OUT ON A LIMB... update

As I stated in my last post “OUT ON A LIMB”, posted last January 17, I predicted that the first five Seals of Revelation will be fulfilled in 2013.  Here is an update as of March 26, 2013…

SEAL 1... This prediction is fulfilled. Quote… “I believe that this year the current Pope will be replaced.  According to Roman Catholic tradition, the next and last Pope will take the name Peter.”

Jorge Bergoglio took the name Francis. However, St Francis’ first name was really “Giovanni”, his father gave him the nickname “Francisco”. Therefore, St Francis’ real middle name “Peter” has a lot more prophetic weight than “Francis”. Is Pope Francis I the Antichrist? Only God knows, but if he is... look for him to be a very nice man who will cleverly teach salvation destroying doctrine.  This, after all, is the true mark of the “Antichrist”. Also, as to the prophesy of St Malachy referring to his 112th and last pope as "Peter the Roman"... St Francis was from Piedmont, a major force in the unification of Italy. Piedmont’s capital Turin was actually the first capital of Italy. This historical fact connects St Francis and this current pope to the ultimate and final capital of Italy, Rome.

SEAL 2… This prediction is fulfilled. Quote… “God has already sent the “Great Sword” of Islam against apostate “Christendom” for the third and last time (Jihad III began - 2001). This war will continue with greater and greater devastations.”

Already this year, the vast number of lethal American drone strikes have rapidly spread from northern Pakistan, to many other Islamic countries.  Also, the pace at which the Middle East is rushing toward a Jewish-Islamic nuclear confrontation has dramatically picked up speed, with no real hope of stopping it.
 

SEAL 3… This prediction is now being fulfilled. Quote… “The economic collapse, global depression, and food shortages that began in 2008, will hit its climax this year, and will send the world into political chaos.”

America’s Federal Reserve, under its “Quantum Easing III” policy, is now printing and flooding the global economy with almost 100 billion dollars of worthless paper every single month.  This is a blatant attempt to hide the fact that the Global economy has already collapsed. The European based IMF (International Monetary Fund) has just forced Cyprus to actually steal personal wealth from private bank accounts, in a desperate attempt to shore up European banks.

SEAL 4… The fulfillment of this prediction may already be knocking at the door. Quote… “I really believe that sometime this year, a new and lethal bacteria or virus will be discovered. This global Plague may start slowly, but when it ripens and explodes onto the world, it will kill on the same scale as the Black Death and Spanish Flu.”

USA TODAY- A new family of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, known as CRE, is raising concerns across the medical community because of its ability to cause infections that defy even the strongest antibiotics. The antibiotic resistance is spread by mobile pieces of DNA that can move between different species of bacteria, creating new, drug-defying bugs.

SEAL 5… The fulfillment of this prediction has not yet come, but when it does it will be sudden and dramatic. Quote… “I believe that the long awaited Islamic Messiah, the “Mahdi”, will appear this year. When he does, he will consolidate all of Islam under his control. Beheadings will test the faith of Christians in all Islamic countries around the world.”


                                                   Continue to… HANG ON TO YOUR FAITH

 

OUT ON A LIMB...

THE END IS NEAR!! 

I know what you're thinking... Rick has finally gone off the deep end!  Well, maybe so... but, to my surprise, it seems that I am finally willing to go out on a limb and put my predictions where my mouth is.  Take it or leave it, but for what it's worth... based on prayer and my study of history, Biblical prophesy, and current events...  I personally believe that the first five Seals of Revelation will be fulfilled this year.

SEAL 1…  Today, the Roman Catholic Pope has no military power (no “Arrows”).  Nevertheless, through the Joint Catholic-Lutheran Statement  on Justification in 1999, he was able to finally silence his only real opposition, Martin Luther. The blasphemous hope of attaining a Christ-like holiness has once again poisoned the Church.  Today, the unique holiness of Christ is commonly rejected.  The “Holy Roman Empire” is back! 

I believe that this year, because of ill health, the current Pope will be replaced.  According to Roman Catholic tradition, the next and last Pope will in some way take the name Peter.  He will become the acclaimed leader of a united Protestant-Catholic Christian Church... and as all Popes have done, he will claim to be Christ's holy equal... and he will also claim to be the actual voice of God on earth.  However, this Pope will wield this power like no other has ever dared.   

SEAL 2…  God has already sent the “Great Sword” of Islam against apostate “Christendom” for the third and last time (Jihad III began - 2001).  This war will continue with greater and greater devastations. 

SEAL 3…  The economic collapse, global depression, and food shortages that began in 2008, will hit its climax this year, and will send the world into political chaos. 

SEAL 4...  I really believe that sometime this year, a new and lethal bacteria or virus will be discovered.  This global Plague may start slowly, but when it ripens and explodes onto the world, it will kill on the same scale as the “Black Death” and “Spanish Flu”. 

SEAL 5…  I believe that the long awaited Islamic Messiah, the “Mahdi”, will appear this year.  When he does, he will consolidate all of Islam under his control.  Beheadings will test the faith of Christians in all Islamic countries around the world.  

Please note... that  God's four severe judgments against apostasy (Ezk 5:17, 14:21) contained within the first five Seals of Revelation, have been poured out on Christendom twice before.  (1) Economic collapse and catastrophic crop failures  (2) Deadly diseases  (3) The wild beast empire of Islam rising as God’s hand of judgment  (4) The bloody sword of Islam bringing the destruction of the apostate people and the martyrdom of the faithful remnant by beheading, have already occurred during Jihad I that started in 690 AD, and also during Jihad II that began in 1453 AD.

 

                                                                     HANG ON TO YOUR FAITH ! 

 

 

IGNORANCE... The Price of Apostasy

It is essential for all Christians to understand the chronology of Christ’s return, because knowing what the Bible says would happen shortly before Christ’s return, and seeing it actually happen, builds up our faith in the Word of God, encourages us to draw closer to our Savior, and motivates us to reach others before it’s too late. 

However, it is simply impossible to understand the chronology of Christ’s return, if we don’t understand that Judgment begins with Christ’s Church.  “It is time for judgment to begin with the household of God, and if it will begin with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”  (1Peter 4:17)  “The Son of man shall send out His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  Then the righteous shall shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mathew 13:41-43)

The “Book of Revelation” is a letter warning about the apostasy that was already spreading through the Churches of the first century.  The letter is a terrible rebuke to all apostate churches, and a loving encouragement to the faithful remnant.  It describes the judgments that will be poured out on the earth shortly before Christ’s return.  The four judgments contained within the first five “Seals” in the Book of Revelation, will be poured out on Christendom, (1) Economic collapse and catastrophic crop failures  (2) Deadly diseases  (3) The sword of Islam rises as God’s hand of judgment  (4) War brings the destruction of the apostate people and the martyrdom of the faithful by beheading.  (note that these four judgments have already been poured out on apostate Christendom twice before, during Jihad I that started in 690 AD, and Jihad II that began in 1453 AD) 

Then... Seal six and seven, the Trumpet judgments, and Bowl judgments will be poured out on the rest of the world because of unbelief.  We must remember that the devastating judgments described in Revelation do not reflect God’s eagerness to pour out his wrath against evil people.  These judgments are to be poured out slowly at first, and then gradually increased to devastating levels.  This merciful plan of God was designed to give His people and the rest of the world a last chance to turn back to a saving faith in their Savior.

However, I am extremely sceptical that today's arrogant Christians, who have chosen to believe that they can actually attain personal Christlike holiness, can ever find true HUMILITY again... and repent. 

It is the apostasy of Christ’s Church that is causing these devastating judgments to come upon us.  Ironically, however, this pride-filled apostasy is also causing the Church to remain completely blind to the fact that these judgments are already being poured out…  “Remember therefore what you have received and heard, and keep it, and repent.  If therefore you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.” (Revelation 3:2-3)

 

                                                                      AMEN !

"SANCTIFICATION"... Fact or Process?

A relationship to God measured by growth toward sanctification (holiness) must eventually shift the foundation of that relationship from Christ's covering, to my own holiness. My motivation for battling sin also shifts to a self centered pride in achieving my goal. Pride forces me to look for evidence that I really am becoming more and more like Christ. Pride also forces me to measure my progress against that of others. Soon, my Christian life becomes a pride filled pursuit of personal holiness, based on faith in myself, and not in God's Son. When I finally get comfortable judging myself to be holier than others, it becomes impossible for me to identify with them as a fellow sinner. If I can no longer identify with others as a fellow sinner, I have proof that my faith has truly shifted from Christ, to my own holiness.

THE TRUTH IS... if we are not absolutely holy, fully and completely sanctified, we dare not approach a holy God. The  question then becomes... Is sanctification a lifelong PROCESS? ... or... Is sanctification a FACT OF FAITH? Scripture clearly teaches that we can approach God now, and being able to approach God now, refutes the idea that  sanctification is a lifelong process. Being able to approach God now proves that we already are fully and completely sanctified by our faith in Christ.

Paul said... "...we HAVE BEEN sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all..." "For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who ARE sanctified." (Hebrews 10:10-14) About entering into the very presence of God, Paul wrote... "Since therefore, brethren, we have CONFIDENCE to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus..." ".. .let us draw near with a sincere heart in FULL ASSURANCE of faith..." (Hebrew 10: 19-23) "And such CONFIDENCE we have through CHRIST toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God." (2Corinthians 3:4-5)

And, finally, for those who would dare waver from absolute  faith and trust in Christ alone, Paul said this... "How much severer the punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under-foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he WAS sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews  10:28-29) God knows that it is impossible for us to become holy. To be holy, everything we THINK, SAY and DO must agree with the Law of God and the will of God… EVERYTHING! This is impossible for us! Only Jesus was  capable of this kind of sinless perfection, therefore only Jesus is HOLY. "...Thou ALONE are HOLY..." (Revelation 15:4)

Jesus said very clearly in (John 8:23-24) that "...unless you believe that I am He (God), you shall die in your sins." We MUST believe that Jesus is God! But... how is it possible to believe that Jesus is God, and truly honor him as God, if we also believe that we will one day be just like him? Nowhere in Scripture, did God say that anyone could ever be like him.

The truth is... it is IMPOSSIBLE for a true Christian to believe that they can be like Jesus! If we try to do it, and we're honest about it... we will soon discover that we're forced to  either believe that Jesus is someone other than God, which according to Jesus, assures us that we will die in our sins without hope of salvation. Or.... we must join with Satan, and believe that we actually can be like God, which also guarantees that we will die in our sins without hope of salvation! This popular idea, that we can believe that Jesus is God, and at the same time believe that we can become just like him, is very dangerous! What is not dangerous is to believe what the Bible actually teaches. Jesus is God... and NO ONE will ever be LIKE GOD!

Sanctification is a fact of our faith in Christ Jesus! There is no separate process of sanctification! You can choose to believe this or not. But, before you make up your mind, shouldn't you listen to what Jesus himself said about sanctification? On the road to Damascus, Saul (Paul before his conversion) is confronted by Christ.  Out of the brightness of Christ's glory, Saul is blinded physically at the same time he is given spiritual vision and faith in the truth. Christ himself said, that those Saul (Paul) will reach with the gospel, will be among those who "...HAVE BEEN sanctified by FAITH IN ME..." (Acts 26:18)

 

                                                                                 AMEN !

New Years Resolution... EMBRACE THE TRUTH !

Today, sincere seekers of Christ are absolutely beleaguered with sermons, books, radio messages, and contemporary Christian songs that proclaim the Christian walk as a lifelong struggle toward Christlikeness and personal holiness. Is it any wonder, that Christians who have discovered the wonderful blessedness of resting completely in Christ, seem to be few and far between. It's sad but true, that Christian churches are increasingly filled with people who get completely swept away with the newest teaching that promises to somehow transform their continued failure into a true Christ-like holiness. Therefore, filled with a false hope and a false faith in themselves, these people will NEVER find true rest and security in Christ.

Salvation has absolutely nothing to do with us taking on the likeness of Christ. Salvation is centered on CHRIST taking on the likeness of US! (Romans 8:3)(Philippians 2:7)  He, in our  likeness, lived a perfect life as an acceptable human being. He alone passed the test. It's only through God's immeasurable love and grace and mercy, that we are given the opportunity to put on the glorious covering of Christ, the robe of acceptability. This precious gift of Christ's covering, is ours only as long as we confess our need for it. We must die completely to any and all hope of ever becoming acceptable to God within ourselves. All of our faith must remain in Christ alone... FOREVER!

We dare not allow even a speck of self centered hope to rise up out of the grave. "For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life that I live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law (through my own ability), then Christ  died needlessly." (Gaiatians 2-.18-21)

THIS IS THE TRUTH... The moment our faith shifts to our own potential to become Christ-like and holy, we strip  ourselves of the robe of Christ's holiness. (Galatians 5:4) Paul said, that even the simple act of receiving circumcision, obligates us to keep the whole Law, and severs us from Christ, and his grace and mercy. It's not the physical act of circumcision. Paul was circumcised, and Paul was a  Christian. Paul is clearly warning us not to let our heart drift from absolute faith in Christ. Our faith can either be in the protection of Christ's perfect holiness, or in the protection of our own potential holiness… BUT NOT BOTH!

A saving faith in Christ, cannot ever be divided! A person who has trusted completely in Christ, and has died completely with him on the cross, simply has no independent life to make holy. As a true Christian, our only hope is to be with Christ when we leave this life, and until then, our only goal should be to glorify only Christ. (Philippians 1:21-24)  

However, as we learn to walk in our reborn “spirit”, where our love for God resides, we do indeed change and become a different kind of person who sins less. Our complete faith in Christ and his covering, gives us a close and confident relationship to God, and this close and confident relationship  gives us a growing desire to not give place to our dead “flesh". However, our sinning less is still not holiness. Our sinning less, is simply the natural result of a close relationship to God. (Romans 8:10)(1Peter 3:18)

                                                                               AMEN!


... And have a faith-filled 2013

The "TRINITY" is not a mystery

The Bible provides overwhelming evidence that there was, is, and will always be only one God… “Jehovah”.  First of all, (1Chronicles 17:20)(Isaiah 44:6) and (Isaiah 45:18 & 22) make it absolutely clear that there is no God except Jehovah alone.  In (Isaiah 43:10) Jehovah says that…“Before me there was no God formed, and after me there continues to be none.”  Jehovah declares in (Deuteronomy 32:39)…“See now that I, I am He and there are no gods (lesser gods) together with me.”   Also (Genesis 2:4)(2Kings 19:15) (Isaiah 45:18) and (Isaiah 48:12-13) make it clear that Jehovah, alone, with his own hand, created the heavens and the earth.

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The Biblical passages in (Deuteronomy 4:39)(Psalms 139:8)(Isaiah 66:1)(Jeremiah 23:24) and in (Acts 17:27) prove beyond any doubt that Jehovah is in the heavens, in the earth, and even in Sheol, all at the same time.  This attribute of God is called “omnipresence”.   The fact that God can be infinitely everywhere, in a specific limited place, and in a particular person, all at the same time is easily proven. 

In (Genesis 18:1-33) Jehovah himself appeared to Abraham in a visible, physical, and human-like body.  Read it for yourself!  The Bible also teaches that the “Son” is the visible image of the invisible and omnipresent God (Colossians 1:15).  Christ Jesus is the incarnation of the eternal “Son” (Hebrews 13:8) and the exact representation of Jehovah’s very being (Hebrews 1:3).  (Colossians 2:8-9) warns us to not be lead astray by those who would deny that the fullness of God dwells in Christ bodily.  (Isaiah 9:6) clearly reveals to us that the child born in Bethlehem was the “Mighty God and Eternal Father”.  Jesus himself said in (John 14:8-9) that …“He that has seen me has seen the Father also.”  Finally, in (Matthew 1:23) we are clearly told exactly who was born to us…“Look!  The virgin will become pregnant and will give birth to a son, and they will call his name Immanuel, which means, when translated, ‘With us is God.’”

The undeniable truth of scripture is that Jehovah exists eternally as the “Father”, as the “Son” who appeared to Abraham, and exists now as our Savior Christ Jesus, and Jehovah also exists as the eternal “Holy Spirit”.  “Now Jehovah is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom.” (2Corinthians 3:17) 

The word “Trinity” is not in the Bible.  However, the fact that Jehovah exists as the “Father”, the “Son”, and the “Holy Spirit”, is irrefutable.  To deny this fact, is to deny Jehovah himself.  That’s exactly why Jesus so clearly instructed his disciples to baptize in the name of the “Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).  

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In (Isaiah 43:11) and (Isaiah 45:21-22) Jehovah irrefutably declares…”besides me there is no Savior”.  In (John 10:30) Jesus says…”I and the Father are one.”  The “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29 & 36) had to be completely spotless, without any blemish of any kind.  And God alone is holy (1Samuel 2:2) and (Isaiah 43:3).  Jesus in (Luke 18:19) makes another irrefutable statement… ”God alone is good”.  Therefore, if Jesus is not God, he cannot be good, and if he is not good, he cannot be sinless, and if he is not sinless, he cannot be the sinless “Lamb of God”.  Jesus said this in (John 8:23-24) to those who did not believe him to be God…“You are from this world, I am not from this world.  Therefore, you will die in your sins.  For if you do not believe that I am He (Jehovah) you will die in your sins.” “See now that I, I am He, and there is no god with me”. (Deuteronomy 32:39)
 

A CHRISTMAS THOUGHT

At this time of year when Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Christ, let us all take time to really think about why our Savior came...

 

 

 

 

 THE ONE MINUTE BIBLE

 

 

In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.  He imprinted on the DNA molecule His
amazing plan for all living things.  Then, God created all life on this planet after its kind.

  

 

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In the beginning… Adam and Eve were created to live forever on a perfect paradise Earth.

  

 

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In the beginning… There was no “Judgment” or “Demand for Perfection”.  Adam and Eve had a relationship to God based on GRACE and MERCY.  GRACE is receiving the blessings of God that we don’t deserve. 

MERCY is not receiving the judgment of God that we do deserve. 

 

 

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However, filled with pride, and trusting in their own “Human” perfection, Adam and Eve were easily deceived into believing that they also possessed sinless “God-like” perfection.  Despite God’s stern warning
that eating from the tree of judgment would cost them their gift of eternal life, Adam and Eve
slapped away the loving hand of God, and deliberately ate from the tree.  Adam and Eve
failed the test, lost the gift of eternal life, and died.

 

 

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Adam and Eve willfully chose to eat from the tree of God’s judgment.  Therefore, the requirement of sinless “God-like” perfection has fallen to everyone who came after.  In order for this deadly curse
to be lifted, someone born of a woman, had to actually pass this impossible test.

 

 

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This hopeless situation is exactly why our Savior came.  Our Savior became one of us so that He, in our place, could pay the penalty for our sin, and pass the impossible test of sinless perfection.  Therefore, the curse brought by Adam and Eve has been removed.  If we truly admit our helpless situation, and choose
to trust completely in Christ’s atonement and His sinless perfection… we will no longer face
God’s judgment.  Those who truly trust Christ in this way, are covered with the robe of
His sinless perfection, and are protected from God’s judgment…

 

FOREVER!

 

 

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Grace and Mercy, and the free gift of eternal life is now available again to every human being on the planet.  All anyone has to do, is to acknowledge their own obvious imperfection, and cry out to God for mercy. 
This anyone, anywhere in the world can do!

 

 

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Unfortunately, prideful arrogance in the human heart has proven to be a tough nut to crack.  Many of those who claim Christ still choose to revere Him as their example and not as the Savior of sinners, and continue
to take pride in the false hope of their own potential to measure up to Christ.  Therefore, pride-filled
people around the world continue to slap away the loving hand of God, and willfully choose
God’s judgment instead of the gift of... Grace and Mercy, Salvation, and Eternal Life.

 

 

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WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE ?