What I'm doing to be fully ready for the future 526-1 - 7 - 4

What am I doing to be fully ready for the future, fully ready for the future for what; a rather vague question. Does it have to do with waiting for Jesus to call His Church home? Is it about planting breadcrumbs for those left behind? Is it about being a prepper to survive tribulation in the lead up the the actual Tribulation?

In my daily walk as I wait upon the return of Jesus for His Church I try to remember Paul'S advice in Ephesians 6:13, “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Paul speaks to the whole armour of God, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Hebrews 4:12, “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.” Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God helps to keep our thoughts focused on God.

I try to lead a life worthy of being caught up when Jesus comes for His bride. To have even a small portion of the righteousness of Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day —and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:7-8.

What of those who are left behind at the time of the rapture? I suspect that any number of them will remember a born-again Christian friend who had warned them about the soon coming of Jesus for his Church. I have left breadcrumbs for family and friends who will be left behind as I expect that many other BACs have done.

Several prophetic websites such as the Rapture Ready site have information for those who are left behind. The Rapture Ready website has a section titled “Information For Those Left Behind.” I expect that these prophetic websites will be taken down fairly rapidly after the rapture. Nevertheless, while still available, people should be able to go to these sources and read some very helpful information dealing with what happened and why they missed it and what they can do to make sure that they don't fall under the spell of the antichrist.

Full disclosure, I’m something of a prepper. Most of my Christian friends fall into one of two groups concerning the Rapture. Most are pre-trip and expect to be taken out before the horror of the Tribulation begins. The other group think we'll be here for part or all the tribulation but will be protected in place. Although I agree we believers will be taken care of I feel that I should make a certain amount of preparation while I wait either to be called home or caught up.

I wrote the following several months ago, still relevant. "Several Christian websites promote the procurement of long term storage food products and other prepper items such as water purification. Many survival items are necessary in addition to food and water, medical supplies being just one. I’m slowly adding to my suppliers. I have ample solar power at my summer off-the-power-grid home and a lesser amount at my winter on-the-power-grid home. In a normal emergency, I will have this advantage, however, an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) would likely wipe out the electronics required with solar power. I've taken the added precaution of placing an electronic Bible, flash drives with Bible teachings and Bible commentaries along with small electronics and a solar charger in faraday pouches. I will be able to satisfy my hunger for the Bible as well as share scripture with my neighbors no matter what happens."

As I attempt to be "fully ready for the future" I must remember that I'm an ambassador for God and not to be a stumbling block to others by reflecting on "What would Jesus do?"

Lust/ Hated Two Sides of the same coin? 510-2 - 13 - 8

Examples of coveting/ lusting are found in the Bible. Joshua 7:20-21, "20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21  When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted (H2530) them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it."

This coveting by Achan angered God so Achan, "his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor" and stoned.

God is very outspoken in His commendation of coveting:

Exodus 20:17, "Thou shalt not covet (H2530) thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

Covet, H2530, A primitive root; to delight in: - beauty, greatly beloved, covet, delectable thing, ( X great) delight, desire, goodly, lust, (be) pleasant (thing), precious (thing).

Deuteronomy 5:21. "Neither shalt thou desire (H2530) thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet (H183) thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Covet, H183, A primitive root; to wish for: - covet, (greatly) desire, be desirous, long, lust (after).

Micah 2:2, "And they covet (H2530) fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage."

Romans 7:7, "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust (G1939), except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet."

Lust, G1939, From G1937; a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust (after). G1937 to set the heart upon, that is, long for (rightfully or otherwise): - covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).

Romans 13:9, "For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet (G1937); and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Covet, G1937, to set the heart upon, that is, long for (rightfully or otherwise): - covet, desire, would fain, lust (after).

Peter is specific as to what we would be if not for our relationship with Jesus. 1 Peter 4:3-5, “3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.”

Paul offers good advice on how to overcome coveting/ lust, Romans 13:13, “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.” This walk can be a lonely walk as it goes against the descent into immorality in this country and worshipping the created rather than the Creator.

Paul makes an interesting use of the word recompense. Romans 1:27, “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”

Is desire/ coveting the greatest link between lust and hatred? 510-2 - 13 - 2

God is very direct in his prohibition against coveting. In my opinion, desire leading to coveting is the first step in lusting for something/ someone. When desire controls the lust filled person and he cannot have the object of his lust does it not turn into hatred?

This seems to be the case with David's Son Amnon and Amnon's half-sister Tamar. Amnon used trickery to get his half-sister to come to his home and feed him. He then forced himself on her, soiling her virginity. There still might have been Redemption for Amnon had he married his half-sister, allowed at that time by Jewish tradition. However, 2 Samuel 13:15, "Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone." Amnon had Tamar forcibly removed from his home further dishonoring her.

In digging into Amnon's behavior via Strong's; Hated, H8135, From H8130; hate; exceedingly, hateful, hatred. H8130, to hate (personally): enemy, foe, be hateful, odious, utterly. No question that what Amnon feel for Tamar was lust, not love. When he had his way with her, he threw her aside.

2 Samuel 13:16, "And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her". Tamar's brother Absalom would avenge his sister two years later by arranging the murder of his half-brother Amnon.  

CM mentioned Joseph's coat of many colors and the Virgin Tamar's coat of many colors. Both would be stained with blood, one in a fabrication of the death of Joseph and the other due to the rupture Tamar's hymen. We read in Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." There was no good in the rape of Tamar by Amnon, rather more as prophesied by Nathan, 2 Samuel 12:10, "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife."

Coveting/ lust is major tool in Saran’s toolbox. God called King David “a man after his own heart,” however, the sword never departed from his house. Murders and betrayals were legion with the descendants of King David. Very notably were the horrific actions around King Jehoram of Judah and his wife Athaliah.

Just a few of the many Biblical references to brass representing God’s judgment found in the Word of God 526-1 - 6 - 1

Leviticus 26:18-20, "18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass (H5154): 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits."

Brass, H5154, Feminine of H5153; copper: - brass, steel. Compare H5176. H5153, Apparently passive participle of H5172 (perhaps in the sense of ringing, that is, bell metal; or from the red color of the throat of a serpent (H5175, as denominative) when hissing); coppery, that is, (figuratively) hard: - of brass. H5176, The same as H5175; Nachash, the name of two persons apparently non Israelites: - Nahash.

The above is rather convoluted but finally got to the Nahash, "That thing of brass."
Here a judgment of the land not yielding increase or fruit harking back to Genesis Chapter 3.

Numbers 21:8-10, "8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass (5178), and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. 10 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth."

Brass, H5178, For H5154; copper; hence, something made of that metal, that is, coin, a fetter; figuratively base (as compared with gold or silver): - brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter (of brass), filthiness, steel. H5154, Leviticus 26:19.

The people murmured, Numbers 21:5, "And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread." God sent fiery serpents among them and many died or were dying. Moses interceded with God and God had Moses construct a bronze serpent of brass lifted on a pole. Whoever looked at the bronze serpent would be healed of the snakebite.

A foretelling that by the suffering of Jesus on the cross we are justified if we place our faith in Jesus. As an aside, the serpent later became something of a idol to the nation and was finally destroyed in the days of Hezekiah.

2 Kings 25:6-8, "6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass (H5178), and carried him to Babylon. 8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem:"

Two prophecies were seemingly in conflict, King Zedekiah would never see Babylon and King Zedekiah would die in Babylon. Actually, the blind King Zedekiah did both.

Isaiah 45:1-3, "45 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; 2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass (H5154), and cut in sunder the bars of iron: 3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel."

Daniel 5:3-5, "3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass (H5174), of iron, of wood, and of stone. 5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote."

Cyrus was to take the city of Babylon without a fight. King Belshazzar, the grandson of king Nebuchadnezzar, ordered drinks to be served in vessels taken from the Temple. Then appeared the "Handwriting on the Wall." God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

prosperity televangelists preaching the wrong message 510-2 - 12 - 3

Mark 8:34, “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” This call to the people to “deny himself, and take up his cross” is not a great marketing tool. However, it leads us down the narrow path that leads to life.

180 degrees away from denying oneself and taking up one’s cross are the many professing to be ambassadors for God who misrepresent His Word. The “name it and claim it” prosperity televangelists are leading thousand down the wide path that leads to destruction. “

WATCH DEMONS WORK - LIVE IN CHURCH!

“Don't believe DEMONS are in the Church? Watch! 2 Cor 11:15; Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

This video is a montage of telemarketing hustle from April 28, 2013

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsxcaG4Myyk&list=RDIsxcaG4Myyk]

Greed has perverted the simplify of the Gospel as prosperity preachers jet around the world and live in multi-million homes again 180 degrees from the servant humility of Jesus. Luke 9:58, “And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”

Most of the televangelists seem to treat God in a casual way; almost as a genie in a bottle perverting Bible passages to generate income such as Malachi 3:10.

We are warned in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 

A Christian who is a true ambassador of Jesus will have trials. John 15:18-19, “18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

As followers of Jesus we are to emulate His behavior, an impossible task but as we do our best our persona is often resented by those of the world. Such resentment often leads to Christians being accused of being intolerance and, taken to extreme; hatred.

Although we now have a POTUS trying to undo years of far-left damage to our country, it is an uphill fight. Our country becomes more sin-filled each day and lawlessness abounds as good is called evil and evil is called good. Our country needs moral preaching not a false prosperity gospel.

What many seem to ignore is that while we may have a loving God we also have a righteous God. Ultimately, all will be judged; some at the Bema Seat judgment and some of the White throne judgment. Philippians 2:10, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.”

My attempt at a word study on “four winds” and what these have done throughout the Bible. 526-1 - 5 - 3

Winds occurs with the number four 6 times in the Old Testament, Strong’s Hebrew H7307; four 4 times in the New Testament, Strong’s Greek G417:

Judgment on Elam: Jeremiah 49:36, “And upon Elam will I bring the four (H702) winds (H7307) from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.”

Four, H702, Hebrew, The second form is the masculine form; from H7251; A primitive root  the idea of sprawling at all fours four: - four.

Winds, Strong’s H7307, Hebrew, From H7306; wind; by resemblance breath, that is, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being. Strong’s H7306, Hebrew. A primitive root; properly to blow, that is, breathe; only (literally) to smell or (by implication perceive (figuratively to anticipate, enjoy): - accept, smell, X touch, make of quick understanding.

“H. Prophecy against Elam (49:34-39): The Elamites (Persians) will be scattered throughout the earth, but the Lord will bring them back . . . in the latter days. God will set His throne in Elam in the sense that He will rule there in judgment.”

[Believer’s Bible Commentary]

Valley of the Dry Bones: Ezekiel 37:9, “Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind (H7307), Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.”

Daniel 7:2, “Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds (H7308) of the heaven strove upon the great sea.”

Winds, H7308, Hebrew, (Chaldee); corresponding to H7307: - mind, spirit, wind. From H306 see Jeremiah 49:36 above.

Daniel 8:8, “Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds (H7307) of heaven.”

When Alexander died, his kingdom was divided into four parts, represented by the four horns which came up. One of was later ruled by a little horn, Antiochus Epiphanes, a type of antiChrist.

Daniel 11:4, “And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds (H7307) of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.”

Zechariah 2:6, “Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds (7307) of the heaven, saith the LORD.” Here Zechariah is dealing both with the Jewish captives remaining in exile and the future Millennial Kingdom.

Matthew 24:31, “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four (G5064) winds (G417), from one end of heaven to the other.”

Four, Strong’s G5064, Greek, Neuter and a plural number; four: - four.

Winds, Strong’s G417, Greek, From the base of G109; wind; (plural) by implication (the four) quarters (of the earth): - wind. G109, From ἄημι aēmi (to breathe unconsciously, that is, respire; by analogy to blow); “air” (as naturally circumambient): - air.

Mark 13:27, “And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four (G5064) winds (G417), from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” Expanded here to include “from the uttermost part of the earth.” Not just the Jewish elect, all who have come to faith.

And again, in Revelation 7:1, “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds (G417) of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.”

Revelation 7:1 refers to the sealing of the twelve thousand persons from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. This occurs before the event foretold in Matthew 24:31 and Mark 13:27, the “coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”

In comparing and contrasting the character and conduct of King David with that of his Hittite commander, Uriah, King David is the failure 510-2 - 12 - 1

In making a comparison between Uriah and King David my first thought is power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. King David was and is a man after God's heart who sinned greatly and repented, nevertheless, his sins came at a great cost. Uriah was a military man who was loyal to and a role model for his fellow soldiers.

After being an exemplary military leader King David made a major mistake by staying home and letting others fight his battles including Uriah, one of his mighty men and husband to Bathsheba.

The eye is the portal used by Satan to tempt mankind. 2 Samuel 11:2, “And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.” The rest is history with Bathsheba seemingly being a willing partner in their adultery.

Pregnancy resulted; what webs we weave when first we seek to deceive. King David called Uriah home thinking Uriah would spend time with the pregnant Bathsheba. However, while the King enjoyed his magnificent Palace, Uriah slept in the courtyard with his comrades. The next night King David plied him with wine and again attempted to get Uriah to go home to his wife. Uriah had great loyalty and empathy for his fellow soldiers again camped with them.

To save Bathsheba King David orchestrated the death of Uriah. 2 Samuel 14-15, "14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die."

God was displeased with King David, 2 Samuel 12:10, "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife."

King David repented and was forgiven by God, nevertheless, actions have consequences. The first child of King David and Bathsheba died and his family was very dysfunctional.

King David and Bathsheba had more children and two were in the line of Jesus. Joseph, the legal father of Jesus descended from Solomon and Mary, the biological mother of Jesus descended from Nathan.