Category: signs miracles and wonders

Praying Like Elijah #13

Monday, March 2, 2015

“Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months” (James 5:17 KJV).

Why did Elijah pray like this, what was so special about his prayer that God answered it, and how can we have our prayers answered of God?

The ascended, risen, and glorified Lord Jesus Christ revealed the mystery to the Apostle Paul over the course of nearly 35 years. This information was completely different from what God had revealed to the Old Testament prophets, the writings Paul had studied intensely when he was lost (see Romans 16:25,26, Ephesians 3:1-12, and Colossians 1:23-27). Now that God had ushered in a new dispensation, Paul had to think differently about God. He had to quit praying according to the old divine revelation, and pray according to the new divine revelation.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, after talking about the various visions and revelations of Jesus Christ he had, Paul discusses how he was humbled: “[7] And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. [8] For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.”

“We know not what we should pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26b). Since there was more revelation from God coming, Paul was, in 2 Corinthians 12:8, not praying according to the new program. He was still thinking of God’s promise to deliver Israel from problems. Verse 9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” There, in that awful, vexing circumstance, Paul learned one thing—God had given the grace, the capacity, to endure it. Rather than deliverance, Jesus Christ promised inner strength, inner fortification, inner power, to bear the trouble.

Paul had to readjust his view of problems and prayer, and we will let him tell us how we should go about doing it….

Silent Building #8

Monday, December 8, 2014

“And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building” (1 Kings 6:7 KJV).

God is doing something similar today, very quietly too….

We read in Ephesians 2:19-22: “[19] Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; [20] And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; [21] In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: [22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

Father God’s will for us is that we grow spiritually. The Lord Jesus wants to not simply indwell us but feel comfortable, feel “at home,” in our inner man. His life will then become our life (for our Christian life really is His life!). Our identity in Christ is only in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon: the Body of Christ is described nowhere else in Scripture. To focus on and apply to life other Scripture is to ignore your identity, overlook what God is doing today, neglect what God gave you, and so on.

Not knowing your identity detrimentally impacts your life. Satan’s assault against members of the Church the Body of Christ is to have them ignore Paul’s epistles. Once they focus on all the other Scriptures and apply them to their lives, they operate apart from the identity God gave them in Christ. Satan’s system causes us to focus on Israel’s prayer promises, Israel’s baptisms, Israel’s tithing, Israel’s miracles, Israel’s earthly kingdom hope, Israel’s material blessings, Israel’s laws, Israel’s feast days, Israel’s apostles, and so on (all found outside Romans through Philemon). No wonder people go around saying we are “spiritual Israel”—claiming Israel’s verses as our own leads to no other conclusion!

The only hope for the Body of Christ’s salvation from false doctrine and doctrinal confusion is to return to Paul’s epistles. Had we not left God’s Word to us, we would not claim God’s Word to others….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Are lost people already forgiven?”

Silent Building #2

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

“And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building” (1 Kings 6:7 KJV).

God is doing something similar today, very quietly too….

Long ago, beginning with Abraham, God set the Jews apart to be His special people (Israel became a nation in Egypt). Letting the Gentiles go their way of ignorance (Romans chapter 1), He dealt solely with the nation Israel (Romans chapter 2). Beginning with the Ten Commandments (Exodus chapter 20), but throughout the Old Testament, JEHOVAH God constantly warned Israel not to pollute herself with false doctrine. He was building her into a marvelous nation, His kingdom of priests to reach the (Gentile) nations. Israel was not to sabotage that plan by forsaking Him and following pagan idols and bad doctrine.

Moses, just before dying, advised His people in Deuteronomy 4:1-2: “[1] Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. [2] Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”

Simple! Simple! Simple! Israel was not to add and not to take from God’s Word. Israel did not listen. Before we point fingers at Israel, professing Christianity has added to and taken from the revelation the ascended Jesus Christ gave to the Apostle Paul, Romans through Philemon. They are not content with God’s grace as Paul presents it; they toss that away. Instead, they prefer everything He gave Israel—water baptism, tongues, tithing, miraculous demonstrations, Sabbath day, rules and regulations, angels, and so on.

When Solomon’s Temple was being erected (today’s Scripture), it did not go up haphazardly. Its elements fit together perfectly. Lest we upset God’s perfect plan for us the Church the Body of Christ, we are not going to carelessly use worthless building materials, elements that do not belong there and will actually weaken the structure….

A Sign of Dispensational Change

Sunday, October 26, 2014

“For the Jews require a sign…” (1 Corinthians 1:22a KJV).

Our Holy Bible confirms the global health news—yes, God has temporarily suspended Israel’s healing program.

Christendom abounds with “faith healing,” the belief system that contends that God heals physical illness in our Dispensation of Grace—some go so far as to say that He literally raises the dead! They quote James 5:14,15, Mark 16:18, Matthew 10:8, Exodus 15:26, and 1 Peter 2:24. While the Bible confirms God can perform miracles, including physical healing and resurrection, these were for Israel’s benefit (today’s Scripture). The miracles always communicated various doctrines to Israel. Today, we have the completed canon of the Holy Bible; we do not need God to teach us anything apart from His written Word (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

Saints, that God is not physically healing us is evident in global health news. The United States’ never-ending healthcare debate would be nonexistent—there would be no need for healthcare (even for the faith-healers!). Beloved, consider the current Ebola outbreak in Africa. Such cases are now here in the United States. Have we yet to hear of a single faith-healer attempting to “heal” even one person sick and dying of this most serious and painful disease? Now would be the time to manifest “God’s power,” and yet they are “missing-in-action.” They know they could not fake an Ebola healing even if they tried!

Not long ago, a “Christian miracle-worker” addressed the Ebola outbreak on his television program. A proclaimer of “healing miracles,” but still exhibiting the debilitating effects of aging, he cautioned people traveling to Africa to rather be afraid of contracting AIDS, to be wary of disease-carrying mosquitoes, and not to eat certain foods (due to unsanitary handling practices). Later, he and co-hostess discussed how they and their viewers should take precautions with the approaching cold and influenza seasons, that they manage tip-top immune systems. Lastly, his co-hostess complained when he asked her to read a text without her eyeglasses!

Dear friends and precious readers, may we abandon such religious tomfoolery, may we not be deceived by such duplicity, and may we rejoice that God’s Holy Bible is all that we need in terms of divine revelation! 🙂

Faith During Life’s Storms #5

Sunday, September 7, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

Jesus was sleeping in the ship when the storm struck. He had a pillow and was very comfortable when His panicking disciples awoke Him seeking salvation from their impending deaths. He asked where was their faith, why they were so fearful—their actions were irrational. Remember, there was no way on earth that He would allow a ship to sink if He Himself was on that ship! Some 2,000 years earlier He had been on Noah’s ark: our King James Bible testifies that the Lord told Noah and his family to “come” into ark (Genesis 7:1 means JEHOVAH was in Noah’s ark). Thus, neither the ship of today’s Scripture nor Noah’s ark was wrecked.

While the first part of the seven-year Tribulation will not be peaceful, it is compared to the latter! Believing Israel will come under intense persecution, even facing the death penalty for following Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:17-42). “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

Once the Antichrist betrays Israel’s trust halfway through those seven years, his attitude will change. As the calm waters of the Sea of Galilee instantly transformed into a raging storm, so the trouble for the Messianic Jews will begin. No problem, for JEHOVAH Jesus has promised to bring them through those awful times, to bring them to the other side, their Millennial Kingdom (Jeremiah 30:7; Zechariah 13:8,9; cf. Isaiah 28:14-22; Isaiah 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:16-38)! Believing Israel just needs to trust God’s Word to them.

Let us now dedicate a few studies to learning how today’s Scripture can be beneficial to us in this the Dispensation of Grace….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What is ‘the fellowship of the mystery?’”

Faith During Life’s Storms #4

Saturday, September 6, 2014

“And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:25,26 KJV).

Like Israel learned in today’s Scripture, we too must realize to trust the Lord Jesus Christ when “the storms of life” batter us.

To demonstrate to His disciples that He was the Creator God in human flesh, the Lord Jesus commanded the winds and the sea to be quiet… and instantly, the waters were just as calm as before. JEHOVAH stills the noises of the raging seas and waves (Psalm 65:7; Psalm 89:9; Psalm 107:29); JEHOVAH in the flesh (Jesus Christ) did likewise. “He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still” (Psalm 107:29). If He could create those natural laws from nothing with just a few spoken words, He could easily manipulate them to disassemble a storm (with just a few spoken words!).

Both before and after Jesus Christ calmed the storm, His disciples were guilty of unbelief (today’s Scripture; Mark 4:40; Luke 8:25). Their sinful hearts were deceitful. “But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!” (Matthew 8:27). Mark (4:41) put it this way, “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Luke wrote (8:25), “And they being afraid wondered, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.” Oddly enough, Jesus’ disciples were just as troubled during the storm as they were after He had dissipated it! The Scriptures indicate they still did not get what He had taught them.

What Israel of the future can learn is this… despite all the horrors of the seven-year Tribulation period, that “storm of life” will pass, and there will be peace as such the world has not seen since the creation week….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Who is ‘the great cloud of witnesses’ of Hebrews 12:1?”

Riches and the Ages to Come #2

Saturday, August 9, 2014

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5 KJV).

If Israel’s believing remnant is to endure the seven-year Tribulation’s economic depression, she must remember that faithful JEHOVAH is with her, and that He will bless her in due time.

Had God not interrupted Israel’s prophetic program by saving Saul of Tarsus and commissioning him as the Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 9 (and starting our program, the Dispensation of Grace), Israel’s seven-year Tribulation would have begun in late Acts chapter 7 (the Holy Ghost speaking through the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:16-21 [cf. Joel 2:28-32] taught the seven-year Tribulation would follow the day of Pentecost of Acts chapter 2).

From Acts chapter 9 onward to the end of Acts, we read about God’s transition from Israel’s prophetic program to our mystery program. The books that come after Acts—Paul’s epistles of Romans through Philemon—focus on our program. The book of Hebrews, which comes after Philemon, is the transitional book from our program back to Israel’s prophetic program. Hebrews through Revelation focus on the resumption and conclusion of Israel’s program (Hebrews was written sometime during Acts in the event that Israel’s program would not be delayed 2,000 years like it has been up until now). Thus, the books of Hebrews through Revelation are an advancement of the kingdom doctrine first taught to Israel in the Four Gospels and early Acts (note John 14:26 and John 16:12,13).

Observe Hebrews 2:3-5: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord [Matthew through John], and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost [early Acts], according to his own will? For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.”

Today’s Scripture is God’s Word to Israel regarding “the world to come…,” the recommencement of her program after our program concludes….

Iniquity Not Yet Full #5

Friday, May 16, 2014

“But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” (Genesis 15:16 KJV).

Today’s Scripture expressly declares why the God of the Bible “takes His time” when dealing with sinful mankind.

Before Jesus Christ even came to Earth, He knew He would be in the midst of the very stiff-necked, sinful people with whom He Himself had dealt throughout the Old Testament economy. He came to the nation Israel, not in His wrath (Luke 9:51-56), but in His grace to her (John 1:17), the means by which she could escape her sin debt.

For three years, the Lord Jesus preached to Israel, diligently attempting to convert her, as a shepherd seeking His lost sheep (Luke 15:1-10; cf. Isaiah 53:6). The abundant miracles He performed right before her eyes, over and over and over and over again, demonstrated that He was their God/Messiah/King (Isaiah 35:3-10; Isaiah 53:4a; Matthew 8:16,17; et al.). It was impossible to accidentally miss who Jesus was—anyone who did not see who He was did not want to recognize Him.

In a parable in Luke 13:6-9 (which you should study for yourself), Jesus describes the situation. Israel is spiritually barren, destitute of the works God wanted accomplished; she is lost, captive to Satan, and has nothing but sinful deeds to offer to God. For three years, God (in the Person of Jesus Christ) came looking for any spiritual fruit in Israel; there was nothing! Jesus Christ tells God the Father to grant Israel one additional year, a one-year extension, to repent, and trust Him as Messiah.

After Jesus was rejected, crucified, buried, and raised again, He ascended back to heaven as a royal exile (Acts chapter 1). Thus, God provides Israel with a one-year extension, a renewed opportunity of repentance, His last offer to Israel to trust Jesus as Messiah/Christ. For the next year, Israel’s 12 apostles preach Jesus Christ, with some 8,000 Jews responding positively, but Israel still overwhelmingly rejecting Him. By Acts chapter 7, that one-year extension is moments from expiring: Israel is quickly approaching her limit of sin again. God’s wrath is drawing nigh….

Fishers of Men #7

Friday, April 11, 2014

“And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes” (John 21:6 KJV).

Today’s Scripture foretells the greatest fishing trip Israel’s apostles will ever enjoy!

When Christ first commissioned His 12 apostles, Scripture says, “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5,6). Most church members are never taught that Israel’s apostles had no ministry to Gentiles.

Jesus told these apostles post-resurrection: “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). He repeated in Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The 12 apostles were to convert all of Israel first. Then, and only then, redeemed Israel was to evangelize all nations (Matthew 28:19,20; Mark 16:15). In the prophetic program, Gentiles would be blessed through Israel’s rise to kingdom glory: Israel had to be saved first so Gentiles could be saved next (Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 59:20–60:3; Isaiah 61:6; Zechariah 8:20-23; Acts 3:25-26; Romans 15:8-12; et al.). But, (unbelieving, rebellious) Israel was never fully converted. Through Paul’s ministry, we Gentiles learn that salvation is currently coming to us through Israel’s temporary fall, the mystery program (Romans 11:11-13).

When Jesus Christ returns to establish His earthly kingdom through Israel, Isaiah 2:1-3 says that all the nations shall flow unto it. When the apostles caught 153 fishes in today’s Scripture (John 21:11), this evidently symbolizes how many Gentile nations Israel will “catch” (evangelize). The net broke in Luke chapter 5 but it did not break in John chapter 21—Israel’s apostles will be prepared and equipped to catch all the fish, and none will be lost.

Rest assured, Israel’s apostles will be resurrected one day, and their greatest fishing trip will be underway! 🙂

Fishers of Men #6

Thursday, April 10, 2014

“And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes” (John 21:6 KJV).

Today’s Scripture foretells the greatest fishing trip Israel’s apostles will ever enjoy!

As the apostles drag to shore the nets of fish that Jesus Christ told them to catch in His power, He invites them to eat with Him—He has already cooked fish and bread for them! “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise” (verses 12,13).

Remember, as fishers of men, Israel’s apostles still have more “catching” to do. After our dispensation, after the seven-year Tribulation, and just before Christ’s earthly kingdom is established, Israel’s apostles will be bodily resurrected (see Matthew 19:27-30 and Luke 22:28-30, for example), and they will fulfill Matthew 28:19,20. They—yea, all of believing Israel—will evangelize the nations. (This is why the Gentile name for the Sea of Galilee was used in John 21:1).

Why did Jesus tell them to throw their net on the right side (today’s Scripture)? Matthew 25:31-46 says when Christ returns to earth (His Second Coming), He will set on his right hand believing Gentiles who blessed Israel during the seven-year Tribulation and He will set unbelieving Gentiles on his left hand (verses 32,33). Only believing Gentiles—those on His right hand—will be allowed to enter His earthly kingdom (verses 34,46); all of redeemed Israel will then minister to them. The unbelieving Gentiles—those on His left hand—are cast into everlasting hellfire (verses 41,46).

In accordance with John’s theme, Christ’s final miracle is Him empowering Israel’s believing remnant, particularly her apostles, to catch the souls of Gentiles. They will “bring them to shore to Him” so that they too dine with Him (see Isaiah 2:1-5; Zechariah 8:20-23; Matthew 8:11; cf. Matthew 26:29), and enjoy the salvation that He offers them through Israel! The miracle of today’s Scripture symbolizes the climax of God’s prophetic program, when Israel’s believing remnant becomes fishers of men….