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The Advent of Easter – Introduction

March 1, 2019 – Introduction

The Advent of Easter by Pamela Christian—Copyright © 2019

The true meaning of our holy days has become grossly distorted by commercialism. For this reason, I’ve set out to help us focus on the most glorious event in all history—the life, death and resurrection of Jesus—with a proper reverence and humility befitting the advent of Easter.

March 6, 2019 marks the first day of the Lenten Season. While observing the Lenten Season is more widely done by Catholics, Protestants ought to have a proper understanding of the observance. Lent is the time of spiritual preparation prior to Easter, just as Advent is for Christmas. Rather than celebrate with emphasis on chocolate bunnies and colored eggs, let’s intentionally set aside time to spiritually connect with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The first installment for this Advent of Easter will be available March 6, 2019. Please share this announcement so as many of us as possible can experience a special, holy communion during this high holy season.

All posts will be announced via social media with the full rendering available at https://pamelachristianministries.com/pamelas_blog

Schedule of Posts: Every other week beginning March 6, ending April 21, 2019.

About the Author:

Pamela Christian is an itinerant, international minister, called to be a strong asset to the Church, providing wisdom and insight from God’s Word, with a voice of prophecy. Award-winning author, keynote speaker and radio and television host, Pam’s single focus is to help people discover and live in life-giving truth. She is acknowledged as an Apostle (messenger) and awarded an honorary Doctorate of Divinity degree from the HSBN International Fellowship of Ministries and Apostolic Center. She is a member of International Society of Women in Apologetics, and certified in apologetics by Biola University. www.PamelaChristianMinistries.com

Do You Live in Reality?

Ask the title question of anyone and they will mostly likely reply, “Yes! Who would willingly live in delusion?” Makes sense. However, the fact that a person believes they live in reality does not make it so. Understand, deception is a delusion a person can be subject to, without knowing they are. The very nature of deception means the victim is unaware.

So how can we know if we’re living in reality or if we are deceived? The first step requires we identify truth so we can recognize deception. Ah, but in our culture today, it is popular to claim truth is relative–meaning truth is personally defined by each individual. “What is true for one person, is not necessarily true for everyone,” is the popular voice today. Again, believing something, does not it so.

For example, I can claim “I have no cellulite” all I want, but the claim or belief doesn’t make it so. The reality is, I have cellulite. Therefore, the truth is I have cellulite. Anyone operating from a sound mind would agree truth must line up with reality.

There are three laws to truth all of which must be in place at the same time for us to be certain a matter is true. The laws are: 1) truth always lines up with reality; 2) only one thing can be true with all opposing matters false, and; 3) truth is universal (the truth is the same anywhere in the world.) With this understanding let’s reconsider the claim that truth is relative.

Another way to claim truth is relative is to make the statement: “There is no such thing as absolute truth.” Well, that statement relies on the law of absolutes–the statement itself is an absolute statement. Only one thing can be true–claims for truth being relative and truth being absolute cannot both be right.

I don’t like to tell people what to believe. Rather, I want to present facts asking them to consider what they believe and why, so they can be sure they are not living in deception. Reality is our plumb line for discerning truth. Very sadly however, our culture is out of touch with reality–actually seeking to create a “reality” of their own making. Isn’t that the same as choosing to live in deception?

Where do you live?

I welcome your comments.

 

Inspiration for today’s Word for Wednesday came from the first book in the series: Examine Your Faith! Finding Truth in a World of Lies

 

Brief Bio:

Pamela is an international, itinerant minister, recognized as an Apostle (messenger) with an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the HSBN International Fellowship of Ministries Apolostolic Center, is certified in apologetics by Biola University, is a radio and television host with her most recent TV show being Faith to Live By, and is a member of the International Fellowship of Women in Apologetics. She and her husband live in Orange County, CA with their two grown and married children living nearby.

Is Unbelief Preventing You From Your Breakthrough?

This is my Word for Wednesday:

Mark 9:20-29 is a passage worthy of deeper study. What is often taught is “this type of unclean spirit” cannot come out except for prayer and fasting. However, I’m convinced, with proper study, the focus in this passage is on “unbelief” not the unclean spirit.

The father of the possessed boy confesses “I believe, help my unbelief.” (vs 24 ESV) Jesus himself in this passage didn’t take time for fasting before He commanded the unclean spirit come out of the boy. (By the way the words “and fasting” are added to many MSS—see the reference below.)

Jesus has all authority. Jesus has given His disciples all authority (Matthew 28:18-30). Even with a hierarchy of fallen angels, there is nothing the authority of Jesus can’t control—except He has chosen to limit himself to the will of man. Man’s free-will is what makes our devotion to Christ genuine, and not pre-programmed. Likewise, man’s free-will is what makes our rejection of Him genuine, and not pre-programmed. Man’s free will is what brings him to believe or not believe any matter. Our free will is influenced by what receive.

Jesus could not do the same extent of miracles in His own home town He did elsewhere, because of the people’s unbelief. (Luke 4:24)

In Mark 9:20-29, Jesus is not presenting a formula of “prayer and fasting” for His disciples to follow to gain “more power.” They (we) already have all we need. He is explaining that unbelief will dictate where His authority is effective or not. The unbelief of the boy’s father, and others like the father who suffer unbelief, must be recognized and directly dealt with. We must personally choose to overcome unbelief through intentional prayer—and certainly also fasting is consistent with Jesus’ teachings. Unbelief based on lies is dissolved with truth.

The boy was subjected to a spiritual stronghold. What is a spiritual stronghold? Ed Silvoso of Harvest Evangelism defines it as, “a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable, situations that we know are contrary to the will of God.” When we find ourselves experiencing hopelessness, we have evidence we’ve been wrongly influenced with lies. The boy was so far gone, he needed intercession/exorcism. But so long as the father’s unbelief was present, success of the disciples was impaired.

Deeply dedicated, devoted born-again Christians can be influenced by unbelief. We are not immune. Therefore, we must be on guard, discerning thoughts and the origin of the thoughts to reject the lies of darkness, else we find ourselves experiencing beliefs contrary to the Word and will of God. The remedy is to intentionally take the thought captive, and replace the lie from the enemy with the truth of God’s Word. This is what the Apostle Paul instructed in Romans about renewing our minds (Romans 12:1-2). As born-again Christians our spirit has been completely replaced with a new Spirit aligned with Jesus. However, our soul and flesh need to be instructed and trained how to function consistent with the Spirit. The weapons of warfare are both offensive and defensive. (See Ephesians 6:10-18). When we realize we are entertaining thoughts of hopelessness, we must be deliberate in applying the Word of God to our mind, confident we’ve been given every weapon and all authority we need to see God’s will manifest in our lives. The helmet of salvation in Ephesians 6:17 is to guard our mind—our knowledge, which is the basis of our faith.

Another subject that has been wrongly taught is God’s will. It is not God’s will for you to suffer under the schemes of the enemy in ANY way. Christ died to set us free and give us the ability to overcome. We too often attribute works of the enemy to the will of God. We must take the situation before the Lord and ask Him for discernment regarding the origin of the suffering. If it is the enemy, get angry and get fighting! If it is the discipline of God, repent and seek the help of the Holy Spirit to be transformed and fortified in your Spirit. Then, allow the Holy Spirit to help you transform your mind and instruct your flesh. If it is a matter that’s been inflicted upon you through nothing of your own doing, seek the Lord for His strategy to get through the situation/circumstance the best way possible. We live in a fallen world. Being a Christian does not mean we will not suffer. Being a Christian does, however, give us the supreme advantage for ultimate victory, even experiencing peace and joy in the midst of suffering, as Christ experienced.

Let us be intentional about fortifying:

Our understanding of God’s will (Knowledge)

Our understanding of the imputed authority we have (Power)

Our belief in the certainty of God’s promises, decrees, commands, instructions, and revelation (Confidence)

Our understanding of God’s character (Trust)

Our ability to stand strong in the face of opposition (Faith)

Our experience of the inner witness of the Holy Spirit (Hope)

Our connection with the Father’s heart (Love)

 

1 Corinthians 13:7 reads: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (ESV) It’s this kind of love, which defines faith, that brings us through any hardships we encounter with the certain hope of the victory that has already been secured for us through Jesus.

Mark 9:20-29 reference: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mar...

About the Author:

Pamela Christian is an itinerant, International minister, award-winning author, speaker, Bible teacher, and radio and television host. She’s been prophetically called by God’s grace to be a strong asset to the Church to impart wisdom and insight through teaching, instruction, and prophetic awareness. For over 25 years Pamela has compassionately helped people discover and live in life-giving truth. She is certified in apologetics by Biola University. However, her teaching style is personable and respectful—not overly academic. Her Faith to Live By book series has exceptional reviews and is endorsed by Josh McDowell, Dr. Craig Hazen, Dr. Charles H. Kraft, Dr. James Goll, Dr. Richard Land, Bill Johnson, Mike Bickle, and Dr. Heidi Baker, among others. Pamela is ordained as apostle through the International Fellowship of Ministries Apostolic Center and was awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree in Divinity from HSBN International School of Ministry. Pamela is a board member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association and is a member of the International Fellowship of Women in Apologetics. Pamela and her husband of over 30 years have two grown and married children with only furry “grandchildren” so far. More at www.PamelaChristianMinistries.com and www.FaithToLiveBy.com

What Christians Don’t Know About Christianity Promotes Evil

Kent Healy agrees with my title premise stating, “a lack of information and/or inaccurate information perpetuates fear, doubt, and stupid behavior.”1 I’ll add, fear, doubt, and stupid behavior are not the goals of the Christian faith. Yet, among those in America who profess to be Christians, we have many who are ignorant, operating under misinformation, or both.

I assert, unless we intentionally examine what we believe and why we believe it, we could easily be deceived and not know it. After all, the very nature of deception means the victim is unaware.

Ignorance means a person has not been exposed to information. Operating under misinformation is the same as being deceived–the individual believes the information is true when it isn’t. Either way, it is incumbent upon us to search for truth in this corrupt world filled with lies.

I ask you to genuinely consider the state of humanity today, with increasing evil bringing death and destruction. What is your honest reaction?

For many, including Christians, the reaction is deep seated fear and over whelming dread for the future. From this posture a person can conclude there is no hope, become resigned, and in so doing actually  perpetuate evil. What would Jesus say to this considering His instructions to Believers?

“And Jesus came and said to them [His disciples],“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of he Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.”

Clearly Christians have been charged with bringing the truth and the real and certain hope it offers  to all people of all nations.

In America we have an abundance of churches and people who claim to be Christians. Yet, according to Barna Research Group, of the roughly 75% of Americans who claim to be Christian, only 45% are actually born-again, whereas only 7-9% of those born-again allow their faith to determine how they live their lives. This means 36 to 44% of born-again Christians aren’t living their faith and are continuing to be influenced and buffeted by the world. Additionally, these same Christians by not living and promoting truth, are contributing to the demise of evil.

It’s possible this last group are the “lukewarm” Christians address in Revelation chapter 3:14-22? To these God said, “Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither not nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked.” Gratefully, true to His character, God offers a remedy for their condition in the rest of the passage.

What allows a person to be lukewarm? I believe it’s either willful ignorance, or apathy. This is why I say “What Most Christians Don’t Know About Christianity Promotes Evil.” I’m sure no Christian wants to be associated with promoting evil. So, let me offer some significant truths (and there are many more!) about our Christian faith to help us all be properly informed.

Did you know:

The Christian worldview offers a wider rationality that embraces and does not contradict the rationality of the other worldviews?
Those who come to Christ have access to a wider capacity for human reason than they had before submitting themselves to Christ?
From the Christian worldview the principles of the other worldviews of secular humanism, naturalism, pantheism and even the other monotheisms can be easily understood? However, from these other worldviews the Christian worldview cannot be fully understood.
Christianity is the one worldview that actually encompasses the truth and reasonable principles of all three other worldviews (Material naturalism, Pantheism and Secular Humanism), and more.2

Isn’t it interesting that our culture demands tolerance and inclusion, while utterly rejecting Christianity, especially in light of the last point just made?

Dorothy Sayer in her book Creed or Chaos? wrote “[I]t is fatal to imagine that everybody knows quite well what Christianity is and needs only a little encouragement to practice it. The brutal fact is that in this Christian country not one person is a hundred has the faintest notion of what the Church teaches about God or man or society or the person of Jesus Christ. . . . Theology this country is at present in a state of utter chaos established in the name of religious toleration and rapidly degenerating into flight from reason and the death of hope.”

With a tremendous sense of urgency, I implore you to intentionally learn all you can about your Christian faith. Not only will you be tremendously fortified to withstand the increase of evil, you’ll be able to share the truth with those you love, allowing them to discover the same freedom and hope you have in Christ.

I unabashedly suggest reading the first book in my Faith to Live By series, Examine Your Faith! Finding Truth in a World of Lies, can be of great help.

 

About the Author

Pamela Christian is an ordained, international, itinerant, minister called to be a strong asset to the Church, offering wisdom and insight form God’s Word. Her ministry utilizes all forms of media and live presentations. To inquire further please use our Contact page.

 

1 Healy, Two Causes of our Greatest Problems: the Uninformed and the Misinformed, http://www.theuncommonlife.com/blog/2...

2  Poplin, Is Reality Secular? (Inter Varsity Press, 2014) p. 205-207.

A Prayer and A Poem for Your New Year

All the Promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen

 

As we come to the close of yet another year,

Our past is behind us and our future is near.

Whatever is behind that brings pain or remorse,

Must be laid by faith at the foot of the Cross.

Look to the new year as a fresh new start,

And determine to serve God with all your heart. (Matthew 6:33)

All the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen,”

Giving us a hope and a future to begin again.

Those who are wise embrace the fear of the Lord,

And have reason to rejoice because of His Word.

Look to the Author and Finisher of your faith,

And trust Him for all His abundant grace.

God demonstrated His love for you through His only Son,

Wanting you to live victoriously in His glorious kingdom. (John 3:16)

All the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen,”

Giving us a hope and a future to begin again.

While evil and suffering exist on the earth,

Evil is overcome by living our second birth.

A life of abundant victory is offered to you,

If you believe with eager expectation in all you do.

Demonstrating trust and faith in the promises of God

Pleases Him and brings about your special reward. (Hebrews 11:6)

All the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen,”

Giving us a hope and a future to begin again.

Trust God’s plan for your life to yet be fulfilled

Whatever’s been destroyed He promises to rebuild

So, embrace this new year with hope and grace,

Confident He is with you whatever you face.

You are more than a conqueror as a joint heir with Jesus,

Boldly assume the victorious life He died to give us. (John 10:10)

All the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen,”

Giving us a hope and a future to begin again.

Praying for more of God’s people to realize their call,

To partner with Christ who overcame sin once, and for all.

When we truly grasp all the authority He’s given us,

We will boldly embrace the Great Commission of Jesus.

As righteousness increases evil loses its power

And the Church will be found faithful in the final hour.

Judgment begins in the House of the Lord,

Because we’ve been commissioned to spread His transforming Word.

All the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen,”

Giving us a hope and a future to begin again.

God love and desire is for all of us to succeed,

In the plans and hope He offers now and in eternity.

We have all we need to make this a tremendous new year,

Providing we stand firm in the faith intentionally rejecting fear.

Strive for the future, forgetting what’s behind

Live in the grace, power, and victory by renewing your mind. (Romans 12:12)

All the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen,”

Giving us a hope and a future to begin again.

“For I know the plans I have for You, declares the Lord,

Plans for welfare and not for evil” we read in His Word.

He offers a future and a hope beyond what we see,

Wanting us to trust Him, and pray to Him, and dare to believe.

Blessings from God extend far beyond all we dream,

So, let’s prepare ourselves to be in position to receive. (Jeremiah 29:11)

All the promises of God are “Yes” and “Amen,”

Giving us a hope and a future to begin again.

Pamela Christian – Copyright 2018

I pray the Hebrew year 5779, and the corresponding year of 2019 to be the powerful beginning of many glorious years yet to come. As evil increases so does righteousness because Jesus overcame sin once, and for all. Let us take hold of who we are in Christ, and intentionally make this the year of New Beginnings (Isaiah 43:18-19).

I do pray for you and hope this poem encourages you. If there is anything specific you’d like me to pray with you about, please either leave a post here or feel free to privately contact me. Wishing a very merry and blessed New Beginning for your and your loved ones.

 

Chaos, Corruption, and the Confidence of Christmas

Did you know the word Christmas as an exclamation expresses  surprise, distress or despair? Isn’t that fascinating!

Culturally, Christmas is promoted with shiny, glittery, alluring “must-have” items, images of friends and family joyously celebrating together, glorious tablescapes replete with special occasion foods preserved only for this special time of year. Worldly cares seem to be non-existent with these images of Christmas.

While some people may be able to put their troubles in the background to enjoy the surprise and awe of the season, others remain in distress and even despair because of their personal circumstances. I understand. My family and I spent many Christmases in financial poverty. However, because of the home we rented and the furnishings and clothing we acquired before our hardship, we didn’t have the appearance of being impoverished. Nonetheless, we were in many ways–finances, health, marital relationship and admittedly our spiritual condition suffered.

Before our unexpected financial devastation, which came through no fault of our own, we were quite well off. We were faithful Christians who tithed, regularly attended and volunteered at church. We owned two houses, renting one and living in the other. We had no consumer debt and were living according to all conservative principles. Yet through a series of unexpected events we suffered, we were forced to spend many Christmases in lack and with debilitating physical conditions. Even so, we learned so very much from that extended season of suffering.

I recall one Christmas when there was no way we could buy our children any Christmas presents, walking through to the kitchen the thought coursed my mind, Thank You God for relieving us from the world-system. Surprised at the thought, realizing it was inspired by the Holy Spirit, it hit me. We were free from the world monetary system. We were no longer part of the materialistic society. We were completely dependent on God for our food, rent, utilities, and more.

In the early days of our trial, I cried out to God to do for us today what I’ve learned He’d done in the past. I recounted the great, miraculous stories of both the Old and New Testaments and mustered up all the “faith” I could to be in position for God to bless us. When the relief didn’t come, I had the choice to give up on God and take matters into my own hands or continue to trust Him. I remember thinking, Things are already pretty bad trusting God, imagine how much worse they could get if I gave up on Him . . . No, I resolved, all things are possible with God so my task was to believe, (Luke 1:37).

That’s when I realized I had trust or faith in Jesus as my Savior for my eternal life. What I had trouble with was believing God for my temporal life – my life here and now. Yet, that makes no sense! How could I trust God for my eternal life, but have problems with His ability to work in my temporal life? My faith wasn’t the question as much as it was my belief. Somewhere along the lines, my belief in God’s abilities and intentions for life on earth had become corrupted with the reality and experience of evil. Another thought coursed through my mind, Just because God is sovereign over all, doesn’t make Him responsible for all.

I had to admit I had resentment against God for not working in my behalf. What do we read in the New Testament? Jesus was limited by the unbelief the people of His own Hometown had concerning Him (Mark 6:4-5). Faith and belief are two sides of the same coin, and both must be intact, without corruption. This what God seeks to develop in us.

Truth is, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, (Heb. 13:8). He is no respecter of people, (Acts 10:34). What He’s done for others He will do for us. If we are not where we’d like to be just now, we must conclude it’s not our turn–there’s more to be gained in the waiting. There must be good to come in and through this (Romans 8:28).

We are so self-centered we more often believe our suffering is all about us and we must have something yet to be worked out. While there are always matters within us to be improved, there are also many times our suffering is for the benefit of others. Think of Jesus.

Think too of the testimony of Stephen who while being stoned to death cried out ““Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:59-60). Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul was the instigator of Stephen’s stoning. Consider the impact of Stephen’s testimony on the Apostle Paul. They way we endure hardships provide greater testimony to the goodness of God than when we prosper.

The years of hardships have built my faith in God’s character, will and intentions. The transformation of my thoughts to align my belief with truth have expanded my expectations of God working the miraculous in my life. Oh, don’t think I was completely cooperative in the process. There were many times I cried, screamed, yelled and exhausted myself, only to return to the same place of waiting in trust I was before the tantrum. Just the same, I have had many people express that when they encountered a suffering they drew from how they saw me go through what we did.

This Christmas, my heart is extended to the many people who lost their homes in the devastating California fires, the families who have lost loved-ones to senseless violence, the ravages of sickness and disease, and the losses suffered across the country and around the world because of the increase of evil. I, like so many others, have loved ones battling life and death health issues. Many people are seeking to find the joy of Christmas this year. May I suggest we all understand Christmas expresses joy, distress and despair and to allow ourselves to process our genuine emotions, providing we make certain our beliefs are based on truth.

Yes, God is sovereign over all, but he is not responsible for all. Let us not attribute evil to God. Let us work hard to reject the lies of the enemy and dwell in the truth of God, who is love (1 Jn 4:8). Perhaps reading 1 Corinthians chapter 13 will be helpful for you to properly focus on, and have a proper belief in God.

Just as we receive the gift of salvation by believing truth, so do we receive all other gifts God wants to bestow upon us. Guard your hearts and minds to preserve yourself in truth and you will discover the joy of Christmas, even in the midst of despair.

 

Prepare for the Harvest!

Today’s post is from the Introduction of my newest book: Prepare for the Harvest! Confidence in God’s End-Time Promises. This book will be available mid October 2018, and is the fourth in the multi award-winning  Faith to Live By series. Be sure to read to the end for your special gift.

The entire world is in chaos. Every nation, every people group, every community is suffering major upheaval. There is not an aspect of society anywhere that is unaffected. What was right is now wrong, and what was wrong is considered right. It’s overwhelming for those who don’t know these days were prophesied long ago, and therefore to be expected. Even for those who knew these days would come, it is tremendously unsettling. We need to find our moorings and make certain we are securely stationed on truth.

Many speak of the Billion Soul Harvest they believe is imminent. Others refer to the Great White Harvest, the End-Time Harvest of Souls, and the Latter Rain Revival. Are these referring to the same event of harvesting souls, or are they different events? What situations or circumstances will precede the Last Days? What signs and realities should we watch for to know we’ve entered the time of the Great White Harvest? What must we do to be prepared? What will happen to those who are not prepared? Is the Church ready to disciple a mighty influx of new believers?

Pentecost, as revealed in the book of Acts, was a tremendous and unique display of God’s power and compassion that marked the beginning of the Last Days. After Jesus’ death, He appeared to His disciples, over a period of forty days speaking about the Kingdom of God. Acts 1:4 reads, “And while staying with them, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, ‘you heard from me, for John baptized you with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’”

While Jesus also appeared to over 500 people, making them witnesses of His resurrected body, the number of disciples He instructed to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit was about 120 in number. Not fully understanding what they were waiting for, still they remained in a Jerusalem residence, joined together in an upper room. The baptism of the Holy Spirit came with “a sound of a mighty rushing wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:2–4).

Because Pentecost is a celebrated Jewish holiday, the city of Jerusalem was filled with Jewish believers from many other nations on this day. The sound of the commotion among the disciples attracted a multitude to seek out the cause. The multitude were bewildered and astonished because “each one was hearing them speak in his own language.” Men from all over the known world heard the disciples speaking in their native language about the works of God. This miraculous event was the beginning of the End Times, according to the Old Testament prophet Joel. This means we have been living in the Last Days for the past nearly 2,020 years.

Yet, as I observe Christians and the Church at large, I don’t see any evidence of a proper awareness concerning this epic reality. This remind me of the response of people to Noah in his day, who heard the claims of imminent danger but did not believe. As a result, they perished. It is not God’s desire that any should perish. God has gone to great lengths to provide us prophecy in the Scriptures so we can be prepared to overcome in the impending End Times.

With this book I want to take you through some of the prophecies concerning the End Times in an overview fashion, while exploring the evidence and signs to assist us in reading the times in which we live. I will explore some of the various doctrinal positions on the End Times, and actual historical events that have served as precursors to the Last Days. I will also explore what we can and must do to be prepared for this great and terrible season.

God has not given us the prophecies for us to respond with fear and dread, although a great number of Christians respond that way. God has given us the prophecies for wisdom and insight so we can be prepared to be workers of the harvest—partners with Jesus in harvesting souls into the Kingdom of God.

If we will listen and heed what God has said, we will find ourselves in His protection, able to escape the judgment that is certain to come upon this earth—upon those who refuse to believe. Let’s not be counted among those; instead let us learn all we can to be prepared for the Great White Harvest that will lead to the glorious return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, which means Anointed One.

This book is written for those who hope there is a way of escape from the ever-increasing evil all around. Let me reassure you, dear reader, there is a glorious way of escape; there is a tremendous hope and a future for you if you genuinely seek truth. As we see evil, rebellion, lawlessness, chaos, and every form of wickedness increasing, we are seeing the birth pains of the beginning of the end of this world. Scripture, which for Christians includes both the Old and New Testaments, provides us all the prophetic revelations and promises we need to persevere with the victory of Christ (the Anointed One) Jesus.

The Old Testament refers to the books from Genesis through Malachi and more specifically the Law of Moses which governed God’s people until the New Testament era. The New Testament refers to the period encompassing Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, which fulfilled the Old Testament Law and ushered in God’s grace.

May this book bring confidence and assurance to your soul, while helping you learn how to respond to the great and terrible days that precede the return of Christ.

[End excerpt]

In celebration of the release of this newest book, visit my web store and use the code PREORDER to get 20% discount on this book! Once you’ve read it, please let me know your thoughts. I love communicating with you!

End Times Countdown

End Times Countdown

I have to imagine you feel the same as I do. Each day I read another story about violence against police, elected officials deliberately interfering with the proper course of government, schools passing transgender mandate that girls and boys must shower together. Even as I am writing this I received an alert on my phone about another altercation in a Walmart in Pennsylvania that escalated into a shooting, injuring several people. The world is insane, with a rampant increase of violence. Civility and respectful discourse with consideration for others are no longer the standard.

All of this concerns me greatly. However, what troubles me more is the anxiety, fear and dread exhibited by Christians. In talking with several, I’ve learned of a misunderstanding about the End Times that is widespread in the Church. We read in Daniel chapters, 10, 11 and 12, Matthew 24:3-51, 2 Thessalonians 2:4-12, 1, Timothy 4:1-3, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, of the terrible times to befall humanity leading up to the seven years of Tribulation and about the Tribulation itself. Many in the Church at Large have adapted a mind-set about a weak Church. Certainly in America, we’ve experienced efforts from various groups to silence us and push us into the background. Barna Research Group released a study about the increasing secularization in America, reporting that 48% of Americans are secular. This is a tremendous increase from years past, and provides clear evidence that the Church has failed in its mission, mandated by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20a. 

We’ve been forewarned in Scripture about the increase of wickedness in the Last Days, not so we would roll over and surrender. No! We’ve been forewarned so we could be forearmed–equipped to withstand the evil, and overcome. The Church has become weak and complacent. The Church has been in a state of perishing for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). This must change.

Jesus is not returning for a week and fearful bride. The Church, referred to as the Bride of Christ, is instructed to become one without spot or wrinkle or blemish (Ephesians 5:27 and 2 Peter 3:14). We are to be increasing in our maturity, making ourselves ready for Christ’s return.

The End Times are divided into two, three-and-a-half year periods. The first known as the Tribulation, the second as the Great Tribulation. The purpose of the Tribulation is to give people their last chance to believe in and receive Jesus. There is nothing like opposition to cause people to rise to action in defense of truth, thereby ultimately achieving victory. The Church has a tremendous number of reassurances for our victory up to the End., Acts 2:17-18 (a quote from Joel 2), Matthew 18:2b and Revelation chapter 19 are but a few.

Are we at the beginning of the End Times? I think we are very close–a belief that I support in the current book I’m writing. The Lord has greatly stirred me to write a fourth book about the End Times and how the Church will be the victor. If you have questions about the End Times, please write me. I will reply to you directly and it’s likely that your question is one may have, that I’ll answer in my book.

I will be sharing excerpts from my book to be released late this year or early next with my upcoming blog posts. If you want to make sure not to miss a copy, subscribe to my bi-monthly ENewsletter. And if my ministry blesses you, tell friends and family and encourage them to subscribe.

 

 

The Danger of Compromise is Overcome By Love

Compromise is two-sided by way of definition: 1) Compromise is a means to settle a dispute by mutual concession, to basically meet in the middle of an issue to find a happy medium; 2) Compromise therefore, requires the acceptance of standards that are lower than desirable, or less than the considered ideal. Compromise requires both parties to yield a portion of what they hold to be true. Rather than compromise, wouldn’t it be better to have dialog using logic and reason to discover what is in our mutual best interest? I assert, when people are truly operating in love, they will not operate from a self-serving position. Rather, they will seek the best for all involved.

Jesus never compromised. Jesus always sought the best for others, even at his own expense. Jesus demonstrated what it is to truly operate from love.

Our world today is in chaos on nearly every level. People everywhere are cynical and jaded. Yet because of the creatures we are, we still look for hope. Deep in our being there’s a belief that hope exists, even when we can’t see any way for hope to be realized. This intrinsic desire for a real and certain hope is different from how the word hope is often used. We might say, “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow.” That kind of hope is actually wishful thinking. But the intrinsic hope within each human being is very different. It is a deep-seated desire that good will overcome evil.

In any culture of any religious belief, hope springs eternal because God created humans with hope. As humans we will always desire a positive outcome. The question is, what do we consider positive or good? Is the thing we hope for self-serving or others serving? Imagine if world government leaders were truly interested in what is mutually beneficial? What if couples actually allowed love to be the guide in their relationships? Trust, safety, and security would not be jeopardized in any way if love were the guide. To love is to think of others as better than our self–there’s not a trace of self-serving involved.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and verse 13 reads, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Truth is essential for hope. Truth is what hope must be based on. If our hope is based on a falsehood, we have no hope at all. People who claim “truth is relative” are actually operating from a self-serving perspective whether they realize it or not. Claiming that truth is relative, is a means to have one’s preferred deviance from truth accepted by others. Compromising the truth is always dangerous. Barna Research Group, surveys people to understand American opinion. Specific to practicing self-professed Christians they discovered:

61%  agree with ideas rooted in New Age Spirituality
54% resonate with Postmodernist views (general distrust of traditional ideas)
36% accept ideas associated with Marxism
29% believe ideas based on Secularism

Compromise of the truth by the Church is evident from the perspective that Christianity, the Bible, and the Church are deemed irrelevant, which is opinion held by a multitude of people. I’m appealing to every committed Christian to not only stand in the gap, but become engaged in our culture to follow in Christ’s example. Jesus demonstrated how to speak the truth in love, thereby helping people recognize where they were misguided, wrong, or deceived on a matter. With loving respect, Jesus presented the truth with logic and reason, giving each person an opportunity to reconsider what they believe. Speaking the truth in love is exactly what the world needs today, perhaps more than ever. And I must include the evidence of compromise and the impeding dangers among professing Christians. We meed reformation to begin with the Church.

I ask you to intercede and pray in all earnest. If Christians are compromising truth, what example or hope does the world have? Imagine the impact if every committed Christian, took the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) to heart and followed Jesus’ example. This is precisely what the world needs, and what Jesus has commanded us to do. If we fail truth and hope will not ultimately fail, but we will have to account for the eternal suffering souls we didn’t try to reach.

I hope like me, you would rather be found busy about our Father’s business, doing what He’s commanded us to do, than to compromise the Christian faith thereby diminishing its power.

Will you commit to prayer, living an uncompromising faith, and sharing the truth you have with those who need it? If so, no matter how bleak things look in the world today, we have the very real and certain hope of overcoming the danger of compromise with the love of Christ.

 

 

God is in Charge of His Glory – NOT You!

God Is in Charge of His Glory—NOT You!

by Kathy Collard Miller

This is good news: God is in charge of his glory—NOT you! Knowing that has helped me trust God more because I know even my mistakes are useable by God for his glory. I’m not responsible for the growth of a believer or the salvation of an unbeliever.

The Apostle Paul has the godly perspective. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me (I Corinthians 4:3-4).

Paul doesn’t jump into self-contempt like I do. He seeks God’s opinion. I think so many of us depend upon our self-evaluations rather than looking to God for his judgement of what happened. We conclude we didn’t say the right things. But we don’t know what our friend needed to hear. Maybe the very words we said—and are judging—were what she needed to hear.

So many times I’ve followed up on a conversation, like yesterday, and apologized for what I said. Most of the time—like yesterday— the other person replied, “Really? I don’t remember.” Or another time, a friend said, “No, I didn’t think anything bad.” I had been all upset, rehearsing what I said, but my friend wasn’t.

Paul continues, We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute (vs. 10).

Evidently Paul’s opponents in Corinth are saying those things about him, so he is responding sarcastically. He’s basically saying, “Of course, you’re right. You are wise but we are fools. You are strong but we are weak. You are held in honor but we are disreputable. Shame on us.”

He is making light of their opinions of him because he doesn’t mind being seen in those ways. His motive is not to be seen well but to cooperate with God’s plan. What a lesson for us. We don’t have to mind what others say either.

If we are afraid of appearing as fools when we speak of the Lord, we might want to examine our hearts. We could evaluate whether our self-contempt is because we fear looking foolish or silly or unintelligent or whatever we have vowed to never appear as or feel like. When we have the purified heart of sacrifice for God’s glory, we will be wisely sensitive to the needs of others, led by the Holy Spirit, because our focus isn’t distracted by our own self-protection.

I have recognized my distracted focus of not wanting to seem stupid or insensitive. Both prevent me from boldly obeying the Spirit’s leading. I’m afraid my stupidity will be revealed by saying something someone can dispute from Scripture or their own interpretation of truth. My old nemesis from childhood—don’t make anyone feel bad because then I’m bad—hampers me from having the freedom to respond however the Holy Spirit is leading me.

Yet, what is the truth? Paul states the truth earlier in this first letter to the Corinthians, But we have the mind of Christ (2:16).

The Corinthian believers must really be struggling with their image. Paul confronts those issues in so many ways. He also writes, For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (I Corinthians 2:2-5).

Paul seems to be saying, “I have known the fears of appearing weak and lacking wisdom just like you are experiencing. But my weaknesses mean you’ll rest in God’s power and not depend upon me being so wise.”

To some degree I’ve seen God newly empower my life with a bold sensitivity by being willing to sacrifice my own image or risk being misunderstood.

I remember one time specifically when I berated myself after seemingly giving all the wrong responses to a friend about God and his workings. I felt defeated and wondered whether I had destroyed any possibility of her responding to God’s love. But then God popped a great thought into my mind. “Well, if she becomes a Christian, it certainly won’t be because of my communication skills.”

Then, the truth hit me. If her conversion is not because of me, who is the cause? And who will get the glory since I don’t deserve it? Jesus and his Spirit. If I had been brilliant and my friend suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, you’ve made it so clear. I do want to become a Christian,” it would have been easy to give myself credit rather than the work of the Holy Spirit. But he is the one who calls her to salvation, it’s not about me at all. I’m just a weak and inadequate vessel.

Having purer motives for God’s glory doesn’t mean we don’t prepare as much as we can. It means we recognize that God is completely in charge of his glory.

This guest blog is adapted from Pure-Hearted: The Blessings of Living Out God’s Glory

Book Title: Pure-Hearted: The Blessings of Living Out God’s Glory
Book Publisher and Date: Elk Lake Publishing, December, 2017
Book ISBN: 9781946638427
Book Market Description: Challenges readers to inventory the heart with the goal of more closely reflecting God’s nature in our daily life while assuring us of God’s unwavering love and commitment to us.

ENDORSEMNTS:

Jennifer Kennedy Dean: You will find the secret to the communion for which your heart was formed.

Kathy Carlton Willis: Kathy Collard Miller identifies nine blessings that start with a transformed heart and end with God getting BIG glory. I can’t wait to gather a book club to discuss Kathy’s book.

Deb DeArmond: Tired of playing a role? Pure-Hearted will help you move into the authenticity that is Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kathy Collard Miller is an award-winning author of over 50 books that include Christian living topics, women’s Bible studies, and Bible commentaries. She is a speaker who has shared in 8 foreign countries and over 30 US states. Kathy and Larry have been married for 47 years and are the parents of 2 and grandparents of 2. They live in Southern California and often write and speak together. Visit her at KathyCollardMiller.com. She would love to hear from you.

www.facebook.com/KathyCollardMillerAuthor

Twitter: @KathyCMiller

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