Okay, I just read it all, very nice, reminds me alot of Chuck Misslers view on the same versus. The author seems to indicate that there is almost a battle before the battle, that is the PLO and it’s lands are gone before Ez 38 and 39 takes place. To be honest, I can see now that the US has abandoned Israel.
It’s a good read, however, I am fearful of the rapture and being left behind, though I beleive Christ is the Son of God and rose again on the third day and no that no man can enter heaving but by his blood on the cross, I am so wretched a human being and believe if the holy spirit were dwelling in my I would not think bad thoughts like I do sometimes and so forth, it worries me to no end. On the other hand, much of my life I have been sick (long story) and part of me longs to leave this world, but not unless I am going to be with the Lord.
Thank you for sharing that with me. I think it’s a pretty good take on those versus, it is indeed unfolding right before our eyes.
Well Scythian....have you expressed what you wrote here to the Lord himself? I think sometimes our seemingly fear of the unknown is simply God stretching our faith....believing that what he says is so for us personally. Beleiving without seeing.
The household of faith has always encouraged me my faith...so many in the old testament believed all that God said...and they had little evidence otherwise to support this. Since your faith rests in Christ and He is your savior...that does say it doesn’t it?
Bad thoughts are a battle for us all...some more than others and oftentimes might be because life was pretty wretched before we were saved...so the memories of these times can enter our minds....but In Christ you have “the mind of Christ”....and his forgiveness says to quite fishing in the past...
” Bringing every thought”.... to Him is a good way to overcome these as they come to mind...as soon as you are aware your thinking of these ask for his help...He will do that.
Paul described his situation which matches a lot of what you are going thru//(prepare for scriptural moral boost missile barrage!!!!!”...”I do the things I should not and don’t do the things I should....who will deliver me from this body of death....flesh has emnity with the spirit and spirit has emnity with the flesh...I besought the Lord three times to rid my flesh of this thorn, this messenger of Satan sent to buffet me, but He said ‘My grace is sufficient for the’, so I will glory in my infirmities, for to live is Christ and die is gain...”
My spirit filled grandma often told me/...”Bad thoughts are like bats flying thru your belfry, you don’t have to let them make a nest” Or as scripture says “Guard the heart for out of it flows the issues of life”. Christ said,”It’s not what goes into a man that defiles him but what comes out of him”.
Just tell the Lord what you are feeling, even the sinful publican who smote his breast praying” Lord have mercy on me a sinner” found justification with God.
So take heart, don’t lose the sorrow and humility that knowledge of yourself has produced in your soul before God, yet take heart, for God has shown you grace. “Be of good cheer,” Christ said”I have already overcome the world”.
Trust me when I say, every man and woman on this earth is subject to the same types of temptations that I'm sure you have felt and been tried with. Even me.
Thing is, even the Apostle Paul was tormented by something and when he begged God to take it away God said, "'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.'"
When I was a younger man, a guy I knew in my church was talking to one of our elders and he made the statement, "I'll be so glad when I'm your age (the gentleman was in his 50's) that way I won't be tempted to sin." I think the elderly gentleman about fell out of his seat. He told my friend, "There will never be a time when you won't be tempted or feel unworthy of God's grace."
I'm reminded of the parable of the two men praying that Jesus taught the people. It goes like this:
Luke 18:9-14, “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men - extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
As long as you are that man who beat upon his chest, then you will always be mindful of God's grace and how much He loves you.
At some point, everyone who knows Christ as Savior feels that we are not worthy; that somehow we are not going to make it because we are fallen and wretched and cannot possibly be loved by Jesus enough for Him to give His life for us.
However, we must remember that our cleanliness in the eyes of God and our forgiveness is based on what Christ did on the cross for us. We can never earn our salvation, we can never work for it, there is nothing we can do. Or salvation is based entirely and only on Christ's death.
So when you begin to feel insecure as these days grow short before Christ's return, remember that you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you have accepted what He did on the Cross as payment in full for your sins, and that is all God requires of man for salvation.
Take heart- you are redeemed, God loves you, and you, like every other believer, are not destined for wrath:
For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. (1 Thessalonians 5: 9,10)