General Articles

Do You Know Jesus? :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: by RR10

My guess is most people around the world know the name Jesus. That doesn’t mean they know Jesus, just that they know His name. Many people name their sons Jesus, and missionaries have been taking the Gospel to the far corners of the world ever since Jesus gave the command.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16).

Many times, this verse is twisted to confuse what Jesus said. There are some denominations that believe baptism equals salvation. That’s not what Jesus said. He mentioned both belief and baptism in the first part of that verse, but the last part says “… but he that believeth not shall be damned.” A friend of mine once tried to tell me that until you’re baptized, God doesn’t even know you exist. How wrong that statement is. My friend attended a denomination that didn’t study the Old Testament. Therefore, he missed the verse where God calls Jeremiah.

“Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:4-5). 

God knew all of the people in the Old Testament, and He knows all of the people living today. He won’t force anybody to believe, but wants everybody to come to salvation. Without faith there is no salvation.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved” (Romans 10:9).

If you were baptized as an infant and think your salvation is secure, ask yourself if, when you were a newborn baby, you confessed with your mouth or believed in your heart. You didn’t, so you need to come to know Jesus now and make that confession of faith for yourself. If you don’t know Jesus, you really need to get to know Him now.

You might start by understanding that Jesus’ life didn’t start in a manger in Bethlehem. Jesus is the second person of the Trinity consisting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It was Jesus who spoke all things into being.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:1-5).

This agrees with the creation account in Genesis chapter 1. As Christians, we need to understand this. Evolution didn’t create anything over millions or billions of years. Simple logic will make you laugh at the idea of evolution. Jesus created it all and was in full agreement with the Father and the Holy Spirit in doing so. So, if you really want to know Jesus, start in the beginning.

We read in the Old Testament many accounts of an appearance of Jesus. Unless you’re paying attention, you might miss that fact. Usually, when it’s an appearance of Jesus, the Scripture calls Him the angel of the LORD. Not “an” angel, but “the” angel.

An angel is simply a messenger. Too often we call every heavenly being an angel. There are Cherubim and Seraphim, which aren’t described as angels. Sometimes, Scripture calls angels “sons of God.” This is seen in Genesis chapter 6 and in the book of Job. They are beings created by Jesus, and they shouted for joy when God laid the foundations of the earth. Some of those beings rebelled against God, and we read of their evil doings in Genesis chapter 6.

It was the angel of the LORD who found Hagar when she was expelled from Abraham’s household. He told her she would have a son and to name him Ishmael. It was the angel of the LORD who spoke to Moses from the burning bush.

“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2).

It’s worth studying about the angel of the LORD; you’ll be amazed at how busy Jesus was before He was born as a human baby in Bethlehem. He appeared to prophets and to people who needed guidance from the Lord. If you don’t know Him, study His life from the beginning to the end. You’ll see that your life depends upon His life.

Today, people tend to think that Jesus is the Christian God. He is, but He’s so much more. God had called Abraham to be the father of a great nation. That nation is Israel. There is no nation or ethnic group that has been more mistreated than the Jewish people, and that mistreatment must stop. Jesus was Jewish, and His ministry was to the Jewish people first and then to the Gentiles.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). 

There’s that word “believe” again. It’s good to know who Jesus is, but salvation only comes from belief in His death, burial, and resurrection. All the prophecies regarding His birth, life, and death came from Jewish prophets. Unfortunately, the Jewish religious leaders twisted Scripture so much that they didn’t recognize that prophecy had been fulfilled by Jesus. That’s much like today; Scripture isn’t taught in full by pastors who just don’t care. Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, and one day they will recognize Him.

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Romans 11:25). 

After Christians are Raptured, God will turn His attention upon the Jewish people, and they will turn to Him in faith. That’s when He will fight for them. That day is coming very soon. As we watch the prophetic wars of Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others unfolding before our very eyes, we can be sure that Jesus will call Christians Home very soon. After that, the time of Jacob’s trouble (the Great Tribulation) will begin. Some people claim the Rapture is wrong, but that’s just a misunderstanding of Scripture. The Tribulation is about Israel coming to know their Messiah.

Abraham was called out of the pagan culture he was born into. God chose him for a very special reason. God wanted to create a nation, and Abraham and his wife Sarah would miraculously have a son (Isaac) who in turn would have a son (Jacob, later called Israel), who would be the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob’s son, Judah, would be the lineage of kings.

King David was from the tribe of Judah, and through him came the promised Messiah… God the Son incarnate. His birth was foretold by the Jewish prophets, but the Jewish leaders were blind to His birth, and His life and death. The prophet Isaiah had a lot to say about the coming Messiah. Not only did he foretell that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, but he also shared a description.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

This is a good place to start to understand the descriptive names of Jesus. He is Wonderful. He gave His life for our salvation. Counsellor? Yes, pray to Him for guidance, and He will help you learn to walk away from sin and temptation. The mighty God. Absolutely, Jesus is God in the flesh.

“And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and the truth” (John 1:14).

John knew Jesus and knew that He was truly God in the flesh. If you don’t know Him, you need to find out who He is. Without Him, your eternity is very dismal.

God is love. There’s no purer love than that which comes from God.

Adam was created and was told not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If he did, he would die. Then Eve ate the forbidden fruit, and Adam chose to join in her sin. They didn’t drop dead immediately, but the fellowship they had with God was broken and they were no longer immortal. Sin was now a part of human life. Even a precious newborn baby has a sin nature. That wasn’t God’s plan, but Adam brought it in. The sin nature that we carry with us will lead us down the road to destruction…straight to Hell. God could have left us to die in our sin, but He loved us.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 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” (John 3:16-18).

Once again, it’s belief, not works, that brings salvation. First, you need to understand that you are a sinner. Everybody sins, but that doesn’t make it OK to sin. God sees sin as so bad that the only way to take sin away was to shed His own blood as the final sacrifice for sin. Once you understand that you sin and can do nothing to save yourself, you’ll understand just how much you really need to know Jesus.

Salvation comes only through Jesus. If you think His name is only a swear word, then you don’t know Him. Come to Him now. Repent and ask Him to save you from eternal death. He will do it. No matter how big your sin might be, it isn’t bigger than the love of Jesus.

So, who is He? He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; His name is Wonderful, Counsellor. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is the Mighty God! If you know Him, then live for Him. If you know Him, share the Gospel. People need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. One day every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com

www.raptureforums.com

All original Scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

 

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The Author of the Future :: By Daymond Duck

Published on: by RR10

God said He knows the end from the beginning and that He declares what has not yet come.

He added that He will do what He wants to do, and that His counsel will stand (Isa. 46:10).

I believe that His ability to reveal the future proves that He is God because He has given hundreds of signs (the return of Israel, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, etc.) that demonstrate His ability (even though some of the prophecies are more than 2,000 years old).

Think about it: God revealed the exact day the Messiah would arrive the first time (173,880 days from the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem; Dan. 9:25; Neh. 2:1-8).

How did He know?

This is the point: If God revealed the exact day the Messiah was coming the first time, it should be pretty easy for us to believe that the signs of Messiah’s Second Coming are accurate.

I believe current events are proof positive that He is God and He is the Author of the Future.

Here are some recent articles that seem to indicate that the end of the age is close.

One, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on July 16, the U.S. attacked Iran’s bridges and railroads.

Iran has said that if their infrastructure is hit by the U.S., then Iran will target every last piece of infrastructure of countries in the Middle East assisting the U.S.

Iran specifically cited oil infrastructure.

One reader reminded me that:

  • Yemen is on standby to close the Red Sea if the US were to bomb Iran’s infrastructure.
  • The bombs happened!
  • Saudi Arabia and Yemen are at odds, to complicate matters.
  • Moreover, Pakistan has a protection umbrella agreement with Saudi Arabia.

Two, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters at the end of the age: officials are reporting that more than 10,000 people died above expected levels across Europe during the record-breaking late-June heatwave.

More: On July 16, 2026, Texas was bracing for record-shattering rainfall.

More: Millions of Americans are under air quality alerts this week as more than 800 wildfires continue to rage across Canada. The wildfires are not due to a single cause and can be exacerbated by seasonal conditions, including drought and warm weather. Some were sparked by lightning, which can strike hard-to-reach areas of Canada’s forests and is responsible for most of the total area burned in Canada.

More: Governor Patrick Morrisey declared a State of Emergency for all 55 counties in West Virginia on July 21, after severe thunderstorms produced flash flooding, landslides, road closures, and other hazardous conditions across the state. Flooding has surpassed record levels.

Three, concerning all nations turning against Israel at the end of the age: on July 15, 2026, a majority of House Democrats casting a yes-or-no vote supported cutting off funds designated for Israel, marking one of the clearest signs yet that the Democratic Party is shifting away from its longstanding support for the Jewish state.

Four, concerning the Battle of Gog of Magog and Russia’s desire for a spoil and a prey in Israel (Ezek. 38:12): on July 20, 2026, it was reported that “due to the extensive damage Ukrainian drones have inflicted on refineries deep inside Russian territory, Russia has begun importing refined petroleum products – primarily gasoline – from India.”

Russia is beginning to need energy, and Israel has it.

Five, Israel has started working with Christian groups to prepare for a celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of the baptism of Jesus in 2030.

The initiative is expected to include preparations at the place on the western bank of the Jordan River where John the Baptist baptized Jesus.

Israel expects millions of Christians to visit their nation during the year 2030.

Six, concerning the persecution of Christians and Jews at the end of the age: on July 20, 2026, it was reported that, in the Muslim-controlled city of Dearborn, Mich., Christians and Jews have become second-class citizens, facing selective enforcement, propaganda, and real violence.

According to the article, Dearborn’s mayor openly tells Christians they “are not welcome here.”

Here are some day-to-day reports on what is happening in the U.S.-Iran war:

Thurs. Day 139 (July 16, 2026) (Day 86 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (47 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

  • The U.S. is striking targets in Iran for the sixth consecutive night.
  • The United States has approved a proposed $1.96 billion weapons sale to Saudi Arabia as fighting intensifies across the Middle East and the kingdom faces renewed missile threats from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement.

Fri. Day 140 (July 17, 2026) (Day 87 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (48 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

  • Israel remains on the sidelines of the U.S.-Iran war.

Sat. Day 141 (July 18, 2026) (Day 88 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (49 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

  • Following the total collapse of Trump’s latest ceasefire and the seventh straight night of U.S. attacks on Iran, the IRGC launched more attacks on U.S. facilities in the nations of Arab allies and Jordan.
  • Two U.S. troops were killed by an Iranian missile attack on Jordan.
  • The US struck a water desalination plant, disrupting the water supply to 20 villages with a combined population of approximately 10,000 people.

Sun. Day 142 (July 19, 2026) (Day 89 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (50 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

  • The U.S. military bombed Iranian military sites for three hours, for the ninth consecutive evening of attacks.
  • Trump said the ongoing American military campaign against Iran was aimed at ending “any chance where they can have a nuclear missile.”

Mon. Day 143 (July 20, 2026) (Day 90 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (51 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

  • Bank of America’s Global Investment Strategy Division has published a report this morning from its Global Research staff revealing there are only forty-three (43) Days of Oil remaining in the United States. They said this is the lowest US Inventory in 45 Years.
  • The price of oil started to slowly increase due to America’s continuing war with Iran.
  • Trump ordered a tenth consecutive night of strikes on Iran. U.S. forces struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Iran struck Kuwait’s power-generation and water-desalination facilities, and it was the fourth consecutive day of attacks on infrastructure essential to the Gulf nation’s survival.

Tues. Day 144 (July 21, 2026) (Day 91 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (52 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

  • S. forces carried out an eleventh consecutive night of strikes on Iran.
  • In response to a request by Iran, senior officials in Qatar, Egypt, Oman, and Pakistan have presented a proposal to the U.S. for a 10-day ceasefire.
  • Irantransferred thousands of uranium enrichment centrifuges to underground facilities deep inside Natanz’s Pickaxe Mountain last fall.
  • The Pentagon said that nearly 100 U.S. service members have been wounded to some extent since the renewal of the US-Iran hostilities, and 96% have returned to duty.
  • Iran said, “If the U.S. attacks Mount Pickaxe, Iran will directly attack Israel.”
  • Amir Tsarfati said. One thing is crystal clear: the Islamic Republic did not

bury thousands of centrifuges and possibly highly enriched uranium beneath hundreds of feet of rock because its nuclear program is peaceful. They built this nuclear fortress to survive.

  • Lebanese President Joseph Aoun pledged that his country would work to permanently end hostilities with Israel.
  • Trump warned Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels that the U. S. is prepared to take military action if the terrorist group follows through on its threat to blockade Saudi shipping in the Red Sea.

Wed. Day 145 (July 22, 2026) (Day 92 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (53 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

  • S. forces carried out a twelfth consecutive day of strikes on Iran.
  • Iran launchedanother volley of ballistic missiles at Jordan.
  • Trump said, “From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by missile, rocket, drone or another device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant, including those located next to, or in, the capital city of Tehran.”
  • The U.S. is rapidly moving additional military forces, aircraft, medical personnel and weaponry toward the Middle East. They may not be used, but they will be there if Trump wants to use them.
  • Trump announced a multibillion-dollar dealto provide Saudi Arabia with a civilian nuclear program—and a potential pathway to enrich its own uranium, if a 2-year study finds that it is warranted. The deal has to be approved by Congress.

Thur. Day 146 (July 23, 2026) (Day 93 of Trump’s latest ceasefire extension) (54 days from the day Pres. Trump said he will declare total victory over Iran)

  • S. Sec. of State, Marco Rubio, said, “The number one threat to the world is these (Iranian) lunatics in possession of a nuclear weapon.”

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.