Many Will Come in My Name

Many Will Come in My Name - By Howard Green -   http://raptureready.com/soap2/green49.html

 

There are many people and groups claiming to be genuine, unique, and real these days. The mantra heard everywhere now is be: Authentic. Many groups claim to be the purveyors ultimate truth. While authenticity and truthfulness are paramount in the realm of personal qualities, these noble attributes can be fabricated and fashioned in order to deceive others. 

 

Anytime the truth is twisted, it is wrong. When truth is twisted using religion, it becomes especially disturbing. Nowhere is it more disturbing and eternally destructive then when individuals or groups masquerade as true Christians and claim that their church is the true way to God.

 

It shouldn't be surprising that false Christian cults are so pervasive in these last days. Jesus told us that, "Many will come in My name."

 

Mark 13:3-6 "And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" And Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray."

 

The absolutes and truth from God's written word are more assured then the very ground we stand on. We can place our hopes for the present time and for eternity in the Lord. We know this because He has much to tell us about His unchanging nature.

 

Malachi 3:6 "For I the LORD do not change...."

 

Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever."

 

These promises from the Bible are poignant reminders that God, His Word, and His will cannot be manipulated by Man. We need to be in the word continuously so that we can always discern the truth from a lie.

 

Occasionally, someone will come on the scene claiming to be Jesus Christ. There is the guy from Puerto Rico who heads up the Growing in Grace movement. Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda claims that Jesus came to him and literally integrated into his body. He claims to be the Second Coming of Christ in person. 

 

Then there is Allan John Miller (A.J.) from Queensland Australia who also claims to be Jesus and his female partner claims to be Mary Magdalene. Miller is founder of the Divine Truth movement and prior to this, he was an elder in the Jehovah's Witnesses. 

 

I could list dozens of these people who claim to be Christ, but you get the picture. No doubt other well-known cult leaders come to mind such as David Koresh and Sun Myung Moon. 

 

The unbelievable, yet sad fact about these men I've just mentioned is that they have all attracted a sizable following ranging from the hundreds to tens of thousands of people. These cults are clearly operating in the spirit of Antichrist and most Christians would pick up on that in a hurry. The common denominator regarding these above mentioned groups and others is that (most) people would readily be able to identify them as a cult.

 

What about the well-known sects and religious groups that self-identify as genuine Christianity? Are they just as easy to identify as un-biblical and non-Christian?

 

Based on the trends I'm seeing, I believe the answer is no, because we seem to be in a generation where biblical illiteracy is pervasive, even among many evangelicals. Let's look at two of the main movements who claim to be representative of the true church. The first is the Jehovah's Witnesses Watch Tower Society and second, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints also known as LDS (Mormons).

 

What trends bear out the fact that the two groups previously mentioned are gaining momentum? 

 

The numbers from several different sources tell the story: Jehovah's Witnesses publishers (individual members) increased from roughly two million worldwide in 1980 to approximately eight million 'publishers in 2015. although the numbers pale in comparison to growth in the evangelical movement....they are still impressive.

 

The Mormon church has experienced the same rapid growth over the past few decades as well. In the early 1970s, there were roughly about three million Mormons worldwide, but the number swelled to approximately sixteen million by 2015. 

 

Both the Jehovah's Witnesses and LDS church market aggressively grew by using printed materials. In just the past year or so, the Mormon church has saturated the radio, television, and popular internet sites with promotional and evangelistic messages.

 

Unlike the "false Messiah" cults mentioned earlier, the Jehovah's Witness and Mormon movements are not always readily identified as cults. One of the primary reasons for this is the marketing tactics we have just mentioned. The other reason is this:

 

If you deviate from absolute truth of God's Word (the Bible) even slightly....the difference in doctrine is virtually unnoticeable to many people.

 

A Christian who is in the Word daily and walking closely with the Lord should discern this deviation from truth almost immediately. However, a person who espouses to what I'll refer to as a "casual" form of Christianity may not pick up on even slight deviations from the truths in the Bible. 

 

The Jehovah's Witness "publishers" and the Mormon missionaries are trained to actively engage in dialogue over spiritual matters. A casual Christian discussing spiritual matters over a beverage in the living room may come to the conclusion that: "This is pretty much what all "Christian churches" believe.

 

I care about people and truly want to get to know them. As a Christian, I want to engage people with the truths of the gospel. But what happens when new believers or people who are ungrounded in their faith spend time with Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons? Confusion and even fellowship around some common beliefs follow. 

 

I've witnessed this tragic spiritual transformation in people I know. I can see how this can easily happen because I've seen the clever marketing skills of the LDS church; one is called: "I'm a Mormon" campaign. It is very upbeat and positive.

 

The short video clip usually features a well dressed millennial young man or lady talking about their experiences in life. It may feature a successful surgeon, a loving young mom, or a young couple. There are ballerinas, teachers, and bakers. I watched one with a cool young dad who happens to be a professional skateboarder. He's outdoors with his wife and kids and they seem like the quintessential fun American family.

 

At the very end of all of these appealing and professionally produced short video ads, there is a simple message: "I'm a doctor, dad, mom, teacher, (fill in the blank), and ... "I'm a Mormon."

 

When you get right down to the basics of all of these religious deceptions and strip away the marketing, winsome personalities and good works-there is one main reason behind why they are doing so well: It is Satan doing what he does best. He is a deceiver.

 

Galatians 1:6-8 "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

 

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed."

 

I've seen people moved to curiosity by the nice young ladies who want to give them a Watch Tower Society magazine. I've also witnessed people moved toward solidarity with the Mormon church by the winsome, kind, clean cut young men who believe just like they do. Do they believe just like we do?

 

The answer is a definitely, no, because when you apply the biblical test to the core beliefs and doctrinal positions of Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses, they do not line up with Scripture. As nice as these people are, as much as they are known for good works, family, and dedication to their church-they are not Christians. Both of these groups are cults, albeit cults masquerading as true biblical Christianity.

 

Before we look at some of the defining characteristics, let me address one glaring issue: I have no animosity toward individuals in these two groups. I care about these people and their souls. Moreover, I have had friendships with a few people in these movements and they are kind people. 

 

They are kind people who desperately need to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. All of the silliness about hurling insults at them, slamming the door in their face, and other ungodly behavior is uncalled for. We should engage them with the truth of God's Word with clarity and boldness. 

 

This isn't the time to find spiritual "common ground" with them, because there is none. We should also warn people who show an interest in these movements and are willing to check them out.

 

Bible warnings about cults and diminishing the centrality of Jesus:

 

Colossians 2:8 "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spiritsof the world, and not according to Christ."

 

2 Corinthians 11:4 "For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough."

 

As we take a look at the popular false religions and cults we see the same pattern: There are supposed "visions and divine revelations" that were almost the exclusive experience of and witnessed by (one) person...no witnesses. Take the experience of Joseph Smith (the Mormon prophet) for instance:

 

Joseph Smith had his supposed "visitation" by the angel Maroni (no one else saw the vision).

 

Jesus: The Bible tells us on a number of occasions that Jesus' claims were witnessed by three or more people and between his resurrection and ascension into heaven...over 500 people saw the risen Savior. People were present at his baptism and heard God's voice from heaven. Peter, James, and John all heard God's voice from heaven, witnessed Jesus' clothes turn brilliant white like the sun, and saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus at his transfiguration. 

 

Jesus' life, ministry, death, burial, and appearances following the resurrection were all out in the open and witnesses by many. This distinction separates Jesus and should make it clear to anyone that His claims are true.

 

Here is a summary of the basic beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses:

 

Jesus is not Jehovah God; He is the first and only direct creation of God and the agent through which God made all other things. Jehovah's Witness teachings attack the Lordship and Deity of Jesus by adding a very key word in John 1:1. They add an "a" to this key verse John wrote and diminish the place of Jesus.

 

The Bible says:  John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

 

The Jehovah's Witness Bible (New World Translation) reads: John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word  was  a God.God and Jesus are not trinity or part of one.

 

The resurrection of Jesus wasn't a physical event, rather he was raised as a mighty spirit creature. The second coming of Jesus was an invisible spiritual presence which began in 1914."

 

 (The Watchtower Society denies the Person of the Holy Spirit's and the Deity.)

 

Regarding the dead who left this life in a state of wickedness, they believe the wicked will simply be extinguished forever. Jehovah's Witness doctrine teaches that the atoning work of Jesus on the cross is only partial. Final atonement comes only after Armageddon, when the survivors return to God through free will and become subject to the theocratic rule of Jehovah. 

 

Therefore they believe atonement is partially of God and part of Man's work. Charles Taze Russell was the founder of the Jehovah's Witness cult. The teachings of C.T. Russell and the Jehovah's Witness cult are pockmarked with inaccuracies and contradictions.

 

The Watchtower  periodical is distributed to the tune of 17.8 million copies per month in 106 languages. The other monthly magazine,  Awake, is distributed in 34 languages 15.6 million copies.

 

What do Mormons-members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believe?

 

Mormons have three sacred books (in addition) to the Bible. They are: The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and  The Pearl of Great Price. Mormons believe the Trinity consists of three gods born in different times and places; the Father begot the Son and the Holy Spirit through a goddess wife. 

 

Mormons believe salvation is resurrection, but for us to be exalted to godhood in the celestial heaven, we must earn heaven through works. The founder of the Mormon religion was Joseph Smith aka "The Prophet." Smith engaged in divination during his life and practiced using divining rods, talismans, and magic for treasure hunting.

 

In 1820, Smith claimed to be singled out through a vision to be the Lord's anointed prophet and in 1823 he claimed to be visited by the angel "Moroni" three times to receive his commission. In 1827, Smith claimed to receive the "golden plates" later becoming The Book of Mormon.

 

The early history of Mormonism is a contradiction as "The Prophet" makes an early mistake and in 1853.....30 years after his "divine visitation" he identifies the angel who visited him as "Nephi" not "Moroni."Mormonism (LDS), at its core...represents a false gospel. 

 

When we examine three beliefs of LDS in light of scripture, it's clear this religion is diametrically opposed to the gospel of Christ.

 

1. The Bible is the word of God, yet LDS have three other sacred books. The Book of Mormon is subtitled: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. This is clearly a violation of Jesus' warning when he said, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book..." Revelation 22:18

 

2. Mormons believe Jesus is one of three gods who was begot via God and his goddess wife. This is a direct contradiction of the Bible and what it says about Jesus. One God in three persons (Trinity) and the fact that Jesus isn't a created being. He has always existed along with the Father and Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:26 says:

 

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.'" This is just one example of Jesus being present with the Father from the beginning.

 

3. Mormons teach that passage to heaven is earned or paid for via works and then we are exalted to godhood in heaven. Two issues here; the first is of course the fact Mormons believe they will be exalted to godhood.

 

The Bible is clear that we will not be gods, or little gods, or part of the godhood. Second, there is no way to heaven or God the Father except through His Son. 

 

"Jesus said to him,"I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

 

The tragic and sad lie of Mormonism is that they believe salvation and eternity in heaven can be earned through works.

 

A Christian response to Jehovah's Witnesses:

 

First of all, you must remember you are dealing with people who teach 'a different gospel.' In his excellent book The Kingdom of the Cults, Walter Martinwrites: "Jehovah's Witnesses thrive on the confusion they are able to create and they don't identify themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses while door to door canvassing."

 

Walter Martin's book goes on to describe the Watchtower's methods through the words of a former Watchtower Society member: 

 

The Watchtower leadership sensed within Christendom were millions of professing Christians who were (not) well-grounded in "the truths once delivered to all the saints" and who would rather easily be pried loose from the churches and led into a new and revitalized Watchtower organization.

 

Knowing how deceptive and organized this cult's practices are, you should be grounded in the Word of God, prayer, and ready to confront the lies they proliferate through their Watchtower propaganda and door to door canvassing. I want to warn you about these people and the teachings they promote. 

 

They are operating in the spirit of antichrist by attacking the very deity of the Lord Jesus. If you are grounded in the word then by all means engage and contend for the faith. Warn people of the deceptiveness of this cult and stand against this "different gospel." As the coming of the Lord nears, I expect to see false teachings, apostasy, and counterfeit Christianity crescendo.

 

A Christian response to Mormons

 

Before you slam the door in someone's face, remember you are dealing with another soul...a lost soul. If it wasn't for the grace of God, we'd all be deceived. Am I advocating sitting around the coffee table and finding "common ground" with them? Certainly not and the Bible warns against it. 

 

The fact is we are to confront this false gospel and contend for the faith. Mormons are (not) Christians and we cannot engage in Christian fellowship just because they name the name of Jesus. They represent a different Jesus. We should reach out to them in love and be a bold witness for the gospel and Jesus. Mormons believe they are the true church; they are deceived by Satan.

 

When engaging in witnessing and refuting their false gospel beliefs...it should be approached with prayer, fasting, and preparation by reading God's Word. These people who teach a different gospel are deceivers. Please remember something about Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and others caught up in deception:

 

They are people with souls who are deceived equally as much as they are spreading deception. In many cases, it's the only truth they have ever known. God help us to reach them with the transforming gospel of Jesus! He loves them. We need to share the truth with them just as someone was faithful to share it with us. 

 

This isn't a religious argument about which church is true or false, because Jesus settled that once and for all. Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other Christ diminishing movements clearly twist Scripture.

 

Our great commission is to present this gospel of the kingdom to them. The Holy Spirit does the work of heart changing, we simply bring the message in truth and love.

 

I do hope through the bold witness of those reading this commentary that many Mormons will leave that false church and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The souls of real people and seeing them come to salvation to the glory of God should be our main concern. God help us reach out in truth and love to them.

 

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15).

 

As Jesus sat with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, He told them about the end of the age and how conditions would be prior to His return. Many people would come in His name and lead many astray. As I look at the world today, I notice a dramatic increase in religious deception. 

 

While we have had counterfeit Christian cults for centuries, the rise in many of these groups into the mainstream in just the last few years is undeniable. I want to warn people about them because even though they speak well of Jesus, invoke His name, say they believe in Him, and claim to represent Him-they are spreading eternal separation from God and leading many astray as Jesus said they would.

 

Are you a Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, or a member of any other group or church that doesn't believe in salvation through Jesus Christ alone?

 

If so, please consider my words, leave the movement you are in, and repent. Good works and church membership won't save you. Jesus is the only way to the Father and eternal life. The Bible clearly warns that no one must add or take away from the words of this Book (the Bible), 

 

Yet the watchtower society and LDS church have made this practice a centerpiece of their ministries. Mormon friend, Jehovah's Witness friend Jesus can and will save you for all eternity if you come to Him.

 

Please visit our:  Are You Saved page or write me here for more information on what it means to follow Jesus.

 

All for Him,

 

Howard

 

Behold, I Show You a Mystery - Part 2

Behold, I Show You a Mystery - Part 2 - Pastor Mike Taylor - http://www.churchofgod-usa.org/1/post/2016/04/behold-i-show-you-a-mystery-part-2.html

 

In my last message we dealt with how Paul, who was transformed from Saul the persecutor of those who followed Jesus Christ, in the Way, into Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles after being met on the road to Damascus by the risen Lord Jesus.

 

 We touched briefly on "mysteries" (secrets) that were revealed to Paul alone and that make up a vast portion of the New Testament that touch the Church body of Paul's time, and ours today. Some make the statement in my last message that Abraham was the beginning of faith in God. True, Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness, but Paul showed that since Jesus death and resurrection, grace alone through faith is what is required for salvation. Let us recap what we have learned and take a moment and review each found on my website as we go further into the "secrets" that Paul learned from the risen Lord Jesus:

 

1.The Secret of the Gospel of the Grace of God

2.The Secret of the Blinding of Israel temporarily to their Messiah

3. The Secret of the "catching away" of the Church

 

Let us go further in the revealed mysteries "secrets" that our Jesus Christ revealed to Paul and to him alone for the edification of this present day Church.

 

THE SECRET OF THE BODY OF CHRIST

 

We further proclaim that Paul alone was given the "mystery" of the body of Christ by the risen Lord, when He taught Paul that that each member of the Church is equal, whether Jew or Gentile. The Body of Christ is One Body of which we are all a part of. We are all equal, but have different roles to play, just as an eye, or an ear, or a hand and foot each have different roles to play in the human body and each are necessary and vital to the health and well being of that human body, such are each of the Body of Christ.

 

 "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ" (1 Corinthians 12.12).

 

 This concept was not preached by any of the Twelve Apostles, as it was given to Paul alone.

 

  "13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were  far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

 

 14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,

 

 15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,

 

 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

 

 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;

 

 18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.

 

 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,

 

 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,

 

 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,

 

 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:14-22)

 

 Becoming a member of the body of Christ, the Church, is through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is not a sensory experience. It occurs when one believes the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

 

 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

 

 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

 

Paul emphasizes that we are one body after the receiving of the Gospel further in earlier verses:

 

12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.  13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12.12-13).

 

We learn from Paul alone that Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church (Ephesians 1.22; 4.15;5.23; Colossians 1.18; 2.19).

 

In the age of grace Christ is nowhere called the "king" of the Church. That is His title for Israel. A king has subjects. But we have Christ as our Head, not our King. We are integral to Him. We are joint-heirs with Him (Romans 8.17). A joint-heir enjoys a different kind of relationship than a subject to a king. A joint-heir is one who shares everything belonging to the heir. This is grace! We know this from Paul alone for it, again, was a secret Paul received from the risen Lord.

 

(Romans 8: 15) "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

 

 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

 

 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."

 

  Notice the relationship? Yes, Jesus is the King of kings, and Lord of lords (Revelation 19) but to the born again believer, He is the head of the Body of all believers. We are heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, as we will share, as part of His Body, all the riches and glory He is right now, we will be. To me, just to imagine, which I can't fully, the ramifications of what this passage in Romans means, makes my head swoon and my imaginations cannot fully comprehend.

 

 "Eye hath not seen or ear heard, or entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him." (1st Corinthians 2:9)

 

 THE MYSTERY OF OUR HEAVENLY CITIZENSHIP

 

From Paul alone we learn that the believer in the body of Christ has a heavenly position and heavenly citizenship. Peter and the Twelve looked forward to an earthly position, not a heavenly one. The Jew knew nothing of heavenly blessing. He looked forward to the kingdom on earth. 

 

 In the coming reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, here on earth, Jesus will sit on the Throne of His earthly ancestor, of the lineage of King David and rule from Jerusalem. Zechariah declared:

 

 9 "And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one.  10 All the land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; but Jerusalem will rise and remain on its site from Benjamin's Gate as far as the place of the First Gate to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's wine presses.  11 People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security"(Zechariah 14.9-11 cf. Zechariah 8.2-3; Daniel 7.14, 27).

 

Consider, When the disciples asked the Lord how they should pray, he answered them:

 

9 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.  10 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  11 'Give us this day our daily bread. 

12 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  13 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen'" (Matthew 6.9-13).

 

Is anything heavenly here? Jesus told his disciples to pray for God's kingdom to come on earth and for His will to be done on earth. Jesus knew His Old Testament. He knew He would reign as David's greater Son (Luke 1.32).

 

But the Church, the body of Christ, has different promises than Israel. God's promises to the Church are heavenly  not earthly. Thus, Paul wrote the Ephesians:

 

 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ," (Ephesians 1:3) and in Ephesians 2.4-6:

 

4 "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,"

 

Unlike Israel who has been promised an earthly kingdom ruled by Jesus Christ from Jerusalem, we have a different promise that is given solely to the body of Christ...the saints of the Church. We have a heavenly citizenship:

 

20 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself" (Philippians 3.20-21). 

 

We will be resurrected or changed in the twinkling of an eye as the coming of the Lord Jesus for His Church and receive a glorious body, the same as the Body the Lord Jesus possesses right now. Speaking of our resurrection body, which is located in heaven, Paul wrote the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 5.1-3:

 

 1 "For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God (our new spiritual bodies), a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,  3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked."

Are you ready for your change, your citizenship found in heaven as the heir and joint-heir with Jesus Christ, our Lord?

 

THE SECRET OF GOD'S WILL

 

The secret of his will is God's plan to gather together in one all things in Christ. Only Paul revealed this truth. Paul wrote the Ephesians in Ephesians 1:9-10:

 

 9 "He made known to us the mystery [secret] of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him,  10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth".

 

A parallel passage of this truth is from Paul's letter to the Colossians:

 

 19 "For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, (JESUS CHRIST) 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven" (Colossians 1.19-20).

 

Are you in the will of God? Have you found my Jesus?

 

THE SECRET OF THE GRACE OF GOD

 

Paul revealed through revelation from Jesus Christ, that the Christian operates under grace, not under the Law. Paul began every epistle with the salutations that spoke of the grace of God. This was a totally newly revealed relationship that was revealed by Paul, through Jesus Christ who taught him.

 

 No word more clearly identifies Paul's ministry that the word "grace. " It is the Greek word χάρις and means "favor." God gives us what we do not merit or deserve. When someone receives God's grace by believing the gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-4). God begins this transformation when a person seeks after God's righteousness and enables us to love God, as He first loved us. The ultimate goal is that we become transformed, conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8.29; Philippians 1.6).

 

 Paul was the epitome of God's grace when as Saul, he terrorized the followers of Jesus Christ. God did not destroy Saul, He saved him by revealing Himself to Saul. From the point on, Saul became Paul the Apostle, a most zealous follower of His risen Lord and Savior.

 

In the Apostle Pauls' epistles, Paul uses the word "Grace" χάρις (in Greek) appears 156 times in 147 verses in the New Testament.  Paul's usage accounts for 103 verses (70%).  Paul was alone when he revealed to the fledging Church that we are saved by grace, and not under the Law. He revealed that man was justified by grace through faith, and not of any works that we could do. This was not revealed to Peter or any of the other apostles, but was learned from Paul. Peter helped Paul when addressing the Jerusalem Council on these questions of following the Law of Moses as a requirement for salvation. He revealed Christ is the end or goal (τ�­λος) of the Mosaic Law (Romans 10.4). No other writer of Scripture revealed these things. They are all part of the "secret" the ascended Lord revealed to the great apostle.

 

Have you embraced that free gift of grace and mercy found in Jesus?

 

THE SECRET OF THE IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST.

 

 All who believe the gospel (1 Corinthians 15.1-4) have been identified with Christ.

 

 3 "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

 

 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

 

 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

 

 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

 

 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

 

 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

 

 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him" (Romans 6.3-9).

 

When a person believes the message that the Apostle Paul preached according to the revelation given to him by Jesus Christ, then he is baptized into the body of Christ. Paul spoke of being "buried" with Christ, which is what baptism symbolizes. We become a new creature in Christ Jesus, Behold all things have become new. We are not, (or should not) be the same person we were. We seek after God, searching and living His righteousness, found in the life lived by our example, Jesus Christ.

 

 3 "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?

 

 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

 

 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

 

 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

 

 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

 

 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

 

 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again;death no longer is master over Him" (Romans 6.3-9).

 

As we have been united to Christ in his death we have also been united with him in his resurrection. As Christ will never die again, we will never die. In terms of living the Christian life, this has immediate practical benefit. Paul wrote the Romans,

 

 10 "For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 

11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,

13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 

14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6.10-14 cf. 8.1-39).

 

Since we have been buried with Christ in Baptism, we are dead to sin, and the Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome our tendency to sin. It won't come all at once, as we will continue to slip up, and when we do, we ask for forgiveness in repentance of our sinful nature that reared it's ugly head and He forgives us, as a faithful Father and author of our salvation can only do.

 

 Writing to the Galatians, Paul expressed identification with Christ like this:

 

 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Galatians 2.20)

 

 Paul wrote the Colossians about this identification and spoke of the mysteries "secret of God"

 

 Colossians 2.2): "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;"

 

 and further down.......

 

10 "and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

11 in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 

12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,  14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."(Colossians 2:10-14).

 

THE SECRET OF LAWLESSNESS

 

Paul revealed the "secret of lawlessness" to the Thessalonians:

 

 3 "Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 

4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 

5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?  6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 

7 For the mystery [secret] of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 

9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 

10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 

11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 

12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness." (2 Thessalonians 2.3-12).

 

This messages reveals the "secrets" the mysteries of the love of God toward us, but this last subject deals with what we are experiencing right now in this lawlessness that has so filled our land, our courts, our halls of justice, and invading every home that does not profess Jesus Christ as Savior.  The personification of this "secret" is the "lawless one", (ἄνομος) the one who will be empowered by Satan, the Antichrist. John wrote about this individual in Revelation as did Daniel yet much is unknown about how he will come to power and operate. Therefore, a secret. What Paul revealed was what restrains (κατ�­χω) or holds back this individual. 

 

In verse 7 of the above passage, Paul reveals that there is a power that prevents the full onslaught of lawlessness and the revealing of the Anti-Christ. This power is believed by many, including myself, that this is the work of God's Holy Spirit that is residing in every born again believer's heart and will not be revealed until the Holy Spirit is removed back to pre-Pentecostal times of the fullness received. Since God said that He would never leave or forsake us and would be with us, till the end of the age, then we who have God's Holy Spirit within our spirits as a deposit of a future glorification, then when God's Holy Spirit is drawn back, so will the Church of every born again believer. The Holy Spirit will still be at work, as the scriptures surely show, but the restraint will be removed and Satan and his minions working through mankind in rebellion led by this Son of Destruction, the Anti-Christ will have full power to overcome all who remain on this earth and cause those who live to take a mark of loyalty and a sign of worship into their forehead and their right hand.

 

Remember in Part 1 of this message, I emphasized that the monster called the Anti-Christ will not be revealed until the church "is caught up" to heaven. As I mentioned, one of Paul's purposes for writing the Thessalonians was to correct a claim from a purported letter from him that they were experiencing the Day of the Lord since they were being persecuted. Paul wrote to assure them this was not the case. He declared that before that can occur the body of Christ must be removed. When that occurs God's retraining power will be removed and Satan will be free to bring his man to power. Many will die, or take a mark that will damn them to a devil's hell.

 

WHAT MUST YOU DO?

 

When we started looking at these "secrets" given to Paul, we spoke that these revelations were given to Paul when translated into the third heaven and heard with his ear and saw with his own eyes, what God had prepared for those who love Him. These truth were given to Paul to be given to the churches in Asia and to us, the end time Church, to which the scriptures were written primarily for.

 

Paul referred to these revelations as "secrets" for God had revealed none of these things to the prophets. Jesus had not revealed these truths in His earthly ministry or to the Twelve. From Paul alone do we learn the truths of Christianity: about Christ's work of our salvation, our sanctification, our rescue from a Christ-rejecting world, and our destiny. 

 

 My reader, I have witnessed to you the Mysteries "secrets" of God that were revealed by revelation through God Almighty, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to Paul the Apostle who started the Church of the Gentiles....of which you and I belong to in some fashion, or maybe you don't embrace anything of a religion, as men have given religion a bad name. There I have to agree with you. Men have perverted the Gospel, the perfect Word of God for their own power and glory. In the end, to them it's all about money. But all human beings that have a computer, or social media know about the most famous person who ever lived, Jesus Christ. Even YOU!

 

But make no mistake about one thing, even though men have perverted the Gospel and you have bought into their lawlessness and careless handling of the things of God, when it comes down to everything being revealed, the only thing that will stand undefiled and forever Holy, is God through Jesus Christ our Lord. The road to hell is paved with people, men and women who look to other fallible men and women as their example, and when they fail, as they always do, then they reject Christianity because of these "religious" teachers. There is only One clear example that anyone should follow. Jesus is our example and it is Jesus who died for your sins, no one else.

 

 When you were born, you were born for one reason and one reason only: "What will you do or not do when it comes to the Man/God known as Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God?? There stands Jesus with His arms outstretched beckoning for you to come to Him. He knocks at each of our heart's door asking to be given entrance into your life. What will your answer be?

 

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

 17 God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him, might be saved.

 

 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)

 

 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

 

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" ( Romans 3:23)

 

 I proclaim to you without shame of the Gospel that Jesus Christ is Lord, and Savior of a man or woman's soul. I preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, that lived, died, and rose again on the third day and lives forevermore...and is coming again...SOON. Today is the day of salvation, for you are not promised tomorrow. Do not neglect so great a salvation, as when Jesus does finally come back and you have not made that decision for Christ, then fear, my friend. Be in great fear.

 

 "25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.

 

 26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YETONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."

 

 27 This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

 

 28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

 

 29 for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:25-29)

 

 Are you waiting for God's redemption of your soul, or are you blinded and waiting for His righteous wrath? Don't let this opportunity pass you by..Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be save...BEHOLD, I show you a mystery.

 

 This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying for you to accept the only payment for sin and your salvation, Jesus Christ, our Lord. If you need help, counseling, prayer, or just a friendly, listening ear, drop me a line to realteam1999@sbcglobal.net ,

 

                  TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET

Rapture Ready Part 1

Rapture Ready Part 1 - Terry James - http://raptureready.com/rap16.html

 

Note: This April 22 is the fifth-year anniversary of the Good Friday trip I was given to somewhere on the perimeter of Heaven. It remains as vivid in my every waking moment today as right after it happened.

 

I wanted to again present the articles I wrote at the end of that year--2011--because I believe we are so very near the time of Christ's Call to us-- "Come up hither!" (Revelation 4:1).

 

Also, I wish to announce my just-completed book that is now being prepared for publication at New Leaf Publishing Group. Rapture Ready...Or Not: 15 Reasons This Is the Generation That Will Be Left Behind" is scheduled for release July 1, 2016.

 

I'm certain in the deepest regions of my spirit that this book is a major reason for the round trip to that other dimension on that Good Friday five years ago. I'm having considerable trouble exercising patience as this book approaches its release. I just can't wait to share it with you.

 

Without intending to attract unto myself any aggrandizement--for the Lord of Heaven is the only Person deserving such--I believe I was commissioned to deliver this message. Rapture Ready...Or Not, this generation is on the brink of God's most profound intervention into human history since the day the great Flood of Noah's day burst upon the world. Here, then, is Part I of my thoughts in December, 2011, following that April 22, 2011, Good Friday event.

 

Being prepared to meet Jesus Christ face to face--as far as trying to make that my constant state of mind is concerned--has been part of my every waking moment since Good Friday of this year. Not wishing to go over it in a public forum like this one ad nauseam, nonetheless, I've been considering the relationship between my near-death moments of April 22, and being Rapture ready, as is the thought wrapped up in our website's name. So, here goes yet again...

 

This is intended to be an exhortation for all of us who name Christ as our Lord--urging us individually and collectively to hold Him close to our spiritual hearts during this Christmas season. It is not meant to dwell upon my personal experience as an overriding point of focus. Many who read this column on a regular basis know some of the details of my heart event on Good Friday of this year. I'm often corrected by my wife, Margaret, for not calling it a heart attack. For some reason that description just doesn't register within my aging gray matter. Others have heart attacks, not me.

 

I remember thinking at the time it was occurring that this wasn't possible. The EMT working on me told the hospital dispatcher that he had a "coronary in progress." It didn't register then, either. There I was, however, being rushed toward Saline Memorial Hospital, gasping for breath, the pain behind my sternum feeling as if it would explode my chest at any second.

 

I remember arriving and the gurney being tugged toward the ER outer doors. Then, there was the computer-like blip and I was suddenly before a large heavenly throng of young, beautiful, cheering men and women. The ambience of my surroundings was dazzling, and I wanted to join them. There was no recollection whatsoever of where I had been--no memories of this planetary existence.

 

I was, the doctor later told Margaret, dead on arrival.

 

They hit me with the defibrillation paddles--yes, just like you've seen in the shows where they say "Clear!" and then apply the paddles, making the body nearly jump off the table.

 

I felt nothing, but the action did cause me to leave the place I never wanted to leave. I remembered thinking, "I want to stay here forever in this perfect place." But, everything turned dark and I awoke in total darkness on the gurney. This is because I'm blind due to a retinal disease, as many who read the account know. The pain behind the sternum grew worse and I heard the blip twice more. Each time I was before that cheering, enthusiastic throng of vibrant, young people. The sights were astonishing, colors of every description emanating from somewhere I could neither determine, nor cared to investigate. The third time I was among them, we were all racing, or being drawn by some powerful energy toward a destination I would never know. I was again in the hospital, this time on the cardiac unit's procedure table. I had again been hit with the paddles.

 

I had survived the "widow maker," an artery-blockage that I was told only 5 percent of victims live through. I was clinically dead three times, my heart having stopped each time. I had been given a journey and return trip that few are privileged to experience--and I say that meaning it as humbly as it is possible to express the fact.

 

The reasons for and meanings of this experience have been confirmed and affirmed in my spiritual understanding. I've dealt briefly with those impressions from the Holy Spirit in a previous article, "HeavenVision." God willing, there will be a more in-depth presentation on these matters in a book we have planned for release early in 2012, entitled HeavenVision: Glimpses of Glory.

 

I continue to be given insight into what it all means. As stated at the beginning of this commentary, my thoughts have been turned toward being ever ready to meet the Lord Jesus Christ face to face since that Good Friday when my heart ceased to beat those three times. One of the things constantly on my mind is that my heart could fail again at any moment.

 

My rehabilitation has been an absolutely amazing success story. And, in that regard, I thank so many of you whose prayers were obviously heard in the throne room of Heaven. I honestly haven't experienced one moment's problem, in any way, with my heart or anything else of consequence regarding my health. In fact, I was given the "Arkansas Cardiologist Association's Patient of the Year Award for 2011" on November 18. I was asked to speak to their convention and I told them that I don't know why I should be honored. All I did was survive. My Lord, Jesus Christ, deserves top honors, because He holds the keys to death and hell. I then said that they, the wonderful medical professionals, also deserve honors for being the ones God chose to put me back into this race.

 

The only problem has been cracked teeth and one crowned tooth broken completely off that resulted from being hit with the paddles those three times. Nonetheless, the thought is there that one's last heartbeat can occur at any moment.

 

Each time my heart stopped, I stood not before Jesus Christ, but in front of a cheering cloud of witnesses as given in Hebrews 12:1-3. This simply means, I have been assured in my spiritual understanding, that this wasn't really death. It was a preview I was given for reasons the Lord has determined. But, I will, when God's timing has come to fullness for my life, stand before my Lord and Savior. It will happen just as instantaneously as did my near-death trip to the fringes of glory. I am ready for that moment, because Jesus saved my soul with His work of redemption on the cross at Calvary nearly 2,000 years ago. When my heart beats that final time, I will, in the twinkling of an eye (see 1 Corinthians 15: 52), stand before Him, and will be with Him for all of eternity.

 

But, my heart has not stopped for that final time. When Christ calls all believers, living and dead, to Himself, I will, if still alive, stand instantaneously before Him just as I stood instantaneously before that cheering cloud of witnesses on Good Friday, April 22, 2011.

 

Being Rapture ready is being ready, period. It means you are prepared to meet the Lord at any moment--at all times. Every believer has the same promise--to be present with the Lord when life on earth is over.

 

"We are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight): We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

 

Next week we will go in-depth, examining details about what it means to be Rapture ready.