Happy New Year!‏

Hello Friends!

We at Encouraging Concepts speak blessings over you!  We pray you will enjoy a wonderful coming new year that is full of joy and increased revelation of God's perfect love for you!

The LORD bless you and protect you!
The LORD deal kindly and graciously with you!
The LORD bestow His favor upon you and grant you peace!

- Numbers 6:24-26

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!

 

God bless you and yours!

 
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Merry Christmas: The Reason for the Season‏

Hello Friends! 

When I meditate on the person and work of Jesus Christ, I have a sense of wonder when I consider the many paradoxes revealed in His Word. As we celebrate the glorious birth of Jesus this Christmas season, let us give thanks with hearts full of praise for all He is and all that He accomplished for us.

The Reason for the Season

Jesus Christ was born without sin so that He could die for sin. He was beaten so that sinners could be healed. He was rejected by men so that sinners could be accepted by God. He used the foolish to confound the wise and the weak to subdue the strong. He makes His enemies His friends, the poor rich and sinners righteous. He exalts the humble and sets captives free. He taught that giving is better than receiving, that believing must precede seeing, that one must lose his life to find it, that one must die to self to live and the last shall be first. He divides earthly families while uniting His heavenly family - the Church.

 The Lord's incarnation began with the miracle of His conception and culminated with the miracle of His resurrection. He held no degree, yet He became the greatest of all teachers. He was not a doctor, yet He healed multitudes of people where ever He went. Only once did He cross a border, yet His presence has been felt in every nation of the world. He never wrote a book yet countless books have been written about Him. He was raised as a carpenter only to be nailed to a cross made of the very wood that He created. Herod could not kill Him, Satan could not defeat Him, death could not destroy Him and the grave could not hold Him. There has been no greater triumph than His resurrection and no greater defeat than His victory over sin, death and Satan. Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. It is His birth that signifies this blessed day - He is the Christ in Christmas! 

One day, whether we like it or not, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. MARANATHA! - Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him" - Matthew 2:1—2

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

World Peace?‏

Hello Friends!

World leaders in America, Europe, Russia, and the Middle East are working to bring about a peace in the Middle East even as three peace agreements between Israel and their neighbors are actually unraveling and may not be in effect for very long.  Let’s take a look at these failed attempts to bring “peace to the Middle East” and what the Bible has to say about this subject…

World Peace?

With three different peace agreements between Israel and her neighbors in place the Middle East peace process is in bad shape but it will be rescued according to Bible prophecy.

In 1979, Israel and Egypt signed the Camp David Accords, the first peace treaty that Israel ever signed with an enemy state. However, it is almost a thing of the past with the present situation in Egypt.

In 1993, the Palestinians and the Israelis also came to an agreement on peace with the Oslo Accords. This one has never been normalized and is not a working agreement because the radical Islamists among the Palestinians have no regard for the treaty and in fact are calling for an armed struggle to eliminate the Jewish state.

In October of 1994, the late King Hussein of Jordan and the late Yitzhak Rabin prime minister of Israel both signed a Peace Treaty between the two nations, with most Jordanians today wanting to dissolve that treaty.

Common to all of these peace agreements is that they have never been normalized!

Even with the peace envoy for the Quartet (USA, European Union, United Nations, and Russia); Tony Blair has not been successful in bringing about peace.

A Prophetic Prospective

However, Bible prophecy does call for a world leader (known as the Antichrist) to come on the scene who will be successful in putting a peace treaty in place that he will make work.

Daniel 9:27 says that the Antichrist will confirm a treaty between Israel and her neighbors. It does not state that he will sign a treaty, but rather confirm, strengthen, and “cause” the treaty work. In order for this to happen, there must be a peace treaty (or three peace treaties) on the table that is not working, in which the Antichrist will then confirm.

In closing

Currently, there are three peace treaties on the table not working, waiting for the Antichrist, a world leader, to appear.

 

Keep looking up!  Jesus’ call for His Church (the Rapture) is eminent!  MARANATHA! – Come quickly Lord Jesus!

 
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Occupy Wall Street: Truth for Thought

Hello Friends!

Here are some thoughts concerning the mayhem that took place around the world this past summer and the truth behind the driving factors involved...
 

Occupy Wall Street: Truth for Thought

This past summer, thousands of the younger class of the unemployed, joined by an equal number of lawless teenagers, misfits, drug addicts and unhappy foreign immigrants (mostly Muslim), went on a rampage in London - burning, killing, robbing and rapping at will. Untold damage was done before the rioting was brought under control by the army and law enforcement united from several English cities.

As history has proven, countries such as Russia, China, Mongolia and Cuba succumbed to the social unrest of the discontent which has been used in each of these countries to overturn political systems in favor of the murderous communist systems that killed hundreds of millions. The church in each revolution has been practically eliminated.  In the summer of 2011, the demonic spirit of these past tragic movements to overturn God's order of human government appeared in our own nation under the name of "Occupy Wall Street."

Although Wall Street banking establishments may very well be guilty of some general financial manipulations, the root cause of America's present economic disadvantage and unemployment situation is due to Bill Clinton forcing banks to underwrite millions of housing loans for those who didn't have jobs, as well as illegal immigrants. Bush 41 & 43 also performed much of the heavy lifting for the current Administration. One-world proponents in our political system also opened foreign markets and put the American worker in direct competition with three billion foreign workers earning one dollar or less a day.

The actual guilty money takers such as George Soros and socialistic politicians (representing both parties) like our own president, now point to Wall Street banks and say "they did it." So the "community organizers" of our day - Saul Alinsky style - collected enough of the undisciplined, unemployed, thugs and freeloaders of several other segments of the social order to invade lower Manhattan and occupy Wall Street. Now the movement, as controlled and directed, has expanded to "take over Oakland"; "take over Denver"; and if allowed to continue unchecked, "take over America" is quite possible.

A recent list of those who are supporting the "Occupy Wall Street" movement is as follows:

• Communist Party USA
• The American Nazi Party
• Revolutionary Communist Party
• Black Panthers
• Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan
• Iran's Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Khomeini
• Hugo Chavez
• Revolutionary Guards of Iran
• The government of North Korea
• Communist Party of China
• Hezbollah
• CAIR

The main politicians who have applauded the "Occupy Wall Street" movement have been President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. Whether "Occupy Wall Street" will die out of its own repugnant nature or its own inept volition remains to be seen. If allowed to grow, there is a real danger that this "land of the free and home of the brave" may end up like other nations in the past such as Russia or China. This is a serious problem for America.

Another thing that is not good for our nation is the control of the new media by sub-moralists and pro-communists. Any prospective presidential candidate that is suggested to oppose Obama in 2012 is immediately destroyed by the newspaper and TV commentators.  The news media "Baskerville hounds" are determined to give Mr. Obama and his gay agenda four more years to destroy our nation. The tragedy that has recently occurred at Penn State University is another example of what is happening across supposedly God-fearing America.

A Final Danger:
If there is sufficient social unrest in the wake of this sick social insanity, President Obama may declare that a general election in 2012 in such conditions could be impossible, making Martial Law a real possibility for our nation.

Please join me in praying for our nation, our safety and our salvation alone in Jesus Christ - time is short.  EVEN SO, COME LORD JESUS! 

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

American Manufacturing: Can it Become Competitive Again?‏

Hello Friends!

Here are some thoughts centered around the Biblical principle of proper stewardship and how it contrasts with the sin of greed.

To illustrate these competing ideals, you will find below is a true story that fully demonstrates the power of character and resolve to do the right thing - God's way...
 

Can American Manufacturing Become Competitive Again?

Since the late 1960s, the United States trade balance has been negative. This means that we are importing more goods and services than we are exporting; hence, we are a net consumer funding our buying binge with our savings and debt. We are experiencing the economic version of the second law of thermodynamics. This law states that order is progressively decaying into disorder. The ultimate state of disorder is death. Economically, when one unabatedly buys more goods and services than one produces, this leads to economic death.

An organization, such as a business, cannot operate like this for long. Organizations, even so-called non-profits, must earn a profit or go out of business—so also with individuals, communities, and nations. The people and organizations of the United States cannot continually import more than they export without draining their reserves or going into debt - or both. 

In the United States, one of the manifestations of being a net consumer is the decline in manufacturing. During the past decade, a number of American companies have seen the manufacturing for their industries migrate to foreign countries such as Mexico, India, and China. The reason is simple - the cost of labor. 

Labor costs in many foreign countries, such as the ones noted above, are dramatically lower than in the United States. For manufacturers to compete globally, therefore, they must seek the lowest costs of production. This drives manufacturing operations to move from high cost areas in the United States to low cost areas in the United States, or, in many cases, to move to foreign countries. The shift in manufacturing leaves many U.S. manufacturing workers either unemployed or underemployed. Nevertheless, many of these Americans seek to maintain their lifestyles by depleting their savings and then by using debt. Instead of facing the insanity of this, federal, local, state, and governments tend to support this choice.

Arguably, the reason this is happening is because of sin.

Consider, for example, Boeing’s recent battle with labor. Boeing, seeking to build its new 787 aircraft more efficiently with “just in time” inventory control and lower cost labor, built a plant in South Carolina that employed non-union labor. The machinist union, believing that Boeing was retaliating against the union, filed a lawsuit against the company. I think it is fair to assume that if the non-union workers in South Carolina voted to join the union, then the union lawsuit against Boeing would probably be dropped. So it appears that the one retaliating is the labor union, not Boeing.

Biblically, retaliation is sin (Proverbs 25:21). When union bosses think only of their own interests, they will make self-centered, self-serving decisions. This is sin.

This situation illustrates one of the reasons why United States manufacturing is no longer globally competitive—self-serving, self-centered labor unions fail to think of the good of the whole. Originally, the Labor unions were formed to counter the nefarious actions of self-centered, self-serving business owners—businesspeople and financers who used unscrupulous means, such as abusing labor, to achieve wealth. 

Labor unions originally had a noble purpose - to fight the sin of unprincipled business owners and management. But over time, the labor unions, at least many of them, became corrupt. I personally experienced the greed of this "union mentality" when I was a member of a local union in my home town back in the early 1990's. There was much corruption and deceit, not to mention the threat of labor strikes every time contract negotiations were in process. So that which was intended to fight sin, instead succumbed to sin.

An illustration of the way labor unions can succumb to sin happened in the mid-1950s. Jimmy Hoffa wanted to make Chattanooga a union town. To make his point, he targeted the McKee Bakery. He determined to make them an example of what would happen to any company that hired non-union labor. Hoffa’s motive was control and power.

A devout Christian couple named O. D. and Ruth McKee owned McKee Bakery. O. D. and Ruth believed strongly in Christian education. To help young people attend some of the local Christian colleges, McKee Bakery hired students. None of the students were union members, though most of the full-time company workers were. Hoffa was determined to eliminate all non-union labor, so he ordered a strike and filed a lawsuit against the company.

The union workers who worked for McKee Bakery honored the strike, but the non-union workers continued to work. Soon violence erupted. The McKee family members and non-union workers were threatened and some even beaten. From January to July, the union pickets harassed McKee Bakery. O. D. wanted to give in, but Ruth stood on principle. There was no law against hiring non-union workers. McKee’s union contract did not prohibit hiring non-union workers, but Hoffa was trying to force the McKees to sign a new contract, using the strike and lawsuit as leverage. The union was simply seeking to force its self-centered, self-serving will on the McKees. The union was sinning and Ruth McKee would not capitulate. The courts eventually ruled in favor of McKee Bakery, which ended the union lawsuit and stopped the picketing. All this happened because Ruth stood on principle and believed that God would protect them.

When the motive of either management or labor is control and power, it is sin. Biblically, God is sovereign over His universe. The responsibility of management and labor is always to seek the will of God. To do this, one must think beyond oneself. One must think about the good of the whole and define success in terms of the many, not the one.

Can American manufacturing become competitive again? It can happen only if both labor and management put aside their personal agendas and interests and start thinking about the good of the whole—stop focusing on wages and benefits and start focusing on ways to produce quality products and services competitively in the world market.

This will undoubtedly require sacrifice on the part of many, if not most, of us. We need to align our budgets with sound biblical economic principles. Not only do we need a balanced budget, we need to save and pay off debt. We need to repent of being consumers and start being good stewards. To do this, we must be willing to adjust our standards of living. God speaks through the marketplace and economic conditions. He alone has the prerogative to determine one’s standard of living. To discern this, one must listen to God’s voice through the economic situation.

We also need government at all levels to support biblical economic principles by balancing their budgets and reducing their debt. Additionally, local, state, and federal governments need to enact policies to encourage citizens to live within their means and build assets instead depleting assets and/or incurring debt. In the end, success is not measured in dollars, it is measured in obedience to God and alignment with His will. We must stop working for our own interests and work for the good of the whole, and in particular, the good of future generations. This is the only way that American manufacturing can become competitive again. 

In closing: 

The second law of thermodynamics applied to physical phenomena is irreversible apart from divine intervention. But applied to economic phenomena, this law can be reversed. All that we must do is repent of our financial and economic sin and then align with God’s will for financial stewardship. American manufacturing can be competitive again, but only if Americans choose to obey God. The bottom line is that if we don’t embrace biblical economic principles, we will die economically; but if we embrace biblical principles, we will prosper. May the Lord give us grace to prosper. 

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He will do it.  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday.  Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him - Psalm 37: 5-7

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

The Key to Accomplishment & Advancement

Hello Friends! 

Have you ever marveled at today’s world? Consider some of the wonderful characteristics of modern civilization, such as, human worth, equality between men and women, compassion and charity, efficacious health care, empirical scientific knowledge, universal education, and dignity of work to name a few...

The Key to Advancement

You might ask, what is so special about these things? Well, if you lived in the days of the Roman Empire some two thousand years ago, the above qualities would have been very special. The Roman Empire that dominated the world during Christ’s time displayed very different cultural traits. For example, human life was not valued; human beings had no intrinsic value other than to serve the purpose of the state. The culture was a male chauvinistic system in which women had no rights. There was no expression of compassion and charity, no organizations to help in times of dire need. Health care practices were based on superstition and therefore ineffective; furthermore, there were no hospitals or medical clinics. Empirical scientific knowledge was nonexistent because empirical research was not valued and therefore not practiced. Education was limited to males from wealthy families; there were no educational institutions. Work was disdained; it was below the dignity of Roman citizens and relegated to slaves.

Now do you feel blessed?  Are you thankful?

But this begs another question - how did the transformation happen? How did civilization move from the oppression of the Roman culture to the blessings that we enjoy today? 

Charles Murray sought the answer to this question and reported his findings in his book  Human Accomplishment. Murray researched three thousand years of human history seeking to uncover the factors that facilitate human accomplishment. He discovered three key factors needed by any culture:

1. Belief in a personal destiny
2. Belief in personal responsibility to fulfill one’s destiny
3. A culture that supports personal destiny.

His initial assumption was that human accomplishment would be evenly distributed among all worldviews, but he was wrong. According to Murray, a self-professed agnostic, these three factors occur almost exclusively in cultures that embrace a biblical worldview.

Murray’s conclusion is not surprising. In fact, he could have saved himself considerable time and money by simply looking at Scripture, which reveals the reality that alignment with God facilitates blessings and rebellion against God leads to judgment (see the above scripture reference). Human advancement is a great blessing, but it only comes through obedience to God, that is, individuals fulfilling their destinies in accordance with a biblical worldview. 

Therefore, the transformation of the civilized world from a repressive Roman culture to today’s prosperous culture happened through the labors of men and women fulfilling their divinely ordained destiny in the context of a biblical worldview. 

In closing:

The key to human accomplishment and advancement is submission to the will and ways of God. Therefore to build healthy, growing lives, we must associate with those who are doing what he or she is called to do in accordance with a biblical worldview.  We should also create a supportive environment that enables each of us to reach our full potential. To do this, we must make the Bible the handbook of our personal philosophy, values, principles, and practices. Everything in our lives must be grounded in the Bible - the Word of God.

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Psalms 1:6

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Hell: An Eternity Without God‏

Hello Friends!

In sharing the Gospel with the world, I would be remiss if I didn't share what happens to those people who die without having accepted Jesus as their Savior and so continue on the path to judgment.  What does the Bible say will happen to them?

Hell: An Eternity Without God

Those people who have died never having accepting Jesus' salvation have a different destination from Heaven entirely. They are going to die in their rebellion, and they have no hope whatsoever. As Jesus in John 3:36 warned, "God's wrath remains on him." The following is what's going to happen to them after they die.

1) Hades
After an unsaved person dies, they go to a place called Hades. The Bible also calls it Sheol or Torments. You can read all about it in Luke 16. Hades is a holding place for the dead, a prison. It at one time had two compartments, a place called Paradise and a place called Torments. The Old Testament Saints used to go to the Paradise part as they couldn't go to Heaven yet because Jesus' blood hadn't yet been shed to cover their sins. By faith they were there as Hebrews explains, but Jesus' blood finally allowed their freedom and Paradise was taken up to Heaven with Jesus after His crucifixion. What we have in Hades now is just what is left — Torments — a place of torment. 

2) Judgment
At the end of Jesus' Millennial Kingdom, there will be the Great White Throne Judgment. That's a special name basically for the Resurrection of the Unjust. We can read about this final judgment in Revelation 20:11-13:

"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it and earth and sky fled from his presence and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead great and small standing before the throne and the books were opened. And another book was opened which is the book of life, the dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in them and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them and each person was judged according to what he had done."

Those from Hades are going to be judged based on their works, but without the saving work of Jesus Christ — the only work that matters, they will be found wanting. God's perfect litmus test, and so no matter how good our works have been, they just cannot add up to God's standard of perfection. Everyone who tells you that you have to work your way to Heaven is lying to you, because the Bible says otherwise in Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus' work on the cross is the only work that matters, and our response in faith.

3) Hell
When they are all found guilty, their next and final destination is a place called Hell. Revelation 20:14-15 explains that awful sentence of condemnation:

"Then death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire."

The Lake of Fire is called the Second Death. If anyone's name was not found written in the books of Life, they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Misconceptions About Hell

Many people have false ideas about what Hell is like. One misconception about Hell for instance is that Satan is down there stoking the fires and that he's already there waiting to punish and torment people with pitchforks. No, Satan doesn't rule Hell. There are no demons waiting to torment us in Hell.

Actually, believe or not, there is not a single person in Hell right now. Hell is the punishment created for Satan and his demons. Matthew 25:41 says Hell was created for them when they rebelled against God. When we rebelled in sin, that same punishment fell upon us. Hell was never meant for us, but when we sinned, we fell under the same judgment as Satan and his followers. 

Hell Described 

What is Hell actually like? We can read all about it in the Bible. Is Hell a place where we party down? Is it a place where it is just a little too warm, but where we hang out with our old friends? No! Matthew 25:46 tells us it is a place of eternal and everlasting punishment for rebellion. Punishment is not good, and so Hell is not a good place. 

Hell is where the wrath of God is finally fulfilled. In John 3:36, we read about the wrath of God. The wrath of God is whenever God judges the earth in its entirety. We saw it with the Flood. We will see it poured out at the Tribulation. God will judge all who have rejected Him at the Second Death. These are demonstrations of God's wrath.

Hell is called the Second Death in Revelation 21:8. It is also called Eternal Destruction in 2 Thessalonians 1:9. Look at the word "eternal." Eternal means just that — forever destroyed.

With Hell, there is just no escape. Luke 16 says there is no way out of it. It's not like there can be some fancy Star Trek episode escape where they hitch a few wires and the doors open and they always escape. No, it's not like that in Hell. There is absolutely no way to escape from Hell.

What is Hell physically like? Matthew 25:41 and Revelation 20:15 describe it as a Lake of Fire. Some people speculate that maybe it is located in the underworld of our planet, as we see lava flows from a volcano like a lake. I tend to think Hell is a star. If you ever get a good close picture of a star, you will see superheated energy plasma boiling and rolling like lakes. It could be in a star, but the Bible doesn't tell us. But, it is described as a place of flames. It's a place of burning.

With all that fire, one would think it would be a very bright place, but Matthew 8:12 tells us it is a place of utter darkness. There is no light. No one will get to see in Hell. And, the stench of it! Revelation 19:20; 20:10; 21:8 tell us that Hell stinks. It has a bad smell to it.

The people who are sentenced there will be conscious. They will not be knocked out. They won't be driven so mad that they won't think about the horrible reality crushing them. They will have to exist with a conscious existence as Deuteronomy 18:11 demonstrates, and what they are consciously aware of is that they chose to separate themselves from the Father, as Luke 16 relays. God says to us all with no exception, "I love you. Come to me." You can choose to respond to that, or you can reply with, "No, way!" Those who rejected God's love will spend eternity regretting that decision.

Being separated from God has other consequences, for God is life, and without Him the universe doesn't hold together. You may hear about physicists trying to find the God particle or the String Theory. Well, in part they are correct. The underlining force that holds everything together is God. Jesus says it is Him. He is the bread and the life. He's what's holding us together.

Without God there is only loneliness and separation. There's just you being convicted by your memories filled with regret and despair. Luke 16 says in Hell you thirst. In Hell there is nothing to quench one's awful, mind-burning thirst.

Another reason I believe Hell may be a star or some other place with plasma energy is that should the Abyss be a reference to Hell then Revelation 9:2 tells us that it's bottomless. There is no ground to put your feet on. It is a place of continual falling and falling and never landing. Because of all the agony and destruction that you feel in Hell, it says in Matthew 8:12 that there is gnashing of teeth. There will be nothing from you but weeping and crying with no comfort and no water to supply your tears.

Hell is truly a place of torment, as Revelation 14 describes. It's an awful place of torment where you are alone with yourself possibly forever. You wanted God to leave you along and so you didn't accept Jesus' salvation, and well, you got what you wanted.

Living With an Eternal Perspective 

Our forever destination is why we need to think about something bigger than just our life here on earth. Where the road ends is why we need to have an eternal perspective, because our life on this earth is really very short, isn't it? It's just like a breath. And so, it makes sense that we need to look at the bigger picture in life. You need to know where you are going.

You can't just live for the now, because if you die this very minute without preparing for the next minute, then where will that get you? We don't think it can happen to us, especially the younger we are. We think life doesn't end so suddenly, but it will. Death will catch up to us usually when we are unaware. Death is inevitable, unless you are raptured before your physical death, so live with an eternal perspective. If you live with an eternal perspective, then everything else in life will make sense. Life will have purpose.

Your Eternal Decision 

Have you made the choice for Jesus? Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and be your Savior? Have you cried, "Jesus, forgive me of my sins and be my savior!" 

An amazing, wonderful, awesome future lays ahead of us with Jesus Christ! So, what on earth are you doing that's just so important that you won't grab hold of that future? What sins are you committing that are so temporarily enjoyable that you wish to stay here, when you've got so much better ahead of you in Heaven? Turn to Jesus right now and ask Him to forgive you of your sins and be your Savior. 

Think of the future that you have. Don't write Hell off as not being a real place. The God of the Universe who is outside of time and who knows what is beyond here has told us in the Bible exactly what our afterlife will be like. The Bible will shows us our future.

You have a decision to make today. Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? Will you be reserved for judgment and Hell, or will you be saved for Heaven by placing your trust in Jesus Christ? The choice is yours.

 
Source: http://www.lamblion.com/


If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Heaven: Longing for Our Eternal Home‏

Hello Friends!

The final stage of God's Plan for the Ages will come at the end of the 1000 year reign known as the Millennium, when those of us who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be presented with our Heavenly home.  Let's investigate the details of Heaven as described in the Bible.

Heaven: Longing for Our Eternal Home

The Redeemed will be removed from this planet to the New Jerusalem which Jesus has been preparing for us. And I suspect that from that vantage point, we will be able to watch the greatest fireworks display in history as God superheats this earth to burn away the pollution of Satan's last revolt.

Out of that fiery inferno will come a new heaven and a new earth that will serve as our eternal abode. That's right, Heaven will be on a new earth. We will be lowered down inside the New Jerusalem to the new earth, and God Himself will come to earth to live among us.

Here's how it is described in Revelation 21:

1) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away...

2) And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

3) And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

4) and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

5) And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."

6) Then He said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.

7) "He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son."

 Notice the one to whom all these promises are made: the overcomer. In 1 John 5 we find a definition of an overcomer:

1) Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God...

5) And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

If you have put your trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you are an overcomer, and you are an heir of all these promises.

According to Revelation 22:4, we will "see God's face" — which means we will have intimate fellowship with our Creator eternally.

And Revelation 22:3 says we will "serve Him forever." Yes, we are going to have meaningful and fulfilling things to do in service to our Creator.

Conclusion

In summary, let's look at an overview of God's Plan for the Ages:

• The end times began on Pentecost in about 30 AD when the church was established.
• We have now been in the Church Age for 1900 years plus.
• The Church Age will come to a halt with the appearance of Jesus in the heavens, followed by the Rapture of the Church Age Saints, both the living and the dead.
• The Church Age will be followed by the Great Tribulation which will last 7 years.
• We will be in Heaven with the Lord during the Tribulation, but we will return with Him at the end of the Tribulation to reign with Him over all the world.
• Then will come the Millennial reign of Jesus, lasting 1,000 years.
• The final stage of history will be the eternal state or Heaven when we will live eternally in glorified bodies in a New Jerusalem located on a New Earth.

The Glory of the Victory

Now it is my hope that we can better understand the meaning of two great passages written by the Apostle Paul.

First, Romans 8:18:

"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

He repeats this sentiment in 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 where he writes:

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has the mind of Man conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him."

But in the next verse, he adds that these glorious things have been revealed to us through His Spirit — speaking, of course of His Word. In like manner, the Apostle Peter referred to the events we have surveyed as:

"God's precious and magnificent promises" (2 Peter 1:4).

Application

When you consider the details of God's Glorious Plan for the Ages, how can you possibly be passive or apathetic? We are promised victory, and it will be achieved with:

• The Rapture
• The Second Coming
• The Millennium
• Life Eternal with God in Glorified Bodies on a New Earth.

Clouds of darkness may be gathering around us, but the Light is about to break through. It is the worst of times, but it is the best of times, for the signs of the times are shouting the good news that Jesus is coming soon!

If you are not a Christian, how can you prepare for the Lord's return? Getting prepared is as simple as A, B, C: 

"A" - admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior to take away your sin.

"B" - believe that Jesus Christ died for you to take away that sin. Believe that He rose from the dead to prove He is who He said He is and will do what He said He would do. Believe that He will save you as He said He would.

"C" - call upon Him to save you. The Bible says in Romans 10:13 - "whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

I believe Jesus Christ is coming very soon. The Rapture of the Church could take place at any moment! That truth should cause all of us to want to live pure lives and be productive in light of what seems to be a soon return of Jesus Christ. Having said that, there is nothing left for me to say except let's keep looking up... Until. 

In response, you and I should be shouting, MARANATHA! Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Source: http://www.lamblion.com/

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

The Second Coming: Jesus Christ Returns for 1000 Years‏

Hello Friends!
The concept of Jesus the Messiah returning to reign over all the earth in peace, righteousness and justice is found throughout the Scriptures - both New Testament and Old Testament.  Let's take a look at the evidence and decide for yourself...

 

The Second Coming: Jesus Christ Returns for 1000 Years

  

Jesus is returning to reign on earth because the Old Testament prophets say so:

 

1) The Psalms

• Psalm 2:6-9 — David says the Messiah will reign over "the very ends of the earth" from Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
  
• Psalm 22:27-31 — David again affirms that the Messiah will be given dominion over "the ends of the earth" at the time when He "rules over the nations."
• Psalm 47 — The sons of Korah rejoice over the day when the Lord will be "a great King over all the earth," and they state that this will take place when the Lord subdues the "nations under our feet."
• Psalm 67 — An unidentified psalmist speaks prophetically of the time when the nations of the world will "be glad and sing for joy." This will be when the Lord comes to "judge the peoples with uprightness." At that time the Lord will "guide the nations on the earth" so that "all the ends of the earth may fear Him."
• Psalm 89:19-29 — The psalmist, Ethan, speaks of the Davidic Covenant and proclaims that it will be fulfilled when God makes His "first-born the highest of the kings of the earth."
• Psalm 110 — David says a time will come when God will make the enemies of the Messiah a footstool under His feet. This will occur when the Messiah stretches forth His "strong scepter from Zion." At that time He will "rule in the midst of His enemies," for... "He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath, He will judge among the nations."
• Psalm 132:13-18 — An unnamed psalmist speaks of God's fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. He says this will occur at a time when "the horn of David" springs forth to reign from Zion. He says "His crown will shine," and He will make Zion His "resting place forever" for He will dwell there.

2) Isaiah

• Isaiah 2:1-4 — Isaiah says that "in the last days" the Messiah will reign from Mount Zion in Jerusalem and the entire world will experience peace.
  
• Isaiah 9:6-7 — The Messiah will rule from the throne of David, giving the world a government of peace, justice, and righteousness. (Note: The throne of David is not in Heaven. It is located in Jerusalem — see Psalm 122. Jesus is not now on the throne of David. He sits at the right hand of His Father on His Father's throne — see Revelation 3:21.)
  
• Isaiah 11:3b-9 — The Messiah will bring "righteousness and fairness" to the earth when He returns to "slay the wicked." At that time, the curse will be lifted and the plant and animal kingdoms will be restored to their original perfection.
  
• Isaiah 24:21-23 — When the Messiah returns, He will punish Satan and his demonic hordes in the heavens and then will punish "the kings of the earth, on earth." He will then "reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem" for the purpose of manifesting His glory.

3) Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 23:5 — "'Behold, the days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.'" (Note: The term, "Branch," is a Messianic title.)
  
• Jeremiah 33:6-18 — A day will come when the Lord will regather the dispersed of both Judah and Israel and will save a great remnant. At that time the Lord "will cause a rigthteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth."

4) Ezekiel

• Ezekiel 20:33-44 — The Lord says a day will come when He will regather the Jews to their land and will "enter into judgment" with them. He says that at that time "I shall be king over you." He then adds that "the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land."
  
• Ezekiel 37:24-28 — The Lord says that He will dwell in the midst of Israel after a remnant of the Jews is regathered to the land and saved, and He promises that "David My servant shall be their prince forever."
  
• Ezekiel 39:21-29 — The Lord says that following the battle of Armageddon (verses 17-20), "I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them."
  
• Ezekiel 43:7 — While being given a tour of the future Millennial Temple, Ezekiel is told by the Lord: "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet; where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever."

5) Daniel

• Daniel 7:13-14,18,27 — Daniel says he was given a vision in which he saw the Messiah ("Son of Man") given dominion over all the earth by God the Father ("the Ancient of Days"). And then he adds in verses 18 and 27 that the kingdom is shared "with the saints of the Highest One," and they are allowed to exercise sovereignty with Him over "all the kingdoms under the whole heaven."

6) Hosea

• Hosea 3:4-5 — The Jews will be set aside "for many days," but a time will come "in the last days" when they "will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king."

7) Joel

• Joel 3:14-17,21 — Joel says that following the battle of Armageddon (verses 14-16), the Lord will dwell "in Zion, My holy mountain." He repeats this in verse 21. And in verse 17 He identifies Zion as the city of Jerusalem.

8) Micah

• Micah 4:1-7 — Micah repeats in greater detail the prophecy contained in Isaiah 2. Like Isaiah, he says the Lord will make Jerusalem the capital of the world. The world will be flooded with peace and prosperity. All believing Jews will be regathered to Israel, and "the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion."

9) Zephaniah

• Zephaniah 3:14-20 — This entire book is devoted to a description of the day the Lord will return to the earth in vengeance. The prophet says that at the end of that day, when the Lord's enemies have been destroyed, the Jewish remnant will shout in triumphant joy because "the King of Israel, the Lord," will be in their midst.

10) Haggai

• Haggai 2:20-23 — The Lord says that a day will come when He will "overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations." Then, using Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, as a type of the Messiah, the prophet adds: "'On that day,' declares the Lord of hosts, 'I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, my servant,' declares the Lord, 'and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the Lord of hosts." The reference to the signet ring means the Father will grant His Son ruling authority.

11) Zechariah

• Zechariah 2:10-13 — The Lord says that when He comes, He will "dwell in the midst" of the Jews, possessing Judah as "His portion in the holy land" and again choosing Jerusalem.
  
• Zechariah 6:12-13 — When the Messiah ("the Branch") returns, He will build a temple and "rule on His throne," and the offices of priest and king will be combined in Him. Thus, "He will be a priest on His throne."
• Zechariah 8:2-3 — The Lord promises that when He returns to Zion, He will "dwell in the midst of Jerusalem," and Jerusalem will be called "the city of Truth."
• Zechariah 9:10 — The Messiah will bring peace to the nations and "His dominion will be from sea to sea."
• Zechariah 14:1-9 — The Messiah will return to the Mount of Olives. The Mount will split in half when His foot touches it, and the Jewish remnant left alive in Jerusalem will flee the city and hide in the cleavage of the Mount. Verse 9 says that on that day, "the Lord will become king over all the earth."

Jesus is returning to reign over the earth because the New Testament prophets say so:

1) Peter

• Acts 3:21 — In his sermon on the portico of Solomon, Peter says Jesus must remain in Heaven "until the period of the restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time." The period of restoration spoken of here will occur during the Millennium when the curse is partially lifted and nature is restored (Romans 8:18-23).

2) Paul

• 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 — Paul says that when Jesus returns "dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel," He will also come for the purpose of being glorified before His saints. The return of Jesus to be glorified before His saints and all the nations of the world is one of the persistent themes of Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 24:23, Isaiah 52:10,13, Isaiah 61:3, and Psalm 46:10).
• 2 Timothy 2:12 — Paul says "if we endure, we shall also reign with Him."

3) John

• Revelation 12:5 — John sees a vision in which a sun clothed woman (Israel) gives birth to a male child (Jesus) "who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron."
• Revelation 19:15-16 — In his description of Jesus returning to earth, John says He bears the title, "King of kings and Lord of lords," and John says He will "rule the nations with a rod of iron."
• Revelation 20:4,6 — John says that after the return of Jesus to the earth, He will reign with His saints ("those to whom judgment has been given") for a thousand years.

Jesus is returning to earth to reign because the Heavenly Host say so:

1) Gabriel

• Luke 1:26-38 — When the archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he told her that she would bear a son named Jesus who would be called "the Son of the Most High." He then added three promises that are yet to be fulfilled: "the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end."

2) The Four Living Creatures and the 24 Elders

• Revelation 5:9-10 — When John is raptured to Heaven and finds himself standing before the throne of God (Revelation 4), he hears "the four living creatures" (special angelic creatures called seraphim in Isaiah 6) and "the twenty-four elders" (probably representative of the redeemed) singing a song of praise to Jesus. In this song they say that Jesus is a Worthy Lamb who has made His redeemed a kingdom, "and they will reign upon the earth."

3) The Angels of God

• Revelation 11:15 — Voices from Heaven make a proleptic proclamation in the midst of the Tribulation: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." (Note: A proleptic statement is one that speaks of a future event as if it has already occurred. This is a common form of expression in prophecy because all future events are settled in the mind of God as if they had already happened in history.)

4) The Tribulation Martyrs

• Revelation 15:3-4 — At the end of the Tribulation, right before the final pouring out of God's wrath in the form of the bowl judgments, all the Tribulation martyrs who are in Heaven join together in singing "the song of Moses... and the song of the Lamb." In that song, they declare the Lamb (Jesus) to be the "King of the nations," and they proclaim that "all the nations will come and worship before Thee."

Jesus is returning to reign on the earth because Jesus said so:

• Matthew 19:28 — Jesus said that during "the regeneration" (the same time as "the period of restoration" referred to by Peter in Acts 3:21), He will "sit on His glorious throne," and the Apostles will join Him in judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
  
• Matthew 25:31 — Jesus said that when He returns in glory, "the Son of Man... will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him" for judgment. The throne of Jesus is the throne of David which has always been located in only one place — in Jerusalem (see Isaiah 9:6-7 and Psalm 122).
  
• Acts 1:3-6 — Luke says that Jesus spent 40 days teaching His disciples about the kingdom of God. Then, as He was ready to ascend into Heaven, one of the disciples asked, "Lord is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" The question indicates that Jesus taught a time would come when the kingdom would be restored to Israel. Jesus' response to the question indicated the same thing. He did not rebuke the question. Rather, He simply said it was not for them to know the times and seasons when the kingdom would be restored to Israel.
  
• Revelation 2:26-27 — Jesus says that He has a special reward for any "overcomer" who keeps His deeds until the end: "To him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron."
• Revelation 3:21 — Jesus makes it clear that the overcomers will reign jointly with Him: "He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." Again, the throne of Jesus is the throne of David (Luke 1:32 and Revelation 3:7). The throne of David is in Jerusalem, not in Heaven (Psalm 122). Jesus currently shares His Father's throne. He is not sitting on His own throne and will not do so until He returns to this earth. Then He will allow the redeemed to share His throne with Him.

Source: http://www.lamblion.com/

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com  

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)