The Plain Truth: John 3:36

The Lord Jesus Christ was very matter-of-fact when He spoke. He spoke the Truth because He was Truth and His amazing illustrations of Whom He was must have blown the minds of those who met Him or heard Him whilst He journeyed to the cross and completed His Father's work of True Salvation. He spoke words of comfort, words of warning, words of the future and words of the past. Jesus spoke of the reality that faces every man and woman on earth in just one sentence. In John chapter 3, verse 36 we read ...

"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

On one hand the Lord reassures the true believer but on the other hand He confirms the fate of the unbeliever. If there were ever a motivation to try and reach the lost for Christ and warn errant man of his predicament, then surely the fact that any unsaved soul has God's wrath abiding on them should stir Christians into action. These are strong words indeed and words to be heeded. Any unsaved person living right now is in grave danger of experiencing death (twice) and the judgement of the Living God for eternity.

That's the bad news. The Good News is that even while we were sinners and yet far off (Romans 5:8), God was planning the ultimate Sacrifice and the most merciful of free gifts - the promise of True Salvation - for every soul who believes, follows and obeys the Lord Jesus Christ, His Will and His Word. Next time you go to work, go shopping, go on holiday or even go to church, you will meet, greet and possibly avoid many people on whom the wrath of God is resting. Pray for them and their salvation. Your friends, family, strangers and (most importantly) even your enemies. You are surrounded by people in an awful situation. Never forget that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance i.e. eternal life (II Peter 3:9).

Real Bereans (Acts 17:11) are truly needed, watchmen must WARN, evangelists must COMPEL, do not be DECEIVED and WATCH that PERIPHERY!

God bless you and God bless Israel ... KJS ... 26-March-2019

Recommended: The Rapture Timing Revealed (Bob Mitchell)

My good friend Bob Mitchell published a 51 page book entitled: "The Rapture Timing Revealed" (ISBN 9781975724085) back in 2017 wherein he writes of his journey of eschatological discovery as he follows the Berean example in searching the scriptures to see what is explicitly said as to the timing of the rapture in the Bible. Initially taught (as most of us were) that the rapture precedes the Tribulation period, Bob surveys key Bible passages to show another view that lines up with the words of Jesus and the intent of key Greek words. If nothing else, this book challenges any Christian to pray, study and honestly investigate this thorny issue for themselves. You can buy "The Rapture Timing Revealed" by Bob Mitchell for just £3.45 via this link thus ...

www.amazon.co.uk/Rapture-What-Do-Scriptures-Say/dp/1975724089

Real Bereans (Acts 17:11) are truly needed, watchmen must WARN, evangelists must COMPEL, do not be DECEIVED and WATCH that PERIPHERY!

God bless you and God bless Israel ... KJS ... 25-March-2019

At The Last Day

One of the things that God does in scripture when He wants to gain your attention and get the message home is to repeat the same or similar phraseology. When reading my Bible recently, I couldn't help but notice that the Lord Jesus Christ uses a certain four words on four occasions within John chapter 6 when He was teaching His disciples about Himself in the synagogue in Capernaum. Chapter and verse numbers were, of course, added much later to help folks find their way through the written Word but Yours Truly KJS couldn't help but notice the words "at the last day" (NKJV) are spoken by the Lord four times in fifteen verses in a portion of scripture where His teachings were "a hard saying" (v.60) for some of His disciples who "murmured" (v.61) at His teaching and eventually "went back and walked no more with Him." (v.66).

Having recently fed the five thousand with five barley loaves and two small fishes, Jesus had been not only teaching that He was the "true bread from heaven" (v.32), "the bread of God" (v.33) and "that bread of life" (v.48) but also that man must needs eat of His flesh and drink His blood to have everlasting life. The Jews in that synagogue were having a hard time understanding what He was saying, perhaps taking His words as literally as Nicodemus did when he was told that a man must be born again to see the kingdom of God and then asking how an old man can enter his mothers womb a second time. But in this important passage of scripture, the Lord was in fact revealing quite clearly who He was, what He was doing (doing the will and finishing the work that His Father had given Him) and setting forth the True Gospel. It is in this context that Jesus promises that those who believe on Him will have everlasting life and that He will raise them up at the last day. Repeating those four words on four occasions is the emboldening and underlining of His Promise to all those who follow Him that He will be with them always, even to the end of the world. A promise both you and I can count on. Be comforted, be thankful and praise the Lord! Now read these four verses again in a new light ...

"This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day."

~ John 6:39 ~

"And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
~ John 6:40 ~

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day."
~ John 6:44 ~

"Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
~ John 6:54 ~

Real Bereans (Acts 17:11) are truly needed, watchmen must WARN, evangelists must COMPEL, do not be DECEIVED and WATCH that PERIPHERY!

God bless you and God bless Israel ... KJS ... 25-March-2019

God's Escape Lane

If there is one scripture that is responsible for my return to the proverbial fold then it has to be I Corinthians 10:13 and the perfect wisdom this verse contains. Without going into too much detail, Yours Truly KJS has been under the cosh physically, mentally and physically for a long period of time and under immense pressure to succumb to a lifelong issue.

Read also: Thy Will Be Done

The straw that broke the camels back was the realisation recently that I simply needed to give up my understanding and will and submit to that of God. I simply did not know enough about myself (or anything else for that matter) to rely on my own understanding or judgement to map a way out of the situation I had gotten into over time.

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

Read those words! What the above verse tells us is that the Lord in His infinite Wisdom has designed a way out (even a way through) every physical, mental and spiritual problem peculiar to man. there's nothing that He can't deal with or doesn't have an answer to even though at times the urge to go our own way threatens to overwhelm us and take us down dangerous paths. I can personally testify to this Truth.

An escape lane is a slip road provided on steep downhill gradients for vehicles to use if their brakes fail or overheat and need to stop in an emergency. Whether you know me or not, if you a believer and you are reading this article, please be assured that God has provided an escape lane for you too. Just ask Him to reveal it. It may be obvious or it may be not so obvious. If you do not yet know God as your personal Saviour, then there is Hope for you too because the Lord Jesus Christ IS your escape lane from death to eternal life. Check out John 3:16 afresh.

Real Bereans (Acts 17:11) are truly needed, watchmen must WARN, evangelists must COMPEL, do not be DECEIVED and WATCH that PERIPHERY!

God bless you and God bless Israel ... KJS ... 21-March-2019

The Centre of Attention

Have you ever been driving along, heard a horn being blasted and thought that it was aimed at you before realising that it had nothing to do with you? It happens to Yours Truly KJS from time to time and it occurred again this morning on the way to work and got me thinking (again). Initially I was inclined to feel guilty even though I'd done nothing wrong. I then wondered whether it was someone I knew trying to get my attention before settling on the conclusion that it was just because I was in a certain place at a certain time when this incident happened.

"He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)

I realised that I'd made a presumption that I was the centre of attention. It's something that human beings do. We are self centric in the natural and God works on that the moment we ask Him to take control of our life. The longer and closer we walk with the Lord, the more God-centric we become as He moulds, shapes and transforms us into the person He wants us to be over time even though sometimes we slip, stall and fall. John chapter 3 verse 30 truly says it all. Our perspective needs to change from selfishness to selflessness. Our centre of attention needs to shift from me to Thee. These familiar hymn lyrics also come to mind ...

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace."

Real Bereans (Acts 17:11) are truly needed, watchmen must WARN, evangelists must COMPEL, do not be DECEIVED and WATCH that PERIPHERY!

God bless you and God bless Israel ... KJS ... 20-March-2019

Thy Will Be Done

One of the things I have been thinking much about recently is human will. Since the Fall, human will has been in opposition to the Will of God. The will is vitally important in the process of True Salvation and also within the Triunity of God. As the Lord Jesus Christ approached the cross for our sins, He said these words ...

"Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42)

He chose to do the Will of His Father rather than His Own in a fundamental display of obedience and in advance of the most unbelievable, Selfless and Loving act ever seen on earth. The Lord also said these inspired words ...

"For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12:50)

Quite clearly, submitting to the Will of the Father is a defining characteristic for any born again believer. The Lord Jesus Christ led by example, He showed us the Way.

Confession time. For the last few years Yours Truly KJS has been backslidden. Disinterested in any closeness with God and looking for answers to longstanding issues in the wrong places. That's why you saw no substantial posts on here for a few years. Yet, despite this and with many thanx to the grace of God, I have experienced somewhat of an awakening. The reason for this is really quite wonderful. I have come to the place where I truly wish to submit to the Will of God because I've realised that if I do that, I simply cannot go wrong. The same applies to everyone and anyone. The Lord Jesus Christ did it and so should we. That's my message for today folks. Bless you!

Real Bereans (Acts 17:11) are truly needed, watchmen must WARN, evangelists must COMPEL, do not be DECEIVED and WATCH that PERIPHERY!

God bless you and God bless Israel ... KJS ... 19-March-2019

Who Forgives Who?

Many folks talk of the need to forgive yourself these days, some of them Christians. But Yours Truly KJS struggles with this most modern of mantras. Correct me if I'm wrong (and I could be) but my understanding of the scriptural practice of forgiveness operates in two spheres. The first and most important Biblical aspect of is our need to have our sins forgiven by God. That is why we need to be saved and be born again to enter into a new relationship with the Lord. The second aspect of forgiveness is the need to forgive each other

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

(Matthew 6:14-15)

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)

The emphasis of forgiveness in Biblical terms is therefore, in my opinion, either extended by God to man or by man to man. If we are right with God, forgiveness is a natural extension of His grace and flows through to others. I simply can't get my head around the need to forgive yourself. I can see the need of the flesh to excuse itself but not a person to forgive themselves. The key word here is "self". We need forgiveness from God and we need to forgive others. If I'm honest, I don't think I could look at myself in a mirror and actually say "I forgive you" but I could and would say those very same words to very, many other folks hoping to hear the same if I wronged them. Therefore I plan to keep seeking forgiveness from God and others but not from this writer.

Real Bereans (Acts 17:11) are truly needed, watchmen must WARN, evangelists must COMPEL, do not be DECEIVED and WATCH that PERIPHERY!

God bless you and God bless Israel ... KJS ... 18-March-2019