General Articles

For Such A Time As This :: By Geri Ungurean

Published on: by RR7

I have been asking the Lord what I should write during this time of confusion and uncertainty.

So many of us are wondering if this is going to lead us into the Tribulation period which is prophesied in God’s Word.

I have been asking Jesus many questions – maybe too many. But what I keep hearing in my spirit from Him is “Do you love Me?” “Yes Lord, You know how much I love You.”

“Feed My sheep.”

But I am just a woman, Lord.

And then He made me understand that He is not asking me to be in a position of authority over a man. He was merely asking me to bring comfort to my brethren.

I pray that I am able to do that, even in a small way.

From gotquestions.org

Question: “What is the key to not being afraid according to the Bible?”

Answer:  Everyone is afraid sometime, about something.

We live in a world that offers plenty of chances to fear, and we can be rather creative in thinking of new things to be fearful of. Maybe that’s why one of the most oft-repeated commands in the Bible is do not be afraid. Of course, the Bible does more than issue the command; it gives us good reasons why we do not need to be afraid.

Here are some biblical keys to not being afraid:

***** May I add the importance of clicking on the links below – they contain God’s Holy Word, and nothing will calm our hearts like His Word.

Trust in God.

This has to be the starting point. Do we trust God or not? The psalmist models the proper choice: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). Faith overcomes fear (Mark 4:40). We remember that our Good Shepherd is with us, even “through the darkest valley” (Psalm 23:4). We do not need to be afraid because He will never, ever forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He is our salvation, our strength, our defense, and “he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2). In trusting God, we pray to Him, we believe His Word, and we obey His commands. Scripture abounds with reasons we should not be afraid, based on our trust in the Lord (see Deuteronomy 31:8; Psalm 27:1; 34:4; 118:6; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 10:28; John 14:27; Romans 8:38–39; 2 Timothy 1:7).

Trust in God will counteract the effects of fear.

The Bible’s admonition to not be afraid naturally implies faith in God. As Scottish minister Alexander McLaren put it, “Faith, which is trust, and fear are opposite poles. If a man has the one, he can scarcely have the other in vigorous operation. He that has his trust set upon God does not need to dread anything except the weakening or the paralyzing of that trust” (from “The Heath in the Desert and the Tree by the River” in Triumphant Certainties: And Other Sermons, Funk and Wagnalls Co., 1905, p. 247).

Don’t focus on the fear.

We choose what we dwell on. To focus on the source of fear is to engender more fear; to focus on the One who takes fear away is to find solace. We can choose to fix our thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. We “think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8, NLT). As Jairus the synagogue ruler was bringing Jesus home to save his daughter, he received news that his daughter had died (Mark 5:35). Immediately, Jesus told Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe” (verse 36). In other words, Jairus must forgo the natural focus on the tragedy and fear and focus instead on faith and the Lord’s nearness. In choosing to not be afraid, we remember that “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Choose to praise the Lord.

“How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting!” (Psalm 147:1). Praise is an antidote to fear, and gratitude negates worry. Habakkuk the prophet was fearful of the invasion of his country, and he described his fear vividly: “I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled” (Habakkuk 3:16). But in the following verses, the prophet handles his fear in a godly manner: he “waited patiently” to see the Lord’s intervention (verse 16). He acknowledged that difficult times could be on the way (verse 17). He purposed to praise the Lord (verse 18). And he focused on the Lord’s power and promises (verse 19). In that focus, Habakkuk learned to not be afraid. And that’s how he ended his book, on a note of praise to the Lord.

Remember the future God has promised His children.

We should not worry about tomorrow, Jesus clearly taught (Matthew 6:34). In this life, we have God’s promise to meet every need His children have (Philippians 4:19) and to accomplish His work in us (Philippians 1:6). As David passed the throne to his son, he encouraged Solomon in the knowledge of God’s plan for him: “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished” (1 Chronicles 28:20).

In the next life, the redeemed have an even greater hope: “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3–5). Jesus’ gentle words gladden the hearts of all who tend to fear: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

Combat the temptation to fear.

We are in a spiritual battle, and one of the enemy’s tactics is to promote fear. In His grace, God has given us spiritual armor to wage a successful battle. We have “the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16, NKJV). There’s a wonderful promise here. The shield we wield extinguishes the flames of all the devil’s darts, including the temptation to fear. Faith overcomes fear of any kind, and it is with confidence in God that we take our stand (see verse 11). Part of combating temptation is following the path of wisdom and obedience, which always brings good results: “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:24).

John Newton’s hymn “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds,” first published in 1779, expresses the hopeful spirit within the believer:

“How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.”  source

Peter Walks on the Water

“And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.  And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

“But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

“But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God” (Matthew 14:22-33).

Peter felt emboldened when he realized that it was truly Jesus walking on the water – so emboldened that he asked the Lord to bid him come to Him. And Jesus did, and Peter walked on the water to Jesus.

But then Peter saw the wind blowing fiercely, and I’m sure that the waves were tossing him about – he began to sink. Peter took his eyes off of the Lord and that is when he began to sink.

Does that sound like you and me when we look around right now and see such turbulence in the world? We ask “Is this it?” But no one except the Lord knows if “This is it.”

We are seeing and experiencing things that we’ve never seen before. The adrenaline begins to pump. What if? What if? But then we open our Bibles and see:

Jeremiah 17:7-8

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”

Psalm 56:4 

“In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”

Psalm 28:7

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalm 16:1

“Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.”

Isaiah 26:3

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Isaiah 43:2 

“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

Proverbs 29:25

“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”

Psalm 27:14 

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.”

Faith is the opposite of Fear. When we have complete Faith in our Lord Jesus, how can we fear? We must read the Word of God and Pray to Him daily.

Brethren, this increases our Faith.

From compellingtruth.org

What does the Bible say about faith vs. fear?

Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” It is the belief that, although we cannot tangibly see God, we know that He is present and working in our lives. Unbelief can cause fear to take hold of our lives and emotions, and fear cannot exist in the same space as faith. Faith can deliver us from fear and worry because faith is the opposite of unbelief. Faith does not come from us, but is a gift (Ephesians 2:8–9), and is a fruit (or characteristic) manifested in our lives through the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23).

Read rest of article HERE.

A Sermon for Sunday

How Can I Be Saved?

Shalom b’Yeshua

MARANATHA!!

grandmageri422@gmail.com

 

Is Coronavirus Connected to Bible Prophecy? :: By Todd Hampson

Published on: by RR7

I have lived through several impactful—even game-changing—historical events which all occurred within 1 year. I worked in DC on 9/11, during the DC sniper murders, and during the DC anthrax mail attacks. That condensed time period was a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. Things were never the same. Our Gen-Z population doesn’t know what it was like before 9/11, just as my Gen-X generation doesn’t know what it was like before the culture-shaking events of the 1960’s.

After 9/11, people filled churches again—but only for a time. As life returned to normal, so did the cultural default position. In fact, it has worsened. In the West—including in America—there has been a steady decline of belief in the Bible or the God of the Bible. The great falling away predicted in Scripture continues and escalates. If trends continue, the next generation of leaders and decision makers will be “nones.” “Nones” are those who do not identify with any religious affiliation or belief system. Like most of Europe, it will be wholly secular—which IS a belief system in itself, but I digress.

As more and more people fall away from true, Biblical Christianity—so too will they fall away from its principles, wisdom, sound-logic, and blessings. There’s no doubt that our country has been blessed so tremendously because it was founded on Biblical principles (and because we have blessed the nation of Israel [Genesis 12:3]). I’m not saying our country is perfect by any means, but to the degree that we have followed God’s ways in our culture—we have also experienced God’s blessing and protection.

Fast-Forward to 2020. The world is on lock-down. The impending tidal wave of COVID-19 has not fully hit the US just yet, but the daily breaking news from our president (and other leaders) both reassures people with a bit more clarity—and frightens people as the reality of the pandemic sinks in.

It’s not very deadly—although all of us know people in the most vulnerable demographic, and we are concerned for their wellbeing. COVID-19 is not even that tough to have as a sickness for most people who are struck with it (as compared with frightening diseases such as Ebola). But the uncertainty surrounding the virus, and the speed with which it spreads, has sent people’s emotions, sense of security, and the stock market into a tailspin.

HOW IS THIS RELATED TO BIBLE PROPHECY?

So, what does this mean for us? Is this related to end-time events? Will it pass? Should we store up toilet paper, cleaning supplies, flu medicine, and hunker down in fear? What voices should we listen to? How seriously should we take the advice given by national and local leaders? How should the Church respond?

First, to address the elephant in the room as it relates to end-time prophecy. We’re not in the tribulation period. Scripture is clear that the rapture will occur first. That’s not to say things won’t get tough prior to the rapture. In fact, Jesus taught in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13) that there would be birth pains leading up to (and ultimately into) the tribulation period. Also, THE tribulation is different from tribulation in general. Jesus told us in no uncertain terms that we would have tribulation in this world (John 16:33). But, the judgments in the tribulation period will be progressively worse than anything the world has ever experienced.

I believe what we are witnessing with COVID-19 is part of the birth pains Jesus talked about in the Olivet Discourse (referenced above). In fact, I think it is a major birth pain; as is the locust plague that is ravaging Africa and the Mideast; as is the large number of social uprisings in countries around the world; as is the increase in earthquake activity; as were the record-breaking Australian wild fires; as is… you get the picture. Birth pains increase in frequency and intensity, and they only increase until the moment of delivery.

This particular birth pain happens to be one that the entire world is feeling. Again, increased intensity. It’s also a birth pain that has shaken all earthly things. Sports, financial markets, distractions, hobbies, concerts, you name it—have all been shut down. Those things aren’t bad in themselves, but it’s as if God is removing any distractions for a moment in history to plead with the world again, ‘Look up! Look to me! This world is temporary. Think about eternal things. I love you. I died for you. Please don’t ignore me. Turn to me now while there is time.’

I should also add that this is a pebble in the ocean compared to a yet-future global event that will rock the world to its core. If one rapidly spreading virus can cause this type of global disruption, can you imagine what the rapture will do when tens of millions are removed from the world in an instant? That singular event will set all the end-time events of John’s Revelation into motion. There have been condensed periods of major supernatural events in the past—creation, the exodus, and the events surrounding the first coming of Jesus culminating with the resurrection. Now, after roughly 2,000 years, we await another period of immense supernatural events which will begin with the rapture.

Were it not for the hundreds of major prophecies that have already been fulfilled—including the rebirth of Israel and recent developments in Syria—this notion would be laughable. But I believe it will literally happen. Scripture is clear.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO NOW?

Here are a few things.

First, we should not live in fear. God is still in control. He’s in control of the world, and in control of your life. He didn’t cause COVID-19, but he allowed it. There is a paradox inherent in this discussion. God is sovereign, yet mankind still has free will. God has told history in advance about where this is all headed, yet our freewill and the nature of the fallen world transpire in chronological fashion. Faith is required. Gods’ promises are true, prophecy is real, world events are not random, this is all headed somewhere. Do not fear. Look up!

Second, we should look for new ways to leverage this moment to turn people to Christ. It may look different than 2 weeks ago. The truths of Bible prophecy are beginning to have meaning to a broader audience as the whole world senses these birth pains. Even the secular voices are becoming progressively more apocalyptic. The condition of the world is the elephant in the room. We need to be bold enough to talk about it from a Biblical (i.e., accurate) perspective. Along with that, we should love others and meet needs at a time when most are fearful and need some encouragement.

Third, we should be responsible. Though we should not fear, we should heed wise advice and take the recommended precautions seriously. It’s a chance for us to love our neighbor as our self. This pandemic forces us to get our eyes off of our own needs and onto the needs of others. During the worst moments of the initial outbreak, Chinese Christians from the underground church served victims of COVID-19 with grace, joy, and love. Because of such acts, the underground church in China continues to explode. What the enemy meant for evil, was turned to be used for good. The political division in our own country has even (momentarily) subsided a bit. Much like after 9/11, our country is (at least somewhat) joining together as one. I believe this will end once the major threat of COVID-19 has passed. Then (I believe) it will be globalists vs. nationalists at an even greater level.

Fourth, let this time of uncertainty draw you closer to God. If I can be completely real for a moment, the Lord has shown me several things the past few weeks that I need to work on. Nothing earth-shaking, but areas of my thinking and reactions that God has brought to the surface so I can turn them over to him. The closer I get to the Lord, the more I realize how much I need him every day.

These are serious times—and we need to be ready. We need to be ready for whatever lies ahead—and we need to do so with courage, boldness, joy, and hope in a soon-coming King. Everything else fades away in the bright light of His promised future return. We don’t know the day or hour, but all Biblical indicators are that we could very well be the generation that experiences the rapture. What a privilege—and a burden—to be alive at this time in history. Are you ready? Why not put your trust in the only thing that is really stable?

Todd Hampson | ToddHampson.com