God Made It Simple :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: May 27, 2023 by RR10

According to Scripture, salvation isn’t complicated, but humans have complicated it. Justification happens at the moment of true faith in Christ, sanctification takes a lifetime, and glorification comes when we finally are Home with Jesus. God made salvation simple. You only need to realize that you’re a sinner and believe that only Jesus can forgive your sin. Your faith should result in a changed life, and that’s the sanctification process. We all sin, but a true Christian will ask for forgiveness and learn from mistakes.

One evening, a Pharisee came to Jesus to ask about some important truths, and the conversation is very enlightening. “There was man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (John 3:1-2).

Nicodemus had some understanding but needed to hear the truth from Jesus. He could have listened to the gossip on the street or the prejudice and misinformation among his fellow Pharisees, but he did the right thing; Nicodemus went directly to Jesus for answers. Jesus didn’t beat around the bush. He knew why Nicodemus was there. Eternal life is something most people have questions about, and there are many complicated and wrong answers to that question.

For instance, the Sadducees didn’t believe there was life after death. Today, we have some people who think there’s a place called purgatory where sinners go after death, but it’s not permanent. That’s not Biblical. God made it simple. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Born again. Now there’s a phrase that has stumbled many well-intentioned people.

Nicodemus was a man who was searching for truth. He knew the Old Testament and had enough head knowledge to recognize Jesus as a “teacher come from God,” but he didn’t have the heart knowledge to recognize that Jesus was God incarnate. Without that heart knowledge, he was blind to the fact that he was speaking with the Messiah. All who seek Jesus need to have more than an intellectual knowledge of Him.

Nicodemus asked many questions that night, and Jesus was patient to answer. Being “born again” was an idea that confused Nicodemus, and Jesus explained. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). Jesus wasn’t talking about a physical rebirth but a spiritual one. The word “wind” is the Greek word “pneuma,” which appears 385 times in the New Testament and is often translated as Spirit. Neither the wind nor the Holy Spirit can be seen, but both can be felt.

Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot know the things of God. Nicodemus was smart to seek answers directly from Jesus, but what do we do today?

“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:11-14.

Is it complicated to receive the Holy Spirit? No, God made it simple. When a person truly and honestly accepts the free gift of salvation only found through Jesus, the Holy Spirit is sealed within that person.

“In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

People like to complicate this and try to convince you that you need to do something aside from believe in order to receive the Holy Spirit. People might tell you that you aren’t Spirit-filled if you sin again. Scripture says we only need to believe. The Holy Spirit will never guide us into sin and will help us to understand Scripture. It is possible to ignore this gift, and that’s where trouble comes from. We can choose to live contrary to God’s ways, but that isn’t God’s desire for us.

“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:30-32).

Godly character should follow your belief, so listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and study Scripture. Apply God’s truth to your life. If you continue to hold tightly to sin and ignore the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you will have little joy in your life.

Nicodemus questioned how a man could re-enter his mother’s womb, but as the conversation went on, Jesus explained, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). Being born again is something that happens inside a person after faith in Jesus. No human has the ability to judge another person’s faith in God, but our faith should be evidenced by changes to our lifestyle and attitude.

The Apostle Paul was a man who allowed his faith in Christ to govern his life. His heart was changed, and his way of life was evidence of the inward change. He stopped hating others, and he shared the Gospel with everyone he met, even if it meant his life was in danger. He chose to praise God in even the most perilous situations. Paul and Silas were once asked by a jailer in Philippi what he could do to be saved. “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).

Paul could have told him to be baptized, or perform community service, or say certain prayers, or any number of other “works” related “evidences” of salvation. Instead, Paul and Silas shared the Gospel. “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house” (Acts 16:32).

Nobody can be born again unless they hear the Gospel. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). If you have truly placed your faith in Jesus for salvation, you are a born-again Christian, and you need to share your faith with others.

My grandmother always said, “You can preach a better sermon with your life than with words.” That means we can say “I’m a Christian” all we want, but our actions will speak louder than words. “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). We can’t work for our salvation, but we can let others see Christ in us by doing good works.

God made salvation simple for us because He loves us. If you claim to be a Christian, that means you’ve repented of your sin and asked Jesus to forgive you. Repent means you’ve changed your mind about sin. Don’t stay in the sin that once separated you from God. By faith you’ve become a new creation in Christ. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).

Being born again is a personal choice. Nobody can make that choice for you. It’s been said that God has no grandchildren; we all have to make our own choice. If you think you’re a Christian because you were baptized as an infant, think again. A baby can have no understanding of his or her need for salvation, and the parents made the choice. Baptism is outward evidence of a choice you personally have made, but it doesn’t bring 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 shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10). An infant cannot make a confession of faith. Notice, too, that this verse says nothing about adding works to belief. God has made salvation simple, but all the many Christian denominations have complicated it.

The important thing for you to do right now is be sure that you have believed upon Jesus.

When my husband and I were married, he wasn’t a Christian. He thought he was because he lived in the United States and it was a Christian nation. That really bothered me, and I spoke to him about it; I also prayed and prayed. One day, he was talking with a Christian friend, and the Gospel suddenly made sense. Ron accepted Christ, and I was amazed as I watched the Holy Spirit work in him and change him into a man who was a fearless witness for Christ.

Ron died ten years ago, and my greatest comfort is knowing that he is with Jesus. If he had continued thinking he was a Christian because of the nation where he was born, he would have been eternally lost. That’s as wrong as thinking you’re a Christian because you’re a Baptist, a Catholic, or any other man-made denomination. Only faith in Jesus brings salvation.

What about you? Are you born again? The Rapture is very near, and that means all Christians will be taken from earth prior to the time when God’s judgment falls upon all the unbelieving world who will be left behind.

Some people like to complicate things by judging who is a Christian based on works. Mostly those who judge another’s salvation set themselves up as the standard to aim for, forgetting that they, themselves, fall short of God’s standard.

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God’ being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:22-26).

One interesting idea is saying only born-again Christians will be Raptured. That’s true, but it’s belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes us a born-again Christian. If you just attend Sunday morning services but have no faith in Jesus, you aren’t a Christian. Being baptized doesn’t make you a Christian. Being a very nice and kind person doesn’t make you a Christian. Only Faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross makes you a Christian.

God made it simple. “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). Yes, it’s that simple.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.rapture ready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

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

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Beginning to Come to Pass :: By Daymond Duck

Published on: May 27, 2023 by RR10

The Book of Revelation begins with these words, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw” (Rev. 1:1-2).

The Book of Revelation is:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ.
A list of things to show God’s servants.
A list of things that MUST happen.
A list of things that MUST happen shortly (in God’s timing).
A list of things that an angel showed to John.
The Book of Revelation is the Word of God.
It is the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Here are five major signs in Revelation chapter 13 that MUST come to pass during the Tribulation Period:

One, a global power MUST come into being.

13:7 says, “Power was given him [to the Antichrist] over ALL kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
An unelected person MUST be given power over all nations.
This is the New World Order; the Great Reset; the coming world government.

Two, a global false religion MUST come into being.

13:8 says, “And ALL that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Every lost person MUST worship the Antichrist.
This appears to be where the unbiblical global ethic is going (the LGBTQ agenda, the woke culture, abortion, etc.); the coming world religion; Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.

Three, there MUST be a Global Population Reduction.

13:15 says, “And he [the False Prophet] had power to give life unto the image of the beast [a statue of the Antichrist], that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”
This appears to be AI (Artificial Intelligence); a computerized talking statue that will reduce the population of the earth by ordering the death of ALL that refuse to obey their government and worship an idol.

Four, there MUST be a Global Marking System.

13:16 says, “And he causeth ALL, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.”
There MUST be a global Mark that identifies (ID’s) the lost supporters of world government.
This is probably where face scans and hand scans are going.
The desire for a Mark to identify everyone that has been vaccinated appears to be a step in this direction.

Five, there MUST be a Global Economic System.

13:17 says, “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
ALL must take the Mark, or they cannot buy and sell.
Everyone MUST be required to support the government if they want to buy and sell.
Replacing cash with a digital currency is the ultimate goal.

In Dan. Chapter 4, we read that God caused King Nebuchadnezzar to lose his mind.

His hair grew like feathers.
His nails grew like claws.
He crawled around in a pasture like an animal on all fours.
He grazed grass like an animal.
His body stayed wet from the dew.
This lasted for 7 years.

Why? So “the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men” (Dan. 4:17, 25, 32).

So, the living will know that:

God is in control.
God raises up leaders.
God brings down leaders.
God puts the leader He wants in charge.
God even puts bad leaders in charge.

In response to a question about His Second Coming and the end of the age, Jesus said, “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).

As the end of the age nears, there will be a generation that can see the signs beginning to come to pass (Matt. 24:32-33).

Our generation is seeing the five major signs in Revelation chapter 13 beginning to come to pass.

It is not a coincidence that these five major signs are shaping up.

It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ beginning to come to pass.

Here are more events that seem to indicate that Tribulation Period events are beginning to show up:

One, concerning the possibility of corruption in Washington: on May 19, 2023, former Pres. Trump’s deputy National Security Adviser, K. T. McFarland, said the U.S. Dept of Justice (DOJ), FBI, and CIA are planning to rig the 2024 presidential election.

McFarland cited the Durham report, the 51 former CIA agents that signed a letter saying Hunter’s laptop is Russian disinformation, the FBI’s protection of Hillary, the FBI’s protection of Hunter, the Congressional investigations, and more.

According to McFarland, these agencies have done it in the past, and they will do it again because they are terrified about what will happen if a Republican becomes president.

(My opinion: On more than one occasion, I have stated my belief that there is no telling what they will do to keep Trump out of office and bring in the New World Order. America is in trouble, and we know world government is coming.)

Two, concerning how divided America has become:

> In Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis continues to indicate that she intends to bring charges against former Pres. Trump, attorney Rudy Giuliani, and sixteen Republicans for trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

> On May 17, 2023, it was reported that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has introduced legislation to impeach FBI Director Christopher Wray for using the FBI to intimidate, harass and trap U.S. citizens who are deemed to be enemies of Pres. Biden’s policies and for shielding Hunter Biden from prosecution.

> On May 17, 2023, it was reported that Rep. Anna Paulina Luna has introduced legislation to expel Rep. Adam Schiff from Congress for constantly saying there is evidence that Pres. Trump colluded with the Russians, but the Durham investigation found that there is no evidence, and the story was made up by Hillary Clinton’s campaign committee.

> On May 18, 2023, it was reported that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene intends to try to impeach Pres. Biden because he is compromising the security of America by refusing to enforce U.S. immigration laws and secure the U.S. Border with Mexico.

Three, concerning corruption in the FBI: on May 18, 2023, a former FBI agent, Steve Friend, told a Congressional committee the FBI manipulated data on the Jan. 6, 2021, demonstrations at the White House to create the impression that domestic terrorism is a nationwide problem in the U.S.

According to Friend, the FBI “has refocused counterterrorism from legitimate foreign actors to political opponents within our borders.”

As I understand it, Friend was saying the FBI is now putting less focus on prosecuting terrorists that are coming into the U.S. from other nations (especially across our border with Mexico) and more focus on prosecuting U.S. citizens as terrorists for disagreeing with the Biden administration.

According to the article I read:

There is mounting evidence that the FBI may have been involved in inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, demonstrations.
The FBI participated in trying to shut down the Hunter Biden story.
The FBI participated in censoring people and companies that have posted unfavorable information on social media and the Internet.
The FBI participated in the lie Hillary Clinton’s campaign committee made up about Trump colluding with the Russians.

(More: On May 23, 2023, it was reported that an IRS whistleblower has come forward saying that the IRS is participating in a coverup of Hunter Biden’s finances. So, the FBI and the IRS are both being accused of wrongdoing. Hunter reportedly flew in a private jet to a court hearing to tell the judge he is too poor to pay more child support.)

Four, concerning corruption in the FBI: on May 19, 2023, it was reported that Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, said a report filed by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) shows that the FBI improperly used warrantless searches more than 278,000 times between Jan. 6, 2021, and the year ending Nov. 2021.

More than 278,000 improper searches of mostly ordinary citizens who oppose abortion, the gay agenda, vote conservative, etc., in 11 months (about 800 a day) is not an occasional mistake by a poorly trained FBI agent; it is an FBI agency deliberately running amok under the direction of a bad leader that should be held accountable.

Five, concerning a loss of respect for America: on May 19, 2023, in response to more U.S. sanctions on Russia, the Russian government banned 500 U.S. citizens (former Pres. Obama, at least three U.S. Senators, 45 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, several members of the U.S. military, several members of the media, and others) from entering Russia.

Russia declared that it was banning these people because the U.S. government is persecuting U.S. citizens for protesting Biden’s certification as president on Jan. 6, 2021.

It is Vladimir Putin’s position that the J6 protestors were people that went to Congress with political demands, not a crowd of robbers and rioters that should be thrown into jail on dubious charges.

Six, concerning a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel: on May 17, 2023, it was reported that two U.S. officials said:

The Biden administration is pushing for a Saudi-Israeli peace deal in the next six to seven months.
A Saudi-Israeli peace deal would lead to normalization agreements with other Arab nations.
A Saudi Israeli peace deal will include a “Palestinian component” that Israel will have to agree to.
It is unclear how far Israel will go to secure a peace agreement in the Middle East.

(More: On May 22, 2023, it was reported that Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) have talked to each other on the phone about normalization, but there was no progress.)

(More: On May 23, 2023, it was reported that MBS is demanding that the U.S. enter into a military alliance with Saudi Arabia, the U.S. agrees to a Saudi civilian nuclear program, and that a peace agreement includes the Two-State Solution between Israel and the PA before he normalizes relations with Israel.)

(My opinion: At some point in time, there will be a breakthrough, and a covenant will be drafted that divides the Promised Land. The covenant will be for seven years of peace, it will be confirmed by a global leader who is the Antichrist, and his confirmation will mark the beginning of the Tribulation Period. The fact that the U.S. is pushing for a peace treaty and the two leaders are talking to each other about it could ultimately lead to a breakthrough that God will not accept (Dan. 9:27; Joel 3:2; I Thess. 5:3.)

Seven, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: on May 22, 2023, it was reported satellite pictures and videos show that Iran is building a new underground nuclear site that will be too deep for typical U.S. or Israeli bunker-buster bombs to destroy.

Considering that Iran is continuing its quest to build nuclear weapons, this increases the need for an attack on Iran (which could lead to the Battle of Gog and Magog).

(Note: On May 23, 2023, Amir Tsarfati reported that Israel appears to be preparing for a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah is an Iranian puppet.)

Eight, concerning a falling away from the faith at the end of the age: on May 17, 2023, it was reported that more than 3,200 congregations have disaffiliated with the United Methodist Church since 2019 over the denomination’s acceptance of same-sex marriage and ordination of non-celibate LGBTQ clergy.

Thousands of members have chosen to leave the denomination because others have chosen to ignore the Bible on these issues (and the same thing has happened in other denominations).

Nine, my last article (titled Completely Irrelevant) says, “On May 10, 2023, it was announced that the European Union’s main executive body has given the government of Netherlands permission to force half the farmers in Holland to sell their land to the government because the government wants to take their land out of production and seize their cattle to reduce air pollution. Have you got that? The government is planning to use the climate change scam to take control of about one-third of Holland (half of 70% = 35%), idle the land, and get rid of the cattle.”

On May 17, 2023, Pres. Biden’s climate czar, John Kerry, addressed the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s AIM for Climate Summit.

According to Kerry, one of the most well-known, disrespected, unpatriotic politicians in America, agriculture production is responsible for one-third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and a reduction in emissions must be put front and center in America’s quest to defeat global warming.

As I see it, a deliberate one-third reduction in food production will cause food shortages, soaring prices, famine, multitudes of deaths, and it will have a negligible impact on the unproven scare tactic called global warming.

I believe we can already see some of this beginning to happen.

Ten, concerning the World Health Organization (WHO) Assembly meeting in Geneva: in an article that was posted on May 24, 2023, Leo Hohmann wrote that Michele Bachmann was present, and she had this to say:

Two documents are under consideration that will shift a large amount of power from sovereign nations to the UN WHO Director General when he declares a health emergency or a potential health emergency.

The two documents are:

300 amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHRs).
The Global Pandemic Treaty (Biden calls it The Global Pandemic Accords because he wants to avoid a vote in the U.S. Senate).

As of the date of Hohmann’s article, May 24, 2023, Bachmann said there had been no opposition to anything in the documents, there had been a lot of support for the documents, and the U.S. delegate had spoken in support of the documents.

According to Bachman, this is what will likely happen:

Both documents will clear the current WHO Assembly meeting and be passed on to the UN General Assembly for discussion and changes in Sept. 2023.
The UN General Assembly will present recommended changes to the UN in Jan. 2024; if there are any recommended changes, they will be voted on, and there can be no changes after that vote.
Both documents will go back to the WHO in Feb. 2024 to discuss what that organization hopes to do after they take a final vote.
The WHO will take a final vote on both documents in May 2024.

This is a complicated process, but if all of these hurdles are passed as expected, there will be no going back.

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.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com