The Devotional life of those who endure to the end

Devotional Life of the Remnant

A Twofold Life

In this age, just prior to the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven, such a work as that of John [the Baptist] is to be done. God calls for men who will prepare a people to stand in the great day of the Lord. . . . In order to give such a message as John gave, we must have a spiritual experience like his. The same work must be wrought in us. We must behold God, and in beholding Him lose sight of self.--8T 332, 333 (1904). {LDE 63.1}
Communion with God will ennoble the character and the life. Men will take knowledge of us, as of the first disciples, that we have been with Jesus. This will impart to the worker a power that nothing else can give. Of this power he must not allow himself to be deprived. We must live a twofold life--a life of thought and action, of silent prayer and earnest work.--MH 512 (1905). {LDE 63.2}
Prayer and effort, effort and prayer, will be the business of your life. You must pray as though the efficiency and praise were all due to God, and labor as though duty were all your own.--4T 538 (1881). {LDE 63.3}
No man is safe for a day or an hour without prayer.--GC 530 (1911). {LDE 64.1}
He who does nothing but pray will soon cease to pray.--SC 101 (1892). {LDE 64.2}

Firmly Rooted In Christ

The storm is coming, the storm that will try every man's faith of what sort it is. Believers must now be firmly rooted in Christ or else they will be led astray by some phase of error.--Ev 361, 362 (1905). {LDE 64.3}
It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones.--DA 83 (1898). {LDE 64.4}
The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.--DA 324 (1898). {LDE 64.5}
Christ and Him crucified should be the theme of contemplation, of conversation, and of our most joyful emotion.--SC 103, 104 (1892). {LDE 65.1}

Molded By The Holy Spirit

Never will the human heart know happiness until it is submitted to be molded by the Spirit of God. The Spirit conforms the renewed soul to the model, Jesus Christ. Through its influence, enmity against God is changed into faith and love, and pride into humility. The soul perceives the beauty of truth, and Christ is honored in excellence and perfection of character.--OHC 152 (1896). {LDE 65.2}
There is not an impulse of our nature, not a faculty of the mind or an inclination of the heart, but needs to be, moment by moment, under the control of the Spirit of God.--PP 421 (1890). {LDE 65.3}
The Spirit illumines our darkness, informs our ignorance, and helps us in our manifold necessities. But the mind must be constantly going out after God. If worldliness is allowed to come in, if we have no desire to pray, no desire to commune with Him who is the source of strength and wisdom, the Spirit will not abide with us.--OHC 154 (1904). {LDE 65.4}

The Necessity of Bible Study

No renewed heart can be kept in a condition of sweetness without the daily application of the salt ofthe Word. Divine grace must be received daily, or no man will stay converted.--OHC 215 (1897). {LDE 65.5}
Let your faith be substantiated by the Word of God. Grasp firmly the living testimony of truth. Have faith in Christ as a personal Saviour. He has been and ever will be our Rock of Ages.--Ev 362 (1905). {LDE 66.1}
Christians should be preparing for what is soon to break upon the world as an overwhelming surprise, and this preparation they should make by diligently studying the Word of God and striving to conform their lives to its precepts.--PK 626 (c. 1914). {LDE 66.2}
None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict.--GC 593, 594 (1911). {LDE 66.3}
Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures and who have received the love of the truth will be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive.--GC 625 (1911). {LDE 66.4}
Our people need to understand the oracles of God; they need to have a systematic knowledge of the principles of revealed truth, which will fit them for what is coming upon the earth and prevent them from being carried about by every wind of doctrine.--5T 273 (1885). {LDE 66.5}

LDE =Last Days Events,GC= Great Controversy,OHC= Our High Calling,PP=Patriarchs and Prophets,SC= Steps to Christ, MH= Ministry of Healing,8T= Testimonies volume 8
source: Last Days Events pg 63,64,65

Walking in the footsteps of Christ

The ultimate Example

source:http://www.itiswritten.com/betterway/episode

Obama calls Wall Street bonuses 'shameful'

President Barack Obama branded Wall Street bankers "shameful" on Thursday for giving themselves nearly $20 billion in bonuses as the economy was deteriorating and the government was spending billions to bail out some of the nation's most prominent financial institutions.

"There will be time for them to make profits, and there will be time for them to get bonuses," Obama said during an appearance in the Oval Office with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. "Now's not that time. And that's a message that I intend to send directly to them, I expect Secretary Geithner to send to them."

It was a pointed — if calculated — flash of anger from the president, who frequently railed against excesses in executive compensation on the campaign trail. He struck his populist tone as he confronted the possibility of having to ask Congress for additional large sums of money, beyond the $700 billion already authorized, to prop up the financial system, even as he pushes Congress to move quickly on a separate economic stimulus package that could cost taxpayers as much as $900 billion.

This week alone, American companies reported as many as 65,000 job cuts, and public anger is rising over reports of profligate spending by banks and investment firms that are receiving help from the $700 billion bailout fund. About half of that $700 billion is still available, but the new administration has yet to announce how it will use it, and many analysts think it will take far more money to stabilize the banking system.

Should Obama have to go to Congress to seek more money for the bailout fund to avert the failure of more banks, he would most likely encounter opposition within both parties and demands for tighter restrictions on pay for executives of institutions that receive government assistance.

Obama was reacting to a report by the New York State comptroller that found financial executives had received an estimated $18.4 billion in bonuses for 2008, less than for the previous several years but the same level of bonuses as they received in 2004, when times were flush.

"That is the height of irresponsibility," Obama said. "It is shameful. And part of what we're going to need is for the folks on Wall Street who are asking for help to show some restraint and show some discipline

In the meantime, public outrage is already forcing some companies to rein in their lavish spending. John Thain, the former Merrill Lynch executive who was forced out of Bank of America, said this week he would reimburse Bank of America for an expensive renovation of his office that included an $87,000 area rug and $35,000 commode.

But it took the urging of the Obama administration to force Citigroup, which received an infusion of taxpayer funds last year, to abandon plans to buy a $50 million corporate jet. On Thursday, Obama made reference to the jet, without singling out Citigroup by name; his remarks came one day after the president met at the White House with business leaders, including Richard Parsons, the new chairman of Citigroup.

On Capitol Hill, Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, issued his own warning on Thursday, saying companies would be summoned to Capitol Hill if taxpayer money was involved.

Obama's message on Thursday was reinforced by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who pledged in an interview with CNBC and The New York Times that the government would spend the remaining $350 billion of the troubled assets money "wisely and prudently and transparently."

Biden said that he, like the president, was outraged by reports of large bonuses going to Wall Street executives.

"I'd like to throw these guys in the brig," he said. "They're thinking the same old thing that got us here, greed. They're thinking, 'Take care of me.' "

The coming Crisis(note when these articles were written)

Warning and Assurance from Jesus

Christ upon the Mount of Olives rehearsed the fearful judgments that were to precede His second coming: "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: . . . Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows" [Matt. 24:6-8]. While these prophecies received a partial fulfillment at the destruction of Jerusalem, they have a more direct application in the last days.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 753 (1899).

The terrible reports we hear of murders and robberies, of railway accidents and deeds of violence, tell the story that the end of all things is at hand. Now, just now, we need to be preparing for the Lord's second coming.--Letter 308, 1907 (Last Day Events, p. 23).

The nations are in unrest. Times of perplexity are upon us. Men's hearts are failing them for fear of the things that are coming upon the earth. But those who believe in God will hear His voice amid the storm, saying, "It is I; be not afraid."--Signs of the Times, Oct. 9, 1901.

Wars and Disasters

The tempest is coming and we must get ready for its fury by having repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord will arise to shake terribly the earth. We shall see troubles on all sides. Thousands of ships will be hurled into the depths of the sea. Navies will go down, and human lives will be sacrificed by millions. Fires will break out unexpectedly and no human effort will be able to quench them. The palaces of earth will be swept away in the fury of the flames. Disasters by rail will become more and more frequent. Confusion, collision, and death without a moment's warning will occur on the great lines of travel. The end is near, probation is closing. Oh, let us seek God while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near!--Messages to Young People, pp. 89, 90 (1890).

In the last scenes of this earth's history war will rage. There will be pestilence, plague and famine. The waters of the deep will overflow their boundaries. Property and life will be destroyed by fire and flood. We should be preparing for the mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for them that love Him.--Maranatha, p. 174 (1897).

Calamities Serve as Warnings

We are not now able to describe with accuracy the scenes to be enacted in our world in the future, but this we do know, that this is a time when we must watch unto prayer, for the great day of the Lord is at hand. --Selected Messages, book 2, p. 35 (1901).

What mean the awful calamities by sea--vessels hurled into eternity without a moment's warning? What mean the accidents by land--fire consuming the riches that men have hoarded, much of which has been accumulated by oppression of the poor? The Lord will not interfere to protect the property of those who transgress His law, break His covenant, and trample upon His Sabbath, accepting in its place a spurious rest day.

The plagues of God are already falling upon the earth, sweeping away the most costly structures as if by a breath of fire from heaven. Will not these judgments bring professing Christians to their senses? God permits them to come that the world may take heed, that sinners may be afraid and tremble before Him.--Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, p. 311 (1902).

Coming Events Are in the Hands of the Lord

The world is not without a ruler. The program of coming events is in the hands of the Lord. The Majesty of heaven has the destiny of nations as well as the concerns of His church in His own charge.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 753 (1889).

These symbolical representations [the fiery serpents in the wilderness] serve a double purpose. From them God's people learn not only that the physical forces of the earth are under the control of the Creator, but also that under His control are the religious movements of the nations. Especially is this true with reference to the enforcement of Sunday observance.--Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, p. 281 (1902).

In the great closing work we shall meet with perplexities that we know not how to deal with, but let us not forget that the three great Powers of heaven are working, that a divine hand is on the wheel, and that God will bring His purposes to pass.--Evangelism, p. 65 (1902).

In the annals of human history, the growth of nations, the rise and fall of empires, appear as if dependent on the will and prowess of man; the shaping of events seems, to a great degree, to be determined by his power, ambition, or caprice. But in the Word of God the curtain is drawn aside, and we behold, above, behind, and through all the play and counterplay of human interest and power and passions, the agencies of the All-merciful One, silently, patiently working out the counsels of His own will.--Prophets and Kings, pp. 499, 500 (c. 1914).

Judgments Coming on the Cities

Terrible shocks will come upon the earth, and the lordly palaces erected at great expense will certainly become heaps of ruins.--Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, p. 312 (1891).

When God's restraining hand is removed, the destroyer begins his work. Then in our cities the greatest calamities will come.--Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, p. 314 (1897).

The end is near and every city is to be turned upside down every way. There will be confusion in every city. Everything that can be shaken is to be shaken and we do not know what will come next. The judgments will be according to the wickedness of the people and the light of truth that they have had.--Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, p. 248 (1902).

O that God's people had a sense of the impending destruction of thousands of cities, now almost given to idolatry.--Evangelism, p. 29 (1903).

The time is near when large cities will be swept away, and all should be warned of these coming judgments.--Evangelism, p. 29 (1910).

Catastrophe-proof Buildings Will Become Ashes

I have seen the most costly structures in buildings erected and supposed to be fireproof, and just as Sodom perished in the flames of God's vengeance so will these proud structures become ashes. . . . The flattering monuments of men's greatness will be crumbled in the dust even before the last great destruction comes upon the world.--Selected Messages, book 3, p. 418 (1901).

Men will continue to erect expensive buildings, costing millions of money. Special attention will be called to their architectural beauty and the firmness and solidity with which they are constructed, but the Lord has instructed me that despite the unusual firmness and expensive display, these buildings will share the fate of the temple in Jerusalem.--Ellen G. White Comments, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1098 (1906).

On one occasion, when in New York City, I was in the night season called upon to behold buildings rising story after story toward heaven. These buildings were warranted to be fireproof, and they were erected to glorify their owners and builders. . . .

The scene that next passed before me was an alarm of fire. Men looked at the lofty and supposedly fireproof buildings and said: "They are perfectly safe." But these buildings were consumed as if made of pitch. The fire engines could do nothing to stay the destruction. The firemen were unable to operate the engines.

I am instructed that when the Lord's time comes, should no change have taken place in the hearts of proud, ambitious human beings, men will find that the hand that had been strong to save will be strong to destroy. No earthly power can stay the hand of God. No material can be used in the erection of buildings that will preserve them from destruction when God's appointed time comes to send retribution on men for their disregard of His law and for their selfish ambition.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, pp. 12, 13 (1909).

Take heed lest any man deceive you

MARK 13
1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here !
2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:
6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ ; and shall deceive many.
7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains:
15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:
16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.
17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Rigid Bible test of a true prophet

10 Tests of a Prophet

The Bible provides 10 key indicators that determine whether a person is truly receiving visions from God.
They are …

• A true prophet’s predictions will “come to pass” (Jeremiah 28:9)
• He will glorify God rather than himself (John 16:13)
• He does not give his own private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20, 21)
• He points out sin (Micah 3:5-8)
• He warns of coming judgment (Isaiah 24:20, 21)
• He edifies the church (1 Corinthians 14:3, 4)
• His message harmonizes with the Bible (Isaiah 8:20)
• He teaches that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:1-3)
• He has a Christian character (Matthew 7:16-20).
• He is obedient to the will of God (Deuteronomy 18:18).

Modern psychics simply don’t measure up!. Their predictions fail often. They sometimes seem more interested in acquiring fame than in glorifying God. They rarely point out sin or warn of judgment. They often espouse astrology, palm reading, reincarnation, and spirit communication — all of which are condemned in the Word of God.

What’s worse, they don’t adhere to biblical teaching, nor do they generally teach the Christian doctrine of the incarnation of Christ. And the fruits of their teachings, as well as their lives, are often out of harmony with the Bible. Jesus says of them, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16).

Would There Be Prophets After Jesus?

It’s valid to ask if we should expect new prophets after Jesus, since He is the Lord and the ultimate messenger and revealer of the Father.

However, notice Jesus’ warning about knowing false prophets by their fruit. He is speaking to what will soon become the New Testament Church. Why should He warn us of false prophets if there would be no prophets after Him? On the same point, in Ephesians 4:8–13 (also 1 Corinthians 12:28), Paul said that the gifts of the Spirit would be present “till we all come in the unity of the faith.” He details those gifts, listing “prophets” second only to “apostles.” Even more explicitly, Paul wrote that the Christian church “waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ” would “come short in no gift.”

Apparently, the gift of prophecy is as essential to the present-day church as it was in the Old Testament. And according to the prophet Joel, the gift of prophecy will continue to be manifest until the end of time. He predicted that “sons and daughters” would “prophesy” when God’s Spirit was poured out prior to the second advent of Jesus, which he called “the great and terrible day of the Lord” (Joel 2:28, 29).

If indeed the prophetic gift is alive and well, is there anyone in recent history who manifested this gift, whose ministry bears the marks of a true prophet of God? It is our purpose to examine the ministry of Ellen White in this fashion, to determine whether she truly did receive visions from the Lord.

A true prophet’s predictions will “come to pass” (Jeremiah 28:9).
The fulfillments of this test in the ministry of Ellen are many, but one of the most startling may be the 1906 San Francisco/Oakland earthquake. Having received warnings of impending judgment upon the city for many years prior, she had her final and most detailed vision regarding its destruction on April 16, 1906. She saw houses “shaken like a reed in the wind” and buildings falling to the ground. “Pleasure resorts, theaters, hotels, and homes of the wealthy were shaken and shattered. Many lives were blotted out of existence, and the air was filled with the shrieks of the injured and the terrified. … It seemed that the forbearance of God was exhausted, and the judgment day had come.”

Historical accounts reveal that two days later there was no sign of impending doom until 5:12 a.m., when the San Andreas fault slipped over nearly 270 miles, crumbling the very foundations of the city. In its wake, the quake left 490 city blocks in a state of total devastation and more than 225,000 homeless people, along with over 800 dead and 1,500 injured. Several insurance companies went bankrupt trying to meet the claims.

If this was the only example of a prediction fulfilled, we could chalk it up to a lucky guess. But consistently, Ellen’s predictions concerning political, religious, and personal affairs were fulfilled. The exception to this are conditional prophecies, which we will discuss a little later. We’ll also share many more of her incredible visions later too.

source :http://www.ellengwhitetruth.com/her-ministry/10-tests-of-a-prophet.aspx

Prophetic meaning in numbers

Both in the Old and New Testaments, numbers reveal hidden concepts and meanings that commonly escape the casual reader. you may also want to see prophetic symbols and meaning key .

And throughout history, men with great minds, like Augustine, Isaac Newton, and Leonardo Di Vinci, showed more than just a passing curiosity regarding the importance of biblical numbers. Once more, Jesus said, “The very hairs of your head are numbered” (Matthew 10:30). So obviously, Bible numbers should be carefully considered.

Download the Bible Numbers pdf here.

1 – represents absolute singleness and unity (Ephesians 4:4–6; John 17:21, 22.) (We presume readers need no more than these two citations, as most of the biblical information regarding unity and singleness is common knowledge.)

2 – represents the truth of God's Word; for example, the law and prophets (John 1:45), two or three witnesses (2 Corinthians 13:1), and a sword with two edges (Hebrews 4:12). See Mark 6:7 and Revelation 11:3. It is also used 21 times in the books of Daniel and Revelation.

3 – represents the Godhead / Trinity. The angels cry “Holy” three times to the triune God (Isaiah 6:3). See also Matthew 28:19 and 1 John 5:7, 8.

4 – represents universal truth, as in the four directions (north, south, east, west) and the four winds (Matthew 24:31; Revelation 7:1; Revelation 20:8). In acts 10:11, a sheet with four corners symbolizes the gospel going to all the gentiles.

5 – represents teaching. First, there are the five books of Moses. Second, Jesus taught about the five wise virgins and used five barley loaves used to feed the 5,000.

6 – represents the worship of man, and is the number of man, signifying his rebellion, imperfection, works, and disobedience. It is used 273 times in the Bible, including its derivatives (e.g, sixth) and another 91 times as “threescore” or “60.” Man was created on the sixth day (Genesis 1:26, 31). See also Exodus 31:15 and Daniel 3:1.

This number is especially significant in the book Revelation, as “666” identifies the beast. “Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Revelation 13:18).

7 – represents perfection, and is the sign of God, divine worship, completions, obedience, and rest. The “prince” of Bible numbers, it is used 562 times, including its derivatives (e.g., seventh, sevens). (See Genesis 2:1–4, Psalm 119:164, and Exodus 20:8–11 for just a few of the examples.) see also time in prophecy

The number seven is also the most common in biblical prophecy, occurring 42 times in Daniel and Revelation alone. In Revelation there are seven churches, seven spirits, seven golden candlesticks, seven stars, seven lamps, seven seals, seven horns, seven eyes, seven angels, seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven thousand slain in a great earthquake, seven heads, seven crowns, seven last plagues, seven golden vials, seven mountains, and seven kings.

10 – represents law and restoration. Of course, this includes the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20. See also Matthew 25:1 (ten virgins); Luke 17:17 (ten lepers); Luke 15:8 (healing, ten silver coins).

12 – represents the church and God's authority. Jesus had 12 disciples, and there were 12 tribes of Israel. In Revelation 12:1, the 24 elders and 144,000 are multiples of 12. The New Jerusalem city has12 foundations, 12 gates 12 thousand furlongs, a tree with 12 kinds of fruit 12 times a year eaten by 12 times 12,000 or the 144,000. (See Revelation 21.)

40 – represents a generation and times of testing. It rained for 40 days during the flood. Moses spent 40 years in the desert, as did the children of Israel. Jesus fasted for 40 days.

50 – represents power and celebration. The Jubilee came after the 49th year (Leviticus 25:10), and Pentecost occurred 50 days after Christ's resurrection (Acts 2).

70 – represents human leadership and judgment. Moses appointed 70 elders (Exodus 24:1); The Sanhedrin was made up of 70 men. Jesus chose 70 disciples (Luke 10:1). Jesus told Peter to forgive 70 times 7.

The Gospel for all who believe (thats is anyone)

Acts 13:38-52
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying , I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Truth; A scarce commodity ( know the source of truth, the Bible)

Zechariah 8:3
Thus says the Lord: "I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the Lord of hosts, the Holy Mountain."

Desparate attempts to stabalise the ship (one of many to come rescue attempts)

The House approved an $819 billion stimulus package on a near party-line vote yesterday, a plan breathtaking in size and scope that President Obama hopes to make the cornerstone of his efforts to resuscitate the staggering economy.

Larger than the combined total cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan so far, the two-year stimulus plan would provide up to $1,000 per year in tax relief for most families, dramatically increase funding for alternative energy production, and direct more than $300 billion in aid to states to help rebuild schools, provide health care to the poor and reconstruct highways and bridges.

But Obama's personal salesmanship effort failed to secure a single Republican supporter for the spending plan, which passed on a 244 to 188 vote. Just a day after the president spent more than an hour behind closed doors at the Capitol seeking their support, all 177 House Republicans opposed the measure, arguing that it would spend hundreds of billions of dollars on initiatives that would do little to stimulate the economy. Eleven Democrats opposed the bill.

"There are many numbers in this plan," he said in the statement. "But out of all these numbers, there is one that matters most to me: This recovery plan will save or create more than 3 million new jobs over the next few years."

While Obama made no mention of the unanimous Republican opposition, a top adviser immediately warned of the political fallout GOP lawmakers could face from constituents struggling in tough economic times.

"There will be people in districts all over the country that will wonder why, when there's a good bill to get the economy moving again, while we still seem to be playing political gotcha," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in an interview.

Some moderate Republicans who opposed the bill left open the chance of supporting the final version if the White House and Senate address their concerns about spending. And Democrats remain hopeful of securing a more bipartisan result in the Senate, where committee action has driven up the cost as the amount of tax relief has increased, something Republicans have demanded before they will consider offering their support.

In addition to other tweaks to the tax portion of the package, the Senate Finance Committee added a $70 billion fix to the alternative-minimum tax to the chamber's version of the bill, a provision aimed at preventing the tax from being applied to middle-class households, pushing the total cost to at least $890 billion.

Housing advocates complained that the package would not provide $10 billion for a trust fund to build affordable housing that was created last summer but never funded. Labor unions complained that the plan would put too little money toward construction projects to create jobs. And the U.S. Chamber of Commerce complained that the measure would do too little to relieve the tax burden on businesses struggling to avoid layoffs.

The stimulus debate comes on the heels of congressional action in mid-January that released $350 billion to Obama's new Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, for use in the effort to free up the credit markets, part of the massive financial rescue package approved last fall. Held days before Obama was sworn in as president, that vote also fell largely on party lines, as just six Senate Republicans joined 46 Democrats in supporting the release of the money.

Hours before yesterday's House vote, Obama told a group of about 100 business leaders that Congress must not delay efforts to restart the economy and put people back to work.

At a White House gathering this morning, he said: "The businesses that are shedding jobs to stay afloat, they cannot afford inaction or delay. The workers who are returning home to tell their husbands and wives and children that they no longer have a job, and all those who live in fear that theirs will be the next job cut -- they need help now."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) heralded the legislation -- $275 billion in tax cuts and almost $545 billion in domestic spending -- as the first down payment on Obama's pledge, made in his inaugural address, to provide "bold and swift" action to revive an economy that is losing more than 500,000 jobs a month, including 65,000 layoffs announced just this week.

"He said he wanted action, bold and swift, and that is exactly what we are doing," Pelosi told reporters before the vote.

A $475 billion Republican alternative, which focused heavily on reducing individual and business taxes, failed.

After Democrats initially estimated their plan would cost $825 billion, the Congressional Budget Office announced this week that the total cost was $816 billion, with about 65 percent of that amount expected to be spent by September 2010. During debate, lawmakers added $3 billion for mass-transit programs.

Alberto Rivera (Ex Jesuit Priest)Reveals much

The birth pains of the Crisis ahead (Financial Reboot)

World Economic Forum founder calls for financial 'Reboot'

Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum which is meeting in Davos, Switzerland, has said that this year's meeting is about finding solutions to the global financial downturn.
He told the BBC's Nik Gowing that people were slowly becoming aware of how serious the current crisis is.

Pay particular attention to 2:20 minutes in the video



Then read Revelation 18:9-19
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

False prophets & New Age Religions

Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if [it were] possible, even the elect.
1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

2Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

To the righteous who died

John 5:24-29

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Former Priest Richard Bennett Reveals the Vatican uses civil law to control

If you are familiar with the Story of Ester or Daniel this would make allot sense to you.
Mr Richard Bennett reveals the Vatican uses civil law to control the world.

Bad Bank + Bad Debt + Bad Bankers = Bad Idea

In his latest speech to Congress, Ron Paul points out that allowing the liquidation of bad debt is politically unacceptable, but the alternative - dumping everything on the taxpayer - is even worse. It’s interesting that there is even such a thing as “politically unacceptable” in this day and age. One one hand, that’s good because it shows that when all is said and done, politicians are still afraid of the people, not the other way round. But it’s also bad because many Americans will fall for the “politically acceptable” alternative of bailing out everything and everyone, thereby guaranteeing a future collapse of the dollar, the nationalization of large parts of the economy, and the reduction of America’s status in the world to that of an angry third world banana republic with an aging stockpile of nuclear weapons. –tmartin

Audience: U.S. House
Channel: C-SPAN
Date: 1/22/2009

Ron Paul: Mr. Speaker, I rise and support of this resolution because I don’t believe the bailouts can work, and more spending isn’t the answer. Actually, we should have talked more about prevention of a problem like we have today than trying to deal with a financial cancer that we’re dealing with. But, the prevention could have come many decades ago and many free market economists predicted even decades ago that we would have a crisis like this.

But those warnings were not heeded and even in the last ten years there have been dire warnings by people who believe in sound money and not in the inflationary system that we have, that we will come to this point. Over those decades we were able to bail out to a degree and patch over and keep the financial bubble going. But today we’re in a massive deflationary crisis, and we only have two choices.

One is to continue to do what we’re doing. Inflate more, spend more and run out more deficits, but it doesn’t seem to be working, because it won’t work, because the confidence has been lost. The confidence in the post Bretton Woods system of the dollar fiat standard, it’s gone. And this whole effort to refinance it in this manner just won’t work.

Now the other option is to allow the deflation to occur, allow the liquidation of bad debt, and to allow the removal of all the bad investments. But that politically is unacceptable, so we’re really in a dilemma, because nobody can take a hands off position. Politicians have to feel relevant and say therefore they have to do something, but there’s no evidence that this is going to work.

Now we hear that there’s a proposal and we read about it in the paper, I don’t know who came up with this, but it’s the idea of having a bad bank. Let’s create a government bad bank. And this bad bank is to take the bad debt from the bad bankers and dump these assets onto the good citizens.

Well, I think that’s a very bad idea. I mean, it doesn’t make any sense for the innocent American citizen to bear the burden. But others will say, no we’ll bail out the citizens as well, but ultimately it’s the little guy that loses on this. The bankers got 350 billion dollars we can’t account for, their assets don’t look all that much better, and yet the American people are still suffering. It didn’t create any more new jobs, so the attempt now will be maybe to redirect this, but unfortunately it will not be any more successful.

The fallacy here is that we’re trying to keep prices high when prices should come down. What do we have against poor people? Lower the price of houses! Get them down, a $100,000 house get them down to $20,000, let the poor person buy these houses. That is what we want, but this is a remnant of the philosophy of the ’30s because it was thought we were in trouble because the farmers weren’t getting enough money for their crops. So people were starving in the streets, and guess what the policy was that came out of Washington? Pile under the crops, and maybe the prices would come up. Diminish the supply and it will solve our problems. It didn’t work then, it won’t work today.

Obama Signals Shift in Governing Philosophy

"The question we ask today is not whether government is too big or too small, but whether it works."

With this declaration from his inaugural address last week, President Barack Obama laid out a new governing philosophy, elevating the importance of basic government operations to rival political ideology and policy development. Although this shift may seem innocuous to some, it is potentially radical and could eventually make this line the defining passage of the president's historic speech and a hallmark of his administration.

To appreciate the significance of this statement, one needs to understand two things: the nature of government's operational challenges and Obama's actions that add considerable weight to these words.

The American people are looking to the new administration to rejuvenate our economy, resolve the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, revitalize our schools and repair our environment. On each count, even if Obama gets the policy right, the public's expectations will only be met if these policies are well executed. Without dramatic improvements in the way government does its work, they won't be.

here are some fundamental reasons why our federal government's operational health has been allowed to steadily deteriorate. It's hard to change what you don't measure, and our government operates in an environment with very few meaningful and useful measurements for performance. Perhaps more significantly, it is run by short-term political leadership that has little incentive to focus on long-term issues.

A typical presidential appointee stays in government for roughly two years and is rewarded for crisis management and scoring policy wins. These individuals are highly unlikely to spend significant energy on management issues, when the benefits of such an investment won't be seen until after they are long gone.

To be clear, previous administrations have launched serious efforts to improve government operations, leading to limited, but not insignificant, improvements. But Obama's approach appears to be significantly different. He is not just saying we need to improve government operations. He's saying we need to put this issue front and center. We need to commit as much energy to policy execution as we do to policy development. This interpretation is based not on wishful thinking, but on the president's actions.

Start with the transition. Despite criticism that it was presumptuous, the Obama team heeded the advice of experts and began planning the transition to power months in advance of the election. The result: it was able to fill key White House posts and identify Cabinet nominees faster than any administration in history.

Look at the people the president appointed and their confirmation hearings. Time and again, they were willing to get into the weeds and talk about the importance of management issues to agency success.

Hillary Clinton described the State Department's career employees as "unsung heroes," adding that "they need and deserve the resources, training and support to succeed."

Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag said, "We need to make government work better and smarter; [that] means restoring the prestige and building the capability of the federal workforce."

Nobody captures the apparent management ethos of the Obama team better than Energy Secretary Steven Chu. ``[M]y effort as secretary will be unified by a common goal: improving management and program implementation. Simply put, if the department is to meet the challenges ahead, we will have to run more efficiently and effectively,'' said Chu. ``During my tenure as director of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, although most people view me as a scientist, I spent probably three quarters of my time paying attention to the operation side of the house''

Moving beyond the Cabinet, President Obama broke new ground when he named Nancy Killefer as the nation's first chief performance officer, creating a new voice, who carries the weight of the White House, to hold agencies accountable for their management practices.

Less than 24 hours after being sworn in, President Obama issued his first two Executive Orders, both of which focused on government operations. One will make government more open and transparent, helping to improve public trust in government. The other raises the ethical and professional standards for those who will serve in his administration, assuring the public that those who work on their behalf will be highly qualified and committed to public service, not their private enrichment.

On day two, he traveled to Foggy Bottom to speak to career employees at the State Department, a powerful acknowledgment of perhaps the most fundamental tenet of effective federal organizations: good government starts with good people.

There is clearly a pattern developing, here.

Barack Obama didn't campaign the past two years to pass legislation. He did it to achieve a set of ambitious goals. That requires not only approving policies, but implementing them. All indications are that our new president understands the importance of government operations. But making government work won't be quick. It won't be easy. But it must be done. Nothing less than the president's pledge to bring real change to America is at stake.

By Max Stier

Special to the Washington Post
Monday, January 26, 2009; 8:06 AM

Sacraments Vs The Saving Grace of Jesus Christ

The Catechism of the Catholic Church claims that the sacraments are the effective means of grace that is necessary for salvation. In more simplistic terms, you, the Catholic person must be an active participant in the Church’s physical sacraments in order to receive grace in hopes of earning your salvation. Do not be mistaken: these sacraments are declared to be necessary for salvation because they are the means of grace! This teaching is so emphatic that “sacramental grace” received through these physical sacraments is declared to be the grace of the Holy Spirit. In the light of the Scriptures, please consider how fatal this unbiblical system of belief is.


1. The Catechism Says:#1113 “The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.”

The Bible Says:I John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

2.The Catechism Says:#1129 “The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. ‘Sacramental grace’ is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given by Christ and proper to each sacrament.”

The Bible Says:I John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. Acts 16:31Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

3.The Catechism Says:#1493 “One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience.”

The Bible Says:Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested.”

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ”

Can you see how the brokers of this Roman Catholic “grace” are subjecting you to a system of merchandizing? This is not the grace of God, for you are paying for it with your sacramental participation. Men, women, and children are made to believe that salvation begins and end in these rituals. All seven rituals are substituted for the simple act of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan’s design is to replace Christ and His gospel of free grace with man’s efforts to save himself with rituals and devotion. These unbiblical rituals have “a form of godliness, but [they are] denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (II Timothy 3:5) The Roman Catholic system of merited grace is so convoluted that the Lord’s commandment to simply believe must be solemnly repeated,“this is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” John 6:29

readers who visited this article showed interest in following:
1.forgiveness of sins
2.former catholic priest discover salvation through Christ
3.The Good fight of faith.
4.Righteousness by faith


source:http://whateverycatholicshouldknow.com/wecsk/salvation_through.htm

Whats in your Bible ?KJV vs NASB,NIV et al

What's in your Bible?

One of the fundamental deceptions being promoted by modern Bible publishers is that the new Bibles are merely in different styles of writing; that they are simply easier to read than the KJV; that nothing is being removed or changed in God's word.

There are many problems with these claims. Here we will focus on the disception that "all versions really say the same thing."

Why is this important? It is simple: if two books say different things, or if two books say inherently contradictory things, or if of two books one says more than the other, they cannot both be God's word. This is simple, basic logic. To say otherwise is to accuse the Holy Spirit of doublespeak.

Various Contradictions and Omissions

This table compares various verses in the KJV, NIV, NASB, and NWT. The term "OMITTED" is used when either the phrase or the verse in question is omitted. This table is a very small sampling of contradictory verses, not an exhaustive one.

Some people have objected to me comparing the NWT with the NIV and NASB. They complain that the NWT is an "obvious" corruption of Scripture on the part of the Jehovah's Witness cult. Instead of complaining about the comparison, they should be wondering why the NIV and NASB so frequently agree with the NWT.

I have noticed that in some cases, different editions may not treat a verse the same way. This table represents the verses as I have them in my printed editions (NIV 1984, NASB 1977, NWT 1984). (Another posts in the future will show you who made the change and the rational behind changes)

	AV (King James)	New International	New American Standard	New World Translation
Mt 9:13	for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.	For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.	For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.	For I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.
Mt 18:11	For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.	OMITTED	footnote casts doubt	OMITTED
Mt 19:17	Why callest thou me good?	"Why do you ask me about what is good?"	"Why are you asking me about what is good?"	"Wny do you ask me about what is good?"
Mt 25:13	Ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.	You do not know the day or the hour.	You do not know the day nor the hour.	You know neither the day nor the hour,
Mk 10:24	.how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!	.how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!	.how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!	.how difficult a thing it is to enter into the kingdom of God!
Lk 2:33	And Joseph and his mother,,,	The child's father and mother.	His father and mother.	its father and mother.
Lk 4:4	Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.	Man does not live on bread alone.	Man shall not live on bread alone.	Man must not live by bread alone.
Lh 4:8	Get thee behind me, Satan.	OMITTED	OMITTED	OMITTED
Jn 6:47	He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.	He who believes has everlasting life.	He who believes has eternal life.	He that believes has everlasting life.
Jn 8:9	And when they heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out.	.those who heard began to go away.	.when they heard it, they began to go out one by one.	OMITTED
Jn 9:4	I must work the works of him that sent me.	We must do the work of him who sent me.	We must work the works of Him who sent Me.	We must work the works of him that sent me.
Jn 10:30	I and my Father are one	I and the Father are one.	I and the Father are one.	I and the Father are one.
Ac 2:30	that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;	.he would place one of his descendants on his throne.	.to seat one of his descendants upon his throne.	.he would seat one from the fruitage of his loins upon his throne.
Ac 8:37	If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.	OMITTED	footnote casts doubt (some editions just omit it)	OMITTED
Ac 23:9	Let us not fight against God.	OMITTED	OMITTED	OMITTED
Rom 13:9	Thou shalt not bear false witness.	OMITTED	OMITTED	OMITTED
Co 1:14	In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.	In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.	In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.	By means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins.
1Ti 3:16	God was manifest in the flesh.	He appeared in a body.	He who was revealed in the flesh.	He was made manifest in the flesh.
1Ti 6:5	Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.	"from such withdraw thyself" is omitted	"from such withdraw thyself" is omitted	"from such withdraw thyself" is omitted
1Pe 1:22	Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.	you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth.	Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls.	Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth.
1Jo 4:3	And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.	But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.	And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.	But every inspired expression that does not confess Jesus does not originate with God.
Re 5:14	Four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.	.the elders fell down and worshipped.	.the elders fell down and worshipped.	.the elders fell down and worshipped.
Re 20:9	Fire came down from God out of heaven.	Fire came down from heaven.	Fire came down from heaven.	Fire came down out of heaven.
Re 21:24	And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it.	The nations will walk by its light.	And the nations shall walk by its light.	And the nations will walk by means of its light.

Inauguration prayers offered to Isa .. Who is Isa?

The Qur'an says the Messiah is equal to other Prophets

("Al-Masihu-Isa") according to the Qur'an

Which Jesus did rick Warren pray to?
Notice he used in the name of the different Jesus that most popular religions belief in appealing to all the different secs. Surely that is Ecumenism (the coming together of all faith )at its best.


Throughout the Qur'an, we find that Jesus is always referred to as a prophet, much like all the other prophets. In Sura 2:136 he is joined with Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and Moses as simply one of the prophets. In Sura 43:59 he is mentioned as nothing more than a servant, and in Sura 5:78 as only a messenger. Yet in eleven instances in the Qur'an Jesus is given the title of "al-Masihu Isa," The Messiah Jesus (see Surahs 4:157,171; 3:45) or "al-Masihu ibn Maryam," the Messiah, son of Mary (see 9:31). In all 11 cases this title applies to Jesus alone. Islam, therefore, seems to join with Christianity in declaring Jesus the long-awaited Messiah promised to the Jews through the prophets of old.

Not only that, the Qur'an intensifies this title by applying to the title Masihu the article "al." In all cases, without exception, the title is written "al-Masihu." The definite article positively distinguishes him from all the other prophets.

But that is where the confusion comes in. For nowhere in the Qur'an does it say who or what the Messiah is. (2Timothy 3:5) It gives no explanation for the Messiah. In fact, great scholars in Muslim history like Zamakhshari and Baidawi admitted that al-Masihu was not an original Arabic word. Why, then, does the Qur'an acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah, yet give no delineation of what the word Messiah means? Why give him a unique title and not explain it's significance?

Throughout the Qur'an, we find that Jesus is always referred to as a prophet, much like all the other prophets. In Sura 2:136 he is joined with Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and Moses as simply one of the prophets. In Sura 43:59 he is mentioned as nothing more than a servant, and in Sura 5:78 as only a messenger. Yet in eleven instances in the Qur'an Jesus is given the title of "al-Masihu Isa," The Messiah Jesus (see Surahs 4:157,171; 3:45) or "al-Masihu ibn Maryam," the Messiah, son of Mary (see 9:31). In all 11 cases this title applies to Jesus alone. Islam, therefore, seems to join with Christianity in declaring Jesus the long-awaited Messiah promised to the Jews through the prophets of old.

Not only that, the Qur'an intensifies this title by applying to the title Masihu the article "al." In all cases, without exception, the title is written "al-Masihu." The definite article positively distinguishes him from all the other prophets.

But that is where the confusion comes in. For nowhere in the Qur'an does it say who or what the Messiah is. It gives no explanation for the Messiah. In fact, great scholars in Muslim history like Zamakhshari and Baidawi admitted that al-Masihu was not an original Arabic word. Why, then, does the Qur'an acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah, yet give no delineation of what the word Messiah means? Why give him a unique title and not explain it's significance?

The Bible says the Messiah is different to other Prophets

The Messiah is superior to other Prophets

Since the Qur'an gives us no definition for the Messiah, we must do what the Qur'an encourages Muslims to do when they have any question. In Surahs 10:94 and 21:7 the Qur'an calls on Muslims to "ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee," or in other words, those who have the scripture, the Bible. Jews and Christians find in the Bible that the title for Messiah is reserved for the specially-chosen one of God, one man alone, who stands above all other men, prophets and apostles included.

In our New Testament we find the title "ho Christos," which in Greek is a translation of the word "Messias" (See John 1:41 and 4:25). In every case where this title is used the article "ho" is included, emphasizing that, like the Qur'an, it is referring to one specific person.

The title is set forth in all of scripture as applying to God's supreme Deliverer who the Jews eagerly awaited. In the earlier periods of the Old Testament, however, there were a number of instances in which other individuals were referred to as "a Messiah" or anointed one.

In Leviticus 4:3 the title Messiah is applied to the anointed high priest in Israel. In 2 Samuel 1:14 it refers to the nation's king. In Psalm 105:15 the prophets of God are referred to as Messiah. Even the Persian king Cyrus is afforded the title in Isaiah 45:1, as it was he who prepared the way for the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.

But in the book of Daniel we find a specific prophecy by Daniel (Daniel 9:25) which promises that after Jerusalem is rebuilt a time would pass after which a "Mashiah," an anointed one would come.

It was this prophecy where the word Messiah was used as a title for the coming Prince of God which led the Jews to refer of him as "ha Mashiah," "the Messiah".

The prophet Isaiah spoke often of this Messiah, saying that he would come from the root of Jesse, the father of David, that he would rule all the earth and that he would slay the wicked by the breath of his mouth alone (Isaiah 11:1-5).

One prophet after another spoke of this supreme representative of God, who would be a great figure, far above all the prophets of God in honour and majesty. According to Zechariah, this supreme ruler was destined to be God's own chosen representative (Zechariah 6:12-13).

The prophet Micah predicted that he would be born in Bethlehem, and that his origin is from the beginning of time, and whose reign would last forever (Micah 5:2). Daniel called him the "son of Man," who came from the ancient of days (before time), and that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him in an everlasting dominion (Daniel 7:13-14).

Even those during the time of Jesus held similar beliefs of the Messiah. John the Baptist (or Yahya) looked toward the coming Messiah as one far superior to himself. In Luke 3:16 he says, "I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." And as Jesus was coming towards John, John is quoted as saying, "This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me'" (John 1:30).

From these passages we can see that not only the ancient prophets considered the Messiah to be someone special, but John, who was a prophet during Jesus's lifetime, considered the Messiah, whom he knew as Jesus to be far superior to himself. John spoke of the pre-existence of Jesus as the Messiah, as Micah and others had done before him. Furthermore, since he was the only prophet to rise at the same time as Jesus, he rejoiced at the honour of being appointed to reveal him to the nation (John 1:31).

The Messiah is the Son of God

Yet that was not all. From scripture we find that the Messiah was more than just the greatest prophet. The most emphatic promise of the coming Messiah as one of the sons of David was made to David himself. When David was king, he sought to build a great temple to house the ark of the covenant of God. God forbade him from doing so, through the prophet Nathan. But God did give David a special promise. We find this revealing promise in 1 Chronicles 17:10-14:

"...the Lord will build a house for you. When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne for ever. I will be his father, and he will be my son... and my kingdom for ever; his throne will be established for ever."

Initially one would assume this prophecy points to a biological son of David. According to the Qur'an Sura 17:7, David's son Solomon did build a great temple for God (the al- masjid, "the temple"). This is also echoed in the Bible. Yet, shortly after Solomon's death the kingdom of Israel was split in two, and was completely decimated within 300 years. It was thus not an everlasting kingdom. So the promise to David was not for his son Solomon.

The Jews realized that God had been referring to the Messiah in this promise to David, and the promise that He would establish his kingdom for ever now took on real importance. As a result, from this time on, the Jews coined the expression "Son of David" as a title for their coming Messiah.

But what is more important in this promise is the phrase in verse 13, which reads, "I will be his father, and he will be my son." Since this promise from God is referring to the Messiah, it clarifies who the Messiah really is. The Messiah was to be the Son of God!

David knew that the Messiah would be the Son of God and therefore he openly called him his Lord and Master in Psalm 89:26-29, 35-36, while at the same time acknowledging his dependence. This is echoed by Jesus in Revelations 22:16, where he says, "I am the root and the offspring of David..." Jesus the Messiah is his offspring, as he was born into the line of David. But ultimately he is his root, as David came originally from him.

Therefore, not only was the Messiah superior to the prophets according to the many prophets who preceded him, he could also claim the title of Son of God, which by itself completely separated him from any other person in existence.

Isa according to the Qur'an is certainly not the Jesus was prophesied many times to come in the Old Testament and who did come in the New Testament as promised. The same Jesus that was before all things were created.1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:2-5.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Left Behind(The deceptive sercret rapture planted in protestant churches)

Jesus Himself warn of false prophets(false preachers will testify truthfully that Jesus is Christ but the very teachers will deceived many).We are warned three times in Mathew, beware,take heed. Every man must study God's Word for himself.Everyone must allow the Holy spirit to lead him/her to the truth.God's Word is powerful enough to lead any one to the truth.It interprets itself.

Warnings
Mathew 24:3-5. 3 . And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Even though Jesus wasn't born o­n December 25, His first coming is celebrated around the globe with songs like "Away In A Manger," "What Child Is This?" and "Silent Night." He was here o­nce, but will He return? If we believe the Bible, the answer is, yes! Yet unlike His first appearance as the Babe of Bethlehem, His Second Coming won't happen o­n a Silent Night.

John 14:1-3: A few days before His death, Jesus told His small band of bewildered disciples, "Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. 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. 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" (John 14:1-3). Thus the clear answer from the Lord is, "I will come again."

Acts 1:9-11: But how will He come? Will it be in some invisible or symbolic way? Let's find out. 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus led His disciples to the top of a small mountain - the Mt. of Olives - just east of Jerusalem. Suddenly, "…while they watched, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing; which also said, 'Men of Galilee, why are standing there gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven'" (Acts 1:9-11). It's obvious Jesus ascended literally, bodily, in full view of His watching, awestruck followers. As they watched Him go up, two angels appeared and said He would come back "in like manner" as He went up. Thus Christ's Second Coming will be literal, bodily, and visible to normal human eyes.

Titus 2:13: This visible return of Jesus is the true hope of the Church. Paul told the early believers to keep "looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). Thus our hope is the visible revelation of Jesus Christ at the end of the world.

Matthew 24:26, 27: There will be nothing secretive about His return. In words of warning and clarification, Jesus Christ said, "Where if they say to you, 'Behold, he is in the desert,' go not forth; or 'Behold, he is in the secret chambers,' believe it not; for as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matthew 24:26, 27). Language could not be plainer. False teachers may talk of a "secret" coming, but don't believe it. Christ's coming will be like highly visible, electrically charged bolts of lightning flashing across a stormy sky.

Matthew 24:30, 31: When Jesus finally returns, this event will not o­nly be witnessed by believers, but by all nations. And He's not coming alone. Jesus clarified, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of the trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from o­ne end of heaven to the other" Matthew (24:30, 31). Thus Christ's return will be loud and visible to the eyes of "all the tribes of the earth." When God's heavenly trumpet sounds and billions of shiny angels burst into Earth's atmosphere, no o­ne will wake up the next day wondering what happened.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9: Christ's return will bring happiness to the saved, yet it will result in destruction to those who are lost. Paul wrote about the great day when "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance o­n those who know not God and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power" (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18: The return of Jesus will be an incredibly loud, noisy event that will wake up the dead: "For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God (see Exodus 19:19): and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, the meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort o­ne another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). When Jesus Christ comes, all God's children - those who are resurrected and those living at that time - will bid goodbye to the sins of earth. We shall be "caught up," literally, just like Jesus was "taken up" at His ascension, and we shall forever "be with the Lord" who died for us.

One Taken, One Left ?

Jesus Christ said, "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (Matthew 24:40).

Countless Christians apply this verse to the "Great Disappearance" when believers will suddenly vanish - leaving their clothes, shoes, necklaces, and wedding rings on earth. Such an interpretation is professionally illustrated in Left Behind: The Movie. In many prophecy books on this subject, unbelieving spouses are described as waking up in the morning only to discover that their believing husbands or wives have been "taken" or raptured to heaven. All who are "left behind" must then endure the "seven years of Tribulation" and the rise of the Antichrist. But they have a "second chance" to be saved.

Is such an interpretation, popular though it may be, really what Jesus meant in Matthew 24:40? Let's look closely at the context to find out.

Matthew 24:27 - Jesus said, "For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

This verse is clearly describing Christ's visible and ultra-glorious Second Coming. Few disagree here.

Matthew 24:30, 31 - Jesus continued, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels, with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another."

Once again, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is clearly described. This coming will be literal, visible, loud, and glorious,(international). All the world will see it.

Matthew 24:36 - "But of that day [the day of the Second Coming] and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My father only." once again, the context is the Second Coming.

Matthew 24:37-39 - "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be, For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Jesus clearly compares His Second Coming with Noah's flood. This flood came suddenly upon the lost "and took them all away."

In other words, they were lost - with no second chances. Christ said, "...so shall the coming of the Son of man be."

Matthew 24:40 - "THEN [capitols added] shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left."

The all-important question is: When is "then"? Does this verse describe the sudden disappearance of millions of Christians before a seven-year period of tribulation, as is taught in Left Behind? Or is it talking about the salvation of one and the destruction of another at the Second Coming of Jesus - at the end of the world? For those willing to closely examine the context, the answer is clear. According to the preceding verses of Matthew 24:27, 30, 31, 36, 37-39, the answer is - "one shall be taken" and "one shall be left" at the visible (vs. 27), audible (vs. 31), glorious (vs. 30) flood-like (verses 37-39) Second Coming of Jesus Christ! And just like in Noah's day, when that time finally comes there will be no second chances.

God's Word speaks clearly again. Many deceptions were planted in protestant churches who Today the effects of these umbilical delusions are misleading many.

Who would you believe what Jesus and the Bible says, or what John Nelson Darby the originator of the secret rapture says.

source: Steve Wohlberg...http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=4700127586628202776

http://www.whitehorsemedia.com/articles/details.cfm?art=52