Jesus was well-known in Israel. Some people admired Him, while others vehemently rejected Him and wanted to kill Him. Oddly, those who despised Him the most were the ones who should have loved Him. The religious leaders never approached Jesus without trying to silence Him. They were very critical of Him, and they didn’t like the fact that He didn’t kowtow to them but stood against their self-righteous pride and rule over the people. These men served their own self-interest and didn’t honor God. There was one Pharisee who decided to humbly approach Jesus and seek truth.

“There was a 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).

I like Nicodemus. He didn’t go along with his fellow Pharisees and despise Jesus but went to Him to find out truth. Jesus spoke with Nicodemus and told him to be born again.

“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).

Because this visit was recorded by John, we learn a great truth. When we are born into this life, we have a sin nature that will always cause us to stumble, but when we truly come to Jesus and are born again, we are a new creation in Christ. We will always have the sin nature, but from that point on, God sees us through the blood which Jesus shed for our salvation. We need to submit to Christ and turn from lust of the flesh and our own prideful desires. We need to walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh.

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).

This conversation changed Nicodemus’ life. He was there with Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus after the crucifixion. Joseph was a Pharisee who secretly followed Christ.

There were many women who approached Jesus, and He was always kind and gentle toward them. One day, Jesus and the disciples were going to Galilee and traveled through Samaria. Near a city named Sychar, He sat on Jacob’s well and sent his disciples to town to buy some food. It was noon and time to eat. That’s when a woman came to draw water. Most women drew water early in the day when it was cool, but this woman came after the others were gone. She was a woman of Samaria, and He was Jewish. There should have been no contact between them, but Jesus asked her for water.

“Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (John 4:9).

Jesus told her that if she had known who He was, she would have asked Him for water and He would have given her living water. The conversation went on, and she was a little flirty with Him. He kept talking about the living water she could get from Him, and the woman finally said she wanted the living water. Jesus knew of her sins but wanted her to find salvation. He told her to call her husband to come to the well, and she said she had no husband. Jesus knew she was living a sinful life but didn’t condemn her. He told her she was right when she said she had no husband.

“For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly” (John 4:18).

God has established marriage to be a lasting covenant between a man and a woman, and “living together” isn’t condoned by God. The conversation went on, and the woman ended up recognizing that Jesus was the Messiah. This woman of Samaria was much more perceptive than the Scribes and Pharisees who should have known who He was. This woman went to the city and told the men, “Come see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” (John 4:29). The men of the city came to Jesus and believed. Because the woman was brave enough to approach Him, she met Jesus and brought others to Him.

Another woman who approached Jesus had been ill for twelve years. She had spent all of her money on seeking medical help, but doctors couldn’t help her. She was in a crowd around Jesus when a man named Jairus approached Him. His daughter was dying, and he had faith that if Jesus would lay His hand upon her, the little girl would live. Jesus didn’t hesitate. He got up to follow the man and heal the girl. The woman who was ill knew she had to do something.

“For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole” (Mark 5:28). She had faith but wasn’t a show-off; she quietly touched the hem of His robe and was healed. “And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said Who touched my clothes?” (Mark 5:30). The woman was scared but fell down before Him and confessed that she had touched Him. Jesus wasn’t angry but full of compassion. “And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace and be whole of thy plague” (Mark 5:34).

We should never be afraid to approach Jesus in faith.

Then He went to where the little girl had died. There were mourners making quite a noise, but Jesus told them the girl wasn’t dead. “And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise” (Mark 5:40-41).

Can you imagine the emotions of the parents when their daughter came back to life? Only Jesus has conquered death for all who believe in Him. Approach Him today in faith and humbly ask for salvation.

The next ones to approach Him were two blind men. “And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us” (Matthew 9:27). He asked them if they believed He could heal them, and they said yes. “Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29). It was their faith that allowed Jesus to heal them. They asked Him for mercy, and He showed them mercy.

As I read of the many different ways that people approached Jesus, I see that He always had compassion on anyone who needed His compassion. How do you approach Him? Are you one who demands that Jesus give you everything you want? Scripture gives many accounts of Jesus providing for needs, but I don’t see where He gave power and riches to people. We can look to the life of the Apostle Paul to see that Jesus meets our needs but doesn’t always give us what we think we need. Paul had something that troubled him greatly. He approached God about removing the problem.

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Paul was a man who lived by faith and served God every day. He established many congregations and wrote letters that edify us today. He could have been filled with pride over his accomplishments but understood the thorn in his flesh was to keep him humble. He didn’t like it but didn’t get angry with God for not taking the problem away.

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me” (2 Corinthians 12:8).

What was this thorn? Scholars have debated that question for centuries. Nobody truly knows, but we can learn a lesson from this. Not all troubles will depart just because we pray. We need to understand that God is sovereign.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

That’s the best way to approach God. Be humble, but make your petitions known to Him through prayer. His answer may be different than what you want, but He knows all things. He also knows what you will do if He gives you what you want. Will you use His healing to glorify Him, or will you believe you deserve all the material things you want? If you ask Him for a bigger house or more money, will you use it for His glory, or will you use it to puff yourself up to look important?

Paul’s attitude was one of submission and humility. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

We need to be humble when we approach Jesus. James and John had to learn that lesson. “And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire” (Mark 10:35).

That sounds like a “name-it-and-and-claim-it” type of approach. That’s not a good way to approach Jesus. Jesus asked them what they wanted, and their request was very selfish and for their own glory.

“They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory” (Mark 10:37).

Jesus told them they had no idea what they were asking. To their minds, it was a simple request – lift us up above all the other disciples – but they didn’t understand what would be required of them to be so honored. Too often, we don’t see beyond our own selfish desires, then blame God for not showering us with all we ask of Him.

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).

Jesus knows what the future is and what we can handle. If we can’t pay the price of our wants, then He won’t give them to us. If our wants will ultimately harm us, He won’t answer our prayer. James and John would have a lot of persecution in their future, and James would be killed for his faith while John spent time in prison and on Patmos. They are with Jesus now, but are they sitting in places of honor? We won’t know until we are gathered Home.

Instead of asking Jesus to give you what you want, why not approach Him and ask Him what you can do to serve Him. After all, He has given His all for you.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

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

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

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

When you were young and visiting with friends, did your parents ever tell you to be home before dark? That’s because they love you. It’s easier for criminals and those with evil intent to work their acts of wickedness under the cover of darkness.

“The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:19).

Parents love their children (no matter how old the child happens to be) and want to be sure they don’t fall prey to the evil intent of satanic forces, whether demonic or human. As Christians, God is our Father and is the most loving parent you can imagine. He wants His children Home before dark. God’s concern isn’t darkness that comes from the sun setting but the pure evil darkness of Satan.

To some extent, we are all under the influence of the wickedness of Satan just by living in this world, but Christians need to turn our hearts, thoughts, and purpose to God. We are in the world but should have no part in the world’s sinfulness. Many “Christians” read one verse from Scripture without reading the full context and try to justify their favorite sin. There are many subjects that, if not read through the full light of Scripture, can be misunderstood. The misunderstanding comes from forgetting that God is far above human understanding, so it’s wise to believe God.

Satan works hard to blind people to the Truth of Scripture. God very clearly explains why He had to send a flood upon the entire earth and destroy His creation. The sons of God (fallen angels) were corrupting all of God’s creation. They were mating with humans, and the genome of all humanity was corrupted, all except for Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives. Eight people out of all the population of the earth had chosen to keep themselves pure and honor God.

The same evil that was intent upon fully corrupting the human genome is once again out to get us. Our food is tampered with, and vaccines contain animal DNA as well as human DNA. These things corrupt our own unique genome. Food allergies, as well as extreme misbehavior in children and adults, are common today. This is all leading up to a time that will be so dark and evil that we cannot imagine how bad it will be.

“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Mathew 24:22).

We can be sure that God will take His children Home before the darkness is complete.

Scripture is inerrant in the original languages (Hebrew and Greek), but quite often, Bible teachers try to take the “edge” off of the sharp two-edged sword of God’s word so that it doesn’t hurt our sin nature too much.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Scripture is often twisted to fit man’s understanding while mocking God’s truth. We may not understand how something can happen, but then, God knows so much more than humans. For instance, God says fallen angels mated with human women, creating hybrid creatures of pure evil, but that’s what Scripture says happened.

“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose” (Genesis 6:1-2).

Every place in Scripture where the term “sons of God” (ben’ elohim) is used in the Old Testament, it always refers to angels. Yet, theologians, who apparently know more than God, have corrupted the meaning to say that the sons of God are really the sons of Seth who married the daughters of Cain. That makes God look like a tyrant because He would be destroying all of creation due to one bloodline marrying another bloodline.

“Scholars” like to bring up Jesus’ words when He was asked about marriage in Heaven.

“For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30).

He doesn’t say they can’t marry, but he does say they don’t marry. There’s a big difference. Also, He refers to the angels, “I of God in Heaven” who obey God. He doesn’t refer to the fallen angels who are disobedient and rebellious. It is somewhat the same as saying a Christian chooses to obey God rather than sin. We are capable of sinning, but we are repentant and turn from sin. By diluting God’s truth found in Genesis 6, many people miss the fact that the same corruption is happening today. Genetic tampering is going on in “scientific” circles, and science fiction is quickly becoming science fact. Animal DNA is being injected into people, gene splicing makes it possible for you to choose your child’s eye color, and more. Babies can even be grown in artificial wombs.

Artificial Intelligence is an evil from the pit of Hell and should be avoided. It’s twilight in the world now, and darkness is coming quickly as Satan influences the weak-minded who choose not to honor or obey God. Jesus said it would be like Noah’s time when He returns.

“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man” (Luke 17:28).

The human genome, and all of creation, is being corrupted today, just like in the dark days of Noah. Jesus also said it would be like the days of Lot.

“But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:29).

What was that all about? The account in Genesis tells us that there was contention between Abraham and Lot because their herds were mingling. To avoid strife, Abraham told Lot to choose the way he wanted to go. Abraham would go in another direction. The truth is we all make a choice as to the direction we go in life. We can follow God, or we can make a bad choice, like Lot, and go to Sodom. The sin of Sodom called to Lot, and he chose to head to the most evil and corrupt place on earth. There, he found evil that was accepted by humans as normal but despised by God. That same evil is permeating life today. Homosexuality is not acceptable to God.

I hear people say that if Jesus were here today, He would accept this disgrace. Scripture reveals that Jesus always loved the sinners but never left them content in their sin. As we look around today, we see this same sin and corruption accepted in society. Why? Paul’s letter to the Romans reveals that when God is rejected as the Creator (evolution is taught), He turns humanity over to their lust for evil.

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:21).

There is a price to pay for rejecting God.

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves” (Romans 1:24).

It’s a sin to practice homosexuality, and in the darkness of today’s world, transexual people can read storybooks to young children, but the Bible is banned. Good is called evil, while evil is called good. It’s also a sin to condone such evil.

“Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:32).

You cannot call yourself a Christian and condone sin.

This world is getting darker. Satan is very busy trying to extinguish the light of God, and it seems many Christians are enjoying life in darkness. Quite often, it’s very difficult to distinguish a Christian from the worldly people. Instead of taking thoughts captive and dying to the lust of the flesh, they can be seen dabbling in horoscopes and participating in sexual sin of all kinds. Instead of honoring God Almighty, whom they claim to love, they don’t crack their Bibles and have no idea what’s going on in prophecy.

What are gene tampering and artificial intelligence leading to, and how do they relate to Genesis chapter 6 and also to the Book of Revelation? Why should we be concerned with the genetic tampering of our food?

We are swiftly coming closer to a one-world order, as the World Economic Forum pushes for a one-world currency, and many “respected” religious leaders are pushing for a one-world religion.

The entire world is being set up to welcome the evil being commonly called the Anti-Christ. This manifestation of pure evil will force everyone on earth to take his mark. Without that mark, nobody can buy or sell anything.

There will be seven years of Satanic darkness, and God’s judgment will be poured out upon the entire earth, but anyone who has taken the Mark of the Beast cannot find salvation. In prophecy, this seven-year period of time is sometimes called the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble.” It will be focused on Israel. The wrath of God will be poured out, but it will ultimately bring the nation of Israel to the full knowledge that Jesus Christ is their Messiah. It will be a horrific time of judgment, but God wins. Never doubt God’s power and His love.

The question is, what happens to Christians? Will we have to go through those final seven years of judgment? No. God will call all true Christians Home before dark.

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

Christians will not go through the Great Tribulation. The joyous truth is all Christians will be called Home before darkness engulfs the God-rejecting world. This blessed hope is a gift from God. It’s the Rapture. Just like during Noah’s day, his great-grandfather, Enoch, was taken prior to God’s judgment, so Christians will be taken Home prior to God’s judgment.

“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).

This was an Old Testament picture of the Rapture. Enoch was taken Home before the darkness of God’s judgment of the flood.

What about Lot? When God had to put an end to the perversion of life in Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding cities, He sent two angels to take Lot and his family safely out of the way of judgment. Lot was slow to react to being taken away from judgment, but the angel had to get Lot out prior to God’s judgment.

“Haste thee, escape thither, for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar” (Genesis 19:22).

Unfortunately, Lot’s wife wasn’t sure she wanted to go, and she looked back. She perished. Our choices are important. Jesus said to “Remember Lot’s wife.” Luke 17:32.

The only way to get Home before dark is to truly accept Jesus Christ for your salvation and not look back. He loves you and gave His life so that you won’t have to spend eternity in darkness and eternal death. The Rapture will take all Christians to Heaven prior to God’s judgment being poured out upon the earth. Walk with God, and like Enoch, you will be Raptured because God will take you.

Once you’ve truly accepted Christ, stop walking with one foot in the world and totally surrender your life to Christ.

“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:8-10).

Share the Good News with everybody you know, even with strangers. Time is getting very short, and it’s getting darker and darker in this world.

It’s getting dark, and we will soon be called Home where we will be safe with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Come away from the darkness of the world, and step into the light of God.

Jesus said, “I am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46).

Be sure you’re Home before dark.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

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

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