The Danger of Adding to Scripture
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18)
This sober warning almost at the end of the Bible was given by the glorified Lord Jesus Himself (note v. 20) so should be taken very seriously.
The Bible is not just a great book. It is The Book! Its content had been “for ever . . . settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89) but had been gradually transmitted to men on Earth through God-called prophets, whose writings were “given by inspiration of God”—that is, literally “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). “God . . . at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1).
In various ways—sometimes by direct dictation, more often by Spirit-guided research and meditation using each man’s individual style and abilities—God conveyed His message down to mankind. Finally, the New Testament was given through Paul and others “by revelation . . . revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:3, 5). John was the last of the “apostles and prophets” when he wrote Revelation (all the others had been martyred), and Christ then indicated (see text above) that nothing more could be added, not just to John’s obviously finished book of Revelation, but really to the now-completed body of inspired Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.
Those “false prophets” (Matthew 24:11) who have tried to add some new revelation to the Bible (e.g., Mohammed) need urgently to go back to the Bible alone. We need no new revelation. The Bible is more than enough for our salvation (2 Timothy 3:15, etc.) and all needed guidance until Christ returns (2 Peter 1:19). HMM
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18)
This sober warning almost at the end of the Bible was given by the glorified Lord Jesus Himself (note v. 20) so should be taken very seriously.
The Bible is not just a great book. It is The Book! Its content had been “for ever . . . settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89) but had been gradually transmitted to men on Earth through God-called prophets, whose writings were “given by inspiration of God”—that is, literally “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). “God . . . at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1).
In various ways—sometimes by direct dictation, more often by Spirit-guided research and meditation using each man’s individual style and abilities—God conveyed His message down to mankind. Finally, the New Testament was given through Paul and others “by revelation . . . revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (Ephesians 3:3, 5). John was the last of the “apostles and prophets” when he wrote Revelation (all the others had been martyred), and Christ then indicated (see text above) that nothing more could be added, not just to John’s obviously finished book of Revelation, but really to the now-completed body of inspired Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.
Those “false prophets” (Matthew 24:11) who have tried to add some new revelation to the Bible (e.g., Mohammed) need urgently to go back to the Bible alone. We need no new revelation. The Bible is more than enough for our salvation (2 Timothy 3:15, etc.) and all needed guidance until Christ returns (2 Peter 1:19). HMM
The Danger of Diluting Scripture
“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:19)
This final testimony and warning of Christ to those who profess to be His followers is a clear command not to either augment (Revelation 22:18) or dilute the inspired “words” (not just “thoughts”) of the Bible. There are many people in the various cults following some leader who thinks he or she has received some new inspired word from God. That is very unwise. But it is usually certain leaders in the mainline denominations who presumptuously either cull out or explain away those Bible verses they consider unscientific or offensive in some way. That is even more dangerous, for those whose names are not found “in the book of life” will be “cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
Whether men believe it or not, the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. It is true that any two Christians may interpret certain passages in different ways. But they won’t be too far apart if they believe the Bible to be the inerrant, understandable, inspired Word of God, especially if they really believe that God is able to say what He means. The Bible authors do occasionally use figurative language, of course, in which case any symbols are usually explained in context. When the writer clearly intends to be understood literally, as in the first chapter of Genesis for example, it is dangerous to impose some metaphorical meaning on the passage because of outside considerations. This seems to be what Paul called “handling the word of God deceitfully” (2 Corinthians 4:2) and can become a very slippery slope for those who choose that broad and easy way. It will be easier at Christ’s judgment seat to explain why we believed God than why we believed men who questioned God. HMM
“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:19)
This final testimony and warning of Christ to those who profess to be His followers is a clear command not to either augment (Revelation 22:18) or dilute the inspired “words” (not just “thoughts”) of the Bible. There are many people in the various cults following some leader who thinks he or she has received some new inspired word from God. That is very unwise. But it is usually certain leaders in the mainline denominations who presumptuously either cull out or explain away those Bible verses they consider unscientific or offensive in some way. That is even more dangerous, for those whose names are not found “in the book of life” will be “cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
Whether men believe it or not, the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. It is true that any two Christians may interpret certain passages in different ways. But they won’t be too far apart if they believe the Bible to be the inerrant, understandable, inspired Word of God, especially if they really believe that God is able to say what He means. The Bible authors do occasionally use figurative language, of course, in which case any symbols are usually explained in context. When the writer clearly intends to be understood literally, as in the first chapter of Genesis for example, it is dangerous to impose some metaphorical meaning on the passage because of outside considerations. This seems to be what Paul called “handling the word of God deceitfully” (2 Corinthians 4:2) and can become a very slippery slope for those who choose that broad and easy way. It will be easier at Christ’s judgment seat to explain why we believed God than why we believed men who questioned God. HMM
The Key to Resisting Temptation - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. -James 1:12
I often overfill the hard drive on my computer because I never throw a photograph away. I have so many pictures of my family, especially my grandkids. I keep them all. Every now and then when I'm trying to open a document, a little message pops up on the screen saying the hard drive is full. I have to empty the trash and delete a few things.
Wouldn't it be great if our minds were so full of the Word of God that when the Devil comes with his enticements, he would see a little sign that says the hard drive is full?
Temptation generally comes to us in the mind. It comes as a thought. It sort of knocks on the door of the imagination. It has been said that you can't stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can stop him from building a nest in your hair.
The key is to know the Word of God. In fact, it's a great thing to memorize the Word of God. The psalmist said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11 NKJV).
When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus responded by quoting Scripture. He occupied ground that every Christian can occupy. Jesus shows us how to resist temptation-and yes, temptation can be resisted.
The Bible says, "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him" (James 1:12 NKJV). Temptation can be resisted. The word blessed used in this verse means "happy." If you want to be a happy person, then guard your mind. Say no to temptation, and say yes to God.
Another Divine Helper
John 14:16-18Have you ever wished you had a 911 number that rang in heaven whenever you had a need? Well, I have good news for believers. We all have divine assistance that’s even closer than a phone call: our Helper dwells within us. But if we are unaware of Him, we’ll miss many opportunities to benefit from the greatest asset in our Christian life—the Holy Spirit’s presence.
Christ knew that when He left the earth, His disciples would be totally inadequate for the task He was giving them—to evangelize the world. Though they’d spent three years with Jesus, all they had seen and learned would still not sufficiently equip them for what lay ahead. They needed supernatural help, and so do we—someone who will come to our aid, empower our service, and transform us from the inside out.
The Holy Spirit is the only one who can achieve all this. Consider His qualifications:
2. He is a practical Helper who involves Himself in every aspect of our lives.
3. He is an adequate Helper because He’s omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.
4. He is an available Helper who permanently lives within us.
Do you have any need that requires more power than omnipotence? Are you facing a decision that requires more knowledge than omniscience? Nothing we encounter is bigger than the omnipresent One who lives within us. Be calm and confident. No matter what challenges you face, He can help.
Confession
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
The Bible book in which this glorious promise is given was written entirely to the saint of God, not to the unbelieving sinner.
- Confession is what saints do when they sin.
- Repentance is what sinners do before they become saints.
- Confession is agreement (identity) with the sin against God.
- Repentance is reversal (changed mind) to trust (from me to God).
Three of the gospels record the declaration of Jesus that “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17). Repentance is not an apology for specific sins, it is a heart-mind-soul turning from self-righteous sufficiency to God’s holiness. It is the lost that repent, not the saved: “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).
One day, however, “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). Far better to repent in sorrow today than confess in terror at the Judgment. HMM III
Make It as Sure as You Can
“Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.” (Matthew 27:65-66)
Pilate had endured many strange experiences leading up to the crucifixion of Christ. Both he and some close to him (v. 19) had wanted to release Him, finding no fault in Him (v. 23). But, for political expediency, willing to pacify the Jewish leaders and quell a potential riot, Pilate had agreed to the execution. But once Christ was dead and in the grave, Pilate’s troubles did not end.
Perhaps we are justified in reading a tone of sarcasm and impatience in Pilate’s words “make it as sure as you can.” What is there to fear from a dead man? Guard the tomb if you want. But just perhaps Pilate was hounded by unexplained doubts; maybe a guard could prevent the bizarre fears from becoming reality.
From our perspective, however, we can see divine irony in these words. Satan had seemingly won a great victory on the cross, for the Heir had been slain. Thus, the one act that he had to prevent was that of the actual resurrection, for all of Christ’s message depended on His victory over death.
Note the limitation in the words “as sure as you can.” How tightly sealed and well-guarded must a tomb be to contain the Creator of all things? If His purpose was to die and rise from the dead, would man’s or Satan’s efforts be able to thwart it? “As sure as you can” was surely not sure enough!
Today we know that the tomb’s sealed entrance was breached, not so much to allow Him out but to allow us to see inside. Satan’s henchmen still deny the resurrection, but their efforts are just as futile as those who tried to keep Him inside. The fact remains, He left the tomb, triumphantly offering eternal life to all who believe! JDM
The Jewels of the Lord
“And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.” (Malachi 3:17)
The jewels of the Lord are not rubies and diamonds but rather are “they that feared the LORD” and who “spake often one to another.” Instead of being mounted in a crown or other adornment as precious stones would be, these jewels will be listed in a very special book. “A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name” (v.16). What a blessing it would be if, when we get to heaven, we should find our names written in that special book of God’s memories! God does take note of our times of spiritual fellowship with other believers—especially, no doubt, when they occur during times of stress and worldly opposition.
This word (Hebrew cegullah) is not the usual word for “jewels,” more commonly being rendered “peculiar treasures.” For example, Psalm 135:4 says that “the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.” The word suggests treasure carefully guarded in a safe place. The word is translated simply “special” in Deuteronomy 7:6, “a special people unto himself.”
Note in particular Exodus 19:5-6: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.”
Peter uses the same language in writing to prepare Christians for imminent times of persecution. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). HMM
Godliness in Form Only
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” (2 Timothy 3:5)
Those with a “form of godliness” are much more difficult to recognize than those who are openly wicked. Jesus gave His most harsh criticism to the hypocritical leaders of the religious sects of His day. Jesus also warned of “false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15).
On another occasion, Jesus illustrated the challenge of identifying those who looked like God’s people but were really “tares” that the Enemy had sown among the wheat. In His parable, Jesus indicated that even the “servants of the householder” might uproot the wheat along with the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). The Corinthian church was warned about the same problem when they were told that “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).
We are strongly urged to “turn away” from these kinds of people. They have the ability to cause serious damage among the churches. They will “creep” into “houses” (a metaphor for churches—1 Timothy 3:15) and will lead “silly women” away with many different desires (2 Timothy 3:6). They will resist the truth and will have power like the magicians of Egypt who deceived Pharaoh and opposed Moses. And like those magicians, their minds are corrupt (focused on sin) and are already condemned (2 Timothy 3:8).
The good news is that they will be forcibly stopped and exposed as foolish (2 Timothy 3:9). Peter notes that they will have swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1-3) and will utterly perish in corruption (2 Peter 2:12-13). Like the magicians who produced snakes, blood for water, and frogs aplenty (Exodus 7-8), they will be unable to go any further and will be forced to say, “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19). HMM III
What lies ahead - Bill Daily - www.dailyjot.com
Over the weekend, Azios' Jonathan Swan gave Americans a peek into the Democratic Party's playbook if they are able to take control of the House of Representatives in November. He wrote of a spreadsheet originating in a senior House Republican office detailing over 100 formal requests from House Democrats for hearings, investigations, subpoenas, and sworn testimonies from the Trump White House. Because House Republicans have used their committee chairmanships to block most of these investigative requests, Swan predicts that the Trump White House would become little more than a "24/7 legal defense operation." This is all part of the coup-makers plan to undermine and obstruct the presidency.
This is, quite frankly, nothing new. The media has pounded away at this president since before he took office, working hand in hand with coup-makers in the FBI, the Democratic Party, and big technology companies. PJ Media's Paula Bolyard, after conducting an in-depth investigation, reports, for example, that Google's algorithms are 96% biased in favor of showing liberal news outlets when searching for news about President Trump. She concludes: "With all the talk and hand-wringing about fake news and bad foreign actors using social media outlets to attempt to manipulate election results, far too little attention has been paid to power brokers like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube and their ability--and perhaps even desire--to manipulate public opinion and shape the world into their own Silicon Valley image."
These are the houses of lies that shape what lies ahead for our nation. Truth has fallen in the street and deception is in the air we breathe. Can you see what is happening to free speech and, with it, freedom of religion, in this country? The more lies that are told, the more they are perceived as truth. The burden of truth can only come from the origin of truth. Truth is needed to resist this juggernaut of a takeover of America and a destruction of our Republic. Aside from being a good citizen of the original American Revolution, you must be above all a good citizen of the Kingdom of God. We must convey the gift of hope and salvation. Boldly speak truth in love. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. What more?
2 Corinthians 4:8-11 says, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." Verse 6 says, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." I also love 1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." May we be such.
Daily Devotion: "Forgive Us Our Sins" - By Greg Laurie -
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. -Psalm 66:18
I've noticed that whenever I wear light-colored pants, I tend to spill on myself more often. What I've realized, however, is that I'm always spilling on myself. I just don't see the stains because I usually wear dark jeans.
The same can be true of our lives. I think we sin more than we think we do. There are sins of commission and sins of omission. A sin of commission, of course, is doing what we shouldn't do. A sin of omission is not doing what we should do.
That's why it's a good thing to pray on a regular basis (or maybe even a daily or hourly basis), "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us" (Matthew 6:12 NLT). Start there. Admit your sin. Don't make excuses for it. Own it. Repent of it. That establishes communication with your Father in Heaven.
The prophet Isaiah said, "The Lord's arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It's your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore" (Isaiah 59:1-2 NLT). The psalmist wrote, "If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened" (66:18 NLT).
If we don't confess our sins, it's like hanging up on God. There still may be a relationship, but our fellowship and communication with Him are temporarily severed.
Maybe you're thinking, "I don't know whether I have any sins to confess." If you spend any time in God's presence, you will be immediately aware of how much you're in need of God's forgiveness. The more we see God in His glory, the more we'll see ourselves in our sinfulness.
"Deliver Us from the Evil One" - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
"And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." -Matthew 6:13
I once saw a bumper sticker that read, "Lead me not into temptation. . . . I can find it myself."
That is precisely the problem. We unnecessarily put ourselves in situations where we're vulnerable to temptation. We all know where our weaknesses are. We all know where we could easily fall.
In what is known as the Lord's Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:13 NKJV). We're effectively saying to God, "Don't put me in a place where there is more than I can handle. Lord, help me not to be tempted above my capacity to resist."
Here's the good news. The Bible tells us, "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV). Loosely paraphrased, it means that God won't give us more than we can take. Temptations are out there, but as much as possible, we are to steer clear of them.
We make things very difficult for ourselves when we hang out with the wrong people in the wrong places, which ultimately can lead to our doing the wrong things. Here's the thing you need to know about temptation: it's tempting. The devil has been tempting people for a long time, and he's pretty adept at it.
Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. And if Jesus was tempted, then surely we will be tempted as well. Temptation will come our way. And when it does, the best place for us to be is in the will of God. The best place to be is walking with the Lord.
Leadership Preparation
�Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.� (Exodus 3:10) Moses was 80 years old when God issued this official call for him to lead Israel out of slavery and head up a new nation. Many people had been used by God to prepare Moses for that moment�including a wicked Pharaoh who �knew not Joseph� (Exodus 1:8) and who set awful taskmasters over Israel to keep them subjugated (Exodus 1:10-11). When that failed to contain them, Pharaoh ordered the Hebrew midwives to kill all male newborns, but Shiphrah and Puah (the �bosses� of the midwives) refused, lied to Pharaoh, and allowed the nation to grow �very mighty� (Exodus 1:20). Moses� mother, Jochebed, made special provisions to save him, caring for him secretly at home for three months (Exodus 2:2). When that was no longer possible, she prepared an �ark� and put Moses in the reeds with his sister, Miriam, to watch over him (Exodus 2:3-4). The daughter of Pharaoh �had compassion� on Moses and accepted Miriam�s offer to find a Hebrew woman to nurse him. Jochebed was given the task until he was taken into Pharaoh�s house (Exodus 2:5-10), where he was educated by the greatest empire on Earth at that time. All of that and every one of these people were involved in preparing Moses for his leadership role. Even the evil Pharaoh and the awful condition of the Israelites were part of the human drama God used to bring about the exodus of Israel. We may not be privileged to see God�s plan unfolding in our lives, but be sure that �he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love� (Ephesians 1:4). HMM III |
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