Faith is essential to life. Think of all the things in life you put faith in. We sit in a chair and have faith that the chair will support our weight. When we drive, we have faith that when we cross a bridge, it won’t fall. I’m sure you can come up with many more. Then there’s the choice of who we put our faith in to give us truth.

Do you have faith in politicians? Public school? News reporters? These are all fallible humans, and you must use discretion. A wise person will place their faith in God. He has given us everything we need, including the only way to eternal life. If you listen to the world, you’ll become confused and probably make very poor decisions. If you place your faith in God, then you’ll be much happier. God has given us Scripture in order to guide us. Scripture was penned by men but inspired by the Holy Spirit.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

If you are faced with a choice, turn to Scripture for guidance. It will teach you how to make choices that please God, or reveal whether or not the church you want to attend is built on a foundation in Christ; it will show you where you need to make changes in your life, and much more. We must have faith in God and desire to please Him.

Our “instruction in righteousness” begins in Genesis. Adam and Eve had all they needed; it was a perfect life for them. Then, Satan entered the Garden, twisted God’s words, and because they chose to believe Satan over God, they ate the forbidden fruit and lost everything. Sin and death are a part of our life today because of the misplaced faith of Adam and Eve.

Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, and they had children. The first son was Cain, who grew up and became a farmer. They also had a son named Abel, who was a shepherd. When Adam and Eve tried to cover their sin with fig leaves, God demonstrated that blood had to be shed in order to cover their sin.

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21).

The skins came from an animal; its blood was shed to cover their shame. The blood that was shed showed them just how ugly sin is. It also showed them that blood had to be shed to take away sin.

“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).

Cain and Abel were taught about sin and the blood sacrifice by God for covering their parent’s sin. People haven’t changed much since Eden. We know God’s truth but choose to do things our own way. So it was with Cain. When it was time to sacrifice to God, Cain brought a so-so sacrifice before God. He brought the fruit of the ground. That’s not the sacrifice that was required, but it was all that Cain was willing to sacrifice; Abel brought a sacrifice that God required.

“And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell” (Genesis 4:4-5).

Isn’t that just like people today? We aren’t careful to give our best to God, and we do things our own way. Then when God doesn’t bless our efforts, we blame God. Scripture tells us how to please God, but too many Christians either don’t study Scripture, or they twist God’s words like Satan did when talking to Eve. God demonstrates that marriage is between one man and one woman, but Satan lies and questions God’s truth. God commanded that we don’t kill, but Satan lies and says an unborn baby is just tissue, so kill it if it’s inconvenient. Satan always lies.

God doesn’t want us to sin, and Scripture is our guide in all things. It’s in our nature to sin, but we need to control our sinful thoughts and acts.

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

How can we do that? Sin often looks like fun, but it isn’t. There’s always a consequence to sin. You may be the life of the party on Friday night, but when you wake up in the hospital after a drunk driving accident, that’s not fun. Do you say hurtful words? Look what Satan’s words did to Adam and Eve and all of humanity. Your words can either lift someone out of depression or crush their spirit. What if your words are the final push they need to commit suicide? Jesus tells us our words matter.

“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37).

I know I’ve said many things that I’m not proud of. Will my words condemn me? Will yours condemn you? More about that later. There is hope for us all.

As we read through the book of Hebrews, we come to a list of names of people who stepped out in faith. Were these people perfect? No, but they did have faith. Where do you put your faith? Is it in God, or is your faith in fallible humans?

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3).

Instead of trying to make Scripture align with man’s ideas, trust Scripture. God created all things in six days, just like Scripture says. He spoke, and the sun, moon, and stars appeared. He spoke, and the earth was filled with grass, trees, and all of the critters we love so much. He created Adam, and He took Eve from Adam’s side. This makes so much more sense than billions of years of evolution. We all have faith in something, but it’s important to put your faith in God.

In Hebrews chapter 11, we see a list of men and women who weren’t perfect, but each one stepped out in faith to accomplish what God asked of them. The first in the list is Enoch.

“By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5).

Scripture doesn’t give us a detailed account of how Enoch pleased God, but because of his faith he was raptured prior to God’s judgment. Christians will also be raptured prior to God’s coming judgment.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Faith is important to everybody, but your faith must be in God Almighty. “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19).

The devils don’t repent. You cannot just give lip service to God, but you must repent and truly believe. Do you have faith in God? Has that faith changed your life?

Hebrews 11 goes on and lists Noah, whom God asked to build an Ark to protect him and his household through the flood. Because Noah was wise, he listened to God and followed the directions God gave in order to build the Ark. Noah must have been confused about what he was building and why, because there had never been a need for such a boat. It’s good that Noah obeyed God; because of his faith, humanity was saved from the flood.

We read of Abraham having faith to leave his pagan home behind and follow God’s directions to a land promised to him by God. Abraham and Sarah were very old, but God promised Abraham that he would be the father of the great nation of Israel.

“By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:9-10).

Abraham was very old when Isaac was born but was faithful to obey God when asked to sacrifice his son. “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son., Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure” (Hebrews 11:17-19).

Isaac had fulfilled the promise God made to Abraham that he would father a great nation, but Abraham obeyed when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham had faith and knew that somehow God would fulfill His promise even if his son Isaac was sacrificed. God did have a plan. Abraham, the father, was willing to give Isaac, his son, as a sacrifice. This is a foreshadowing of God the Father sacrificing His only begotten Son. Jesus.

Keep in mind that God never requires human sacrifice. Jesus was God’s son, so his pure blood was shed for the redemption of sinners. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, but His mother was human. In that way, His blood wasn’t tainted by the sin of Adam, but He was fully human, so He qualified as our Kinsman Redeemer. When Abraham had raised his knife to sacrifice his son, God stopped him

“And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou has not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son” (Genesis 22:11-13).

Many more names are listed in this roll call of people who walked by faith with the Lord.

Faith is the basis of salvation. All of the men and women listed in Hebrews chapter 11 had faith in God and allowed their faith to guide them. We can learn great lessons if we study the lives of these men and women. In this list is a harlot named Rahab; she lived in Jericho. When Joshua was about to attack that city, he sent spies into it. They met Rahab, who protected them and helped them escape.

“And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you” (Joshua 2:9).

Then she named the many ways God had protected the Israelites as they wandered. “And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Joshua 2:11).

That’s faith. She married a Jewish man named Salmon, and they are listed in the genealogy of King David, and of Jesus.

That brings me around to condemnation. Will our words condemn us? All of us sin and don’t come close to the perfection required by God. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Our words and our actions will condemn us, but God had a solution for our eternal separation from Him. The solution is Jesus.

“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).

The words we say and the things we do may not always be pleasing to God, but we are saved by faith through the grace of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

We are all sinners, but if we repent of our sin and truly have faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, our sins are forgiven through the blood sacrifice of Jesus.

“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” (Romans 10:9).

The words and the confession must be your own; nobody can make the decision for you. Then live your life as a testimony to God. Step out in faith and accomplish things that you never thought possible. Abraham never thought he and Sarah would have children, let alone establish the Jewish nation. Enoch walked with God, and his faith is a foreshadowing of the Blessed Hope Christians have of the Rapture prior to the Judgment that is approaching fast. There is no other way to be forgiven of sin and have eternal life with Jesus than by faith.

Do you have faith? If not, your time is running out. You must repent of sin and place your faith in Jesus now while you live on this side of Heaven. He will forgive you, not condemn you.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com

www.prophecyupdate.com

www.raptureforums.com

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

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

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

 

 

If you’re paying attention to the news, we are living in very trying times. It was Thomas Paine who, during the American Revolution, wrote “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

He was born in England but fully supported the American Revolution. He understood trying times. Had the revolution failed, the men who were the leaders would have been executed. Many times in history, people who led a “radical” movement faced persecution and death. The first Christians certainly did. They were born into the Jewish culture and faith, but born again into faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because they would not be persuaded to deny Christ, many were martyred.

Christianity began in Jerusalem, God’s holy city. At the time, the Jewish temple stood there, and it was the center of Jewish life. People made friendships, business deals were agreed upon, sacrifices were done according to Jewish law, and the Jewish people thrived. If someone decided to reject the faith, they were disowned by their family and not allowed into the temple. An example is found in Scripture.

A man who was born blind was healed by Jesus on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were very upset over this. Never mind that a man could now see; the problem was it was done on the Sabbath. So, they prosecuted the man and brought in his parents as a witness. They agreed that the man was their son and he was born blind, but they told the Pharisees to ask their son because he was old enough to speak for himself.

“These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him” (John 9:22-23).

The parents were more concerned about losing their rights in the synagogue than finding joy that their son was healed. I wonder what great things this man accomplished in his life. He knew that Jesus had done a miracle in his life, and wouldn’t deny the truth. Was he one who fled Jerusalem to avoid persecution? Was he one whom Saul was hunting down when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus? We will never know, but God does, and that’s what matters.

Certainly, there have been trying times and persecution from the beginning of Christianity, and we are facing those trying times again.

Jesus didn’t cover up the fact that His followers would face trying times. His disciples had followed Him for a long time and had seen the good things He had done. They also saw how the Jewish leaders despised Him. Did they think they were exempt from persecution? In His final talk with the men who would carry the Gospel to the world, Jesus spoke frankly with them.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Jesus knew the men He had chosen and knew they would be faithful. They would stand firm and not stray from God’s perfect truth. He also knew that they would be persecuted and martyred. The persecution never stopped, and many people have faced trying times because of their faith in Jesus. Mostly, it comes from religious fanatics who want to kill everybody who doesn’t follow the dictated religion. I’m thinking of Muslims, but there have always been fanatical people who want to stop the Truth Christ offers. Of course, Satan is behind the hatred.

Many Christians are disowned by their family, even in non-Muslim countries. It isn’t always easy, but when persecution happens, we need to remember that we can still find peace in Jesus. He faced persecution and was ultimately killed. He sacrificed Himself willingly because He knew His shed blood was the only way for humans to be fully forgiven for sin. If you’ve accepted Christ for salvation, find peace in Him and don’t be overwhelmed by the trying times in which we live. Jesus has overcome the world.

One of the most touching accounts of persecution is that of Stephen. He must have been a very special person to know. He loved the Lord and served Him to the best of his abilities. As the Christian faith grew in Jerusalem, the Apostles found it was necessary to choose men to serve the people’s needs. These men had to be full of the Holy Ghost.

“And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch” (Acts 6:5).

This was a very important position, and the choice was made only after much prayer. Because of this, the Christian faith grew. “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people” (Acts 6:8).

Then the persecution began. Certain men disputed with Stephen, but Stephen was full of wisdom and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. So, the only way Satan could stop Stephen was by lies. Men were hired to tell lies stating Stephen had committed blasphemy. This stirred up the Jewish leadership, and Stephen was arrested. False witnesses were brought in to testify against Stephen.

“And they stirred up the people and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses, which said This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us” (Acts 6:12-14).

Once again Satan twisted words and caused trouble. Stephen was given a chance to speak at this mock trial, and he recounted Jewish history beginning with Abraham. God loves the nation of Israel, gave them the Promised Land, and He still loves them. Stephen laid out a simple history lesson of Israel and how it leads to Jesus. He also told of the many failures of the Jewish leaders to honor God. His testimony didn’t make any of his accusers happy.

“When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and thy gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:54-55).

The accusers didn’t want to hear truth. Stephen was stoned to death for his faith. “And they stoned Stephen as he was calling upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59-60).

A very interesting person was there listening and holding the coats of those who hurled the stones; a man who would violently persecute Christians. It was Saul. It took some time, but Saul met Jesus, and his life was forever changed. He became known as the Apostle Paul who served Jesus with his full heart.

Brothers and sisters, we never know who might be watching us and hearing our testimony. If we keep Jesus first, we just might plant seeds that will bring someone to salvation. We live in trying times and have many opportunities to openly show our faith to others. Forgive those who persecute you. Jesus forgave those who hung Him on the cross, and He is our example.

Persecution hasn’t stopped, and in fact, it gets worse every day. Even nations that once were Christian nations seem to be making Christianity illegal. I’m including the USA in that statement. Why is it that a drag queen can read stories to children in the school library, but a Christian cannot read to them?

When my daughter was in public school, one of her teachers was supposedly a Christian, but at a parent-teacher conference, I brought up Jesus, and she became very distressed. It seems the teacher next door was a Jehovah’s Witness and would turn her in if he heard us talking. He, of course, would hand out literature to his students, and that was fine. Not long after that, my husband and I decided to homeschool. That was a very good decision on our part.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

Parents must lead by example and stand for Jesus in spite of persecution. Did Stephen have parents who loved Jesus and taught him to stand firm? Scripture doesn’t say, but there’s no doubt he was taught well. His faith stands as an example to Christians today. Don’t fear persecution, and forgive those who persecute you. Live your life as a testimony of Christ living in you.

Today, the entire world is facing very trying times. There’s no doubt that Biblical prophecy is being fulfilled quickly. In America, many Christians seem to think that Scripture centers around the USA. It doesn’t. The center of all Scripture and prophecy is Israel. God has given us prophecy so that we can read the signs and know where we are in history. There are many very disturbing prophecies, and we seem to be smack-dab in the midst of them being fulfilled.

It’s important to remember that the church age is temporary on Earth and about to end. It started soon after Christ’s crucifixion, and will end at the Rapture. Israel, on the other hand, began when God called Abraham, and it will have to live through the most trying times that have ever happened. Anybody who thinks the church will face the Tribulation doesn’t understand that God hasn’t forgotten Israel. It’s Israel that will go through the Great Tribulation, as well as Gentiles who haven’t accepted Jesus for salvation.

It may seem very trying today as we wait to be called Home, but it will continue to get worse. Every Christian needs to be a living testimony for Christ. We all know people who reject Christ. People who, like those who accused Stephen, plug their ears so they won’t hear truth. These just may be the people who will come to faith after the Rapture… during the Tribulation. They will face very trying times.

John records that during the Tribulation, anyone who is seen as having faith in Jesus will be beheaded. They aren’t a part of the church age, so they will not have been Raptured. They will be martyred for their faith.

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4).

If someone has presented you with the Gospel, but you don’t want to give up your sin and think you’ll wait until you’re old to accept Him, let me warn you that you’re playing with fire. Christians may face trying times, but we will not face God’s wrath during the Tribulation. We won’t have to make the choice whether or not to take the Mark of the Beast. The pre-tribulation Rapture is the blessed hope that only true Christians have.

Times are tough now as we see all things are being set in place for the Tribulation. The Covid scare was a foreshadowing of people taking the Mark of the Beast, and the rumors of wars we hear about will continue to become reality. Artificial Intelligence is an amazing tool that fascinates many people, but it will be used by the Anti-Christ to control humanity.

There’s much to fear in this life, but so much peace to be found in knowing Jesus. Stephen faced trying times and was the victor through Christ. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to give us power over all fear.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com

www.prophecyupdate.com

www.raptureforums.com

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

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

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