Month: May 2018

Has God Cast Away His People? GOD FORBID! (VIDEO)

On By Geri UngureanIn Replacement Theology40 Comments

 

“I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of  the tribe of Benjamin.  God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew” (Romans 11: 1-2)

Pauls’ words from Romans 11 should resonate with every born again, blood washed believer in Yeshua!  God saved Saul of Tarsus as he was on the road to Damascus to persecute and kill Christians!

God changed his name to Paul who became the greatest evangelist in all of  history!

Can you imagine living your life thinking that you are a true Christian, but dying and meeting the Lord Jesus Christ and having Him say to you:

“I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Those dreaded words come from this passage of Scripture:

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23)

You might say to me “But Salvation doesn’t say anything about having to love the Jewish people or Israel!”   To that I would say “Salvation DOES speak of repentance. In this case, many who have been anti-Semites their whole life need to “repent” of this great evil and trust the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.

And by the way, their Lord and Savior walked this earth as a Jew!

Listen to Dr. Adrian Rogers speak on “Is God Through With the Jews?”

Pastor Rogers went home years ago to be with his glorious Savior!

Most of us have heard of the false teaching called Replacement Theology.

I’m here to tell you – It’s a lie from the pit of hell.

Replacement Theology (RT), has been around for centuries. The term used by theologians is supersessionism. The church supersedes Israel. Theologians have cited the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD as proof that God was finished with the Jewish people.

There are two main schools of thought regarding RT:

Israel’s role as God’s Chosen was completed once Jesus came to earth (economic supersessionism).

Because of her disobedience, Israel forfeited her role as Chosen of God because of her rejection of Jesus as Messiah (punitive supersessionism).

Punitive supersessionism was clearly articulated by Martin Luther in his sermon: “On the Jews and Their Lies.”

For such ruthless wrath of God is sufficient evidence that they [i.e., the Jewish people] assuredly have erred and gone astray. Even a child can comprehend this. For one dare not regard God as so cruel that he would punish his own people so long, so terrible, so unmercifully … Therefore this work of wrath is proof that the Jews, surely rejected by God, are no longer his people, and neither is he any longer their God. (“On the Jews and Their Lies,” Trans. Martin H. Bertram, in Luther’s Works [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971], p. 265).

How could a man used of God as was Martin Luther come to such a conclusion about the Jews? It is written that later in his life, Luther was convinced that he was called of God to save the Jews. When his efforts failed, he became enraged. In one night, in response to his anti-Semitic sermon, synagogues were burned to the ground and over 2000 Jews were slaughtered. Martin Luther was used by God in a mighty way in the Great Reformation, but alas he was merely a man. His teachings about Jews had a dramatic impact on the church in Germany for many years to come. Hitler was a great fan of Luther. He carried the sermon: “On the Jews and Their Lies” to every SS meeting.

RT is closely related to Reformed or Covenant Theology, which is associated with John Calvin. If you’ve noticed that your pastor does not speak or teach on eschatology (the study of End Times) it’s most likely that the leadership of your church adhere to amillennialism. A view of eschatology which views End Times prophecy as “spiritual” instead of literal. It’s a convenient way of avoiding the promises made to Israel in the Word. Since the proponents of RT believe that the church inherited the promises made to Israel, there is no need to teach that End Times prophecy is literal. The prophecies are viewed more as allegorical.

It has always amazed me that churches who teach RT completely ignore some critically important words by the apostle Paul in Romans 11. I would HIGHLY recommend that you read all of Romans 11 (9 and 10 as well) but Romans 11 truly expresses why the Jews did not receive their Savior, and clearly shows that God is not done with His Chosen people.

I would love to print all of Romans 11, but I am placing what I consider to be the heart of this chapter:

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”

Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all” (Romans 11:25-32).

How could this be any clearer? God ordained that a blindness in part would happen to Israel, until all of the Gentiles who were to be saved would come into His Kingdom. It also states the gifts of and the calling of God are irrevocable.

God’s plan from the beginning was to offer salvation to the entire world. He used the Jewish people to bring His law to show His Holiness, and then through their lineage He would ultimately bring His Son to pay for all sin. What a merciful and loving God we serve!

Satan is determined to lie and deceive mankind. He uses just a little bit of truth (Scripture) and then twists it for his purposes. He knows the Word better than any one of us. His motivation for memorizing God’s Word is to seek and destroy God’s people. He started in the Garden of Eden with Eve. He tried it against Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus always fought him (and shut him down) with pure Scripture.

God made a Covenant with Israel. I’ve read articles by Bible teachers who claim that Israel relinquished the promises made by God because of their rebellion. God cannot lie. He made the promises. It has nothing to do with how good or bad Israel is. It has everything to do with God and His faithfulness.

What about when we, who have been born again, sin or stumble? Can you imagine if God would take back His promise to us and say “I am done with you!”  None of us would have assurance of Salvation!  I am not speaking of people who say a prayer and continue living in sin with no godly repentance.  I speak of born again believers. We still fall into sin, but God has promised us this:

 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”  (1 John 1:9).

As a student in the synagogue I attended when I was a child, the history of my people saddened me. I learned of the persecution by the Catholic Church. I learned that no matter where we went, ultimately we were placed in ghettos with locked gates. We were HATED. I would ponder in my mind why—what did we do to warrant such hatred and oppression? It wasn’t until I was born- again that I realized why. It was Satan all along. He placed hatred in the hearts of men and women for the Jews.

But I never thought that it would be this extreme. I’m shocked as I read the news and see the world flying the swastika flag all across the globe. It literally makes me sick. But I know that all things must happen according to His plan. It took the extermination of 6 million of my people to bring about the establishment of the Jewish State of Israel in 1948 – a prophecy that many proponents of RT did not expect.

Israel is Israel. The church is the church. In the Old Testament, Israel was under the Law. Jesus brought us the Covenant of Grace. We are FREE in Him.

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:8-11).

Jesus was sent to earth for one reason—to die. It was His precious blood which cleansed the repentant sinner, and made him/her righteous in the eyes of the Father. Every Jew needs to come to the Father through Jesus Christ. There is no special arrangement between the Jewish people and God.

So, if you are in a church that believes that God has cast away His people—the Jews, please understand that what is being taught is not truth. Have you noticed that most of the RT denominations are vehemently anti-Israel? Are you starting to see that Satan’s plan to destroy God’s children has worked in most of the mainline churches? Here is a list of churches who believe the RT lie:

The Roman Catholic Church.  (This is NOT part of Christianity)

(Many) Southern Baptist Convention churches – (depends on leadership).

The United Methodist Church.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.

African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Episcopal Church.

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America .

African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

United Church of Christ.

Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, Joplin, Mo.

Emergent Churches

Vineyard Churches

Third Wave Churches

**I am certain there are many more. Anti Semitism and hatred for Israel is at an all time high. Satan knows that his days are numbered. He loathes the Jewish people because out of them came our Messiah Yeshua.

Please understand that in each of these denominations, it is possible to have a pastor who is a true shepherd under the Great Shepherd Jesus. But these denominations are known to adhere to the RT lie.

These churches have declared their hatred for Israel and are supporting Hamas. This is exactly what the devil wants to happen. But our Lord, being omniscient, is using all of this to fulfill His prophetic Word concerning Israel.

“And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.” (Zechariah 12:3)

From Arutz Sheva from Israel:

“These very liberal churches include Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, and the United Church of Christ. They presently number about 16 million. Their membership and influence in the United States continue to decline. These churches’ rhetoric is usually outdone by an even harsher one of a small group of so-called ‘peace churches,’ including the Mennonites and Quakers.”

“Mainline churches claim many members from Congress. They represent America’s heartland and have adopted a range of resolutions hostile to Israel. They include calls for boycotts plus divestment and sanctions (BDS). Some are aimed at Israel, others focus on the ‘settlements.’ Several churches supported the hateful Kairos Palestine Document published in 2009 by some Palestinian Christians. There is also tourism to Israel under Palestinian auspices.

“BDS started with the passage of a resolution in 2004 at the Presbyterian Church (USA) calling for selective divestment of shares of American companies doing business in Israel. Long before that, the World Council of Churches (WCC) founded in 1948, aligned itself with ‘third world’ countries and thinking. This is an international umbrella group of mainline churches which claims denominational membership of 590 million people. It has frequently condemned Israel, yet never protested attempts by Israel’s neighbors and by terrorists to erase it from the map.

“Several of these churches also publish extremely anti-Israel educational materials. These are often the only ones members will view. The Methodists produced a study guide a few years ago authored by an apostate Jewish pastor. He admitted to hating Judaism. It featured illustrations of Israeli soldiers reminiscent of Nazi guards at a concentration camp.

“Theology is playing an increasing role in mainline churches’ anti-Israel activity. It began with the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center and its head, Dr. Naim Ateek. Many liberal churches have partnered with Sabeel. Ateek used crucifixion imagery in his Easter message of 2001: ‘It seems to many of us that Jesus is on the cross again with thousands of crucified Palestinians around him.’

” This reintroduces the ancient murderous Christian charge of deicide against the Jews. Ateek and others deny that the Bible speaks of any covenant of land with the Jews. This is a renewal of the replacement theology and supersessionism, and is extremely dangerous for Jews around the world, especially at a time of rising anti-Semitism.

“Palestinian influences in anti-Israel hate mongering is huge. They have sent teams of Palestinian Christians around the U.S for a decade, tugging at Christian heartstrings with emotional tales of woe. They are more effective than Palestinian Muslims, who don’t come as ‘brothers.’
“Still, there are surprises. In 2012, several denominations substituted positive investment resolutions in place of divestment. In some cases, votes that looked like they were heading in the anti-Israel direction were saved by impassioned speeches by pastors who spoke about the impact such a resolution would have on Jewish-Christian friendships and partnerships in their churches.

“The actions of these mainline churches have poisoned the well of Christian-Jewish dialogue. Jews entered the dialogue, which has been fruitful at times, on the basis of assurances that Christian partners left contempt for Jews and Judaism behind, and had made serious attempts to understand what was important to Jews. The way in which these churches treat Israel shows that neither is true.” – source

I ask you this: Even if you have been in one church for years, if they are teaching a lie, would it not be the right thing to do to leave and attempt to find a gathering of brothers and sisters in Christ who believe the whole Word of God?

“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).

And a word to those seeking a place to worship:

ASK QUESTIONS!

You have a right to know how leadership feels about very important issues – whether they believe the whole Word of God or choose to add or take away from God’s Holy Word.

Shalom b’Yeshua

Maranatha!

Pre-Tribulation Rapture: “Jewish Wedding Ceremony” by Joy Wriston

On By Geri UngureanIn Pre-Trib Rapture6 Comments

After I began to write articles for Rapture Ready,  I had connected with a sister in Christ on Facebook. Her name was Joy Wriston and we became the best of friends. She wrote an article named “Jewish Wedding Ceremony” and at the urging of many of her friends, she submitted the piece to Rapture Ready. The article was received well and published on RR.

After a two year battle with cancer, Joy went home to be with our blessed Redeemer earlier this year. I can’t even imagine her great joy in finally being with the One who held her heart.

I still cry when all of a sudden it hits me that she is no longer just a phone call away. But then my heart is flooded with great joy, picturing her with Yeshua. I look forward to seeing her in heaven, and never having to say goodbye again.

 

This is a tribute to Joy Wriston who ran the race and finished so well.
“Jewish Wedding Ceremony” by Joy Wriston
I was brought up in a church that believed in the Pre-Trib Rapture but in college encountered other views. I noticed that they mostly used the same verses but interpreted them differently so wondered if my interpretation could be the one that was wrong. Then I discovered Zola Levitt and his explanation of the Jewish roots of the Rapture confirmed for me that the Pre-Trib view is the accurate one.

This is my synopsis of his teaching gleaned from his book, An Israeli Love Story ( a fictional story which explains the Jewish wedding ceremony). Anyone who wants to research this further can do so as there are many articles from different sources on the Internet.

The First Century Jewish Wedding Ceremony

In the first century, when a young man saw a young lady he liked, he consulted with his father. Sometimes the father picked the girl and no consultations were necessary. But when the father approved of the choice of a bride, the young man would go to her house and speak with her father. (p.105)

At the bride’s house three very important things would occur: The groom would make a covenant with the bride, an actual contract; he would drink a cup of wine with her which sealed the covenant and he would pay the bridal price for her to the father. The bridal price was to make sure the groom was serious about the covenant—he had to pay a price. After the covenant was made, the cup had been drunk and the price paid, the groom would make a speech to the bride telling her that he was going to leave her and return to his father’s house to prepare a bridal chamber for her, sort of a honeymoon suite.

The words he would say were “I go to prepare a place for you.” He would be gone for a long time. He would have to build and finish the bridal chamber and have it approved by his father. It would have to be stocked for enough provisions to last for the prescribed seven days for a honeymoon of that time period.He would want it to be beautiful for her.

It had to be done right to win the approval of the groom’s father. During that year or so that the groom was building the bridal chamber, if anyone asked him when the wedding would be, he would say. “I don’t know. Only my father knows.”And that was true.He couldn’t go back to get his bride until his father approved the chamber and told him to go get her.(pp.106-108)

Meanwhile, the bride was waiting with dignity. She wore her veil whenever she went out so that other young men would know that she wasn’t available. Now she was called “set apart,” “consecrate.” And “bought with a price.” She was no longer her own person but an individual contracted to another and she conducted herself in a way that respected that agreement. She didn’t seek after other young men. She prepared herself for marriage by gathering her trousseau and waiting for her groom. She was at home every night, especially as time went on and she knew he could be coming.

The tradition was for him to come at night, especially midnight, to try to take her by surprise. It was to be “an abduction.” The bride would be waiting with her “bridesmaids,” her sisters or whomever she wanted in her wedding party. They would all have oil in their lamps just in case the groom did come at night. As time went on they were sure to be ready every night. (pp.109-110)

One night the groom did finally come. It was customary for the groom’s party to shout as they neared the bride’s house.When the bride heard that shout, she knew her groom had come to get her. The groom and his friends would rush in and grab every girl in sight, being sure to get the one with the veil (the bride). He needed her veil as the party would be going through the streets and she was not yet married. The bride’s father and brothers looked the other way as long as it was the young man with the contract. (p.110)

The entire wedding party would head towards the groom’s house, traveling through the streets and laughing. People would know there was a wedding going on but couldn’t tell who the bride was because the bride was covered by the veil. The bride and groom would enter the bridal chamber while the wedding party waited outside along with the wedding guests (friends of the groom’s father). Everyone waited outside the wedding chamber until the groom told his trusted friend through the door that the marriage was consummated.

Then the guests began celebrating an accomplished marriage. The guests would spend the next seven days there celebrating until the bride emerged with her veil off. Now the couple were husband and wife. Then there would be the marriage supper where everyone would joyfully congratulate the new couple. Afterwards, the young couple would leave the father’s house and go to a permanent home the husband had prepared for them. (p.111-113)

Jesus as the Bridegroom

The New Covenant

Hebrew 8:8 quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34 which states:

“‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah; not like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ declares the Lord.‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days’ declares the Lord, ‘I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God and they shall be My people. They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquities and their sin I will remember no more.”

The New Covenant had to do with the Messiah’s coming and had to be signed in blood. Abraham had to divide animals when the Abrahamic Covenant made the Jews the chosen people (Genesis 15:10). In Moses’ day, the blood of the sacrificial lamb on the doorposts saved the firstborn of the Jewish believers (Exodus 12:7). Then later on Mount Sinai, the Mosaic Covenant was established. It required repeated blood (animal) sacrifices specified in the Law for the forgiveness of sins/offenses against God (Exodus 20:24).

The Davidic Covenant included burnt and peace offerings which required the shedding of animal blood (2 Samuel 6:17-18, 1 Chronicles 16:1-3). It’s the blood that makes the Covenant go into effect. When the Messiah (Jesus) came, John the Baptist called Him ,“The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Isaiah 53:7 says the Messiah “would be led as a lamb to the slaughter.” When Jesus died on the cross, it was as a sacrifice for us; dying in our place with our sins placed on Him.

That the relationship of God and Israel has always been a marriage is made clear in the book of Hosea. In Jeremiah 31:32 God says He has been a “husband” to Israel.Paul compared marriage to being like the relationship between Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:22-33). The church is referred to as the bride of Christ or betrothed of Christ (Revelation 17:9; Ephesians 5:25-28; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4).

Jesus said that He only came for the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” When Gentiles came to faith in the Jewish Messiah they were grafted into the Jewish tree, and were called the spiritual seed of Abraham (Matthew 15:24; Romans 11:17).

The Cup

At the Passover supper Jesus drank the cup with his disciples and stated “This is My blood of the new covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:28) God promises, “I will forgive their iniquities and remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34) In the Jewish faith, the cup at the Passover supper is called the “Cup of Redemption.”

The Price

Jesus paid the bride price. He even asked His Father if it was worth it. (Luke 22:42-44) In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but yours be done. And His sweat fell like great drops of blood while He was contemplating the cross. God sent an angel to strengthen His Son. That was His answer. Jesus paid the price for us.

“I Go to Prepare a Place for You”

In John 14:2-3 Jesus tells His disciples, “ In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” His ascension into heaven is recorded in Mark 16:19-20 and Luke 24:50-51.

The Bride Awaits

Jesus is still at his Father’s house preparing a place for us. And we are awaiting His return in a consecrated way—bought with a price; set apart (1 Corinthians 6:20; John 17:14-26, Romans 12:2;1 Peter 1:15-16.) “We are to act like the covenanted bride and be waiting at all times for our Bridegroom to come.We are to have oil in our lamps and be ready to travel, even at night (Matthew 25:1-46). Our oil is the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity who came to the Jews at Pentecost after the Messiah ascended. We are each to be filled with the Holy Spirit and always ready to go (Acts 2).

Jesus performed a vast Jewish courtship with His believers. “The Lord will return for His bride. There will be a bridal chamber in heaven where Jesus and the church will spend seven years – like the ancient seven days, and there will be a marriage supper like the Jews used to have. Every detail of Jesus’ great wedding will be accomplished and it will be carried out in the exact traditions of the Jewish people, because Jesus is Jewish!”

The Return of the Bridegroom

In the Jewish holy days, “Shuvuot (Pentecost) – that’s the harvest holiday. All summer following Pentecost the people plant and till the ground. But when the trumpet sounds, on what we now call Rosh Hashanah, the old Feast of Trumpets, the crops are in and the harvest is finished. Jeremiah, just to mention one prophet, could see that we wouldn’t be ready—not all of us.

“The summer is ended and we are not saved” (Jeremiah 8:20).Paul gave us a wonderful picture of that moment when the groom will return for His bride.” For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). (pp. 149-151)

That fulfills everything.You have the shout of the bridegroom to notify the bride of his coming; you have the trumpet to finish the harvest and to proclaim liberty for God’s people. We (Jews) used to blow the trumpet on each Jubilee to proclaim liberty…well, this is real liberty (Leviticus 25:10).

Just as a Jewish bridegroom called for his bride unexpectedly, and took her to his father’s house, Jesus will take His Bride (believers) away quickly, changed in the twinkling of an eye. (1 Corinthians 15:52). The Bride is to be ready and waiting with her veil on so that anyone who sees her pass will not know who she is.

People in today’s world also don’t recognize the bride of Christ. They see people going to church but don’t recognize them as the Bride. It’s as if true believers are wearing a spiritual veil making them unrecognizable to the world. After the Bride has gone on to her wedding, the world still won’t recognize who she was.

The House of the Father of the Groom

When the bride and groom arrive at the groom’s father’s house they will find a large gathering of wedding guests who are friends of the father. When the Bridegroom brings us to His Father’s house we will also find the Father’s friends there as wedding guests. These are the Old Testament saints, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the prophets, and the faithful chosen people who lived prior to the coming of the Messiah.

But first the bride and groom must go into the bridal chamber for seven days. And the groom’s friend waits outside the chamber until he hears the groom’s voice. Then he tells the guests when the marriage is consummated. In John 3:29 the Pharisees were questioning John the Baptist if he was the Messiah. John told them: “He that has the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom who stands nearby and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.” The marriage is accomplished when the bridegroom’s voice is heard.

The “honeymoon” in heaven is the judgment seat of Christ. We will go before the Messiah and He will look at our works done for Him while we were in the flesh.We (believers) are all His servants and we do both good works and bad. In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 Paul wrote:

“No man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it for it is to be revealed with fire and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on remains, he will receive a reward (crowns). If any man’s work is burned up he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

This has nothing to do with sins. They were all covered at the cross. God isn’t going to charge us for what is already paid for. If you accept Jesus as Messiah (Savior) all your sins are forgiven. The “honeymoon” is where the groom removes the bride’s veil and knows her secrets. Even with our “bad” works, love is the healing factor. If you want a “good honeymoon” follow the Lord and do your good works for him. Either way, keep in mind that Jesus loves you and will be very glad to see you.

The Marriage Supper

The announcement has been made that the marriage is consummated. The Lord has examined everyone’s works and the crowns have been awarded. Now there is great rejoicing and celebration. The marriage is official and the great marriage supper (what we would call the reception) will commence. The Bride will be greatly honored:

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His wife has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:7-8).

Notice that the Bible now says “wife” instead of “bride.” The honeymoon is finished and we are now married to the Lord. After the supper is over, we’ll leave to live and reign with our Husband in His millennial kingdom. – source

Shalom b’Yeshua

MARANATHA!

“REVELATIONS” by Terry James is Available at Amazon!

On By Geri UngureanIn "Revelations"2 Comments

 

***REVELATIONS moving swiftly!***

REVELATIONS, Terry James’ new novel, has already reached significant ranking in certain Amazon categories! We thank you for making it one of the hottest new releases in fiction! We hope you will recommend the story to many of your friends. This will help greatly with the book’s momentum while we strive to get out the prophetic Word in fashion that fiction readers will pick up and read.
Although fiction, it represents Truth from God’s Word and can be most effective in disseminating information about things to come.
Also, we ask that you write reviews on Amazon.com The greater the number of positive reviews, the more widely spread will be the prophetic Message that Jesus is coming again –perhaps very soon!

Now available! Get your copy today!
AMAZON

Chapter 5

“I’m not sure the rest of us would agree with you,'” Tyce said, glancing toward Marial, who conversed with the others.
“What do you think, Tyce? Do you sense this…vanishing…will actually happen?”
Greyson paused to reflect on the network executive’s query.
“All I can say is that this one had a completely different feel…That is, it was more…eerie, I guess. It was more surreal than the others. More ethereal.”
“It has already gone wild on social media. Everyone in media and the government are after me to let them at you.”
“Well, don’t let them…at me.”
“No. Don’t worry. let’s just get on with filming the documentary. The suspense and intrigue will build. This was the best thing that could happen for the promotion of the series,” Bressnick said.
Greyson spoke in a somber tone after a few moments of silence. “If what I saw during this…if it actually happens…I’m not sure the documentary series, or anything else will matter too much.”

***

Marial looked out the helicopter’s window, seeing the Aegean sprawl 14,000 feet below. Spiney ridges of the small Cyclades chain protruded from the cobalt blueness like the humps of a gigantic sea serpent.
“Patmos is that larger one, there,” Tyce said loud enough to be heard over the thumping of the helicopter. He leaned near her to point to a large mass of gray jutting from the Aegean.
Marial looked out the window then at him.” Are you nervous, going back to where this all started?”
“Only thing I’m nervous about is that episode last night. I don’t know what it means…”
“The last one of the…episodes…didn’t happen. The bomb exploding off North Carolina’s coast. Maybe this one won’t come to pass.”
“But, the vision seemed to clarify why the bomb didn’t go off. The word Spared , that appeared after the scene of the people in prayer…The voice saying that their prayers were the reason…”
“Well, the people were praying in the vision last night, weren’t they” she said, leaning against his arm and laying her face against his shoulder.
Her warmth somehow calmed his uncertainty about the prediction –about the trip to the strange cavern where it all began.

***

Stravos’ broadly beaming smile greeted them when the huge blades stopped turning and they walked down the steps from the helicopter’s doorway.
“Mister Tyce!”
The small Greek waved to get Greyson’s attention.
Stravos grabbed the journalist’s hand and shook it vigorously with both hands.
“You have a good flight, yes?”
“Any flight in which you get back down safely is a good one,” Tyce said, returning the Greek’s smile.
Stravos smile widened even more, his attention turning to the woman at Greyson’s side when he was introduced to her.
“This is Marial Gunn,” he said while Marial put out her hand to take that of Stravos. “She will be working on the documentary with us.”
“She your woman?” Stravos said, continuing to smile and hold her hand.
“No,” Marial sighed in feigned disappointment. “Just his associate.”
“Ah! Yes…Welcome to Patmos,” Stravos said, seemingly oblivious to her words.
“The truck is here, as you see,” Stravos said, waving his hand at the big vehicle behind him. “This will carry all of your equipment. And, I have men who will move it up the mountain. They will work very cheap.”
Greyson put his arm around Stravos’ shoulders. “I worked it out so you and your men will be well paid for helping in everything we do while on Patmos. I’ll tell you all about it a little later.”
The Greek said nothing, but smiled while looking down while they walked and nodding his head, obviously pleased at what he heard.
“Have you been up to the cave yet?” Tyce said while they rode in Stravos’ van that moved along the rough road ahead of the truck.
“Yes. We have made certain the serpents are not there,” the Greek said, matter-of-factly.
Tyce laughed. “That’s good…That’s very good!”
“Yes, that is good,” Marial said with enthusiastic agreement.
Their amusement seemed lost on Stravos, who took it as compliment while concentrating on the road ahead…
­***

Tyce sat on the stone of the flat stone below the larger slab of natural formation. He looked out the cave opening, down the mountainside to the long, gray-brown beach. The Aegean lay beyond for as far as could be visually determined.
He alternately, between times of looking at the Mediterranean vista, read the script held in his hands.
He would have to memorize only a small portion –for moments during the filming when the cameras were on him. The rest he would read as narrative to be the voice over for the many intriguing shots the film crews hoped to capture.
But, he reminded himself, he must always read the voice over portions with the same, conversational cadence and tone as when on camera.
“We’re about ready to do a test or two,” one of the crew said from near the small entrance to the upper cave room.
“I’m about ready, too,” Greyson responded, looking in the direction of the man. His eyes went automatically to the ledge above the cave opening. The ledge where the snake had latched onto his hand.
He shivered inwardly. It was a ledge that had been in his nightmares since…
“Tyce!”
Marial’s face appeared in the opening. There was anxiety in her voice.
“It’s happened!”
“What?…What’s happened,” he said, hurrying to duck, then follow her through the opening when she retreated.
“It’s Bressnick,” she said, handing him the satellite phone.
“Tyce Greyson,” he answered.
“Tyce. It’s actually happened! People…People everywhere…all over the world, apparently…”
“What? What happened?”
“They’ve disappeared…Vanished!”…

Get your copy of “REVELATIONS“ by Terry James today!

God Asks Members of Apostate Churches: “Where Are You?”

On By Geri UngureanIn Emerging church cult12 Comments

“Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?(Genesis 3:9).

When you’ve read this passage of Scripture, have you thought that God did not know where Adam was?  In His omniscience, God knew exactly where Adam was – physically.  Then why did he ask the question?

When God asked this question of Adam, He was referring to where Adam was Spiritually. God knew this as well, but He asked Adam the question to get him to look at his sin and rebellion.  Adam had rebelled against God and took the forbidden fruit from his wife Eve, and he ate it.

Eve was deceived by Satan. Adam sinned willfully.

Opening the Door to the Great Falling Away

In the mid 1990’s, my family visited a church in our area.  I had heard that this church was growing rapidly and that they had a large and vibrant youth program. I had picked up some literature about the church and I noticed a theme that seemed to resonate in every description of ministries to the core beliefs of the church.

This church called itself  “Seeker friendly” or Seeker Sensitive.”. Whispers of the evil one had been mistakenly construed as a Word from God. If the leaders of these “churches” were grounded in God’s Word, they would have discerned  immediately that this was NOT from God.

God never changes. His Word never changes.  NEVER.

I saw over and over a question posed to prospective visitors:  “Are you tired of Church?  Have you been turned off by what you have been hearing? Come and visit Grace Community – come as you are – you will be welcomed!”

Well, we visited for a while.  I noticed that sin was never mentioned from the pulpit. The overriding message to the congregants was “God loves you just as your are. Don’t change a thing!”  REALLY?  We shouldn’t change?

Being born again – trusting Christ for the Forgiveness of our Sins CHANGES us!

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”  (Romans 12:2).

How does the renewing of our minds happen?  It can only happen by being immersed in God’s Word.  Isn’t it just like the evil one to once again twist Scripture – this time birthing the Emerging Church movement which is so prevalent in these last days?

Satan said this to Eve:

“Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5).  < hissssssss>

The devil whispered to leaders of the Emerging Churches:

Now this is not from Scripture but I surmised that something like this was whispered to Brian McLaren, Rob Bell and other Emerging church leaders:

“You MUST change that which has been taught from the pulpits! Can’t you see that speaking about ‘sinners’ has alienated SO many people?  Change it up, and you will bring many into your church.”   <hissssssss>

Mainline denominations which hate Israel

Growing up as a Jew, I had first hand experience with Jew hatred.  But when I was a young girl (I speak about this in my testimony “From Jew to Completed Jew“) I was permitted by my parents to visit some Wednesday night children’s programs at church with some of my friends.

From Jew to Completed Jew

The parents of these children knew that I was Jewish. They were elated that I was allowed to come with my friends and learn about Jesus. This time period was during the late 1950’s. One of the churches was Presbyterian and another was Methodist.

Today, these two denominations have fallen away from the Word of God and have actually turned on Israel (the Jewish people) and are siding with the Palestinians. These aforementioned denominations are certainly not the only ones who have become anti-Semitic.  Many Baptist churches are teaching Replacement theology and stand against Israel.

Here is an article I wrote about Replacement Theology:

Replacement Theology: A Lie From the Pit of Hell

From gotquestions.com

What is Apostasy and how can I recognize it?

Answer: Apostasy, from the Greek word apostasia, means “a defiance of an established system or authority; a rebellion; an abandonment or breach of faith.” In the first-century world, apostasy was a technical term for political revolt or defection. And just like in the first century, apostasy threatens the Body of Christ today.

The Bible warns about people like Arius (c. A.D. 250 – 336), a Christian priest from Alexandria, Egypt, who was trained at Antioch in the early fourth century. About A.D. 318, Arius accused Bishop Alexander of Alexandria of subscribing to Sabellianism, a false teaching which asserted that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were merely roles or modes assumed by God at various times. Arius was determined to emphasize the oneness of God; however, he went too far in his teaching of God’s nature. Arius denied the Trinity and introduced what appeared on the surface to be an inconsequential difference between the Father and Son.

Arius argued that Jesus was not homoousios (of the same essence) as the Father, but was rather homoiousios (of similar essence). Only one Greek letter – the iota (i) – separated the two. Arius described his position in this manner: “The Father existed before the Son. There was a time when the Son did not exist. Therefore, the Son was created by the Father. Therefore, although the Son was the highest of all creatures, he was not of the essence of God.”

Arius was very clever and did his best to get the people on his side, even going so far as to compose little songs that taught his theology, which he tried to teach to everyone who would listen. His winsome nature and revered position as a preacher and one who lived in denial of himself contributed also to his cause.

With respect to apostasy, it is critical that all Christians understand two important things: (1) how to recognize apostasy and apostate teachers, and (2) why apostate teaching is so deadly.

The Forms of Apostasy
To fully identify and combat apostasy, it is important that Christians understand its various forms and the traits that characterize its doctrines and teachers. As to the forms of apostasy, there are two main types: (1) a falling away from key and true doctrines of the Bible into heretical teachings that proclaim to be “the real” Christian doctrine, and (2) a complete renunciation of the Christian faith, which results in a full abandonment of Christ.

Arius represents the first form of apostasy—a denial of key Christian truths (such as the divinity of Christ) that begins a downhill slide into a full departure from the faith, which is the second form of apostasy. It is important to understand that the second form almost always begins with the first. A heretical belief becomes a heretical teaching that splinters and grows until it pollutes all aspects of a person’s faith, and then the end goal of Satan is accomplished, which is a complete falling away from Christianity.

A recent example of this process is a 2010 study done by prominent atheist Daniel Dennett and Linda LaScola called “Preachers Who Are Not Believers.” Dennett and LaScola’s work chronicles five different preachers who over time were presented with and accepted heretical teachings about Christianity and now have completely fallen away from the faith and are either pantheists or clandestine atheists. One of the most disturbing truths highlighted in the study is that these preachers maintain their position as pastors of Christian churches with their congregations being unaware of their leader’s true spiritual state.

The dangers of apostasy were warned about in the book of Jude, which serves as a handbook for understanding the characteristics of apostates like those chronicled in Dennett and LaScola’s study. Jude’s words are every bit as relevant for us today as they were when he penned them in the first century, so it is important we carefully read and understand them.

The Characteristics of Apostasy and Apostates

Jude was the half-brother of Jesus and a leader in the early church. In his New Testament letter, he outlines how to recognize apostasy and strongly urges those in the body of Christ to contend earnestly for the faith (vs. 3). The Greek word translated “contend earnestly” is a compound verb from which we get the word “agonize.” It is in the present infinitive form, which means that the struggle will be continuous. In other words, Jude is telling us that there will be a constant fight against false teaching and that Christians should take it so seriously that we “agonize” over the fight in which we are engaged. Moreover, Jude makes it clear that every Christian is called to this fight, not just church leaders, so it is critical that all believers sharpen their discernment skills so that they can recognize and prevent apostasy in their midst.

After urging his readers to contend earnestly for the faith, Jude highlights the reason: “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (vs. 4). In this one verse, Jude provides Christians with three traits of apostasy and apostate teachers.

First, Jude says that apostasy can be subtle. Jude uses the word “crept” (found in no other book of the Bible) to describe the apostate’s entry into the church. In extra-biblical Greek, the term describes the cunning craftiness of a lawyer who, through clever argumentation, infiltrates the minds of courtroom officials and corrupts their thinking. The word literally means “slip in sideways; come in stealthily; sneak in; hard to detect.” In other words, Jude says it is rare that apostasy begins in an overt and easily detectable manner. Instead, it looks a lot like Arius’ preaching in which, in a nonchalant manner, only a single letter differentiates his doctrine from the real teaching of the Christian faith.

Describing this aspect of apostasy and its underlying danger, A. W. Tozer wrote, “So skilled is error at imitating truth, that the two are constantly being mistaken for each another. It takes a sharp eye these days to know which brother is Cain and which is Abel.” The apostle Paul also speaks to the outwardly pleasing behavior of apostates and their teaching when he says, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). In other words, do not look for apostates to appear bad on the outside or speak dramatic words of heresy at the outset of their teaching. Rather than denying truth outright, apostates will twist it to fit their own agenda, but as pastor R. C. Lensky has noted, “The worst forms of wickedness consist in perversions of the truth.”

Second, Jude describes the apostates as “ungodly” and as those who use God’s grace as a license to commit unrighteous acts. Beginning with “ungodly,” Jude describes eighteen unflattering traits of apostates so his readers can more easily identify them. Jude says the apostates are ungodly (vs. 4), morally perverted (vs. 4), denying Christ (vs. 4), ones who defile the flesh (vs. 8), rebellious (vs. 8), people who revile angels (vs. 8), who are ignorant about God (vs. 8), those who proclaim false visions (vs. 10), self-destructive (vs. 10), grumblers (vs. 16), fault finders (vs. 16), self-satisfying (vs. 16), people who use arrogant words and false flattery (vs. 16), mockers of God (vs. 18), those who cause divisions (vs. 19), worldly minded (vs. 19), and finally (and not surprisingly), devoid of the Spirit/unsaved (vs. 19).

Third, Jude says apostates “deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” How do apostates do this? Paul tells us in his letter to Titus, “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed” (Titus 1:15-16, emphasis added). Through their unrighteous behavior, the apostates show their true selves. Unlike an apostate, a true believer is someone who has been delivered from sin to righteousness in Christ. With Paul, they ask the apostates who promote licentious behavior, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

But the apostates’ false teaching also shows their true nature. Peter says, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves” (2 Peter 2:1). Another aspect of true believers is that they have been delivered out of spiritual darkness into light (Ephesians 5:8) and therefore will not deny core truths of Scripture like Arius did with the divinity of Jesus.

Ultimately, the sign of an apostate is that he eventually falls away and departs from the truth of God’s Word and His righteousness. The apostle John signifies this is a mark of a false believer: “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19).

Ideas Have Consequences
That God takes apostasy and false teaching seriously is evidenced by the fact that every New Testament book except Philemon contains warnings about false teaching. Why is this? Simply because ideas have consequences. Right thinking and its fruit produces goodness, whereas wrong thinking and its accompanying action results in undesired penalties. As an example, the Cambodian killing fields in the 1970s were the product of the nihilistic worldview of Jean Paul Sartre and his teaching. The Khmer Rouge’s leader Pol Pot lived out Sartre’s philosophy toward the people in a clear and frightening way, which was articulated in this manner: “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss.”

It should be remembered that Satan did not come to the first couple in the Garden with an external armament or supernatural weapon; instead, he came to them with an idea. And it was that idea that condemned them and the rest of humankind, with the only remedy being the sacrificial death of God’s Son.

The great tragedy is, whether knowingly or unknowingly, the apostate teacher dooms his unsuspecting followers. One of the most frightening verses in all of Scripture comes from the lips of Jesus. Speaking to His disciples about the religious leaders of His day, He said, “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14, emphasis added). This verse is alarming because Jesus affirms that it is not only the false teachers that go to destruction, but their disciples also follow them. Christian philosopher Søren Kierkegaard put it this way: “For it has never yet been known to fail that one fool, when he goes astray, takes several others with him.”

Conclusion
In A.D. 325, the Council of Nicea convened primarily to take up the issue of Arius and his teaching. Much to Arius’s dismay, the end result was his excommunication and a statement in the Nicene Creed that affirmed Christ’s divinity: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father.”

Arius may have died centuries ago, but his spiritual children are still with us to this day in the form of cults like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and others who deny Christ’s true essence and person. Sadly, until Christ returns and every last spiritual enemy has been removed, tares such as these will be present among the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30). In fact, Scripture says apostasy will only get worse as Christ’s return approaches. “At that time [the latter days] many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). Paul echoes Jesus in his inspired writings as well. The apostle told the Thessalonians that a great falling away would precede Christ’s second coming (2 Thessalonians 2:3) and that the end times would be characterized by tribulation and hollow religious charlatans: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be . . . holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these” (2 Timothy 3:1-2,5).

It is critical, now more than ever, that every believer pray for discernment, combat apostasy, and contend earnestly for the faith that has once and for all been delivered to the saints. – source

Are you in a church that could be described as the following?

  • Leadership does not stress importance of personal Bible study
  • Leadership does not consider God’s Word to be inerrant.
  • Leadership does not preach about sin and how it separates us from God
  • Leadership speaks primarily about Social Justice  – Not the Gospel of Jesus Christ which reconciles men/women to God
  • Leadership never preaches on Bible Prophecy
  • Leadership speaks of mystical meditation and how it draws you closer to God
  • Leadership is not concerned about the “spiritual state” of members
  • Leadership speaks against Israel and for the Palestinians (BDS movement)
  • Leadership welcomes practicing Homosexuals into leadership positions in the church
  • Leadership does not present the Gospel of Jesus Christ – how to be saved

How Can I Be Saved?  <click here

Brethren, if you find yourself in an apostate church – Jesus would have you leave that place, and find a church which is grounded in Him and His Word.  If you feel led to share the Gospel with leadership, then make an appointment to do this.

Good works like helping the community should come out of a heart which is so grateful to God for His Salvation.  In Apostate churches, works are what they stress, and is to them the path to God.  This is devilish, brethren.

“But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags”  (Isaiah 64:6).  We cannot work our way to heaven!

The Falling Away is so sad and is happening at breakneck speed. This has to happen because it is spoken of in Biblical Prophecy.  The Lord tells us that this will happen before He returns for His bride.

These apostate churches have adopted Leftist ideologies which serve to shut down Truth. If you do not agree with them, then in their eyes you are wrong.

God and His Word are all we need!

Shalom b’Yeshua

MARANATHA!