Hello there, let me explain to you the Lord's prayer, in which was given to us from God for a reason. I find when I need to just pray to God, I pray this prayer. I would say it every day, every night before I fall asleep I say this one, because Jesus gave it to us and said.. pray it, it will save you. So I believe and I do. Anyone can just say it, or pray it, but you should know what you are praying for ok. This was given to us, not to just rhyme it off or chant it like some magic would force God to do what we want him to do.. no way. Its meant to teach us something about God and about praying and about our need.
Briefly I will tell you this. God created everything, bottom line. No matter what others have told you, they only tell you things so that you wont believe. Giving birth was a true miracle. God gave me children, and I'm thankful. God does this, there is no other explanation. Even Scientists can't explain us, our DNA, our individualness, our existence. Unexplanable, unless you believe that there is a more powerful force out there that is controlling our very existence. There has been so many witnesses in the past. In the past, it was a messed up world. No body was listening or paying attention to God, the Almighty that gave us life. They thought better and wouldn't play by the rules. So God said. SO BE IT, And Jesus came. Many people witnessed all his miracles, he healed the sick, he healed the blind, he actually brought people back from the dead, after being dead for 4 days, he said. get up and live!.. and there were many witnesses, and they all ran home and wrote it down cause it was the most amazing thing they had ever seen. Can you imagine witnessing such an event, like wow. So with all these miracles, then he said. Ok, for you to believe, I will actually die, a brutal death and I will come back again, just so that you will believe that there is something bigger out there, bigger than all of us - God! and he did that too, he came back, he ate with people, he talked with people and made his existence very known to many witnesses here on earth, and guess what, they ran home to write this all down because this was HUGE. This was carried on for years and years, that is what is in the New Testament, everything Jesus did to make us believe in God and to praise that we even live on this earth and that there is more to come that is even better. All we need to do is love one another and believe its coming, how easy is that. Now tell me, who in their right mind would be tortured, beaten, threatened, killed for no reason at all - to just tell us.... Hey, there is something better coming down the line? Even the people that wanted to pass the good news along to others, they were put in jail, starved, beaten, you name it.. so don't you think they would have caved in to save themselves instead of standing strong and saying. Nope,I was there and I saw it! I know what is coming, so if you want to beat me and harass me and kill me, then so be it, cause I was there. I seen it. Many, many people stood their ground and to this day, that same word is being passed on to all of us. ONLY if you want it, if you dont, then go ahead, go on with your life as you are but, no eternal life if you do not believe. I want to explain the most important prayer in the world to you ok, so be patient as we say it.
Our Father who art in heaven..
With these words you should recognize that you are praying to the Almighty God.. The creator.. the maker of everything. He is in heaven. He is our loving heavenly father, and if we all had normal fathers we would understand true love and respect. but like many people, we did not have that role model in our lives. We do have a father tho, the best father .. God Almighty, and we should approach Him with love and respect. He gave us life! We should be thankful and understand who God is, so that when we pray Our Father who art in Heaven, we are praying to God and we know him and know where he is. Jesus told us to pray to God the father, just like he did..
Hallowed be Your name
hmmm what is that? Its not a word that we use now a days that is for sure, but you can't change what God has taught us, so if we don't use the word Hallow anymore then I think its a good idea to find out what it means. Hallow means "to bow down" or to make holy. So when we say Hallow be your name, what we are praying is...... " show us how holy and perfect and different from us you are! This line in this prayer is really an extension of the opening of the prayer, acknowledging that God is our Father in Heaven. You have to realize that God loves us and listens to us, recognize his holiness in the Hallow be your name, this is also where you never use the Lords name in Vain.. ever. He is holy and his name should only be used in a holy context. God is not our buddy who we can ask for things and expect results right away. You have to earn his trust, same as you do with anyone. He loves you, but you have to earn what he has given you, by trusting God knows what he is doing.
Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven..
Well.. God is King - he is in charge of everything, bottom line. Hey even atheists pray when their loves ones are in terrible trouble. That is because there is just something inside of us that tells us God is in control, and if you read the bible time and time again it affirms that idea. The word will means the same as desire. So when you are praying for God's will to be done, we are praying for all that God desires to be done. So if you pray but refuse to acknowledge God's authority (your will be done) then we are only deceiving ourselves and we are not really praying the way Jesus taught us to pray. Many, many people pray this prayer ever day and obey God's will for them. Then you see that God's kingdom is made increasingly evident to the unbelieving world around us. So what God wants or desires or wills for us is to be good here on earth, as we all will be someday in heaven. His desire is all good. This line actually means I wish that your kingdom in heaven, was here on earth. (which in time it will be)
Give us this day our daily bread
.. this actually means God provides. He does not give us everything we ask for, but he gives us everything we need. God takes care of all of us, the believers, ask me about Manna someday. Give us our daily bread is a reminder that God is the Only One who is our provider and support in this life here, not ourselves, the other people in our lives or any other thing in this world. He will look after us and provide if we believe. Only if we believe tho.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
God is the only one that can forgive sin, bottom line. Same as forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. God is simply asking all of us to be willing to forgive all the people who ever sinned against us in this life and if we do, then He will be willing to forgive us for our sins. But big thing is, you cannot receive forgiveness if you don't admit that you need it!
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil
Well pretty easy I would think. Confessing your sins in prayer is really really important, it is between you, and God - you have to repent.. and repenting means. God, I am sorry and I really really mean it. You can think of repentance as doing an about face. imagine you are walking one way, then you stop and turn around and start walking in the opposite direction that you were walking in before. that is what repentance is like. When we confess our sin to God we are admitting our need to be forgiven and that we dishonoured God. Confession is great, makes you feel good, cause you have finally owned up, but.. if you do not repent.,then guess what, you are doomed to repeat it again. Praying this part of the Lords prayer is actually saying to God. I know that I have sinned and this does not honour you and its not what you want or desire from me. You are asking God to help you be a blessing rather than a discouragement. Its important to realize we cannot escape temptation on our own, no matter how good we are, or how much self control we have. So this part of the Lord's prayer when we say it is saying, help us not be tempted by all the evil that surrounds us.
Amen
what a powerful word this is, when you say Amen. We are declaring that we truly believe that God has heard everything we have said and then He will do it. Amen means I believe.
The relationship you have with God is between you and God, no one else. He knows what is in your heart, so open yourself up, and you will see that you want to be apart of this exciting event that is coming. It only comes if you pray for it and mean it, so try it.. might see some very positive changes in your life, worked for me. I was in a very dark hole and had no idea how to get out, and waaaalaaaa. Im here, blessed and making God #1 in my life, its all good. Keep it close by and say the prayer that we all say to bring us peace.
I want you with me when we are all in heaven.. dont let Satan control your life, cause there is nothing more he would love than for you to not believe and be on his side, which is the wrong side in the end.. Satan loses........ honest.. I know.. I read the book, you should too!
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
End times
1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament, for a total of 1,817
This world can often feel like a dark place. Sometimes it’s hard to see light and hope in the midst of all the suffering and pain we see around us. Constant media headlines reveal the deep struggle, the pain, and brokenness so many have known.
God's promises are true and He is faithful to bring them all to pass. Every single one. Jesus gives us eternal hope, rooted in Him, the promise of heaven, and the reminder that He will come again.
Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll shares these known facts from the Bible:
· One out of every 30 verses in the Bible mentions the subject of Christ's return or the end of time.
· Of the 216 chapters in the New Testament, there are well over 300 references to the return of Christ.
· 23 of the 27 New Testament books mention Christ's return.
· In the Old Testament, such well-known and reliable men of God as Job, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, as well as most of the minor prophets mention Christ's return in their writings.
Instead of fearing the end times, or battling uncertainty over future events, simply knowing God’s word will give us power to live out our days with the understanding and wisdom that He is still at work, even when difficult things surround us.
Ok, I’m not a big end times buff. I say instead of waiting for the rapture to happen, let’s go get us some more souls to get raptured whenever that event happens–which I believe is after the tribulation, but if you disagree with me and I’m wrong, then that means I’m going home earlier than I thought - bonus. However, If I’m right and pre-trib rapture is wrong…then let me just say it’s safer to be wrong about my position! I think that the pre trib rapture is taught because it makes it easier. I look at as .. so what, God is going to protect his children no matter what. Jesus is coming again, no matter what or when.
He hasn’t lost control, not ever.
12 Scriptures that Remind Us, Jesus Is Coming Again: Don't believe me, look em up yourself.
1. Mark 13:24-27
“But in those days, following that distress, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.”
2. Acts 1:11
"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
3. Matthew 24:36
"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
4. 1 Thessalonians 5:2
“…for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
5. 1 Corinthians 15:52
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”
6. Luke 21:25-28
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
7. John 14:1-3
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
8. Hebrews 9:28
“So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
9. Matthew 24:27
“For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
10. Revelation 19:12-16
“His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
11. Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.”
12. Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
And as believers, we can have a deep confidence, an anchor of hope, that the world may not always understand…for we know that this life isn’t all there is. God has more in store, still to come. And it’s greater than we could ever imagine. Take heart, stay strong, He is with us, and He will surely come again!
If you find yourself reading this today, and don’t know for sure if you’re a believer or have never made the choice to give your life to Christ, don’t waste another moment. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Heaven is real and so is hell. He gives us the choice, for how we want to live, and for what we choose to live for. Jesus loves you and gave his life for you, He longs to bring you freedom and forgiveness from the sin you have battled, and He promises to restore and renew your life. Just talk to Him today, like you would a friend, ask Him to forgive you for the sin and wrong in your own life, for choosing to go your own way. Acknowledge that He died for you on the cross, taking your sin and shame, so that you wouldn’t have to. Confess that He alone is Lord and Savior, and that He rose again and lives today. Thank Him for new life, for forgiveness, and for purpose and hope. Know that you are never alone. He promises to be with you always and gives the eternal security that nothing in this world could ever offer. Peace.
John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10
This world can often feel like a dark place. Sometimes it’s hard to see light and hope in the midst of all the suffering and pain we see around us. Constant media headlines reveal the deep struggle, the pain, and brokenness so many have known.
God's promises are true and He is faithful to bring them all to pass. Every single one. Jesus gives us eternal hope, rooted in Him, the promise of heaven, and the reminder that He will come again.
Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll shares these known facts from the Bible:
· One out of every 30 verses in the Bible mentions the subject of Christ's return or the end of time.
· Of the 216 chapters in the New Testament, there are well over 300 references to the return of Christ.
· 23 of the 27 New Testament books mention Christ's return.
· In the Old Testament, such well-known and reliable men of God as Job, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, as well as most of the minor prophets mention Christ's return in their writings.
Instead of fearing the end times, or battling uncertainty over future events, simply knowing God’s word will give us power to live out our days with the understanding and wisdom that He is still at work, even when difficult things surround us.
Ok, I’m not a big end times buff. I say instead of waiting for the rapture to happen, let’s go get us some more souls to get raptured whenever that event happens–which I believe is after the tribulation, but if you disagree with me and I’m wrong, then that means I’m going home earlier than I thought - bonus. However, If I’m right and pre-trib rapture is wrong…then let me just say it’s safer to be wrong about my position! I think that the pre trib rapture is taught because it makes it easier. I look at as .. so what, God is going to protect his children no matter what. Jesus is coming again, no matter what or when.
He hasn’t lost control, not ever.
12 Scriptures that Remind Us, Jesus Is Coming Again: Don't believe me, look em up yourself.
1. Mark 13:24-27
“But in those days, following that distress, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.”
2. Acts 1:11
"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
3. Matthew 24:36
"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
4. 1 Thessalonians 5:2
“…for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
5. 1 Corinthians 15:52
“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”
6. Luke 21:25-28
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
7. John 14:1-3
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
8. Hebrews 9:28
“So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
9. Matthew 24:27
“For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
10. Revelation 19:12-16
“His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
11. Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.”
12. Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
And as believers, we can have a deep confidence, an anchor of hope, that the world may not always understand…for we know that this life isn’t all there is. God has more in store, still to come. And it’s greater than we could ever imagine. Take heart, stay strong, He is with us, and He will surely come again!
If you find yourself reading this today, and don’t know for sure if you’re a believer or have never made the choice to give your life to Christ, don’t waste another moment. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Heaven is real and so is hell. He gives us the choice, for how we want to live, and for what we choose to live for. Jesus loves you and gave his life for you, He longs to bring you freedom and forgiveness from the sin you have battled, and He promises to restore and renew your life. Just talk to Him today, like you would a friend, ask Him to forgive you for the sin and wrong in your own life, for choosing to go your own way. Acknowledge that He died for you on the cross, taking your sin and shame, so that you wouldn’t have to. Confess that He alone is Lord and Savior, and that He rose again and lives today. Thank Him for new life, for forgiveness, and for purpose and hope. Know that you are never alone. He promises to be with you always and gives the eternal security that nothing in this world could ever offer. Peace.
John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Lets review
Ok.. lets review and look at what the bible is all about. Just for a minute. The word bible means book. Its important that we recognise that the bible is God's book is for us. Its like a manufacturers handbook that instructs us how to operate our lives. There is an Old Testament and a New Testament. The word testament refers to a covenant or an agreement. This agreement is between God and the Isrealites. It is pretty simple. What God has promised with this covenant or agreement, is that the Jews were to be God’s special people and they are to be obedient to Him, and Him only, and in return God would bless them. He would be there for them. But when you read the Old Testament, you realize, .. there are few people that listen to God. They repeatedly disobey God. It all starts off with the beginning, how God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit all together put this little ol world together for us. Prior to us, God created the angels and among these angels was Lucifer. Lucifer was the smartest, the most beautiful, the highest of all angels, created by God. Now, he got his nose outta joint and wanted to be equal to God. Well there is only one Almighty God. Only one Creator, And this is where all the trouble begins. God is in Heaven, or no, God is Heaven, and with Lucifer or satan turning against God. God was not happy and satan was then casted down to the earth. And he is still here.. the fight still is on. satan is in power here on this earth. Many people follow the ways of satan, and the ambition of satan is; get as many as you can. He is working hard to turn people away from God in anyway you can imagine possible. It is happening every day. Just stop for one minute and think about that, something that is going on around you that is evil or bad or not normal. Who do you think is behind all that. satan. God is all good, God did not create this earth for people to be nasty and crazy and impatient and evil. That is not God’s way. God is love, God is all the good things, all the wonderful things you experience in life. That is God, all the nasties, that is satan. So right from the beginning satan is at it. He is in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, and right from there, he is tempting them to turn against God. Come on.. have the apple. Its good.. it will make you smart.. come on.. its easy.. just take it and taste it you will see.. its all good.. you will be smarter than God... That is evil at work. So the trust is broken with God and Adam. They didn’t obey. That is all they had to do and life would have been a bed of roses, but oh no. That fight is on, no matter who you are. So off life goes, and you have to read from the very beginning of the bible to get the whole picture, this is God’s word. The Almighty, the one who wins in the end. The reason the bible was written is so that we would know what God expects from us, how else are we to know. So back in the day. God spoke to people. He came to them in a vision, he came to them in a dream, he sent his angels to do his work too. Read it you will then know..So he talks, and he tests, and he expects people to follow, cause look at what God has given us. The Bible is like an eyeglass. without that eyeglass we do not see clearly. We only see a blurred reality. But with with that eyeglass, all comes into clear focus. We see God as He really is.
Right from the very beginning, every single thing you touch or use or eat was made by God. Think about it. No ponder on that one... So God talks to Abraham, he is the start of it all. He says to Abraham. Come with me, follow me and I will give you decendents that will grow into a great nation that will be as numberless as the stars. That means all us people.. Abraham started it all through God. God promised Abraham that this nation he would build, like that being us, would bring blessings to all nations. Abraham did wrong things, like humans do.. we all do.. he went on to have children, and those children were honored by God. They were the beginning of all nations, and believe me, they did wrong things too. If you read about how they lived their lives and where they came from you will see, they were just like us, not perfect.. The story of Abrahams family is an great story, of how we all came, how the tribes became a part of our lives, etc. Then comes Moses, he was chosen by God to give us some laws to follow since no one really knew what rules to follow. They were not nice back then, lots of evil seeping into peoples lives. That was people that were following the ways of satan. Satan is pretty good at making people follow other gods, and doing what they want, and living lives as if they had nothing else to live for….. blah. So, Moses comes into the picture, and God speaks with Moses, he gives him all the knowledge and power he needs to set things straight. And there was a lot to fix at this point, people really had hearts of stone, they really didn’t know any better. But they still saw the things that Moses did for them through God. He freed them from slavery and gave them other options on living God’s way instead of satan’s way. Moses was a special prophet, he was here to help us and it worked for awhile, but then after he died. Everyone went back to the same ol same ol, they had no direction. They complained about following God and found it was too hard to do. So then Judges marched on in and started ruling these people, well that was a disaster. Satan was working real hard time on these people and it was actually working. satan musta been clapping his hands back in the day of Judges, cause everything was a mess. Some good still hung around, but not enough to change people. They still went on about their lives as if there was no consequences. So, then the people complained again. Oh poor us, we need a King instead of Judges. So God said through Samuel, another prophet.. OK.. Kings they want, Kings they will get.. but it wont work. The Kings were really bad, few good, lots bad. God always made sure there were prophets around to help them and teach them that they had to live by God’s rules and these prophets, showed them that God was with them. They would tell them what was coming down the road, and when a prophet told you something was going to happen.. it happened, because they were in touch with God. With the Kings, there was one very good King who was very much in tune with God. Don’t think he didn’t do wrong too. He did big time, but he knew he did wrong and then he changed his ways. God loves that. King David was the King that loved God so much he would write poems, and songs, and psalms about how great God was and in his writings, by the hand of God, there is lots to be learned from them.. After King David, and his son Solomon, there really were not a whole lot of good Kings. Even Solomon, who was the richest and wisest of all kings, well, he did lots of things wrong, but in the end, he knew he was wrong and he was sorry for all that he did. So off we go, there are other prophets with messages of what is to come and some real important messages, ya gotta read about the prophets to understand what God’s game plan for us humans here on His earth. Like Daniel, and Isaiah, and many more.. these prophets began to talk about what was to come, a new convenant. That was the big thing, a new covenant with God that would change human’s hearts and it would be so good that it would make way for us sinners to receive forgiveness of all the sins we were doing. Most of the minor prophets are talking about what is to come ...there is a total of 39 books to read. All history, all God’s word and how satan tried time and time again to interfere and take over.. its all there.. along with God’s game plan.
Now comes the New Testament.. no one has heard from God in like 400 years!.. so its been a long time coming.. but the followers are still passing the word along.. waiting for this new Messiah to come along and clean things up.. After 400 years of being quiet tho, satan can do a lot of damage in 400 years. Its like God is letting the people fend for themselves to see what they will do. And there are still Christians living by Moses law, following them and passing them along. But they are using the laws for their own good, not God’s good. They just plain ol don’t get it. There are 27 books to read in the New Testament. They say it is written over a 50 year period with many authors. And the focus is all about Jesus.. and how to get salvation. This is all based on the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was focused on God and the Isrealites and was all about the law.. Now the New Covenant focuses on grace and on the foregiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. You can live forever in peace if you just pay attention. This is what God has been working up to.. it is His plan.. and He has passed it onto prophets in the Old Testament.. its all there.. Years and years before Christ came, it was foretold in the old testament… So the first four books in the New Testament are the Gospels.. these are all written by witnesses to Jesus’s life here on earth.. and they are an account of the life of Christ. Of course they cant account for everything.. but the main points are all there. You can pretty much get the picture of Jesus’s life here when you read them. Let me just account the last days of Jesus’s life for you.. read it.. its all there.. Put yourself in his position.. well you cant.. but just feel what Jesus went through for us little humans here on earth.. it was all in God’s plan.. He told the prophets about it many years ago. Now Jesus was living it and fulfilling all these prophecies. I have a new bracelet that was given to me at a meeting. It has John 3 16.. which is …….. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life………. Never forget that ok. Read what Jesus went through for us! Read this, it is powerful.
He knelt praying in the middle of the night in a garden where He and His friends often went. He had told His friends “Pray that you don’t fall into temptation” His prayer was, “Father, if You are willing, let this cup pass from Me. But if this must happen, I will obey Your will” And then he prayed more earnestly. His sweat became as great drops of blood falling to the ground.
Soon soldiers came to take Him. He was betrayed by a best friend into their hands. The gospel of John tells us that the guards asked for “Jesus of Nazareth” When He answered, “I am He” they were knocked to the ground by the power of His confession. Peter, another friend, tried to rescue Him by attacking one of the high priest’s servants and cutting off his ear. But Jesus rebuked Peter for his actions, healed the servant’s ear and submitted Himself to the soldiers. He could have easily escaped, but He chose to be obedient to his Father’s will.
He was taken before the high priest, where He was questioned and beaten. Then He was sent before the local governor to be tried. The priests demanded that He be crucified because He had declared He was the Son of God. He was questioned again, but the governor could not find guilt in Him. Still, the others called for His crucifixion. The governor sent Him out to be whipped, hoping to appease the priests.. Thinking that would make them happy.
The rest of the morning He was whipped and beaten beyond recognition. A robe was placed over His bleeding back, left until the lacerations dried to the cloth, and then it was ripped from His shoulders, reopening all of the wounds. Then they draped it over Him to begin the process again. They mocked Him as king of the Jews and made a crown of one-inch thorns forcing it onto His head until the blood covered His face.
Again He was brought before the governor. This time he didn’t ask the Pharisees and Sadduces, but he put it to the people, hoping they would show mercy on this innocent man. But the crowd called back, “Crucify Him~ crucify Him!”. The governor washed his hands of the matter and turned Jesus of Nazareth over to the Roman guards for execution.
Jesus bore the weight of His own cross upon the torn flesh of His back and shoulders as He stumbled up the hill outside of the city. He was then nailed to the cross, raised up for all to see, and left there to die. The book of Matthew tells us He could have called twelve legions of angels to free Himself, but He didn’t. He knew His sacrifice would pay the price for all mankind to be set free from sin and have the right to stand with God.
He was buried in a borrowed tomb, but didn’t stay there long. On the third day He was resurrected from the dead, the keys of hell and death in His hands. He had paved the way for us to be born again, to become children of God, and to live forever with Him.
Immediately following His death, His friends and disciples were greatly afraid and hid. But after His resurrection, Jesus came and visited them, comforting and encouraging them. After He ascended to heaven, on the day of Pentacost, He gave them the Holy Spirit. A new boldness rose up within them. Jerusalem saw them convert three thousand on the first day. Then they spread to the corners of the earth to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, no longer afraid. Every one of them except John was executed for proclaiming the name of Jesus. The never denied His name again. This is the story told in the Gospels. Following the Gospels is the book of Acts. It’s a great book.. it focuses on how Christianity spread following the death and resurrection of Jesus. You will find that the disciples are now totally trying to spread the word.. it is their job. That is what Jesus was here for.. to show them, and now it is their job to spread the word.. that is all in the gospels.. they tell it like it was.. they were beaten, thrown in jail, made fun of, tortured all to their death.. because they were witnesses of the most incredible journey ever lived. All but one.. John lived to tell us the last book in the bible.. Revelation. They had help tho.. from Mark and Luke.. who were witnesses to everything Jesus did.. and also Paul. Paul was amazing.. considering that he was already established in life.. was a priest and knew it all.. He was out to get every Christian alive and destroy them spreading the word.. He was given permission to get rid of them all.. So off he goes to Damascus to round them all up. And on his way.. something happened.. something amazing… He was confronted by Jesus.. he saw the light.. and Jesus says to him..Paul.. why do you want to persecute Me? And then Paul is temporarily blinded, and was lead into Damascus blind by the people who were with him.. for three days he sat there.. blinded.. and converted to say the least.. when he was confronted by someone (Ananias) and he restored his eye sight.. Paul was chosen to bring the word to the gentiles and the kings…he immediately started preaching the word.. and continued to do so for the rest of his living days. In the New testament, he is in jail most of the time.. writing letters to the churches (the people) and trying to get them on board with God. And it works.. he has personally spread the good news to all men.. It tells you how we should be living our lives and what we are to do to receive salvation.. eternal life. Many lessons can be learned and should be learned in reading Paul’s letters and understanding what God wants from us. Its all there.. every question you ever had.. You can find there.. in Paul’s words. And Paul never takes credit for all this.. these are God’s words.. not his.. so pay attention. He is the messenger. Then we hear from Peter, and John and Jude.. and others.. all saying pretty much the same thing.. They were there.. they witnesses all this and want you to know.. In the end.. John is told everything we need to know about the end times.. this is not scary stuff if you have read the entire bible.. you will understand, and you will also recognize that many of what is coming has already been told by other prophets.. Its not going to be difficult for any Christian.. All Christians believe that God will save them and what is to come will be much better than anything we have experienced here on earth.. all we need to do is know what is coming, read God’s letter or the bible to us and prepare ourselves for when Jesus will come again. It is pretty simple.. its not difficult.. anyone can read it and when you do.. you will see a change come over you.. you will say to yourself.. I got it.. and you will fight to save it for the rest of your life. Because its true.. and you will see.. we will all get to see, and we will all get to make our own decisions. Lets just hope that it’s the right decision. God is the Creator, God is the Almighty, God is our Father, and God loves us. Its all there.. plain and simple. We are not to overlook one thing.. It is all written down and passed on for a reason.. so that we can live together in love forever. And if you read it.. you will be blessed.. promise..
Omnipotence means all-powerful. Monotheistic theologians regard God as having supreme power. This means God can do what he wants. It means he is not subject to physical limitations like man is. Being omnipotent, God has power over wind, water, gravity, physics, etc. God's power is infinite, or limitless.
Omniscience means all-knowing. God is all all-knowing in the sense that he is aware of the past, present, and future. Nothing takes him by surprise. His knowledge is total. He knows all that there is to know and all that can be known.
Omnipresence means all-present. This term means that God is capable of being everywhere at the same time. It means his divine presence encompasses the whole of the universe. There is no location where he does not inhabit. This should not be confused with pantheism, which suggests that God is synonymous with the universe itself; instead, omnipresence indicates that God is distinct from the universe, but inhabits the entirety of it. He is everywhere at once.
Right from the very beginning, every single thing you touch or use or eat was made by God. Think about it. No ponder on that one... So God talks to Abraham, he is the start of it all. He says to Abraham. Come with me, follow me and I will give you decendents that will grow into a great nation that will be as numberless as the stars. That means all us people.. Abraham started it all through God. God promised Abraham that this nation he would build, like that being us, would bring blessings to all nations. Abraham did wrong things, like humans do.. we all do.. he went on to have children, and those children were honored by God. They were the beginning of all nations, and believe me, they did wrong things too. If you read about how they lived their lives and where they came from you will see, they were just like us, not perfect.. The story of Abrahams family is an great story, of how we all came, how the tribes became a part of our lives, etc. Then comes Moses, he was chosen by God to give us some laws to follow since no one really knew what rules to follow. They were not nice back then, lots of evil seeping into peoples lives. That was people that were following the ways of satan. Satan is pretty good at making people follow other gods, and doing what they want, and living lives as if they had nothing else to live for….. blah. So, Moses comes into the picture, and God speaks with Moses, he gives him all the knowledge and power he needs to set things straight. And there was a lot to fix at this point, people really had hearts of stone, they really didn’t know any better. But they still saw the things that Moses did for them through God. He freed them from slavery and gave them other options on living God’s way instead of satan’s way. Moses was a special prophet, he was here to help us and it worked for awhile, but then after he died. Everyone went back to the same ol same ol, they had no direction. They complained about following God and found it was too hard to do. So then Judges marched on in and started ruling these people, well that was a disaster. Satan was working real hard time on these people and it was actually working. satan musta been clapping his hands back in the day of Judges, cause everything was a mess. Some good still hung around, but not enough to change people. They still went on about their lives as if there was no consequences. So, then the people complained again. Oh poor us, we need a King instead of Judges. So God said through Samuel, another prophet.. OK.. Kings they want, Kings they will get.. but it wont work. The Kings were really bad, few good, lots bad. God always made sure there were prophets around to help them and teach them that they had to live by God’s rules and these prophets, showed them that God was with them. They would tell them what was coming down the road, and when a prophet told you something was going to happen.. it happened, because they were in touch with God. With the Kings, there was one very good King who was very much in tune with God. Don’t think he didn’t do wrong too. He did big time, but he knew he did wrong and then he changed his ways. God loves that. King David was the King that loved God so much he would write poems, and songs, and psalms about how great God was and in his writings, by the hand of God, there is lots to be learned from them.. After King David, and his son Solomon, there really were not a whole lot of good Kings. Even Solomon, who was the richest and wisest of all kings, well, he did lots of things wrong, but in the end, he knew he was wrong and he was sorry for all that he did. So off we go, there are other prophets with messages of what is to come and some real important messages, ya gotta read about the prophets to understand what God’s game plan for us humans here on His earth. Like Daniel, and Isaiah, and many more.. these prophets began to talk about what was to come, a new convenant. That was the big thing, a new covenant with God that would change human’s hearts and it would be so good that it would make way for us sinners to receive forgiveness of all the sins we were doing. Most of the minor prophets are talking about what is to come ...there is a total of 39 books to read. All history, all God’s word and how satan tried time and time again to interfere and take over.. its all there.. along with God’s game plan.
Now comes the New Testament.. no one has heard from God in like 400 years!.. so its been a long time coming.. but the followers are still passing the word along.. waiting for this new Messiah to come along and clean things up.. After 400 years of being quiet tho, satan can do a lot of damage in 400 years. Its like God is letting the people fend for themselves to see what they will do. And there are still Christians living by Moses law, following them and passing them along. But they are using the laws for their own good, not God’s good. They just plain ol don’t get it. There are 27 books to read in the New Testament. They say it is written over a 50 year period with many authors. And the focus is all about Jesus.. and how to get salvation. This is all based on the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was focused on God and the Isrealites and was all about the law.. Now the New Covenant focuses on grace and on the foregiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. You can live forever in peace if you just pay attention. This is what God has been working up to.. it is His plan.. and He has passed it onto prophets in the Old Testament.. its all there.. Years and years before Christ came, it was foretold in the old testament… So the first four books in the New Testament are the Gospels.. these are all written by witnesses to Jesus’s life here on earth.. and they are an account of the life of Christ. Of course they cant account for everything.. but the main points are all there. You can pretty much get the picture of Jesus’s life here when you read them. Let me just account the last days of Jesus’s life for you.. read it.. its all there.. Put yourself in his position.. well you cant.. but just feel what Jesus went through for us little humans here on earth.. it was all in God’s plan.. He told the prophets about it many years ago. Now Jesus was living it and fulfilling all these prophecies. I have a new bracelet that was given to me at a meeting. It has John 3 16.. which is …….. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life………. Never forget that ok. Read what Jesus went through for us! Read this, it is powerful.
He knelt praying in the middle of the night in a garden where He and His friends often went. He had told His friends “Pray that you don’t fall into temptation” His prayer was, “Father, if You are willing, let this cup pass from Me. But if this must happen, I will obey Your will” And then he prayed more earnestly. His sweat became as great drops of blood falling to the ground.
Soon soldiers came to take Him. He was betrayed by a best friend into their hands. The gospel of John tells us that the guards asked for “Jesus of Nazareth” When He answered, “I am He” they were knocked to the ground by the power of His confession. Peter, another friend, tried to rescue Him by attacking one of the high priest’s servants and cutting off his ear. But Jesus rebuked Peter for his actions, healed the servant’s ear and submitted Himself to the soldiers. He could have easily escaped, but He chose to be obedient to his Father’s will.
He was taken before the high priest, where He was questioned and beaten. Then He was sent before the local governor to be tried. The priests demanded that He be crucified because He had declared He was the Son of God. He was questioned again, but the governor could not find guilt in Him. Still, the others called for His crucifixion. The governor sent Him out to be whipped, hoping to appease the priests.. Thinking that would make them happy.
The rest of the morning He was whipped and beaten beyond recognition. A robe was placed over His bleeding back, left until the lacerations dried to the cloth, and then it was ripped from His shoulders, reopening all of the wounds. Then they draped it over Him to begin the process again. They mocked Him as king of the Jews and made a crown of one-inch thorns forcing it onto His head until the blood covered His face.
Again He was brought before the governor. This time he didn’t ask the Pharisees and Sadduces, but he put it to the people, hoping they would show mercy on this innocent man. But the crowd called back, “Crucify Him~ crucify Him!”. The governor washed his hands of the matter and turned Jesus of Nazareth over to the Roman guards for execution.
Jesus bore the weight of His own cross upon the torn flesh of His back and shoulders as He stumbled up the hill outside of the city. He was then nailed to the cross, raised up for all to see, and left there to die. The book of Matthew tells us He could have called twelve legions of angels to free Himself, but He didn’t. He knew His sacrifice would pay the price for all mankind to be set free from sin and have the right to stand with God.
He was buried in a borrowed tomb, but didn’t stay there long. On the third day He was resurrected from the dead, the keys of hell and death in His hands. He had paved the way for us to be born again, to become children of God, and to live forever with Him.
Immediately following His death, His friends and disciples were greatly afraid and hid. But after His resurrection, Jesus came and visited them, comforting and encouraging them. After He ascended to heaven, on the day of Pentacost, He gave them the Holy Spirit. A new boldness rose up within them. Jerusalem saw them convert three thousand on the first day. Then they spread to the corners of the earth to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, no longer afraid. Every one of them except John was executed for proclaiming the name of Jesus. The never denied His name again. This is the story told in the Gospels. Following the Gospels is the book of Acts. It’s a great book.. it focuses on how Christianity spread following the death and resurrection of Jesus. You will find that the disciples are now totally trying to spread the word.. it is their job. That is what Jesus was here for.. to show them, and now it is their job to spread the word.. that is all in the gospels.. they tell it like it was.. they were beaten, thrown in jail, made fun of, tortured all to their death.. because they were witnesses of the most incredible journey ever lived. All but one.. John lived to tell us the last book in the bible.. Revelation. They had help tho.. from Mark and Luke.. who were witnesses to everything Jesus did.. and also Paul. Paul was amazing.. considering that he was already established in life.. was a priest and knew it all.. He was out to get every Christian alive and destroy them spreading the word.. He was given permission to get rid of them all.. So off he goes to Damascus to round them all up. And on his way.. something happened.. something amazing… He was confronted by Jesus.. he saw the light.. and Jesus says to him..Paul.. why do you want to persecute Me? And then Paul is temporarily blinded, and was lead into Damascus blind by the people who were with him.. for three days he sat there.. blinded.. and converted to say the least.. when he was confronted by someone (Ananias) and he restored his eye sight.. Paul was chosen to bring the word to the gentiles and the kings…he immediately started preaching the word.. and continued to do so for the rest of his living days. In the New testament, he is in jail most of the time.. writing letters to the churches (the people) and trying to get them on board with God. And it works.. he has personally spread the good news to all men.. It tells you how we should be living our lives and what we are to do to receive salvation.. eternal life. Many lessons can be learned and should be learned in reading Paul’s letters and understanding what God wants from us. Its all there.. every question you ever had.. You can find there.. in Paul’s words. And Paul never takes credit for all this.. these are God’s words.. not his.. so pay attention. He is the messenger. Then we hear from Peter, and John and Jude.. and others.. all saying pretty much the same thing.. They were there.. they witnesses all this and want you to know.. In the end.. John is told everything we need to know about the end times.. this is not scary stuff if you have read the entire bible.. you will understand, and you will also recognize that many of what is coming has already been told by other prophets.. Its not going to be difficult for any Christian.. All Christians believe that God will save them and what is to come will be much better than anything we have experienced here on earth.. all we need to do is know what is coming, read God’s letter or the bible to us and prepare ourselves for when Jesus will come again. It is pretty simple.. its not difficult.. anyone can read it and when you do.. you will see a change come over you.. you will say to yourself.. I got it.. and you will fight to save it for the rest of your life. Because its true.. and you will see.. we will all get to see, and we will all get to make our own decisions. Lets just hope that it’s the right decision. God is the Creator, God is the Almighty, God is our Father, and God loves us. Its all there.. plain and simple. We are not to overlook one thing.. It is all written down and passed on for a reason.. so that we can live together in love forever. And if you read it.. you will be blessed.. promise..
Omnipotence means all-powerful. Monotheistic theologians regard God as having supreme power. This means God can do what he wants. It means he is not subject to physical limitations like man is. Being omnipotent, God has power over wind, water, gravity, physics, etc. God's power is infinite, or limitless.
Omniscience means all-knowing. God is all all-knowing in the sense that he is aware of the past, present, and future. Nothing takes him by surprise. His knowledge is total. He knows all that there is to know and all that can be known.
Omnipresence means all-present. This term means that God is capable of being everywhere at the same time. It means his divine presence encompasses the whole of the universe. There is no location where he does not inhabit. This should not be confused with pantheism, which suggests that God is synonymous with the universe itself; instead, omnipresence indicates that God is distinct from the universe, but inhabits the entirety of it. He is everywhere at once.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
The Ten Plaques and what the meant and why God used them
The Ten Egyptian Plagues testify of Jesus Christ and His power to save. God just didn't choose the plaques off the top of His head. God is the Almighty, God chooses to teach. Everyone was worshiping gods and goddesses that did not have the ability to do anything for the people. God created this earth, and everything on it. All God wants from us is for us to worship Him, who loves us. So, God took what people were worshiping and showed them the power He had. Sure, you can choose to worship whatever you want... Money, trees, smoke, people, cars whatever you want.. but if you want results, God is the One. You can also ask yourself, “Is there anything I seem to live my life for more than God?” God chose these plaques to show the people that their gods would not save them.. Idolizing these gods and goddesses is wrong. Today idolatry remains a powerful tool that the devil uses to turn us away from God. However, now it has taken many different forms. In reality, idols are impotent blocks of stone or wood or things, and their power exists only in the minds of the worshipers. Well, believe it or not, the most common warning about sin in Scripture does not deal with lying, gossip, adultery, stealing, or murder. The most common sin in all of Scripture that we’re told to avoid, reject, and move away from is idolatry. When it comes to idolatry, the danger is not in an item… it is in us. God tried to open these peoples eyes ... read on to see how.
Moses and Aaron are sent as messengers of the Lord, to Pharaoh, to instruct him to let the children of Israel go "so that they may serve the Lord." It is further stipulated that they must be allowed to travel a three days journey so that they may offer their sacrifices as a means of worship.
Pharaoh responds simply, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." Soon however, Pharaoh will find out who this God is, and why he should obey His voice. He will understand His power over all the other Egyptian gods and goddesses.
These ten Egyptian plagues not only demonstrated the power of God to Moses, the children of Israel, the Egyptians, and Pharaoh, but they were of such magnitude that they would be remembered for all generations, throughout the entire world. They again testify, as does both the Old and New Testament alike that salvation, from beginning to end, is only accomplished through Jesus Christ, "the author and finisher of our faith." (Heb 12:2)
Corresponding Egyptian God and Goddess to the type of plague:
Type of plague that God pronounced upon Egypt:
Hapi- Egyptian God of the Nile
Egyptian Plague- Water Turned to Blood
The first plague that was given to the Egyptians from God was that of turning the water to blood. As Aaron, the spokesman for Moses, touched the "rod" of the Lord to the Nile River it immediately turned to blood, all the fish died, and the river stank. Partially able to duplicate this miracle, the magicians of Pharaoh also turn water into blood, leaving Pharaoh unimpressed with this great wonder from God.
Seven days the water throughout all the land of Egypt remained in this state, unsuitable for drinking, the perfect length of time to demonstrate that the Lord was superior to all the other Gods of Egypt.
Heket- Egyptian Goddess of Fertility, Water, Renewal
Egyptian Plague- Frogs coming from the Nile River
Still, Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel go from the presence of Egypt.
The second plague that was extended upon Egypt, from the "rod" by Aaron, was that of frogs. The frogs came up from the river and were in their houses, in their food, in their clothing, in every place possible. From the greatest to the least, no one in Egypt escaped the plague of frogs. Pharaoh's magicians were able to bring more frogs in their attempt to imitate the power of God, but only Moses was able to make the frogs go away. This was another attack on a famous Egyptian Goddess, Heket.
Geb- Egyptian God of the Earth
Egyptian Plague- Lice from the dust of the earth
Still Pharaoh would not concede, even after this display of power from the Lord, or magnificent plague, he would not let them go.
At the command of the Lord to Moses, Aaron was told to stretch forth his rod and smite the dust of the earth. When he did the dust became lice throughout all the land, on both people and beasts. The very dust that was referred to in the creation process of man is now used to plague men, as a reminder of his mortality and sin which both lead to death.
Finally, the magicians of Pharaoh are humiliated, being unable to compete with this power that was so much greater than themselves and the powers that they had from their Egyptian gods and goddesses, and they profess, "this is the finger of God." This was the last plague that required Aaron's involvement, as the next set of three plagues are issued by the word of Moses himself.
Khepri- Egyptian God of creation, movement of the Sun, rebirth
Egyptian Plague- Swarms of Flies
With the fourth Egyptian plague, which consisted of flies, begins the great miracle ot separation or differentiation. Moses met Pharaoh at the Nile River in the morning and made the demand, speaking on behalf of the Lord, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me." Again, Pharaoh hardened his heart and disregarded the request, resulting in a pronouncement of swarms of flies.
This time, however, only the Egyptians are affected by the judgement, or plague, and the children of Israel remain unscathed. This wonder also moves the Egyptian plagues to a different level, adding destruction as well as discomfort to the consequence of their decisions.
Plagued by flies, Pharaoh tried a new tactic and begins bargaining with the Lord, showing his desire to maintain power and authority over God. He tries to dictate the terms and conditions of the offer, telling them they may sacrifice but only "in the land" clearly not complying with the requested "three days journey" that the Lord required. Moses wouldn't budge, and Pharaoh relented allowing them to leave, but telling them not to "go very far."
This temporary allowance is made solely to have Moses "intreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart", at this point Pharaoh has learned in part who the Lord is and asks for His assistance over the Egyptian gods and goddesses. As soon as the request is granted by the Lord, Pharaoh reneges on his promise and will not let them go, and continues to worship his Egyptian Gods.
Hathor-Egyptian Goddess of Love and Protection
Egyptian Plague- Death of Cattle and Livestock
Moses once again demanded of Pharaoh, "Let my people go, that they may serve me", revealing also the next Egytian plague to occur on the condition of continued disobedience to the request. This plague was given with an advanced warning, allowing a period of repentance to occur, which goes unheeded.
"Tomorrow" the hand of the Lord would be felt upon all the cattle and livestock, of only the Egyptians, as"grievous murrain." This means that disease and pestilence would fall upon their livestock with so severe a consequence as to cause them to die. This plague affected the Egyptian by creating a huge economic disaster, in areas of food, transportation, military supplies, farming, and economic goods that were produced by these livestock. Still Pharaohs heart remained hard and he would not listen to the Lord but remained faith to the Egytian gods and goddesses.
Isis- Egyptian Goddess of Medicine and Peace
Eyptian Plague- Ashes turned to Boils and Sores
Unannounced the sixth Egyptian plague is given, for the first time, directly attacking the Egyptian people themselves. Being instructed by the Lord, Moses took ashes from the furnace of affliction, and threw them into the air. As the dust from the ashes blew all over Egypt, it settled on man and beast alike in the form of boils and sores.
As with the previous two, throughout the remaining Egyptian plagues the division is drawn between the Egyptians and the children of Israel, as God gives protection to his covenant people. The severity of the judgment of God has now become personal, as it is actually felt by the people themselves.
Cleanliness being paramount in the Egyptian society, this plague pronounces the people "unclean." The magicians who have been seen throughout the previous plagues are unable to perform ceremonially rituals to their Egyptian Gods and Goddesses in this unclean state, not allowing them to even stand before Pharaoh; they are seen in the scriptural account no more. It is great to notice the contrast shown as Moses and Aaron are the only ones left standing in front of Pharaoh, with the "One True God" as their support.
Nut- Egyptian Goddess of the Sky
Egyptian Plague- Hail rained down in the form of fire
Again warning is given before the enactment of the plague takes place. Pharaoh is warned of the impending doom that will be faced if he does not listen to the Lord, and forget his own Egyptian gods and goddesses.
Hail of unspeakable size and ability to destroy, would rain down from the sky and turn to fire as it hit the ground. The Lord, in showing Pharaoh that "there is none like Him in the Earth", allows those who are willing to hear His word, and do as He commands, to be saved.
A division is now felt between the Egyptians in the form of those "converted" to the Lord, as shown by their obedience and willingness to escape to the protection of their "houses." Similarly we are warned to make our houses a place of refuge from the world today, we have been warned.
Interestingly enough, the crops that were destroyed by the hail consisted of flax and barley, which were ripening in the fields. These two particular crops were not the mainstay of their diet, but were used more specifically for their clothing and libations. This destruction would make their life uncomfortable, but as far as effecting their food supply , the wheat still survived. This gave the Egyptians still another chance to turn to "the One True God", and forsake their own Egyptian gods and goddesses, thus showing His mercy and grace even yet.
Seth- Egyptian God of Storms and Disorder
Egyptian Plague- Locusts sent from the sky
Still Pharaoh would not listen to the message of the Lord, still he relys on his own Egyptian gods and goddesses.
The eighth plague issued by the Lord had an even greater purpose than all the others, it was to be felt so that Pharaoh would tell even "his sons and son's sons" the mighty things of the Lord, thus teaching even future generations of the power of the "strong hand of God" over all the other Egyptian gods and goddesses.
Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh with the same request, "Let my people go so that they may serve me", and pronounced the judgment of locusts if not heeded. This is the second wave of destruction to follow the hail, and whatever crops were left in tact after that display, were now completely consumed by the swarms of locusts that were unleashed from the sky. This wonder definitely affected their life source. By hitting them in their food supply, the Lord displayed the possibility of eminent death if a change of heart did not occur. Yet still, Pharaoh would not listen.
Ra- The Sun God
Egyptian Plague- Three Days of Complete Darkness
Darkness now fell upon Egypt, unannounced, as a prelude to the future fate to be felt by the Egyptian empire when the message of the Lord was not heeded, and they still turned to their own Egyptian gods and goddesses. Three days of palpable darkness, that was so immense it could be physically felt, covered the land of Egypt.
The sun, the most worshipped God in Egypt other than Pharaoh himself, gave no light. The Lord showed that he had control over the sun as a witness that the God of Israel had ultimate power over life and death. The psychological and religious impact would have had a profound influence on the Egyptians at this point. Darkness was a representation of death, judgment and hopelessness. Darkness was a complete absence of light.
Pharaoh- The Ultimate Power of Egypt
Egyptian Plague- Death of the Firstborn
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, was worshipped by the Egyptians because he was considered to be the greatest Egyptian God of all. It was believed that he was actually the son of Ra himself, manifest in the flesh.
After the plague of darkness felt throughout the land was lifted, Pharaoh resumed his position of "bargaining with the Lord" and offered Moses another "deal." Since virtually all of the Egyptian animals had been consumed by the judgments of the Lord, Pharaoh now consented to the request made, to let the people go, but they must leave their animals behind.
This was a totally unacceptable offer, as the animals were to be used as the actual sacrifice to the Lord. The Lord is uncompromising when He has set the terms.
Enraged by the refusal, Pharaoh pronounced the last deadly plague to be unleashed upon the land from his very own lips as he warns Moses, "Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die."
And Moses said, "Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more."
At this point the passive obedience that the children of Israel have shown is now moved to a level of active obedience. They are given strict instructions to follow so that they do not also feel the judgment of this last plague sent by the Lord. These instructions are known as "The Feast of Passover", "The Feast of Unleavened Bread", and "The Law of the Firstborn." In these rituals are displayed the law of sacrifice, the law of the gospel, and the law of consecration, all necessary requirements to receive ultimate salvation from spiritual death.
"Let My people go that they may serve Me"
As God's children today we have learned through this great show of power that ultimately it will require "active obedience" to receive salvation from the "One True God."
Looking back over the instructions that were given to Pharaoh to "let my people go that they may serve me", this principle is manifest throughout. Service to the Lord is the requirement of His people, and the blessing for this show of obedience and sacrifice is the ultimate salvation not only from physical death but from spiritual death as well.
Moses and Aaron are sent as messengers of the Lord, to Pharaoh, to instruct him to let the children of Israel go "so that they may serve the Lord." It is further stipulated that they must be allowed to travel a three days journey so that they may offer their sacrifices as a means of worship.
Pharaoh responds simply, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." Soon however, Pharaoh will find out who this God is, and why he should obey His voice. He will understand His power over all the other Egyptian gods and goddesses.
These ten Egyptian plagues not only demonstrated the power of God to Moses, the children of Israel, the Egyptians, and Pharaoh, but they were of such magnitude that they would be remembered for all generations, throughout the entire world. They again testify, as does both the Old and New Testament alike that salvation, from beginning to end, is only accomplished through Jesus Christ, "the author and finisher of our faith." (Heb 12:2)
Corresponding Egyptian God and Goddess to the type of plague:
Type of plague that God pronounced upon Egypt:
Hapi- Egyptian God of the Nile
Egyptian Plague- Water Turned to Blood
The first plague that was given to the Egyptians from God was that of turning the water to blood. As Aaron, the spokesman for Moses, touched the "rod" of the Lord to the Nile River it immediately turned to blood, all the fish died, and the river stank. Partially able to duplicate this miracle, the magicians of Pharaoh also turn water into blood, leaving Pharaoh unimpressed with this great wonder from God.
Seven days the water throughout all the land of Egypt remained in this state, unsuitable for drinking, the perfect length of time to demonstrate that the Lord was superior to all the other Gods of Egypt.
Heket- Egyptian Goddess of Fertility, Water, Renewal
Egyptian Plague- Frogs coming from the Nile River
Still, Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel go from the presence of Egypt.
The second plague that was extended upon Egypt, from the "rod" by Aaron, was that of frogs. The frogs came up from the river and were in their houses, in their food, in their clothing, in every place possible. From the greatest to the least, no one in Egypt escaped the plague of frogs. Pharaoh's magicians were able to bring more frogs in their attempt to imitate the power of God, but only Moses was able to make the frogs go away. This was another attack on a famous Egyptian Goddess, Heket.
Geb- Egyptian God of the Earth
Egyptian Plague- Lice from the dust of the earth
Still Pharaoh would not concede, even after this display of power from the Lord, or magnificent plague, he would not let them go.
At the command of the Lord to Moses, Aaron was told to stretch forth his rod and smite the dust of the earth. When he did the dust became lice throughout all the land, on both people and beasts. The very dust that was referred to in the creation process of man is now used to plague men, as a reminder of his mortality and sin which both lead to death.
Finally, the magicians of Pharaoh are humiliated, being unable to compete with this power that was so much greater than themselves and the powers that they had from their Egyptian gods and goddesses, and they profess, "this is the finger of God." This was the last plague that required Aaron's involvement, as the next set of three plagues are issued by the word of Moses himself.
Khepri- Egyptian God of creation, movement of the Sun, rebirth
Egyptian Plague- Swarms of Flies
With the fourth Egyptian plague, which consisted of flies, begins the great miracle ot separation or differentiation. Moses met Pharaoh at the Nile River in the morning and made the demand, speaking on behalf of the Lord, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me." Again, Pharaoh hardened his heart and disregarded the request, resulting in a pronouncement of swarms of flies.
This time, however, only the Egyptians are affected by the judgement, or plague, and the children of Israel remain unscathed. This wonder also moves the Egyptian plagues to a different level, adding destruction as well as discomfort to the consequence of their decisions.
Plagued by flies, Pharaoh tried a new tactic and begins bargaining with the Lord, showing his desire to maintain power and authority over God. He tries to dictate the terms and conditions of the offer, telling them they may sacrifice but only "in the land" clearly not complying with the requested "three days journey" that the Lord required. Moses wouldn't budge, and Pharaoh relented allowing them to leave, but telling them not to "go very far."
This temporary allowance is made solely to have Moses "intreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart", at this point Pharaoh has learned in part who the Lord is and asks for His assistance over the Egyptian gods and goddesses. As soon as the request is granted by the Lord, Pharaoh reneges on his promise and will not let them go, and continues to worship his Egyptian Gods.
Hathor-Egyptian Goddess of Love and Protection
Egyptian Plague- Death of Cattle and Livestock
Moses once again demanded of Pharaoh, "Let my people go, that they may serve me", revealing also the next Egytian plague to occur on the condition of continued disobedience to the request. This plague was given with an advanced warning, allowing a period of repentance to occur, which goes unheeded.
"Tomorrow" the hand of the Lord would be felt upon all the cattle and livestock, of only the Egyptians, as"grievous murrain." This means that disease and pestilence would fall upon their livestock with so severe a consequence as to cause them to die. This plague affected the Egyptian by creating a huge economic disaster, in areas of food, transportation, military supplies, farming, and economic goods that were produced by these livestock. Still Pharaohs heart remained hard and he would not listen to the Lord but remained faith to the Egytian gods and goddesses.
Isis- Egyptian Goddess of Medicine and Peace
Eyptian Plague- Ashes turned to Boils and Sores
Unannounced the sixth Egyptian plague is given, for the first time, directly attacking the Egyptian people themselves. Being instructed by the Lord, Moses took ashes from the furnace of affliction, and threw them into the air. As the dust from the ashes blew all over Egypt, it settled on man and beast alike in the form of boils and sores.
As with the previous two, throughout the remaining Egyptian plagues the division is drawn between the Egyptians and the children of Israel, as God gives protection to his covenant people. The severity of the judgment of God has now become personal, as it is actually felt by the people themselves.
Cleanliness being paramount in the Egyptian society, this plague pronounces the people "unclean." The magicians who have been seen throughout the previous plagues are unable to perform ceremonially rituals to their Egyptian Gods and Goddesses in this unclean state, not allowing them to even stand before Pharaoh; they are seen in the scriptural account no more. It is great to notice the contrast shown as Moses and Aaron are the only ones left standing in front of Pharaoh, with the "One True God" as their support.
Nut- Egyptian Goddess of the Sky
Egyptian Plague- Hail rained down in the form of fire
Again warning is given before the enactment of the plague takes place. Pharaoh is warned of the impending doom that will be faced if he does not listen to the Lord, and forget his own Egyptian gods and goddesses.
Hail of unspeakable size and ability to destroy, would rain down from the sky and turn to fire as it hit the ground. The Lord, in showing Pharaoh that "there is none like Him in the Earth", allows those who are willing to hear His word, and do as He commands, to be saved.
A division is now felt between the Egyptians in the form of those "converted" to the Lord, as shown by their obedience and willingness to escape to the protection of their "houses." Similarly we are warned to make our houses a place of refuge from the world today, we have been warned.
Interestingly enough, the crops that were destroyed by the hail consisted of flax and barley, which were ripening in the fields. These two particular crops were not the mainstay of their diet, but were used more specifically for their clothing and libations. This destruction would make their life uncomfortable, but as far as effecting their food supply , the wheat still survived. This gave the Egyptians still another chance to turn to "the One True God", and forsake their own Egyptian gods and goddesses, thus showing His mercy and grace even yet.
Seth- Egyptian God of Storms and Disorder
Egyptian Plague- Locusts sent from the sky
Still Pharaoh would not listen to the message of the Lord, still he relys on his own Egyptian gods and goddesses.
The eighth plague issued by the Lord had an even greater purpose than all the others, it was to be felt so that Pharaoh would tell even "his sons and son's sons" the mighty things of the Lord, thus teaching even future generations of the power of the "strong hand of God" over all the other Egyptian gods and goddesses.
Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh with the same request, "Let my people go so that they may serve me", and pronounced the judgment of locusts if not heeded. This is the second wave of destruction to follow the hail, and whatever crops were left in tact after that display, were now completely consumed by the swarms of locusts that were unleashed from the sky. This wonder definitely affected their life source. By hitting them in their food supply, the Lord displayed the possibility of eminent death if a change of heart did not occur. Yet still, Pharaoh would not listen.
Ra- The Sun God
Egyptian Plague- Three Days of Complete Darkness
Darkness now fell upon Egypt, unannounced, as a prelude to the future fate to be felt by the Egyptian empire when the message of the Lord was not heeded, and they still turned to their own Egyptian gods and goddesses. Three days of palpable darkness, that was so immense it could be physically felt, covered the land of Egypt.
The sun, the most worshipped God in Egypt other than Pharaoh himself, gave no light. The Lord showed that he had control over the sun as a witness that the God of Israel had ultimate power over life and death. The psychological and religious impact would have had a profound influence on the Egyptians at this point. Darkness was a representation of death, judgment and hopelessness. Darkness was a complete absence of light.
Pharaoh- The Ultimate Power of Egypt
Egyptian Plague- Death of the Firstborn
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, was worshipped by the Egyptians because he was considered to be the greatest Egyptian God of all. It was believed that he was actually the son of Ra himself, manifest in the flesh.
After the plague of darkness felt throughout the land was lifted, Pharaoh resumed his position of "bargaining with the Lord" and offered Moses another "deal." Since virtually all of the Egyptian animals had been consumed by the judgments of the Lord, Pharaoh now consented to the request made, to let the people go, but they must leave their animals behind.
This was a totally unacceptable offer, as the animals were to be used as the actual sacrifice to the Lord. The Lord is uncompromising when He has set the terms.
Enraged by the refusal, Pharaoh pronounced the last deadly plague to be unleashed upon the land from his very own lips as he warns Moses, "Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die."
And Moses said, "Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more."
At this point the passive obedience that the children of Israel have shown is now moved to a level of active obedience. They are given strict instructions to follow so that they do not also feel the judgment of this last plague sent by the Lord. These instructions are known as "The Feast of Passover", "The Feast of Unleavened Bread", and "The Law of the Firstborn." In these rituals are displayed the law of sacrifice, the law of the gospel, and the law of consecration, all necessary requirements to receive ultimate salvation from spiritual death.
"Let My people go that they may serve Me"
As God's children today we have learned through this great show of power that ultimately it will require "active obedience" to receive salvation from the "One True God."
Looking back over the instructions that were given to Pharaoh to "let my people go that they may serve me", this principle is manifest throughout. Service to the Lord is the requirement of His people, and the blessing for this show of obedience and sacrifice is the ultimate salvation not only from physical death but from spiritual death as well.
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