Who the Beast, Harlot and Antichrist are.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

This is a spiritual battle and there are key players. The beast, antichrist and the harlot. It started in the Garden of Eden when Satan convinced Adam and Eve they did not need God. He convinced them they could be like God. So Adam and Eve rebelled choosing to do what they thought was right in their own eyes. So man decided they would rule themselves. So man has been trying to be like God down to this day and they are still easily deceived and manipulated by Satan. All three the beast, the antichrist and the Harlot are all players that have been manipulated by Satan. This is why the bible states the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one. Since Satan can see easily manipulate man , man easily falls under his power. So this spiritual battle started in the Garden of Eden with Satan convincing Adam and Eve they did not need God to rule over them and guide the. Adam and Eve rejected God’s sovereignty over the earth. There will be two final battles, one will be the war of Armageddon and the other will be the final war with Satan and Gog of Magog as Satan’s allies. The war of Armageddon will be the climax of Adam and Eve’s rebellion in the Garden of Eden when man Establishes a one world order with Satan deceiving people world wide into believing this will bring peace to the world and end man’s problems. So it will be a final ultimate act to completely replace God and to reject his right to rule over the earth. So the battle started with Adam and Eve being deceived by Satan and deciding to rule themselves and lean on their own understanding and it will end with man trying to completely reject God by setting up their one world order and getting people to put their faith in the beast instead of God. So Satan would convince people on a world wide scale to do as Adam and Eve had done. Satan only has power over those he can deceive, those he cannot deceive are accepted into the Heavenly Kingdom in which Jesus will end the rebellion that started in the Garden of Eden. The one heading all of this rebellion is Satan and he continues to head this rebellion , he exerts his authority over man by continuing to deceive them into believing man does not need God. Satan wanted God’s throne and wanted God’s authority, he believed by getting man to rebel he could accomplish this. It will only result in his destruction.

It needs clarified who the antichrist is, who the Harlot in Revelations is and who the beast is. Too many believe the antichrist and the beast are one and the same. This is not true , the antichrist and false religion can be the beast and the harlot because it is anyone who opposes Jesus or teaches things other then what Jesus taught. If they teach things Jesus did not teach or they do things Jesus said we should not do , then they are part of the antichrist. This is why Jesus said many would come claiming to do things in his name and he would say “get away from me you workers of lawlessness” . The apostle Paul stated that after the last of the apostles died then the great apostasy would come. The bible referred to them as the man of lawlessness. In other words they would not obey the laws Jesus gave us with the new covenant. This one would claim to be the temple of God. In the days of the apostles Johns stated many antichrist have already appeared. So you can see anyone who opposes Jesus and the commands he has given us is part of the antichrist including the beast. Satan is behind them both.

Many believe the Harlot is the beast clearly this is not true because the Harlot rides on the back of the beast. When anyone worships in a way that is contrary to what God would require he considers it spiritual prostitution. If anyone puts more faith in man then they do God he considers it spiritual prostitution. This is why God told Israel they had prostituted themselves out to other gods and once he told them they had prostituted themselves out to Egypt. God told Israel this because he said he would protect them and they lost faith and paid Egypt to protect them. So the Harlot would promote the beast and get many to commit spiritual prostitution with the beast. If you research it, once I identify who the beast is you will see that most religions heavily promote the beast as the answer to world peace instead of putting their trust in God and Jesus. Not only does the Harlot promote putting faith in the beast but the Harlot also promotes false region which God also considers spiritual prostitution. Many religious sects promote holidays that are heavily laden with idols and have pagan origins. Idolatry is considered spiritual prostitution by God. The women was clothed in purple which the priest in Israel were to wear, the golden chalice was in the temple and to be used by the priest in the temple. So the Harlot would claim to be true worship but in actuality would be a spiritual prostitute. The Harlot would mislead many. So you can see the Harlot rides on the beast back so it is empowering the beast by leading people of many nations to put their trust in the beast. The bible warned in the last days many would follow teaching of demons so we know that Satan is behind the Harlot mentioned in Revelation. In 2 Thessalonians it states the lawless one will sit down in God’s temple. It did not say his throne so the Harlot cannot be the beast. Because the beast is trying to replace God’s rightful place to rule over the earth. Revelations does indicate the false profits would empower the beast so before false religion is destroyed it will sway many into bowing to the beast.

So who is the beast in Revelation? Well in order to fully understand that we have to consider who is behind all the corruption in governments world wide and how he heavily influences them. We get clues to who this is in Isaiah when we are told it is a fallen star which Satan is often referred to as. We get another clue to who the beast is when Satan tried to temp Jesus. He offered him all the kingdoms of the earth if he did an act of obedience. Jesus did not contest his authority over the kingdoms of the earth so it is clear they are in his power power. By putting your faith in mans rule you are doing an act of obedience to Satan. It is God we are to obey first. If we put our trust in man then we are putting ourselves under the authority of Satan. This shows you that Satan can easily influence kingdoms world wide. We are told in Daniel the first beast would rise and have great authority but would be given a death blow . But It would rise again as the second beast and this one would be given authority to rule. So it is clear the beast is a world wide entity. The nations of the world will alley with it and many would hand their sovereignty over to the best. The beast will not only try to replace God’s right to rule man but it will also try to get people to reject God and put their faith and trust in it. This is why the war of the great day of God almighty is going to be fought with the kings of the earth. The harlot which is false religion will be destroyed by the beast because God will put it in their hearts to destroy false religion. Something to take note of the beast would sit on many seas. The beast would also be a nation but would not be a nations. The sea represents the people of the earth. So it is the people of the earth that would establish these entities. The League of nations fits the description of the first beast. It ceased it was established in 1920, then it ceased existing in 1946. The components of the league of nations was moved over to the United Nations which was established in 1946. Son they will form the one world order that is trying to replace Gods sovereignty. The sea which would be all those who do not put their faith in God and cause all the commotion and confusion on the earth will be done away with . Meaning those people will be destroyed. The bible tells us the worshiped the dragon because it gave authority to the wild beast. We know Satan has authority over the kingdoms of the earth. The bible says the wild beast and it’s profits would be destroyed in the lake of fire. So there would be many people involved in convincing man to put their trust and faith in the wild beast.

(Genesis 3:1-6) 3 Now the serpent was the most cautious of all the wild animals of the field that Jehovah God had made. So it said to the woman: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” ² At this the woman said to the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. ³ But God has said about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden: ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it; otherwise you will die.’” ⁴ At this the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die. ⁵ For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.” ⁶ Consequently, the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something desirable to the eyes, yes, the tree was pleasing to look at. So she began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward, she also gave some to her husband when he was with her, and he began eating it.

(2 Corinthians 11:1-4) 11 I wish you would put up with me in a little unreasonableness. But, in fact, you are putting up with me! ² For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I personally promised you in marriage to one husband that I might present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ. ³ But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent seduced Eve by its cunning, your minds might be corrupted away from the sincerity and the chastity that are due the Christ. ⁴ For as it is, if someone comes and preaches a Jesus other than the one we preached, or you receive a spirit other than what you received, or good news other than what you accepted, you easily put up with him. . .

(Titus 1:16) ¹⁶ They publicly declare that they know God, but they disown him by their works, because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of any sort.

(2 Peter 2:1-3) 2 However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among you. These will quietly bring in destructive sects, and they will even disown the owner who bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves. ² Furthermore, many will follow their brazen conduct, and because of them the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively. ³ Also, they will greedily exploit you with counterfeit words. But their judgment, decided long ago, is not moving slowly, and their destruction is not sleeping.

(2 Thessalonians 2:3-5) ³ Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction. ⁴ He stands in opposition and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits down in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I used to tell you these things?

(1 John 2:18-21) ¹⁸ Young children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared, from which fact we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of our sort; for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us. But they went out so that it might be shown that not all are of our sort. ²⁰ And you have an anointing from the holy one, and all of you have knowledge. ²¹ I write you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie originates with the truth.

(1 John 4:2, 3) ² This is how you know that the inspired statement is from God: Every inspired statement that acknowledges Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God. ³ But every inspired statement that does not acknowledge Jesus does not originate with God. Furthermore, this is the antichrist’s inspired statement that you have heard was coming, and now it is already in the world.

(2 John 6, 7) . . .. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should go on walking in it. ⁷ For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those not acknowledging Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

(Ezekiel 16:26-30) ²⁶ You prostituted yourself to the sons of Egypt, your lustful neighbors, and you offended me with your countless acts of prostitution. ²⁷ Now I will bring my hand against you and diminish your food allowance and give you over to the will of the women who hate you, the daughters of the Phi·lisʹtines, who were appalled because of your obscene conduct. ²⁸ “‘Because you could not be satisfied, you then prostituted yourself to the sons of As·syrʹi·a, but after prostituting yourself to them, you still did not find satisfaction. ²⁹ So you increased your prostitution toward the land of traders and toward the Chal·deʹans, but even then you did not find satisfaction. ³⁰ How sick your heart was,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘when you did all these things, behaving like a brazen prostitute!

(Matthew 7:21-23) ²¹ “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. ²² Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’

(Revelation 17:4, 5) ⁴ The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and she was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, and she had in her hand a golden cup that was full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her sexual immorality. ⁵ On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes and of the disgusting things of the earth.”

(Revelation 19:1-3) . . ., ² because his judgments are true and righteous. For he has executed judgment on the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his slaves that is on her hands.” ³ And right away for the second time they said: “Praise Jah! And the smoke from her goes on ascending forever and ever.”

(Hosea 4:12, 13) ¹² My people consult their wooden idols, Doing what their staff tells them; Because the spirit of prostitution causes them to go astray, And by their prostitution they refuse to submit to their God. ¹³ On the tops of the mountains they sacrifice, And on the hills they make sacrifices smoke, Under oak trees and storax trees and every big tree, Because their shade is good. That is why your daughters commit prostitution And your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

(Leviticus 20:6) ⁶ “‘As for the person who turns to the spirit mediums and the fortune-tellers so as to commit spiritual prostitution with them, I will certainly turn against that person and cut him off from his people.

(2 Timothy 3:1-7) 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, ³ having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, ⁴ betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. ⁶ From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, ⁷ always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.

(1 Timothy 4:1-5) 4 However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, ² by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron. ³ They forbid marriage and command people to abstain from foods that God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth. ⁴ For every creation of God is fine, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is sanctified through God’s word and prayer over it.

(Isaiah 14:12, 13) ¹² How you have fallen from heaven, O shining one, son of the dawn! How you have been cut down to the earth, You who vanquished nations! ¹³ You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens. Above the stars of God I will lift up my throne, And I will sit down on the mountain of meeting, In the remotest parts of the north.

(Luke 4:5-8) ⁵ So he brought him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in an instant of time. ⁶ Then the Devil said to him: “I will give you all this authority and their glory, because it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. ⁷ If you, therefore, do an act of worship before me, it will all be yours.” ⁸ In reply Jesus said to him: “It is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’”

(Daniel 7:2-6) . . .“I was watching in my visions during the night, and look! the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the vast sea. ³ And four huge beasts came out of the sea, each different from the others. ⁴ “The first one was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth and was made to stand up on two feet like a man, and it was given the heart of a man. ⁵ “And look! another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Get up, eat much flesh.’ ⁶ “After this I kept watching, and look! another beast, like a leopard, but on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. And the beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.

(Daniel 7:11, 12) ¹¹ “I kept watching at that time because of the sound of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking; I watched until the beast was killed and its body was destroyed and it was given over to be burned in the fire. ¹² But as for the rest of the beasts, their rulerships were taken away, and their lives were prolonged for a time and a season.

(Revelation 17:12-14) ¹² “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings for one hour with the wild beast. ¹³ These have one thought, so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. ¹⁴ These will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.”

(Revelation 13:1-8) 13 And it stood still on the sand of the sea. And I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten diadems, but on its heads blasphemous names. ² Now the wild beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like those of a bear, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And the dragon gave to the beast its power and its throne and great authority. ³ I saw that one of its heads seemed to have been fatally wounded, but its mortal wound had been healed, and all the earth followed the wild beast with admiration. ⁴ And they worshipped the dragon because it gave the authority to the wild beast, and they worshipped the wild beast with the words: “Who is like the wild beast, and who can do battle with it?” ⁵ It was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and it was given authority to act for 42 months. ⁶ And it opened its mouth in blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his dwelling place, even those residing in heaven. ⁷ It was permitted to wage war with the holy ones and conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. ⁸ And all those who dwell on the earth will worship it. From the founding of the world, not one of their names has been written in the scroll of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered.

(Revelation 16:13, 14) ¹³ And I saw three unclean inspired expressions that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. ¹⁴ They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and they perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.

(Revelation 17:9-18) ⁹ “This calls for a mind that has wisdom: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. ¹⁰ And there are seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet arrived; but when he does arrive, he must remain a short while. ¹¹ And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also an eighth king, but it springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction. ¹² “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings for one hour with the wild beast. ¹³ These have one thought, so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. ¹⁴ These will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.” ¹⁵ He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. ¹⁶ And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. ¹⁷ For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished. ¹⁸ And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

(Revelation 19:19-21) ¹⁹ And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. ²¹ But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

(Matthew 24:15-20) ¹⁵ “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), ¹⁶ then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, ¹⁸ and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. ¹⁹ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day.

(Isaiah 57:20) ²⁰ “But the wicked are like the restless sea that cannot calm down, And its waters keep tossing up seaweed and mire.

(Isaiah 17:12) ¹² Listen! There is a commotion of many peoples, Who are as boisterous as the seas! There is an uproar of nations, Whose sound is like the roar of mighty waters!

(Ephesians 4:13-16) . . .. 14 So we should no longer be children, tossed about as by waves and carried here and there by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in deceptive schemes. 15 But speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. 16 From him all the body is harmoniously joined together and made to cooperate through every joint that gives what is needed. When each respective member functions properly, this contributes to the growth of the body as it builds itself up in love.

(Isaiah 20:3-21:1) ³ Jehovah then said: “Just as my servant Isaiah has walked about naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and E·thi·oʹpi·a, ⁴ so the king of As·syrʹi·a will lead the captives of Egypt and the exiles of E·thi·oʹpi·a, boys and old men, naked and barefoot and with exposed buttocks, the nakedness of Egypt. ⁵ And they will be terrified and will be ashamed of E·thi·oʹpi·a their hope and of Egypt their pride. ⁶ The inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Look at what happened to our hope, to which we fled for help and rescue from the king of As·syrʹi·a! How will we escape now?’” 21 A pronouncement against the wilderness of the sea: It is coming like storm winds that sweep through in the south, From the wilderness, from a fearsome land.

(Revelation 21:1) 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more.

(Revelation 16:3) ³ The second one poured out his bowl into the sea. And it became blood like that of a dead man, and every living creature died, yes, the things in the sea.

Who is God’s master worker?

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

Who is God’s master worker and what is the work he has done and will do?

With the construction of anything it takes someone to design it, supply the material and to guide it’s construction. This is the same with heaven and all things created. There is a designer, the one who supplied the material and the power for all things to be created. This most know is Jehovah God. But with most things that has been built there are workers. God had a master worker, and through him all things were created. We know God was not alone during the creation of the earth and man because in Genesis when God speaks he says let us make man in our image. So Who is with him? (Genesis 1:26 ²⁶ Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every creeping animal that is moving on the earth.” )

We get a clue as to who is with God in Proverbs 22:32 where he is referred to as the master worker. We also get another clue who was beside God during the creation of all things in Colossians 1:13-17 because it also says by means of him we have our ransom. It also calls him the first born of all creation. We know Jesus was the ransom sacrifice God provided so our sins could be forgiven. This is why Jesus is called the only begotten son, he is the only one who was directly created by God. This does not make Jesus equal to God because it was God’s wisdom, power and guidance that Jesus used to do the work God had given him to do. This is why Jesus is also called the word. He taught and said the things he had heard God say, and did what he had seen God do when he was with him in heaven. (John 5:19,20). Since Jesus was the first born of all creation he would know God better then any of God’s creation. So we can see how much God trusted Jesus. He trusted him to be his master work, to deliver messages from him, and he trusted him to remain faithful and loyal to him. It was a perfect human that brought sin which brought death on man. A perfect human who did not sin was needed to remove or cover mans sin. By remaining blameless and perfectly loyal and faithful to God Jesus defeated Satan because he proved all Satan’s lies to be wrong. No human could have done this because we are born imperfect because of the inherited imperfections we got from Adam and Eve.

Some believe Jesus is equal to God and worship him as God. The bible teaches us we are to only worship God. Jesus himself stated the father was greater then him. Since Jesus was created by God and God tells us not to worship the creation wouldn’t this be exactly what people are doing when they worship the son instead of God? Jesus had a deep respect and love for his heavenly father but he never demanded people worship him, but ask they have faith in him. He proved he loved man as much as God did and that he would always put God’s will first. Because God seated Jesus on the heavenly throne and gave him full authority , even over the holy spirit . The bible tells us Jesus does not have authority over God himself. We can trust Jesus can and will do all the bible says he will do when the end of this system comes. So we have to approach God first in prayer and do so in Jesus name. The bible tells us he will save those who worship God with their whole soul and whole heart. This means we have to do all we can to make our worship is pure meaning we have to get rid of any teachings we have been taught that do not agree with what God would require of us. For example during Jesus ministry he spoke of how they practiced things and celebrated things that were traditions of man and not something God would want them to do. We see the same things now days there are many celebrations that go against the things God would want us to do. Some have outright pagan origins. Giving up those traditional celebrations was difficult for me at first. I did not celebrate them because something did not feel right about them but I do remember the fun children had during those holidays. These celebrations are only helping to make others wealthy and do not draw people closer to God, they all have images people use in acts of worship which is idolatry which is something God told us were are not to do. If we want to be one with God as Jesus and the disciples were one with God we need to imitate Jesus who would not partake of the traditional celebrations that were commands of man and not God. (Mark 7:4-8) ⁵ So these Pharisees and scribes asked him: “Why do your disciples not observe the tradition of the men of former times, but they eat their meal with defiled hands?” ⁶ He said to them: “Isaiah aptly prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far removed from me. ⁷ It is in vain that they keep worshipping me, for they teach commands of men as doctrines.’ ⁸ You let go of the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men.”)

Many want to demote Jesus from the heavenly throne. You may say why do I say that? I say this because the bible makes it clear Jesus is now a spiritual being, he has been promoted by God and is now our king in heaven. We cannot see spiritual beings, this is why the disciples ask for signs of Jesus return. Because they knew that Jesus being a spirit person , we would not be able to see his return so the bible gave us signs to look for so we would know when deliverance was near. All these signs are now taking place. We are told there would be anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea. The sea is the people of the world. The bible uses this image to represent the people of the world because those who do not know God or have faith in him are easily swayed and do not know what to believe so constantly change their minds and are very indecisive. Whichever way the winds blows that is the directions the waves on the ocean goes. Not only that but the sea can get very loud at times when the waves are crashing on the shores. Jesus is now beside his father where he was before coming to earth and taking human form, so he is a spirit person in heaven. You have heard the saying “they are my right hand man” . Meaning they are heavily dependent on the person for helping them to achieve things. God does not have to depend on Jesus but he has such deep respect and trust for his only begotten son that he has entrusted him to do the work he has given Jesus to do. So he has seated him at his right hand. Many think Jesus will come back to earth in human form and rule as king. This would be a demotion. He is in a much more powerful position in heaven with full authority over everything but God himself. Coming back to earth in human form and to rule as a human king would be a demotion. Why would we want to demote Jesus he earned the right to be glorified by God by sitting him on the throne. Why would anyone want to take that glory from him? What is the work God gave Jesus to do while he is seated on the throne?

One of the things the bible tells us is Jesus would bring the last enemy death to nothing. But what will he do before that occurs? The bible tells us there would be a new heaven and a new earth. The new heaven has already occurred we know this because the bible warned when Jesus would clean up heaven and toss Satan and the rebellious angels out of heaven, things would get much worse on earth. In 1914 things started happening on a scale they have never happened before which Jesus indicated would be a sign of his return. In 1914 we had the first war that effected the whole earth. Before these times war would be sporadic and occur off and on and occurred locally. Wars used to only effect the areas they occurred in , now wars effect things on a world wide scale when they occur. There are wars happening all around the world and new wars spring up often. Food shortages are occurring all around the world on a scale like it has never happened before. Disease would be rampant on the earth. Chronic illness is now rampant on the earth at levels man has never experienced before. The bible warns these are the beginning of the pangs of distress , but why did this occur? Part of the reason is man rebelling against God and relying on their own understanding and not letting God guide us. This started in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, we are seeing the end results. The farther man gets away from God the worse things are getting. Another reason things are getting much worse is when Satan was cast out of heaven it said he would have great anger because he knew his times was short , the bible warned woe to the earth. So we see all the sings that Jesus has already started the work God gave him to do when he seated him on the throne but what other work will Jesus do before he hands the throne back to God?

We are told in the last days the churches would be full of teaching of demons and doctrine of man. So one of the first things Jesus would do is restore true worship. He would establish a people who would worship God in truth they would do their best not to follow teachings of demons or doctrine of man. The bible warned those who followed teachings of demons and doctrine of man would have the appearance of Godly devotion but prove false to it’s power. So they may seem to love God but would put their own interest above God’s and put faith in man over faith in God and this would result in them not only causing God’s name to be smeared but bad behavior becoming accepted. But Jesus would establish true worship and there would be those who would witness about the heavenly Kingdom and the hope it will give. One of the keys to knowing who these people are is to be able to identify their work and also the bible says God would call them by their name. So who are these people?

In Daniel 12 we get a clue to who these people are by the work they will do. They will spread true wisdom of God throughout the earth. The bible says they are ones who would flee Babylon which is false religion. Micah chapter 4 says this would occur in the final part of the days. The bible says these are the ones who would wash their robes in the blood of Jesus. Meaning they would have faith in Jesus as our king and the ransom sacrifice he gave for us when he gave his life for all those who repent and turn to pure worship in the site of God. They would do their best to imitate Christ. How do we identify these people who returned to pure worship? Well in Isaiah 65 and Isaiah 62 the bible says they will be given a new name. What could that name be? Well to answer this we need to know God’s personal name Jehovah. Many bibles have removed God’s personal name but it can still be found in some bibles in Psalm 83:18 . The bible tells us they would be gathered from all the ends of the earth. So this would be a world wide effort. The bible tells us in Daniel 7 his name would be called upon his people. In Amos 8 and Isiah 43 we are told Gods name would be on these people so they would be called by Gods name. The bible tells us they would be his witnesses and there would be found no foreign God among them. The bible said they would be no part of the world so the world would hate them. Can you think of any religion that is hated and lied about the most? Even with all the horrendous things modern religions has done people still do not hate them, this is because they are part of the world so the world loves them. The bible tells us they would deliver the God news of the heavenly kingdom throughout the earth and then the end of this system would come. So his people would work world wide to teach people how to worship in truth and they would give them hope by telling them of the heavenly kingdom and what things Jesus will do. So what are these things that give us hope. What are these future promises?

Before we discuss the future promises we should discuss what will occur very soon. We know we are in the last days. But there will be a major event that will occur. The whole world will hand their authority to the beast (United Nations) in a final act of rebellion against God. Adam and Even chose to remove God from their lives and chose to have man rule themselves and not be guided by God. This will be an effort to replace God entirely. This is why Jesus referred to it as the disgusting thing standing in the holy place. It is God’s right to rule over man. We are seeing the end results of man ruling ourselves and not letting God guide us. The results are disgusting. We are destroying the earth, harming each other, causing a lot of sadness, pain and misery. When this occurs God is going to put it in the beast and it’s allies hearts to turn on false religion and it will be destroyed. The beast will expect people to devote themselves to it and put their trust and faith in it instead of God. This would be bowing to the beast, if they do not submit to the beast then you will not be able to buy sell or trade. Those who turn their backs on God and submit to the beast and bow down to it will be destroyed. But before the destruction of the beast and those who bow down to it something else will occur. The world will turn on true worship this includes the beast and the people of the world. When this occurs the bible says it will be like they stuck their finger in the pupil of God’s eye and this is when Jesus will destroy all human governments and this will mark the start of his 1000 rule in heaven. If you are worshiping in truth you will have no need to be afraid because the bible tells us that many will make it through the great tribulation, Jesus will protect those God has called to him. What will Jesus do during this 1000 year reign?

There will be kings chosen from the earth, these are the 144,000 mentioned in the bible. They are chosen by God not Jesus. They will rule as kings over the earth and will also judge along with Jesus. Those who walk through the great tribulation will have their health restored and Jesus will work to restore the earth back to the paradise it was meant to be. The apostles were of the 144,000, the apostle Paul stated they would even judge angels. So they will also judge the angels who rebelled against God. The 144,000 are the ones who will be resurrected in the first resurrection. The next resurrection will be of the righteous and unrighteous. The righteous which are the other sheep mentioned by Jesus will be a resurrection of life but those who died unrighteous will face a resurrection of judgment. So they will be given a chance to repent and if they do not they will be destroyed. This is the second death mentioned in the bible. This is also when Satan and the demons will be destroyed. Then the earth will never be corrupted again and will be restored to the paradise it was meant to be because Satan, the demons and corrupt humans will be done away with and the bible tells us things like this will never occur again. The bibles says in the new system before we are finished praying God will answer. We will not have to worry about having homes to live in or food to eat because the bible tells us food would be abundant. These are exciting times to be living in because we are living in a time when the great tribulation will occur and we may never have to taste death if we do our best to worship God with our whole hearts and our whole soul. So some of the other sheep Jesus mentioned who will dwell on the earth will not taste death because they will go through the great tribulation. Things may get a little difficult very soon but if we keep our eye on the prize and cling to Jehovah and Jesus we have no need to fear the things that are about to happen and we can see them as signs that things are about to get much much better. The bible assures us the earth will be here forever so we do not have to worry about man destroying it but those who are ruining the earth do have to worry because God is going to do away with those ruining the earth. We can be certain these things will occur because Jesus always put God’s will first and did all God ask him so Jesus the master worker will restore the earth to the paradise it was meant to be.

(Proverbs 8:22-30) ²² Jehovah produced me as the beginning of his way, The earliest of his achievements of long ago. ²³ From ancient times I was installed, From the start, from times earlier than the earth. ²⁴ When there were no deep waters, I was brought forth, When there were no springs overflowing with water. ²⁵ Before the mountains were set in place, Before the hills, I was brought forth, ²⁶ When he had not yet made the earth and its fields Or the first clods of earth’s soil. ²⁷ When he prepared the heavens, I was there; When he marked out the horizon on the surface of the waters, ²⁸ When he established the clouds above, When he founded the fountains of the deep, ²⁹ When he set a decree for the sea That its waters should not pass beyond his order, When he established the foundations of the earth, ³⁰ Then I was beside him as a master worker. I was the one he was especially fond of day by day; I rejoiced before him all the time;

(Colossians 1:13-17) ¹³ He rescued us from the authority of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins. ¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; ¹⁶ because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ Also, he is before all other things, and by means of him all other things were made to exist,

(Romans 3:23-26) ²³ For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and it is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented him as an offering for propitiation through faith in his blood. This was to demonstrate his own righteousness, because God in his forbearance was forgiving the sins that occurred in the past. ²⁶ This was to demonstrate his own righteousness in this present season, so that he might be righteous even when declaring righteous the man who has faith in Jesus.

(John 3:16) ¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.

(John 1:14) ¹⁴ So the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son from a father; and he was full of divine favor and truth.

(John 5:19, 20) ¹⁹ Therefore, in response Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, the Son cannot do a single thing of his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things that One does, these things the Son does also in like manner. ²⁰ For the Father has affection for the Son and shows him all the things he himself does, and he will show him works greater than these, so that you may marvel.

(Revelation 19:11-13) ¹¹ I saw heaven opened, and look! a white horse. And the one seated on it is called Faithful and True, and he judges and carries on war in righteousness. ¹² His eyes are a fiery flame, and on his head are many diadems. He has a name written that no one knows but he himself, ¹³ and he is clothed with an outer garment stained with blood, and he is called by the name The Word of God.

(John 12:49, 50) ⁴⁹ For I have not spoken of my own initiative, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. ⁵⁰ And I know that his commandment means everlasting life. So whatever I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”

(John 14:10-14) ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me? The things I say to you I do not speak of my own originality, but the Father who remains in union with me is doing his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me; otherwise, believe because of the works themselves. ¹² Most truly I say to you, whoever exercises faith in me will also do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these, because I am going my way to the Father. ¹³ Also, whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, so that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

(Luke 21:25-28) ²⁵ “Also, there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation. ²⁶ People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near.”

(Revelation 17:15, 16) ¹⁵ He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. ¹⁶ And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire.

(1 Peter 3:18) ¹⁸ For Christ died once for all time for sins, a righteous person for unrighteous ones, in order to lead you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.

(John 17:4, 5) . . .. ⁵ So now, Father, glorify me at your side with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.

(Psalm 110:1) 110 Jehovah declared to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand Until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”

(Isaiah 57:20, 21) ²⁰ “But the wicked are like the restless sea that cannot calm down, And its waters keep tossing up seaweed and mire. ²¹ There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

(Isaiah 17:12, 13) ¹² Listen! There is a commotion of many peoples, Who are as boisterous as the seas! There is an uproar of nations, Whose sound is like the roar of mighty waters! ¹³ The nations will make a sound like the roar of many waters. He will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, Chased like the chaff of the mountains before a wind, Like a whirling thistle before a storm wind.

(1 Corinthians 15:26-28) ²⁶ And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing. ²⁷ For God “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him. ²⁸ But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.

(Matthew 24:3-14) ³ While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” ⁴ In answer Jesus said to them: “Look out that nobody misleads you, ⁵ for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. ⁶ You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for these things must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. ⁸ All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress. ⁹ “Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name. ¹⁰ Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; ¹² and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who has endured to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

(Revelation 12:7-12) ⁷ And war broke out in heaven: Miʹcha·el and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled ⁸ but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them any longer in heaven. ⁹ So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. ¹⁰ I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! ¹¹ And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death. ¹² On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time.”

(1 Timothy 4:1-5) 4 However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, ² by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron. ³ They forbid marriage and command people to abstain from foods that God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth. ⁴ For every creation of God is fine, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is sanctified through God’s word and prayer over it.

(2 Timothy 3:1-7) 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, ³ having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, ⁴ betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. ⁶ From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, ⁷ always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.

(Daniel 12:4) ⁴ “As for you, Daniel, keep the words secret, and seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant.”

(Isaiah 11:9, 10)  ⁹ They will not cause any harm Or any ruin in all my holy mountain, Because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah As the waters cover the sea. ¹⁰ In that day the root of Jesʹse will stand up as a signal for the peoples. To him the nations will turn for guidance, And his resting-place will become glorious.

(Hosea 3:4, 5) ⁴ It is because for a long time the people of Israel will dwell without a king, without a prince, without a sacrifice, without a pillar, and without an ephʹod and teraphim statues. ⁵ Afterward the people of Israel will come back and look for Jehovah their God and for David their king, and they will come trembling to Jehovah and to his goodness in the final part of the days.

(Revelation 18:4-8) ⁴ And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. ⁶ Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. ⁷ To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’ ⁸ That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong.

(Jeremiah 51:6-8)  ⁶ Flee out of the midst of Babylon, And escape for your life. Do not perish because of her error. For it is the time for Jehovah’s vengeance. He is paying her back for what she has done.  ⁷ Babylon has been a golden cup in the hand of Jehovah; She made all the earth drunk. From her wine the nations have drunk; That is why the nations have gone mad.  ⁸ Suddenly Babylon has fallen and is broken. Wail over her! Get balsam for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.”

(Micah 4:1, 2) 4 In the final part of the days, The mountain of the house of Jehovah Will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, And it will be raised up above the hills, And to it peoples will stream.  ² And many nations will go and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah And to the house of the God of Jacob. He will instruct us about his ways, And we will walk in his paths.” For law will go out of Zion, And the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem.

(Revelation 7:13-17) ¹³ In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” ¹⁴ So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ That is why they are before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, ¹⁷ because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

(Isaiah 65:13-15) ¹³ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: “Look! My servants will eat, but you will go hungry. Look! My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty. Look! My servants will rejoice, but you will suffer shame. ¹⁴ Look! My servants will shout joyfully because of the good condition of the heart, But you will cry out because of the pain of heart And you will wail because of a broken spirit. ¹⁵ You will leave behind a name that my chosen ones will use as a curse, And the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will put each of you to death, But his own servants he will call by another name;

(Isaiah 62:2)  ² “The nations will see your righteousness, O woman, And all kings your glory. And you will be called by a new name, Which Jehovah’s own mouth will designate.

(Daniel 9:17-19) ¹⁷ And now listen, O our God, to the prayer of your servant and to his entreaties, and cause your face to shine upon your sanctuary that is desolate, for your own sake, O Jehovah. ¹⁸ Incline your ear, O my God, and hear! Do open your eyes and see our desolate condition and the city that has been called by your name; for we are not entreating you because of our righteous acts but because of your great mercy. ¹⁹ O Jehovah, do hear. O Jehovah, do forgive. O Jehovah, do pay attention and act! Do not delay, for your own sake, O my God, for your own name has been called upon your city and upon your people.”

(Isaiah 43:10-12) ¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and have faith in me And understand that I am the same One. Before me no God was formed, And after me there has been none. ¹¹ I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior.” ¹² “I am the One who declared and saved and made known When there was no foreign god among you. So you are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “and I am God.

(Matthew 24:9-14) ⁹ “Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name. ¹⁰ Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; ¹² and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who has endured to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

(Amos 9:11, 12) ¹¹ ‘In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen, I will repair the breaches, And I will restore its ruins; I will rebuild it as in the days of long ago, ¹² So that they may take possession of what is remaining of Eʹdom, And all the nations on whom my name has been called,’ declares Jehovah, who is doing this.

(Psalm 83:18) ¹⁸ May people know that you, whose name is Jehovah, You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

(John 15:17-21) ¹⁷ “These things I command you, that you love one another. ¹⁸ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. ²⁰ Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours. ²¹ But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.

(Isaiah 43:7-9)  ⁷ Everyone who is called by my name And whom I created for my own glory, Whom I have formed and made.’  ⁸ Bring out a people who are blind, though they have eyes, And who are deaf, though they have ears.  ⁹ Let all the nations assemble in one place, And let the peoples be gathered together. Who among them can tell this? Or can they cause us to hear the first things? Let them present their witnesses to prove themselves right, Or let them hear and say, ‘It is the truth!’”

(James 4:4-6) ⁴ Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is making himself an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think that for no reason the scripture says: “The spirit that has taken up residence within us keeps enviously longing”? ⁶ However, the undeserved kindness that He gives is greater. So it says: “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”

(Matthew 24:15-22) ¹⁵ “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), ¹⁶ then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, ¹⁸ and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. ¹⁹ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(Revelation 13:16-18) ¹⁶ It puts under compulsion all people—the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the slaves—that these should be marked on their right hand or on their forehead, ¹⁷ and that nobody can buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name. ¹⁸ This is where it calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the wild beast, for it is a man’s number, and its number is 666.

(Revelation 19:19-20:3) ¹⁹ And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. ²¹ But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. 20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1,000 years. ³ And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not mislead the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were ended. After this he must be released for a little while.

(Zechariah 2:7-13) ⁷ “Come, Zion! Make your escape, you who are dwelling with the daughter of Babylon. ⁸ For this is what Jehovah of armies says, who after being glorified has sent me to the nations that were plundering you: ‘Whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye. ⁹ For now I will wave my hand against them, and they will become plunder for their own slaves.’ And you will certainly know that Jehovah of armies has sent me. ¹⁰ “Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion; for I am coming, and I will reside in your midst,” declares Jehovah. ¹¹ “Many nations will join themselves to Jehovah in that day, and they will become my people; and I will reside in your midst.” And you will have to know that Jehovah of armies has sent me to you. ¹² Jehovah will take possession of Judah as his portion on the holy ground, and he will again choose Jerusalem. ¹³ Be silent, all flesh, before Jehovah, for he is taking action from his holy dwelling.

(2 Thessalonians 1:6-10) ⁶ This takes into account that it is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you. ⁷ But you who suffer tribulation will be given relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels ⁸ in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance on those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. ⁹ These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength, ¹⁰ at the time when he comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder among all those who exercised faith, because the witness we gave met with faith among you.

(Revelation 14:1-5) 14 Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. ² I heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was like singers who accompany themselves by playing on their harps. ³ And they are singing what seems to be a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to master that song except the 144,000, who have been bought from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, ⁵ and no deceit was found in their mouths; they are without blemish.

(1 Corinthians 6:1-3) 6 Does any one of you who has a dispute with another dare to go to court before unrighteous men, and not before the holy ones? ² Or do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to try very trivial matters? ³ Do you not know that we will judge angels? Then why not matters of this life?

(1 Corinthians 15:20-24) ²⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep in death. ²¹ For since death came through a man, resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. ²² For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each one in his own proper order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence. ²⁴ Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power.

(1 Thessalonians 4:15-17) ¹⁵ For this is what we tell you by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; ¹⁶ because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord.

(Daniel 2:44, 45) ⁴⁴ “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever, ⁴⁵ just as you saw that out of the mountain a stone was cut not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the copper, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The Grand God has made known to the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

(John 10:16-18) ¹⁶ “And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those too I must bring in, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷ This is why the Father loves me, because I surrender my life, so that I may receive it again. ¹⁸ No man takes it away from me, but I surrender it of my own initiative. I have authority to surrender it, and I have authority to receive it again. This commandment I received from my Father.”

(John 5:28-30) ²⁸ Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment. ³⁰ I cannot do a single thing of my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous because I seek, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

(Revelation 20:11-15) ¹¹ And I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. ¹⁴ And death and the Grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.

(Psalm 104:5)  ⁵ He has established the earth on its foundations; It will not be moved from its place forever and ever.

(Ecclesiastes 1:4)  ⁴ A generation is going, and a generation is coming, But the earth remains forever.

(Isaiah 45:18) ¹⁸ For this is what Jehovah says, The Creator of the heavens, the true God, The One who formed the earth, its Maker who firmly established it, Who did not create it simply for nothing, but formed it to be inhabited: “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else.

(Psalm 37:29) ²⁹ The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it.

(Isaiah 33:21-24) . . .And no majestic ships will pass by. ²² For Jehovah is our Judge, Jehovah is our Lawgiver, Jehovah is our King; He is the One who will save us. ²³ Your ropes will hang loose; They cannot hold up the mast nor spread the sail. At that time an abundance of spoil will be divided up; Even the lame will take much plunder. ²⁴ And no resident will say: “I am sick.” The people dwelling in the land will be pardoned for their error.

(Isaiah 11:6-9)  ⁶ The wolf will reside for a while with the lamb, And with the young goat the leopard will lie down, And the calf and the lion and the fattened animal will all be together; And a little boy will lead them.  ⁷ The cow and the bear will feed together, And their young will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the bull.  ⁸ The nursing child will play over the lair of a cobra, And a weaned child will put his hand over the den of a poisonous snake.  ⁹ They will not cause any harm Or any ruin in all my holy mountain, Because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah As the waters cover the sea.

Fear of God should not feel bad, it should bring comfort.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

A friend sent me a meme that is very truthful. It stated “Bible prophecy is not to scare, it’s to prepare. If you are scared your not prepared. “ That is absolutely true, also if you are scared you may have chose the wrong side in this spiritual battle that started in the Garden of Eden. We are seeing some of the final prophesies being fulfilled very rapidly. Those who have prepared find joy in this because it shows them that better times are very very near. Those who have not prepared or who chose the wrong side in this spiritual battle will be in fear. Those who chose God’s side live in reverential fear which does not come with all the negative thoughts or negative health effects that the fear of retribution or the fear of not having God’s protection comes with. Reverential fear gives you comfort from the sense of trust and the faith it imparts a person with. I am going to discuss fear and how reverential fear protects us from the fear those who do not know God or have not built their relationship with him have. The bible tells us prophesy was not written for the unbeliever but for the believer.

There are different types of fear in the bible, reverential fear which means we have such a deep love and trust of God that we fear not listening to him, because we know that he has the foresight we lack. We also realize he has the power and authority to do as he promises. We also know if we do the things he would require of us he will protect and guide us. So it would be similar to the fear a child would have of disobeying a parent. The fear a child may have of losing the parents love and protection. This type of fear would drive us to trust God to guide us in all areas of our life and to not go through life without seeking wisdom in his word from him, praying to him and meditating on things and putting his word on our hearts by not only reading it, remembering it but we also let it guide our lives so much that we do not have to think about what to do we, would automatically know what God would want us to do. If we are uncertain what to do we would approach him in prayer, search his world and not lean on our own understanding or put our confidence in man. We are seeing the end results of man trusting in man or themselves. Man has tried every form of government, ma has tried developing many types of charities to try and prevent bad things. None of these things have succeeded it has only gotten worse. It has become very clear man needs God’s guidance and protection. Chronic illness is rampant on the earth showing we need him to remain healthy and happy. God is the source of life so we cannot live without him.

There is fear of retribution for errors or for opposing God. Fear also of losing favor with God. Fear of losing the future promises. These fears can drive us to correct certain behavior so that we can develop a reverential fear of God. Those who refuse to listen to God will live in constant fear of retribution. Not only that, because of the times we are in, things are getting very confusing and uncertain. Those who have a reverential fear of God may get distressed and hurt at their hearts at what is happening but the uncertainty of the times do not overwhelm them and confuse them. If you watch the news people are living in such fear that they are giving up rights, hoping in doing so this will give them protection and safety. That rarely ever happens because the bible says the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one and it also warns how easily man is corrupted, deceived or how often man makes errors when we rely on our own understanding. Those who trust God and his word and seek him out in prayer have freedoms others who ignore his word and reject his world do not have. Those who trust God’s word also have hope in the future promises God has given us. Hitler promised a safer and healthier nation but in order to do so a certain group of people had to have their rights took away, and look what he did. Even those who have good intentions can make decisions that harm others. Man does not have the foresight or wisdom God has. Not only that man dies, so even if they did do many good things they are usually undone by the next person that follows their leadership. God cannot die, God is perfect and cannot lie. So any promises he makes we know he will fulfill. All promises God has made in the bible has been fulfilled, there are only a few that have not and we can be sure he will fulfill them. For example he promised a new earth that would be a paradise. There would no longer be suffering , illness, death, violence, wars or any other thing that causes suffering. This would be brought about during Jesus thousand year reign. God would choose 144,000 to rule as kings with Jesus in heaven. These would be ones chosen from the earth. The bible indicates those who will dwell on the earth and those who will go through the great tribulation during Jesus 1000 year reign would live forever on the restored earth.

Reverential fear leaves you with a good feeling and puts you in more awe of God and drives you to trust him and have faith in him. Fear of retribution or fear of the consequences of sin could drive those who seek God with their whole heart and whole soul to develop a reverential fear. Those who have no desire to change will feel fear of retribution when they read certain scriptures and because of this could even get angry or confused because it may hurt their conscience. If we are reading the bible and a certain fear comes up we may ask ourselves why we felt fear. Has this scripture identified an area in my life or my beliefs I need to work on? Has the scripture identified an area that I need to build my faith and trust in God and Jesus? If so how can I correct this what actions will I need to take to develop a reverential fear of God.

God often times says “fear not” in the bible. He does not want us to live life with the type of fear that paralyzes us and takes from our health. God often times offers comfort. The two main issues that have been brought up by Satan is he accused God of not having man’s best interest at heart by accusing him of hiding things from man. He also lied and told man they would not die. We still see this lie being told when people state that you do not die you go to heaven or hell. Satan also accused man, by saying man only loves God because he blesses and protects them. This has resulted in many living in fear of death. If man died and went somewhere else there would be no need for a resurrections. Also if the unrighteous went to hell why would the bible state they would be resurrected? They would have no need for a resurrection because they would be alive in the supposed hell or in heaven. There are many who have been deceived by the false hell fire teaching. It is used to induce the wrong type of fear in man. The original word used in the bible meant pit or common grave. The teaching of someone burning and suffering in an eternal fire came from Babylonian religion and was not a bible teaching. The bible speak often of the destruction of the wicked. It even says Satan and the demons will be destroyed. Sadly those who have been taught the false hell fire teaching actually live in fear of Satan and the demons. In Jeremiah Israel was sacrificing their children in fire to Baal. God was asking them to stop doing that, he stated a thought like that has never crossed his mind. Those who know that death means you return to the earth you have come from and during the resurrection God will remember those who obeyed loved and trusted him will have a resurrection of life so do not fear death , demons or Satan because they realize they will all be gone some day. Jesus defeated death so it will be the final enemy destroyed. Satan and the demons will die in the second death mentioned in the bible. There are so many false teaching now days that many live their lives in fear of retribution instead of having a reverential fear.

Most have a reverential fear of their parents when they are a child because they realize how vulnerable they are and how they rely on them for food , clothing, shelter and protection. Children also know their parents have more knowledge then they have so count on their parents to guide and teach them. This is the type of fear God wants us to have of him not a fear of retribution or fear of what happens because we made a bad decision. We are imperfect humans and will make bad decisions. If we were perfect God would not have , had to have the bible written for us. It is a guide on how to draw closer to him and his son. It teaches how to prevent making errors and when we do how we should respond. Because man is getting farther and farther away from God we are seeing the end results of man putting their trust in themselves. If all people read God’s word , applied it in their lives we would not have the problems we have today.

Many lost their trust in God because of so many religions practicing hypocrisy or teaching about God’s retribution of the wicked. They induce fear in members to have more control over them. They do not practice what they teach which causes God’s good name to be spoken of in bad ways and causing people to doubt the truth in the bible. This was prophesied and said this would occur on a large scale in the last days. So much so that it said the love of the greater number would cool off. Meaning they would appear to love others but would not know how to practice love in the way God would want us to do. This means they would appear to have a sense of Godly devotion but when presented with certain situations they will rely on their own understanding or even let their emotions or feelings to guide them. I remember once someone told me their minister told them to follow their heart. The bible warns against doing that because it said the heart is deceptive and desperate. If we follow our hearts we will false reason and deceive ourselves and we could do something we should not do that harms ourselves or others out of desperation. We may even do something out of desperation that harms ourselves and others. To prevent this from happening we can write God’s word on our hearts , this means we take in his word and let it guide all we do , so much so that it becomes a habit for us and we do not have to think about what to do but we will automatically know what we should do.

Things are rapidly winding down. There is going to be some things that will occur very soon that will be frightful to many. Those who put their trust in man, in their own understanding or listen to their hearts will not fair well. Those who write God’s word on their hearts will be protected because it will guide them through the great tribulation. These ones will prepare as they see the final prophesies being fulfilled and will not be in constant panic and fear because they know they have God on their side. It makes me sad to think when the collapse of this system comes and all the material things of this world and wealth are gone those people will have nothing because they did not choose to make God a key part of their lives. When this occurs those who put their trust in God have the confidence he is with them and will get them through it and things will get much better when the new system is here very very soon. As these final prophesies are being fulfilled they will get excited knowing better times are very very near. So wouldn’t it be better to develop a reverential fear of God? If we fear the things that are happening , or fear bible prophecy , or fear retribution we should not let that deter us from studying God’s word but it should inspire us to take a deeper look at Gods word so we can make the changes needed to have the faith, security , and peace that the reverential fear gives us. Much of the prophesies in the bible are written in signs. The bible tells us what those signs mean. It takes looking into God’s word deeply to understand those signs. Once you do it becomes very clear what to expect and what God would want us to do. This removes the fear of uncertainty that many have as things rapidly wind down and it gives us the confidence that God is on our side and he will protect and guide us through the great tribulation into the new earth where righteous will dwell. As the world is in a constant state of confusion, frustration and fear those who have written God’s word on their hearts find encouragement from God’s word because they are seeing prophesies fulfilled that were given thousands of years ago and because of this they become more confident in God’s wisdom and foresight and put their trust in him and realize it is man removing God from their lives that have brought us to this point and that God appointed Jesus as our king and he is going to bring an end to all the bad happening now days very very soon. By writing God’s word on our hearts and trusting it, it will protect us. The bible says many would pay no attention to the warnings in the bible and by the time they realized what was happening it would be too late and destruction would suddenly be upon them. Many of them would be people who believed they were doing what God required. We need to search God’s word and do our best to do all he requires so we will know the signs and know how to prepare and what God requires so the destruction will not be suddenly upon us and we can escape by being excepted into the heavenly kingdom.

Bible prophesy as in times past prophets spokento God’s people was not to induce fear but to incite them to do all God would require so they would not be harmed. This includes being harmed by their bad decisions or harming others by their bad decisions. It was to incite them to draw closer to God and to prepare for the things that were about to occur. Those who did not trust God or who disobeyed him where the ones who became afraid and would persecute and kill the prophets delivering the messages from God. If bible prophesies incite any negative emotions we should access why and not react the way Israel did in the past by persecuting and killing those delivering the messages. The prophets were trying to warn Israel so they would survive and not come to harm. If we are in fear of retribution or in fear of the things occurring and the bible says will occur then we may have chosen the wrong side. As for me I choose God’s side because all of this will be gone soon and when it is those who do not have God will have nothing. Those who cling tight to Jehovah will have him and Jesus and will be rewarded for trusting them and putting their faith in them. Bible prophesy is to warn us and tell us how to prepare and what to expect so we can make it safely through what is about to occur. It does not say we will not suffer tribulation but it does promise much better times and , life that will not end for those who endure. This endurance comes from trusting God and Jesus. Whether a person fears God and trust him or not they will experience tribulation. Those who do not have God to guide and protect them will not survive. Knowing we will suffer tribulation no matter what, wouldn’t it be much more comforting to know we had God on our side? As we learn God’s word we need to reach out to others so they have the hope we have towards the future promises that faith in Jesus and God gives us. We first heard God’s word from others. How could others learn to trust God and to fear him in a reverential way if they do not get to hear God’s world in truth. Most of all if we find areas we need to work on whether it be a short coming we need to overcome , or areas in our faith we need to work on we should do our best so we have a reverential fear of God instead of one of retribution.

(1 Corinthians 14:20-22) ²⁰ Brothers, do not become young children in your understanding, but be young children as to badness; and become full-grown in your understanding. ²¹ In the Law it is written: “‘With the tongues of foreigners and with the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even then they will refuse to listen to me,’ says Jehovah.” ²² Therefore, tongues are not a sign for the believers but for the unbelievers, whereas prophecy is not for the unbelievers but for the believers.

(Isaiah 35:3, 4)  ³ Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the knees that are shaking.  ⁴ Say to those who are anxious at heart: “Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your own God will come with vengeance, God will come with retribution. He will come and save you.”

(John 14:25-27) ²⁵ “I have spoken these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things and bring back to your minds all the things I told you. ²⁷ I leave you peace; I give you my peace. I do not give it to you the way that the world gives it. Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let them shrink out of fear.

(Ezekiel 5:11-13) ¹¹ “‘Therefore as surely as I am alive,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘because it was my sanctuary that you defiled with all your disgusting idols and with all your detestable practices, I will also reject you; my eye will not feel sorry, and I will show no compassion. ¹² A third of you will die by the pestilence or perish in your midst by famine. Another third will fall all around you by the sword. And I will scatter the last third in every direction, and I will draw a sword to chase after them. ¹³ Then my anger will come to an end, and my wrath against them will subside, and I will be satisfied. And they will have to know that I, Jehovah, have spoken in my insistence on exclusive devotion, when I have finished unleashing my wrath against them.

(2 Thessalonians 3:1-5) 3 Finally, brothers, carry on prayer for us, that the word of Jehovah may keep spreading rapidly and being glorified, just as it is with you, ² and that we may be rescued from harmful and wicked men, for faith is not a possession of all people. ³ But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the wicked one. ⁴ Moreover, we have confidence in the Lord regarding you, that you are carrying out and will go on carrying out our instructions. ⁵ May the Lord continue to guide your hearts successfully to the love of God and to the endurance for the Christ.

(Genesis 3:3-5) . . .” ⁴ At this the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die. ⁵ For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.”

(Ecclesiastes 8:9) ⁹ All of this I have seen, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun, during the time that man has dominated man to his harm.

(Micah 7:3-5)  ³ Their hands are expert at doing what is bad; The prince is making demands, The judge asks for a reward, The prominent one makes known his desires, And they work it out together.  ⁴ Their best one is like thorns, Their most upright one is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen and of your reckoning will come. Now they will panic.  ⁵ Do not put faith in your companion Or trust a close friend. Guard what you say to the one who lies in your embrace.

(Jeremiah 19:3-5) . . .“‘“I am about to bring a calamity on this place, and the ears of anyone who hears about it will tingle. ⁴ It is because they abandoned me and made this place unrecognizable. In it they are sacrificing to other gods, whom they and their forefathers and the kings of Judah had not known, and they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent ones. ⁵ They built the high places of Baʹal in order to burn their sons in the fire as whole burnt offerings to Baʹal, something that I had not commanded or spoken of and that had never even come into my heart.”’

(Jeremiah 10:23-25) ²³ I well know, O Jehovah, that man’s way does not belong to him. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step. ²⁴ Correct me, O Jehovah, with judgment, But not in your anger, that you may not reduce me to nothing. ²⁵ Pour out your wrath on the nations who ignore you And on the families who do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob, Yes, they have devoured him to the point of extermination, And they have desolated his homeland.

(Jeremiah 17:9, 10)  ⁹ The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it? ¹⁰ I, Jehovah, am searching the heart, Examining the innermost thoughts, To give to each one according to his ways, According to the fruitage of his works.

(Revelation 20:4-6) ⁴ And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed for the witness they gave about Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had not worshipped the wild beast or its image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for 1,000 years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years.

(2 Peter 3:5-10) ⁵ For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; ⁶ and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water. ⁷ But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people. ⁸ However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. ¹⁰ But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed.

(Matthew 7:21-27) ²¹ “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. ²² Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’ ²⁴ “Therefore, everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does them will be like a discreet man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and lashed against that house, but it did not cave in, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ Furthermore, everyone hearing these sayings of mine and not doing them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and struck against that house, and it caved in, and its collapse was great.”

(Revelation 7:9) ⁹ After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands.

(Isaiah 2:4)  ⁴ He will render judgment among the nations And set matters straight respecting many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, Nor will they learn war anymore.

(Isaiah 11:6-9)  ⁶ The wolf will reside for a while with the lamb, And with the young goat the leopard will lie down, And the calf and the lion and the fattened animal will all be together; And a little boy will lead them.  ⁷ The cow and the bear will feed together, And their young will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the bull.  ⁸ The nursing child will play over the lair of a cobra, And a weaned child will put his hand over the den of a poisonous snake.  ⁹ They will not cause any harm Or any ruin in all my holy mountain, Because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah As the waters cover the sea.

(Proverbs 3:25, 26) ²⁵ You will not fear any sudden terror Nor the storm that is coming on the wicked. ²⁶ For Jehovah will prove to be your source of confidence; He will keep your foot from being caught.

(Hebrews 4:14-16) ¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold on to our public declaration of him. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tested in all respects as we have, but without sin. ¹⁶ Let us, then, approach the throne of undeserved kindness with freeness of speech, so that we may receive mercy and find undeserved kindness to help us at the right time.

(Zephaniah 2:3)  ³ Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, Who observe his righteous decrees. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you will be concealed on the day of Jehovah’s anger.

(Revelation 2:9-11) . . .. ¹⁰ Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison so that you may be fully put to the test, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹ Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: The one who conquers will by no means be harmed by the second death.’

(Revelation 20:13-15) ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. ¹⁴ And death and the Grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.

(John 5:27-30) . . .. ²⁸ Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment. ³⁰ I cannot do a single thing of my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous because I seek, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

(Psalm 13:3)  ³ Look upon me and answer me, O Jehovah my God. Give light to my eyes, so that I may not fall asleep in death,

(Daniel 12:1, 2) 12 “During that time Miʹcha·el will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book. ² And many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt.

(John 11:11-14) ¹¹ After he said these things, he added: “Lazʹa·rus our friend has fallen asleep, but I am traveling there to awaken him.” ¹² The disciples then said to him: “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get well.” ¹³ Jesus, however, had spoken about his death. But they imagined he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. ¹⁴ Then Jesus said to them plainly: “Lazʹa·rus has died,

(2 Timothy 3:1-7) 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, ³ having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, ⁴ betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. ⁶ From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, ⁷ always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.

(Matthew 24:15-22) ¹⁵ “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), ¹⁶ then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, ¹⁸ and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. ¹⁹ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(Isaiah 44:22) I will blot out your transgressions as with a cloud And your sins as with a thick cloud. Return to me, for I will repurchase you.

(Isaiah 55:6, 7) Search for Jehovah while he may be found. Call to him while he is near.  ⁷ Let the wicked man leave his way And the evil man his thoughts; Let him return to Jehovah, who will have mercy on him, To our God, for he will forgive in a large way.

(Proverbs 3:5-8)  ⁵ Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding.  ⁶ In all your ways take notice of him, And he will make your paths straight.  ⁷ Do not become wise in your own eyes. Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad.  ⁸ It will be a healing to your body And refreshment for your bones.

(John 17:1-5) 17 Jesus spoke these things, and raising his eyes to heaven, he said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son so that your son may glorify you, ² just as you have given him authority over all flesh, so that he may give everlasting life to all those whom you have given to him. ³ This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. ⁴ I have glorified you on the earth, having finished the work you have given me to do. ⁵ So now, Father, glorify me at your side with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.

(Matthew 24:9-14) ⁹ “Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name. ¹⁰ Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; ¹² and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who has endured to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

(Hebrews 10:35-39) ³⁵ Therefore, do not throw away your boldness, which will be richly rewarded. ³⁶ For you need endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the fulfillment of the promise. ³⁷ For yet “a very little while,” and “the one who is coming will arrive and will not delay.” ³⁸ “But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,” and “if he shrinks back, I have no pleasure in him.” ³⁹ Now we are not the sort who shrink back to destruction, but the sort who have faith for the preserving of our lives.

Understanding that bad gut feeling and how it can protect you.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

I am going to discuss subtle emotions that Satan can use against you and discuss on how the bible tells us to handle it. God created us he knows our minds better then any human can. Negative emotions are difficult to talk about but learning about them and learning to face them and work through them in the proper way can helps us to draw closer to God and also draw closer to those we care about. I am going to discuss the various negative emotions, the good and the bad. I am also going to discuss as much as possible how God would want us to deal with them. I cannot cover all the negative emotions so I will cover the ones I have seen or experienced the most in my life. Not addressing these subtle emotions and ignoring them can leave a way for Satan to effect us. I am sorry this is so long but it is a complex subject and Satan uses these things a lot to attack people.

When we get that bad gut feeling we need to pay attention to why we may be feeling it. We should not ignore it but think about what it is telling us, like why we got it, why we may be feeling those negative feelings and what they are. If we ignore what those feelings are telling us , we could be ignoring what it may be telling us about ourselves or even someone else. If we ignore those feelings it can develop into negative emotions such as anger, frustration, jealousy or resentment. This could be directed at others and we could react in an inappropriate way. If it is a person that is causing these negative feelings we need to access what the negative emotion is and try to discuss with the person how you feel. If they ignore you or do not want to acknowledge your feeling or try to tell you how you feel then it indicates guilt or that they do not respect you. To continue to talk to them would only draw out more negative emotions. I will discuss the guilt part later, after I cover guilt I will cover other emotions because how we react to someone who has guilt could actually cause us to fall short. I am covering guilt because we all fall short and need to learn if we are trying to hide it so we do not drag the guilt out. It can hurt many people if we do. It will also cause us to lose our standing with God and Jesus. Learning about guilt can also make us aware when someone is trying to hide their guilt.

By recognizing the negative emotions and acknowledging them we determine what we are feeling and why we are feeling them. If it was caused by someone else we can discuss how something they have done made us fee. We need to consider they may not have done something deliberately they may have been mentally preoccupied or had a hard day. Being mindful of our emotions helps us to analyze the whole situation. For example you my think what is happening here? When did the emotion start and what set it off? This can also help us determine what skills we may use to address it. Not being mindful can cause us to hurt someone else also. Sometimes if it reaches the point of reacting with secondary emotions we may try to gain control back or power we may feel we have lost. This usually results in a power struggle between two people unless the other is passive.

When you get that negative feeling it usually occurs in this order:

A person usually thinks I do not like having this feeling.

Then they think I shouldn’t have this feeling. Some will tend to back away and then they learn nothing.

Then they may think it is wrong to have that feeling.

Then they may think they are bad or think the person who made them have the feeling is bad. Though neither may be true it could be a misunderstanding.

If the feeling is ignored the secondary emotions can kick in such as jealousy, anger, resentment, feeling hurt or even scared. This can cause us to act in a way that undermines ours or others best interest. It can even undermine our values.

What if someone reacts negatively to you wanting to talk about how something they said or did made you feel . It can indicate a few things such as guilt or a lack of respect for us. We also could react this way if we carry guilt or do not respect others. This is why bible tells us not to look out for our own interest but to view others as superior to ourselves.

These are things someone who is guilty or does not respect you will do. If they do not want to hold themselves accountable they most likely are guilty anyways because a lack of respect would cause them to think light of betraying you or God. A person who is guilty usually uses subtle forms of abuse.

This is a list of things guilty people often do when they are guilty:

Stonewalling -they refuse to communicate, they will try and avoid you, refuse to listen, They will refuse to discuss the matter at hand. A person who uses this tactic will use extreme patients hoping the victim will forget about it or decide not to bring the issue up again. Being aware of these things can show us if we are not holding ourselves accountable or someone else may not be holding themselves accountable. By recognizing guilt we can also recognize behavior we may be doing if we are wrong but do not want to admit it. In doing so we can do some things that are very hurtful towards others.

Gaslighting- they distort information so that something appears other then it is. For example a person will explain away actions that may incriminate them or may be vague about their actions. Usually someone knows something is wrong about the p[erson’s statement but they cannot pinpoint what. Our memories are not perfect. Those who are gaslighting will plan their statement so usually will repeat things that most don’t remember such as days, date and time and they will be consistent about it. When a person gaslights they will ignore questions and be dismissive of your arguments. This tactic is sometimes used to try and convince someone they are insane. Gaslighters will also try to make the victims some how believe things were their fault. Gaslighting is designed to distort the reality of the victim and make them believe they are crazy. Gaslighters often times tell people they are too sensitive.

Looking from a spiritual viewpoint we are to treat others the way we would want to be treated. If we are in error we should admit it and take corrective actions. The longer someone hides an error the more difficult things get for them and the more people that are hurt when the error gets exposed. Sometimes if they admit their error they can be forgiven and move on and put the error behind them. But selfish people tend to not want to admit their error. Surely we would not want to become selfish and negatively effect others. When we are in error we are to confess it to God and the person we wronged and pray on it and study the bible to learn how to prevent committing that error again. We are all imperfect and fall short. If we do not admit our error then we cannot overcome it.

Duplicity is another tactic used to cover guilt. This is when they guilty person will outright tell a person one thing while they are doing another. These ones plan what they will say ahead of time and will even try to accumulate those who will support their lies. They will try to do things in a way the evidence will seem to support their claims. Those who support their lies are often times referred to as flying monkeys. Sometimes they will try to have the flying monkeys watch you so that they can try to find a reason to accuse you, to down play the guilt of themselves or someone convince the victim they were the fault of the error they committed . Those who practice duplicity will be secretive about the things they do and where they are going. If you question them they will make it like you have the problem because you do not trust them. When a person ask where someone is going often times it, just in case anything happens they will know where they are. Sometimes I will tell someone where I am going because if they need something I could save them time by getting it for them if it is on my way. Sometimes I would ask someone where they were going and what they were going to do so I could plan my day to benefit both parties. For example if a wife was going to the store this would mean she does not have time to do some of the house chores. If the husband knows this he could help by doing some of the house chores and be prepared to help carry the groceries in when the wife arrives home. I say wife because I hate grocery shopping lol. I am not married but if I ever got married I would hope my wife would like to shop. Cunning can be another word for duplicity because it take cunning to practice it. If we find ourselves doing such things we should question why we would want to be so secretive. Is it for the right reasons. For example Rahab was deceptive to protect God’s people because she had faith in God and knew he would protect her from the impending destruction of her people. If we are practicing duplicity we need to question is it because we are trying to hide something we have done or are going to do or is it for righteous reasons? Duplicity can be used to also trip a person up. They tried to do this with Jesus because they knew his kingdom was no part of the world. They ask if they should pay their taxes to try and get him to incriminate himself. But he pointed out the money belonged to Ceasar so you give to Ceasar what is Ceasar’s and God’s things to God. They could not answer him.

Playing the victim is another tactic that guilty people will use. They will play like certain things they may have done that were wrong were somehow the victims fault and they pushed them into the wrong doing. We all are accountable for our own actions and if we sin and it is up to us to hold ourselves accountable. If not God will on his great day.

Guilt is another tactic used. The offender tries to guilt the other person and make them feel bad. This way they can down play what they have done and make it seem like it was somehow the victims fault. They even nit pick at the victim exaggerating flaws and even making some up. They are taking advantage of the fact that you care about them. This tactic destroys a persons self esteem and confidence. They often times will tolerate bad behavior because they have become convinced they deserve it. No one deserves being wronged no matter what even if we did commit a minor error we all sin and fall short. Many of us repent from things daily as we reflect on the mirror of God’s word and it indicates areas we need to grow. Guilting others when someone has their own flaws is one of the things Jesus corrected the pharisees for doing. The pharisees were committing worse sins then they were accusing others of. Jesus called them out on it and told them to repent. Usually when someone is quilting another they are judging them along with hiding their error.

Feeling negative emotions is not bad if for the right reason. It can protect and even inspire us. For example maybe we feel a negative emotion about a scripture we read. This could indicate we may need to address something and we should identify the emotion and access why we feel it. Also once we do figure out why we fell such an emotion and if it is appropriate we could take corrective action so we can draw closer to God. A friend actually had to help me overcome this. If I read something that seemed to make God as if he was contradicting himself then I would get confused and frustrated a friend had me research those scriptures and discuss why I felt that way. This helped me to see that the scriptures did not make God contradict himself I was not seeing the whole picture.

Memory loss- this is another tactic used by those who are guilty. We all have imperfect memories and will not remember things quite the way same each time. But those with guilt will have selective memory loss. They will remember key things like times , days and other things for lies and deception they have planned but if asked questions and they had missed something then they will have selective memory loss. Most do not remember times, and even dates things occur. Usually deceptive people make it a point to remember these things. They also have good memory recall when they are trying to hide their lies by accusing the victim and remembering errors the victim may have made. Their memory loss is selective. This is used to serve their own self interest.

Sarcasm is another method guilty people use to break someone down. Then they will pretend like it was a joke. The do this to break someones will so they devalue themselves. There is constructive criticism and destructive criticism. Destructive criticism serves the guilty person. Constructive criticism is given with humility and compassion. If we may feel someone is guilty of something we are not to judge them but we could talk to them. Falsely accusing someone can smear our own reputation if the accusations later prove to be false and others find out. This is why the bible requires two credible witnesses when we feel someone is guilty of a sin. Sarcasm is used as a way to control people and they will even get the victim involved in being sarcastic towards others to prove their loyalty to them.

Now lets discuss other small things that could make us fall short if we do not acknowledge feeling them. Things such as resentment, resentment, frustration, disgust, insecurity, anxiety, shame, envy, overwhelmed, apathy, humiliation or contempt can lead to us feeling secondary emotions such as fear, anger, selfishness, depression, hatred and even prejudice, and even grief. If we do not acknowledge these things we could experience secondary emotions that can result in anger, resentment, hatred, feeling of hopelessness and depression.

Some negative emotions do not feel bad like pride which can result in over confidence. But emotions like resentment, frustration, disgust, insecurity, anxiety, shame, envy, overwhelmed, apathy, humiliation or contempt can lead to us feeling secondary emotions such as fear, anger, selfishness, depression, hatred and even prejudice. Negative emotions if ignored can open the door for us to sin and even seek revenge. We know the bible warns vengeance is God’s. He can read their hearts. What if we did something in retaliation and that person may have some day become a spiritual relative but we caused them doubt by our behavior? All Satan needs is to get his foot in the door a little and he can use that to destroy our lives. The hardest part is when we see someone we care about who is letting Satan get his foot in the door and we warn them and they ignore the warning. I used to stress about that. The only things we can do if they do not head our warning is be their if they make the error and realize their mistake and repent. They usually have to rebuild their lives and relationships. Once they have proven they repented they will need help because often times many will abandon them because they will have a difficult time trusting them.

Pride though not a negative emotion can cause us to fall. If we get to proud we can put too much confidence in ourselves. If we get too proud of someone else we may put too much confidence in them. It is God and Jesus we should be proud of. Nothing we or anyone else do can top what they have done and what they are going to do. It is not wrong to take pride in what we do. When it does become wrong is when we get too prideful to the point we start looking down on others. Many of us have overcome many obstacles but if it was not for God we could not have done it. If we forget it is God that helps us and guides us we can get too confident in ourselves this is why the bible warns pride comes before a fall. The bible warns “God opposed the proud and shows favor to the humble. “ Jesus showed his humility when he washed the disciples feet. This is something servants did. He knew he was going to be seated on the throne in heaven and be given all authority over everything but God himself. He did not let that make him overly prideful. This also tells you something about God because remember Jesus did what he said he seen his father do. So it shows how humble God is.

Resentment can occur for a number of reasons. It can result from someone insulting us, offending us, doing something we may not like, or wronging us. If it persist we could start feeling ill will towards the person and even become angry or hate them. All things the bible warns us about so it is very important to identify resentment and deal with it quickly. If we discuss things with the person and they will not discuss it or continue in the behavior that caused the resentment then they are unrepentant and you may have to learn to deal with it. Sometimes we may even have to let it go because we all have our short comings. We also my cause others resentment at times. If it is something little then we need to let it go, if not we could start judging the person and that will take us down a road of constantly judging others something we are not to do. This can cause us to nit picking at others and rob us of our joy. Other times we may have valid reasons especially if the issue is a serious sin that causes us the resentment. If this occurs we need to take the necessary actions. Often times when I was uncertain how to deal with something I would ask the elders and they were more then happy to guide me. Sometimes someone may continually undermine things you do this can cause frustration that can lead to resentment. If I have talked to someone about it and they respond negatively or just brush it aside then I keep my mind focused on spiritual matters and pray on it and leave it between God and them. The bible tells us that we are to forgive all including our enemies. If we feel disgust towards someone whether justified or not we have to be cautious that we do not judge others when we feel a negative emotion. We need to think about why we feel it and how we can respond in a way that would please God sometimes there are justified reasons to feel negative emotions. Sometimes it may be that there is something about someones personality we do not like. For example if they are a meat eater and you are a vegetarian. If you feel disgust towards them and dwell on it it could develop into resentment and hatred. We are to love even our enemies. We are all imperfect and make errors. Isn’t it a good feeling when someone forgives you so you can move on and continue to grow and become a better person. By forgiving others we lead by example.

Frustration can be caused by people, events that happen , or obstacles that may be in our way. Frustration caused by others if held in can cause us to become verbally abusive towards someone. If something constantly frustrates us and there is not much we can do about it then we need to pray about it to Jehovah and leave him help us while we search his word to guide us through it. If we dwell on the frustration it can cause us to get discouraged and even depressed. Some frustration is righteous and if someone is the source of it then we could talk to them. How ever they respond always try to consider what God would want you to do. If we remain silent and do not talk to God or even a friend just to let our frustration out it can build up. It is not wrong to talk about things that concern you or cause you negative feelings. When it is wrong is when you keep talking about them but take no action or do not move on but keep dwelling on them. Jesus did not promise we would not go through tribulation. We are in the final minutes of this system. Many things will happen to cause negative emotions. Very soon how we react could determine whether we live or die. It could even determine whether we are in good standing with God. By taking in God’s word daily it reminds us this is all temporary and gives us hope in the future promises. In the new system the meek will inherit the earth and dwell forever upon it and there will not longer be injustice.

There are other negative emotions that lead to fear such as anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, or feeling insecure about yourself. If we put too much confidence in the world, people in the world , wealth or material possessions when we do suffer tribulation often times those things cannot help us. It can cause us to feel anxious, overwhelmed or even feel insecure. Another thing that can make us feel insecure is not knowing when to make our yes mean yes and our no mean no. If we learn the best we can what God requires , and we try our best to apply it in our lives and live by God’s word it becomes written on our hearts and knowing when to make our yest mean yes and our know mean no give us security in more then one way. There is no authority above God. It is God we need to please and not man , so if we are doing what God would want us to do we can be certain he will guide us through things and protect us. God knows many of us will suffer, some already are. There are many who lost all they have and are not even certain where their next meal comes from . As in times past those who put their trust and faith in God he has always provided for them. He may let your faith be tested but he will not let you starve to death or do without the things needed to survive. We are living in the final moments of this system many things will occur that will cause us negative emotions. It is not if we will suffer tribulation but when. The bible warned in our days the love of the greater number would cool off so love in the biblical sense would be rare. When someone is experiencing these things we should never assume they did something to bring it on themselves we know Satan is the accuser so we are not only dealing with the short comings of man in our lives many will also be attacked persecuted, and tried by Satan. In times like this we need to learn comforting scriptures so we can comfort those experiencing hard times. If we are being tried we need to lean on God in prayer and put our trust in him and look for comfort and wisdom in his word to get us through it. If things get too hard we can talk to an elder , there are times I have talked with a spiritual brother and he approached the elders and they came and helped me through it. By praying to God and relying on him the bible promises that God will protect our hearts and our thinking abilities when we are going through hard times. It also tells us we will have peace. Not peace in our lives because we are living in the last days but peace of mind and peace in our hearts knowing God is with us. Studies have shown if we let anxieties of life overwhelm us it can actually makes us ill . Jesus stated that being anxious does not add one day of life to us. We have to realize we are only human and many things will occur that are beyond our control. What we can control is our relationship with God and Jesus.

Shame is another negative emotion we may feel. It can be good or bad. For example when Adam in the garden of Eden after he sinned against God was embarrassed. How we react to shame when we have sinned can determine if we keep our good standing with God. Adam did not admit his guilt instead he blamed God for his error by stating it was the woman God gave him that caused him to error. Adam knew what God required of him so had no excuse. King David committed some pretty serious sins that resulted in murder and adultery . When he was confronted with his error he felt shame and he repented and did not commit the error again. When we sin and repent God will forgive us but he will let us suffer the consequences of our sin. Sometimes others sin effect us. When this occurs we should speak to them. And take the appropriate actions based on the situation. For example if it is a spiritual relative and they will not repent then we should speak to the elders along with another witness because God requires two witnesses. If we are ashamed to tell others about God and Jesus , Jesus warned he would also be ashamed of them. Sharing God’s word with others helps them to learn how to please God and give them hope in the future promises. It also build our faith. If everyone was afraid to talk about God and Jesus no one would know and there would be no hope for anyone. How sad that would be. We should never be ashamed because we do not know what to pray for. The bible tells us the holey spirit helps us and God reads our heart and knows what we really mean when we pray.

Contempt is something that may feel displeasing to us, something is worthless, or we have disdain for it. This also can be good or bad depending on why we are feeling it and how we react. For example if someone sins against God we can have contempt for what they did but we should not start hating them. We can hate what they do and the actions they have done but we are to forgive them and not continue dwelling on it, if we do then we could start judging them which would bring judgment on ourselves. We all are imperfect , so our hearts are not pure enough to judge others. God is perfect and can read peoples hearts. This is why we are told not to seek vengeance because it is God’s to seek. Even if the person has false reasoned in their minds causing them to wrong us nothing is secret to God and he knows their true intentions. So we should not speculate or dwell on it because it could cause us to start judging them which would bring us under judgment. We need to show all people love even those who wrong us or other people, keeping in mind we are not the judge but God is. The bible tells us love covers a multitude of sins.

Humiliation is the loss of pride which causes us to become mortified and usually results in a person being humbled , reduced to lowliness or submission. This is pretty complex and can result from many things for example if someone put their faith in their wealth and it was their identity when they lose that wealth they can experience humiliation. If a person puts their faith in a person and the person later proves to not be a very good person. All those that promoted this person could experience humiliation. Some could experience humiliation if they have fallen short and their sin was exposed. To avoid this we should build our foundation on Jesus the chief corner stone. He showed us how to obey God and have faith and gave us the knowledge in his words we need to build that foundation. He is our king in heaven and he will set matters straight very soon. All these things will be done away with soon. When all these things are gone what will those who put their faith in the world and things of the world have. Those who put their faith in Jehovah God and Jesus will have a real foundation because they do not change and they do not lie. All promises God has made have always been fulfilled. So if we do our best to remain blameless then we have no reason to be ashamed and God and Jesus would have no reason to be ashamed of us. We are very near the end of this system corruption is rampant. Things can change for anyone overnight. If someones foundation is build on the world or they put their faith in themselves when they have nothing what do they have left? Their identities have been build on foundations that will be can, and can be gone any day. Those who build their foundation on the chief corner stone will still have Jesus and God when all these things are gone or if they lose everything. This gives them hope for the future and prevents many of the other negative emotions that can come from losing everything. We have no reason to have doubts because God has always protected his people and provided for them. Jesus showed the power of God and the compassion when he healed many and even fed many. We have no reason to fear because we know Jesus has legions of angels at his command he will send to protect us. This does not mean we will not suffer tribulation but if our foundation is built on obeying and trusting Jesus as our king in heaven it will give us the peace of mind and comfort knowing that nothing not even death can separate us from the love of God and the love of Jesus.

Apathy apathy is a lack of feeling or emotion. It can also mean indifference or lack of motivation. It can be a lack of concern , motivation or passion. Many things can cause apathy if someone has let us down, if we had unrealistic expectation of someone and they did not meat those expectations. Some have become apathetic towards God and will start to read his word less and talk to him less when times get hard for them. Some can become apathetic because they get to involved in the world which can be overwhelming. Some can become apathetic if they become overwhelmed by life events which is what Satan did to Job. Some refer to apathy as a fallen heart. There are bad habits that can cause apathy. For example excess alcohol consumption and drug use. Marijuana can cause apathy. When a person feels overwhelmed they can start feeling apathetic. Lack of sleep can cause apathy. Nutrient deficiencies, infection, vaccine injury and some toxins can cause a person to be apathetic. Apathy can be a defense mechanism that protects us when something traumatic happens. It shuts the brain down and gets a person to think about things without emotions. But often times a person will dwell on the what ifs which can cause them to get stuck in the cycle of apathy. I am going to discuss the emotional aspects of apathy that occurs when something traumatic happens or a person gets overwhelmed.

When we have something traumatic happen apathy can work to protect us. It can shut things down so that our bodies do not over respond but it can have some negative effects because if we feel apathy to long the hormones produced can start to damage the heart. Ironic something that protects other areas of the body can effect the heart. It is very important to identify why we feel apathy and what we can do about it. If we remain apathetic too long it can harden our hearts towards others and towards God. Not only can apathy effect our heart it can also effect our life we can start ignor doing the basics to maintain our life, we may not take care of certain responsibilities, we may even start becoming apathetic in our relationship to God or family. To overcome apathy it is actually good to plan things and try to manage your time and to set small goals for yourself. Exercise has been found to help with apathy. Often times when a person experiences certain life changing events it can start making someone start thinking less of themselves or they could lose their confidence which can lead to apathy. We should try to think positive thoughts about ourselves and look at our good qualities if we have lost our confidence or feeling of self worth. It is very important to be thankful for what you do have. It is also important that you make plans for the future and do little things that can help improve you life. Looking back on things you can do nothing about will only drag you down and hinder you from recovering. It is very difficult but a person who finds they are experiencing apathy has to look forward and think about what they can do and not what they cannot or could have done. Hobbies like doing puzzles even word puzzles, painting, drawing and even coloring in coloring books have been found to help with apathy. We tend to dwell on our failures in life when experiencing apathy. When this occurs instead of thinking of them negatively think of what you learned from them and how it has benefited you in your knowledge. We all make mistakes but it is what we learn from them that really counts. If we were not prone to mistakes God would not of had to write the bible to teach us how to prevent making mistakes and how to overcome them when we do.

If we find we are being apathetic spiritually then praying will help even if we do not know what to pray for . We could thank God for being so merciful, for giving us the ransom sacrifice that provided the means for our sins to be forgiven, would could thank God for giving us such a wonderful king as Jesus. There are a number of reason we could find to thank God even when times are hard. Knowing he does not change even though the world and the things in it does can give us a security that those who do not know God do not have. That is why so many live in fear now and are like waves on the ocean and do not know what to think. What ever new idea someone tells them about is the direction their thoughts will go. Knowing God gives you a solid foundation and we know what we should think and do. So overcoming spiritual apathy we may feel can help us to remain faithful and keep us from losing the peace in our minds and hearts. Even if we do not feel like reading God’s word we should pick it up and just read a little. This has helped me many times in my life when things have happened and I found myself getting apathetic spiritually. Sometimes the anxieties of life can cause us to become apathetic , that is when we really need to lean on God. Now there are times we may not be able to devote as much time as we would like because this system is rapidly winding down and many problems can suddenly arise that need our attention. In times like that even reading a couple scriptures can help. We should not feel guilt if we do not have the time we would like to focus on spiritual things.

Apathy can also be caused by our sinning or falling short and letting someone down especially God. Israel became apathetic because God was asking them to give up things they had not wanted to give up such as idols and certain traditions of man.

Often times a person can become apathetic to those who may have been harmed by something they did or if they have wronged them. In order for them to overcome it they need to repent and put it behind them and make the changes needed to make sure they do not do it again. If they do not repent those they wronged can feel apathy because usually it results in the person no longer being a part of someone’s life or their relationship with others never being the same. Those who do not want to repent or face their sin will become apathetic towards those harmed by their error. If we have been effected by someone else error we may tend to blame ourselves. Sometimes we may even think how did I not see it the signs were all there. When you care for someone you tend to hope for and think the best. Often times because we will not do something, we will think others will not do it. The bible gives counsel on how to avoid falling short. For example Job made a covenant with his eyes and would not look at a woman inappropriately so he would not fall short. If someone knows they have a short coming and we warn them that they are putting themselves in a situation to fall short then we have done all we can. If we have a short coming we are aware of we need to make sure we do not put ourselves in a situation where we fall short . This type of apathy is very difficult to overcome. It takes a long time before you feel worthy of God’s love again. We would not want to lose all the spiritual progress we have made and have to struggle back spiritual. When we commit an error it usually effects many other people. If someone else errors against us we should forgive them and make certain they are taking the necessary steps to prevent that error happening again in order to trust them again. If they do not repent and this will be seen in their actions because they could appear to repent but if they continue to put themselves in situations that caused them to fall short then they have not truly repented because they have learned nothing from their error. Be very careful with such ones.

(Philippians 2:3, 4) 3 Do nothing out of contentiousness or out of egotism, but with humility consider others superior to you, 4 as you look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.

(Leviticus 19:17) “‘You must not hate your brother in your heart. You should by all means reprove your fellow man, so that you will not bear sin along with him.
(Proverbs 19:11) The insight of a man certainly slows down his anger, And it is beauty on his part to overlook an offense.
(Matthew 18:15) “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go and reveal his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

(1 John 1:8-10) 8 If we make the statement, “We have no sin,” we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we make the statement, “We have not sinned,” we are making him a liar, and his word is not in us.

(Luke 20:21-26) 21 And they questioned him, saying: “Teacher, we know you speak and teach correctly and show no partiality, but you teach the way of God in line with truth: 22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 23 But he detected their cunning and said to them: 24 “Show me a de·narʹi·us. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They said: “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them: “By all means, then, pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar but God’s things to God.” 26 Well, they were not able to trap him in his speech before the people, but amazed at his answer, they became silent.

(Matthew 7:1-5) 7 “Stop judging that you may not be judged; 2 for with the judgment you are judging, you will be judged, and with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you. 3 Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye but do not notice the rafter in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Allow me to remove the straw from your eye,’ when look! a rafter is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the straw from your brother’s eye.

(Romans 14:1-5) 14 Welcome the man having weaknesses in his faith, but do not pass judgment on differing opinions. 2 One man has faith to eat everything, but the man who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let the one eating not look down on the one not eating, and let the one not eating not judge the one eating, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Jehovah can make him stand. 5 One man judges one day as above another; another judges one day the same as all otexample destructive criticismhers; let each one be fully convinced in his own mind.

(Deuteronomy 17:6) On the testimony of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die should be put to death. He must not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.
(Deuteronomy 19:15) “No single witness may convict another for any error or any sin that he may commit. On the testimony of two witnesses or on the testimony of three witnesses the matter should be established.

(Galatians 6:2-5) . . .. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deceiving himself. 4 But let each one examine his own actions, and then he will have cause for rejoicing in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person. 5 For each one will carry his own load.

(John 13:2-11) 2 The evening meal was going on, and the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Is·carʹi·ot, the son of Simon, to betray him. 3 So Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he came from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the evening meal and laid aside his outer garments. And taking a towel, he wrapped it around his waist. 5 After that he put water into a basin and started to wash the feet of the disciples and to dry them off with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him: “Lord, are you washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand after these things.” 8 Peter said to him: “You will certainly never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him: “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him: “Lord, wash not only my feet but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus said to him: “Whoever has bathed does not need to have more than his feet washed, but is completely clean. And you men are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew the man who was betraying him. This is why he said: “Not all of you are clean.”

(John 5:19, 20) 19 Therefore, in response Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, the Son cannot do a single thing of his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things that One does, these things the Son does also in like manner. 20 For the Father has affection for the Son and shows him all the things he himself does, and he will show him works greater than these, so that you may marvel.

(Luke 6:27-31) 27 “But I say to you who are listening: Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, 28 to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your outer garment, do not withhold the inner garment either. 30 Give to everyone asking you, and from the one taking your things away, do not ask them back. 31 “Also, just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them.

(Psalm 39:1-3) 39 I said: “I will guard my step To avoid sinning with my tongue. I will guard my mouth with a muzzle As long as anyone wicked is in my presence.”  2 I was speechless and silent; I kept quiet even about what is good, But my pain was intense.  3 My heart smoldered inside me. As I pondered, the fire kept burning. Then my tongue spoke:

(John 16:33) 33 I have said these things to you so that by means of me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the world.”

(Jeremiah 29:11, 12) 11 “‘For I well know the thoughts that I am thinking toward you,’ declares Jehovah, ‘thoughts of peace, and not of calamity, to give you a future and a hope. 12 And you will call me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.’

(Isaiah 54:17-55:1) 17 No weapon formed against you will have any success, And you will condemn any tongue that rises up against you in the judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, And their righteousness is from me,” declares Jehovah. 55 Come, all you thirsty ones, come to the water! You with no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

(Isaiah 40:31) 31 But those hoping in Jehovah will regain power. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; They will walk and not tire out.”
(Isaiah 32:16-18) 16 Then justice will reside in the wilderness, And righteousness will dwell in the orchard. 17 The result of true righteousness will be peace, And the fruitage of true righteousness will be lasting tranquility and security. 18 My people will dwell in a peaceful abiding place, In secure dwellings and in tranquil resting-places.
(Proverbs 16:24) Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and a healing to the bones.
(Isaiah 50:4) The Sovereign Lord Jehovah has given me the tongue of those taught, So that I may know how to answer the tired one with the right word. He awakens me morning by morning; He awakens my ear to listen like the taught ones.

(Philippians 4:4-7) 4 Always rejoice in the Lord. Again I will say, Rejoice! 5 Let your reasonableness become known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.

(Matthew 6:25-27) 25 “On this account I say to you: Stop being anxious about your lives as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear. Does not life mean more than food and the body than clothing? 26 Observe intently the birds of heaven; they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are? 27 Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span?

(Genesis 3:10) 10 Finally he said: “I heard your voice in the garden, but I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself.”

(Genesis 3:12, 13) 12 The man said: “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate.” 13 Jehovah God then said to the woman: “What is this you have done?” The woman replied: “The serpent deceived me, so I ate.”

(2 Samuel 12:13, 14) 13 David then said to Nathan: “I have sinned against Jehovah.” Nathan replied to David: “Jehovah, in turn, forgives your sin. You will not die. 14 Nevertheless, because you have treated Jehovah with utter disrespect in this matter, the son just born to you will certainly die.”

(Mark 8:36-38) 36 Really, what good will it do a man to gain the whole world and to lose his life? 37 What, really, would a man give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever becomes ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

(Romans 1:15-17) . . .. 16 For I am not ashamed of the good news; it is, in fact, God’s power for salvation to everyone having faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it God’s righteousness is being revealed by faith and for faith, just as it is written: “But the righteous one will live by reason of faith.”

(Romans 10:17) 17 So faith follows the thing heard. In turn, what is heard is through the word about Christ.

(2 Timothy 2:14-19) . . .. 15 Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth aright. 16 But reject empty speeches that violate what is holy, for they will lead to more and more ungodliness, 17 and their word will spread like gangrene. Hy·me·naeʹus and Phi·leʹtus are among them. 18 These men have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are subverting the faith of some. 19 Despite that, the solid foundation of God remains standing, having this seal, “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” and, “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.”

(Romans 8:26, 27) 26 In like manner, the spirit also joins in with help for our weakness; for the problem is that we do not know what we should pray for as we need to, but the spirit itself pleads for us with unuttered groanings. 27 But the one who searches the hearts knows what the meaning of the spirit is, because it is pleading in harmony with God for the holy ones.

(Romans 12:18-21) . . .. 19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.” 20 But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” 21 Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.

(Psalm 44:21) 21 Will not God discover this? He is aware of the secrets of the heart.

(Jeremiah 17:10) I, Jehovah, am searching the heart, Examining the innermost thoughts, To give to each one according to his ways, According to the fruitage of his works.

(1 Peter 4:7, 8) 7 But the end of all things has drawn close. Therefore, be sound in mind, and be vigilant with a view to prayers. 8 Above all things, have intense love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

(Romans 9:22-26) . . .? 23 And if this was done to make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, 24 namely, us, whom he called not only from among Jews but also from among nations, what of it? 25 It is as he says also in Ho·seʹa: “Those not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not loved, ‘beloved’; 26 and in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”

(Acts 4:10-12) 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that in the name of Jesus Christ the Naz·a·reneʹ, whom you executed on a stake but whom God raised up from the dead, by means of him this man stands here healthy in front of you. 11 This is ‘the stone that was treated by you builders as of no account that has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.”

(Romans 8:36-39) 36 Just as it is written: “For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we have been accounted as sheep for slaughtering.” 37 On the contrary, in all these things we are coming off completely victorious through the one who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor governments nor things now here nor things to come nor powers 39 nor height nor depth nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Ephesians 4:17-19) 17 So this is what I say and bear witness to in the Lord, that you should no longer go on walking just as the nations also walk, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are in darkness mentally and alienated from the life that belongs to God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the insensitivity of their hearts. 19 Having gone past all moral sense, they gave themselves over to brazen conduct to practice every sort of uncleanness with greediness.

Dangers of spiritual blindness and deafness.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

There are physical blindness and physical deafness. I am going to speak of spiritual blindness and spiritual deafness. If we become spiritually blind then we cannot see the path clearly that Jesus laid out for us. This could result in our deaths and even our destruction. Another way spiritual blindness and deafness can harm us is when when are dealing with others. If we do not identify it in others or maybe someone we are teaching we will not see the obvious and it could entrap or endangers us. Jesus pointed out when people were spiritually blind and deaf. The bible indicated there would be many who know Gods word and know what is required but they would be spiritually blind and when the end came they would not be prepared. We need to be able to learn to identify when we may show signs of being spiritually blind.

Some examples of the spiritual blindness and deafness was the pharisees. Jesus pointed out areas they were blind or deaf many times. If we see it in others we need to pay attention to how they respond. In times past those who were spiritually blind would persecute and even kill those who where trying to show them the light. If you are teaching someone if they become confused about something be patient if they do not react in a violent, or angry way they may have beliefs that are deep set and if they keep clinging to those beliefs it can cause them to be blinded. If you push the issue it can cause them to become confused. Focus on teaching them other things and eventually they may come around. Beating them with the scriptures will only push them to the point they may lose faith or get frustrated and stop trying to learn. Surely we would not want to do that to someone. I have a tendency to flood people with scriptures. Some are just learning the bible and this can overwhelm them. A persons ears and eyes do not open over night, as I stated earlier some of them have things they have been taught that are not correct and are deep set in, those things take time to let go of. So what are some things that can cause a person to be spiritually blind or spiritual deaf?

If you ever noticed the contrast in the bible between those who were spiritually blind and deaf and those who were not it is very clear. Those who are spiritually blind or deaf when confronted with information that contradicted what they believed or if it made them aware of a short coming they would react with a variety of negative emotions. Those who were not spiritually blind or death were very receptive to the new information and would research it much more deeply and did not react negatively. If the information seemed incorrect , or they still did not understand they still did not attack the person they would ask questions. If you point out someones error and they do not react positively then be very cautious because they can also draw you away. Often times pride can cause this like it did with the pharisees and they tried try and prove they were right, they would act kind while doing very deceptive things to try and prove they were right. For example they had hired some people to lie about Jesus. Often times the pharisees would ask leading question that were meant to trip Jesus up. He usually had an answer but when the intentions of the question was to obvious he didn’t dignify it with a response. As things are winding down it can become more and more dangerous, even those who are spiritually or blood related who show spiritual blindness can effect us negatively. What things can we watch for that may indicate that someone is spiritually blind. If we react negatively in any way to a scripture we read then we should ask ourselves why? Is it contradicting a deep set belief we have, is it making us aware of a short coming we have? Is it making us aware we may have to make some dramatic changes in our lives we may not be comfortable making? If we refuse to accept thee things it could make us spiritually blind or deaf.

If they are spiritually blind it does not mean they do not love God or Jesus. It means they are not worshiping with their whole soul and their whole heart. How they react to new information when they are spiritually blind can tell us a lot. For example when I learned something new that conflicted what I had been taught I would become confused and even frustrated but after learning it I would look into things much more deeply. Sometimes I still did not agree and would ask more questions but I did not get angry. Eventually over time God opened my eyes and things become clearer for me. The ones we have to be careful of are those who read God’s word and do not progress to more solid spiritual food but they continue to take in milk. We also have to be cautious if they react violently. Sometimes those who do not want to have a deeper understanding may get confused but instead of looking at things deeper they may false reason with themselves and even try to take scriptures out of context to try and prove they are correct. If this happens do not debate them. Show them the truth and leave it at that. If they continue to try to validate a belief not supported by the bible then it is best to avoid talking about that specific area with them. Pay attention to how they react the next time you speak with them. If they try to refute all you say or get combative then I would not continue speaking about the bible with them. It could incite them to anger and even violence. Sometimes as I stated earlier the person may realize they have major changes in their life to make. This happened to me and I got confused , frustrated and overwhelmed. I had realized the changes I needed to make would effect other people and what they thought of me. I had realized they may even stop talking to me. I was fortunate the ones teaching me realized this and always had a scripture to build me up and keep my desire to learn God’s word.

So what can cause a person to become spiritually blind or deaf? We have the many examples in Jesus ministry. Sometimes it was pride , such was the case with the pharisees. Sometimes there were those who put more trust in material things and wealth of the world so devoted more time to those things. Sometimes people would leave themselves get so weighted down with the anxieties of life they would stop taking in God’s word and meditating on it, they would let those anxieties drown out the light and block their ears. When going through trials and tribulations it is very easy to get caught up in negative emotions. We were not mentally built to handle the things we have to deal with because they were not meant to happen. So when those things occur we need to turn to God in prayer, trust Jesus and take in his word even if we may not feel like it. All these things will be gone soon. When they are you need to ask yourself if you do not have a relationship with God what is left? Since we are in the last days it sometimes can be difficult to apply ourselves to spiritual things because of life events that are happening. If we find this occurring we should at least try to a lot a little time for bible study so that the anxieties of life do not drown out spiritual things and we eventually become blind and deaf.

There are other reasons the pharisees did not want to hear the truth. It would have required them to serve others and for them to be more humble. They believed they were above the others and they should be served this blinded them . Some did not want to make the changes they needed to make in order to worship in truth. Jesus fulfilled the old covenant. He was teaching about the new covenant his ransom a sacrifice would seal. This meant they would have to complete change how they worshiped. Many did not want to accept these changes. Some even knew these changes were foretold but would have had to lose their position of power and prominence. They did not want to give those up. For example they had many traditional celebration and Jesus had warned them about following traditions of man as if they were written biblical law and they were actually in opposition to God. We have many who practice traditional celebrations now and do not want to give them up. Some just do not want to admit they have been lied to all their lives. It is very difficult to accept and believe people you thought cared for you lied or deceived you. Sometimes they may not even know they are deceiving someone but have been taught those things all their life so believe they are doing God’s work. We have to remember also some want their itchy ears scratched so they will find teachers who will teach them what they want to hear and not what they need to hear. Those very ones were involved in killing Jesus so if someone does not want to accept the bible at it’s word it is best to shake the dust from your feet and move on because if not you may anger them and others and invite attacks on yourself. This does not mean God will never open their hearts. I have seen many who got very angry at me for years and then started asking me questions in sincerity. So never respond negatively always try to leave in peace.

Some other things mentioned in the bible that could blind or make a person deaf is glorifying God. We are told to glorify God by teaching others and continuing to take in his word and apply it in our lives. Our actions and how we live our lives should glorify God. Those all require dramatic changes and devotion. There are some who are corrupt and do not want to change because they reap many benefits from it. Some may be sinning and do not want to face their sin. The bible says that hurts their conscience. This angered many during Jesus ministry. For example some may be involved in sexual immorality, wild parties, have many bad associations, or even get intoxicated. They may not want to believe they are a sinning. There are more subtle sins that can blind someone also such as relying on oneself or putting too much trust in man.

Sometimes there are false teaching many do not want to give up that can blind them and make them deaf. For example many teach the false hell fire teaching when the bible clearly shows those who are unrepentant will be destroyed. Some try to use the bible to manipulate others and to take advantage of them. This has caused God’s name to be spoken of abusively. If this happens we should not take it personal. There is a lot of hypocrisy now days. Many do not practice what they teach. Some may be holding on to hatred in some form or another. The bible tells us to love everyone even our enemies. But hatred can also blind someone. Some believe they can be saved just by learning God’s word and may have the scriptures memorized like the pharisees did but they do not truly grasp the full meaning. Knowing there have been people taught by hypocritical teachers they may not realize they have been taught incorrect teachings. For example I new a man who would go out and get drunk. I showed him how he should repent and read his bible. He told me that his minister said once you accept Jesus and donate to the church your sins are forgiven so it doesn’t matter if you repent or not after that. I tried to explain to him why that was not true but he just got angry so I knew to drop it and shake the dust off my feet.

Man are involved in forms of idolatry which can also blind them. We are told not to use images of anything in heaven above or earth below in our worship. Many do not want to leave go of these things and it can blind them. Israel often times would get involved in that and become blinded to the truths in God’s word. Other forms of idolatry is when we covet things too much like material possessions or wealth. There are many celebration full of idolatry now days that people do not wan to give up. The bible warns you can not drink of the Cup of Jehovah and the cup of the Devil at the same time.

Even now I see people who claim to know their bibles. The signs clearly indicate we are in the final minutes of this system but the cannot see the time frame we are in and say we have lots of time to prepare. Surely we would not want to become blinded by any of these things only to realize to late what time frame we are in. The bible says many would claim to come in Jesus name and claim to have done his work and he would tell them “I never knew you!, get away from me you workers of lawlessness” . We would not want Jesus to view us as a worker of lawlessness. Not only that we are told to always stay alert so we would know how to prepare and be ready as the end of this system gets nearer and nearer. If we leave ourselves be spiritually blinded or made deaf , just like in Noah’s day , the end of this system and destruction would suddenly be upon us. The new system will be so amazing and their will be no suffering or violence or sadness. Even though things are getting very very tough we just have to endure a little longer and things will be much much better. The workers of lawlessness are those who do not obey Jesus and the commands he gave us. We should be aware of those who do not continue to grow spiritual not matter how nice them seem. Jesus is the narrow gate and we have to enter the narrow gate by imitating him as best we can and obeying him as our king.

One thing I do want to note. Since things are winding down many do not have the time they used to. If we are sharing bible truths we need to be aware of trials or tribulations they are enduring. Many do not have much time for even taking care of their personal life so sharing bible truths with ones in such a situation could become a burden if we are taking up too much of their time. We need to try and prepare and only share a few scriptures with them so we are not adding more burden on them.

So we can see how being spiritually blind can endanger us. Also not being aware of when someone is spiritually blind can endanger ourselves. We should not assume someone is spiritually blind if someone does not understand certain scriptures but we need to pay attention to how they react to them. If they react the way those who persecuted Jesus and killed him then we should be very careful with ones like that. If they are confused by what we show them give them time to think about it and even research it. They will ask questions if they want to know more. Be patient some have some things that are very deep set and it does not mean they do not love Jesus and God it, it may mean they need more time to let things sink in.

As things wind down we will need to be careful who we talk to and what we say to them. This includes spiritual relatives. We need to be aware when they are being spiritually blind or deaf. The bible warned many would turn on those who worship in truth even spiritual relatives and family will turn on those who worship in truth. By being aware of who is blind or deaf it can protect us, because they are the ones who will be most likely to turn on those who worship in truth. If we recognized any of these things mentioned in ourselves it should inspire us to do our best to work through them. If we are having difficulty we should pray to Jehovah about it and even seek the help of elders.

(2 Corinthians 4:1-4) 4 Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy that was shown us, we do not give up. ² But we have renounced the shameful, underhanded things, not walking with cunning or adulterating the word of God; but by making the truth manifest, we recommend ourselves to every human conscience in the sight of God. ³ If, in fact, the good news we declare is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, ⁴ among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through.

(2 Corinthians 11:13-15) . . .. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works.

(Exodus 23:8) ⁸ “You must not accept a bribe, for the bribe blinds clear-sighted men and can distort the words of righteous men.

(Ecclesiastes 7:6, 7) . . .. ⁷ But oppression can drive the wise one into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart.

(John 3:19-21) ¹⁹ Now this is the basis for judgment: that the light has come into the world, but men have loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked. ²⁰ For whoever practices vile things hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works may not be reproved. ²¹ But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that his works may be made manifest as having been done in harmony with God.”

(Isaiah 29:9, 10)  ⁹ Be stunned and amazed; Blind yourselves and be blinded. They are drunk, but not with wine; They are staggering, but not from alcohol. ¹⁰ For Jehovah has poured a spirit of deep sleep on you; He has closed your eyes, the prophets, And he has covered your heads, the visionaries.

(Isaiah 6:9)  ⁹ And he replied, “Go, and say to this people: ‘You will hear again and again, But you will not understand; You will see again and again, But you will not get any knowledge.’

(Isaiah 42:16-20) ¹⁶ I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know And cause them to tread on unfamiliar paths. I will turn the darkness before them into light And turn the rugged terrain into level land. This is what I will do for them, and I will not abandon them.” ¹⁷ They will be turned back and will be utterly put to shame, Those who trust in carved images, Those who say to metal statues: “You are our gods.” ¹⁸ Listen, you who are deaf; Look and see, you who are blind. ¹⁹ Who is blind except my servant, So deaf as the messenger I send? Who is so blind as the one rewarded, So blind as the servant of Jehovah? ²⁰ You see many things, but you do not keep watch. You open your ears, but you do not listen.

(Lamentations 4:14) ¹⁴ They have wandered blindly in the streets. They are polluted with blood, So that none are able to touch their garments.

(Zephaniah 1:17) ¹⁷ I will cause distress to mankind, And they will walk like blind men, Because it is against Jehovah they have sinned. Their blood will be poured out like dust, And their flesh like the dung.

(Matthew 13:14-17) ¹⁴ And the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled in their case. It says: ‘You will indeed hear but by no means get the sense of it, and you will indeed look but by no means see. ¹⁵ For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive, and with their ears they have heard without response, and they have shut their eyes, so that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and get the sense of it with their hearts and turn back and I heal them.’ ¹⁶ “However, happy are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear. ¹⁷ For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things you are observing but did not see them, and to hear the things you are hearing but did not hear them.

(Matthew 23:16-36) ¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is under obligation.’ ¹⁷ Fools and blind ones! Which, in fact, is greater, the gold or the temple that has sanctified the gold? ¹⁸ Moreover, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is under obligation.’ ¹⁹ Blind ones! Which, in fact, is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ²⁰ Therefore, whoever swears by the altar is swearing by it and by all the things on it; ²¹ and whoever swears by the temple is swearing by it and by the One inhabiting it; ²² and whoever swears by heaven is swearing by the throne of God and by the One sitting on it. ²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you give the tenth of the mint and the dill and the cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness. These things it was necessary to do, yet not to disregard the other things. ²⁴ Blind guides, who strain out the gnat but gulp down the camel! ²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of greediness and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may also become clean. ²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you resemble whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men’s bones and of every sort of uncleanness. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the graves of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous ones, ³⁰ and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have shared with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ Therefore, you are testifying against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Well, then, fill up the measure of your forefathers. ³³ “Serpents, offspring of vipers, how will you flee from the judgment of Ge·henʹna? ³⁴ For this reason, I am sending to you prophets and wise men and public instructors. Some of them you will kill and execute on stakes, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, ³⁵ so that there may come upon you all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zech·a·riʹah son of Bar·a·chiʹah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. ³⁶ Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

(Luke 6:39-42) ³⁹ Then he also told them an illustration: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Both will fall into a pit, will they not? ⁴⁰ A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly instructed will be like his teacher. ⁴¹ Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye but do not notice the rafter in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to remove the straw that is in your eye,’ while you yourself do not see the rafter in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the straw that is in your brother’s eye.

(John 9:38-10:11) . . .. ³⁹ Jesus then said: “For this judgment I came into this world, that those not seeing might see and those seeing might become blind.” ⁴⁰ Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and they said to him: “We are not blind also, are we?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them: “If you were blind, you would have no sin. But now you say, ‘We see.’ Your sin remains.” 10 “Most truly I say to you, the one who does not enter into the sheepfold through the door but climbs in by another way, that one is a thief and a plunderer. ² But the one who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The doorkeeper opens to this one, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought all his own out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. ⁵ They will by no means follow a stranger but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus spoke this comparison to them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁷ So Jesus said again: “Most truly I say to you, I am the door for the sheep. ⁸ All those who have come in place of me are thieves and plunderers; but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved, and that one will go in and out and find pasturage. ¹⁰ The thief does not come unless it is to steal and slay and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance. ¹¹ I am the fine shepherd; the fine shepherd surrenders his life in behalf of the sheep.

(John 12:36-43) . . .Jesus said these things and went off and hid from them. ³⁷ Although he had performed so many signs before them, they were not putting faith in him, ³⁸ so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, who said: “Jehovah, who has put faith in the thing heard from us? And as for the arm of Jehovah, to whom has it been revealed?” ³⁹ The reason why they were not able to believe is that again Isaiah said: ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and has made their hearts hard, so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and turn around and I heal them.” ⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him. ⁴² All the same, many even of the rulers actually put faith in him, but they would not acknowledge him because of the Pharisees, so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue; ⁴³ for they loved the glory of men even more than the glory of God.

(Romans 2:17-24) ¹⁷ If, now, you are a Jew in name and rely on law and take pride in God, ¹⁸ and you know his will and approve of things that are excellent because you are instructed out of the Law, ¹⁹ and you are convinced that you are a guide of the blind, a light for those in darkness, ²⁰ a corrector of the unreasonable ones, a teacher of young children, and having the framework of the knowledge and of the truth in the Law— ²¹ do you, however, the one teaching someone else, not teach yourself? You, the one preaching, “Do not steal,” do you steal? ²² You, the one saying, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You, the one abhorring idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who take pride in law, do you dishonor God by your transgressing of the Law? ²⁴ For “the name of God is being blasphemed among the nations because of you,” just as it is written.

(2 Corinthians 4:2-6) . . .. ³ If, in fact, the good news we declare is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, ⁴ among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through. ⁵ For we are preaching, not about ourselves, but about Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God is the one who said: “Let the light shine out of darkness,” and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate them with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ.

(2 Peter 3:5-13) ⁵ For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; ⁶ and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water. ⁷ But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people. ⁸ However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. ¹⁰ But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed. ¹¹ Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, ¹² as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt in the intense heat! ¹³ But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.

(1 John 2:9-11) ⁹ The one who says that he is in the light and yet hates his brother is still in the darkness. ¹⁰ The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. ¹¹ But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and is walking in the darkness, and he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

(Revelation 3:17-19) ¹⁷ Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired riches and do not need anything at all,” but you do not know that you are miserable and pitiful and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may become dressed and that the shame of your nakedness may not be exposed, and eyesalve to rub in your eyes so that you may see. ¹⁹ “‘All those for whom I have affection, I reprove and discipline. . . .

(1 John 1:5-10) ⁵ This is the message that we heard from him and are announcing to you: God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him. ⁶ If we make the statement, “We are having fellowship with him,” and yet we go on walking in the darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. ⁷ However, if we are walking in the light as he himself is in the light, we do have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we make the statement, “We have no sin,” we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we make the statement, “We have not sinned,” we are making him a liar, and his word is not in us.

(Acts 26:17-23) . . .you ¹⁸ to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by their faith in me.’ ¹⁹ “Therefore, King A·gripʹpa, I did not become disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but to those in Damascus first and then to those in Jerusalem, and over all the country of Ju·deʹa, and also to the nations, I was bringing the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance. ²¹ This is why the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. ²² However, because I have experienced the help that is from God, I continue to this day bearing witness to both small and great, saying nothing except what the Prophets as well as Moses stated was going to take place— ²³ that the Christ was to suffer and that as the first to be resurrected from the dead, he was going to proclaim light both to this people and to the nations.”

(Ephesians 5:6-14) ⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore, do not be sharers with them; ⁸ for you were once darkness, but you are now light in connection with the Lord. Go on walking as children of light, ⁹ for the fruitage of the light consists of every sort of goodness and righteousness and truth. ¹⁰ Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord; ¹¹ and stop sharing in the unfruitful works that belong to the darkness; rather, expose them for what they are. ¹² For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. ¹³ Now all the things that are being exposed are made evident by the light, for everything that is being made evident is light. ¹⁴ Therefore, it is said: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and the Christ will shine upon you.”

(Colossians 1:13, 14) ¹³ He rescued us from the authority of the darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins.

(2 Corinthians 4:1-6) 4 Therefore, since we have this ministry through the mercy that was shown us, we do not give up. ² But we have renounced the shameful, underhanded things, not walking with cunning or adulterating the word of God; but by making the truth manifest, we recommend ourselves to every human conscience in the sight of God. ³ If, in fact, the good news we declare is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, ⁴ among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through. ⁵ For we are preaching, not about ourselves, but about Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God is the one who said: “Let the light shine out of darkness,” and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate them with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ.

(John 8:12-14) 8 ¹² Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will by no means walk in darkness, but will possess the light of life.” ¹³ So the Pharisees said to him: “You bear witness about yourself; your witness is not true.” ¹⁴ In answer Jesus said to them: “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my witness is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from and where I am going.

(2 Corinthians 6:14-18) ¹⁴ Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Beʹli·al? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: “I will reside among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” ¹⁷ “‘Therefore, get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing’”; “‘and I will take you in.’” ¹⁸ “‘And I will become a father to you, and you will become sons and daughters to me,’ says Jehovah, the Almighty.”

(Luke 11:33-36) ³³ After lighting a lamp, a person puts it, not in a hidden place nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. ³⁴ The lamp of the body is your eye. When your eye is focused, your whole body is also bright; but when it is envious, your body is also dark. ³⁵ Be alert, therefore, that the light that is in you is not darkness. ³⁶ Therefore, if your whole body is bright with no part of it dark, it will all be as bright as when a lamp gives you light by its rays.”

(Romans 13:11-14) . . .. ¹² The night is well along; the day has drawn near. Let us therefore throw off the works belonging to darkness and let us put on the weapons of the light. ¹³ Let us walk decently as in the daytime, not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in immoral intercourse and brazen conduct, not in strife and jealousy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not be planning ahead for the desires of the flesh.

(Jeremiah 6:10) ¹⁰ “To whom should I speak and give warning? Who will listen? Look! Their ears are closed, so that they are unable to pay attention. Look! The word of Jehovah has become something they scorn; They find no pleasure in it.

(Jeremiah 13:9-11) . . .. ¹⁰ These evil people who refuse to obey my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart, and who are following other gods, serving and bowing down to them, will become just like this belt that is completely useless.’ ¹¹ ‘For just as a belt clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me,’ declares Jehovah, ‘to become to me a people, a name, a praise, and something beautiful. But they did not obey.’

(Psalm 58:2-4)  ² Instead, you devise unrighteousness in your heart, And your hands dispense violence in the land.  ³ The wicked go astray from birth; They are wayward, liars from the time they are born.  ⁴ Their venom is like the venom of serpents; They are deaf like the cobra that stops up its ear.

(Hebrews 5:11-14) ¹¹ We have much to say about him, and it is difficult to explain, because you have become dull in your hearing. ¹² For although by now you should be teachers, you again need someone to teach you from the beginning the elementary things of the sacred pronouncements of God, and you have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who continues to feed on milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a young child. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their powers of discernment trained to distinguish both right and wrong.

(2 Timothy 4:2-5) . . .. ³ For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled. ⁴ They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories. ⁵ You, though, keep your senses in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

(Matthew 24:37-39) ³⁷ For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. ³⁸ For as they were in those days before the Flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, ³⁹ and they took no note until the Flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.

(1 Corinthians 10:20-24) . . .. ²¹ You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of “the table of Jehovah” and the table of demons. ²² Or ‘are we inciting Jehovah to jealousy’? We are not stronger than he is, are we? ²³ All things are lawful, but not all things are advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things build up. ²⁴ Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.

Meaning of getting baptized.

Written by Lee Stevenson, Sorry I am not the best editor.

What is baptism? Who should get baptized? Why should they get baptized.

John known in the bible as John the baptist was prophesied by zechariah. He would come baptizing with water as a symbol of repentance of sin. He was a representative of God. The water immersion is not what cleansed people but it was the repenting of their sins and changing of their ways that cleansed their sins. So it was not the water immersion that cleansed their sins but their repentance and obedience to God that cleansed their sins. Isaiah and Malachi prophesied he was preparing a way for Jehovah so he was getting peoples minds and hearts ready to accept Jesus. John was told by God to baptize in water. Showing this symbolic act is important because it does show we are willfully accepting the baptism and it is not something that is just being thrust on us. Why do I say this? Well John baptized with water but Jesus baptized with holy spirit. You will find in the scriptures I listed below people were given holy spirit before they were baptized. This would indicate they had a baptism by Jesus but still would need to be baptized by water immersion to show others they have been baptized. Jesus knows who has repented and cleansed their ways but we still need the symbolic baptism so others will know we have changed and accept what the baptism stands for. Because Jesus baptized with holy spirit he did not need baptized he already had a covenant with his father. He was not sinful so had no need to repent or cleanse his ways. By submitting to the water immersion baptism he was showing his father Jehovah he was ready to do his will and the things God had wanted him to do. Jesus prayed while he was being baptized. We know God approved of Jesus demonstration of obedience and willingness to do God’s will when he came up from the water God stated “You are my son the beloved; I have approved you.

Since Jesus baptizes with holy spirit how does one get to the point of being baptized by Jesus . As stated earlier you must repent and cleanse your ways. You also must accept that Jesus is God’s son who came in the flesh and that he was the ransom sacrifice who suffered for and died as a ransom so our sins could be forgiven. We also need to acknowledge that he was resurrected and is now our king seated by God on the heavenly throne and that Jesus has been given authority over everything but God himself.

Jesus commanded the disciples to make disciples baptizing them in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit. So those getting baptized would need to know and use God’s name and understand what God requires, they would have to approach God through Jesus and acknowledge the power of God’s holy spirit. This indicates they would need a clear understanding of God’s word. The apostle Peter stated “”the man who fears God and works righteousness is acceptable to God” Jesus stated to continue doing these things and he would be with us until the conclusion of this system of things. So baptism by water to show we have repented and want to be a disciple and servant of God’s is still required until the conclusion of this system of things.

What about those who are just learning bible truths. Well baptism with the holy spirit comes from Jesus , I am sure he will make arrangements so they can symbolically show they are devoted to God and have faith in Jesus. We know there were those in the bible who were baptized with holy spirit before they were baptized in water immersion in the bible because there are a number of scriptures showing this. Many of the gentiles had gifts of the spirit before they were baptized, they then showed their devotion by the symbolic baptism by water immersion. So the real baptism comes from Jesus , but we should still get the symbolic baptism just as Jesus did though he had no sins to repent of and was already obedient and did not sin, he was demonstrating to God that he was ready to do his will and the work he gave him to do. These fruits must also be apparent in their life and the things they say and do. Their life should show their fruits. Jesus said every good tree produces good fruit and every bad tree produces bad fruit. Do they put spiritual things first? By them continuing to produce fruit they are showing they are still in union with Christ. When being tried those who have the spirit still produce fruit and maintain their endurance. But you have to ask for the spirit.

Once baptized we need to glorify God and to continue to study his word and to produce fruit. We glorify God by doing all we can to do as he requires and to teach others about his glory. False religion makes God look vindictive and vengeful. We need to teach others he is a merciful and loving God and he is only vengeful on those who are ruining the earth. If a person has a disease and you do not rid the body of what is causing the disease it will only get worse. If God did not rid the earth of the wicked then the earth will never become the paradise it was intended to be. We also need to teach peoples God’s personal name Jehovah so they can worship the one true God. We need to tell people about God’s wisdom and power.

If you noticed those who baptize others have to be baptized themselves and show they have the holy spirit by the fruits they produce. “(Galatians 5:22-24) ²² On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³ mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the stake the flesh together with its passions and desires.”

(Matthew 3:1-3) 3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Ju·deʹa, ² saying: “Repent, for the Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” ³ This, in fact, is the one spoken of through Isaiah the prophet in these words: “A voice of one calling out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah! Make his roads straight.’”

(1 Corinthians 10:1-5) 10 Now I want you to know, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea ² and all got baptized into Moses by means of the cloud and of the sea, ³ and all ate the same spiritual food ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they used to drink from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock meant the Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.

(Matthew 3:11) ¹¹ I, for my part, baptize you with water because of your repentance, but the one coming after me is stronger than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to take off. That one will baptize you with holy spirit and with fire. . .

(Acts 2:1-4) 2 Now while the day of the Festival of Pentecost was in progress, they were all together at the same place. ² Suddenly there was a noise from heaven, just like that of a rushing, stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ And tongues as if of fire became visible to them and were distributed, and one came to rest on each one of them, ⁴ and they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak in different languages, just as the spirit enabled them to speak.

(Acts 2:37-41) . . .” ³⁸ Peter said to them: “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you and your children, and to all those who are far away, to all those whom Jehovah our God may call to himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he gave a thorough witness and kept exhorting them, saying: “Get saved from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who gladly accepted his word were baptized, and on that day about 3,000 people were added.

(John 3:4, 5) ⁴ Nic·o·deʹmus said to him: “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter into the womb of his mother a second time and be born, can he?” ⁵ Jesus answered: “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.

(John 4:11-15) ¹¹ She said to him: “Sir, you do not even have a bucket for drawing water, and the well is deep. From what source, then, do you have this living water? ¹² You are not greater than our forefather Jacob, who gave us the well and who together with his sons and his cattle drank out of it, are you?” ¹³ In answer Jesus said to her: “Everyone drinking from this water will get thirsty again. ¹⁴ Whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty at all, but the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water bubbling up to impart everlasting life.” ¹⁵ The woman said to him: “Sir, give me this water, so that I may neither thirst nor keep coming over to this place to draw water.”

(John 6:35) ³⁵ Jesus said to them: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not get hungry at all, and whoever exercises faith in me will never get thirsty at all.

(Matthew 5:6) ⁶ “Happy are those hungering and thirsting for righteousness, since they will be filled.

(Revelation 7:15-17) . . .. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, ¹⁷ because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

(John 7:37-39) ³⁷ On the last day, the great day of the festival, Jesus stood up and he called out: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever puts faith in me, just as the scripture has said: ‘From deep within him streams of living water will flow.’” ³⁹ However, he said this concerning the spirit, which those who put faith in him were about to receive; for as yet there was no spirit, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

(John 17:1-5) 17 Jesus spoke these things, and raising his eyes to heaven, he said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son so that your son may glorify you, ² just as you have given him authority over all flesh, so that he may give everlasting life to all those whom you have given to him. ³ This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. ⁴ I have glorified you on the earth, having finished the work you have given me to do. ⁵ So now, Father, glorify me at your side with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.

(Acts 19:1-7) 19 In the course of events, while A·polʹlos was in Corinth, Paul went through the inland regions and came down to Ephʹe·sus. There he found some disciples ² and said to them: “Did you receive holy spirit when you became believers?” They replied to him: “Why, we have never heard that there is a holy spirit.” ³ So he said: “In what, then, were you baptized?” They said: “In John’s baptism.” ⁴ Paul said: “John baptized with the baptism in symbol of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” ⁵ On hearing this, they got baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul laid his hands on them, the holy spirit came upon them, and they began speaking in foreign languages and prophesying. ⁷ There were about 12 men in all.

(Acts 10:44-47) ⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking about these matters, the holy spirit came upon all those hearing the word. ⁴⁵ And the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the free gift of the holy spirit was being poured out also on people of the nations. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in foreign languages and magnifying God. Then Peter responded: ⁴⁷ “Can anyone deny water to prevent these from being baptized who have received the holy spirit just as we have?”

(Acts 10:44-47) ⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking about these matters, the holy spirit came upon all those hearing the word. ⁴⁵ And the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the free gift of the holy spirit was being poured out also on people of the nations. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in foreign languages and magnifying God. Then Peter responded: ⁴⁷ “Can anyone deny water to prevent these from being baptized who have received the holy spirit just as we have?”

(Acts 11:13-17) ¹³ “He reported to us how he saw the angel stand in his house and say: ‘Send men to Jopʹpa and summon Simon who is called Peter, ¹⁴ and he will tell you things by which you and all your household may get saved.’ ¹⁵ But when I started to speak, the holy spirit fell on them just as it did also on us in the beginning. ¹⁶ At this I recalled the saying of the Lord, how he used to say: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with holy spirit.’ ¹⁷ If, therefore, God gave the same free gift to them that he gave to us who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I should be able to hinder God?”

(Ephesians 4:1-6) 4 Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, appeal to you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, ² with all humility and mildness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, ³ earnestly endeavoring to maintain the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace. ⁴ One body there is, and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

(Matthew 3:13-17) ¹³ Then Jesus came from Galʹi·lee to the Jordan to John, in order to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ But the latter tried to prevent him, saying: “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?” ¹⁵ Jesus replied to him: “Let it be this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous.” Then he quit preventing him. ¹⁶ After being baptized, Jesus immediately came up from the water; and look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw God’s spirit descending like a dove and coming upon him. ¹⁷ Look! Also, a voice from the heavens said: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.”

(John 1:31-34) ³¹ Even I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing in water was so that he might be made manifest to Israel.” ³² John also bore witness, saying: “I viewed the spirit coming down as a dove out of heaven, and it remained upon him. ³³ Even I did not know him, but the very One who sent me to baptize in water said to me: ‘Whoever it is upon whom you see the spirit coming down and remaining, this is the one who baptizes in holy spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen it, and I have given witness that this one is the Son of God.”

(Romans 6:2-6) ² Certainly not! Seeing that we died with reference to sin, how can we keep living any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ So we were buried with him through our baptism into his death, in order that just as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in a newness of life. ⁵ If we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united with him in the likeness of his resurrection. ⁶ For we know that our old personality was nailed to the stake along with him in order for our sinful body to be made powerless, so that we should no longer go on being slaves to sin.

(Colossians 2:10-12) . . .. ¹¹ By your relationship with him, you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands by stripping off the fleshly body, by the circumcision that belongs to the Christ. ¹² For you were buried with him in his baptism, and by your relationship with him you were also raised up together through your faith in the powerful work of God, who raised him up from the dead.

(Colossians 3:9-11) ⁹ Do not lie to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices, ¹⁰ and clothe yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it, ¹¹ where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythʹi·an, slave, or freeman; but Christ is all things and in all.

(Ephesians 4:22-24) . . .. ²³ And you should continue to be made new in your dominant mental attitude, ²⁴ and should put on the new personality that was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.

(1 John 5:5-12) ⁵ Who can conquer the world? Is it not the one who has faith that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶ This is the one who came by means of water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. And the spirit is bearing witness, because the spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are three witness bearers: ⁸ the spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ If we accept the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. Because this is the witness God gives, the witness that he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ The person putting his faith in the Son of God has the witness within himself. The person not having faith in God has made him a liar, because he has not put his faith in the witness given by God concerning his Son. ¹¹ And this is the witness, that God gave us everlasting life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² The one who has the Son has this life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this life.

(1 Peter 3:21, 22) ²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, is also now saving you (not by the removing of the filth of the flesh, but by the request to God for a good conscience), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ²² He is at God’s right hand, for he went to heaven, and angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him.

(Hebrews 9:14) ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of the Christ, who through an everlasting spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we may render sacred service to the living God?

(Acts 8:35-39) . . .. ³⁶ Now as they were going along the road, they came to a body of water, and the eunuch said: “Look! Here is water; what prevents me from getting baptized?” ³⁷ —— ³⁸ With that he commanded the chariot to halt, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, Jehovah’s spirit quickly led Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him anymore, but he went on his way rejoicing.

(1 John 4:13-16) . . .. ¹⁴ In addition, we ourselves have seen and are bearing witness that the Father has sent his Son as savior of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is God’s Son, God remains in union with such one and he in union with God. ¹⁶ And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.. . .

(1 Corinthians 15:24-28) ²⁴ Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. ²⁵ For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. ²⁶ And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing. ²⁷ For God “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him. ²⁸ But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.

(Acts 10:34, 35) ³⁴ At this Peter began to speak, and he said: “Now I truly understand that God is not partial, ³⁵ but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

(Matthew 28:19-20)¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”

(Luke 6:43-45) ⁴³ “For no fine tree produces rotten fruit, and no rotten tree produces fine fruit. ⁴⁴ For each tree is known by its own fruit. For example, people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they cut grapes off a thornbush. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good out of the good treasure of his heart, but a wicked man brings what is wicked out of his wicked treasure; for out of the heart’s abundance his mouth speaks.

(John 15:3-10) . . .. ⁴ Remain in union with me, and I will remain in union with you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you unless you remain in union with me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in union with me and I in union with him, this one bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing at all. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in union with me, he is thrown out like a branch and dries up. And men gather those branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in union with me and my sayings remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will take place for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified in this, that you keep bearing much fruit and prove yourselves my disciples. ⁹ Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you observe my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love.

(Ephesians 5:6-14) ⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore, do not be sharers with them; ⁸ for you were once darkness, but you are now light in connection with the Lord. Go on walking as children of light, ⁹ for the fruitage of the light consists of every sort of goodness and righteousness and truth. ¹⁰ Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord; ¹¹ and stop sharing in the unfruitful works that belong to the darkness; rather, expose them for what they are. ¹² For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. ¹³ Now all the things that are being exposed are made evident by the light, for everything that is being made evident is light. ¹⁴ Therefore, it is said: “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and the Christ will shine upon you.”

(Isaiah 42:12) ¹² Let them attribute glory to Jehovah And declare his praise in the islands.

(Isaiah 43:6, 7)  ⁶ I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back. Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth,  ⁷ Everyone who is called by my name And whom I created for my own glory, Whom I have formed and made.’

(John 17:6-8) ⁶ “I have made your name manifest to the men whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have observed your word. ⁷ Now they have come to know that all the things you gave me are from you; ⁸ because I have given them the sayings that you gave me, and they have accepted them and have certainly come to know that I came as your representative, and they have believed that you sent me.

Be careful of spiritual prostitution.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

I am going to show how religions organizations are prostituting themselves in defiance of God.

Israel committed spiritual prostitution because they claimed to belong to Jehovah but they would put their trust in man, which is one form of prostitution the bible mentions. The other form of spiritual prostitution is not purifying worship and not getting rid of the things in our worship that could does not approve of. If we claim to serve God and trust him but lean more on man then we do God. There are other ways we could start committing spiritual prostitution. We are told the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one. We are also told not to put our trust in nobles or princes. So we are to question things, and not trust what a human tells us to do. We are not to alley with political organizations in order to protect ourselves. If we put more trust in man then we do Jehovah, we have committed spiritual prostitution. We know we are to obey authority figures but we are to obey God over man so if something man request us to do conflicts with something God requires us to do then we do what God requires.

The bible warns us many times man is easily corrupted and we need to question things. If we are told not to question things that should alert us to be cautious because Jesus and the apostles never ask people to blindly follow them but to make certain of what they have heard. Because the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one we need to question things.

I could show many religious organizations are heavily involved in politics. This is putting faith in man instead of God and when Israel did this in the past God said they were prostituting themselves to the nations. Many religions have some form of idolatry involved in their worship this also is a from of spiritual prostitution. Often times the prostitution involves putting faith in human powers also leads to spiritual prostitution and vice versa. So it seems the two eventually become intertwined. Many religious organizations world wide have heavy influence and are heavily involved in politics. Jesus did not get involved in politics he stated his kingdom is no part of the world. We are to put our hope and trust in the heavenly kingdom and not any human entity. We do this by learning how to go through the narrow gate . Jesus made it clear how we are to do this. So if we listen to Jesus and try our best to imitate him we will be aware when we are being ask to prostitute ourselves out to Satan or the world.

There are many corrupt corporations that put out very harmful products. These corporations such as the biotech industry and pharmaceutical industry put out very harmful products and have harmed millions. Many government entities world wide have been documented covering up the harm they are doing. They even passed laws to protect the pharmaceutical industry from lawsuits so they would not lose money things have gotten so corrupt. If the pharmaceutical products were safe governments would not have to protect them from the financial loss lawsuits would cause. The products would be welcomed.

The bible tells us when we see corruption we are to expose it. We are not to attack people directly but to expose the corruption. Jesus rarely attacked people directly but exposed the types of corruption. He only directly called them out whenever they would attack him. So many of us myself included have been exposing corrupt corporations and even political figures. This is not correct for us to do but we need to expose the types of corruption and it’s effects on others. I did have to directly call the pharmaceutical industry out and biotech industries out in this article because the corruption is so blatant that a person would have to be deliberately ignoring the facts. In directly calling them out those who are guilty of prostituting themselves out to them have to face their error. I am not doing it to attack anyone.

When we see spiritual leaders who are doing things they should not be doing in times past they would approach them and try to reason with them using God’s word. If they still did not listen they would call them out publicly. This is what I am now doing. In times past this resulted in those who exposing the wrong doing the being cast out of Israel, persecuted , marked as a trouble maker, or even imprisoned. So exposing the spiritual prostitution has always come at a cost to those exposing it. But the cost of not exposing it is much higher. So those who exposed things happening, that would not please God may be marked or disassociated. If this occurs we should not speak ill of true worship or those who made the error. We still have the work of sharing God’s word and giving people the hope in the future promises. We should not judge anyone in regards to things like this. They are held directly accountable to God and it is not our place to judge them. He always gives his people an opportunity to set matters straight. If they refuse to admit their error and refuse to take corrective action then Jehovah has always held them accountable. Because they are our spiritual leaders it is not our job to hold them accountable they are held accountable by God and he will deal with the error. We can not let this make us lose our trust in Jehovah or Jesus. We have to continue to draw close to God and Jesus even if we may be disfellowshiped or marked. We need to continue taking in his word, continue to approach him in prayers often and to share his word with others.

If we are told to blindly follow we should start being more alert. Jesus and the apostle never required that. I did an article on discernment because we will need to develop it very soon. If we are ask to blindly obey we can discern if what we are being ask to do is what God would require or expect. We where told to verify what we have heard. So when we are told to do something we need to make certain it will not go against Jehovah or Jesus. If we are told not to question things we need to be cautious. Jesus and the apostles welcomed questions. We were told that many would turn away from listening to the truth in the last days. In order to turn away from the truth they had to have it to begin with, indicating this is not speaking about false worship but those who worshiped in truth. These false stories will lead many astray and we are seeing this occur as many put their trust in man and things of the world. When we start trusting man or things of the world more then we do God we are committing idolatry which is a form of spiritual prostitution. Many times in the bible we were warned not to put our trust in man, nobles or princes. The whole world lies in the power of the wicked one. We have been warned many times in the scriptures how easily man is corrupted and deceived. We have been told not to accept things as being truthful without checking to make sure they are true.

The Covid injections are experimental. The data coming out is so incriminating against the pharmaceutical industry that the FDA tried to request having the data sealed for 55 years. That data is now being released and it is showing the vaccines harmed millions and killed thousands. Would Jesus request that people take an experimental medical procedure from an industry known for it’s corruption and long criminal history? Would Jesus ask us to submit to procedures from corporations with a long history of deception and causing injury, injury that governments world wide had to pass a law making those administering vaccines and the producers immune from lawsuits when someone had an adverse reaction. These ones have a history of deception. To tell people to blindly accept the harm that could come from these injection would not be something Jehovah or Jesus would want us to do. Those who did promote these things and caused many to be harmed need to set matters straight because they will be held accountable by God if they do not. When things like this happened in Israel in times past God gave those who made the error time to take corrective action. If they did not he held them accountable. Surely we would not want to see it come to Jehovah having to hold the ones who promoted such a harmful thing accountable. By putting blind faith in corrupt man they are prostituting themselves out by ignoring the warnings of how corrupt man is and to make certain of things we have heard. God would never want us to put blind trust in man, especially not the United Nations which is known to be very corrupt. By submitting to the U.N.’s request we would be prostituting ourselves out to them.

When someone is in error who is a spiritual relative we are to let them know of the error. With it being our spiritual leaders we have to go directly to them. Many already have. The next step is to call them out publicly if they do not correct the error. If we know someone is in error and we do not warn them Jehovah will hold that against us. Once you warn them then their error is between them and Jehovah. If they continue to prostitute themselves out then it is directly to Jehovah they will be accountable. Knowing the United Nations is the disgusting thing Jesus spoke of promoting anything form them as being acceptable would be spiritual prostitution. We know they some day the U.N. will have authority over all nations. Much of that authority would over step what God requires. We can be obedient when it is within what God requires but anything more such as promoting them or their services or putting trust in them would be spiritual prostitution. Religious leaders falsely claim that vaccines are a blessing from God. That is not true. Blessing from God do not come with dangers such as death and life long injury. To make such a claim is blasphemy. It is getting people to put their trust in a lie and when people are harmed by it believing God would want them to do it. This would smear God’s good name because they blindly obeyed those they should have been able to trust to be discerning. Once a person is harmed and others see the harm done because they obeyed how would this reflect on God and Jesus? If they ignored the cries of the injured and the injured peoples family then they will answer to Jehovah. If they ignore the reports of medical professionals who are trying to warn people governments world wide will not let them report the adverse reactions and the injured person stating they are being ignored then they are being biased and have made a choice to remain ignorant and they will be held accountable by Jehovah for each and every person injured by their actions.

Data is coming out showing the Covid pandemic was greatly exaggerated and is still being exaggerated by governments and those who are profiting from it world wide. To ignore that data is to accept and believe lies. This is not what God would want us to do. If there is evidence of lies we are to look at it. Yet the very people working in the medical front lines who are exposing the lies, are being ignored as conspiracy theorist. When Jesus warned of the corruption and the deaths that would result from it would, it have it been appropriate to label him as a conspiracy theorist? Are those who are showing the corruption and exposing it now conspiracy theorist. If this makes me a conspiracy theorist which is what Jesus would have been labeled, then I stand guilty as accused. Historically conspiracy theorist have been right more often then not. The truth defends itself , only lies need to be silenced because it takes more lies to cover the first lie. Eventually lies get too numerous to defend. By silencing those exposing the lies it is easier to defend the original lie. If someone is demanding people be silenced and not heard they have something to hide. Jesus and the apostles only silenced people when they had solid proof that a person was lying. Without looking at all the evidence and ignoring evidence proving the governments and corporations are lying it is no better then prostituting yourselves out to them because you are supporting their corruption. We are to expose the corruption not support it. Surely we would not want to prostitute ourselves out or to let others convince us to prostitute ourselves out to an authoritative entity or even corrupt corporations who do things God would not approve of. It is God we must obey first, if it is in conflict with God then we are to obey God. Vaccines are not a blessing from God and to make such a declaration is blasphemy. Because there are many reports of the death and injuries they have caused and a blessing from God would not come with those types of dangers. If a person looked deeper into the data vaccines have never prevented disease and are the number one contributor to the chronic illness that is rampant now.

Those of us who are seeing the spiritual prostitution need not lose hope. The bible said Jesus would bring these things to light. This does not mean Jehovah is abandoning us it means he is exposing things so we will know to put our trust in him. As these things are exposed those who are guilty will have a chance to set matters straight. It is Jehovah who decides who is approved and who is not. This is going to reveal who he has approved and who he has not. Jehovah will not abandon us or forget us. Jehovah knows who truly belong to him and who does not. It is not a man who determines those things. Things like this are God’s way of showing us who belongs to him and who really will stick to Jehovah and who will prostitute themselves out. We need to develop discernment so when this occurs we will know what we ought to do. Hold fast to Jehovah’s word let it guide you and make it such a part of your life that when you are ask to get involved in spiritual prostitution you will be aware and know what to do. When you see it occur notify those involved. If they do not take corrective action after you have done things in the appropriate way call them out publicly. Remember it is Jehovah we must please and not man. If we are being ask to spiritually prostitute ourselves out we need to resist it. This may result in us being disfellowshiped or marked but it is not mans approval we seek it is Jehovah and Jesus approval.

This has happened in the past. When it has God set matters straight. When Jeremiah warned Israel religious leaders had him persecuted and even had a yoke put on him. There were those who escaped, these were the ones who listened to Jehovah’s warning. Most did not listen and God left the nations punish Israel. Habakkuk was a profit of God. He was baffled who God would use a nation that did not know him to punish Israel. Often times God stated the things Israel was doing were worse then the things people of the nations were doing who did not have his laws. God does not take spiritual prostitution lightly. This includes prostituting oneself out to a human authority , this involves having to disobey God and not getting rid of any false practices we should not be doing. When you are told to obey things without questioning things this is when the discernment will protect you and you will know when to flee and not take part in the spiritual prostitution and escape. True worship will then be fully established. When this occurs those who do partake in the spiritual prostitution will be punished by God if they do not heed the warnings. In the past he would leave them be imprisoned, taken into captivity and if the offense was severe enough it could cost their lives. So we need to develop discernment now so we can determine when we are being ask to do things that Jehovah and Jesus would not approve of. If spiritual prostitution does occur we need to be ready to flee when the punishment does occur. It was prophesied that God would exposed those who were corrupt and not worshiping him in truth just before the great tribulation occurs. So as we see this occur we can see that those who are not worshiping in truth but are committing spiritual prostitution are being exposed. He will then punish those who do not repent. Then only those who worship in truth with their whole hear and their whole soul will remain. Because these religious figures not only promoted such a harmful experimental product they could carry bloodguilt for all those harmed because they heavily pressured people and went to extreme measure to almost force people into get the experimental injections. Zechariah warned something like this would occur and that some of the shepherds would be rejected.

Those who are in the lead do not lord authority over people. Jesus never tried to pressure people into doing something they did not want to do. If spiritual leaders are lording their authority by putting unreasonable pressure on the sheep then they are not following Jesus and the apostles examples. We can fall into a trip if we start idolizing our spiritual leaders and they could easily lure us into spiritual prostitution. Jesus showed his humility by washing the disciples feet. He did not make unreasonable demands and did not want to be idolized.

If you read the scriptures below you will see a time is coming when we will be told that doctrine of men should be obeyed while subtly getting us to prostitute ourselves out. The bible shows that God will take care of this and some shepherds that do this will be done away with. If they try to get us to put our trust in man to save us, then we need to be very careful the bible has warned us about trusting man. We do not have to worry we need to stay as close to Jehovah and Jesus as possible and God will set matters straight. The bible warns many will die who do prostitute themselves out and we are already seeing all the suffering and deaths these vaccines are causing. But we do not have to worry the bible tells us when this true worship is being refined like silver and gold and God will save us. We were warned the appointed time for judgment would start with God’s house. So it was prophesied things would be exposed and those who are corrupting the truth by prostituting themselves out would be removed. We need to hold fast to Jehovah. He is refining things. It said many would turn on each other because of the counterfeit words being used. We need to realize they are being judged and we should not turn on each other that would only please Satan. In times past when things like this happened Israel would turn on each other and start killing each other. Surely we would not want to imitate their behavior. Judgment has started in God’s house we need to leave things to Jehovah and not fight among ourselves about what is occurring. We need to use discernment and recognize when counterfeit words are being used to protect ourselves. If we fight among ourselves it could cloud our thinking and we may take the incorrect actions and displease Jehovah.

(Hosea 4:12, 13) ¹² My people consult their wooden idols, Doing what their staff tells them; Because the spirit of prostitution causes them to go astray, And by their prostitution they refuse to submit to their God. ¹³ On the tops of the mountains they sacrifice, And on the hills they make sacrifices smoke, Under oak trees and storax trees and every big tree, Because their shade is good. That is why your daughters commit prostitution And your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

(Revelation 17:15-18) ¹⁵ He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. ¹⁶ And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. ¹⁷ For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished. ¹⁸ And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.. . .

(2 Timothy 4:1-5) 4 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and his Kingdom: ² Preach the word; be at it urgently in favorable times and difficult times; reprove, reprimand, exhort, with all patience and art of teaching. ³ For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled. ⁴ They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories. ⁵ You, though, keep your senses in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

(Revelation 17:1-6) 17 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me: “Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who sits on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and earth’s inhabitants were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.” ³ And he carried me away in the power of the spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and she was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, and she had in her hand a golden cup that was full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her sexual immorality. ⁵ On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes and of the disgusting things of the earth.” ⁶ And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.. . .

(Leviticus 20:6-8) ⁶ “‘As for the person who turns to the spirit mediums and the fortune-tellers so as to commit spiritual prostitution with them, I will certainly turn against that person and cut him off from his people. ⁷ “‘You must sanctify yourselves and become holy, because I am Jehovah your God. ⁸ And you must keep my statutes and carry them out. I am Jehovah, who is sanctifying you.

(Exodus 34:14-16) ¹⁴ You must not bow down to another god, for Jehovah is known for requiring exclusive devotion. Yes, he is a God who requires exclusive devotion. ¹⁵ Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, because when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, someone will invite you and you will eat from his sacrifice. ¹⁶ Then you will surely take some of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to prostitute themselves to their gods.

(2 Corinthians 6:14-16) ¹⁴ Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Beʹli·al? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: “I will reside among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.. . .

(Ephesians 5:6-11) ⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore, do not be sharers with them; ⁸ for you were once darkness, but you are now light in connection with the Lord. Go on walking as children of light, ⁹ for the fruitage of the light consists of every sort of goodness and righteousness and truth. ¹⁰ Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord; ¹¹ and stop sharing in the unfruitful works that belong to the darkness; rather, expose them for what they are. . .

(James 4:4-6) ⁴ Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is making himself an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think that for no reason the scripture says: “The spirit that has taken up residence within us keeps enviously longing”? ⁶ However, the undeserved kindness that He gives is greater. So it says: “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”

(1 John 5:18, 19) . . .. ¹⁹ We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.

(2 Chronicles 16:7-9) ⁷ At that time Ha·naʹni the seer came to King Aʹsa of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Syria and did not rely on Jehovah your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped out of your hand. ⁸ Were not the E·thi·oʹpi·ans and the Libʹy·ans a very great army with many chariots and horsemen? But because you relied on Jehovah, he gave them into your hand. ⁹ For the eyes of Jehovah are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him. You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on there will be wars against you.”

(Jeremiah 17:5)  ⁵ This is what Jehovah says: “Cursed is the man who puts his trust in mere humans, Who relies on human power, And whose heart turns away from Jehovah.

(Isaiah 30:1, 2) 30 “Woe to the stubborn sons,” declares Jehovah, “Who carry out plans that are not mine, Who make alliances, but not by my spirit, In order to add sin to sin.  ² They go down to Egypt without consulting me, To take shelter under Pharʹaoh’s protection And to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt!

(Revelation 17:15) ¹⁵ He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.

(Judges 2:17) ¹⁷ But they refused to listen even to the judges and would prostitute themselves to other gods and bow down to them. They quickly turned aside from the way in which their forefathers had walked, those who had obeyed the commandments of Jehovah. They failed to do that.

(Psalm 106:35-38) ³⁵ But they mingled with the nations And adopted their ways. ³⁶ They kept serving their idols, And these became a snare to them. ³⁷ They would sacrifice their sons And their daughters to demons. ³⁸ They kept spilling innocent blood, The blood of their own sons and daughters Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Caʹnaan; And the land was polluted with bloodshed.

(Colossians 2:8, 9) ⁸ Look out that no one takes you captive by means of the philosophy and empty deception according to human tradition, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ; ⁹ because it is in him that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily. . .

(Ezekiel 16:20-27) ²⁰ “‘You took your sons and your daughters whom you had borne to me, and you sacrificed these to idols to be devoured—have your acts of prostitution not gone far enough? ²¹ You slaughtered my sons, and you offered them as sacrifices by making them pass through the fire. ²² While engaging in all your detestable practices and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and exposed, kicking about in your own blood. ²³ After all your evil, woe, woe to you,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ²⁴ ‘You built yourself a mound and made a high place for yourself in every public square. ²⁵ You built your high places at the most prominent place of every street, and you turned your beauty into something detestable by offering yourself to everyone passing by, and you multiplied your acts of prostitution. ²⁶ You prostituted yourself to the sons of Egypt, your lustful neighbors, and you offended me with your countless acts of prostitution. ²⁷ Now I will bring my hand against you and diminish your food allowance and give you over to the will of the women who hate you, the daughters of the Phi·lisʹtines, who were appalled because of your obscene conduct.

(Isaiah 30:2, 3) They go down to Egypt without consulting me, To take shelter under Pharʹaoh’s protection And to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt!  ³ But the protection of Pharʹaoh will become for you a reason for shame, And refuge in Egypt’s shadow a cause for humiliation.

(Isaiah 1:19-21) ¹⁹ If you show willingness and listen, You will eat the good things of the land. ²⁰ But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword, For the mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.” ²¹ How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice; Righteousness used to lodge in her, But now murderers.

(Exodus 34:15) Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, because when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, someone will invite you and you will eat from his sacrifice.

(Ezekiel 16:15, 16) “‘But you began to trust in your beauty, and you became a prostitute because of your fame. You lavished your acts of prostitution on everyone passing by, and your beauty became his. ¹⁶ You took some of your garments and made colorful high places where you prostituted yourself—such things should not take place, nor should they ever happen.

(James 4:4-11) ⁴ Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is making himself an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think that for no reason the scripture says: “The spirit that has taken up residence within us keeps enviously longing”? ⁶ However, the undeserved kindness that He gives is greater. So it says: “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.” ⁷ Therefore, subject yourselves to God; but oppose the Devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you indecisive ones. ⁹ Give way to misery and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into despair. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the eyes of Jehovah, and he will exalt you. ¹¹ Stop speaking against one another, brothers. Whoever speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against law and judges law. Now if you judge law, you are not a doer of law but a judge.

(Romans 16:17-20) ¹⁷ Now I urge you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who create divisions and causes for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them. ¹⁸ For men of that sort are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattering speech they seduce the hearts of unsuspecting ones. ¹⁹ Your obedience has come to the notice of all, and so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise as to what is good, but innocent as to what is evil. ²⁰ For his part, the God who gives peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. May the undeserved kindness of our Lord Jesus be with you.

(Ephesians 5:6-11) ⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore, do not be sharers with them; ⁸ for you were once darkness, but you are now light in connection with the Lord. Go on walking as children of light, ⁹ for the fruitage of the light consists of every sort of goodness and righteousness and truth. ¹⁰ Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord; ¹¹ and stop sharing in the unfruitful works that belong to the darkness; rather, expose them for what they are.

(2 Timothy 3:16-4:5) ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work. 4 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and his Kingdom: ² Preach the word; be at it urgently in favorable times and difficult times; reprove, reprimand, exhort, with all patience and art of teaching. ³ For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled. ⁴ They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories. ⁵ You, though, keep your senses in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

(Matthew 18:15-17) ¹⁵ “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go and reveal his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. ¹⁷ If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector.

(Ezekiel 3:17-21) . . .. ¹⁸ When I say to someone wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him, and you fail to speak in order to warn the wicked one to turn from his wicked course so that he may stay alive, he will die for his error because he is wicked, but I will ask his blood back from you. ¹⁹ But if you warn someone wicked and he does not turn back from his wickedness and from his wicked course, he will die for his error, but you will certainly save your own life. ²⁰ But when someone righteous abandons his righteousness and does what is wrong, I will put a stumbling block before him and he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die for his sin and his righteous acts will not be remembered, but I will ask his blood back from you. ²¹ But if you have warned the righteous one not to sin, and he does not sin, he will surely keep alive because he was warned, and you will have saved your own life.”

(Galatians 2:11-14) ¹¹ However, when Ceʹphas came to Antioch, I resisted him face-to-face, because he was clearly in the wrong. ¹² For before certain men from James arrived, he used to eat with people of the nations; but when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcised class. ¹³ The rest of the Jews also joined him in putting on this pretense, so that even Barʹna·bas was led along with them in their pretense. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not walking in step with the truth of the good news, I said to Ceʹphas before them all: “If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do and not as Jews do, how can you compel people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?”

(1 Corinthians 4:1-5) 4 A man should regard us as attendants of Christ and stewards of God’s sacred secrets. ² In this regard, what is expected of stewards is that they be found faithful. ³ Now to me it is of very little importance to be examined by you or by a human tribunal. In fact, I do not even examine myself. ⁴ For I am not conscious of anything against myself. But by this I am not proved righteous; the one who examines me is Jehovah. ⁵ Therefore, do not judge anything before the due time, until the Lord comes. He will bring the secret things of darkness to light and make known the intentions of the hearts, and then each one will receive his praise from God.

(1 Timothy 5:24, 25) ²⁴ The sins of some men are publicly known, leading directly to judgment, but those of other men become evident later. ²⁵ In the same way also, the fine works are publicly known and those that are otherwise cannot be kept hidden.

(2 Timothy 2:14-19) ¹⁴ Keep reminding them of these things, instructing them before God not to fight about words, something of no usefulness at all because it harms those listening. ¹⁵ Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth aright. ¹⁶ But reject empty speeches that violate what is holy, for they will lead to more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their word will spread like gangrene. Hy·me·naeʹus and Phi·leʹtus are among them. ¹⁸ These men have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are subverting the faith of some. ¹⁹ Despite that, the solid foundation of God remains standing, having this seal, “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” and, “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.”

(Zephaniah 3:11-13) ¹¹ On that day you will not be put to shame Because of all your deeds with which you rebelled against me, For then I will remove the haughty boasters from among you; And you will never again be haughty in my holy mountain. ¹² I will allow a humble and lowly people to remain in your midst, And they will take refuge in the name of Jehovah. ¹³ Those remaining of Israel will practice no unrighteousness; They will not speak a lie, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths; They will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”

(Jeremiah 25:8-11) ⁸ “Therefore this is what Jehovah of armies says, ‘“Because you would not obey my words, ⁹ I am sending for all the families of the north,” declares Jehovah, “sending for King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and something to whistle at and a perpetual ruin. ¹⁰ I will put an end to the sound of exultation and the sound of rejoicing from them, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the hand mill and the light of the lamp. ¹¹ And all this land will be reduced to ruins and will become an object of horror, and these nations will have to serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.”’

(Jeremiah 28:12-14) ¹² After Han·a·niʹah the prophet had broken the yoke bar from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, this message of Jehovah came to Jeremiah: ¹³ “Go and say to Han·a·niʹah, ‘This is what Jehovah says: “You have broken yoke bars of wood, but instead of them you will make yoke bars of iron.” ¹⁴ For this is what Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, says: “I will put an iron yoke bar on the neck of all these nations, to serve King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar of Babylon, and they must serve him. Even the wild beasts of the field I will give him.”’”

(Habakkuk 1:9-12)  ⁹ All of them come bent on violence. The assembling of their faces is like the east wind, And they scoop up captives like sand. ¹⁰ They scoff at kings And laugh at high officials. They laugh at every fortified place; They pile up a dirt ramp and capture it. ¹¹ Then they move forward like the wind and pass through, But they will become guilty, Because they credit their power to their god.” ¹² Are you not from everlasting, O Jehovah? O my God, my Holy One, you do not die. O Jehovah, you appointed them to execute judgment; My Rock, you established them for punishment.

(Jeremiah 2:33-37) ³³ How skillfully, O woman, you set your course to seek love! You have trained yourself in the ways of wickedness. ³⁴ Even your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor ones, Though I did not find them in the act of breaking in; It is on all your skirts. ³⁵ But you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned back from me.’ Now I am bringing judgment against you Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’ ³⁶ Why do you treat so lightly your unstable course? You will become ashamed of Egypt too, Just as you became ashamed of As·syrʹi·a. ³⁷ For this reason also you will go out with your hands on your head, For Jehovah has rejected those in whom you put confidence; They will not bring you success.”

(Zechariah 11:7-11) ⁷ And I began to shepherd the flock meant for slaughter, in your behalf, O afflicted ones of the flock. So I took two staffs, and I called one Pleasantness, and the other Union, and I began to shepherd the flock. ⁸ And I dismissed three shepherds in one month, for I became impatient with them, and they detested me as well. ⁹ And I said: “I will not keep shepherding you. Let the one who is dying die, and let the one perishing perish. As for those who are left, let them devour one another’s flesh.” ¹⁰ So I took my staff Pleasantness and cut it up, breaking my covenant that I had made with all the peoples. ¹¹ So it was broken in that day, and the afflicted ones of the flock who were watching me knew that it was the word of Jehovah.

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-22) ¹⁶ Always be rejoicing. ¹⁷ Pray constantly. ¹⁸ Give thanks for everything. This is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Do not put out the fire of the spirit. ²⁰ Do not treat prophecies with contempt. ²¹ Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine. ²² Abstain from every form of wickedness.

(Matthew 23:7-12) . . .. ⁸ But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your Teacher, and all of you are brothers. ⁹ Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father, the heavenly One. ¹⁰ Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ. ¹¹ But the greatest one among you must be your minister. ¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

(1 Peter 5:1-3) . . .: ² Shepherd the flock of God under your care, serving as overseers, not under compulsion, but willingly before God; not for love of dishonest gain, but eagerly; ³ not lording it over those who are God’s inheritance, but becoming examples to the flock.

(Colossians 2:20-22) If you died together with Christ with respect to the elementary things of the world, why do you live as if still part of the world by further subjecting yourselves to the decrees: ²¹ “Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch,” ²² referring to things that all perish with their use, according to the commands and teachings of men?

(1 John 4:1) 4 Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired statement, but test the inspired statements to see whether they originate with God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

(Isaiah 2:22) ²² For your own sakes, quit trusting in mere man, Who is only the breath in his nostrils. Why should he be taken into account?

(Isaiah 30:2, 3)  ² They go down to Egypt without consulting me, To take shelter under Pharʹaoh’s protection And to take refuge in the shadow of Egypt!  ³ But the protection of Pharʹaoh will become for you a reason for shame, And refuge in Egypt’s shadow a cause for humiliation.

(Isaiah 31:3)  ³ The Egyptians, though, are mere men and not God; Their horses are flesh and not spirit. When Jehovah stretches out his hand, Whoever offers help will stumble And whoever is helped will fall; They will all perish at the same time.

(Psalm 33:16-22) ¹⁶ No king is saved by a large army; A mighty man is not saved by his great power. ¹⁷ The horse is a false hope for salvation; Its great strength does not ensure escape. ¹⁸ Look! The eye of Jehovah watches over those fearing him, Those waiting for his loyal love, ¹⁹ To rescue them from death And to keep them alive during famine. ²⁰ We are in expectation of Jehovah. He is our helper and our shield. ²¹ Our hearts rejoice in him, For we trust in his holy name. ²² May your loyal love rest upon us, O Jehovah, While we keep waiting for you.

(Psalm 60:11, 12) ¹¹ Help us in our distress, For salvation by humans is worthless. ¹² By God we will gain power, And he will trample on our adversaries.

(Zechariah 13:4-9) ⁴ “In that day each of the prophets will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; and they will not wear an official garment of hair in order to deceive. ⁵ And he will say, ‘I am no prophet. I am a man cultivating the soil, because a man bought me when I was young.’ ⁶ And if someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds between your shoulders?’ he will answer, ‘Wounds I received in the house of my friends.’”  ⁷ “O sword, awake against my shepherd, Against the man who is my companion,” declares Jehovah of armies. “Strike the shepherd, and let the flock be scattered; And I will turn my hand against those who are insignificant.”  ⁸ “And in all the land,” declares Jehovah, “Two parts in it will be cut off and perish; And the third part will be left remaining in it.  ⁹ And I will bring the third part through the fire; And I will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people,’ And they will say, ‘Jehovah is our God.’”

(Malachi 3:1-4) 3 “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will clear up a way before me. And suddenly the true Lord, whom you are seeking, will come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant will come, in whom you take delight. Look! He will certainly come,” says Jehovah of armies. ² “But who will endure the day of his coming, and who will be able to stand when he appears? For he will be like the fire of a refiner and like the lye of laundrymen. ³ And he will sit as a refiner and cleanser of silver and will cleanse the sons of Leʹvi; and he will clarify them like gold and like silver, and they will certainly become to Jehovah people presenting a gift offering in righteousness. ⁴ And the gift offering of Judah and of Jerusalem will actually be pleasing to Jehovah, as in the days of long ago and as in the years of antiquity.

(2 Thessalonians 2:6-12) ⁶ And now you know what is acting as a restraint, so that he will be revealed in his own due time. ⁷ True, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who is right now acting as a restraint is out of the way. ⁸ Then, indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence. ⁹ But the lawless one’s presence is by the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders ¹⁰ and every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth in order that they might be saved. ¹¹ That is why God lets a deceptive influence mislead them so that they may come to believe the lie, ¹² in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness.

(1 Peter 4:16-19) . . .. ¹⁷ For it is the appointed time for the judgment to start with the house of God. Now if it starts first with us, what will the outcome be for those who are not obedient to the good news of God? ¹⁸ “And if the righteous man is being saved with difficulty, what will happen to the ungodly man and the sinner?” ¹⁹ So, then, let those who are suffering in harmony with the will of God keep on entrusting themselves to a faithful Creator while they are doing good.

(2 Peter 2:1-3) 2 However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among you. These will quietly bring in destructive sects, and they will even disown the owner who bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves. ² Furthermore, many will follow their brazen conduct, and because of them the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively. ³ Also, they will greedily exploit you with counterfeit words. But their judgment, decided long ago, is not moving slowly, and their destruction is not sleeping.

Building discernment for protection.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

In order to be aware of the more subtle things that could cause us to fall away from God or cause us to fall short requires discernment. I am going to discuss things that can help to build and protect our discernment.

The original world in the bible where subtle was used meant elusive, sly, crafty or treachorous. So when you are being deceive they will distract you or use partial truths to deceive you. For example the bible often mentions who cunning immoral women or men are at tricking people to do their will. By knowing fully what God would expect of us we can be more aware of when someone is trying to deceive us. Often times their words do not match their actions. If we pay attention to their actions. For example if they are very secretive experience has taught me to be very careful. For example if you ask a friend about their day and they are elusive be cautious this usually indicate they are hiding something. If you meet someone and they will not talk about themselves but will keep bringing the conversation back around to you be careful it means they are trying to control the conversation and do not want you to know more about them. Often times we brush those subtle things off but being subtle is how Satan deceived Eve. When Satan tempted Eve and tried to temp Jesus he first stated certain truths to try and get them to drop their guard then he would tell a lie. Eve knew what was required of her but kept listening to Satan’s deception. Jesus knew God’s word very well so when Satan would try to use the scripture in a deceptive way Jesus always followed with a scripture that Satan could not provide an answer to. Jesus told us that Satan is the creator of the lie, he has had thousands of years to practice deception so we need to know God’s word very well so we can identify when we are being deceived.

The bible warns us to keep our senses because our adversary the Devil walks around like a roaring lion seeking to devour someone. A lion will roar at the ground this causes it’s roar to reflect off the ground causing it to go in every direction. Since it’s pray cannot tell which direction the roar has come from often times the prey does not know which direction to run. The prey will run right in the direction of the lion. Satan will bombard people and try to overwhelm them. He will usually hit them in the areas they have the most confidence in. He did this with Job he took Job’s family, Job’s wealth and Job’s health. But Job never lost his faith in God and for that he was rewarded many times over. Job did not turn to the world for answers and solutions. When we are getting overwhelmed by many things be aware it could be an attack by Satan. His persecutions are not always obvious , he may use weaknesses of others in our lives as a way to persecute and cause us tribulation. When these things occur we should not take them personal. We all fall short. This is why we should be aware of our short comings because he could use our short comings to cause others to feel persecuted or tried.

The apostle Paul warned holding a grudge and not forgiving someone can cause us to be overreached by Satan. This is why Jesus tells us to forgive those who trespass against us.

Another subtle way we can be drawn away from God is by loving the things of the world more then we do God. Our actions demonstrate our love. If we devote so much time to things of the world that we cannot stay focused spiritually or we start missing meeting and associations with spiritual relatives it could be a sign we are loving the world and things in it more then God. Now God is not unreasonable he realizes things will come up that will need us to devote time to and it can take from us being able to apply ourselves spiritually. When this occurs we should at least try our best to take in his word daily. If you do have wealth you should imagine what it may be like for you if you no longer had it. Imagine how you could continue to honor God as you adjust to the life that is ahead of you. We are living in the last days and many will lose all they have. If we grow too attached to material things when we lose them it can cause us to lose faith and trust in God. For many of the apostles survival was a day to day thing yet they continue to build their faith and trust in God and set good examples of faith and obedience to God for others.

Another subtle way Satan and man, can trick us is to try and get us to put mans wisdom above God’s wisdomand try to get us to lean on our own understanding which can lead us astray. I often times hear people say I don’t need to study the bible because I will follow my heart. The bible warns the heart is treacherous and desperate. How many times have we done things out of desperation that we later realized was not the best solution? The bible warns us about putting our trust in human knowledge and philosophy of man. Often times I see psychologist and therapist that give advice that goes against what God would expect us to do. God created us he knows our minds and hearts better then anyone can. By writing God’s word on our hearts it prevents us being swayed by imperfect human knowledge which often times has been influenced by Satan. We write God’s word on our hearts by reading God’s word, applying it in our lives so much that we automatically know what God would want us to do. We need to be careful about anxieties of life and again getting caught up in the things of the world because Jesus warned were our treasure is there our heart will be. So if we get overly caught up in watching current events, acquiring material things , or start putting more confidence in secular knowledge and not weigh what God would want us to do we can be slowly led astray. Putting our trust in human knowledge or things of the world can lead our hearts astray. We have to deal with many secular things in life such as mental health experts, medical health experts, lawyers, and sometimes even financial experts. When they give advice we need to know God’s word because sometimes their advice may not be in agreement with what God would want us to do. The bible tells us the wisdom of the world is foolish and when this system ends much of that wisdom will be gone. The bible warns there is a way that seems right to man but the end result is death. The bible warns that if there is pride or arrogance Godly wisdom cannot exist in our hearts so we need to be careful and try our best to be humble. We are told Jehovah mocks those who ridicule but he grants wisdom to the humble. One subtle form of arrogance is ridicule. Do we look for the good in others or do we have a tendency to ridicule others. We are told God grants wisdom to the humble. Most of all if we want God’s wisdom to guide our hearts we need to ask him for his wisdom.

With things rapidly winding down we need discernment now more then ever. Discernment is acuteness of judgment and understanding. In other words it can help us decide what is correct and what is not. The bible warns if we do not keep trusting in God’s word we could lose our abilities of discernment. So we don’t only need to take God’s word in we need to let it guide all we do. If we do not we risk losing discernment which will make it hard for us to understand the deeper wisdom in the bible and we will get stuck in a cycle of needing milk instead of solid spiritual food. Jesus wept over a city because they lacked discernment. They knew God’s word but did not apply it so did not develop discernment. He knew many bad things were going to happen to them because they could not discern the times they were in. The Jewish system was going to collapse. Those who did not see the warning signs so they could flee would suffer some horrible things and few would survive. We are in the last days. If we do not develop our discernment and maintain it through practice we could lose sight of the times we are in and by the time we realize the reality of things it may be too late. If we are having difficulty developing our discernment we could talk to the elders and have them pray for us.

We should also find reasons to thank God and ways we can glorify God. With us living in the last days some of us may be really struggling whether it be in health, financially, persecution , and many other struggles in life. It may be difficult to find things to be thankful for. We can be thankful we have the one true God who will set matter straight very soon and will destroy all the wicked on the earth and end all suffering very soon. We have the future promises he has given us one of which is the restoration of the earth to a paradise and the promise living forever. We can be thankful we have a God who does not change because of this it is easy to know what he would require of us. Man is like a wave on the ocean whichever way the wind blows that is what will shape what they think. God is not like that he does not change, this can give us confidence in our decisions when they are based on his word and what he would want us to do. We can also thank him for giving us his word to guide us through the hard times and to help protect us. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)

How can we glorify God? Often times religion makes God seem vindictive and vengeful this pushes people away from learning about God. We could glorify God by showing others how merciful and loving he is. We could show the wonderful promises he has made that give us hope. The bible tells us God is love, we are also told to imitate him. So we could glorify God by letting love guide all we do. We could show others the power of God and help them to understand it. This could help build their faith in God. Sharing God’s word with others also helps to remind us and to strengthen our faith in God as we see it positively effect their lives. Jesus glorified God by his actions, he imitated the things he had seen his father do so perfectly when he was on earth it was like having God with man. Not only that but when Jesus was near being tortured and nailed to the torture steak he prayed that he would glorify God. So when we are suffering it can be difficult to glorify God. We should ask God to help us glorify him when times are difficult. God’s name has been removed from many bibles. Many do not know God’s name or what it means. We could glorify God also by teaching others God’s name and the value of knowing it. When we show our faith in God through our actions and our obedience we glorify God. Many who follow false teachings cause God’s good name to be spoken of abusively because people see their hypocrisy. Surely we would never want our actions to cause that to happen. Surely we would not want to be hypocritical and not practice what we teach. We would not want to blaspheme God’s good name by the things we say and do. Israel claimed to trust in God but their actions often times smeared his good name.

If we do the things mentioned it can help us to build our discernment up and will protect us and help us to survive the things that are about to occur and it will give us peace of mind and heart even when we are suffering because our hope and faith will be in God who keeps his promises. Not one of his promises went unfulfilled in the bible. So we can have hope and peace of mind knowing suffering and all this bad will gone soon and better times are very very near. If the foundation of our life is built on trust in ourselves , things of the world or worldly knowledge. If we suddenly lose those things our faith and trust in God can be shaken. If we build our foundation on Jesus and following him and obeying him as our king then we cannot be easily shaken when we suffer trials and tribulation. If we are easily shaken then this can helps us to realize we need to strengthen our foundations by imitating Jesus, trusting God and having faith in him. It sometimes may be difficult when we experience trauma or something shocking but this is a time when we should at least try to read and apply some of God’s word while we deal with the situations we may face.

(Genesis 3:1) 3 Now the serpent was the most cautious of all the wild animals of the field that Jehovah God had made. So it said to the woman: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?”

(Proverbs 7:10-13) ¹⁰ Then I saw a woman meet him, Dressed like a prostitute, with a cunning heart. ¹¹ She is loud and defiant. She never stays at home. ¹² One moment she is outside, next she is in the public squares, She lurks near every corner. ¹³ She grabs hold of him and gives him a kiss; With a bold face, she says to him:

(1 Peter 5:8-11) ⁸ Keep your senses, be watchful! Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone. ⁹ But take your stand against him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by the entire association of your brothers in the world. ¹⁰ But after you have suffered a little while, the God of all undeserved kindness, who called you to his everlasting glory in union with Christ, will himself finish your training. He will make you firm, he will make you strong, he will firmly ground you. ¹¹ To him be the might forever. Amen.

(2 Corinthians 2:9-11) . . .. ¹⁰ If you forgive anyone for anything, I do also. In fact, whatever I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) has been for your sake in Christ’s sight, ¹¹ so that we may not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs.

(John 8:43, 44) . . .. ⁴⁴ You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a murderer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie.

(1 John 2:15-17) ¹⁵ Do not love either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; ¹⁶ because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. ¹⁷ Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

(1 Timothy 6:10) ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.

(Hebrews 12:1-3) 12 So, then, because we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also throw off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus. For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Indeed, consider closely the one who has endured such hostile speech from sinners against their own interests, so that you may not get tired and give up.

(1 John 1:8-10) ⁸ If we make the statement, “We have no sin,” we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we make the statement, “We have not sinned,” we are making him a liar, and his word is not in us.

(Jeremiah 17:9)  ⁹ The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it?

(Proverbs 3:5-7)  ⁵ Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding.  ⁶ In all your ways take notice of him, And he will make your paths straight.  ⁷ Do not become wise in your own eyes. Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad.

(Proverbs 28:26) ²⁶ Whoever trusts in his own heart is stupid, But the one who walks in wisdom will escape.

(1 Corinthians 1:19-21) ¹⁹ For it is written: “I will make the wisdom of the wise men perish, and the intelligence of the intellectuals I will reject.” ²⁰ Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this system of things? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not get to know God through its wisdom, God was pleased through the foolishness of what is preached to save those believing.

(Proverbs 27:11, 12) ¹¹ Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, So that I can make a reply to him who taunts me. ¹² The shrewd person sees the danger and conceals himself, But the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences.

(Proverbs 14:11, 12) . . .But the tent of the upright will flourish. ¹² There is a way that seems right to a man, But in the end it leads to death.

(Proverbs 11:2)  ² When presumptuousness comes, dishonor will follow, But wisdom is with the modest ones.

(James 4:6) ⁶ However, the undeserved kindness that He gives is greater. So it says: “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”

(Proverbs 3:34) ³⁴ For he mocks those who ridicule, But he shows favor to the meek.

(Proverbs 19:29) ²⁹ Judgment is in store for ridiculers, And beatings for the back of the stupid ones.

(James 1:5-8) ⁵ So if any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching, and it will be given him. ⁶ But let him keep asking in faith, not doubting at all, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. ⁷ In fact, that man should not expect to receive anything from Jehovah; ⁸ he is an indecisive man, unsteady in all his ways.

(Hebrews 5:11-14) ¹¹ We have much to say about him, and it is difficult to explain, because you have become dull in your hearing. ¹² For although by now you should be teachers, you again need someone to teach you from the beginning the elementary things of the sacred pronouncements of God, and you have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who continues to feed on milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a young child. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their powers of discernment trained to distinguish both right and wrong.

(1 Thessalonians 3:12, 13) ¹² Moreover, may the Lord cause you to increase, yes, to abound in love for one another and for all, just as we do for you, ¹³ so that he may make your hearts firm, blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the presence of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.

(Luke 19:41-44) ⁴¹ And when he got nearby, he viewed the city and wept over it, ⁴² saying: “If you, even you, had discerned on this day the things having to do with peace—but now they have been hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ Because the days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification of pointed stakes and will encircle you and besiege you from every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you and your children within you to the ground, and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you, because you did not discern the time of your being inspected.”

(Colossians 1:9) ⁹ That is also why from the day we heard of it, we have never stopped praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension,

(Romans 1:21-23) For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their senseless hearts became darkened. ²² Although claiming they were wise, they became foolish ²³ and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and birds and four-footed creatures and reptiles.

(Habakkuk 3:17-19) ¹⁷ Although the fig tree may not blossom, And there may be no fruit on the vines; Although the olive crop may fail, And the fields may produce no food; Although the flock may disappear from the pen, And there may be no cattle in the stalls; ¹⁸ Yet, as for me, I will exult in Jehovah; I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. ¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord Jehovah is my strength; He will make my feet like those of a deer And cause me to tread on high places.

(Matthew 28:19) ¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit,

(John 13:31, 32) ³¹ When, therefore, he had gone out, Jesus said: “Now the Son of man is glorified, and God is glorified in connection with him. ³² God himself will glorify him, and he will glorify him immediately.

(2 Timothy 3:1-7) 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, ³ having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, ⁴ betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. ⁶ From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, ⁷ always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.

(Romans 2:17-24) ¹⁷ If, now, you are a Jew in name and rely on law and take pride in God, ¹⁸ and you know his will and approve of things that are excellent because you are instructed out of the Law, ¹⁹ and you are convinced that you are a guide of the blind, a light for those in darkness, ²⁰ a corrector of the unreasonable ones, a teacher of young children, and having the framework of the knowledge and of the truth in the Law— ²¹ do you, however, the one teaching someone else, not teach yourself? You, the one preaching, “Do not steal,” do you steal? ²² You, the one saying, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You, the one abhorring idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who take pride in law, do you dishonor God by your transgressing of the Law? ²⁴ For “the name of God is being blasphemed among the nations because of you,” just as it is written.

(Ezekiel 20:27) ²⁷ “So speak to the house of Israel, O son of man, and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: “In this way also, your forefathers blasphemed me by acting unfaithfully against me. . .

List of scriptures that show those we should not be friends with.

The bible warns bad company spoils useful habits. So if we have bad friends they could drag us down spiritually and even emotionally. We all have imperfections when we choose friends we should pay attention to how they respond when those short comings are pointed out. Also pay attention to whether they are forgiving or not. If they are not forgiving then you will have a bitter friend which really is not a friend. Leave them be if they do not forgive the bible warns they will not be forgiven. It is not our place to judge other but if a person consistently shows the qualities mentioned in these scriptures that are bad then we should be cautious about selecting them as a friend. If the person has many friends we may want to be careful it could indicate they are not careful when selecting friends.

(1 Corinthians 15:32, 33) . . .” ³³ Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits.

The bible tells us not to walk with scoffers or those who doubt God’s word.

(Psalm 1:1) Happy is the man who does not walk according to the advice of the wicked And does not stand on the path of sinners And does not sit in the seat of scoffers.

The person should be knowledgeable of the bible , when the bible calls someone stupid it means stupid in a spiritual way. Do they put more trust in mans knowledge then God’s the bible warns this can make a person deviate from the faith.

(Proverbs 13:20) The one walking with the wise will become wise, But the one who has dealings with the stupid will fare badly.

(Proverbs 14:6-8)  ⁶ The scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge comes easily to the person with understanding.  ⁷ Stay away from the foolish man, For you will not find knowledge on his lips.  ⁸ By wisdom the shrewd man understands the way he is going, But the stupid are deceived by their foolishness.

(1 Corinthians 5:6) Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven ferments the whole batch of dough?

(Ecclesiastes 9:18) Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but just one sinner can destroy much good.

(1 Timothy 6:20, 21) ²⁰ Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, turning away from the empty speeches that violate what is holy and from the contradictions of the falsely called “knowledge.” ²¹ By making a show of such knowledge, some have deviated from the faith.. . .

(Proverbs 22:24, 25) ²⁴ Do not keep company with a hot-tempered man Or get involved with one disposed to rage, ²⁵ So that you never learn his ways And ensnare yourself.

(1 Corinthians 5:11-13) ¹¹ But now I am writing you to stop keeping company with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. ¹² For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do you not judge those inside, ¹³ while God judges those outside? “Remove the wicked person from among yourselves.”

(1 John 3:6-8) . . .. ⁷ Little children, let no one mislead you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. ⁸ The one who practices sin originates with the Devil, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, to break up the works of the Devil.

This scripture does not mean to literally tear your eye out. But if you have a friend who may do things that could lead you to din then it may be better to cut your association with that friend rather then to be destroyed in the day of judgment.

(Matthew 5:27-30) ²⁷ “You heard that it was said: ‘You must not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If, now, your right eye is making you stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you. For it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be pitched into Ge·henʹna. ³⁰ Also, if your right hand is making you stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. For it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to land in Ge·henʹna.

If someone talks about others in a bad way or gossips they are not a good friend. Often times those people are smooth talkers who can easily deceive others. These ones often times flatter people, if they flatter people a lot be cautious. Complementing people once in a while is not bad but watch their actions and if they overly complement people be cautious.

(Proverbs 16:27, 28) ²⁷ A worthless man digs up what is bad; His speech is like a scorching fire. ²⁸ A troublemaker causes dissension, And a slanderer separates close friends.

(Romans 16:17, 18) ¹⁷ Now I urge you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who create divisions and causes for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them. ¹⁸ For men of that sort are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattering speech they seduce the hearts of unsuspecting ones.

(Proverbs 26:24-26) ²⁴ The one who hates others disguises it with his lips, But inside he harbors deceit. ²⁵ Although he speaks graciously, do not trust him, For there are seven detestable things in his heart. ²⁶ Though his hatred is concealed by deceit, His evil will be exposed in the congregation.

(Psalm 12:2-4) ² They speak lies to one another; They flatter with their lips and speak with deceitful hearts.  ³ Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips And the tongue that makes great boasts,  ⁴ Those who say: “We will prevail with our tongues. We use our lips as we please; Who will be our master?”

(Proverbs 13:19, 20) ¹⁹ Desire when realized is sweet to a person, But the stupid hate to turn away from bad. ²⁰ The one walking with the wise will become wise, But the one who has dealings with the stupid will fare badly.

Do they scoff at God’s word or do they happily take it in. Those who scoff at God’s word can deteriorate our faith.

(Psalm 1:1-3) 1 Happy is the man who does not walk according to the advice of the wicked And does not stand on the path of sinners And does not sit in the seat of scoffers.  ² But his delight is in the law of Jehovah, And he reads His law in an undertone day and night.  ³ He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, A tree that produces fruit in its season, The foliage of which does not wither. And everything he does will succeed.

Do they hold bitterness towards you when you have erred even after you have correct it? Those who are not forgiving tend to nit pick at your short coming or things that may annoy them about you. These ones do not know how to be happy and can rob you of happiness.

(Proverbs 17:9)  ⁹ Whoever forgives a transgression seeks love, But the one who keeps harping on a matter separates close friends.

How do they treat others who are less fortunate?

(Proverbs 18:23) ²³ The poor man implores when speaking, But the rich man answers harshly.

Be cautious of those who put the pursuit of wealth before spiritual things. It is not wrong to have wealth as long as spiritual things come first. Life’s experience has taught me these ones will turn on you and will even betray you often times.

(1 Timothy 6:9, 10) ⁹ But those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge men into destruction and ruin. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.

(James 4:4) ⁴ Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is making himself an enemy of God.

This is talking about spiritual counsel and not worldly counsel. Do they accept spiritual counsel if not then they would not be a good friend. It means they either do not want to change their heart or they are avoiding the bible out of guilt.

(Proverbs 11:14) ¹⁴ When there is no skillful direction, the people fall, But there is success through many advisers.

Does this person put more confidence in what other say rather then the bible. Does this person boast a lot. These are signs the person may be a bad friend.

(1 Corinthians 5:6, 7) ⁶ Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven ferments the whole batch of dough? ⁷ Clear away the old leaven so that you may be a new batch, inasmuch as you are free from ferment. For, indeed, Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.

(Ephesians 5:6) ⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.

(James 3:13-16) . . .. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in your hearts, do not be bragging and lying against the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above; it is earthly, animalistic, demonic. ¹⁶ For wherever there are jealousy and contentiousness, there will also be disorder and every vile thing.

(Romans 1:28-32) ²⁸ Just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a disapproved mental state, to do the things not fitting. ²⁹ And they were filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and badness, being full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice, being whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, schemers of what is harmful, disobedient to parents, ³¹ without understanding, false to agreements, having no natural affection, and merciless. ³² Although these know full well the righteous decree of God—that those practicing such things are deserving of death—they not only keep on doing them but also approve of those practicing them.

A good list of scriptures to help choose friends.

Therapist claim many of the qualities the bible recommends we look for in friends as bad. I would rather put my trust in God and his Guidance then to trust how or what a friend should be. That being said this is a good list of scriptures for qualities we should look for in friends. These scriptures are pretty self explanatory. What you will notice about friends as the bible speaks of them they will not be afraid to correct each other spiritually and those who are real friends will not be afraid to point out a short coming a friend has this works to protect each other.

(Colossians 3:12-14) ¹² Accordingly, as God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, humility, mildness, and patience. ¹³ Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely even if anyone has a cause for complaint against another. Just as Jehovah freely forgave you, you must also do the same. ¹⁴ But besides all these things, clothe yourselves with love, for it is a perfect bond of union.

(Proverbs 27:17) ¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens his friend. . .

(1 Samuel 23:16) Jonʹa·than the son of Saul now went out to David at Hoʹresh, and he helped him find strength in Jehovah.

(Hebrews 10:24, 25) And let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works, ²⁵ not forsaking our meeting together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.

(Proverbs 18:24) ²⁴ There are companions ready to crush one another, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

(Proverbs 17:17) A true friend shows love at all times And is a brother who is born for times of distress.

(John 15:12, 13) ¹² This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his life in behalf of his friends.

Be very cautious of friends who flatter you a lot. personal experience has taught me these are the ones who will hurt and betray you the most.

(Proverbs 27:5, 6)  ⁵ Open reproof is better than concealed love.  ⁶ The wounds inflicted by a friend are faithful, But an enemy’s kisses are plentiful.

(Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10) ⁹ Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their hard work. ¹⁰ For if one of them falls, the other can help his partner up. But what will happen to the one who falls with no one to help him up?

(Proverbs 27:9)  ⁹ Oil and incense make the heart rejoice; So does sweet friendship springing from sincere counsel.

when the bible says stupid one it is referring to a spiritually stupid person.

(Proverbs 13:19, 20) . . .But the stupid hate to turn away from bad. ²⁰ The one walking with the wise will become wise, But the one who has dealings with the stupid will fare badly.

(Philippians 2:1-4) 2 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any spiritual fellowship, if any tender affection and compassion, ² make my joy full by being of the same mind and having the same love, being completely united, having the one thought in mind. ³ Do nothing out of contentiousness or out of egotism, but with humility consider others superior to you, ⁴ as you look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.

(Galatians 6:1, 2) 6 Brothers, even if a man takes a false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness. But keep an eye on yourself, for fear you too may be tempted. ² Go on carrying the burdens of one another, and in this way you will fulfill the law of the Christ.

(1 Thessalonians 5:14, 15) ¹⁴ On the other hand, we urge you, brothers, to warn the disorderly, speak consolingly to those who are depressed, support the weak, be patient toward all. ¹⁵ See that no one repays injury for injury to anyone, but always pursue what is good toward one another and to all others.

(Proverbs 22:24, 25) ²⁴ Do not keep company with a hot-tempered man Or get involved with one disposed to rage, ²⁵ So that you never learn his ways And ensnare yourself.

1000 year reign of Jesus.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

What is the purpose of Jesus 1000 year rein in the heavenly kingdom. And what will it bring about. During Jesus 1000 year reign he will restore true worship and all will know God’s name. Jesus will destroy God’s enemies. He will have those who were selected from the earth rule with him as kings over the earth. After all the sheep have been found, man will form a one world order in opposition to God, they will try to compel man to bow to the beast and reject God. Those who put their faith in God and the heavenly kingdom will not bow to the beast. The sheep will have to remain loyal and not betray God by bowing to the beast, if they do remain faithful and loyal then they will survive the tribulation. When this occurs the beast will be destroyed and Satan and the demons will be figuratively chained for 1000 years. This will be the battle of Armageddon, it occurs at the end of Jesus thousand year reign. We are seeing the final prophesies occurring now that indicates these things are going to occur very very soon. Jesus is going to fight the battle with the beast and it’s allies and defeat them. God is going to fight the battle of Armageddon at the end of Jesus thousand year reign.

What are the things we are to watch for and why are they occurring? Because Jesus is returning as a spirit person and not a human we cannot see him. So we need to know what signs to watch for. Jesus mentioned in Matthew things we were to watch for that would indicate he is on the throne and has started the work God has given him to do during his thousand year reign. We were warned the things Jesus mentioned would occur on a grand scale like they have never occurred before. In times past wars were more localized and sporadic. In 1914 we had our first world war which effected nations world wide. Every since then there has been more and more wars. Not only that but with these wars came weapons of mass destruction able to kill millions. We were told there would be earthquakes. Earthquakes used to happen so seldom that they would be news worthy events. Now earthquakes happen so often they usually at most briefly mention them on the news. Disease would be rampant on the earth. Chronic illness levels are at the highest rates they have ever been in history. What sparked these events? We are told in the bible there will be a new heaven and new earth but before this occurs these things must occur. The bible tells us it would would be just like in Noah’s day when the flood came and destroyed the wicked on the the. The wicked in those times paid not note of things until it was too late, we are warned many would do the same in our times. The wicked will be destroyed and some would survive just as they did in Noah’s day. We are told a war would break out in heaven when this occurred Satan and the demons would be cast out of heaven down to the earth. The bible warned woe to the earth because Satan and the demons would be angry knowing they have very little time left. So we know the new heaven has occur Jesus has cleaned up heaven and cast the rebellious angels , which are the demons out of heaven because of the events taking place. Because of this Satan and the demons are trying very hard to corrupt man and to get as many as he can to take his side. As this system nears it’s end things will get worse and worse because of it. The demons will heavily influence religion causing false religion to be rampant on the earth. We are told the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one so we know Satan heavily influences political figures and many others so we can expect corruption to get worse and worse.

This will set into motion the events that will occur next. Man will form the one world order and try to get everyone to bow down to the beast instead of God. This is the disgusting things Jesus mentions because it is the final act of rebellion and man is trying to remove God entirely from peoples lives and to completely replace God. First God will put it into the hearts of the beast and it’s allies to destroy false religion. After false religion is destroyed they will turn on true worship. When this occurs it will anger God and he will destroy the beast, it’s allies and all those who bowed down to the beast. In the last days false worship which is the harlot mentioned in Revelations would be exposed. This is why the bible warns us to get out of great Babylon the harlot. When they turn on true worship the bible says it will be like they stuck their finger in the pupil of his eye. This is when Jesus will destroy the beast, it’s allies and all those who bowed to the beast. This will be the ware of Armageddon but there will be one more war I will discuss later in this article.

Many will survive the great tribulation. Who will those people be. The bible says they are the ones who washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. In other words they followed the path Jesus laid out and got rid of any remnants of false worship and worshiped God with a pure heart. They did their best to imitate Jesus and put their full trust and faith in God. The bible says they will have God’s word written on their hearts. So what will this new system be like for those who have survived the great tribulation.

We already discussed everyone would know God’s name. The bible also says God’s word would be written on their hearts so they would obey God and would not cause harm anymore. The bible tells us God will be with his people and he will wipe out every tear and there will be no more mourning or outcry or pain. The bible tells us the meek will inherit the earth so there will be no more wars and no more violence. The bible tells us the bad memories will be replaced by the good memories. The bible tells us in the new paradise earth there will be no more sickness. Man will be at peace with the animals so we would no longer have to fear animals we now fear. There will be an abundance of food and we will not have to worry about whether we have a place to live or not because all will have a place of their own to live in. All the worries that come with owning things in this system like theft or excess taxes, or even bad whether causing destruction will not occur so the worries that come with owning things in this system will no longer be there. One of the final enemies that Jesus will destroy is death and then death will be no more. So those who walk survive the tribulation will live forever.

There will be a resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous the righteous to a resurrection of judgment so when they are resurrected if they do not repent then they will experience the second death. There are others that will experience this death who could it be?

Well at the end of Jesus 1000 year rein there will be one final battle. Satan will gather people to fight against Jesus. This is the battle mentioned where Gog of Magog is involved. This people will come from nations all around the earth. We can be pretty certain those people will not be the ones who have walked survived the great tribulation because it says God’s word would be on their hearts and he would be with them. Also those who went through the tribulation, we are told no more harm would come to them. So I would be speculating but we know there will be those who are born in the new system who did not experience the tribulation and trials we have. It may be those who Satan declares war on. When this occurs it will result in he, the demons and those who sided with him destruction. This will be the second death and nothing like that will occur on the earth again. After Jesus work is done he will hand the kingdom back to God. Satan and the wicked will be gone and will never be able to bring ruin on the earth again.

(Psalm 110:1-6) 110 Jehovah declared to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand Until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”  ² Jehovah will extend the scepter of your power out of Zion, saying: “Go subduing in the midst of your enemies.”  ³ Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force. In splendid holiness, from the womb of the dawn, You have your company of young men just like dewdrops.  ⁴ Jehovah has sworn an oath, and he will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever In the manner of Mel·chizʹe·dek!”  ⁵ Jehovah will be at your right hand; He will crush kings on the day of his anger.  ⁶ He will execute judgment against the nations; He will fill the land with dead bodies. He will crush the leader of a vast land

(Isaiah 11:9-12)  ⁹ They will not cause any harm Or any ruin in all my holy mountain, Because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah As the waters cover the sea. ¹⁰ In that day the root of Jesʹse will stand up as a signal for the peoples. To him the nations will turn for guidance, And his resting-place will become glorious. ¹¹ In that day Jehovah will again offer his hand, a second time, to reclaim the remnant of his people who are left from As·syrʹi·a, from Egypt, from Pathʹros, from Cush, from Eʹlam, from Shiʹnar, from Haʹmath, and from the islands of the sea. ¹² He will raise up a signal for the nations and gather the dispersed ones of Israel, and he will gather together the scattered ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

(Jeremiah 31:31-34) ³¹ “Look! The days are coming,” declares Jehovah, “when I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant. ³² It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers on the day I took hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, ‘my covenant that they broke, although I was their true master,’ declares Jehovah.” ³³ “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Jehovah. “I will put my law within them, and in their heart I will write it. And I will become their God, and they will become my people.” ³⁴ “And they will no longer teach each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know Jehovah!’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them,” declares Jehovah. “For I will forgive their error, and I will no longer remember their sin.”

(Revelation 5:9, 10) ⁹ And they sing a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought people for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, ¹⁰ and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.”

(Matthew 19:28) Jesus said to them: “Truly I say to you, in the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

(Revelation 20:4) And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed for the witness they gave about Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had not worshipped the wild beast or its image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for 1,000 years.

(Revelation 20:6) Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years.

(Revelation 22:5) Also, night will be no more, and they have no need of lamplight or sunlight, for Jehovah God will shed light upon them, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.

(Revelation 19:19-20:3) ¹⁹ And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. ²¹ But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. 20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1,000 years. ³ And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not mislead the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were ended. After this he must be released for a little while.

(Revelation 22:5) Also, night will be no more, and they have no need of lamplight or sunlight, for Jehovah God will shed light upon them, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.

(Revelation 14:1-5) 14 Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. ² I heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was like singers who accompany themselves by playing on their harps. ³ And they are singing what seems to be a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to master that song except the 144,000, who have been bought from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, ⁵ and no deceit was found in their mouths; they are without blemish.

(Revelation 18:1-8) 18 After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. ² And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks! ³ For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.” ⁴ And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. ⁶ Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. ⁷ To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’ ⁸ That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong.

(2 Timothy 3:1-7) 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, ³ having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, ⁴ betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. ⁶ From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, ⁷ always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.

(1 Timothy 4:1-4) 4 However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, ² by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron. ³ They forbid marriage and command people to abstain from foods that God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth. ⁴ For every creation of God is fine, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

(2 Peter 3:5-10) ⁵ For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; ⁶ and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water. ⁷ But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people. ⁸ However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. ¹⁰ But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed.

(Zechariah 2:7-13) ⁷ “Come, Zion! Make your escape, you who are dwelling with the daughter of Babylon. ⁸ For this is what Jehovah of armies says, who after being glorified has sent me to the nations that were plundering you: ‘Whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye. ⁹ For now I will wave my hand against them, and they will become plunder for their own slaves.’ And you will certainly know that Jehovah of armies has sent me. ¹⁰ “Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion; for I am coming, and I will reside in your midst,” declares Jehovah. ¹¹ “Many nations will join themselves to Jehovah in that day, and they will become my people; and I will reside in your midst.” And you will have to know that Jehovah of armies has sent me to you. ¹² Jehovah will take possession of Judah as his portion on the holy ground, and he will again choose Jerusalem. ¹³ Be silent, all flesh, before Jehovah, for he is taking action from his holy dwelling.

(Revelation 18:1-3) 18 After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. ² And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks! ³ For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.”

(Matthew 24:15-22) ¹⁵ “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), ¹⁶ then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, ¹⁸ and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. ¹⁹ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(Revelation 7:13-17) ¹³ In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” ¹⁴ So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ That is why they are before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, ¹⁷ because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

(Revelation 21:1-4) 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. ² I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. ⁴ And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

(Psalm 37:10, 11) ¹⁰ Just a little while longer, and the wicked will be no more; You will look at where they were, And they will not be there. ¹¹ But the meek will possess the earth, And they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.

(Isaiah 65:17) ¹⁷ For look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be called to mind, Nor will they come up into the heart.

(Isaiah 11:4-9)  ⁴ He will judge the lowly with fairness, And with uprightness he will give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth And put the wicked to death with the breath of his lips.  ⁵ Righteousness will be the belt around his waist, And faithfulness the belt of his hips.  ⁶ The wolf will reside for a while with the lamb, And with the young goat the leopard will lie down, And the calf and the lion and the fattened animal will all be together; And a little boy will lead them.  ⁷ The cow and the bear will feed together, And their young will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the bull.  ⁸ The nursing child will play over the lair of a cobra, And a weaned child will put his hand over the den of a poisonous snake.  ⁹ They will not cause any harm Or any ruin in all my holy mountain, Because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah As the waters cover the sea.

(Isaiah 35:5-10)  ⁵ At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened, And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.  ⁶ At that time the lame will leap like the deer, And the tongue of the speechless will shout for joy. For waters will burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert plain.  ⁷ The heat-parched ground will become a reedy pool, And the thirsty ground springs of water. In the lairs where jackals rested, There will be green grass and reeds and papyrus.  ⁸ And a highway will be there, Yes, a way called the Way of Holiness. The unclean one will not travel on it. It is reserved for the one walking on the way; No one foolish will stray onto it.  ⁹ No lion will be there, And no vicious wild beasts will come on it. They will not be found there; Only the repurchased ones will walk there. ¹⁰ Those redeemed by Jehovah will return and come to Zion with a joyful cry. Unending joy will crown their heads. Exultation and rejoicing will be theirs, And grief and sighing will flee away.

(John 5:27-30) . . .. ²⁸ Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment. ³⁰ I cannot do a single thing of my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous because I seek, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

(Revelation 20:12-15) . . .. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. ¹⁴ And death and the Grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.

(1 Corinthians 15:20-28) ²⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep in death. ²¹ For since death came through a man, resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. ²² For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive. ²³ But each one in his own proper order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence. ²⁴ Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. ²⁵ For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. ²⁶ And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing. ²⁷ For God “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him. ²⁸ But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.

(Ephesians 1:19-23) . . ., ²⁰ which he exercised toward Christ when he raised him up from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above every government and authority and power and lordship and every name that is named, not only in this system of things but also in that to come. ²² He also subjected all things under his feet and made him head over all things with regard to the congregation, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills up all things in all.

The war of Armaggedon and the war with Satan, and Gog of Magog are two different battles.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

Many think the battle between the beast and the battle between Satan, with Gog of Magog as his allies are one and the same battle but they cannot be. The battle with the beast will occur during the great tribulation. It will result in the beast and those who sided with the beast being destroyed. The war between the beast and it’s allies will be the war of Armegeddon and will occur when man turns on true worship and attacks God’s people. When this war occurs Satan and the demons will be figuratively chained for 1000 years so will not be able to corrupt the earth for a period of time. The war between Satan and Gog of Magog will occur at the end of Jesus thousand year rein. This war will occur when Satan is released. He will gather humans who will take his side. This could possibly be ones who are resurrected to a resurrection of judgment who have not repented though I am speculating on who they may be. During this war God’s people will be living in peace and security. The end result of this war will be the destruction of Satan , the demons and those who sided with him.

(Ezekiel 38:1-23) 38 The word of Jehovah again came to me, saying: ² “Son of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Maʹgog, the head chieftain of Meʹshech and Tuʹbal, and prophesy against him. ³ Say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: “Here I am against you, O Gog, head chieftain of Meʹshech and Tuʹbal. ⁴ I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in splendor, a vast assembly with large shields and bucklers, all of them wielding swords; ⁵ Persia, E·thi·oʹpi·a, and Put are with them, all of them with buckler and helmet; ⁶ Goʹmer and all its troops, the house of To·garʹmah from the remotest parts of the north, along with all its troops—many peoples are with you. ⁷ “‘“Be ready, prepare yourselves, you with all your armies that are assembled with you, and you will be their commander. ⁸ “‘“You will be given attention after many days. In the final part of the years you will invade the land whose people have been restored from the ravages of the sword, collected together out of many peoples onto the mountains of Israel, which had long been lying devastated. The inhabitants of this land were restored from the peoples, and all of them dwell in security. ⁹ You will come against them like a storm, and you will cover the land like clouds, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”’ ¹⁰ “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘In that day thoughts will come into your heart, and you will devise an evil plan. ¹¹ You will say: “I will invade the land of unprotected settlements. I will come against those living in security, without disturbance, all of them living in settlements unprotected by walls, bars, or gates.” ¹² It will be to take much spoil and plunder, to attack the devastated places that are now inhabited and a people regathered from the nations, who are accumulating wealth and property, those who are living in the center of the earth. ¹³ “‘Sheʹba and Deʹdan, the merchants of Tarʹshish and all its warriors will say to you: “Are you invading to get much spoil and plunder? Have you assembled your armies to carry off silver and gold, to take wealth and property, to seize a very great spoil?”’ ¹⁴ “So prophesy, son of man, and say to Gog, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: “On that day when my people Israel are dwelling in security, will you not know it? ¹⁵ You will come from your place, from the remotest parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great assembly, a vast army. ¹⁶ Like clouds covering the land, you will come against my people Israel. In the final part of the days I will bring you against my land so that the nations may know me when I sanctify myself through you before their eyes, O Gog.”’ ¹⁷ “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘Are you not the same one I spoke about in the former days through my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for many years that you would be brought against them?’ ¹⁸ “‘On that day, the day when Gog invades the land of Israel,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘my great rage will flare up. ¹⁹ In my zeal, in the fire of my fury, I will speak; and in that day there will be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. ²⁰ Because of me the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the wild beasts of the field, all the reptiles that creep on the ground, and all humans on the surface of the earth will tremble, and the mountains will be thrown down, and the cliffs will fall, and every wall will collapse to the ground.’ ²¹ “‘I will call for a sword against him on all my mountains,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘Every man’s sword will be against his own brother. ²² I will bring my judgment against him with pestilence and bloodshed; and I will rain down a torrential downpour and hailstones and fire and sulfur on him and on his troops and on the many peoples with him. ²³ And I will certainly magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known before the eyes of many nations; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah.’

(Ezekiel 39:1-29) 39 “And you, son of man, prophesy against Gog, and tell him, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: “I am against you, Gog, head chieftain of Meʹshech and Tuʹbal. ² I will turn you around and lead you and make you come up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you in upon the mountains of Israel. ³ I will knock your bow out of your left hand and make your arrows fall from your right hand. ⁴ On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the peoples who will be with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of birds of prey and the wild beasts of the field.”’ ⁵ “‘You will fall on the open field, for I myself have spoken,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ⁶ “‘And I will send fire against Maʹgog and against those who are inhabiting the islands in security, and they will have to know that I am Jehovah. ⁷ I will make my holy name known among my people Israel, and I will not allow my holy name to be profaned any longer; and the nations will have to know that I am Jehovah, the Holy One in Israel.’ ⁸ “‘Yes, this is coming, and it will be done,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘This is the day I have spoken about. ⁹ The inhabitants of the cities of Israel will go out and make fires with the weapons—the bucklers and shields, the bows and arrows, the war clubs and lances. And they will use them to light fires for seven years. ¹⁰ They will not need to take wood from the field or gather firewood from the forests because they will use the weapons to light fires.’ “‘They will take spoil from those who despoiled them and plunder from those who had been plundering them,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ¹¹ “‘On that day I will give Gog a burial place there in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east of the sea, and it will block the path of those passing through. That is where they will bury Gog and all his hordes, and they will call it the Valley of Hamon-Gog. ¹² The house of Israel will spend seven months burying them in order to cleanse the land. ¹³ All the people of the land will work at burying them, and this will bring them fame in the day that I glorify myself,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ¹⁴ “‘Men will be assigned to pass through the land constantly and bury the bodies left remaining on the surface of the earth, in order to cleanse it. They will continue the search for seven months. ¹⁵ When those who pass through the land see a human bone, they will set up a marker beside it. Then those assigned to do the burying will bury it in the Valley of Hamon-Gog. ¹⁶ And there will also be a city there named Ha·moʹnah. And they will cleanse the land.’ ¹⁷ “As for you, son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘Say to every sort of bird and to all the wild beasts of the field, “Gather yourselves together and come. Gather all around my sacrifice that I am preparing for you, a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. You will eat flesh and drink blood. ¹⁸ You will eat the flesh of mighty ones and drink the blood of the chieftains of the earth—the rams, lambs, goats, and bulls—all the fattened animals of Baʹshan. ¹⁹ You will gorge yourselves on fat and drink blood until you are drunk from the sacrifice that I prepare for you.”’ ²⁰ “‘At my table you will be filled up with horses and charioteers, mighty ones and all sorts of warriors,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ²¹ “‘I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the judgment that I have executed and the power that I have demonstrated among them. ²² From that day on the house of Israel will have to know that I am Jehovah their God. ²³ And the nations will have to know that the house of Israel went into exile because of their own error, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. ²⁴ I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their transgressions, and I hid my face from them.’ ²⁵ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘I will restore the captives of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will zealously defend my holy name. ²⁶ After they have been humiliated for all their unfaithfulness toward me, they will dwell securely on their land, with no one to make them afraid. ²⁷ When I bring them back from the peoples and collect them together from the lands of their enemies, I will also sanctify myself among them before the eyes of many nations.’ ²⁸ “‘They will have to know that I am Jehovah their God when I send them into exile among the nations and then gather them back to their land, not leaving any of them behind. ²⁹ I will not hide my face from them any longer, for I will pour out my spirit on the house of Israel,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.”

(Revelation 20:7-10) ⁷ Now as soon as the 1,000 years have ended, Satan will be released from his prison, ⁸ and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Maʹgog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea. ⁹ And they advanced over the whole earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and consumed them. ¹⁰ And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet already were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

(Daniel 11:32-35) ³² “And those who act wickedly against the covenant, he will lead into apostasy by means of smooth words. But the people who know their God will prevail and act effectively. ³³ And those having insight among the people will impart understanding to the many. And they will be made to stumble by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plundering, for some days. ³⁴ But when they are made to stumble, they will be given a little help; and many will join with them by means of smooth speech. ³⁵ And some of those having insight will be made to stumble, in order to do a refining work because of them and to do a cleansing and a whitening until the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed.

(Daniel 12:9, 10) ⁹ Then he said: “Go, Daniel, because the words are to be kept secret and sealed up until the time of the end. ¹⁰ Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand.

(Jeremiah 30:23, 24) ²³ Look! A windstorm of Jehovah will burst out in fury, A sweeping tempest that whirls down on the head of the wicked. ²⁴ The burning anger of Jehovah will not turn back Until he has carried out and accomplished the intentions of his heart. In the final part of the days you will understand this.

(Revelation 20:11-15) ¹¹ And I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. ¹⁴ And death and the Grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.

Satan cannot be Gog.

(Revelation 19:11-20:10) ¹¹ I saw heaven opened, and look! a white horse. And the one seated on it is called Faithful and True, and he judges and carries on war in righteousness. ¹² His eyes are a fiery flame, and on his head are many diadems. He has a name written that no one knows but he himself, ¹³ and he is clothed with an outer garment stained with blood, and he is called by the name The Word of God. ¹⁴ Also, the armies in heaven were following him on white horses, and they were clothed in white, clean, fine linen. ¹⁵ And out of his mouth protrudes a sharp, long sword with which to strike the nations, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron. Moreover, he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. ¹⁶ On his outer garment, yes, on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. ¹⁷ I saw also an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice and said to all the birds that fly in midheaven: “Come here, be gathered together to the great evening meal of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of military commanders and the flesh of strong men and the flesh of horses and of those seated on them, and the flesh of all, of freemen as well as of slaves and of small ones and great.” ¹⁹ And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. ²¹ But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. 20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1,000 years. ³ And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not mislead the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were ended. After this he must be released for a little while. ⁴ And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed for the witness they gave about Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had not worshipped the wild beast or its image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for 1,000 years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years. ⁷ Now as soon as the 1,000 years have ended, Satan will be released from his prison, ⁸ and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Maʹgog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea. ⁹ And they advanced over the whole earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and consumed them. ¹⁰ And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet already were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

(Daniel 11:11-12:2) ¹¹ “And the king of the south will become bitter and will go out and fight with him, that is, with the king of the north; and he will muster a large crowd, but the crowd will be given into that one’s hand. ¹² And the crowd will be carried away. His heart will become exalted, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; but he will not make use of his strong position. ¹³ “And the king of the north will return and muster a crowd larger than the first; and at the end of the times, after some years, he will surely come with a large army and with many resources. ¹⁴ In those times many will stand up against the king of the south. “And the violent ones among your people will be carried along to try making a vision come true; but they will stumble. ¹⁵ “And the king of the north will come and throw up a siege rampart and capture a fortified city. And the arms of the south will not stand, nor will his select men; and they will have no power to stand. ¹⁶ The one coming against him will do as he pleases, and no one will stand before him. He will stand in the land of the Decoration, and ability to exterminate will be in his hand. ¹⁷ He will set his face to come with the full force of his kingdom, and there will be equitable terms with him; and he will act effectively. As regards the daughter of women, it will be granted to him to bring her to ruin. And she will not stand, and she will not continue to be his. ¹⁸ He will turn his face back to the coastlands and will capture many. And a commander will make the reproach from him cease for himself, so that his reproach will not be. He will make it turn back on that one. ¹⁹ Then he will turn his face back to the fortresses of his own land, and he will stumble and fall, and he will not be found. ²⁰ “And there will stand up in his position one who causes an exactor to pass through the splendid kingdom, but in a few days he will be broken, though not in anger nor in warfare. ²¹ “And there will stand up in his position a despised one, and they will not give him the majesty of the kingdom; and he will come in during a time of security and take hold of the kingdom by means of smoothness. ²² And the arms of the flood will be swept away on account of him, and they will be broken; as will be the Leader of the covenant. ²³ And because of their alliance with him, he will carry on deception and rise up and become mighty by means of a little nation. ²⁴ During a time of security he will come into the richest parts of the province and do what his fathers and their fathers have not done. Plunder and spoil and goods he will distribute among them; and against fortified places he will plot his schemes, but only for a time. ²⁵ “And he will muster his power and his heart against the king of the south with a large army, and the king of the south will prepare himself for the war with an exceedingly large and mighty army. And he will not stand, because they will plot schemes against him. ²⁶ And those eating his delicacies will bring his downfall. “As for his army, it will be swept away, and many will fall down slain. ²⁷ “As regards these two kings, their heart will be inclined to do what is bad, and they will sit at one table speaking lies to each other. But nothing will succeed, because the end is yet for the time appointed. ²⁸ “And he will go back to his land with a great amount of goods, and his heart will be against the holy covenant. He will act effectively and go back to his land. ²⁹ “At the time appointed he will return and come against the south. But this time will not be as it was before, ³⁰ for the ships of Kitʹtim will come against him, and he will be humbled. “He will go back and hurl denunciations against the holy covenant and act effectively; and he will go back and will give attention to those leaving the holy covenant. ³¹ And arms will stand up, proceeding from him; and they will profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and remove the constant feature. “And they will put in place the disgusting thing that causes desolation. ³² “And those who act wickedly against the covenant, he will lead into apostasy by means of smooth words. But the people who know their God will prevail and act effectively. ³³ And those having insight among the people will impart understanding to the many. And they will be made to stumble by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plundering, for some days. ³⁴ But when they are made to stumble, they will be given a little help; and many will join with them by means of smooth speech. ³⁵ And some of those having insight will be made to stumble, in order to do a refining work because of them and to do a cleansing and a whitening until the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed. ³⁶ “The king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt himself and magnify himself above every god; and against the God of gods he will speak astonishing things. And he will prove successful until the denunciation comes to a finish; because what is determined must take place. ³⁷ He will show no regard for the God of his fathers; nor will he show regard for the desire of women or for any other god, but he will magnify himself over everyone. ³⁸ But instead he will give glory to the god of fortresses; to a god that his fathers did not know he will give glory by means of gold and silver and precious stones and desirable things. ³⁹ He will act effectively against the most fortified strongholds, along with a foreign god. He will give great glory to those who give him recognition, and he will make them rule among many; and the ground he will apportion out for a price. ⁴⁰ “In the time of the end the king of the south will engage with him in a pushing, and against him the king of the north will storm with chariots and horsemen and many ships; and he will enter into the lands and sweep through like a flood. ⁴¹ He will also enter into the land of the Decoration, and many lands will be made to stumble. But these are the ones that will escape out of his hand: Eʹdom and Moʹab and the main part of the Amʹmon·ites. ⁴² And he will keep thrusting out his hand against the lands; and as regards the land of Egypt, she will not escape. ⁴³ And he will rule over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the desirable things of Egypt. And the Libʹy·ans and the E·thi·oʹpi·ans will be at his steps. ⁴⁴ “But reports out of the east and out of the north will disturb him, and he will go out in a great rage to annihilate and to devote many to destruction. ⁴⁵ And he will plant his royal tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration; and he will come all the way to his end, and there will be no helper for him. 12 “During that time Miʹcha·el will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book. ² And many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt.

(Revelation 17:12-18:24) ¹² “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings for one hour with the wild beast. ¹³ These have one thought, so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. ¹⁴ These will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.” ¹⁵ He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. ¹⁶ And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. ¹⁷ For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished. ¹⁸ And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.” 18 After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. ² And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit and every unclean and hated bird lurks! ³ For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.” ⁴ And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. ⁶ Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. ⁷ To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’ ⁸ That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong. ⁹ “And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning. ¹⁰ They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’ ¹¹ “Also, the merchants of the earth are weeping and mourning over her, because there is no one to buy their full cargo anymore, ¹² a full cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth; and everything made from scented wood; and every sort of object made from ivory, and from precious wood, copper, iron, and marble; ¹³ also cinnamon, Indian spice, incense, perfumed oil, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, slaves, and human lives. ¹⁴ Yes, the fine fruit that you desired has left you, and all the delicacies and the splendid things have vanished from you, never to be found again. ¹⁵ “The merchants who sold these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, ¹⁶ saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls, ¹⁷ because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!’ “And every ship captain and every seafaring person and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea stood at a distance ¹⁸ and cried out as they looked at the smoke from her burning and said: ‘What city is like the great city?’ ¹⁹ They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, in which all those who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been devastated!’ ²⁰ “Be glad over her, O heaven, also you holy ones and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced his judgment on her in your behalf!” ²¹ And a strong angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: “Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again. ²² And the sound of singers who accompany themselves on the harp, of musicians, of flutists, and of trumpeters will never be heard in you again. And no craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again, and no sound of a millstone will ever be heard in you again. ²³ No light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in you again; for your merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, and by your spiritistic practices all the nations were misled. ²⁴ Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”

(Revelation 16:13, 14) ¹³ And I saw three unclean inspired expressions that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. ¹⁴ They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and they perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.

(Daniel 11:40-12:2) ⁴⁰ “In the time of the end the king of the south will engage with him in a pushing, and against him the king of the north will storm with chariots and horsemen and many ships; and he will enter into the lands and sweep through like a flood. ⁴¹ He will also enter into the land of the Decoration, and many lands will be made to stumble. But these are the ones that will escape out of his hand: Eʹdom and Moʹab and the main part of the Amʹmon·ites. ⁴² And he will keep thrusting out his hand against the lands; and as regards the land of Egypt, she will not escape. ⁴³ And he will rule over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the desirable things of Egypt. And the Libʹy·ans and the E·thi·oʹpi·ans will be at his steps. ⁴⁴ “But reports out of the east and out of the north will disturb him, and he will go out in a great rage to annihilate and to devote many to destruction. ⁴⁵ And he will plant his royal tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration; and he will come all the way to his end, and there will be no helper for him. 12 “During that time Miʹcha·el will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book. ² And many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt.

(Revelation 20:7-15) ⁷ Now as soon as the 1,000 years have ended, Satan will be released from his prison, ⁸ and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Maʹgog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea. ⁹ And they advanced over the whole earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and consumed them. ¹⁰ And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet already were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. ¹¹ And I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. ¹⁴ And death and the Grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.

(Zechariah 14:1-19) 14 “Look! The day is coming, a day belonging to Jehovah, when the spoil from you will be divided in your midst. ² I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for the war; and the city will be captured and the houses plundered and the women raped. And half of the city will go into exile, but the remaining ones of the people will not be cut off from the city. ³ “Jehovah will go out and war against those nations as when he fights in the day of a battle. ⁴ In that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in half, from east to west, forming a very great valley; and half of the mountain will move to the north, and half of it to the south. ⁵ You will flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains will extend all the way to Aʹzel. You will have to flee, just as you fled because of the earthquake in the days of King Uz·ziʹah of Judah. And Jehovah my God will come, and all the holy ones will be with him. ⁶ “In that day there will be no precious light—things will be congealed. ⁷ And it will become one day that is known as belonging to Jehovah. It will not be day, nor will it be night; and at evening time there will be light. ⁸ In that day living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and half of them toward the western sea. It will happen in summer and in winter. ⁹ And Jehovah will be King over all the earth. In that day Jehovah will be one, and his name one. ¹⁰ “The whole land will become like the Arʹa·bah, from Geʹba to Rimʹmon south of Jerusalem; and she will rise and be inhabited in her place, from the Gate of Benjamin all the way to the site of the First Gate, all the way to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Ha·nanʹel all the way to the winepresses of the king. ¹¹ And people will inhabit her; and there will never again be a curse of destruction, and Jerusalem will be inhabited in security. ¹² “And this is the scourge with which Jehovah will scourge all the peoples who wage war against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot away while they stand on their feet, their eyes will rot away in their sockets, and their tongues will rot away in their mouths. ¹³ “In that day confusion from Jehovah will be widespread among them; and each one will grab hold of the hand of his companion, and his hand will come against the hand of his companion. ¹⁴ Judah will also be involved in the war at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the surrounding nations will be gathered, gold and silver and garments in vast quantity. ¹⁵ “And a scourge like that scourge will also come against the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and all the livestock that are in those camps. ¹⁶ “Everyone who is left remaining out of all the nations that come against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to bow down to the King, Jehovah of armies, and to celebrate the Festival of Booths. ¹⁷ But if anyone among the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to bow down to the King, Jehovah of armies, no rain will fall on them. ¹⁸ And if the family of Egypt does not come up and does not come in, they will have no rain. Instead, they will have the scourge with which Jehovah scourges the nations that do not come up to celebrate the Festival of Booths. ¹⁹ This will be the punishment for the sin of Egypt and the sin of all the nations that do not come up to celebrate the Festival of Booths.

(Revelation 17:9-11) ⁹ “This calls for a mind that has wisdom: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. ¹⁰ And there are seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet arrived; but when he does arrive, he must remain a short while. ¹¹ And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also an eighth king, but it springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction.

(Revelation 19:19-20:3) ¹⁹ And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. ²¹ But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. 20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1,000 years. ³ And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not mislead the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were ended. After this he must be released for a little while.

(Isaiah 34:2-35:10)  ² For Jehovah’s indignation is against all the nations, And his wrath is against all their army. He will devote them to destruction; He will give them to the slaughter.  ³ Their slain will be thrown out, And the stench of their carcasses will ascend; The mountains will melt because of their blood.  ⁴ All the army of the heavens will rot away, And the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll. All their army will wither away, As a withered leaf falls from the vine And a shriveled fig from the fig tree.  ⁵ “For in the heavens my sword will be drenched. It will descend on Eʹdom in judgment, On the people whom I devoted to destruction.  ⁶ Jehovah has a sword; it will be covered with blood. It will be covered with the fat, With the blood of young rams and goats, With the kidney fat of rams. For Jehovah has a sacrifice in Bozʹrah, A great slaughter in the land of Eʹdom.  ⁷ The wild bulls will go down with them, The young bulls with the powerful ones. Their land will be drenched in blood, And their dust will be soaked with fat.”  ⁸ For Jehovah has a day of vengeance, A year of retribution for the legal case over Zion.  ⁹ Her streams will be changed into pitch, And her dust into sulfur, And her land will become like burning pitch. ¹⁰ By night or by day it will not be extinguished; Its smoke will keep ascending forever. From generation to generation she will remain devastated; No one will pass through her forever and ever. ¹¹ The pelican and the porcupine will possess her, And long-eared owls and ravens will reside in her. He will stretch out over her the measuring line of emptiness And the plumb line of desolation. ¹² None of her nobles will be called to the kingship, And all her princes will come to nothing. ¹³ Thorns will grow in her fortified towers, Nettles and thorny weeds in her fortresses. She will become a lair of jackals, An enclosure for ostriches. ¹⁴ Desert creatures will meet up with howling animals, And the wild goat will call to its companion. Yes, there the nightjar will settle and find a place of rest. ¹⁵ There the arrow snake will make its nest and lay eggs, And it will hatch them and gather them in its shadow. Yes, there the kites will gather, each one with her mate. ¹⁶ Search in the book of Jehovah and read it out loud: Not one of them will be missing; None of them will be lacking a mate, For it is the mouth of Jehovah that has given the order, And it is his spirit that has gathered them together. ¹⁷ He is the One who has cast the lot for them, And his own hand has measured out their assigned place. They will possess it for all time; They will reside in it throughout all generations. 35 The wilderness and the parched land will exult, And the desert plain will be joyful and blossom as the saffron.  ² Without fail it will blossom; It will rejoice and shout for joy. The glory of Lebʹa·non will be given to it, The splendor of Carʹmel and of Sharʹon. They will see the glory of Jehovah, the splendor of our God.  ³ Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the knees that are shaking.  ⁴ Say to those who are anxious at heart: “Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your own God will come with vengeance, God will come with retribution. He will come and save you.”  ⁵ At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened, And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.  ⁶ At that time the lame will leap like the deer, And the tongue of the speechless will shout for joy. For waters will burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert plain.  ⁷ The heat-parched ground will become a reedy pool, And the thirsty ground springs of water. In the lairs where jackals rested, There will be green grass and reeds and papyrus.  ⁸ And a highway will be there, Yes, a way called the Way of Holiness. The unclean one will not travel on it. It is reserved for the one walking on the way; No one foolish will stray onto it.  ⁹ No lion will be there, And no vicious wild beasts will come on it. They will not be found there; Only the repurchased ones will walk there. ¹⁰ Those redeemed by Jehovah will return and come to Zion with a joyful cry. Unending joy will crown their heads. Exultation and rejoicing will be theirs, And grief and sighing will flee away.

(Revelation 19:19-21) ¹⁹ And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. ²⁰ And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. ²¹ But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

*** nwtsty Joel 3:10-21 ***

¹⁰ Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning shears into spears.

Let the weak one say: “I am powerful.”

¹¹ Come and help, all you surrounding nations, assemble together!’”

To that place, O Jehovah, bring down your powerful ones.

¹² “Let the nations be roused and come up to the Valley of Je·hoshʹa·phat;

For there I will sit in order to judge all the surrounding nations.

¹³ Thrust in a sickle, for the harvest is ripe.

Come down and tread, for the winepress is full.

The vats overflow, for their badness is abundant.

¹⁴ Crowds, crowds are in the valley of the decision,

For the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of the decision.

¹⁵ Sun and moon will become dark,

And the stars will lose their brightness.

¹⁶ And Jehovah will roar out of Zion,

Out of Jerusalem he will raise his voice.

And heaven and earth will rock;

But Jehovah will be a refuge for his people,

A fortress for the people of Israel.

¹⁷ And you will have to know that I am Jehovah your God, residing in Zion, my holy mountain.

Jerusalem will become a holy place,

And strangers will pass through her no more.

¹⁸ In that day the mountains will drip with sweet wine,

The hills will flow with milk,

And the streams of Judah will all flow with water.

Out of the house of Jehovah a spring will flow,

And it will irrigate the Valley of the Acacia Trees.

¹⁹ But Egypt will become desolate,

And Eʹdom will be a desolate wilderness,

Because of the violence done to the people of Judah,

In whose land they shed innocent blood.

²⁰ But Judah will always be inhabited,

And Jerusalem to generation after generation.

²¹ I will consider innocent their blood that I had not considered innocent;

And Jehovah will reside in Zion.”

(Matthew 24:15-22) ¹⁵ “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), ¹⁶ then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, ¹⁸ and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. ¹⁹ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(2 Peter 3:8-13) ⁸ However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. ¹⁰ But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed. ¹¹ Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, ¹² as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt in the intense heat! ¹³ But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.

(Micah 4:1-7) 4 In the final part of the days, The mountain of the house of Jehovah Will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, And it will be raised up above the hills, And to it peoples will stream.  ² And many nations will go and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah And to the house of the God of Jacob. He will instruct us about his ways, And we will walk in his paths.” For law will go out of Zion, And the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem.  ³ He will render judgment among many peoples And set matters straight respecting mighty nations far away. They will beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, Nor will they learn war anymore.  ⁴ They will sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one will make them afraid, For the mouth of Jehovah of armies has spoken.  ⁵ For all the peoples will walk, each in the name of its god, But we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God forever and ever.  ⁶ “In that day,” declares Jehovah, “I will gather the one who was limping, And collect together the dispersed one, Along with those I treated harshly.  ⁷ I will make the one who was limping a remnant, And the one far removed a mighty nation; And Jehovah will rule as king over them in Mount Zion, From now on and forever.

(1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) 5 Now as for the times and the seasons, brothers, you need nothing to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know very well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. ³ Whenever it is that they are saying, “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly on them, just like birth pains on a pregnant woman, and they will by no means escape.

(Revelation 20:14-21:4) ¹⁴ And death and the Grave were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire. 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. ² I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. ⁴ And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

Why we should not put our trust in man or ourselves.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

I am going to discuss why we should not put our faith in man but before we discuss putting faith in man we should discuss how all this got started. Got created Adam and Eve. He put them in a the garden of Eden. We do not have a word that perfectly describes what the word for Eden meant but it is similar in meaning to the words we use for amusement parks so the garden must have been very fun. God told them to be fruitful and produce and make the whole earth like the garden of Eden. God did all these wonderful things for them but gave them one rule. They could not eat from the tree of knowledge. So they had to earn the right to remain in the garden as long as they did not eat from the tree of knowledge. Satan started to desire the authority that God had so he deceived Eve, this also resulted in Adam being deceived. Satan convinced Eve the things God said were not true, then Eve convinced Adam of these things. He convinced them they would not die and that they would be like God. They had no reason to believe Satan and when they realized he was being deceptive they should not have listened to him because God told them what the consequences would be. They partook of the fruit of the tree of knowledge in rebellion against God. This was the start of man ruling and guiding ourselves because Adam and Eve did not trust or believe God. This also opened the door for Satan to be able to easily manipulate and fool man. We are seeing the end results of their rebellion in the garden.

We cannot entirely blame Satan because once Adam and Eve rebelled they became imperfect and this imperfection was passed on to us. This brought death and sin on man. We are living in a time when they will establish a one world order under the guidance of the beast which is the United Nations and it’s allies. They will require all to bow to it and reject God. If you do not you will not be able to buy sell or trade. That will be the final act of rebellion and mans rejection of God ruling over us and guiding us. Israel enjoyed peace and did not have a need for anything when God was ruling them and guiding them and they rejected him and chose to have a human king. We are seeing the end results of mans rule. Because of corruption between government entities and many corporations chronic illness is rampant on the earth, there are food shortages and famine, earthquakes are so common now that they rarely report them on the news. War is happening around the world. No sooner does one war end another starts. Diseases of many types are rampant. Violence , crime, death, suffering of many types are happening on a scale like they have never happened before. Jesus prophesied all these things. We are seeing the climax of the original rebellion of man putting their trust in themselves or man. We have tried many forms of government and we have only made things worse. There is a way out but I am going to discuss why we are being deceived and harmed by putting our trust in man. Then I will discuss why all these things and the climax of this system is a good thing. So we can see the end results of man putting their trust in themselves and the end results of those who put their trust in God and the heavenly kingdom with Jesus as our king.

Does this mean we should not obey man? Not at all God tells us we are to obey the laws of our nation and we should not speak ill of our rulers. By permitting these governments to exist it keeps some organization on the earth and keeps things from getting to out of hand. Yes Satan can influence these leaders but they do enforce many of God’s laws and try to execute justice. If we obey God’s word for the most part we will be obeying the laws of man. Is there a time where we should not obey mans laws. Yes when they go against what God requires. We are to protect ourselves from harm and remain loyal to him and bow to no one else but the one true God. We are to continue to worship in truth. The bible warns the truth will not be tolerated and that God’s word would be banned on a world wide scale. Some are already experiencing this. We are to still meet and still worship Jehovah and if force to bow to anyone other then Jehovah we should not comply. Remember it only took one act of obedience when Satan was tempting Jesus. He even offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth if he did. Jesus would not give in to Satan’s temptations and he quoted God’s word. So it is very important to write God’s word on our hearts while we can because when they ban his word the bible warns many will be misled and be deceived which will result in their deaths. Not writing his word into their hearts means they will not have his word to guide them when it gets taken away. We write his word on our hearts by taking it in and letting it guide all we do , the more we practice those things the more a part of us his word becomes. There may be times we will have to break mans laws to obey God.

We have the example of Daniel and his companions when they refused to break God’s laws and it could have cost them their lives. They were not certain whether they would live or die but they refused to break God’s laws and God sent angels to protect them. When we are required to reject God and submit to the authority of the beast and it’s allies we would be worshiping the beast. It may seem scary to think about but God always provided for his people when they were being tried and persecuted. We know he can easily provide because we have the example of Jesus who was given five loaves of bread and two fish. He said a blessing to God and then started breaking the bread up and sharing the fish. He fed 5000 people.

There is something I struggled with. Rahab was a prostitute. She had lied and hid God’s people. In my mind I was like she did a bad thing to protect God’s people. But we need to consider she was dealing with people who were deliberately opposing God. She was dealing with some very bad people. She lied for the right reason. She had faith in God and knew he was the true God and that he would give the land into the hands of Israel. Because of her faith in Jehovah she lived with Israel. In order for an alien resident to live with Israel they had to accept the laws that God had given Israel and obey them. So we have to weigh the situation. We should not lie if we are in court or arrested by if we are escaping deception may be necessary. When in court the bible tells us that God will send the holy spirit to call the things we have learned to mind and we will not have to worry about what to say. Many will survive and go through the great tribulation into the new system. How can we be among those who survive the great tribulation and are protected by God?

One of the first things we can do is not depend on ourselves or man. It is what got us in this mess. The bible warns us not to follow our hearts and not to learn on our own understanding. Gods thought are way higher then mans. So any thoughts or ideas we have could not protect us as much as God’s word. The bible says our hearts are the most deceptive thing. By writing God’s word on our hearts we prevent our hearts from deceiving us. If we do not know what God requires when things get very confusing it could result in us doing things that may displease him resulting in our destruction. Satan and his peoples attacks will not always be obvious they usually try little things to try and trip you up and draw you away at first. By writing God’s word on our hearts and not leaning on our own understanding when the persecution and tribulations start we will not be easily deceived or fooled into doing something that could result in us losing God’s protection. Very soon God’s word will be banned world wide and the chance to write his word on our hearts will no longer be available. When the more subtle things do not work Satan will use what I call shock and awe. He will try and overwhelm you. If God’s word is written on our hearts it can help protect us from becoming overwhelm when things like this occur.

Should we vote or get involved in politics? We have to remember the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one. Also we would be putting our faith in imperfect humans who are easily deceived and easily corrupted. If we voted would we not be putting our trust in man and be a part of the errors they make? Man does not have the foresight or wisdom to guide themselves. Humans are limited in power and even if they have good intention lack the power to bring about the many things needed to prevent the suffering on the earth. Usually any good things they may have done will be undone by someone and forgotten. This is why the bible tells us it is better to trust in Jehovah then to trust in princes. By voting are we not putting our trust in man instead of God as Israel did when they rejected God? We know Jesus is the king in heaven. He stated his kingdom was no part of this world. He knew he would be seated on the throne and it would be that kingdom that would restore the earth so it’s original purpose would be fulfilled. The bible calls Satan the God of this system. We know he has a lot of influence over human governments because he offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth. If he had no authority over them he could not have tempted Jesus with an offer like that. Jesus did not question that Satan had the authority to offer him those kingdoms. The bible warns us to be no part of the world , we know how corrupt it is, wouldn’t we be a part of that corruption if we got involved in the politics of this system of things. We should keep our focus on the heavenly kingdom and how we can become citizens of it.

Those who take the beast side in matters will be the ones who have to worry because they will be destroyed and there will be no future hope for them. The bible tells us when they start to arrest us and family and others start to betray us we do not have to worry if we endure because not a single hair on our heads will be harmed. So not many of those who put their trust in God will be harmed. The bible tells us when the wisdom is written on our hearts it will protect our thinking ability. The bible tells us not everyone claiming to have faith in God and to claim to have trust in Jesus will make it through the narrow gate. These will be ones who did not take the time to write God’s word on their hearts so they unknowingly will break God’s laws because they did not make them a part of their life. This is why the bible said when they try to enter Jesus would tell them get away from me I do not know you, you workers of lawlessness. So now more then ever it is very important to know what God requires and write his laws on our hearts by applying what we have learned in our lives.

It is not an easy thing to do because we are told the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one and with us being in the last days there are many following false teachers and these ones will oppose true worship. I personally experienced the hatred towards me when I started to become no part of the world. There were many I thought cared about me but when I started to worship in truth the ones I trusted the most were the ones who attacked me and schemed against me. So making these changes will not be easy at first but once you stand your ground they will stop and you will experience a certain peace of mind that others do not enjoy. This will help to protect your thinking ability. Even now while others live in panic and fear of the things that are occurring, those who know God see the signs and know that better times are very near and the original purpose for the earth is about to happen. That is for the whole earth to be like the garden of Eden and for man to dwell forever upon it.

So how will all this be brought about. We know that Jesus died for our sins , he was the ransom provided by God and he willfully gave his life for our sins. He lived life as a human and suffered the same things we have. He was even tempted. He did not sin and in doing so he defeated Satan and proved Satan’s lies wrong. God appointed Jesus as king and has sat him on the heavenly thrown. He gave Jesus full authority except over God himself . So when they turn on those who worship God in truth with their whole soul and their whole hearts they need not fear it means redemption is near and Jesus will save those who endured to the end.

When they form their one world order under the direction of the beast God will put it in their hearts to destroy false religion. After this occurs they will turn on true worship which God did not put in their hearts , when this starts to occur we may have to go into hiding and be much more careful but it also marks the time of their destruction so this will only occur a short period of time and we only have to endure a little longer. We endured so many things already. Now more then ever we need to strengthen our faith in God. It would be terrible to have endured so many things only to give up right when the new system is so near. False religion is the harlot mentioned in Revelations. When this occurs we need to prepare ourselves. This is why the bible warns if we are still partaking of things God would not approve of we need to get out of Babylon by purifying our worship and worship God in truth and being certain of what he requires. Jesus refers to the beast as the disgusting thing because it is the ultimate rebellion of man against God. The beast and it’s allies will form a one world order trying to completely replace God’s sovereignty and remove him from peoples lives. Many in Pentecost were of the 144,000 we know this because the apostle Paul mentioned they would be given a new spiritual body.

Jesus will not be alone in the heavenly kingdom the bible tells us there will be 144,000 who will rule with him as princes. We know this is a specific number because the ones who walked through the tribulation into the new system would not be numbered. Jesus mentioned the other sheep. So it would be clear there would be two sheep like classes. (John 10:13-17) . . .. ¹⁴ I am the fine shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I surrender my life in behalf of the sheep. ¹⁶ “And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those too I must bring in, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷ This is why the Father loves me, because I surrender my life, so that I may receive it again.) . The first sheep would be the ones who are involved in the first resurrection. They will help Jesus with the work that needs to be done and will rule as kings over the earth. These ones will rule with Jesus for the 1000 years. They will also help Jesus to judge those in the second resurrection. Those who had a resurrection of righteousness will not face the second death but those who were unrighteous will be taught about God and if they do not repent and accept God then they will experience the second death which is also when Satan and the demons will be destroyed. So who are the 144,000 that will rule with Christ. The bible tells us they are the ones who started the work of restoring true worship. They would provide the spiritual food for the other sheep Jesus mentioned. So many men and women in the days of Pentecost were of the 144,00 which is the bride of Christ or woman referred to in Revelations. Jesus has already started some of the work because we were told there would be a new heaven and new earth. When this occurred Jesus gave us the signs to watch for in Matthew 24. He said the things would occur on a grand scale like they have never occurred before. We have rapidly seen things getting worse and we are seeing some of the final prophecies being fulfilled. These things would occur because one of the first things Jesus did was clean up heaven by throwing Satan and the Demons out of heaven. The bible warns woe to the earth because Satan and the demons would know they have very little time left. Once of the final prophecies was the exposing of false religion which marked the defeat of false religion. Another sign that the end was near is the preaching of the good news of the heavenly kingdom in all the earth which many have now had an opportunity to learn about world wide.

So what kind of things can we expect to result from Jesus rule? Well he will heal those who are ill and restore our health and no one will be ill in the new earth. We will still have to work to become spiritually perfect but with time that also will occur. Since death is the final enemy that Jesus will destroy before he hands the kingdom back to God death will be brought to nothing. Humans and animals will be at peace with each other and no more harm will come to those who make it into the new earth. There will be no more wars, no more violence and no more crime. Satan and those who did his bidding will be destroyed and will never be able to bring ruin on the earth again.

These will be trying times but we can have confidence Jesus cares. He perfectly imitated his father when he was on earth giving us a reflection of the love and compassion God has for us. Jesus told us not to be anxious about what we would wear or eat because God would provide for us. We are told God cares so much for us that he remembers all our tears. We may lose things in this system soon but we do not have to worry the things in the new system will be much better and will not come with all the worry there is when we own things in this system. There is nothing man can do to us that God could not undo. Even in death we cannot be separated from the love of God and the love of Jesus. We can be certain God will not forget the love we have shown for his name and the work we have done.

(Genesis 2:15-17) ¹⁵ Jehovah God took the man and settled him in the garden of Eʹden to cultivate it and to take care of it. ¹⁶ Jehovah God also gave this command to the man: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. ¹⁷ But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.”

(Genesis 3:1-7) 3 Now the serpent was the most cautious of all the wild animals of the field that Jehovah God had made. So it said to the woman: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” ² At this the woman said to the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. ³ But God has said about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden: ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it; otherwise you will die.’” ⁴ At this the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die. ⁵ For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.” ⁶ Consequently, the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something desirable to the eyes, yes, the tree was pleasing to look at. So she began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward, she also gave some to her husband when he was with her, and he began eating it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings for themselves.

(1 Samuel 8:4-9) ⁴ In time all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Raʹmah. ⁵ They said to him: “Look! You have grown old, but your sons are not walking in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the other nations.” ⁶ But it displeased Samuel when they said: “Give us a king to judge us.” Then Samuel prayed to Jehovah, ⁷ and Jehovah said to Samuel: “Listen to everything the people say to you; for it is not you whom they have rejected, but it is I whom they have rejected as their king. ⁸ They are doing just as they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day; they keep forsaking me and serving other gods, and that is what they are doing to you. ⁹ Now listen to them. However, you should solemnly warn them; tell them what the king who rules over them will have the right to demand.”

(Ecclesiastes 8:2-4) ² I say: “Obey the king’s orders out of regard for the oath to God. ³ Do not rush to depart from his presence. Do not take a stand for anything bad; for he can do whatever he pleases, ⁴ because the word of the king is absolute; who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’”

(Revelation 13:11-18) ¹¹ Then I saw another wild beast ascending out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, but it began speaking like a dragon. ¹² It exercises all the authority of the first wild beast in its sight. And it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first wild beast, whose mortal wound was healed. ¹³ And it performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind. ¹⁴ It misleads those who dwell on the earth, because of the signs that it was permitted to perform in the sight of the wild beast, while it tells those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the wild beast that had the sword-stroke and yet revived. ¹⁵ And it was permitted to give breath to the image of the wild beast, so that the image of the wild beast should both speak and cause to be killed all those who refuse to worship the image of the wild beast. ¹⁶ It puts under compulsion all people—the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the slaves—that these should be marked on their right hand or on their forehead, ¹⁷ and that nobody can buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name. ¹⁸ This is where it calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the wild beast, for it is a man’s number, and its number is 666.

(Mark 6:41-44) ⁴¹ Taking now the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves up and began giving them to the disciples to place them before the people, and he divided up the two fish for all. ⁴² So they all ate and were satisfied, ⁴³ and they took up 12 baskets full of fragments, aside from the fish. ⁴⁴ Those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.

(Joshua 2:8-16) ⁸ Before the men lay down to sleep, she came up to them on the roof. ⁹ She said to the men: “I do know that Jehovah will give you the land and that the fear of you has fallen upon us. All the inhabitants of the land are disheartened because of you, ¹⁰ for we heard how Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and what you did to the two kings of the Amʹor·ites, Siʹhon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction on the other side of the Jordan. ¹¹ When we heard about it, we lost heart, and no one has any courage because of you, for Jehovah your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. ¹² Now, please, swear to me by Jehovah that, because I showed loyal love to you, you will also show loyal love to my father’s household; and you must give me a sign of good faith. ¹³ You must spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and you must save us from death.” ¹⁴ At that the men said to her: “We will give our lives for yours! If you do not tell about our mission, then we will show loyal love and faithfulness toward you when Jehovah gives us the land.” ¹⁵ After that she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on a side of the city wall. In fact, she was dwelling on the wall. ¹⁶ Then she said to them: “Go to the mountainous region and hide there for three days, so that those pursuing you may not find you. Then, after your pursuers have come back, you can go on your way.”

(Joshua 6:24, 25) ²⁴ Then they burned the city and everything in it with fire. But the silver, the gold, and the articles of copper and iron, they gave to the treasury of Jehovah’s house. ²⁵ Only Raʹhab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her were spared by Joshua; and she lives in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent out to spy on Jerʹi·cho.

(Hebrews 11:31) ³¹ By faith Raʹhab the prostitute did not perish with those who acted disobediently, because she received the spies in a peaceable way.

(Psalm 146:3, 4)  ³ Do not put your trust in princes Nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation.  ⁴ His spirit goes out, he returns to the ground; On that very day his thoughts perish.

(Matthew 4:8-11) ⁸ Again the Devil took him along to an unusually high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. ⁹ And he said to him: “All these things I will give you if you fall down and do an act of worship to me.” ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him: “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’” ¹¹ Then the Devil left him, and look! angels came and began to minister to him.

(James 4:4) ⁴ Adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is making himself an enemy of God.

(Psalm 118:9)  ⁹ It is better to take refuge in Jehovah Than to trust in princes.

(2 Corinthians 4:3-6) ³ If, in fact, the good news we declare is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, ⁴ among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through. ⁵ For we are preaching, not about ourselves, but about Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God is the one who said: “Let the light shine out of darkness,” and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate them with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ.

(Jeremiah 17:5)  ⁵ This is what Jehovah says: “Cursed is the man who puts his trust in mere humans, Who relies on human power, And whose heart turns away from Jehovah.

(Isaiah 2:22) ²² For your own sakes, quit trusting in mere man, Who is only the breath in his nostrils. Why should he be taken into account?

(John 18:35, 36) . . .” ³⁶ Jesus answered: “My Kingdom is no part of this world. If my Kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my Kingdom is not from this source.”

(Matthew 10:17-23) . . .. ¹⁸ And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations. ¹⁹ However, when they hand you over, do not become anxious about how or what you are to speak, for what you are to speak will be given you in that hour; ²⁰ for the ones speaking are not just you, but it is the spirit of your Father that speaks by you. ²¹ Further, brother will hand brother over to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and will have them put to death. ²² And you will be hated by all people on account of my name, but the one who has endured to the end will be saved. ²³ When they persecute you in one city, flee to another; for truly I say to you, you will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives.

(Luke 21:16-19) ¹⁶ Moreover, you will be handed over even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, ¹⁷ and you will be hated by all people because of my name. ¹⁸ But not even a hair of your heads will perish. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will preserve your lives.

(1 Corinthians 15:26-28) ²⁶ And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing. ²⁷ For God “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him. ²⁸ But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.

(2 Peter 3:5-7) ⁵ For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; ⁶ and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water. ⁷ But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people.

(Zechariah 2:7-9) ⁷ “Come, Zion! Make your escape, you who are dwelling with the daughter of Babylon. ⁸ For this is what Jehovah of armies says, who after being glorified has sent me to the nations that were plundering you: ‘Whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye. ⁹ For now I will wave my hand against them, and they will become plunder for their own slaves.’ And you will certainly know that Jehovah of armies has sent me.

(2 Thessalonians 1:6-10) ⁶ This takes into account that it is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you. ⁷ But you who suffer tribulation will be given relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels ⁸ in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance on those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. ⁹ These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength, ¹⁰ at the time when he comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder among all those who exercised faith, because the witness we gave met with faith among you.

(Malachi 4:1-3) 4 “For look! the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the presumptuous ones and all those practicing wickedness will become like stubble. The coming day will certainly devour them,” says Jehovah of armies, “and it will leave them neither root nor branch. ² But on you who honor my name, the sun of righteousness will shine, with healing in its rays; and you will skip about like fattened calves.” ³ “And you will tread the wicked underfoot, for they will be like dust under the soles of your feet on the day when I take action,” says Jehovah of armies.

(Revelation 7:9-17) ⁹ After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they keep shouting with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God, ¹² saying: “Amen! Let the praise and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” ¹³ In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” ¹⁴ So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ That is why they are before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, ¹⁷ because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

(Matthew 24:20-22) ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(Acts 17:25-31) . . .. ²⁶ And he made out of one man every nation of men to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he decreed the appointed times and the set limits of where men would dwell, ²⁷ so that they would seek God, if they might grope for him and really find him, although, in fact, he is not far off from each one of us. ²⁸ For by him we have life and move and exist, even as some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his children.’ ²⁹ “Therefore, since we are the children of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and design of humans. ³⁰ True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance; but now he is declaring to all people everywhere that they should repent. ³¹ Because he has set a day on which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has provided a guarantee to all men by resurrecting him from the dead.”

(Proverbs 3:5)  ⁵ Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding.

(Jeremiah 10:23) ²³ I well know, O Jehovah, that man’s way does not belong to him. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.

(Psalm 17:5)  ⁵ Let my steps stay on your tracks So that my feet will not stumble.

(Jeremiah 17:9, 10)  ⁹ The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it? ¹⁰ I, Jehovah, am searching the heart, Examining the innermost thoughts, To give to each one according to his ways, According to the fruitage of his works.

(Proverbs 28:26) ²⁶ Whoever trusts in his own heart is stupid, But the one who walks in wisdom will escape.

(Proverbs 7:1-3) 7 My son, keep my sayings, And treasure up my commandments.  ² Keep my commandments and live; Guard my instruction like the pupil of your eye.  ³ Tie them around your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.

(Proverbs 2:9-11) . . .The entire course of what is good. ¹⁰ When wisdom enters your heart And knowledge becomes pleasant to your soul, ¹¹ Thinking ability will keep watch over you, And discernment will safeguard you,

(Matthew 12:33-37) ³³ “Either you make the tree fine and its fruit fine or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten, for by its fruit the tree is known. ³⁴ Offspring of vipers, how can you speak good things when you are wicked? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ The good man out of his good treasure sends out good things, whereas the wicked man out of his wicked treasure sends out wicked things. ³⁶ I tell you that men will render an account on Judgment Day for every unprofitable saying that they speak; ³⁷ for by your words you will be declared righteous, and by your words you will be condemned.”

(Matthew 7:21-23) ²¹ “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. ²² Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’

(Luke 21:20-24) ²⁰ “However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. ²¹ Then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains, let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her, ²² because these are days for meting out justice in order that all the things written may be fulfilled. ²³ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! For there will be great distress on the land and wrath against this people. ²⁴ And they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.

(Revelation 17:15-18) ¹⁵ He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. ¹⁶ And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. ¹⁷ For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished. ¹⁸ And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

(Revelation 18:4-8) ⁴ And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. ⁶ Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. ⁷ To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’ ⁸ That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong.

(Matthew 24:15-22) ¹⁵ “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), ¹⁶ then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, ¹⁸ and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. ¹⁹ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(Revelation 14:1-5) 14 Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. ² I heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was like singers who accompany themselves by playing on their harps. ³ And they are singing what seems to be a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to master that song except the 144,000, who have been bought from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, ⁵ and no deceit was found in their mouths; they are without blemish.

(Revelation 5:9, 10) ⁹ And they sing a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought people for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, ¹⁰ and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.”

(Revelation 20:5, 6) . . .. ⁶ Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years.

(Revelation 20:4) ⁴ And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed for the witness they gave about Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had not worshipped the wild beast or its image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for 1,000 years.

(1 Corinthians 15:50-53) ⁵⁰ But I tell you this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s Kingdom, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹ Look! I tell you a sacred secret: We will not all fall asleep in death, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality. . .

(Acts 24:14, 15) . . .. ¹⁵ And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

(Revelation 21:7, 8) . . .. ⁸ But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and the sexually immoral and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This means the second death.”

(Revelation 2:11) ¹¹ Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: The one who conquers will by no means be harmed by the second death.’

(Luke 12:41-44) ⁴¹ Then Peter said: “Lord, are you telling this illustration just to us or also to everyone?” ⁴² And the Lord said: “Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time? ⁴³ Happy is that slave if his master on coming finds him doing so! ⁴⁴ I tell you truthfully, he will appoint him over all his belongings.

(Luke 12:41-44) ⁴¹ Then Peter said: “Lord, are you telling this illustration just to us or also to everyone?” ⁴² And the Lord said: “Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time? ⁴³ Happy is that slave if his master on coming finds him doing so! ⁴⁴ I tell you truthfully, he will appoint him over all his belongings.

(Acts 2:1-4) 2 Now while the day of the Festival of Pentecost was in progress, they were all together at the same place. ² Suddenly there was a noise from heaven, just like that of a rushing, stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ And tongues as if of fire became visible to them and were distributed, and one came to rest on each one of them, ⁴ and they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak in different languages, just as the spirit enabled them to speak.

(Philippians 4:2, 3) ² I urge Eu·oʹdi·a and I urge Synʹty·che to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³ Yes, I request you also, as a true fellow worker, to keep assisting these women who have striven side by side with me for the good news, along with Clement as well as the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.

(Psalm 110:1, 2) 110 Jehovah declared to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand Until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”  ² Jehovah will extend the scepter of your power out of Zion, saying: “Go subduing in the midst of your enemies.”

(Revelation 12:10-12) . . .“Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! ¹¹ And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death. ¹² On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time.”

(Matthew 24:14) ¹⁴ And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

(Matthew 28:19, 20) Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”

(Revelation 21:1-4) 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. ² I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. ⁴ And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

(Psalm 37:8-11) . . .Do not become upset and turn to doing evil.  ⁹ For evil men will be done away with, But those hoping in Jehovah will possess the earth. ו [Waw] ¹⁰ Just a little while longer, and the wicked will be no more; You will look at where they were, And they will not be there. ¹¹ But the meek will possess the earth, And they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.

(Isaiah 35:4-7)  ⁴ Say to those who are anxious at heart: “Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your own God will come with vengeance, God will come with retribution. He will come and save you.”  ⁵ At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened, And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.  ⁶ At that time the lame will leap like the deer, And the tongue of the speechless will shout for joy. For waters will burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert plain.  ⁷ The heat-parched ground will become a reedy pool, And the thirsty ground springs of water. In the lairs where jackals rested, There will be green grass and reeds and papyrus.

(Isaiah 2:4)  ⁴ He will render judgment among the nations And set matters straight respecting many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, Nor will they learn war anymore.

(Matthew 6:28-34) ²⁸ Also, why are you anxious about clothing? Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not toil, nor do they spin; ²⁹ but I tell you that not even Solʹo·mon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. ³⁰ Now if this is how God clothes the vegetation of the field that is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith? ³¹ So never be anxious and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to wear?’ ³² For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ “Keep on, then, seeking first the Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you. ³⁴ So never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties. Each day has enough of its own troubles.

(Psalm 56:8)  ⁸ You keep track of my wandering. Do collect my tears in your skin bottle. Are they not recorded in your book?

(Hebrews 7:24, 25) . . .. ²⁵ So he is able also to save completely those who are approaching God through him, because he is always alive to plead for them.

(Hebrews 13:5, 6) . . .” ⁶ So that we may be of good courage and say: “Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

(Romans 8:35-39) ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of the Christ? Will tribulation or distress or persecution or hunger or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ Just as it is written: “For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we have been accounted as sheep for slaughtering.” ³⁷ On the contrary, in all these things we are coming off completely victorious through the one who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor governments nor things now here nor things to come nor powers ³⁹ nor height nor depth nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Hebrews 6:10-12) ¹⁰ For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name by ministering and continuing to minister to the holy ones. ¹¹ But we desire each one of you to show the same industriousness so as to have the full assurance of the hope down to the end, ¹² so that you may not become sluggish, but be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Bad associations, how they can harm you.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

We are warned about bad associations. I am going to try and clarify what bad associations are , sometimes the line can be narrow and it is that narrow line that has drawn many away from God.

We are warned not to mislead ourselves when it comes to bad associations. One example we are given is Cain and Able. Cain seemed to be worshiping God the same as Able. Cain and Able made offerings to God. Why did God not look on favor with Cains offering? He could read what was in Cains heart he knew Cain was jealous of Able. He knew Cain had been having thoughts he should not have. Instead of accepting the correction from God Cain chose his own way and killed Able. Often times bad associations are not obvious and those are the most dangerous ones spiritually because they can slowly erode away at our faith they can also cause us to fall short and lose our relationship with God. We will need God now more then ever since things are rapidly winding down.

What if someone may not believe in God or may not take an interest in God but seems to be very kind, and loving and trust worthy. The answer to that is to share God’s word with them. See how they react. God’s word is sharper then any two edged sword able to discern the deeper things of the heart. More subtle things can draw people away like maybe the person makes fun of a certain type or group of people. Or maybe they talk about things others people do like gossip. I am not talking about news events, but more speaking of people in a way to either make themselves look better or dwelling on others flaws. Also pay attention to how they treat those who treat them bad or hate them. Anyone can treat those who love them well but if they return the hate or mean behavior then they are not imitating Christ and it could develop that attitude in us. Does the things a person say build someone up or does it cause division and strife? Does this person tend to be very secretive and only tell you certain things? Often times deceptive people will try to avoid talking about themselves or their day. Does the person hold onto anger and tend to not forgive others. The bible warns this can leave an opportunity for the devil. If a person does do things they should not do how do they respond to correction. If they accept the correction and work to improving themselves daily and work to draw closer to God then we should consider that. Keep in mind we are all imperfect, we should not overlook each others short comings and being aware of a friend’s short comings as they work on them and they being aware of yours can work as a protection when both people have a deep love and faith in God. But many of the world no matter how nice they may seem will usually try to capitalize on those short comings. If we fall into the trap of judging others the bible warns we will be judged likewise. This is a subtle trap to fall into , even gossip can lead to us ruining someones reputation. For example I was stating something good about someone a skill they had. I told someone I thought was a friend how I was impressed by that skill. They started gossiping stating the person was spending all their time with the skill they had and not applying themselves spritually. When the sister was confronted she told the person I stated that which I did not. She twisted what I had stated. So even those who are spiritually related we have to be cautious of if they are a gossiper because that brother stopped talking to me. We should not judge the person if we have confronted them or they have been corrected by the elders for their behavior and still have not adjusted their behavior it may be wise to avoid them when possilbe.

Many can be blinded by the beauty of a woman or man. We must be careful that does not happen. Get to know someone very well and we should do our best not to let their looks fool us into being blind to things the person may do that could cause us to fall short of God. Often times they may seem very nice but we should take note, do they put God first in their life? Does the person put more confidence and faith in the world. We are told putting faith in things of the flesh is in conflict with God. It is not wrong to own worldly possessions or to have wealth but if we put those before God it will draw us away and so can someone who puts wealth and things of the world first. Those who put their confidence in the world even if they are a spiritual relative can cause us more then spiritual harm because they may appear to have faith in God but usually eventually fall away and in doing so hurt many people. Often times whole families suffer from the effects of them putting their faith in the world. The bible tells us the parents are to give the children their spiritual food by sharing the scriptures with them. This takes a lot of work and both parents should be involved because the parents set the example for the children. If one of the parents does not apply themselves and are putting more faith in the world it can eventually effect the whole family. Even worse because a person does not have the reverential fear of God they should , they may betray friends or family. Does this mean we should go through life not trusting anyone? Not at all it just means we need to be careful and watch for patterns. We all fall short at one time or another, it is when the before reoccurs we need to be cautious.

I mentioned earlier about those who do not study the bible or who do not have faith. These ones are usually scoffers. We are even warned to be cautious of scoffers. It could get us to pay no note of the times we are in. It is clear we are in the final minutes of this system but it said many would take no note until destruction was suddenly upon them. We know Jesus said the things that would occur would happen on a grand scale like they have never occurred before. We are now seeing that occur and much more rapidly as this system nears it’s end. We are told it will be just as it was in Noah’s day. Noah prepared for the destruction the flood would cause by building the ark. Only seven people survived the flood. We are told to prepare by entering the narrow gate, the bible said few would enter the narrow gate. Jesus told us to constantly stay awake. We were also told we should imitate Jesus the best we can to enter the narrow gate. Many will want to enter but it will be too late because they did not stay awake and he will say get away from me workers of unrighteousness I do not know you. Those who do not believe in God do not believe in the destruction that is coming. They could distract us enough that by the time we realize what time frame we are in it could be too late. We are told not to become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. Solomon took wives who believed in other gods and they eventually drew him away from true worship. Israel started associating with those in Moab. They have very similar practices as Israel so this caused Israel to be led into Baal worship. There is only one true God and this made him angry. This resulted in 24,000 people dying. If we want God’s protection through these last days we need to make sure of the little things. It was the little things that Satan used to trick people because he knows we are always on the guard for the obvious temptations and things that may draw us away. There are many who will make excuses for not applying themselves more spiritually. Those who are spiritually lazy will always see a lion in the road but those who truly love God and want to draw closer will find a way around the lion. Because this is the last days we are going to suffer no matter what. It would be better to suffer with God on your side rather then against you. I can say God has pulled me through many things that I have watched others die from so I have not doubt what staying close to God can do to protect a person.

I have to interact a lot on social media because I am teaching people things about certain types of illness that I experienced and how I healed from them. I only interact with many of them when I have to because I do not know them well enough to know whether they are a bad association or not. I am very careful who I give my phone number to and my email address. The bible warns to be cautious as a serpent but kind as a dove. For the most part I limit how much I interact with people on social media sites. I have found if you interact too much you can get caught up in news events and other things that can consume large amounts of time and even emotional resources. If I feel this happening I start limiting my time on social media. I post scriptures and share bible truths but I am very cautious when I interact with those on social media. Social media makes information available that you just cannot find anywhere else. The search engines heavily censor preventive health information and information on naturally healing . Things God told us to use to heal often times they will censor even on social media. I and many others were very very ill and if it was not for social media we would could not have learned to heal. We could get a sense of obligation to others on social media for the help we were given. We are to help others when they are in need but we need to be cautious how we go about it. We have to remember Satan and his messengers can appear as angels of light. The bible even warned those who are effected by the operations of Satan could perform great signs and works that could deceive someone. This is where looking at a persons fruits and how many they produce and as they grow spiritually do they produce more fruit. These people can appear to be humble and kind but if you look at the fruits they produced like do they have trust worthy friends, do they have a stable family, do they put spiritual things first in their life so they can draw close and stay close to Jehovah. Is the person we are choosing to associate with prideful, do they show envy, is the person patient when you are working on an imperfection, or does the person get easily provoked? We are told love does not do those things. If they do those things it indicates they do not know know God or they need spiritual guidance if they will accept it. God is love and we are to do our best to imitate him.

Where it gets more difficult is when family is bad associations because we have certain obligations. We just have to be careful how we interact with them and experience has taught me when to interact with them. For example I stopped attending certain family events because this is when it seems their bad qualities would really show. When possible I would not leave family do without. In fact we aren’t even supposed to leave our enemies do without out so how much more would we be expected to take care of family? We have to remember the children in our family follow the examples they see. Would we want the children in our family imitating those we associate with? What children learn from their parents could save their lives as things rapidly wind down. Honoring our fathers and mothers comes with a promise of living longer so it is very important we honor our parents.

We cannot take ourselves entirely out of the world. We have to work, and interact in a variety of ways for daily life. We also were given the work of making disciples of others and of declaring the good news of the kingdom in all the earth which is one of the final prophesies. Our work is almost done and better times are very very near. We need to sure ourselves up spiritually now more then ever just as God had Israel do in the past just before they received the fulfillment of promises God had made. This protects us so Satan and his people cannot blind us to the path we need to take as happened to many who did not listen and were deceived and did not get to see the promised land. We will be wronged many times by the world. We should never retaliate or seek revenge. Some day one of those people could accept the truth and be a spiritual relative. If we responded negatively towards them we could slow them learning the truth and if they do not take an interest in the truth then the judgment will be on them and not ourselves. This is why the bible says conquer the evil with the good. When someone wrongs us even if it is family and they do not repent or make recompense then we need to pray for them, forgive them and be more cautious around them but we should not judge them or seek revenge. We can not read peoples hearts God can. We can not judge righteously because we are imperfect. God is perfect so his judgment is righteous and perfect. We will suffer no matter what , if we want to make it through it or be remembered by God during the resurrection we have to do our best to please him and let him guide us. Many will realize too late and will not have God’s word written on their heart by practicing what they have learned. We are told God will call these things to our minds during the great tribulation to help us through it. We are told those who endure to the end will be the ones who will be saved and these ones will get to enjoy eternal life with no more sadness , pain or death. Often times bad associations can lead us down dangerous paths or even life changing events that can take a very long time to recover from if we survive. Now more then ever we need to avoid that because we are already living in dangerous times and it would not be wise to add to the dangers spiritually and physically that we are already enduring.

(1 Corinthians 15:33, 34) ³³ Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits. ³⁴ Come to your senses in a righteous way and do not practice sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I am speaking to move you to shame.

(1 John 3:9-12) ⁹ Everyone who has been born from God does not practice sin, for His seed remains in such one, and he cannot practice sin, for he has been born from God. ¹⁰ The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Whoever does not practice righteousness does not originate with God, nor does the one who does not love his brother. ¹¹ For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; ¹² not like Cain, who originated with the wicked one and slaughtered his brother. And for what reason did he slaughter him? Because his own works were wicked, but those of his brother were righteous.

(Genesis 4:2-7) . . .Abel became a shepherd of the flock, but Cain became a cultivator of the ground. ³ After some time, Cain brought some fruits of the land as an offering to Jehovah. ⁴ But Abel brought some firstlings of his flock, including their fat. While Jehovah looked with favor on Abel and on his offering, ⁵ he did not look with any favor on Cain and on his offering. So Cain grew hot with anger and was dejected. ⁶ Then Jehovah said to Cain: “Why are you so angry and dejected? ⁷ If you turn to doing good, will you not be restored to favor? But if you do not turn to doing good, sin is crouching at the door, and its craving is to dominate you; but will you get the mastery over it?”

(Ephesians 4:31-5:2) ³¹ Put away from yourselves every kind of malicious bitterness, anger, wrath, screaming, and abusive speech, as well as everything injurious. ³² But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you. 5 Therefore, become imitators of God, as beloved children, ² and go on walking in love, just as the Christ also loved us and gave himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice, a sweet fragrance to God.

(Luke 6:31-36) ³¹ “Also, just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them. ³² “If you love those loving you, of what credit is it to you? For even the sinners love those loving them. ³³ And if you do good to those doing good to you, of what credit is it to you? Even the sinners do the same. ³⁴ Also, if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, of what credit is it to you? Even sinners lend to sinners so that they may get back as much. ³⁵ On the contrary, continue to love your enemies and to do good and to lend without hoping for anything back; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind toward the unthankful and wicked. ³⁶ Continue being merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

(Proverbs 7:20-27) ²⁰ He took a bag of money with him, And he will not return until the day of the full moon.” ²¹ She misleads him with great persuasiveness. She seduces him with smooth speech. ²² Suddenly he goes after her, like a bull to the slaughter, Like a fool to be punished in the stocks, ²³ Until an arrow pierces his liver; Like a bird rushing into a trap, he does not know that it will cost him his life. ²⁴ And now, my sons, listen to me; Pay attention to the words I speak. ²⁵ Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways. Do not stray onto her paths, ²⁶ For she has caused many to fall down slain, And those she has killed are numerous. ²⁷ Her house leads to the Grave; It goes down to the inner chambers of death.

(Ephesians 4:25-30) ²⁵ Therefore, now that you have put away deceit, each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another. ²⁶ Be wrathful, but do not sin; do not let the sun set while you are still angry; ²⁷ do not give the Devil an opportunity. ²⁸ Let the one who steals steal no more; rather, let him do hard work, doing good work with his hands, so that he may have something to share with someone in need. ²⁹ Let a rotten word not come out of your mouth, but only what is good for building up as the need may be, to impart what is beneficial to the hearers. ³⁰ Also, do not be grieving God’s holy spirit, with which you have been sealed for a day of releasing by ransom.

(Galatians 6:7-10) ⁷ Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a person is sowing, this he will also reap; ⁸ because the one sowing with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh, but the one sowing with a view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit. ⁹ So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due time we will reap if we do not tire out. ¹⁰ So, then, as long as we have the opportunity, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.

(Proverbs 21:2, 3)  ² All of a man’s ways seem right to him, But Jehovah examines the hearts.  ³ To do what is right and just Is more pleasing to Jehovah than a sacrifice.

(1 John 2:15-17) ¹⁵ Do not love either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; ¹⁶ because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. ¹⁷ Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

(John 6:39, 40) . . .. ⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who recognizes the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day.”

(2 Corinthians 5:17-19) ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; look! new things have come into existence. ¹⁸ But all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of the reconciliation, ¹⁹ namely, that God was by means of Christ reconciling a world to himself, not counting their offenses against them, and he entrusted to us the message of the reconciliation.

(James 4:11, 12) ¹¹ Stop speaking against one another, brothers. Whoever speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against law and judges law. Now if you judge law, you are not a doer of law but a judge. ¹² There is only one who is Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and to destroy. But you, who are you to be judging your neighbor?

(2 Peter 3:2-7) . . .. ³ First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires ⁴ and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.” ⁵ For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; ⁶ and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water. ⁷ But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people.

(Luke 13:23-30) . . .: ²⁴ “Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able. ²⁵ When the householder gets up and locks the door, you will stand outside knocking at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ But in answer he will say to you: ‘I do not know where you are from.’ ²⁶ Then you will start saying, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our main streets.’ ²⁷ But he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness!’ ²⁸ There is where your weeping and the gnashing of your teeth will be, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown outside. ²⁹ Furthermore, people will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the Kingdom of God. ³⁰ And look! there are those last who will be first, and there are those first who will be last.”

(Psalm 10:2-6)  ² The wicked one arrogantly pursues the helpless one, But he will be caught in the schemes he devises.  ³ For the wicked one boasts about his selfish desires And blesses the greedy one; נ [Nun] He disrespects Jehovah.  ⁴ In his haughtiness, the wicked man makes no investigation; All his thoughts are: “There is no God.”  ⁵ His ways keep prospering, But your judgments are beyond his understanding; He scoffs at all his adversaries.  ⁶ He says in his heart: “I will never be shaken; For generation after generation I will never see calamity.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:1-5) 5 Now as for the times and the seasons, brothers, you need nothing to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know very well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. ³ Whenever it is that they are saying, “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly on them, just like birth pains on a pregnant woman, and they will by no means escape. ⁴ But you, brothers, you are not in darkness, so that the day should overtake you as it would thieves, ⁵ for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We belong neither to night nor to darkness.

(2 Corinthians 6:14-18) ¹⁴ Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? ¹⁵ Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Beʹli·al? Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: “I will reside among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” ¹⁷ “‘Therefore, get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing’”; “‘and I will take you in.’” ¹⁸ “‘And I will become a father to you, and you will become sons and daughters to me,’ says Jehovah, the Almighty.”

(Numbers 25:1-3) 25 When Israel was dwelling in Shitʹtim, the people started to commit sexual immorality with the daughters of Moʹab. ² The women invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people began to eat and to bow down to their gods. ³ So Israel joined in worship of the Baʹal of Peʹor, and Jehovah became enraged with Israel.

(Proverbs 26:13) ¹³ The lazy one says: “There is a young lion in the road, A lion in the public square!”

(2 Corinthians 11:12-15) ¹² But what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to eliminate the pretext of those who are wanting a basis for being found equal to us in the things about which they boast. ¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works.

(2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) ⁹ But the lawless one’s presence is by the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders ¹⁰ and every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth in order that they might be saved. ¹¹ That is why God lets a deceptive influence mislead them so that they may come to believe the lie, ¹² in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness.

(Galatians 5:22-24) ²² On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³ mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the stake the flesh together with its passions and desires.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-7) ⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, ⁵ does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. ⁶ It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

(Ephesians 6:1-4) . . .. ² “Honor your father and your mother” is the first command with a promise: ³ “That it may go well with you and you may remain a long time on the earth.” ⁴ And fathers, do not be irritating your children, but go on bringing them up in the discipline and admonition of Jehovah.

(Acts 18:7, 8) . . .. ⁸ But Crisʹpus, the presiding officer of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, along with all his household. .

(1 Timothy 3:1-7) 3 This statement is trustworthy: If a man is reaching out to be an overseer, he is desirous of a fine work. ² The overseer should therefore be irreprehensible, a husband of one wife, moderate in habits, sound in mind, orderly, hospitable, qualified to teach, ³ not a drunkard, not violent, but reasonable, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, ⁴ a man presiding over his own household in a fine manner, having his children in subjection with all seriousness ⁵ (for if any man does not know how to preside over his own household, how will he care for the congregation of God?), ⁶ not a newly converted man, for fear that he might get puffed up with pride and fall into the judgment passed on the Devil. ⁷ Moreover, he should also have a fine testimony from outsiders so that he does not fall into reproach and a snare of the Devil.

(Romans 12:20, 21) ²⁰ But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.

(John 14:26-29) . . .. ²⁷ I leave you peace; I give you my peace. I do not give it to you the way that the world gives it. Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let them shrink out of fear. ²⁸ You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am. ²⁹ So now I have told you before it occurs, so that you may believe when it does occur. . .

(Matthew 10:16-22) ¹⁶ “Look! I am sending you out as sheep among wolves; so prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Be on your guard against men, for they will hand you over to local courts and they will scourge you in their synagogues. ¹⁸ And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations. ¹⁹ However, when they hand you over, do not become anxious about how or what you are to speak, for what you are to speak will be given you in that hour; ²⁰ for the ones speaking are not just you, but it is the spirit of your Father that speaks by you. ²¹ Further, brother will hand brother over to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and will have them put to death. ²² And you will be hated by all people on account of my name, but the one who has endured to the end will be saved.

(John 14:25, 26) ²⁵ “I have spoken these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things and bring back to your minds all the things I told you.

Why do good people suffer?

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

I know things are getting very difficult and times are getting very hard. In times like this it can cause doubt or even get us to question our faith in God and cause many doubts. Many in bible times have become confused when they were suffering. It may even seem as if you lost favor with God. God is not unjust he remembers the work we have done for him. So I am going to discuss just why people suffer , even good people will suffer. Jesus and the apostles and many of God’s prophets suffered. So understanding why this occurs can help strengthen our faith. (Hebrews 6:9-12) . . .. 10 For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name by ministering and continuing to minister to the holy ones. 11 But we desire each one of you to show the same industriousness so as to have the full assurance of the hope down to the end, 12 so that you may not become sluggish, but be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The bible does not say if we suffer tribulation but when. We are all imperfect and fall short of God. Sometimes our own sins ruin our lives and harm others, sometimes others sins harm themselves and others. Those who put more trust in the world harm the most people. For example some may appear to have a form of Godly devotion but will put worldly things like money, material possessions, power or popularity before their worship of God. Things like that will drown out any love for God and make them more prone to committing sins that can harm others. A good example of this can be found in the bible. Joseph was promised authority that his brothers felt should be given to them because they were older. Because of this they sinned and were going to kill him, instead they sold him into slavery. By doing our best to do what God would want us to do and keeping him first in our lives we prevent things like this from pushing our love and faith for God out of our hearts. This did not stop God’s plans for Joseph and he eventually was put in a position of authority in Egypt and he used this position of authority to protect and help save Israel during hard times. The bible tells us we can be tried by our own sins or by others sins. Joseph was tried by his brothers sins.

Sometimes a person’s overconfidence can cause them to sin which can bring harm to others. The scribes and pharisees were overly proud and overly confident. They looked down on others, they would put themselves in prominent places to put on a show, thought they knew God’s word well but they did not understand it’s meaning and thought memorizing God’s word was enough. This drove them to persecute Jesus and eventually led to him being persecuted and killed. This did not stop God’s plans but actually fulfilled them because Jesus died sinless he defeated the lies that brought death on man and God promoted him and he is now our king in heaven sitting on the heavenly throne. The bible tells us he has been given authority over everything but God himself, so when it is time for him to set matters straight he will have the power and authority to do so.

When we are ill this is when we really need to stick to God because this is when we will have a tendency to be overconfident and start leaning on our own understanding because it is difficult to think clearly. We may even have issues that cause us to think things we ought not to think. This occurred with me. To prevent it from getting the best of me I wrote scriptures down and hung them on my wall to continually remind me so I would not act on things. For example the brain swelling caused me rage and also caused me to start mistrusting many people. It caused me to have episodes of anger. I wrote on notes why this was occurring and scriptures that could help me to overcome this. Knowing why this was occurring helped me find comfort because I knew once I healed these things would no longer occur. I was very fortunate because during those times I had Facebook friends who were patient enough to work with me even though I would get irrational and a bit mean at times. They guided me and taught me how to heal. When dealing with something like this it is very helpful to get guidance from someone who truly understands what you are going through. If not you could cause harm to your life and others. By not seeking help we are putting confidence in ourselves. God would want us to take any measures necessary to not let him or ourselves down.

The example we have of the most harm brought on man by sin is Adam and Eve sinning. They not only brought on death but much suffering on man. They listened to Satan’s lies and believeed they did not need God to guide them and they could decide things for themselves. They also did not believe they would die. This brought death and suffering on man. Those were the original lies told in the garden. But Satan also accuses those who put their faith in God. He accuses them of only loving God because he blesses and protects them. Satan destroyed Jobs life, he took Job’s family, all Job owned and even his health from him to try and prove his accusations against Job. This did not shake Job’s faith and love for God. Job’s trust, love and faith in God was rewarded many times over what Satan had taken from him. What opened the door for Job to be attacked by Satan. Job had been overly prideful to the point he believe he did not sin. Because of this he accused God of being unjust for leaving these things occur to him. Elihu was the only one to state the truth about Job and was not afraid of offending Job, though he comforted Job first explaining that his words my not set well with Job he still told Job what he needed to hear and not what he wanted to. Job was speaking of flaws he believed God had. When Elihu and Jehovah set Job straight Job repented and God blessed him many times over. But some may say didn’t God say Job was righteous? No God did not, he said Job holds fast to integrity and is upright. God did not say Job was without sin. The bible tells us we all sin and fall short of God because of our inherited imperfections. It is why we need to read Gods word and reflect in the perfect mirror of God’s word to make us more aware of our short comings so we can continually work to draw closer to God. When being tried by Satan it can make us aware of short comings we have and this is when we should do all we can to overcome them and prove Satan’s accusations wrong.

We are living in the last days. We are warned people would appear to have a form of Godly devotion but prove false to it’s power. So there will be many who seem to love God but they will give in to their imperfection instead of constantly working to overcome the m. This behavior causes resentment, hatred, anger, a lack of affection, it makes a person prideful, they will put things like money or pride over obedience to God. Things like that not only causes a person to fall short but also cause others to be hurt. The bible warned this is how a variety of sects arise because people would gather ones that would scratch their itchy ears instead of telling them what they needed to hear. Surely we would not want to be like those the bible mentions in the last days. People who did those things are the very people who persecuted and killed Jesus. Would we want to imitate their behavior. Their may be things in the bible that hearts our conscience. If this occurs we should reflect on why this occurs and what actions we can take to correct that. This may not be guilt we feel on our part but it may expose something about someone we care about. If the scriptures reveals something about someone we care about we should talk to them. If they do not respond and they share our beliefs we should talk to those spiritually qualified to talk to the person. I would rather a friend get upset with me then for them to lose their gift of eternal life that is promised to those who worship God with their whole soul and their whole heart. In times past God’s own people killed and harmed his prophets because they wanted to follow after their own hearts instead of obeying God. (2 Timothy 3:1-7) 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. 6 From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, 7 always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.) , (2 Timothy 4:3-5) 3 For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled. 4 They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories. 5 You, though, keep your senses in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.), (1 Timothy 4:1-5) 4 However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron. 3 They forbid marriage and command people to abstain from foods that God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth. 4 For every creation of God is fine, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is sanctified through God’s word and prayer over it.

This is why the bible did not say if we suffer tribulation but when. It is very important to do our best to let God guide us when we do. I know it is difficult to understand why God would let bad things happen to good people but we have to keep in mind we are all being accused by Satan, we all are sinful. If we let God guide all we do then we store up treasures in heaven which no one can take away. All the things on earth will be gone soon and so will many of the powerful people that many put their trust in. By sticking to God when we endure the trials and tribulation we will not only prove Satan’s accusations wrong and we will store up treasures in heaven which gives us hope in the future promises God has given us and one of them would be life with no fear of death. Things are rapidly winding down and just as Satan did not give Job a chance to recover before another messenger appeared with bad news many of us will experience similar things. Some already have and may be tired but if we endure to the end we will be rewarded a reward worth more then any treasures on earth. Some of us may die, even if that does occur we do not have to worry. Jesus defeated death, if we remain faithful and loyal to the end God will remember us during the resurrection. Not even death can separate us from the love of Jesus and the Love of God. Those who survive this wicked system or who are resurrected to a resurrection of life will not suffer again because those who have caused all the suffering and refused to repent will be destroyed and experience the second death during the time of judgment so they will never be able to cause pain and suffering again.

I know it is difficult to suffer. Some have suffered most of their lives. But compared to living in a paradise new earth forever the short amount of time we live now is nothing compared to an eternity of happiness. The bible tells us There will be no more wars, illness, suffering or tears of sadness. The bible tells us before we are finished prying God will answer our prayers in the new system. We are told the good memories will cause us to forget the bad. And most of all death will be no more so we will get to see loved ones we have lost in death. Satan and the demons will be destroyed and will not be able to corrupt man or to accuse man anymore. Because of Satan, man relying on their own understanding and the corruption many suffer from the time they are born. This was something Job noticed and wondered how a righteous God could watch things like that happen. We have to keep in mind, God is the judge we are not. He is being patient and giving others a chance to change and repent.

One thing I do want to clarify there is a difference between being tested and being tried. Satan tries us, he tries to overwhelm us and even isolate us to get us to depend on our own understanding instead of God. In doing so he is trying to weekend us so we will act on our imperfections. In times of trials and tribulation we need to be more aware of our short comings and try even harder to avoid situations that could cause us to act on them or to takes steps that would prevent this from occurring. As for being tested God gives us his word. He knows what is in our hearts. He will let us be tempted but has prepared us by giving us his word and providing ones to help give us spiritual food and guide us. Satan hopes you fail when being tried but God hopes you succeed. Satan tries to make you fail God helps you when being tested and wants you to succeed. God desires none to be destroyed and every life lost because they are disobedient does not make him happy. Those who disobey God have no excuse he gave us all we needed to learn how to have faith in him, and how to please him, love him and be obedient so we can enjoy life on the new earth. We just need to hang on a little longer better times are very very near.

One more issue we need to discuss. Satan made many accusations about God and about man. If God interfered and did not let things run their course then Satan could say see I told you God was hiding things from man. He could say God did not let things run their course because he knew it would prove he was right. By letting the lies completely play out the lies in the garden and the accusations Satan makes against those who love God and try their best to be obedient will get proven wrong. This does not leave any doubt. Man has tried every form of government and we have failed miserably. We have not been able to do away with death and illness as a matter of fact death and chronic illness are more rampant on the earth now then ever before. As time goes on man becomes more corrupt and errors more. The more man leans on their own understanding the worse we are making things. As the end of mans rule comes closer and closer many of us will suffer but we need not fear or give up. We have the future hope given to us in the bible and these things are very very near. (Jeremiah 10:23) 23 I well know, O Jehovah, that man’s way does not belong to him. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.) , (Ecclesiastes 8:9) 9 All of this I have seen, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun, during the time that man has dominated man to his harm. , (Micah 7:3) Their hands are expert at doing what is bad; The prince is making demands, The judge asks for a reward, The prominent one makes known his desires, And they work it out together.

(James 1:12-15) 12 Happy is the man who keeps on enduring trial, because on becoming approved he will receive the crown of life, which Jehovah promised to those who continue loving Him. 13 When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried, nor does he himself try anyone. 14 But each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin; in turn sin, when it has been carried out, brings forth death.

(1 John 2:15-17) 15 Do not love either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; 16 because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. 17 Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

(Proverbs 16:18, 19) 18 Pride is before a crash, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. 19 Better to be humble among the meek Than to share the spoil of the haughty.

(Luke 18:9-14) 9 He also told this illustration to some who trusted in their own righteousness and who considered others as nothing: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and began to pray these things to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like everyone else—extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give the tenth of all things I acquire.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing even to raise his eyes heavenward but kept beating his chest, saying, ‘O God, be gracious to me, a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home and was proved more righteous than that Pharisee. Because everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

(Ecclesiastes 7:16-18) 16 Do not be overly righteous, nor show yourself excessively wise. Why should you bring ruin to yourself? 17 Do not be excessively wicked, nor be foolish. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is best to grasp one warning without letting go of the other; for the one who fears God will heed them both.

(1 Corinthians 15:22-28) 22 For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each one in his own proper order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence. 24 Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. 25 For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. 26 And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing. 27 For God “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him. 28 But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.
(Romans 6:16) Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?

(John 8:42-47) 42 Jesus said to them: “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I have not come of my own initiative, but that One sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? Because you cannot listen to my word. 44 You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a murderer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie. 45 Because I, on the other hand, tell you the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Who of you convicts me of sin? If I speak truth, why is it that you do not believe me? 47 The one who is from God listens to the sayings of God. This is why you do not listen, because you are not from God.”

(Genesis 37:18-28) 18 Now they caught sight of him from a distance, and before he reached them, they began plotting against him to put him to death. 19 So they said to one another: “Look! Here comes that dreamer. 20 Come, now, let us kill him and pitch him into one of the waterpits, and we will say that a vicious wild animal devoured him. Then let us see what will become of his dreams.” 21 When Reuʹben heard this, he tried to rescue him from them. So he said: “Let us not take his life.” 22 Reuʹben said to them: “Do not shed blood. Throw him into this waterpit in the wilderness, but do not harm him.” His purpose was to rescue him from them in order to return him to his father. 23 So as soon as Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his robe, the special robe that he wore, 24 and they took him and threw him into the waterpit. At the time the pit was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then they sat down to eat. When they looked up, there was a caravan of Ishʹma·el·ites coming from Gilʹe·ad. Their camels were carrying labdanum gum, balsam, and resinous bark, and they were on their way down to Egypt. 26 At this Judah said to his brothers: “What profit would there be if we killed our brother and covered over his blood? 27 Come, now, let us sell him to the Ishʹma·el·ites, and do not let our hand be upon him. After all, he is our brother, our flesh.” So they listened to their brother. 28 And when the Midʹi·an·ite merchants were passing by, they lifted Joseph up out of the waterpit and sold him to the Ishʹma·el·ites for 20 pieces of silver. These men took Joseph into Egypt.

(Genesis 47:21-28) 21 Then he moved the people into cities, from one end of the territory of Egypt to its other end. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy, because the rations for the priests were from Pharʹaoh and they lived on their rations that Pharʹaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land. 23 Then Joseph said to the people: “See, I have today bought you and your land for Pharʹaoh. Here is seed for you, and you must sow the land with it. 24 When it produces, give a fifth to Pharʹaoh, but four parts will be yours as seed for the field and as food for you and for those in your houses and for your children to eat.” 25 So they said: “You have preserved our lives. Let us find favor in the eyes of my lord, and we will become slaves to Pharʹaoh.” 26 Then Joseph made it a decree, which is valid until today over the land of Egypt, that a fifth belongs to Pharʹaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharʹaoh’s. 27 Israel continued to dwell in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goʹshen, and they settled in it and were fruitful and increased greatly. 28 And Jacob lived on in the land of Egypt for 17 years, so that the days of Jacob’s life came to be 147 years.

(Job 2:2-8) 2 Then Jehovah said to Satan: “Where have you come from?” Satan answered Jehovah: “From roving about on the earth and from walking about in it.” 3 And Jehovah said to Satan: “Have you taken note of my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth. He is an upright man of integrity, fearing God and shunning what is bad. He is still holding firmly to his integrity, even though you try to incite me against him to destroy him for no reason.” 4 But Satan answered Jehovah: “Skin for skin. A man will give everything that he has for his life. 5 But, for a change, stretch out your hand and strike his bone and flesh, and he will surely curse you to your very face.” 6 Then Jehovah said to Satan: “Look! He is in your hand! Only do not take his life!” 7 So Satan went out from the presence of Jehovah and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself, and he was sitting among the ashes.

(Job 40:1-8) 40 Jehovah continued to answer Job:  2 “Should a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let the one who wants to reprove God answer.”  3 Job said in answer to Jehovah:  4 “Look! I am unworthy. What can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.  5 I spoke once, but I will not answer again; Twice, but I will say no more.”  6 Then Jehovah answered Job out of the windstorm:  7 “Brace yourself, please, like a man; I will question you, and you inform me.  8 Will you call into question my justice? Will you condemn me so that you may be right?

(James 5:9-11) . . .. 10 Brothers, take as a pattern of the suffering of evil and the exercising of patience the prophets who spoke in the name of Jehovah. 11 Look! We consider happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.

(Job 33:8-17) 8 But you said in my hearing, Yes, I kept hearing these words,  9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, without error. 10 But God finds reasons to oppose me; He considers me his enemy. 11 He puts my feet in stocks; He scrutinizes all my paths.’ 12 But you are not right in saying this, so I will answer you: God is far greater than mortal man. 13 Why do you complain against Him? Is it because he did not answer all your words? 14 For God speaks once and a second time, But no one pays attention, 15 In a dream, a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon people While they sleep in their beds. 16 Then he uncovers their ears And impresses his instruction upon them, 17 To turn a person away from wrongdoing And to protect a man from pride.

(John 16:32, 33) . . .. 33 I have said these things to you so that by means of me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the world.”

(Matthew 4:3) And the Tempter approached and said to him: “If you are a son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”
(2 Corinthians 11:3) But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent seduced Eve by its cunning, your minds might be corrupted away from the sincerity and the chastity that are due the Christ.

(2 Corinthians 1:3-7) 3 Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our trials so that we may be able to comfort others in any sort of trial with the comfort that we receive from God. 5 For just as the sufferings for the Christ abound in us, so the comfort we receive through the Christ also abounds. 6 Now if we face trials, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are being comforted, it is for your comfort, which acts to help you to endure the same sufferings that we also suffer. 7 And our hope for you is unwavering, knowing as we do that just as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.

(Revelation 2:10, 11) 10 Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison so that you may be fully put to the test, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: The one who conquers will by no means be harmed by the second death.’

(Revelation 21:8) But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and the sexually immoral and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This means the second death.”

(Matthew 24:9-14) 9 “Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name. 10 Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; 12 and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. 13 But the one who has endured to the end will be saved. 14 And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

(Matthew 6:19-24) 19 “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If, then, your eye is focused, your whole body will be bright. 23 But if your eye is envious, your whole body will be dark. If the light that is in you is really darkness, how great that darkness is! 24 “No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches.

(2 Peter 3:11-14) 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, 12 as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt in the intense heat! 13 But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell. 14 Therefore, beloved ones, since you are awaiting these things, do your utmost to be found finally by him spotless and unblemished and in peace.

(Isaiah 2:4)  4 He will render judgment among the nations And set matters straight respecting many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, Nor will they learn war anymore.

(Isaiah 35:5-7)  5 At that time the eyes of the blind will be opened, And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.  6 At that time the lame will leap like the deer, And the tongue of the speechless will shout for joy. For waters will burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert plain.  7 The heat-parched ground will become a reedy pool, And the thirsty ground springs of water. In the lairs where jackals rested, There will be green grass and reeds and papyrus.

(Isaiah 65:23-25) 23 They will not toil for nothing, Nor will they bear children for distress, Because they are the offspring made up of those blessed by Jehovah, And their descendants with them. 24 Even before they call out, I will answer; While they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together, The lion will eat straw just like the bull, And the serpent’s food will be dust. They will do no harm nor cause any ruin in all my holy mountain,” says Jehovah.

(Isaiah 26:19) 19 “Your dead will live. My corpses will rise up. Awake and shout joyfully, You residents in the dust! For your dew is as the dew of the morning, And the earth will let those powerless in death come to life.

(2 Peter 3:9, 10) 9 Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. 10 But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed.
(Romans 1:24-27) 24 Therefore, God, in keeping with the desires of their hearts, gave them up to uncleanness, so that their bodies might be dishonored among them. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for the lie and venerated and rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen. 26 That is why God gave them over to disgraceful sexual passion, for their females changed the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature; 27 likewise also the males left the natural use of the female and became violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males, working what is obscene and receiving in themselves the full penalty, which was due for their error.

(1 Kings 19:9, 10) 9 There he entered a cave and spent the night; and look! Jehovah’s word came to him, telling him: “What are you doing here, E·liʹjah?” 10 To this he said: “I have been absolutely zealous for Jehovah the God of armies; for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, your altars they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword, and I am the only one left. Now they are seeking to take my life away.. . .

Better times are near but it won’t be easy.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry i am a lousy editor.

If you are following the path Jesus laid you will be persecuted by Satan and the world. The persecution is not always obvious. Sometimes it is the subtle things that are the most effective because the little and subtle things is when we tend to rely on our own understanding instead of God. Satan and his people are always subtle the blatant attacks are always obvious and life experience has taught me when he does attack us he usually sends and angel of light to try and trick us into falling short of God. We have to prepare ourselves and make sure of the little things so we cannot be misled.

Jesus left love guide all he did. He even left love guide how he responded to those who persecuted him, falsely accused him and even threatened him. Jesus promised peace to those who followed the path he laid out for us. It did not mean there would be peace with the world because he warned the world would hate those who chose to be not part of it and even stated those who chose to be no part of the world would be treated the same as he was. They would be hated , persecuted and even killed. The peace that Jesus was talking about is a peace between God and those who follow the path Jesus laid out and a peace in our minds and heart. This peace is from knowing no matter what happens to us even death we cannot be separated from the love of God and the love of Jesus.

Things are rapidly winding down. Very soon money and precious metals will have no value. Material wealth will not protect those who did not listen to the warnings and who did not put their faith in God and Jesus. Once all these things are gone what will those ones have. Those who have faith in God and trust Jesus as our king sitting on the heavenly throne, have the hope given to us in the bible of the new earth were righteousness is to dwell. That is something that is forever and cannot be taken away from those God rewards. But the things of the world will be gone soon and then what hope do those who put their faith in them have after the things they put their faith in are gone. When we see this system collapsing it will increase our hope but they have no hope which is sad. We worked very hard to warn them. Things are rapidly winding down which is giving us more hope but they are trembling in fear as the things they put their trust and faith is are slowly being done away with one at a time. Our foundation of faith is on Jesus who is the chief corner stone. He showed us the way.

We will suffer, and more so as this system winds down. Satan , and the demons know they have very little time left. They, and their people are going to turn on God’s people very soon. When this occurs it will not go well for them. We will have to go into hiding, some will have to flee to various places. Many of us will lose all we have. But in the new system all those things will be replaced many times over. Very soon if we endure to the end we will get to see loved ones we have lost in death. Also we have the confidence that those things will not occur again and the original purpose for the earth will be fulfilled. When God put Adam and Eve in the garden they were told to make the whole earth like that. We do not have a word that accurately describes what the world for the garden of Eden meant but the closest meaning would be comparable to the word we use for amusement park. We also know that the bad memories will be replaced by good memories. Jesus ransom sacrifice restored the ability for us to be closer to God and for those who obey him and put their trust in him to be at peace with him and in doing so enjoy an inner peace even when things seem hopeless.

We do need to prepare though. Some of us will lose all we have. Some will be imprisoned, some will have to flee not knowing what to expect but we do know no matter what happens God has our backs and even death will not separate us from the love of Jesus and the love of God. The things that the world is putting their trust in will be gone soon and so will their hope. By putting our hope in God and the heavenly kingdom with Jesus as our ruler no matter what happens we still have hope. Some will have to flee and some will have to go into hiding. The greatest outcome of all of this is God’s name will be vindicated because all the lies spoken against him will have been completely proven to be wrong.

We have to keep in mind even some of the elite will be deceived and follow their heart instead of Jehovah and will start to put their trust in man. As this occurs we just need to be patient we know what Jehovah requires and he will set matters straight. He always exposes who can be trusted and who cannot be before he leaves his people receive the promises he has given them. Though it may seem like the truth is being tainted it is not he is exposing who trust him and who will follow their heart. He would only want those he can trust to lead his people through the great tribulation. God does not die and the heavenly kingdom will be here forever so that is where our trust and faith should be not in things that will pass away. By the time those who chose to side with the beast realize what is happening it will be too late their end is near. The worlds opinions and ideas frequently change but God is consistent and does not change so we know what to expect and what to do when it comes to worshiping him and we know what to expect for the final outcome.

(Matthew 5:43-48) ⁴³ “You heard that it was said: ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing? ⁴⁸ You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

(Romans 12:17-21) ¹⁷ Return evil for evil to no one. Take into consideration what is fine from the viewpoint of all men. ¹⁸ If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceable with all men. ¹⁹ Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.” ²⁰ But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.

(1 Peter 3:9-12) ⁹ Do not pay back injury for injury or insult for insult. Instead, repay with a blessing, for you were called to this course, so that you might inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For “whoever would love life and see good days must guard his tongue from bad and his lips from speaking deception. ¹¹ Let him turn away from what is bad and do what is good; let him seek peace and pursue it. ¹² For the eyes of Jehovah are on the righteous, and his ears listen to their supplication, but the face of Jehovah is against those doing bad things.”

(Leviticus 19:18) ¹⁸ “‘You must not take vengeance nor hold a grudge against the sons of your people, and you must love your fellow man as yourself. I am Jehovah.

(Luke 6:27-31) ²⁷ “But I say to you who are listening: Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, ²⁸ to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you. ²⁹ To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your outer garment, do not withhold the inner garment either. ³⁰ Give to everyone asking you, and from the one taking your things away, do not ask them back. ³¹ “Also, just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them.

Apostle Paul glorified God and focused on how he could do so during times of weakness or trials.

(2 Corinthians 12:7-10) . . .To keep me from becoming overly exalted, I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to keep slapping me, so that I might not be overly exalted. ⁸ Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. ⁹ But he said to me: “My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you, for my power is being made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly, then, I will boast about my weaknesses, in order that the power of the Christ may remain over me like a tent. ¹⁰ So I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in times of need, in persecutions and difficulties, for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful.

Nothing they do can seperate us from God’s love but it is what we do that can cause that to happen.

(Romans 8:35-39) ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of the Christ? Will tribulation or distress or persecution or hunger or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ Just as it is written: “For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we have been accounted as sheep for slaughtering.” ³⁷ On the contrary, in all these things we are coming off completely victorious through the one who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor governments nor things now here nor things to come nor powers ³⁹ nor height nor depth nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Matthew 6:14, 15) ¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; ¹⁵ whereas if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

(James 2:12, 13) . . .. ¹³ For the one who does not practice mercy will have his judgment without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

(Acts 22:6-11) ⁶ “But as I was traveling and getting near to Damascus, about midday, suddenly out of heaven a great light flashed all around me, ⁷ and I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ⁸ I answered: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me: ‘I am Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ, whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹ Now the men who were with me did see the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me. ¹⁰ At that I said: ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me: ‘Rise, go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything it is appointed for you to do.’ ¹¹ But since I could not see anything because of the glory of that light, I arrived in Damascus led by the hand of those who were with me.

(1 Corinthians 15:9-11) ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, and I am not worthy of being called an apostle, because I persecuted the congregation of God. ¹⁰ But by God’s undeserved kindness I am what I am. And his undeserved kindness to me was not in vain, but I labored more than all of them; yet it was not I, but the undeserved kindness of God that is with me. ¹¹ Whether, then, it is I or they, this is the way we preach, and this is the way you believed.

(Mark 10:29-31) ²⁹ Jesus said: “Truly I say to you, no one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good news ³⁰ who will not get 100 times more now in this period of time—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the coming system of things, everlasting life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

(John 15:17-21) ¹⁷ “These things I command you, that you love one another. ¹⁸ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. ²⁰ Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours. ²¹ But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.

(1 Peter 2:21-25) ²¹ In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely. ²² He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth. ²³ When he was being insulted, he did not insult in return. When he was suffering, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the One who judges righteously. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his own body on the stake, so that we might die to sins and live to righteousness. And “by his wounds you were healed.” ²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

(1 Peter 5:6-11) ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time, ⁷ while you throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. ⁸ Keep your senses, be watchful! Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone. ⁹ But take your stand against him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by the entire association of your brothers in the world. ¹⁰ But after you have suffered a little while, the God of all undeserved kindness, who called you to his everlasting glory in union with Christ, will himself finish your training. He will make you firm, he will make you strong, he will firmly ground you. ¹¹ To him be the might forever. Amen.

(James 3:17, 18) ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, reasonable, ready to obey, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, not hypocritical. ¹⁸ Moreover, the fruit of righteousness is sown in peaceful conditions for those who are making peace.

(Philippians 4:4-7) ⁴ Always rejoice in the Lord. Again I will say, Rejoice! ⁵ Let your reasonableness become known to all men. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.

(John 14:25-27) ²⁵ “I have spoken these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things and bring back to your minds all the things I told you. ²⁷ I leave you peace; I give you my peace. I do not give it to you the way that the world gives it. Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let them shrink out of fear.

(Ephesians 2:13-18) . . .. ¹⁴ For he is our peace, the one who made the two groups one and destroyed the wall in between that fenced them off. ¹⁵ By means of his flesh he abolished the enmity, the Law of commandments consisting in decrees, in order to make the two groups in union with himself into one new man and to make peace, ¹⁶ and to reconcile fully both peoples in one body to God through the torture stake, because he had killed off the enmity by means of himself. ¹⁷ And he came and declared the good news of peace to you who were far off, and peace to those near, ¹⁸ because through him we, both peoples, have free access to the Father by one spirit.

(Genesis 3:15) ¹⁵ And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head, and you will strike him in the heel.”

(Colossians 3:15-17) ¹⁵ Also, let the peace of the Christ rule in your hearts, for you were called to that peace in one body. And show yourselves thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of the Christ reside in you richly in all wisdom. Keep on teaching and encouraging one another with psalms, praises to God, spiritual songs sung with gratitude, singing in your hearts to Jehovah. ¹⁷ Whatever it is that you do in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, thanking God the Father through him. . .

(Romans 8:26, 27) ²⁶ In like manner, the spirit also joins in with help for our weakness; for the problem is that we do not know what we should pray for as we need to, but the spirit itself pleads for us with unuttered groanings. ²⁷ But the one who searches the hearts knows what the meaning of the spirit is, because it is pleading in harmony with God for the holy ones.

(Hebrews 13:1-3) 13 Let your brotherly love continue. ² Do not forget hospitality, for through it some unknowingly entertained angels. ³ Keep in mind those in prison, as though you were imprisoned with them, and those being mistreated, since you yourselves also are in the body.

(Hebrews 11:1-4) 11 Faith is the assured expectation of what is hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities that are not seen. ² For by means of it, the men of ancient times had witness borne to them. ³ By faith we perceive that the systems of things were put in order by God’s word, so that what is seen has come into existence from things that are not visible. ⁴ By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than that of Cain, and through that faith he received the witness that he was righteous, for God approved his gifts, and although he died, he still speaks through his faith.

(1 Corinthians 3:18-20) ¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself: If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this system of things, let him become a fool, so that he may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written: “He catches the wise in their own cunning.” ²⁰ And again: “Jehovah knows that the reasonings of the wise men are futile.”

(Isaiah 29:15) ¹⁵ Woe to those who go to great lengths to conceal their plans from Jehovah. Their deeds are done in a dark place, While they say: “Who sees us? Who knows about us?”

(1 Peter 4:7, 8) . . .. ⁸ Above all things, have intense love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

(Proverbs 10:12) Hatred is what stirs up contentions, But love covers over all transgressions.

(Proverbs 17:9) Whoever forgives a transgression seeks love, But the one who keeps harping on a matter separates close friends.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-7) ⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, ⁵ does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. ⁶ It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

(Matthew 7:24-27) ²⁴ “Therefore, everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does them will be like a discreet man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and lashed against that house, but it did not cave in, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ Furthermore, everyone hearing these sayings of mine and not doing them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and struck against that house, and it caved in, and its collapse was great.”

(Revelation 11:18) ¹⁸ But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time came for the dead to be judged and to reward your slaves the prophets and the holy ones and those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.”

(Genesis 6:9-12) . . .Noah was a righteous man. He proved himself faultless among his contemporaries. Noah walked with the true God. ¹⁰ In time Noah became father to three sons, Shem, Ham, and Jaʹpheth. ¹¹ But the earth had become ruined in the sight of the true God, and the earth was filled with violence. ¹² Yes, God looked upon the earth, and it was ruined; all flesh had ruined its way on the earth.

(Isaiah 26:20-27:1) ²⁰ Go, my people, enter your inner rooms, And shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a brief moment Until the wrath has passed by. ²¹ For look! Jehovah is coming from his place To call the inhabitants of the land to account for their error, And the land will expose her bloodshed And will no longer cover over her slain.” 27 In that day Jehovah, with his harsh and great and strong sword, Will turn his attention to Le·viʹa·than, the gliding serpent, To Le·viʹa·than, the twisting serpent, And he will kill the monster that is in the sea.

(2 Peter 3:5-10) ⁵ For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; ⁶ and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water. ⁷ But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people. ⁸ However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. ⁹ Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. ¹⁰ But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed.

(Hebrews 12:25-29) ²⁵ See that you do not refuse to listen to the one who is speaking. For if those who refused to listen to the one giving divine warning on earth did not escape, how much more will we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens! ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised: “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” ²⁷ Now the expression “yet once more” indicates the removal of the things that are shaken, things that have been made, in order that the things not shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore, seeing that we are to receive a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us continue to receive undeserved kindness, through which we may acceptably offer God sacred service with godly fear and awe. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.

(Zephaniah 1:18-2:3) ¹⁸ Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them in the day of Jehovah’s fury; For by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be consumed, Because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.” 2 Gather together, yes, gather yourselves, O nation that feels no shame.  ² Before the decree takes effect, Before the day passes by like chaff, Before the burning anger of Jehovah comes upon you, Before the day of Jehovah’s anger comes upon you,  ³ Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, Who observe his righteous decrees. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you will be concealed on the day of Jehovah’s anger.

(Proverbs 11:4) Wealth will be of no benefit on the day of fury, But righteousness is what will rescue from death.

(Ezekiel 7:19) “‘They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will become abhorrent to them. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them in the day of Jehovah’s fury. They will not be satisfied, nor will they fill their stomachs, for it has become a stumbling block causing their error.

(Matthew 16:24-28) ²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and keep following me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ²⁶ Really, what good will it do a man if he gains the whole world but loses his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life? ²⁷ For the Son of man is to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will repay each one according to his behavior. ²⁸ Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here who will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom.”

(2 Peter 3:11-13) ¹¹ Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, ¹² as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt in the intense heat! ¹³ But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.

(Matthew 24:19-22) . . .! ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(Joel 2:31, 32) The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood Before the coming of the great and awe-inspiring day of Jehovah. ³² And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, just as Jehovah has said, The survivors whom Jehovah calls.”

(Revelation 7:13, 14) In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” ¹⁴ So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

(Ezekiel 38:23) ²³ And I will certainly magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known before the eyes of many nations; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah.’

(1 Thessalonians 5:1-5) . . .. ² For you yourselves know very well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. ³ Whenever it is that they are saying, “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly on them, just like birth pains on a pregnant woman, and they will by no means escape. ⁴ But you, brothers, you are not in darkness, so that the day should overtake you as it would thieves, ⁵ for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We belong neither to night nor to darkness.

(Jeremiah 8:11, 12) ¹¹ And they try to heal the breakdown of the daughter of my people lightly, saying, “There is peace! There is peace!” When there is no peace. ¹² Do they feel ashamed of the detestable things they have done? They feel no shame at all! They do not even know how to feel humiliated! So they will fall among the fallen. When I bring punishment on them they will stumble,’ says Jehovah.

(Jeremiah 23:16, 17) This is what Jehovah of armies says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are deluding you. The vision they speak is from their own heart, Not from the mouth of Jehovah. ¹⁷ They are saying again and again to those who disrespect me, ‘Jehovah has said: “You will enjoy peace.”’ And to everyone who follows his own stubborn heart they say, ‘No calamity will come upon you.’

(Matthew 10:38) And whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me.

(John 15:19) If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.

(Romans 8:17) If, then, we are children, we are also heirs—heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ—provided we suffer together so that we may also be glorified together.

(1 Thessalonians 3:4) For when we were with you, we used to tell you in advance that we would suffer tribulation, and that is what has happened, just as you know.

(Romans 5:3-5) ³ Not only that, but let us rejoice while in tribulations, since we know that tribulation produces endurance; ⁴ endurance, in turn, an approved condition; the approved condition, in turn, hope, ⁵ and the hope does not lead to disappointment; because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy spirit, which was given to us.

(Luke 21:27, 28) ²⁷ And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near.”

(Malachi 3:6, 7) ⁶ “For I am Jehovah; I do not change. And you are sons of Jacob; you have not yet come to your finish. ⁷ From the days of your forefathers you have turned aside from my regulations and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says Jehovah of armies.. . .

(1 Timothy 1:17) ¹⁷ Now to the King of eternity, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

(Psalm 90:1, 2) 90 O Jehovah, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.  ² Before the mountains were born Or you brought forth the earth and the productive land, From everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

(Romans 8:31-34) ³¹ What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who will be against us? ³² Since he did not even spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, will he not also, along with him, kindly give us all other things? ³³ Who will file accusation against God’s chosen ones? God is the One who declares them righteous. ³⁴ Who will condemn them? Christ Jesus is the one who died, yes, more than that, the one who was raised up, who is at the right hand of God and who also pleads for us.

God gave us what we need.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

As the centuries go by mans life span is getting shorter and shorter. This is because we no longer put our trust in the things God has given us but we are trusting man. The bible warns about putting our trust in man. God has given us what we need to remain healthy but many do not take advantage of them and continue to listen to man and their flawed science. The more man is taught to put their trust in man more then God the sicker the human race is becoming. God gave us what we need to remain healthy we need to do our best to acquire those things. We are seeing mans arrogance coming to a finality. This started in the garden of Eden when Satan convinced Adam and Eve we do not need God to guide and teach us. We are now seeing the end results of man guiding ourselves. In doing so we are destroying the earth. The destruction of our environment has dramatic negative effects on our health. This is why we need to do our best to maintain a healthy spiritual and physical environment as we can. Because we would be questioning the ways of the world we may be viewed as crazy but would you rather be sick? Something to take note of only 20% of medical treatment now days is backed by valid science the rest is speculation. While many naturals have been proven in clinical trials. Yet people fear the things God gave us and trust corrupt man because they have been indoctrinated to fear those things to fatten the pockets of those who profit from illness.

Man is turning away from the things God has given us to remain healthy. For example God had Israel eat bitter herbs when they consumed meat. Bitter herbs improve digestion. Meat is very difficult to digest. By eating bitter herbs when a person eats meat it would prevent them having issues with digesting the meat. The leaves of many tress are very healing. The bible even told us this. In some areas the apostle were in, drinking the water could cause stomach problems. The apostle Paul recommended they drink wine instead of water. It has been found the stomach problems the water they were drinking cause can be corrected by drinking a little wine. Some of the most healing herbs are myrrh, cinnamon and olive oil. They apparently were aware of this in the bible because they put a high value on them.

Most infectious diseases can be linked to specific nutrient deficiencies. For example RNA viruses such as chicken pox and Covid can be linked to zinc and vitamin D deficiencies. Malnourishment causes immune deficiencies. Then there are fad diets some restrict and even omit carbohydrate intake. This causes many health issues because the cells need carbohydrates to function and the immune system cannot function without carbohydrates. The chemicals sprayed on modern crops make it into our food supply and causes chronic illness and they also chelate nutrients from the soil and from the plants. Those who eat foods containing these chemicals end up chelating the nutrients from their bodies. Many medications cause nutrient deficiencies.

Our gut microbiome make up 80% of our immune system. Modern day medications and foods are destroying our microbiome. Not only that but most foods are toxic to the body until the microbiome breaks them down producing the metabolites the body needs to stay healthy. Man has genetically altered plants and spliced genes in them that make the plant produce a toxin that causes the body to react the same way it would if a person had mild food poisoning. So could you imagine people who eat these every day. They are giving themselves what is comparable to mild food poisoning. The cumulative effects of this over their life time is dramatic. This is why so much chronic illness is rampant. Our microbiome have been shown to modulate our genes more then our own bodies do. So when they are destroyed so are our bodies.

Stress , anxieties of life, trauma and fear have all been shown to have a dramatic negative impact on our health. Having faith in God give us hope in the future promise and removes all fears even fear of death. Faith in God will help give us peace of mind during hard times. Reading God’s word daily reminds us that he does love us and is going to give us a brighter future and that better times are coming. God is very aware of our needs. Some of us will struggle but I can tell you from personal experience he has never left me down.

The bible warns that very hard times are going to come very soon. This is a sign that better times are very very near. We need not fear but we need to endure to the end so we can see the future promises . We should not leave the fears and anxieties of this world weaken our faith but keep our eyes on the future promises and what they will bring.

Very soon there will be no more death, sadness, tears of sadness, crime, violence, wars, hatred or the many other things that cause harm and sadness in this world. Better times are coming and they are very very near. There are still sheep to be found if this system has not ended. We need to do our best to teach others about God and the future promises so they to can have hope. The bible tells us many will walk through the great tribulation. They will get to see their loved ones they lost in death during the resurrection.

(Exodus 12:8) ⁸ “‘They must eat the meat on this night. They should roast it over the fire and eat it along with unleavened bread and bitter greens.

(Ezekiel 47:12) ¹² “All sorts of trees for food will grow on both banks of the stream. Their leaves will not wither; nor will their fruitage fail. Each month they will bear new fruit, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruitage will serve as food and their leaves for healing.”

(1 Timothy 5:23) ²³ Do not drink water any longer, but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent cases of sickness.

(Exodus 30:22-24) . . .: ²³ “Next, take the choicest perfumes: 500 units of solidified myrrh, and half that amount, 250 units, of sweet cinnamon, 250 units of sweet calamus, ²⁴ and 500 units of cassia, measured by the standard shekel of the holy place, along with a hin of olive oil.

(Song of Solomon 4:13-15) ¹³ Your shoots are a paradise of pomegranates With the choicest fruits, with henna along with spikenard plants, ¹⁴ Spikenard and saffron, cane and cinnamon, With all sorts of trees of frankincense, myrrh, and aloes, Along with all the finest perfumes. ¹⁵ You are a garden spring, a well of fresh water, And flowing streams from Lebʹa·non.

(Genesis 1:29, 30) ²⁹ Then God said: “Here I have given to you every seed-bearing plant that is on the entire earth and every tree with seed-bearing fruit. Let them serve as food for you. ³⁰ And to every wild animal of the earth and to every flying creature of the heavens and to everything moving on the earth in which there is life, I have given all green vegetation for food.” And it was so.

(Proverbs 17:22) ²² A joyful heart is good medicine, But a crushed spirit saps one’s strength.

(Proverbs 18:14) ¹⁴ A person’s spirit can sustain him through illness, But who can bear a crushed spirit?

(Isaiah 35:4)  ⁴ Say to those who are anxious at heart: “Be strong. Do not be afraid. Look! Your own God will come with vengeance, God will come with retribution. He will come and save you.”

(Isaiah 40:31) ³¹ But those hoping in Jehovah will regain power. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; They will walk and not tire out.”

(Luke 12:22-31) ²² Then he said to his disciples: “That is why I say to you, stop being anxious about your lives as to what you will eat or about your bodies as to what you will wear. ²³ For the life is worth more than food and the body more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They neither sow seed nor reap; they have neither barn nor storehouse; yet God feeds them. Are you not worth much more than birds? ²⁵ Who of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his life span? ²⁶ If, therefore, you cannot do such a small thing, why be anxious about the remaining things? ²⁷ Consider how the lilies grow: They neither toil nor spin; but I tell you that not even Solʹo·mon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. ²⁸ Now if this is how God clothes the vegetation in the field that today exists and tomorrow is cast into an oven, how much more will he clothe you, you with little faith! ²⁹ So stop seeking what you will eat and what you will drink, and stop being in anxious suspense; ³⁰ for all these are the things the nations of the world are eagerly pursuing, but your Father knows you need these things. ³¹ Instead, keep seeking his Kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

(Matthew 6:25) ²⁵ “On this account I say to you: Stop being anxious about your lives as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear. Does not life mean more than food and the body than clothing?

(Jeremiah 29:11, 12) ¹¹ “‘For I well know the thoughts that I am thinking toward you,’ declares Jehovah, ‘thoughts of peace, and not of calamity, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² And you will call me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.’

(Titus 2:11-14) ¹¹ For the undeserved kindness of God has been manifested, bringing salvation to all sorts of people. ¹² It trains us to reject ungodliness and worldly desires and to live with soundness of mind and righteousness and godly devotion amid this present system of things, ¹³ while we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of our Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to set us free from every sort of lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people who are his own special possession, zealous for fine works.

(Romans 12:12-16) ¹² Rejoice in the hope. Endure under tribulation. Persevere in prayer. ¹³ Share with the holy ones according to their needs. Follow the course of hospitality. ¹⁴ Keep on blessing those who persecute; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Have the same attitude toward others as toward yourselves; do not set your mind on lofty things, but be led along with the lowly things. Do not become wise in your own eyes.

(Revelation 21:1-4) 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. ² I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. ⁴ And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

(John 5:28-30) ²⁸ Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment. ³⁰ I cannot do a single thing of my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous because I seek, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

(Isaiah 65:17) ¹⁷ For look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be called to mind, Nor will they come up into the heart.

(Psalm 37:29) ²⁹ The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it.

https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/46/10/1582/294025?login=false

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35331502/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7542326/

Balance in giving and receiving help.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

I am going to try and discuss the many aspects of help from receiving help, asking for help and on giving help. The reason I am writing this because I did not apply the scriptures and advice in the scriptures as I helped people it brought a lot of anxiety and frustration on me. Surely you would not want to do what I have done. Something to take note of only 20% of medical treatment now days is backed by valid science the rest is speculation. While many naturals have been proven in clinical trials. Yet people fear the things God gave us and trust corrupt man because they have been indoctrinated to fear those things to fatten the pockets of those who profit from illness.

Helping others is something I have been praying for. Not only that , I am having to learn to ask for help and when I receive it to accept it. I think this came from the fact I usually could solve any problem I had easily and often times helped others. We are in the final minutes of this system things are getting very crazy and overwhelming. The problems now days are so numerous it is becoming difficult to keep ourselves safe and healthy let alone helping others. We need to seek Jehovah God’s help first in any problems we are dealing with and ask him for the wisdom to get through the things we will endure. Even though we should approach God first in prayer Jesus is our king now so we have to approach God through Jesus. When we ask Jehovah God for something we have to ask in Jesus name. Also we should get advice from those who are spiritually qualified. If we need worldly advice we should be careful of the source and pay attention to the type of fruit they have produced. We may have to seek help from those who do not knobeast destroy false religionw God or who appear to know God but have fruits that God would not approve of. So we should be very careful of who we get advice form and whether it conflicts with the advice from God. The bible tells us if we are getting advice , if we do not like it we should not get easily offended. The bible warns the deviousness of the treacherous will destroy them. The bible also warns it is pride that usually causes this. It tells us when we need help we should ask for it. Pride could drive us to try and do things on our own. Often times we may feel we are a burden on others. Often times not seeking help will increase our burden which can negatively effect those around us. Not only that but often times getting help with burdens we have can bring us closer to our friends and family. . No one who is loving likes to see another over burdened. Imagine how confused they would be when a person who is burdened needs help but will not ask or will not accept the help. It could effect them because they may speculate and believe it is pride or even a lack of faith driving you to not seek the help of others. Sometimes if the help is too sudden it can add to the confusion. If this occurs we should let the person know we may need help but we are not ready for it yet.

This is something I am struggling with myself right now and I actually get angry when someone tells me not to help someone because it is not in my power to. I once needed tires for my car they were so bald the threads in the tires were showing through. This man had children , and he did drugs and drank heavily. I tried to share bible truths with him but he rejected them. I did not want to see the children go without food so instead of buying tires for my car I bought the family food. The next day one of my tires blew out and I could not make it to work. It really wasn’t in my power to help him and by doing so I put myself in a bad way and was possibly enabling the person’s bad behavior. So when we help others we need to consider if we have the resources spiritually, physically, emotionally and if we may be enabling someone. For example if a person is lazy or lacks the enthusiasm to do things for themselves when they have a problem we would be adding more burden on ourselves and enabling them to sin. The bible warns that helping lazy ones can bring a lot of problems on ourselves and others.

I am going to discuss the things I learn and hope I can learn to apply them. This system is winding down our emotional and physical resources are going to be more and more limited. If we do not learn to balance helping people it could harm not only ourselves but those we care about because we could neglect our friends or our family. As I study the bible I am learning I am guilty of this and possibly enabling others bad behavior.

The people who do not want to know God and ignore his word will bring many problems on themselves. If they blatantly ignore his warning and guidance then we are taking a part in their sin. Not only that but their sins can negatively effect our lives if we continue to help those who put themselves in bad situations because they refuse to obey God. Not only this but by helping them we could eventually be drawn in.

Another problem I have, is I tend to help to much. The bible warns you can wear out your welcome and the person can learn to hate you. The bible also tells us those who commit sins with no regard for God are mocking him. If we helped them wouldn’t we be also mocking God? We need to weigh are we enabling someone to sin or are we helping them get back on their feet. We need to also consider are we trying to be too helpful. Remember each person has their own burden to carry. We know that many of the trials and tribulations we endure teach us things and build endurance and wisdom when we do things in a way God would require.

I can tell you from personal experience emotional resources also get drained when you help the wrong people and you will start lashing out and getting angry at those who do not deserve it because of the stress it puts on you. So it is not only financially draining, spiritually draining it is emotionally draining. If all your vessels become empty then what does that leave you and what can you give to those who really deserve your help? We are told love bears all things but it does not rejoice in unrighteousness. In a sense if we continue to help someone willfully getting involved in wrong doing are we not rejoicing in unrighteousness?

There was a woman in the bible who gave all she had as a donation because of her love for God. If we spread our resources thin then we could not help ones like her who have a deep love for God and would deserve the help. This woman was producing good fruits, I have been in a position in my life were I helped someone who was ignoring God’s word because they were family. Then shortly after someone who produced many good fruits needed help and because I had already used my resources on someone who did not value God’s guidance I was not in a person to help them.

The bible tells us to ask and we will receive . So we have to remember to be aware when the help is from God and when the help is from a source God would not approve of. For example say we have to use the a lawyer and their advice is legal but would go against what God requires which often times does happen. It would be wise to obey God’s laws because this system is temporary and any suffering that may be brought on because we choose to stand on God’s side in matters will be temporary but the future hope given to us in God’s word is forever.

Things are rapidly winding down some things will occur that could mean life or death for us. We need to learn to rely on God first because there will be situations where no one can help us only God can. We know that Satan and his people persecute those who draw close to God. So we can expect to experience trials and tribulations. The persecution, trials and tribulation caused by Satan and his people often times are not obvious for example look at what Job had to endure because of the trials and tribulations Satan caused him but he endured and in doing so God blessed him many times over. God will leave us endure things because it can expose our short comings and weaknesses and it gives us an opportunity to work on them. When someone smelts precious metals they remove the dross. Dross are the impurities in the metals. When someone endures trials or tribulation it can expose areas spiritually they need to work on. When our short comings are exposed we can see the dross and work on removing it. This also gives us an opportunity to glorify God by showing our faith and loyalty to him no matter what we endure. If we are patient when a person is being refined it can reveal how they respond to something. For example are they lazy and expect others to do the heavy lifting for them? If so then they will continually try to get you to take more and more of their burdens on yourself and others when being tried. I do struggle with stepping in to help people too soon. God has made us industrious and creative. If we step in to soon we deprive others of the opportunity to learn to be industrious and creative in solving problems. The apostles endured many trials and tribulations they were often times told to be industrious. Look how they glorified God in-spite of the things they endured. When a person is under trials and tribulations they will either glorify God or they could smear his God’s name. If the person shows no initiative, they constantly complain about something but do not do the little things to fight their way out, if they do not constantly seek God’s word and seek him in prayer and we step in and help them we could be preventing them from learning the importance of putting God first. When a person endures hardships it reveals whether they are worthy of the heavenly kingdom or not.

So when we are helping someone we need to weigh many things for example is the person turning to God first to help them through the hard times? Are they doing things in a way God would require? Do they really need our help? If we become overly helpful we could be hindering the person from leaning things and to glorify God by showing their endurance and love for God through their hardship. This does not mean we totally abandon them it means we ask them if they need our help. We need to be aware of the circumstances that lead up to them needing help. If it was because of something sinful like excess drinking of alcohol or laziness and they are not trying to overcome those things then we would be enabling them. We need to learn to balance helping others between whether they are trying to help themselves, whether helping them would make us a part of their sin by enabling them, also if a person is not asking for help it may be because they have resources we are not aware of or they have the faith God will get them through it. If they truly need help they will most likely ask for it. If not you could ask them for help but should not help without asking.

Things are rapidly winding down. Many of us will have to turn to those we feel we have no right to because they are not directly related. They are our spiritual relatives which make the bond closer then if they were blood relatives. If we have to get help from them , most of the time they will be happy to help us. Imagine the burden it would be on them seeing us struggle and we did not ask them for help? Many came from the world and the world would hate them. So many of their families are part of the world and because they have chosen to be no part of the world they do not have their families to turn to they only have their spiritual family. We know those who are truly trying to follow Jesus will be hated by the world, persecuted, looked down on and treated poorly so we need to do our best to help each other when possible but also to except our limits and know when is within our power to help another so we do not spread ourselves too thin. It is unreasonable to not expect to experience hard ships. The closer a person draws to God the more the world will hate them. These are ones we should really focus our resources on helping. Those who are part of the world and have cause their own problems , if we help them we are not only enabling them we are becoming a part of their sins by not letting them suffer the consequences of the things they have done. Now if they have repented and are struggling to recover from the damage they have done then we should help them within reason.

When we help someone we should not expect anything in return. If we are in a position where we have been blessed by God and have the resources to help someone else this is a privilege given to us freely from God so we should not expect something in return for our helping others. Most of all we are to take care of those in our household. We are told those who do not have disowned the faith. If we do have to borrow from someone we should do our best to pay it back. We have to be wise about helping others and not letting them take advantage of us. Since we are in the last days we need to weigh why they are in need. Is this a pattern of things caused by them not being responsible or caused by some things they may be doing bringing the need on themselves or is their need because of the things now occurring since these are the last days? When we help someone we should not boat about it or tell others as many in the media do. They do this to get attention and to show their false righteousness. If we are truly giving from the heart and it is love guiding us we do need the attention and acknowledgment of the good things we have done. God gave the world a gift no one could match. He gave the life of his only begotten son as a ransom for our sins so that we could be forgiven. No one could match that gift. So any gift given by a human deserves to be bragged about because he could never compare to the gift God has given us.

Those of us enduring trials. We should accept the comfort of others who have endured trials themselves. They have already built up the knowledge and endurance that they could impart to us. We also need to learn to accept help when we need it. This sometimes takes humility. Many of us have not been in a position where we needed help. Some of us do not want to be a burden on others. When we except help we are giving others a chance to express their love towards us. Imagine how they would feel if they want to help us and it is in their power to do so and we refuse to accept their help because we feel we will be a burden. Would you not feel hurt if you wanted to help a friend or family member you cared about and even though they needed the help they refused it? Some have been blessed by God so they could share their blessings. Wouldn’t it be selfish if we had too much pride or felt we were a burden if we refused the happiness and joy that comes with sharing your blessing with others. How do you feel if someone refuses blessings God has given you when you try to share them?

If we are asking for God’s help we have to make sure we are doing nothing that will hinder our prayers or cause him not to hear them. We have to ask in God’s name and do so through Jesus Christ. Also understand God will not immediately remove us from the difficult situation or hardships but he does promise if we persist in prayer he will give us peace in our minds that will guard our hearts. This is why the bible tells us not to be anxious about anything this system is passing away and so is it’s desires. All this will be gone so very soon all suffering will end we just have to endure a little longer. If a person tries to help us without asking we should not get too harsh it is because they care. We should let them know we will ask in a nice way if we need help. It is always best to ask if you can help before offering to help. We could actually be complicating things for someone if we just try and give them help and they are not prepared for it. We have to remember they have their own plans and way of doing things and when we just help we may cause confusion. By asking we give them a chance to think about it and even prepare.

Things are going to get very difficult soon. We have to be careful we do not overextend ourselves and only help when it is within our power. We also have to be cautious who we help. There will be some we may not be in a position to help. In such situations we can pray for them.

Even now we see them empowering the disgusting thing Jesus mentioned and giving it more and more authority. The disgusting thing is the beast that man is putting in place to try and replace God’s authority over the earth. Once they form this one world order God will put it in their hearts to destroy false religion, once this occurs the beast will turn on true worship. Once this occurs the end of this system will come because Jesus will destroy mans rule and the heavenly kingdom will rule the earth again. These things will never occur again. By balancing helping others and knowing when to ask for help we may walk through the great tribulation into the new system. Those who endure to the end and remain faithful even if they face death will not experience the second death because they will experience a resurrection of life.

(Proverbs 11:2, 3)  ² When presumptuousness comes, dishonor will follow, But wisdom is with the modest ones.  ³ The integrity of the upright is what guides them, But the deviousness of the treacherous will destroy them.

(Proverbs 26:12) ¹² Have you seen a man who thinks he is wise? There is more hope for someone stupid than for him.

(Proverbs 28:25, 26) . . .But whoever relies on Jehovah will prosper. ²⁶ Whoever trusts in his own heart is stupid, But the one who walks in wisdom will escape.

(Matthew 11:26-30) . . .. ²⁷ All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one fully knows the Son except the Father; neither does anyone fully know the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him. ²⁸ Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for yourselves. ³⁰ For my yoke is kindly, and my load is light.”

(Matthew 7:7-11) ⁷ “Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you; ⁸ for everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking, it will be opened. ⁹ Indeed, which one of you, if his son asks for bread, will hand him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, he will not hand him a serpent, will he? ¹¹ Therefore, if you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him!

(John 14:12-14) . . .. ¹³ Also, whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, so that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.

(Proverbs 26:13-16) ¹³ The lazy one says: “There is a young lion in the road, A lion in the public square!” ¹⁴ A door keeps turning on its hinges, And the lazy one on his bed. ¹⁵ The lazy one buries his hand in the banquet bowl, But he is too tired to bring it back to his mouth. ¹⁶ The lazy one thinks he is wiser Than seven people who give a sensible reply.

(Proverbs 12:15, 16) ¹⁵ The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, But the wise one accepts advice. ¹⁶ A fool immediately shows his annoyance, But the shrewd man overlooks an insult.

(Proverbs 3:27) ²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom you should give it If it is within your power to help.

(Proverbs 24:6)  ⁶ By skillful direction you will wage your war, And through many advisers there is victory.

(2 Thessalonians 3:10) ¹⁰ In fact, when we were with you, we used to give you this order: “If anyone does not want to work, neither let him eat.”

(James 1:2-8) ² Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials, ³ knowing as you do that this tested quality of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ But let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything. ⁵ So if any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching, and it will be given him. ⁶ But let him keep asking in faith, not doubting at all, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. ⁷ In fact, that man should not expect to receive anything from Jehovah; ⁸ he is an indecisive man, unsteady in all his ways.

(1 Timothy 5:7, 8) . . .. ⁸ Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.

(Ephesians 5:10-13) . . .; ¹¹ and stop sharing in the unfruitful works that belong to the darkness; rather, expose them for what they are. ¹² For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. ¹³ Now all the things that are being exposed are made evident by the light, for everything that is being made evident is light.

(Proverbs 13:20, 21) ²⁰ The one walking with the wise will become wise, But the one who has dealings with the stupid will fare badly. ²¹ Calamity pursues sinners, But prosperity rewards the righteous.

(Proverbs 25:17) ¹⁷ Rarely set foot in your neighbor’s house, So that he does not get tired of you and hate you.

(Galatians 6:7-10) ⁷ Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a person is sowing, this he will also reap; ⁸ because the one sowing with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh, but the one sowing with a view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit. ⁹ So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due time we will reap if we do not tire out. ¹⁰ So, then, as long as we have the opportunity, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.

(Proverbs 23:21) For a drunkard and a glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.

(Luke 15:13, 14) A few days later, the younger son gathered all his things together and traveled to a distant country and there squandered his property by living a debauched life. ¹⁴ When he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred throughout that country, and he fell into need.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-7) ⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, ⁵ does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. ⁶ It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

(Mark 12:43, 44) . . .. ⁴⁴ For they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her want, put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

(Matthew 7:7-11) ⁷ “Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you; ⁸ for everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking, it will be opened. ⁹ Indeed, which one of you, if his son asks for bread, will hand him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, he will not hand him a serpent, will he? ¹¹ Therefore, if you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him!

(Jeremiah 17:7, 8)  ⁷ Blessed is the man who puts his trust in Jehovah, Whose confidence is in Jehovah.  ⁸ He will become like a tree planted by the waters, That sends out its roots to the stream. He will not notice when heat comes, But his leaves will always flourish. And in the year of drought he will not be anxious, Nor will he quit producing fruit.

(2 Corinthians 1:8-11) ⁸ For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the tribulation we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under extreme pressure beyond our own strength, so that we were very uncertain even of our lives. ⁹ In fact, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. This was so that we would trust, not in ourselves, but in the God who raises up the dead. ¹⁰ From such a great risk of death he did rescue us and will rescue us, and our hope is in him that he will also continue to rescue us. ¹¹ You also can help us by your supplication for us, in order that many may give thanks in our behalf for the favor we receive in answer to the prayers of many.

(Matthew 5:10-12) ¹⁰ “Happy are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, since the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to them. ¹¹ “Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you for my sake. ¹² Rejoice and be overjoyed, since your reward is great in the heavens, for in that way they persecuted the prophets prior to you.

(Zechariah 13:8, 9) . . .And the third part will be left remaining in it.  ⁹ And I will bring the third part through the fire; And I will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people,’ And they will say, ‘Jehovah is our God.’”

(Isaiah 48:10) ¹⁰ Look! I have refined you, but not in the form of silver. I have tested you in the smelting furnace of affliction.

(Isaiah 40:29-31) ²⁹ He gives power to the tired one And full might to those lacking strength. ³⁰ Boys will tire out and grow weary, And young men will stumble and fall, ³¹ But those hoping in Jehovah will regain power. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; They will walk and not tire out.”

(2 Thessalonians 1:4, 5) ⁴ As a result we ourselves take pride in you among the congregations of God because of your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the hardships that you are suffering. ⁵ This is a proof of the righteous judgment of God, leading to your being counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you are indeed suffering.

(James 1:2-8) ² Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials, ³ knowing as you do that this tested quality of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ But let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything. ⁵ So if any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching, and it will be given him. ⁶ But let him keep asking in faith, not doubting at all, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. ⁷ In fact, that man should not expect to receive anything from Jehovah; ⁸ he is an indecisive man, unsteady in all his ways.

(John 15:17-21) ¹⁷ “These things I command you, that you love one another. ¹⁸ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. ²⁰ Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours. ²¹ But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.

(Isaiah 49:15) ¹⁵ Can a woman forget her nursing child Or have no compassion for the son of her womb? Even if these women forget, I would never forget you.

(2 Peter 2:8-10) . . .. ⁹ So, then, Jehovah knows how to rescue people of godly devotion out of trial, but to reserve unrighteous people to be destroyed on the day of judgment, ¹⁰ especially those who seek to defile the flesh of others and who despise authority.. . .

(1 Peter 5:6-11) ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time, ⁷ while you throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. ⁸ Keep your senses, be watchful! Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone. ⁹ But take your stand against him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by the entire association of your brothers in the world. ¹⁰ But after you have suffered a little while, the God of all undeserved kindness, who called you to his everlasting glory in union with Christ, will himself finish your training. He will make you firm, he will make you strong, he will firmly ground you. ¹¹ To him be the might forever. Amen.

(Psalm 34:18, 19) ¹⁸ Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; He saves those who are crushed in spirit. ר [Resh] ¹⁹ Many are the hardships of the righteous one, But Jehovah rescues him from them all.

(Leviticus 25:35-37) “‘If your brother who is nearby becomes poor and cannot support himself, you must sustain him as you would a foreign resident and a settler, so that he may keep alive with you. ³⁶ Do not take interest or make a profit from him. You must be in fear of your God, and your brother will keep alive with you. ³⁷ You must not lend him your money on interest or give out your food for profit.

(Luke 6:32-36) ³² “If you love those loving you, of what credit is it to you? For even the sinners love those loving them. ³³ And if you do good to those doing good to you, of what credit is it to you? Even the sinners do the same. ³⁴ Also, if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, of what credit is it to you? Even sinners lend to sinners so that they may get back as much. ³⁵ On the contrary, continue to love your enemies and to do good and to lend without hoping for anything back; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind toward the unthankful and wicked. ³⁶ Continue being merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

(1 Timothy 5:7, 8) . . .. ⁸ Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.

(Hebrews 13:15, 16) . . .. ¹⁶ Moreover, do not forget to do good and to share what you have with others, for God is well-pleased with such sacrifices.

(Acts 2:43-47) ⁴³ Indeed, fear began to fall upon everyone, and many wonders and signs began to occur through the apostles. ⁴⁴ All those who became believers were together and had everything in common, ⁴⁵ and they were selling their possessions and properties and distributing the proceeds to all, according to what each one needed. ⁴⁶ And day after day they were in constant attendance in the temple with a united purpose, and they took their meals in different homes and shared their food with great rejoicing and sincerity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and finding favor with all the people. At the same time Jehovah continued to add to them daily those being saved.

(Romans 13:8-10) ⁸ Do not owe anything to anyone except to love one another; for whoever loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. ⁹ For the law code, “You must not commit adultery, you must not murder, you must not steal, you must not covet,” and whatever other commandment there is, is summed up in this saying: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Love does not work evil to one’s neighbor; therefore, love is the law’s fulfillment.

(Matthew 6:1-4) 6 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. ² So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³ But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.

(John 3:16) ¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.

(1 Corinthians 10:32, 33) Keep from becoming causes for stumbling to Jews as well as Greeks and to the congregation of God, ³³ just as I am trying to please all people in all things, not seeking my own advantage, but that of the many, so that they may be saved.

(Acts 20:34, 35) . . .. ³⁵ I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way, you must assist those who are weak and must keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, when he himself said: ‘There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.’”

(1 Corinthians 4:12, 13) ¹² and to toil, working with our own hands. When insulted, we bless; when persecuted, we patiently endure; ¹³ when slandered, we answer mildly; we have become as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things, until now.

(2 Corinthians 1:3-7) ³ Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our trials so that we may be able to comfort others in any sort of trial with the comfort that we receive from God. ⁵ For just as the sufferings for the Christ abound in us, so the comfort we receive through the Christ also abounds. ⁶ Now if we face trials, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are being comforted, it is for your comfort, which acts to help you to endure the same sufferings that we also suffer. ⁷ And our hope for you is unwavering, knowing as we do that just as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.

(1 John 3:16-18) . . .. ¹⁷ But whoever has the material possessions of this world and sees his brother in need and yet refuses to show him compassion, in what way does the love of God remain in him? ¹⁸ Little children, we should love, not in word or with the tongue, but in deed and truth.

(1 Timothy 6:17-19) ¹⁷ Instruct those who are rich in the present system of things not to be arrogant, and to place their hope, not on uncertain riches, but on God, who richly provides us with all the things we enjoy. ¹⁸ Tell them to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be generous, ready to share, ¹⁹ safely treasuring up for themselves a fine foundation for the future, so that they may get a firm hold on the real life.

(Mark 11:24, 25) ²⁴ This is why I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for, have faith that you have received them, and you will have them. ²⁵ And when you stand praying, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father who is in the heavens may also forgive you your trespasses.”

(Philippians 4:4-7) ⁴ Always rejoice in the Lord. Again I will say, Rejoice! ⁵ Let your reasonableness become known to all men. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.

(1 John 2:15-17) ¹⁵ Do not love either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; ¹⁶ because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. ¹⁷ Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

(Matthew 24:9-22) ⁹ “Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name. ¹⁰ Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; ¹² and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who has endured to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. ¹⁵ “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), ¹⁶ then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, ¹⁸ and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. ¹⁹ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(Revelation 17:15-18) ¹⁵ He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. ¹⁶ And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. ¹⁷ For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished. ¹⁸ And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

(Revelation 18:4-10) ⁴ And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. ⁵ For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. ⁶ Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. ⁷ To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’ ⁸ That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong. ⁹ “And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning. ¹⁰ They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’

(2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) ⁶ This takes into account that it is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you. ⁷ But you who suffer tribulation will be given relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels ⁸ in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance on those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. ⁹ These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength,

(Revelation 2:10, 11) ¹⁰ Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison so that you may be fully put to the test, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹ Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: The one who conquers will by no means be harmed by the second death.’

If you are teaching someone to heal you should require these things.

Written By Lee Stevenson, sorry I am a lousy editor.

Things a person needs to do to keep track of their healing are:

Keeping a health journal which included medical reports, allergies, intolerance, environmental exposures, family history of illness, diet choices.

Food journal this should include food intolerance or allergies. How a person feels after eating . How a person feels after eating certain foods.

Keeping a supplement list and notes on how the supplement has effected them.

Keeping a health goals list and what they have achieved on the list so they can see what progress they have made.

Keep a diary of how they feel each day. This benefited me because I did not think I was healing the progress was so slow but when I looked back at how ill I was I had realized I was much better then before I started a protocol to heal.

This may seem like a lot to do but in the long run it saves a lot of trouble because when ill it is easy to forget things and this makes it easier to keep track of things which speeds up the process of figuring out what a person needs to do.

If a person will not do these things they will consume a lot of the person helping them time and will put unreasonable demands on the person helping them which is unfair to those who work hard to teach others to heal heal. .

In my opinion if a person refuses to do these things you most likely are wasting your time because they lack the self discipline to heal. They will have many excuses why the do not keep records of things or why they lost them if they do try to keep records of these things. Those people usually jump from one protocol to another looking for a magic bullet to heal. It takes time to heal and there is no magic bullet. It is best to focus your time on those who realize this and are willing to commit to healing and self discipline themselves and do all they can do to cover the short comings that come with being ill for example I could not remember if I drank water or even ate my meals so I would mark on a calendar when I drank water and what time of the day and when I ate meals and what I ate. If they truly want to heal they will do all they can to assure it happens.

The healing journey is theirs. You cannot take if for them. Some will try to force their burden of healing on you. If you leave this happen it will waste hours of your time because they will not progress and they will not heal. I have even sent people the things they needed to heal because they were not disciplining themselves. As soon as they run out of the things you sent they go back to making the same errors they have made before. So I recommend making sure a person is committed to healing and shows they are committed to healing by their actions.

Walk as the wise do.

Written by Lee Stevenson , sorry I am a lousy editor.

When the bible talks about walking as wise and the stupid ones. It is referring to those who put their trust in the world and do not write God’s word on their hearts and let their own thoughts guide them. Things are rapidly winding down little things that we used to have time to correct can now cause us many problems. For example if we have associations who do not know God and refuse to know him it tells you something about them. If we have someone who frequently puts themselves in a position they could fall short of what God requires it could be very costly. Very soon many will betray each other and even have those who put their trust and faith in God arrested or killed. No matter how kind they may seem if they are not accepting God’s word and refuse to talk about it , it reveals not only that they put their faith in the world or themselves but they may have things in their hearts that we do not see but God can read their hearts and if he has not yet called them to him then we should be very carefully about associating with them or even when we have to work with them. For example say we have to use someones services. They may try to become our friend, even if they do talk about the scriptures which how they respond to all God’s word. Remember God’s words is sharper then any two edged sword able to discern the deeper things in their hearts. If they avoid certain scriptures then depending on the context of the scripture and how they react it could tell us a lot. They may have guilt, they may be contemplating on disobeying God. But if they have come from the world and are just learning they may be having trouble forgiving themselves. In any cause pay attention to those things and it can help us discern whether we should associate or not. At the present time associating with ones like that who seem very kind may seem beneficial in some way maybe financially, maybe they have a certain worldly wisdom we would like to learn or maybe we just like something about them. We should be very cautious. Remember Satan and his messengers can appear as angels of light. Gods word exposes who truly loves God and who is faithful and who is not. If they constantly skirt the line on little things it could draw a person away from God. This is usually from over confidence that a person would do such a thing. The bible has warned us about being spiritually overconfident.

If we are dating we need to pay attention to the things the person does in regard to God and his word. We all have imperfections we have to overcome so we should not be focused on someones imperfections but their spiritual growth. Does the person we may be interested in get over confident and frequently put themselves in a position where they may give in to their weakness? Do they become over confident and think they can do those things because they will not sin. The bible warns pride comes before a fall. We should look at some examples of over confidence in the bible and how it caused some to fall . Not only that but often times when they fell short of God others were also harmed. Surely we would not want to fall short of God and have it result in others being harmed or drawn away from God. If a person does not show spiritual growth or struggles to come to an accurate understanding of God’s word we are warned to be careful of such ones. The bible even told us what things to watch for in such people. The bible warned us they would appear to have a sense of Godly devotion in the last days so we have to be very careful. (2 Timothy 3:1-7) 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, ³ having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, ⁴ betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. ⁶ From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, ⁷ always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.) . I will now discuss instances were some have gotten over confident and it caused them to error. When someone does error and they are corrected we need to pay attention to how they respond to the correction. If they get offended or angry and do not take corrective action then we should be cautious associating with them they could drag us down also. Haughty attitude is mentioned in the above scripture. Often times we brush haughtiness off as being minor but I can tell you from personal experience the haughty and spiritually overconfident ones have been the ones who betrayed and hurt me the most in my life. So we need to pay attention. If we point out an error someone may be making we need to pay attention to how they respond and take the proper actions based on how they respond. We have to keep in mind we are told to be no part of the world but we cannot remove ourselves entirely from the world because of certain needs like food and work, also we have the work of making disciples and telling others about the heavenly kingdom and the hope it gives.

Something to take note of. Often times in the bible when someone is not as close as they seem to be they will look for things in the world to make them happy . For example when Saul lost favor in God’s eyes it says a bad spirit overtook him. He turned to music to calm him. Those who love God and truly have faith in him will turn to God when they are troubled. So we need to pay attention to who or what people turn to when they are troubled.

We have the first example of someone ignoring what God required in Genesis when Eve listened to the serpent. She had been taught what God required and she knew what the end result would be if she disobeyed God. She should have stopped listening to Satan because she quoted what she had been taught and would have known he was being deceptive. Instead she kept listening and he convinced her and eventually Adam that they did not need God to guide and rule over them and that they would not die. This resulted in a separation between God and man and we no longer had as close of a relationship with Jehovah God. Man still does not want to accept that we need God to guide and rule over us. Man has tried every form of government and things have only gotten worse. Man has thoroughly proven those lies wrong. Man cannot rule ourselves we do not have the foresight or wisdom that God has. We cannot end death because God is the source of life. Because he loves us he provided Jesus as a ransom sacrifice, Jesus also defeated death which provided a way for many to be forgiven and for death to be done away with.

Moses and Aaron were guiding Israel through the wilderness. God had told moses and Aaron to strike the rocks with his staff and he would provide water for the people and the animals. Aaron and moses did do as God told them to do but instead of glorifying God and praising God’s name he chastised the people and then struck the rock. God still provided the water for Israel but they had to be disciplined to set an example to others. It resulted in God forbidding Moses and Aaron to enter into the promised land. Surely we would not want to view something little as not being important and have it cause us to have to be disciplined and we lose the future hope of the promises God has given us in his word. In all things we do and receive we should glorify and thank God first.

An error Dinah made not only cost her , her reputation but it also cost some peoples lives. Dinah used to go out and spend time with women of the land. They clearly had a negative influence on her. This caused her to associate with Sheckem a chief ten in Canaan. They eventually had sexual relations. This was something Israel was not supposed to do. They were not to marry or have children with people of the land. Dinah’s brothers got angry because they felt it disgraced Israel. This led to them killing many people and doing other things they should not have done. This brought the anger of many nations towards them so Jacob had to move his family.

What seems like a little thing can rapidly escalate into a very big thing and not only cause problems in our own lives and could even result in death. It could result in harm to others and us losing protection from Jehovah at a time that we need it most. This system is rapidly winding down. We need to be more cautious now then we ever where. It is the little things that can help Satan get his foot in the door and get us to lose our protection from God and possibly our lives. We can avoid things like this by not even paying attention to something that may draw us away from God or get us to put our confidence in ourselves. It is when we are most confident about our spiritual strengths we are most vulnerable. By being aware of our short comings we can avoid situations that may get us to fall short and lose favor with God and even worse lose his protection. Job stated he made a covenant with his eyes. When it comes to sexual immorality Jesus cautioned if a man even looks at a woman to have passion in their heart has already committed adultery. Jesus referred to our eyes as the lamp of the body. (Matthew 6:22, 23) ²² “The lamp of the body is the eye. If, then, your eye is focused, your whole body will be bright. ²³ But if your eye is envious, your whole body will be dark. If the light that is in you is really darkness, how great that darkness is!) We are in the last days, anxieties are gong to continue to get worse, some may experience loneliness because of the hatred and anger that is rampant. Some may fall on hard times financially. These things could draw us away from Gods word . We may start leaning less on God’s word and on letting it guide us. There are many traps out there and it could not only draw us away from God it could even cost us our lives. If we do escape it could cause us a lot of pain in our lives. We are living in a time when it is difficult to maintain health because of all the toxic medicine, pharmaceutical products, processed foods, GMOs, and the farm chemicals they put on them. There are many toxins in the environment. Stress is already severe now days. If we walk of the path and are led astray we will only bring more stress on ourselves and this will negatively effect our health even more. By protecting our spiritual health we are also protecting our physical health.

The new system is almost here. Better times are very very near we just need to hang on a little longer. Very soon there will be no more illness, violence , sadness or death. Many will walk through the great tribulation into the new system and get to see these things have been done away with. Not only that but if we are one of the ones who walk through the great tribulation we will get to see the loved ones that we lost in death who will be resurrected. Imagine what it will be like living in a world where no one gets sick, no one dies, no one commits acts of violence against another and we no longer have to worry about our belonging being taken from us. So now more then ever we need to walk not only as the wise do but we need to avoid walking with the spiritually stupid one so they do not get us to veer our eyes from the path Jesus showed us to take. By knowing God’s love and the love of Jesus and knowing we can trust them no matter what it gives us hope in the future promises given to us in the bible.

(Ephesians 5:15-20) ¹⁵ So keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, ¹⁶ making the best use of your time, because the days are wicked. ¹⁷ On this account stop being unreasonable, but keep perceiving what the will of Jehovah is. ¹⁸ Also, do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but keep getting filled with spirit. ¹⁹ Speak to one another with psalms, praises to God, and spiritual songs, singing and accompanying yourselves with music in your hearts to Jehovah, ²⁰ always giving thanks to our God and Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1 John 4:1-3) 4 Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired statement, but test the inspired statements to see whether they originate with God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² This is how you know that the inspired statement is from God: Every inspired statement that acknowledges Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God. ³ But every inspired statement that does not acknowledge Jesus does not originate with God. Furthermore, this is the antichrist’s inspired statement that you have heard was coming, and now it is already in the world.

(2 Corinthians 11:12-15) ¹² But what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to eliminate the pretext of those who are wanting a basis for being found equal to us in the things about which they boast. ¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works.

(Hebrews 4:11-13) ¹¹ Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall into the same pattern of disobedience. ¹² For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And there is not a creation that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account.

(James 1:22-25) ²² However, become doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with false reasoning. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself, and he goes away and immediately forgets what sort of person he is. ²⁵ But the one who peers into the perfect law that belongs to freedom and continues in it has become, not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; and he will be happy in what he does.

(Proverbs 9:13-18) ¹³ A stupid woman is loud. She is ignorant and knows absolutely nothing. ¹⁴ She sits at the entrance of her house On a seat in the high places of the city, ¹⁵ Calling out to those passing by, To those walking straight ahead on their way: ¹⁶ “Whoever is inexperienced, let him come in here.” She says to those lacking good sense: ¹⁷ “Stolen waters are sweet, And food eaten in secret is pleasant.” ¹⁸ But he does not know that those powerless in death are there, That her guests are in the depths of the Grave.

(Psalm 10:4-6)  ⁴ In his haughtiness, the wicked man makes no investigation; All his thoughts are: “There is no God.”  ⁵ His ways keep prospering, But your judgments are beyond his understanding; He scoffs at all his adversaries.  ⁶ He says in his heart: “I will never be shaken; For generation after generation I will never see calamity.”

(Numbers 20:10) Then Moses and Aaron called the congregation together before the crag, and he said to them: “Hear, now, you rebels! Must we bring out water for you from this crag?”

(Numbers 20:12) Jehovah later said to Moses and Aaron: “Because you did not show faith in me and sanctify me before the eyes of the people of Israel, you will not bring this congregation into the land that I will give them.”

(Proverbs 12:1) 12 The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, But the one who hates reproof is unreasoning.

(1 Samuel 16:14-17) ¹⁴ Now the spirit of Jehovah had departed from Saul, and a bad spirit from Jehovah terrorized him. ¹⁵ The servants of Saul said to him: “You see that a bad spirit from God is terrorizing you. ¹⁶ Let our lord, please, command your servants before you to look for a man who is skilled at playing the harp. Whenever a bad spirit from God comes upon you, he will play it, and you will feel better.” ¹⁷ So Saul said to his servants: “Find me, please, a man who plays well, and bring him to me.”

(Matthew 4:1-7) 4 Then Jesus was led by the spirit up into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. ² After he had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, he felt hungry. ³ And the Tempter approached and said to him: “If you are a son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” ⁴ But he answered: “It is written: ‘Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from Jehovah’s mouth.’” ⁵ Then the Devil took him along into the holy city, and he stationed him on the battlement of the temple ⁶ and said to him: “If you are a son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written: ‘He will give his angels a command concerning you,’ and, ‘They will carry you on their hands, so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.’” ⁷ Jesus said to him: “Again it is written: ‘You must not put Jehovah your God to the test.’”

(Genesis 34:1-4) 34 Now Diʹnah, Jacob’s daughter by Leʹah, used to go out to spend time with the young women of the land. ² When Sheʹchem, the son of Haʹmor the Hiʹvite, a chieftain of the land, saw her, he took her and lay down with her and violated her. ³ And he became very attached to Diʹnah, the daughter of Jacob, and he fell in love with the young woman and spoke persuasively to her. ⁴ Finally Sheʹchem said to Haʹmor his father: “Get me this young woman to be my wife.”

(Genesis 34:5-7) ⁵ When Jacob heard that he had defiled Diʹnah his daughter, his sons were with his herd in the field. So Jacob kept silent until they returned. ⁶ Later Haʹmor, Sheʹchem’s father, went out to speak with Jacob. ⁷ But the sons of Jacob heard about it and returned from the field right away. They were offended and very angry because he had disgraced Israel by lying down with Jacob’s daughter, something that should not be done.

(Genesis 34:25-29) ²⁵ However, on the third day, when they were still in pain, two sons of Jacob, Simʹe·on and Leʹvi, Diʹnah’s brothers, each took his sword and went into the unsuspecting city and killed every male. ²⁶ They killed Haʹmor and his son Sheʹchem with the sword and then took Diʹnah from Sheʹchem’s house and left. ²⁷ Jacob’s other sons came upon the slain men and plundered the city because they had defiled their sister. ²⁸ They took their flocks, their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. ²⁹ They also took all their possessions, captured all their little children and their wives, and plundered everything in the houses.

(Genesis 34:30-35:1) ³⁰ At this Jacob said to Simʹe·on and to Leʹvi: “You have brought great trouble on me in making me a stench to the inhabitants of the land, to the Caʹnaan·ites and the Perʹiz·zites. I am few in number, and they will certainly gather together to attack me and I will be annihilated, I and my house.” ³¹ But they said: “Should anyone treat our sister like a prostitute?” 35 After that God said to Jacob: “Rise, go up to Bethʹel and dwell there, and make an altar there to the true God, who appeared to you when you were running away from Eʹsau your brother.”

(Matthew 5:27, 28) ²⁷ “You heard that it was said: ‘You must not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

(Mark 7:21-23) ²¹ For from inside, out of the heart of men, come injurious reasonings: sexual immorality, thefts, murders, ²² acts of adultery, greed, acts of wickedness, deceit, brazen conduct, an envious eye, blasphemy, haughtiness, and unreasonableness. ²³ All these wicked things come from within and defile a man.”

(Matthew 6:22, 23) ²² “The lamp of the body is the eye. If, then, your eye is focused, your whole body will be bright. ²³ But if your eye is envious, your whole body will be dark. If the light that is in you is really darkness, how great that darkness is!

(Proverbs 4:25) ²⁵ Your eyes should look straight ahead, Yes, fix your gaze straight ahead of you.

(Proverbs 3:5-8)  ⁵ Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding.  ⁶ In all your ways take notice of him, And he will make your paths straight.  ⁷ Do not become wise in your own eyes. Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad.  ⁸ It will be a healing to your body And refreshment for your bones.

Is resentment a little thing?

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

Resentment is a feeling of indignant displeasure or persistent ill will at something regarded as a wrong, insult, or injury. It can be brought on by jealousy or if you feel you have been wronged. If a person holds onto it too long it can turn to bitterness and anger. Resentment can be directed at an action, statement or person. If we are mistreated or wronged or we see others mistreated or wronged we can feel resentment and it can actually start presenting in other areas of our life or towards others. If you hold onto resentment you will rehash things over and over and it can prevent you from thinking clearly and from moving forward. When it is someone you care about it becomes the most difficult to let go, especially if we know they know better. When I say that they have had the things they have done occur to them and know the emotional injury they can cause. If they know their bibles will it can be even more difficult to let things go. I will discuss guidance the bible gives on dealing with resentment. If we hold onto resentment it could lead to works of the flesh such as jealousy, anger, strife, and cause divisions. If we give into the flesh this can result in it not only destroying our life now but could cost us the hope in the future promise of living forever. This is why we are told to pursue peace with all people. Women are much more sensitive to negative emotions so even if any negative emotion we feel is not towards them we need to learn to let things go because they perceive these things easier then men will and be effected negatively. In a sense when we feel resentment we may be starting to judge matters. We are told we are not to judge and it is God who will repay each for the things they do whether good or bad. Resentment my seem like a little thing but many time we seen people get drawn in by little things because they got overconfident about their standing with good and their faith and loyalty and it caused them to commit serious sins that hurt themselves and others and usually destroyed their lives.

If we are married sometimes a person’s spouse may do things that cause resentment. We have to keep in mind we are imperfect and may do things that cause them resentment. Sometimes resentment may come from an unresolved argument. Usually arguments can be resolved using God’s world but if the argument is with someone who does not consult God’s word and write it into their heart the argument most likely will never be resolved. If we dwell on it , it can start causing resentment which can lead to far worse sins. In a relationship , even in some friendships a person will feel resentment because the family member or friend is not listening to you or giving you attention. This may be true and the bible does have good advice on how both sides should handle that but it would be too extensive to cover now. If the feelings are warranted then we should talk to the person about it in a kind and peaceable way. If the resentment is thought about for too long it can start causing feelings of regret and a person will start to withdraw from the person causing the resentment. This is usually not intentional, but it can cause many problems. If we do feel anger or resentment we should learn to leave it go before we go to bed because we are warned it will leave an opportunity for Satan.

Some may feel resentment if they are being criticized. I used to get upset if someone pointed out a short coming, but I now realize if the person did not care about me they would not point those things out so I can continue to grow and become a better person. There is a difference between constructive and destructive criticism. Destructive criticism tears a person down. Constructive criticism builds others up which the bible tells us to do. Learn to recognize constructive and destructive criticism. If a person is doing destructive criticism which the bible warns is wrong and they do not correct their behavior it tells you something about them not you.

One of the first things we need to do is to forgive people. But we may ask what if they do not repent? Well then the bible warns we should be cautious about associating with them but we still need to forgive them. When they do repent and make the necessary changes then we need to forgive them. We cannot be forgiven if we do not forgive others. It also hinders us from moving forward spiritually and could effect other relationships including family and friends negatively. If they do not repent then they may have a hardened heart and the bible warns us about associating with those who have a hardened heart towards God’s word. Sometimes we have a hard time forgiving ourselves for letting whatever happened occur, or for not seeing the signs that the offense or situation was going to occur and we did not take steps to protect ourselves. We need to forgive ourselves. Learn from it, let it teach us so we will be more aware what to do and try our best to apply God’s word to protect us from the offense.

If it is something we seen happen in the world or to someone else, we need to pray to God and put it on him and if possible help the person. If not we have to remember God loves us all and he is righteous and will have Jesus set matters straight soon.

Self resentment comes from not forgiving ourselves, or committing the offense or action repeatedly. Some may have learned to resent themselves from abuse when they were young. If this occurs we need to see how God sees us. He values every single one of us. We may even over exaggerate things about ourselves in our own minds. We need to be careful about that. We would not want to be over confident to the point it would cause a fall but we should not keep dwelling on how imperfect we are. If we do it could hinder us being able to share bible truths with others and steal our confidence from us. God is well aware of our imperfections. If he only looked at our sin then no one would make it. God looks at our willingness to give up sin and to keep growing spiritually. King David committed some pretty serious sins and when he repented God forgave him. David continued to grow spiritually and did not commit those sins again. When others do commit a sin and the reason I keep saying sin it is usually sin that causes resentment though it also could be a bad situation we could not avoid. We need to forgive them even if they are our enemy. We need to learn to try our best not to put ourselves in a position to have something cause us resentment.

There are world events that are occurring and are going to occur very very soon. We may feel resentment for many reason because man is gong to bring a lot of harm on each other very soon. Man already has and still is but it is going to get much worse very soon. We have to stay strong and realize all these things now occurring were prophesied. Jesus warned that these things would happen on a grand scale like they have never occurred before. I will give you an example of resentment I felt. Earthquakes were prophesied and they said they would happen on a grand scale. It used to be that when an earthquake occurred it was a major news event. Now earthquakes happen so frequently that they rarely even report them on the news and if they do they just briefly mention them. I noticed that most of the areas it happened in were poor areas. When I looked deeper into it often times the area the poor were forced to live people live in , they lived there because they had no where else to go because of the oppression. I used to dwell for days on how the nation they lived in, knew those people had been forced to live in an area that was known for being a dangerous area during earthquakes. That clearly is not a problem for me to worry about but one for God because it is a condition of the world and the state it is in. Things are happening on such a grand scale now only Jesus can straighten the mess out man made, when God gives him the command to. We cannot let resentment rob our peace of mind. Jesus is our king and God is going to have him set things straight very very soon but we need to stay focused spiritually and not get easily shaken because the peace Jesus told us we would enjoy, would not be the peace as man sees it but it would be a mental and spiritual peace we will enjoy. We need to expect things to occur especially since we all are sinful and fall short. Others also have to tolerate our imperfections and our error. Something I personally have to work on is when I help others I will let them cross lines I should not and then I feel resentment towards them and towards me for letting them cross those lines. So I need to make the lines clearer and to not let people cross them and if they do, I need to limit my contact with them. We cannot let thoughts set in that can cause us to eventually start resenting things. We know these things are going to occur. We are limited on what we can do. Man brought this on ourselves by rejecting God. We are seeing the end results of it. Jesus is our king and will set matters straight very soon.

Some of us may have been put in positions were we have limited resources and may be struggling. Some even now are being imprisoned, we have to remember in times past those who worshiped in truth were taken into captivity, or imprisoned would find ways to bring God glory and they stay focused on pleasing him. Daniel and his three friends while in captivity actually gain authority and respect because of their faith and obedience to God. He blessed obedient and faithful ones many times over when they endured. We are in the last days and the blessing may seem far off. We do not know when the new system will be here but we can see some of the final prophecies being fulfilled now, so we can be confident it is very very near this is why Jesus frequently reminds us to stay alert. We know it is going to happen suddenly just as it did in Noah’s day and many who believe in God and Jesus will pay no note until it is too late. So just because we have faith and try to obey God if we are not listening to God and taking no note of the scriptures being fulfilled , by the time we realize the times we are in and try to prepare it will be too late. Now more then ever we need to focus on spiritual things and do our best to prevent resentment coming into our hearts it could distract us and even lead us away if we let it overwhelm us. It is ok to feel remorse or sadness for a while but we cannot dwell on it too long or it may lead to resentment and resentment can lead to anger. Once this occurs we not only get angry at what has occurred or the person but it could effect the way we act towards others in our lives. We know the work we have to do and that is to make disciples of people of all the earth and to spread the good news of the heavenly kingdom and to do our best to let God’s word guide us in all we do. Resentment may seem like a small thing but may have fallen but just small things. David looked at a woman bathing when he should have turned his eyes away and it caused him to betray many people and he betrayed God’s trust. It could have cost him his life if he had not repented but God give him the chance to repent and he did not commit that error again. It was just a little thing David was on his rough when he seen her bathing. If he would have done something to remove himself from seeing the woman it may have prevented him from committing a very serious sin. Resentment if we do not let it go can lead to very serious sins that can lead to jealousy , anger and eventually violence if we do not learn to let it go and to forgive others and trust God will set things straight some day.

In times past God would remind his people when they got distracted, or discouraged to focus their attention on the things above. He would remind them of his laws and remind them to write it on their hearts. This gave them hope, build their faith and trust in God and his word. This prevented them from getting distracted or relying on their own understanding. If we do not focus on the things above then the little things could draw us away just as one little thing caused David to fall short. We are told not to be conquered by the evil but to conquer the evil with the good. So when we face evil things we need to work very hard not to let our human imperfections get the best of us. This world and all the things in it will be gone soon. Even though at times it may seem like forgot about us , he does care and he knows what we are enduring. I would have to cover that in another post. Most of all do not let resentment fester until it progresses farther. It may drive us to take actions God would not approve of. It is God who will repay each for the things people have done whether good or bad. If we get overcome and give in to what may seem like a little thing it can lead us down to a path of more serious sins against God. We are all imperfect and when we do error , we should do our best to take corrective action. Learn how to avoid putting ourselves in a position to commit that sin again. We should not continue to resent ourselves when we do find error in ourselves. Remember resentment can cause anger and ill will . We could end up thinking bad thoughts about ourselves instead of thinking positively on what we could do to go forward. We should focus on what we could do to develop the mind of Christ who was the perfect image of his father Jehovah.

Some of us may feel resentment because we see someone we care for constantly putting themselves in situations you know are not good and could make them fall short but there are no laws or scriptures to cover that area. For example if someone has a tendency to flirt with others but they do not cross the line or pursue things. This could cause them to be accused of things they may not be doing. This could reflect badly on them and give them a reputation. This could lead to them getting into a bad situation that could result in them falling short by fornicating or committing adultry, or being hurt. Things like that can be a matter of conscience but when they can lead to us being harmed or falling into sin then it is not responsible and God will not protect us. Where the bible does cover this is, we are able to be free of accusations so we should not put ourselves in situations that may smear us just by the way our actions appear. For example I had a friend who was hanging out with people who drank heavily. He was being accused of it at the time but he was not drinking but he had already been labeled as a drunk. But they did eventually draw him into drinking and he started drinking heavily. But even if he had not he was smearing God’s name , and it also took his freeness of speech about God’s word and you could see it in the way he would speak about it. If we are a brother and we frequently meet in private with a woman. We may not be doing anything inappropriate but it could give cause for accusations which could smear God’s name. Even worse it could eventually lead us to sin causing us to lose God’s protection. We are going to suffer no matter what but whether we make it through it or not will be determined if God is with us. So little things like resentment, anger , jealousy and many other things matter, and we need to pay attention to them. Those little things can eventually drown out love and the bible tells us that love protects our thinking. The bible tells us love never fails. Those who do not know love may let us down but we need to let love guide us so we do not fail in our struggles. I am not saying we should be over paranoid of our actions but we need to be aware of situations that could put our reputation at stake and even our standing with God. This shows you how important something as little as resentment could be. Resentment can lead to a variety of sins.

So you can see little things like jealousy, fits of anger, strife, contentiousness, mocking others, putting ourselves in situations because of overconfidence could lead to someone fornicating or committing adultery. Once this occurs God will leave the sin run it’s course and the damage it causes. Often times the damage it causes harms others and it takes years for everyone to recover. Even after someone repents it may take years for them to fully gain peoples trust. God can read our hearts when we fall short so knows if we truly are going to repent. I have seen people ignore the little things and it eventually led them away from God and the friends they acquired in the world seemed to be nice but would frequently cause them problems and anxieties. Their life would continually decline and so would the class of friends they acquired. It is sad to watch , and it shows the importance of paying attention to the little things. But we should not obsess over them , it is best to focus on the short comings we have that most effect ourselves and others negatively.

(Colossians 3:5-11) ⁵ Deaden, therefore, your body members that are on the earth as respects sexual immorality, uncleanness, uncontrolled sexual passion, hurtful desire, and greediness, which is idolatry. ⁶ On account of those things the wrath of God is coming. ⁷ That is how you too used to conduct yourselves in your former way of life. ⁸ But now you must put them all away from you: wrath, anger, badness, abusive speech, and obscene talk out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices, ¹⁰ and clothe yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it, ¹. . .

(1 Thessalonians 5:10, 11) . . .. ¹¹ Therefore, keep encouraging one another and building one another up, just as you are in fact doing.

(Ephesians 4:26, 27) ²⁶ Be wrathful, but do not sin; do not let the sun set while you are still angry; ²⁷ do not give the Devil an opportunity.

(Galatians 5:19-21) ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality, uncleanness, brazen conduct, ²⁰ idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these. I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I already warned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.

(Colossians 3:1, 2) 3 If, however, you were raised up with the Christ, go on seeking the things above, where the Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Keep your minds fixed on the things above, not on the things on the earth.

(1 John 2:15-17) ¹⁵ Do not love either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; ¹⁶ because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. ¹⁷ Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

(Hebrews 10:32-39) ³² However, keep remembering the former days in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle along with sufferings. ³³ At times you were publicly exposed both to reproaches and to tribulations, and at times you shared with those who were having such an experience. ³⁴ For you expressed sympathy for those in prison and you accepted joyfully the plundering of your belongings, knowing that you yourselves have a better and an enduring possession. ³⁵ Therefore, do not throw away your boldness, which will be richly rewarded. ³⁶ For you need endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the fulfillment of the promise. ³⁷ For yet “a very little while,” and “the one who is coming will arrive and will not delay.” ³⁸ “But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,” and “if he shrinks back, I have no pleasure in him.” ³⁹ Now we are not the sort who shrink back to destruction, but the sort who have faith for the preserving of our lives.

(Romans 12:17-21) ¹⁷ Return evil for evil to no one. Take into consideration what is fine from the viewpoint of all men. ¹⁸ If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceable with all men. ¹⁹ Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: “‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.” ²⁰ But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.

(Luke 12:4-7) . . .. ⁵ But I will show you whom to fear: Fear the One who after killing has authority to throw into Ge·henʹna. Yes, I tell you, fear this One. ⁶ Five sparrows sell for two coins of small value, do they not? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Have no fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.

(2 Timothy 4:14, 15) ¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm. Jehovah will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ You too should be on guard against him, for he opposed our message to an excessive degree.

(Psalm 62:12) ¹² Also loyal love is yours, O Jehovah, For you repay each one according to his deeds. . .

(Mark 11:25) ²⁵ And when you stand praying, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father who is in the heavens may also forgive you your trespasses.. . .

(James 2:11-13) . . .. ¹² Keep on speaking and behaving in such a way as those do who are going to be judged by the law of a free people. ¹³ For the one who does not practice mercy will have his judgment without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

(Hebrews 12:12-14) ¹² Therefore, strengthen the hands that hang down and the feeble knees, ¹³ and keep making straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but, rather, may be healed. ¹⁴ Pursue peace with all people and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord.

(Ephesians 5:1-5) 5 Therefore, become imitators of God, as beloved children, ² and go on walking in love, just as the Christ also loved us and gave himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice, a sweet fragrance to God. ³ Let sexual immorality and every sort of uncleanness or greediness not even be mentioned among you, just as is proper for holy people; ⁴ neither shameful conduct nor foolish talking nor obscene jesting—things that are not befitting—but rather the giving of thanks. ⁵ For you know this, recognizing it for yourselves, that no sexually immoral person or unclean person or greedy person, which means being an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of the Christ and of God.

(1 Peter 2:21-24) ²¹ In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely. ²² He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth. ²³ When he was being insulted, he did not insult in return. When he was suffering, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the One who judges righteously. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his own body on the stake, so that we might die to sins and live to righteousness. And “by his wounds you were healed.”

(Matthew 6:14, 15) ¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; ¹⁵ whereas if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

(Hebrews 3:12-14) ¹² Beware, brothers, for fear there should ever develop in any one of you a wicked heart lacking faith by drawing away from the living God; ¹³ but keep on encouraging one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you should become hardened by the deceptive power of sin. ¹⁴ For we actually become partakers of the Christ only if we hold firmly down to the end the confidence we had at the beginning.

(Romans 12:1, 2) 12 Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason. ² And stop being molded by this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, so that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

(Colossians 1:21-23) ²¹ Indeed, you who were once alienated and enemies because your minds were on the works that were wicked, ²² he has now reconciled by means of that one’s fleshly body through his death, in order to present you holy and unblemished and open to no accusation before him— ²³ provided, of course, that you continue in the faith, established on the foundation and steadfast, not being shifted away from the hope of that good news that you heard and that was preached in all creation under heaven. Of this good news I, Paul, became a minister.

(1 John 4:17-19) . . .. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts fear out, because fear restrains us. Indeed, the one who is fearful has not been made perfect in love. ¹⁹ We love, because he first loved us.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8) ⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, ⁵ does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. ⁶ It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never fails. But if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with.

Why should we be happy about the signs of the times we are in?

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

Things are happening on a scale like they have never occurred before. Earthquakes, famine, disease, various illnesses, hatred violence and many other things are happening on a scale like they have never occurred before. But this is a good sign. Am I crazy saying this? I will show why we should not be afraid or overwhelmed by this system and the things that are occurring and the things that will occur to us. These are signs things are going to get much much better very soon.

Most know all the things Jesus told us to watch for have been fulfilled. The things mentioned in Matthew chapters 21 and 24, 2 Timothy 3:1-8 have been fulfilled. Jesus indicated those things would happen on a scale as we never seen before. We are now seeing this occur and it started around the time of the first world war. That was the first war that effected things globally. Since we are seeing things happen on a global scale like they never have before the opens our eyes to show we are awaiting the final prophecies and that is when God puts it into the heart of the beast and it’s allies to turn on false religion and destroy it. But false religion will get angry and also the beast will decide to turn on true worship. So we may ask why would Jesus in “Luke 21:28 28 But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near.” . This is the mark of the beginning of the end of this wicked system and the rebellion against God that started in the garden of Eden. It means better times are very very near and we just need to hang on a little longer. The new system is near and yes we may have to endure some hard times but we need not let that discourage is. We are even told we would be betrayed by many and would need to be very very cautious since these are the last days. That is why I posted previous articles to prepare us for what is about to occur. This way we could know how to protect ourselves as things are winding down and improve our changes of making it into the new system. For some the signs this system is very near ending may seem scary. But if we have written God’s word in our hearts the bible says he would call to mind the things we have learned and written on our hearts to guide us through it. We write his world on our hearts by not doubting it no matter what we have to endure and letting it guide us an not rely on our own understanding or let fear and frustration overtake us. For some who have written God’s word on their hearts these are very very happy times because we know the wickedness, pain , suffering and illness and the many wicked things that occur are about to come to an end.

Now more then ever we need to focus on the hope the bible has given us of the future promises. We know when God gives his word he keeps it. God does not change and Jesus is our king and he perfectly imitated his father when he was on earth. So we can be certain he will protect and guide us through these last days if we do not lean on our own understanding or false reason with ourselves. The closer we get to the end of this system the more little things spiritually will matter. That is why the bible stated those who are disobedient in the least are disobedient in the most. If our faith in God waivers when we are going through trials and tribulation we may put our faith in the things of the world first, rely on our own understanding or even put our trust in people. What God would requires us to do is very very important now more then ever because it only takes one slight moment of doubt or lapse in loyalty to God or putting our faith in this system and the bad situations we may experience will get worse. Many will experience bad situations as this system winds down. We know that Satan and the angels who also turned away from God have been cast down to the earth. They know they do not have much time left and they are very angry so we will experience trials and tribulation on a scale never seen before. We should not leave this discourage us. This is a sign better times are very very near and we need to cling to Jehovah and Jesus now more then ever. What we will endure will be worth it because the wealth and material things of this system will be gone soon so will many of the people that others put their faith in. We have the hope of the future promises God has given us. Now I wills discuss why Jesus is our king and why we can trust him as we endure the end of this system.

We know Jesus earned the right to be our king. He remained loyal to God when he was in human form no matter what Satan threw at him. He even tried deceiving and tempting Jesus. When this failed he and his people resorted to violence and eventually they killed him. His faith and loyalty to God remained and they could not destroy it and cause him to fail. In doing so he defeated Satan and proved the original lies in the Garden wrong, that is man only obeys God because he protects them and gives them blessings. This provided a ransom because it was a perfect man Adam that sinned and a perfect ransom was given to provide the way for the resurrection because death which had been brought on by the rebellion in the garden has been defeated by Jesus when he defeated the original lies in the Garden of Eden.

Since Jesus experienced the suffering, trials and tribulation that we have we can be certain that he completely understands what we are enduring and wants to act on our part. We can be certain Jesus knows our pain, he experienced poverty, rejection by his own people, he experienced abandonment when the disciples abandoned him during his trial, he experienced injustice when he was tried for sins and crimes he did not commit, he experienced rejection, physical abuse, he was even mocked and made fun of. He experienced the weight of our sins and the injury they cause. He is fully aware of all our sufferings.

What will his ruling as king bring about before he hands the throne back over to God? As this system winds down there will be many of us who experience these things , the closer we are to God and the more faith we put in Jesus the more likely we are to experience these things. If we do experience these things for righteous reasons then we should not let us get discouraged it is nothing new and it is better to be rejected by the world then to be rejected by God and Jesus. Jesus warned that the student is no better then the teacher so if we truly are following Jesus we can expect to be attacked by Satan and his people. We should find encouragement in this because it is better to be rejected by the world and accepted by Jesus and God then to be accepted by the world and rejected by Jesus and God. So if we imitate Jesus and do our best to remain faithful and loyal to God This gives us hope in the future promises. What are the future promises and hope we have been given? God is the source of life. If we are rejected by him then what hope do we have? All the things in this system will be gone soon. When this system collapses what hope do those who put their faith in the world and this system have? Very soon those who control the wealth and power will be brought down. They do not have a close relationship with God meaning when all their money and power is gone they will be powerless while

We were promised there would be a new earth in which righteousness were to dwell. We are told God would answer our prayers before we were finish praying. The bible tells us there will be no more death , no more wickedness and that the bad memories would be replaced by good memories. We would get to see loved ones that we have lost from death. We will have a home to live in and not have to worry about losing it. We would have plenty of food to eat. There would no longer be violence wars , theft, hatred or the many other things that cause tribulation in this system. So when we are told to raise ourselves up Jesus is telling us to prepare because those promises are about to be fulfilled. Not only that but because of our human imperfection we may have good intentions and do what we think is right and harm people by accident. In the new system we will be made perfect and will not have to deal with the pain the comes when I innocently harmed someone whether spiritually, emotionally or even financially.

(Daniel 9:26, 27) “And after the 62 weeks, Mes·siʹah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. “And the people of a leader who is coming will destroy the city and the holy place. And its end will be by the flood. And until the end there will be war; what is decided upon is desolations. 27 “And he will keep the covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week, he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease. “And on the wing of disgusting things there will be the one causing desolation; and until an extermination, what was decided on will be poured out also on the one lying desolate.”

(Matthew 24:15-22) 15 “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), 16 then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains. 17 Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, 18 and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment. 19 Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! 20 Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; 21 for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. 22 In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.

(Hebrews 4:14-16) . . .. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tested in all respects as we have, but without sin. 16 Let us, then, approach the throne of undeserved kindness with freeness of speech, so that we may receive mercy and find undeserved kindness to help us at the right time.

(Hebrews 7:26) For it is fitting for us to have such a high priest who is loyal, innocent, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

(1 Peter 2:22) He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth.

(John 15:20-27) 20 Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours. 21 But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have both seen me and hated me as well as my Father. 25 But this happened in order to fulfill the word written in their Law: ‘They hated me without cause.’ 26 When the helper comes that I will send you from the Father, the spirit of the truth, which comes from the Father, that one will bear witness about me; 27 and you, in turn, are to bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

(1 Peter 2:21-25) 21 In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely. 22 He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth. 23 When he was being insulted, he did not insult in return. When he was suffering, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the One who judges righteously. 24 He himself bore our sins in his own body on the stake, so that we might die to sins and live to righteousness. And “by his wounds you were healed.” 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

(1 John 2:15-17) 15 Do not love either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; 16 because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. 17 Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

(Psalm 37:29) 29 The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it.

(Psalm 37:37, 38) 37 Take note of the blameless one, And keep the upright one in sight, For the future of that man will be peaceful. 38 But all the transgressors will be destroyed; The future of wicked people will be cut off.

(Isaiah 65:17) 17 For look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be called to mind, Nor will they come up into the heart.

(2 Peter 3:11-13) 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, 12 as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt in the intense heat! 13 But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.

(Revelation 21:1-4) 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

(Revelation 21:26, 27) . . .. 27 But anything defiled and anyone who does what is disgusting and deceitful will in no way enter into it; only those written in the Lamb’s scroll of life will enter.

(Daniel 12:1, 2) 12 “During that time Miʹcha·el will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book. 2 And many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt.

(Joel 2:31, 32) 31 The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood Before the coming of the great and awe-inspiring day of Jehovah. 32 And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, just as Jehovah has said, The survivors whom Jehovah calls.”

(Isaiah 65:22) 22 They will not build for someone else to inhabit, Nor will they plant for others to eat. For the days of my people will be like the days of a tree, And the work of their hands my chosen ones will enjoy to the full.

Friendships in the bible that can encourage us.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am a lousy editor.

Things are rapidly winding down, this means it is very important to pay attention to who we choose as friends. We need to pay attention to how they react to scriptures. If they do not react positively to scriptures reminding about bad associations, or they do not continue to grow spiritually we need to be careful. This system is rapidly winding down and it is becoming clear that it may end very very soon and the new better system will be here soon. The friends we choose could either help us to remain faithful and loyal to God or they could draw us away and cause us to smear God’s good name. We just need to hang on a little longer. Being certain of a person’s standing with God will protect us because we are told even family will betray each other when the end of this system starts. By heeding those warnings it will help protect and guide us through this mess man has made and help us walk through this tribulation. I am going to show examples of those who chose their friends wisely and how even when times were hard it worked as a protection and reduced the impact the hard times had on their life.

The first friends I will discuss is David and Jonathan. Jonathan was kings Sauls son. When Saul was chosen as king by God his faith was very strong and he was humble. But shortly after he was made king by God he started to disobey God. Greed had gotten the best of Saul and instead of devoting things for destruction as God had told him to he kept some of the things that were supposed to be destroyed. Saul had lost site of the importance of complete obedience to God. He put his confidence in the wealth of those he conquered and left greed blind him. The prophet Samuel had told him it was no better then divination, practicing magic and said it was an act of idolatry. We frequently see God warning putting our faith in the wealth of this system as an act of idolatry. Because of this God rejected Saul as king and he chose David as king. This caused Saul to become jealous and he repeatedly tried to kill king David which gives us a clearer picture of why God rejected Saul because those actions showed what was in his heart. Some may think but king David committed a grave errors against God why did he not reject him? I will discuss that next before we discuss the friendship that David and Jonathan had so that we can have a clearer understanding.

We have to remember God can read our hearts, he knows if the heart has become hardened or not. He could read Saul’s heart and knew this would be a pattern for him. When king David committed a very serious error against God he accepted the correction and did not make that error again. As you can see it is whether we accept correction from God and do our best to let him guide us and make the necessary changes when we are made aware of a short coming. If we harden our hearts and ignore what may seem like little things it could cause our hearts to become hardened and we could be led astray. If we have a friend who commits errors, we should pay attention to how seriously they take the correction and how hard they work to prevent committing that error again. If they show signs of their heart may be hardened then we may want to be cautious. We cannot expect them to get over that error quickly it sometimes takes time. Now I will discuss how it was the faith and loyalty to God that made David and Jonathan’s relationship such a strong one. This faith, love and trust in God protected them and made their bond with each other unbreakable.

We need to keep in mind king Saul was Jonathan’s father. Jonathan obviously loved his father but he knew that Jehovah had rejected his father as king and chose David to replace him. This caused Saul to become jealous of David so he was trying to kill him. Because Jonathan put his loyalty to God first he did all he could to help protect David even though he knew that would be in opposition to his human father. Because of David and Jonathan’s love and faith for God they became very close friends. There were some pretty rocky times ahead for David as Saul kept trying to kill him but Jonathan did all he could to try and help David. In the relationships that were very strong in the bible they always kept Jehovah in the relationship and they supported and protected each others relationship with God.

There is another friend king David had that is not mentioned often. Ittai who was not an Israelite , he came from the nations so was a foreigner. His faith and loyalty to God was so strong that he refused to leave king David’s side and return to his own land. He had such loyalty to God that he refused to leave Davids side even though it could have cost him his life. Why would it have been dangerous for Ittai to remain by Davids side? David’s son Abaslom was rebelling against God and was trying to kill his father king David. He had amassed soldiers to try and kill David and any who stayed by his side.

Now I will discus Ruth and Naomi. Ruth was a Moabitess who had accepted true worship and had married one of Naomi’s sons. Another of Naomi’s sons had married a Moabitess named Orpah. Naomi’s sons had died leaving the two women childless. A famine had caused them to leave their native land in Judah. They had heard that Jehovah was showing Israel favor again in Judah so Naomi decided to return to Judah. Naomi recommended that Ruth and Orpah return to their land instead of following her to Judah to get husbands so they could have children and the security that comes with having a family. Orpah returned to Moab but Ruth loved God and had complete faith in him. The love for God and the faith that Ruth and Naomi shared gave them a very good friendship. Rather then having the security that would come from returning to her family Ruth chose to stay by Naomi’s side. Naomi was much older then Ruth and was too old to have children so there was a good chance Ruth would not find a husband and get married. The love Ruth had for God gave her a very close relationship with Naomi. She refused to return to her land and her family but chose to stay by Naomi’s side and travel to Judah with her. Ruth had expressed her faith in Jehovah and expressed to Naomi she would not leave her side and that only death could get her to leave her side. Imagine how that must have made Naomi feel knowing she was not going to be alone and she had a friend that had such strong love and faith in God. We need to take note that in all these relationships they put God and his will first. This built a relationship that was sound and very trust worthy.

Daniel lived in a time when Israel had rebelled against God and had been committing sins that were worse then the sins of the nations who did not have God’s laws to guide and protect them. Because of Israel’s rebellion God had left Israel get taken into captivity. Daniel along with three of his friends Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego were in captivity in Babylon. Their faith in God and his word had made them wiser then the people of Babylon. They gave testimony to God’s glory by remaining faithful even if it meant opposing the kings which could cost their life. Because Daniel and his friends were blessed by God with more wisdom they had been promoted to position of authority. There were those in positions of authority that were jealous of Daniel and his friends so they kept tricking the king into passing laws that would force Daniel and their friends into violating God’s laws. This would have made them lose God’s favor. If they violated the kings orders it could cost their lives. We are not to worship any God other then the one true God. When king Nebuchadnezzer built a golden idol and demanded people bow to it and worship his God Daniel and his friends refused to do so. The king ordered them bound in the fiery furnace. They knew God could save them but did not care if God saved them or not they would not bow to any other God except Jehovah. The king ordered that Daniel and his friends be thrown in a fiery furnace and ordered the furnace be made hotter. Daniel and his friends were bound and thrown into the furnace. The furnace was so hot that those who threw Daniel and his friends into the furnace died from the heat. When the king and his men checked to see if the God of Daniel protected them, he found that God had sent angels to protect them. They were protected so well that not even the smoke from the fire was on their clothes. This gives us an example of what we need to look for when it comes to our friends. Will they put true worship of God and his laws first no matter what the cost to them may be? In doing so God protected them and got them through some very hard times. You can be certain that the faith and loyalty they showed to God made their friendships stronger because they knew they could trust each other because they put their love for God first. Having others who share such strong faith and trust in God can help to strengthen our faith and trust in God.

The last example I will use is that of Paul, and his friends Phoebe, Priscilla and Aquila. Phoebe, Priscilla and Aquila were woman who had such a love for the message of Jesus and for their spiritual family that they risk their lives for them. This was at a time when people of the nations were being accepted into the new covenant Jesus had made, people of the nations had now become part of the new nation of Israel brought about by that covenant. Many Jews were still clinging to the old laws so there was a lot of pressure being put on them and they were frequently accused of teaching false teachings. Many Jews became so angered often times they would try and kill those teaching the things Jesus had revealed. This also came at a time when the Jews had to flee from the Romans because they were under siege and were being killed by Roman soldiers. So these were very dangerous times but they never ceased delivering the message about the ransom sacrifice God provided and how he had appointed him to be our king and sat Jesus on the heavenly throne and how this kingdom would restore the earth to it’s original purpose. This gives us hope that very soon all the bad will be gone and there will be no more sadness and tears. Sad memories will be replaced by the good memories in those who make it through the tribulation into the new system. Things are going to get much worse very soon. Having a solid foundation in God and not in this system and the things in it will help to protect us. If our identities have their foundation build on our trust and faith in God and not material things of the world if we lose them it will not effect how we view ourselves and our hope for the future. Having good friends that have sound faith and love for God can help us endure the things that will occur soon and can help to protect us spiritually and even protect our lives. We need not fear because the bible assures us many will make it through the great tribulation. We do not have to fear death because the bible assures that not even death will separate us from the love of God and the love of Jesus. So he will remember those who faithfully and loyally served him during the resurrection.

(1 Samuel 15:17-19) 17 Samuel continued: “Were you not insignificant in your own eyes when you were made head of the tribes of Israel and when Jehovah anointed you as king over Israel? 18 Jehovah later sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, and devote the sinful A·malʹek·ites to destruction. Fight against them until you have exterminated them.’ 19 So why did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Instead, you rushed greedily toward the spoil and did what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah!”

(1 Samuel 15:17-19) 17 Samuel continued: “Were you not insignificant in your own eyes when you were made head of the tribes of Israel and when Jehovah anointed you as king over Israel? 18 Jehovah later sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, and devote the sinful A·malʹek·ites to destruction. Fight against them until you have exterminated them.’ 19 So why did you not obey the voice of Jehovah? Instead, you rushed greedily toward the spoil and did what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah!”

(1 Samuel 15:22, 23) 22 Samuel then said: “Does Jehovah take as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Look! To obey is better than a sacrifice, and to pay attention than the fat of rams; 23 for rebelliousness is the same as the sin of divination, and pushing ahead presumptuously the same as using magical power and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Jehovah, he has rejected you from being king.”

(Jeremiah 17:10) 10 I, Jehovah, am searching the heart, Examining the innermost thoughts, To give to each one according to his ways, According to the fruitage of his works.

(2 Samuel 12:13, 14) 13 David then said to Nathan: “I have sinned against Jehovah.” Nathan replied to David: “Jehovah, in turn, forgives your sin. You will not die. 14 Nevertheless, because you have treated Jehovah with utter disrespect in this matter, the son just born to you will certainly die.”

(1 Samuel 20:14-17) 14 And will you not show me the loyal love of Jehovah while I am alive and even when I die? 15 Never withdraw your loyal love from my household, even when Jehovah wipes out all the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16 So Jonʹa·than made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Jehovah will require it and call David’s enemies to account.” 17 So Jonʹa·than had David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved himself.

(1 Samuel 20:18-23) 18 Jonʹa·than then said to him: “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, for your seat will be vacant. 19 By the third day, you will be missed even more, and you must go to the place where you hid the other day and stay near the stone here. 20 I will then shoot three arrows to one side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. 21 When I send the attendant, I will say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to the attendant, ‘Look! The arrows are on this side of you, get them,’ then you may come back, for as surely as Jehovah is living, it means everything is peaceful for you and there is no danger. 22 But if I should say to the boy, ‘Look! The arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for Jehovah has sent you away. 23 As for the promise that we have made, you and I, may Jehovah be between us forever.”

(Ruth 1:7-15) . . ., 8 Na·oʹmi said to both of her daughters-in-law: “Go, return, each of you to your mother’s home. May Jehovah show loyal love to you, just as you have shown it to the men who have died and to me. 9 May Jehovah grant that each of you finds security in the home of your husband.” Then she kissed them, and they wept loudly. 10 They kept saying to her: “No, but we will go with you to your people.” 11 But Na·oʹmi said: “Return, my daughters. Why should you go with me? Can I still give birth to sons who could become your husbands? 12 Return, my daughters. Go, for I have grown too old to marry. Even if I could hope to find a husband tonight and could also bear sons, 13 would you keep waiting for them until they could grow up? Would you refrain from getting remarried for their sakes? No, my daughters, I feel very bitter for you, because the hand of Jehovah has turned against me.” 14 Again they wept loudly, after which Orʹpah kissed her mother-in-law and departed. But Ruth stuck with her. 15 So Na·oʹmi said: “Look! Your widowed sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Return with your sister-in-law.”

(Ruth 1:16, 17) 16 But Ruth said: “Do not plead with me to abandon you, to turn back from accompanying you; for where you go I will go, and where you spend the night, I will spend the night. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May Jehovah do so to me and add to it if anything but death should separate me from you.”

(2 Samuel 15:18-22) 18 All his servants leaving with him and all the Cherʹe·thites, the Pelʹe·thites, and the Gitʹtites, 600 men who had followed him from Gath, were passing by as the king reviewed them. 19 Then the king said to Itʹtai the Gitʹtite: “Why should you also go with us? Go back and dwell with the new king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your place. 20 Yesterday you came, so today should I make you wander with us, to go when I must go and where I must go? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may Jehovah show you loyal love and faithfulness!” 21 But Itʹtai answered the king: “As surely as Jehovah is living and as surely as my lord the king is living, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there your servant will be!” 22 At that David said to Itʹtai: “Go and cross over.” So Itʹtai the Gitʹtite crossed over, together with all his men and children.

(2 Samuel 15:13-17) 13 In time an informer came to David, saying: “The heart of the men of Israel has turned to Abʹsa·lom.” 14 At once David said to all his servants with him in Jerusalem: “Get up, and let us run away, for none of us will escape from Abʹsa·lom! Hurry, for fear he may quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and strike the city with the sword!” 15 The king’s servants replied to the king: “Whatever my lord the king decides, your servants are ready to do.” 16 So the king went out with all his household following him, but the king left ten concubines to take care of the house. 17 And the king continued on his way out with all the people following, and they stopped at Beth-merʹhak.

(Daniel 2:46-49) 46 Then King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar fell down with his face to the ground before Daniel and paid homage to him. And he gave the order to offer a present and incense to him. 47 The king said to Daniel: “Truly your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a Revealer of secrets, because you were able to reveal this secret.” 48 The king then elevated Daniel and gave him many fine gifts, and he made him the ruler over all the province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. 49 And at Daniel’s request, the king appointed Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach, and A·bedʹne·go over the administration of the province of Babylon, but Daniel served in the king’s court.

(Daniel 3:3-7) 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the administrators of the provinces assembled for the inauguration of the image that King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar had set up. And they stood in front of the image that Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar had set up. 4 The herald loudly proclaimed: “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and language groups, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, triangular harp, stringed instrument, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into the burning fiery furnace.” 7 So when all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, zither, triangular harp, stringed instrument, and all the other musical instruments, all the peoples, nations, and language groups fell down and worshipped the image of gold that King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar had set up.

(Daniel 3:16-20) 16 Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach, and A·bedʹne·go answered the king: “O Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If it must be, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us from the burning fiery furnace, O king, and to rescue us from your hand. 18 But even if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold that you have set up.” 19 Then Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar became so furious with Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach, and A·bedʹne·go that the expression of his face changed toward them, and he gave orders to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual. 20 He ordered some of the mighty men from his army to bind Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach, and A·bedʹne·go and to throw them into the burning fiery furnace.

(Daniel 3:26, 27) 26 Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar approached the door of the burning fiery furnace and said: “Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach, and A·bedʹne·go, you servants of the Most High God, step out and come here!” Shaʹdrach, Meʹshach, and A·bedʹne·go stepped out from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, prefects, governors, and the high officials of the king who were assembled there saw that the fire had had no effect on the bodies of these men; not a hair of their heads had been singed, their cloaks looked no different, and there was not even the smell of fire on them.

(Romans 16:1-4) 16 I am introducing to you Phoeʹbe, our sister, who is a minister of the congregation that is in Cenʹchre·ae, 2 so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the holy ones and give her whatever help she may need, for she herself also proved to be a defender of many, including me. 3 Give my greetings to Prisʹca and Aqʹui·la, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who have risked their own necks for me and to whom not only I but also all the congregations of the nations give thanks.

(Isaiah 65:17-20) 17 For look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be called to mind, Nor will they come up into the heart. 18 So exult and be joyful forever in what I am creating. For look! I am creating Jerusalem a cause for joy And her people a cause for exultation. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people; No more will there be heard in her the sound of weeping or a cry of distress.” 20 “No more will there be an infant from that place who lives but a few days, Nor an old man who fails to live out his days. For anyone who dies at a hundred will be considered a mere boy, And the sinner will be cursed, even though he is a hundred years of age.

(Revelation 7:13-17) 13 In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” 14 So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 That is why they are before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16 They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, 17 because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

(Romans 8:35-39) 35 Who will separate us from the love of the Christ? Will tribulation or distress or persecution or hunger or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 Just as it is written: “For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we have been accounted as sheep for slaughtering.” 37 On the contrary, in all these things we are coming off completely victorious through the one who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor governments nor things now here nor things to come nor powers 39 nor height nor depth nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Acts 24:14, 15) . . .. 15 And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

Walk with caution.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

We need to walk in a way in these last days of this system in a way that will protect ourselves.

By applying God’s word in our lives and letting it guide all we do we get a certain confidence. It gives a a freeness of speech because we do our best to remain blameless and not be a part of the world. Guilt can hinder our thinking and our freeness of speech. By trusting God’s word to guide all we do it protects us. We set an example for others by being trust worthy and faithful. We have been warned the gate is narrow and few would make it. We are living in the last days so hostility and deceit will be rampant. We need to be aware when to take our leave to protect ourselves. I am going to discuss some things that can help protect us and prevent us from getting put into harmful situations that could result in physical or spiritual harm.

God will protect us within reason as we teach others about his word but we have to remember the bible warns “the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one”. We know the wicked one is Satan. The bible also warns us Satan and his people can appear as an angel of light. Satan and his people know God’s word well. We know this from learning Satan tried to tempt Jesus and quoted from God’s word. So the bible warns us we must be cautious. (Matthew 10:16) 16 “Look! I am sending you out as sheep among wolves; so prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves.

Things are are rapidly winding down. It is getting more and more difficult to tell who are God’s ambassadors and who are the angels of light that we have been warned to be cautious of. Very soon The world will turn on true worship. No only that the world usually only has their own interest at heart and not God’s will so often times there is hidden motives behind the things they do. I am not saying we should go through life not trusting anyone, but we do need to pay attention to their fruits. We need to also pay attention to how they are towards the sins that may be viewed as the least. For example do they use improper speech? Do they keep the company of those who do not love God’s word? Are they over confident about their faith. The bible has warned about being overconfident on our faith and spiritual strength. When we get over confident were are more prone to having a spiritual fall. (1 Corinthians 10:12, 13) 12 So let the one who thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall. 13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to men. But God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

The bible warns us to be aware of our short comings and avoid situations that could cause us to give in to our short comings and sin. We all fall short but when someone becomes aware of a short coming do they work to overcome it or do they keep putting themselves in a situation where they could fall short. If they do not progress spiritually or they put themselves in a situations where it could cause them to fall short we should be cautious. For example if we are a man or a woman do we avoid situations where we could fall short sexually? As for me I have to know beyond a doubt the person loves God before I will even think of being alone with them. If they repeatedly show the signs I mentioned I am very cautious and will not leave myself be alone with a person who does those things. Angels of light can seem very kind and loving. It is why we need to be aware if their actions back their words. Before I learned this valuable lesson I was hurt and deceived many times. We are told when helping someone who is overcoming short coming to be careful and watch out for ourselves so we do not get drawn in. (Galatians 6:1) 6 Brothers, even if a man takes a false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness. But keep an eye on yourself, for fear you too may be tempted. We may know someone well but we also have to keep in mind with things rapidly winding down if we see negative changes in a person and they are falling spiritually we are not to tolerate that behavior and not continue to associate with them. We also need to be cautious when we speak and be aware of where we are. If we speak about God’s word around those who’s conscience is hurt by it, it could open the door for them to attack us. Also people are easily offended now days so we need to avoid speaking of certain things as much as possible to prevent conflict and anger. This will protect us from harm.

Very soon the world will turn on true worship. Being aware who we can fully trust and who we cannot will be more important now then ever before. Because very soon it may make the difference whether we live or die, Whether we are arrested or not. Being aware now will protect us spiritually, and even protect us from the harm that comes from not being aware. Snakes are a very cautious animal and will avoid man unless they are trapped and feel they cannot escape. Lets not put ourselves in a situation where we could be trapped , escaping is not always easy and could bring harm on ourselves and even others. Doves are known for being gentle so with all situations good or bad we need to be gentle and kind and let love guide all we do. Be aware of those who produce works of the flesh and do not grow spiritually to overcome them. As we work to produce the frights of the spirit we should be aware of others fruits and what it tells us about them. (Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality, uncleanness, brazen conduct, 20 idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these. I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I already warned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.). (Galatians 5:22 On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the stake the flesh together with its passions and desires.)

We need to be careful who we accept gifts from with this being the last days. Often times people will offer services or a gift for free. But their human imperfection may drive them to expect things in return. Often times this may be a relationship or even sex. They may expect us to return the favor or gift by doing things for them. A gift or favor should be given for free with nothing expected in return. It would be wise to be aware of a persons short comings which could be driving their reasons for giving a gift. If we give a gift or favor we should expect nothing in return. God gave the greatest gift when he gave his only begotten son as a ransom sacrifice for our sins. That gift was given freely to us. If God has given such a gift freely should we not also offers others gifts when they are in need? As I stated earlier be aware that someone may have other motives for giving a gift, service or favor so we are not lured into a trap or obligation that we will have a difficult time getting out of. If we are uncertain of their motives for giving a gift if possible it may be best to clarify to them you could not return the favor or gift. Make sure they do not feel you are obligated to them. Make certain their gift is from love for others driving them and not some alternative motive. I have been deceived by some of the seemly nicest people who came bearing gifts so it would be wise to be cautious. Many times people came bearing gifts to try and lure me away from God.

Something else to be aware of is do they put spiritual matters and family first or do they put pursuit of worldly things first. The bible tells us we are to take care of our families spiritual needs and they should be first in our life if we have the things we need to live. If a person has more then enough to live comfortably but they still put pursuit of money over spiritual things. If they do not put their trust in God first then you can be sure in hard times they will not be strong in faith, and it is already a sign they are not letting God’s word lead them. It is not wrong to have money or wealth but the bible tells us it is the love of money that is wrong. If a person puts their love of money over their love for God you can be sure they are not letting God’s word guide them and we should be cautious with such ones. They may not have the endurance, the deep love and compassion for others when things get hard. Who we choose to be by our sides really matters now more then ever because things are rapidly winding down. Many will lose all they have but they will keep their lives. All this will be gone soon so what will those who put their trust in money have? Those who put their faith in God may have hard times but he will get them through it.

(Philippians 2:13-16) . . .. 14 Keep doing all things free from murmuring and arguments, 15 so that you may come to be blameless and innocent, children of God without a blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you are shining as illuminators in the world, 16 keeping a tight grip on the word of life. Then I may have reason for rejoicing in Christ’s day, knowing that I did not run in vain or work hard in vain.

(1 Peter 2:12) 12 Maintain your conduct fine among the nations, so that when they accuse you of being wrongdoers, they may be eyewitnesses of your fine works and, as a result, glorify God in the day of his inspection.

(Matthew 5:18, 19) . . .. 19 Whoever, therefore, breaks one of these least commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens.

(2 Corinthians 11:12-20) 12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to eliminate the pretext of those who are wanting a basis for being found equal to us in the things about which they boast. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. 15 It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works. 16 I say again: Let no one think I am unreasonable. But even if you do, then accept me as an unreasonable person, so that I too may boast a little. 17 What I now say is, not as following the Lord’s example, but as an unreasonable person would, with boastful self-confidence. 18 Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast. 19 Since you are so “reasonable,” you gladly put up with the unreasonable ones. 20 In fact, you put up with whoever enslaves you, whoever devours your possessions, whoever grabs what you have, whoever exalts himself over you, and whoever strikes you in the face.

(Mark 10:20-22) 20 The man said to him: “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth on.” 21 Jesus looked at him and felt love for him and said, “One thing is missing about you: Go, sell what things you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come be my follower.” 22 But he grew sad at the answer and went away grieved, for he had many possessions.

(1 Timothy 6:9, 10) 9 But those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge men into destruction and ruin. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.

(Matthew 6:24) 24 “No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches.

Things that may indicate guilt.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

We are living in the last days. I believe it can works as a protection to know when someone may be guilty, but we should not over think the things that can indicate guilt, if there are many of the things I mention occurring at once it may be wise to start paying a little more attention to things.

There are ways to tell if someone may be guilty of something, things you can watch for. Now these are not absolute because there are those who grew up being falsely accused of things so will feel guilt for any little thing they feel they failed at or even believe they have guilt they do not. I am going to discuss the ones who will have guilt and who hide it. These ones usually act over confident and will point out what they view as others short comings to keep the attention away from them. I will discuss common tactics used by those who have guilt they are hiding. But this should not be taken as advice for using it to convict someone. It can be useful in determining if this person is hard on themselves which can cause a negative reaction or over reaction to many things or if they truly have guilt. This would take knowing the person’s previous behavior compared to their present behavior. When I was a child my did bought me psychology books. This does not qualify me to make an evaluation I am writing this because I feel these things could be useful considering the times we are in. I use the term victims because when a person is guilty of a wrong doing there are multiple victims involved because when the main victim suffers from a person’s wrong doing it often time effects their friends and family. I have found many of these things to be true especially if many of these things occur frequently. If they occur here and there and not frequently I would be hesitant to believe the person had guilt. But if it is a pattern that keep occurring a person may need to pay attention. If we find ourselves doing these things we need to keep in mind that with guilt there are victims and it hurts purple. If we have made an error , it is best to admit it hope your are forgiven so that you and others can move on. Hiding guilt draws out the person who is guilty misery and the victims misery. It also ends in many people no longer wanting to associate with a person who has hid their guilt, because of the extreme measures it takes to hide guilt. Granted admitting guilt takes time to regain peoples trust but it is better then losing them entirely.

When they are first guilty they will love bomb the victim or victims. They will overcompensate by being overly nice and helpful. Some are naturally overly nice and helpful but when things are out of character for someone is when we need to pay attention.

People who have guilt will try to justify their actions in detail and try to discuss why that may have taken actions that seemed suspicious. They will target a persons vulnerabilities and use their insecurities to keep the victims distracted so they will not see clearly and be able to think clearly about matters.

If a person has guilt it can cause them to get over emotional. The brain gets stuck in fight or flight mode. If they are questioned about their suspicious actions often times the guilt will present as anger and direct that anger towards the victims. If this does not work they often times will go into sympathy mode and try to get the victim or victims to feel sorry for them. Emotions are very strong and they will try to use emotions to keep people from reasoning.

Guilt often time causes sleep disruptions.

A tactic often used by guilty people to try and make a person like like they are lying is asking the same question only different ways. No one has a perfect memory we always deviate a little from how we remember thing. Any deviation to how we first told something is used as evidence the victim is lying even though they are telling the truth. Lawyers are aware of this fact and will use the fact our memories are not perfect in court to make it appear a person is being deceptive. This is why it is very important to state you do not remember exactly or if you don’t remember then say you do not. In court you have to answer the questions, sometimes we may make errors in how we recall and remember later. If we try to correct this guilty people and lawyers will try and use that to prove you are being deceptive.

Often times the guilty will go out of their way to avoid the victim and make excuses for avoiding the victim. They may even try to paint the victims in a negative light to hide the true motive for their avoidance. They will spend less time around the people or things that could trigger the guilt. Thy will get preoccupied by things to use as a cover for the avoidance and exaggerate their importance. They may even create scenarios that will keep them too busy to have to face the victims so they do not have to face their guilt.

When the guilt progresses they will start accusing others of the things they are guilty of. They may also start to justify their actions. Like the avoidance, or the angry outburst. They also may start exaggerating their victims guilt.

When it seems they are going to get caught they may start shaming the victim and pointing out their flaws and short comings. This justifies their actions in their mind. If the victim or victims are getting close to the truth they will also use this method to prepare them so they can use this for an excuse to justify their actions. They will nit pick at the victim or victims pointing out any flaws and even convincing them they have flaws they may not have. This is also to induce an emotional response which can prevent a person from being able to reason things through or get them to false reason on things.

Gas lighting is also used to try and alter the victims perception of reality. They will accuse the victims of being overly sensitive or overly reactive. They may even use this as evidence to try and say this is proof the victim is guilty of something. When they are gas lighting they will do little things here and there to draw the victims imperfections out and get them to react to them. Then once the victims do react they use this to guilt them.

If they are sure they are going to get exposed they will start playing the victim so that when the lie is exposed those around them will not believe the victims. Usually by the time guilt is exposed the guilty party has already put things in place and has convinced people to lie for them and to validate things for them to cover over their guilt. This prevents their guilt from being exposed to others because no one would believe the victims. Often times they will start arguments in front of people or fights and do it in a way that it will make the victim look like they started it. This is to produce evidence to discredit the victims by making them look irrational and making them look unreasonable.

We all have our short comings. If someone is using guilt , embarrassment , or the many other ways they have to justify what they do, it does not make the victim at fault. Many of us may come close to being guilty of things but when someone crosses the line, just because we may have almost made a similar error this does not make the victims guilty. We recognize those lines and do not cross them. If they cross the line the guilt is their own and any excuses they have are not justifiable.

If the guilty readily admits their guilt they could save themselves and the victims a lot of trouble. If you study the bible it is required we forgive them if they truly repent. Keep in mind how good it feels when you make an error and you are forgiven. We all make errors admitting the guilt prevents suffering for the guilty and the victims because once someone is forgiven and no longer commits the offense again, everyone can move on and put it behind them. It is unreasonable to think anyone will be innocent at all times. But it is how we respond when we are in error that is the important part. Most of the trouble with society now days is when someone does repent many refuse to forgive them. They will beat someone with their error over and over again. If we are a victim and someone has repented, we need to keep in mind how good it feels when we are forgiven and how much weight is lifted off when we can put things behind us and move on. If a person is unforgiving it may be best not to remain in contact with them if possible then can cause a lot of stress and tension. The bible tells us we will be forgiven as we forgive others. So even if the guilty person does not repent we should not hold a grudge it will only take from us mentally and even effect our health.

How Covid vaccines damage the cardiovascular system.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

ardiovascular disease is just one of many ways these vaccines are killing people. Women are more prone to death by thrombosis, mean are more prone to death from heart damage from the vaccines. Women are more prone to excess blood clotting from the vaccines and men are more prone to mycarditis and heart failure from the Covid vaccines.

Symptoms of stroke can be face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, weakness a person will not be able to raise their arms, weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, a person may develop blurred vision or dizziness, memory loss, severe headaches, muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, and involuntary eye movements. A person can have strokes and recover and this could repeatedly occur. Those with tick born illness experience this a lot.

Symptoms of myocarditis are chest pain , shortness of breath, rapid or irregular heart beat, fluid build up in legs, ankles and feet, headaches, body aches or joint pain, a person can experience dizzy spells and fainting. When it occurs in children they usually develop a fever. If not addressed it can cause heart failure. This is another problem those with tick born illness experience so we can see these Covid vaccines are causing the same problems that tick born illness causes. So I suspect they will cover this up by diagnosing more people with tick born illness.

Symptoms of heart failure are shortness of breath, persistent coughing or wheezing, edema which is the build up of excess fluid in body tissues, excess tiredness or fatigue, lack of appetite or nausea, confusion or impaired thinking, rapid heart beat. Measuring troponin levels can indicate if the vaccine has damaged the heart.

The Covid vaccines are causing severe cardiovascular disease. They are causing excess blood clotting , strokes and heart failure. Yet they are lying. They are claiming they do not know why there is a sudden epidemic of these things. I am seeing people get a Covid vaccine and either developing one of these health condition and they believe their doctors when they are told it is a coincidence. I cannot believe how stupid some people are it should be obvious how deadly these vaccines are. The data coming out is showing how deadly they are. Maybe they are CNN fans and like believing in fairy tails hard to say why they are accepting the lies so easily. They are brushing off the side effects as mild yet there are thousands and thousands of reports of death from excess blood clotting and heart failure from these vaccines. Studies have already shown that those who have gotten the Covid vaccines have a much higher mortality rate then those who have not. I could literally list thousands of case reports of strokes, myocarditits, heart failure and many other cardiovascular issue associated with the Covid vaccines. Man are dying after getting one of the Covid vaccine and they are claiming they do not know the cause of death. Many medical professional with have to face Jesus for the harm they are doing and he does not accept excuses for answers. They have made the choice to harm others, the evidence is too clear for them not to know they are harming people. If they are ignoring the evidence they are choosing to ignore it. You cannot fake innocence with Jesus when you deliberately ignore things. He can read our hearts.

They will lie and say that Covid can cause these things also. Well why not get Covid then and develop life long immunity? The data coming out shows that those who got the vaccine are more prone to infection and much more prone to death. So why are they still promoting them? I know many who got Covid and recovered with no long term health issues. There are some I know who were heavily vaccinated who are suffering long term health conditions after getting Covid but they do not consider you vaccinated if you only had two injections so many of the supposed unvaccinated they are reporting most likely are vaccinated.

Deaths from the vaccines are being reported online but patients, victims families and even medical professionals said they have not been able to report the adverse events. Once those vaccines get approved for children by the corrupt FDA there is nothing anyone can do because they will be protected from lawsuits. The FDA , tried to get the data hidden for 55 years because there have been so many adverse reactions and deaths during these experimental trials. Death and injury is known to be a side effect of vaccines but these ones far surpass the injury and deaths caused. The injury from these and other vaccines is not rare and our own governments documents show adverse reactions to vaccines are rarely reported. They are told the cause of their illness is unknown (idiopathic) or they will blame the cause of a persons illness on their genetics.

Those promoting this experiment also have blood guilt on their hands for promoting an experimental medical procedure and ignoring the reports of people that have been harmed by it. They should know how corrupt these corporations are by now and they should know the governments world wide have colluded with them to hide the harm done by the pharmaceutical industry in the past. We are are warned many times by the bible not to put our trust in man, we have been warned man can be easily corrupted and deceived. We are also warned about putting our trust in nobles. We have been warned by the bible the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one. If a person is promoting the dangerous injections then they are doing what the bible tells us not to do and that is to lean on their own understanding, if they were trusting their bibles they would believe the warnings in the bible and know to take a deeper look at things.

Something I need to add to this. On social media many medical professionals said the ones who got the Covid vaccine are developing a type of cancer they have never seen before and it is the most aggressive cancer they have ever seen.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8436846/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35291413/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34374740/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35380300/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35482094/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35076665/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35154981/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34185045/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35479661/

Strokes

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1052305722001318

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8606267/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34883321/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34273119/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35214779/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8624459/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35339857/

https://ammtwitter.wordpress.com/vaers-reports/clots-strokes/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35339857/

Blood clotting

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8666479/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8400504/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34370972/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35394172/

https://www.bmj.com/content/373/bmj.n970

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33998976/

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01608-1/fulltext

This site has links to a thousand case reports of excess blood clotting from the vaccines.

COVID-19 Vaccines: Proof of Lethality. Over One Thousand Scientific Studies

Deaths from the vaccines are being reported online

Click to access vaccinereport.pdf

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/covid-vaccine-secrets/resources/

How COVID Vaccines Can Cause Blood Clots and More

These are causing neurological issues.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35326363/

How to protect ourselves from deception.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

With this system winding down and corruption and deception is rampant. The lines between what is right and what is wrong are getting skewed. This can open the door for us to be deceived and can cause a lot of misery and possible harm to ourselves or loved ones. So we have to pay special attention to the history of those we put our trust in. If they have a history of corruption, deception or outright lying we need to be careful trusting them. We also need to consider others ways we can protect ourselves from deception. The worst deception and the one we are most vulnerable to is self deception. The pharmaceutical and biotech industry has a history of criminal activity, deception and harm. Many governments have been caught colluding with them to hide the harm they have done. That is evidence that when the bible tells us is true the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one. It is also proof of how easily man can be deceived or corrupted.

The bible tells us many times not to leave ourselves be deceived. It will happen but as we are deceived and we apply the scriptures we can learn how to better protect ourselves from being deceived. The bible makes it clear to look at a persons fruits. The more fruits of the spirit the person produces the better the chances are we will not be deceived. The bible makes it clear we should not trust the world and even the governments because it warns the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one. There is going to be a time where many governments will turn on true worship world wide. They will try to deceive people into turning their backs on God. The better we get at identifying deception the harder it will be for us to be deceived. By reading God’s word and praying to him on matters it can help to train our minds so we will not be easily deceived by Satan and the world. We have to remember Satan knows God’s word also. The bible warned he and his messengers can appear as angels of light.

The bible showed us clues so we will know when something originates with the world and not God. One thing that is a clue, is most of the talk of a person would be of the world and not of God’s word or of God. For example if a person constantly avoids speaking of the bible it may indicate they have a matter of conscience and hearing God’s word could be hurting it. In such an instance we would need to be careful trusting such a person. Looking for the fruits of the spirit is very important. Does the person continue to grow and show more and more of the fruits of the spirit? For example do they pursue peace, do they leave love guide them, are they patient and kind, do they have self control in various areas of their life, do they have strong faith in God and trust his word to guide them. Some may show many spirits of the fruits but if there is an area they need to grow and they are not progressing we may want to be cautious.

Does the person show signs of works of the flesh for example fits of anger, hostile towards others, cause conflicts with others, do they frequently get jealous in a bad way, do they envy others, do they get drunk often, do they associate with people who do these things? Do they lack self control in areas of their life. Do they put spiritual things first? The bible makes it clear putting worldly things over spiritual things is a form of idolism. For example if a person puts the pursuit of money or material things first we may want to be careful. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy but when the pursuit of it takes from us being able to worship God with our whole heart then we are doing an act of worship to the money or material things because that is where our devotion is.

Something else we want to watch for. When a person does experience trials and tribulation do they come out of it more spiritually mature and wiser or has it drawn them away from God. If it has drawn them away from God we may want to be careful putting our trust in them. We should try and build them up, we should try to be there when they are experiencing trials and tribulation but if they are not growing from it and taking in the spiritual food offered we may want to be careful in trusting them.

Another way we can be deceived is if a person is very good at false reasoning , or has a lot of worldly knowledge. If they are using fancy words and not quoting the bible , or they keep complementing a person and doing what appears to be acts of kindness but do not talk about Gods word and show their faith in it but looks for solutions from the world we should be cautious. There are certain responsibilities we have and certain professionals that we do have to rely on for assistance sometimes but if the advice they give goes against what God would expect or require of us we should be cautious.

We even have to be careful of our spiritual relatives. I had a spiritual relative that would continually ask me the same question about something that pertained to my life. If I did not repeat the answer back in the same exact words I had first told them , they would try to use this as evidence that I was being deceptive. No one remembers everything perfectly, it is unreasonable to expect them to. Be careful about they questions they are asking, if they have a history like the spiritual relative I mentioned be careful. Those ones cause divisions and strife. We are warned to be careful of such ones. Even when talking about spiritual things. Know your bible well enough to be aware of when you are being ask a loaded question. This way we can give an appropriate answer ans sometimes now answer which Jesus did when he realized the motive of the question was to entrap him or had deceptive motives behind it. Be careful of those who ask questions like that. They are forms of deception and indicates we may not be able to trust them. Jesus knew he was being tried and convicted of something he was not guilty of. So when he was accused he would not reply. This does not mean we should not defend ourselves but when it is obvious the person has already come to a conclusion and are asking the question to try to get you to incriminate yourself it is best to remain silent when possible.

Sometime things may occur maybe those taking the lead among us may be in error or we may be aware they have imperfections. Some who have their own interest at heart can use this to draw some away from the truth. This happened Moses and Aaron, they were chosen by God to lead Israel. They made mistakes. God corrected them and they accepted the discipline and did not make the errors again. Korah was a high priest. He most likely was very aware of the errors that Aaron and Moses had made. He decided that he was more qualified then Aaron and Moses to lead Israel. He tricked many into following him in the rebellion. Moses and Aaron were chosen by God so were directly accountable to God. It was not Korah’s place to question the choice God made and it was not his position to remove them. In doing so he was trying to undermine God. This resulted in Korah and others losing their lives. So we need to know our bibles well enough to know when something like this is occurring so we cannot be deceived. God has chosen imperfect humans, we know they made errors in the past and corrected them just as Moses and Aaron did. We should not loose faith in Jehovah he always sets matters straight. Over the years true worship has become purer and purer. As this system winds down things may occur exposing things that need corrected. We can be sure Jehovah will set matters straight as he did with Moses and Aaron when they were in error. There are many Korah like ones out there. Many have websites they have set up. They look for those who are disappointed in something our spiritual leaders and guides may have done. They may even exaggerate something that has occurred. If we give them an ear it leaves Satan get his foot in the door and can lure us away from true worship and just as Korah and the 250 did, we could start opposing God. These ones use comforting or flattering words and then slowly try to draw people away from true worship.

Often times people with hidden motives will come with soothing words and complements because they know the person is vulnerable. They may tell us what we want to hear instead of what we need to hear. We need to be aware when we are vulnerable and when we are accepting words we want to hear instead of what we need to hear. If we get upset or uncomfortable with a scripture we should self reflect on what this tells us about ourselves it could indicate something we may need to work on or overcome. Though it may mean we need to do deeper research to understand the meaning. When you care about someone it is not easy sharing scriptures with them you know they need to hear. Sometimes for a brief time they may get upset with you. But if we see someone stumbling and did not try to help them where would that leave us in our standing with Jehovah?

Another way we can be deceived is believing a bad association will not draw us into sin. The bible warns us about having bad associations. If we are tolerating behavior that in in opposition to God or that is not bringing glory to God we are not only telling the person their behavior is okay we are telling God and Jesus we approve of that type of behavior. In doing so even though we are not participating we share in their guilt. This does not mean we should completely avoid them. When we have the opportunity we should plant the seed of God’s word and watch to see if it grows. If we see them apply what they have learned in their life and make changes , it is God that makes the seed we planted grow so we need to continue when possible to share God’s word with them. When we may be teaching another or we are helping someone who is a spiritual relative we need to be careful that we do not get drawn into sinning. The more we take in God’s word the more aware we become of our short comings and weaknesses the better we can protect ourselves. God wrote his word because we all sin and fall short. If we were perfect God would not have had to give us his word so we could look into the perfect mirror of his word and learn to overcome our short comings. If we ignore the bibles warnings about bad association we are being wise in our own eyes and the bible has warned that can lead us into trouble. If we get overconfident we are thinking we are something we are not, because we are ignoring God’s warnings and believing that we are above being drawn into sin. The bible warns us being overconfident can cause us to fall. Surely we would not want this to happen.

We are told the word of God is sharper then any two edge sword able to discern the deeper things of the heart. If a person tends to not want to hear Gods word or they tend to avoid certain scriptures they could be telling us something about them. If they react badly to a scripture we should not suddenly jump to the conclusion they are hiding something. They may need the scriptures clarified, or need a deeper understanding. Many of us had believed things in error before we learned accurate bible truths. Sometimes those things can be deeply entrenched and may take a while for them to overcome. In situations such as that it is the spiritual growth you watch. If you see them spiritually growing you know they have a deep love for God and his word and we just need to give them time. We should be cautious and pay attention to how they react to God’s word. For example if they frequently avoid scriptures involving immoral sex , it could be a sign we may want to be careful they may have issues in that area. They could avoid them because they still fill guilt for letting God down. But asking questions carefully and not directly or bluntly asking things may help you to determine if you should help them to forgive themselves or if they may be hiding something, or if the scripture causes them confusion because they cannot fully understand it.

Shock and awe is another way we can be deceived by Satan or his people. Satan tried to use this tactic unsuccessfully against Job. Often times a person may do some things to cause you to get overwhelmed. Or circumstances may happen to cause you to become overwhelmed. Often times when this occurs people or even Satan will try to put us in a position where we feel we have to make a quick decision. If this decision can effect the rest of our lives or negatively impact someone else and there is any uncertainty then we should not let anyone pressure us into a decision. It is a moment of vulnerability and when we are pressured, in a state of panic, frustration or anxious we will not use the reasoning parts of our brains. If what God would want us to do is not clear then we should delay the decision. If we are put in a position where we cannot delay that decision do no lean on our own understanding but trust God and do what he would want you to do. Often times I will think what would Jesus do or what would Jesus want me to do. We should not follow our hearts when it comes to making major decisions because the bible warns us the heart is very deceptive. This is where wrighting God’s word into our hearts will protect us. By reading his word daily and applying it and making it a part of our lives it will train our hearts so we will do what God ask when we do have to make decisions and we will not lean on our own understanding.

False reasoning is another way we can be deceived. If we listen to it or we false reason with ourselves we could fall into a trap and be led down the wrong path. Often times that can cause harm to ourselves or others or cause things to happen in our lives that can take years to recover from. The first instance of false reasoning was when even listened to Satan. It was clear she had been taught what was required of her because she had quoted what she had been taught. She should have stopped listening to Satan but she continued the conversation and it lead to her believing that humans did not need God to guide them and that man could guide themselves. We are seeing the end result of that rebellion now as this system comes to a climax. Satan knows Gods word and he can subtly draw us away if we continue to listen to false reasoning. There is also instances in the bible were someone false reasoned and thought that God would back them. For example there were rules of war for Israel. They were only to take back land God had promised to them. There were certain peoples they were not to fight wars with. Israel false reasoned because they were God’s people that he would protect them if they fought the war , even though it was a war God had told them not to fight. Israel disobeyed God and was punished for their disobedience, God did not protect Israel in their battle. I meant someone once who believed if he made money he would get a certain security, which there is nothing wrong with that. But he false reasoned if he made more money he could help more people. This slowly drew him away from God and he did not help others because so much of his time was spent making money.

We are clearly in the last days. The bible as I mentioned earlier said there would be scoffers. They would false reason that things are the same as they have always been and would take no note that they are happening on a grand scale like they have never occurred before. By they time they realized the time frame we are in the bible says it would be too late. Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He had given warnings about what was going to occur but they paid no note and the flood swept them away. There was no way for anyone else to enter the ark because it was God himself who closed the door. This is why Jesus frequently warned stay alert. If we associate with people who frequently scoff about the time frame we are in and ignore the warnings , it could slowly erode away at our faith.

We are told to enter the heavenly kingdom through the narrow gate. Jesus is the gate. He gave his life as a ransom for our sins. While on earth he so perfectly emulated his father that he gave us a guide that can help us enter the narrow gate. Just as in Noah’s day many will pay no note and will be destroyed at the end of this system. As a matter of fact the bible says they will be confident that they are going to live in peace and security when the end of this system comes. Jesus said those who go in through the narrow door are his sheep they would be the ones who were not deceived but listened to his voice.

Other forms of deception used is intimidation tactics like trying to make someone feel embarrassed, picking at someones else’s flaws so victim will not see their flaws, being critical of someone or trying to get someone to doubt their reasoning. Often times they will even remove a person’s support system by convincing people the person has bad qualities, or even outright lying so the person exposing the truth will be put in a vulnerable position and have no choice but to be silent. They tried these things many times with Jesus. When things got too bad he knew it was time to take his leave. If he did not leave often times it would escalate to the point they would want to harm him. Sometimes this intimidation the constant sarcasm and talking down to someone and constantly putting them in a position that people doubt what they say can cause the person to start doubting themselves. If you are around someone like this be careful. They may even try to make your good qualities seem bad. For example if you are empathetic they may try and use it as proof you are weak , even too clingy. Jesus showed empathy, was Saddened when others were sad, Jesus cried when others cried. When confronted by ones who do things like this try to meditate on how Jesus and the apostles reacted. We have the examples of Stephen and Jesus in the bible. So when we see this form of deception we need to be very very careful. So they will go to any lengths to hide the truth and protect their deception.

By focusing on writing God’s word on our hearts and letting it and love guide all we do we will protect ourselves from being deceived and we will store up treasures in heaven. This will also protect our reasoning abilities as things wind down and get much worse. It will help us to realize this is all temporary and will be gone soon but the treasures in heaven and the rewards that come with it, such as our health being restored, being restored to a perfect spiritual state, there will be no more suffering only happy memories. So we must protect ourselves from deception the best we can so we can maintain our hope in the future promises. This will keep us from getting faint at heart and prevent us from losing our faith in God. The bible tells us where our treasure is there is where our heart will be. So if we focus on building spiritual treasures it will protect our hearts and make it much more difficult for us to be deceived. With the end of this system being so near anxiety can overwhelm us and make it so we can be easily deceived. Many things will occur that we have no control or power over. Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow it will make us more anxious. So we should focus on the things we can do something about and the things we do have some control over. Jesus said do not leave our hearts be troubled. If we over think on things it can cause us anxiety and fear. Trust God and Jesus they will not forget all you have done.

If they say we are showing a bad quality reflect on the bible. Reflect on the things that pleased God and whether he would approve of your behavior or personality traits. Would God think your behavior was bad? If a person is tearing others down and making fun of them be very very careful those ones only have their own interest at heart and are covering their own short comings.

(1 John 4:4-6) ⁴ You originate with God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in union with you is greater than the one who is in union with the world. ⁵ They originate with the world; that is why they speak what originates with the world and the world listens to them. ⁶ We originate with God. Whoever comes to know God listens to us; whoever does not originate with God does not listen to us. By this we distinguish the inspired statement of truth from the inspired statement of error.

(2 Corinthians 11:12-15) . . .. ¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works.

(2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) ⁹ But the lawless one’s presence is by the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders ¹⁰ and every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth in order that they might be saved. ¹¹ That is why God lets a deluding influence mislead them so that they may come to believe the lie, ¹² in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness.

(Galatians 5:22-24) ²² On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³ mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the stake the flesh together with its passions and desires.

(Galatians 5:19-21) ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality, uncleanness, brazen conduct, ²⁰ idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these. I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I already warned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom. . .

(Matthew 6:24) ²⁴ “No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches.

(Matthew 13:18-22) ¹⁸ “Now listen to the illustration of the man who sowed. ¹⁹ Where anyone hears the word of the Kingdom but does not get the sense of it, the wicked one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; this is the one sown alongside the road. ²⁰ As for the one sown on rocky ground, this is the one hearing the word and at once accepting it with joy. ²¹ Yet, he has no root in himself but continues for a time, and after tribulation or persecution has arisen on account of the word, he is at once stumbled. ²² As for the one sown among the thorns, this is the one hearing the word, but the anxiety of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

(Colossians 2:8-10) ⁸ Look out that no one takes you captive by means of the philosophy and empty deception according to human tradition, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ; ⁹ because it is in him that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily. ¹⁰ So you have acquired a fullness by means of him, the one who is the head of all government and authority.

(Matthew 22:15-22) ¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and conspired together in order to trap him in his speech. ¹⁶ So they sent their disciples to him, together with party followers of Herod, saying: “Teacher, we know you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and you do not seek anyone’s favor, for you do not look at the outward appearance of people. ¹⁷ Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay head tax to Caesar or not?” ¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said: “Why do you put me to the test, hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the tax coin.” They brought him a de·narʹi·us. ²⁰ He said to them: “Whose image and inscription is this?” ²¹ They said: “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them: “Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.” ²² When they heard that, they were amazed, and they left him and went away.

(Matthew 27:13, 14) . . .” ¹⁴ But he did not answer him, no, not a word, so that the governor was very surprised.

(Numbers 16:1-22) 16 Then Korʹah the son of Izʹhar, the son of Koʹhath, the son of Leʹvi, got up together with Daʹthan and A·biʹram the sons of E·liʹab, and On the son of Peʹleth, of the sons of Reuʹben. ² They rose up against Moses along with 250 Israelite men, chieftains of the assembly, chosen ones of the congregation, prominent men. ³ So they gathered together against Moses and Aaron and said to them: “We have had enough of you! The whole assembly is holy, all of them, and Jehovah is in their midst. Why, then, should you exalt yourselves above the congregation of Jehovah?” ⁴ When Moses heard this, he at once fell facedown. ⁵ Then he said to Korʹah and to all his supporters: “In the morning Jehovah will make known who belongs to him and who is holy and who should approach him, and whomever he may choose will approach him. ⁶ Do this: Take fire holders, Korʹah and all your supporters, ⁷ and put fire in them and place incense on them before Jehovah tomorrow, and the man whom Jehovah will choose, he is the holy one. You sons of Leʹvi have gone far enough!” ⁸ Moses then said to Korʹah: “Listen, please, you sons of Leʹvi. ⁹ Does it seem to you such a little thing that the God of Israel has separated you from the assembly of Israel and allowed you to approach him in order to perform the service of Jehovah’s tabernacle and to stand before the assembly to minister to them, ¹⁰ and that he brought you near to him along with all your brothers, the sons of Leʹvi? Must you also try to secure the priesthood? ¹¹ For this reason, you and all your supporters who are gathering together are against Jehovah. As for Aaron, who is he that you should murmur against him?” ¹² Moses later sent for Daʹthan and A·biʹram the sons of E·liʹab, but they said: “We are not going to come! ¹³ Is it so little a thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to put us to death in the wilderness? Now do you also want to make yourself an absolute ruler over us? ¹⁴ As it is, you have not brought us into any land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of field and vineyard. Would you bore out the eyes of those men? We are not going to come!” ¹⁵ So Moses became very angry and said to Jehovah: “Do not turn to look at their grain offering. Not one donkey have I taken away from them, nor have I harmed one of them.” ¹⁶ Then Moses said to Korʹah: “Present yourself with all your supporters before Jehovah tomorrow, you and they and Aaron. ¹⁷ Each one should take his fire holder and put incense on it, and each will present his fire holder before Jehovah, 250 fire holders, together with you and Aaron, each with his fire holder.” ¹⁸ So each of them took his fire holder, and they put fire and incense on them and stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting together with Moses and Aaron. ¹⁹ When Korʹah had gathered his supporters against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting, Jehovah’s glory appeared to all the assembly. ²⁰ Jehovah now told Moses and Aaron: ²¹ “Separate yourselves from among this group, so that I may exterminate them in an instant.” ²² At this, they fell with their faces to the ground and said: “O God, the God of the spirit of all people, will one man’s sin cause you to become indignant against the entire assembly?”

(Numbers 16:31-35) ³¹ As soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split apart. ³² And the earth opened and swallowed them up, along with their households and everyone who belonged to Korʹah and all their goods. ³³ So they and all who belonged to them went down alive into the Grave, and the earth covered them over, so that they perished from the midst of the congregation. ³⁴ All the Israelites who were around them fled at their screaming, for they said: “We are afraid that the earth may swallow us up!” ³⁵ Then a fire came out from Jehovah and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.

(Romans 16:17, 18) . . .. ¹⁸ For men of that sort are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattering speech they seduce the hearts of unsuspecting ones. . .

(2 Timothy 4:2-5) . . .. ³ For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled. ⁴ They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories. ⁵ You, though, keep your senses in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

(Ephesians 5:6-11) ⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore, do not be sharers with them; ⁸ for you were once darkness, but you are now light in connection with the Lord. Go on walking as children of light, ⁹ for the fruitage of the light consists of every sort of goodness and righteousness and truth. ¹⁰ Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord; ¹¹ and stop sharing in the unfruitful works that belong to the darkness; rather, expose them for what they are.

(1 Corinthians 15:33, 34) ³³ Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits. ³⁴ Come to your senses in a righteous way and do not practice sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I am speaking to move you to shame.

(1 Corinthians 6:9-11) ⁹ Or do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Do not be misled. Those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts, men who practice homosexuality, ¹⁰ thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners will not inherit God’s Kingdom. ¹¹ And yet that is what some of you were. But you have been washed clean; you have been sanctified; you have been declared righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.

(1 Corinthians 3:5-7) ⁵ What, then, is A·polʹlos? Yes, what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord granted each one. ⁶ I planted, A·polʹlos watered, but God kept making it grow, ⁷ so that neither is the one who plants anything nor is the one who waters, but God who makes it grow.

(Galatians 6:1) 6 Brothers, even if a man takes a false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness. But keep an eye on yourself, for fear you too may be tempted.

(1 John 1:10) ¹⁰ If we make the statement, “We have not sinned,” we are making him a liar, and his word is not in us.

(Romans 12:15, 16) . . .. ¹⁶ Have the same attitude toward others as toward yourselves; do not set your mind on lofty things, but be led along with the lowly things. Do not become wise in your own eyes.

(Galatians 6:2-5) . . .. ³ For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he is deceiving himself. ⁴ But let each one examine his own actions, and then he will have cause for rejoicing in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person. ⁵ For each one will carry his own load.

(1 Corinthians 10:12, 13) ¹² So let the one who thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall. ¹³ No temptation has come upon you except what is common to men. But God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

(Hebrews 4:12, 13) ¹² For the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And there is not a creation that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account.

(Proverbs 3:5-7)  ⁵ Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, And do not rely on your own understanding.  ⁶ In all your ways take notice of him, And he will make your paths straight.  ⁷ Do not become wise in your own eyes. Fear Jehovah and turn away from bad.

(Proverbs 28:26) Whoever trusts in his own heart is stupid, But the one who walks in wisdom will escape.

(Jeremiah 10:23) I well know, O Jehovah, that man’s way does not belong to him. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.

(Jeremiah 17:9, 10)  ⁹ The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it? ¹⁰ I, Jehovah, am searching the heart, Examining the innermost thoughts, To give to each one according to his ways, According to the fruitage of his works.

(Genesis 3:1-15) 3 Now the serpent was the most cautious of all the wild animals of the field that Jehovah God had made. So it said to the woman: “Did God really say that you must not eat from every tree of the garden?” ² At this the woman said to the serpent: “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. ³ But God has said about the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden: ‘You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it; otherwise you will die.’” ⁴ At this the serpent said to the woman: “You certainly will not die. ⁵ For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.” ⁶ Consequently, the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something desirable to the eyes, yes, the tree was pleasing to look at. So she began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward, she also gave some to her husband when he was with her, and he began eating it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings for themselves. ⁸ Later they heard the voice of Jehovah God as he was walking in the garden about the breezy part of the day, and the man and his wife hid from the face of Jehovah God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ And Jehovah God kept calling to the man and saying to him: “Where are you?” ¹⁰ Finally he said: “I heard your voice in the garden, but I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself.” ¹¹ At that he said: “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?” ¹² The man said: “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate.” ¹³ Jehovah God then said to the woman: “What is this you have done?” The woman replied: “The serpent deceived me, so I ate.” ¹⁴ Then Jehovah God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild animals of the field. On your belly you will go, and you will eat dust all the days of your life. ¹⁵ And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head, and you will strike him in the heel.”

(Revelation 12:8, 9) . . .. ⁹ So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. . .

(James 1:22-24) ²² However, become doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with false reasoning. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself, and he goes away and immediately forgets what sort of person he is.

(Genesis 7:16) ¹⁶ So they went in, male and female of every sort of flesh, just as God had commanded him. After that Jehovah shut the door behind him.

(Matthew 24:36-44) ³⁶ “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. ³⁷ For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. ³⁸ For as they were in those days before the Flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, ³⁹ and they took no note until the Flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the hand mill; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. ⁴² Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. ⁴³ “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ On this account, you too prove yourselves ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it.

(1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) 5 Now as for the times and the seasons, brothers, you need nothing to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know very well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. ³ Whenever it is that they are saying, “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly on them, just like birth pains on a pregnant woman, and they will by no means esca