 7:14]), and for this cause came I into the world (He is to be King in the hearts of all who believe Him), that I should bear witness unto the Truth (carries in its statement the entirety of the embodiment of the Ways of God). Every one who is of the Truth hears My Voice (only those who sincerely desire Truth will know Christ, i.e., “hear His Voice”).
38 Pilate said unto Him, What is Truth? (Pilate shows himself by his question to be a cynic.) And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them (is done so in the midst of tumult), I find in Him no fault at all (Pilate knew that Jesus was not guilty of treason against Rome, or any other type of infraction).
~JSM Expositor’s
In this world of information overload and misinformation, it is very hard to find out the Truth! We often associate “Truth” with what we believe to be true as according to our personal views, perceptions and biases. In reality there is but One Truth in which all other truths are based. That “Truth” is a Person, the Man Jesus Christ and His atonement made at Calvary. How you perceive and view Christ will determine have you evaluate and handle facts, evidence, and information presented to you on a daily basis. As a Christian there is only one way to deal with and perceive information and that is through the Power of the Holy Spirit who indwells the saint upon Salvation. Without the Holy Spirit in you and you daily placing your faith in “Truth” as found in Christ and His atonement, you can only evaluate things based upon your mere human perspective/opinions/biases and lust/desires. You see, in every human being is a sin nature, which is a bent towards wrong doing, and unless this nature is crucified and made dormant by evidencing faith in Calvary (Truth), you can only make assumptions and evaluations based upon the sin nature’s bent towards wrong doing or fleshly desires. Only those living for Christ by evidencing the fruit of Christ are able to properly evaluate/discern what is of “Truth” as centered around the Bible which is the story of Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.
The reason why many of us as professed saints or Christians aren’t saying the same things and can’t see things from a biblical perspective as centered around the doctrine of Calvary is because we lost focus of Christ and His atonement. We went from trusting in the Cross of Christ exclusively to being divided in our beliefs by adding to the Message of the Cross. We have not allowed the work of Calvary to nail our desires, our opinions, our biases to His Cross and we have set out to establish our own righteousness.
In the above Scripture, Pilate who was a Roman governor during the trial of Jesus, had Truth right before his eyes but was unable to recognize Him for who He was and what He would accomplish due to his selfish desires ruling his heart. You see Pilate had the power to condemn Christ or set him free but due to the pressure from the Jews and his desire not to offend his superiors, he condemned an innocent Man. How many of us are walking around condemning and speaking against that which God has ordained simply because we can’t recognize Truth?? Once you and I come to know Truth as in the Person of Jesus Christ and His atonement, we will be able to discern the mind of God and that which is according to the Will of God otherwise you will make wrong evaluations of things due to looking from a corrupt point of view.
~Shonette
By John Rosenstern of J. Swaggart Ministry
Christianity is under attack in America like never before. Our public education system has been purged of any semblance of our Founding Father’s faith. The rich history of the Pilgrims and persecuted believers in Europe, who were seeking to establish a society that gave freedom to worship God and serve Him in liberty, has been expunged from school textbooks and classrooms.
Our children are now fed a liberal, progressive diet of secular humanism. Self is the new god, and satisfying self is the new religion. Man-centered ideals are extolled and exemplified. These ideals are reinforced by the modern prophets who speak to its followers from Hollywood and the liberal media. Grassroots organizations cooperate with politicians and the liberal media in selling the politically correct agenda to silence any and all expressions of Christianity in the public square. Their deceptive message is now so persuasive that unsuspecting believers are seduced into embracing their perverted redefinitions of morality and lifestyles. Many Christians and so-called preachers have joined the liberal-progressive movement with the idea that they are protecting the rights of American citizens. The idea is that we can all get along together in love while overlooking sin. In many cases, they redefine sin to appease their consciences because they are doing good works. This has submitted them to legitimizing the liberal-progressive agenda.
Origin Of Rights
The Declaration of Independence established the principles of our nation, the United Sates of America. Our Constitution and its amendments provide for a rule of law for our government to accomplish those principles. The Bill of Rights protects our individual rights as American citizens. The Declaration of Independence says:
“When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among them are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”
Our Founding Fathers held the highest regard toward God and His sovereignty over the affairs of men. By recognizing that our rights came from God, they believed government was to protect our rights. Our founders placed God’s laws as a higher authority than civil authority. In the book of Acts, we witness an example of this when Peter and the other apostles said, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
John Locke and French philosopher Baron de Montesquieu’s writings influenced our Founding Fathers with philosophical wisdom and insight on the structure of government. Locke wrote Two Treatises on Government, (1690) from Psalm 115:16, “The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s: but the earth has He given to the children of men.” Locke argued that people were born with certain natural rights to life, liberty, and property, and that governments are formed to protect the rights of the people.
Baron de Montesquieu, in The Spirit of the Laws, believed the best form of government, which would incorporate a separation of powers into executive, legislative, and judicial branches, would be based on natural law.
Bill of Rights
Thomas Jefferson and the Antifederalists raised some resistance to the approval of the United States Constitution, with concern that too much power was given to the federal government, and American citizens were unprotected. James Madison submitted amendments to the Constitution on June 8, 1789. The Preamble of the bill states that the Bill of Rights is to prevent abuse by the government. As history reveals, by December 15, 1791, all the states ratified 10 amendments, which are now known to us as the Bill of Rights. The evidence is clear that our founders believed in a limited role of the federal government. The 13 established states became confederate to fight back against the tyranny of England. The men who sought liberty knew that with God’s help, they could and would create a country that came closer than any other society in supply, respect, and dignity to human life. Although not perfect, our founding documents created a foundation built on man’s accountability to God and man’s responsibility toward fellowman.
The Power of Satan- Man Cannot Overcome In His Own Strength
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. 1 John 5:4
When Lucifer(Satan) was kicked out of heaven he retained his powers. Although he was not created as an evil being, sin within his heart corrupted his true nature(Ezekiel 28:13-18, Isaiah 14:12-15). The bible states that he is the god of this world system (2 Cor. 4:4), but he still has to submit to Jehovah God and get permission to do anything, therefore God is in control. We as humans are no match for Satan he continues to have wisdom and power that is beyond human ability but on a corrupt level. Therefore, as Christians we must submit to Faith in Christ and Cross, this is the only way to defeat satan, remain hidden under the blood of Christ, and when God is ready for the hedges to be lowered you will be prepared for any circumstance(Job 1,2)
Satan may have powers beyond our understanding but he is no match for the Lord. If you read the book of Job you will see that God can take the weak things of the world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). This is why Paul states that “When I am weak then am I strong”(2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Strength comes because we, through circumstances become weak and have need of dependence upon the Lord. The flesh (human strength or ability) is really strong, and it takes events in our lives to weaken us, to get us to lean upon the arm of God. Often times, the believer has faith in the wrong object which may include one’s own strength, intellect, ability, or dependence upon other people or things.
The Lord, in order to get our focus or faith in the right object sometimes causes or allows situations to get the believer to turn to Faith in Christ and the Cross. This is where satan was and is defeated!!! Most would think it cruel but this is the Love of God at work, He states that He chasten those whom He loves, and if there is no chastisement then you are not a child of God (Hebrews 12:6-11). Allow the Lord to correct you in the error of your ways and Victory will surely come!!
~ Shonette
.Signs of the Times
Jesus said that just as the sky gives signs of inclement or fair weather (Mat. 16:2-4), just as nature gives evidence of something to come (Lk. 21:30), so the Endtime will be marked by signs of the coming storm. Although some of these events ultimately will take place before the Second Coming of Christ, that many are already occurring reveals the nearness of the Rapture. Some of the signs we are told to look for are as follows:
1. WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS (Dan. 9:26; Mat. 24:6).
2. RESTORATION OF ISRAEL AS A NATION (Ezek., Chapt. 37). Since 1948 the world has been closely observing the miraculous preservation of the tiny Nation of Israel from their sworn enemies who had vowed to exterminate them. God had already given them tremendous victories against astounding odds in the 1948 and 1956 wars. But in 1967 with Russian-trained and Russian-supplied armies, the Arabs once again were sent to annihilate Israel. In June, 1967, outnumbered forty to one, the small ill-equipped Israeli army totally defeated the combined armies of Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. In less than three hours of the first day of the war, Israeli fighter planes destroyed 300 of Egypt’s 340 planes—a Miracle of Miracles! Can it not be obvious to anyone that God has miraculously preserved the Nation of Israel since her restoration in 1948?
3. MATERIAL AFFLUENCE (Lk. 17:27-30; II Pet. 2:6-7).
4. SPIRITUAL APOSTASY (II Jn. Vss. 7-11).
5. OVERPOPULATION (Gen. 6:11-13; Mat. 24:36-44). Already the world is bulging with over 6.4 billion people, and there is speculation about how many people the Earth can support. Within a decade that figure could be near 7.0 billion. Such numbers pose real problems for the Earth’s natural resources.
6. INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND TRAVEL (Dan.12:4). No age has seen the speed with which man currently travels and communicates. One of two families changes residence every five years. Telephones and telexes and satellites carry instant communication. Rockets travel to outer space. The speed of this age is unparalleled.
7. NATURAL DISASTERS (Mat. 24:7). Every week, it seems, we hear of earthquakes, storms, tidal waves, or some other calamity occurring somewhere on the globe. Who has ever known of so many volcanic eruptions or so many ecological problems? Truly ours is a unique age.
8. PERILOUS TIMES (II Tim. 3:1-5). Our nation was stunned when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated November 22, 1963, followed by the assassination of Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., April 4, 1968, and then the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy by Sirhan Sirhan on June 5 of the same year. Fear, a sense of peril, it seems, came upon the American people. Things were not safe anymore. Even though we were not at war, we were scared. And now we have experienced September 11, 2001, and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
9. LAWLESSNESS (Jude, Vss. 17-19). And added to that has been the more recent scourge of terrorism worldwide. We cannot walk our streets at night; we cannot leave our doors unlocked; we cannot board an airplane without wondering if some mad gunman might be aboard. We fear for the safety of our home and family. Is it any wonder if we are more uptight than our forefathers, more restless, less at peace? No age has experienced the insecurity and turmoil we are facing today.
10. FALSE PROPHETS (Mat. 24:11-12, 24). Recent best sellers on this subject have made us aware of the subtle deception of so-called Christian prophets. Many have been deceived and will continue to be led astray.
11. ANTICHRISTS (Mat. 24:5). Many false messiahs have appeared, claiming to be Christ; but we know there is only One, and this same Jesus is coming again (Acts 1:11).
12. WICKEDNESS (Mat. 24:12). During the 1960’s people began to turn their attention to the fact that we may be living in the Last Days—and indeed we are! Civil disobedience and riots were the order of the day. It seemed that a moral dam had broken loose. Overnight, it seemed, there was a total collapse of morals. There was a flood of legalized pornography, nude obscene performances on stage and movies, wife-swapping, topless entertainers, coed dormitories, skyrocketing divorce rates, sexual promiscuity and introduction of the pill, rock festivals accompanied by all kinds of open sexual immorality and drugs, communal living, rampant venereal disease, the burning of draft cards and the American flag, the popularity of anti-war songs, wholesale deserters from the armed forces … and all this with the endorsement of the liberal clergy. The liberal clergy believed that God was acting in all this. Radicals who should have been tried for treason became our national heroes.
13. DEMONIC ACTIVITY (I Tim. 4:1-3). When the Bible speaks of the fierceness of the Wrath of God or His fierce Anger, it uses a word meaning “burning.” But when it speaks of the fierceness of the demonic activity or wickedness, it uses words characterizing “vehemence, harshness, danger, and savagery.” This will be the spirit of this age.
14. PERSECUTION OF THE SAINTS (Mat. 24:9). Believers dying as a testimony for their Faith is nothing new in this world. Every age has had its martyrs. It is estimated that millions of martyrs are buried in the Catacombs … that in 1900, approximately 36,000 people laid down their life for Christ … that in 1970, approximately 230,000 people died for their Faith in Christ … that in 1986, approximately 330,000 followed Christ in martyrdom. How many since then?
15. DRUGS (Rev. 9:21; 18:23). Many people are surprised to learn that drug abuse is mentioned in the Bible. No, the word “drug” is not used, but another word meaning “drug” is used; that is, the Greek pharmakeia, translated “sorcery.” When the word is used, it means “magic.” But when it applies to drugs, drug use, and the druggist, a form of pharmakeia is used. The Bible says that in the Endtime men will give themselves to drug abuse. Has any age ever witnessed such a fulfillment of this as we are seeing today?
16. SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL (Mat. 24:14). Through literature and telecommunications the Name of Jesus Christ is going forth into all the world.
“But I say, HAVE THEY NOT HEARD? YES VERILY, THEIR SOUND WENT INTO ALL THE EARTH, and their words unto the ends of the world” (Rom. 10:18).
What nation in the world, at some point, in its history, has not heard the Gospel? Jesus said:
“So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Mat. 24:33).
That word “near” does not mean “soon” or even “immediately.” It is the Greek word eggus, meaning “at hand, nigh unto, ready.” The verb form means “to draw nigh or to come nigh.” It means “imminent” or the next thing on the agenda. All these things either are being fulfilled or have been fulfilled. All things are “ready.” We believe, then, that Christ could return for His People at any moment.
“Watch therefore: for you know not what hour your Lord does come.
“Therefore BE YOU ALSO READY: FOR IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YOU THINK NOT THE SON OF MAN COMES” (Mat. 24:42, 44).
“Be you therefore ready also: for the Son of Man comes at an hour when you think not” (Lk. 12:40
Swaggart, J. (1986). A Study in Bible Prophecy (pp. 17–20). Baton Rouge, LA: World Evangelism Press.
By Loren Larson
J. Swaggart Ministry
Galatians 5:1 – “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
THERE ARE MANY LIBERTIES we are called to hold to as believers. None are liberties we have paid for, earned, or even deserve. Each and every one of them was paid for by Jesus Christ as He offered up Himself as a sacrifice for lost humanity at Calvary. It is our responsibility to stand fast in the freedoms afforded us by Christ. Let me highlight a few powerful benefits afforded to all who will dare to believe that these are theirs for the claiming!
FREEDOM FROM SIN
Jesus paid the price to free us from the penalty, the power, and (one day) the presence of sin. Most Christians are aware of the truth that Jesus died to pay the penalty for the sin that they have committed, but what most do not realize is the truth that in the Cross, the power of sin over the individual believer was broken. The sin nature that resides in every human from the moment of birth will continue to corrupt the heart of that human unless somehow stopped. Romans, Chapter 6, teaches us that our union with Christ caused the power of the sin nature to be rendered idle and useless. It still resides within the framework of the human heart, but it need not cause us trouble as long as we continually keep our faith in Christ and Him crucified. One glad day when the trump of God shall sound, we shall be glorified, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and the presence of sin will no longer be a reality for all eternity.
FREEDOM FROM LAW
Jesus gave us His righteousness so that we should no longer be accountable to the law. This does not mean that the believer is free from the moral code. The truth is, God expects far more from us — relative to holy living — when we come out from under the law. The law was never meant to be a saving agent. It convicts the human race of wrongdoing but does not supply the power to live holy. Only grace can supply the power to overcome sin. So, we are freed from the law and the ordinances that were against us because Christ nailed them to His Cross and forever took them out of the way. The Christian will never be judged by the law. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness — not the destruction of the law, but rather the end of trusting law, rules, routines, or anything else as the means to righteousness. Once again, our union with Christ has caused us to become dead to the law, and we are free from its requirements and are declared righteous as a result of our faith.
FREEDOM FROM THE WORLD
The believer has access to grace that frees us from the desire for worldly pursuits! We have all felt the pull that the world and its ungodly system can place upon the heart of the believer. It is very easy in this life to concentrate upon the temporal rather than the eternal. There’s nothing wrong with desiring God’s best for us as it pertains to what we own, what we drive, or where we live. However, when the pursuit of these temporary items chokes the desire in us for the things of God, then we have our priorities out of line, and our faith is in danger of being destroyed. The Bible tells us that we have been crucified to the world and the world to us through our union with Christ. Our faith in the Cross will cause God’s grace to remove the worldly desires from us. It will break the pull of those desires, and they will not be dominant over the priority of our walk with God.
FREEDOM FROM THE DEVIL
He has destroyed the devil’s power over us. While the Devil still remains as our adversary, constantly seeking out whom he may devour, Christ Jesus destroyed his power and his dominion by His one sacrifice on Calvary. He defeated all powers of darkness on Golgotha’s hill and destroyed the power of the Devil and all the principalities under him. He made a show of them openly and declared His victory over their power of oppression and destruction. Our simple faith in Jesus’ work sets us free from the adversary, who would destroy our faith, our family, and our world. Jesus was manifested to destroy all the works of the Devil, and this He has done. It is for us to claim our liberty from Satan’s power by ever placing our faith in Christ and Him crucified.
FREEDOM FROM SELF
He has freed us from the dominating desires to please “self.” When man fell, he became self-conscious. Prior to this, man was God-conscious and thoughts of self, if they existed at all, were secondary. After the fall in the garden of Eden, man became dominated by both sin and his selfishness. Our whole lives are about us. We put ourselves first and everyone else last. However, our union with Christ has the power to defeat selfishness and overcome selfish desires. It even has the power to place a care for others in front of our natural care for self. Now, as a servant of the Lord, I am equipped to serve others and not just myself.
All of these benefits are for those who access them daily by faith in the finished work of Christ. I have been united with Christ, crucified with Christ, buried with Christ, and raised with him to live in Him through a brand-new power source. I am determined, by the grace of God, to stand fast in the liberty that Christ died to provide!
By Loren Larson
J. Swaggart Ministry
Psalm 106:13 – They soon forgot His Works; they waited not for His Counsel:
The Setting
For the past few weeks, this simple Passage has played a key role in directing my life. The Verse describes the attitudes and the actions of the very first group of people that God called His Own, the Hebrews. Having faced the horrible bondages of slavery in Egypt, the Israelites had cried to God, and He had delivered them from Pharaoh’s grasp. How long the events of the plagues lasted, no one can be sure. Some have speculated that the plagues, culminating in the Passover, may have lasted as long as nine months. In all this time, God proved Himself faithful. He guarded the Hebrews from the plagues that struck Egypt, and He brought them out with a high hand, with the strength of youth in their just-healed bodies and the wealth of Egypt in their pockets. When Pharaoh relented and repented of letting God’s People go, and with determination mounted a chase to destroy them or bring them back, God opened up the Red Sea for His People and executed the monarch and his armies as they attempted to cross through the same. However, human nature being what it is, it wasn’t long before this blessed people began to complain. How quickly we forget all that God has done for us!
Forgetting What God Did Before
Faith is a funny thing. At times, moved by Faith in expected provision from God, we face mountains of difficult situations. However, just a few days after our latest Miracle, the one that God Himself supplied, we face a new enemy, an uncomfortable situation, or a difficult circumstance, and we seem to forget all that God has done for us. My friend, the greatest thing that God has ever done for you or me was the saving of our souls. What new life! What new joy! What eager expectation of good rose up in our hearts! With the sin stain drowned in the efficacious Blood of the Lamb of God, we felt the freedom from death’s grip and the release from the dominion of sin. Then, in our youthfulness, we entered into the time where He carried us and proved Himself to us over and over again. Faith in His Person and His Word escalated us to new heights and pacified the heart with peace that passed all understanding. How many Miracles since then has He performed for you? How many times has He come through for you? Has He ever failed to keep a Promise or perform a Word that He gave specifically to you? I must testify by saying, “Never.” In one particularly trying time, God spoke to my heart and said, “This test will be over by the end of May.” That trial concluded on May 31 of that year. When I realized that the God of Heaven had spoken and then faithfully executed His Promise, all I could do was weep and praise Him for His Faithfulness. So, why would we doubt Him in our current distress? When we fail to remember what God has done for us in the past, we pave the way for doubt and unbelief to reign supreme in our hearts. Put yourself in remembrance of what God has done in your past, and it will secure the steps for your future!
Proceeding Without God
Whenever doubt and unbelief dominate the mind and heart, the human being almost always makes the mistake of proceeding into the situation without God. Now is the time to wait for His Counsel. Now is the time to seek His Direction. If we will approach the situation with prayer, yielding to God’s Wisdom will guarantee a successful journey through the minefield just ahead. One day at a time, seeking His Will for every step, will lead you successfully across the terrain and into the safety of His Provision. Wait on Him to lead! Tell Him you are sure that He will lead you just as He has done so many times before. Recall to mind what He has done for you in the past. Cry out to Him and let Him show you what to do. Wait on His Counsel! Wait on His Guidance! Don’t move until you know you have heard His Instruction. He’s done it before; He’ll do it again. Wait, I say, on the Lord!
By John Rosenstern
J. Swaggart Ministry
2017 developed into an exciting year for Bible prophecy enthusiasts. 2017 represented several milestone anniversaries for the nation of Israel. God promised He would regather the nation of Israel in the last days. The First Zionist Council convened in Basel Switzerland 120 years ago in 1897. Zionism seeks to establish a home for the Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael—the Land of Israel—secured under public law. Theodore Herzl sought to prepare the Jewish people to fulfill what was in their hearts for nearly 2,000 years—their return to Israel, their chosen land. In Isaiah 11:1-12, Isaiah speaks to us that the second regathering of Israel out of the four corners of the earth will be an “ensign.” This word indicates it will be a signal of what God is doing at a particular time. Never before in history have Jews been regathered out of the four corners of the earth. We have seen the Hebrews taken out of Egypt in Moses’s time and the regathering of Jews from Babylon after 70 years of captivity. However, the Roman Empire’s dispersion of Jews in AD 70, and then in AD 135, scattered Jews throughout the world.
Balfour Declaration, November 2, 1917
World War I brought devastation to Europe, but it also changed the map of the Middle East. Many nations in the Middle East were part of the Muslim Ottoman Empire that had reigned for over 600 years. The tiny spit of land known today as Israel was part of the land governed by the Ottomans. Since the time of Jewish diaspora, Jerusalem suffered 44 besieges and multiple foreigner occupations. Although some Jews had always lived in the land, they lived under difficult conditions. The Balfour Declaration was named after British Foreign Secretary Arthur J. Balfour. He submitted a declaration of intent to establish a Jewish homeland in Israel (Palestine). In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles entrusted the British with the administration of Palestine through a system called the “Mandate.” For various reasons the recognition of the Jewish homeland in Israel was delayed. The promise was made but not fulfilled by the British.
Resolution 181, November 29, 1947
The name “United Nations,” coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was first used in the Declaration by the United Nations on Jan. 1, 1942, during the Second World War, when representatives of 26 nations pledged their governments to continue fighting together against the Axis powers. On Oct. 24, 1945, 51 nations joined together to create the United Nations. The purpose of the UN is to maintain international peace and security, foster cooperation in solving international economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems; and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Woodrow Wilson’s concept and idea of creating a League of Nations—an organization conceived in similar circumstances during the First World War and established in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles “to promote international cooperation and to achieve peace and security”—would now be a reality.
The realization of 6 million Jews destroyed in the Holocaust fostered a need to resolve the conflict in the Middle East that was left unresolved by the British during the Mandate years. The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine was a proposal by the United Nations, which recommended a partition of Mandatory Palestine (Israel) at the end of the British Mandate. On Nov. 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted the plan as Resolution 181(II). Harry Truman threw the weight of the United States behind the plan by voting in favor of it. With passage by the UN, Israel was soon set to establish her reborn independence. Under great opposition by the Muslim Arabs to annihilate her, Israel would fight the birth pangs and declare her independence on May 14, 1948.
The Six-Day War, June 5-10, 1967
Ever dissatisfied with the United Nations resolution that created a Jewish state, the Pan-Arab Muslim nations never accepted Israel and sought to destroy her, as they tried in 1948. Israel’s triumphant victory enabled her to take possession of Jerusalem. From 1948 until the Six-Day War, the country of Jordan illegally occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank, known in the Bible as Judea. During Jordan’s occupation there were no dissenting voices in the world of its illegal occupation. The Arab Islamic nations failed in war to retake the land. After the 1967 war, they would adopt a new strategy. They would use propaganda and make the Arab Palestinians appear to be victims and gain world sympathy by their obstinate occupying landlords—Israel.
Psalm 83
The United Nations passed Resolution 242 after the Six-Day War in an effort to establish a just and lasting peace between Israel and the nations of Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and later, Syria. On Oct. 6, 1973, hoping to win back territory lost to Israel during the third Arab-Israeli war, in 1967, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched a coordinated attack against Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Taking the Israeli Defense Forces by surprise, Egyptian troops swept deep into the Sinai Peninsula, while Syria struggled to throw occupying Israeli troops out of the Golan Heights. Israel counterattacked and recaptured the Golan Heights. A cease-fire went into effect on Oct. 25, 1973. Another United Nations resolution was passed—Resolution 338. I used to think that Psalm 83 was a specific war to occur in the future. I am now persuaded that it is a time frame that began from the independence of Israel until now. The nations of the world that have sought to cut Israel off from being a nation by military power, but since their failures, they have endeavored to cut Israel off from being a nation through peace, with nearly two-thirds of the United Nations resolutions being against Israel. It is as though the very creation of this organization and existence have been about the Israeli and Palestinian issue.
Jerusalem
President Donald Trump recognized the capital of Israel as Jerusalem on Dec. 6, 2017! The year of Israel’s convergence of anniversaries! Immediately after his decision, the Islamic Arab nations of the world expressed their dissatisfaction. Their “confederate” efforts to cut Israel off from being a nation were now diminishing. The Islamic Arab majority UN Security Council cast a vote to condemn Trump’s decision. Subsequently, after a veto from the United States, the General Assembly of the UN voted 128-to-9 against Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city. The majority of the world stands in opposition to Israel. Only a few nations stand by her. I am proud of President Trump’s decision to stand for God. Because it is only those who hate God that seek to cut Israel off from being a nation. God bless America!
By: Dave Smith
J. Swaggart Ministry
Esther 4:14 —“Who knows whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Esther had just found out that Haman had convinced the king to make a decree that all Jews should be killed because they were enemies of his kingdom. That meant that all Jews and Esther and her family would be killed. Similarly, many people are convinced that Christians are a bigger threat than terrorists, so their freedoms and influence should be taken away. That would mean souls that would have heard the gospel and gotten saved will be eternally lost.
Esther’s first reaction was to say nothing. She could lay low, be politically correct, and not rock the boat hoping this attack would just blow over and go away. She could keep quiet, not expose herself as a Jew, and let someone else try to save God’s people. But Mordecai warned her that doing so would result in her and her family being killed.
The enemy has not and will not stop trying to destroy God’s people. Satan knows that they are the hindering force against his attacks on the work of God and must be destroyed (II Thess. 2:7). Even though there are setbacks for Satan, he will not stop, and, eventually, the rapture will take place and the Antichrist will come on the scene.
In the meantime, the body of Christ must take advantage of every opportunity to win souls. Jesus told His disciples in a parable to occupy—engage in the business of the church, which is preaching the gospel—until I come (Luke 19:13). The only reason God has given His church more time is because He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (II Pet. 3:9).
There is, however, an extreme urgency to get done what needs to be done because the opportunities are available only for a short time, and if they are not taken advantage of, they will be lost. Jesus said not to put off the harvest for four months because the fields are ripe now (Jn. 4:35).
He also said that He had to work while it was day and there was light that was needed to do the work. If He waited, darkness would come and He would not be able to accomplish what was needed (Jn. 9:4).
Jesus also told His disciples to pray for more workers so the great number of souls could be harvested before it was too late (Matt. 9:36-38).
The psalmist prayed that God would teach us to number, or take full advantage, of our days (Ps. 90:12). Paul told the Ephesians and Colossians to redeem the time, or take full advantage of the opportunities to win souls instead of being indifferent or neglectful (Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5).
The only hope Esther had of saving her family and her people was to appeal to the king. Since she had not been summoned by the king, she would normally be killed for just going into his court. That meant she had to risk everything to try to save her people. Similarly, a person has to give up everything (Matthew 4:20,22; 16:25; Mark 10:28; Luke 5:11; 14:26) not just to be saved, but also to be used of God to win the lost.
But if a person is willing to give his life, God has promised to give them people (Isa. 3:4), the heathen (Ps. 2:8), and much fruit (Jn. 12:24) for their life.
God says He has given the church an open door to preach the gospel (Rev. 3:8), but time is limited because He also said He is coming quickly (Rev. 3:11).
“Who knows whether you are come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
(This article was originally printed in June, 2009.)
By Frances Swaggart –
J. Swaggart Ministry
Just recently, I received a letter from a pastor who was upset because of what I had written in my article in the May Issue of our Evangelist Magazine. I was pointing out how the ministers of today have no problem misusing Passages of Scripture to support their own agendas. I am alarmed at how loosely preachers treat Scripture today. There seems to be no fear or concern as to whether or not the Scripture verses used remain true to the original context of the Bible. Many times preachers try to use Passages that do not relate at all to the point of their writings and messages, so they will exegete the passage in such a way to make it appear to say one thing when it really says something else. Modern ministers have actually become quite adept at this, twisting and perverting Scripture to the point that the original meaning is totally lost! Instead of making their message line up with the Word, they attempt to make the Word line up with their message. Yet, if anyone speaks out about such abuse of the Scripture he is harshly judged and attacked on a personal level. Nobody wants to evaluate content anymore to find out if Scripture is being misused, perverted, or twisted by the preacher quoting it. Instead, they would rather attack, and often viciously, the person that speaks up and says that a particular Scripture is not being used accurately! Too many would rather defend a preacher than God’s Holy Word.
JUDGING?
Romans 2:1 is always used in an attempt to silence those who speak out: “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whosoever you are who judges (presents this segment as directed to the Jews): for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself (in effect, says that God judges one who judges another in the same manner in which he himself has judged, hence, ‘condemning himself’ [Mat. 7:1-2]); for you who judge do the same things (in effect, says that the Jews were no better than the Gentiles, whom they constantly berated).” But, does Romans 2:1 mean that we are never to judge? Does Romans 2:1 mean that we are to ignore blatant mistreatment of God’s Word? Of course not, because John 7:24 states, or I should say commands, that we are to judge righteous judgment, which is judgment based upon the Word of God: “Judge not according to the appearance, (in effect, says, ‘if you think you have not violated the Sabbath in Circumcision, then how can you think I broke the Sabbath when I healed one of you who had been helpless for thirty-eight years?’), but judge righteous judgment (says that judgment must be rendered according to the whole Word of God, and not merely by taking a part and perverting it to one’s own satisfaction).”
Only when judgment is made in another way, a way other than by the standard of God’s Word, is it a violation of Matthew 7:1, which states: “Judge not, that you be not judged (this statement made by Christ harks back to Verses 25 through 34 of the previous Chapter; the idea is, God may permit poverty to test His Child, but fellow Believers are not to err, as Job’s friends did, and believe the trial to be a judgment for secret sin; as well, the word, ‘judging,’ as used here, covers every aspect of dealing with our fellowman).”
DISCERNMENT
A faithful Christian must always discern (a word not often used in the modern church). It is one of the Gifts of the Spirit. “Discernment” means to discern whether or not what you are hearing is the Spirit of God, human spirits, or evil spirits. Example after example of discernment is given in the Bible. In this very same Chapter, which says, “Judge not, that you be not judged,” Verse 15 goes on to say: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (‘beware of false prophets’ is said in the sternest of measures! there will be and are false prophets, and are some of Satan’s greatest weapons).” So, you see, we are actually instructed to discern and judge. How else would we know a false prophet from a true man of God? We must judge every minister by the Word of God, and if he is misquoting, misusing, perverting, or setting his doctrine apart from what the Scripture says for his own advantage, then he is a false prophet. How do we know we have judged them according to Scripture? The answer is right there in the same Passage. Remember, every Scripture Verse must be read in its context if we are to properly understand the true meaning.
Verses 2 and 3 of Matthew 7 say: “For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged (whatever motive we ascribe to others, such motive will ultimately be ascribed to us): and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again (a double emphasis is given here in order to proclaim the seriousness of the Words of our Lord; when we judge others, we are judging ourselves). And why do you behold the mote that is in your brother’s eye (the Believer is not to be looking for fault or wrongdoing in the lives of fellow Believers), but consider not the beam that is in your own eye? (We have plenty in our own lives that needs eliminating, without looking for faults in others. The ‘mote’ and ‘beam’ are contrasted! The constant judging of others portrays the fact that we are much worse off than the one we are judging.)”
MOTIVES
Going on to Verse 4: “Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull out the mote out of your eye (the seriousness of setting ourselves up as Judge, Jury, and Executioner); and, behold, a beam is in your own eye? (Once again draws attention to the fact that the person doing the judging is in far worse spiritual condition than the one being judged.)” Now, it is becoming more evident that Verse 1 refers to hypocritical judgment. A person who has a beam in his own eye is certainly not capable of judging another who may have a mote in his eye. The total lesson of these verses is plain; you cannot accurately judge one for his sin while you have sin dominating your own life. Verse 5 of Matthew 7 goes on to tell you what the Lord says about the person that judges in this way: “You hypocrite (aptly describes such a person), first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then you shall see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye (the very fact that we do not address ourselves, but rather others, portrays the truth that our personal situation is worse; when we properly analyze ourselves, then, and only then, can we ‘see clearly’; this is speaking of character assassination and not the correction of doctrine).”
JUDGING PERSONALLY
The letter I received from this minister said, and I quote, “I was greatly disappointed when I read how Mrs. Swaggart referred to Joel Osteen as false teaching. Saying he misquoted scriptures, etc. I have known Joel Osteen since he was 10 years old . . . took him fishing; know him very well. I know of no more humble and loving man. He and I both are amazed at the favor God has given him. She may say she was only attacking his teaching, but I saw it as an attack on him personally.” This minister quotes Romans 2:1 (as mentioned earlier), and then he quotes Ephesians 4:29 which says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may Minister Grace unto the hearers.” Now, the truth is that this man is judging me personally, while at the same time quoting Romans 2:1 to me. See the double standard? He first says we are not to judge, but then he turns right around and judges me, saying I am attacking someone on a personal level when I am not. I am only pointing out the error in his teaching. In this minister’s letter, not once does he mention the verse of Scripture that was being perverted and whether I was right or wrong in what I had said in my article about it. So, the minister does not even himself discern the true meaning of the verse. Instead, he quoted another verse of Scripture to me (Eph. 4:29), which, again, had nothing to do with the statement I made in my article. Ephesians 4:29 refers to slander. I, in no way, slandered anyone in my article.
PLEASING MEN OR PLEASING GOD
Besides, how can Grace be ministered if Scripture is misquoted? It is only when the Word of God is properly used that Grace and Healing can be ministered. If God’s Word is distorted, it will do nothing for any individual. He then closes out his letter with this statement: “This article did not edify me nor did it minister grace to me.” If he felt that way about my article, he should have pointed out to me where I had misused or twisted Scripture, but he didn’t because I didn’t misuse any Scriptures. It was Joel Osteen who failed to minister Grace to his people with his improper use of Scripture, not me when I used Biblical discernment. I would say this to this pastor: “For do I now persuade men, or God? (In essence, Paul is saying, ‘do I preach man’s doctrine, or God’s?’) or do I seek to please men? (This is what false apostles do.) for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the Servant of Christ (one cannot please both men and God at the same time)” (Gal. 1:10). In fact, the whole First Chapter of Galatians would be beneficial to read.
THE ISSUE
Another point I want to make pertains to his feelings for Joel Osteen. Certainly, it is only right and normal to love our friends, and it is only right to not want to see them misrepresented in any way. But, whether someone is humble and loving or whether he is the opposite is not the issue here. The issue is: was Scripture misused or misrepresented? If it was, then we cannot protect our friends no matter how nice his personality. We have to love God and His Word more than we love our friends.
If our friends err in their use of Scripture, then we must obey II Thessalonians 3:6 which states: “Now we command you, Brethren, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Apostle is saying that what he is telling the people is ‘the Word of God,’ and must be heeded!), that you withdraw yourselves from every brother who walks disorderly (literally means, ‘to walk out of the ranks of the Word of God’; in abbreviated form, it means we should withdraw fellowship from those who teach something other than the Cross; it does not speak of excommunication), and not after the tradition which he received of us (after the teaching which Paul had given, which was definitely from the Lord; ‘tradition,’ as it is used here, does not mean ‘unwritten doctrines,’ as this word normally means; the Apostle is referring to what the Lord had given him, which he had faithfully taught to the people).”
If we really and truly love our brothers, then we must stand true and faithful to the Word of God, because ultimately it is the pure Word of God that will bring them blessing as well! II Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the Word (refers to the whole body of revealed Truth, which means the entirety of the Word of God); be instant in season, out of season (presents the idea of the Preacher holding himself in constant readiness to proclaim the Word); reprove (the Preacher is to deal with sin, both in the lives of his unsaved hearers and in those of the Saints to whom he Ministers, and he is to do so in no uncertain tones and terms), rebuke (a suggestion in some cases of impending penalty); exhort with all longsuffering and Doctrine. (This tells us that the ‘reproving’ and the ‘rebuking’ must be done with gentleness. As well, the ‘longsuffering’ refers to a gentleness that continues even when the Message is met with rejection. However, the ‘Doctrine’ is not to change, even though it is rejected.)”
PERVERTING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
Paul warned the Galatians about those who “pervert the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:6 through 9 says, “I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him (the Holy Spirit) Who called you into the Grace of Christ (made possible by the Cross) unto another gospel (anything which doesn’t have the Cross as its Object of Faith): Which is not another (presents the fact that Satan’s aim is not so much to deny the Gospel, which he can little do, as to corrupt it); but there be some who trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ (once again, to make the object of Faith something other than the Cross). But though we (Paul and his associates), or an Angel from Heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you (Jesus Christ and Him Crucified), let him be accursed (eternally condemned; the Holy Spirit speaks this through Paul, making this very serious). As we said before, so say I now again (at sometime past, he had said the same thing to them, making their defection even more serious), If any man preach any other gospel unto you (anything other than the Cross) than that you have received (which Saved your souls), let him be accursed (‘eternally condemned,’ which means the loss of the soul).”
EXPOSING FALSE DOCTRINE
It is sad to say that today’s modern church is preaching a perverted gospel. We are told that we must cooperate with such modern teachers in Evangelism and other Christian works, but the Bible teaches, instead, that we must expose the false prophets. If we do not, we have betrayed Christ and His Gospel! The entirety of the Bible abounds with examples of false prophets who are named and exposed. All of this modern talk about “love” is used as an excuse for not exposing error, but such is not really Biblical Love at all. Biblical Love tells the Truth. Hebrews 5:14 says, “But strong meat belongs to them who are of full age (refers to those who are mature in the Lord), even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Such a person is walking after the Spirit. This refers to placing one’s Faith in the Cross and not after the flesh, the flesh refers to depending on other things [Rom. 8:1-2, 11]).” A person who is able to discern between good and evil has at least one of the major marks of Spiritual Maturity. Vine’s Expository Dictionary says that the meaning of “discern” is to examine, scrutinize, question, determine, decide, test, or prove. Judging is translated “discerning” of spirits, judging by evidence whether evil or good. Those who are unwilling or incapable of discerning and/or judging between good and evil are revealing either their disobedience or their immaturity in the things of God.
Spiritual Reality–John 3:18-21-
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Many are afraid as Christians and sinners, to face what they really are. So they run from the light. Light reveals darkness and deeply hidden things. Only God knows the heart and my true intentions. Whether that light comes from God Himself in the face of Christ and His Word or from those who reflect the light of Christ, either way if we run from who we really are, there can be no true revelation of the Cross.
The Cross is an end of self, it is the place of the humiliation of self and selfish ways. It is the only way of obtaining true humility. Faith means that I trust God in totality by bringing myself face to face in the presence of Almighty God and whatever is lacking in character, I through faith in the atonement of Christ, trust that He is well able to bring my condition up to my position of Righteousness, but I have to see myself as I really am, in need of the Savior!
When placing one’s faith in the Cross of Christ, it will take daily denial of self, daily picking up of Cross and daily following Him. Whenever this isn’t done on a daily basis, it shows that we are running away from the light (Christ) so that our deeds aren’t exposed and we love the evil within our hearts which shows up as “good” but has an evil motive, more than coming to the light.
There is so much work that needs to take place in our hearts that we don’t have time to look at the what others aren’t doing.
James 1:23-25-For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
There is a way that seems right unto man but the end are the ways of death (spiritual) (Proverbs 16:25). This is why it is so important to only be wrapped up in the Man Christ. If you are a hearer and doer of the Word then the fruit of the Spirit should be exhibited in your heart and life and this fruit (love, joy, peace, faith…etc) is unconditional and not based on what others have done to you, but based on what Christ has done. Allow the Holy Spirit to make your Christian life a Reality and not a Form of Godliness. His job is to make what Christ did at the Cross a Reality in your heart and life.
~Shonette