Bible Extras

### Bible Extras (text-style:"underline")[Compiled by M. Todd] Here are some extra Bible related articles you may want to read. Choose ''Daily Dose'' to read random item from the first five lists. [[Daily Dose]] ''Lists:'' [[Bible Science Facts]] [[Bible Trivia]] [[Famous Quotes]] [[Jesus Verses]] [[King James Bible Word List]] [[Popular Verses]] ''Articles:'' [[A CLEAR Gospel]] [[America's Downward Spiral]] [[Great American Eclipses]] [[Being a Christian]] [[Dispensations]] [[Eight Tests for Decision Making]] [[Eyes on Jesus]] [[Illusions]] [[15 Amazing Attributes of God]] [[50 Events Timeline]] [[Mystery Babylon]] [[Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God]] [[Spiritual Gifts]] [[The Ark]] [[The Christmas Story]] [[The Eternity Test]] [[The Rapture Debate]] [[The Role of Israel in Prophecy]] [[The Romans Road to Salvation]] [[Things To Hold Onto And To Encourage Us]] [[Where Are You Going?]] [[Where Did The Christians Go?]] [[Why Prophecy is a Big Deal]]

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0. The earth free-floats in space (Job 26:7), affected only by gravity. While other sources declared the earth sat on the back of an elephant or turtle, or was held up by Atlas, the Bible alone states what we now know to be true - "He hangs the earth on nothing." 0. Creation is made of particles, indiscernible to our eyes (Hebrews 11:3). Not until the 19th century was it discovered that all visible matter consists of invisible elements. 0. The Bible specifies the perfect dimensions for a stable water vessel (Genesis 6:15). Ship builders today are well aware that the ideal dimension for ship stability is a length six times that of the width. Keep in mind, God told Noah the ideal dimensions for the ark 4,500 years ago. 0. When dealing with disease, clothes and body should be washed under running water (Leviticus 15:13). For centuries people naively washed in standing water. Today we recognize the need to wash away germs with fresh water. 0. Sanitation industry birthed (Deuteronomy 23:12-13). Some 3,500 years ago God commanded His people to have a place outside the camp where they could relieve themselves. They were to each carry a shovel so that they could dig a hole (latrine) and cover their waste. Up until World War I, more soldiers died from disease than war because they did not isolate human waste. 0. Oceans contain springs (Job 38:16). The ocean is very deep. Almost all the ocean floor is in total darkness and the pressure there is enormous. It would have been impossible for Job to have explored the "springs of the sea." Until recently, it was thought that oceans were fed only by rivers and rain. Yet in the 1970s, with the help of deep diving research submarines that were constructed to withstand 6,000 pounds-per-square-inch pressure, oceanographers discovered springs on the ocean floors! 0. There are mountains on the bottom of the ocean floor (Jonah 2:5-6). Only in the last century have we discovered that there are towering mountains and deep trenches in the depths of the sea. 0. Joy and gladness understood (Acts 14:17). Evolution cannot explain emotions. Matter and energy do not feel. Scripture explains that God places gladness in our hearts (Psalm 4:7), and ultimate joy is found only in our Creator's presence - "in Your presence is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11). 0. Blood is the source of life and health (Leviticus 17:11; 14). Up until 120 years ago, sick people were "bled" and many died as a result (e.g. George Washington). Today we know that healthy blood is necessary to bring life-giving nutrients to every cell in the body. God declared that "the life of the flesh is in the blood" long before science understood its function. 0. The Bible states that God created life according to kinds (Genesis 1:24). The fact that God distinguishes kinds, agrees with what scientists observe - namely that there are horizontal genetic boundaries beyond which life cannot vary. Life produces after its own kind. Dogs produce dogs, cats produce cats, roses produce roses. Never have we witnessed one kind changing into another kind as evolution supposes. There are truly natural limits to biological change. 0. Noble behavior understood (John 15:13; Romans 5:7-8). The Bible and history reveal that countless people have endangered or even sacrificed their lives for another. This reality is completely at odds with Darwin's theory of the survival of the fittest. 0. Chicken or egg dilemma solved (Genesis 1:20-22). Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This question has plagued philosophers for centuries. The Bible states that God created birds with the ability to reproduce after their kind. Therefore the chicken was created first with the ability to make eggs! Yet, evolution has no solution for this dilemma. 0. Which came first, proteins or DNA (Revelation 4:11)? For evolutionists, the chicken or egg dilemma goes even deeper. Chickens consist of proteins. The code for each protein is contained in the DNA/RNA system. However, proteins are required in order to manufacture DNA. So which came first: proteins or DNA? The ONLY explanation is that they were created together. 0. Our bodies are made from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7; 3:19). Scientists have discovered that the human body is comprised of some 28 base and trace elements - all of which are found in the earth. 0. The First Law of Thermodynamics established (Genesis 2:1-2). The First Law states that the total quantity of energy and matter in the universe is a constant. One form of energy or matter may be converted into another, but the total quantity always remains the same. Therefore the creation is finished, exactly as God said way back in Genesis. 0. The first three verses of Genesis accurately express all known aspects of the creation (Genesis 1:1-3). Science expresses the universe in terms of: time, space, matter, and energy. In Genesis chapter one we read: "In the beginning (time) God created the heavens (space) and the earth (matter)...Then God said, "Let there be light (energy)." No other creation account agrees with the observable evidence. 0. The universe had a beginning (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 1:10-12). Starting with the studies of Albert Einstein in the early 1900s and continuing today, science has confirmed the biblical view that the universe had a beginning. When the Bible was written most people believed the universe was eternal. Science has proven them wrong, but the Bible correct. 0. The earth is a sphere (Isaiah 40:22). At a time when many thought the earth was flat, the Bible told us that the earth is spherical. 0. Scripture assumes a revolving (spherical) earth (Luke 17:34-36). Jesus said that at His return some would be asleep at night while others would be working at day time activities in the field. This is a clear indication of a revolving earth, with day and night occurring simultaneously. 0. Origin of the rainbow explained (Genesis 9:13-16). Prior to the Flood there was a different environment on the earth (Genesis 2:5-6). After the Flood, God set His rainbow "in the cloud" as a sign that He would never again judge the earth by water. Meteorologists now understand that a rainbow is formed when the sun shines through water droplets - which act as a prism - separating white light into its color spectrum. 0. Light can be divided (Job 38:24). Sir Isaac Newton studied light and discovered that white light is made of seven colors, which can be "parted" and then recombined. Science confirmed this four centuries ago - God declared this four millennia ago! 0. Ocean currents anticipated (Psalm 8:8). Three thousand years ago the Bible described the "paths of the seas." In the 19th century Matthew Maury - the father of oceanography - after reading Psalm 8, researched and discovered ocean currents that follow specific paths through the seas! Utilizing Maury's data, marine navigators have since reduced by many days the time required to traverse the seas. 0. Sexual promiscuity is dangerous to your health (1 Corinthians 6:18; Romans 1:27). The Bible warns that "he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body," and that those who commit homosexual sin would "receive in themselves" the penalty of their error. Much data now confirms that any sexual relationship outside of holy matrimony is unsafe. 0. Reproduction explained (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:24; Mark 10:6-8). While evolution has no mechanism to explain how male and female reproductive organs evolved at the same time, the Bible says that from the beginning God made them male and female in order to propagate the human race and animal kinds. 0. Incalculable number of stars (Jeremiah 33:22). At a time when less than 5,000 stars were visible to the human eye, God stated that the stars of heaven were innumerable. Not until the 17th century did Galileo glimpse the immensity of our universe with his new telescope. Today, astronomers estimate that there are ten thousand billion trillion stars - that's a 1 followed by 25 zeros! Yet, as the Bible states, scientists admit this number may be woefully inadequate. 0. The number of stars, though vast, are finite (Isaiah 40:26). Although man is unable to calculate the exact number of stars, we now know their number is finite. Of course God knew this all along - "He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name" (Psalm 147:4). What an awesome God! 0. The Bible compares the number of stars with the number of grains of sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17; Hebrews 11:12). Amazingly, gross estimates of the number of sand grains are comparable to the estimated number of stars in the universe. 0. Rejecting the Creator results in moral depravity (Romans 1:20-32). The Bible warns that when mankind rejects the overwhelming evidence for a Creator, lawlessness will result. Since the theory of evolution has swept the globe, abortion, pornography, genocide, etc., have all risen sharply. 0. The fact that God once flooded the earth (the Noahic Flood) would be denied (2 Peter 3:5-6). There is a mass of fossil evidence to prove this fact, yet it is flatly ignored by most of the scientific world because it was God's judgment on man's wickedness. 0. Vast fossil deposits anticipated (Genesis 7). When plants and animals die they decompose rapidly. Yet billions of life forms around the globe have been preserved as fossils. Geologists now know that fossils only form if there is rapid deposition of life buried away from scavengers and bacteria. This agrees exactly with what the Bible says occurred during the global Flood. 0. The continents were created as one large land mass (Genesis 1:9-10). Many geologists agree there is strong evidence that the earth was originally one super continent - just as the Bible said way back in Genesis. 0. Continental drift inferred (Genesis 7:11). Today the study of the ocean floor indicates that the landmasses have been ripped apart. Scripture states that during the global Flood the "fountains of the great deep were broken up." This cataclysmic event apparently resulted in the continental plates breaking and shifting. 0. Ice Age inferred (Job 38:29-30). Prior to the global Flood the earth was apparently subtropical. However shortly after the Flood, the Bible mentions ice often - "By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen" (Job 37:10). Evidently the Ice Age occurred in the centuries following the Flood. 0. Life begins at fertilization (Jeremiah 1:5). God declares that He knew us before we were born. The biblical penalty for murdering an unborn child was death (Exodus 21:22-23). Today, it is an irrefutable biological fact that the fertilized egg is truly an entire human being. Nothing will be added to the first cell except nutrition and oxygen. 0. God fashions and knits us together in the womb (Job 10:8-12; 31:15). Science was ignorant concerning embryonic development until recently. Yet many centuries ago, the Bible accurately described God making us an "intricate unity" in the womb. 0. DNA anticipated (Psalm 139:13-16). During the 1950s, Watson and Crick discovered the genetic blueprint for life. Three thousand years ago the Bible seems to reference this written digital code in Psalm 139:16. "Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect [unformed; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them." 0. God has created all mankind from one blood (Acts 17:26; Genesis 5). Today researchers have discovered that we have all descended from one gene pool. For example, a 1995 study of a section of Y chromosomes from 38 men from different ethnic groups around the world was consistent with the biblical teaching that we all come from one man (Adam) 0. Origin of the major language groups explained (Genesis 11). After the rebellion at Babel, God scattered the people by confounding the one language into many languages. Evolution teaches that we all evolved from a common ancestor, yet offers no mechanism to explain the origin of the thousands of diverse languages in existence today. 0. Origin of the different "races" explained (Genesis 11). As Noah's descendants migrated around the world after Babel, each language group developed distinct features based on environment and genetic variation. Those with a genetic makeup suitable to their new environment survived to reproduce. Over time, certain traits (such as dark skin color for those closer to the equator) dominated. Genesis alone offers a reasonable answer to the origin of the races and languages. 0. God has given us the leaves of the trees as medicine (Ezekiel 47:12; Revelation 22:2). Ancient cultures utilized many herbal remedies. Today, modern medicine has rediscovered what the Bible has said all along - there are healing compounds found in plants. 0. Healthy dietary laws (Leviticus 11:9-12). Scripture states that we should avoid those sea creatures which do not have fins or scales. We now know that bottom-feeders (those with no scales or fins) tend to consume waste and are likely to carry disease. 0. The Bible warns against eating birds of prey (Leviticus 11:13-19). Scientists now recognize that those birds which eat carrion (putrefying flesh), often spread disease. 0. Avoid swine (Deuteronomy 14:8). Not so long ago, science learned that eating undercooked pork causes an infection of parasites called trichinosis. Now consider this: the Bible forbid the eating of swine more than 3,000 years before we learned how to cook pork safely. 0. Radical environmentalism foreseen (Romans 1:25). Two thousand years ago, God's Word stated that many would worship and serve creation rather than the Creator. Today, nature is revered as "Mother" and naturalism is enshrined. 0. Black holes and dark matter anticipated (Matthew 25:30; Jude 1:13; Isaiah 50:3). Cosmologists now speculate that over 98% of the known universe is comprised of dark matter, with dark energy and black holes. A black hole's gravitational field is so strong that nothing, not even light, escapes. Beyond the expanding universe there is no measured radiation and therefore only outer darkness exists. These theories paint a seemingly accurate description of what the Bible calls "outer darkness" or "the blackness of darkness forever." 0. The Second Law of Thermodynamics (Entropy) explained (Psalm 102:25-26). This law states that everything in the universe is running down, deteriorating, constantly becoming less and less orderly. Entropy (disorder) entered when mankind rebelled against God - resulting in the curse (Genesis 3:17; Romans 8:20-22). Historically most people believed the universe was unchangeable. Yet modern science verifies that the universe is "grow(ing) old like a garment" (Hebrews 1:11). Evolution directly contradicts this law. 0. Cain's wife discovered (Genesis 5:4). Skeptics point out that Cain had no one to marry - therefore the Bible must be false. However, the Bible states plainly that Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters. Cain married his sister. 0. Incest laws established (Leviticus 18:6). To marry near of kin in the ancient world was common. Yet, beginning about 1500 B.C., God forbid this practice. The reason is simple - the genetic mutations (resulting from the curse) had a cumulative effect. Though Cain could safely marry his sister because the genetic pool was still relatively pure at that time, by Moses' day the genetic errors had swelled. Today, geneticists confirm that the risk of passing on a genetic abnormality to your child is much greater if you marry a close relative because relatives are more likely to carry the same defective gene. If they procreate, their offspring are more apt to have this defect expressed. 0. Genetic mixing of different seeds forbidden (Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:9). The Bible warns against mixing seeds - as this will result in an inferior or dangerous crop. There is now growing evidence that unnatural, genetically engineered crops may be harmful. 0. Hydrological cycle described (Ecclesiastes 1:7; Jeremiah 10:13; Amos 9:6). Four thousand years ago the Bible declared that God "draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist, which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man" (Job 36:27-28). The ancients observed mighty rivers flowing into the ocean, but they could not conceive why the sea level never rose. Though they observed rainfall, they had only quaint theories as to its origin. Meteorologists now understand that the hydrological cycle consists of evaporation, atmospheric transportation, distillation, and precipitation. 0. The sun goes in a circuit (Psalm 19:6). Some scientists scoffed at this verse thinking that it taught geocentricity - the theory that the sun revolves around the earth. They insisted the sun was stationary. However, we now know that the sun is traveling through space at approximately 600,000 miles per hour. It is literally moving through space in a huge circuit - just as the Bible stated 3,000 years ago! 0. Circumcision on the eighth day is ideal (Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3; Luke 1:59). Medical science has discovered that the blood clotting chemical prothrombin peaks in a newborn on the eighth day. This is therefore the safest day to circumcise a baby. How did Moses know?! 0. God has given us just the right amount of water to sustain life (Isaiah 40:12). We now recognize that if there was significantly more or less water, the earth would not support life as we know it. 0. The earth was designed for biological life (Isaiah 45:18). Scientists have discovered that the most fundamental characteristics of our earth and cosmos are so finely tuned that if just one of them were even slightly different, life as we know it couldn't exist. This is called the Anthropic Principle and it agrees with the Bible which states that God formed the earth to be inhabited. 0. The universe is expanding (Job 9:8; Isaiah 42:5; Jeremiah 51:15; Zechariah 12:1). Repeatedly God declares that He stretches out the heavens. During the early 20th century, most scientists (including Einstein) believed the universe was static. Others believed it should have collapsed due to gravity. Then in 1929, astronomer Edwin Hubble showed that distant galaxies were receding from the earth, and the further away they were, the faster they were moving. This discovery revolutionized the field of astronomy. Eisntein admitted his mistake, and today most astronomers agree with what the Creator told us millennia ago - the universe is expanding! 0. Law of Biogenesis explained (Genesis 1). Scientists observe that life only comes from existing life. This law has never been violated under observation or experimentation (as evolution imagines). Therefore life, God's life, created all life. 0. Animal and plant extinction explained (Jeremiah 12:4; Hosea 4:3). According to evolution, occasionally we should witness a new kind springing into existence. Yet, this has never been observed. On the contrary, as Scripture explains, since the curse on all creation, we observe death and extinction (Romans 8:20-22). 0. Light travels in a path (Job 38:19). Light is said to have a "way" [Hebrew: derek, literally a traveled path or road. Until the 17th century it was believed that light was transmitted instantaneously. We now know that light is a form of energy that travels at ~186,000 miles per second in a straight line. Indeed, there is a "way" of light. 0. Air has weight (Job 28:25). It was once thought that air was weightless. Yet 4,000 years ago Job declared that God established "a weight for the wind." In recent years, meteorologists have calculated that the average thunderstorm holds thousands of tons of rain. To carry this load, air must have mass. 0. Jet stream anticipated (Ecclesiates 1:6). At a time when it was thought that winds blew straight, the Bible declares "The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit." King Solomon wrote this 3,000 years ago. Now consider this: it was not until World War II that airmen discovered the jet stream circuit. 0. Medical quarantine instituted (Leviticus 13:45-46; Numbers 5:1-4). Long before man understood the principles of quarantine, God commanded the Israelites to isolate those with a contagious disease until cured. 0. Each star is unique (1 Corinthians 15:41). Centuries before the advent of the telescope, the Bible declared what only God and the angels knew - each star varies in size and intensity! 0. The Bible says that light can be sent, and then manifest itself in speech (Job 38:35). We now know that radio waves and light waves are two forms of the same thing - electromagnetic waves. Therefore, radio waves are a form of light. Today, using radio transmitters, we can send "lightnings" which indeed speak when they arrive. 0. Laughter promotes physical healing (Proverbs 17:22). Recent studies confirm what King Solomon was inspired to write 3,000 years ago, "A merry heart does good, like medicine." For instance, laughter reduces levels of certain stress hormones. This brings balance to the immune system, which helps your body fight off disease. 0. Intense sorrow or stress is harmful to your health (Proverbs 18:14; Mark 14:34). Researchers have studied individuals with no prior medical problems who showed symptoms of stress cardiomyopathy including chest pain, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, and even heart failure - following a stressful incident. 0. Microorganisms anticipated (Exodus 22:31). The Bible warns "Whatever dies naturally or is torn by beasts he shall not eat, to defile himself with it: I am the LORD" (Leviticus 22:8). Today we understand that a decaying carcass is full of disease causing germs. 0. The Bible cautions against consuming fat (Leviticus 7:23). Only in recent decades has the medical community determined that fat clogs arteries and contributes to heart disease. 0. Do not consume blood (Leviticus 17:12). A common ritual in many religions in the ancient world was to drink blood. However, the Creator repeatedly told His people to abstain from blood (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 3:17; Acts 15:20; 21:25). Of course, modern science reveals that consuming raw blood is dangerous. 0. The Bible describes dinosaurs (Job 40:15-24). In 1842, Sir Richard Owen coined the word dinosaur, meaning "terrible lizard," after discovering large reptilian-like fossils. However in the Book of Job, written 4,000 years earlier, God describes the behemoth as: the largest of all land creatures, plant eating (herbivore), with great strength in its hips and legs, powerful stomach muscles, a tail like a cedar tree, and bones like bars of iron. This is an accurate description of sauropods - the largest known dinosaur family. 0. Pleasure explained (Psalm 36:8). Evolution cannot explain pleasure - even the most complex chemicals do not experience bliss. However, the Bible states that God "gives us richly all things to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17). Pleasure is a gift from God. 0. Life is more than matter and energy (Genesis 2:7; Job 12:7-10). We know that if a creature is denied air it dies. Even though its body may be perfectly intact, and air and energy are reintroduced to spark life, the body remains dead. Scripture agrees with the observable evidence when it states that only God can give the breath of life. Life cannot be explained by raw materials, time, and chance alone - as evolutionists would lead us to believe. 0. Origin of music explained (Psalm 40:3). Evolution cannot explain the origin of music. The Bible says that every good gift comes from God (James 1:17). This includes joyful melodies. God has given both man and angels the gift of music-making (Genesis 4:21; Ezekiel 28:13). Singing is intended to express rejoicing in and worship of the Lord (Job 38:7; Psalm 95:1-2). 0. Our ancestors were not primitive (Genesis 4:20-22; Job 8:8-10; 12:12). Archeologists have discovered that our ancestors mined, had metallurgical factories, created air-conditioned buildings, designed musical instruments, studied the stars, and much more. This evidence directly contradicts the theory of evolution, but agrees completely with God's Word. 0. Cavemen described in the Bible (Job 30:1-8). Four thousand years ago, Job describes certain "vile men" who were driven from society to forage "among the bushes" for survival and who "live in the clefts of the valleys, (and) in caves of the earth and the rocks." Therefore "cavemen" were simply outcasts and vagabounds - not our primitive ancestors as evolutionists speculate. 0. Environmental devastation of the planet foreseen (Revelation 11:18). Though evolution imagines that things should be getting better, the Bible foresaw what is really occurring today: pollution, destruction and corrupt dominion. 0. The seed of a plant contains its life (Genesis 1:11; 29). As stated in the Book of Genesis, we now recognize that inside the humble seed is life itself. Within the seed is a tiny factory of amazing complexity. No scientist can build a synthetic seed and no seed is simple! 0. A seed must die to produce new life (1 Corinthians 15:36-38). Jesus said, "unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." (John 12:24). In this verse is remarkable confirmation of two of the fundamental concepts in biology: 1) Cells arise only from existing cells. 2) A grain must die to produce more grain. The fallen seed is surrounded by supporting cells from the old body. These supporting cells "give their lives" to provide nourishment to the inner kernel. Once planted, this inner kernel germinates resulting in much grain. 0. The order of creation agrees with true science (Genesis 1). Plants require sunlight, water, and minerals in order to survive. In the first chapter of Genesis we read that God created light first (v.3), then water (v. 6), then soil (v. 9), and then He created plant life (v. 11). 0. God created "lights" in the heavens "for signs and seasons, and for days and years" (Genesis 1:14-16). We now know that a year is the time required for the earth to travel once around the sun. The seasons are caused by the changing position of the earth in relation to the sun. The moon's phases follow one another in clock-like precision - constituting the lunar calendar Evolution teaches that the cosmos evolved by random chance, yet the Bible agrees with the observable evidence. 0. The Bible speaks of "heaven and the highest heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14). Long before the Hubble Space Telescope, Scripture spoke of the "heaven of heavens" and the "third heaven" (1 Kings 8:27; 2 Corinthians 12:2). We now know that the heavens consist of our immediate atmosphere and the vast reaches of outer space - as well as God's wonderful abode. 0. Olive oil and wine useful on wounds (Luke 10:34). Jesus told of a Samaritan man, who when he came upon a wounded traveler, he bandaged him - pouring upon his wounds olive oil and wine. Today we know that wine contains ethyl alcohol and traces of methyl alcohol. Both are good disinfectants. Olive oil is also a good disinfectant, as well as a skin moisturizer, protector, and soothing lotion. This is common knowledge to us today. However, did you know that during the Middle Ages and right up till the early 20th century, millions died because they did not know to treat and protect open wounds? 0. Man is "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14). We are only beginning to probe the complexity of the DNA molecule, the eye, the brain, and all the intricate components of life. No human invention compares to the marvelous wonders of God's creation. 0. Beauty understood (Genesis 1:31; 2:9; Job 40:10; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Matthew 6:28-30). Beauty surrounds us: radiant sunsets, majestic mountains, brightly colored flowers, glowing gems, soothing foliage, brilliantly adorned birds, etc. Beauty is a mystery to the evolutionist. However, Scripture reveals that God creates beautiful things for our benefit and His glory. 0. Strong and weak nuclear force explained (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). Physicists do not understand what binds the atom's nucleus together. Yet, the Bible states that "all things consist" - or are held together by the Creator - Jesus Christ. 0. Atomic fission anticipated (2 Peter 3:10-12). Scripture states that "the elements will melt with fervent heat" when the earth and the heavens are "dissolved" by fire. Today we understand that if the elements of the atom are loosed, there would be an enormous release of heat and energy (radiation). 0. The Pleiades and Orion star clusters described (Job 38:31). The Pleiades star cluster is gravitationally bound, while the Orion star cluster is loose and disintegrating because the gravity of the cluster is not enough to bind the group together. 4,000 years ago God asked Job, "Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion?" Yet, it is only recently that we realized that the Pleiades is gravitationally bound, but Orion's stars are flying apart. 0. Safe drinking water (Leviticus 11:33-36). God forbade drinking from vessels or stagnant water that had been contaminated by coming into contact with a dead animal. It is only in the last 100 years that medical science has learned that contaminated water can cause typhoid and cholera. 0. Pest control (Leviticus 25:1-24). Farmers are plagued today with insects. Yet God gave a sure-fire remedy to control pests centuries ago. Moses commanded Israel to set aside one year in seven when no crops were raised. Insects winter in the stalks of last year's harvest, hatch in the spring, and are perpetuated by laying eggs in the new crop. If the crop is denied one year in seven, the pests have nothing to subsist upon, and are thereby controlled. 0. Soil conservation (Leviticus 23:22). Not only was the land to lay fallow every seventh year, but God also instructed farmers to leave the gleanings when reaping their fields, and not to reap the corners (sides) of their fields. This served several purposes: 1) Vital soil minerals would be maintained. 2) The hedge row would limit wind erosion. 3) The poor could eat the gleanings. Today, approximately four billion metric tons of soil are lost from U.S. crop lands each year. Much of this soil depletion could be avoided if God's commands were followed. 0. Animal instincts understood (Job 39; Proverbs 30:24-28; Jeremiah 8:7). A newly hatched spider weaves an intricate web without being taught. A recently emerged butterfly somehow knows to navigate a 2,500-mile migration route without a guide. God explains that He has endowed each creature with specific knowledge. Scripture, not evolution, explains animal instincts. 0. Animals do not have a conscience (Psalm 32:9). A parrot can be taught to swear and blaspheme, yet never feel conviction. Many animals steal, but they do not experience guilt. If man evolved from animals, where did our conscience come from? The Bible explains that man alone was created as a moral being in God's image. 0. Pseudo-science anticipated (1 Timothy 6:20). The theory of evolution contradicts the observable evidence. The Bible warned us in advance that there would be those who would profess: "profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge (science)." True science agrees with the Creator's Word. 0. Science confirms the Bible (Colossians 2:3). These insights place the Bible far above every manmade theory and all other so-called inspired books. In contrast, the Koran states that the sun sets in a muddy pond (Surah 18:86). The Hadith contains many myths. The Book of Mormon declares that Native Americans descended from Jews - which has been disproven by DNA research. The Eastern writings also contradict true science. 0. Human conscience understood (Romans 2:14-15). The Bible reveals that God has impressed His moral law onto every human heart. Con means with and science means knowledge. We know it is wrong to murder, lie, steal, etc. Only the Bible explains that each human has a God-given knowledge of right and wrong. 0. Love explained (Matthew 22:37-40; 1 John 4:7-12). Evolution cannot explain love. Yet, God's Word reveals that the very purpose of our existence is to know and love God and our fellow man. God is love, and we were created in His image to reflect His love. 0. The real you is spirit (Numbers 16:22; Zechariah 12:1). Personality is non-physical. For example, after a heart transplant the recipient does not receive the donor's character. An amputee is not half the person he was before loosing his limbs. Our eternal nature is spirit, heart, soul, mind. The Bible tells us that "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). 0. The cause of suffering revealed (Genesis 3; Isaiah 24:5-6). The earth is subject to misery, which appears at odds with our wonderfully designed universe. However, the Bible, not evolution, explains the origin of suffering. When mankind rebelled against God, the curse resulted - introducing affliction, pain and death into the world. 0. Death explained (Romans 6:23). All eventually die. The Bible alone explains why we die - "The soul who sins shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20). Sin is transgression of God's Law. To see if you will die, please review God's Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). Have you ever lied? (White lies and fibs count.) Ever stolen? (Cheating on a test or taxes is stealing.) Jesus said that "whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). Have you ever looked with lust? Then you're an adulterer at heart. Have you ever hated someone or called someone a fool? If so, the Bible says you are guilty of murder (Matthew 5:21-22; 1 John 3:15). Have you ever used your Creator's name (Lord, God, Jesus, or Christ) in vain? This is called blasphemy - and God hates it. If you have broken these commandments at any time, then by your own admission, you are a blasphemer, a murderer, an adulterer, a thief, and a liar at heart. And we have only looked at five of the Ten Commandments. This is why we die. 0. Justice understood (Acts 17:30-31). Our God-given conscience reveals that all sin will be judged. Down deep we know that He who created the eyes sees every secret sin (Romans 2:16). He who formed our mind remembers our past offense as if it just occurred. God has declared that the penalty for sin is death. Physical death comes first, then the second death - which is eternal separation from God in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). God cannot lie. Every sin will be judged. His justice demands it. But God is also rich in mercy to all who call upon His name. He has made a way for justice to be served and mercy to be shown. 0. Eternal life revealed (John 3:16). Scientists search in vain for the cure for aging and death. Yet, the good news is that God, who is the source of all life, has made a way to freely forgive us so that we may live forever with Him in heaven. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). God desires a loving, eternal relationship with each person - free from sin, fear, and pain. Therefore, He sent His Son to die as our substitute on the cross. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Jesus never sinned, therefore He alone qualified to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross. He died in our place. He then rose from the grave defeating death. All who turn from their sins and trust Him will be saved. To repent and place your trust in Jesus Christ, make Psalm 51 your prayer. Then read your Bible daily, obeying what you read. God will never let you down. 0. The solution to suffering (Revelation 21). Neither evolution nor religion offers a solution to suffering. But God offers heaven as a gift to all who trust in His Son. In heaven, "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

0. The longest sentence in the Bible (KJV) is the genealogy of Jesus found in (Lk 3:23-38) (467 words!). The 2nd longest is found in (Eph 1:3-14) (268 words). (I counted Smile) 0. The Bible was written over a period of 1500 years by approximately 40 different authors. 0. Nine out of every ten people own a Bible. 0. The complete Bible has been translated into over 500 languages (according to Wycliffe - 2014). 0. Have you ever taken the time to read your Bible cover to cover? Assuming your Bible is 1000 pages long (not counting study notes), and you read a page every 5 minutes, it should take you 84 hours or just under 3 and a half days to read it all. You have read many other books cover to cover, but have you read the most important book of all time? 0. Methuselah was the oldest man at 969 yrs old (Gen 5:27). 0. Six other people also lived to be over 900 yrs old: (Adam 930 yrs old: Gen 5:5) (Seth 912 yrs old: Gen 5:8)(Enos |Enosh| 905 yrs old: Gen 5:11) (Cainan |Kenan| 910 yrs old: Gen 5:14) (Jared 962 yrs old: Gen 5:20) (Noah 950 yrs old: Gen 9:29) ** Note: After the flood, longevity of life greatly decreased. 0. Seven people committed suicide in the Bible: (Zimri - 1 Kin 16:18) (Judas - Mat 27:3-5) (Abimelech - Judg 9:53-54)(Ahithophel - 2 Sam 17:23) (Samson - Judg 16:25-30) (Saul - 1 Sam 31:4-5, 1 Chr 10:4-5) (Saul's armorbearer - 1 Sam 31:5, 1 Chr 10:5). 0. There are 10 places where people were raised from the dead in the Bible: Elijah raised the widow's son (1 Kin 17:17-24). Elisha raised the Shunammites son (2 Kin 4:18-37). A dead man came to life when his body was set on the dead bones of Elisha (2 Kin 13:20-21). Jesus raised a widow's son (Lk 7:11-15). Jesus raised the daughter of Jarius (Lk 8:41-42,49-56). Jesus raised Lazarus (Jn 11:1-46). Jesus was resurrected (Mt 28)(Mk 16)(Lk 24)(Jn 20-21). Many dead saints came out of their graves after Jesus' resurrection (Mt 27:51-53) Peter raised Tabitha (Dorcas) (Acts 9:36-51). Paul raised Eutychus (Acts 20:9-12). 0. The 10 commandments had writing on both sides (Ex 32:15). 0. Ehud was the 1st left handed man in the Bible (Judg 3:15). 0. Dogs are mentioned 41 times in the Bible, cats are never mentioned. 0. Ostriches are mentioned only twice in the Bible: (Job 39:13-18)(Lam 4:3). They are described as cruel and harsh towards their young, having no wisdom or understanding, but faster than a horse. 0. Jubal invented the harp and flute (Gen 4:21). 0. Delilah did not cut Samson's hair (Judg 16:19). 0. Everyone spoke the same language until the incident at the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9). 0. There was a lady named Noah (Josh 17:3). 0. Samson used the jawbone of an ass to kill 1000 men (Judg 15:15). 0. The only boat mentioned by name in the Bible is the Castor and Pollux (Acts 28:11). 0. Manasseh was the longest reigning king at 55 years (2 Kin 21:1). 0. Zimri was the shortest reigning king at 7 days (1 Kin 16:15). 0. Joash was the youngest king at 7 years old (2 Chr 24:1). 0. Genesis never says Adam and Eve ate an apple, only that they ate fruit. 0. The only place an apple tree is mentioned in the Bible is (Song 2:3). 0. Er was the 1st person God killed for being wicked (Gen 38:7). 0. Lamech was the first person recorded in the Bible to commit polygamy (Gen 4:19). 0. Noah's Ark was 450' long, 75' wide, and 45' high, and had 3 stories (Gen 6:15). 0. God shut the door of the Ark (Gen 7:16). 0. There were 4 creatures sent as part of the 10 plagues against Egypt: frogs, lice, flies, and locusts. 0. Goliath's armor weighed 125 pounds (1 Sam 17:5). 0. David kept Goliath's armor in his tent after defeating him (1 Sam 17:54). 0. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kin 11:3). 0. Stephen was the 1st Christian martyr (Acts 6:7-8:2). 0. James was the first apostle martyred (Acts 12:1-2). 0. Othniel was the 1st judge of Israel (Judg 3:9-10). 0. Green is the 1st color mentioned in the Bible (Gen 1:30). 0. Joshua captured 31 kings (Josh 12:9-24). 0. David is mentioned 1139 times in the Bible, second only to Jesus. 0. Sarah is the most mentioned woman (59 times), Rachel is 2nd (47 times). 0. Miriam is the 1st woman recorded singing in the Bible (Ex 15:21). 0. Gamaliel was Paul's teacher (Acts 22:3). He was also an important member of the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:34). 0. There are 7 Mary's in the New Testament. 0. There was a man with 6 fingers and 6 toes (2 Sam 21:20). 0. Two men never died in the Bible: Enoch (Gen 5:22-24) and Elijah (2 Kin 2:11). 0. The book of Job dates before Exodus. 0. God is not mentioned in the book of Esther. 0. The longest word in the Bible is Maher-shalal-hash-baz. 0. Every quote Jesus used against Satan was from the book of Deuteronomy. 0. Jesus (Mt 4:2)(Mk 1:13)(Lk 4:2), Moses (twice)(Ex 34:28)(Deut 9:9,18)(Deut 10:10), and Elijah (1 Kin 19:8) fasted for 40 days. (Moses also went without water.) 0. Word for word, Luke wrote more of the New Testament than Paul. 0. The books Paul wrote in the NT were named for the people they were written to. 0. In the Bible, Jesus never told a disciple "I love you." However, He showed them with His actions. 0. Bethlehem means "house of bread." 0. Amen means basically "so be it." 0. Hosanna means "save now." 0. Manna means "what is it." 0. When the king of Nineveh called the people to repent, even the animals were to fast and be covered in sackcloth (Jonah 3:7-8). 0. Job at one time had 7000 sheep, 3000 camels, 500 oxen, and 500 female donkeys (Job 1:3). 0. There are approximately 125 animals mentioned in the Bible. 0. Job said his wife thought he had bad breath (Job 19:17). 0. Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs and 1005 songs (1 Kin 4:32). 0. Silver was of little value in Solomon's day (1 Kin 10:21). 0. Egyptians despised shepherds (Gen 46:34). 0. Adam was 130 years old when Seth was born (Gen 5:3). 0. Jacob had 12 sons, but also had a daughter named Dinah (Gen 34:1). 0. The Levites could not serve in the Tabernacle until 25 years old and had to retire at age 50 (Num 8:24-25). 0. God Himself buried Moses and no one knows where (Deut 34:5-6). 0. Jerusalem at one time was called Jebus (Judg 19:10). It was also called Salem (Ps 76:2)(Gen 14:18)(Heb 7:1-2). 0. Og, the king of Bashan, had a bed made of iron that was 13' long and 6' wide (Deut 3:11). 0. Eglon was a very fat man (Judg 3:17). 0. During a severe famine in Samaria, a donkey's head was being sold for 80 pieces of silver and 16 oz of a dove's dung was being sold for 5 pieces of silver (ewwww) (2 Kin 6:25). 0. When Nehemiah saw that the men of Judah had married foreign wives, he rebuked them, beat some of them, and pulled out their hair (Neh 13:25). 0. There are 12 books of the Bible that start with J. 0. The disciples were called Christians for the 1st time at Antioch (Acts 11:26). 0. Jesus was about 30 when He began His ministry (Lk 3:23). 0. Jesus performed over 30 miracles in the Gospels. 0. The last place we see the Ark of the Covenant in the Bible is in (2 Chr 35:3) when God told the Levites to place it in the Temple that Solomon built. 0. There is nothing in the Bible stating men and women danced with one another. 0. The new Earth won't have any seas (Rev 21:1). 0. The law was given 430 years after God's covenant was established with Abraham (Gal 3:16-17). 0. The Sea of Galilee was also known as the Sea of Tiberias (Jn 21:1). 0. Joseph was the only person in Genesis to live less than 120 years. He died at 110 years old (Gen 50:22). 0. Isaiah (Greek word Esaias) is quoted by name 21 times in the New Testament. 0. There are 613 articles in the law. 0. There is only one place in the Bible that shows Jesus sleeping; it is in the midst of a storm (Mt 8:23-27)(Mk 4:35-41)(Lk 8:22-25). 0. Unlike today, people who died during Bible times were almost always buried the same day they died. 0. Jesus used the term, "Verily I say unto you (or thee)" 77 times in the Gospels. (Each time in John an extra "verily" is added.) Nowhere else in the Bible is this term used. 0. The time period of the book of Genesis spans more time than all of the rest of the Bible combined. 0. The walls surrounding Babylon were 87 ft thick and 387 ft high. 0. King Ahasuerus made a feast that went for 180 days (Est 1:3-4). 0. The only woman the Bible tells us to remember is Lot's wife (Lk 17:32). 0. Enoch was the first man to prophesy in the Bible (Jude 1:14). 0. Paul was guarded by 470 soldiers when He was taken to Governor Felix (Acts 23:23). 0. Speaking of Felix, He is one of only 3 people in the Bible who's name begins with an F: Felix, Fortunatus (1 Cor 16:17), and Festus (Acts 24-26). 0. A ball is mentioned only once in the Bible (Isa 22:18). 0. Joseph is the first man mentioned as shaving (Gen 41:14). 0. Cheese is mentioned 3 times in the Bible (1 Sam 17:18)(2 Sam 17:29)(Job 10:10). 0. There was a king named So (2 Kin 17:4), an altar named Ed (Josh 22:34), and a man named Hen (Zech 6:14). 0. Sarah is the only woman mentioned as laughing in the Bible (Gen 18:12-13). 0. Paul had a sister (Acts 23:16). 0. Boys didn't officially get their names until they were circumcised on the 8th day after being born. 0. Abraham was circumcised when he was 99 years old (Gen 17:24). 0. Can you find a place in the Bible where it says angels sing? 0. Abraham got remarried after Sarah died, to Keturah. He had 6 children with her (Gen 25:1-2). 0. There are approximately 34 false gods mentioned in the Bible. 0. Approximately 6 of the false gods were women: (Annammelech - 2 Kin 7:31), (Asherah - Judg 6:25,26,28,30), (Ashtoreth - 1 Kin 11:5,33), (Diana/Artemis - Acts 19:24,27-28,34-35), (Queen of Heaven/Ishtar - Jer 7:18, Jer 44:17-19,25), (Succoth Benoth - 2 Kin 17:30) 0. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego are the only people mentioned in the Bible as wearing hats (Dan 3:21). 0. Only those who breathed through their nostrils were killed in the flood (Gen 7:22). 0. Three of Benjamin's sons were named Muppim, Huppim, and Ard (Gen 46:21). 0. Jacob was buried with Leah and not Rachel when he died (Gen 49:29-33). 0. Embalming in early Bible times took 40 days (Gen 50:3). 0. Anything that walked on four paws was a forbidden food under the law (Lev 11:27). 0. The six "cities of refuge" were a part of the land given to the Levites (Num 35:6). 0. In the book of Deuteronomy, God was still taking care of the descendants of Esau (Deut 2:4-5). 0. The Israelites left Egypt in the evening at sunset (Deut 16:6). 0. There was a city called Adam (Josh 3:16). 0. God also dried up the Jordan River so His people could pass through (Josh 3:14-17). 0. God parted the Jordan River for both Elijah and Elisha (2 Kin 2:7-9,14). 0. God rained down large stones from Heaven on some of Israel's enemies (Josh 10:11). 0. Samson wanting to marry a Philistine girl (who was not of his own people) was the Lord's will (Judg 14:1-4). 0. The Gileadites tested people to see if they were their enemies the Ephraimites by making them say "Shibboleth." The Ephraimites couldn't pronounce it right, saying "Sibboleth," and when they mispronounced it, they were captured and killed (Judg 12:4-6). 0. Saul was so afraid when they tried to make him king, he hid in some luggage so they couldn't find him (1 Sam 10:21-22). 0. Saul gave David's wife Michal to a man named Palti (1 Sam 25:44). David later got her back (2 Sam 3:13-16). 0. The prophet Nathan gave Solomon the name "Jedidiah," meaning "beloved of the Lord" (2 Sam 12:25). 0. Absalom made a monument to himself (2 Sam 18:18). 0. A man named Ben-hur was a deputy over Israel (1 Kin 4:7-8). 0. The pillars in front of the Temple had names: Jachin and Boaz (1 Kin 7:21)(2 Chr 3:17). 0. Samaria was named after a man called Shemer, and bought for two talents of silver (1 Kin 16:24). 0. King Ahab built an ivory house (1 Kin 22:39). 0. Elijah was a hairy man (2 Kin 1:8). 0. Jehu was a crazy chariot driver (2 Kin 9:20). 0. Elisha died from an illness (2 Kin 13:14). 0. David had a son named Daniel (1 Chr 3:1). 0. Joab became David's commander and chief because he killed the first person when David took over Jerusalem (1 Chr 11:6). 0. The Gadites had faces like lions (1 Chr 12:8). 0. Esther was also called Hadessah (Est 2:7). 0. Job had worms in his skin during his trial (Job 7:5). 0. Solomon had black, wavy hair (Song 5:11). 0. There were cities named Michmash (Isa 10:28), Hanes (Isa 30:4), and Sin (Ezek 30:15). 0. Kings Zedekiah and Ahab were burned to death (Jer 29:22). 0. Herod had a brother named Philip (Mk 6:17). 0. When Jesus was walking on water, He intended to pass by the disciples boat (Mk 6:48). 0. The prodigal son had spent part of his inheritance on prostitutes (Lk 15:30). 0. Andrew was a disciple of John The Baptist before becoming Jesus' disciple (Jn 1:35-37,40). 0. In the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden (Jn 19:41). 0. Paul spoke both Greek and Hebrew (Acts 21:37,40). 0. The Sadducees didn't believe in resurrection from the dead, angels, or spirits (Acts 23:8). 0. Paul was unskilled in speech (2 Cor 11:6). 0. Mark was a cousin of Barnabas (Col 4:10). 0. Elijah prayed, and it didn't rain on the Earth for three and a half years (Jas 5:17). 0. Jacob took the idols of everyone who was traveling with him and hid them under a terebinth tree (Gen 35:2-4). 0. God told the Israelites no animal of the sea should be eaten unless it had fins and scales (Lev 11:9). 0. There were 6 steps to Solomon's throne (1 Kin 10:19). 0. Goliath had a brother named Lahmi (1 Chr 20:5). 0. Who wrote the book of Deuteronomy? Did you say Moses? Well he wrote MOST of it, but not ALL of it. He could not have written the last chapter (34), because he was dead. Most believe Joshua finished it. 0. Joshua also could not have written Joshua 24:29-33, because he had died. 0. Jesus called Himself the "Son of man" 79 times in the Gospels. 0. Jesus was born during the reign of Caesar Augustus (Lk 2:1). 0. Elephants are never mentioned in the Bible. However, ivory, which comes from elephants' tusks, is mentioned 13 times. 0. Psalm 111 is an example of an acrostic psalm. Each line begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet from beginning to end (22 letters). Other examples of acrostics can be found in Psalms 9,10,25,34,37,112,119,145. 0. Why does the Bible say that people were always "going up" to Jerusalem? Because Jerusalem sits upon a hill, and no matter what direction you approach from, you will always be going up to it. 0. Absalom cut his hair once a year, and when he did what was cut off weighed just about 5 pounds (2 Sam 14:26)! 0. Rachel was a shepherdess (Gen 29:9). 0. Even though Leah and Rachel were both married to Jacob, Leah had to buy a night with her husband from Rachel for some mandrakes her son had brought her (Gen 30:14-16). 0. The golden calf which Aaron made for the Israelites was made ONLY from earrings (Ex 32:2-4). 0. John The Baptist never performed any miracles (Jn 10:41). 0. Abraham had sons with some of his concubines too (Gen 25:6). 0. Only two people died by hanging in the Bible, and both were suicides (Ahithophel 2 Sam 17:23)(Judas Mt 27:5). 0. Four squads of soldiers (16 soldiers) were assigned to guard Peter in prison (Acts 12:4). He was also chained between two soldiers (Acts 12:6). 0. Peter obviously knew he would never be a part of a rapture because Jesus told him how he would die (Jn 21:18-19). 0. David's tomb was still visible in Jerusalem at the time of Pentecost (Acts 2:29). 0. There was a place near Gilgal called the "Hill of the Foreskins" (Josh 5:3). (see footnotes in versions other than KJV) 0. The Valley of Hinnom was a place just south of Jerusalem where the garbage of the city was taken and burned. It was burning continually. The Greek word for this place was Gehenna, which was used in the New Testament 12 times, and it was translated as Hell. 0. There was a man named Salmon (Ruth 4:20-21)(Mt 1:4-5)(Lk 3:32). 0. A man named Judas lived on "Straight Street" (Acts 9:11). 0. Speaking of Barnabas, keep in mind that the only vowel in his name is "a." It is not Barnabus as many often spell it. 0. Elizabeth, the mother of John The Baptist was a descendant of Aaron (Lk 1:5). 0. John The Baptist was Jesus' cousin (Lk 1:36). 0. Timothy was mentioned by Paul 17 times in his letters. 0. Timothy had a Jewish mother and a Gentile father (Acts 16:1). 0. In (Ezek 24:23), the KJV Bible says the house of Israel wore "tires" on their heads. Modern translations make this a "turban." 0. A few Pharisees were converted (i.e. Paul, Nicodemus), but there is no record of any Sadducees being converted. 0. Noah and his family were on the Ark for just over a year (Gen 7:11, 8:13-14). 0. The Earth has been completely covered with water twice: at the beginning of creation (Gen 1) and during the flood (Gen 7). 0. Nehemiah, along with some other men, returned to Jerusalem after the exile and rebuilt it's walls in 52 days (Neh 6:15)! 0. The Bible never says that there were only 3 wise men, however, tradition says that their names were Gaspar, Balthazar, and Melchior. 0. There was an unnamed river that flowed out of the Garden of Eden which parted into 4 more rivers: Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel (Tigris) and Euphrates (Gen 2:10-14). 0. Eden means "delight" in Hebrew. 0. The first question God asked in the Bible was "Where art thou?" to Adam (Gen 3:9). 0. Twenty different birds were forbidden food (Lev 11:13-19). 0. An ostrich was the largest unclean bird (Lev 11:16). 0. The first person to be called a Hebrew in the Bible was Abram (Gen 14:13). 0. Only two nuts are mentioned by name in the Bible: almonds and pistachios. 0. Salt is mentioned 41 times in the Bible, but pepper is never mentioned. 0. The word "hate" is used 87 times in the Bible, but the word "love" is used 310 times. 0. The only angels mentioned by name in the Bible are: Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer. 0. After his conversion, Paul went to Arabia for 3 years (Gal 1:17-18). 0. The phrase "It is written" (referring to the Old Testament) is found 63 times in the New Testament. 0. Babylon in the Bible was located approximately where modern day Baghdad, Iraq is today. 0. Psalm 110:1 is quoted or referred to more in the New Testament than any other Old Testament verse. 0. The word "Psalm" comes from the Hebrew word "mizmowr" meaning "instrumental music." 0. Nathanael, one of Jesus' 12 disciples, was from Cana (Jn 21:2), the same place where Jesus performed His first miracle at a wedding (Jn 2:1-10). 0. Judas "Iscariot" (Gr. Iskariotes) meant "Judas of Kerioth." 0. There will be no marriages in Heaven (Lk 20:34-35)(Mt 22:30)(Mk 12:25). 0. Jesus had at least 4 brothers named: James, Joses, Juda (Jude), and Simon as well as sisters (Mk 6:3)(Mt 13:55-56). (James and Jude wrote books of the Bible.) 0. If an unclean animal fell into a container, the container was to be broken (Lev 11:33). 0. Under Old Testament purification laws, anyone stepping on a grave was unclean for 7 days (Num 19:16). 0. The prophet Zechariah (son of Berechiah)(Zech 1:1), who wrote the book of Zechariah, was martyred between the Temple and the altar (Mt 23:35)(Lk 11:51). 0. Moses is credited as the author of Psalm 90. 0. In the genealogy of Jesus (Mt 1:1-16: the "royal line" through Joseph) are 4 women. Tamar posed as a prostitute, Rahab was a prostitute, and Bathsheba was an adulteress. Ruth, as well as the other 3, were also Gentiles. 0. The phrase "under the sun" is used 29 times in Ecclesiastes. 0. Lawyers are mentioned 8 times in the Bible. Only Zenas (Titus 3:13) is mentioned by name. 0. Only Joseph is said to have been placed in a "coffin" (Gen 50:26). 0. Adoni-bezek cut off the thumbs and big toes of 70 kings. He was later captured and had his cut off (Judg 1:5-7). 0. God told Gideon to pick his men for war by how they drank water (Judg 7:4-7). 0. The camels of kings Zebah and Zalmunna had crescent ornaments on their necks (Judg 8:21). 0. Those same kings (Zebah and Zalmunna) had killed Gideon's brothers. When Gideon captured them in battle, he asked his firstborn (likely teenage) son to kill them, but he was afraid to do so, therefore, Gideon killed them (Judg 8:18-21). 0. Gideon had 71 sons (Judg 8:30-31). One of his sons, Abimelech, later killed 69 of them (Judg 9:5-6). 0. Samson caught 300 foxes, tied them tail to tail, put a lighted torch between their two tails, and set them loose to destroy the fields of the Philistines (Judg 15:4-5). 0. Samson had 7 locks of hair (Judg 16:19). 0. David had a praise team of 4000 men (1 Chr 23:5). 0. (Ezra 7:21) contains every letter of the alphabet but "J." 0. About 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes were placed on the body of Jesus (Jn 19:39). (Some versions say 100 pounds, but a Roman pound |Gr word: "litra"| was 12 oz, not 16 oz.) 0. Noah lived for 350 years after the flood (Gen 9:28). 0. Noah's Ark contained only 1 window (Gen 6:16). 0. Noah built the Ark with gopher wood (Gen 6:14). 0. The Ark of the Covenant was made with acacia (shittim) wood (Ex 25:10). 0. Daniel prayed on his knees 3 times a day (Dan 6:10). 0. Job said the white of an egg has no taste (Job 6:6). 0. A "Sabbath Day's Journey" (Acts 1:12) was about a half-mile. (This was a man-made tradition that determined how far the Jews could walk on the Sabbath.) 0. Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:1-3). 0. Israel (Jacob) gave Joseph his coat of many colors when he was 17 (Gen 37:2-3). 0. Mary Magdalene had been possessed with 7 demons (Lk 8:2). 0. The Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits (Gen 14:10). 0. Jericho` was also known as the "city of palm trees" (Deut 34:3). 0. There were 3 men named "Dodo" in the Bible: Grandfather of Tola (Judg 10:1), Father of Eleazar (2 Sam 23:9)(1 Chr 11:12), Father of Elhanan (2 Sam 23:24)(1 Chr 11:26). 0. Horses are mentioned 156 times in the Bible. 0. There were 30,000 Israelites who helped build God's Temple. They worked in shifts, 10,000 worked for one month, then they had 2 months off (1 Kin 5:13-14). 0. 150,000 laborers cut and carried the stone used to build the Temple (2 Chr 2:18)(1 Kin 5:15). 0. The Aramaic word "Raca" used by Jesus in (Mt 5:22) was a word that was used as a sign of great disrespect towards someone. It basically meant the person was "empty-headed." 0. There are approximately 33 different birds listed in the Bible. 0. Approximately 20 precious stones are mentioned in the Bible. 0. Lions killed people 4 times in the Bible (1 Kin 13:23-24)(1 Kin 20:35-36)(2 Kin 17:25-26)(Dan 6:24). 0. Three people also killed lions in the Bible: (Samson - Judg 14:5-9) (David - 1 Sam 17:34-36)(Benaiah - 2 Sam 23:20, 1 Chr 11:22). 0. Speaking of Benaiah, when he "killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day " (2 Sam 23:20)(1 Chr 11:22), it is the only time that the Bible talks about it snowing. 0. Amos was a herdsman and grower of sycamore figs (Amos 7:14). 0. The daily provisions for Solomon's palace were: 150 bushels of flour, 300 bushels of meal, 10 stall fed cattle, 20 pasture fed cattle, 100 sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks, and choice fowl (1 Kin 4:22-23). 0. When David ordered Joab and the army commanders to count all of the fighting men of Israel, it took them 9 months and 20 days. There were 1,300,000 men (2 Sam 24:1-9). 0. When the Angel of the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel, he was actually visible in the sky with a sword in his hand (2 Sam 24:15-17)(1 Chr 21:14-17). 0. David paid 600 shekels of gold (about 15 pounds) for the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. This was where God's Temple was later built (1 Chr 21:21-25) (2 Chr 3:1). 0. The plans for how God's Temple was to be built were put in David's mind by the Holy Spirit (1 Chr 28:12). 0. Jehiel the Gershonite was the first person put in charge of the Temple treasury (1 Chr 29:8). 0. Joab's house was located in the wilderness (1 Kin 2:33-34). 0. The construction of God's Temple began 480 years after the Israelites had come out of Egypt (in the 4th year of Solomon's reign)(1 Kin 6:1). 0. Some of the side chambers of God's Temple were 3 stories high (1 Kin 6:5-8). 0. The walls of God's Temple were made with cedar wood and the floor with cypress wood (1 Kin 6:15). 0. When God's Temple was dedicated, 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep were sacrificed by Solomon (1 Kin 8:62-63). 0. Solomon had even more wisdom than Ethan the Ezrahite, and the sons of Mahol (Heman, Calcol, and Darda)(1 Kin 4:29-31)! 0. Solomon had 12 officers (district governors) over all of Israel. Two of these, were married to his daughters: Ben-Abinadab to his daughter Taphath and Ahimaaz to his daughter Basemath (1 Kin 4:7,11,15). 0. Nobody ever offered more spices as a present than the Queen of Sheba gave to Solomon (1 Kin 10:10)(2 Chr 9:9). 0. (Prov 30:24-28) says four animals are exceedingly wise: ants, coneys, locusts, and lizards. 0. God appeared to Solomon 3 times (1 Kin 11:9-13). 0. Rehoboam, Solomon's son, had 18 wives and 60 concubines. With them, he fathered 28 sons and 60 daughters (2 Chr 11:21). 0. Zimri was king for only 7 days when he killed himself (1 Kin 16:15-18). 0. When a group of soldiers was lead into Samaria, the king asked Elisha if he should kill them. Elisha replied no, but instead feed them. The king threw a great feast and then sent them on their way. They never bothered Israel again (2 Kin 6:20-23). 0. There was such a bad famine in Samaria that 2 ladies agreed to kill their sons and eat them to have food... The first day, they ate one ladies son, then on the 2nd day, when they were to eat the other ladies son, she hid him (2 Kin 6:25-29). 0. No one was sorry when King Jehoram died (2 Chr 21:18-20). 0. After the temple of Baal was destroyed, the Israelites used it as a latrine (2 Kin 10:26-27). 0. Hazael, the king's servant, killed his master and king Ben-Hadad, and became king in his place (2 Kin 8:14-15). Oddly though, he named his son after him (2 Kin 13:3), who later became king himself (2 Kin 13:24). 0. A city in Egypt was named Memphis (Hos 9:6). 0. King Uzziah loved the soil (2 Chr 26:10). 0. During the simultaneous reigns of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II in Israel, there was a very destructive earthquake (Amos 1:1). (Also see: Zech 14:5) Modern geologists have also confirmed this. 0. Isaiah was married to a woman referred to only as "the prophetess" (Isa 8:3). He had at least 2 sons with her named Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (Isa 8:3) and Shear-Jashub (Isa 7:3). 0. The men of Lud (Lydians) were famous as archers (Isa 66:19). 0. King Sennacherib was assassinated by 2 of his sons, who then ran away, leaving a third son to reign in his place (2 Kin 19:36-37)(2 Chr 32:21). 0. King Manasseh was buried in his garden (2 Kin 21:18). 0. Jeremiah is the only man in the Bible God would not allow to get married (Jer 16:1-2). 0. Sadly, in the later years of his life, Solomon had places built to worship the heathen gods Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Milcom. These places were still present over 300 years later when Josiah was king. Josiah destroyed them (2 Kin 23:13-14). 0. King Josiah was only about 13-14 years old when he became a father (connect these verses to figure this out: 2 Kin 22:1, 2 Kin 23:31, 2 Kin 23:34-36). 0. Also, Jehoiachin, who would have been Josiah's grandson, was 18 years old when he became king, and he already had "wives" (2 Kin 24:8,15). 0. God said He has 4 dreadful judgments: sword (war), famine, wild beasts, and plague (Ezek 14:21). (How many of these are we seeing today?) 0. In approximately 588 B.C., King Nebuchadnezzar began his siege of Jerusalem (2 Kin 25:1)(Jer 39:1-2)(Jer 52:4). The moment it began, God told Ezekiel, who was 100's of miles away, about it (Ezek 24:1-2). 0. Ezekiel wore a turban (Ezek 24:16-17). 0. Papers placed in an earthen jar lasted for a long time (Jer 32:14). (This is how the Dead Sea Scrolls were stored when we found them 1000's of years after they were written.) 0. Jonathan the scribe had his house turned into a prison (Jer 37:15,20). 0. When 70 men were brutally killed at Mizpah, their bodies were thrown into a cistern that King Asa had made about 300 years earlier (Jer 41:4-9)(1 Kin 15:16-22). 0. King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image (some believe of himself) that was 90' high and 9' wide (Dan 3:1). 0. Nehemiah had a brother named Hanani (Neh 7:2). 0. Both Joab and Amasa were commanders of David's army. They were also his nephews (1 Chr 2:15-17). 0. David's best friend Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth. He was also known as Merib-Baal (1 Chr 8:34)(1 Chr 9:40). He became crippled in both feet when he fell at 5 years old while fleeing with his nurse (2 Sam 4:4). 0. When Elizabeth became pregnant with the baby John The Baptist, she went into seclusion for 5 months (Lk 1:24). 0. John The Baptist wore clothes made from camel hair (Mt 3:4). 0. Nazareth was built on a hill (Lk 4:16,29). 0. One of the women who followed Jesus was Joanna. Her husband was the manager of the evil King Herod's household (Lk 8:2-3). 0. There was a tower in Siloam (located in the southern part of Jerusalem) that fell and killed 18 people (Lk 13:4). 0. There was also a "pool" in Siloam that is mentioned in (Jn 9:7). It was built hundreds of years earlier by King Hezekiah (2 Kin 20:20)(2 Chr 32:30). 0. Jesus taught from a boat 2 times: (Mt 13:1-3)(Mk 4:1-2) and (Lk 5:1-3). 0. Do you remember where Jesus and the disciples were in their boat crossing the Sea of Galilee in rough weather and Jesus calmed the sea? Did you know that other boats were with them? (Mt 8:23-27)(Mk 4:35-41)(Lk 8:22-25)(See - Mk 4:36) 0. When Jesus cast the demons out of a demon possessed man into a herd of pigs, they went into about 2000 pigs (Mk 5:13). 0. Mark recorded Jesus as saying that 2 sparrows sold for a copper coin (Mt 10:29). However, Luke tells us in recording Jesus' words that you could get a bargain deal if you bought 5 sparrows. They only cost 2 copper coins (Lk 12:6-7)! 0. When Jesus approached the disciples' boat while walking on water, they had been rowing for about 3 or 4 miles (Jn 6:19). 0. The disciple Thomas was also called Didymus (Greek meaning the "twin") (Jn 11:16)(Jn 20:24)(Jn 21:2). 0. Bethany, home to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (close friends of Jesus), was only about 2 miles from Jerusalem (Jn 11:18). 0. Jesus' disciples carried 2 swords (Lk 22:38). 0. King Herod and Pontus Pilate, who had been enemies, became friends during their persecution of Jesus (Lk 23:12). 0. Pilates' judgment seat was located at a place called "The Pavement" or "Gaatha" in Hebrew (Jn 19:13). 0. Standing near the cross as Jesus was dying were 4 women; 3 of them were named Mary (Jn 19:25). 0. When the resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples fishing on the Sea of Galilee, and told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, they hauled in 153 fish (Jn 21:1-11). 0. The field where Judas Iscariot committed suicide was named Aceldama or "The Field of Blood" (Acts 1:19). 0. The Holy Spirit was given at 9 a.m. on the Day Of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4,15). 0. The east gate to the Temple was called "Beautiful" (Acts 3:2,10). 0. Barnabas, whose name meant "Son of Encouragement" was also called Joseph (Acts 4:36). 0. Have you ever put your fingers in your ears and made some loud noise (like "na,na,na,na,na") when you didn't want to hear what someone had to say? The Jewish leaders did this when Stephen was speaking. They were so upset, they killed him (Acts 7:57-58)! 0. When the apostle Philip found the Ethiopian eunuch, he was reading out loud from the book of Isaiah (Acts 8:30). He was converted a short time later (Acts 8:34-39). 0. In (Acts 19:23-41), it speaks about a great riot that occurred in Ephesus. Apparently, it started slow, but "soon the whole city was in an uproar" (Acts 19:29). What I find funny is that verse 32 says that most of the crowd didn't even know why they were there or shouting. 0. Epenetus was the first convert to Christ from Asia (Rom 16:5). 0. There were 276 people aboard the boat that was shipwrecked while taking Paul to Rome (Acts 27:37). (However, none of the people aboard died in that shipwreck as Paul prophesied.) 0. After being shipwrecked, Paul and the rest of his shipmates swam to an island called Malta, where Publius was the chief official (Acts 28:1,7). 0. After being shipwrecked and swimming to the island of Malta, Paul, his shipmates, and the islanders decided to start a fire. As Paul was getting ready to lay sticks on the fire that he had gathered, he was bitten by a poisonous snake that was in the sticks. All around thought he would die, but when he did not, they decided he was a god (Acts 28:1-6). 0. The 5th commandment says to "honor your father and mother" (Ex 20:12). But, did you know that the next sentence says if you do, God promises to prolong your days? 0. "Bayith" is the Hebrew word for "house." When combined with another Hebrew word, it is used to describe over 50 places in the Bible (i.e. Beyth Aven = "house of vanity." 0. Timothy's mother was named Eunice and his grandmother was named Lois (2 Tim 1:2-5). 0. Naomi's husband (Elimelech) and 2 sons (Mahlon and Chilion) all died within a period of about 10 years (Ruth 1:1-5). 0. The name of Ruth's first husband was Mahlon (Ruth 1:4-5, 4:10). After he died, she later married Boaz (Ruth 4:13). 0. King David was Ruth's (the book of Ruth) great-grandson (Ruth 4:21-22)(Matt 1:5-6). 0. When the pregnant Mary (mother of Jesus) went to see her pregnant cousin Elizabeth (mother of John the Baptist) (Lk 1:39-56), she had to travel approximately 70 miles on winding and hilly roads. The journey probably took 3 or 4 days! 0. Sarah died when she was 127 years old (Gen 23:1), 37 years after she had given birth to Isaac (Gen 17:17). 0. Isaac was 75 years old and Ishmael 89 years old when they buried their father Abraham (Gen 21:5)(Gen 16:15)(Gen 25:7). 0. In the Bible, Cain spoke directly to God, however, Abel never did (Gen 4:6-15). 0. At one time, Zechariah carried 2 staffs. He named them "Favor" and "Union" (Zech 11:7)(The KJV uses "Beauty" and "Bands.") 0. Approximately 29 musical instruments are mentioned in the Bible. 0. The king of Babylon looked at an animals liver to determine the future (Ezek 21:21). 0. As Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane hours before His crucifixion, He was under such extreme stress that His sweat became like "giant drops of blood falling to the ground" (Lk 22:44). The medical term for this is "hematidrosis." (Only Luke, the physician, mentions this happening to Jesus.) 0. There were 8 weapons used in the Bible to fight with: Ax, Bow & Arrow, Club, Dagger, Mace, Sling, Spear, Sword. 0. Three types of Arks are mentioned in the Bible: Noah's Ark (Gen 6:14-16), Moses Ark (a small type of basket that the infant Moses was placed in)(Ex 2:3-6), the Ark of the Covenant (Ex 25:10-22). 0. Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours (Mk 15:25,34-37). 0. The only time the word "grease" is used in the Bible is in (Ps 119:70). 0. The Bible says to "wait on God" over 40 times. 0. Men first began to "call upon the name of the Lord" in (Gen 4:26). 0. How many times have you been asked, "If you could have one wish, what would it be?". God basically offered this to Solomon, and Solomon asked for "an understanding heart to judge thy people." This pleased God and Solomon was given more wisdom than any man in history (1 Kin 3:5-14). 0. Isn't it interesting that Pharaoh ordered every newborn Israelite boy to be drowned in the Nile (Ex 1:22), then many years later Pharaoh's Egyptian army was drowned when the Red Sea swept over them (Ex 14:26-28)? 0. When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, they did so at night, with a "pillar of cloud" providing light for them to see (Ex 14:19-22). 0. God brought the plague of locusts upon Egypt, and also parted the Red Sea with a strong east wind (Ex 10:13)(Ex 14:21). 0. The first time the word "love" is used in the Bible is when Isaac spoke about loving food (Gen 27:4). 0. The Psalms mention the heart 122 times. 0. Jairus' daughter was 12 years old when Jesus brought her back to life (Lk 8:41-42,49-56). 0. You know that scene we often see where Joseph and the pregnant Mary are going to Bethlehem, and Joseph is walking while leading a donkey on which Mary is riding? The Bible never says Mary was riding a donkey (she may have walked). 0. Have you ever noticed that dogs are always spoken of unfavorably in the Bible? They are compared to prostitutes (Deut 23:18), greedy men (Isa 56:10), and evil men (Phil 3:2)(Rev 22:15). Did you know that in Bible times, dogs were despised? 0. When Jesus told Nicodemus that we must be born again (Jn 3:1-3), it was at night. 0. Mary, the mother of Jesus, speaks in 15 verses in the Bible (193 words - KJV). Her last words are significant, "Whatsoever He (Jesus) saith unto to you, do it." (Jn 2:5) 0. The word "Christian" is used 3 times in the Bible (Acts 11:26)(Acts 26:28)(1 Pet 4:16). 0. Angels are mentioned in 34 books of the Bible. 0. God had the first spoken words in the Bible, "let there be light" (Gen 1:3). 0. Jesus stayed up all night praying before choosing His 12 disciples (Lk 6:12-13). 0. The 1st animal sacrifice in the Bible was a sheep (Gen 4:2-4). 0. The first war took place at the Valley of Siddim (or Salt Sea) (Gen 14:2-3). 0. The word "faith" is used 245 times in the New Testament, but only 2 times in the Old Testament. 0. There are 14 Jonathan's mentioned in the Bible. 0. God's first prophecy in the Bible was to the serpent who deceived Adam and Eve (Gen 3:14-15). 0. Paul uses the word "joy" more in Philippians than any other Epistle. It was written while he was in prison. 0. Peter's father was named "John" (or Jonas in Aramaic)(Jn 1:42)(Jn 21:15-17). 0. The law that Moses wrote was to be read every 7 years during the Feast of Tabernacles (Deut 31:9-13). 0. The Ethiopian eunuch that Philip witnessed to was the Secretary Of The Treasury for Ethiopia (Acts 8:27). 0. Acts, the longest book in the New Testament never uses the word "love." (Acts and 2 Peter are the only New Testament books that don't.) 0. The hyssop plant was used to sprinkle lamb's blood on the top and sides of the doorframe during the Passover (Ex 12:22). The hyssop plant was also used when giving Jesus a drink while He was on the cross (Jn 19:29). 0. Have you ever felt like you are the only person left who is standing for the truth? There is a term for this: "An Elijah Complex." Elijah felt this way and God told him, "... I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him." (see - 1 Kin 19:14-18, Rom 11:4-5) 0. Three kings reigned for 40 years: David (1 Kin 2:11)(2 Sam 5:4-5), Solomon (1 Kin 11:42), and Joash (2 Chr 24:1)(2 Kin 12:1). 0. (Saul may also be a part of this group Acts 13:21 , but this is controversial 1 Sam 13:1 .) 0. The covering for the tabernacle was made out of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that (Ex 26:14)(Ex 36:19). 0. Deborah, the only female judge of Israel, used to hold court under what was known as "the palm tree of Deborah" (Judg 4:4-5). Also, her husband was named Lapidoth. 0. The commander of the army of Caanan was killed by a woman named Jael who drove a tent peg through his head (Judg 4:1-2,17-21). 0. How many of you, like me, have always heard that when Noah sent the dove from the Ark to see if the water had receded from the Earth, it returned with an olive branch in it's beak? It wasn't actually an olive branch, but an olive leaf (Gen 8:11). 0. I always thought that leprosy in the Bible must have been very contagious since it appeared to be everywhere, but research tells us that about 95% of all humans are naturally immune to it when exposed. 0. Most of us know that Eden was the first city mentioned in the Bible (Gen 2:10). However, the 2nd city mentioned is Havilah, and it had gold, bdellium, and onyx. "The gold of that land is (was) good" (Gen 2:11-12). 0. When the two witnesses are slain in the Tribulation, the people on Earth will give gifts to each other (Rev 11:10). 0. Supposedly, there are over 4000 words that appear only once in the KJV Bible. The last four of these are: Zoreah, Zorites, Zuriel, and Zuzims. 0. There are no "x" words in the KJV Bible. 0. The spies that Moses sent into Canaan returned with grapes, figs, and pomegranates (Num 13:23). 0. Solomon spent 7 years building God's Temple (1 Kin 6:38), but took almost twice as long (13 years) to build his own palace (1 Kin 7:1). 0. Nineveh was founded by Nimrod (Gen 10:8-11)(Noah's great-grandson: Gen 10:1-8) in app. 2200 B.C.. About 1440 years later (app. 760 B.C.), Jonah preached there. About 150 years after that, it was destroyed forever in 612 B.C.. 0. Based on (Gen 5:21-22), it appears that Enoch may not have believed in God for the first 65 years of his life, until after his son Methuselah was born. 0. It appears that Methuselah, who lived longer than anyone in history (969 years: Gen 5:27), died in the year of the flood (maybe in the flood?)(add up the numbers of Gen 5:26-28 & Gen 7:6). Interestingly, he outlived his son, Lamech who died 5 years prior to the flood at age 595 (see - Gen 5:28,30 & Gen 7:6). 0. Demas, Paul's friend and fellow worker in Christ (Col 4:14)(Phile 1:24), abandoned him right before he was martyred, having "loved this present world." He left for Thessalonica (2 Tim 4:10). 0. Aaron was 3 years older than his brother Moses (Ex 7:7). 0. It was Aaron, not Moses, who threw down his rod before Pharaoh and it turned into a snake (Ex 7:8-12). 0. It appears that Moses and Aaron died in the same year. When they left Egypt, Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83 (Ex 7:7). Aaron died at the age of 123, 40 years after leaving Egypt (Num 33:38-39). Moses died at the age of 120 (Deut 34:7). Scholars who have studied the dates say the deaths were about 7 months apart. 0. After Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, all of his disciples "forsook Him and fled" (Mt 26:56)(Mk 14:50). John and Peter returned (Jn 18:15-16), but Peter denied Him (Mt 26:69-75)(Mk 14:66-72). Only John was there at Jesus' crucifixion (Jn 19:26-27). 0. Sheep are mentioned more than any other animal in the Bible: 187 times. 0. The flask of oil that Mary poured upon Jesus (Mt 26:6-13)(Mk 14:3-9)(Jn 12:1-6) was worth 300 denarii (Mk 14:5). One denarius was equal to a day's wages, so 300 was equal to a year's wages (no money earned on the Sabbath). 0. Satan is mentioned 18 times in the Old Testament, but he is never called the devil until the New Testament. 0. Paul performed the last recorded miracles in the Bible (Acts 28:7-9). 0. The Father spoke to Jesus audibly 3 times while He was on Earth: at His baptism (Mt 3:17)(Lk 3:22), at the Transfiguration (Mt 17:5)(Mk 9:7)(Lk 9:35), and just before Jesus went to the cross (Jn 12:28). 0. Jesus healed 10 men who had leprosy, but only one returned to thank Him (Lk 17:12-19). 0. It is often said that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute, but nowhere does the Bible say this. (Some believe this idea may have come from the Jewish Talmud, which said the city of Magdala had a reputation for prostitution.) 0. Of the 55 verses in Malachi, 47 are God speaking. This is the highest percentage of any Old Testament prophetic book. 0. Moses had 2 sons: Gershom (Ex 2:21-22) and Eliezer (Ex 18:3-4). 0. At least one idol was kept in David and Michal's house (1 Sam 19:11-13,16). 0. According to Jewish tradition, Isaiah was killed during the reign of the evil Manasseh, when he was put into a hollow log and sawn in half. (see - Heb 11:37) 0. Under Roman law, a Roman citizen could not be flogged or crucified. Paul was a Roman citizen, so he could not legally be flogged (Acts 16:37-38)(Acts 22:24-29). Tradition says he was martyred by beheading in 67 A.D. on the Ostian Way. 0. Our word "excruciating" comes from the Latin word "cruciare" meaning "to crucify." 0. Only two people were embalmed in the Bible: Jacob (Gen 50:1-2) and Joseph (Gen 50:26). 0. The time between when Joseph was sold into slavery and he saw his brothers again was just over 20 years (Gen 37:2)(Gen 41:46,53-54)(Gen 42:3). 0. When we use the word "but," it is usually in a negative sense. However, when the Bible uses "but," it is often in a positive way. See: (Gen 50:20)(Mt 6:33) (Ps 73:26)(Rom 5:8)(Rom 6:23). (Several studies have been written on this called "Great But's In The Bible.") Smile 0. 2nd Kings 19 and Isaiah 37 are almost identical. 0. The sign above Jesus on the cross was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin (Lk 23:38)(Jn 19:20). 0. Joseph wept 7 times (Gen 42:24)(Gen 43:30)(Gen 45:2,14-15)(Gen 46:29)(Gen 50:1,17). 0. The time period between Jesus' resurrection and ascension was 40 days (Acts 1:3). 0. Paul uses the word "grace" within the first 5 verses of each book he wrote. 0. Paul also gives "thanks" in the 1st chapter of 11 of his 13 books. 0. Judah gave his first son (Er) to marry Tamar. God killed him for being wicked. Then Judah gave his second son (Onan) to marry Tamar. God killed him too for being wicked. Judah would not give his third son to marry Tamar, but later unknowingly had sex with her, thinking she was a prostitute. She bore him twins. (Gen 38:6-26). 0. God miraculously caused the sun to stand still in the sky, providing light for 24 hours straight (Josh 10:12-14). 0. As a sign to Hezekiah, God caused the sun's shadow on a sundial to go back ten degrees (Isa 38:7-8). 0. In response to King Belshazzar's contempt for the holy things of God, God sent a "hand" which wrote a message on the wall. The King was terrified. Daniel told him the message said he would die. He was killed that night. (Daniel 5) 0. Moses was not allowed into the Promised Land because he disobeyed God (Num 20:2-13)(Deut 34:4), but many scholars believe that when he appeared with Jesus on the Mount Of Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-9)(Mk 9:2-8), that the mountain was in the Promised Land. 0. As far as I can find, there are 8 people in the Bible with 2 letter names: Ir - (1 Chr 7:12), Og - (Num 21:33), On - (Num 16:1), So - (2 Kin 17:4), and four men named Uz - (Gen 10:23)(Gen 22:21)(Gen 36:28)(1 Chr 1:17). 0. There are also 7 cities with 2 letter names: Ai - (2 cities named Ai) (Gen 12:8) (Jer 49:3), Ar - (Num 21:15), No - (Ezek 30:15), On - (Gen 41:45,50), Ur - (Gen 11:28,31), Uz - (Job 1:1). 0. In (Ps 72:6) it mentions grass that has been mowed. 0. The well called "Jacob's Well" (Jn 4:6), where Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman (Jn 4:1-26) was, according to tradition, built by Jacob centuries earlier (possibly after he bought that land in Gen 33:18-19). That well can still be seen today in the Palestinian village of Tell Balata! 0. In (2 Sam 12:1-14), the prophet Nathan confronted David about his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband by telling him a parable. After hearing the parable, David became angry and said the man in it should die, and make restitution "fourfold." It turned out David was the man in the parable, and the "fourfold" restitution he "prophesied" about himself sadly came true. For the one man he had killed (Bathsheba's husband), he later had 4 sons die: (2 Sam 12:15-19)(2 Sam 13:28-33)(2 Sam 18:14-15)(1 Kin 2:23-25). 0. Jesus used "fish" to perform a miracle 4 times in His earthly ministry: 1. Feeding 5000: (Mt 14:15-21)(Mk 6:35-44)(Lk 9:12-17)(Jn 6:1-13), 2. When a coin appeared in the mouth of a fish to pay taxes: (Mt 17:27), 3. When Jesus told Simon Peter to let down his nets again, then they were filled with fish: (Lk 5:4-11), 4. When Jesus told the disciples who were fishing to cast their net on the right side of the boat, and it was filled with fish: (Jn 21:4-11) 0. First promise in the Bible: (Gen 2:17) "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." 0. Last promise in the Bible: (Rev 22:20) "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." 0. The book of John contains no parables. 0. The only time in the synoptic Gospels (Mt, Mk, Lk) where John the disciple spoke is in (Mk 9:38) "And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us." (Also see: Lk 9:49) 0. 42 youth were mauled by 2 female bears because they made fun of Elisha's bald head (2 Kin 2:23-24). 0. Remember to show hospitality to strangers because you might be helping an angel (Heb 13:2). 0. While the Israelites were in the desert for 40 years, God kept their clothes and sandals from wearing out (Deut 29:5). 0. King Saul was very tall (1 Sam 9:2)(1 Sam 10:23). 0. God told Isaiah to walk around naked for 3 years (Isa 20:1-4). 0. Here is something to think about: the same Greek word "martus" is used for a "martyr" or a "witness." 0. Noah built the first altar in the Bible (Gen 8:20). 0. Abraham built more altars than anyone in the Bible (Gen 12:7)(Gen 12:8)(Gen 13:18)(Gen 22:9-14). 0. God caused Aaron's rod to bud and produce almonds (Num 17:8). 0. A man who was a newlywed was exempt from military service for a year (Deut 24:5). 0. You could hire a professional mourner (Jer 9:17-18)(Amos 5:16). 0. Jesus was crucified at a place called "Golgotha" which meant "Place Of A Skull" (Mt 27:33)(Mk 15:22)(Jn 19:17). 0. Lydia was the first Christian convert in Europe (Acts 16:14-15). 0. Goliath was about 9'9" tall (1 Sam 17:4). 0. The Hebrew Bible actually has 24 books, not 39. 1&2 Samuel, Kings, Chronicles are each counted as one book, not two. Ezra and Nehemiah are combined. The 12 books of the minor prophets are all one book called "The Book Of The Twelve." 0. Jabal was the father of those who lived in tents and raised livestock (Gen 4:20). 0. Most of us know that Cain was the first to kill a person in the Bible when he killed his brother (Gen 4:9), but did you know that Lamech is the 2nd person said to have killed someone (Gen 4:23)? 0. The Philistines, who we hear about constantly in the Old Testament, started with a man named Casluhim (Gen 10:14). 0. There was a well known terebinth tree in Moreh at Shechem (Gen 12:6). 0. It was detestable for an Egyptian to eat with a Hebrew (Gen 43:32). 0. As Joseph sent his brothers out of Egypt back to their father, he said to them, "Do not quarrel on the journey" (Gen 45:24). 0. Psalm 136 says of God, "For His mercy endureth for ever" 26 times (in every verse)! 0. The Israelites brought so many offerings to construct the Tabernacle that Moses had to tell them to stop giving (Ex 36:2-7). 0. The weight of the offerings used to construct the Tabernacle were: just over one ton of gold, about three and three quarter tons of silver, and about two and a half tons of bronze (Ex 38:24-25,29). 0. As part of purifying themselves, the Levites had to shave their whole body (Num 8:6-7). 0. When moving the Ark Of The Covenant, it was to be covered with 3 coverings (Num 4:5-6). 0. Moses was the most meek (humble) man on the face of the Earth (Num 12:3). 0. Moses changed Hoshea's name to Joshua (Num 13:16). 0. The Levites had to tithe on the tithes that were given to them (Num 18:25-26). 0. Nobah captured a city and then named it after himself (Num 32:42). 0. God commanded Moses to record the stages of the Israelites journey after leaving Egypt (Num 33:1-2). 0. Elim had 12 springs and 70 palm trees (Num 33:9)(Ex 15:27). 0. The Israelites could not light a fire on the Sabbath (Ex 35:3). 0. Any grain offering made to the Lord had to have salt on it (Lev 2:13). 0. When the Israelites entered the Promised Land and planted a fruit tree, they were forbidden to eat its fruit for 4 years (Lev 19:23-25). 0. A mother and its offspring were not to be sacrificed on the same day (Lev 22:28). 0. God said that when a new house was built, it must have a parapet for the roof to prevent anyone from falling off, and bringing bloodguilt on the house (Deut 22:8). 0. Each time (but one) the word "bad" is used in the Bible, it is contrasted with the word "good" in the same sentence. 0. Technically, the word "Sabbath" means "STOP" in both Hebrew and Greek. 0. When Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt, he took the body ("bones") of Joseph with him (Ex 13:19). (Joseph had made this request about 360 years earlier when he prophesied that God would lead the Israelites out of Egypt Gen 50:24-26.) They later buried his bones in Shechem (Josh 24:32). 0. Many scholars believe that the average life expectancy during Jesus' time on Earth was about 30-40 years. (Low in part because so many infants and children died.) 0. Did you ever notice that Adam and Cain both received the same punishment for their sin: banishment (Gen 3:23-24)(Gen 4:11-16). 0. When David defeated Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, he cut off his head and put his armor in his tent (1 Sam 17:51,54). Later, when the Philistines defeated Israel and their king (champion) Saul, they cut off his head and put his armor in their temple (1 Sam 31:9-10). 0. The Hebrew words used for Tabernacle, "ohel" and "mishkan," simply mean "tent." 0. Before Jeroboam became the king of Israel, he was King Solomon's servant (1 Kin 11:26). 0. From my count, there is a command "to sing" in 37 verses in the Bible. 0. (Zeph 3:17) says God sings. 0. Jesus "sat down" before preaching His "Sermon On The Mount" (Mt 5:1-2). 0. For a brief moment, Moses had leprosy (Ex 4:6-7). 0. Two men in the Old Testament were known for their hair: Samson and Absalom. Interestingly, their hair later lead to their downfall (Judg 16)(2 Sam 18:9-15). 0. (Isa 53:9) prophesied that Jesus would be buried in a rich man's tomb. This was fulfilled hundreds of years later (Mt 27:57-60)(Mk 15:42-46). 0. In the synoptic Gospels, Jesus only called His disciples "disciples" one time: when He gave them directions for preparing for the Last Supper (Mt 26:18)(Mk 14:14)(Lk 22:11). 0. Eli, the High Priest, died when he fell backwards off his chair and broke his neck after hearing bad news (1 Sam 4:17-18). 0. After the Philistines defeated the Israelites in battle, they took the Ark of God. Because of this, God struck the Philistines with "tumors." Putting together several verses, it appears this was a disease (possibly bubonic plague) caused by God sending swarms of rats (1 Sam 5:6-12)(1 Sam 6:4-5,11). 0. Laban was Rebekah's brother (Gen 24:29). Rebekah became Issac's wife (Gen 24:67). Issac and Rebekah's son Jacob later married Laban's two daughters Leah and Rachel (Gen 29:15-30). 0. In all of the Bible, there is not one place that shows a conversation between Adam and Eve. 0. God formed Adam from "the dust of the ground" (Gen 2:7), but He created Eve from Adam's rib (Gen 2:21-22). 0. "Jesus" means "the Lord is salvation" and "Christ" means "the anointed one." 0. (1 Sam 16:10-11) and (1 Sam 17:12-14) say David was the youngest of 8 sons. (1 Chr 2:13-16) says David was the youngest of 7 sons. How do we explain this? Most scholars believe one son died between the events of 1st Samuel and 1st Chronicles. 0. David had 2 sisters: Zeruiah and Abigail (1 Chr 2:13-16). 0. When David went to battle with Goliath, he had his staff, sling, and 5 smooth stones (1 Sam 17:40). Goliath had a shield, sword, spear, and javelin (1 Sam 17:41,45). 0. The first time Jeremiah calls himself a "prophet" in the book of Jeremiah is in (Jer 20:2). 0. Sarah is the only woman in the Bible that we know the age at which she died: 127 years old. (Gen 23:1) 0. The phrase "Am I my brother's keeper?" comes from (Gen 4:9). 0. The Canaanites were descended from Canaan, son of Ham, son of Noah (Gen 9:18). 0. There were 3 brothers: Abram (Abraham), Nahor, and Haran (Gen 11:27). After Haran died (Gen 11:28), Nahor married Haran's daughter (Gen 11:29). 0. The first spoken words of Jesus in the New Testament are: "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" (Lk 2:49) 0. The Book Of John never mentions the Sadducees. 0. Two women died as a result of childbirth in the Bible: Rachel, after giving birth to Benjamin (Gen 35:16-19) and Phinehas' wife, after giving birth to Ichabod (1 Sam 4:19-22). 0. Ishmael was an archer (Gen 21:20). 0. The name "Malachi" means "my messenger" or "His (The Lord's) messenger." Because of this, some believe the Book of Malachi was not written by a man named Malachi, but rather, by an anonymous author. (I believe he was the author.) 0. Angels do eat sometimes (Gen 18:1-8,22 with Gen 19:1). (Also see: Ps 78:23-25) 0. Joseph was warned in a dream to take Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt so that Jesus would not be killed when King Herod issued his decree that all male children 2 years old or younger must be put to death (Mt 2:13-16)(Hos 11:1). 0. Neither leaven nor honey could be used for a burnt offering (Lev 2:11). 0. If a woman gave birth to a male child, she was unclean for a week. If she gave birth to a female child, she was unclean for two weeks (Lev 12:2,5). 0. During the Feast Of Tabernacles, the Israelites were to build "booths" (little structures made of shrubs and branches: Neh 8:14-17) and live in them for 7 days (Lev 23:42-43). 0. When besieging a city, the Israelites were not to cut down fruit trees to use in the siege (Deut 20:19-20). 0. God pronounced a "curse" on a hitman (Deut 27:25). 0. During their time in the wilderness, after their exodus from Egypt, the Israelites did not circumcise their sons (Josh 5:2-7). 0. God had a special recipe for making both anointing oil and incense for the Tabernacle that no one was allowed to use for themselves (Ex 30:22-38). 0. If a man built an altar, he was not to use a tool to shape the stones (Ex 20:25)(Deut 27:5-6)(Josh 8:30-31). 0. Rahab was a prostitute (Josh 2:1). She was the great-great grandmother of David (Mt 1:5-6). 0. God's command in (Lev 19:18) to "love your neighbor as yourself" is quoted 9 times in the New Testament (Mt 5:43)(Mt 19:19)(Mt 22:39)(Mk 12:31,33)(Lk 10:27)(Rom 13:9) (Gal 5:14)(James 2:8). This is the most of any Old Testament verse. 0. By God's supernatural power, Elijah ran ahead of King Ahab's horse drawn chariot for about 15-20 miles to get to Jezreel (1 Kin 18:46). 0. When Samuel worked in the Tabernacle as a child, his mother would bring him a new little robe every year (1 Sam 2:18-19). 0. Members of Caesar's household were Christians (Phil 4:22). 0. Shamgar killed 600 men of the Philistines with an ox goad (Judg 3:31). 0. Jabin, the king of Canaan, had 900 iron chariots (Judg 4:2-3,13). 0. When Israel went to war with the Philistines, no one had a sword or spear except King Saul and his son Jonathan. The Philistines had a monopoly on iron weapons, and had removed all of the blacksmiths from Israel (1 Sam 13:19-22). 0. Samuel had 3 brothers and 2 sisters (1 Sam 2:21). 0. Solomon gave his friend Hiram 20 cities in Galilee. He hated them, and named the land "Cabul" meaning "unproductive or sterile" (1 Kin 9:10-13). He later gave them back to Solomon (2 Chr 8:2). 0. An unnamed prophet said to a man "strike me please," and the man refused. The prophet said that because he refused, a lion would kill him when he left. It did (1 Kin 20:35-36). 0. Absalom called for Joab, but he would not come. He sent for him a second time, and he would not come. He then set Joab's barley field on fire and he came (2 Sam 14:29-31). 0. The only miracle of Jesus that is mentioned in all 4 Gospels is when He fed the 5000 (Mt 14:13-21)(Mk 6:32-44)(Lk 9:12-17)(Jn 6:1-14). 0. The English word "revelation" comes from the Greek "apokalupsis." It is also where we get the word "apocalypse." 0. The Sidonians were experts at cutting timber (1 Kin 5:6). 0. David created the plans for the Temple under the inspiration of God (1 Chr 29:19). 0. When Ezra read God's Word, all the Israelites stood up (Neh 8:5). (Some churches still do this today.) 0. Our word "angel" comes from the Greek word "aggelos" meaning "a messenger." 0. Apparently, two prominent women in the Philippian church, Euodia and Syntyche, did not get along very well. Paul pleaded with them to "live in harmony" (Phil 4:2-3). 0. Paul and Barnabas went to Lystra, and Paul healed a man who had been crippled from birth. The people believed they were gods, and called Paul "Hermes" and Barnabas "Zeus." Shortly after this, they stoned Paul until they thought he was dead (Acts 14:8-20). 0. A "shophar" (translated as "trumpet" 68 times and "cornet" 4 times in the KJV), which was a curved ram's horn, is the most often mentioned instrument in the Bible. 0. There is one place in the Bible that talks about putting money in the bank so it can earn interest (Lk 19:23). 0. Jesus did not speak to Herod the whole time He was with Him (Lk 23:9). 0. Paul sent Tychicus, who he called "a beloved brother and faithful minister," out on missions 5 different times (Acts 20:4)(Eph 6:21)(Col 4:7)(2 Tim 4:12)(Titus 3:12). 0. The only lawyer mentioned by name in the Bible: Zenas (Titus 3:13). 0. If a man, or even an animal, touched God's mountain (Mt Sinai), they were to be stoned or shot with arrows (Ex 19:12-13)(Heb 12:20). 0. Pontius Pilate had some Galileans killed while they were in the Temple making sacrifices (Lk 13:1). 0. (Ezek 16:4) talks about babies being "salted." Tradition says that after a baby was born, it was rubbed with salt. It is unclear exactly why this was done, but guesses run from sanitary, to symbolic, to firming up the skin. 0. In Bible times, important documents were often stored in earthen/clay jars for long term preservation (Jer 32:14). (The Dead Sea Scrolls, when found in 1947, had been preserved for over 2000 years in earthen/clay jars.) 0. In Samson's final act, he pushed over two supporting pillars, and collapsed the Temple of Dagon. In doing so, he killed more people (himself included) than he had in his whole life (Judg 16:30). 0. The word "school" is used only once in the Bible in (Acts 19:9). The Greek word for "school" is "schole," which primarily means "leisure." 0. The name "Deborah" is used only twice in the Bible. The well known "Deborah" is the only female judge in the Bible (Judg 4 & 5), however, Jacob's wife Rebekah also had a nurse named "Deborah" (Gen 35:8). 0. The "God of peace" is mentioned 5 times in the Bible (Rom 15:33)(Rom 16:20)(Phil 4:9)(1 Th 5:23)(Heb 13:20). 0. Philip is the only person in the Bible called an evangelist (Acts 21:8). 0. Goliath taunted the Israelites every morning and evening for 40 days (1 Sam 17:16). 0. There were 3 primary ways that God revealed His will in the Old Testament: 1. By dreams or visions 2. By the Urim and Thummim 3. By the prophets (1 Sam 28:6). 0. David and his men attacked the Amalekites and killed them all, except for 400 young men who escaped on camels (1 Sam 30:17). 0. Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Pharaoh captured the city of Gezer, burned it with fire, killed all the Canaanites in the city, and then gave it to his daughter as a wedding present (1 Kin 9:16). 0. I find 7 wells in the Bible that were given names: Beerlahairoi (Gen 16:14)(Gen 25:11), Beersheba (Gen 21:30-33)(Gen 26:32-33), Esek (Gen 26:20), Sitnah (Gen 26:21), Rehoboth (Gen 26:22), Beer (Num 21:16-18), and Jacob's Well (Jn 4:6). ("Beer" is the Hebrew word for "well.") 0. Wives for Isaac (Gen 24:11-67), Jacob (Gen 29:1-29), and Moses (Ex 2:15-21) were found at wells. 0. All books of the New Testament contain the word "amen" except for Acts, James, and 3rd John. 0. (Judg 5:10) speaks of people riding on "white donkeys." 0. The phrase "Be of good courage" is used 16 times in the Old Testament. 0. The Pharisees had disciples too (Mt 22:15-16). 0. Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob/Israel (Gen 29:31-32) slept with his father's concubine Bilhah (Gen 35:22)(Gen 49:3-4), who was the mother of his two brothers Dan and Naphtali (Gen 30:3-8)(Gen 35:25). Because of this, he lost his birthright as the firstborn, with his father Israel giving it instead to the two sons of Joseph (1 Chr 5:1-2). 0. Samson was from the tribe of Dan (Judg 13:2,24-25). 0. During Paul's voyage to Rome, the ship he was on encountered bad weather for 14 days (Acts 27:27,33). 0. Remember when the "multitude" of people came to arrest Jesus, and Peter pulled out a sword and cut off the right ear of the High Priest's servant? That servant was named Malchus (Jn 18:10). 0. The period of time between the events of the Old and New Testament is called the "Intertestamental Period." It is generally considered to be a little over 400 years, and therefore called the "400 silent years" because there was no prophetic word from God during this time. (Some apocryphal books were written.) 0. The name "Dead Sea" is not used in the Bible. The Dead Sea was called a number of different names: i.e. "the Salt Sea" (Gen 14:3)(Josh 3:16), the "Sea of the Arabah" (Deut 4:49)(Josh 3:16), the east sea (Ezek 47:18)(Joel 2:20), and more. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth. 0. The city of Damascus, mentioned 60 times in the Bible (first in Gen 14:15), is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. 0. History records that Rome was called "Urbs Septicollis," meaning "the seven-hilled city" because it was built on seven hills. Some believe (Rev 17:9) prophetically points to this. 0. Every book of the New Testament uses the word "grace" except for Matthew, Mark, 1 & 3 John. 0. Every chapter of Ecclesiastes uses the word "verily" except for chapter 10. 0. Jesus used the word "church" 3 times (Mt 16:18)(Mt 18:17: twice). 0. Samson married a Philistine woman (Judg 14). Shortly afterwards, he angrily stormed off. The father of Samson's wife thought he wasn't coming back, so he gave his daughter to Samson's best man (Judg 14:20-15:2). (Samson returned, and was not happy... see: Judg 15:3-6). 0. Elisha raised two people from the dead: one when he was alive (2 Kin 4:18-37), and one after he died (2 Kin 13:20-21). 0. Jacob gave the city of Bethel it's name. It had previously been called Luz (Gen 28:19). 0. The word "faith" is used in every book of the New Testament except John, 2nd John, and 3rd John. 0. Cain is mentioned by name more in the Bible than Abel (19 times vs 12 times). 0. Hagar, who gave birth to Abraham's son Ishmael, was an Egyptian (Gen 16:1). 0. King Jehoiachin of Judah spent 37 years in King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon's prison until he was finally released by Nebuchadnezzar's successor King Evil-Merodach (2 Kin 25:27-30). 0. The 39 Psalms we don't know the authors of are called "orphan" Psalms. 0. Tradition says James was called "Old Camel Knees" because he spent so much time on his knees in prayer. 0. The Jordan River flows into the Sea of Galilee which flows into the Dead Sea. It should be noted that the Dead Sea is the lowest place on the surface of the Earth. Because of its high content of salt, it has no fish, and it is impossible to sink in it. 0. Dalmatia (2 Tim 4:10) was a city that was part of the Roman Empire located near Macedonia. Some logically believe this is where Dalmatian dogs originated. 0. "Goodbye" is actually a contraction of the phrase "God be with ye."

0. Before an individual can be saved, he must first learn that he cannot save himself. ~M. R. DeHaan, M.D. (1891-1965) 0. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car ~Laurence J. Peter 0. Christ is a substitute for everything, but nothing is a substitute for Christ. ~Dr. H. A. Ironside (1876-1951) 0. All self-effort is but sinking sand. Christ alone is the Rock of our salvation.~Dr. H. A. Ironside 0. Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Faith ends where worry begins, and worry ends where faith begins. ~George Mueller 0. A faith that hasn't been tested can't be trusted. ~Adrian Rogers 0. God's work done God's way will never lack God's supply. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you. ~Corrie ten Boom 0. The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!" ~A.W. Tozer 0. Sometimes your medicine bottle has on it, "shake well before using." That is what God has to do with some of His people. He has to shake them well before they are ever usable. ~Vance Havner 0. God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves. ~Dwight L. Moody 0. You might as well try to hear without ears or breathe without lungs, as to try to live a Christian life without the Spirit of God in your heart. ~D.L. Moody 0. When boiled down to its essence, unforgiveness is hatred. ~John R. Rice 0. And Satan trembles when he sees, The weakest saint upon his knees. ~William Cowper (1731-1800) 0. If lips and life do not agree, the testimony will not amount to much. ~H. A. Ironside (1876-1951) 0. People who are crucified with Christ have three distinct marks: 1. they are facing only one direction, 2. they can never turn back, and 3. they no longer have plans of their own. ~A.W. Tozer 0. No one who really wants to count for God can afford to play at Christianity. ~H. A. Ironside 0. The acid test of our love for God is obedience to His Word. ~Bob Jones, Sr. 0. To be like Christ is to be a Christian. ~Daniel Webster 0. I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do his work through me. ~James Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) 0. We are not only to renounce evil, but to manifest the truth. We tell people the world is vain; let our lives manifest that it is so. We tell them that our home is above and that all these things are transitory. Does our dwelling look like it? O to live consistent lives! ~James Hudson Taylor 0. Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow. ~Theodore Epp 0. How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in? ~Oscar Wilde 0. Let us never forget that what we are is more important than what we do. ~James Hudson Taylor 0. Salvation is a work of God for man, rather than a work of man for God. ~Lewis Sperry Chafer (1871-1952) 0. The Law and the Gospel are two keys. The Law is the key that shutteth up all men under condemnation, and the Gospel is the key which opens the door and lets them out.~William Tyndale 0. Those who go to Heaven ride on a pass and enter into blessings that they never earned, but all who go to hell pay their own way. ~John R. Rice 0. We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power. We have a great deal of activity, but we accomplish little; many services but few conversions; much machinery but few results. ~R.A. Torrey 0. Religion today is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society's own level, and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender. ~A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) 0. Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Our religious activities should be ordered in such a way as to have plenty of time for the cultivation of the fruits of solitude and silence. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Do you need help today? Lift up your hands to the Lord in supplication and in expectation, and soon you will lift up your hands in jubilation and celebration. ~Warren W. Wiersbe 0. Spare the rod and spoil the child - that is true. But, beside the rod, keep an apple to give him when he has done well. ~Reformer Martin Luther 0. I would sooner read five lines of the Bible than hear five masses in the "Church". ~(Anne Askew - Martyred in 1545) 0. It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible! ~President George Washington 0. We have staked the future of American civilization upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God. ~President James Madison 0. I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book. ~President Abraham Lincoln 0. The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts. ~John Jay - 1st Chief-Justice 0. Education is useless without the Bible. The Bible was America's basic text book in all fields. God's Word, contained in the Bible, has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct. ~Noah Webster (1758-1843) 0. We believe that all men are created equal because they are created in the image of God. ~President Harry S. Truman 0. A friend is one who has the same enemies you have. ~Abraham Lincoln 0. If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him. Those who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants. ~William Penn (1644-1718), founder of Pennsylvania 0. "The Bible is the Only Book That Can Make Us Wise unto Salvation. The Bible is not a book to be studied as we study geology and astronomy, merely to find out about the earth's formation and the structure of the universe; but it is a book revealing truth, designed to bring us into living union with God." ~George F. Pentecost 0. "It is well for the evangelist to bear in mind, on every fresh occasion of rising to preach, that his unconverted hearers are totally ignorant of the gospel, and hence he should preach as though it were the first time they had ever heard the message, and the first time he had ever delivered it...It is the presentation of the atoning death and glorious resurrection of the Son of God - and all this in the present energy, glow, and freshness of the Holy Ghost, from the exhaustless mine of Holy Scripture. Moreover, the one absorbing object of the preacher is to win souls for Christ, to the glory of God...Let it never be forgotten, the preacher's object is to bring the Savior and the sinner together - to win souls for Christ. ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. "Every revival worthy of the name begins in the restoration of the Word of God to the pulpit, and its fearless proclamation by those anointed of God to preach the Gospel. The revival under Josiah took place when 'Hilkiah found the Book of the Law of the Lord'." ~Wilbur M. Smith. 0. Satan is not fighting churches; he is joining them. He does more harm by sowing tares than by pulling up wheat. He accomplishes more by imitation than by outright opposition. ~Vance Havner 0. "To glorify Christ is to manifest Him as supremely excellent; to blind the eyes of men to that glory is the purpose of the god of this world; therefore, which spirit is at work in a man or in a church can easily be told." ~W. J. Erdman 0. Satan has no difficulty in making sin look innocent. ~John Blanchard 0. Satan promises the best, but pays with the worst; he promises honour and pays with disgrace; he promises pleasure and pays with pain; he promises profit and pays with loss; he promises life and pays with death. ~Thomas Brooks 0. "All Satan's Apples Have Worms. I do not deny that the Devil has some pretty apples; I just say that all of them are fakes and that after you bite into them, you will find they have worms. All Satan's apples have worms." ~John R. Rice 0. When Adam sinned, he fled from God; when a sinner believes, he comes back! ~William R. Newell 0. "Christ stands in two relationships with God, His Father. He is a perfect man before His God and He is a Son with His Father. We are to share both these relationships. This He announced to His disciples ere He went back to heaven: it is unfolded in all its extent by the words He spoke, 'I go to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' This precious -- this inappreciable truth is the foundation of the apostle's teaching in this place. He considered God in this double aspect, as the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and our blessings are in connection with these two titles." ~John Nelson Darby 0. "The spot where God's triumph is achieved, God's victory over sin, over lawlessness, is the cross of Calvary - the cross on which the Son of God died. In that cross and through the cross the works of the devil were destroyed, and the One who conquered him is yet to bruise the serpent's head in the final triumph when He comes again, as recorded in prophecy." ~AC Gaebelein 0. "Nobody ever outgrows Scriptures; the Book widens and deepens with our years" ~Charles Haddon Spurgeon 0. The Bible is a Perfect Map and Chart to the Christian on Pilgrimage Through the World. ~George F. Pentecost 0. "There is only one book in the world that bears the impress of the hand of God and that vibrates with His breath. That Book is the Bible." ~Erling C. Olsen 0. "The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the bible in our life and thoughts."~George Mueller 0. "The bible fits man for life and prepares him for death" ~Daniel Webster 0. "THE Bible differs from all other books in that it never wears out. Other books are read and laid aside, but the Bible is a constant companion. No matter how often we read it or how familiar we become with it, some new truth is likely to spring out at us from its pages whenever we open it, or some old truth will impress us as it never did before. Every Christian can give illustrations of this." ~William Jennings Bryan 0. "The will of God - nothing less, nothing more, nothing else." ~F. E. Marsh 0. "You cannot starve a man who is feeding on God's promises." ~E.C. Olsen 0. "When the eyes of the heart see the risen and glorified Christ and faith lays hold of the wonderful meaning for us who believe, then we learn to walk in that separation into which God has called His people. What the Christian therefore needs is an ever increasing realization in faith of his position in Christ, and then to be energized by the indwelling Spirit to seek those things which are above and not the things on earth. Such a life means joy and peace. It is a life of obedience and quietness, victorious over all earthly circumstances. And because it is a life which is hid with Christ in God, it is hidden from the world." ~A.C. Gaebelein 0. "God looks not at the elegancy of your prayers, to see how neat they are; nor yet at the geometry of your prayers, to see how long they are; nor yet at the arithmetic of your prayers, to see how many they are; nor yet at the music of your prayers, nor yet at the sweetness of your voice, nor yet at the logic of your prayers; but at the sincerity of your prayers, how hearty they are." ~Thomas Brookes 0. "The normal Christian life is a life of regular, daily answer to prayer. In the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray daily for bread, and expect to get it, and to ask daily for forgiveness, for deliverance from the evil one, and for other needs, and daily to get the answers they sought." ~John R. Rice 0. "Christendom is full of solemn warnings as to the tendency of our hearts to drop into a routine of religious forms. It is a very great loss to the soul to get into the habit of repeating substantially the same words in prayer every day. It is not real prayer at all. Today is not like yesterday, and tomorrow will not be like today. If you are really with God you will be sensitive to the fresh needs of every day. God delights to have our confidence as to every need and care. Then let us cultivate a child's confidence, and a child's simplicity as we come to Him in prayer. Bring the trying circumstances of today, and the expected difficulties and perplexities of tomorrow. Be merciful unto me, O Lord; for I cry unto thee daily (Ps. 86:3)."~C.A. Coates 0. "I asked Him to give me the prayers He wants me to pray and to give or withhold anything according to his plan for me. Nothing is too big to ask of Him, not even an ocean lot. It is God's business to decide if it is good for me. It is my business to obey Him." ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. "God knows when to withhold or grant visible signs of encouragement. It's good when He sends confirmation, but we grow faster when we've trusted Him without it." ~Charles Trumbull 0. "The Law was given by Moses; the moral law, to discover the extent and abounding sin; the ceremonial law, to point out, by typical sacrifices and ablutions, the way in which forgiveness was to be sought and obtained. But grace, to relieve us from the condemnation of the one, and truth answerable to the types and shadows of the other, came by Jesus Christ." ~John Newton 0. "We have no inherent holiness. We are holy as we are possessed by the Holy Presence. We are holy in His holiness, loving in His love, strong in His strength, tender in His tenderness, patient in His patience, calm in His peace, and consecrated in His consecration." ~F.E. Marsh 0. "The world is the world still. 'There is nothing new under the sun.' Christ and the world are not one. The world has covered itself with the cloak of Christianity; but it is only in order that its hatred to Christ may work itself up into more deadly forms underneath. Let us not deceive ourselves. If we will walk with a rejected Christ, we must be a rejected people. If our Master 'suffered without the gate,' we cannot expect to reign within the gate. If we walk in His footsteps, whither will they lead us? Surely, not to the high places of this godless, Christless world. 'His path, uncheered by earthly smiles, Led only to the cross.'" ~CH Mackintosh 0. "Every mark of the world is a reproach to him who is heavenly. It is only the heavenly man who has died with Christ that disentangles himself from all that is of Egypt. The life of the flesh always cleaves to Egypt; but the principle of worldliness is uprooted in him who is dead and risen with Christ and living a heavenly life. The life of a risen man is not of this world; it has no connection with it (Col. 2:11,12). He who possesses this life may pass through the world, and do many things that others do. He eats, works, suffers; but, as to his life and his objects, he is not of the world, even as Christ was not of the world. Christ, risen and ascended up on high, is his life (Col. 3:1-3)." ~John Nelson Darby 0. "Just as there can be no normal, healthy life without the proper kind of food, so there can be no normal, spiritual growth without the food that God has ordained as the nourishment of the new life. 'As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby' (1 Pet. 2:2). If the Bible is not the center of the home, the home cannot be called a true Christian home, even though all the members of the household are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. There is no spiritual life apart from the Bible, and the tragedy of the American home today is that so many people have abandoned the Book as the source of life and as the center of living." ~Donald Grey Barnhouse 0. "What is it to 'walk in the Spirit'? It is not self-occupation, nor even occupation with the Spirit. Walking according to the Spirit is occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ in glory. If the believer ever looks to the Lord Jesus, depends upon Him, draws all his needs from Him - if He is his All in all - then the believer walks according to the Spirit of Christ." ~Arno C. Gaebelein 0. "If we have Christ with us, we can do all things. Let us not be thinking how weak we are. Let us lift up our eyes to Him and think of Him as our Elder Brother who has all power given to Him in Heaven and on earth. He says, 'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.'" ~D.L. Moody 0. "A true evangelist is almost as great a rarity as a true pastor. Alas! Alas! How rare are both! The two are closely connected. The evangelist gathers the sheep; the pastor feeds and cares for them. The work of each lies very near the heart of Christ [Who Is] The Divine Evangelist and Pastor..." ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. "If a preacher is cultured, gentle, earnest, intellectual, and broadly tolerant, the sheep of God run after him. He, of course, speaks beautifully about Christ, and uses the old words redemption, the cross, even sacrifice and atonement-but what is his Gospel? That is the crucial question. Is salvation, perfect, entire, eternal, justification, sanctification, glory, the alone work of Christ, and the free gift of God to faith alone?" ~C.I. Scofield 0. "God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him." ~Hudson Taylor 0. "The preacher's task is to cry, as did John the Baptist, 'Behold the Lamb of God;' not to attract attention to himself or to gather a clique around himself." ~Erling C. Olsen 0. "The man who will present Christ to others must be occupied with Christ for Himself." ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. "Be assured, if you walk with Him, and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you"~George Mueller 0. "Men do not fall from grace by sinning, but by putting the Law in place of grace- Galatians 5:4" ~Williams Evans 0. "Prayer is the highest of all our privileges as followers of Jesus. Of that privilege no human power can deprive us. Let us prize it highly and prove it thoroughly in these serious days through which we are passing." ~Dr. R. G. Lee 0. "Christian , our obligation in a world faced with chaos caused by a breakup of morals, is to come out of our stupor and live virtuous lives by the power of God's Spirit." ~Erling C. Olsen 0. "The injunction 'be not conformed to this world,' and kindred passages of Scripture imply that something more is required of God's children, in their walk and conversation than simply to lead what is called a correct moral life; and a Christian professor who in any way encourages gay and fashionable amusements of the world, especially dancing and attendance upon theatrical performances, furnishes sad evidence that he has not yet 'put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts,' nor 'put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness,' and that to him, at least, the promises and hopes of the gospel are a very unsatisfying portion. He thus brings dishonour and reproach upon his religious profession, throws a stumbling-block in the way of sinners, offends them that are weak, and grievously wounds the Savior in the house of his friends." ~James H. Brookes 0. "The greatest menace in this country is not the bootlegger, but the college professor who rejects the Bible and undermines the faith of the young." ~Arno C. Gaebelein 0. "No one ever said at the end of his days; 'I have read my bible too much, I have thought of God too much, I have prayed too much, I have been too careful with my soul'" ~J.C. Ryle 0. "This is our message: The Scriptures are still reliable. These Scriptures promised that Jesus would be born of a virgin -and He was. The Scriptures promised that Jesus would die on the cross of Calvary and pay for our sins - and He did. The Scriptures promised that Jesus would intercede for us on the right hand of the Father-and He does. And the Scriptures promise that Jesus would come again and receive us unto Himself-and He will." ~Dr. Tom Wallace 0. "Multitudes of people who expect to go to Heaven will go to a Hell of torment. Thousands of "good" people, "moral" people, church members, even church workers - yes, and, alas, even prophets, priests and preachers - will find themselves lost when they expected to be saved, condemned when they expected approval, cast out of Heaven when they expected to be received into eternal bliss. That is the explicit meaning of the words of our Lord...[spoken in Matthew 7:21-23.]" ~John R. Rice 0. "Salvation by grace is appropriated by faith. Grace is the fountain, but faith is the channel. Grace is the life-line, but faith is the hand that clutches it. And, thoroughly and finally to exclude all boasting, it is declared that the salvation and the faith are both the gift Of God. 'And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.' That salvation is God's gift is evident. 'The gift of God is eternal life through Christ.' The free gift, The gift of grace, The gift of righteousness- these phrases determine the fact that salvation is itself a Divine present to man. 'Salvation,' cried C. H. Spurgeon in the great congregation, 'is everything for nothing! Christ free!-Pardon free!-Heaven free!' Thanks be to God for a gratuitous salvation!" ~Rev. Thomas Spurgeon 0. "It was never intended that we should receive assurance by believing ourselves to be Christians, but by believing that Christ is our all-sufficient Saviour." ~James H. Brookes 0. "One of the commonest causes of failure in Christian life is found in the attempt to follow some good man whom we greatly admire. No man and no woman, no matter how good, can be safely followed. If we follow any man or woman, we are bound to go astray. There has been but one absolutely perfect Man on this earth - the Man Christ Jesus. If we try to follow any other man we are surer to imitate his faults than his excellencies. Look to Jesus and Jesus only as your Guide." ~R.A. Torrey 0. "If we ask what is the very essence and heart of Christianity and the Christian life, the answer is that God has summed up and centred all things in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. This means that Christianity is not a number of things as in themselves, such as beliefs, doctrines, dogmas, practices, forms, rites, orders, or virtues. It is not salvation, regeneration, sanctification, power, life, joy, peace, etc., as things. It is just Himself, and Himself as resident within those who have received Him as Who and What He is. He is the total of all that is necessary for God’s glory and satisfaction, for which we were created. Nothing can be had or known as an "it" apart from the Person. If we have Him and live by Him, we have all." ~T. Austin-Sparks 0. "Following Him is walking in the light and not in darkness. Man on account of sin is in moral and spiritual darkness. Believing on Christ and following Him delivers from both. In His fellowship the believer is delivered from the power of darkness, from the power of sin and from ignorance as to spiritual things." ~Arno C. Gaebelein 0. "How dark and gloomy this world would be if we had no hope in the resurrection. But when we Christians lay our little children down in the grave, it is not without hope. We have seen them in the terrible struggle with death; but there has been one star to illumine the darkness and gloom--"the thought that though the happy circle has been broken on earth, it shall be completed again in yon world of heavenly light." ~D.L. Moody 0. "No doubt all expositors and Christians agree that the ten virgins represent the professed followers of Christ; and hence it is important to notice that while the Bridegroom tarried they all nodded and slept. It is only when the midnight cry is heard, 'Behold the Bridegroom comes,' they awake. The end, therefore, will not find the professing church watching and working." ~James Hall Brookes 0. "When you reject the genuine, you are wide open for the spurious. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that when someone rejects the love of the truth that they might be saved, they will believe the big lie." ~J. Vernon McGee 0. "Christ did not come to civilize. He came to save. Civilization is not the solution; it does not destroy the works of the devil. All civilization aims at world improvement, at the gradual elimination of the curse; it is a process of evolution. It is like a man who is suffering from a terrible disease, and the physician who comes to help him gives him a salve to apply. He treats the skin symptoms but the source of the disease he never considers and never touches. Such is a boasted and progressive civilization. It is a delusion." ~Arno C. Gaebelein 0. "Salvation is a personal matter. It can never be enjoyed or experienced by proxy." ~Erling C. Olsen 0. "My own definition of the grace of God is this: the unlimited and unmerited favor given to the utterly undeserving." ~R.G. Lee 0. "It was for those who could by no means save or help to save themselves, that Christ died; it was for ungodly sinners that He gave His life; and if you are not such an one, you have neither part nor lot in the blessings which flow from His death. A lifeboat is for the drowning, a physician is for the sick, and a Saviour is for lost sinners." ~CA Coates 0. "Take Him not only as your Savior from the guilt of sin but also as your Savior from the power of sin. He not only died to make atonement for your sins, He also rose again, and He lives today to set you free from the power of sin and to make intercession for you (Hebrews 7:25). Will you take Him now as your Deliverer from the power of sin? Will you come to this risen and mighty Lord Jesus with all your weakness and sins and trust Him to set you free? That is the right thing to do with Jesus Christ: Just take Him as your Savior, your crucified Savior, from the guilt of sin and your risen Savior from the power of sin." ~R.A. Torrey 0. "We should remember that people can go to Heaven without knowing much of the Word of God, but they cannot go to Heaven without knowing Jesus Christ as Savior." ~Lee Roberson 0. "God is the God of the impossible, as well as the God of the possible." ~Lester Roloff 0. "We must learn what God is to us, not by our own thoughts, but by what He has revealed Himself to be, and that is, 'The God of all grace.' The moment I understand that I am a sinful man, and yet that it was because the Lord knew the full extent of my sin, and what its hatefulness was, that He came to me, I understand what grace is. Faith makes me see that God is greater than my sin, and not that my sin is greater than God. The Lord that I have known as laying down His life for me, is the same Lord I have to do with everyday of my life, and all His dealings with me are on the same principles of grace. The great secret of growth is, the looking up to the Lord as gracious. How precious, how strengthening it is to know that Jesus is at this moment feeling and exercising the same love towards me as when He died on the cross for me. This is a truth that should be used by us in the most common everyday circumstances of life." ~John Nelson Darby 0. "What we have in Christ Jesus - Redemption through His blood is the beginning and foundation of everything." ~CH Mackintosh 0. "The Christian life is not slightly better, but completely different." ~Clarence Sexton 0. "If sound doctrine is given up, the real Gospel of redemption by the blood of the Son of God is denied, worldliness follows." ~A.C. Gaebelein 0. "Neither when we have chosen our way can we keep company with those who go the other way. There must come with the decision for truth a corresponding protest against error." ~Charles Haddon Spurgeon 0. "There can be no united Christian church except it be founded upon a solid rock." ~Erling C. Olsen 0. "In a fallen world like ours unity is no treasure to be purchased at the price of compromise. Loyalty to God, faithfulness to truth and the preservation of a good conscience are jewels more precious than gold of Ophir or diamonds from the mine. For these jewels men have suffered the loss of property, imprisonment and even death; for them, even in recent times, behind the various curtains, followers of Christ have paid the last full measure of devotion and quietly died, unknown to and unsung by the great world, but known to God and dear to His Father's heart. In the day that shall declare the secrets of all souls these shall come forth to receive the deeds done in the body. Surely such as these are wiser philosophers than the religious camp followers of meaningless unity who have not the courage to stand against current vogues and who bleat for brotherhood because it happens to be for the time popular... When confused sheep start over a cliff the individual sheep can save himself only by separating from the flock. Perfect unity at such a time can only mean total destruction for all. The wise sheep to save his own hide disaffiliates. Power lies in the union of things similar and the division of things dissimilar. Maybe what we need in religious circles today is not more union but some wise and courageous division." ~A.W. Tozer 0. "Dr. Bonar once said that he could tell when a Christian was growing. In proportion to his growth in grace he would elevate his Master, talk less of what he himself was doing, and become smaller and smaller in his own esteem, until, like the morning star, he faded away before the rising sun." ~D.L. Moody 0. "Be assured that God does more in us than we for Him; and that what we do is only for Him in proportion as it is He Himself who works it in us." ~JN Darby 0. "There is no failure in God's will, and no success outside of God's will." ~George Washington Truett 0. "Whoever reads the New Testament seriously, or gives thought to the impact which the apostles made upon their generation, must acknowledge that one outstanding historic event alone spurred that small band of 11 ordinary men to an amazing task of evangelization in their generation. Defying every obstacle, loss of home, persecution, even death itself, they evidenced the supreme relevance in their ministry of the resurrection of Jesus Christ." ~Erling C. Olsen 0. "God is not looking for brilliant men, is not depending upon eloquent men, is not shut up to the use of talented men in sending His Gospel out in the world. God is looking for broken men, for men who have judged themselves in the light of the Cross of Christ. When He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to an end of themselves, and whose trust and confidence is not in themselves but in God." ~H.A. Ironside 0. "There are some promises in the Bible which I have never yet used; but I am well assured that there will come times of trial and trouble when I shall find that poor despised promise, which I thought was never meant for me, will be the only one on which I can float. I know that the time is coming when every believer shall know the worth of every promise in the covenant." ~C.H. Spurgeon 0. "Faith does the impossible because it brings God to undertake for us, and nothing is impossible with God." ~E.M. Bounds 0. "God is never surprised." ~Ralph Sexton Sr. 0. "Someday, when in the presence of our Savior, we will thank Him for every burden, every trial, and every heartache." ~J. Vernon McGee 0. "The person of Christ is the object of faith. It is Christ in the promises that faith deals with. The promise is but the shell, Christ is the kernel; the promise is but the casket, Christ is the jewel in it; the promise is but the field, Christ is the treasure that is hid in that field; the promise is a ring of gold, Christ is the pearl in that ring; and upon this sparkling, shining pearl, faith delights most to look Faith hath two hands, and with both she lays earnest and fast hold on King Jesus. Christ's beauty and glory is very taking and drawing; faith cannot see it, but it will lay hold on it. Christ is the principle object about which faith is exercised, for the obtaining of righteousness and everlasting happiness." ~Thomas Brookes 0. "The great guardian principle of all conduct in the church of God is personal responsibility to the Lord." ~JN Darby 0. "Today, when people say they cannot believe, it is not a mental problem; it is a matter of the will of the heart - they do not want to believe. Some say they have certain 'mental reservations,' mental hurdles which they cannot get over. My friend, your mind is not big enough to take even one little hurdle. The problem is never in the mind but in the will. There is sin in the life, and a man does not want to turn to God; he does not want to believe Him." ~J. Vernon McGee 0. "When the Word is stored in the heart, the individual finds it a wonderful power in preserving him from outbreaking sin." ~E.C. Olsen 0. "Every one ought to study the Bible with two ends in view: his own growth in knowledge and grace, and passing it on to others. We ought to have four ears,- two for ourselves, and two for other people. My Bible is worth a good deal to me because I have so many passages marked that, if I am called upon to speak at any time, I am ready. We ought to be prepared to pass around heavenly thoughts and truths, just as we do the coin of the realm." ~D.L. Moody 0. "No power of earth, or hell, men or devils, can possibly stand against the word of God; and hence it is the very height of folly and wild madness for any one to set up his thoughts or reasonings in opposition to the plain statements of Holy Scripture; and, on the other hand, it is the beginning and end of all true wisdom to submit in all things to the absolute authority of that Word which is settled forever in Heaven." ~CH Mackintosh 0. "The scriptures are the only external guide in matters of religion; they are the way-posts we should look up unto, and take our direction from, and should steer our course accordingly: To the law and to the testimony: if men speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (Isa. 8:20)" ~John Gill 0. "No Scripture is exhausted by a single explanation. The flowers of God's garden bloom not only double, but sevenfold; they are continually pouring forth fresh fragrance." ~C.H. Spurgeon 0. "It is a good deal better to have life in Christ and God than any where else. I would rather have my life hid with Christ in God than be in Eden as Adam was. Adam might have remained in Paradise for 16,000 years, and then fallen, but if ours is hid in Christ, how safe!" ~D.L. Moody 0. "A blameless life, a brilliant reputation, will not do. No, nor a Christian training either. "Ye must be born again." There must be a positive, actual, bona fide passage from death unto life...." ~CH Mackintosh 0. "We are not saved by feelings of sorrow over Jesus' death. We are saved when the Word of God 'pierces' our hearts (Hebrews 4:12), when we are convicted of our sins and trust Christ by faith." ~R. L. Hymers, Jr. 0. "It is better to think of what God is than of what we are. This looking at ourselves, at the bottom is really pride, a want of the thorough consciousness that we are good for nothing. Till we see this we never look quite away from self to God. In looking to Christ, it is our privilege to forget ourselves. True humility does not so much consist in thinking badly of ourselves, as in not thinking of ourselves at all. I am too bad to be worth thinking about. What I want is to forget myself and look to God, who is indeed worth all my thoughts. Is there need of being humbled about ourselves? We may be quite sure that will do it." ~J.N. Darby 0. "We serve God because of, not in order to." ~Clarence Sexton 0. "Take care you are not imposed upon, under the notion and pretense of an apostolical tradition; unwritten traditions are not the rule, only the word of God is the rule of our faith and practice." ~John Gill 0. "How frightful a thing it is for the preacher when he becomes accustomed to his work, when his sense of wonder departs, when he gets used to the unusual, when he loses his solemn fear in the presence of the High and Holy One; when, to put it bluntly, he gets a little bored with God and heavenly things." ~A.W Tozer 0. "If there is no deep yearning for a life that is well pleasing to Him, if there is no stimulating desire to know Him and His Word, church membership is just like a young man falling in love with a furnished apartment and marrying an electric stove, a refrigerator, a vacuum cleaner, a garbage disposal, and a wet mop! That is just about all it amounts to. Let's stop playing church today and start loving Christ and living for Him!" ~J. Vernon McGee 0. "While the literary value of the Bible cannot be minimized, the Book was given not to be admired but to be received as the Word of God; that we might come to know Him of whom the Scriptures witness." ~Erling C. Olsen 0. "We have the Bible in our hands; but how little we know of its teaching! And how little are we governed by it! We go on, from week to week, year to year, with things which have no foundation whatever in its pages - yea, with things utterly opposed to its teaching; and, all the while, we boast of having the Scriptures, just like the Jews of old, who made their boast of having the oracles of God, while those very oracles condemned themselves and their ways, and left them without a single plea." ~CH Mackintosh 0. "The Word of God is a lamp by night, a light by day, and a delight at all times." ~C.H. Spurgeon 0. "Let the Word be preached, the truth taught, and error will be uncovered and souls delivered." ~A.C. Gaebelein 0. "Probably the greatest need in the Church today is a body of men who are absolutely devoted, every selfish purpose and plan given up, to the one great end of magnifying the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of the nation." ~Wilbur M. Smith 0. "There never has been a culture since this world began in which a New Testament Christian could feel at home." ~Vance Havner 0. "There is no kind of experience in which a Christian has a right to refuse to praise God, for 'all things work together for good to them that love God.'" ~A. C. Dixon 0. "The Lord is seldom early, but never late." ~John K. Hutcheson, Sr. 0. "As a Christian, my business is not to clean up this world; my business is something infinitely beyond that. I do not believe in reformation: I believe in regeneration by the Holy Spirit; not in changing lives, but in an imparting of a new life which is in Christ." ~Erling C. Olsen 0. "If it be the duty of all men to believe the Gospel . . . then it be the duty of those who are entrusted with the Gospel to endeavor to make it known among all nations." ~William Carey 0. "According to the Scriptures, salvation is never conditioned on human faithfulness, or on the promise of human faithfulness. There is no payment required, past, present, or future. God saves unmeriting sinners in unrelated, unrecompensed, unconditioned, sovereign grace. Good works should follow; but with no thought of compensation. Christians are "created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Eph 2:10); they are to be a "special people, zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14); and "those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works" (Titus 3:8). Thus, and only thus, are "good works" related to the gracious salvation from God through Christ Jesus. Grace is out of question when recompense is in question." ~Lewis Sperry Chafer 0. "To believe God's testimony is the first of duties, and Christ is the object of that testimony. So, when the trembling jailer at Philippi fell down before Paul and Silas he said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' The answer was, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.' The way is simple, the warrant sure, the salvation rich and full. The call of God is to believe on His Son, the Lord Jesus, the result is salvation for all that believe, the house no less than its head. Hence it is His commandment that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ: loving one another follows, as He gave us commandment. But it is in vain to urge love, holiness, or anything else till we believe on Him." ~William Kelly 0. "If the heart be delighting in the Christ which Scripture unfolds, it will, assuredly, shrink from the false Christs which Satan would introduce. If we are feeding upon God's reality, we shall unhesitatingly reject Satan's counterfeit. This is the best possible way in which to escape the entanglements of error, in every shape and character. "The sheep hear His voice, and . . . follow him: for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers" (John 10: 4,5) It is not, by any means, needful to be acquainted with the voice of a stranger, in order to turn away from it; all we require is to know the 'voice of the good Shepherd.' This will secure us against the ensnaring influence of every strange sound." ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. "False teachers have some true doctrine. There is not a cult that I know of which does not have some truth in it. That is the one thing that makes them ten thousand times more dangerous than if they were 100 percent in error. These teachers generally believe some things that are true. Our Lord said, 'Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.'" (Matthew 7:15). ~J. Vernon McGee 0. Heresy is not so much rejecting as selecting. The heretic simply selects the parts of the Scripture he wants to emphasize and lets the rest go. This is shown by the etymology of the word heresy and by the practice of the heretic. "Beware," an editorial scribe of the fourteenth century warned his readers in the preface to a book. "Beware thou take not one thing after thy affection and liking, and leave another: for that is the condition of an heretique. But take everything with other." The old scribe knew well how prone we are to take to ourselves those parts of the truth that please us and ignore the other parts. And that is heresy. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Here lay Cain's fatal mistake: "He was rejected, not because he was a sinner, but because, being a sinner, he had dared to approach a holy God without blood." ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. "What a compelling motive we have for prayer, for preaching, for soul-winning when we learn that every responsible human being who leaves this world without a definite change in heart, immediately lifts his eyes in Hell, tormented in flame!" ~John R. Rice 0. Speaking of John 10:27, "it becomes a question, not of our ability to hold onto Him, but of His ability to have secure hold on us. My friend, He said with the infinite wisdom and full authority of the Godhead that He can hold us and that they who trust in Him shall never perish." ~J. Vernon McGee 0. "Man is the same today that he has always been. He is a rebel against God. He may, in some generations, hide his rebellion a little more carefully than at other times, but there is no change in his heart. The men who builded the city against God back in the days of Babylon had the same hatred as that which possessed the men who nailed the Lord Jesus Christ to the cross." ~Donald Grey Barnhouse 0. "The Church is the gospel express train, stopping at a few stations to pick up a few passengers, the train "Israel" being side-tracked to let the express go by. When Christ comes, the train "Israel" will be switched back up on the main line, stop at all stations, and take on the world." ~John Wilkerson 0. "The first duty of the gospel preacher is to declare God's law and to show the nature of sin." ~Martin Luther 0. "Practically every false doctrine comes from getting things out of order. God's divine order is salvation, then change; not change and then salvation! If one has to be changed to be saved, that's salvation by works. It is also salvation by the flesh. The truth is, one is cleansed from the sins of the flesh just as he is saved; by yielding to the Holy Spirit and letting Him do His work." ~Jack Hyles 0. "Let's quit fiddling with religion and do something to bring the world to Christ." ~Billy Sunday 0. "The Jesus that men want to see is not the Jesus they really need to see." ~G. Campbell Morgan 0. "It is a poor sermon that gives no offense; that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher" ~George Whitefield 0. "It is a sad and shocking fact that many religious people are in Hell."~John R. Rice 0. [The Judgment of Revelation 20] "Includes all the wicked dead from the days of Cain down to the last apostate from millennial glory. There will not be one there who has not passed through the article of death - not one there whose name has been set down in life's fair Book - not one there that shall not be judged according to his own very deeds - not one there who shall not pass from the dread of realities of the Great White Throne into everlasting horrors and inneffable torments of the Lake of Fire that burneth with fire and brimstone. How awful! How terrible! How perfectly dreadful!" ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. "It ill becomes the servant to seek to be rich, and great, and honoured in that world where his Lord was poor, and mean, and despised." ~George Muller 0. "The preaching that this world needs most is the sermons in shoes that are walking with Jesus Christ." ~D.L. Moody 0. "The only reason some of us are not exiled or thrown into prison is simply because we do not preach as fervently and as sternly as did Paul, John, Peter and others. This modern "santa claus" religion that is sweeping country today is not the religion Jesus taught and John practiced." ~Oliver B. Greene 0. "We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power. We have a great deal of activity, but we accomplish little; many services but few conversions; much machinery but few results." ~R.A. Torrey 0. "We are profoundly convinced that...the primary need of the hour is a return to New Testament first principles and standards. Christian missions are no human undertaking, but a supernatural and divine enterprise for which God has provided supernatural power and leadership." ~Robert H. Glover 0. "If you have no joy, there's a leak in your Christianity somewhere." ~Billy Sunday 0. "Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him." ~Hudson Taylor 0. "I prayed for Faith, and thought that some day Faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But Faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, 'Now Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God'. I had closed my Bible, and prayed for Faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and Faith has been growing ever since. " ~D.L. Moody 0. "We have a God who delights in impossibilities." ~Billy Sunday 0. "The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor" ~Charles Stanley 0. "The great reservoir of the power that belongs to God is His own Word," the Bible. If we wish to make it ours, we must go to that Book. Yet people abound in the Church who are praying for power and neglecting the Bible. Men are longing to have power for bearing fruit in their own lives and yet forget that Jesus has said: "The seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:11). ~R.A. Torrey 0. "The scriptures are given not to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives." ~Dwight L. Moody 0. "If the Holy Spirit guides us, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them." ~George Muller 0. "Christ is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all." ~Hudson Taylor 0. "Great truths that are stumbling blocks to the natural man are nevertheless the very foundations upon which the confidence of the spiritual man is built." ~H. A. Ironside 0. "The Church is the dwelling place of God in the Person of the Holy Ghost. Where the Church thrives, people are blessed and progress is evident. Where there is no Church, people feed their babies to crocodiles and roam naked in the jungles." ~Oliver B. Greene 0. "A poor believer [monetarily] certainly is looked down upon in certain churches, and yet he may be the richest man spiritually in that church." ~J. Vernon McGee 0. "...you cannot live by sight and by faith, neither can you live by fear and by faith. It either has to be by faith or by fear, by faith or by sight. Which way are you living? Faith takes out the anxiety It takes out the fear. Faith leans heavy on the Lord. It knows that the Bible is so and can be trusted and that we can live by it and all of our needs will be supplied." ~Lester Roloff 0. "What a lowering of the life of faith it is to confine it to the question of temporal supplies! No doubt it is a very blessed and a very real thing to trust God for everything; but the life of faith has a far higher and wider range than mere bodily wants. It embraces all that in any wise concerns us, in body, soul, and spirit. To live by faith is to walk with God; to cling to Him; to lean on Him; to draw from His exhaustless springs; to find ad our resources in Him; and to have Him as a perfect covering for our eyes and a satisfying object for our hearts - to know Him as our only resource in all difficulties, and in all our trials. It is to be absolutely, completely, and continually shut up to Him; to be undividedly dependent upon Him, apart from and above every creature confidence, every human hope, and every earthly expectation. Such is the life of faith." ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. "When kingdoms have crumbled for the last time, His mercy endureth forever. When dictators have waged their wicked battles for the last time, His mercy endureth forever. When the stars have fallen like untimely figs from a tree shaken by the wind, His mercy endureth forever. When the sun refuses to shine and the moon has turned as black as sackcloth of hair, His mercy endureth forever. When people shall die no more and cemeteries shall not dot the horizon, His mercy endureth forever. When shoulders shall never stoop, nor brows wrinkle, nor faces become furrowed, His mercy endureth forever. When all of us awake in His likeness to live forever around His throne, His mercy endureth forever. Blessed be God! His mercy endureth forever!" ~Jack Hyles 0. "Godliness has 'promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.' But the only way one can enter into godliness is by turning to God as a repentant sinner and receiving the Saviour He has provided in the Gospel. Therefore the crying need of our degenerate times is for a revival of true old-fashioned, Christ-centered, Bible preaching that will call upon all men everywhere to repent in view of that coming day when God will judge the world in righteousness by His Risen Son." ~Harry A. Ironside 0. "The world's greatest need is preaching preachers. The Gospel is our emancipation proclamation: let's take it to the slaves of sin." ~Lester Roloff 0. "Nothing is more needed among preachers today than that we should have the courage to shake ourselves free from the thousand and one trivialities in which we are asked to waste our time and strength, and resolutely return to the apostolic ideal which made necessary the office of the diaconate. We must resolve that we will continue steadfastly in prayer, and in the ministry of the Word." ~G. Campbell Morgan 0. "The heart makes the preacher. Men of great hearts are great preachers. . . We have emphasized sermon-preparation until we have lost sight of the important thing to be prepared - the heart. A prepared heart is much better than a prepared sermon. A prepared heart will make a prepared sermon...It would not do to say that preachers study too much. Some of them do not study at all; others do not study enough. Numbers do not study the right way to show themselves workmen approved of God. But our great lack is not in head culture, but in heart culture; not lack of knowledge but lack of holiness is our sad and telling defect - not that we know too much, but that we do not meditate on God and his word and watch and fast and pray enough. The heart is the great hindrance to our preaching. . . " ~E.M. Bounds 0. "God is looking for broken men who have judged themselves in the light of the cross of Christ. When He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to the end of themselves, whose confidence is not in themselves, but in God." ~H.A. Ironside 0. "It is not enough to do God's work; it must be done in His way and for His credit." ~Erwin Lutzer 0. "We must face the fact that many today are notoriously careless in their living. This attitude finds its way into the church. We have liberty, we have money, we live in comparative luxury. As a result, discipline has disappeared. What would a violin solo sound like if the strings on the musician's instrument were all hanging loose, not stretched tight, not disciplined?" ~A.W. Tozer 0. "We must all have the spirit of martyrdom, though we may not all die martyrs." ~George Whitefield 0. "When I was young I was sure of everything; in a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half so sure of most things as I was before; at present, I am hardly sure of anything but what God has revealed to me." ~John Wesley 0. "To the lover of the Lord Jesus Christ there can be nothing legal about baptism. It is simply the glad expression of a grateful heart recognizing its identity with Christ in death, burial, and resurrection. Many of us look back to the moment when we were thus baptized as one of the most precious experiences we have ever known." ~Harry A. Ironside 0. "Out of one hundred men, one will read the Bible, the other ninety-nine will read the Christian." ~D. L. Moody 0. "The greatest privilege of earthly life is to give some fellow creature the blessed word of God, and then try by loving speech and example, to bring home to the heart and conscience...the truths it contains." ~J. A. Broadus 0. "May we all be in such a condition of soul, such an attitude of heart as will fit us for any little work in which our gracious Lord may be pleased to use us - not seeking a place for ourselves, but lovingly serving all. The Lord, in His great mercy, grant that thus it may be, with all His beloved people!" ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. Prayer is the highest intelligence, the profoundest wisdom, the most vital, the most joyous, the most efficacious, the most powerful of all vocations. ~Edward M. Bounds 0. "In our prayers, we talk to God, in our Bible study, God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking." ~D.L. Moody 0. [Regaarding Hearing From God]..."Retire from the world each day to some private spot. Stay in the secret place till the surrounding noises begin to fade out of your heart and a sense of God's presence envelops you. Deliberately tune out the unpleasant sounds and come out of your closet determined not to hear them. Listen for the inward voice till you learn to recognize it." ~A.W. Tozer 0. "Ah, I have kept Him waiting when I ought not, but He has waited even then. Always waiting - so patient with my foolishness, my weakness, my fear. Our fellowship is with God, and fellowship is friendship, and friendship means that partnership which, on His part, is the accommodating of His strength to my weakness." ~G. Campbell Morgan 0. "Care more for a grain of faith than a ton of excitement." ~Charles H. Spurgeon 0. "When you have been saved, regenerated, born again, then join a church-a live church. Join where the preacher loves the Word of God and the souls of men. Keep out of these ecclesiastical deep freezers. A deep freeze is all right for a dead chicken or a chunk of cheese or a leg of lamb, but it is no place for a live baby. A baby must be fed and nourished and given a chance to exercise, vocalize and grow. It couldn't do that in a refrigerator." ~Walter Hughes 0. "People are so prone to lean upon gifted men. And if they cannot have such, they get discouraged and scattered, instead of getting lovingly together and helping one another by their mutual faith." ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. "I desire to have both heaven and hell ever in my eye, while I stand on this isthmus of life, between two boundless oceans." ~John Wesley 0. "A test of a Christian's character is what he does after he comes to the blockade in the road and what his attitude is after everything has left him except Jesus. You will never know down here that Christ is all you need until Christ is all you have left. You will never be able to tell the world for sure that He will do in a crisis unless you learn how to live in a crisis." ~Lester Roloff 0. "Prayer is no little thing, no selfish and small matter. It does not concern the petty interests of one person. The littlest prayer broadens out by the will of God till it touches all words, conserves all interests, and enhances man's greatest wealth, and God's greatest good. God is so concerned that men pray that He has promised to answer prayer. He has not promised to do something general if we pray, but He has promised to do the very thing for which we pray." ~Edward M. Bounds 0. "To the individual believer indwelt by the Holy Spirit there is granted the direct impression of the Spirit of God on the spirit of man, imparting the knowledge of His will in matters of the smallest and greatest importance. This has to be sought and waited for." ~G. Campbell Morgan 0. "I would rather win souls than be the greatest king or emperor on earth; I would rather win souls than be the greatest general that ever commanded an army; I would rather win souls than be the greatest poet, or novelist, or literary man who ever walked the earth. My one ambition in life is to win as many as possible." ~R. A. Torrey 0. "Beware you be not swallowed up in [worldly] books." ~John Wesley 0. The Bible is the inerrant Word of God. Its sixty six books are not a collection of religious writings, advancing certain theories, but they constitute one body, breathing with life and power. From the first verse in Genesis to the last verse in Revelation there is a wonderful continuity of thought, without any clash of opinion; all is a harmonious whole. This fact necessitates one great Author, One who guided the thoughts of each writer and who is instructed them to write as they did. This guiding and supervising Author is the Spirit of God."... 2Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21 ~Arno C. Gaebelein 0. "Faith is to rest, not in the best of God's servants, but in His unchanging Word." ~H. A. Ironside 0. "Nothing can touch the Word of God. Not all the powers of earth and hell, men and devils combined, can ever move the Word of God. There it stands, in its own moral glory, spite of all the assaults of the enemy, from age to age. 'For ever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in heaven.'" ~C.H. Mackintosh 0. "People are stumbling over the simplest things. Take, for instance, that word believeth. You would think that was plain enough for anybody, but all my life I have heard people say, 'I have always believed, and yet I am not saved.' It does not say, 'Whosoever believeth the Bible, or creeds, or even the gospel story,' but it does say, 'Whosoever believeth in him.' What is it to believe in Him? It means to put your soul's confidence in Him, to trust in Him, God's blessed Son." ~H.A. Ironside 0. [Jesus] ..."He was born a King. The wise men came from the East and asked, 'Where is He that is born King of the Jews?' (Matthew 2:2). He died a King. In Greek, in Latin, and in Hebrew the description was written above His cross, 'This is Jesus, The King' (Matthew 27:37)" ~W.A. Criswell 0. "I find no fault in Him."...You can find fault in anyone else, but you can find no fault in Jesus. Holy, harmless, undefiled, sinless: there He is! Christ is God's way to man; Christ is man's way to God. Christ is the true Jacob's ladder. By Him the penitent sinner, the believing soul, the redeemed child of God may come unto the Father and enter into the house of many mansions." ~George W. Truett 0. "When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him. He settled for everything, and then He cried, 'It is finished.' And on the basis of that finished work, God can freely forgive, and justify completely, every poor sinner who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ." ~Dr. Harry A. Ironside 0. A man of God in the will of God is immortal until His work is done. ~David Jeremiah 0. God loves us the way we are, but too much to leave us that way. ~Leighton Ford 0. God never says, "OOPS." ~Author Unknown 0. Abortion is advocated only by persons who have themselves been born. ~Ronald Reagan 0. I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress. ~Ronald Reagan 0. A godly man is only as strong as his allegiance to the Lord. ~Today In The Word 0. Divorce Myths: 1. When love has gone out of a marriage, it is better to get divorced. 2. It is better for the children for the unhappy couple to divorce than to raise their children in the atmosphere of an unhappy marriage. 3. Divorce is the lesser of two evils. 4. You owe it to yourself. 5. Everyone's entitled to one mistake. 6. God led me to this divorce. ~R.C. Sproul 0. Islam is a religion in which God requires you to send your son to die for him. Christianity is a faith in which God sends his son to die for you. ~Cal Thomas quoting John Ashcroft 0. A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd. ~Max Lucado 0. Hurting people hurt people. ~Author Unknown 0. You cannot have a testimony without a test. Will you pass the test or have the monies? ~Joyce Meyer 0. A Bible that's falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. The bumps are what you climb on. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. The carnal person fears man, not God. The strong Christian fears God, not man. The weak Christian fears man too much, and God too little. ~John Flavel 0. Want to make God laugh? Tell Him you have a plan. ~Author Unknown 0. God has never, in the history of mankind, allowed His name to go long offended. ~David Wilkerson 0. Before any great achievement, some measure of depression is very usual. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. No two Christians will ever meet for the last time. ~Author Unknown 0. Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Don't tell God how big your storm is, tell your storm how big God is. ~Author Unknown 0. Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. I could take everything I have built up over 35 years in my ministry and destroy it all if I went out tomorrow and committed one act of rebellion. ~David Jeremiah (paraphrase) 0. Right now counts forever. ~R.C. Sproul 0. If you are not as close to God as you used to be, who moved? ~Author Unknown 0. Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can. ~D.L. Moody 0. Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Jesus Christ did not come into this world to make bad people good; He came into this world to make dead people live. ~Lee Strobel 0. I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much. ~Mother Teresa 0. When the will of God crosses the will of man, somebody has to die. ~Addison Leitch 0. The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid. ~Martin Luther 0. We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first. ~Oswald J. Smith 0. Any place you can take Jesus Christ with you is ok to go. ~J. Vernon Mcgee 0. A revival is the church falling in love with Jesus Christ all over again. ~Vance Hafner 0. A prophet weeps while others are laughing. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. If say 90% of Christian marriages were intact, people would be writing about it. ~Randy Carlson 0. You will find more saints are interested in antichrist than Christ.~ Frank Gaebelin to J. Vernon Mcgee 0. No one is going to be powerful in their ministry if they are hiding something that they are afraid people will find out at any moment. ~David Jeremiah (paraphrase) 0. Paul, we are going to kill you. That is cool, then I will go to Christ. Ok Paul, we are going to let you live. That is great, then I can witness Christ. Ok, then we will torture you. That is fine, then I will receive a reward in Heaven one day. ~Tony Evans (paraphrase) 0. The devil tempts us to bring out the worst in us, but the Father tests us to bring out the best in us. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. He who rejects the Bible has nothing to live by. Neither does he have anything to die by. ~ Greg Laurie 0. God doesn't have any grandchildren. ~Author Unknown 0. The greatest judgment God can send on His people is letting them have their own way. ~Warren Wiersbe (Ps 106:15) 0. In the beginning God made man in His own image, and since the fall, man has been seeking to return the compliment. ~Author Unknown 0. Just because something doesn't make sense to you doesn't mean it doesn't make sense. ~Adrian Rogers 0. The greatest sin today in the church is the man in the pew who is ignorant of the Bible. ~J. Vernon Mcgee 0. If lips and life do not agree, the testimony will not amount to much. ~Harry Ironside 0. I have a great need for Christ, I have a great Christ for my need. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Another century and there will not be a Bible on earth! Voltaire expected that within fifty years of his lifetime there would not be one Bible in the world. His house is now a distribution center for Bibles in many languages. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one. ~C.S. Lewis 0. A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent. ~John Calvin 0. Never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer your prayer. ~Oswald Chambers 0. I have concentrated all my prayers into one, and that prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to Him. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. If it suddenly became impossible for us to cover up all the junk we normally hide from the rest of humanity, I have a feeling we would all get real motivated to deal with the source of what ails us. ~Andy Stanley 0. God examineth with trials, the devil examineth with temptations, the world examineth with persecutions. ~Henry Smith 0. They gave our Master a crown of thorns, why do we hope for a crown of roses? ~Martin Luther 0. This book (the Bible) will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book. ~John Bunyan 0. I have so much to do, that I must spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it. ~John Wesley 0. Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand. ~Mark Twain 0. If you have only the Word, you dry up. If you have only the Spirit, you blow up. But if you have both, you grow up. ~Author Unknown 0. Immorality is just as bad now as it was in the past. The difference is that now we flaunt it. It used to be done in secret, but now it is done in the open. ~J. Vernon Mcgee (paraphrase) 0. Every inch of ground we refuse to take with God, we surrender to the enemy. ~Beth Moore 0. If you are going to live by faith, then expect your faith to be tested. A faith that can't be tested can't be trusted. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. Stop praying that God will change others, and ask God to change you. ~Rodney Gage 0. We rarely get an answer to the question, "Why?" Instead of demanding definitive answers from God, it's more productive to ask for humility and trust in His goodness. ~Rodney Gage 0. Indeed, your scars may be your greatest ministry. Just as the scars of Jesus convinced Thomas, perhaps your scars will convince someone today. ~Adrian Rogers 0. Life is what comes along after you have planned something else. ~Joyce Meyer 0. Worshippers aren't made when they see the enemy on the run, put to flight. The truth is, worshippers of God are made during dark, stormy nights. And how we respond to our storms determines just what kind of worshippers we are. ~David Wilkerson 0. You can be too big for God to use, but you can never be too small for God to use. ~Adrian Rogers 0. If God sends us on strong paths, we are provided strong shoes. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. The best we can hope for in this life is a knothole peek at the shining realities ahead. Yet a glimpse is enough. It's enough to convince our hearts that whatever sufferings and sorrow currently assail us aren't worthy of comparison to that which waits over the horizon. ~Joni Eareckson Tada 0. If there were no God, there would be no atheists. ~G.K. Chesterton 0. If you take care of yourself and walk with integrity, you may be confident that God will deal with those who sin against you. Above all, don't give birth to sin yourself, rather, pray for those who persecute you. God will one day turn your persecution into praise. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. Christians are like teabags, you don't really know what they're like until you put them in hot water. ~Chip Ingram 0. Discernment is not a matter of telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place. ~C.S. Lewis 0. If we ever forget that we are one Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under. ~Ronald Reagan 0. Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman. ~Author Unknown 0. Poverty and affliction take away the fuel that feeds pride. ~Richard Sibbes 0. The first lesson in Christ's school is self-denial. ~Matthew Henry 0. I had rather be in hell with Christ, than be in heaven without him. ~Martin Luther 0. Make sure the thing you're living for is worth dying for. ~Charles Mayes 0. Knowing that we are fulfilling God's purpose is the only thing that gives rest to the restless human heart. ~Chuck Colson 0. Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the Kingdom of God on earth. ~John Wesley 0. Don't say that a loving God is going to send you to hell- He's not. The thing that's going to send you to hell is that you're a sinner and you don't want to admit it. ~J. Vernon Mcgee 0. If a sinner comes into your assembly or you otherwise come into contact with him, remember that he is a human being for whom Christ died. He stands at the foot of the cross, just as you stand at the foot of the cross. ~J. Vernon Mcgee 0. If Satan can't make you bad, he'll make you busy. ~Adrian Rogers 0. There are those who hate Christianity and call their hatred an all-embracing love for all religions. ~G.K. Chesterton 0. Persistence in prayer for someone whom we don't like, however much it goes against the grain to begin with, brings about a remarkable change in attitude. ~F.F. Bruce 0. As we pour out our bitterness, God pours in His peace. ~F.B. Meyer 0. If the church marries herself to the spirit of the times, she will find herself a widow in the next generation. ~Charles Stanley 0. Those who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare pearls. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Atheists express their rage against God although in their view He does not exist. ~C.S. Lewis 0. I know, perhaps as well as anyone, what depression means, and what it is to feel myself sinking lower and lower. Yet at the worst, when I reach the lowest depths, I have an inward peace which no pain or depression can in the least disturb. Trusting in Jesus Christ my Savior, there is a blessed quietness in the deep caverns of my soul, through upon the surface, a rough tempest may be raging, and there may be little apparent calm. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. The Bible in the pulpit must never supersede the Bible at home. ~J.C. Ryle 0. The family that prays together stays together. ~Author Unknown 0. Love is unselfishly choosing for another's good. ~C.S. Lewis 0. If you are not concerned about your neighbor's salvation, then I am concerned for yours. ~Ray Comfort 0. The Holy Scriptures are our letters from home. ~Augustine 0. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian, any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile. ~Billy Sunday 0. Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time. ~Oswald Chambers 0. Not only do we not know God except through Jesus Christ; we do not even know ourselves except through Jesus Christ. ~Blaise Pascal 0. We are either in the process of resisting God's truth or in the process of being shaped and molded by His truth. ~Charles Stanley 0. Let your mess be your message. ~Author Unknown 0. Those who have failed miserably are often the first to see God's formula for success. ~Erwin Lutzer 0. You say, "If I if I had a little more, I should be very satisfied." You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Is there any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a fire? ~C.S. Lewis 0. Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil's reach as humility. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. Every evening I turn my worries over to God. He's going to be up all night anyway. ~Mary C. Crowley 0. The really great man is the who makes every man feel great. ~G.K. Chesterton 0. A hypocrite is a person who acts differently on Sunday morning. ~Author Unknown 0. It is not by telling people about ourselves that we demonstrate our Christianity. Words are cheap. It is by costly, self-denying Christian practice that we show the reality of our faith. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. Hope: A trusting expectation that God is going to keep His word. ~Author Unknown 0. Salvation is a movement from being God's enemies to being His friends, from a state of war to a state of peace. God loved us even when we were still His enemies (cf. 1 John 4:7-19), and it is through this love, shown especially in the gift of His Son, that we can now be reconciled to Him. ~Today In The Word 0. You can't really live until you are no longer afraid to die. ~Adrian Rogers 0. Hold material goods and wealth on a flat palm and not in a clinched fist. ~Alistair Begg 0. The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer. ~F.B. Meyer 0. You play the hand you're dealt. I think the game's worthwhile. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Are you weak? Weary? Confused? Pressured? How is your relationship with God? Is it held in it's place of priority? I believe the greater the pressure, the greater the need for time alone with Him. ~Kay Arthur 0. We are never defeated unless we give up on God. ~Ronald Reagan 0. When we look at the ungodly, we are not to hate them, but to pity them, mourn over them, and pray for them. Nor have we any right to boast over them; for, by nature, and of ourselves, we are no better than they. ~John Newton 0. Envy is a spirit of dissatisfaction or opposition to the prosperity or happiness of other people. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. The good man has his enemies. He would not be like His Lord if he had not. If we were without enemies we might fear that we were not the friends of God, for friendship of the world is enmity to God. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Remember, a small light will do a great deal when it is in a very dark place. Put one little tallow in the middle of a large hall, and it will give a good deal of light. ~D.L. Moody 0. The Bible is a compass, pointing you in the right direction. ~Author Unknown 0. Men call their sons Paul and their dogs Nero today. ~J. Vernon Mcgee 0. Christ is more concerned about what we do with Him than for Him. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. Any part of the human body can only be explained in reference to the whole body. And any part of the Bible can only be properly explained in reference to the whole Bible. ~F.F. Bruce 0. Train up a child in the way he should go- but be sure you go that way yourself. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, They will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way." ~C.S. Lewis 0. Isn't it amazing that almost everyone has an opinion to offer about the Bible, and yet so few have studied it? ~R.C. Sproul 0. No Jesus, no peace. Know Jesus, know peace. ~Author Unknown 0. I am one of those who would rather sink with faith than swim without it. ~Stanley Baldwin 0. One would think that [persecution] would be an obstacle to church growth when joining the church meant a death sentence. And yet, the age of persecution was the greatest period of church growth in history. ~Gene Edward Veith 0. Until you have given up yourself to Him, you will not have a real self. ~C.S. Lewis 0. The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried. ~G.K. Chesterton 0. The safest place to be is within the will of God. ~Author Unknown 0. What the majority calls "blessing" may actually be a judgment from God. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. I have not suffered a lot for Christ, but I want to tell you that those times that I have suffered and I knew it was for Jesus, have been some of the happiest times of my entire life. ~Adrian Rogers 0. God is interested in developing your character. At times He lets you proceed, but He will never let you go too far without discipline to bring you back. In your relationship with God, He may let you make a wrong decision. Then the Spirit of God causes you to recognize that it is not God's will. He guides you back to the right path. ~Henry Blackaby 0. We never test the resources of God until we attempt the impossible. ~F.B. Meyer 0. Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Resolved to live with all my might while I do live, and as I shall wish I had done ten thousand years hence. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone. ~Author Unknown 0. Only half the patients who go into an abortion clinic come out alive. ~Author Unknown 0. Those who are in the best of circumstances but without God can never find peace, but those in the worst of circumstances but with God need never lack peace. ~John McArthur 0. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. ~C.S. Lewis 0. When we change the message of God, we change the God of the message. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. There are so many people who want to get together to have a great prayer meeting or other great gatherings. Friend, have you ever tried being alone? That is where God will meet with you. Take the Word of God and go off alone with Him. It will do you a lot of good. ~J. Vernon Mcgee 0. When it seems as if God is far away, remind yourself that He is near. Nearness is not a matter of geography. God is everywhere. Nearness is likeness. The more we become like the Lord, the nearer He is to us. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. We do not want, as the newspapers say, a church that will move with the world. We want a church that will move the world. ~G.K. Chesterton 0. Not until we take God seriously will we ever take sin seriously. ~R.C. Sproul 0. Prayer is when you talk to God; meditation is when you listen to God. ~Author Unknown 0. Sin kept in the dark has power. Confide in someone. ~Author Unknown 0. I can fill a church speaking on Revelation and empty it speaking on Romans. ~J. Vernon Mcgee 0. We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining- they just shine. ~D.L. Moody 0. Someone has said that the marks of a strong church are wet eyes, bent knees, and a broken heart. We'll never be powerful until we let God be God and jealously guard His honor. ~Erwin Lutzer 0. Before God could bring me to this place He has broken me a thousand times. ~Smith Wigglesworth 0. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. ~Amy Carmichael 0. It is a very solemn delusion when ministers think they are prospering, and yet do not hear of conversions. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face. ~Ronald Reagan 0. Deny your weakness, and you will never realize God's strength in you. ~Joni Eareckson Tada 0. The way to Heaven is ascending; we must be content to travel uphill, though it may be hard and tiresome, and contrary to the natural bias of our flesh. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. Want to snatch a day from the manacles of boredom? Do overgenerous deeds, acts beyond reimbursement. Kindness without compensation. Do a deed for which you cannot be repaid. ~Max Lucado 0. We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties. ~Oswald Chambers 0. Triumphant prayer is almost impossible where there is neglect of the study of the Word of God. ~R.A. Torrey 0. In thirty-five years of medicine I have never seen one case where abortion was necessary to save a mother's life. ~C. Everett Koop 0. We are nowhere forbidden to laugh. ~John Calvin 0. It is the mark of a hypocrite to be a Christian everywhere but home. ~Robert M'Cheyne 0. Resolved, never henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God's. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. I would go to the deeps a hundred times to cheer a downcast spirit. It is good for me to have been afflicted, that I might know how to speak a word in season to one that is weary. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Kids today learn a lot about getting to the moon, but very little about getting to heaven. ~David Jeremiah 0. The Bible is the greatest of all books; to study it the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals. ~Charles C. Ryrie 0. We are challenged these days, but not changed; convicted, but not converted. We hear, but do not; and thereby we deceive ourselves. ~Vance Havner 0. I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness. He cannot resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him. ~Jim Cymbala 0. The best style of prayer is that which cannot be called anything else but a cry. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. He (God) is not looking for smart people, because He is the smart one. All he wants are people simple enough to trust him. ~Jim Cymbala 0. Your future and mine are determined by this one thing: seeking after the Lord. ~Jim Cymbala 0. Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen. ~Oswald Sanders 0. People who walk by faith don't see obstacles, they see opportunities. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. The New (Testament) is in the Old (Testament) concealed, the Old is in the New revealed. ~Augustine 0. If I never run into the devil, it's because we are both headed in the same direction. ~Andrew Wommack 0. Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure. ~D.L. Moody 0. The will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you. ~Author Unknown 0. Holiness is not the way to Christ. Christ is the way to holiness. ~Adrian Rogers 0. One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching. ~Author Unknown 0. When you have a problem, do you run to the phone or to the throne. ~Joyce Meyer 0. God said it, that settles it. ~Author Unknown 0. When we come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning of God. ~Billy Graham 0. God uses us in spite of who we are, not because of it. ~Andrew Wommack 0. Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous. ~Author Unknown 0. God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called. ~Author Unknown 0. Where will you be sitting in eternity, smoking or non-smoking? ~Author Unknown 0. Harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping your enemy will die. ~Joyce Meyer 0. Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset. Eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise. ~Thomas Watson 0. He who angers you controls you. ~Elizabeth Kenny 0. Be ye fishers of men. You catch them, He'll clean them. ~Author Unknown 0. Discipleship is based solely on devotion to Jesus Christ, not on following after a particular belief or doctrine. ~Oswald Chambers 0. I am sorry for the men who do not read the Bible every day. I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and of the pleasure. ~Woodrow Wilson 0. Everybody's not going to understand where God has called you to go, but that is not an excuse for you not to go there. Then, when He puts you in certain places, it's a spiritual warfare to stay there. ~CeCe Winans 0. A bruised heart that chooses to beat with a passion for God amid pulsing pain and confusion may just be the most expensive offering placed on the divine altar. ~Beth Moore 0. The more the Gospel progresses and the closer we come to the end of the age, the more aggressive the enemy becomes. Sadly, many Christians are unaware that a battle is raging all around them, and they have not reported for duty. ~David Jeremiah 0. In today's America He (Jesus) has moved from the central figure of world history to source material for late-night comics and pundits who would not dare treat other religious leaders with such disrespect. ~David Jeremiah 0. Marriage is a partnership between one man and one woman... Nothing could be clearer in the Bible as to what constitutes a marriage in God's sight. ~David Jeremiah 0. Many Christians seem to get their notions of love from the Love Boat instead of the Love Book... Make the Bible your guide. ~Jim Binney 0. The Christian is bred by the Word, and he must be fed by it. ~William Gurnall 0. Men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself but because it contradicts them. ~Author Unknown 0. It is, perhaps, one of the hardest struggles of the Christian life to learn this sentence--- "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name be glory." ~Charles Spurgeon 0. God has many ways that He might use to achieve His ends, but His wisdom determined the best way to accomplish them. ~Samuel Willard 0. Every Christian would agree that a man's spiritual health is exactly proportional to his love for God. ~C.S. Lewis 0. The noblest revenge is to forgive. ~Thomas Fuller 0. If the church would only be the church-- if Christians would only be Christians-- nothing could halt our onward march. ~Vance Havner 0. If you can't pray a door open, don't pry it open. ~Lyell Rader 0. New level, New devil. ~Joyce Meyer 0. Holding a grudge is letting someone live rent-free in your head. ~Author Unknown 0. If for no other reason than to keep him humble, every minister needs a wife. ~T.S. Mooney 0. (On being single) I would rather live wanting what I don't have than having what I don't want. ~T.S. Mooney 0. The grace of God reveals One who loves us so much as to have made Calvary possible, but who hates sin so much as to make Calvary necessary. ~T.S. Mooney 0. Consistency is the key to victory. ~Author Unknown 0. If you put someone down, you must think you are better. ~Author Unknown 0. If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? ~Author Unknown 0. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. ~C.S. Lewis 0. We'd like to be humble...but what if no one notices? ~John Ortberg 0. The labor of self-love is a heavy one indeed... The heart's fierce effort to protect itself from every slight, to shield its touchy honor from the bad opinion of friend and enemy, will never let the mind have rest... ~A.W. Tozer 0. Just because God is working through us does not mean that we are right with God. ~Author Unknown 0. Do you wish people to think well of you? Don't speak well of yourself. ~Blaise Pascal 0. A candle loses nothing of its light by lighting another candle. ~Fr. James Keller 0. Greatness lies not in trying to be somebody but in trying to help somebody. ~Author Unknown 0. Whatever you may be sure of, be sure of this: That you are dreadfully like other people. ~James Russell Lowell 0. How do we know if we have a servant's heart? By how we act when we are treated like one! ~Author Unknown 0. A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility. ~D.L. Moody 0. Religion is man's attempt to reach God, Christianity is God's way to reach man. ~Author Unknown 0. Some people pray just to pray, and some people pray to know God. ~Andrew Murray 0. Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart. ~John Bunyan 0. A good leader knows the way, shows the way, and goes the way. ~John Maxwell 0. The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness. ~William Blake 0. To love at all is to be vulnerable. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Anything, and I mean anything, becomes a blessing if it drives us to prayer. ~Jim Cymbala 0. You can do more than pray after you've prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. ~John Bunyan 0. Would anyone choose Hell over Heaven? YES! Why? Pride. They don't want to go in the only way you can go in, on your knees. They don't want to admit they are a failure, that their life is a mess. ~Alistair Begg (paraphrase 0. Sin will take you farther than you ever expected to go; it will keep you longer than you ever intended to stay, and it will cost you more than you ever expected to pay. ~Kay Arthur. 0. Stop staring at your problems and glancing at God. Start glancing at your problems and staring at God. ~Author Unknown 0. End of Construction -- Thank you for your patience. ~Ruth Graham's tombstone 0. The Lord blesses people who bless others, and He gives grace to those who focus on the things that please Him. ~Billy Graham 0. The greatest resource a worship leader has is his relationship with his wife. ~Cliff Barrows 0. Christ understands loneliness; He's been through it. ~Paul S. Rees 0. A person's character is accurately measured by his reaction to life's iniquities. ~Author Unknown 0. There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God. ~F.W. Faber 0. The faintest whisper of support or encouragement uttered by a Christian in the ears of his fellow believer is heard in heaven. ~John J. Murray 0. Outside Christ, I am empty; in Christ, I am full. ~Watchman Nee 0. Snuggle in God's arms. When you are hurting, when you feel lonely, left out... let Him cradle you, comfort you, reassure you of His all-sufficient power and love. ~Kay Arthur 0. When God seems absent from us, He is often doing His most important work in us. ~Author Unknown 0. Loneliness is the first thing which God's eye named not good. ~John Milton 0. At the end of the day, God's love for me, for you, and for the world is settled at the cross. ~Andy Stanley 0. Live simply so that others may simply live. ~Gandhi (not a Christian) 0. Christianity is not about being bad or good, it is about being dead or alive. ~Author Unknown 0. Forget about what hurt you in the past, but never forget what it taught you. ~Author Unknown 0. I'm not where I need to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be. ~Joyce Meyer 0. God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves. ~A.W. Tozer 0. You will find, as you look back upon your life, that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. ~Henry Drummond 0. God cannot give us happiness apart from Himself because it is not there. There is no such thing. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Problems almost always create opportunities ~to learn, grow and improve. ~John Maxwell 0. I thank God for my handicaps, for, through them, I have found myself, my work, and my God. ~Helen Keller 0. To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. ~George MacDonald 0. I have had but one passion, and I have lived for it ~the absorbingly arduous yet glorious work of proclaiming the grace and love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ~John Henry Jewett 0. We get no deeper into Christ than we allow Him to get into us. ~John Henry Jewett 0. I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. ~Author Unknown 0. Be patient enough to live one day at a time as Jesus taught us, letting yesterday go, leaving tomorrow until it arrives. ~Author Unknown 0. God is patient with the process! Think of the enormous leisure of God! He is never in a hurry. ~Oswald Chambers 0. God has given us two hands ~one for receiving and one for giving. ~Billy Graham 0. If God took time to create beauty, how can we be too busy to appreciate it? ~Randall B. Corbin 0. It is easier to leave angry words unspoken, than to mend a heart those words have broken. ~Author Unknown 0. Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. ~Mother Teresa 0. The secret of my success? It is simple. It is found in the Bible, "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." ~George Washington Carver 0. Lord, let me make a difference for you that is utterly disproportionate to who I am. ~David Brainerd 0. Never, never, never, never, give up. ~Winston Churchill 0. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. ~Mother Teresa 0. A dollar spent for God is an investment for eternity. ~Author Unknown 0. Visit God's house this week. He's expecting you. ~Author Unknown 0. What's in a name? With Jesus, everything! ~Author Unknown 0. When the going gets tough, look for the Lord's hand at work. ~Author Unknown 0. Rest becomes easy for those who rest in God's bosom. ~Author Unknown 0. I am never so strong as when I have nothing left but Christ. ~Author Unknown 0. Like oil and water, Christian living and wickedness do not mix. ~Author Unknown 0. When you cannot make it, God's Spirit goes to work. ~Author Unknown 0. God's love is a safety net on life's slippery slope. ~Author Unknown 0. Think of Christ before you speak. ~Author Unknown 0. The door to God's throne is always open, and the light is on. ~Author Unknown 0. Who can stand before God? You can in Christ! ~Author Unknown 0. Let no unfair act go unchallenged. ~Author Unknown 0. Give more of what you want and get more of what you need. ~Author Unknown 0. One person can bring favor to many during the storm. ~Beth Moore (paraphrase) 0. Those who give much without sacrifice are reckoned as having given little. ~Erwin Lutzer 0. Ministry that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing. ~John Henry Jowett 0. God doesn't look at just what we give. He also looks at what we keep. ~Randy Alcorn 0. As we search the Scriptures, we must allow them to search us, to sit in judgment upon our character and conduct. ~Jerry Bridges 0. Under every condition, in every circumstance for every burden, in every need, through every sorrow, Christ, the source and sustainer of life, is more than sufficient. ~A.L. Faust 0. We are traveling on with our staff in hand... We are pilgrims bound for the heavenly land. ~Fanny Crosby 0. No word He hath spoken was ever yet broken: The Lord will provide! ~Martha A. Cook 0. The fundamental truth in the matter of stewardship is that everything we touch belongs to God. ~John Blanchard 0. Anyone can count the seeds in one apple, but only God can count the apples in one seed. ~Author Unknown 0. All true theology has an evangelistic thrust, and all true evangelism is theology in action. ~J.I. Packer 0. The future is as bright as the promises of God. ~Adoniram Judson 0. Stewardship is what I do after I say I believe. ~Author Unknown 0. Walking by faith means being prepared to trust where we are not permitted to see. ~John Blanchard 0. The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions, and the nearer we get to Him the more intensely missionary we become. ~Henry Martyn 0. Are you afraid? Remember the "fear nots" of the Bible. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. There is unspeakable joy... for the person who knows release from guilt and the relief of forgiveness. ~Stuart Briscoe 0. If one will not, two cannot quarrel. ~Thomas Fuller 0. Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain. ~Author Unknown 0. Our needs will never exhaust God's supply. ~Author Unknown 0. Empty me of the selfishness inside, every vain ambition and the poison of my pride, and any foolish thing my heart holds to, Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you. ~Chris Sligh (Empty Me) 0. Make me aware, make me see, that everything I am is not all about me, so take my world and turn it around, so that the obvious can finally be found. ~Salvador (Aware) 0. This is my prayer in the desert, when all that's within me feels dry, this is my prayer in the hunger in me, my God is a God who provides. ~Hillsong United (Desert Song) 0. This is my prayer in the fire, in weakness or trial or pain, there is a faith proved of more worth than gold, so refine me Lord through the flames. ~Hillsong United (Desert Song) 0. I will bring praise I will bring praise, no weapon forged against me shall remain, I will rejoice I will declare God is my victory and He is here. ~Hillsong United (Desert Song) 0. By His stripes He's paid our ransom, from His wounds we drink salvation He is the Lord, He is the Lord. ~Tenth Avenue North (Love Is Here) 0. Lead me to the cross where Your love poured out, bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down, rid me of myself I belong to You. ~Hillsong United (Lead Me To The Cross) 0. More love, more power, more of You in my life. I will worship You with all of my heart, I will worship You with all of my mind, I will worship You with all of my strength, for You are my Lord. ~Michael W. Smith (More Love More Power) 0. O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast unmeasured, boundless, free. Rolling as a mighty ocean, in its fullness over me. Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love, leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above. ~Selah (O The Deep Deep Love Of Jesus) 0. I come on my knees to lay down before you, bringing all that I am, longing only to know you. Seeking your face, and not only your hand, I find you embracing me, just as I am. ~Big Daddy Weave (Audience Of One) 0. Jesus, all for Jesus, all I am and have and ever hope to be. All of my ambitions, hopes and plans, I surrender these into Your hands... For it's only in Your will that I am free. ~Robin Mark (Jesus All For Jesus) 0. I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow, a wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind. Still, you hear me when I'm calling, Lord you catch me when I'm falling, and you told me who I am, I am yours. ~Casting Crowns (Who Am I) 0. I'll praise You in this storm, and I will lift my hands For You are who You are. No matter where I am, and every tear I've cried, You hold in Your hand You never left my side, and though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm. ~Casting Crowns (Praise You In This Storm) 0. He's been waiting all our lives to hear us say, I am yours Lord, take my hand and lead the way. When you believe He's all you need, that will be your defining moment, as you live your life walking in His light, trusting Him completely... that will be your defining moment. ~Newsong (Defining Moment) 0. There is hope for the helpless, rest for the weary, love for the broken heart. There is grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing, He'll meet you wherever you are, cry out to Jesus. ~Third Day (Cry Out To Jesus) 0. I can't live by what I feel, but by the truth Your Word reveals. I'm not holding on to You, but You're holding on to me. ~Casting Crowns (East To West) 0. In my heart, there's a fire burning, a passion deep within my soul, not slowing down, not growing cold. An unquenchable flame that keeps burning brighter, a love that's blazing like the sun, for who You are and what You've done. ~Starfield (Filled With Your Glory) 0. When mountains fall, I'll stand, By the power of Your hand. ~Darlene Zschech (My Soul Knows Very Well) 0. Father I am waiting, I need to hear from You, to know that You're approving, of what I say and do, cause nothing really satisfies, like when You speak my name, so tell me that You'll never leave and everything will be okay. In Your presence, all fear is gone... in Your presence, is where I belong... ~Jason Upton (In Your Presence) 0. God, I've fallen to my knees, I'm bowing at your feet, I give you all of me, in you I am complete. ~Kutless (Complete) 0. Everybody falls sometimes, gotta find the strength to rise, from the ashes and make a new beginning. Anyone can feel the ache, you think it's more than you can take, but you're stronger, stronger than you know. Don't you give up now, the sun will soon be shining, you gotta face the clouds, to find the silver lining. ~Kutless (What Faith Can Do) 0. Life is so much more, than what your eyes are seeing. You will find your way, if you keep believing. ~Kutless (What Faith Can Do) 0. Broken I run to you for your arms are open wide. I am weary but I know your touch restores my life. ~Kathryn Scott (Hungry) 0. I surrender all to you, I surrender all to you, I am nothing without you, Jesus Christ, take my life it's all for you. ~Planetshakers (Surrender) 0. Give me grace to see beyond this moment here, to believe that there is nothing left to fear, and that you alone are high above it all, for You, my God, are greater still. ~Hillsong (The Greatness Of Our God) 0. There is nothing that can ever separate us, there is nothing that can ever separate us from Your love, no life, no death, of this I am convinced, You, my God, are greater still. ~Hillsong (The Greatness Of Our God) 0. Jesus Your name is a shelter for the hurting, Your name is a refuge for the weak, only Your name can redeem the undeserving, Jesus Your name holds everything I need. ~Lincoln Brewster (The Power Of Your Name) 0. Heal my heart and make it clean, open up my eyes to the things unseen, show me how to love like You have loved me. ~Hillsong (Hosanna) 0. Break my heart for what breaks Yours, everything I am for Your kingdom's cause, as I walk from earth into eternity. ~Hillsong (Hosanna) 0. Jesus Messiah, name above all names, blessed Redeemer, Emmanuel, the rescue for sinners, the ransom from Heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all. ~Chris Tomlin (Jesus Messiah) 0. The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger. ~Thomas 'a Kempis 0. The definition of disappointment in life is expectations minus reality equals disappointment. The only two solutions you have to get over disappointment is to either alter your reality or alter your expectations. ~Randy Carlson 0. Remember, the very time for faith to work is when our sight begins to fail. And the greater the difficulties, the easier it is for faith to work, for as long as we can see certain natural solutions to our problems, we will not have faith. Faith never works as easily as when our natural prospects fail. ~George Mueller. 0. The only way out is through. ~Robert Frost 0. Most of us have a "Do Not Disturb" sign around our necks. ~Joyce Meyer 0. Light works most effectively in darkness. ~Christine Caine 0. Jesus may ask you to put down your net in an impossible, unreasonable place. ~Steve Douglass 0. All of us have areas of weakness. God wants these character flaws to show us how totally dependent we are upon Him. When we handle them properly, they drive us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Lord. But uncontrolled weakness wreaks havoc in a person's life. ~Charles Stanley 0. You may go days without thinking of God, but there's never a moment when He's not thinking of you. ~Max Lucado 0. People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway. ~Mother Teresa 0. To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. ~C.S. Lewis 0. If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people He gave it to. ~Dorothy Parker 0. Sometimes God allows what He hates, to accomplish what He loves. ~Joni Eareckson Tada 0. God doesn't require us to succeed, He only requires that you try. ~Mother Teresa 0. Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. The great thing to remember is that though our feelings come and go God's love for us does not. ~C.S. Lewis 0. The point of your life is to point to Him. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church... so long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living. Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right. Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want to be saved from the penalty of their sin. Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. Lukewarm people are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. People who are obsessed with Jesus aren't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God's kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don't always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be "humble enough," and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known (Mt 5:16). ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people (Mt 13:44)(Jn 15:8). ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world (James 2:14-26). ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed people don't put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy doesn't depend on circumstances or environment; it is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated, a gift that ultimately comes from God (James 1:2-4). ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life, continually saying "Thank You!" to God. An obsessed person knows there can never be intimacy if he is always trying to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy. He revels in his role as a child and friend of God. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. Christians like to play it safe. We want to put ourselves in situations where we are safe 'even if there is no God.' But if we truly desire to please God, we cannot live that way. We have to do things that cost us during our life on earth but will be more than worth it in eternity. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. Do you know that nothing you do in this life will ever matter, unless it is about loving God and loving the people he has made? ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. Many Spirit-filled authors have exhausted the thesaurus in order to describe God with the glory He deserves. His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can't contain Him. Isn't it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate? ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers. ~Francis Chan (Crazy Love) 0. Never forget that God is your friend. And like all friends, He longs to hear what's been happening in your life. Good or bad, whether it's been full of sorrow or anger, or even when you're questioning why terrible things have to happen. ~Nicholas Sparks 0. Your arms are too short to box with God. ~James Weldon Johnson 0. What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. ~A.W. Tozer 0. When your will is God's will, you will have your will. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Anything under God's control is never out of control. ~Charles Swindoll 0. I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Spending time with God is the key to our strength and success in all areas of life. Be sure that you never try to work God into your schedule, but always work your schedule around Him. ~Joyce Meyer 0. We can never know who or what we are till we know at least something of what God is. ~A.W. Tozer 0. For years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone? ~Anne Graham 0. I think the reason we sometimes have the false sense that God is so far away is because that is where we have put Him. We have kept Him at a distance, and then when we are in need and call on Him in prayer, we wonder where He is. He is exactly where we left him. ~Ravi Zacharias 0. God doesn't bless us just to make us happy; He blesses us to make us a blessing. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. To love someone is to desire and work toward their becoming the best version of themselves. The one person in all the universe who can do this perfectly for you is God. ~John Ortberg Jr. 0. All God's giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on God being with them. ~James Hudson Taylor 0. A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in little things is a great thing. ~Hudson Taylor 0. An easy, non-self-denying life will never be one of power. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Consider six or eight hours a day sacred to the Lord and His work, and let nothing hinder your giving this time (to language study and practice) till you can preach fluently and intelligibly. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Devotion to God is still a voluntary thing; hence the differences of attainment among Christians. ~Hudson Taylor 0. God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supplies. ~Hudson Taylor 0. I have found that there are three stages in every great work of God: first, it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Not infrequently our GOD brings His people into difficulties on purpose that they may come to know Him as they could not otherwise do. ~Hudson Taylor 0. One difficulty follows another very fast ~but God reigns, not chance. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Satan may build a hedge about us and fence us in and hinder our movements, but he cannot roof us in and prevent our looking up. ~Hudson Taylor 0. There are three great truths, 1st, That there is a God; 2nd, That He has spoken to us in the Bible; 3rd, That He means what He says. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Wave after wave of trial rolled over us; but at the end of the year some of us were constrained to confess, that we had learned more of the loving-kindness of the Lord than in any previous year of our lives. ~Hudson Taylor 0. When the heart submits, then Jesus reigns. When Jesus reigns, there is rest. ~Hudson Taylor 0. While unbelief sees the difficulties, faith sees God between itself and them. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Let us give up our work, our thoughts, our plans, ourselves, our lives, our loved ones, our influence, our all, right into His hand, and then, when we have given all over to Him, there will be nothing left for us to trouble about, or to make trouble about. ~Hudson Taylor 0. If you are a Christian, you are not a citizen of this world trying to get to heaven; you are a citizen of heaven making your way through this world. ~Vance Havner 0. Not all dreamers are winners, but all winners are dreamers. Your dream is the key to your future. The Bible says that, "without a vision (dream), a people perish." You need a dream, if you're going to succeed in anything you do. ~Mark Gorman 0. God leads us. God will do the right thing at the right time. And what a difference that makes. ~Max Lucado 0. If you understood him, it would not be God. ~Augustine 0. Following the crowd is not a winning approach to life. In the end it's a loser's game, because we never become who God created us to be by trying to be like everybody else. ~Tim Tebow 0. I should have died when I was sixteen, when I planned to commit suicide. And I was an atheist until then. I was an atheist, and what the heck, if life sucks what do you have to live for? If you're an atheist, it's just about living, you know? So at the time, I didn't want to wake up anymore and then seriously, God chased me down and proved that he was real and that he loved me. ~Lacey Mosley 0. The born-again Christian sees life not as a blurred , confused, meaningless mass, but as something planned and purposeful. ~Billy Graham 0. We must focus on prayer as the main thrust to accomplish God's will and purpose on earth. The forces against us have never been greater, and this is the only way we can release God's power to become victorious. ~John Maxwell 0. When God is involved, anything can happen. Be open and stay that way. God has a beautiful way of bring good vibrations out of broken chords. ~Charles Swindoll 0. Have I today done anything to fulfill the purpose for which Thou didst cause me to be born? ~John Baillie 0. Oh Lord, let me not live to be useless. ~John Wesley 0. Life is short and we have scarcely begun to live when we are called to die. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our last day. ~Matthew Henry 0. We honor God by asking for great things when they are a part of His promise. We dishonor Him and cheat ourselves when we ask for molehills where He has offered mountains. ~Vance Havner 0. Be such a man, and live such a life, that if every man were such as you, and every life a life such as yours, this earth would be God's paradise. ~Phillips Brooks 0. The life of faith is a daily exploration of the constant and countless ways in which God's grace and love are experienced. ~Eugene Peterson 0. True prayer is measured by weight, not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of of prayer in it than a fine oration of great length. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Leadership requires vision, and whence will vision come except from hours spent in the presence of God in humble and fervent prayer? ~A.W. Tozer 0. Every work of God can be traced to some kneeling form. ~D.L. Moody 0. If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees. ~Vance Havner 0. Prayer shouldn't be casual or sporadic, dictated only by the needs of the moment. Prayer should be as much a part of our lives as breathing. ~Billy Graham 0. Life is fragile ~handle with prayer. ~Author Unknown 0. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Don't wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly. ~Francis de Sales 0. Fear lurks in the shadows of every area of life. The future may look very threatening. Jesus says, "Stop being afraid. Trust me! ~Charles Swindoll 0. The great paralysis of our heart is unbelief. ~Oswald Chambers 0. When God wants to do an impossible task, he takes an impossible man, and he crushes him. ~Alan Redpath 0. The Christian life doesn't get easier as one gets older. ~Alan Redpath 0. Faith is two empty hands held open to receive all of the Lord Jesus. ~Alan Redpath 0. Only God can move mountains, but faith and prayer can move God. ~E.M. Bounds 0. We are either the masters or victims of our attitudes. It is a matter of personal choice. Who we are today is the result of choices we made yesterday. Tomorrow, we will become what we choose today. To change means to choose change. ~John Maxwell 0. We know so little about the future that to worry about it would be the height of foolishness. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. ~E. Stanley Jones 0. The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. ~George Mueller 0. Teach us, O Lord, the disciplines of patience, for to wait is often harder than to work. ~Peter Marshall 0. Be patient. God is using today's difficulties to strengthen you for tomorrow. He is equipping you. The God who makes things grow will help you bear fruit. ~Max Lucado 0. It is impossible to worship God and remain unchanged. ~Henry Blackaby 0. Each time, before you intercede, be quiet first and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things. ~Andrew Murray 0. The fact that we were created to enjoy God and to worship him forever is etched upon our souls. ~Jim Cymbala 0. Don't ever come to church without coming as though it were the first time, as though it could be the best time, and as though it could be the last time. ~Vance Havner 0. Life is too short and the world too compassion-starved for you to keep subsisting in situations that drag you down and curtail your potential to help advance the Kingdom. There's just too much at stake. ~Bill Hybels 0. More often than not, when something looks like it's the absolute end, it is really the beginning. ~Charles Swindoll 0. God doesn't always change the circumstances, but He can change us to meet the circumstances. That's what it means to live by faith. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. After all, a crisis doesn't make a person; it reveals what a person is made of. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. Sometimes your medicine bottle says, "shake well before using." That is what God has to do with some of his people. He has to shake them well before they are usable. ~Vance Havner 0. My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world. ~Billy Graham 0. Many books in my library are now behind and beneath me. They were good in their way once, and so were the clothes I wore when I was ten years old; but I have outgrown them. Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. God looketh upon any thing we say, or any thing we do, and if He seeth Christ in it, He accepteth it; but if there be no Christ, He putteth it away as a foul thing. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Trust in yourself and you are doomed to disappointment; trust in money and you may have it taken from you, but trust in God, and you are never to be confounded in time or eternity. ~D.L. Moody 0. Confidence in the natural world is self-reliance; in the spiritual world, it is God-reliance. ~Oswald Chambers 0. Walk by faith! Stop the plague of worry. Relax! Learn to say, "Lord, this is Your battle." ~Charles Swindoll 0. Christ alone can bring lasting peace ~peace with God ~peace among men and nations ~and peace within our hearts. ~Billy Graham 0. The peace that Jesus gives is never engineered by circumstances on the outside. ~Oswald Chambers 0. Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God. ~Jim Elliot 0. Don't expect wisdom to come into your life like great chunks of rock on a conveyor belt. Wisdom comes privately from God as a byproduct of right decisions, godly reactions, and the application of spiritual principles to daily circumstances. ~Charles Swindoll 0. It may not seem obvious at first glance, but the way we make decisions in life tells a lot about the kind of faith we have in Jesus Christ. ~Jim Cymbala 0. I have since learned that the most mature believer is the one who is bent over, leaning most heavily on the Lord, and admitting his total inability to do anything without Christ. ~Jim Cymbala 0. It's not that your most important work is meaningless; it's that your most trivial movements are also significant. ~David Jeremiah 0. If you have put your faith in Christ and have spent significant time in the Word of God, the tough times can be like a magnet that draws you to the Lord Jesus. Nothing is going to happen ~ever ~that will catch Jesus Christ by surprise. He is able to help His children work through anything, and not a single thing is going to happen in the future that can change that fact. ~David Jeremiah 0. You asked the Holy Spirit for a miracle, and now that you've got one you're trying to argue it away. People who don't believe in miracles shouldn't pray for them. ~David Wilkerson 0. The day you learn to be publically specific in your prayer, that is the day you will discover power. ~David Wilkerson 0. Drugs, what a devil-inspired poison! It's death on the installment plan. ~David Wilkerson 0. The backslider likes the preaching that wouldn't hit the side of a house, while the real disciple is delighted when the truth brings him to his knees. ~Billy Sunday 0. The Bible will always be full of things you cannot understand, as long as you will not live according to those you can understand. ~Billy Sunday 0. We have a right to believe whatever we want, but not everything we believe is right. ~Ravi Zacharias 0. These days its not just that the line between right and wrong has been made unclear, today Christians are being asked by our culture today to erase the lines and move the fences, and if that were not bad enough, we are being asked to join in the celebration cry by those who have thrown off the restraints religion had imposed upon them. It is not just that they ask we accept, but they now demand of us to celebrate it too. ~Ravi Zacharias 0. How quickly we forget God's great deliverances in our lives. How easily we take for granted the miracles he performed in our past. ~David Wilkerson 0. If we rationalize our problems when He points them out, we will spend less and less time meditating because we won't want to face God in that area of our lives. ~Charles Stanley 0. Temptation can be defined as an inducement to do evil. Three powerful forces work together to ruin a believer's character and witness: Satan, the world system, and our own lustful "flesh" tendencies. ~Charles Stanley 0. When friends abandoned him, Paul asked God not to count their actions against them. He followed the example of Jesus, who prayed for the Father to forgive His persecutors. What's your response when friends let you down? Forgiveness is the choice that pleases God every time. ~Charles Stanley 0. When you become consumed by God's call on your life, everything will take on new meaning and significance. You will begin to see every facet of your life ~including your pain ~as a means through which God can work to bring others to Himself. ~Charles Stanley 0. Concentrate on counting your blessings and you'll have little time to count anything else. ~Woodrow Kroll 0. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks. ~Phillips Brooks 0. Satan never wastes a fiery dart on an area covered in armor. ~Beth Moore 0. True intimacy with God always brings humility. ~Beth Moore 0. Some things don't need to be cut back, they need to be cut off. ~Beth Moore 0. Better to love God and die unknown than to love the world and be a hero. ~Erwin Lutzer 0. If there is one single reason why good people turn evil, it is because they fail to recognize God's ownership over their kingdom, their vocation, their resources, their abilities, and above all their lives. ~Erwin Lutzer 0. The work that God does in us when we wait is usually more important than the thing for which we wait! ~Erwin Lutzer 0. There's no such thing as a bitter person who keeps the bitterness to himself. ~Erwin Lutzer 0. Success is not what you have done compared to what others have done. Success is what you have done compared to what you were supposed to do. ~Tony Evans 0. One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time. ~John Piper 0. Death is like my car. It takes me where I want to go. ~John Piper 0. There is no pit so deep that God's love is not deeper still. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Run toward your trials. ~Andrew Murray 0. God not only sees where you are, He sees where you can be. ~Joyce Meyer 0. If you want big faith, look for a big fight. ~Author Unknown 0. Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things 'above all that we ask or think.' ~Andrew Murray 0. Don't lose in the dark what you gained in the light. ~Author Unknown 0. The abuse of a harmless thing is the essence of sin. ~A.W. Tozer 0. I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking Him to do His work through me. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Most of the world's great souls have been lonely. Loneliness seems to be one price the saint must pay for his saintliness... Always remember: you cannot carry a cross in company. Though a man were surrounded by a vast crowd, his cross is his alone and his carrying of it marks him as a man apart. Society has turned against him; otherwise he would have no cross. No one is a friend to the man with a cross. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Heaven is full of answers to prayers for which no one ever bothered to ask. ~Billy Graham 0. Sin remains, but no longer reigns. ~Author Unknown 0. Christ is not valued at all unless He is valued above all. ~Augustine 0. He who cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself. ~George Herbert 0. Trials are not enemies of faith but opportunities to prove God's faithfulness. ~Author Unknown 0. God never asks from us what he doesn't give us first. ~Author Unknown 0. God always gives the best to those who leave the choice with him. ~Jim Elliot 0. Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and His will. ~Billy Graham 0. If you find a path in life with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere. ~Frank A. Clark 0. There's nothing that can help you understand your beliefs more than trying to explain them to an inquisitive child. ~Frank A. Clark 0. God not only orders our steps, He orders our stops. ~George Muller 0. We would be more grateful if we knew how much of what we take for granted is planned by God. ~Author Unknown 0. Lord, help me to put aside the things that are breaking my heart, to pray about things that break Yours. ~Author Unknown 0. Caleb and Joshua proved that the majority are not always right. ~Author Unknown 0. Remember the God you knew in the wilderness, and allow those memories to enable you to stand in the future. ~Author Unknown 0. We have to walk with God or we will not get to the place he has prepared for us. ~Author Unknown 0. And for all these people alike, the key to healing turned out to be the same. Each had a hurt he had to forgive. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. The Lord has shown me that I can do anything, but that He has said, apart from Me ye can do nothing. So it comes to this, that everything I have done, and can still do apart from Him is nothing! ~Watchman Nee 0. The real question today is not when human life begins, but, what is the value of human life? The abortionist who reassembles the arms and legs of a tiny baby to make sure all its parts have been torn from its mother's body can hardly doubt whether it is a human being. The real question for him and for all of us is whether that tiny human life has a God-given right to be protected by the law -- the same right we have. ~Ronald Reagan 0. Many people treat the Bible like a drunk treats a lightpost; for support, not illumination. ~Author Unknown 0. The Word of God is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. True boldness for Christ transcends all, it is indifference to the displeasure of either friends or foes. Boldness enables Christians to forsake all rather than Christ, and to prefer to offend all rather than to offend Him. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. Nothing paralyzes our lives like the attitude that things can never change. We need to remind ourselves that God can change things...outlook determines outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. It is a mindless philosophy that assumes that one's private beliefs have nothing to do with public office. Does it make sense to entrust those who are immoral in private with the power to determine the nation's moral issues and, indeed, its destiny? One of the most dangerous and terrifying trends in America today is the disregard for character as a central necessity in a leader's credentials. The duplicitous soul of a leader can only make a nation more sophisticated in evil. ~Ravi Zacharias 0. I go out to preach with two propositions in mind. First, every person ought to give his life to Christ. Second, whether or not anyone else gives him his life, I will give him mine. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. I'm tired of hearing about 'anointing.' I'm tired of hearing about how 'inspired' a new preacher is, or what new spiritual manifestation is coming down from heaven. Instead I want to see character. I want to see men who have made the hard moral decisions and thus have embodied the excellence of the Christian faith. I want to hear about people who have made every effort to add to their faith goodness... ~Gary Thomas 0. We may not be responsible for all the things that happen to us, but we are responsible for the ways we react when they do happen. ~Author Unknown 0. Most people would not want to live where there are no churches but many people live as though there were no churches. ~Vance Havner 0. In other days people chose a church on the basis of their doctrinal convictions. Now, lacking doctrinal convictions, they choose for social reasons. ~Vance Havner 0. To a large extent, the American church has become merged with the world. It has adopted so many of the world's ideals and standards that it has lost its ability to stem the tide of crime, deception and immorality that is sweeping the nation. For millions of church members there is no deep commitment to the cause of Christ, no regularity of attendance at public worship, no sacrificial giving, no personal religious discipline. ~Billy Graham 0. Most churches love their traditions more than they love the lost. ~Author Unknown 0. Courage is contagious. When a brave person takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened. ~Billy Graham 0. Our greatest value is to reproduce ourselves in the lives of others. When you leave behind a vibrant Christian who knows his calling and his commission, you can be buried, but you will live on through all those in whom you have been reproduced. ~Jerry Falwell 0. In three decades of pastoring and counseling couples, there's only one thing we've found truly makes for a lasting marriage, both people must want to be married to each other more than they want to divorce. ~Author Unknown 0. When a person does not know the doctrines of the Christian faith, he can easily be captured by false religions. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. I believe in the eternal security of the believer and in the insecurity of the make-believer. ~J. Vernon McGee 0. We have now moved from the burden of raising money to the adventure of trusting God. ~Author Unknown 0. Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends. ~George Mueller 0. It is not faith and works; it is not faith or works; it is faith that works. ~Author Unknown 0. The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else. ~Oswald Chambers 0. God buries our sins in the depths of the sea and then puts up a sign that reads, "No fishing." ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. ~Winston Churchill 0. If God be your partner, make your plans large. ~D.L. Moody 0. If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there. ~Lewis Carroll 0. If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time. ~Zig Ziglar 0. Our evangelical culture tends to take the awesome reality of a transcendent god who is worthy to be feared and downsize Him so He could fit into our "buddy system." The way we talk about Him, the way we pray, and, more strikingly, the way we live shows that we have somehow lost our sense of being appropriately awestruck in the presence of a holy and all-powerful God. It's been a long time since we've heard a good sermon on the "fear of God." If God were to show up visibly, many of us think we'd run up to Him and high-five Him for the good things He has done. ~Joseph M. Stowell 0. If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get. ~Frank A. Clark 0. If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference. ~A.W. Tozer 0. The word "hope" I take for faith; and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith. ~John Calvin 0. I am walking toward a bright light and the nearer I get the brighter it is. ~D.L. Moody 0. Only those who see themselves as utterly destitute can fully appreciate the grace of God. ~Erwin Lutzer 0. I've met some people who were very proud of their humility. ~Michael Catt 0. For the Christian, humility is absolutely indispensable. Without it there can be no self-knowledge, no repentance, no faith and no salvation. ~A. W. Tozer 0. Humility is a strange thing: the moment you think you have it, you have lost it. ~Author Unknown 0. Breakthrough happened around me when breakup happened within me. ~Jack Hayford 0. How difficult it is to avoid having a special standard for oneself. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Most of the world around you doesn't read the Bible. So... God gives the world a living epistle-- you. ~Kay Arthur 0. In this world it is not what we take up, but what we give up that makes us rich. ~Henry Ward Beecher 0. Scars are the price which every believer pays for his loyalty to Christ. ~William Hendrickson 0. Culture changes. Churches change. Life changes. God doesn't. ~James L. Wilson 0. Worry is an old man with bended head, carrying a load of feathers which he thinks are lead. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Nothing is a surprise to God; nothing is a setback to His plans; nothing can thwart His purposes; and nothing is beyond His control. ~Joni Eareckson Tada 0. Only he who can say, "The Lord is the strength of my life" can say, "Of whom shall I be afraid?" ~Alexander MacLaren 0. In the battle of faith, money is usually the last stronghold to fall. ~Ronald Dunn 0. Order my footsteps by Thy Word and make my heart sincere; let sin have no dominion, Lord, but keep my conscience clear. ~Isaac Watts 0. The use of our possessions shows us up for what we actually are. ~Charles C. Ryrie 0. Jesus came to comfort the afflicted, and to trouble the comfortable. ~Author Unknown 0. If a single living cell was found on a distant planet, scientists would exclaim that we have found life elsewhere in the universe. So why is a single living cell found in the womb of a pregnant woman not considered life? ~Author Unknown 0. Nothing that God has ever said about Himself will be modified; nothing the inspired prophets and apostles have said about Him will be rescinded. His immutability guarantees this. ~A.W Tozer 0. God answers our prayers not because we are good, but because He is good. ~A.W. Tozer 0. When men no longer fear God, they transgress His laws without hesitation. The fear of consequences is no deterrent when the fear of God is gone. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Faith is not about how much you believe in what you believe. Faith is about believing that the One you believe in is believable. ~Tony Evans 0. Insisting on living in your past will kill your future. Let it go. ~Tony Evans 0. Sometimes God lets you hit rock bottom so that you will discover He is the Rock at the bottom. ~Tony Evans 0. Every experience God gives us, every person He puts into our lives, is the perfect preparation for a future only He can see. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. You know all of my fears. There's nothing your eyes can't see. When I tried to give up Lord, you never gave up on me. ~Peter Furler 0. For one who has made thanksgiving the habit of his life, the morning prayer will be, 'Lord, what will you give me today to offer back to you?' ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. The gravest question any of us face is whether we do or do not love the Lord. ~A.W. Tozer 0. A man who loves his wife will love her letters and her photographs because they speak to him of her. So if we love the Lord Jesus, we shall love the Bible because it speaks to us of him. ~John Stott 0. Love is not only something you feel, it's something you do. ~David Wilkerson 0. Christian love draws no distinction between one enemy and another, except that the more bitter our enemy's hatred, the greater his need of love. ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer 0. The true mark of a Christian leader is trying to build up other people. Raise up other leaders! ~Chuck Colson 0. Let God's promises shine on your problems. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. You can tell the size of your God by looking at the size of your worry list. The longer your list, the smaller your God. ~Author Unknown 0. I believe that you measure the health or strength of a church by its sending capacity rather than its seating capacity. ~Rick Warren 0. Money is emphasized in Scripture simply because our temptation to love it is inexplicably powerful. ~Erwin Lutzer 0. When fathers are tongue tied religiously with their offspring, need they wonder if their children's hearts remain sin tied? ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Our children are messengers we send to a time we will not see. ~Author Unknown 0. The problem with Christians today is that no one wants to kill them anymore. ~Jamie Buckingham 0. If we don't discipline ourselves, God will make certain we are disciplined by others. ~Jamie Buckingham 0. He is the best preacher, not that tickles the ear, but that breaks the heart. ~Thomas Brooks 0. No man ever yet thought whether he was preaching well without weakening his sermon. ~Phillips Brooks 0. There will be no peace as long as God remains unseated at the conference table. ~William M. Peck 0. Jesus Christ came to send a sword through every peace that is not based on a personal relationship to Himself. ~Oswald Chambers 0. A great many people are trying to make peace, but that has already been done. God has not left it for us to do; all we have to do is to enter into it. ~D.L. Moody 0. Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another. ~Walter Elliott 0. It is not great talents or great learning or great preachers that God needs, but men great in holiness, great in faith, great in love, great in fidelity, great for God... ~E.M. Bounds 0. What can God have that gives him greater satisfaction than that a thousand times a day all his creatures should thus pause to withdraw and worship him in the heart. ~Brother Lawrence 0. I am often, I believe, praying for others when I should be doing things for them. It's so much easier to pray for a bore than to go and see him. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Prayer pulls the rope below and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly. Others give but an occasional pluck at the rope. But he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. The devil is in constant conspiracy against a preacher who really prays, for it has been said that what a minister is in his prayer closet is what he is, no more, no less. ~Vance Havner 0. Satan is not fighting churches; he is joining them. He does more harm by sowing tares than by pulling up wheat. He accomplishes more by imitation than by outright opposition. ~Vance Havner 0. The purpose of prayer is not to inform God of our needs, but to invite Him to rule our lives. ~Clarence Bauman 0. I am reminded that one old saint was asked, "Which is the more important: reading God's Word or praying?" To which he replied, "Which is more important to a bird: the right wing or the left? ~A.W. Tozer 0. The preacher who jests and jokes with his people all week will soon find that he cannot stand in his pulpit on Sunday with power to reprove, rebuke and exhort. He may be the life of the party but it will be the death of the prophet. ~Vance Havner 0. The test of a preacher is that his congregation goes away saying, not "What a lovely sermon!" but "I will do something." ~Francis de Sales 0. If God were not my friend, Satan would not be so much my enemy. ~Thomas Brooks 0. Satan hates God for His own sake, and everything that is dear to God he hates for the very reason that God loves it. ~A.W. Tozer 0. I believe Satan exists for two reasons: first, the Bible says so, and second, I've done business with him. ~D.L. Moody 0. You can tell whether you are becoming a servant by how you act when people treat you like one. ~Gordon MacDonald 0. God will open up places of service for you as He sees you are ready. Meanwhile, study the Bible and give yourself a chance to grow. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. It is futile for us to try to serve God without the power of the Holy Spirit. Talent, training, and experience cannot take the place of the power of the Spirit. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. The Lord doesn't ask about your ability, only your availability; and, if you prove your dependability, the Lord will increase your capability. ~Author Unknown 0. The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains, proves that he has no brains of his own. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Reading Christians are growing Christians. When Christians cease to read, they cease to grow. ~John Wesley 0. Missionaries: People who leave their families for a short time so others can be with their families for eternity. ~Author Unknown 0. A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle. ~Benjamin Franklin 0. Those whom God will employ are first struck with a sense of their unworthiness to be employed. ~Matthew Henry 0. The world's idea of greatness is to rule, but Christian greatness consists in serving. ~J.C. Ryle 0. To be entirely safe from the devil's snares the man of God must be completely obedient to the Word of the Lord. The driver on the highway is safe, not when he reads the signs but when he obeys them. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Be thankful if your job is a little harder than you like. A razor can't be sharpened on a piece of velvet. ~Author Unknown 0. What Matthew Henry prayed after he was robbed: "I thank Thee first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse they did not take my life; third, although the took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed." ~Matthew Henry 0. If you can't be thankful for what you have received, be thankful for what you have escaped. ~Author Unknown 0. Jesus came to pay a debt He didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay. ~Author Unknown 0. The man who does things makes many mistakes, but he never makes the biggest mistake of all ~doing nothing. ~Benjamin Franklin 0. Sin is the most expensive thing in the universe. Nothing else can cost so much. ~Charles Finney 0. Sin keeps us from knowing the true nature of sin. ~Author Unknown 0. The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin's womb and an empty tomb. ~Peter Larson 0. It is the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor. ~Martin Luther 0. You never have to advertise a fire. Everyone comes running when there's a fire. Likewise, if your church is on fire, you will not have to advertise it. The community will already know it. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. In our prayers, we talk to God, in our Bible study, God talks to us, and we had better let God do most of the talking. ~D.L. Moody 0. Nobody ever outgrows Scriptures; the Book widens and deepens with our years. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. The Bible differs from all other books in that it never wears out. Other books are read and laid aside, but the Bible is a constant companion. No matter how often we read it or how familiar we become with it, some new truth is likely to spring out at us from its pages whenever we open it, or some old truth will impress us as it never did before. Every Christian can give illustrations of this. ~William Jennings Bryan 0. No one ever said at the end of his days; 'I have read my bible too much, I have thought of God too much, I have prayed too much, I have been too careful with my soul' ~J.C. Ryle 0. Multitudes of people who expect to go to Heaven will go to a Hell of torment. Thousands of "good" people, "moral" people, church members, even church workers ~yes, and, alas, even prophets, priests and preachers ~will find themselves lost when they expected to be saved, condemned when they expected approval, cast out of Heaven when they expected to be received into eternal bliss. That is the explicit meaning of the words of our Lord... (see Matt 7:21-23.] ~John R. Rice 0. Whiskey and beer are all right in their place, but their place is in hell. ~Billy Sunday 0. The test of real character is what a man does when he is tired. ~Winston Churchill 0. If I had my ministry over again, I would devote far more time to the ministry of comfort and encouragement. ~F.B. Meyer 0. Arent you glad your mother was pro-life? ~Author Unknown 0. The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in his own esteem. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. I want to feel my own nothingness, I want to give myself up in absolute resignation to God, to lie prostrate and passive at His feet, with no other disposition in my heart than that of merging my will into His will, and no other language in my mouth than that of prayer for the perfecting of His strength in my weakness. ~Thomas Chalmers 0. They that know God will be humble. They that know themselves cannot be proud. ~John Flavel 0. He who stays not in his littleness, loses his greatness. ~Francis de Sales 0. I lay it down as a fact that if all men knew what others say of them, there would not be four friends in the world. ~Blaise Pascal 0. The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies -- probably because they are generally the same people. ~G.K. Chesterton 0. It is much easier to repent of sins that we have already committed than to repent of those we intend to commit. ~Josh Billings 0. Tolerance gets a lot of credit that belongs to apathy. ~Douglas Jacoby 0. It seems that Satan first makes friends with the parents to make it easier to get their boys and girls. ~Author Unknown 0. An empty tomb proves Christianity; an empty church denies it. ~Author Unknown 0. There is one thing for which you should be abundantly thankful: Only you and God have all the facts about yourself. ~Author Unknown 0. There are two authentic marks of a Christian: giving and forgiving. ~Author Unknown 0. A cold church is like cold butter -- it never spreads very well. ~Author Unknown 0. Sooner or later we must learn that God makes no deals. ~Author Unknown 0. Do unto others as though you were the others. ~Author Unknown 0. The devil is a better theologian than any of us and is a devil still. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Temptation usually comes in through a door that has deliberately been left open. ~Arnold Glasow 0. How many observe Christ's birth-day! How few, His precepts! ~Benjamin Franklin 0. Many who plan to seek the Lord at the eleventh hour die at 10:30. ~Author Unknown 0. I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet. ~Author Unknown 0. To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you. ~C.S. Lewis 0. We may note in passing that He (Jesus) was never regarded as a mere moral teacher. He did not produce that effect on any of the people who actually met Him. He produced mainly three effects ~Hatred ~Terror ~Adoration. There was no trace of people expressing mild admiration. ~C.S. Lewis 0. I will not believe that thou hast tasted of the honey of the gospel if thou canst eat it all thyself. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. ~John Wesley (unverified) 0. No man ever repented of being a Christian on his death bed. ~Hannah More 0. If weak in prayer we are weak everywhere. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. Could a mariner sit idle if he heard the drowning cry? Could a doctor sit in comfort and just let his patients die? Could a fireman sit idle, let men burn and give no hand? Can you sit at ease in Zion with the world around you damned? ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. Our prayers lay the track down on which God's power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails. ~Watchman Nee 0. People use duct tape to fix everything; God used nails. ~Author Unknown 0. Jesus is God spelling Himself out in language that men can understand. ~S.D. Gordon 0. My main ambition in life is to be on the Devil's most wanted list. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. When there's something in the Bible that churches don't like, they call it 'legalism.' ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. How can you pull down strongholds of Satan if you don't even have the strength to turn off your TV? ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. If Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. Many pastors criticize me for taking the Gospel so seriously. But do they really think that on Judgment Day, Christ will chastise me, saying, 'Leonard, you took Me too seriously'? ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. The worst possible moment for an atheist is when he feels grateful and has no one to thank. ~Author Unknown 0. Many churches are plagued with a lot of 'retired' Christians. ~Author Unknown 0. The Christian on his knees sees more than the philosopher on tiptoe. God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves. ~D.L. Moody 0. If a man gets drunk and goes out and breaks his leg so that it must be amputated, God will forgive him if he asks it, but he will have to hop around on one leg all his life. ~D.L. Moody 0. Today Christians spend more money on dog food than missions. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. The Bible, which ranges over a period of four thousand years, records but one instance of a death-bed conversion (the thief on the cross) ~one that none may despair, and but one that none may presume. ~Thomas Guthrie 0. If a frog turns into a prince instantly with the kiss of a fair maiden, we call it a fairy tale; if it takes him 400 million years, they call it 'Evolution.' ~Author Unknown 0. Get right or get left! ~Author Unknown 0. You have one new friend request! Jesus Accept/Decline. ~Author Unknown 0. Anyone who takes his faith seriously and speaks in behalf of Christ and His kingdom will be accused of fanaticism at some point. ~R.C. Sproul 0. Through ages, through eternity, what you have done for Christ, that, and only that, you are. ~F.W. Robertson 0. You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things. ~Mother Teresa 0. What, at Peace with the Father, and at War with the (His) Children! It cannot be. ~John Flavel 0. Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together. ~Vesta Kelly. 0. Martin Luther was asked one time how he overcame the devil. He replied: "Well, when he comes knocking upon the door of my heart, and asks, 'Who lives here?' The dear Lord Jesus goes to the door and says, 'Martin Luther used to live here but he has moved out. Now I live here.' The devil, seeing the nail-pierced hands, and the nail-pierced side, takes flight immediately. ~Martin Luther 0. If you are not willing to be used by God, ask God to make you willing to be willing. ~F.B. Meyer 0. There is no worse screen to block out the Spirit than confidence in our own intelligence. ~John Calvin 0. It is not the being seen of men that is wrong, but doing these things for the purpose of being seen of men. The problem with the hypocrite is his motivation. ~Augustine 0. The great thing is to be found at one's post as a child of God, living each day as though it were our last, but planning as though the world might last a hundred years. ~C.S. Lewis 0. The way to grow strong in Christ is to become weak in yourself. ~Oswald Chambers 0. God promises to keep His people, and He will keep His promises. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Worship seals all prayers at the front and at the back. Always pray with praise beginning and praise ending. ~David Jeremiah 0. God does not believe in atheists, therefore atheists do not exist. ~Author Unknown 0. Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner. ~Max Lucado 0. A man who loves you the most is the man who tells you the most truth about yourself. ~Robert Murray M'Cheyne 0. It's not my business to try and make God think like me... but to try, in prayer and penitence, to think like God. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Pray; and as you pray, surrender; and as you surrender, believe. ~A.W. Tozer 0. All complaining comes from pride. ~Joyce Meyer 0. I don't think it bothers the world so much that we Christians sin. It bothers the world that we act like we don't. ~Casting Crowns (on Facebook) 0. If you want to make enemies, try to change something. ~Woodrow Wilson 0. If you make a great deal of Christ, He will make a great deal of you; but if you make but a little of Christ, Christ will make but a little of you. ~R.A. Torrey 0. The reason most people don't go to church is because they've already been. ~Mark Twain 0. If America is to survive, we must elect more God-centered men and women to public office; individuals who will seek Divine guidance in the affairs of state. ~Billy Graham 0. Henry Varley said, "The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him." After hearing those words, D.L. Moody decided, "I will try my uttermost to be that man." ~Misc. 0. The first thing a man must do if he desires to be used in the Lord's work, is to make an unconditional surrender of himself to God. ~D.L. Moody 0. Dedication is writing your name on the bottom of a blank sheet of paper and handing it to the Lord for Him to fill in. ~Rick Renner 0. We find comfort among those who agree with us ~growth among those who don't. ~Frank A. Clark 0. I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me. ~Dudley Field Malone 0. Many blush to confess their faults, who never blush to commit them. ~William Secker 0. The most important part of doctrine is the first two letters. ~David C. Egner 0. Every man needs a blind eye and a deaf ear, so when people applaud, you'll only hear half of it, and when people salute, you'll only see part of it. Believe only half the praise and half the criticism. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals. ~Benjamin Franklin 0. A big man is one who makes us feel bigger when we are with him. ~John Maxwell 0. There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come through encouragement from someone else. I don't care how great, how famous or how successful a man or woman may be, each hungers for applause. ~George M. Adams 0. One compliment can keep me going for a whole month. ~Mark Twain 0. I would rather win souls than be the greatest king or emperor on earth; I would rather win souls than be the greatest general that ever commanded an army; I would rather win souls than be the greatest poet, or novelist, or literary man who ever walked the earth. My one ambition in life is to win as many as possible. ~R.A. Torrey 0. No one is useless. They can always serve as a bad example. ~Author Unknown 0. Out of one hundred men, one will read the Bible, the other ninety-nine will read the Christian. ~D.L. Moody 0. Excuses are the cradle ... that Satan rocks men off to sleep in. ~D.L. Moody 0. Let us expect that God is going to use us. Let us have courage and go forward, looking to God to do great things. ~D.L. Moody 0. Faith is only as valid as its object. You could have tremendous faith in very thin ice and drown. . . . You could have very little faith in very thick ice and be perfectly secure. ~Stuart Briscoe 0. Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials. ~Smith Wigglesworth 0. Satan does some of his worst work on exhausted Christians when nerves are frayed and the mind is faint. ~Vance Havner 0. The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. I want to run all the way with the flame of my torch still lit for Him. ~Joseph Stowell 0. A friend is a person who goes around saying nice things about you behind your back. ~Author Unknown 0. All generalizations are false, including this one. ~Mark Twain 0. I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world. ~Mother Teresa 0. Two-thirds of all the strifes, quarrels, and lawsuits in the world arise from one simple cause ~money. ~J.C. Ryle 0. One hour in heaven, and we shall be ashamed that we ever grumbled. ~Vance Havner 0. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. ~C.S. Lewis 0. God is preparing his heroes; and when the opportunity comes, he can fit them into their places in a moment, and the world will wonder where they came from. ~A.B. Simpson 0. The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world, and make that man holy and put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. Whatever call a man may pretend to have, if he has not been called to holiness, he certainly has not been called to the ministry. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. I believe many a man is praying to God to fill him, when he is full already with something else. Before we pray that God would fill us, I believe we ought to pray Him to empty us. ~D.L. Moody 0. Hell is the place where one has ceased to hope. ~A.J. Cronin 0. There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud. ~Carl Sandburg (a good analogy for Christians) 0. True humility is more like self-forgetfulness than false modesty. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change. And when we are right, make us easy to live with. ~Peter Marshall 0. Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others. ~Author Unknown 0. Moses spent forty years thinking he was somebody; forty years learning he was nobody; and forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody. ~D.L. Moody 0. Often the only thing a child can remember about an adult in later years, when he or she is grown, is whether or not that person was kind. ~Billy Graham 0. Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don't say it mean. ~Author Unknown 0. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much. ~Blaise Pascal 0. The word 'listen' contains the same letters as the word 'silent.' ~Alfred Brendel 0. If you can really make a man believe you love him, you have won him; and if I could only make people really believe that God loves them, what a rush we would see for the kingdom of God! ~D.L. Moody 0. Nothing is more sweet than harmony in marriage, and nothing more distressing than dissension. ~Martin Luther 0. I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself, this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene; I must wash him and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus. ~Mother Teresa 0. Modern man has not only thrown away Christian theology, he has thrown away the possibility of what our forefathers had as a basis for morality and law. ~Francis A. Schaeffer 0. We are faced with great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. ~Chuck Swindoll 0. So long as there is a human being who does not know Jesus Christ, I am his debtor to serve him until he does. ~Oswald Chambers 0. Come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they found Him, the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking. ~A.W. Tozer 0. You do not move ahead by constantly looking in a rear view mirror. The past is a rudder to guide you, not an anchor to drag you. We must learn from the past but not live in the past. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is a storm without, He will make music within. The world can create trouble in peace, but God can create peace in trouble. ~Thomas Watson 0. I remember when the Titanic sank in 1912, it was the ship that was supposed to be unsinkable. The only thing it ever did was sink. When it took off from England, all kinds of passengers were aboard ~millionaires, celebrities, people of moderate means, and poor folks down in the steerage. But a few hours later when they put the list in the Cunard office in New York, it carried only two categories ~lost and saved. Grim tragedy had leveled all distinctions. ~Vance Havner 0. A pessimist is one who feels bad when he feels good for fear he'll feel worse when he feels better. ~Author Unknown 0. The pessimist's epitaph: 'Just what I expected'. ~Author Unknown 0. You are coming to a King, Large petitions with thee bring, For his grace and power are such, None can ever ask too much. ~John Newton 0. Prayer is an investment. The time you dedicate to prayer isn't lost; it will return dividends far greater than what a few moments spent on a task ever could. If we fail to cultivate this discipline, prayer winds up being our last resort rather than our first response. ~Charles Swindoll 0. The man who mobilizes the Christian church to pray will make the greatest contribution to world evangelization in history. ~Andrew Murray 0. Prayer as a relationship is probably your best indicator about the health of your love relationship with God. If your prayer life has been slack, your love relationship has grown cold. ~John Piper 0. The gospel is for lifeboats, not showboats, and a man must make up his mind which boat he is going to operate. ~Vance Havner 0. A picture of Christ was hung in the back of a pulpit. When the minister rose to speak one Sunday morning, a little boy asked his mother, 'Mother, who is that man who stands so we can't see Jesus?' ~Vance Havner 0. The pattern of the prodigal is: rebellion, ruin, repentance, reconciliation, restoration. ~Edwin Louis Cole 0. Every disciple needs three types of relationships in his life. He needs a 'Paul' who can mentor him and challenge him. He needs a 'Barnabas' who can come along side and encourage him. And he needs a 'Timothy,' someone that he can pour his life into. ~Howard Hendricks 0. If you have sinned, do not lie down without repentance; for the want of repentance after one has sinned makes the heart yet harder and harder. ~John Bunyan 0. O God of Second Chances and new Beginnings, here I am again. ~Nancy Spiegelberg 0. A reputation once broken may possibly be repaired, but the world will always keep their eyes on the spot where the crack was. ~Joseph Hall 0. As I go into a cemetery I like to think of the time when the dead shall rise from their graves. ... Thank God, our friends are not buried; they are only sown! ~D.L. Moody 0. People used to blush when they were ashamed. Now they are ashamed if they blush. Modesty has disappeared and a brazen generation with no fear of God before its eyes mocks at sin. We are so fond of being called tolerant and broadminded that we wink at sin when we ought to weep. ~Vance Havner 0. There are two sins of men that are bred in the bone and that continually come out in the flesh. One is self-dependence and the other is self-exultation. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Our first problem is that our attitude towards sin is more self-centered than God-centered. We are more concerned about our own "Victory" over sin than we are about the fact that our sin grieves the heart of God. We cannot tolerate failure in our struggle with sin chiefly because we are success oriented, not because we know it is offensive to God. ~Jerry Bridges 0. Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God. ~John Piper 0. Sin will take you farther then you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay. ~Author Unknown 0. We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. ~Mother Teresa 0. Some wish to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell. ~C.T. Studd 0. If sinners be dammed, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees... and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. It is a poor sermon that gives no offense; that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher ~George Whitefield 0. It is a sad and shocking fact that many religious people are in Hell. ~John R. Rice 0. God is looking for broken men who have judged themselves in the light of the cross of Christ. When He wants anything done, He takes up men who have come to the end of themselves, whose confidence is not in themselves, but in God. ~Harry Ironside 0. If you have no joy in your religion, there's a leak in your Christianity somewhere. ~Billy Sunday 0. It is better to be a little too strict than too liberal. ~D.L. Moody 0. I thought when I became a Christian I had nothing to do but just to lay my oars in the bottom of the boat and float along. But I soon found that I would have to go against the current. ~D.L. Moody 0. It is not our business to make the message acceptable, but to make it available. We are not to see that they like it, but that they get it. ~Vance Havner 0. More Bibles are bought and fewer read than any other book. ~Vance Havner 0. If you see a Bible that is falling apart, it probably belongs to someone who isn't! ~Vance Havner 0. Too many Christians live their Christian lives inside their heads; it never gets out through hands and feet and lips. ~Vance Havner 0. To some Christianity is an argument. To many it is a performance. To a few, it is experience. ~Vance Havner 0. If you are what you've always been, you are not a Christian. A Christian is a new creation. ~Vance Havner 0. "I'll give her a piece of my mind!" Have you ever said this? I wouldn't be so generous! Besides, you don't have any mind to spare. We might have more peace of mind if we didn't give away pieces of our mind! ~Vance Havner 0. Someone else is happy with less than what you have. ~Author Unknown 0. God has to work in a man before He can work through a man. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. Prayer is not designed to inform God, but to give man a sight of his misery; to humble man's heart, to excite his desire, to inflame his faith, to animate his hope, to raise his soul from earth to heaven... ~Adam Clarke 0. Prayer is not a means by which I seek to control God; it is a means of putting myself in a position where God can control me. ~Charles L. Allen 0. The detour is always rougher than the main road ~Vance Havner 0. A true preacher is best measured not by how many bouquets have been pinned on him but by how many brickbats have been pitched at him. Prophets have been on the receiving end of mud more than medals. ~Vance Havner 0. The tragedy of today is that the situation is desperate but the saints are not. ~Vance Havner 0. We are not going to move this world by criticism of it nor conformity to it, but by the combustion within it of lives ignited by the Spirit of God. ~Vance Havner 0. People get so used to the dark that they think it's growing brighter. It's possible to fraternize with unbelievers until false doctrine becomes less and less objectionable. ~Vance Havner 0. God judges what we tolerate as well as what we practice. Too often we put up with things we ought to put out. ~Vance Havner 0. When God's people are removed from this earth, you might as well try to dam up Niagara Falls with toothpicks as to stem the flood of lawlessness that will engulf mankind. Thank God for the restraining Spirit today! ~Vance Havner 0. Real revival does not begin with joyous singing. It begins with conviction and repentance on the part of Christians. ~Vance Havner 0. We need a dedicated minority who, like the apostles of old, are willing to be called the scum of the earth and a spectacle to the world for the scandal of the cross. ~Vance Havner 0. We justify ourselves when we should judge ourselves. If we learned humility, it might spare us the humiliation. ~Vance Havner 0. When the Lord's white sheep become dirty gray, all black sheep feel more comfortable. ~Vance Havner 0. We are fighting the greatest battle of all time with the most untrained army on earth. If strict discipline is necessary in art and athletics, how can we expect to be advanced Christians and stay in kindergarten? ~Vance Havner 0. At the rate America is decaying morally, we shall have to change our national symbol from an eagle to a vulture. ~Vance Havner 0. God's deepest secrets often miss the wise and prudent and are revealed unto babes. We say, "Children, be like your parents." Jesus said, "Parents, be like your children." ~Vance Havner 0. Not everyone who has made peace with God has realized the peace of God. ~Vance Havner 0. Most of the notable turn out to be the not-able. God's greatest truths still belong to babes. ~Vance Havner 0. Adam tried to hide behind the trees in the garden. There is only one tree that can hide us from Him and that is the tree of the cross. ~Vance Havner 0. I can conceive of no greater, more romantic and interesting adventure than to undertake to live like Jesus in this complicated day. ~Vance Havner 0. Men seek fame and high places only to learn that they were happier in obscurity ~Vance Havner 0. The man who sets out to live the life worthwhile ~to follow his vision and speak his heart ~need not look for position, honors, prosperity. ~Vance Havner 0. Christ is most concerned with the direction in which you habitually are going and not with a spasmodic eruption either good or bad. ~Vance Havner 0. It's hard to be optimistic when you have a misty optic. ~Vance Havner 0. When Christ possesses the will He keeps it fixed. The trouble comes when we take matters out of His hand and try to handle them ourselves. ~Vance Havner 0. No nation can last long when it stops praying and takes up playing. ~Vance Havner 0. When you are going through difficulty and wonder where God is, remember the teacher is always quiet during the test. ~Author Unknown 0. People often ask me how I keep my priorities straight in life and I tell them that it is done by constantly straightening them out! ~Joyce Meyer 0. If a man is known by the company he keeps, so also his character is reflected in the books he reads. ~J. Oswald Sanders 0. If you're gonna be free, you gotta stop caring what everyone thinks. ~Joyce Meyer 0. Our life is like a tapestry. We see the underside, all the colors, threads, and knots. God sees the top, the beautiful completed work. ~Author Unknown 0. Perhaps our question to God should be, "Father, is there anything filling my hours and days that is spiritually unhealthy?" ~Author Unknown 0. Keep a short account of sin with God. What God convicts us of we must deal with on a daily, even moment-by-moment, basis. To do otherwise is to risk hardening our hearts to the Holy Spirit's work in our lives and distancing ourselves from God. ~Author Unknown 0. Heaven never gets any worse, only better. Hell never gets any better, only worse. ~Author Unknown 0. You entrust your money to banks, God entrusts His money to you. How would you feel if the bank took your money and used it to play the lottery or gamble with it? So, how does God feel? ~Tony Evans (paraphrase) 0. I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess. ~Martin Luther 0. Most of us throw broken things away, but God usually breaks something before He uses it. ~Author Unknown 0. Instead of putting others in their place, put yourself in their place. ~Amish proverb 0. The happiest people I know are those who have an obsession to the obedience of God. ~David Jeremiah 0. Before I can preach love, mercy, and grace, I must preach sin, Law, and judgment. Preach 90% Law and 10% grace. ~John Wesley 0. It is not the bigness of the words you utter, but the force with which you deliver them. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. The Bible is the voice of God in print. ~Tony Evans 0. We are reflectors, and as reflectors we have one duty and that is to stay clean or we won't reflect Jesus. ~David Jeremiah 0. When we are weakest and most despondent, Jesus is most considerate. When there is a break in our progress or we have a spell of depression, he sees the whole of our lives and in the light of that He is longsuffering with discordant details. ~Vance Havner 0. Don't waste your sufferings. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. A mortician can make a dead man look better than he ever did when he was alive. So churches like Sardis may appear very much alive when they are dead in the sight of the Lord. God knows the difference. ~Vance Havner 0. Are we not all immortal till our work is done? ~Robert Murray M'Cheyne 0. Flexible people never get bent out of shape. ~Author Unknown 0. Some people come into your life as blessings, others come into your life as lessons. ~Author Unknown 0. Gratitude is the fuel of worship. ~Author Unknown 0. God gives us people to love and things to use, not things to love and people to use. ~Max Lucado 0. No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. ~C.S. Lewis 0. God can take your pain and turn it into a passion. ~Author Unknown 0. When we work, we work. When we pray, God works. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil ~it has no point. ~Author Unknown 0. When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it. ~E.W. Hove 0. We must remember that Satan has his miracles too. ~John Calvin 0. God's grace justifies sinners, but it never justifies sin! ~Joyce Meyer 0. False self is an identity based on what you have, what you do, and what others think about you. In stark contrast to this is the true self in Christ, which is who we are before God and in God ~Christ living in us, as Paul put it to the churches in Galatia (Gal. 2:20). ~Basil Pennington 0. If we don't find something greater than ourselves to serve, we will end up serving ourselves. ~Author Unknown 0. Athanasius was told, "The whole world is against you." To which he replied, "Then I am against the whole world." ~Athanasius 0. Spot the first risings of your besetting sin and kill it, till it is no more. ~John Piper 0. The one who spends the most time with Christ is the one who becomes most like Him. ~Author Unknown 0. In a sense, we are better prepared to praise God than the angels are, for angels have never known the joy of redemption. ~David Jeremiah 0. What a world this would be if God sat on a throne of justice only, and if no mercy were ever to be shown to men! ~Albert Barnes 0. The purpose of God's discipline is not to punish us but to transform us. ~Jerry Bridges 0. Boldness enables Christians to forsake all rather than Christ, and to prefer to offend all rather than to offend Him. ~Jonathan Edwards 0. In opposition... to all the suggestions of the devil, the sole, simple, and sufficient answer is the word of God. This puts to flight all the powers of darkness. ~Charles Hodge 0. The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Faith that is not evidenced by a life of integrity is not biblical faith at all. ~David Jeremiah 0. No trials are wasted in God's economy. ~Derek Prime and Alistair Begg 0. If we only spent more of our time in looking at Him we should soon forget ourselves. ~Martyn Lloyd Jones 0. Revival precedes evangelism. The church must first repent. This is the blind spot in our eye today. ~Vance Havner 0. When we sin, we are often upset, not because we have grieved the Spirit but because our pride has been injured. ~Vance Havner 0. To the average professed Christian today, living so far below normal, New Testament Christianity would be a shock. ~Vance Havner 0. God doesn't help those who help themselves; He helps those who can't help themselves! ~Joyce Meyer 0. There are many who say they want to be victorious Christians, but few are willing to endure the discipline necessary to make one a good solider of Jesus Christ. There is a prize to possess, but before we possess it there is a price to be paid, and few will pay it. ~Vance Havner 0. The Church of Christ has been founded by shedding its own blood, not that of others; by enduring outrage, not by inflicting it. Persecutions have made it grow; martyrdoms have crowned it. ~St. Jerome 0. Faith does not replace fear; it puts fear in its proper place. No one goes through life without experiencing fear, but people who fear God (and trust in Him) handle the threats and challenges of life much differently than those crippled by fear or filled with false confidence. ~Today In The Word 0. Your mind is like a bowling ball, if you aren't careful, it will go into the gutter. ~Author Unknown 0. When you squeeze a lemon, you get what is inside. When you squeeze a Christian, you get what is inside. ~Author Unknown 0. Lord, help me today not to add to anyone's burdens. ~Prayer Of A Friend of Warren Wiersbe 0. When you are born, you cry and people rejoice. When you die, people cry, and, if you are saved, you rejoice. ~Author Unknown 0. There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus. ~Blaise Pascal 0. I am prepared to meet my maker. Whether my maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter. ~Winston Churchill 0. A man's concept of God creates his attitude towards the hour in which he lives. ~G. Campbell Morgan 0. If you want to make a man happy, don't give him more possessions. Take away his desires. ~Author Unknown 0. A holy man is a mighty weapon in the hands of God. ~Robert Murray McCheyne 0. Joy is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Christ. ~William VanderHaven 0. Now since I have been converted, I am happier when I am unhappy than I was happy before I was converted. ~John McNeil 0. Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier. ~Mother Teresa 0. Pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf world. ~C.S. Lewis 0. We are so busy giving our children what we never had that we forget to give them what we did have. ~James Dobson 0. To make ends meet, put the Lord between them. ~T.J. Bach 0. If you hug to yourself any resentment against anybody else, you destroy the bridge by which God would come to you. ~Peter Marshall 0. God does not ask about our ability or inability, but our availability. ~Author Unknown 0. Men fall in private long before they fall in public. ~J.C. Ryle 0. The best way never to fall is ever to fear. ~William Jenkyn 0. You have to be little to belittle. ~Author Unknown 0. Nobody can take away from you those texts from the Bible which you have learned by heart. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. The hardest part of a missionary career is to maintain regular, prayerful Bible study. Satan will always find you something to do, when you ought to be occupied about that ~if it is only arranging a window blind! ~Hudson Taylor 0. There are four things that we ought to do with the Word of God ~admit it as the Word of God, commit it to our hearts and minds, submit to it, and transmit it to the world. ~William Wilberforce 0. Bible study is like eating peanuts. The more you eat, the more you want to eat. ~Paul Little 0. Lay hold of the Bible until the Bible lays hold on you. ~William Houghton 0. God is the God of promise. He keeps his word, even when that seems impossible; even when the circumstances seem to point to the opposite. ~Colin Urquhart 0. We hurt people by being too busy. Too busy to notice their needs. Too busy to drop that note of comfort or encouragement or assurance of love. Too busy to listen when someone needs to talk. Too busy to care. ~Billy Graham 0. If you are going through difficult times today, hold steady. It will change soon. If you are experiencing smooth sailing and easy times now, brace yourself. It will change soon. The only thing you can be certain of is change. ~James Dobson 0. Lots of people think they are charitable if they give away their old clothes and things they don't want. ~Myrtle Reed 0. The activities we do for God are secondary. God is looking for people who long for communication with Him. ~Erwin Lutzer 0. Conceit is a weird disease ~it makes everybody sick except the guy who has it. ~James Dobson 0. Pride is the ground in which all the other sins grow, and the parent from which all the other sins come. ~William Barclay 0. You can have no greater sign of confirmed pride than when you think you are humble enough. ~William Law 0. If the Lord is coming soon, is this not a very practical motive for greater missionary effort? I know of no other motive that has been so stimulating to myself. ~Hudson Taylor 0. What our Lord said about cross-bearing and obedience is not in fine type. It is in bold print on the face of the contract. ~Vance Havner 0. Set a strong guard about thy outward senses: these are Satan's landing places, especially the eye and the ear. ~William Gurnall 0. Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise Physician prescribes because we need them; and he proportions the frequency and weight of them to what the case requires. Let us trust His skill and thank Him for His prescription. ~John Newton 0. No man, without trials and temptations, can attain a true understanding of the Holy Scriptures. ~John Bunyan 0. Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear them or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don't have to compromise convictions to be compassionate. ~Rick Warren 0. To build character of purpose and integrity is our high mark, and that cannot be done in a world where there are no adverse elements. ~Vance Havner 0. One cannot help the evil thoughts that come, but it is the thoughts we cultivate that make the difference between good or evil. We don't have to open the door to the devil and say, "Make yourself at home." ~Vance Havner 0. We can often do more by doing less. God is not particularly interested in quantity production. That is an American standard, not a Bible standard. ~Vance Havner 0. Jesus Christ demands more complete allegiance than any dictator who ever lived. The difference is, He has a right to it. ~Vance Havner 0. You always enter God's hospital as a charity patient. You can't pay your way. ~Vance Havner 0. Revival precedes evangelism. The church must first repent. This is the blind spot in our eye today. ~Vance Havner 0. There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express. ~Billy Sunday 0. God's ways are behind the scenes, but He moves all the scenes which He is behind. ~John Nelson Darby 0. He is truly great who is little in his own eyes and makes nothing of the highest ~Thomas a' Kempis 0. He (Jesus) became what we are that He might make us what He is. ~Athanasius 0. If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him. ~C.T. Studd 0. The Bible is meant to be bread for daily use, not just cake for special occasions. ~Author Unknown 0. God's Word is the instrument by which God's Spirit transforms the Christian. ~Robert M. Horn 0. Even when a storm is raging around us and all things seem to be against us, we shall find that we have much for which to be thankful. ~James Snowden 0. Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. There was no one there. ~Author Unknown 0. Our efficiency without God's sufficiency is only a deficiency. ~Vance Havner 0. All other men, even the greatest, the wisest, the best, have been marked by imperfection and sin, but in Christ we have a great High Priest of absolute sinlessness, and in Him we may safely and fully trust. ~J.S. Exell 0. Spiritual maturity cannot come in a day. We cannot expect it. It takes growth, until the whole beauty of the image of Christ is formed in (us). ~Andrew Murray 0. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross. ~George Duffield 0. The truly wise man is he who always believes the Bible against the opinions of any man. ~R.A. Torrey 0. God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him. ~Andrew Murray 0. Except a man be born again, he will wish one day he had never been born at all. ~J.C. Ryle 0. Take my heart and mold it; take my mind, transform it; take my will, conform it -- to Yours, to Yours, to Yours. ~Micah Stampley (Take My Life) 0. Your words can permanently influence a life. ~Jerry Falwell 0. When it comes to helping others, some people stop at nothing. ~Author Unknown 0. If I walk with the world, I can't walk with God. ~Dwight Moody 0. His is a joy which consequences cannot quench. His is a peace which circumstances cannot steal. ~Max Lucado 0. Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Faith as [Jesus] characterized it is nothing less than a complete exchange of all that we are for all that He is. ~John MacArthur 0. Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading. ~Oswald Chambers 0. If the Lord is your shepherd, He is sufficient for all your needs. ~Tony Evans 0. I was like a stone that lies in deep mud, and He who is mighty came and in His compassion raised me up and exalted me very high and placed me on the top of the wall. ~St. Patrick 0. If you and I are to be used in our sphere as D.L. Moody was used in his, we must put all that we have and all that we are in the hands of God, for Him to use as He will. ~R.A. Torrey 0. A man may hide God from himself, and yet he cannot hide himself from God. ~William Secker 0. Having a child means a piece of your heart is walking around in the world. ~Author Unknown 0. The world does not hate its own. It does hate our Lord. It hates His followers. Where do you belong in this lineup? ~Vance Havner 0. It has been estimated that most people speak enough words in one week to fill a large 500 page book. In the average lifetime, this would amount to 3,000 volumes or 1,500,000 pages. Let me ask you a question. What kind of book did you write today for your children ~your spouse ~your friends and co-workers? Did you use words to encourage someone today? ~Mary Southerland 0. Paul was not ignorant of Satan's devices, but we are not so wise. Among his most successful devices today are these: exalting tolerance above truth; emphasizing the head more than the heart; making size more important than sort; stressing the positive to the neglect of the negative; putting happiness above holiness; majoring on this world instead of the next. ~Vance Havner 0. Our love grows soft if it is not strengthened by truth, and our truth grows hard if it is not softened by love. ~John Stott 0. We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. ~C.S. Lewis 0. The commands of God are all designed to make us more happy than we can possibly be without them. ~Thomas Wilson 0. To Christ we are to be always coming; upon Him always relying; to His precious blood always looking. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. The true measure of God's love is that He loves without measure. ~Author Unknown 0. I thought I could have leaped from earth to heaven at one spring when I first saw my sins drowned in the Redeemer's blood. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. He (God) may sometimes chasten us, it is true, but even this He does with a smile, the proud, tender smile of a Father who is bursting with pleasure over an imperfect but promising son who is coming every day to look more and more like the One whose child he is. ~A.W. Tozer 0. He (God) loved us not because we are lovable, but because He is love. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Eternal life does not begin with death; it begins with faith. ~Samuel Shoemaker 0. O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. ~Joseph Scriven 0. Prayer and praise are the oars by which a man may row his boat into the deep waters of the knowledge of Christ. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Abiding fully means praying much. ~Andrew Murray 0. To see a man humble under prosperity is one of the greatest rarities in the world. ~John Flavel 0. We reverence God and we hallow God's name when our life is such that it brings honor to God and attracts others to Him. ~William Barclay 0. There is a living God. He has spoken in the Bible. He means what He says and will do all He has promised. ~Hudson Taylor 0. Two great tests of character are wealth and poverty. ~Author Unknown 0. It is a great thing to be a really good forgiver. ~F.W. Boreham 0. When the problem is worry, the prescription is prayer. ~David Jeremiah 0. Gratitude develops faith. The surest path out of a slump is marked by the road sign "thank you, God." ~Max Lucado 0. The door is closed to prayer unless it is opened with the key of trust. ~John Calvin 0. Wisdom is the capacity to see things from God's viewpoint. ~Charles Stanley 0. To some, Christianity is an argument. To many, it is a performance. To a few, it is an experience. ~Vance Havner 0. God is not committed to our comfort, but He is committed to our character. ~Author Unknown 0. I have often been reminded of the wild duck that came down on migration into a barnyard and liked it so well that he stayed there. In the fall his erstwhile companions passed overhead and his first impulse was to rise and join them, but he had fed too well and could rise no higher than the eaves of the barn. The day came when his old fellow travelers could pass overhead without his even hearing their call. I have seen men and women who once mounted up with wings like eagles but are now content to live in the barnyard of this world. ~Vance Havner 0. Trials are to see if you believe what you say you believe. ~Tony Evans 0. There is no panic in Heaven! God has no problems, only plans. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. You need to be moving if you want God to show you which way to go. ~Joyce Meyer 0. We should stop just taking "a moment of silence." Its time to cry out on our knees for God to intervene in our evil world. It's ok to pray silently, but during days like these we should pray together with our families, our classmates, co-workers and our friends as a nation. Just stop what we are doing and actually PRAY. CRY OUT to Him for healing in our country. ~My Daughter (After 26 children and teachers were murdered in a school shooting on 12-14-12) 0. Christ is worth all, or he is worth nothing. ~George Whitefield 0. In light of God's promises, believers who refuse to give obediently don't have a money problem ~they have a trust problem. ~Rod Rogers 0. He who has the Holy Spirit in His heart and the Scripture in his hands has all he needs. ~Alexander MacLaren 0. Men are free to decide their own moral choices, but they are also under the necessity to account to God for those choices. ~A.W. Tozer 0. The world asks, "What does a man own?" Christ asks, "How does he use it? ~Andrew Murray 0. Everything in life is a test of character. ~John Blanchard 0. Generosity is a lovely attribute, and we only practice it when relationships are more important to us than our possessions. ~Michael Wright 0. Wouldn't it be a tragedy to get to the top of the ladder and find you placed it against the wrong wall? ~Henry Blackaby 0. The highest honor in the church is not government but service. ~John Calvin 0. With eternal investments there is never a loss of principle or principal. ~David Jeremiah 0. I judge all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity. ~John Wesley 0. Mine eyes look toward the mountains, help cometh from on high, from God who never slumbers, whose care is ever nigh. ~Author Unknown 0. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don't recommend Christianity. ~C.S. Lewis 0. We must surrender ourselves so utterly that we can never own ourselves again. We must hand over self and all its rights in an eternal covenant, and give God the absolute right to own us, control us and possess us forever. ~A.B. Simpson 0. If in Jesus Christ you trust, speak for Him you surely must. ~Author Unknown 0. Too much preaching nowadays pats the back and tickles the ear, but does not get under the skin. There is no conviction and therefore no conversion. I am thinking not only of the ministry of reproof and rebuke but also of the message of inspiration, of encouragement, of comfort. People go out of church at noon with the depths unstirred, the heart untouched, the conscience unpricked. ~Vance Havner 0. Faith is believing that God is present when all we hear is silence. ~Daily Bread 0. The same God who brought you here is the same God that will take you there! Stop worrying about how and trust Him. He who promised is faithful! ~Christine Caine 0. Recently I prayed, "Lord, I want to know your peace at all costs. I won't listen to the devil's lies any longer. I know my salvation is not in my performance. No, Jesus, you alone plead my case. I rest in what you've done for me." Can you say the same by faith? ~David Wilkerson 0. We must never promise ourselves any more than God has promised us. ~Matthew Henry 0. Daniel gave all the glory to God; he took none of it for himself. There is no limit to what God will do for the believer who will let God have all the glory. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. There is a certain kind of maturity that can be attained only through the discipline of suffering. ~D.A. Carson 0. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and they that lack the beginning have neither middle nor end ~John Bunyan 0. Legalistic remorse says, "I broke God's rules," while real repentance says, "I broke God's heart." ~Tim Keller 0. Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. ~Helen Keller 0. No life is great that does not point to Christ. ~Vance Havner 0. Satan's lie is still the same today: "You can be free. Do whatever you want. It is your life. There are no divine laws; no absolute authority; and above all, no judgment. You will surely not die." ~John MacArthur 0. We need to take down our "Do not disturb" signs... snap out of our stupor and come out of our coma and awake from our apathy. ~Vance Havner 0. Nobody can call himself a Christian who does not worship Jesus. ~John Stott 0. Do not let your peace depend on what people say of you... True peace and joy is to be found in [Jesus] alone. ~Thomas a' Kempis 0. Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. ~Augustine 0. One filled with joy, preaches without preaching. ~Mother Teresa 0. Ask God to fill your mouth with the words you need to say today. No issue is so small that it doesn't require God's wisdom. ~Joyce Meyer 0. Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer 0. If the devil cannot keep you from being saved, if next he fails to make you backslide, then he undertakes to keep you just an average Christian. Here he succeeds with most believers. ~Vance Havner 0. Stealing = robbing God of a chance to work through our weakness. ~Jack Pladdys (including things we don't think about like time, tithes, service) 0. Fixing our thoughts on Jesus requires time, for true reflection cannot happen with a glance. No one can see the beauty of the country if he hurries through it on the interstate. ~R. Kent Hughes 0. Tolerance once meant that we could use our reason to discern good and evil in open debate. Today tolerance has been used to call good evil and evil good. ~Chuck Colson 0. The Bible without the Holy Spirit is a sundial by moonlight. ~D.L. Moody 0. The Bible is a living book... not only a written word, but a spiritually living word. ~Erich Sauer 0. You will never understand why God does what He does, but if you believe Him, that is all that is necessary. Let us learn to trust Him for who He is. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. Renewal and revival often begin when young people take a stand for God. ~Jim Burns 0. There is nothing worse than a life filled with adversity from which nothing good ever comes. ~Charles Stanley 0. We simply can't trust God's power fully until we experience it in the midst of our crisis. ~David Wilkerson 0. If our lives are easy, and if all we ever attempt for God is what we know we can handle, how will we ever experience His omnipotence in our lives? ~Anne Graham Lotz 0. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New. ~Francis Bacon 0. We tend to become what the most important person in our life thinks we will become. Think the best, believe the best, and express the best in others. Your affirmation will not only make you more attractive to them, but you will help play an important part in their personal development. ~John Maxwell 0. The dark moments of our life will last only as long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us. ~Charles Stanley 0. -- But then I realize there is never going to be a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says, 'I wish you would have kept more for yourself.' I'm confident that God will take care of me. ~From "Radical" by David Platt 0. Do you believe that Jesus is worth abandoning everything for? Do you believe him enough to obey him and to follow him wherever he leads, even when the crowds in our culture ~maybe even our churches ~turn the other way? ~David Platt 0. I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me every time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God, it changes me. ~C.S. Lewis 0. God is using your present circumstances to make you more useful for later roles in His unfolding story. ~Louis Giglio 0. I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait. ~C.S. Lewis 0. The key that unlocks the treasure chest of God's peace is faith in the promises of God. ~John Piper 0. Worry is not believing God will get it right, and bitterness is believing God got it wrong. ~Tim Keller 0. The early Church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. God, in the end, gives people what they most want, including freedom from himself. What could be more fair? ~C.S. Lewis 0. Hell is not filled with people who are deeply sorry for their sins. It is filled with people who for all eternity still shake their puny fist in the face of God Almighty. ~D.A. Carson 0. How much larger your life would be if you were smaller in it... ~G.K. Chesterton 0. There are many of us willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us willing to do little things. ~D.L. Moody 0. If we esteem them too highly, good works can become the greatest idolatry. ~Martin Luther 0. Limit your thinking and expectation today to only the things God can do. ~Louie Giglio 0. Brokenness is the bow from which God launches the arrow of healing. ~Louis Giglio 0. God's purposes and plans will not fail. Before you spend all your prayer time telling Him about yours, ask about His. ~Louie Giglio 0. There is a direct correlation between your appreciation of what Christ has done for you and the expression of worship ~Louie Giglio 0. No big shocker that following Jesus is costly. The best things in life always are. ~Louie Giglio 0. Be outrageous enough to trust God. Don't be adjusting your vision downward. Keep believing for radical things in Christ. ~Brian C. Houston 0. If you argue with a madman, it is extremely probable that you will get the worst of it; for in many ways his mind moves all the quicker for not being delayed by the things that go with good judgment. ~G.K. Chesterton 0. Tolerance is the virtue of a man without convictions. ~G.K. Chesterton 0. If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction, and it's not so bad. ~C.S. Lewis 0. We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves. ~David Platt 0. In the midst of your battles, never forget that God loves you and He has a plan for you. ~Joyce Meyer 0. All the world's thrones are occupied by rulers under God's authority. ~John Blanchard 0. God is not always a God of immediate justice, but He is a God of ultimate justice. ~John Blanchard 0. Perish each thought of human pride, let God alone be magnified. ~Philip Doddridge 0. It is only the life that is lost for Him that is found in Him. ~Vance Havner 0. Blessed is that Christian who can accept at the start by simple faith that which others reach only through years of questioning and reach it only then because they give up trying to analyze it and decide to accept it. ~Vance Havner 0. You can be sure that your deepest desires reveal important truths about your spiritual condition. ~Tullian Tchividjian 0. If you want to stop an argument, close your mouth. ~Charles Swindoll 0. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you. ~C.S. Lewis 0. The primary limitation in life is our low expectations for ourselves and others. When we expect minimum results, that's usually what we get. ~John Maxwell 0. When we receive Christ as our Savior, we receive absolute assurance that we will spend eternity with God. That assurance gives us the hope and the courage to endure sorrow, disappointment, and dangerous, difficult times. ~Joel Rosenberg 0. The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. ~Winston Churchill 0. For every look at self, take 10 looks at Christ. ~Robert Murray McCheyne 0. A high regard for the things of this world always signals a lowering regard for God. ~Beth Moore 0. You never know how much you really believe anything until it's truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you. ~C.S. Lewis 0. His enemies had counted on the lions taking care of Daniel. What they hadn't counted on was his God taking care of Daniel. ~Tony Evans 0. What repeatedly enters your mind and occupies your mind, eventually shapes your mind, and will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you become. ~John Ortberg 0. The fundamental deception of Satan is the lie that obedience can never bring happiness. ~R.C. Sproul 0. No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. We must never settle for harmony at the expense of holiness, nor for peace at the expense of principle. ~John Bradford 0. Pray = Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield ~Author Unknown 0. God loves you more in a moment than anyone could in a lifetime. ~Author Unknown 0. If you are God's child, you are no longer bound to your past or to what you were. You're a new creature in Jesus Christ. ~Kay Arthur 0. I need the spiritual revival that comes from spending quiet time alone with Jesus in prayer and in thoughtful meditation on His Word. ~Anne Graham Lotz 0. One of the best ways to encourage someone who's hurting is with your ears ~by listening. ~Barbara Johnson 0. Bad habits are easier to make than they are to break. ~Author Unknown 0. Those persons who know the deep peace of God, the unfathomable peace that passeth all understanding, are always men and women of much prayer. ~R.A. Torrey 0. The essence of sin is arrogance; the essence of salvation is submission. ~Alan Redpath 0. Suffering times are a Christian's harvest time. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. The Christian faith is ultimately not only a matter of doctrine or understanding or of intellect, it is a condition of the heart. ~D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones 0. Most of us are far too busy for our own spiritual good. ~Bill Hybels 0. In Him (God), history and prophecy are one and the same. ~A.W. Tozer 0. In reading our newspapers today, we can see how God is setting the table, getting everything in order, preparing the way for Christ to return. ~David Jeremiah 0. Bible prophecy helps us to better understand the future and realize the urgent need to spread the Gospel. It motivates us to personal purity and gives us hope in a hopeless age. ~Tim LaHaye 0. Stress makes you believe that everything has to happen right now. Faith reassures that everything will happen in God's timing. ~Author Unknown 0. I do not judge a man by the friends that he has. I judge him by the enemies that he makes. And, if he has the right enemies, he's the right kind of man. ~Author Unknown 0. Stop focusing on what's wrong with everyone else and start focusing on how blessed you are. ~Joyce Meyer 0. What grows us up is what puts us down. ~Charles Stanley 0. I suspect that much of our praying to be used is selfish, and underneath it is the sneaking desire to make our mark and be recognized. ~Vance Havner 0. God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him. ~Hudson Taylor 0. The problem of the church today is not that the Gospel has lost its power, but that the church has lost its audience. ~Paul Little 0. There is no wisdom but that which is focused on the fear of God. ~John Calvin 0. Nothing causes us to so nearly resemble God as the forgiveness of injuries. ~John Chrysostom 0. Nothing in all the world is so good as the knowledge and love of Christ, and no pleasure that can be enjoyed equal to the joy of serving Him with all one's heart. ~Susan Warner 0. God has a time for everything, a perfect schedule. He is never too soon, never too late. The when of His will is as important as the what and the how. ~Richard C. Halverson 0. We have to believe it enough that it changes how we live. ~Francis Chan 0. The Christian must recognize that there are no degrees in right or wrong. ~Donald Grey Barnhouse 0. Marriage is a perpetual test of character. ~Author Unknown 0. If you would train your children rightly, train them in the way they should go and not in the way they would. ~J.C. Ryle 0. As long as you want anything very much, especially more than you want God, it is an idol. ~A.B. Simpson 0. This generation must get deadly serious about the problem of Biblical illiteracy. ~Albert Mohler 0. Before we can strengthen believers or win the lost, we must be converted from the self-life to the Christ-life. . . "Not I, but Christ." ~Vance Havner 0. God has a place and purpose for you, somewhere for you to be and something for you to do. You never will be happy elsewhere, nor can you please God anywhere but there. ~Vance Havner 0. What gives the Word of God authority is simply the fact that it is the word of God! ~Vance Havner 0. Jesus has enough, is enough, and will be enough. ~Louis Giglio 0. Jesus died for you in public, so don't live for Him in private. ~Author Unknown 0. Nothing, therefore, happens unless the Omnipotent wills it to happen. He either permits it to happen, or He brings it about Himself. ~Augustine 0. Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence. ~Augustine 0. Happiness comes from holiness. You can't truly be happy unless you're hungry for Jesus Christ. ~David Jeremiah 0. Nothing is needed so much as a holy indignation against sin. It is true that there is not enough love for God, and one sign of it is that there is not enough hatred for sin. ~Vance Havner 0. The chief purpose of prayer is that God may be glorified in the answer. ~R.A. Torrey 0. Faith isn't the ability to believe long and far into the misty future. It's simply taking God at His Word and taking the next step. ~Joni Eareckson Tada 0. What higher approval could a person enjoy than to know that what he or she has done is pleasing to God? ~R.C. Sproul 0. Take courage. We walk in the wilderness today and in the Promised Land tomorrow. ~D.L. Moody 0. Suffering prepares you by training you to trust God and know that He is always at work in your life. ~Charles Stanley 0. Thou who hast given so much to me, give one more thing: a grateful heart. ~George Herbert 0. Let's keep our chins up and our knees down ~we're on the victory side. ~Alan Redpath 0. Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice... It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of a complaint. ~Henry Nouwen 0. If worship does not change us it has not been worship. ~Richard J. Foster 0. Remember that God is more interested in "heart" than "art" in your singing ~or in whatever ministry you possess. ~Turning Points Magazine 0. The person who fears God seeks to live all of life to the glory of God... All the activities of life should be pursued with the aim of glorifying God. ~Jerry Bridges 0. Do all things without grumbling. Why? You have a sovereign God who is on your side, who works everything together for your good. ~John Piper 0. Most men are notable for one conspicuous virtue or grace ~Moses for meekness, Job for patience, John for love. But, in Jesus you find everything. ~J. Oswald Sanders 0. We should be always wearing the garment of praise, not just waving a palm branch now and then. ~Andrew Bonar 0. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless. ~Billy Graham 0. God does not delight in our sufferings. He brings only that which is necessary, but He does not shrink from that which will help us grow. ~Jerry Bridges 0. You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside. ~Oswald Chambers 0. Christians are in the world to be witnesses, and they must concentrate on their calling. ~Paul B. Smith 0. God... Please keep my eyes focused on the only target worth hitting -- Christlikeness! ~Johnny Hunt 0. Never ruin an apology with an excuse. ~Benjamin Franklin 0. If we want to be thoroughly hot with zeal, we must go near to the furnace of the Saviour's love. ~Lady Powerscourt 0. Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers. ~J. Sidlow Baxter 0. To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees. ~Billy Graham 0. Prayer requires more of the heart than of the tongue. ~Adam Clarke 0. A person without prayer is like a tree without roots. ~Augustine 0. Worship is an endeavor to bring to God that which costs you something. ~David Jeremiah 0. Who knows who's waiting right now for one of us to invite them into God's family? ~Louie Giglio 0. Heaven's riches are moth-proof, rustproof, and burglar proof. ~John Blanchard 0. If we put off our repentance to another day, we have a day more to repent of, and a day less to repent. ~John Mason 0. But isn't it wrong to be motivated by reward? No, it isn't. If it were wrong, Christ wouldn't offer it to us a motivation. ~Randy Alcorn 0. When Christ returns, and only then, will the angel's message to the shepherds be totally fulfilled: Peace on earth, goodwill toward men. ~David Jeremiah 0. When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you're slamming the door in the face of God. ~Charles L. Allen 0. Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter. ~Francis Chan 0. We are so prone to expect to become good Christians by some sudden experience that lifts us all at once to higher ground without the gradual climb. We forget that we are to "grow in grace" and that normal growth is not a matter of fits and starts. ~Vance Havner 0. The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable. ~Brennan Manning 0. A little lie is like a little pregnancy it doesn't take long before everyone knows. ~C.S. Lewis 0. Groanings which cannot be uttered are often prayers that cannot be refused. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Integrity is keeping my commitments even if the circumstances when I made those commitments have changed. ~David Jeremiah 0. I will therefore be prepared at all times for that which may come at any time. ~Author Unknown 0. All around you are people whose lives are filled with trouble and sorrow, and they need your compassion and encouragement. ~Billy Graham 0. There is no one so far lost that Jesus cannot find him and cannot save him. ~Andrew Murray 0. Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth. ~Book Of Common Prayer 0. Pride of gifts robs us of God's blessing in the use of them. ~William Gurnall 0. When it comes to leaving earth for heaven, there's nothing to worry about. God wants you home so much that He'll send His own angel to meet you. And don't be surprised if the angel is wearing a big smile. ~Larry Libby 0. Let thy hope of heaven master thy fear of death. ~William Gurnall 0. To throw the Christian into the furnace is to put him into Christ's parlor; for lo! Jesus Christ is walking with him. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. You must go forward on your knees. ~Hudson Taylor 0. We must meet the uncertainties of this world with the certainty of the world to come. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Before we can pray, "Thy kingdom come," we must be willing to pray, My kingdom go. ~Alan Redpath 0. We break our promises to one another. We break our promises to God. But God never breaks His promises to us. ~R.C. Sproul 0. When a man makes alliance with the Almighty, giants look like grasshoppers. ~Vance Havner 0. From Genesis to Revelation, here's the central message: God Almighty, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God, the Triune God is in control of all things, period. ~Charles Stanley 0. If we want to be comforted, we must make up our minds to believe every single solitary word of comfort God has ever spoken. ~Hannah Whitall Smith 0. He is preeminent in creation because He is the Creator. He is preeminent in redemption for He is the Redeemer. He is preeminent in the church because He is the One who gave Himself for the church. ~J. Vernon McGee 0. God's way is still the best way. ~Zig Ziglar 0. We dare not limit God in our asking, nor in His answering. ~John Blanchard 0. None of us can come to the highest maturity without enduring the summer heat of trials. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Read the Bible with reverence. Think, every line you read, God is speaking to you. ~Thomas Watson 0. Not everyone is your brother or sister in the faith, but everyone is your neighbor, and you must love your neighbor. ~Timothy Keller 0. He stated His message boldly and forcefully, without compromise, whether He was speaking to the lowest outcast of society or a member of the Pharisee elite. Jesus was no respecter of persons. ~Michael Youssef 0. We must come to good works by faith, and not to faith by good works. ~William Gurnall 0. It is not necessary to blow out your neighbor's light to let your own light shine. ~M.R. De Haan 0. Satan must be defeated in the arena he dominates, this world. So Christ was sent into this world to destroy Satan's works. ~Charles Ryrie 0. Faith tells me that no matter what lies ahead of me, God is already there. ~Author Unknown 0. Whatever is your greatest joy and treasure, that is your god. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Every Christian who keeps looking up stretches his heart's capacity for Heaven. ~Joni Eareckson Tada 0. Fellowship with God means warfare with the world. ~Charles E. Fuller 0. If we understood what happens when we use the Word of God, we would use it oftener. ~Oswald Chambers 0. I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk about, when I lie down and when I rise up. And the answers are always coming. ~George Muller 0. The moment someone chooses to trust in Jesus Christ, his sins are wiped away, and he is adopted into God's family. That individual is set apart as a child of God, with a sacred purpose. ~Charles Stanley 0. Happiness doesn't result from what we get, but from what we give. ~Ben Carson 0. Faith is like the hand of the beggar that takes the gift while adding nothing to it. ~Thomas Chalmers 0. How then can we deal with our tendency toward worldliness? It is not by determining that we will not be worldly, but by committing ourselves to becoming more godly. ~Jerry Bridges 0. A deep and sober concern to please God is the rarest of rarities. ~Vance Havner 0. I know of nothing which I would choose to have as the subject of my ambition for life than to be kept faithful to my God till death. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. When faithfulness is most difficult, it is most necessary. ~Author Unknown 0. Be encouraged to be an encourager. It's a spiritual art that everyone can learn. And mostly you learn by practicing it. ~Jill Briscoe 0. The promises of God are His guarantees amid life's uncertainties. They're the basis of all our life of faith. ~David Jeremiah 0. Too often we concentrate only on the things we can see now; but our focus should be on that place we can only envision, but will enjoy for all eternity. ~David Jeremiah 0. Love me when I least deserve it because that is when I really need it. ~Swedish Proverb 0. If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshipping an idealized version of yourself. ~Timothy Keller 0. We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God. ~John Stott 0. A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone. ~Billy Graham 0. We have always needed old people to keep things from going too fast and young people to keep them from going too slow. Youth has fire and age has light and we need both. ~Vance Havner 0. You'll never be a perfect parent, but you can be a praying parent. ~Mark Batterson 0. Walking by faith will cause all of us to recognize that as children of God we are just pilgrims and strangers down here on this earth. ~J. Vernon McGee 0. God's mercy and grace give me hope ~for myself, and for our world. ~Billy Graham 0. Blessedness does not lie in externals. ~Thomas Watson 0. God made life, and God alone can tell us its meaning. ~J.I. Packer 0. Thank God, He does not measure grace out in teaspoons. ~Amy Carmichael 0. I do not know if there is a more dreadful word in the English language than that word "lost." ~Charles Spurgeon 0. If your prayers haven't been answered, it doesn't mean they won't be answered. In fact, they may have already been answered, but just not in the way you wanted or expected them to be. ~Stormie Omartian 0. Because the Lord loves us He chastens and rebukes us. Modern sentimentality has reduced God to a tolerant indulgent grandfatherly being who winks at our transgressions. ~Vance Havner 0. One of the greatest errors in the church today is the artificial distinction we have created between accepting Christ as Savior and confessing Him as Lord. We have made two experiences of it, but the New Testament makes them one. ~Vance Havner 0. Just as the roots of trees take firmer hold when they are contending with the wind; so faith takes firmer hold when it struggles with adverse appearances. ~Robert Murray McChayne 0. As you study your Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit, and live out the truths that God reveals to you, you will discover new stability, strength, and confidence. ~Kay Arthur 0. Jesus is coming back, it could even be today. ~David Jeremiah 0. The world today may have big problems, but what would it have been like had not hundreds of thousands of Christians given their lives sacrificially... to meet its physical and spiritual needs? ~Patrick Johnstone 0. Persecution, in short, is like the goldsmith's stamp on real silver and gold ~it is one of the marks of a converted man. ~J.C. Ryle 0. Yes, Satan is real, but so is Christ, and someday Satan will be defeated and Christ will rule forever. Don't be deceived, but open your heart and mind to Jesus Christ, and put your life into His hands. ~Billy Graham 0. Popularity has killed more prophets than persecution. ~Vance Havner 0. Every believer is a witness whether he wants to be or not. ~Donald G. Barnhouse 0. God's plan will continue on God's schedule. ~A.W. Tozer 0. What will finally destroy us is not communism or fascism, but man acting like God. ~Malcolm Muggeridge 0. There are powers that can counterfeit almost everything in the Christian life. ~D. Martin Lloyd ~Jones 0. The middle of the road is a poor place to walk. It is a poor place to drive. It is a poor place to live. ~Vance Havner 0. God uses the tension, complexity, and challenge of doing His kingdom work to transform us into champions. ~Christine Caine 0. In Christian marriage, love is not an option. It is a duty. ~R.C. Sproul 0. How much would our churches be transformed if each of us made it a practice to thank God for others and then to tell those others what it is about them that we thank God for? ~D.A. Carson 0. Don't be too quick to judge inconvenient circumstances in your life. God may be at work to protect you from something more serious. ~Turning Points Devotional 0. The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Problems patiently endured will work for our spiritual perfecting. ~A.W.Tozer 0. To know that nothing happens in God's world apart from God's will may frighten the godless, but it stabilizes the saints. ~J.I. Packer 0. The path to blessing and honor always goes through the land of testing and obedience. Stay on that path and trust God for where it leads. Be faithful in the little and difficult things on the way. ~Turning Points Devotional 0. God's plans reach from an eternity past to an eternity to come. Let Him take His own time. ~William S. Plumer 0. Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see. ~William Newton Clarke 0. There's not a single fear, thought, feeling or need that's too big or too small for Jesus. He wants you to tell Him what's on your heart. ~Jeremy Camp 0. Avail yourself of the greatest privilege this side of heaven. Jesus Christ died to make this communion and communication with the Father possible. ~Billy Graham (on prayer) 0. Prayer is the key for the day; the lock of the night. ~Thomas Fuller 0. Prayer is the answer to every problem there is. ~Oswald Chambers 0. Trouble is one of God's great servants because it reminds us how much we continually need the Lord. ~Jim Cymbala 0. Passion is the degree of difficulty we are willing to endure to accomplish the goal. ~Louis Giglio 0. Greater is He that is in you than anything that surrounds you. ~Christine Caine 0. When you're trying to achieve a goal, negative people will just bring you down. Surround yourself with the positive. ~Dave Ramsey 0. When you follow God's will for your life, you can see how yesterday's events prepared you for today's challenges and tomorrow's opportunities. ~David Jeremiah 0. In the darkest times of your life, your praise to God should be the loudest. Let the enemy know you're not afraid of the dark. ~Stormie Omartian 0. We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer 0. Every miracle in the Bible first started as a problem. ~Author Unknown 0. Make this a matter of prayer. Ask God to give you a burden for souls. ~Lee Roberson 0. When we surrender to His timing, He does mighty things in and for us, according to His will and His timing. God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. ~Charles Stanley 0. Real true faith is man's weakness leaning on God's strength. ~D.L. Moody 0. Christians have more in Jesus than just a great spiritual leader; we have a practical and effective leadership model for all organizations, for all people, for all situations. ~Ken Blanchard 0. If you stand on the Word, you do not stand with the world. ~Vance Havner 0. There's never been a better time to live for Christ. ~David Jeremiah 0. If your life is jammed with activities, there's a good chance you're doing some things God really hasn't assigned. ~David Jeremiah 0. We all have skills and abilities that God wants to use in ways we haven't imagined. ~David Jeremiah 0. The greatest surprise in life to me is the brevity of life. ~Billy Graham 0. Heaven is more than your destination; it's a motivation. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. God has given us many truths in the Bible, but His final word to all of us is Jesus! Every answer to every problem is found in Jesus. ~Jim Cymbala 0. When was the last time you heard a testimony of someone in your church who was dramatically changed by the power of the Gospel? For some of you, it was last Sunday. But for too many people, the answer requires a long memory, and such testimonies are increasingly rare. ~Jim Cymbala 0. Would you like to know who is the greatest saint in the world? It isn't he who prays most or fasts most. It isn't he who gives most. But it is he who is always thankful to God, who receives everything as an instrument of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for it. ~William Law 0. Where there is a reason for gratitude, there can always be found a reason for bitterness. It is here that we're faced with the freedom to make a decision. We can decide to be bitter or grateful. ~Henry Nouwen 0. Unquestionably, the best evidence of a Spirit-filled life is giving thanks in everything! Spirit-filled men and women simply do not fall into the category of "grumblers, "whiners," or "complainers." ~David Jeremiah 0. No matter how dark the clouds of our spiritual battle get, we serve a mighty and victorious King. ~David Jeremiah 0. True love isn't based on the appeal of the recipient but on the grace of the giver. ~David Jeremiah 0. We're never certain of courage until we're tested with a crisis. ~David Jeremiah 0. Today is the day to be a light shining in a dark world, fueled by the joy of the Lord. ~David Jeremiah 0. If God could change, He wouldn't be perfect, for change implies development or decline, one or the other. God does neither. ~David Jeremiah 0. To insist on our own way betrays a lack of faith in our Lord's omniscience. ~David Jeremiah 0. Jesus has chosen to leave His handprints on the world through our hands. ~David Jeremiah 0. We couldn't get to where God intends us to go without adversity. ~David Jeremiah 0. We never face a situation for which God has not supplied specific promises that provide mercy and grace to help in time of need. ~David Jeremiah 0. We're here because today God wants us to shape the future. ~David Jeremiah 0. When our own biographies are finished and our stories are told, may those who knew us say: That was a person who rejoiced always, prayed without ceasing, and gave thanks in all things; that was a person who carried out the will of God in Christ Jesus. ~David Jeremiah 0. Those of us who know the biblical story know that God is in control. ~David Jeremiah 0. We get into danger when we are tempted to elevate the approval of other people over the approval of God. ~David Jeremiah 0. Our wise God knows how to say "No" too. His "No's" are always in our best interest, but sometimes it doesn't feel that way. ~David Jeremiah 0. Nothing changes the fact that our King and Priest rules, reigns, and intercedes; and He administers the ages according to an overriding plan. ~David Jeremiah 0. Our constraining love and compelling message must be reinforced with personal holiness. ~David Jeremiah 0. We should not live our Christian life as if we are unaware of the victory that is ours. ~David Jeremiah 0. A Christian who appreciates God's creation has a greater experience in a canoe that an unsaved man on a yacht. ~David Jeremiah 0. The Bible tells us to come out from among them and be separate. Is any habit in your life hindering your witness today? ~David Jeremiah 0. Although I have shared Christ personally with many thousands of people through the years, I am rather a reserved person and I do not always find it easy to witness. But I have made this my practice, and I urge you to do the same: Assume that whenever you are alone with another person for more than a few moments, you are there by divine appointment to explain to that person the love and forgiveness he can know through faith in Jesus Christ. ~Bill Bright 0. I look upon this world as a wrecked vessel. Its ruin is getting nearer and nearer. God said to me, "Moody, here's a lifeboat. Go out and rescue as many as you can before the ship sinks." ~D.L. Moody 0. Attempt something so great for God, it's doomed to failure unless God is in it. ~Dr. John Haggai 0. I have found that people everywhere, all over the world, will respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ if we present it simply, with Christian compassion. ~Billy Graham 0. For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong. ~Charles Kettering 0. Mountaintops inspire leaders, but valleys mature them. ~Lecrae 0. Never let success get to your head. Never let failure get to your heart. ~Lecrae 0. Satan loves nothing better than to capitalize on our fears and blow them way out of proportion. ~David Jeremiah 0. Satan's goal in spiritual warfare is not to hurt you. His goal is to hurt your perception of God. ~David Jeremiah 0. God has promised to work all things together for our good; but He has not promised to explain all the machinery behind that promise. ~David Jeremiah 0. The child of God has only one dread ~to offend his Father; only one desire ~to please and delight in Him. ~Charles Bridges 0. No man is qualified to be a disciple of Christ, until he has been divested of self. ~John Calvin 0. The more reverence we have for the Word of God, the more joy we shall find in it. ~Matthew Henry 0. How can you know when you are trusting in man rather than in God? If you fall apart when someone else lets you down, or if the actions of others affect your walk with God, then you know you are leaning on the arm of flesh! ~David Wilkerson 0. Do not trust in someone or something other than God to bring you happiness and hope. What you think will solve your problem might only make you feel worse. ~David Wilkerson 0. Our Lord is searching for people who will make a difference. Christians dare not be mediocre. We dare not dissolve into the background or blend into the neutral scenery of the world. ~Charles Swindoll 0. Next time you're disappointed, don't panic. Don't give up. Don't run away. Be patient and let God remind you he's still in control. ~Max Lucado 0. Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. ~Oswald Chambers 0. Life will be made or broken at the place where we meet and deal with obstacles. ~E Stanley Jones 0. One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak. ~G.K. Chesterton 0. Submit each day to God, knowing that He is God over all your tomorrows. ~Kay Arthur 0. How many people have you made homesick for God? ~Oswald Chambers 0. There is nothing more appealing or convincing to a watching world than to hear the testimony of someone who has just been with Jesus. ~Henry Blackaby 0. The greatest test of a man's character is his tongue. ~Oswald Chambers 0. You will never be called upon to give anyone more grace than God has already given you. ~Max Lucado 0. Often, in the midst of great problems, we stop short of the real blessing God has for us, which is a fresh blessing of who He is. ~Anne Graham Lotz 0. A disciple is a follower of Christ. That means you take on His priorities as your own. His agenda becomes your agenda. His mission becomes your mission. ~Charles Stanley 0. When feeling becomes the dominant force in a relationship, the relationship is bound for trouble because feelings change. ~Ed Young 0. A healthy fear of God will do much to deter us from sin. ~Charles Swindoll 0. Comparison is the root of all feelings of inferiority. ~James Dobson 0. When God is silent, you have only one reasonable option: trust Him. Hang in there, and wait on Him. He may be quiet, but He has not quit on you. ~Charles Stanley 0. Life is a series of choices between the bad, the good, and the best. Everything depends on how we choose. ~Vance Havner 0. You were born with a tremendous potential. When you were born again through faith in Jesus Christ, God added spiritual gifts to your natural talents. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. When I met Christ, I felt that I had swallowed sunshine. ~E. Stanley Jones 0. Set goals so big that unless God helps you, you will be a miserable failure. ~Bill Bright 0. Be so preoccupied with God's will that you haven't room for ill will. ~E. Stanley Jones 0. Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. There is nothing anybody else can do that can stop God from using us. We can turn everything into a testimony. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Weave the unveiling fabric of God's Word through your heart and mind. It will hold strong, even if the rest of life unravels. ~Gigi Graham Tchividjian 0. There are four words I wish we would never forget, and they are, "God keeps His word." ~Charles Swindoll 0. When you persevere through a trial, God gives you a special measure of insight. ~Charles Swindoll 0. We will never be happy until we make God the source of our fulfillment and the answer to our longings. ~Stormie Omartian 0. Self is the root, the branches, and the tree of all the evil of our fallen state. ~Andrew Murray 0. Bitterness only makes suffering worse and closes the spiritual channels through which God can pour His grace. ~Warren Wiersbe 0. It's not my ability, but my response to God's ability that counts. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. The Christian faith is not a way to explain, enjoy or endure this world, but to overcome it. ~Vance Havner 0. Repentance is one of the most positive words in any language. It tells us we can change direction. It assures us God will help us improve. ~Robert J. Morgan 0. The Christian message is for those who have done their best ~and failed! ~Author Unknown 0. God is jealous for the good of His redeemed people ~but He can never be jealous of anything or anyone. ~John Blanchard 0. Personal ambition and empire building are hindering the spread of the gospel. ~John Stott 0. Waiting for an answer to prayer is often part of the answer. ~John Blanchard 0. Because God knows all things perfectly, He knows no thing better than any other thing, but all things equally well. He never discovers anything, He is never surprised, never amazed. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Spiritual growth consists most in the growth of the root, which is out of sight. ~Matthew Henry 0. Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay the foundation of humility. ~Augustine 0. God created us in His image, He created us and loves us so that we may live in harmony and fellowship with Him. We are not here by chance. God put us here for a purpose, and our lives are never fulfilled and complete until His purpose becomes the foundation and center of our lives. ~Billy Graham 0. In God's economy, a person must go down into the valley of grief before he can scale the heights of spiritual glory.... One must come to the end of "self" before one can really begin to live. ~Billy Graham 0. Tears shed for self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength. ~Billy Graham 0. The test of a preacher is that his congregation goes away saying not, "What a lovely sermon!" but, "I will do something." ~Billy Graham 0. I believe in the sovereignty of God. God chooses His servants. I believe that God chose me for this particular task at this particular moment, but whether it is more successful than the work of others whom you have never heard of, I doubt. I think the most successful people are probably individuals whom we will never hear about until we get to Heaven. ~Billy Graham 0. Human nature is the same the world over, and when the gospel of Christ is preached in simplicity and power, there is a response in the human soul. ~Billy Graham 0. God can be trusted, even when life seems at its darkest. From the cross, God declares, "I love you. I know the heartaches and the sorrows and the pains you feel, but I love You." ~Billy Graham 0. When it comes to the gospel, you be faithful and the Holy Spirit will do the communicating in a way you could never do. ~Billy Graham 0. My wife and I read from the Psalms every day five Psalms and one chapter of Proverbs. The Psalms teach you how to get along with God; Proverbs teaches you how to get along with people. ~Billy Graham 0. God's love has seen me through sickness, discouragement, and frustration. His love has sustained me during times of disappointment and bewilderment. ~Billy Graham 0. The Lord has always arranged my life that I have had to keep dependent on Him. Over and over again, I went to my knees and asked the Spirit Of Wisdom for guidance and direction. There were times I was tempted to flee from problems and pressures and my inability to cope with them; but somehow, even in moments of confusion and indecision, it seemed I could trace the steady hand of God's sovereignty leading me on. ~Billy Graham 0. I have learned, I believe, to "pray without ceasing." I find myself constantly in prayer and fellowship with God, even while I am talking to other people or doing other things. ~Billy Graham 0. Every time my mother prayed with one of us, and every time my parents prayed for their sons and daughters, they were declaring their dependence on God for the wisdom and strength and courage to stay in control of life, no matter what circumstances might bring. ~Billy Graham 0. Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys. ~Billy Graham 0. There is no scriptural basis for segregation. The ground at the foot of the cross is level, and it touches my heart when I see whites standing shoulder to shoulder with blacks at the cross. ~Billy Graham 0. I've read the last page of the Bible. It's all going to turn out all right. ~Billy Graham 0. Mohammed is dead and buried in Medinah. Jesus Christ is alive and He is sitting at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven. Who do you want to follow, the dead or the living? ~Franklin Graham 0. Following Jesus doesn't mean everyone will like you, but it guarantees that some will hate you. ~Lecrae 0. Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last. ~C.T. Studd 0. Even in your deepest despair, God still has people praying for you. ~Victor Marx 0. I used to think you had to be special for God to use you, but now I know you simply need to say yes. ~Bob Goff 0. Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God. ~Bob Pierce 0. Men and women, what you need.... more than anything else is a few men like Paul, and a few women with the same spirit, men and women who will stand for Christ and stand for God's Kingdom without compromise, no matter whom it hurts or what people say. ~R.A. Torrey 0. No matter what happens to you, no matter the depth of tragedy or pain you face, no matter how death stalks you and your loved ones, the Resurrection promises you a future of immeasurable good. ~Josh McDowell 0. God can listen to no prayers without the intercession of Christ. ~John Calvin 0. Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man's will done in heaven, but for getting God's will done in earth. ~Robert Law 0. Christlikeness is the will of God for the people of God. ~John Stott 0. Witnessing is not just something a Christian says, but what a Christian is. ~Richard C. Halverson 0. Of all the names on earth today, one name is more powerful than any other. Christians know it has the power to change lives, save lost souls, heal sick bodies, and secure eternity. It is the name of our beloved Savior, Jesus. ~E.V. Hill 0. Some of your best traits and some of your finest works will grow out of the incredibly painful periods of your life. ~Charles Swindoll 0. If you want to be a wise person, you need a Bible. ~Alistair Begg 0. One of the most amazing miracles of all history is that Jesus predicted what would happen to Him and it happened to Him exactly as He said. ~David Jeremiah 0. What you look at the longest will become strongest in your life. Fix your eyes on Jesus. ~Christine Caine 0. The more you see your own flaws and sins the more precious, electrifying, and amazing God's grace appears to you. ~Tim Keller 0. Only as we truly delight in God is it safe to give us our desires, for then they are not likely to become idols. ~John Eldredge 0. The Christian is called upon to live a supernatural life, and he has been given the power to live that life. ~Donald Grey Barnhouse 0. The surest mark of true conversion is humility ~J.C. Ryle 0. Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. The challenge of Christians is to help people fall in love with Jesus and to demonstrate that love by consistently spending time in His Word and faithfully being obedient to it. ~Janet Parshall 0. Worship is God's way of giving us an opportunity to shift our focus from our own concerns, problems, and circumstances to the way things are in heaven. ~David Jeremiah 0. Worry and worship are mutually exclusive. ~John Blanchard 0. The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession. ~Richard Sibbes 0. Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man's will done in heaven, but for getting God's will done in earth. ~Robert Law 0. Our heavenly Father understands our disappointment, suffering, pain, fear, and doubt. He is always there to encourage our hearts and help us understand that He's sufficient for all of our needs. When I accepted this as an absolute truth in my life, I found that my worrying stopped. ~Charles Stanley 0. At the end of the day, faith means letting God be God. ~John Blanchard 0. Sometimes when you're in a dark place you think you've been buried, but actually you've been planted. ~Christine Caine 0. Saved people serve people. ~Christine Caine 0. We never graduate from a life of faith. Jesus keeps calling us out of the boat and onto the water. ~Chris Tomlin 0. The sin that is most destructive in your life right now is the one you are most defensive about. ~Tim Keller 0. The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances. ~Elisabeth Elliot. 0. The most difficult time in your life may be the border to your promised land. ~Christine Caine 0. If you fail to forgive, you and God are not on the same page. ~Tony Evans 0. You are closest to your victory when life looks the darkest. Hang in there ~God has a breakthrough up ahead. ~Tony Evans 0. Untested faith is fragile. ~Christine Caine 0. If you are tied to a rope called yesterday, you can only go so far. ~Tony Evans 0. Obedience is less painful than regret. ~Christine Caine 0. Stand too close to the fire, and you'll surely be burned. The same is true when dealing with temptation. ~David Jeremiah 0. On some few occasions I have had troubles which I could not tell to any but my God, and I thank God that I have, for I have learned more of my Lord then than at any other time. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Life is full of things that break down, fall apart, and go wrong. Given that reality, the more things we have, the more problems we will have. ~David Jeremiah 0. We aren't responsible for what life and others do, but we are responsible for how we respond to the problems they cause. ~David Jeremiah 0. A problem shared is a problem halved. ~Author Unknown 0. Prayer can never be in excess. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. How do you handle a crisis? Transfer the problem from yourself to God. ~Tony Evans 0. A willingness to die for our faith is one thing. But a willingness to live for Him means dying to ourselves a thousand times daily so that His will might be done in us. ~Turning Points Magazine 0. The completion of the Great Commission will include great suffering, but eternity will prove it is worth the price. ~David Platt 0. There is no devil in the first two chapters of the Bible and no devil in the last two chapters. Thank God for a book that disposes of the devil! ~Vance Havner 0. To Christ the devil was one of the most real persons. He recognized his person, felt and acknowledged his power, abhorred his character, and warred against his person and kingdom. ~E.M. Bounds 0. Life is short; death is sure; sin the cause; Christ the cure. ~Author Unknown 0. Whatever has happened in your past, remember that you are the loser if you do not deal with an unforgiving spirit. ~Charles Stanley 0. I have one desire now ~to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. God never withholds from His child that which His love and wisdom call good. God's refusals are always merciful ~'severe mercies' at times, but mercies all the same. God never denies us our hearts' desire except to give us something better. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in His hands. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. To be a follower of the Crucified means, sooner or later, a personal encounter with the cross. And the cross always entails loss. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. You can never lose what you have offered to Christ. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. God has promised to supply our needs. What we don't have now we don't need now. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. The work of God is done on God's timetable. His answers to our prayers come always in time ~his time. His thoughts are far higher than ours, his wisdom past understanding. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. If Satan can convince you that God doesn't love you, forgive you, or care for you, he will have neutralized your faith. ~David Jeremiah 0. ^^When a man has no strength, if he leans on God, he becomes powerful. ~D.L. Moody 0. We should respect the power of the Devil and his demons, but never fear them. ~Albert Mohler 0. To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. ~Martin Luther 0. When you invest yourself in the Bible, you're the richest person on earth. ~Turning Points Magazine 0. If your world today seems confusing, be comforted by the words of the prophets of God who have told you what the future holds for you as a child of God. ~David Jeremiah 0. Science is the chance to discover something that no man has known before, but God has known all along. ~Francis Collins 0. Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you. ~Mother Teresa 0. Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within. ~J.B. Phillips 0. What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace. ~John Wesley 0. Investments in the kingdom of God are permanently protected ~David Jeremiah 0. God's "no" is not a rejection, it's a redirection. ~Author Unknown 0. Don't dig up in doubt what you planted in faith. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. Measure your growth in grace by your sensitivity to sin. ~Oswald Chambers 0. Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. ~Charles Dickens 0. You cannot bring a burden too heavy for God to lift or a problem too hard for Him to solve or a request too big for Him to answer. God does things no one else can. ~Michael Guido 0. Christ hath crossed out the black lines of our sin with the red lines of His own blood. ~Thomas Brooks 0. It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man. ~John Witherspoon 0. Now is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It won't last forever. We must take it or leave it. ~C.S. Lewis 0. If your dream doesn't seem impossible, chances are it's not from God. ~Christine Caine 0. He who kneels the most stands the best. ~D.L. Moody 0. Contentment is not the absence of storms but in the presence of Jesus. ~Christine Caine 0. God could be using you right now to achieve His will, but you might not know it until much later in hindsight. ~David Jeremiah 0. Opportunities are always lost when we let fear overrule our faith. ~Charles Stanley 0. Don't shine so others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him. ~C.S. Lewis 0. If it were possible to lose my salvation, I would lose it. ~John MacArthur 0. To worry about tomorrow is to forfeit your peace today. ~Tony Evans 0. If you can't feed one hundred people, then feed just one. ~Mother Teresa 0. I'm not a Christian because I'm strong and have it all together. I'm a Christian because I'm weak and admit I need a Savior. ~Lecrae 0. Because God is present everywhere, we can respond by practicing His presence, by talking to Him in silent prayer during many moments of the day, especially during times of duress or fear. ~Bill Bright 0. It is better to die for a conviction than to live with a compromise. ~Vance Havner 0. Of all the things that will surprise us in the resurrection morning, this, I believe, will surprise us most: that we did not love Christ more before we died. ~J.C. Ryle 0. I'm on earth temporarily, so the worst the world can do is shun me, punish me, or kill me. In 100 years, it won't matter. What will matter is if I was faithful to God's Word. ~Mike Huckabee (May 2014 ~Decision Magazine) 0. Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. ~Ronald Reagan 0. Integrity, the choice between what's convenient and what's right. ~Tony Dungy 0. Joy runs deeper than despair. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. If I'm wrong about God then I wasted my life. If you're wrong about God then you wasted your eternity. ~Lecrae 0. Our society strives to avoid any possibility of offending anyone ~except God. ~Billy Graham 0. You don't leave church because of what people have done. You go to church because of what God has done. ~Richard Blackaby 0. Faith enables us so to rejoice in the Lord that our infirmities become platforms for the display of His grace. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Whatever a person may be like, we must still love them because we love God. ~John Calvin 0. The unchangeable Christ is the revelation of the unchangeable God. ~Thomas Carlyle 0. What a wonderful feeling to realize God is using us rather than our using God. So long as we keep that spiritual dimension in our leadership, people will see God in us. ~Fred Smith 0. As God is exalted to the right place in our lives, a thousand problems are solved all at once. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Gods delays are often tied to our development. ~Tony Evans 0. If we knew God, we would set the world on fire. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. Of all things, guard against neglecting God in the secret place of prayer. ~William Wilberforce 0. God's plans for your life far exceed the circumstances of your day. ~Louis Giglio 0. No man says, 'There is no God' but he whose interest it is there should be none. ~Augustine 0. Anger is just one letter short of danger. ~Author Unknown 0. God's word is its own best argument. ~Vance Havner 0. The shortest road to an understanding of the Bible is the acceptance of the fact that God is speaking in every line. ~Donald Grey Barnhouse 0. The Bible is a letter God has sent to us; prayer is a letter we send to Him. ~Matthew Henry 0. The Bible is a remarkable fountain; the more one draws and drinks of it, the more it stimulates thirst. ~Martin Luther 0. Our heavenly Father never takes anything from his children unless he means to give them something better. ~George Muller 0. The church upon its knees would bring heaven upon the earth. ~E.M. Bounds 0. The man who would know God must give time to him. ~A.W. Tozer 0. The new Christian is like a man who has learned to drive in a country where the traffic moves on the left side of the highway and suddenly finds himself in another country and forced to drive on the right. He must unlearn his old habit and learn a new one and, more serious than all, he must learn in heavy traffic. ~A.W. Tozer 0. Envy of another man's calling can work havoc in our own. ~Watchman Nee 0. There is comfort in the fact that God can never be taken by surprise. ~Frank Gabelein 0. Hell is truth seen too late. ~H.G. Adams 0. God thinks most of the man who thinks himself least. ~John Blanchard 0. The most holy men are always the most humble men. ~Thomas Brooks 0. True joy glows in the dark. ~John Blanchard 0. Never be yoked to one who refuses the yoke of Christ. ~Author Unknown 0. The more godly any man is, the more merciful that man will be. ~Thomas Brooks 0. Our murmuring is the devil's music. ~Thomas Watson 0. When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ~Author Unknown 0. Poverty is a friend to prayer. ~George Swinnock 0. We have no power from God unless we live in the persuasion that we have none of our own. ~John Owen 0. Many people pray for things that can only come by work and work for things that can only come by prayer. ~W.E. Sangster 0. Some people treat God as they do a lawyer; they go to him only when they are in trouble. ~Author Unknown 0. The little estimate we put on prayer is evident from the little time we give to it. ~E.M. Bounds 0. Prayer meetings are the throbbing machinery of the church. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. Nothing lies outside the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God. ~John Blanchard 0. Those who think too much of themselves don't think enough. ~Amy Carmichael 0. Right is right, even if everyone is against it; and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. ~William Penn 0. Satan never sets a dish before men that they do not love. ~Thomas Watson 0. I know that some are always studying the meaning of the fourth toe of the right foot of some beast in prophecy and have never used either foot to go and bring men to Christ. ~Vance Havner 0. We turn to God when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it is God who is shaking them. ~Charles C. West 0. Waiting for general revival is no excuse for not enjoying personal revival. ~Stephen Olford 0. If the best man's faults were written in his forehead, it would make him pull his hat over his eyes. ~John Trapp 0. Make this simple rule the guide of your life: to have no will but God's. ~Francois Fenelon 0. Satan, like a fisher, baits his hook according to the appetite of the fish. ~Thomas Adams 0. Temptation is the tempter looking through the keyhole into the room where you are living; sin is your drawing back the bolt and making it possible for him to enter. ~J. Wilbur Chapman 0. Life is too short for us to do everything we want to do; but it is long enough for us to do everything God wants us to do. ~Author Unknown 0. There can be no victory where there is no combat. ~Richard Sibbes 0. Someone has paid for me with blood. How that knowledge lifts my sights beyond the moment's hot desire. ~Elisabeth Elliot 0. If every Christian would tithe, the church would begin to make an impact on the world that would change it. ~R.T. Kendall 0. The propagation of the Gospel and the founding of the church hinged entirely on twelve men whose most outstanding characteristic was their ordinariness. ~John MacArthur 0. Don't think of Satan as a harmless cartoon character with a red suit and a pitchfork. He is very clever and powerful, and his unchanging purpose is to defeat God's plans at every turn ~including His plans for your life. ~Billy Graham 0. You're a soul made by God, made for God, and made to need God, which means you were not made to be self-sufficient. ~Dallas Willard 0. Despair is the masterpiece of Satan. ~John Trapp 0. God takes highly unlikely people, takes them into highly unlikely places, gives them a highly unlikely strategy, and gives them a highly unlikely outcome. ~Christine Caine 0. God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them. ~John Piper 0. Depression is not a sign of lack of spirituality. The most renown spiritual leaders walked through deep depression. Including King David and Elijah. ~Lecrae 0. Change begins at the end of your comfort zone. ~Lecrae 0. To live according to the will of God is to know the life that wins. ~G. Christian Weiss 0. In every generation there are those whose hearts are warmed as they hear the Scriptures opened up and the Christ of those Scriptures exalted. ~L. Nelson Bell 0. Imagine your life wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats. ~Max Lucado 0. If we would see the seed that we sow bring an abundant harvest, we must water it with our tears. ~R.A. Torrey 0. The chief danger of the church today is that it is trying to get on the same side as the world, instead of trying to turn the world upside down. ~A.B. Simpson 0. Love talked about can be easily turned aside, but love demonstrated is irresistible. ~W. Stanley Mooneyham 0. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer 0. The belief that saves is that conviction which produces the abandonment of the whole life to the King. ~G. Campbell Morgan 0. When two people are right with Him (God), they will be right with each other. ~Francis Chan 0. Run from churches where you're comfortable in your sins. If you come into the house of God and you've got sin in your life, and you're not convicted of it, you're at a table of devils. ~Carter Conlon 0. A part-time Christian cannot defeat a full-time devil. ~Author Unknown 0. You never so touch the ocean of God's love as when you forgive and love your enemies. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. True love for Christ will mean hatred of sin. ~John Benton 0. The truth of Scripture demolishes speculation. ~R.C. Sproul 0. The Bible says every good deed will be rewarded, no matter how insignificant and regardless of whether anybody else on earth sees it. ~Rick Warren 0. A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change a life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. ~John Maxwell 0. The spiritual battle, the loss of victory, is always in the thought-world. ~Francis A. Schaeffer 0. Chastening is not God getting even, it is preparing that person for something better, more valuable, and worthwhile. ~R.T. Kendall 0. The family altar would alter many a family. ~Author Unknown 0. The Gospel is light but only the Spirit can give sight. ~A.W. Tozer 0. There is only one way of victory over the bitterness and rage that comes naturally to us to will what God wills brings peace. ~Amy Carmichael 0. Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. ~Charles Swindoll 0. Don't pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration, but its donation. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. Don't bother to give God instructions, just report for duty. ~Corrie Ten Boom 0. If you only pray when you're in trouble, you're in trouble. ~Author Unknown 0. Prayer is profoundly simple and simply profound. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. The two prerequisites for successful Christian living are vision and passion, both of which are born in and maintained by prayer. ~Leonard Ravenhill 0. You can't be mad at people and reach them at the same time. ~Dr. Ed Stetzer 0. No matter what happens to you, no matter the depth of tragedy or pain you face, no matter how death stalks you and your loved ones, the Resurrection promises you a future of immeasurable good. ~Josh McDowell 0. To the child of God, there is no such thing as an accident. He travels an appointed way. ~A.W. Tozer 0. You see, each one of us is in a greater race than any I have run in Paris, and this race ends when God gives out the medals. ~Eric Liddell 0. We live by demands when we should live by priorities. ~J.A. Motyer 0. We have only to be yielded, that is, willing, surrendered, and He will do the rest. He will make us according to the pattern for which, in His love, He designed us. ~Peter Marshall 0. The weak Christians is as much a child of God as the strong one. ~Charles Spurgeon 0. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. ~Tertullian

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0. Luk 4:8, And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 0. Joh 2:16, And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. 0. Joh 4:24, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 0. Joh 4:34, Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 0. Joh 4:36, And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 0. Mat 4:17, From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 0. Mar 1:17, And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 0. Mar 2:5, When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 0. Luk 5:28, And he left all, rose up, and followed him. 0. Mat 9:13, But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 0. Luk 5:32, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 0. Mat 12:7, But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 0. Mar 3:5, And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 0. Mat 12:18, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 0. Mat 5:6, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 0. Mat 5:7, Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 0. Mat 5:9, Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 0. Mat 5:12, Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 0. Mat 5:16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 0. Mat 5:24, Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 0. Mat 5:25, Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 0. Mat 5:30, And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 0. Mat 5:39, But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 0. Mat 5:41, And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 0. Mat 5:42, Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 0. Mat 5:44, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 0. Luk 6:35, But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 0. Mat 5:48, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 0. Mat 6:2, Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 0. Mat 6:5, And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 0. Mat 6:9, After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 0. Mat 6:14, For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 0. Mat 6:16, Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 0. Mat 6:26, Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 0. Mat 6:28, And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 0. Luk 6:37, Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 0. Luk 6:38, Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. 0. Mat 7:5, Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 0. Mat 7:7, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 0. Mat 7:12, Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 0. Mat 7:13, Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 0. Mat 7:21, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 0. Mat 7:24, Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 0. Mar 7:16, If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 0. Luk 7:47, Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 0. Mat 12:29, Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 0. Mat 12:30, He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 0. Luk 8:21, And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it. 0. Luk 8:8, And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 0. Mat 4:12, Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; 0. Mat 13:18, Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 0. Mat 13:23, But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 0. Mat 4:24, And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 0. Mat 13:43, Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 0. Mar 5:19, Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 0. Mat 9:22, But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. 0. Joh 5:40, And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 0. Mat 9:38, Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. 0. Mat 10:6, But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 0. Mat 10:7, And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 0. Mat 10:8, Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 0. Mat 10:11, And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 0. Mar 6:10, And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 0. Mat 10:12, And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 0. Mat 10:16, Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 0. Mat 10:26, Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 0. Mat 10:32, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 0. Joh 6:27, Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 0. Joh 6:29, Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. 0. Joh 6:35, And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 0. Joh 6:40, And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 0. Joh 6:47, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 0. Joh 6:37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 0. Joh 6:53, Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 0. Mar 8:15, And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 0. Joh 7:24, Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. 0. Joh 7:37, In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 0. Joh 8:8, And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 0. Joh 8:11, She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. 0. Joh 8:24, I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 0. Joh 8:31, Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 0. Mat 16:24, Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 0. Joh 8:51, Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 0. Joh 9:35, Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 0. Joh 10:38, But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 0. Mat 17:17, Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. 0. Mat 17:21, Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. 0. Mat 17:27, Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. 0. Mat 17:20, And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 0. Mar 9:35, And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. 0. Mat 18:2, And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 0. Mat 18:4, Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 0. Luk 9:44, Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. 0. Luk 9:48, And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. 0. Mar 9:36, And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 0. Mar 9:43, And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 0. Mar 9:50, Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. 0. Mat 18:15, Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 0. Mat 18:18, Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 0. Mat 18:19, Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 0. Mat 18:22, Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 0. Mat 18:35, So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. 0. Luk 9:59, And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 0. Luk 9:60, Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 0. Luk 10:2, Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 0. Luk 10:6, And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 0. Luk 10:9, And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 0. Luk 10:20, Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. 0. Mat 11:25, At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 0. Mat 11:28, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 0. Luk 10:37, And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. 0. Luk 11:2, And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 0. Luk 11:9, And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 0. Luk 11:28, But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. 0. Luk 11:36, If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light. 0. Luk 11:41, But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. 0. Luk 12:5, But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 0. Luk 12:8, Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 0. Luk 12:15, And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 0. Luk 12:21, So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 0. Luk 12:33, Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 0. Luk 12:35, Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 0. Mat 24:44, Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 0. Luk 12:37, Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 0. Mat 24:45, Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 0. Luk 12:48, But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 0. Luk 12:58, When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 0. Luk 13:24, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 0. Luk 13:15, The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? 0. Luk 14:9, And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 0. Luk 14:11, For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 0. Luk 14:12, Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. 0. Luk 14:21, So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 0. Luk 14:23, And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 0. Luk 14:26, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 0. Luk 14:27, And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 0. Luk 14:33, So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 0. Luk 15:4, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 0. Luk 15:8, Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 0. Luk 15:18, I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 0. Luk 15:22, But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 0. Luk 16:9, And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. 0. Luk 16:10, He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. 0. Luk 16:31, And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. 0. Luk 17:4, And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. 0. Luk 17:6, And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. 0. Luk 17:10, So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. 0. Luk 17:18, There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 0. Luk 18:7, And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 0. Luk 18:13, And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 0. Luk 18:14, I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 0. Mat 19:9, And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 0. Mat 19:12, For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. 0. Mar 10:14, But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 0. Joh 11:25, Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 0. Joh 11:40, Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 0. Joh 11:42, And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 0. Mat 19:21, Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 0. Mat 19:29, And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 0. Mat 20:16, So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. 0. Mat 20:4, And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. 0. Mat 20:7, They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 0. Mat 20:14, Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 0. Mat 20:23, And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. 0. Mat 20:27, And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 0. Mat 20:28, Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 0. Luk 19:14, But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 0. Luk 19:17, And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. 0. Mar 10:47, And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 0. Mat 26:11, For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 0. Mat 26:23, And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 0. Luk 19:46, Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. 0. Mat 21:16, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? 0. Mat 21:21, Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 0. Mat 21:32, For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him. 0. Mat 21:33, Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 0. Mat 21:38, But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 0. Mat 21:43, Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 0. Mat 21:42, Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 0. Mat 22:4, Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 0. Mat 22:9, Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 0. Mar 12:17, And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him. 0. Mat 22:29, Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 0. Mat 22:37, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 0. Mat 22:39, And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 0. Mat 23:23, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 0. Mat 23:26, Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 0. Mat 23:29, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 0. Joh 12:26, If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. 0. Joh 12:25, He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 0. Joh 12:40, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 0. Joh 12:44, Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 0. Joh 12:46, I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 0. Luk 21:8, And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. 0. Mat 24:6, And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 0. Mat 10:18, And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 0. Luk 12:11, And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 0. Luk 21:14, Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 0. Mat 10:22, And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 0. Mat 24:13, But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 0. Mat 24:14, And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 0. Luk 21:28, And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 0. Mat 24:32, Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 0. Luk 21:34, And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 0. Luk 21:36, Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. 0. Mat 25:13, Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. 0. Mat 25:34, Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 0. Mat 25:35, For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 0. Mat 25:40, And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 0. Luk 22:17, And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 0. Joh 13:13, Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 0. Joh 13:15, For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 0. Joh 13:17, If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. 0. Joh 13:19, Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. 0. Joh 13:20, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 0. Joh 14:10, Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 0. Joh 14:11, Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 0. Joh 14:12, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 0. Joh 14:15, If ye love me, keep my commandments. 0. Joh 14:21, He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 0. Joh 14:23, Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 0. Joh 15:4, Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 0. Joh 15:5, I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 0. Joh 15:7, If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 0. Joh 15:9, As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 0. Joh 15:10, If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 0. Joh 15:14, Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 0. Joh 15:17, These things I command you, that ye love one another. 0. Joh 16:24, Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 0. Joh 16:26, At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 0. Joh 16:27, For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 0. Joh 16:33, These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 0. Joh 17:17, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 0. Joh 7:38, He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 0. Joh 8:12, Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 0. Joh 8:52, Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 0. Joh 10:4, And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 0. Luk 22:36, Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. 0. Mar 14:38, Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 0. Luk 22:46, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. 0. Luk 24:25, Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 0. Joh 20:22, And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 0. Joh 20:23, Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 0. Joh 20:27, Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 0. Joh 20:29, Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 0. Joh 21:15, So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 0. Joh 21:18, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 0. Joh 21:19, This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. 0. Joh 21:22, Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. 0. Mat 28:18, And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 0. Mar 16:15, And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 0. Mar 16:17, And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 0. Luk 24:47, And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 0. Luk 24:49, And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 0. Act 1:8, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 0. Act 9:6, And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 0. Act 22:10, And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. 0. Act 26:18, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 0. 1Co 6:10, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 0. 1Co 6:11, And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

1. 2 Timothy 1:12 ...I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 2. Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 3. Acts 2:38 ...Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 4. John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 5. Job 12:9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? 6. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 7. Genesis 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. 8. John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 9. Proverbs 13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. 10. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 11. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 12. Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 13. Psalms 62:1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. 14. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 15. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 16. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 17. Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 18. Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 19. Psalms 119:90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. 20. 1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 21. Psalms 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. 22. Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 23. Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 24. Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 25. Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 26. Psalms 118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 27. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 28. Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 29. Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 30. Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 31. Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. 32. Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 33. Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 34. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 35. Psalms 7:8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. 36. Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 37. Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. 38. Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 39. James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 40. Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 41. 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 42. Psalms 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. 43. John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 44. Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 45. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 46. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 47. Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 48. Matthew 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 49. Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 50. Psalms 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. 51. Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. 52. Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. 53. 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 54. Psalms 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: 55. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 56. Psalms 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. 57. 2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 58. Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 59. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 60. Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 61. 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 62. Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 63. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 64. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 65. Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 66. Psalms 89:1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. 67. John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 68. Psalms 108:3 I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. 69. Psalms 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 70. 1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 71. Galatians 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 72. Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 73. Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 74. Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. 75. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 76. Psalms 61:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 77. Luke 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 78. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 79. Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? 80. Psalms 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. 81. Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 82. Psalms 125:3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. 83. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 84. Psalms 11:7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. 85. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 86. Psalms 12:5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. 87. Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 88. Psalms 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 89. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 90. Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 91. Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 92. Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 93. John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 94. Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latterday upon the earth: 95. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 96. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 97. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 98. Psalms 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 99. Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 100. Psalms 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 101. Psalms 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 102. Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 103. Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 104. Psalms 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 105. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 106. Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 107. Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 108. Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. 109. 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 110. Psalms 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. 111. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 112. Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 113. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 114. Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 115. Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 116. Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 117. Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; 118. Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 119. Psalms 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. 120. 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight 121. Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 122. Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 123. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 124. Matthew 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 125. Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God... 126. 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 127. Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 128. Psalms 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. 129. Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 130. Exodus 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 131. Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 132. Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 133. John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 134. Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 135. John 9:25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. 136. Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 137. 1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 138. Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 139. 2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 140. Matthew 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 141. Isaiah 32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. 142. 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 143. Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 144. Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 145. Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. 146. Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 147. Psalms 9:1 ...I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. 148. Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 149. Nehemiah 8:10 ...for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. 150. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 151. 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 152. Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. 153. Philippians 1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you... 154. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 155. John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 156. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 157. John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 158. Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 159. Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 160. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 161. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 162. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 163. Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 164. Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 165. Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 166. Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 167. 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 168. Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 169. 1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 170. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 171. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 172. 2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 173. Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 174. Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 175. Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 176. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 177. Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 178. Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 179. John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 180. Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 181. 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 182. James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 183. Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 184. Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 185. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 186. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 187. Acts 18:9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 188. 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 189. 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 190. Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 191. Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 192. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 193. John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 194. John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 195. Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 196. 1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 197. 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 198. Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 199. 1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 200. John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 201. Psalms 27:1 ...The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 202. Matthew 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 203. Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 204. 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 205. Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being... 206. James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 207. Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 208. Matthew 17:20 ...If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 209. 1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 210. Psalms 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. 211. 1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 212. Deuteronomy 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 213. Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 214. 1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 215. Matthew 25:23 ...Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things... 216. 1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 217. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 218. Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 219. Psalms 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 220. Mark 10:27 ...With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. 221. Genesis 28:15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 222. Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth... 223. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. 224. Psalms 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. 225. 1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 226. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 227. 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 228. Isaiah 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. 229. Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 230. 1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 231. Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. 232. 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 233. Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 234. Isaiah 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee. 235. Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: 236. Job 36:27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: 237. Psalms 24:1 ...The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 238. Ecclesiastes 12:13 ...Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 239. 1 Corinthians 15:58 ...be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 240. Proverbs 29:11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. 241. Acts 16:31 ...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved... 242. Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps. 243. Romans 8:31 ...If God be for us, who can be against us? 244. Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 245. Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. 246. Job 22:21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. 247. Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 248. Psalms 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 249. Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good... 250. Exodus 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. 251. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 252. Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 253. Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. 254. Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 255. Matthew 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 256. Psalms 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. 257. Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 258. 2 Chronicles 15:7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 259. John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 260. Psalms 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 261. John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 262. Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 263. Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 264. Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? 265. John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 266. Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 267. Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 268. Psalms 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 269. Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 270. Psalms 3:3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 271. Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 272. Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. 273. Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 274. Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 275. John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 276. Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 277. John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 278. Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. 279. John 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 280. Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 281. John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 282. Psalms 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. 283. Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 284. Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 285. Luke 2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 286. Psalms 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. 287. Ephesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 288. Proverbs 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 289. Luke 12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 290. Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth. 291. 1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 292. Psalms 31:3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. 293. John 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 294. Psalms 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 295. Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 296. Psalms 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. 297. John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 298. Psalms 61:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 299. Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 300. Psalms 113:3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised. 301. Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 302. 2 Samuel 22:33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. 303. Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 304. Psalms 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 305. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 306. Psalms 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 307. Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 308. Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 309. Luke 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 310. Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. 311. Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 312. Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 313. Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 314. Psalms 34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 315. Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 316. Psalms 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. 317. Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 318. Psalms 18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 319. Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 320. Psalms 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 321. Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 322. Psalms 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 323. Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. 324. Psalms 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 325. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 326. Psalms 56:4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust... 327. James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 328. Psalms 71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. 329. Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 330. Psalms 25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation... 331. 1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 332. Psalms 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. 333. Matthew 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 334. Psalms 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 335. Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 336. Psalms 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 337. James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 338. Psalms 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 339. Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 340. Psalms 62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. 341. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 342. Psalms 95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. 343. 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 344. Psalms 95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. 345. John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 346. Psalms 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 347. Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 348. Psalms 118:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. 349. Romans 5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. 350. Psalms 136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 351. Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 352. Psalms 8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! 353. Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 354. Psalms 25:2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. 355. John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 356. Psalms 96:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 357. 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 358. Psalms 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 359. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. 360. Psalms 106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 361. 1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 362. Psalms 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 363. 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 364. Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. 365. Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 366. Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 367. Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 368. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 369. Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 370. Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 371. Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 372. Psalms 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 373. Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 374. Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. 375. Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 376. Psalms 27:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. 377. 1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 378. Psalms 86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. 379. Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 380. Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. 381. Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 382. Psalms 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 383. 1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 384. Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 385. Matthew 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 386. Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. 387. Revelation 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 388. Isaiah 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever. 389. Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 390. Psalms 9:9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. 391. Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 392. Habakkuk 3:19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places... 393. Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore... 394. Psalms 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 395. John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 396. Psalms 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 397. John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 398. Psalms 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped... 399. Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 400. Psalms 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? 401. James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 402. Psalms 121:5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 403. 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 404. Psalms 34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 405. John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 406. Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 407. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 408. Psalms 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 409. John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 410. 1 Samuel 2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 411. Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 412. Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 413. James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 414. Psalms 118:28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. 415. Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 416. Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 417. John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 418. Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 419. John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 420. Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 421. Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 422. Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 423. Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 424. Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: 425. Ephesians 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 426. Psalms 25:1 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. 427. Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 428. Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. 429. Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. 430. Psalms 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 431. Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 432. Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. 433. Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 434. Psalms 27:8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. 435. John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 436. Proverbs 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. 437. Matthew 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 438. Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 439. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 440. Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 441. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 442. Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 443. John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 444. 2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 445. 2 Timothy 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 446. Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 447. Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 448. 1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you... 449. Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 450. James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 451. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 452. Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 453. 1 John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 454. Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 455. Psalms 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 456. 1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 457. Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good? 458. Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 459. Proverbs 3:35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools. 460. Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 461. Matthew 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 462. John 3:27 ...A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 463. Luke 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 464. Mark 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. 465. James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. 466. Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. 467. Jude 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. 468. 1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 469. Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 470. Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 471. Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. 472. Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. 473. Habakkuk 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. 474. Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 475. 1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 476. Psalms 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. 477. John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 478. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 479. Psalms 118:17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. 480. 1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. 481. Psalms 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. 482. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 483. Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 484. Psalms 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. 485. Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 486. Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 487. 1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 488. Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 489. Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 490. 1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life? 491. Psalms 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 492. Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 493. Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 494. Psalms 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 495. Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 496. 1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 497. Psalms 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 498. 1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 499. Psalms 96:9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. 500. Psalms 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. 501. Ecclesiastes 3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 502. 1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 503. Psalms 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 504. Proverbs 10:8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. 505. Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 506. Psalms 27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 507. Romans 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 508. Psalms 121:7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 509. Micah 7:7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 510. Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 511. Matthew 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 512. Psalms 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. 513. Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 514. Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. 515. Psalms 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 516. 2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 517. Ephesians 1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 518. Proverbs 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 519. Psalms 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 520. Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. 521. Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 522. Psalms 150:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. 523. Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

### The Christmas Story Long ago, about 2000 years, when King Herod ruled Judea (now part of Israel), God sent the angel Gabriel to a young women who lived in the northern town of Nazareth. The girl's name was Mary and she was engaged to marry Joseph. The angel Gabriel said to Mary: 'Peace be with you! God has blessed you and is pleased with you.' Mary was very surprised by this and wondered what the angel meant. The angel said to her 'Don't be afraid, God has been very kind to you. You will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a baby boy and you will call him Jesus. He will be God's own Son and his kingdom will never end.' Mary was very afraid but she trusted God. 'Let it happen as God chooses.' She replied to the angel. Gabriel also told Mary that her cousin, Elizabeth who everyone thought was too old to have children, would have a baby boy whom God had chosen to prepare the way for Jesus. Mary said goodbye to her family and friends and went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah. Elizabeth was very happy to see Mary. She knew that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son. An angel had already told Zechariah that Elizabeth's baby would prepare people to welcome Jesus. He was to be called John. Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home to Nazareth. Joseph was worried when he found out that Mary was expecting a baby before their marriage had taken place. He wondered if he should put off the wedding altogether. Then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: 'Don't be afraid to have Mary as your wife.' The angel explained that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son and told Joseph that the baby would be named Jesus which means 'Saviour' because he would save people. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel had told him to do and took Mary as his wife. At this time, the land where Mary and Joseph lived was part of the Roman Empire. The Roman Emperor Augustus wanted to have a list of all the people in the empire, to make sure they paid their taxes. He ordered everyone to return to the town where their families originally came from, and enter their names in a register (or census) there. Mary and Joseph travelled a long way (about 70 miles) from Nazareth to Bethlehem, because that is where Joseph's family came from. Most people walked but some lucky people had a donkey to help carry the goods needed for the journey. Joseph and Mary travelled very slowly because Mary's baby was due to be born soon. When they reached Bethlehem they had problems finding somewhere to stay. So many people had come to register their names in the census, that every house was full and every bed was taken in all of the guest rooms. The only place to stay that they could find was with the animals. People often kept animals in the house, especially at night, and used them like 'central heating'! People normally slept on a raised/upper level with the animals below to give them extra warmth. So in the place where the animals slept, Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God. In those days it was the custom to wrap newborn babies tightly in a long cloth called 'swaddling clothes'. Jesus' bed was the manger that the animals ate their hay from. In the hills and fields outside Bethlehem, shepherds looked after their sheep through the long night. As the new day began, suddenly an angel appeared before them and the glory of God shone around them. The shepherds were very, very scared, but the angel said, 'Don't be afraid. I have good news for you and everyone. Today in Bethlehem a Saviour has been born for you. You will find the baby lying in a manger.'. Then many more angels appeared, lighting up the sky. The shepherds heard them praising God singing: 'Glory to God in highest, and peace to everyone on earth.' When the angels had gone the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.' So the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph. The baby Jesus was lying in a manger as they had been told. When they saw him, they told everyone what the angel had said and everyone who heard the story were astonished. Then the shepherds returned to their sheep, praising God for sending his Son to be their Saviour. When Jesus was born, a brand new bright star appeared in sky. Some Wise Men in faraway countries saw the star and guessed what it meant. They were very clever men that studied the stars and had read in very old writings that a new star would appear when a great king was born. They set out to find the new king and bring him gifts. The Wise Men followed the star towards the country of Judea and when they got to the capital called Jerusalem they began to ask people: 'Where is the child who is born to be king of the Jews?' Herod, the king of Judea, heard this and it made him very angry to think that someone might be going to take his place as king. Herod sent for the Wise Men to come to him. He told them to go on following the star until they had found the baby king. He said: 'When you have found him, let me know where he is, so that I can go and worship him.'. But Herod did not tell them that he really had an evil plan in mind to kill the new king. The Wise Men followed the star towards Bethlehem (where it said that the king would be born in the old writings). It seemed to stop and shine directly down upon the place where Jesus was. The Wise Men entered the house where they now lived and found Jesus with Mary, they bowed down and worshipped him. The Wise Men spread the the gifts they had brought before Jesus. The gifts were gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Wise Men were warned in a dream, by God, not to go back to Herod. So they returned home to their countries in the East by a different way. When the Wise Men had gone, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. 'Get up,' the angel said, 'take Jesus and Mary and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for Jesus to kill him.' So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary during the night they left for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod died. When Herod realized that he had been tricked by the Wise Men, he was furious and he gave orders to kill all the boys aged two or younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. This was to try and kill the new King, as his plan to find the location of the new king from the Wise Men had failed. After Herod had died, Joseph had another dream in which an angel appeared to him. The angel said, 'Get up, take Jesus and Mary and go back to Israel, for those who were trying kill Jesus are dead.' So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary and they went back to Israel. But when he heard that Herod's son was now king of Judea, he was afraid to go there. So instead they went to Galilee, and lived in their old town of Nazareth.

### Daily Dose { #### Popular Verses (set: _text to (passage: "Popular Verses")'s source) (set: _text to (split:newline, _text)) (set: _item to (random: 1,522)) (set: _T1 to _text's (_item * 2)) (set: _T2 to _text's (_item * 2 -1)) (set: _T3 to (trimmed: (p-start: ...digit,"."), _T2)) (print: _T3) (print: _T1) #### Jesus Sayings (set: _text to (passage: "Jesus Verses")'s source) (set: _text to (split:newline, _text)) (set: _item to (random: 1,260)) (print: (str-replaced: "0. ","",_text's (_item))) #### Famous Quotes (set: _text to (passage: "Famous Quotes")'s source) (set: _text to (split:newline, _text)) (set: _item to (random: 1,1750)) (print: (str-replaced: "0. ","",_text's (_item))) #### Bible Trivia (set: _text to (passage: "Bible Trivia")'s source) (set: _text to (split:newline, _text)) (set: _item to (random: 1,572)) (print: (str-replaced: "0. ","",_text's (_item))) #### Bible Science Facts (set: _text to (passage: "Bible Science Facts")'s source) (set: _text to (split:newline, _text)) (set: _item to (random: 1,101)) (print: (str-replaced: "0. ","",_text's (_item))) }

### A CLEAR Gospel If I gave you the choice between drinking a muddy glass of water or a clear one, of course, you'd choose the clear one. Nobody wants their water mixed with dirt and sediment. The clearer the better. What's true of a glass of water is true of a presentation of the Gospel. The clearer the better. The Apostle Paul said this in Colossians 4:4 when he told the believers from Colossae to "Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should." To help you make sure the Living Water you're sharing with others is crystal CLEAR (not muddied up), I have developed this simple acrostic. It will help you test your Gospel presentation to see if it is clear enough for a lost person to understand and embrace. A CLEAR Gospel is... ''(C)''ross-and-Christ-centric ''(L)''ays out the whole story ''(E)''asy to understand ''(A)''lways sounds too good to be true. ''(R)''elentlessly focuses on faith alone in Christ alone Let me briefly break these five descriptors of a clear gospel down: Cross and Christ-centric "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 This little passage is part of a pre-Pauline creed that the early believers put to memory so that they could keep Christ, his cross, the resurrection and the ascension as central to the Gospel message. We need that reminder as well. I've heard famous evangelists attempt to give the gospel without mentioning the cross (#EpicFail). But there is no gospel without the cross. That's like a comedian setting up a joke without delivering the punchline. Not funny in the slightest. Training teenagers to share their faith during our Dare 2 Share events I have often said, "If you forget everything else remember the cross!" It's the cross of Christ and his empty tomb that must be central to our Gospel presentations if we want to be clear. Lays out the whole story of the GOSPEL In Acts 20:27 (RSV) Paul said, "I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God." Are you sharing "the whole counsel of God" when it comes to your Gospel presentation? Or are you just sharing bits and pieces of it? For years, Dare 2 Share has used an acrostic to communicate the GOSPEL that started with G, "God says everyone has sinned." Then about 16 years ago in Washington D.C., I heard a lecture by Michael Metzger. He said that if our Gospel presentations start in Genesis 3 with the issue of sin, instead of in Genesis 1 with the reality of God's special creation of humanity, then it's missing the mark. So what did I do? I changed the G to "God created us to be with him." And now our GOSPEL presentation tells the whole story of the Good News of Jesus from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 in six simple sentences. In a court of a law when you take an oath you put your left hand on a Bible, raise your right hand as the court clerk, bailiff or judge asks you, "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" In a sense the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are calling us to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth when it comes to the Gospel. So let's tell the whole story as we evangelize others. Easy to understand "But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3 NKJV I have my own conspiracy theory based on this verse. I believe that Satan has conspired to destroy the advancement of Christianity by making the message of the Gospel seem more complicated than it actually is. I believe that he has deceived many well meaning preachers, evangelists and Christians into communicating a less-than-clear Gospel more often than not. As a result fewer people come to Jesus because they are being offered a muddy glass of "good news" instead of a clear one. The Gospel is a simple message but, far too often, Christians can use confusing terms when communicating the message. These terms have been passed on from generation to generation and many of us have not taken the time to think them through Biblically. Terms like, "Let Jesus into your heart" are common fair, especially in children's ministry, yet it is nowhere to be found in the Bible! Actually, this term kept me from putting my faith in Jesus as a kid because I had no idea what it meant! Another term is "Just say this prayer and you'll be saved." Actually I'm convinced that there will be a lot of people in hell who said the sinner's prayer but never put their faith in Jesus! Saying a prayer of salvation is fine but saying a prayer never saved anyone! It's their faith in Jesus that saves them! One other term I've heard used in evangelism is "Turn from your sin before you come to Jesus." Really? If I could turn from my sin before I came to Jesus in faith then why would I need to come to Jesus at all? I could save myself! No, we are saved by faith in Jesus and then he begins the arduous, life-long process of turning us from our sin (and he doesn't completely succeed until we are with him in heaven!) Put every term you use through the grace test. If the terms you use makes an unbeliever focus on what they must do (other than simple faith in Christ) than what Jesus has done, then it is not a CLEAR Gospel. Always sounds too good to be true. "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." Titus 3:3-5 Let me sum this passage up: we were sinners worthy of hell and God saved us anyway because of his mercy. It's not too good to be true. It's too good and it's true! May our Gospel presentations be the same! You can always tell if you are preaching it clearly if the "you mean to tell me" people start to attack. They'll say stuff like, "You mean to tell me that someone can trust in Jesus and go out and sin and they'll still be saved?" "You mean to tell me that my Aunt Suzie who is a good lady but an atheist will go to hell and a mass murderer can trust in Jesus on death row and go to heaven?" The "you mean to tell me" people reject true grace and want to make salvation somehow deserved by the recipient. But all of us deserve nothing more than hell and we receive salvation because of the great mercy (Titus 3:3-5) and grace (Ephesians 2:8,9) of God! If your gospel doesn't sound too good to be true then it's not the true Gospel! Relentlessly focuses on faith alone in Christ alone "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." Romans 3:22 The Latin Term that fueled the Reformation is "Sola Fide." It means "faith alone." The very idea that we could be saved by simple faith in the risen Christ was revolutionary 500 years ago when Martin Luther shook Europe with this message. And it should be as revolutionary today. What makes Christianity unique is that we are the only world religion that doesn't provide a stairway to heaven (or nirvana or whatever.) Instead we provide a bridge, made from the cross of Christ. We don't climb our way up by our good deeds we walk to him in simple faith, putting the full weight of our sinful selfish souls on the blood stained wood and work of Christ on the cross. When sharing the Gospel with someone relentlessly take him/her back to faith alone in Christ alone as the key to salvation. It's so simple a child could do it (and so challenging that a theologian could choke on it!) So let's keep it as clear as a tall glass of pure water with nothing else added! ''Originally posted at gregstier.dare2share.org.'' Greg Stier is the Founder and President of Dare 2 Share Ministries International. He has impacted the lives of tens of thousands of Christian teenagers through Dare 2 Share events, motivating and mobilizing them to reach their generation for Christ. He is the author of eleven books and numerous resources, including Dare 2 Share: A Field Guide for Sharing Your Faith. For more information on Dare 2 Share and their upcoming conference tour and training resources, please visit www.dare2share.org.

### 50 Events Timeline 0. The Resurrection of the Dead “in Christ” 0. The Rapture of the Church 0. The Judgment Seat of Christ 0. The Day of the Lord 0. The Day of Christ 0. The Ezekiel 38,39 Invasion 0. The Amazing Scene in Heaven (Revelation 4,5) 0. The Seal Judgments: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Revelation 6) 0. The Rise of the Final Antichrist (The First Beast) 0. The Covenant Between the Final Antichrist and the Jews (The Seventieth Week of Daniel Begins) 0. The Abomination of Desolation (The Great Tribulation Begins: The Time of Jacob’s Trouble) 0. The Sealing of the 144,000 (Revelation 7,14) 0. The Trumpet Judgments (Revelation 8, 9) 0. The Two Hundred Million Man Army (Revelation 9:13-21) 0. The Seven Thunders, the Scroll, and the Ministry of the Two Witnesses (Revelation 10:1-11:15) 0. The Seventh Trumpet Sounds (Revelation 11) 0. A Great Sign in Heaven: Satan is Cast Down to the Earth (Revelation 12) 0. The Arrival of the Second Beast: The False Prophet (Revelation 13) 0. The Mark of the Beast (666) 0. The Persecution and Murder of the Tribulation Saints (Revelation 14) 0. The Fall of Babylon (Revelation 14,17, 20) 0. The Pronouncement of Judgment Against Those Who Have Taken the Mark of the Beast: Eternal Punishment (Revelation 14:9-11) 0. The Final Plagues, the Bowls of Wrath (Revelation 15) 0. The First Five Bowl Judgments (Revelation 16:1-11) 0. The Sixth Bowl Judgment: The Arrival of the Kings of the East, Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16) 0. The King of the North and the King of the South (Daniel 11:40-45) 0. The Seventh Bowl Judgment: Worldwide Devastation (Revelation 16:17-21) 0. The Destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17:1, Jeremiah 49:23-27) 0. The Conversion of Egypt (Isaiah 19) 0. The Final Siege and Deliverance of Jerusalem (Zechariah 12-14) 0. The National Conversion of Israel and Great Promises for Their Future (Zechariah 14) 0. The Banquet at the Wedding Celebration of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9) 0. The Sign of The Son of Man (Matthew 24:29) 0. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Revelation 19) 0. Satan is Bound for a Thousand Years (Revelation 20) 0. The Judgment Upon the Beast and the False Prophet (Revelation 20) 0. The Judgment of the Nations (Matthew 25:31-46) 0. The Restoration of Israel (Isaiah 11:11,12, Matthew 24:30,31) 0. The Restitution of All Things (Matthew 19:28, Acts 3:19-21) 0. The Beginning of the Millennium (Revelation 20:4-6) 0. The Resurrection of the Rest of the Believing Dead: The First Resurrection (Revelation 20:5,6) 0. The Enthronement of the King (Luke 1:30-33) 0. The Millennial Temple (Isaiah 2:2-4, Ezekiel 40-48) 0. The “Loosing” of Satan: The Deception of the Nations: (Revelation 20:7-8) 0. The Last Revolt Against the Lord Thwarted: Gog and Magog (Revelation 20:7-9) 0. Satan is Cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10) 0. The Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) 0. The New Heavens and New Earth Created (Revelation 21:1) 0. The Holy City: The Arrival of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21,22) 0. Eternity ''D. Stewart''

### Being a Christian ''So what's it mean?'' We ARE NOT a Religion! ..... We ARE a Relationship! (So Much Better!) CHRISTIANITY is not about signing up for a religion. Christianity is about being born into the family of God (John 3:3). It is a RELATIONSHIP! Just as an adopted child has no power to create an adoption, we have no power to join the family of God by our own efforts. We can only accept His invitation to know Him as Father through adoption (Ephesians 1:5; Romans 8:15). When we join His family through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside our hearts (1 Corinthians 6:19; Luke 11:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). He then empowers us to live like children of the King. He does not ask us to try to attain holiness by our own strength, as religion does. He asks that our old self be crucified with Him so that His power can live through us (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6). God wants us to KNOW Him, to DRAW NEAR to Him, to PRAY to Him, and LOVE Him above everything. ''That is not religion; that is a relationship.''

### Dispensational Timeline: 0. ''Innocence'' - Ends with the Fall (Gen 1:28-3:6) 0. ''Conscience'' - Ends with the Flood (Gen 3:23-7:16) 0. ''Human Government'' - Ends with the Tower of Babel (Gen 8:15-11:8) 0. ''Promise'' - Ends with the Captivity in Egypt (Gen 12:1-Ex 1:22) 0. ''Law ''- Ends at the Cross (Ex 20:1-Mt 27:50) 0. ''Grace / Church Age'' - Ends with the Rapture (Mt 27:51-Rev 3:22) 0. ''Tribulation'' - Ends with Armageddon (Rev 4:1-Rev 19:21) 0. ''Millennium'' - Ends with the Battle of Gog (Rev 20:1-10)

### Eyes on Jesus In the midst of the wind, the rain, the raging storm, keep your eyes on Jesus! Hear Him calling your name, step out of the boat, and allow Him to test your faith! It's okay to stumble and fall in the water — He has you! When the night gets rough, keep praising HIM! Just like Peter, some of us walk on water right before falling into it - but Jesus! He takes us, draws us out of many waters, delivers us from our strong enemies, and from those who hate us! When Peter saw Jesus walking on water toward the boat, his faith was unwavering. He called out, "Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you on the water." Jesus responded, "Come," and Peter immediately got out of the boat and began walking toward Jesus. However, as soon as he noticed the strong wind, fear overcame him, and he started to sink, crying out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus immediately reached out His hand and rescued him, saying, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" We are in the middle of the storm! The only way to survive the raging winds and waves is to keep our eyes set on Jesus and fill our minds with His Word— otherwise, the enemy will fill them with fear, anxiety, and doubt! Today let your mind be filled with these thoughts: He will come to save us from this sinful world, and when He does: 💠 We will get to experience His presence forever 💠 We will worship Him forever! 💠 We will have our perfect and supernatural bodies. 💠 We will never grow old. 💠 We will not get sick ever again. 💠 We will never suffer again. 💠 We will have perfect minds. 💠 We will experience perfect pleasure. 💠 We will have a new name and a perfect identity. 💠 We will never die. 💠 We will rule and reign with Jesus forever!!! 💯 Eyes on Jesus, eyes on eternity, & let's walk on water!! 👉 Believe Jesus is the Son of God, who shed His blood for you, died on the cross for our sins, He was buried and resurrected during the third day, according to the Scriptures, so we can have eternal life with Him. The moment you believe in Him and that He died for your sins - you're saved, justified, sealed until the day of redemption, and rapture ready! The Holy Spirit will come to live inside of you - He will help you, guide you, change you, and be with you FOREVER! ''Maranatha!''

### ILLUSIONS ''The Right Way vs The Wrong Way....'' (So many think they have it right and didn't or don't want to take the time to seek the Truth) There is one way and only one way to avoid condemnation and the eternal torment of hell. (text-style:"expand")[''JESUS CHRIST''] Illusions are fun because they challenge our sense of reality. We see them everywhere, from tricks in magic shows to special effects in movies, and can usually tell the difference between what is real and what is not. But did you know that there are deceptions which millions of people fall for everyday? They are the work of the master illusionist, Satan, who is called " the father of lies " in the Bible (John 8:44). He has been tricking people into disobeying God since the beginning of time, and is an experienced deceiver. Have you fallen for any of Satan's illusions? ''ILLUSION #1. THIS LIFE IS ALL THAT MATTERS'' We can get so caught up in this life that we pay no attention to eternal realities. God says that is foolish: "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul"? (Mark 8:36) ''ILLUSION #2. IF IT FEELS GOOD, DO IT'' Should we care about what we do? Is there such a thing as right or wrong? God says we will reap what we sow: " Be not deceived; God shall not be mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap". (Galatians 6:7). ''ILLUSION #3 THERE IS NO HELL'' If you start to ponder what comes after this life, Satan may try to convince you that there is nothing to worry about. God says otherwise: "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell". (Matthew 10:28). ''ILLUSION #4. EVERYONE GOES TO HEAVEN'' Another much-believed lie is that no people will ever have to go to Hell. While it's true that Hell was created for Satan and his angels, the Bible says that those who fall under Satan's deceptions will go there as well. "Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). ''ILLUSION. #5. YOU'RE NOT THAT BAD'' Every time we answer one of Satan's lies, you can be sure he has another one ready to go. Are we really bad enough to go to Hell? God's Word says "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). ''ILLUSION #6. YOU CAN EARN HEAVEN'' Once we have admitted that we have sinned, the next lie we often fall for is that we have probably done enough good to overcome our faults. However in God's eyes " we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness (good works) are as filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). ''ILLUSION #7. YOU'RE TOO BAD '' Sadly, lots of people fall for this one, too. Yes it's true that we have all messed up. But it's also true that God stands ready to help us: "Him that cometh to Me I will no wise cast out" (John 6:37). <hr>Why does God want us to come to Him? Because He loves us. He loves you, He loves me---not because we have earned it, but because He chooses to. God proved His love for us when He sent His only Son, Jesus, into the world because of our sins. (Romans 5:8). When Jesus died on the cross, He made the way for sinners like you and me to be brought back to God. Our sin was like a debt that needed to be paid, Jesus paid it. Our sin was like a sentence that needed to be served, Jesus served it. Our sin was like a burden that needed to be lifted, Jesus lifted it. Now He is using messages like this to awaken people to their need of Him, to "turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins". (Acts 26:18). Don't fall for Satan's illusions any more. Turn to God and put your faith in someone you can trust--- Jesus Christ --- TODAY ! ''If these illusions have tricked you.'' <blockquote>Take the guess work out of eternity. Trust God's plan..the ONLY plan ! Tell God you accept His Son's death. burial and resurrection for your sins. </blockquote>

### The Eternity Test ''Check below what you think is necessary to get you to heaven:'' 👉Obeying The Ten Commandments 👉Doing Your Best 👉Living A Good Life 👉Good Works 👉Obeying The Golden Rule 👉Tithing Or Giving Money To The Church 👉Denominational church Membership 👉Prayers 👉Water Baptism 👉Holy Communion 👉Christian Parents 👉Confirmation 👉Penance ''Now See Below How You Scored On The Test'' If you checked on or more of the above items you failed the test. Don’t feel badly though, most people do fail. Most are to some degree “religious”, but religions are nothing more than man made attempts to please God. (text-style:"mark")[EXPLANATION] 👉The real answer to how to get to Heaven is not found in some contrived religious system or by man’s self righteousness. God has declared that “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10-23). 👉Further, God’s word teaches that sin is a very serious matter.( 2Thessalonians 1:9 Revelation 20:15) 😍What can you do about your sin problem? Can you clean up your life, do good works and hope that in the end your good works will outweigh your bad works? 👉NO! Salvation does not come to those who work for it, but to those who cease from their own self righteous works, placing their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 4:5 Ephesians 2:8,9) 👉The issue is not what you can do for God, but what God has done for you.(Romans 5:8 2Corinthians 5:21).We have no righteousness of our own that God will accept. To have eternal life you must have the righteousness of Christ. (text-style:"mark")[WHAT THEN IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY?] 👉God has given you a free will to either accept or reject what He has done for you. To have God’s righteousness, you must believe that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). 👉Simply putting your trust in what God through the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us is the answer to the “eternal life question. (Ephesians 1:13).You hear, you believe and you are then sealed for all eternity. This seal is the guarantee that your salvation is eternal, you can never lose it, because it is the gift of God to all who will believe. 👉At this very moment you have the responsibility of making a decision. You can be saved right now. Choose to believe the Word Of God. 👉Simply make the decision in your heart to trust completely and exclusively in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as the total payment for your sins. The moment you do God will give you HIS righteousness and save you from eternal separation from God in the Lake of Fire. 👉The choice in Now up to you. (text-style:"emboss")[What you decide right now will determine your eternal destiny. Don’t put it off another day.]

### The Role of Israel in Prophecy Unfortunately, a large segment of the Christian community believe that God is finished with Israel, that the blood of Christ on the cross negates God's promise to the Jewish people. Nothing could be further from the truth! The tiny nation of Israel is a major player in end time events. There are events in God’s prophetic word that still needs to be fulfilled. For proof of the central role played by Israel in bible prophecy, one need look no further than the Book of Ezekiel and the first half of the 20th Century: ''The Rebirth of Israel'' God promised Israel that He would gather them from all the nations and bring them back to their own land. As some Christians attempted to allegorize this prophecy, the world witnessed the fulfillment of this prophecy in May 1948. ''The Regathering of God's People'' But God didn't merely promise that they would be reborn, He also said that He would bring them back. After their rebirth, the world has witnessed Jews from all around the world coming back to their land. ''Jerusalem Would be a Burdensome Stone'' Do we need further evidence of this? Under the guise of “peace”, world leaders continue talking about dividing Jerusalem. ''The War of Gog and Magog'' More than 2,600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel revealed God's plan to bring a coalition of nations against Israel in the last days. Today, we are watching as the exact players of this prophecy are aligning at the borders of Israel. ''A Covenant with Death'' The prophet Daniel prophesied that the nation of Israel would confirm a covenant with the anti-Christ in the end times that would last for a period of seven years. ''The Third Temple'' Roman legions destroyed the Temple in A.D. 70, and it’s never been rebuilt. But Bible prophecy states that there will be a temple during the seven-year tribulation period. ''The Abomination of Desolation'' The Antichrist will stand in this temple and proclaim himself to be God. ''Faithful Remnant Saved'' At the end of the seven-year tribulation, Israel will finally call on their Messiah, and they will be saved. So you see? God isn’t done with Israel. But the day is coming when He will gather His bride at the rapture, and then, He will continue dealing with Israel during this final seven year period – which is known as Jacob’s (Israel) Trouble. ''May we always remember to keep them in our prayers…'

### Where Are You Going? Better you know now than when it's too late....and you wake up after your last breath....and you're not where you thought you were going! You've reached your forever home.... No bargaining....no second chances...no re-evaluation....you're here for good! What's your answer before your last breath? If you chose Jesus as the only way to Heaven.....(knowing that sin ..even one ... although we have many)...... has been paid in full by Him on the cross.. If you know what you've been....know what you are....know that life in this body still faces challenges.... You know you can't even come close to Heaven without Him.... Any other road other than Jesus and He alone.....will result in Hell! He paid for you....accept the Gift of Heaven ....if you refuse it....know hell put out the welcome mat for you! I sleep better knowing where I'm going.

### Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God Sermon in the 1700s by Jonathan Edwards ''Their foot shall slide in due time.''— Deuteronomy 32:35 In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God’s visible people, and who lived under the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God’s wonderful works towards them, remained (as vers Deu 32:28) void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit; as in the two verses next preceding the text. — The expression I have chosen for my text, their foot shall slide in due time, seems to imply the following things, relating to the punishment and destruction to which these wicked Israelites were exposed. ''1.'' That they were always exposed to destruction; as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall. This is implied in the manner of their destruction coming upon them, being represented by their foot sliding. The same is expressed, Psalm 72:18. “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction.” ''2.'' It implies, that they were always exposed to sudden unexpected destruction. As he that walks in slippery places is every moment liable to fall, he cannot foresee one moment whether he shall stand or fall the next; and when he does fall, he falls at once without warning: Which is also expressed in Psalm 73:18,19. “Surely thou didst set them in slippery places; thou castedst them down into destruction: How are they brought into desolation as in a moment!” ''3.'' Another thing implied is, that they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but his own weight to throw him down. ''4.'' That the reason why they are not fallen already and do not fall now is only that God’s appointed time is not come. For it is said, that when that due time, or appointed time comes, their foot shall slide. Then they shall be left to fall, as they are inclined by their own weight. God will not hold them up in these slippery places any longer, but will let them go; and then, at that very instant, they shall fall into destruction; as he that stands on such slippery declining ground, on the edge of a pit, he cannot stand alone, when he is let go he immediately falls and is lost. The observation from the words that I would now insist upon is this. — “There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God.” — By the mere pleasure of God, I mean his sovereign pleasure, his arbitrary will, restrained by no obligation, hindered by no manner of difficulty, any more than if nothing else but God’s mere will had in the least degree, or in any respect whatsoever, any hand in the preservation of wicked men one moment. — The truth of this observation may appear by the following considerations: ''1.'' There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men’s hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands. — He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defence from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God’s enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by: thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down? ''2.'' They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God’s using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, “Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?” Luke 13:7. The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God’s mere will, that holds it back. ''3.'' They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John 3:18. “He that believeth not is condemned already.” So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John 8:23. “Ye are from beneath:” And thither he is bound; it is the place that justice, and God’s word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him. ''4.'' They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell. So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them. ''5.'' The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion. The scripture represents them as his goods, Luke 11:12. The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back. If God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should permit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost. ''6.'' There are in the souls of wicked men those hellish principles reigning, that would presently kindle and flame out into hell fire, if it were not for God’s restraints. There is laid in the very nature of carnal men, a foundation for the torments of hell. There are those corrupt principles, in reigning power in them, and in full possession of them, that are seeds of hell fire. These principles are active and powerful, exceeding violent in their nature, and if it were not for the restraining hand of God upon them, they would soon break out, they would flame out after the same manner as the same corruptions, the same enmity does in the hearts of damned souls, and would beget the same torments as they do in them. The souls of the wicked are in scripture compared to the troubled sea, Isa. 57:20. For the present, God restrains their wickedness by his mighty power, as he does the raging waves of the troubled sea, saying, “Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further;” but if God should withdraw that restraining power, it would soon carry all before it. Sin is the ruin and misery of the soul; it is destructive in its nature; and if God should leave it without restraint, there would need nothing else to make the soul perfectly miserable. The corruption of the heart of man is immoderate and boundless in its fury; and while wicked men live here, it is like fire pent up by God’s restraints, whereas if it were let loose, it would set on fire the course of nature; and as the heart is now a sink of sin, so if sin was not restrained, it would immediately turn the soul into fiery oven, or a furnace of fire and brimstone. ''7.'' It is no security to wicked men for one moment, that there are no visible means of death at hand. It is no security to a natural man, that he is now in health, and that he does not see which way he should now immediately go out of the world by any accident, and that there is no visible danger in any respect in his circumstances. The manifold and continual experience of the world in all ages, shows this is no evidence, that a man is not on the very brink of eternity, and that the next step will not be into another world. The unseen, unthought-of ways and means of persons going suddenly out of the world are innumerable and inconceivable. Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering, and there are innumerable places in this covering so weak that they will not bear their weight, and these places are not seen. The arrows of death fly unseen at noon-day; the sharpest sight cannot discern them. God has so many different unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending them to hell, that there is nothing to make it appear, that God had need to be at the expense of a miracle, or go out of the ordinary course of his providence, to destroy any wicked man, at any moment. All the means that there are of sinners going out of the world, are so in God’s hands, and so universally and absolutely subject to his power and determination, that it does not depend at all the less on the mere will of God, whether sinners shall at any moment go to hell, than if means were never made use of, or at all concerned in the case. ''8.'' Natural men’s prudence and care to preserve their own lives, or the care of others to preserve them, do not secure them a moment. To this, divine providence and universal experience do also bear testimony. There is this clear evidence that men’s own wisdom is no security to them from death; that if it were otherwise we should see some difference between the wise and politic men of the world, and others, with regard to their liableness to early and unexpected death: but how is it in fact? Eccles. 2:16. “How dieth the wise man? even as the fool.” ''9.'' All wicked men’s pains and contrivance which they use to escape hell, while they continue to reject Christ, and so remain wicked men, do not secure them from hell one moment. Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing, or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatters himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail. But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace, and are now dead, are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell, ever to be the subjects of misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, “No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself — I thought my scheme good. I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief — Death outwitted me: God’s wrath was too quick for me. Oh, my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction came upon me.” ''10.'' God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are given in Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen. But surely they have no interest in the promises of the covenant of grace who are not the children of the covenant, who do not believe in any of the promises, and have no interest in the Mediator of the covenant. So that, whatever some have imagined and pretended about promises made to natural men’s earnest seeking and knocking, it is plain and manifest, that whatever pains a natural man takes in religion, whatever prayers he makes, till he believes in Christ, God is under no manner of obligation to keep him a moment from eternal destruction. So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked, his anger is as great towards them as to those that are actually suffering the executions of the fierceness of his wrath in hell, and they have done nothing in the least to appease or abate that anger, neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment; the devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out: and they have no interest in any Mediator, there are no means within reach that can be any security to them. In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of; all that preserves them every moment is the mere arbitrary will, and uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance of an incensed God. ''Application'' The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons in this congregation. This that you have heard is the case of every one of you that are out of Christ. — That world of misery, that take of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell’s wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor any thing to take hold of; there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up. You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but do not see the hand of God in it; but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his hand, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it. Your wickedness makes you as it were heavy as lead, and to tend downwards with great weight and pressure towards hell; and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf, and your healthy constitution, and your own care and prudence, and best contrivance, and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock. Were it not for the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly; the sun does not willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth does not willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air does not willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God’s enemies. God’s creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and do not willingly subserve to any other purpose, and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of him who hath subjected it in hope. There are the black clouds of God’s wrath now hanging directly over your heads, full of the dreadful storm, and big with thunder; and were it not for the restraining hand of God, it would immediately burst forth upon you. The sovereign pleasure of God, for the present, stays his rough wind; otherwise it would come with fury, and your destruction would come like a whirlwind, and you would be like the chaff on the summer threshing floor. The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God’s vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw his hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea, ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it. The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, are in the hands of an angry God. However you may have reformed your life in many things, and may have had religious affections, and may keep up a form of religion in your families and closets, and in the house of God, it is nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction. However unconvinced you may now be of the truth of what you hear, by and by you will be fully convinced of it. Those that are gone from being in the like circumstances with you, see that it was so with them; for destruction came suddenly upon most of them; when they expected nothing of it, and while they were saying, Peace and safety: now they see, that those things on which they depended for peace and safety, were nothing but thin air and empty shadows. The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God’s hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell. O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment. — And consider here more particularly, ''1.'' Whose wrath it is: it is the wrath of the infinite God. If it were only the wrath of man, though it were of the most potent prince, it would be comparatively little to be regarded. The wrath of kings is very much dreaded, especially of absolute monarchs, who have the possessions and lives of their subjects wholly in their power, to be disposed of at their mere will. Prov. 20:2. “The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: Whoso provoketh him to anger, sinneth against his own soul.” The subject that very much enrages an arbitrary prince, is liable to suffer the most extreme torments that human art can invent, or human power can inflict. But the greatest earthly potentates in their greatest majesty and strength, and when clothed in their greatest terrors, are but feeble, despicable worms of the dust, in comparison of the great and almighty Creator and King of heaven and earth. It is but little that they can do, when most enraged, and when they have exerted the utmost of their fury. All the kings of the earth, before God, are as grasshoppers; they are nothing, and less than nothing: both their love and their hatred is to be despised. The wrath of the great King of kings, is as much more terrible than theirs, as his majesty is greater. Luke 12:4,5. “And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” ''2.'' It is the fierceness of his wrath that you are exposed to. We often read of the fury of God; as in Isa. 59:18. “According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay fury to his adversaries.” So Isa. 66:15. “For behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.” And in many other places. So, Rev. 19:15, we read of “the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” The words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been said, “the wrath of God,” the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is “the fierceness and wrath of God.” The fury of God! the fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful that must be! Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them! But it is also “the fierceness and wrath of almighty God.” As though there would be a very great manifestation of his almighty power in what the fierceness of his wrath should inflict, as though omnipotence should be as it were enraged, and exerted, as men are wont to exert their strength in the fierceness of their wrath. Oh! then, what will be the consequence! What will become of the poor worms that shall suffer it! Whose hands can be strong? And whose heart can endure? To what a dreadful, inexpressible, inconceivable depth of misery must the poor creature be sunk who shall be the subject of this! Consider this, you that are here present, that yet remain in an unregenerate state. That God will execute the fierceness of his anger, implies, that he will inflict wrath without any pity. When God beholds the ineffable extremity of your case, and sees your torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your strength, and sees how your poor soul is crushed, and sinks down, as it were, into an infinite gloom; he will have no compassion upon you, he will not forbear the executions of his wrath, or in the least lighten his hand; there shall be no moderation or mercy, nor will God then at all stay his rough wind; he will have no regard to your welfare, nor be at all careful lest you should suffer too much in any other sense, than only that you shall not suffer beyond what strict justice requires. Nothing shall be withheld, because it is so hard for you to bear. Ezek. 8:18. “Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.” Now God stands ready to pity you; this is a day of mercy; you may cry now with some encouragement of obtaining mercy. But when once the day of mercy is past, your most lamentable and dolorous cries and shrieks will be in vain; you will be wholly lost and thrown away of God, as to any regard to your welfare. God will have no other use to put you to, but to suffer misery; you shall be continued in being to no other end; for you will be a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction; and there will be no other use of this vessel, but to be filled full of wrath. God will be so far from pitying you when you cry to him, that it is said he will only “laugh and mock,” Prov. 1:25,26,&c. How awful are those words, Isa. 63:3, which are the words of the great God. “I will tread them in mine anger, and will trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.” It is perhaps impossible to conceive of words that carry in them greater manifestations of these three things, viz. contempt, and hatred, and fierceness of indignation. If you cry to God to pity you, he will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favour, that instead of that, he will only tread you under foot. And though he will know that you cannot bear the weight of omnipotence treading upon you, yet he will not regard that, but he will crush you under his feet without mercy; he will crush out your blood, and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on his garments, so as to stain all his raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you in the utmost contempt: no place shall be thought fit for you, but under his feet to be trodden down as the mire of the streets. ''3.'' The misery you are exposed to is that which God will inflict to that end, that he might show what that wrath of Jehovah is. God hath had it on his heart to show to angels and men, both how excellent his love is, and also how terrible his wrath is. Sometimes earthly kings have a mind to show how terrible their wrath is, by the extreme punishments they would execute on those that would provoke them. Nebuchadnezzar, that mighty and haughty monarch of the Chaldean empire, was willing to show his wrath when enraged with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and accordingly gave orders that the burning fiery furnace should be heated seven times hotter than it was before; doubtless, it was raised to the utmost degree of fierceness that human art could raise it. But the great God is also willing to show his wrath, and magnify his awful majesty and mighty power in the extreme sufferings of his enemies. Rom. 9:22. “What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?” And seeing this is his design, and what he has determined, even to show how terrible the unrestrained wrath, the fury and fierceness of Jehovah is, he will do it to effect. There will be something accomplished and brought to pass that will be dreadful with a witness. When the great and angry God hath risen up and executed his awful vengeance on the poor sinner, and the wretch is actually suffering the infinite weight and power of his indignation, then will God call upon the whole universe to behold that awful majesty and mighty power that is to be seen in it. Isa. 33:12-14. “And the people shall be as the burnings of lime, as thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire. Hear ye that are far off, what I have done; and ye that are near, acknowledge my might. The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites,” Thus it will be with you that are in an unconverted state, if you continue in it; the infinite might, and majesty, and terribleness of the omnipotent God shall be magnified upon you, in the ineffable strength of your torments. You shall be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and when you shall be in this state of suffering, the glorious inhabitants of heaven shall go forth and look on the awful spectacle, that they may see what the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty is; and when they have seen it, they will fall down and adore that great power and majesty. Isa. 66:23,24. “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.” ''4.'' It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For “who knows the power of God’s anger?” How dreadful is the state of those that are daily and hourly in the danger of this great wrath and infinite misery! But this is the dismal case of every soul in this congregation that has not been born again, however moral and strict, sober and religious, they may otherwise be. Oh that you would consider it, whether you be young or old! There is reason to think, that there are many in this congregation now hearing this discourse, that will actually be the subjects of this very misery to all eternity. We know not who they are, or in what seats they sit, or what thoughts they now have. It may be they are now at ease, and hear all these things without much disturbance, and are now flattering themselves that they are not the persons, promising themselves that they shall escape. If we knew that there was one person, and but one, in the whole congregation, that was to be the subject of this misery, what an awful thing would it be to think of! If we knew who it was, what an awful sight would it be to see such a person! How might all the rest of the congregation lift up a lamentable and bitter cry over him! But, alas! instead of one, how many is it likely will remember this discourse in hell? And it would be a wonder, if some that are now present should not be in hell in a very short time, even before this year is out. And it would be no wonder if some persons, that now sit here, in some seats of this meeting-house, in health, quiet and secure, should be there before tomorrow morning. Those of you that finally continue in a natural condition, that shall keep out of hell longest will be there in a little time! your damnation does not slumber; it will come swiftly, and, in all probability, very suddenly upon many of you. You have reason to wonder that you are not already in hell. It is doubtless the case of some whom you have seen and known, that never deserved hell more than you, and that heretofore appeared as likely to have been now alive as you. Their case is past all hope; they are crying in extreme misery and perfect despair; but here you are in the land of the living and in the house of God, and have an opportunity to obtain salvation. What would not those poor damned hopeless souls give for one day’s opportunity such as you now enjoy! And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north and south; many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. How awful is it to be left behind at such a day! To see so many others feasting, while you are pining and perishing! To see so many rejoicing and singing for joy of heart, while you have cause to mourn for sorrow of heart, and howl for vexation of spirit! How can you rest one moment in such a condition? Are not your souls as precious as the souls of the people at Suffield, where they are flocking from day to day to Christ? Are there not many here who have lived long in the world, and are not to this day born again? and so are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and have done nothing ever since they have lived, but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath? Oh, sirs, your case, in an especial manner, is extremely dangerous. Your guilt and hardness of heart is extremely great. Do you not see how generality persons of your years are passed over and left, in the present remarkable and wonderful dispensation of God’s mercy? You had need to consider yourselves, and awake thoroughly out of sleep. You cannot bear the fierceness and wrath of the infinite God. — And you, young men, and young women, will you neglect this precious season which you now enjoy, when so many others of your age are renouncing all youthful vanities, and flocking to Christ? You especially have now an extraordinary opportunity; but if you neglect it, it will soon be with you as with those persons who spent all the precious days of youth in sin, and are now come to such a dreadful pass in blindness and hardness. — And you, children, who are unconverted, do not you know that you are going down to hell, to bear the dreadful wrath of that God, who is now angry with you every day and every night? Will you be content to be the children of the devil, when so many other children in the land are converted, and are become the holy and happy children of the King of kings? And let every one that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now hearken to the loud calls of God’s word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favour to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men’s hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls; and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the greater part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on the great out-pouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles’ days; the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God’s Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire. Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: “Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed.”

### The Ark A sermon by Robert Murray McCheyne By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house,- by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith — Hebrews 11:7. It is a wonderful fact of human nature that we learn far more easily from example than we do in any other way. Now, you have in this passage an example of a sinner saved by faith. It shows you how a sinner is saved. And as Noah fled into the ark which he had prepared, so should you. You too, have an ark provided; and just as Noah thereby condemned the world — that is, shewed that the world was righteously condemned so will you; if you enter in, you will show by your faith that its condemnation is just. Let us go over these things and see: First, Noah’s warning: “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house.” We have an account given us of the warning of Noah in the 6th chapter of Genesis: And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth … that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years; verses 1-3 (Gen 6:1-3). That was the first warning. And the LORD said, I will destroy man, whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them; verse 7. This is the second warning. That was the warning which God gave Noah; he told him that the Holy Spirit would not always strive with man, and then he told him that he would destroy man whom he had created. Now, if Noah had been like some of you, he might have said, God is a merciful God — he will not destroy the souls that he has made. Or, like some of you, he might have said, O! it is a long time yet; it will be time enough to turn to God a year before the flood comes. But, no; “Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house.” Now, brethren, if you would be like Noah, you should be moved with fear. God has warned you, not once, nor twice, but a hundred times. God warns you in the Bible that “his wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” – Romans 1:18. It says, “Except ye be converted … ye shall not enter the kingdom of God” – Matthew 18:3; it says, that if you commit such things you shall die; it says that if you do not believe you shall be damned – Mark 16:16; it says that if you are not converted and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of God – Matthew 18:3. Ah, then, man, have you ever trembled at the warning of God? No; then you are not like Noah; you are not like him, for he believed God. I tell you, you could not live on as you do, if you believe God’s Word; it is because you are infidel at heart – that is the reason why you do not tremble at his Word: “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house.” Again, you are warned by ministers. We are to receive the word at God’s mouth, and warn the people; and if we do not warn you, God says he will require it at the watchman’s hands. This is one of the chief parts of a minister’s duty — to warn the unconverted. This is what I have done, both in public and in private. I have warned you, and how have you received it? O, you say, do you think I would be afraid of the word of a man? Well, if so, I tell you that it is not our word, it is the Word of God; and, oh! if you do not take the Word of God, spoken through the minister, you are not like Noah. Again, you are warned by providence. Some of you have seen souls cut down, and yet you are left. Some of you have seen those whom you led into sin taken away, and yet you are left. Ah, brethren, can you say that you have not been warned? and how have you taken it? Some of you have gone deeper into sin. Ah! you are not like Noah. But some of you will make this objection. I do not like to be moved with fear; I like it to be all love. It is quite true that none were ever brought to Christ by fear. We must be brought to Christ by a sight of his love. But then, it is quite as true that you will never be brought out of your security but by fear: you must be drawn out by fear, and drawn in by love. Ah, brethren, do not you despise fear. How was the jailer brought to Christ? “He called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” – Acts 16:29. What was it that made him ask the question? It was fear. What was it that made the three thousand on the streets of Jerusalem cry, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” – Acts 2:37. It was fear. What was it that made Saul cry, when he lay on the ground, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” – Acts 9:6. It was fear. And so must it be with you, if ever you are brought to Christ. Awake, “What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God” – Jonah 1:6. Ah! do not despise fear. I tell you, as long as you remain in that carnal lifeless state, like wine settled on its lees, you will never come to Christ. The Holy Spirit is like a dove, but the first thing he does is to convince of sin. I come now, in the second place, to consider the ark. “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house.” are told about the preparation of the ark in the 6th chapter of Genesis, 14th verse: “Make thee an ark of gopher-wood: rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shall pitch it within and without with pitch”; then, verse 16: “A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above: and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof, with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it”; verse 21: “And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food to thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” Observe, brethren, how completely the ark represents Christ. It was of God’s planning; and so it is with Christ and the gospel salvation. All the men that lived could not have devised an ark to hold so many: so, in like manner, neither man nor angel could find a way whereby the sinner could be saved. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…” – John 3:16. It is said, the angels desire to look into the plan of redemption. It is said, “it is unsearchable”. It is a plan that saves the sinner, and that gives glory to God. It is a plan laid so as to bring the sinner to God — a plan that gives glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good will to man. Observe still further, the strength of the ark. God knew what the billows were it would have to contend with. So it is with Christ; God made him strong enough to bear all that came against him, so that he is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him. And it was a roomy ark. So it is with Christ; the commission given to ministers is, “Yet there is room” – Luke 14:22. And you will notice there was a door made in the side of it. So it was with Christ; there was a spear thrust into his side; so it is said, “I am the door” – John 10:9. “We both have access by one Spirit unto the Father” – Ephesians 2:18. “He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out” – John 6:37. There are no steps up to it, so we have nothing to do but to believe. Again, there was a window on the top of it, that looked up to heaven. So, in Christ, we can look up to a reconciled God. Again, there was provision in the ark. So is there in Christ; “My God shall supply all your need” – Philippians 4:19. You need gold? Christ has it to bestow. You are polluted, and need a fountain? There is a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness. You are hungry, and need bread? Christ says, “I am the bread of life” – John 6:3 5. There is everything you need in the ark. Brethren, how will you escape, if you neglect so great salvation? If you despise an ark so strong, so filled with provision, how will you escape? This leads me to the third point, and that is to inquire how Noah saved his house. “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house.” Noah saved his house by fleeing from all other refuges. “And the LORD said unto Noah, Come, thou and all thy house into the ark” – Genesis 7:1. “And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, there went in two and two unto Noah in the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah” – Genesis 7:7-9. Observe, dear brethren, that the way in which Noah saved his house was by entering in. First of all, he entered in. Carnal men would have said, Better go to the top of the mountains; but Noah believed God, and fled from all other refuges; and not only did he go to the threshold, but he entered in, and his Wife and his sons, and their wives with him, into the ark, and the Lord shut him in. So must it be with you if you would enter in. First of all, you must forsake all other arks. Carnal men will say, There are arks as good as it. Some rest in the ark of God’s general mercy, but that is a false ark. Some rest in the ark of their decent moral character. Some rest in their knowledge of the ark, but these are all false arks; all that proceeds from man is false. Brethren, we must flee from all refuges of lies, and remember you must not stop on the threshold; there are many that look in, but do not enter in. There are many that know what is in the ark, but they do not enter in. But come thou into the ark, thou and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee, and the Lord will shut you in. You must not only hear about the ark, but you must enter in. You are not safe because you have wept and prayed. You are only safe when you enter in. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” – 2 Corinthians 5:17. All the beasts entered in. There came a lion and a lioness — they, too, entered in. And then there came in the tall cattle; there came a camel-leopard, with its long majestic neck bent down – it, too, entered in. And then came the birds; the eagle that loves to soar aloft in the sky, and feed upon its prey – it, too, entered in. And then the creeping things; there came a serpent, and perhaps, Noah might say when he saw them creeping along the ground, “These will bite us” – but they, too, entered in. So, brethren, it is true that all kinds of sinners may enter in. And it is sweet to see what a change came over them when they entered in. The lion lay down beside the lamb, and the leopard beside the kid. So it is with those that came to Christ. The lion-like nature is changed into the gentle nature of the lamb — the proud man is made humble. “If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Some of you think you are Christ’s and yet your old nature is not taken away. Fourthly, what came of the world. It is said he condemned the world. When Noah entered into the ark he condemned the world; not that he judged them, for it is said he was a preacher of righteousness — but he entered in, and thereby condemned the world. So is it yet; when a child in an ungodly family is saved, he enters into the ark, and thereby condemns those that do not. Brethren, the most of the world did not know when Noah entered the ark. “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away” – Matthew 24:37-39. Brethren, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. The bride was standing up putting her hand into the bridegroom’s hand, and promising herself many happy days — that day the flood came. Some said, Come, let us see a man making a ship on the dry land. They mocked Noah until the day that the flood came. So it is still. Though we tell you of a better ark, yet you go on with your ways. “Eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.” Brethren, I believe that the most of you, who ever will be, are gathered already, you are becoming gospel proof, and so you will live on, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the flood of wrath come and sweep you away. Ah, brethren, you mock at the man building the ark; you do this by not entering in. Ah, my brethren, many of you say, when you see persons striving to enter in, they are mad, and this is what they said to Noah. O brethren! it is a happy madness to enter into the ark. But, brethren, I believe that there are many that did not mock Noah, and, perhaps, they helped to build the ark; they, perhaps, went and cut down wood to build it, but they did not enter in. Ah! so it is with you; there are many who say that we are good people, but we carry things too far. Ah, there are many ministers who help to build the ark, that do not enter in themselves; there are many Sabbath school teachers help to build the ark, but do not enter in themselves. It is very probable that some came down to the ark that morning when Noah entered in; but it was too late; God had shut him in. I believe that most of you will come when it is too late. I know that many of you have your convictions, but do not enter in; you will come to the door when it is shut, like the foolish virgins, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us”, but he shall say, “I know you not” – Matthew 25:11-12. You will seek to enter in when you hear the rumbling of the chariot of Emmanuel, but it will then be too late. Brethren, it is the devil that is shutting your eyes from seeing these things. Last of all, it was an awful deluge that came. It came on them before they were aware — when they were “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage”. The taverns were all full, the bride was happy, all were full of mirth. And so it will be when the Son of Man comes. It will be a sudden flood. And it was a deep flood. It lifted the ark to the top of Ararat. It is calculated that the water rose four hundred feet the first day. Ah, brethren, it was a deep and awful flood, none were able to stand against it — it covered the proudest. Ah, brethren, it is the same word that reserves the world for a flood of fire. And it is said, “In that day who shall be able to stand?” O be warned, by a sinful worm like yourselves, to flee! “Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee?” – Ezekiel 22:14. The flood came upon Christ, and oh, how fearful was his agony! But if you are his, it will not come upon you – if you are in this ark, you will be saved; but, if not, you will be lost. God pity you, dear friends, I cannot. God grant that he may do it, before the flood come and sweep you all away. Amen.

### The Rapture Debate Chapter 13 from "Kept From The Hour" by Gerald Stanton A mounting wave of interest has swept across America and the United Kingdom on the subject of the return of Christ. Near the crest of the wave is the turbulent question, being asked with ever increasing intensity: “Will Christ return before the Tribulation, or must the Church pass through that dread hour?” Through the many years since the first publication of this volume, among evangelical Christians there has been a sustained interest in this frequently debated question. Perhaps the increasing social violence and governmental upheavals of the present era have encouraged such concern. Whatever the cause, much new material has been written as the Rapture debate enthusiastically continues. The time of the Rapture and its relationship to the coming Tribulation has become one of the burning issues of Biblical study and Christian theology. Kept from the Hour was first written as a doctoral dissertation, completed in 1952 and published by the Zondervan Publishing House in 1956, followed by Marshall, Morgan and Scott (London) in 1958 while the author was professor of Systematic Theology at Talbot Theological Seminary, Los Angeles. While this volume makes no claim at being exhaustive, it does present the four main positions on the time of the Rapture and most of the primary issues and Scriptures involved. Subsequent volumes by many other writers have developed these themes and filled in a host of exegetical details. Already in the early 1950’s there was considerable interest in the time of the Rapture, stirred up no doubt by a blistering attack upon the prevailing pretribulational view by the publication of The Approaching Advent of Christ, authored by a Presbyterian missionary to Brazil, Alexander Reese. Persuasive and “embarrassingly bombastic” (Gundry), Reese’s book became the standard posttribulational polemic and later writers have borrowed extensively from his attitudes and arguments. Although the Rapture debate has four main viewpoints, in the intervening years the discussion has largely narrowed to an increasingly detailed and technical debate between the advocates of pretribulationalism and the advocates of posttribulationalism. Some of the best theological minds of our day have been attracted to each side of the issue and a considerable literature has been generated. With all due respect for each author, it is our purpose here to review the books which, in the opinion of the writer, have the most to contribute or which take positions worthy of consideration. THE BLESSED HOPE In 1956, almost simultaneously with the publication of Kept from the Hour, there appeared a major posttribulational defense entitled The Blessed Hope, written by George E. Ladd, former professor of history and theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. Dr. Ladd sets forth and defends the proposition that “the Blessed Hope is the second coming of Christ and not a pretribulational rapture.” Ladd is a Premillennialist who believes in an infallible, authoritative Scripture, but who now marshals the primary arguments in support of a posttribulational Rapture. Unlike Reese, he is generally courteous, although he falls away from this high ground when he joins with Oswald J. Smith in labeling the Pretrib view “a dangerous heresy,” because it (in Ladd’s words) “sacrifices one of the main motives for world-wide missions, viz., hastening the attainment of the Blessed Hope” (146, 150). This simply is not true, for Pretrib missionaries and overseas professors have gone worldwide preaching and teaching Jesus Christ and His “so great salvation,” possibly in far greater numbers than their Posttrib brethren. The Blessed Hope is promoted on its front cover as “A Biblical Study of The Second Advent and The Rapture.” It is therefore quite surprising to discover how little attention is given to the acknowledged three primary Scriptures on the Rapture, namely I Thessalonians 4:13-18, I Corinthians 15:51-54 and John 14:1-3. Nor is it difficult to discover why they are neglected. They simply do not teach posttribulationalism! They give no suggestion of Tribulation preceding the Rapture, or of an earthly reign of Christ immediately following. They set forth the Rapture as a comforting hope, and it would be of small comfort to tell suffering saints that far worse things might be in store. They distinguish the Rapture from the Revelation by calling the Rapture a “mystery,” a truth heretofore unrevealed (Col. 2:6), and not like the Second Coming which is clearly taught in the Old Testament (Zech. 14:4, 9, etc.). They promise that translated saints will be taken directly to the Father’s house, clearly a reference to heaven. Small wonder that Ladd and others almost ignore these vital Rapture passages. Rather, he writes a whole chapter disputing dispensationalism and two long chapters, almost a third of the book, on the historical argument for posttribulationalism. He erroneously defines dispensationalism as “the method of deciding in advance which Scriptures have to do with Israel,” (130) and falsely argues that pretribulationalists make the Tribulation entirely Jewish. In his book, The Rapture Question, Walvoord comments that Ladd has set up “a straw man” to knock down, for pretribulationalists agree that the Tribulation finalizes the “times of the Gentiles,” and is a period when God brings judgment upon rebellious nations. Ladd then makes matters worse by suggesting that the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 7:2-8) may represent the “true Israel of God,” by which he means the Church. But then he fails to explain why the Church originates from twelve tribes – are these the major denominations? Significantly, he can find no clear reference to the Church in any of the Tribulation passages. Concerning the history of the Pretrib doctrine, Ladd asserts: “Pretribulationism was an unknown teaching until the rise of the Plymouth Brethren among whom the doctrine originated” (162). He names as Darby’s source an eloquent but erratic early charismatic preacher by the name of Edward Irving, about the year 1830. Many will resent the statement: “. . . that supposed revelation … came not from Holy Scripture, but from that which false pretended to be the Spirit of God” (41). This ugly implication that pretribulationism came from a Satanic source is a quotation from Tregelles, but Ladd includes it as if it were true. He also minimizes the fact that a host of God’s people are convinced that the idea of escaping Tribulation sprang from the words of Christ, John and Paul, and is rooted in the Apostolic hope of Christ’s imminent return. Ladd gives no real evidence that Irving was pretribulational beyond the fact that he proclaimed “the imminence of Christ’s coming.” If this is sufficient evidence of pretribulationalism, then on Ladd’s own admission the early Church must have been pretribulational. While most will agree that the early Church fathers were not entirely clear on the details of their eschatology, “many posttribulationalists, such as J. Barton Payne, concede that the early church fathers believed in imminency and that this is the historic position” (Walvoord 1976, 47). It is becoming increasingly evident that many Bible students in the general are of Irving believed and actively taught that the Church would not go through the coming Great Tribulation. This came about by a return to Biblical studies and the rise of futurism in the interpretation of prophetic Scripture. After centuries of neglect the whole doctrine of Christ’s return was being rediscovered, including a Pretrib Rapture, and it was attended with spiritual power and great blessing wherever it was proclaimed. Although Ladd effectively presents the Posttrib position, there are many chinks in his theological armor. As authorities he prefers to choose and quote authors who agree with him even those who may appear immature or Amillennial in their eschatology. He attacks the concept of a “secret Rapture,” and thinks that by refuting “secrecy” he has disposed of a Pretrib resurrection and translation of the saints. He spends a full chapter discussing the Greek vocabulary for the Blessed Hope and in so doing attacks a non-representative position. While it is true that an early writer endeavored to make parousia a technical word for the Rapture, it is now broadly recognized that the three distinctive Greek words associated with the return of Christ are non-technical and apply equally to the Rapture and the Second Coming (cf. Pentecost 156-8; Stanton 20-22; Walvoord 1957, 155-58). The term “secret” and a technical use of parousia are no longer valid issues in the Rapture debate. Ladd declares that we cannot accept a view which is not “explicitly taught” in Scripture, but later he makes the damaging admission: “With the exception of one passage, the author will grant that the Scripture nowhere explicitly states that the Church will go through the Great Tribulation” (5). That one exception is in Revelation 20, where “the Resurrection is placed at the return of Christ in glory.” But such an argument merely assumes that it sets out to prove. It ignores the obvious fact that the “first resurrection” is first in quality and not in time. For the first resurrection has many stages (I Cor. 15:23), and prior to the Revelation 20 resurrection there are others, such as the resurrection of Christ, the raising of certain Old Testament saints (Matt. 27:51-53), the resurrection of God’s two faithful witnesses (Rev. 11:11-12), and the raising of the dead in Christ at the Rapture (I Thess. 4:16). These are all included in the “first resurrection” because all are righteous. In discussing the nature of the coming Tribulation, Ladd correctly states: “It is inconceivable that the Church will suffer the wrath of God” (122). But then he goes on to speak of unparalleled bodily suffering and widespread martyrdom of the saints the world during the Tribulation, making this period “the most fearful the world has ever seen.” “Martyrdom has ever been a mark of faithfulness to Christ…. Why should it be any different at the end?” (129). He fails to explain how the saints will be protected from divine judgments which are worldwide, such as the sun scorching men with fire, the pollution of all fountains and waters, devastating earthquakes and possible nuclear holocaust. “There is no way to escape it,” says Blackstone, “but to be taken out of the world by the Rapture, in as much as the Great Tribulation covers the whole habitable earth” (Biederwolf, 550). In addition, Ladd waters down the command to “watch” for the return of Christ, saying this does not mean “looking for” the event but merely a “spiritual and moral wakefulness.” He hardly considers the removal of the Restrainer with its strong pretribulational implications. He makes Revelation 3:10 teach “a promise of preservation and deliverance in and through” the hour rather than physical removal from the hour itself, and fails to note that martyred saints have not been preserved or delivered (Rev. 13:7). In arguing against an interval between Rapture and Revelation, he ridicules the idea that seven years would give God enough time to reward the saints at the Judgment Seat of Christ, as though God were limited by human chronology! He then is forced to merge the Marriage Supper of the Lamb with the coming of Christ to wage war and judgment. Also unanswered is the important Pretrib argument, that if every living saint is raptured at the Second Coming and none of the wicked are allowed to enter the Kingdom, this would make unnecessary the separation of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25, and would leave none on earth in their natural physical bodies to populate the Millennial Kingdom. Dr. Ladd is to be commended for his generally gracious attitude and his appeal to hold God’s truth in love and the unity of the Spirit. Certainly those who “love His appearing” should close ranks and stand together on the great fundamentals of the Word of God. But his presentation leaves much of the evidence for a pretribulational Rapture relatively untouched and fails to convince this reviewer that the Blessed Hope implies the prospect of martyrdom in the Tribulation rather than the daily hope of meeting Christ face to face. IS THE RAPTURE NEXT? A rather simple but effective presentation of the Pretrib viewpoint was published by Leon Wood in 1956, under the title Is the Rapture Next? It represents the result of a faculty study group of the Grand Rapids Baptist Theological Seminary and Bible Institute, who “entered the consideration with open minds to determine what the Scriptures had to say.” Avoiding all personalities and lesser theological disputes, the procedure was to examine and attempt to harmonize two groups of Scripture: (1) Those which supply the stronger reasons for saying “Yes, the Rapture will precede the Tribulation,” and (2) “those which normally are thought to say No!, the Church will not be delivered from that time.” The final conclusion was reached that the latter group of verses do not say No at all, but “properly interpreted, are very much in keeping with the Yes answers” (9). The following are among the contributing conclusions drawn: (1) The coming Tribulation is in a class by itself, designed with the purpose of punishment rather than purification. “The Church, whose punishment has been borne by Christ, logically should be expected to escape such a time.” (2) While “no definite Scripture passages indicate that the Church will then be on earth,” other passages such as Revelation 3:10 say clearly that it will not be here. (3) The Tribulation “has a Jewish character which is hard to reconcile with the Church’s presence.” (4) The Scriptures which urge an attitude of watchfulness for, or else joyful anticipation of, Christ’s coming “clearly imply that there will be no warning signal for last-minute preparation.” (5) The expression “end of the age” does not connote cessation of time “but rather completion of program by means of consummating events.” (6) When, in the Olivet Discourse, Christ answered the questions of His disciples relative to signs and times, He limited His answers to the Jewish aspect of last things because “the nature of the disciples’ thinking” still related to the predicted Kingdom rather than to the future Church. (7) The Posttrib argument from the “first resurrection” in Revelation 20:4-6 is clearly answered when it is recognized that “the word first is not intended to be taken in the sense of initial, but rather a reference to a type of resurrection, namely that of the righteous as contrasted with that of the wicked” (117-20). The author concludes that our personal decision concerning the Rapture debate is significant because it results in “quite a different outlook” as we watch for Christ’s coming. THE RAPTURE QUESTION A major contribution to pretribulational literature was made in 1957 with the publication of The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord, former President and now the Chancellor of the Dallas Theological Seminary. From a lifetime of studying and graduate level teaching of Biblical eschatology, Walvoord discusses in depth all of the primary issues and gives detailed exegesis of the relevant Biblical passages. Walvoord sets forth the important of the Rapture question, which is one of the main areas of dispute in conservative eschatology” (8). He continues with an extensive study of the meaning of the Church, significant in the Rapture debate because Posttribs normally and without proof assume “that the word church is synonymous with the terms elect and saints,” and hold that “saints of all past, present, and future ages are included in the church.” While all agree that there are some of God’s “elect” present in the Tribulation (according to Pretribs they turn to Christ after the Rapture), if these are to be uncritically classified as members of the Church “it leads inevitably to the conclusion that the church will go through the tribulation.” So widespread is this false assumption that Walvoord declares: “It is therefore not too much to say that the rapture question is determined more by ecclesiology than eschatology” (16). It might be added that if the word “elect” belongs exclusively to the Church, then the Church must include the “elect angels” and indeed all the saints since Adam! Walvoord continues his discussion with the historical argument, the central feature of which is the doctrine of imminency. He gives important quotations from as early as the second century to demonstrate that the early Church lived in constant expectation of the coming of the Lord. And if the Rapture is truly imminent, it follows that it must be pretribulational. Under the “hermeneutical argument,” he warns that many posttribulationalists tend to depart from normal literal interpretation, which is the hallmark of Premillennialism, toward a spiritualization of the key Tribulation passages. He goes on to show the “complete lack of evidence for the presence of the Church in the Tribulation,” distinguishing clearly between “tribulation” as a general condition of suffering or persecution and “Tribulation” which refers to the specific period of the outpoured wrath of God. “It has been shown that the purpose of the Tribulation is to purge and judge Israel and to punish and destroy Gentile power. In neither aspect is the church the object of the events of the period” (72). Dr. Walvoord discusses the work of the Holy Spirit in the present age and the significance of the removal of the Restrainer. He presents the Judgment Seat of Christ in heaven and the judgment of both Israel and the Gentiles upon earth as necessary intervening events between Rapture and Revelation, and finds Ladd’s view that seven years would not be sufficient to review the lives of Church saints bordering on the ridiculous. HE counters the charge of Oswald T. Allis that the Pretrib view is “singularly calculated …” to appeal to those selfish and unworthy impulses from which no Christian is wholly immune” by declaring: “Unless martyrdom is something to be earnestly desired and cheerfully sought, it is difficult to see why it is so contrary to Christian principles to desire to avoid these contingencies” (133). The last four chapters of the book take up a detailed examination of the three alternate Tribulation positions, closing with a most significant summary chapter entitled “Fifty arguments for Pretribulationalism.” Coming as they do from a trusted scholar whom many consider the dean of conservative, Biblical theologians for the past three decades, those who differ would do well to evaluate carefully these 50 arguments. THINGS TO COME In 1958 there was first published an excellent and extensive (633 pages) overview of Biblical Eschatology called Things To Come, written by J. Dwight Pentecost, who since 1955 and until recently has served on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary. While his volume covers the entire scope of Bible prophecy, it is important to the Rapture debate because of its detailed examination of the four main positions and other related matters, such as the identity of the Restrainer, the position of Israel and the Gentiles in the Tribulation, and the resurrections and judgments normally associated with the Second Advent of Christ. Pentecost strongly answers the notion of one general and final resurrection and supports the view that the resurrection of the Church is but one of the orders (tagma) found in I Corinthians 15:23. Therefore the mention of the “first resurrection” in Revelation 20:5-6 does not date the Rapture as posttribulational as the opponents of the Pretrib view constantly proclaim. As previously mentioned, there are many stages in the “first resurrection,” for it is “first” in quality rather than in time, distinguishing it from the resurrection of the unrighteous dead, which is the “second resurrection.” Pentecost holds that “Pretribulation rapturism rests essentially on one major premise – the literal method of interpretation of the Scripture” (193). This he sustains by the cumulative evidence of 28 “Essential Arguments of the Pretribulation Rapturist,” all expressed convincingly and well supported by Scripture. These include the scope and purpose of the seventieth week, which is judgmental and “will see the wrath of God poured out upon the whole earth.” The concept of the Church as a mystery, “not revealed until the rejection of Christ by Israel … distinct in its inception … certainly separate at its conclusion.” The distinctions between Israel and the Church show conclusively that these two groups are not to be united as a single entity. The doctrine of imminence “forbids the participation of the church in any part of the seventieth week.” The necessity for an interval between Rapture and Revelation to allow time for the Judgment Seat of Christ, the presentation of the Church as the Bride of Christ, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The 24 elders, “representative of the saints of this present age … resurrected, in heaven, judged, rewarded, enthroned … raptured before the seventieth week begins.” The sealed 144,000 from Israel, redeemed but with a “special Jewish relationship,” indicating that “the church must no longer be on earth.” The chronology of the Book of Revelation, which poses great difficulty for both the Midtrib and the Posttrib Rapture positions (193-218). The full 28 arguments strongly support a pretribulational conclusion, and demonstrate clearly that the significance of the Rapture debate goes far beyond the mere chronology of our Lord’s return. Important also is Pentecost’s inclusion of a history of both Premillennialism and Amillennialism, and also a chapter setting forth the essential rules for the interpretation of prophecy. THE IMMINENT APPEARING OF CHRIST In 1962 there was published another major defense of the posttribulation position entitled The Imminent Appearing of Christ, by J. Barton Payne, at the time an Associate Professor of Old Testament in the Graduate School of Theology of Wheaton College. In keeping with a host of other students of Biblical Eschatology, Payne accepts the Premillennial view of the return of Christ. But in some aspects of his Rapture viewpoint he stands alone, subscribing as he does to the imminency of the return of Christ which Posttribs normally repudiate, yet coupling it with a strong posttribulational conclusion. He defends both of these positions, declaring that they were cardinal views held by the Apostolic Church. However, he should have seen that many early Church fathers were posttribulational simply because they believed they were then living in the Tribulation. Their theology was overly dominated by their strong persecution experience. However since they were in error in equating Roman persecution with the predicted Tribulation, it follows that they were also in error in drawing a posttribulational conclusion. Payne writes off all Pretribs as “dispensationalists,” while most fellow Posttribs are labeled “predominantly negative” because they are simply “reacting post-tribulationalists.” His own unique position he calls the “classical Christian hope.” The doctrine of imminency, largely based on the hope and comfort of Christ’s appearing, coupled with the exhortations to look and watch with expectancy, is normally considered one of the strong supportive arguments for the pretribulational position. How amazing it is that a future event, which will take place on one calendar day of human history, should be so worded that it becomes the hope and joyful expectation of Christians down through the running centuries! There is nothing else comparable to this in the history of the Christian Church. Now while we are glad that Payne acknowledges and supports the truth of imminency, it must be noted that he applies it to the Second Coming of Christ to earth following the Tribulation rather than to the Rapture itself. How then does he explain the clearly described events of the predicted Tribulation, such as the reign of Antichrist, the defiling of the Temple, and the many judgments of the outpoured wrath of God so clearly revealed in the Book of Revelation? These “alleged antecedents” of the Tribulation, says Payne, do not destroy the imminency of the Second Coming for they are already past, fulfilled in early Church history or in the contemporary problems of Christianity! While Payne argues vigorously, and perhaps to the beginning student convincingly, his conclusions strike this reviewer as inconclusive and strongly opinionated. To preserve the imminency of the return of Christ he is forced to adopt a non-literal interpretation of the entire Tribulation period. Says he: “The great tribulation, as classically defined, is potentially present, and perhaps almost finished” (133). The wrath of God poured out upon those who worship the Beast and upon the cities of the nations and great Babylon (Rev. 14:10; 16:19) “seem to relate to the now historic fall of Rome” (140). The seventieth week of Daniel, the rebuilt Temple and the abomination of desolation which shall defile it (Ezek. 40-46; Dan. 9:26-27; 11:36-37), declares Payne, “all of which are seen to lie in the portion that has ceased to have prophetic relevance beyond the time of Titus” (153). In Revelation, Payne continues, “the universal rule (13:7), the emperor worship (v. 8), and the martyring of the saints (v. 7) fit ancient Rome, and ancient Rome only” (155). “The commercial activity that is described in such detail in 18:11-19 is distinctly that of the first century.” The fall of Rome and the balance of power found in the ten horns (17:16) “corresponds with such inspired truthfulness to fall of the historic Roman empire, dated in A.D. 476” (155). Pompously, Payne speaks of the “audacity” of those who require “a future reenactment of what had already been completely fulfilled.” But what of the predictive signs signaling the imminent return of Jesus Christ which history cannot satisfy, such as the meteoric rise and career of the Devil’s Antichrist, the godless activities of the False Prophet, and the destruction of three of the ten kingdoms which shall arise in the endtime (Dan. 7:8, 24; Rev. 13:1-18; 17:12)? For Antichrist, Payne (at the time of writing) suggests “an unusually apt candidate for the Antichrist is Nikita Khrushchev right today!” (121). For the False Prophet, he suggests “the papacy, or some other anti-Biblical, ecumenical religious development.” And for the three unfortunate kingdoms Daniel’s little horn will destroy, he offers: “If Christ were to come back today, who would they be? The Hungarians … constitute a pitiable possibility” (108). All of these appear to be strange and obviously erroneous conclusions. Large passages of Revelation are made to coincide with the contemporary scene. For example, “the four horsemen of the Apocalypse – aggression, war, famine and death … were never more alive than today” (112). The two witnesses of Revelation 11, he suggests, are “a church that witnesses to the law and to the prophets … an inevitable torment to the world.” Payne continues: “It seems that in many places now, as never before, when Christians are liquidated ‘they that dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and make merry.” Moreover, “in Latin America, and in other areas of Roman Catholic domination today, the prohibition of burial rights to Evangelicals is far from unknown” (118). Now while it is sadly true that there are Christians today who have laid down their lives for the cause of Christ, to apply this to the two witnesses of Revelation 11 is an example of flagrant spiritualization and of prophetic Scripture. What then of signs which obviously have not yet been fulfilled? Says Payne, “the signs are brief … giving the Christian the opportunity to pull his car over to the side of the road, but perhaps not much more” (92). So brief are the remaining signs before the believer is caught up in the Rapture! And all of these rare pronouncements simply to reconcile the truth of imminency with the theory of posttribulationalism! The only necessary conclusion to be drawn is that the early Church was correct when it looked for the imminent return of Christ, but very wrong when it identified the Roman persecution with the predicted Tribulation period. If indeed some were posttribulational, it was their suffering and not the prophetic Scriptures which became the essential basis of this persuasion. Payne’s fellow Posttrib, Robert H. Gundry, includes in his book The Church and the Tribulation an “Addendum on Imminent Posttribulationalism,” which is a severe and detailed refutation of Payne’s position. It requires the possibility, says Gundry, “that we have progressed to the very end of the tribulation” (193). We cannot suppose that all the great endtime events have passed unnoticed, for “they are revelatory signs and must therefore be recognizable upon occurrence.” Thus “Payne’s potential but uncertain fulfillment falls to the ground” (194). Continues Gundry, Payne is wrong in denying “the principle of double fulfillment.” His view “lacks historical perspective.” It fails to provide an adequate fulfillment of the Olivet Discourse, “which describes a complex of events immediately preceding the return of Christ” (200). There follows much more detail to support Gundry’s very critical evaluation of Payne’s position. In addition to the conflicts generated by the attempts to reconcile the imminency of our Lord’s return with Payne’s so-called “pasttribulational” view, other problems quickly rear their heads. Declares the author, John 14:3 is “irrelevant” to the time of the Rapture because it does not teach being translated to the Father’s house. Rather, “the interpretation which seems the more plausible contextually is that at a believer’s death ‘I come and will receive you unto myself’ in glory” (74). This makes John 14:3 a funeral promise rather than a blessed expectation of Christ’s return! Payne also claims that Romans 5:9 and I Thessalonians 1:10 and 5:9 are likewise “irrelevant passages,” for the “need simply to imply no more than God’s certain condemnation of sin…. He is delivering us from the wrath, right now.” Thus, they do not apply to the Rapture question. But such an assertion ignores the fact that the context of I Thessalonians 1:10 is “waiting for God’s Son from heaven,” and that for 5:9 the prior context is the “day of the Lord,” which certainly includes the Tribulation. His discussion of the primary passage, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, is extremely brief and fails to explain how a Posttrib Rapture could be of comfort to early believers. While agreeing with him that “the chapter division is here an unhappy one,” Payne seems not to notice that Paul discusses the Rapture before he discusses the day of the Lord – a perfect pretribulational order. Rather, he limits his exegesis to the expression “to meet the Lord in the air,” explaining that “the ones who do the meeting then turn around and accompany the one who is met for the rest of his journey…. The church is to meet Christ in the air and thus join in His triumphant procession down to earth.” Since they “advance without pause,” the Judgment Seat of Christ “could be instantaneous, in the air” (136). This would hardly comfort Dr. Ladd who argues, as we have seen, that seven years would not be long enough to judge and give reward to all his saints. The return of Christ for His Church is certainly a wonderful hope, and The Imminent Appearing of Christ is an attractive theme and title. But in the writer’s opinion, much of the content of this book is a fallacious interpretation of prophetic Scripture. Certainly, it is a sad deterioration from the Bible and theology he was taught by the faculty during his own years at Wheaton College and its Graduate School. As a theologian who has spent a lifetime in the study and teaching of eschatology, it is with great regret that this review judges Payne’s central conclusion to be wrong, his objections to pretribulationalism answerable, and his attitude toward his Pretrib brethren frequently abrasive. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL PROPHECY A much greater and less controversial work was published by J. Barton Payne in 1973, called the Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, and subtitled “The Complete Guide to Scriptural Predictions and Their Fulfillment.” Because of its scope and scholarly content it is a volume of considerable value, weakened no doubt by Payne’s continual adherence to the viewpoints previously discussed. Thus, the Rapture is minimized and the Church goes no further than meeting Christ in the air and returning immediately to earth on the Mount of Olives. In the words of Payne, this is “our rapture to Jerusalem” (561), which is certainly a peculiar view! The Restrainer is not seen as the Holy Spirit but is identified as “lawful government,” Paul using veiled language “as a means for avoiding offence to the Roman power” (565). Revelation 3:10 applies only to the first century church at Philadelphia, for “their devotion will carry them through the storm of Roman persecution” (606). Such an explanation completely ignores the immediate context found in verse 11, which is the return of Christ at the end of the Church age. The prophecy and blessed promise of John 14:1-3 is skipped without mention. The 144,000 witnesses of Revelation 7 become “a chosen youth group of the church, the Israel of God” (597). And the Rapture is identified with Revelation 14:1-7 where the representative groups of the tribes of Israel are now seen in heaven! Much of this, of course, is one man’s opinion and cannot fail to disappoint those who now look for God’s Son from heaven. THE CHURCH AND THE TRIBULATION Also in 1973 there was published yet another significant book length presentation of the posttribulational view, entitled The Church and the Tribulation by Robert H. Gundry, Professor of Religious Studies at Westmont College. While Payne is a preterist, holding that much of the Revelation was fulfilled in the Roman persecution of the early Church, Gundry is a futurist, joining with Pretribs and most of his fellow Posttribs in placing Revelation 4-22 in the eschatological future. Payne strongly believes in the imminency of our Lord’s return, while Gundry just as strongly rejects imminency, declaring that those “who find imminence in the Ante-Nicene fathers are grasping at straws” (182). Posttribs typically scorn dispensationalism and its implications, but Gundry upholds this method of Scripture interpretation, especially in its important distinction between Israel and the Church. Unlike Payne, who things that John 14:1-3 speaks of the believer’s death, Gundry holds it to be a promise of the Rapture. Also unlike most of his fellow Posttribs he does not “ignore the distinctions between tribulation in general and the time of unprecedented tribulation at the end of the age” (49). Such extreme divergence of opinion within the posttribulational camp even on the primary issues of the Rapture debate makes critical analysis most difficult. It leads one to suspect that the Posttrib conclusion may be based more upon divergent human opinion than upon sound Biblical exegesis. In his book, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation, Walvoord discusses four distinct schools of posttribulationalism which have emerged in the twentieth century (21ff.), of which Gundry’s “entirely new approach” is but one. Since the Bible does not contradict itself, this notable lack of theological unanimity among posttribulationalists reflects a fundamental flaw in their interpretive system. There is considerable complexity to Gundry’s arguments. He agrees of necessity with pretribulationalists that the Church will be exempt from the outpoured wrath of God (I Thess. 1:10; 5:9), declaring “the theological necessity that God’s wrath not touch a saved person” (46). But then he endeavors to distinguish different kinds of distress in the Tribulation period: the wrath of God upon the unregenerate, the ravages of Satanic and demonic forces, violence which stems from man’s own wickedness, the persecution of saints by Antichrist, and the final chastisement upon Israel (46). By so doing he relieves the severity of the Tribulation for the saint, making it more a time of Satanic wrath than divine wrath, thus endeavoring to give the Church safe passage through the Tribulation. Revelation 13:7 denies such a possibility. He rearranges the sequence of judgments in the Revelation so that the seventh seal, the seventh trumpet and all seven bowls of wrath are “clustered at the end” of the period in one great “cataclysmic blast of judgment at Armageddon” (75-77). He argues that the wrath associated with the seal judgments (Rev. 6:15-17) falls only on unbelievers. The passage describing the multitude which “came out of great tribulation” (Rev. 7:9-17) is called an “episodical vision which leaps to the end of the tribulation” (76). From all this, Gundry concludes: “Divine wrath does not blanket the entire seventieth week, probably not even the latter half of it, but concentrates at the close” (63). After this ingenious scheme the Church goes through the entire Tribulation but is spared its primary judgments and the outpoured wrath of God! Gundry is forced to admit that there is no clear reference in the Bible to a posttribulational Rapture of the Church. But then he holds that with many clear references to the resurrection of Old Testament saints and a gathering of the Tribulation “elect,” which is “indisputably located after the tribulation,” it is implied that the Rapture will occur there also. Posttribulationalists must then add to all this end-time activity the gathering and judgment of the nations, the conversion of national Israel, the Judgment Seat of Christ, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the defeat of invading armies at Armageddon, the destruction of the Beast and the False Prophet, the fulfillment of dire Old Testament prophecies concerning end-time judgments, plus the final catastrophes of the seven seals, seven trumpets and seven vials of wrath. All in close proximity at the Second Advent of Christ! Posttribs thus have a way of lumping together all these future events into an already heavily overloaded “day of the Lord,” and they do so without really producing any orderly chronology of these events. Why not a seven year period of wrath and judgment to give time for all this activity, as the Scriptures seem to indicate? The Church would escape both divine and satanic wrath by being translated with rejoicing prior to that final period of trouble, and there would be adequate time for the many other activities and events normally associated with Christ’s appearing. Among his unique views, Gundry holds that “some of the wicked will survive the tribulation.” Hence, the judgment of the nations will be after the millennium. He believes that the 144,000 will be “orthodox (though unconverted) Jews,” both men and women, who will resist the Antichrist and go into the Kingdom to “populate and replenish the millennial kingdom of Israel” (82). The redeemed multitude who come out of the great Tribulation “constitute the last generation of the Church” (80). He escapes the clear Pretrib inference of John 14:1-3 by declaring that the “Father’s house” is simply “a metaphor for the place of believers in the Father’s domestic domain.” So Christ is not promising that He will return and transport believers to heaven, but rather “He is going to prepare for them spiritual abodes within His own person. Dwelling in these abiding places they belong to God’s household” (154). Such an approach is commonly called “spiritualizing,” yielding an odd and novel interpretation to a familiar and blessed promise. Concerning the Restrainer of II Thessalonians 2, Gundry gives some credence to “the prevalent view in the early Church” that the restraint of iniquity may be that of “divinely ordained human government.” He suggests that Paul speaks vaguely of fear that “the letter might fall into wrong hands and … be considered a teaching of sedition” (124). But this view fails, for human government is not removed during the Tribulation. Rather it is expressed by the presence of ten kings and then seized and dominated by the Antichrist. Gundry goes on to favor the identification of the Restrainer as the Holy Spirit, for several of the early Church fathers held this view. Further, “it would seem that a person is required to restrain a person.” Also, the change of gender from the neuter to the masculine conforms to the same shift in gender when Paul writes concerning the Spirit. Thus far we would agree. However, Gundry then argues that the Greek grammar does not demand removal from the world. Rather, he says, the Spirit merely blocks the entrance of the Antichrist “until the appointed moment when He will step out of the way and allow the man of lawlessness to stride onstage before the admiring eyes of mankind” (127). He further declares: “His partial withdrawal in a retrogression to the beggarly elements and immature status of the old covenant would amount to an annulment of Christ’s exhaltation” (126). How well he argues, and with such eloquent language! But what is he saying, and is his argument reliable? For Satan, cast down to the earth having great wrath (Rev. 12:12), does imply a major removal of restraint during that period. Moreover, to declare that the return of the Spirit to heaven would diminish His “Pentecostal fullness and power” might, by implication, suggest that Christ also has limited His power and ability to save just because He, too, has shifted from earth to heaven. The language of the text clearly implies a removal of the Spirit before the unveiling of Antichrist. He does not merely step to one side; rather, He is “taken out of the way.” Then, because the Spirit abides within the Church forever (John 14:16) and since the Church finds no mention in the many passages describing the Tribulation, it is fair to conclude that the removal of the Spirit has set the time of the removal of the Church as pretribulational. Much more needs to be said in response to Gundry’s complex defense of posttribulationalism, but it would probably take another book equal to his 200 plus pages – far beyond the scope of this present review. He writes with considerable scholarship and debating skill, and his arguments are stimulating if not entirely convincing. A far more extensive answer to Gundry’s position is available in two books by John F. Walvoord, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation and The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition (to be reviewed later in this series). Gundry departs from the views of his fellow Posttribs so frequently that Walvoord is forced to conclude: “His arguments, in the main, are new and propound a form of posttribulationalism never advanced before.” This causes him to “refute most of the posttribulationalists who have preceded him.” Indeed, “in a number of particular judgments, if Gundry is right, every previous expositor of the Bible has been wrong” (1976, 19, 60-62). Yet another commentary upon The Church and the Tribulation may be found in the chapter entitled “The Case for the Pretribulation Rapture Position” by Paul D. Feinberg, in the book The Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulational? However, the most extensive critique of Gundry’s book discovered thus far is the 75 page syllabus by John A. Sproule, entitled A Revised Review of The Church and the Tribulation by Robert H. Gundry. A scholarly presentation, it is especially helpful in its Greek exegesis of the cardinal Scriptures and in its firm answers to Gundry’s attack against the Pretrib concept of imminency. On this issue, Sproule concludes that Gundry assumes his conclusion, so that “his arguments crumble because their foundations are built upon presumptions rather than upon essentially conclusive evidence” (12). THE INCREDIBLE COVER-UP In 1973, Dave MacPherson, then a newspaperman of Kansas City, Missouri, published a vigorous repudiation of pretribulationalism under the title The Unbelievable Pre-Trib Origin. It was revised and expanded in combination with another booklet by the same author, The Late Great Pre-Trib Rapture, and published in 1975 under the title The Incredible Cover-Up. In MacPherson’s widely distributed “A Letter to Southern Christians,” yet another title by the same author was promoted, The Great Rapture Hoax, “packed with the sort of shocking data that’s been known – and covered up – by Pre-Trib leaders for decades.” This letter further claims that “the Pre-Trib view wasn’t heard of anywhere on earth before the 1800’s,” that it was “originated by a young lassie in Scotland in the spring of 1830,” and that it was “pirated” and spread by John Darby, a Britisher who “regarded Americans as inferior creatures, worthy of exploitation.” Among other nasty declarations, MacPherson goes on to attack the honesty and morality of C. I. Scofield and promises that his book “will turn you inside out!” It will immediately be apparent that his book titles are provocative, if not abusive. There has been no “cover-up” or “hoax,” for Pretrib authors and leaders have arrived at their conclusion from Biblical exegesis rather than from any presumed history of the doctrine, and most certainly with no desire to defraud. Furthermore, to attack the morality and integrity of fellow believers just to further an eschatological opinion is a disgrace to the Name and cause of Christ. What then is MacPherson’s primary thrust throughout these several paperbacks? In his own words, “the two-stage teaching is an early nineteenth century invention which first saw the light of day in Great Britain and does not reflect the teaching of the New Testament” (1975, 6). “The pre-trib rapture theory ascended from the mists of western Scotland in the spring of 1830” (1975, 138). It had a “hidden background,” a “bizarre origin” (1975, 90, 1010), when a “dangerously sick” young woman by the name of Margaret Macdonald came under the influence of the Scottish revival and had a revelation in which she proclaimed an utterly new view that the Church would escape the coming Tribulation. Extensive quotations from Robert Norton, at the time of M.M.’s “revelation” a 22 year old medical doctor, indicate that she, her sister and brothers, were members of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Edward Irving and came under early charismatic influence with the “gifts of prophecy” and “speaking in an unknown tongue.” Under such influence, Margaret Macdonald supposedly revealed that the Church would escape the Tribulation. Some have gone so far as to attribute her declaration to demonic forces. This “utterance” of M.M., MacPherson states repeatedly, is the origin of the pretribulational view that the Church will escape the coming Tribulation. The true facts of the case prove otherwise. The recorded declarations of Margaret Macdonald show clearly that she was not trying to establish the details of the prophetic future, but rather lamenting the weak and sinful condition of the professing church. She cries over “the awful state of the land,” the “distress of nations,” the need for “purging and purifying of the real members of the body of Jesus.” She prays for “an outpouring of the Spirit” upon the Church so that believers will be “counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man.” “Those that are alive in him … will be caught up to meet him in the air.” But she declares also that the Church will go through “fiery trial” from the “wicked” one, who shall be revealed “with all power and signs and lying wonders.” Then, even more clearly, she declares “the trial of the Church is from Antichrist” – which to say the least is hardly a pretribulational concept! Those interested in reading the entirety of M.M.’s “revelation” will find it recorded in the Appendix of at least two of MacPherson’s books, and also in pages 169-72 of The Rapture by Hal Lindsey. What then are we to conclude from all this emphasis upon Margaret Macdonald? (1) Its importance has been blown far out of all proportion by those who seek to discredit pretribulationalism. Alexander Reese traces the Pretrib view to the “separatist movements of Edward Irving and J. N. Darby.” George Ladd, quoting Tregelles, traces “the idea of a secret rapture” to an “utterance” in Edward Irving’s church, which “came not from Holy Scripture, but from that which falsely pretended to be the Spirit of God.” J. Barton Payne says that “soon after 1830 a woman, while speaking in tongues, announced the ‘revelation’ that the true church would be caught up (raptured) to heaven before the tribulation” (156). Even Robert Gundry declares that “pretribulationalism arose in the mid-nineteenth century. The likelihood is that Edward Irving was the first to suggest the pretribulation rapture” (185). However, Gundry in all fairness observes that “the origin of an interpretation of Scripture is not the measure of its correctness.” He says also of Irving that “tongues and prophetic utterances did not begin to appear in his church until late 1831, i.e., after the appearance of pretribulationalism” (187). It remained for MacPherson to try to demonstrate that beyond question the pretribulation view began with an 1830 “utterance” of Margaret Macdonald. (2) It is cruel to imply that her utterance was purely emotional, or perhaps Satanic. She was a young and humble Christian endeavoring to call a cold and careless church back to the power and control of the Holy Spirit. The writer thoroughly concurs with Hal Lindsey when he says: “Although I don’t agree with the authenticity of her vision, records show her to be a beautiful sister in the Lord, filled with love and compassion for others” (1983, 173). (3) There is nothing in the M.M. quotation to indicate that she was a pretribulationalist. She did not distinguish between the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ, but rather divided the Rapture itself into two or more parts based on spiritual readiness. This is the Partial Rapture position, very different from pretribulationalism. MacPherson is forced to admit this: “Margaret saw a series of raptures (and she was actually a partial rapturist, with or without the label”) (1975, 85). Indeed, she seemed to believe that the Church had already entered the Tribulation, a possibility strengthened by a statement published by Irving December 1831 in The Morning Watch: “We have, blessed be God, lived to see the commencement of the seventh vial, DURING THE OUTPOURING OF WHICH THE LORD WILL COME!” (Huebner, 23, emphasis his). This is certainly not pretribulationalism! Readers who desire to pursue in detail the alleged origin of the Pretrib view with Margaret Macdonald and Edward Irving will appreciate the scholarly historical sketch by R. A. Huebner entitled The Truth of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Recovered. They will also find of interest The Origin of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture Teaching by John L. Bray, who finds a Pretrib Rapture taught by a Jesuit priest, Lacunza, whose book The Coming of Messiah in Glory and Majesty was first published in Spain in 1812 and translated into English and published by Edward Irving in 1827. This yields a possible Pretrib concept at least eighteen years before Margaret Macdonald. We can only conclude that during this general era many were studying the hitherto neglected truth of our Lord’s return, with some disagreement concerning the actual time of His coming but with many affirming a pretribulational Rapture. (1) In his book, The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition (1979), John Walvoord has an extended discussion of the Posttrib’s historical argument which includes five criticisms of MacPherson’s position (150-57). In brief, he does not prove any “cover up” for the Pretrib view is based on biblical exegesis and not upon the presumed history of the doctrine. The allegations of Tregelles are without support, and he was obviously a prejudiced witness. His quotations from Margaret Macdonald and Edward Irving prove that they were not pretribulational. There is no evidence that Darby derived his views from such a source, but rather from the study of the Bible itself and from his conclusion that the Church is the body of Christ. “Under the circumstance,” says Walvoord, “it would seem that common honesty would call for Dave MacPherson to write another book confessing that his entire point of view has no basis in fact as far as MacDonald and Irving are concerned” (155). Another strong refutation of the Rapture views of Dave MacPherson has recently been published in the theological quarterly, Bibliotheca Sacra (April-June 1990). Entitled “Why the Doctrine of the Pretribulational Rapture Did Not Begin with Margaret MacDonald,” author Thomas D. Ice discusses MacPherson’s background, claims and errors, and the response to his claims by a number of Biblical scholars. Important also is the author’s discussion of the “Progress of Dogma” and its relationship to the “Development of Eschatology,” and the emergence of the doctrine of the Pretribulational Rapture. All of this is highly recommended reading. It is MacPherson’s contention that the Pretrib Rapture view is a relatively modern heresy with a plot on the part of its adherents to hide its dubious background. He makes the awful charge that in China “The Pre-Trib Rapture view has caused the deaths of thousands of persons” because missionaries did not warn the people of coming persecution (1975, 103). His final conclusion seems to be that “the pre-trib rapture view is on its last legs – if it ever had a leg to stand on!” Why such a tirade from a young newspaperman? Is it possible that we are witnessing a personal vendetta? Dave learned his posttribulationism at an early age from his father and pastor, Norman Spurgeon MacPherson, a fine gentleman but an enthusiastic follower of Alexander Reese, whose arguments he considered unanswerable and whose viewpoints he actively promoted. He even wrote his own book on the subject: Triumph Through Tribulation, dated 1944. Dave writes openly about the “prophetic narrowmindedness periodically erupting in my father’s California pastorate” and its effect upon his mother’s health. He recounts his own dismissal from a Bible Institute because he discussed prophetic viewpoints “differing in detail from the school’s official position.” Two weeks before the end of the semester, he says, “I was dismissed from the premises…. My dismissal was possibly the last straw. A few days later my mother died” (1973, 15). While all of this is most regrettable, one must not respond to personal sorrow by breaking fellowship with fellow believers over prophetic detail, nor by attacking them and impugning their integrity because they support an alternate viewpoint. THE TRIBULATION PEOPLE Under the byline, “Before you assume you are not going through the Great Tribulation … Read this book!” there was published in 1975 The Tribulation Book by Arthur D. Katterjohn, former chairman of the orchestral instruments department of the Conservatory of Music, Wheaton College. The son of a Baptist minister, he was taught “to respect the authority of the Word of God, and to love the words of Jesus.” Affirming his commitment to “honest debate,” he writes his book “for the Christian who wants to take another look at end-times doctrine.” Should the Church prepare to endure Antichrist and worldwide persecution, “or make ready for an unprecedented and unannounced return of Christ just before the tribulation period?” (10). His position, clearly declared from the very beginning, is enthusiastically posttribulational. For authority, he leans hard on the writings of Ladd and Gundry – even though these men differ on many essential issues. Katterjohn writes his book with an easy-going popular style, occasionally unsuited for serious debate. For example, the biblical five foolish virgins who had no oil suddenly become “five flighty women” who “let their oil supply dwindle.” Elsewhere, the Christian life should not be “a flighty fixation on bubbly living” when actually it is a “tense and often painful struggle.” Perhaps such word pictures are calculated to catch the interest of young people in Sunday School discussion groups. Certainly his study questions at the end of each chapter are designed for that purpose, but unfortunately they are heavily charged with Posttrib innuendo, frequently assuming what he must clearly prove. While erroneously declaring the millennial question to be a secondary issue, with “little practical difference” between amillennialism and Premillennialism, he holds that the time of the Rapture is “the most pressing question of the future” (77, 13). For Antichrist and the Great Tribulation are coming, and we may be the “Tribulation people” who must suffer and endure the ravages of the end-time. Katterjohn gathers his evidence for a Posttrib Rapture under three main headings: (A) The Gospels and the teaching of Christ; (B) The Epistles and the teaching of Paul; and (C) the Book of Revelation and the teaching of John. This review shall give them a brief consideration in that order. (A) In the Gospels, the primary focus is placed upon Christ’s Olivet Discourse. Katterjohn holds that it was delivered intimately to “the nucleus of the New Testament Church” and “makes no mention of Israel or the Jews.” Furthermore, he charges, those who do not agree with him make what Jesus had to say mean nothing for Christians today (17). This is a wild and unworthy charge, for carried to its logical end it would also remove from Christians any instruction and blessing from the Old Testament, which certainly was first given to Israel. “All Scripture is profitable,” and it is all for us even though it may not always be about us. Most Bible students affirm that the Olivet Discourse, while giving instruction to all concerning the Tribulation yet to come, has at least “a Jewish character,” speaking as it does of Judaea, the Sabbath day, the holy place of the Temple, the tribes of the earth, the Jewish marriage custom, and the coming of the King and the Kingdom. This is Israel in the end time, and there is not a shadow of a hint that the Church, the “body of Christ,” will be present during that “time of Jacob’s trouble” being described by Christ (Jer. 30:7; cf. Dan. 12:1). There is no legitimate proof for the Posttrib position which makes parousia a technical word for the Second Coming, the elect a technical word for the Church, or which declares that Pretribs make the “Gospel of the Kingdom” essentially different from the Gospel Christians know and preach today. In the words of the author, Pretribs teach “a different way of salvation for the hard-pressed believers under Antichrist’s reign,” even teaching “four different Gospels, as pretribulationalists do” (19). If Posttribs have to build their case upon such fabricated slander, perhaps it indicates that they have legitimate case. Nor is the Matthew 24:40-42 passage, which Katterjohn calls “the sudden snatch,” descriptive of a posttribulational Rapture as some suppose, but in context is evidently a removal of some in judgment while others are left on earth to welcome the return of their Lord and enter His Kingdom. Katterjohn affirms that “the coming of John 14 and the return in Matthew 24 are the same event” (37). But the presence of certain similarities does not prove identity and it would be just as easy to provide a list of differences. He is not sure if the dramatic promise “Where I am, there you may be also” refers to the “thousand-year reign of Christ on earth or the inauguration of His heavenly kingdom.” Probably in this context it means neither. However, no matter how plain the promise (Which he labels “poetic”), a Rapture to heaven, “my Father’s house,” must be denied by a Posttrib, for it is entirely contrary to their notion of an immediate return of the Church to earth after her meeting with Christ in the air. (B) Under Pauline theology, our author declares that the terms elect, brethren, saints and Church are all used interchangeably, for this “unity of all men of faith is one of the cornerstones of Christian doctrine and cannot be jettisoned for the sake of an end-times theory” (41). This contributes to his erroneous view that the term “Church” comprehends the redeemed of all ages, and that the Rapture of I Thessalonians 4 and the posttribulational return of Matthew 24 are one and the same event. He observes that there is no mention of the Tribulation in the I Thessalonians 4:13-18 passage, (nor should there be), “nor a secret, any-moment coming of the Lord, nor … our return to heaven after the rapture” (42). Later, he admits the invalidity of this common “argument from silence” when he observes that even “the term ‘second coming’ although a helpful tool for us, does not appear in God’s Word” (68). The “trump of God” in verse 16, he declares, “is not a fickle kazoo beamed at church-age saints to alert them of a secret rapture … but a blast, a fearful booming fanfare to the arrival of the King” (44). The reference to a “meeting” in the air changes the direction of the saints, but not of the King as they descend to earth together. Perhaps all of this is a trifle more than Paul intended to say. This and the other major Rapture passages simply do not teach posttribulationism. His exegesis of I Corinthians 15:51-52 is very thin. Twice he endeavors to define the term “mystery” (57, 91) and in the light of Colossians 1:26 is wrong on both counts. Like other posttribulationists, he identifies the “last trump” with “that final trumpet blast” of Revelation 11:15, implying that it sounds at the Second Coming of Christ. This is a well-worn argument, frequently answered in pretribulational literature. Such an assumption is entirely false because the context is radically different, band because the judgments of the seven vials of God’s wrath clearly intervene between the seventh trumpet and the Second Coming of Christ. Even on the matter of “wrath” Katterjohn is in theological trouble, affirming: “The tribulation, it must be remembered, is not the wrath of God, but the persecution of the faithful, both Jews and Gentiles, by Antichrist” (41). God’s “wrath” is understood to be a final flash of divine indignation upon Antichrist’s regime. Moreover, “Christians, it must be remembered, will be removed before God’s final anger falls” (98). Thus, even an ardent posttribulationist must admit that the only way for the Church to avoid the outpouring of divine wrath is to be removed by a prior Rapture! Katterjohn finds “no time or place element” for the Judgment Seat of Christ, even though I Corinthians 4:5 seems to locate it at the Rapture (cf. II Tim. 4:8; Rev. 22:12). Concerning the Marriage Supper of the Lamb he declares: “It is after His reign commences that the marriage supper is held” (79). This would place it upon the earth after the Second Coming, but perceptive readers of Scripture will find it in heaven before the return of the King (Rev. 19:7-9, 11-16). Indeed, two great events in heaven after the Rapture and before the Revelation give strong evidence that the Rapture is not simultaneous with the Second Coming of Christ. His view of the important Restrainer passage (II Thess. 2:6-8) also finds itself in difficulty. He admits that “If their connection between ‘restrainer’ and Holy-Spirit-in-the-Church is correct, pretribulationism also is correct, for the Church certainly cannot live without the Holy Spirit” (49). However, he chooses to identify the Restrainer with “civil government.” As for the phrase “taken out of the way,” he prefers the meaning “to arise out of the midst.” Then without declaring a further opinion on this issue, he refers his readers to the views of George Ladd and Robert Gundry which, incidentally, contradict each other. (C) Moving on to the Book of Revelation, Katterjohn states that “the Church is not explicitly mentioned in chapters 4-12, neither is the rapture,” but he adds “the Church is not mentioned as being in heaven either” (88). Thus he rejects the Pretrib identification of the twenty-four elders, suggesting that they are merely “representatives of the Old and New Covenants.” While such a view may be better than Reese’s “angelic lords,” the elders give small comfort to those who cannot find the Church in heaven during the Tribulation. The Church appears again under a different figure as the Bride of Christ, once more in heaven before the Revelation and reign of the Saviour. Katterjohn declares that “Revelation 3:10 is a fundamental girder in the superstructure of the modern pretribulation theory” (86). It might be mentioned at this point that while Kept from the Hour draws its title from this verse, when Katterjohn lists it among “Books for Further Study,” he passes it off as “Arguments for pretribulationism based on Revelation 3:10.” This of course is outright fabrication, for a closer look would have revealed that the writer discusses Revelation 3:10 on four pages out of 320, and in the Scripture Index it has a mere two listings among 840. So while the verse is important, it hardly the sum total of Pretrib evidence as Katterjohn implies. Our author argues that Revelation 3:10 gives the Church a promise of protection in the Tribulation, but not a removal from that hour. “The promise of protection for God’s people is essential to the whole fabric of Scripture” (86). He claims that the verse “is a great promise of protection through tribulation, both historically … and as the final persecution under Antichrist finds momentum” (87). What kind of protection does he offer? Elsewhere he has written about “the besieged Church … headed toward inevitable extinction” (99), when “Antichrist will drive Christians into caves and cloister shelters” (100). “Resistance to him will be fatal to the flesh” (101). It will be “a horrible persecution” (128) when Antichrist “shall extend his rule over the entire globe and ultimately tread it down and break it in pieces” (129), and when “many will suffer martyrdom” (43). In this the nature of our “blessed hope” and our promised protection in the Tribulation? Nothing more hopeless is implied in all of Christian eschatology. Death, and not a Posttrib Rapture, would become our hope! Rather than deep anguish and probable martyrdom in the Tribulation, it would be far better to die and to be immediately and forever with the Lord (II Cor. 5:8). Katterjohn writes correctly that “the time of the rapture is a vital question, yet it should not be an issue that divides true believers” (115). Yet like many before him, it is not his doctrine but his attitude which divides. He declares that “certain pretribulational distinctives are founded on sandstone” and are “theories which find support only as shadowy inferences from the Biblical text” (101). Those who distinguish between redeemed Israel prior to Pentecost and the New Testament Church, he asserts, are guilty of promoting “caste systems (which) are the invention of selfish leaders who would avoid the humility of shared authority” (102). He states that according to Pretribs, the witness of the 144,000 is “a quasi-gospel preached by a Spirit-less tribulation remnant” (90). It is such inappropriate language, not the doctrine, which divides true believers. To Katterjohn, Pretribulationists are “theorists” and “early removal buffs.” Is this what he would have called the writer’s former professor, Dr. Henry C. Thiessen, for many years the head of the Bible Department and Chairman of the Faculty of the Graduate School of Wheaton College? Thiessen was a warm and gracious professor, a theological scholar, a recognized Biblical linguist, and also a convinced pretribulationist (Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, 475-86). For years he sounded out the Word of the Lord to the students of Wheaton College, far more harmoniously it seems than this discordant note later emerging from the music department. THE BLESSED HOPE AND THE TRIBULATION Written with a far more commendable spirit than the two previously considered is a book published in 1976 by John F. Walvoord, The Blessed Hope and the Tribulation, with the subtitle “A Historical and Biblical Study of Posttribulationism.” Clearly stated, “It is the purpose of this study to examine the claims of posttribulationists, their exegesis of important passages, and their handling of pretribulational arguments” (8). In the midst of the “almost complete confusion” which reigns in the current interpretation of prophecy, in the mind of the reviewer this volume by Dr. Walvoord gives the most comprehensive response in print to the various positions and problems of the posttribulational school of thought. The Rapture debate is not merely a theological argument, for the hope of the Lord’s return is a very precious truth, and “it would be difficult to present a greater contrast between the blessed hope of the imminent return of Christ and the prospect of probably suffering and death in the great tribulation” (10). These are dramatically contrasting prospects of the future for the Church of Jesus Christ. Within the past century, at least four different types of posttribulationism have emerged. Walvoord discusses firs the “Classic Posttribulational Interpretation” of J. Barton Payne, whose major contribution to the Posttrib argument is his belief in the imminency of Christ’s return. This has previously been discussed under the review of the Imminent Appearing of Christ. Relative to this issue, Walvoord concludes that “the early church fathers were obviously wrong in believing that they were already in the great tribulation” (29), and that “Payne stands virtually alone” when he spiritualizes much of the Tribulation and attempts to add the early concept of imminency to a posttribulational conclusion. A second view is the “Semiclassic Posttribulation Interpretation,” best illustrated by Alexander Reese in his book The Approaching Advent of Christ. Reese popularized the opinion that the Pretrib position arose about 150 years ago in the separatist movements of Edward Irving and J. N. Darby. He took as a key doctrine the idea that the Church is the true Israel and includes the saints of all ages. He offered evidence that “the resurrection of the Church occurs at the same time as the resurrection of Revelation 20,” from all of which he drew a strong Posttrib conclusion. In this third chapter, Walvoord makes the telling point that “Posttribulationists also have never resolved the pressing question as to why there is a rapture at the second coming…. Why would saints meet Christ in the air at the rapture if they are going to return immediately to the earth? Why would it not be preferable for the church to go into the millennium in their natural bodies … and populate the millennial earth?” (38-39). The “Futurist Posttribulational Interpretation” as exemplified by George Ladd in The Blessed Hope, is the third Posttrib position considered. While accepting a literal, future Tribulation, Ladd makes historical background his major argument, and then “practically ignores the three principal Scriptures revealing the rapture” (50). In discussing dispensationalism, “Ladd departs from his usual scholarly approach and accuses dispensationalists of holding interpretations that no dispensationalist would support” (56). He finds it difficult to harmonize the “blessed hope” with the idea that “the church must go through the great tribulation and many, if not most, in the church are martyred.” Comments Walvoord, far better to live out “a normal life in a period prior to the rapture” and go “to heaven through death rather than living through the great tribulation” (57). Most posttribulational writers do not recognize the force of this problem in their own system. Walvoord includes under this third Posttrib position the historical views of Dave MacPherson, and brings against him the five criticisms previously discussed in the review of MacPherson’s two books. The fourth distinct Posttrib position is the “Dispensational Posttribulational Interpretation” of Robert H. Gundry. Walvoord comments favorably on Gundry’s “maturity of scholarly studies and his skill as a debater” (61), but faults him for using “circular arguments assuming what they are trying to prove,” and for presenting “only the evidence that supports his position” (62). Gundry’s pivotal issues include his attack on the doctrine of imminency; his characterization of the Tribulation as primarily a time of Satanic wrath; his beginning of the “day of the Lord” at the end of the Tribulation; his interpretation that the Olivet Discourse discusses the Church and not Israel; his merging of the various judgments of the righteous into one divine judgment at the Second Coming; some novel suggestions regarding who will enter the millennial Kingdom; and his placing of the Rapture just before Armageddon, preceding the Second Coming of Christ (62). Walvoord concludes that Gundry’s approach is different from that of any posttribulationist in the past, and that he abandons literal interpretation whenever it would lead to a contradiction of posttribulationism (68). In the latter half of his book, Walvoord discusses the posttribulational denial of imminency and wrath; the contribution of the Gospels, especially of Matthew 24 and John 14; the comforting hope of I Thessalonians 4 and the Day of the Lord in chapter 5; the identification of the Restrainer; and the Rapture in its relationship to end-time events. He closes with two brief but excellent chapters: “Unresolved Problems of Posttribulationism” and “Pretribulationism as the Alternative to Posttribulationism.” From the Pretrib perspective, this book affords a comprehensive and most worth discussion of the divergent views and unsolved problems of posttribulationism. THE GREAT TRIBULATION DEBATE A considerably different presentation of the Posttrib view was published in 1976 and called The Great Tribulation Debate, by Norman F. Douty. Subtitled “Has Christ’s Return Two Stages?,” it is a revision of an earlier publication dated 1956. Douty claims herein that he was converted to posttribulationism by the “weight of evidence,” although he admits he much prefers his former belief, which was that of a pretribulational Rapture (10). While pointing out some of the dangers of doctrinal controversy, the author affirms that the “Tribulation Debate” is minor rather than major in importance, “a question of detail” (Scofield), requiring “a cool head and a warm heart.” Then having affirmed his love and respect for men like I. M. Haldeman, William L. Pettingill and W. H. Griffith-Thomas, plus Scofield, Barnhouse, Chafer and Thiessen, all pretribulationists with whom he is about to disagree, he writes, “For convenience sake, I have chiefly selected Dr. C. I. Scofield to represent the teaching I herein oppose” (10). This is a very limited objective, for Scofield is not always a representative Pretrib and his notes give a comparatively brief treatment of the subject. Thus from the very beginning, there is introduced an immediate weakness in Douty’s evaluation. A more favorable feature is his constant appeal to the Scripture and to the Greek language in matters of exegesis. But it would take a prime Greek scholar (which Douty does not claim to be) to test the validity of his conclusions. The author is obviously widely read and to support his position quotes a host of other authors and scholars, mostly from a past generation. However, it does become rather tedious to find Dr. So-and-so pitted against Dr. So-and-so almost ad infinitum, rather than a warm-hearted and scholarly explanation of what each Scripture actually teaches. Those quoted are no longer with us to explain or defend their views. Nor is Douty always kind. Pretribs are considered his “opponents,” and it would take “divine grace” to bestow on them an open mind, especially when self-interest is involved. “A camel can more easily pass through the eye of a needle than a Pretribulationist, occupying a place of honor, can look into this subject without prejudice” (11). This reviewer found The Great Tribulation Debate a strangely perplexing and exasperating book. It ignores major pretribulational arguments and sometimes attacks non-representative viewpoints. The Pretrib position is frequently misrepresented and wrongly accused. For example, says Douty, “It is to be feared that Pre-tribulationism is producing a generation of soft Christians instead of one composed of those who can endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ” (130). The Pretrib view of the Gospel of the Kingdom is said to be “not the good news of salvation through the blood of Christ” (14). Pretribs are represented as believing that “what Christ taught during his public ministry was not intended for Christians but for Jews…. Thus, by one stroke, the Church of Christ is stripped of a large portion of her spiritual heritage. The Gospels no more belong to you, my brethren, than the Old Testament does” (17-18). Most of those of pretribulational persuasion will find such declarations completely untrue and offensive. Three entire chapters are spent on the Greek words for Christ’s coming, endeavoring to prove that if these words are used of both stages of Christ’s advent there is really but one stage, and that posttribulational. As we have seen, a technical use of the Greek parousia is not an accepted pretribulational argument. The similarities between the Rapture and the Revelation passages are then catalogued, as though similarity of detail proves identity, making them one and the same event. The “restraining influence” of II Thessalonians 2 is identified as civil government, for “the Spirit was poured out after Christ’s return to the Father for other purposes than to restrain human lawlessness. He did not come to do what was assigned to human government to perform” (98). Furthermore, in Revelation 3:10, “this preservation does not refer to the body, but to the soul. Christ promises, not exemption from physical torture and death, but spiritual keeping, whatever the circumstances” (104-5). To say the last, these are all highly debatable conclusions on the part of our author. Even worse is his exceedingly limited treatment of the three major Rapture passages. The triple clause of I Thessalonians 4:16 denotes “one and the same thing,” so that the “shout” and the “trump of God” are identical with the “voice of the archangel.” Then, says our author, if we are “caught up together” we must be “united here upon the earth,” so that “Christ is here depicted as escorted to the earth by his saints” (76). To the contrary, the reunion of the saints occurs when we meet together “in the clouds … in the air,” and not at a posttribulational return to earth. Douty ties all this together with John 14:1-3, closing with a rare conclusion: “Christ is on his way to the earth to deliver and convert the remnant of Israel, to judge Antichrist and his system, and to introduce his glorious reign – all of which he shall effect with speed. Then to the many mansions of his Father’s house will he conduct his glorified ones and from there carry on his millennial reign. It is not until the new earth appears after that reign that a glorified Head and Body shall reside below” (76, italics added). Think of it, the Messianic Kingdom, with an absent King reigning from heaven rather than upon earth! Why so strained a view? Because a Posttrib must do something with John 14:3, for to take it literally leads directly to pretribulationism. As for the important I Corinthians 15:51-52 passage, it is brushed off with the comment that “the last trump” would not precede the seven trumpets of the Revelation. “If not identical with the seventh, it surely must succeed it in order to be the last” (39). Douty gives major emphasis to the Olivet Discourse which, he declares, “is not essentially Jewish prophecy; it is Christian eschatology. Those addressed in the latter part of chapter 23 are Jews, but those addressed in chapters 24 and 25 are Christians” (36). Forgetting that the disciples did not yet understand either His imminent vicarious death or His subsequent resurrection (Matt. 16:21-23), or that they were primarily occupied with thoughts about the Messianic Kingdom (Matt. 18:1; 20:21; Acts 1:6), Douty holds that they were representatives of the Church and that through them Christ “addresses the prospective Church concerning things to come” (37). Since the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory is “immediately after the tribulation of those days” (Matt. 25:29-30), Douty assumes this embraces the Rapture of the Church, which would make it clearly posttribulational. His argument forms an interesting syllogism: The Olivet Discourse sets forth Church eschatology. The return of Christ to earth is clearly “after the Tribulation of those days.” Therefore, the Rapture must be posttribulational! However, he should not forget the early warning of Alexander Reese concerning a syllogism: If an error is found in either the major or the minor premise, that error also attaches itself to the conclusion. Douty’s error is found in his major premise, and this is sufficient to destroy his conclusion. Douty closes his book with “A Plea for Toleration,” the strongest and most extensive this writer has seen in print. “What injury have we done you? True, we have disturbed your complacency, but what sin is there in that?” and so on for four full pages (133-37). In the light of how much we have in common, he pleads for moderation and for understanding. At this point we find ourselves in substantial agreement. Nevertheless, the book itself appears badly outdated in its arguments, making its contribution of doubtful present value. This reviewer is not aware that even his fellow Posttribs acknowledge the book or its arguments as authoritative. THE LAST THINGS, AN ESCHATOLOGY FOR LAYMEN In 1978 yet another contribution to the Rapture debate was published by George E. Ladd, entitled The Last Things, An Eschatology for Laymen. Certainly, it is a worthy endeavor to put theological themes into more simplified concepts and language suitable for the average Christian layman. Better yet, to discuss relevant and encouraging topics such as the predicted course of the present age, the “signs of the times” and world conditions in the end-time, the Rapture as a purifying hope and an incentive for faithful service, the rewards and crowns to be distributed for victorious living at the Judgment Seat of Christ, our position as the Bride of Christ at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, the power and glory of the coming King, and the prospect of reigning with Him in His millennial Kingdom. If this were the main thrust of Ladd’s book, we would all welcome it and applaud the author. But rather, we find before us a disappointing sequence of problems relating to the time of the Rapture, with a constant and withering attack upon dispensationalism. While we are grateful for certain conclusions we do hold in common with Dr. Ladd, who is a theologically conservative Premillennial scholar, this present volume is hardly an eschatology for laymen. It’s subtitle might better be worded: “My latest attack against dispensationalism”! Actually, Ladd appears to be a modified dispensationalist, for in his own words he recognizes “the eras of promise after Abraham, the law under Moses, of grace under Christ, and of the Kingdom in the future” (9). Most probably he also recognizes the age of innocence before the fall of Adam and the very different situation following his expulsion from the garden. Recognizing six different economies is a fair beginning for an anti-dispensationalist. Years ago, in gracious personal conversation with this writer, Ladd affirmed that he was not a Jew, did not worship on the Sabbath, never prayed that his flight should not be on the Sabbath (Matt. 24:20), nor did he wear “a ribbon of blue” in the fringe of his garments (Num. 15:38). Apparently he does distinguish between Biblical ages and economies and does not always equate Israel with the New Testament Church, clearly forbidden in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9. It is most unfortunate that such a storm has brewed over the concept of dispensationalism, when the Bible clearly indicates the presence of various ages (Eph. 2:7; 3:5, 21), differing economies (Matt. 16:18; Luke 21:24; John 1:17; Heb. 12:18-24), and even uses the term “dispensation” in the sense of a divinely planned economy (I Cor. 9:17; Eph. 1:10, 3:2; Col. 1:25 AV). While it is true that some have carried the dispensational principle to erroneous and extreme conclusions, not all who use this principle are “speckled birds” as they have been called, nor do any hold to “seven ways of salvation” as others have affirmed. Nor do they downgrade the value of passages obviously addressed to Israel. What we need to do is to sit down and talk together, discovering what we hold in common as well as areas of disagreement. Then no longer treat dispensationalism as a theological system to be attacked or defended, but rather to restore it to hermeneutics (Biblical interpretation) as an extension of the basic question: “To whom, or of whom does this passage speak?” Then most of the bitterness engendered would evaporate. Erroneously, Ladd makes pretribulationism “the most characteristic doctrine of Dispensationalists” (50). Actually, the more basic disputes fall into the area of ecclesiology. Using a “spiritualizing hermeneutic,” he assumes that the Church is “spiritual Israel” because he “finds the New Testament applying to the spiritual church promises which in the Old Testament refer to literal Israel” (24). This is assuming too much, for while it is true that the redeemed of Israel and the redeemed Church do share certain privileges as members of the family of God, it is a fallacy of the first magnitude to equate Israel and the Church on this basis alone. Israel cannot always be considered as a redeemed community. The Apostle Paul cries out with great agony of heart for the salvation of Israel, his kinsmen according to the flesh (Rom. 9:1-3, 10:1). He sets forth the Jews and the Church of God as two entirely separate entities (I Cor. 10:32), so that the time of the resurrection of Israel does not demonstrate or even imply that the resurrection of the Church will be simultaneous. And when we find “immediately after the tribulation” God gathering “his elect” from the “tribes of the earth,” the clear inference is that Israel has come through the Tribulation, not the Church. There are other problems. Ladd is not sure that the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 can be identified with Messiah, the anointed of God. He calls the Tribulation “a brief but terrible struggle between Satan and the Church … a time of fearful martyrdom” (49), hardly a “blessed hope” or a theme so attractive that we can “comfort one another with these words.” Contrary to Ladd, Pretribs do not teach “two Second Comings of Christ,” nor of necessity even two “phases of His coming,” although this is merely a matter of definition. Nor do Pretribs need to limit the term parousia to the Rapture and epiphaneia to the Revelation. While a few have done so, Walvoord and other Pretrib theologians have clearly indicated that the vocabulary of Christ’s coming is non-technical, and equally applicable to both Rapture and Revelation. He finds II Thessalonians 2:6-7 “very difficult” and claims that the “classical interpretation” is quite satisfying, namely that “the hindering power is the principle of law and order embodied in the Roman Empire with the Emperor at its head” (68). To the contrary, rather than being a restraint against evil, it can be demonstrated that the Roman Empire fell under the sheer weight of its own massive iniquity. Nor can we agree when Ladd declares, “The 144,000 are the church on the threshold of the Great Tribulation,” explaining that these are “true spiritual Jews without being literal Jews: in other words, the church” (71). He forgets that in the Church we are no longer seen as Jew or Gentile, but all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:14). He will not recognize a redeemed body of Jews in the Tribulation, clearly identified as being from the tribes of Israel, for this would be tantamount to a confession that the Church is no longer on earth. In this book, Ladd demonstrates how the Posttrib pattern of thought leads perilously close to the Amillennial position. He departs from normal Premil literal interpretation when he declares: “The number 144,000, like other numbers in the Revelation, is a symbolic number, representing completeness” (71). The measurement of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21:16 “is obviously a symbolic measurement” (113) and “the Kingdom of God is also a present reality.” Christ “is already seated at the right hand of God and reigning as King” (116). In defining Amillennialism, he says, “It must be admitted that there is some Scriptural support for such a view” (111). He parallels Amillennial theology when he equates Israel and the Church, calling the latter “spiritual Israel.” He identifies the judgment of the Gentile nations in Matthew 25 with the Great White Throne of Revelation 20, admitting that if this would be followed literally, it would make no room for a millennium and would make him an Amillennialist. He avoids this by claiming the Matthew 25 account to be “a dramatic parable” of welcoming and receiving Christ. In a previous volume he declares: “Many millenarians will not insist that the earthly reign of Christ is to be of exactly 1000 years duration. The 1000 years may well be a symbol for a long period of time, the exact extent of which is unknown” (1952, 147). This type of Premillennialism would make an Amillennialist very happy! The reviewer refrains from speaking of further problems associated with Ladd’s book. It contributes little that is new to the Rapture debate and is hardly “an eschatology for the laymen.” CHRISTIANS WILL GO THROUGH THE TRIBULATION There appeared in 1978 a distinctly different Posttrib book by James M. McKeever entitled Christians Will Go Through The Tribulation: And how to prepare for it. This is not a serious discussion of Biblical or theological evidence concerning the time and implications of the Rapture. The Posttrib position is strongly assumed, with some Scripture and a few scattered quotations from posttribulational authorities to back up the author’s conviction. Rather, its purpose is to give “very practical suggestions on how to prepare for the catastrophes that Christians will be experiencing during the Tribulation,” dealing with “physical preparation and the even more important spiritual preparation” (19). Because of the promises which exempt the Church from divine wrath, Posttrib writers normally picture the Church as thoroughly protected by the sovereign hand of God, passing safely through the Tribulation much like Noah and his family sealed in the ark, placidly riding through the storm and judgment of the mighty Genesis flood. McKeever turns that picture upside down as he portrays the Christian fighting for his life and the welfare of his family in the midst of nuclear tragedy, human brutality and the threat of imminent starvation in a day when no many can buy or sell, save those who capitulate to the Devil’s Antichrist and wear the “mark of the beast.” Our author is an ordained minister and Bible teacher, with a background of ten years with IBM and twenty years in the computer business. He gives evidence of being a fine-spirited man, sincere and dedicated. However, the reader will have to judge for himself the validity of certain stated convictions. McKeever’s book is in three main parts, with Part 1 dealing with the “Crucial Questions” of the time of the Rapture and the many Scriptures, which, in his opinion, teach that the Church must pass through and endure the entire Tribulation. Ladd and Gundry are his primary authorities on this issue, with a little additional help from Katterjohn. He discusses evidence that we may be living at the end of the age, and if so, some of the “Catastrophes We Will Face.” He reviews the extreme severity of the Tribulation judgments, the seals which are broken, the trumpets of judgment which sound, and the bowls of divine wrath which must be poured out. Plaintively he declares: “I wish that the Rapture were going to occur at the beginning of the Tribulation, and that my fellow believers and I would not have to experience the terrible things that are coming.” However, he concludes, “since I believe, as do growing scores of Christians, that the believers will go through the Tribulation, my family and I are making both physical and spiritual preparation for it” (56). Skipping Part 2 for the moment, the third and final part of the book deals with Spiritual Preparation. This includes a “Call to Righteousness” with a challenge from Revelation 2 and 3, plus 12:10-11, to be overcomers of evil and the power of Satan. There follows a presentation of our personal relationship to the Holy Spirit, and the filling of the Spirit which is His control over our lives. Most of this teaching is essential and good, but on the “gifts of the Spirit” many of the Lord’s people will decline to follow. McKeever believes that all the Apostolic gifts are available today and will be increasingly exercised in the coming Tribulation. He recognizes the dissension caused by “speaking in unknown tongues,” but affirms the validity of the gift, including the worship of God with an “angelic language.” He also affirms supernatural healing and in Indonesia, supernatural multiplication of good to feed the Christians and “even the dogs.” He writes about supernatural control over snakes, scorpions and wild animals, and of Christians having dominion over nature, commanding the rain to stop and a tornado to pass over. Even more, “In the body of believers with whom I fellowshipped in Pasadena, there is a man who was raised from the dead” (269)! Each reader will have to evaluate such unusual claims and read the rest of the book in the light of them. For the Scripture commands: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thess. 5:21). Part 2 is the natural conclusion of posttribulational theology. Christians must be prepared to survive nuclear war, social chaos, and the menace of Antichrist by constructing and stocking some kind of fallout shelter. “In a home without a basement, you could go in a crawl space beneath the floor and dig a hole …” (123). You must be prepared to survive famine. “I would suggest that a family have a three-month supply of wet pack food, and at least a twelve-month supply of air-dried and freeze-dried dehydrated foods” (140). Storage is a problem: “A year’s supply of wet pack food for a family of five would take up 60 percent of a two-car garage…. You can increase the storage life of canned foods … by turning them upside down periodically” (141-42). You must prepare to survive earthquakes. “Most of the hazards are man-made.” Wire your tall pieces of furniture to the wall so they will not topple over, etc. In coastal areas, prepare for tidal waves (167-70). With no ability to buy or sell or even provide electrical or sewer service, you will need to develop a “self-supporting home,” with tanks to collect rainwater, a septic tank or other plan to dispose of waste, and a wind-powered generator for electricity. If you cannot move to a farm you must have a garden with small animals and birds for food. A large fish tank for catfish is highly recommended. Plus a food dehydrator, a water purifier, and possibly a composting toilet. Develop a root cellar and a springhouse for large storage; put in a system to collect solar heat, and preferably have most of the house underground to conserve energy. Etc., etc., etc. This is what a consistent posttribulationist must be doing, and how many of their number would qualify? This is Posttrib theology in shoe leather. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words! WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE RAPTURE A brief but scholarly review of the main issues involved in the Rapture debate was published in 1981 by Charles C. Ryrie, under the title What You Should Know About The Rapture. Beginners in this subject will appreciate his clear introduction and simple charts of the four main positions, while more mature students will acknowledge that “prophecy is being discussed more than ever on an academic level,” as Ryrie debates with Gundry, whom he considers the primary spokesman of the modern Posttrib movement. Concerning the historic background of pretribulationism, Ryrie deals with the various attempts which have been made to discredit the teaching of Darby by claiming he did not get his views from the Bible, but from a heretic and a mystic. The heretic was Edward Irving, who was deposed in 1833 by the Church of Scotland on the charge that he held the sinfulness of Christ’s humanity. The mystic was 15 year old Margaret Macdonald who, as we have seen, has been promoted by MacPherson and others as the first to proclaim a pretribulational Rapture. Ryrie claims that the Irvingite eschatology was unclear, that there was no connection between Darby’s pretribulationism and the Irvingite teaching, and the claim that Pretrib doctrine began in an outburst of tongues in Irving’s church is, in the words of E. R. Sandeen, “a groundless and pernicious charge.” Furthermore, “As for the very young and chronically ill Margaret Macdonald, we can only truthfully label her as a ‘confused rapturist,’ with elements of partial rapturism, posttribulationism, perhaps midtribulationism, but never pretribulationism” (72). Ryrie claims that most Posttribs have concentrated on countering pretribulational arguments rather than putting together an adequate chronology of the future. The Pretrib position is not an “escape mechanism,” but an attempt “to proclaim the whole plan of God accurately.” While granting that the Greek vocabulary used to describe Christ’s coming does not prove either a Pre- or a Posttrib Rapture, he affirms that a careful exegesis of the cardinal Scripture passages does sustain a pretribulational conclusion. For example, II Thessalonians 1:5-10 emphasizes God’s judgment of His enemies, using words such as “righteous judgment,” “affliction,” “flaming fire” and “retribution,” a vocabulary strangely absent from the Rapture passages. This is because the subject of the passage is “vindication,” and not as posttribulationists say, a “release of Christians from persecution” (54). Moreover, throughout the most extensive Tribulation passage, Revelation 4-18, the Church is not mentioned nor seen on earth, but is found in heaven symbolized by the 24 elders. While there will be “saints” in the Tribulation, the term applies equally to the “godly ones” of the Old Testament, the present age, and the Tribulation years yet to come. This term, together with phrases such as those who “die in the Lord,” and “those who keep the commandments of God,” as well as the word “elect,” describe those who shall trust in Christ during the Tribulation. “The chosen ones of the Tribulation days do not have to be the same as the elect of the church simply because the same term is used of both groups” (62). Ryrie develops the question of populating the Millennial Kingdom. “When the Millennium begins, some people have to be alive in unresurrected bodies, who can beget children and populate that kingdom” (75). The Scriptures seem to teach that all the wicked will be judged prior to the Kingdom, and that all who are raptured will put on immortality. This is a major problem for those who believe in a posttribulational Rapture, for according this view none would be left in normal human bodies to enter and to populate the Kingdom. For the Posttribs, Robert Gundry presents a twofold answer to this problem: (1) The 144,000 will not be saved during the Tribulation, but shall be “physically preserved” and “converted immediately after the rapture as they see their Messiah descending onto the earth.” (2) The Gentile parents will come from the wicked who will somehow escape death and judgment at the end of the Tribulation (Gundry, 83, 137). Both answers are faulty, for the 144,000 are presented in Revelation 7 and 14 as redeemed witnesses, winning an innumerable multitude to Christ during the Tribulation, evidently dying for their faith and caught up with songs of rejoicing into the presence of the Lamb (Rev. 14:3-5). And Gundry’s “partial destruction” of the Gentiles which “would leave the remaining unsaved to populate the millennial earth,” plays havoc with the “sheep and the goats judgment” of Matthew 25:31-46, which is both final and soteriological. Scripture clearly places this judgment at the Second Coming of Christ (Matt. 25:31-32), but Gundry is forced to locate it after the Millennium. Far more simple and Biblical to have a period after the Rapture but before the Revelation, during which many shall be redeemed, some of whom will enter and populate the Millennial Kingdom. This is the view that pretribulationism espouses. In brief summary, Ryrie counters the Posttrib view that God somehow throws a “mantle of safety” over the Church in the Tribulation. He shows also that the “Day of the Lord” cannot begin with a time of “peace and safety” (I Thess. 5:3) if, as Posttribs proclaim, “it begins with the wrath of God poured out at Armageddon.” Further, “Posttribulationism has a veritable logjam (of endtime events) at the second coming of Christ” (100). It fails to show how the righteous can be protected from the various wraths of the Tribulation period, surviving the wrath of God but subject to the wrath of Satan. Since many shall die, this would be a very “selective protection.” Revelation 3:10 gives a better solution. It is not a selective safe conduct through that hour, but removal from the hour itself. As Ryrie puts it, “The only way to escape worldwide trouble is not to be on the earth” (117). The Rapture is not a threat of near extermination, but a bright and blessed hope which causes us to “love His appearing” (II Tim. 4:8). THE RAPTURE: TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES Widely read and acclaimed are the prophetic books of Hal Lindsey, beginning with the popular The Late Great Planet Earth (1970) and leading up to The Rapture: Truth or Consequences, published simultaneously in the United States and Canada in 1983. The language of these books is generally contemporary rather than theological because he is aiming at another age group and a different culture from the average student of Bible prophecy. Nevertheless, Lindsey deals with some profound Biblical themes as he exercises his “gift of simplicity.” His book about the Rapture especially is a serious discussion of the Biblical passages and doctrinal themes which indicate the relationship of the Rapture to the Tribulation, giving us “a blueprint of tomorrow’s history.” Readers will appreciate Lindsey’s charts of the various Tribulation and Millennial views, and in the Bible exposition passages they will be impressed with his evident scholarship and continual use of the New Testament Greek. Those who enjoy comparing theological systems will find a helpful analysis of midtribulationist Mary Stewart Reife, When Your Money Fails, and posttribulationist Robert Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation. Lindsey begins his discussion by clarifying the main issues at stake and stressing the areas of common agreement between the exponents of pre-, mid- and posttribulationism, many of whom are careful scholars and greatly used of the Lord. He clarifies the true nature of the Church and the importance of dispensational distinctions. He discusses the chronology and judgments found in the Book of Revelation, the important promise of Revelation 3:10, and the “search for the missing Church,” by which he means the Rapture. In summary, “the promise of being kept from the hour; the identity of those who dwell in heaven; the Church’s absence from earth in chapters 4 through 19; the bride’s presence in heaven before the second coming, all fit into the pattern of a pre-Tribulation Rapture scenario” (111). In discussing the “Restrainer” of II Thessalonians 2, Lindsey presents strong evidence that “he who restrains” is undoubtedly the Holy Spirit. He concludes that “His unique ministries in, through and for the believer will be removed with the Church” (138). In the light of the permanent indwelling of the Spirit within the Church (John 14:16; Rom. 8:9), an even stronger statement might be that the removal of the Spirit before the revelation of Antichrist sets the time of the Rapture as pretribulational. He argues effectively for various stages in the “first resurrection,” showing that the “dead in Christ” rise before the translation of living saints at the Rapture while the resurrection of Tribulation martyrs occurs after the coming of Christ at His Revelation (Rev. 20:4-6). Lindsey then closes his book with a listing of world events “moving toward a catastrophic end.” Throughout The Rapture there is displayed a warm personal and spiritual note, so often lost in the midst of theological argument. Lindsey closes his discussion as follows: “The hope of the Rapture is a very practical force in my life at this point in history. It motivates me to obtain combat knowledge of the Bible in order to be able to face the perilous times that precede the Tribulation.” Even more, “It motivates me to win as many to Christ before it’s too late…. Although I grieve over the lost world that is headed toward catastrophe, the hope of the Rapture keeps me from despair in the midst of ever-worsening world conditions” (176). To which this reviewer adds a hearty “Amen!” – for this is the main thrust of the Blessed Hope! THE RAPTURE: PRE-, MID-, OR POST-TRIBULATIONAL? Bridging the considerable gap between the three primary Rapture viewpoints is a “head-to-head” debate entitled The Rapture: Pre-, Mid-, or Post-Tribulational? This 1984 publication is written by four personal friends, three of whom are colleagues on the faculty of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Mutually respectful in tone and highly academic in content, their essays provide an important addition to the Rapture literature, especially for those who desire to give careful attention to the use and meaning of the Greek words involved in the exposition of primary New Testament passages. While they are friends, these men do debate vigorously, and each has opportunity to bring his response to the two alternate positions. Introducing the debate is an excellent essay by Richard R. Reiter, “A History of the Development of the Rapture Positions.” He traces the history of the Rapture-Tribulation dispute from the Niagara Bible Conference era, 1878-1909, through the period of pretribulation predominance from 1909-1952, to what he calls the “resurgence of posttribulationism” from 1952 to the present. Many will find it fascinating to read the view of great spiritual leaders of the past, such as John N. Darby, D. L. Moody, A. J. Gordon, James H. Brookes, C. I. Scofield, Arthur T. Pierson and Arno C. Gaebelein – all of them staunch pretribulationists – together with the rising challenge of Robert Cameron, Nathaniel West, William G. Moorhead and W. J. Erdman, all of whom espoused a posttribulational eschatology. The growing harshness of the debate is revealed by “the bitterness of West’s tirade” through the “derogatory tone” of Alexander Reese to the abusive comments of Robert Cameron, who speaks of “opposing this Secret Rapture fly-away-from-tribulation theory” which is “only a trick of the Devil to fool God’s people so that they will not be on the firing line for God.” Such was the vitriolic tirade which began to emerge, primarily from the posttribulational camp. Refreshingly, the following three authors rise high above such bitter denunciation, calling for “greater humility in regard to detail” and a “unity which allows for diversity and promotes toleration.” This is a welcome and timely appeal. “The Case for the Pretribulational Rapture Position” is presented by Paul D. Feinberg, Associate Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology. He admits that a surrender of the widely held Pretrib position is not, as some have suggested, “the first step on the proverbial slippery step that leads one to the rocks of liberalism.” Nevertheless, the Rapture question is of the greatest importance because it “touches the extremely important issues of biblical interpretation, the relationship between the Church and Israel, and the course of human history” (47). Feinberg argues for pretribulationism from three main positions: (1) The entire Tribulation period is characterized as the “outpouring of penal, retributive, divine wrath,” from which the Church of Jesus Christ is promised exemption – both from the experience of wrath and the time of wrath. He rightly distinguishes between divine wrath and the normal trials and sufferings of the present life, including persecution from evil men. The Christian life is pictured in the Scripture as a battle to be fought and an athletic contest demanding discipline and endurance. However, I Thessalonians 1:10 and 5:9 clearly promise exemption from the coming wrath of God. He debates the view of Gundry that “divine wrath does not blanket the entire seventieth week, probably not even the latter half of it, but concentrates at the close” by observing that “wrath” occurs in the Revelation as early as the sixth seal, and that it is difficult to see how famine, war and death would fail to touch believers as well as unbelievers. Even Revelation 3:10 indicates that this period of trial falls upon “the whole world,” and promises exemption not only from divine wrath but also from the very time of wrath. He argues from classical literature, the Septuagint and the New Testament that the Greek preposition ek indicates “a position outside its object,” and that the combination tareo ek promises “a preservation outside of a time period,” which demands the removal of the Church prior to the time period called Tribulation (68). (2) Feinberg then argues for the necessity of an interval between the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming of Christ, so that some can be saved to go into the coming Kingdom in nonglorified bodies and thus populate the earth during the millennial reign of Christ. There shall be Gentiles as well as Jews in the coming Kingdom, although Ezekiel 20:37-38 declares that “rebel Jews” shall not enter therein, while Matthew 25:31-46 similarly describes the destruction of wicked Gentiles. Since no wicked shall enter Christ’s Kingdom, “there must be a separation of the Rapture from the Second Advent so that people with natural, physical bodies can be saved and populate the millennial Kingdom” (79). (3) There is a marked difference between Scripture passages describing the Rapture and those which describe the Second Coming of Christ to judge the wicked and to establish His Kingdom of righteousness. While there are no signs to alert the believer that the Rapture is near, very definite signs and events lead up to and signal the return of Christ from glory. Every passage dealing with the Second Coming is set in the context of Tribulation and judgment, while the Rapture passages make no mention of such distress. The Second Advent texts do not teach the translation of living saints nor the resurrection of those who have died in Christ, but give promise only to martyred Tribulation saints. Also, when the Rapture passages are compared with Second Coming passages, there is a clear inconsistency concerning the time of the Rapture and the destination of those who shall be caught up. Feinberg closes his section with the plea: “May our differences never becloud the joy and expectation of seeing our Lord at His visible and personal return,” and may our disagreements only “serve as a greater impetus to the study and clarity” of the prophetic Scriptures (86). In the third chapter, Gleason L. Archer argues “The Case for the Mid-Seventieth-Week Rapture Position.” He prefers this title to “Midtribulationism” because he views the first three and one half years as a “lesser tribulation, not nearly as terrifying or destructive of life as those fearsome plagues that will dominate the last three and one half years” (139). Thus he claims that his view “is really a form of pretribulation Rapture.” However, his identification of the “last trump” of the Rapture with the “seventh trumpet” of the Tribulation, and his identification of the raptured Church with the 144,000 of Revelation 14 are much more reminiscent of the Posttrib position. The final chapter of the book is written by Douglas J. Moo, assistant professor of New Testament at Trinity. He is to be commended for writing graciously, for expounding all the primary Scriptures, and for recognizing that “no true believer will experience the wrath of God.” However, he harmonizes this statement with the Posttrib position by declaring that “wrath appears to be concentrated in the last part of the Tribulation period.” He also uses a theory of selectivity, saying “God’s people can escape divine wrath through present during its outpouring” (174). Moo counters the obvious fact that many Tribulation judgments fall upon the entire inhabited earth by departing from normal, literal interpretation. He affirms, “No description of the Tribulation indicates that it will involve greater suffering than many believers have already experienced” (176). This weak response is in direct contradiction of Daniel 12:1 and Matthew 24:21, which declare that “the Tribulation, the great one” will be an unprecedented period in the history of suffering humanity. Unlike many Posttribs, Moo does face up to the implication of John 14:1-3, which strongly implies that those raptured go directly to the Father’s house, which is heaven. He responds: “The fact that believers at a posttribulational Rapture would rise to meet the Lord in the air only to return immediately to earth with Him creates no difficulty, for the text does not state that believers will go directly to heaven … only that they will always be with the Lord” (178). Responding to Moo, Archer calls this “a yo-yo procedure of popping up and down,” rightfully declaring that if anything, “these upward-bobbing saints will only impede the momentum of His earthward charges as He rushes down to crush the rebellious hosts of the Beast and all his minions. The most that can be said of such a ‘Rapture’ is that it is a rather secondary sideshow of minimal importance” (215). To make the Rapture posttribulational, Moo identifies the “last trump” of I Corinthians 15:52 with the trump which gathers the elect of Israel in Matthew 24:31 into the Millennial Kingdom, “an event that is always posttribulational” (179). In discussing the coming “wrath,” Moo makes escape from wrath a reward, saying: “Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to live godly lives in order that they might avoid the judgmental aspects of the Day” (186). Here, he sounds more like a Partial Rapturist. However, since his treatment of the main Rapture passages is quite lengthy and involved, it may be best at this point to encourage a careful reading of these pages and then to consider the adequate response of Paul Feinberg found on pages 223-31 of the same book. Concerning the similarities Moo indicates between the primary Rapture and the primary Second Advent passages, Archer observes that between the two “the differences in atmosphere, mood, and setting are so obvious as to discourage all hope of identifying the two as pointing to the one and same transaction” (217). We are indebted to these men for bringing us a fair, friendly, and scholarly presentation of the three primary views relative to the time of the Rapture. As already indicated, they have made an excellent contribution to the growing literature of the Rapture question. THE RAPTURE: A QUESTION OF TIMING Yet another posttribulational defense was published in 1985 by William R. Kimball, entitled The Rapture: A Question of Timing. It grants that the Rapture is the “blessed hope” of all true believers, and is “firmly established as a centerpiece in biblical eschatology” (11). In the “Final Appeal” of the book, the author states that he does not wish to cast “a negative reflection upon the integrity, sincerity, or spiritual competency of those believers who may disagree with the prophetic positions I have taken.” Furthermore, he declares, “we must always exercise an attitude of tolerance toward those brethren who may disagree with our prophetic positions” (180-81). This is, of course, the fair and proper attitude in prophetic debate. Differences aside, we are all one in Christ Jesus, and in love we are to honor and respect one another. However, our author fails tragically to follow his own declared standard, making us wonder if it is more pious talk than true conviction. He calls his fellow Premillennialists with a different view of the Rapture “the pied pipers of pretribulationism.” They use “complicated twisting and exegetical gymnastics” and are guilty of “wrenching of scriptures from their context.” They hold “novel” and “radical” theories, “prophetic innovations” and “vagaries of … ever-changing speculations.” Their views are “blatant,” “evasive,” and “desperate” “maneuvers.” They hold a “wistful hope” of a “secret rapture escape,” “unheard of prior to 1830,” a “secret, silent and mysterious” “split rapture,” a “double coming,” a “doctrinal quagmire,” a “novelty” of “confusion” and “contradiction.” The “pretribulationist defense could be likened to the proverbial ostrich who buries his head in the sand.” Their “convenient scheme” when dealing with certain passages spells “irretrievable shipwreck to their position.” They teach a “mysterious evacuation,” a “heavenly elopement of seven years,” “a fragmentation of the second coming into two very distinct comings,” actually “a third coming.” Other men quoted call a Pretrib Rapture “a perversion of Second Coming truth, a delusion of the last days” (121), a “myth” among the sorriest in the whole history of freak exegesis” (59). Such comments and namecalling, scattered throughout the book, such verbal abuse, make it difficult to listen to what the author actually has to say. Let us endeavor, however, to bring a brief evaluation of his primary arguments. Kimball is guilty of broadscale attacks against non-representative positions. It is true that early in the Rapture debate, some used the term “secret Rapture” as a synonym for the pretribulational return of Christ, stressing that the Rapture will occur without warning signs and will find many unprepared. It did not mean “without a sound” or “the world will be unaware,” but simply that it would occur suddenly and for many be totally unexpected. However, as used by Tregelles, I. M. Murray and others, it became a term of posttribulational contempt. Like them, Kimball ridicules the term continually, making it “secret, silent and mysterious,” and thinks that by disproving “secrecy” he has destroyed the pretribulational Rapture. The truth is that Pretribs are fully aware of the shout and the trump of God which accompany the Rapture, and agree that the world will recognize that Christians are gone. However, the term “secret” has been so misunderstood and maligned that most modern pretribulationists find no need to continue its use. There is no victory for posttribulationism in attacking the thought of a “secret Rapture.” Kimball may prove that it will be “a noisy, open and spectacular event” (59), but he is attacking a position which is no longer relevant. Kimball opposes the idea that Revelation 4:1 actually makes John’s experience “a symbol of the church being raptured” (77). Once again, this is a minority and non-representative view. While the writer respects those who may accept it, he prefers the position that the Rapture falls chronologically between chapters three and four. While the experience of John at 4:1, as well as the resurrection of the two witnesses and the presence of the 144,000 in glory are significant events in themselves, they most probably do not typify the resurrection and Rapture of the Church. Similarly, E. Schyler English once suggested that the “departure” of II Thessalonians 2:3 might be a reference to the catching up of the Church rather than an end-time apostasy or departure from the faith. His proposal was merely a trial balloon, and Pretribs were the first to shoot it down. It certainly never became representative of pretribulationism, but Kimball labels it “a desperate attempt to defend the any moment rapture theory,” and plagiarizing Reese he calls it an “example of freak exegesis.” Posttribs who take minority views and endeavor to make them representative of pretribulational theology because they appear easy to attack are simply tilting at theological windmills, when they should be establishing sound exegesis and end-time chronology. Concerning the history of the doctrine, Kimball strongly identifies himself with the view of Dave MacPherson, with all of its attendant problems. While correctly recognizing that the Church will not suffer the outpoured wrath of God, he holds that “Christians will weather the opposition and tribulations imposed by men until the second coming of Christ” (76). At this point, he should read Revelation 13:7, then review the warnings and instruction of Jim McKeever. He holds that the promise of comfort found in I Thessalonians 4:18 is more relevant to the suffering and martyrdom of the first century than it is to their prospect of escaping coming Tribulation. He identifies the “last trump” of the Rapture with the “seventh trumpet” of the Book of Revelation, saying that “the timing of the rapture is restricted to the seventh, or last trumpet” (107). These are common views which have been frequently and convincingly answered. If the Rapture is concurrent with the seventh trumpet, because of the intervening seven vials of wrath it must be considerably before the descent of the Son of God from heaven. Many believe there is a valid distinction between “coming for the saints” and “coming with the saints,” drawing from the prophecy found in Jude 14 and many other Scriptures. Kimball is satisfied that this means that Christ will “come again with His holy angels” (127), although it is doubtful if angels may be identified as “saints.” Sinless creatures need no sanctification. Commenting on John 14:1-3, he declares that this does not mean that the Church will return with Christ to heaven, but simply “accompany Him in His final victorious descent to earth” (131). The Church is caught up, briefly “evacuated from the surface of the earth in conjunction with the awesome holocaust which will be suddenly unleashed upon an unregenerate humanity” (132). Thus he agrees that the Church must be raptured to escape the outpouring of divine wrath. But Pretribs find outpoured wrath beginning early in the Tribulation, with Revelation 6:16-17 and not with 19:11 at the glorious coming of the King. Kimball closes his book correctly by saying: “Our essential unity and fellowship in Christ should never be severed or undermined because of our differences on prophetic points” (181). In the opinion of the reviewer, he has failed in this high purpose, and has written a book which adds nothing to harmony and little if anything to the posttribulational argument. Rather, the command to “love His appearing” has been completely lost in the midst of the bitterness of yet another posttribulational polemic. THE RAPTURE QUESTION: REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION For the final and most significant defense of the pretribulational position, we have chosen to review the volume by John F. Walvoord, The Rapture Question: Revised and Enlarged Edition. While the other books herein reviewed have been considered in chronological succession since 1956, including the original edition of The Rapture Question, this 1979 re-publication is worthy of special mention. It brings issues and arguments up to date as it answers the more recent challenges to the hope of the imminent return of Christ. One hundred pages longer than the earlier edition, the book adds a full topical Index, and expanded Bibliography, and attractive boldface subheadings. For Scripture quotations, it has switched from the AV to the NIV, which in some cases yields a more simple and vigorous translation. However, to some Bible students raised with the familiar expression of the King James Version, there are some instances where the NIV terminology will probably come across with a peculiar sound, such as “the parable of the wheat and the weeds,” and in John 14, “there are many rooms in my Father’s house.” Far more important however is the fact that Dr. Walvoord has added to his earlier edition six new chapters of Biblical exposition. He discusses the Rapture in the Gospels, in First Thessalonians 4 and 5, in Second Thessalonians, in First Corinthians and in the Book of Revelation. Significant also is the fact that his exegesis includes a direct response to the vigorous arguments of Robert H. Gundry, whose 1973 book The Church and the Tribulation was undoubtedly the strongest challenge to pretribulationism since The Approaching Advent of Christ by Alexander Reese, dated 1932. It makes interesting and challenging reading to discover how a mature and skilled theologian like Walvoord answers the clever, spirited, and frequently involved arguments of a scholar like Gundry, both of them maintaining the highest level of Christian courtesy as fellow Premillennialists and brethren in the service of Christ. The fact that two such scholars should disagree at all, serves to illustrate the difficulty and complexity of the debate under consideration. While the arguments and issues are far too extensive for adequate treatment within this brief evaluation, the main highlights may be pointed out as follows: THE RAPTURE IN THE GOSPELS Both Reese and Gundry take the position that explicit references to a Posttrib Rapture are found in the Gospels, especially in Matthew 13 and 24-25 and in John 14. Gundry argues from Matthew 13:30, the wheat and the tares, that the mere professors are gathered for judgment in the same crisis as the transfiguration of the righteous, causing great embarrassment to those who separate the two by several years. This does not logically follow, for the expression “first the tares” disrupts the Posttrib claim that Christ raptures the Church before He deals in judgment with the wicked. Also in the parable of the good and bad fish which immediately follows (vs. 48), the “good fish” are selected first, which is in opposite order from the burning of the tares before the wheat is gathered. On these points, Gundry gives no solid evidence for a Posttrib Rapture. In fact, observes Walvoord, in context Matthew is discussing the judgment of Christ’s Revelation, and the Rapture is not in view at all. In Matthew 24-25, the subject matter concerns the “end of the age,” which is not the Church Age as such, but rather the interadvent age previously discussed in chapter 13. The period between the two advents of Christ includes both the Church Age and the coming Tribulation. In the Olivet Discourse, Christ is answering specific questions of the apostles relative to the future of Israel, a fact which Gundry chooses to ignore. While most Premils agree that there will be a gathering of all the “elect,” both of Israel and of the Gentiles, at the end of the Tribulation, the “elect” in question refers to Tribulation believers and not Church saints. For the two main features of the Rapture are entirely absent from the passage, namely the translation of the living and the resurrection of the dead in Christ. Our author concludes: “Proof that Matthew’s account of this event includes either a translation or a resurrection, however, is lacking” (187). Furthermore, the Posttrib attempt to find the Rapture in Matthew 24:40-41 is inaccurate, for the context of verse 39 declares that those who are “taken” are the ones who are drowned, and “it would be strange to have a clear illustration like this be completely reversed in the application of verses 40-41” (188). Many will be taken away in judgment and some will be left to enter the millennial Kingdom. The Rapture as such is not under discussion, no matter how similar the language may sound. Posttribulationism also fails to find the Rapture in Matthew 25:31-46, for the sheep and the goats are intermingled and require separation by a special judgment immediately following the Second Coming of Christ. This would be entirely unnecessary if a Posttrib Rapture had just taken place, for the Rapture “would be the first event and would automatically separate all the saved from the unsaved before Christ’s feet ever touched the Mount of Olives and before His kingdom was instituted” (192). John 14:1-3 is taken by many to be the first clear mention of the Rapture in the New Testament from a chronological point of view. His coming for His own is here quite in contrast with the glorious event of Matthew 24, which is compared with the lightning shining from east to west. “Instead of Christ picturing a coming from heaven to the earth, He describes a coming for His saints to take them to the Father’s house” (194). Posttribs labor to eliminate such a Rapture because, as we have seen, it is in direct contradiction to their prophetic system. For example, instead of rapturing the Church to the Father’s house, Barton Payne refers John 14:3 to the death of a Christian, while Robert Gundry explains that Christ is going to prepare for them “spiritual bodies within His own Person.” And Douty declares that Christ first returns to earth to judge Antichrist and introduce His glorious reign before He returns to heaven to administer it. Such strained interpretations indicate “how posttribulationists, even those given to literal interpretation, will spiritualize when the plain text contradicts their point of view” (195). And in so doing they clearly contradict one another. THE RAPTURE IN I THESSALONIANS 4 The commentary on I Thessalonians 4 and 5 by both Gundry and Walvoord is quite extensive and should be read carefully by all who seek an understanding of the respective viewpoints. In brief, Dr. Walvoord’s discussion includes the following thoughts. I Thessalonians contributes more to the doctrine of the Rapture than any other book of the New Testament, mentioning the Rapture in every chapter. If the Great Tribulation is going to precede the Rapture, this book would be the natural place in which to state it. Instead, the return of Christ for His Church is set before the Christians of Thessalonica as an imminent event for which they should look with hope and expectation. Concerning their Christian dead, they will first be resurrected, and this expectation should bring them comfort in the midst of sorrow. Now in I Thessalonians 4:13-18, the coming of the Lord at the Rapture will be “with a loud command,” and will be joined by the “voice of the archangel, Michael,” a shout of triumph and victory from one who has led the holy angels against Satan and his angels throughout the centuries. The “trumpet call of God” is frequently used in the Old Testament and in the New to signal important events, but the sounding of a trumpet does not identify two events as the same event. The Rapture is herein presented as imminent, with no preceding order of events which must be enacted. “It should also be obvious that if the Thessalonians would have to pass through the Great Tribulation before the Rapture, this would be a matter of greater concern to them than the possible problem of a delayed resurrection of their loved ones in Christ” (203). In addition, Posttribs have yet to explain why, according to their view, the saints would have to leave the earth at all, since Christ intends them to reign with Him, and since they could so easily become the ones who will populate the millennial Kingdom. To a Posttrib, the Rapture is merely a brief incident of doubtful significance in the sequence of events known as the Second Coming. Most important, this critical Scripture gives no warning of the Great Tribulation, and to those who think it is implied, “instead of exhorting Christians to comfort, posttribulationists should be preparing Christians for martyrdom” (209). Walvoord concludes that I Thessalonians 4 is one of the strongest passages for the pretribulational interpretation of Scripture, and offers the least comfort to those who hold the posttribulational position. THE RAPTURE IN I THESSALONIANS 5 I Thessalonians 5 is a chapter which has generated some heated disagreements, including as it does the difficult problem of the “day of the Lord.” Gundry aggress that this expression does not mean a 24 hour day, “but a longer period of time … which includes the millennium and the final judgment.” Note that he strongly resists any contention that the day of the Lord also includes the Tribulation. Accordingly, Walvoord reminds us that Gundry attempts to re-arrange the Book of Revelation so that the major judgments fall at its close, with “all the catastrophic judgments of the seals, trumpets, and bowls as if they were in some way simultaneous” (223). His motive “is to get the church raptured before major events of the day of the Lord take place.” Behind all this is the assumption that if the Tribulation is not a time of divine wrath, then Christians will escape the severity of the period. Walvoord responds that Gundry is wrong on both counts. Not only do the saints suffer severely but also the Scriptures reveal that the Tribulation is primarily a time of God’s wrath. Even if it were only a time of Satanic wrath, Christians could not avoid great suffering and probable death. “The prospect of a church’s going triumphantly through the Great Tribulation relatively untouched is not supported in the prophecies of the Book of Revelation, as indicated by the martyrs in chapters 6 and 7” (230). Actually, chapters 4 and 5 of I Thessalonians are setting forth the broad program of end-time events, with the day of the Lord beginning right after the Rapture. The Church does not enter this period, indicated by (1) the fact that the Rapture is discussed first; (2) by the change of pronouns from “we,” “us,” and “you” (vs. 1, 2, 4-6, 8-11) to “they” and “others” (vs. 3, 6, 7); (3) by the fact that people will be saying “peace and safety” which implies that the Tribulation has not yet begun; and (4) by the clear statement that Christians are not appointed to suffer wrath but are to obtain deliverance. In this passage, the pretribulationist has the obvious advantage, for if the Church is raptured before this time of trouble, then all that is said in the passage becomes very clear. “The period of wrath will not overtake the church as a thief because the church will not be there” (221). The Great Tribulation is expressly a time of divine judgment on a world that has rejected Christ. Gundry’s posttribulationism forces him into “an extreme and untenable position by trying to bring the church through the Great Tribulation without experiencing great tribulation” (228). THE RAPTURE IN I CORINTHIANS Gundry’s position concerning the Restrainer in II Thessalonians 2 has previously been reviewed, so the writer will move on to I Corinthians 15:51-58. This Scripture is important because it is one of the two main passages on the Rapture in the entire New Testament. Included in the great Pauline resurrection chapter, the Rapture is presented as the major exception to the normal rule of death followed by resurrection. Those who are “alive and remain” at the close of the Church age shall escape death by physical translation into the presence of Christ. This Scripture is normally given brief treatment by posttribulational writers because, as Walvoord explains, “The passage … contributes practically nothing to the posttribulational concept of the Rapture” (247). For the Rapture is a “mystery,” not revealed in the Old Testament, and this immediately sets it apart from the Second Coming of Christ, which is revealed. For that matter, “the translation of the church is not mentioned anywhere in the New Testament in a passage that clearly speaks of the coming of Christ after the Great Tribulation” (248). The main aspect of Gundry’s discussion revolves around the phrase “the last trumpet.” Posttribs normally associate this “last trumpet” with the seventh judgment trumpet of the angle in Revelation 11:15. Gundry makes the same identification but with a qualifying “perhaps,” suggesting also that it might be last “as one sounded at the end of the age, after the sounding of the seven apocalyptic trumpets” (Gundry, 148). This appears to be an admission that the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11 actually sounds considerably before the end of the Tribulation, a fact that Posttribs normally do not recognize. But rather than make such an acknowledgement he asks, “how could Paul have had an eye on the seven trumpets when John had not yet written Revelation?” His final and more restrained explanation is that the trumpet will be the “last in its sphere, i.e., in the Church age, rather than last in a series.” This sounds very much like the Pretrib position, except that to Gundry it is a foregone conclusion that the Church age will include the Great Tribulation. He therefore places the trumpet at the very end of that period, which is actually assuming what he is trying to prove. Nor does he solve the significant problem that there are seven bowls of the wrath of God in Revelation 16 following the seventh trumpet but before the Second Coming of Christ. Walvoord holds that the trumpets of I Corinthians 15, Revelation 11 and Matthew 24:31 are entirely different trumpets, for the one in Matthew deals with the saints of all ages who are assembled at the time of the Second Coming, the ones in Revelation relate to judgment and are blown by angels, while the one in Corinthians relates to the Church and is called the “trump of God.” Those who make “last trumpet” a technical term do so based on a prior assumption rather than upon solid Biblical evidence. Furthermore, the resurrection of I Corinthians 15:52 is absolutely unique, for it is the only case where a resurrection is connected with the translation of the living. Also, in verse 58 there is an exhortation attached to the doctrine of the Rapture, relating it to our present service for Christ, but in no wise warning us that this great event can occur only after the Great Tribulation has run its course. THE RAPTURE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION The last of these distinct chapters relates to the Rapture in the critical Book of Revelation. Declares Walvoord: “The prospect of a church’s going triumphantly through the Great Tribulation relatively untouched” is not supported by the prophecies of this great book (230). This is most significant, for in the Revelation specific details are revealed concerning the Tribulation and the coming of Christ nowhere else given in the entire Bible! “If … the Rapture is part of the events of the Second Coming, the strange absence of any mention of it certainly is a devastating blow to posttribulationists” (254). There are, however, several specific passages involved in the Rapture-Tribulation debate. Among the most important is Revelation 3:10-11: “Since you have kept my commandment to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” As previously considered, the Greek tereo ek and its translation is important to the understanding of the passage. Gundry devotes ten pages to his discussion of Revelation 3:10 and insist that the Greek preposition means “out from within.” Walvoord, backed by practically all of the English translations, holds that it has the simple meaning “from.” More important, “the purpose of the promise is deliverance from ‘the hour of trial,’ a period of time, not simply preservation through the trials in that period” (257). The purpose is to keep them from the time of persecution, not to keep through the persecution. This makes “kept from the hour” a valid pretribulational promise. Revelation 5:8-10 involves the 24 elders in heaven in the presence of Christ, seen by many Pretribs as representative of the Church raptured before the outpouring of divine judgments, and seen by Posttribs as simply angels singing a song of rejoicing over the redeemed. Since the main difference of opinion is based on alternate readings of the Greek text, the matter “remains debatable,” although the use of the revised text alone “does not prove that the twenty-four elders are angels” (259). The fact that they are clothed in white raiment suggests rather that they are redeemed men, and their being described as having golden crowns implies that they have been judged and rewarded, as would be the case if there had been a pretribulational Rapture and a Judgment Seat of Christ following in heaven. Walvoord reminds us of the main problem related to the Book of Revelation: “There is no clear mention of the rapture of the church from Revelation 4 through Revelation 18,” and this gives us a strong implication that it has already taken place (260). Gundry counters this absence by the fact that the book does not mention the Church as being in heaven either. But such an objection hangs on the identification of the elders and forgets that the Church as the Bride of Christ is seen in heaven prior to Christ’s Second Coming (Rev. 19:7-9). Walvoord reminds Gundry that “there is no mention of a local church anywhere in Revelation 4-18,” leaving Posttribs to face not only the fact that the universal Church is not mentioned, but also that there is no local church seen on earth (261). Revelation 7:1-8 and 14:1-5 introduce the calling and spiritual authority of the 144,000. Most Posttribs spiritualize this group and speak of them as representative of the Church on earth during the Tribulation. Gundry departs from this normal Posttrib position by offering an entirely new approach. He suggests that they are orthodox, unconverted Jews, destined to be protected by God during the judgments and then saved at the time of the Rapture. Walvoord counters this idea with the fact that those who go through the Tribulation without Christ must take the mark of the Beast and thus seal their destiny. Also, Gundry’s view would allow unsaved men to be called “the servants of God,” and later be given a “second chance” to trust in Christ. Furthermore, men clearly designated as saved Israelites cannot be members of the New Testament Church, where we are no longer seen as Jew or Gentile but one new man in Christ Jesus. Another of the unique views offered by Gundry is that “God’s wrath will not stretch through the whole tribulation,” but follow Armageddon instead of preceding it. Walvoord calls this “a strange and unnatural exegesis.” But when to support his view, Gundry identifies “the first harvest” of the Rapture with the blood-bath of Armageddon, in Revelation 14:14-20, Walvoord charges: “Only an expositor desperate to support an insupportable view would appeal to a passage like this” (265). Finally, Revelation 19 and 20 constitute a major problem for posttribulationists, for they contain no Scriptural proof for a Posttrib Rapture in the very passages which ought to include it. “In the most comprehensive and detailed account to be found anywhere in the Bible of the second coming of Christ, there is no resurrection or translation mentioned as an event occurring in the Second Coming itself.” Significantly, “The posttribulational Rapture, which should have been a prominent feature of the Book of Revelation if it were indeed a part of the great climax of the second coming of Christ, is totally missing in the narrative” (268). Revelation 19 and 20 constitute a major problem for posttribulationists, for there is no proof for a Posttrib Rapture in the very passages that ought to include it. Walvoord concludes that “there is not a single verse in the entire Book of Revelation that teaches a posttribulational Rapture” (268). The Posttrib Rapture is a theory without Scriptural support! THE PRE-WRATH RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH Recently there has emerged a strong frontal attack against the pretribulational return of Christ, written by one who claims to have held that view and preached it with conviction for some 35 years. It is entitled The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church by Marvin J. Rosenthal, former executive director of Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. His 317 page book is generally well written and is attractively published, with 25 charts to clarify the various millennial and tribulational views, plus his own unique and somewhat complex position on the timing of the Rapture. Rosenthal is clearly a Bible-believing, conservative and premillennial servant of Jesus Christ. He calls himself a “biblicist” who, although “not a scholar,” has invested his life in the preaching of the “whole counsel of God.” However, under the prodding of a friend he began to re-examine his view of the Rapture, particularly in it relationship to the coming Tribulation. The view he now espouses is no longer pretribulationism, nor is it midtribulationism or posttribulationism, but one which he calls “pre-wrath rapturism.” Although radically different from standard viewpoints, Rosenthal predicts that within five years it will be a “recognized position,” and within fifteen years “a major position of the believing church” (293). This reviewer recently questions the validity of that ambition or the necessity of adding a fifth position to an already overcrowded Rapture debate. The primary thrust of the book is that the Church of Jesus Christ will be removed from the earth by Rapture prior to the outpouring of the “wrath of God,” and that the correct timing of the Rapture places it just be fore the fourth quarter of the “seventieth week of Daniel.” Speaking of God’s “final wrath on an unbelieving world,” he declares that “God’s children will be delivered from that day. That is the ‘blessed hope’” (35). Such a change of emphasis is unfortunate, for it moves the “blessed hope” of the believer away from the expectation and joy of being in the presence of Christ to the more human desire of escaping outpoured wrath in the coming judgment. Nor does this “pre-wrath” emphasis contribute anything particularly new. Rosenthal freely admits that all Pre- and Mid-tribs expect to be caught up by Rapture before the outpoured wrath of God in the coming Tribulation. He points out that even Gundry’s variety of posttribulationism could qualify as “pre-wrath,” although Gundry does not use that designation (59). He simply declares “the theological necessity that God’s wrath not touch a saved person.”[1] Further research would have revealed a wider agreement among posttribulationists. George Ladd declares: “Everyone must agree that it is inconceivable that the Church will suffer the wrath of God.”[2] J. Barton Payne comments: “Posttribulationists united in affirming that, ‘The church will endure the wrath of men … but will not suffer the wrath of God.’”[3] Arthur Katterjohn writes: “Christians, it must be remembered, will be removed before God’s final anger falls.”[4] William Kimball says: “The scriptures clearly teach us that the church will never suffer from the wrath of God…. This point is agreed upon by all.”[5] And even so strong a posttribulationist as Alexander Reese assures us: “The essential fact for us to know is that Jesus by His death, has delivered us from the wrath to come, and that immediately prior to the full revelation of divine wrath, He will gather the saints to Himself.”[6] So the mere declaration that the Rapture will be “pre-wrath” is hardly a spectacular discovery. It is solidly affirmed by almost all of Pre-, Mid- and Posttribulational persuasion because of the clear declarations of Scripture at this point. A NEW POSITION FOR THE RAPTURE It is evident that the timing of the Rapture, and not its relationship to divine wrath, is uppermost in the mind of Rosenthal in the writing of this volume. Coming periodically close to advocating a date-setting scheme, he defends with enthusiasm the view that the Rapture will be three-quarters of the way through the seventieth week of Daniel, with divine wrath to be found only in the final quarter. His evidence for such a conclusion is rather lengthy and complicated, based squarely on his personal division of the “seventieth week of Daniel” into three clearly recognizable periods, the “beginning of sorrows,” the “great Tribulation,” and the frequently predicted “day of the Lord.” The Rapture is then placed immediately between the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, which according to his definitions is after the Tribulation but still “pre-wrath.” These viewpoints, Rosenthal proceeds to support by some 200 pages of strong and somewhat overbearing argumentation, with a sharp attack against any response which reminds him of his previous Pretrib position. His terminology and unique division of the “seventieth week” are central to his argument. He endeavors, with several notable exceptions on his own part, to refrain from using the expression “Tribulation period,” saying that it contains a predisposition toward pretribulationism when it is used of the entire seventieth week of Daniel. Rather, he prefers to call the coming seven years of judgment and wrath simply the “seventieth week of Daniel.” These seven years he then subdivides as follows: (1) the first three and one-half years are “the Beginning of Sorrows.” (2) The first half of the second three and one-half years (which would be one and three-fourths or twenty-one months), he calls the “Great Tribulation.” (3) The final twenty-one months, the fourth quarter of the seven years, he then designates as the “Day of the Lord,” in which is found the “wrath of God.” Just prior to the Day of the Lord, at the sounding of the “seventh trumpet,” the Rapture occurs. Hence, the Rapture of the Church takes place between the third and fourth quarters of the “seventy weeks of Daniel,” just before the outpouring of the wrath of God. Therefore,, to Rosenthal, the Rapture takes place at a sharply defined moment of prophecy, and it is posttribulational but pre-wrath. The thirteen chapters of argumentation in support of these claims are frequently tedious and repetitious, with a dogmatism which earns it a unique place in the literature of the Rapture debate. Rosenthal sets forth Walvoord, Pentecost and Ryrie as his former “heroes” in matters of eschatology (25), whose logic in his judgment is now faulty and whose exegesis can no longer be trusted. Rosenthal’s own opinions, however, are “indisputable” and “beyond refutation” (105, 109). His facts “cannot be set aside,” and for his primary conclusions “there simply is no question” (110). The doctrine of imminence, which he calls “a major pillar of pretribulation rapturism,” is “untenable,” and that is a “clear, unassailable truth that cannot be dismissed” (150). Differing with Pretribs, he declares that they are locked in an “unsolvable dilemma” (112). Such dogmatism is, to say the least, both unwholesome and irritating, for a great many of his statements clearly warrant further investigation. Now in spite of all of this, it must be noted in all fairness that there are some excellent sections in the book, especially chapters two, and four through seven. Interestingly, this section is almost wholly irrelevant to the timing of the Rapture. Here much information is given on the history of Israel, together with her customs, feasts and leadership. He discusses the credentials of the King and the certainty of Christ’s Second Coming. Other subjects range from the virgin birth of Christ to modern humanism – themes taken no doubt from the author’s Bible lectures. Perhaps the desired impression is that since the author appears to be gracious, godly, and biblical, he would assuredly be a safe and seasoned student of Bible prophecy, bringing trustworthy conclusions concerning the blessed hope of the Church. The latter, however, is not the case. While it is an unhappy task to bring critical evaluation of a book where on many points there is substantial agreement, as graciously as possible it must be done. Although it should be recognized that when an argument is as lengthy and complex as this, it would take a new volume of equal length to examine every detail. The following are some of the salient points which should be carefully evaluated by all serious readers of this volume. THE TRIBULATION PERIOD As previously noted, Rosenthal declares that the designation “the Tribulation period” should be omitted from any honest consideration of the time of the Rapture. It cannot be used as synonym for the entire “seventy weeks of Daniel,” for to do so, he says, predisposes one to pretribulationism, and the expression “Tribulation period” has no biblical justification (103). He believes that Pretribs have coined a technical phrase and superimposed it upon the Scriptures (105). If such is the case, it is fair to ask “Where is Rosenthal’s biblical justification for the new expression, “pre-wrath rapturism”? It is not found in Scripture and comes upon the scene as recently as 1990. Admittedly, the King James Bible does not use the precise expression “Tribulation period,” any more than it uses the term “rapture,” “second coming,” or “premillennial.” But on at least six occasions it does speak of a coming “tribulation,” and Rosenthal freely admits that it is a period to be measured in years. Like the other terms, “Tribulation period” is simply a widely used term of convenience, less cumbersome and less in need of explanation than the expression “seventieth week of Daniel,” which also does not appear in the Bible. Indeed, on a number of occasions Rosenthal himself uses the term “Tribulation period” (107, 117, 143) and his own publisher uses it in the promotional material on the back cover of the book! However, his attempt to cancel the expression “Tribulation period” helps to pave the way for his novel three-fold subdivision of the same actual period of seven years. THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS Rosenthal calls the first three and one half years of Daniel’s “seventieth week” by the name “the beginning of sorrows,” borrowed from Matthew 24:8, for he finds a rough parallel between the Matthew passage and the first four seal judgments of Revelation 6. But similarity is not identity, and the likeness is superficial. There is a world of difference between the “many deceivers” of Matthew and the Devil’s Antichrist of Revelation; between the “wars and rumors of wars” and battles so powerful they take peace from the whole earth; between the earthquakes of Matthew and the cosmic disturbances of Revelation 6:12-13. Nor does Matthew 24:4-8 even vaguely hint of martyred saints in heaven, nor of an outpouring of God’s wrath so severe that a fourth part of earth’s population will be slain. A view that deserves serious consideration is that the “beginning of sorrows” describes the prevailing conditions on earth at the close of the Church age, before the Rapture and the Tribulation. For those who wonder if these descriptions are relevant to our day, for famine, one may note Ethiopia. For pestilence, AIDS is evident. For earthquakes, one need only recall San Francisco and many other unfortunate cities. For nations rising up against nation, two World Wars testify to that reality. Calling the early half of the Tribulation “the beginning of sorrows” in Rosenthal’s book is merely a device to minimize this period and shift what he calls the “Great Tribulation” to the third quarter of Daniel’s seventieth week. IT is a serious error to claim that “the first three and one-half years are not part of the Tribulation period” because God’s wrath does not start until “considerably further” into the seventieth week (106-7). Rosenthal declares: “The seals are not God’s wrath; they are God’s promise of eternal protection during man’s wrath” (145). Moreover, “the first five seals relate to man’s activity under the controlling influence of Satan. God’s wrath has not yet begun” (247). But this is not entirely true, for the seals also reflect the judgment of the sovereign God. All seven seals are broken by Christ, and the riders of the first four seals and their accompanying judgments are initiated by four “living creatures” who descend from the very presence of God (Rev. 4:6-8). They are responding to divine holiness when they command these riders, not to “come and see,” but simply to “Come!” The judgments of these four seals include the sword, famine, pestilence and wild beasts, frequently used in Scripture as the expressions of divine wrath. Indeed, they are all included and named when God calls His “four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence” (Ezek. 14:21). This is likewise true of Leviticus 26:22, 25; Deuteronomy 28:21-25; Jeremiah 15:2-3; 16:4, Ezekiel 5:12, 17, and a host of other passages.[7] It is a denial of Scripture to declare the first four seals are entirely the activity of men and do not include judgment from the Almighty. And a Rapture placed after the first six seals would certainly not be a “pre-wrath Rapture.” THE GREAT TRIBULATION Rosenthal also has peculiar and erroneous views relating to the “Great Tribulation.” Similar to the first four seals, he declares it “the persecution of God’s elect by wicked men,” namely man’s wrath against man, but never God’s wrath against man (105). He limits the Great Tribulation by declaring that it will be the third quarter of the seven year period, and that somehow even these days will be “shortened.” He fails to relate the Great Tribulation to the detailed descriptions of the book of Revelation. One can only conclude hat if the first four seals are the “beginning of sorrows,” and the Day of the Lord begins with the opening of the seventh seal (117), then the Great Tribulation which comes between must be limited to the brief compass of the fifth and sixth seal. This is exactly Rosenthal’s position, illustrated by a charge on page 161. With such a view he stands alone. It finds no adequate place for detailed teaching of Christ in Matthew 24:9-26, and makes the Great Tribulation, like the first four seals, simply the activity of the Antichrist rather than judgment from God. Then to Rosenthal, the rest of the seven years, the final quarter, starts with Revelation 8:1, and becomes the “day of the Lord” or the final day of the Lord’s wrath. Rosenthal is in serious trouble when he limits the Great Tribulation to the third quarter of the seven year period. For Christ linked the Great Tribulation with the action of Antichrist defiling the Jewish Temple by setting up his image to receive worship, in fulfillment of the “abomination which makes desolate” in Daniel 9:27. This event in the middle of the “week” is the sign for the Jews to fleet from the wrath of Satan, from whom they must be protected three and one-half years “from the face of the serpent” (Rev. 12:14). Thus the “time of trouble” for Israel (Dan. 12:1) and the desolation of the “great tribulation” predicted by Christ (Matt. 24:21) must extend at least for a full three and one-half years and not for a period of twenty-one months. Indeed, the finishing of Israel’s “rebellion” and the end of Antichrist’s “desolation” are linked with the entirety of the seventy weeks and not with a small portion of it (Dan. 9:24, 27). Even Gabriel testified that Antichrist’s “war” with Israel should last until the “end” of the period under consideration, evidently with a “flood” of divine judgment. Antichrist will make war with Israel and all the saints, until he is judged and they possess the Kingdom (Dan. 7:22). He will defile the earth and lead the nations in the final rebellion and war of Armageddon right up to the power and glory of the Second Coming of Christ. In a word, Tribulation conditions cannot be limited to one fourth of that frightful seven year period. THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH From the perspective of Rosenthal’s book, how does all this relate to the future of the Church? In brief, he insists that the Church must pass through the first 42 months of the Tribulation period under the pretext that it is only the “beginning of sorrows.”” The Church must then pass through an additional twenty-one months of Great Tribulation because divine wrath has not yet been poured out. Later, Rosenthal evidently has the Church back on earth during the outpouring of the seven vials of wrath, for “Christ will literally return to assume His kingdom at the seventh trumpet” (146), right at the end of the “seventieth week.” The notion that the seven vials will follow the Second Coming is clearly stated on page 146 and charted on pages 247 and 276. Of the seven-year Tribulation the Church will miss only the small portion of twenty-one months Rosenthal entitles the Day of the Lord. So whereas believers will not experience wrath, they will be on earth during the severe judgment of the seals, according to Rosenthal. They will come under the dominion of the Beast and suffer and die at the hands of the Antichrist (Rev. 13:7), and even be present when the final seven vials of “God’s wrath” are poured out. Not much by way of comfort or blessing in an eschatology such as this! All this can be avoided by recognizing that the “Tribulation,” “the great Tribulation,” and “Daniel’s seventieth week” are all substantially one and the same thing, and share identical features. These terms are simple descriptions of a coming period, not technical names or definitions around which to build a prophetic theory. While granting that the last half of the Tribulation period is more severe than the first, it is all designated “great tribulation” (literally in the Greek, “tribulation, the great one,” Rev. 7:14), simply because in the midst of earth’s trials there is no other period like it (Jer. 1:7; Dan. 12:1). “Tribulation” and “great tribulation” are spoken of together and clearly equated in Matthew 24:21 and 29. These descriptions have to do with the content, not with the duration of that period, and certainly do not designate the timing of the Rapture. THE DAY OF THE LORD Pretribulationists normally place the beginning of the Day of the Lord right after the Rapture in conjunction with the start of the Tribulation. Rosenthal rather violently opposes such a placement and makes it “perhaps the single greatest error in the debate concerning the timing of the Rapture” (117). To him the Day of the Lord must commence after the Great Tribulation is over. It fills in the final 21 months (half of three and one-half years) of the seven year “Tribulation period,” beginning with the opening of the seventh seal (117). But this misses the fact that there can be only one completely unprecedented day of sorrow in Israel’s future, and Joel 2:1-2 calls it the “day of the Lord,” while Daniel 12:1 calls it Israel’s “time of trouble,” and in Matthew 24:21 Christs identifies it as the “great tribulation.” The three are one, not separate periods which follow in sequence. Rosenthal rightly reviews the frequent use of “day of the Lord” in the Old Testament, but denies that it extends to the “new heavens and a new earth” according to II Peter 3:10-13. He commences it at Revelation 8:1 on the basis of cosmic disturbances under the sixth seal (Joel 2:30-31; Rev. 6:11-12). He argues that the day of the Lord’s wrath must begin immediately after the Church is raptured, indeed “on the same day,” and cites the commencement of the flood on the same day Noah entered into the ark, and fire and brimstone fell out of heaven the same day Lot went out of Sodom. However, this is weak evidence to help establish a great New Testament doctrine. A number of Scriptures unite to demonstrate that the Day of the Lord does include the first six seals. While Rosenthal speaks of these seals as the wrath of man, the beasts of the earth and the heavenly bodies of Revelation 6:8 and 12 are not under the dominion of man, but of God. The darkness of Amos 5:18-20 matches the darkness of the sixth seal. The judgment upon the proud and lofty in Isaiah 2:12, 17 finds clear fulfillment in Revelation 6:15, and the announcement of wrath in Isaiah 13:6-13 and Zephaniah 1:14-18 finds its counterpoint in Revelation 6:17. Isaiah 2:19 and Revelation 6:15 state that the wicked shall hide in the holes of the rocks and caves of the earth, a fact far too specific to be lightly ignored. Zephaniah 2:3 calls this period the day of the Lord’s fierce anger, surely fulfilled in substance at Revelation 6:8 with the destruction of one fourth of the world’s population. It is wrong to declare that the Day of the Lord begins with Revelation 8:1 when its predictions find such clear fulfillment in the seal judgments of Revelation six. How could the Day of the Lord come unexpectedly, “as a thief in the night” if the severe judgments of Revelation six must come first? Why should men be found crying “peace and safety” (I Thess. 5:2-3) under such horrendous circumstances? Yet it is essential to Rosenthal’s prophetic system that the Day of the Lord begins with the opening of the seventh seal (155), which to him signals the end of the Great Tribulation and the moment of the Rapture. It is far better to understand that the Rapture precedes the entire Tribulation period, with the Day of the Lord commencing soon thereafter. This is the order and emphasis of I Thessalonians 4 and 5, which happen to be among the prime Scriptures on both prophetic themes. It has been demonstrated in chapter four of Kept from the Hour[8] that the Old Testament predictions of the “day of the Lord” and their fulfillment in the book of Revelation fit together like hand in glove, including the judgments under the first six seals. Placing the Day of the Lord after the Great Tribulation is erroneous and artificial, and denying that it extends to the “new heavens and earth” appears to be in violation of II Peter 3:10-13. For even in the Messianic Kingdom, Christ must rule the nations with a rod of iron and subdue all unrighteousness, and ultimately He must cleanse both the heavens and the earth. Certainly the Day of the Lord, the theme of such extensive prophecy, is of greater significance and extent than twenty-one months or six hundred and thirty days! Rosenthal’s treatment of the three component parts of Daniel’s “seventieth week” is entirely unsatisfactory. His view essentially ignores the first three and one-half years and artificially distinguishes between the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, compressing each into a mere one fourth of the Tribulation period. This is a fractured foundation upon which to build any trustworthy conclusions relative to the blessed hope of Christ’s return. SIX EVENTS SET THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE It has been demonstrated that Rosenthal dogmatically divides the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week into two parts, the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. Between the two he places the Rapture, but that is not all he places at this particular moment of time. So important to Rosenthal is this prophetic juncture of Tribulation activity that he dedicates to it six entire chapters, each with a great prophetic event, all converging at the time of the Rapture and demonstrating that the Day of the Lord relates exclusively to the last quarter of the seven year period. These are (1) Cosmic Disturbances; (2) the Coming of Elijah; (3) the Day of God’s Wrath; (4) the Sealing of the 144,000; (5) the Last Trump; and (6) the Apostasy and the Man of Sin. He holds that the convergence of these six events before the seventh seal form an “impregnable” argument supporting a “pre-wrath” Rapture three fourths of the way through the “seventieth week.” Such claims demand careful scrutiny. For the vast majority of students of prophecy are still convinced that the Rapture will be unannounced, unheralded by such signs, dateless but imminent. What then of the six signs which Rosenthal thinks will be “the prelude of the Rapture of the church and the Day of the Lord wrath” (153)? COSMIC DISTURBANCES (1) There shall be cosmic disturbances, according to Joel 2:31, “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.” Rosenthal identifies this with the sixth day and uses it to date the Rapture and the beginning of the Day of the Lord. But that can hardly be dogmatized, for the predicted Tribulation will not be limited to one display of cosmic power (cf. Rev. 8:10-12; 11:19: 16:8, 21), making Rosenthal’s argument uncertain at best. In Matthew 24:27, Christ places yet another great cosmic disturbance after the seventieth week when He shall appear with clouds and great glory and Israel shall mourn as they finally identify Christ as the long awaited Messiah. Indeed, if there must be a cosmic disturbance before the Day of the Lord can commence, let it be during a brief transitional period after the Rapture but before the announcement of Antichrist. In Scripture, such transitional periods are not hard to find. There was a period of fifty days between Calvary and Pentecost, between “law” and “grace.” Rosenthal himself makes much of a transition of seventy-five extra days between the “seventieth week” and the setting up of Christ’s Kingdom (273). The whole Church age was thrust between prophecies of the two advents of Christ, as foretold in the Old Testament. Undoubtedly there will be time for the Great White Throne judgment between the Millennial Kingdom and the Eternal Kingdom. Similarly, there is no urgency which demands a tight chronology of events following the Rapture, and so the argument of our author concerning heavenly activity finds a ready answer. Indeed, the immediate context of the prophecy he uses from Joel 2:30-32 seems to relate the heavenly wonders more to the coming of the Messianic Kingdom than to a pre-wrath cosmic disturbance (cf. Matt. 24:29). ELIJAH MUST COME (2) Next, Rosenthal teaches that Elijah must come, and that if it occurs before a pretribulational Rapture “the doctrine of imminence is once again destroyed” (158). He is not sure if the two witnesses are Moses and Elijah or Enoch and Elijah, or whether it is Elijah in the flesh or merely one in the spirit and likeness of Elijah. He supports the view that Elijah will reappear and have a ministry during the last three and one-half years of the Tribulation. Since the witnesses die in the sixth trumpet after a full three and one-half years of witness, this makes it mandatory to place the seven vials of the wrath of God (according to his chronology after the Second Coming of Christ, a radical view which Rosenthal propounds and illustrates on his charts. He makes much of Malachi 4:5-6, which seems to relate to the Second Coming of Christ when He comes to “smite the earth with a curse,” rather than to an earlier manifestation of the Day of the Lord adjacent to the Rapture. It must be noted also that in Matthew 11:14 Christ declared that in a potential sense, Elijah had already come in the person of John the Baptist. But if Malachi is indeed predicting the coming of one of the future two witnesses, the most probable understanding is that the prophecy places their coming relatively early in the prophetic “week” before the Day of the Lord is fully come. There is nothing here to date the Rapture, even if one assumes it should be dated. THE WRATH OF GOD (3) Next, Rosenthal uses the wrath of God to prove that the pretribulationist has a problem, “larger than big – it is mountainous and unscalable” (164). He makes the expression, “the great day of his wrath is come” (Rev. 6:17) to mean, not a past experience, but a prediction of “an event about to occur” (166-67). This, he declares, is a glaring problem for pretribulation rapturism, for “God’s wrath cannot be understood to include the first six seals” (171). “Wrath is impending. It is about to happen; it has not yet occurred” (167). But the real problem lies at the door of Rosenthal. For he constantly asserts that the outpoured wrath of God does not commence until Revelation 8:1, the seventh seal, which immediately introduces the unprecedented judgments of the seven trumpets. However, his prophetic system is embarrassed, if not refuted, by the obvious fact that one of the strongest references to the wrath of God is recorded in Revelation 6:16-17 in conjunction with the sixth seal. But rather than revising his system, Rosenthal devotes eight pages of argumentation (163-70) endeavoring to prove two main points: (1) that this declaration of outpoured wrath is a prophecy spoken by the prophet John, and not an agonizing cry on the part of the wicked who hide from the face of God in the rocks and the mountains; and (2) that the use of the Greek aorist in the expression “the great day of his wrath is come” demonstrates that it “refers, not to a past event, but to an event about to occur, and that in concert with the opening of the seventh seal” (167). Even the most casual reading of Revelation 6:12-17 reveals that the cry of verses 16-17 is a scream of terror from the wicked, rebellious human leaders who have endured war and famine, death and destruction, a shattering earthquake and a frightful disruption of heavenly bodies under the earlier seal judgments. Obviously, they are responding to past judgments and not judgments yet to come, for wicked men have no ability to speak a prophecy! It is true that the aorist tense normally has no time significance. But the verb elthen is in the aorest tense and indicative mood, and when this occurs it refers to a past action and not to a future.[9] Hence, the proper translation is “the great day of his wrath is come,” or as the vast majority of translators put it, “the great day of his wrath has come.” It is a major error to force the translation to declare, “the great day of his wrath will come.” One can only conclude that this strong reference to the wrath of God is the direct response of the wicked to their shattering experience under the first six seals, and not a veiled prophecy of coming trumpet judgments. Not only is Rosenthal in error in this matter, he proceeds to make matters worse by making the seals a symbol of ownership and protection, as though that is what God is doing in Revelation 6. While ownership and protection are certainly true for the Church through the sealing ministry of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30), it is not even vaguely related to the Lion of the tribe of Judah loosing the seven seals of the book of Tribulation judgment. THE SEALED 144,000 (4) The fourth pillar supporting Rosenthal’s impregnable argument concerning the time of the Rapture relates to the sealed 144,000 and the “multitude which no man could number,” both round in Revelation chapter seven. He holds that the 144,000 Jews are “sealed for protection” from God’s wrath, but not sealed for witness and evangelism. A more normal view is that Israel is beginning to turn back to the Lord, and that these are sealed for service and evangelism to fulfill their destiny as God’s witnesses and “a light to the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:6; 43:10, 12: 49:6). Rosenthal is not sure if they are regenerated, saying that is “a matter of speculation.” He flatly rejects the traditional view, as expressed by John Walvoord, that they represent “the godly remnant of Israel on earth in the great tribulation” (183). He at least implies their redemption when he says, “The 144,000 must be sealed for protection to go through the Day of the Lord…. God will not leave Himself without a people on earth” (185). Rosenthal immediately focuses attention on the “great multitude that no man could number” and makes this important identification: “This great multitude represents the true church which goes into the seventieth week of Daniel. They are raptured at the end of the Great Tribulation but before the Day of the Lord beings” (185). Here, finally, he reveals the Rapture of the Church, three-fourths of the way through the seventieth week, just before the Day of the Lord, and identifies it with the “innumerable multitude”! But the seventieth week is a precise period of seven years, each half of which is 42 months or 1,260 days. So mark your calendar! We cannot know the hour, but we can predict the day! From Antichrist’s covenant with Israel it will be 1,260 plus 630 days, a total of 1,890 days. From the commencement of the seventieth week, the date of the Rapture is precisely set! And if Rosenthal is correct that the 144,000 are “God’s people,” yet distinct from the “innumerable multitude,” and they go through the Day of the Lord which is the “wrath of God,” then added to all this confusion is a Partial Rapture. However, the innumerable multitude is not like the Church, which goes to heaven as a group at the Rapture. Rather, they are martyrs who one at a time lay down their lives throughout the seven year period. The Greek present tense in Revelation 7:14 stresses that they “continually come” out of great Tribulation, and obviously do not go to heaven as a single group. It is likewise strange, if they do indeed represent the Church, that John could not recognize them, for John was an Apostle of Christ, a member of the early Church, and part of its essential foundation. Also the Church is composed of all believers since Pentecost, and cannot be limited solely to Tribulation martyrs. Let it be said as gently as possible: This identification of the Church with the great multitude of the Tribulation is wrong and in fact it is radical eschatology. It teaches that the Rapture is after the Great Tribulation, which is posttribulationism. It implies a divided Church, some of whom are raptured while 144,000 of God’s people go through the time of God’s wrath. And though Rosenthal does not count up the exact number of days, his dating of the Rapture is so precise that he has fallen into the trap of advocating a date-setting system. AT THE LAST TRUMP (5) For his fifth supporting pillar, Rosenthal turns to I Corinthians 15:51-52, calling it the clearest text in all the Word of God for determining the timing of the Rapture. The four words, “at the last trump,” reveal in the clearest possible way the “precise occasion” when the Rapture of the Church will occur (189). He points out correctly that both Midtribs and Posttribs identify their Rapture position with the “last trump.” But pursuing his withering attack on pretribulationism, he declares: “Pretribulation rapturists do not make strong appeals to Paul’s statement that the Rapture will occur before the last trump to support their position…. If they mention I Corinthians 15 in a Rapture discussion, it is brief and without determinative significance” (189-90). This is a highly prejudiced and erroneous statement. While he does have a good discussion of the use of a trumpet in the ritual of Judaism, he is content to make an emphatic statement which he supports by italics but not by evidence: “The last trump will be nothing more, nothing less and nothing different than the final, climactic, eschatological outpouring of the wrath of God” (193). In his thinking, this makes the “last trump” the equivalent of the entire Day of the Lord. He declares that the “rapture would occur at the last trump” (193), but also that “Christ will literally return to assume His kingdom at the seventh trumpet” (146). This makes the “last trump” a period of twenty-one months, rather than a point of time to signal the Rapture. This confusing position is obviously unacceptable. Rosenthal then returns to his main thesis, that the Rapture must occur at the beginning of the seventh seal and immediately before the beginning of God’s wrath (194). There is a more simple and acceptable solution to the problem. The “last trump” is not an Old Testament trumpet of Jewish ritual, nor the same as the seventh trumpet of Tribulation judgment. It is a unique trumpet which sounds for the Church at the Rapture, which is at the last trump (and not before the last trump, as Rosenthal claims). There are evidently two trumpet blasts, one for the dead and another for the living. Hence, the living are raptured at the second, which is the “last trump.” While this view may be too simple for some tastes, it emphasizes that the “trump” is a joyful signal and not a dreaded period of time. It records that the dead in Christ and living believers will be raised in quick succession, to enjoy reunion and recognition together in the presence of Christ. Its purpose is not to reveal the time of the Rapture, a subject which our Lord has chosen not to reveal. It does give assurance that those who have died in the Lord have not missed the Rapture; if anything, they enjoy a slight time advantage because they are caught up just before the living (I Thess. 4:13-18). THE APOSTASY AND THE MAN OF SIN (6) The last of these supporting evidences for Rosenthal’s prophetic program is found in chapter 15 of the book, The Apostasy and the Man of Sin. This reviewer found it to be a strange co-mingling of truth, speculation, and falsehood. Equally troubling is Rosenthal’s stepped-up attack against pretribulationism, assigning it “impossible-to-resolve problems” when it is examined in the light of II Thessalonians 2. It is claimed that these leave “pretribulation rapturism mortally wounded” (196, 210), and in addition he sounds his usual denial of imminency. In brief, that which is true would include the foreshadowing of Antichrist by the blasphemy and hatred of Israel under the Syrian leader, Antiochus Epiphanes. The speculative is his view of the Antichrist, who “once lived and ruled over a nation, then died, and will be raised to rule over the eighth empire” (209). Also “doubtful” is his claim that all his evidence is “clear and compelling.” Regrettably, that which is false is more plentiful. It involves his declaration that in II Thessalonians 2:3-4, “The apostasy to which Paul referred … will involve Israel, not the church” (206). While the normative view of this passage is that the “apostasy” is a widespread departure from true Biblical faith in the end-time, in the light of I Timothy 4:1-3, Rosenthal insists that it is “a specific, definitive, identifiable event” (199), “when many of the Jews will totally abandon the God of their fathers in the same way they did in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes” (201). This opinion he primarily supports, not from Scripture, but from various quotations from the Apocrypha. Moreover, Rosenthal declares, the apostasy has a “very specific and limited meaning,” a “total abandonment of Jehovah for a heathen god” (201). Hence, he concludes that the falling away of 2 Thessalonians 2:3 is an identifiable event at a specific point of time, limited to Israel, and associated with Antichrist and his defiling the temple in Jerusalem at the mid-point of the Tribulation. The main thrust of all of this is that the Day of the Lord cannot come until the second half of the Tribulation, “and the Rapture, which occurs at the very outset of the Day of the Lord, cannot possibly be pretribulational.” He concludes that this leaves pretribulation rapturism “mortally wounded” (210). These are highly questionable conclusions. Paul was not discussing a point of time or a final apostasy on the part of Israel, but a spiritual condition among professing Christians. In his previous epistle, he had taught the Thessalonians that the dead in Christ had not missed the Rapture and that living believers would not endure the wrath of the Day of the Lord. Now in his second epistle, he was explaining that they had not entered the Day of the Lord for several reasons. The Restrainer had not yet been removed, the final apostasy had not yet taken place, and the Antichrist with his world dominion had not yet emerged. All of this is a direct refutation of posttribulational thinking, including the view of Marvin Rosenthal. In addition, almost every point of the summary chart on page 197 is open to question. A comparison with the chart on page 147 reveals that Rosenthal contradicts himself on the extent of God’s wrath and the time of the Second Coming of Christ. While his sincerity may be beyond question, many of his definitions appear to be homemade and supporting evidence is completed inadequate. It is part of the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit to reveal to believers “things to come” (John 16:13), which normally produces within the Church of Christ a certain agreement, a godly consensus even in the interpretation of prophetic truth. While believers do not always agree on the details, it is rare when truth must stand absolutely alone. It is here contended that Rosenthal is in serious error when he attempts to set the time of the Rapture three-fourths of the way through the seven years of judgment and wrath, some 1,890 days after Antichrist makes his unparalleled covenant with Israel. Among evangelical Christians from all major Rapture perspectives, Rosenthal walks an isolated path when he asserts that these six notable signs unite in setting the timing of the Rapture. Believers are to wait and watch for Christ’s coming and live accordingly, for it is their blessed and purifying hope, evidently next on the prophetic program of God. But the Lord’s people should not be confused by vehement argumentation designed to set the day of His appearing, adding yet a fifth and doubtful position to an issue which has already been subjected to more than its share of debate. THE PRE-WRATH RAPTURE This closing section of the book consists of five chapters, designed to give final justification for Rosenthal’s unique position and a conclusive knockout blow against pretribulationism. In the judgment of this reviewer, who has followed the literature of the Rapture-Tribulation debate closely for nearly forty years, these final arguments as well as many of the former, range somewhere between “curious” and “radical.” But those who consider them must exercise considerable caution, for they can be rightly evaluated only by those well established in Biblical theology and well read in the area of eschatology. As always, the Biblical rule is to “examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good” (I Thess. 5:21, NASV), with as much prayer and with strong dependence upon the illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13; I Cor. 2:10-12). Chapter 16 discusses the primary Greek words used for the return of Christ, in parallel with much that has already been written on this subject in the Rapture literature. Rosenthal argues that there is only one “coming,” with the important feature that it includes not only the Rapture but also a “continuous presence” during which Christ judges the wicked in the Day of the Lord. It also includes His final return in glory (218). To quote the author: “The Lord’s coming … is a comprehensive whole. There is only one Second Coming. It includes the Rapture of the church, the outpouring of God’s wrath during the Day of the Lord, and Christ’s physical return in glory” (221-22, italics his). Furthermore, Rosenthal holds that the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints” (I Thess. 3:13) does not speak of Christ returning to earth with the “dead in Christ” or with raptured living saints, but rather He will come with His “holy ones,” namely angelic beings. All this introduces another major problem. Rosenthal does not explain the destiny of the Church at the Rapture. What happens to all the raptured saints, both dead and living, in the 630 day interval when Christ has a “continuous presence” and is pouring out His wrath upon the wicked? The position of this book demands that the Church is not on earth during the time of outpoured wrath. But they are not raptured to heaven, for to Rosenthal that would imply “two comings.” Will the Church triumphant which meets Christ “in the clouds” continue to float about in those clouds for one-fourth of a seven year period while Christ has a “continuous presence” and performs his work of judgment on earth below? It is most significant that Rosenthal rejects the idea of raptured saints going to “the Father’s house.” Indeed, except for one mention of John 14:1-3 in a quotation of John Sproule, who calls it one of several “debatable Scriptures” (55), Rosenthal does not refer to this important passage at all, for it cannot be brought into harmony with his prophetic scheme. What happens to the Church during Rosenthal’s twenty-one month “day of the Lord”? He gives no answer to his. He simply affirms that there will be one “coming,” which embraces everything from the Rapture through the last quarter of the seventieth week, right up to the final manifestation of the King. A further questionable view concerns the “sign” of Christ’s coming, requested by the disciples in Matthew 24:3. He writes that this sign will be “the manifestation of the glory of God” at His coming, when the “the natural light will be turned off and the supernatural light (God’s glory) will be turned on” (221). Most observers would locate this event within the Eternal State following the Millennial Kingdom and the Great White Throne judgment (Rev. 21:23-25), and not with the opening of the sixth seal. Yet Rosenthal argues that this “sign” is sufficiently clear that “the doctrine of imminency is destroyed by the question posed by the disciples” (224). Chapter 17 introduces the often-debated text of Revelation 3:10 and the disputed phrase, “kept from the hour.” Rosenthal states that the dispute among commentators stems from the fact that they “have no generally understood that there are three sections to the seventieth week – the beginning birth pangs, the Great Tribulation, and the Day of the Lord” (233). Or, to put it more bluntly, they have not read his book! This reviewer is disposed to agree with Rosenthal that “each scholar is inclined to interpret this phrase to substantiate his view of the Rapture,” as he himself does. Posttribs understand “kept from the hour” as divine protection through the Tribulation, while Pretribs interpret it as exemption from the Tribulation. The latter builds a stronger case, for the verse does not promise protection within the hour but exemption from the hour itself. This point has been well defended in pretribulational literature. Surprisingly, Rosenthal takes an entirely different approach to the issue, declaring that this watershed Scripture in the Rapture debate “in fact has nothing whatsoever to do with the Rapture.” For the promise of Revelation 3:10 “refers to protection from the Great Tribulation, which occurs before the Rapture and the Day of the Lord begins” (234). Since he believes the “hour of temptation” begins in the middle of the seventieth week, some who remain steadfast in the face of adversity “will be kept from that hour … by physical removal” (a partial Rapture?), while “others will be kept ‘through the hour of temptation’ by direct, divine protection” (239). So Rosenthal removes this promise from application to the Rapture, applies both viewpoints to the prior Great Tribulation, and further confuses his readers by declaring that this promise to the church of Philadelphia does not belong to all Christendom. For “it is only the church of Philadelphia which is promised exemption from ‘the hour of temptation’” (237), other views interpreting this Scripture “nonliterally.” Confusing! At best, he is suggesting that the Scripture promises: I will keep you in one way or another from the last 25 percent of the hour! In chapter 18 Rosenthal asks the question, “Are Pretribulation Rapture Arguments Really Unanswerable?” While admitting that “pretribulationism has more than its share of notables of the faith,” he adds that “church history is replete with men of distinction who had blind spots in their theology” (243). Then he gives eleven pretribulational arguments and his rebuttal of each, taking what comfort for his own position he can from each issue. Space does not permit a further discussion of these arguments, nor a rebuttal of Rosenthal’s rebuttals. Suffice it to say that some of the arguments are not entirely representative of normal pretribulational positions, and many valid pretribulational arguments are not introduced at all. Both Walvoord and Pentecost present a substantial summary of pretribulational arguments, and these issues have been abundantly discussed in the literature on the Rapture debate. Moreover, Rosenthal’s rebuttals are largely a restatement of positions earlier defended. However, two hitherto untreated issues are introduced. (1) The twenty-four elders of Revelation 4 are commonly believed to represent the Church in glory before the Tribulation, a position strongly defended by Pentecost and also by the present writer (Kept from the Hour, pp. 198-208). Rosenthal argues that the elders are not the Church at all, but rather “they represented the redeemed of the Old Testament economy,” even “redeemed Israel” (252, 254). But Israel is clearly identified in the Revelation and except for 14:1-5 is always seen on earth and not as a unique group in heaven. However the Church, referred to 19 times in the first three chapters, does not appear on earth at all in chapters 4-18, the critical Tribulation passage. It is more than a coincidence that a new group appears in heaven and is presented in great detail before the opening of the first seal. All the evidence identifies these 24 elders as representing the raptured Church. For they have been redeemed out of many nations and clothed in the righteousness of Christ. They have been crowned at the Judgment Seat of Christ and are now seated in the presence of the Lamb. Everything said in the song of the elders is true of the Church. All the details argue that at this point it is the Church in view rather than Israel. (2) Also discussed in this chapter is Rosenthal’s view of the Restrainer (II Thess. 2:6-8). The normal pretribulational position is that the Restrainer is the Holy Spirit, removed before the open revelation of the Antichrist, and taking the Church with Him back to the Father’s house (John 14:2-3, 16). The normal posttribulational position is that the influence which restrains human wickedness is some aspect of human law or government. Rosenthal rejects both of these, declaring that he who restrains until “he be taken out of the way” is actually the angel Michael, who “steps aside” and no longer hinders Antichrist in his persecution of Israel (256-57). This appears to be the very reverse of the teaching of Scripture that Michael will defend and deliver Israel in the coming unprecedented “time of trouble” (Dan. 12:1; cf. Rev. 12:7-16). He will not abandon them in the midst of Israel’s worst hour, but will save them from it (Jer. 30:7). In chapter 19 Rosenthal asks, “Why This View Now?” He defends the thesis that his view is neither new or novel, but only now systematized. His primary defense is from Daniel 12:4, which teaches that Daniel’s book would be sealed “to the time of the end,” when the knowledge of the book would be greatly increased. He draws the conclusion that it should not be surprising that “a new, more detailed systematic approach to the timing of the Rapture and the events of the seventieth week would be forthcoming” (278). While it is self-evident that much of Daniel through history has been “sealed,” with far greater understanding of his prophecies being achieved as “the time of the end” approaches, this writer takes exception to Rosenthal’s idea that this sealing means that “God was guaranteeing its accuracy” (269). Accuracy, not for one, but for every book in the canon of Scripture is guaranteed by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (II Pet. 1:21) and does not require additional sealing. Nor can Daniel 12:4 be used to justify every new and novel prophetic theory to come along. Nor does it justify Rosenthal’s particular view of the timing of the Rapture, for the Rapture is a New Testament “mystery” (I Cor. 15:51), not found at all in the Old Testament, even in so wonderful a book as Daniel. It is self-serving for Rosenthal to claim support for his time of the Rapture theories from Daniel 12:4. Perhaps there should be mentioned at this point a problem which runs throughout this book. Continually Rosenthal quotes Scripture, which is commendable, but almost invariably in the midst of the quotation he interjects his own definition or explanation, sometimes in brackets and sometimes in parenthesis. The impression is given that the reader cannot understand each Scripture unless he is helped along or prodded by Rosenthal. While separate commentary is legitimate, each Scripture is inspired by the Spirit with the potential of being taught by the Spirit, even the “deep things of God” (I Cor. 2:10-12). This is even true of prophetic material, for “when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth … and he will show you things to come” (John 16:13). Rosenthal’s last chapter incorporates a final summary of his various positions, and also a final abrasive attack against pretribulationism and some of its leaders. The chapter sets forth the “Prewrath Rapture” view as a “catalyst for holy living,” without recognizing that much of that catalyst is lost if forty-two months of “sorrows” and another twenty-one months of battle and martyrdom from the Beast must come first. It is reasonable to inquire about the effect of these new prophetic views upon their author as he prepared them in written form for the Christian public. For this, it is essential to return to the opening chapter, perhaps the most dismal portion of the entire book. Rosenthal testifies that the writing of his book caused him “the most difficult, tension-filled, heart-wrenching two and a half years” of his life (17). He speaks of sleepless nights and excruciating tension, of strained and somber board meetings, of agony of soul and the trauma of lost friendships and a lost job. While readers respond to this agony with deep regret, it is hardly the mark of being taught and led by the Spirit. One would think that a new clarification of a divisive problem of eschatology which has troubled the Church for more than a hundred years, with the Spirit finally fulfilling the promise of Daniel 12:4 and shedding new light and understanding, would be accompanied by the joy of illumination and the peace of divine guidance. Such was evidently not the case. Our brother should be commended for his diligence and thanked with appreciation for every insight which bears the clear stamp of truth. He should be the subject of prayer as he searches for further light on the timing of the Rapture. But the considered conclusion of this reviewer is that Rosenthal’s published views are a distortion of prophetic truth, sometimes curious, sometimes strange, and frequently false. But taken as a whole they are unworthy replacement for the blessed hope of Christ’s imminent return for the Church in Rapture experience. NOT A BASIS FOR FELLOWSHIP To conclude this review of major literature relative to the pre- or posttribulational Rapture of the Church, it should be noted that many of the authors close their arguments with a plea for greater tolerance and warmer fellowship between those who differ so strongly on various points of eschatology. This has been our plea from the very first edition of Kept from the Hour, that disagreement as to the time and manner of the Rapture “should not be permitted to deter evangelical unity on the reality of that blessed hope” (272). It is encouraging to hear others sounding a similar conciliatory note. John Walvoord speaks of the return of the Lord for His Church as “a precious aspect of faith and expectation,” and refers to those who have not always agreed as to the chronology of that hope as “learned and devout saints” (1979, 276). In an earlier volume he declares: “Worth scholars may be found on both sides of this question” (1976, 8). Barton Payne confirms that “writers of all schools increasingly insist that convictions be expressed with courtesy.” One’s views should be defended in “a spirit of Christian charity,” for the doctrine in question “is not of sufficient importance to cause evangelical cleavage” (1962, 169). Robert Gundry writes concerning his presentation: “It should (but cannot) go without saying that in matters of disagreement the appearance here of the names of writers on the topics at hand ought not be taken as personal attack, but only as means of documentation.” He desires his pages to be written in a manner characterized by “the wisdom from above … first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (10-11). Such an attitude is most commendable. George Ladd closes The Blessed Hope by declaring: “Neither pretribulationism nor posttribulationism should be made a ground of fellowship, a test of orthodoxy, or a necessary element in Christian doctrine” (167). Douglas Moo concludes: “I cannot, indeed must not, allow this conviction to represent any king of barrier to full relationships with others who hold differing convictions …” (211). Even William Kimball hopes that “our essential unity and fellowship in Christ should never be severed or undermined because of our differences on prophetic points” (181). Such mutual respect must be continually encouraged. While the Rapture debate is far more that a dispute over the time of the Rapture and its relationship to the coming Tribulation, and while widely divergent views cannot be equally true or accurate, the central truth must be reaffirmed that since Christ is our Saviour and Lord, His possible soon coming for the Church is our mutual expectation and our hope! Our love for Him and anticipation of His return is far more important than a disputed point of doctrine or a favored rule of hermeneutics. All of those engaged in the Rapture debate are Bible-believing, Premillennial brothers in Christ, and whenever He comes, we are going up together to dwell together with Christ for eternity. Meanwhile, as Paul Feinberg has so aptly put it, may our disagreements “serve as a greater impetus to study and clarity,” and “may our differences never becloud the joy and expectation of seeing our Lord at His visible and personal return” (86). Amen, and “even so, come Lord Jesus”! [1] Robert H. Gundry, The Church and the Tribulation (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1973), p. 46. [2] George E. Ladd, The Blessed Hope (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1956), p. 122. [3] J. Barton Payne, The Imminent Appearing of Christ (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1962), p. 143. [4] Arthur Katterjohn, The Tribulation People (Carol Stream, Ill.: Creation House, 1976), p. 98. [5] William R. Kimball, The Rapture: A Question of Timing (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1985), p. 70. [6] Alexander Reese, The Approaching Advent of Christ (London : Marshall, Morgan & Scott, n.d.), p. 226. [7] Renald E. Showers, Th.D., formerly associated with Marvin Rosenthal at Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, has written an 88 page “critique and objection” to The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church. Academic, detailed, and highly Scriptural, at this point he details six pages of Scripture and argument to demonstrate that “the first four seals of Revelation 6:1-8 involve a great outpouring of divine wrath.” [8] Kept from the Hour, pp. 70-91. [9] H. E. Dana and Julius R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, (New York: Macmillan Co., 1950), p. 178.

### Where Did They Go? If tens of millions of people worldwide have recently disappeared, then Read this. This article will explain what happened to them and what you can expect to happen in the coming days. No doubt, many have noticed that a common denominator of the missing people is their spiritual belief in Jesus Christ as Son of God, Savior and Lord. It should come as no surprise, then, that the events that have occurred and will soon occur have been prophesied in the Bible, the Word of God: II Peter 1:19-21 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14 ..because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ''The Rapture'' First, concerning the disappearance of tens of millions of people. This is what has been referred to as the “Rapture” in common Christian terminology. The term rapture isn’t found in modern English translations of the Bible; but is derived from the Latin Vulgate translation. In verse 16 below, the phrase “caught up” is from the Latin root word “rapio”: to take away by force. The word rapture is simply the label given to the event that the apostle Paul calls a “mystery” in the verse below. That is what Jesus Christ has done with his believers. I Thessalonians 4:16-17 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. I Corinthians 15:50-53, I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. Above, the Apostle Paul declares the “catching away” as a mystery. The rapture, as we call it, was first revealed to Paul and not entirely understood or accepted by believers throughout the ages. But now, you have witnessed it. Why did it happen? Because the Lord Almighty is about to pour his wrath upon the earth. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-12 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Revelation 3:10-11 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. God has kept his faithful servants from the tribulation the world will soon experience; as He promised to the ancient church above. Jesus also warned about the times to come and the signs of the age and gave this alert: (the phrase ‘Son of Man’ was a title Jesus used for Himself) Luke 21:35-36 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” There are other similarities between the rapture and the days of Noah and the days of Lot. Luke 17:24-33 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 ″Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 ″It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lotleft Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 ″It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. All of these scripture passages plus the parable to follow clearly teach that Jesus Christ will return to instantly take away his believers filled with His Holy Spirit to keep them from His wrath to follow. Clearly, God removes His faithful before his wrath arrives. I believe the “oil in the lamp” in the following parable is symbolic of the indwelling Holy Spirit present in true believers. ''The Parable of the Ten Virgins'' Matthew 25:1-13 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 ″At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7″ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 ” ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 ″But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 ″Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’ 12 ″But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ 13 ″Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. In Jewish tradition, the bridegroom would prepare a home under the guidance of his father. When the father decided the home was ready, the bridegroom would return in a surprise to take away his bride. Below, Jesus tells His followers He will do just that. John 14:1-3 ″Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Christians are now in heaven with Jesus for the next seven years of the tribulation. The Saints in heaven will worship God and partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb, (Jesus Christ). Revelation 19:5-9 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!” 6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” ''Global Government and the antichrist'' Now that we have established where all of the true Christians have gone and that the Word of God, the Bible, had prophesied this thousands of years ago; pray that you will see the truth in the rest of the article and believe the Word of God concerning what will happen in the coming days, months and years. 1 Thessalonians 1:16-22 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil. I believe that the disappearance of tens of millions of people will cause the world to panic including economic, political and military instability; especially nations where enough Christians have vanished; including the United States. The world economy follows that of the U.S. Certain nations will try to take advantage of the world confusion and try to fill the power vacuum. It is very easy to see from my perspective of writing this that Iraq and Syria would try to attack Israel at this time when the U.S. is severely weakened after the rapture. In the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, Jer 49:23-27 and chapters 50-51, prophesies indicate such a war. This war seems to be fierce and fast, involving nations to the north (Jer. 50:9). The bulk of Europe and the U.S. are both north of Iraq. Damascus in Syria is mentioned as being destroyed (Jer 49:27); and Babylon, modern day Iraq, is also destroyed (Jer 50:18). This scenario of war may happen in other ways, involving other countries. But, however it happens, the stage will be set for the final seven years of human rule on this planet. The war above will help cause a global shift of political power and a person commonly referred to by Christians as the antichrist will be the prominent world leader. He will promise peace and prosperity if the world follows him. The world will follow him to avoid a more dangerous war and a worldwide economic collapse. He will convince the world to follow him by lying. The prophecy below symbolizes him as the false christ on a white horse. White usually symbolizes peace, but he will achieve it with military threats (the bow) and an attitude of conquering. Revelation 6:1-2 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. The next passage is in the context of world empires and the final reign of human government. Insight into the antichrist’s ways is given, along with his future. Daniel 8:23-25 “In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. 25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power. Not only does God rapture believers to keep them from wrath, but the Holy Spirit dwelling in believers must be removed to allow the time of lawlessness to begin upon the earth. In the verse below, the one ‘holding it back until taken out of the way’ is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will still be on the Earth to enact God’s specific plan; but His restraining influence will be taken out of the way. The man of lawlessness is the antichrist. This verse includes a brief preview of what you can expect from the antichrist. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. In verse 11 above, God allows a powerful delusion to spread among the world so people will believe the lies of the antichrist. If you are still reading this article, then I believe you would rather believe the truth than delight in wickedness. Time is running short for you to make a decision between the two; before you are deluded and deceived by Satan and his servant, the antichrist. This is a good opportunity for you to consider believing the Bible is the Word of God and praying to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, for He will return at the end of the tribulation period to conquer, judge, rule and reign forever. ''Salvation'' John 3:5-6 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 6 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” I John 1:5-10 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 1 John 2:1-2 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. Dear reader, the above verses sum up the plan of salvation that God has given us. Please read them carefully and pray to accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord. You will endure tough times, persecution and most likely death from the antichrist and his followers. But be strengthened by these verses: II Corinthians 5:5-10 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Revelation 2:10-11 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. If you have prayed and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are now considered a tribulation saint. Again, you will suffer and most likely die for your faith in God because the antichrist is directed by Satan and wishes to destroy God’s children. ''Peace Treaty; Israel is the focus of God and the World'' Once the antichrist has power, the seven-year tribulation period officially begins when the he makes a peace treaty involving Israel and other nations. Daniel 2:7 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. In God’s prophetic timepiece, He has appointed a specific number of years to finish dealing with His chosen people, the Jews. Daniel 9:24-26 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy. 25 “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. Each “seven” above is seven years. Sixty-two and seven “sevens” have passed. Leaving one “seven”, since the first verse says there will be seventy total. This is the final seven years of tribulation that have now arrived. The Anointed One is Jesus Christ. Christ was cut off when He was crucified. Then, the Roman Empire in A.D. 70 destroyed Israel and the Temple inJerusalem. The “people” referenced above is the Roman Empire and the ruler who will come is the antichrist who rules from the modern day Roman Empire, perhaps the European Union. Isn’t it amazing how a nation that was destroyed and most of her people scattered about the world over 1900 years ago, has been restored. Just as God’s Word said it would happen. This is unparalleled in human history. Israel and Jerusalem are the center of the world’s attention. Amos 9:14-15 I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God. Zechariah 12:1-5 This is the word of the Lord concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares: 2 “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will makeJerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. 4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord . “I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. 5 Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God.’ Zechariah 14:1-3 A day of the Lord is coming when your plunder will be divided among you. 2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle. ''Persecution of Saints'' Clearly, a peace treaty and a strong leader will be seen as necessary to stop the world from destroying itself. The antichrist will seem to fit the bill, but will really be setting up the world for destruction. Again, the antichrist is demonically possessed, possibly by Satan himself. The goal of Satan is to destroy God’s creation and children. In the passage below, the beast is the antichrist and the dragon is Satan. Notice how the antichrist is given forty-two months to exercise authority. This is three and a half years, or until the middle of the ‘seven’. Compare that with Daniel 9:27 that follows. Revelation 13:1-10 And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4 Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?” 5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6 He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast–all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. 9 He who has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. ''Mark of the Beast'' The following passages show how the antichrist will coerce people to worship him by using a tracking system, also known as the mark of the beast. Revelation 13:14-18 Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17 so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666. Revelation 14:9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10 he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.” 12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” Revelation 16:1-2 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” 2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. Revelation 20:4-6 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. Clearly, you should not take the mark of the beast or worship him, the antichrist. The antichrist will want to control everyone and modern technology can now easily accomplish that. People who accept Jesus Christ after the rapture are the tribulation saints. They will be persecuted because they are now children of God. The antichrist will have good-sounding reasons to persecute the saints and enforce the mark. With the world in chaos, perhaps more terrorism, and missing people, keeping track of everyone will sound necessary for the world to become stable and safe again. The raptured Christians will probably be blamed for the world’s problems and the new tribulation saints will be seen as a problem, as well, and therefore persecuted for not being committed to the new system of the antichrist. Some children as young as 5-7 years of age may have been raptured because they were believers, even if their parents weren’t. Christians will be blamed for the missing children, as well as the failing world economy. Accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior now will not be easy. Even so, please consider doing just that, right now. Go back to page 6 to read God’s plan of salvation and accept Him. Then seek out a Bible and other believers and pray. ''Jewish Temple'' Daniel 2:7 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. It appears as though once the antichrist defiles the temple, his authority over the world will decrease. It is obvious that a Jewish temple in Jerusalem must be rebuilt, then. This probably happens as a result of the peace treaty he signs with Israel and other nations. Again, the Word of God correctly prophesied that there would be a temple in Jerusalem more than 1900 years after it was destroyed. ''Conclusion'' A world war then begins and lasts for about three and a half years until it culminates in the battle of Armageddon. This final period won’t be covered much here. It will be enough to say that it will be filled with war, famines, plagues, pestilence, natural disasters and more to kill at least half of the world’s population. There is much I didn’t cover here that is in the book of Revelation. I just wanted to present to you enough truth that you would believe the Word of God and give yourselves to Jesus Christ and take comfort in Him. If you do this, you most likely will not be around for the second half of the tribulation. If you are around, you will have had plenty of time to read the Bible and other, more complete works. Or you will be a follower of the antichrist and be doomed to death and hell.

### America's Downhill Slide **The Beginning of the End...** 1962: The end of school prayer: 1962: A change in national abortion law is advocated by the American Law Institute. 1962: The earth began to make a pulse every 26 seconds, and scientists still don’t know why. 1963: Lower court rules the Bible is no longer allowed in public schools. 1963: Supreme court rules that prayer is not allowed in school. 1965: Griswold v. Connecticut, the U.S. Supreme Court established that the U.S. Constitution guaranteed homosexuals the right to privacy though this was not explicitly stated in the Constitution. 1966: Time Magazine declares that “God is Dead.” 1967: The Summer of Love begins in San Francisco. One hundred thousand young people celebrate free love with no regard for the consequences. 1969: A Gallup poll reveals that 68% of Americans believe that premarital sex was wrong and 21% said it was not. In 2009, forty years later, 32% stated that premarital sex was wrong and 60% declared that it is socially acceptable. **We Got Closer to the End....** 1972: The topic of Abortion is discussed on the sitcom, Maude, Beatrice Arthur, has an abortion. 1973: Feminist leader Gloria Steinem declares, “By the year 2000 we will, I hope, raise our children to believe in human potential, not God.” 1973: In the Supreme Court decision; Roe v. Wade, abortion becomes legal in all states. 1976: Parents and spouses are no longer included in the decision whether to have a baby aborted. Any teenager may have an abortion, without the knowledge or approval of the parents. A wife may abort her baby, without her husbands approval. 1976: The Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of federal funds to pay for abortions. 1977: The Hyde Amendment is amended due to objections from the ACLU, to include pregnancies that were the result of rape or incest. **It Gets Worse!** 1980: In Stone v. Graham, the Ten Commandments are no longer allowed in any state or federal building. 1981: Arkansas passes a law requiring that Creation must be taught alongside Evolution in public schools. The Supreme Court determines that this law is unconstitutional. Evolution only is taught in public schools. 1986: All restrictions on abortion are removed in a four court decision: with Thornburg v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. We kill millions of unborn children each year. Only one in ten of all abortions performed world-wide are done to save the life of the mother or in the case of a rape. The other nine children are murdered for the sake of convenience, because of the selfishness and sinful acts of human beings. 1987: The Gay and Lesbian Caucus of the National Education Association is established. 1987: The life of Jesus Christ is mocked in the movie: “The Last Temptation of Christ.” Martin Scorsese received an Oscar nomination for Best Director. **And Worse** 1991: The first lesbian kiss on network television. 1992: The Supreme Court rules that a graduation prayer violated the Establishment Clause. “O God, we are grateful for the learning which we have celebrated on this joyous commencement. We give thanks to you, Lord, for keeping us alive, sustaining us and allowing us to reach this special, happy occasion.” 1993: The first laws are enacted that protect LGBT students in public schools. 1997: Ellen DeGeneres “comes out” publicly as a lesbian in an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She appears on the cover of Time magazine. 1997: Bill Clinton is the first U.S. President to address a gay organization during the Human Rights Campaign. 1997: New Hampshire and Maine enact gay rights laws. 1998: America’s President, Bill Clinton, has sex in the oval office with Monica Lewinski. Many other affairs are discovered, yet he leaves office with a 65% approval rating. 1999:, Columbine High School Massacre., Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris kill 12 students. **So Many Have Turned Their backs....** 2001: The Twin Towers in New York City are destroyed ...killing 2,977 The United States government launches the “War on Terror.” 2003: Lawrence v. Texas, the Supreme Court voids state sodomy laws, by extension, invalidated sodomy laws in thirteen other states, making same-sex sexual activity legal in every U.S. state and territory. 2003: Renee Doyle, President of EdWatch, The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that religious traditionalists are mentally disturbed! 2005: Hurricane Katrina kills 1,833 people in one of the most deadly storms in U.S. History. 2006: Richard Dawkins, Atheist with a mission, attacks Christianity in his book “The God Delusion.” 2009: A Gallop poll reveals just 32% say premarital sex is wrong and 60 percent say it was not. 2009: Newsweek magazine announced: “The Decline and Fall of Christian America” on its cover. Newsweek, April 14, “The End of Christian America.” **The List from 2010 to Today...** **Was Just Too Long..** Most of us remember how those events from 2010 until today have put us farther and farther from our Creator.. The lists of events I posted are no way exhaustive. There was so much more that could have been listed. It's sad ..but expected ! God has granted me the privilege of life to see most of the 50s and all since then. I have slowly seen the light fade from a light that once stood bright on a hill . Backs being collectively turned on our Creator...the One Who has blessed us from our inception. The last line in "A Tale of Two Cities" is Canton's final line before being led to his execution. He ends his thoughts with: ''It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known. Putting my own spin on those words. Placing my faith in Jesus and He alone is a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done. Heaven is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.

### Consider the number 1948 The number 4 denotes completion, related to the material world. The number 8 denotes a new beginning. Together, the numbers 4 and 8 express the connection between earthly events and the completion of God’s redemptive plan. It is thus not surprising that new beginnings related to Israel are marked by the number 48: * The Patriarch of Israel, Abram, was born in 1948 AM. * The modern State of Israel was born in 1948 AD. * The numbers 19 and 48 (1948) add up to 67, the year that Jerusalem, Israel’s capital, was restored to the Jews. With the connotation of the numbers 4 and 8, or 48, in view, it is fascinating to consider 10 coincidences around the recent solar eclipse above America: 1. The eclipse occurred on the Gregorian date 4/8. 2. The path of the 4/8 eclipse crossed over the 48 contiguous states of the US, the nation home to nearly half the world’s Jews. 3. The path of the 4/8 eclipse crossed over the only US city named “Jonah.” Jonah is the only book in Scripture comprised of 48 verses. 4. The 4/8 eclipse was the second total solar eclipse above the US in seven years. In Exodus 4:8, God says to Moses: “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second.” 5. The ‘X’ formed by the 4/8 eclipse-path recalls how in Genesis 48, Jacob (Israel) formed an ‘X’ by crossing his arms when he blessed his two grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh (vv. 13, 14). The descendants of Ephraim, one of the scattered tribes of Israel, are thought to reside mainly in the US. 6. Strong’s Greek #48 is the word hagnizó, which means to “cleanse” or “purify.” God says in the last days He will gather Ephraim and the tribes associated with him out of the nations where they have gone, e.g., America, and bring them back to the Land of Israel to be cleansed (Ezek. 37:19, 21–28). 7. Seeing how the 4/8 eclipse portends a Jewish return to the Land, it is significant that Ezekiel 48 describes the land allocation among the tribes of Israel. 8. The 4/8 eclipse is considered a final call from God to come out of spiritual Babylon (Rev. 18:4). In the final verses of Isaiah chapter 48, God calls His people out of Babylon. 9. Three days before the 4/8 eclipse, the biggest quake since 1884 hit the New York and tri-state area—a 4.8 on the Richter scale. On the same day, a photo of the Statue of Liberty being struck by lightning went viral. While it is not uncommon for Lady Liberty to be struck by lightning, it is striking that this particular occurrence was photo’d and went viral on the day that the biggest quake since 1884—a 4.8—shook the area and the statue. Video of the Statue of Liberty shaking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDLmprb516k Adding to the coincidence: * 1884 is the year that the Statue of Liberty was formally dedicated to the US, and its foundation cornerstone placed in New York Harbor. * 1884 is when a comet named “12/P Pons–Brooks” passed by Earth on its 70-year orbit. This is significant because the same comet is passing by Earth in 2024, and was in close proximity to the Sun during the 4/8 eclipse. * A final coincidence related to the number 48 is that gold is heated to 1,948 degrees, during the refining process. That 1948 is the melting point of gold is pertinent to our discussion of end-times signs because the Tribulation period they point to is likened to a refining process for Israel: “I will bring the third part [of Israel] through the fire. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God’” (Zech. 13:9). The coincidences noted above, plus many not mentioned, make 2024 a plausible year for the fiery trial to begin.

### Mystery Babylon I believe the "writing is on the wall" as it concerns America (and specifically NYC as mystery Babylon) (Don’t forget the eclipses that formed an “X” over America as well in 2017, and 2024) Let's consider the possible Revelation 12 sign connection to this "writing on the wall" for NYC. It's VERY interesting... On 09/23/2017 we saw the Revelation 12 sign in the stars. (the woman in labor, clothed with the sun, the moon at her feet and 12 stars at her head) On 09/23/2017 the 72nd United Nations General Assembly was meeting in NYC calling for PEACE. And now EXACTLY 7 YEARS LATER... on 09/23/2024 The United Nations is having their "pact for the future" summit and I'm sure will be again loudly calling for "peace and safety". In New York City. This is very interesting when thinking of the sudden destruction that is to befall "Mystery Babylon" if it truly be NYC. 1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. I believe scripture is clear that the pre-tribulation rapture will occur PRIOR to the destruction of Mystery Babylon. ''Fear not. Hold Fast. Eyes on Jesus''

### 15 Amazing Attributes of God 1. ''God Is Infinite'' – He is Self-Existing, Without Origin 2. ''God Is Immutable'' – He Never Changes 3. ''God Is Self-Sufficient'' – He Has No Needs 4. ''God is Omnipotent'' – He Is All Powerful 5. ''God Is Omniscient'' – He Is All-Knowing 6. ''God Is Omnipresent'' – He Is Always Everywhere 7. ''God Is Wise'' – He Is Full of Perfect, Unchanging Wisdom 8. ''God Is Faithful'' – He Is Infinitely, Unchangingly True 9. ''God Is Good'' – He Is Infinitely, Unchangingly Kind and Full of Good Will 10. ''God Is Just'' – He Is Infinitely, Unchangeably Right and Perfect in All He Does 11. ''God Is Merciful'' – He is Infinitely, Unchangeably Compassionate and Kind 12. ''God Is Gracious'' – God Is Infinitely Inclined to Spare the Guilty 13. ''God Is Loving'' – God Infinitely, Unchangingly Loves Us 14. ''God Is Holy'' – He is Infinitely, Unchangingly Perfect 15. ''God Is Glorious'' – He is Infinitely Beautiful and Great

### Things To Hold Onto And To Encourage Us 0. Very soon we will make a journey like never experienced before. Prepare your hearts and keep looking up. 0. Let go of the things of this world and think of the good things of above. 0. Place your faith in the right place (person) at all times and that all sins were forgiven you when " It is finished " was spoken by the only One who could make payment for you. Jesus is the only Way. The only Truth. The only Life. 0. Remember that all human beings are destined for eternal bodies and what you believe or don't believe will determine where that body resides forever. Choose wisely. 0. Know that someday believers will stand in front of Him to give an account of the things you did for Him in this world not for your gain but for His glory. Do what you do for the right reasons. Don't go empty handed. 0. Whenever possible lift each other up. Pray for each other with sincerity. Mourn with those who mourn. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Share His love for you with others. Be forgiving. 0. Learn to share the Truth of salvation with as many as you can while you still can. Don't fear rejection. Plant a seed. Let the Spirit of God nurture it. 0. Let your hope shine in all that you say and do. Be of good courage and remain strong in Him even when you feel weak. 0. Remember God cannot lie. Promises made are promises kept. He loves you unconditionally. Return that love to Him. 0. Finally, live each day as if it were your last upon this earth. Someday it will be.

### Messianic Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus * Betrayed by a friend. (Psalms 41:9; Matthew 26:49). * Thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15). * Betrayal money cast to the floor of the temple (Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:5). * Betrayal money used to buy the potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13: Matthew 27:7). * Forsaken and deserted by his disciples (Zechariah 13:7; Mark 14:50). * Accused by false witnesses (Psalms 35:11; Matthew 26:59-60). * Silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:12). * Wounded and bruised (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 27:26). * Hated without a cause (Psalm 69:4; John 15:25). * Struck and spat upon (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67). * Mocked, ridiculed and rejected (Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 27:27-31 and John 7:5, 48). * Collapse from weakness (Psalms 109:24-25; Luke 23:26). * Taunted with specific words (Psalms 22:6-8; Matthew 27:39-43). * People will shake their heads at Him (Psalms 109:25; Matthew 27:39). * People will stare at Him (Psalms 22:17; Luke 23:35). * Executed among “sinners” (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38). * Hands and feet will be pierced (Psalms 22:16; Luke 23:33). * Will pray for his persecutors (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34). * Friends and family will stand afar off and watch (Psalms 38:11; Luke 23:49). * Garments will be divided and won by the casting of lots (Psalms 22:18; John 19:23-24). * Will thirst (Psalms 69:21; John 19:28). * Will be given gall and vinegar (Psalms 69:21; Matthew 27:34). * Will commit Himself to God (Psalms 31:5; Luke 23:46). * Bones will be left unbroken (Psalms 34:20; John 19:33). * Heart will rupture (Psalm 22:14; John 19:34). * Side will be pierced (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34). * Darkness will come over the land at midday (Amos 8:9; Matthew 27:45). * Will be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60). * Will die 438 years after the declaration of Artaxerxes to rebuild the temple in 444 BC (Daniel 9:24). * Will be raised from the dead (Psalms 16:10; Acts 2:31), ascend to heaven (Psalms 68:18; Acts 1:9) and be seated the right hand of God in full majesty and authority (Psalms 110:1; Hebrews 1:3). Professor Peter W. Stoner who authored “Science Speaks” stated that the probability of just eight particular prophecies being fulfilled in one person is 1 in 10e17, i.e. 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000). The eight prophecies used in the calculation were: (use the Prophecy Calculator to experiment with these) 0. Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; fulfilled in Matt. 2:1-7; John 7:42; Luke 2:47). 0. Messiah is to be preceded by a Messenger (Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; fulfilled in Matthew 3:1-; 11:10; John 1:23; Luke 1:17). 0. Messiah is to enter Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; fulfilled in Luke 35-37; Matthew 21:6-11). 0. Messiah is to be betrayed by a friend (Psalms 41:9; 55:12-14; fulfilled in Matthew 10:4; 26:49-50; John 13:21). 0. Messiah is to be sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; fulfilled in Matthew 26:15; 27:3). 0. The money for which Messiah is sold is to be thrown “to the potter” in God’s house (Zechariah 11:13; fulfilled in Matthew 27:5-7). 0. Messiah is to be silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7; fulfilled in Matthew 27:12). 0. Messiah is to be executed by crucifixion as a thief (Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; Isaiah 53:5,12; fulfilled in Luke 23:33; John 20:25; Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27,28). This statement was validated by the American Scientific Affiliation. This number has been illustrated as follows: If we take 1 X 10e17 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas, they'll cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Professor Stoner went on to consider 48 prophecies and says, “… We find the chance that any one man fulfilled all 48 prophecies to be 1 in 10e157. “This is a really large number and it represents an extremely small chance. Let us try to visualize it. The silver dollar, which we have been using, is entirely too large. We must select a smaller object. The electron is about as small an object as we know of. It is so small that it will take 2.5 times 10e15 of them laid side by side to make a line, single file, one inch long. If we were going to count the electrons in this line one inch long, and counted 250 each minute, and if we counted day and night, it would take us 19,000,000 years to count just the one-inch line of electrons. If we had a cubic inch of these electrons and we tried to count them it would take us, counting steadily 250 each minute, 19,000,000 times 19,000,000 times 19,000,000 `[nineteen million times nineteen million times nineteen million`] or 6.9 times 10e21 years. This is approximately the total number of electrons in all the mass of the known universe. In other words the probability of Jesus Christ fulfilling 48 prophecies is the same as one person being able to pick out one electron out of the entire mass of our universe. Such is the chance of any one man fulfilling any 48 prophecies. Yet Jesus Christ fulfilled not just 48 prophecies, not just 61 prophecies, but more than 324 individual prophecies that the Prophets wrote concerning the Messiah. I haven’t been able to find the statistical projection representing the possibility of Jesus Christ fulfilling 324 prophecies but I really don’t think it matters given the illustrations set forth above. Does it really take faith to come to salvation through Jesus Christ? Absolutely but that faith is not a blind faith as some would want you to believe but instead, it is a faith based upon facts. How much faith? Maybe not very much if one really takes the time to look at the facts and take into consideration the statistics and probability of the prophecies concerning the Messiah. When someone tries to tell you that Christianity is a religious faith based upon ignorant acceptance of certain precepts that have no basis in fact, they are sadly mistaken. Christianity only makes sense. It is a faith that not only can be an emotional faith (which it is), it is also an intellectual faith. Given the odds, I wouldn’t bet against it. Would you?

### God is A Mathematician By Keith Newman The authenticity of the Holy Bible has been attacked at regular intervals by atheists and theologians alike but none have explained away the mathematical seal beneath its surface. It would seem the divine hand has moved to prevent counterfeiting in the pages of the Bible in a similar manner to the line that runs through paper money. Bible numerics appears to be God's watermark of authenticity. Vital research on this numeric seal was completed by a native of the world's most reknowned atheistic nation, Russia. Ivan Panin was born in Russia on December 12, 1855. As a young man he was an active nihilist and participated in plots against the Czar and his government. He was a mathematical genius who died a Harvard scholar and a citizen of the United States in 1942. Panin was exiled from Russia. And after spending a number of years studying in Germany, he went to the United States where he became an outstanding lecturer on literary criticism. Panin was known as a firm agnostic—so well known that when he discarded his agnosticism and accepted the Christian faith, the newspapers carried headlines telling of his conversion. It was in 1890 that Panin made the discovery of the mathematical structure underlining the vocabulary of the Greek New Testament. He was casually reading the first verse of the gospel of John in the Greek: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with the God and the Word was God. . ." Panin was curious as to why the Greek word for "the" preceded the word "God" in one case and not the other. In examining the text he became aware of a number relationship. This was the first of the discoveries that led to his conversion and uncovered the extensive numeric code. Panin found his proof in the oldest and most accurate manuscripts—the Received Hebrew Text and the Westcott and Hort Text. In the original languages of the Bible, mostly Hebrew and Greek, there are no separate symbols for numbers, letters of the alphabet are also used to indicate numbers. The numeric value of a word is the sum total of all its letters. It was curiosity that first caused Panin to begin toying with the numbers behind the texts. Sequences and patterns began to emerge. These created such a stirring in the heart of the Russian that he dedicated 50 years of his life to painstakingly comb the pages of the Bible. This complex system of numbering visibly and invisibly saturates every book of the scriptures emphasizing certain passages and illustrating deeper or further meaning in types and shadows. The 66 books of the Bible 39 in the Old and 27 in the New were written by 33 different people. Those authors were scattered throughout various countries of the world and from widely different backgrounds. Many of them had little or no schooling. The whole Bible was written over a period of 1,500 years with a 400 year silence apart from the Apocrypha between the two testaments. Despite the handicaps the biblical books are found to be a harmonious record, each in accord with the other. Panin says the laws of probability are exceeded into the billions when we try and rationalize the authorship of the Bible as the work of man. He once said: "If human logic is worth anything at all we are simply driven to the conclusion that if my facts I have presented are true, man could never have done this". "We must assume that a Power higher than man guided the writers in such a way, whether they knew it or not, they did it and the Great God inspired them to do it". The Bible itself states clearly that it is the literal God-breathed living word of the Creator. The words "Thus saith the Lord" and "God said" occur more than 2,500 times throughout scripture. In 2 Timothy 3:16 it states "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." Then in II Peter 2:20-21 it plainly states: "No prophecy of the scriptures is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost". Let's take the number seven as an illustration of the way the patterns work. Seven is the most prolific of the mathematical series which binds scripture together. The very first verse of the Bible "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1), contains over 30 different combinations of seven. This verse has seven Hebrew words having a total of 28 letters 4 x 7. The numeric value of the three nouns "God", "heaven" and "earth" totals 777. Any number in triplicate expresses complete, ultimate or total meaning. Also tightly sealed up with sevens are the genealogy of Jesus, the account of the virgin birth and the resurrection. Seven occurs as a number 187 times in the Bible (41 x 7), the phrase "seven-fold" occurs seven times and "seventy" occurs 56 times (7 x 8). In the Book of Revelation seven positively shines out: there are seven golden candlesticks, seven letters to seven churches, a book sealed with seven seals, seven angels standing before the Lord with seven trumpets, seven thunders and seven last plagues. In fact there are over 50 occurrences of the number seven in Revelation alone. There are 21 Old Testament writers whose names appear in the Bible (3 x 7). The numeric value of their names is divisible by seven. Of these 21, seven are named in the New Testament: Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hosea and Joel. The numeric values of these names is 1554 (222 x 7). David's name is found 1134 times (162 x 7). God's seal also pervades creation as though it were woven into the very fabric of nature. The Bible has declared man's years to be three score and ten (70). The development of the human embryo is in exact periods of sevens or 28 days (4 x 7). Medical science tells us the human body is renewed cell for cell every seven years. We're told the pulse beats slower every seven days as if it were in accord with the seventh day of rest proclaimed in the Genesis creation week. And God formed man of the dust of the ground (Gen 2:7); science confirms the human body is made of the same 14 elements (2 x 7) found in your average handful of dust. The light of the sun is made up of seven distinct colours as shown in the rainbow. In music there are seven distinct notes which climax in a chord or octave at the beginning of a new seven. In almost all animals the incubation or pregnancy period is divisible by seven. Seven is often referred to as "God's seal" or the number of spiritual perfection. Eight is the number of new life or "resurrection." It is the personal number of Jesus. When we add together the letter values of the name Jesus in the Greek we get 888. Jesus was called The Christ, the numeric value of this title is 1480 (185 x 8). He was Savior which has the value 1408 (2 x 8 x 88). Jesus is also Lord which again is a multiple of eight being 800 (100 x 8). Messiah has the numeric value 656 (82 x8). Jesus also called himself the Son of man. The term occurs 88 times and is valued at 2960 (370 x 8). Jesus said "I am the truth": the numeric value of "the truth" is 64 (8 x 8). The last book in the Bible is the Revelation of Jesus Christ which has exactly 888 Greek words. Eight persons were saved in the Ark at the great Noahic flood. God made a covenant with Abraham that every male Jewish child was to be circumcised on the eighth day of his life. There are eight individual cases of resurrection spoken of in the Bible apart from Jesus. Three occur in the Old Testament, three in the gospels and two in Acts. It was on the eighth day or the first day of the new week that Jesus rose from the dead. The Holy Spirit also came down from heaven on the eighth day. Nine is finality or completion. The first example of its use is that infinitely sealed first verse of the Bible: "In the beginning God" which in Hebrew is: Brayshith Elohim which has the numeric value of 999. The very next statement "created the heaven" is also sealed with 999. The number nine is endowed with a peculiar quality, it is finality in itself. Not only is it the final single number, but if you multiply it by any other number, the addition of the resulting figures will always revert back to nine (2 x 9 = 18 / 1 + 8 = 9 etc). There are nine basic gifts available to the Christian believer through the power of God's Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:8-10). There are nine basic fruits which should be evident in the life of the believer (Galatians 5:22-23). The words "my wrath" have the numeric value 999. The word "Amen" or "verily" is valued at 99 and occurs 99 times. The work on the cross was completed at the ninth hour when Jesus said "It is finished." The shedding of his blood was final. It saw an end to the old system of animal sacrifice to atone for sin. The word "blood" in this sense occurs 99 times. Great superstition has always surrounded the number 13 as being unlucky or dark. Perhaps there is good reason. One of the most convincing proofs of the origins of this number can be found by unravelling all the names by which Satan is known. Drakon or dragon has a value of 975 (13 x 75) and it occurs 13 times. Peirazon or tempter has a value of 1053 (13 x 81). Belial which is personification of evil has a value of 78 (13 x 6). Anthropoktonos or "murderer" has a value of 1820 (13 x 40). Ophis or "serpent" is 780 (13 x 60). The phrase used by the Holy Spirit Ho kaloumenos diablos kai ho Satanas or "called the Devil and Satan" is valued 2,197 (13 x 13 x 13). This article is in truth an oversimplification of the work of Panin and others who followed in his footsteps. Panin's work initially involved some 40,000 pages of material on which he had written millions of small neat calculations. It involved volumes. He often laboured up to 18 hours a day exploring the vast numeric structure. By and large it was a thankless task. Panin said "When I first made the discovery I was of course, taken off my feet—I was in the same condition as our friend Archimedes who when he solved a great mathematical problem while in the bath, rushed in to the street naked, crying 'I have found it.' I thought people would be delighted to embrace the new discovery, but I found human nature is always the same. So I quietly withdrew and did my work all by myself". Although it would appear that his work has been largely lost from popular reading today Panin did accomplish several outstanding works. He published Structure in the Bible the Numeric Greek New Testament and the Numeric English New Testament. The works of Ivan Panin have been put before the experts many times. Panin once challenged nine noted rationalists and Bible critics through the medium of the New York Sun newspaper November 9, 1899. He dared them to publicly refute or give explanation for a few of his presented facts. Four made lame excuses. The rest were silent. Panin issued a challenge throughout leading newspapers of the world asking for a natural explanation or rebuttal of the facts. Not a single person accepted. He died at Aldershot, Ontario Canada on October 30th, 1942, aged 87.

### The Pattern of Sevens in Genesis and Matthew The Astonishing Pattern of SEVENS in Genesis 1:1 (from "The Signature of God" by Grant R. Jeffrey) "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) Ivan Panin carefully examined the Hebrew text of Genesis 1:1 and discovered an incredible phenomenon of multiples of 7 that could not be explained by chance. Genesis 1:1 was composed of seven Hebrew words containing a total of 28 letters. Throughout the Bible the number seven appears repeatedly as a symbol of divine perfection—the 7 days of creation, God rested on the 7th day, the 7 churches, the 7 seals, the 7 trumpets, etc. In total, Panin discovered 30 separate codes involving the number 7 in this first verse of the Bible. A Partial Listing of the Phenomenal Features of Sevens Found in Genesis 1 0. The number of Hebrew words = 7 0. The number of letters equals 28 (7x4 = 28) 0. The first 3 Hebrew words translated "In the beginning God created" have 14 letters (7x2 = 14) 0. The last four Hebrew words "the heavens and the earth" have 14 letters (7x2 = 14) 0. The fourth and fifth words have 7 letters 0. The sixth and seventh words have 7 letters 0. The three key words: God, heaven and earth have 14 letters (7x2 = 14) 0. The number of letters in the four remaining words is also 14 (7x2 = 14) 0. The shortest word in the verse is the middle word with 7 letters 0. The Hebrew numeric value of the first, middle and last letters is 133 (7x19 = 133) 0. The Hebrew numeric value of first and last letters of all seven words is 1393 (7x199 = 1393) When professors on the mathematics faculty at Harvard University were presented with this biblical phenomenon they naturally attempted to disprove its significance as a proof of divine authorship. However, after valiant efforts these professors were unable to duplicate this incredible mathematical phenomenon. The Harvard scientists used the English language and artificially assigned numeric values to the English alphabet. They had a potential vocabulary of over 400,000 available English words to choose from to construct a sentence about any topic they chose. Compare this to the limitations of word choices in the biblical Hebrew language which has only forty-five hundred available word choices that the writers of the Old Testament could use. Despite their advanced mathematical abilities and access to computers the mathematicians were unable to come close to incorporating 30 mathematical multiples of 7 as found in the Hebrew words of Genesis 1:1. The number "seven" permeates the totality of Scripture because the number speaks of God's divine perfection and perfect order. The actual number 7 appears 287 times in the Old Testament (7 x 41 = 287) while the word "seventh" occurs 98 times (7 x 14 = 98). The word "seven-fold" appears seven times. In addition, the word "seventy" is used 56 times (7 x 8 = 56). Ivan Panin discovered literally thousands of such mathematical patterns underlying all of the books of the Old Testament before his death in 1942. I refer the interested reader to Panin's book, The Inspiration of the Scriptures Scientifically Demonstrated, which discusses these phenomena extensively. Panin and others have examined other Hebrew literature and have attempted to find such mathematical patterns, but they are not found anywhere outside the Bible. The Pattern of SEVENS in Matthew 1:18-25—The History of Christ's Birth 0. The number of words in the seven word passage is 161 (7x23 = 161) 0. The number of Vocabulary words is 77 (7x11 = 77) 0. Six Greek words occur only in this passage and never again in Matthew. These six Greek words contain precisely 56 letters (7x8 = 56) 0. The number of distinct proper names in the passage is 7 0. The number of Greek letters in these seven proper names is 42 (7x6 = 42) 0. The number of words spoken by the angel to Joseph is 28 (7x4 = 28) 0. The number of Greek forms of words used in this passage is 161 (7x23 = 161) 0. The number of Greek forms of words in the angel's speech is 35 (7x5 = 35) 0. The number of letters in the angel's 35 forms of words is 168 (7x24 = 168) This phenomenal discovery by Panin has been examined by numerous authorities and the figures have been verified. In total, Panin accumulated over forty thousand pages of detailed calculations covering most of the text of the Bible before his death. These incredible, mathematical patterns are not limited to the number seven. There are numerous other patterns. These amazing patterns appear in the vocabulary, grammatical forms, parts of speech, and particular forms of words. They occur throughout the whole text of the Bible containing 31,173 verses. When you consider the amazing details of this mathematical phenomenon you realize that the change of a single letter or word in the original languages of Hebrew or Greek would destroy the pattern. Now we can understand why Jesus Christ declared that the smallest letter and grammatical mark of the Scriptures was persevered by God's Hand: "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5:18). What was Panin's own view of the Scriptures after a lifetime of diligent study? He wrote the following statement in one of his essays after warning of the limitations of wisdom found in secular philosophy. "Not so, however, with The Book. For it tells of One who spake as men never spake, who was the true bread of life, that which cometh down from the heavens, of which if a man eat he shall never hunger." Ivan Panin's conclusion of the matter was the following challenge. "My friend of the world, whose you are: Either Jesus Christ is mistaken or you are. The answer that neither might be is only evading the issue, not settling it. But the ages have decided that Jesus Christ was not mistaken. It is for you to decide whether you shall continue to be" ("The Signature of God" by Grant R. Jeffrey, Frontier Research Publications, Inc. (1996), p.230-237)

### Spiritual Gifts There are actually three biblical lists of the “gifts of the Spirit,” also known as spiritual gifts. The three main passages describing the spiritual gifts are Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; and 1 Corinthians 12:28. We could also include Ephesians 4:11, but that is a list of offices within the church, not spiritual gifts, per se. The spiritual gifts identified in Romans 12 are prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11 includes the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:28 includes healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. A brief description of each gift follows: ''Prophecy'' – The Greek word translated “prophecy” in both passages properly means “a speaking forth.” According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the word refers to “discourse emanating from divine inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden; especially by foretelling future events.” To prophesy is to declare the divine will, to interpret the purposes of God, or to make known in any way the truth of God that is designed to influence people. ''Serving'' – Also referred to as “ministering,” this gift involves providing service of any kind; it is the broad application of practical help to those in need. “Serving“ is a translation of the Greek word diakonian, from which we get the English deacon. ''Teaching'' – This gift involves the analysis and proclamation of the Word of God, explaining the meaning, context and application to the hearer’s life. The gifted teacher is one who has the unique ability to clearly instruct and communicate knowledge, specifically the doctrines of the faith. ''Encouraging'' – Also called “exhortation,” this gift is evident in those who consistently call upon others to heed and follow God’s truth, which may involve correction or building others up by strengthening weak faith or comforting in trials. ''Giving'' – Gifted givers are those who joyfully share what they have with others, whether it is financial, material, or the giving of personal time and attention. The giver is concerned for the needs of others and seeks opportunities to share goods, money, and time with them as needs arise. ''Leadership'' – The gifted leader is one who rules, presides over, or has the management of other people in the church. The word literally means “guide” and carries with it the idea of one who steers a ship. One with the gift of leadership rules with wisdom and grace and exhibits the fruit of the Spirit in his life as he leads by example. ''Mercy'' – Closely linked with the gift of encouragement, the gift of mercy is obvious in those who are compassionate toward others who are in distress, showing sympathy and sensitivity coupled with a desire and the resources to lessen their suffering in a kind and cheerful manner. ''Word of wisdom'' – The fact that this gift is described as the “word” of wisdom indicates that it is one of the speaking gifts. This gift describes someone who can understand and speak forth biblical truth in such a way as to skillfully apply it to life situations with discernment. ''Word of knowledge'' – This is another speaking gift that involves understanding truth with an insight that only comes by revelation from God. Those with the gift of knowledge understand the deep things of God and the mysteries of His Word. ''Faith'' – All believers possess faith in some measure because it is one of the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on all who come to Christ in faith (Galatians 5:22-23). The spiritual gift of faith is exhibited by one with a strong and unshakeable confidence in God, His Word, His promises, and the power of prayer to effect miracles. ''Healing'' – Although God does still heal today, and while there is no biblical reason that God could not empower an individual with the spiritual gift of healing today, God miraculously healing people directly through the spiritual gifting of an individual seems to have primarily been limited to the ministry of the apostles and their close associates in the very early days of the church (2 Corinthians 2:12; Hebrews 2:4). ''Miraculous powers'' – Also known as the working of miracles, this is another temporary sign gift that involved performing supernatural events that could only be attributed to the power of God (Acts 2:22). This gift was exhibited by Paul (Acts 19:11-12), Peter (Acts 3:6), Stephen (Acts 6:8), and Phillip (Acts 8:6-7), among others. ''Distinguishing (discerning) of spirits'' – Certain individuals possess the unique ability to determine the true message of God from that of the deceiver, Satan, whose methods include purveying deceptive and erroneous doctrine. Jesus said many would come in His name and would deceive many (Matthew 24:4-5), but the gift of discerning spirits is given to the church to protect it from such as these. ''Speaking in tongues'' – The gift of tongues is one of the temporary sign gifts given to the early church to enable the gospel to be preached throughout the world to all nations and in all known languages. It involved the divine ability to speak in languages previously unknown to the speaker. This gift authenticated the message of the gospel and those who preached it as coming from God. The phrase “diversity of tongues” (KJV) or “different kinds of tongues” (NIV) effectively eliminates the idea of a “personal prayer language” as a spiritual gift. ''Interpretation of tongues'' – A person with the gift of interpreting tongues could understand what a tongues-speaker was saying even though he did not know the language that was being spoken. The tongues interpreter would then communicate the message of the tongues-speaker to everyone else, so all could understand. ''Helps'' – Closely related to the gift of mercy is the gift of helps. Those with the gift of helps are those who can aid or render assistance to others in the church with compassion and grace. This has a broad range of possibilities for application. Most importantly, this is the unique ability to identify those who are struggling with doubt, fears, and other spiritual battles; to move toward those in spiritual need with a kind word, an understanding and compassionate demeanor; and to speak scriptural truth that is both convicting and loving.

### Outdated Words in the King James Bible There are perhaps 150 words used at the time the King James translation was compiled. Below are most of those words with their definitions and verse references. **Adamant** //[Ezekiel 3:9; Zechariah 7:12]// – A sharp, hard stone; hardest substance. **Adjure** //[Josh 6:26, 1 Sam 14:24,1 Kings 22:16, II Chronicles 18:15, Matthew 26:63, Mark 5:7, Acts 19:13]// – To bind by oath. **Ague** //[Leviticus 26:16]// – A fever. **Ambassage** //[Luke 14:32]// – A delegation of people. **Amerce** //[Deuteronomy 22:19]// – To punish with a fine or charge. **Anon** //[Mark 1:30, Matthew 13:20]// – At once. **Appertain/Appertaineth** //[Numbers 16:30-33, Jeremiah 10:7, Nehemiah 2:8, Leviticus 6:5, 2 Chronicles 26:18]// – Applying to or concerning something or someone. **Apothecary** //[Exodus 30:25, 35, 37:29, Ecclesiastes 10:1]// – A person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs (pharmacist) **Armhole** //[Ezekiel 13:18, Jeremiah 38:12]// – Armpit. **Assay/Assayed** //[Job 4:2, Deuteronomy 4:34, 1 Samuel 17:39, Acts 9:26,16:7 Hebrews 11:29]// – To be tempted or tested. **Bakemeat(s)** //[Genesis 40:17]// – Nearly any baked pie, including a meat pie but not usually. **Besom** //[Isaiah 14:23]// – Broom. **Betimes** //[Genesis 26:31, II Chronicles 36:15, Proverbs 13:24, Job 8:5, 24:5]// – To be early **Bewray** //[Matthew 26:73, Prov 27:16, Prov 29:24, Mat 26:73]// – To reveal or disclose. **Bishoprick** //[Act 1:20]// – Overseership; A diocese; the district over which the jurisdiction of bishop extends. **Bolled** //[Exodus 9:31]// – Bloomed **Botch** //[Deuteronomy 28:27, 35,]// – A skin boil **Bray** //[Job 6:5, Proverbs 27:22]// – To pound or beat. **Broid** //[1 Timothy 2:9]// – To braid (hair) **Bruit** //[Jeremiah 10:22, Nahum 3:19]// – A report or a rumor. As a verb it means to spread a report or rumor. **Bullock** //[138 occurrences, Exodus 29:1, Leviticus 4:3-21, Leviticus 8:2-9:19]// – A bull that’s been castrated. **Caul** [Exodus 29:13, 22, Leviticus 3:4, 10, 15, 4, 7:4, 8:6, 25, 9:10, 19, Hosea 13:8] – The amniotic membrane enclosing a fetus. Idiomatic usage can refer to tight fitting clothing. **Chambering** //[Romans 13:13]// – Lewd or filthy living, usually related to sexual deviance. Chambering is referring to things being done in the bed chamber. Similar to the modern word “necking” for making out. **Chapiter** [Exodus 36:38, 38:17, 19, 28, 1 King 7:16, 17, 18, 20, 31, 2 Kings 25:17, 2 Chronicles 3:15, 4:12, 13, Jeremiah 52:22] – The uppermost part of a building column. Some English translations use the word “capital”. **Chapmen** //[2 Chronicles 9:14]// – Merchant or trader of goods. **Charger** //[17 occurrences, Numbers 7:13-85, Matthew 14:8, 11, Mark 6:25, 28]// – A large platter for serving. **Chode** //[Genesis 31:36, Numbers 20:3]// – The past tense form of the verb chide which means to rebuke or scold. **Choler** //[Daniel 8:7, 11:11]// – Anger. **Churl** //[Isaiah 32:5, 7, 1 Samuel 25:3]// – A selfish or childish person. Can be used as an adjective (churlish). **Cogitations** //[Daniel 7:28]// – Deep thoughts or contemplation. **Collop** //[Job 15:27]// – A flap or fold (usually of fat). Can also be a slice of meat or flesh to eat. **Concupiscence** //[Romans 7:8, Colossians 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:5]// – Sexual desire, or lust. **Contemn/Contemned/Contemneth** //[Psalm 10:13, 5:4, 107:11, Ezekiel 21:13, Song of Solomon 8:7, Isaiah 16:14]// – To treat or regard one with contempt. **Cotes** //[2 Chronicles 32:28]// – A pen or fenced area for livestock. **Countervail** //[Esther 7:4]// – to offset the effect of something by countering it with equal or greater force. **Cracknels** //[1 King 14:3]// – A light and crispy biscuit or savory cookie. **Cruse** //[1 Samuel 26:11, 12, 16, 1 Kings 14:3, 17:12, 14, 16, 1 Kings 19:6, 2 King 2:20]// – An earthenware (usually clay) pot or jar. **Dam** [Exodus 22:30, Leviticus 22:27, Deuteronomy 22:6, 7] – A female parent; a mother, especially a mother animal. **Daysman** //[Job 9:33]// – An umpire, arbiter, someone who settles disputes. **Descry** //[Judges 1:23]// – To look at or investigate. **Discomfited** //[Exodus 17:13, Numbers 14:45, Joshua 10:10, Judges 4:15, 8:12, 1 Samuel 7:10, 2 Samuel 22:15, Psalm 18:14, Isaiah 31:8]// – To make one feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. **Discomfiture** //[1 Samuel 14:20]// – An atmosphere or feeling of discomfort. **Dissembled** [Joshua 7:11, Jeremiah 42:20, Galatians 2:13] – To hide one’s motives or feelings. **Draught (house)** //[2 Kings 10:27, Matthew 15:17, Mark 7:19, Luke 5:4, 9]// – A toilet or latrine, usually public. **Durst** //[Esther 7:5, Job 32:6, Matthew 22:46, Mark 12:34, Luke 20:40, John 21:12, Acts 5:13, 7:32, Jude 1:9]// – To dare (past tense). **Emerods** //[Deuteronomy 28:27, 1 Samuel 5:6, 9, 12, 6:4, 5, 11, 17]// – A tumor, often referring to a hemorrhoid. **Ensample** //[1 Corinthians 10:11, Philippians 3:17, 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:9, 1 Peter 5:3, 2 Peter 2:6 ]// – To set an example. **Ere** //[Numbers 11:33, 14:11, 1 Samuel 3:3, 2 Samuel 2:26, 2 Kings 6:32, Job 18:2, Jeremiah 47:6, Hosea 8:5, John 4:49]// – Here. **Exactors** //[Isaiah 60:17]// – Tax collectors. **Fairs** //[Ezekiel 27:12, 14, 16, 19, 22, 27]// – Wares; Goods; Products sold in commerce. **Felloes** //[1 Kings 7:33]// – The outer rim of a wheel where the spokes are attached. **Fens** //[Job 40:21]// – A low laying marsh or bog. **Flagon** //[2 Samuel 6:19, 1 Chronicles 16:3, Solomon 2:5, Isaiah 22:24, Hos 3:1]// – A large serving container like a pitcher. Usually with a handle. **Forswear** //[Matthew 5:33]// – To give a false testimony, perjury, a bad oath. **Fray** //[Deuteronomy 28:26, Jeremiah 7:33, Zechariah 1:21]// – To scare or frighten. **Furlong** //[Luke 24:13, John 6:19, 11:18, Revelation 14:20, 21:16]// – 220 yards or 1/8th mile. **Gad/Gaddest** //[Jeremiah 2:36]// – To hurry or run around quickly. **Gainsay** //[Luke 21:15]// – To speak against someone or contradict someone. **Graff** //[Rom 11:23]// – To graft (a vine). **Grisled** //[Genesis 31:10, 12, Zechariah 6:3, 6]// – To be speckled or spotted, usually referring to one turning gray in the hair. **Hale** //[Luke 12:58]// – To pull or drag. **Habergeon** //[Exodus 28:32, 39:23, Job 41:26]// – A sleeveless coat of armor. **Haft** //[Judges 3:22]// – The handle of a knife, axe, or spear. **Harrow** //[Job 39:10, 2 Samuel 12:31, 1 Chronicles 20:3]// – To ploy or breakup soil. **Hart** //[Deuteronomy 12:15, 22, 14:5, 15:22, Psalm 42:1, Song of Solomon 2:9, 17, 8:14, 1 Kings 4:23, Lamentations 1:6, Isaiah 35:6]// – A buck or a stag. **Hoar** //[Exodus 16:14, 1 Kings 2:6, 9, Isaiah 46:4]// – Grayish white; gray or gray-haired with age. **Hosen** //[Dan 3:21]// – Stockings or tights. **Husbandman** //[Genesis 9:20, Jeremiah 51:23, Amos 5:16, Zechariah 13:5, John 15:1, 2 Timothy 2:6, James 5:7]// – A farmer. **Hough** [//Joshua 11:6//] – The joint in the hind leg of a horse, cow, etc. **Implead** //[Act 19:38]// – To indict, accuse, sue in a court of law. **Importunity** //[Luke 11:8]// – Persistence, especially to the point of annoyance. **Inditing** //[Psalm 45:1]// – To write or compose. **Kine** //[Genesis 32:15, 41:2-27, Deuteronomy 7:13, 28:4, 18, 51, 1 Samuel 6:7-14, 2 Samuel 17:29, Amos 4:1]// – A collection of cows. **Knop** //[Exodus 25:31-36, 37:17-22, 1 Kings 6:18, 7:24]// – An ornamental loop or tuft in yarn, or more ancient forms made from a branch or shoot. **Lade/Laded/Laden/Ladeth** //[Genesis 42:26, 44:13, 45:17, 23, 1 Samuel 16:20, 1 Kings 12:11, Isaiah 1:4, Nehemiah 4:17, Habakkuk 2:6, Matthew 11:28, Luke 11:46, Acts 28:10, 2 Timothy 3:6]// – Roughly the same usage as “laid” but spelled in an older format. **Lees** //[Isaiah 25:6, Jeremiah 48:11, Zephaniah 1:12]// – The lowest part of something, often referring to drags or sediment in a wine bottle. **Ligure** //[Exodus 28:19, 39:12]// – A type of precious stone similar to Sapphire or Lapis Lazuli. **Listeth** //[John 3:8, James 3:4]// – To choose, want, or will something. **Lucre** //[1 Samuel 8:3, 1 Timothy 3:3, 8, Titus 1:7, 1 Peter 5:2]// – Dishonest money. **Lusty** //[Judges 3:29]// – Healthy and strong; full of vigor. **Mammon** //[Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:9, 11, 13]// – Wealth regarded as an evil influence or false object of worship and devotion. **Marishes** //[Ezekiel 47:11]// – A marsh, bog, or pond. **Matrix** //[Exodus 13:12, 15, 34:19, Numbers 3:12, 18:15]// – A breeding woman, a mother, and sometimes a womb. **Maw** //[Deuteronomy 18:3]// – The stomach or gut. **Meteyard** //[Leviticus 19:35]// – A measuring rod. **Meet** //[Genesis 2:18, 20, Exodus 8:26, Deuteronomy 3:18, Judges 5:30, Esther 2:9, Job 34:31, Proverbs 11:24, Jeremiah 26:14, 27:5, Ezek 15:4, 5, Matthew 3:8, 15:26, Mark 7:27, Luke 15:32, Acts 26:20, Romans 1:27, 1 Corinthians 15:9, 16:4, Philippians 1:7, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Timothy 2:21, Hebrews 6:7, 2 Peter 1:13]// – Appropriate, suitable, fitting, not to be confused with the modern verb “to meet”. **Mote** //[Matthew 7:3, 4, 5, Luke 6:41, 42]// – A very small particle; A speck or tiny fragment. **Murrain** //[Exodus 9:3]// – A plague or disease. **Neesings** //[Job 41:18]// – Sneezes. **Nitre** //[Proverbs 25:20, Jeremiah 2:22]// – A sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate compound, refers to lye soap usually. **Noisome** //[Psalm 91:3, Ezekiel 14:15, 21, Revelation 16:2]// – Deadly, Noxious; Harmful; Highly Obnoxious; Offensive to the senses. **Obeisance** //[Genesis 37:7, 9, 43:28, Exodus 18:7, 2 Samuel 1:2, 14:4, 2 Samuel 15:5, 1 Kings 1:16, 2 Chronicles 24:17]// – To show respect, honor, or worship through bodily posture, usually by bowing or prostrating. **Offscouring** //[Lamentations 3:45, 1 Corinthians 4:13]// – Filth; Refuse; By extension, a social outcast. **Ouches** //[Exodus 28:11, 13, 14, 25, 39:6, 13, 16, 18]// – A gem or stone setting. **Outgoings** //[Joshua 17:9, 18,18:19, 19:14, 22, 29, 33, Psalm 65:8]// – Farthest borders or limits of a thing or space. **Outwent** //[Mark 6:33]// – Going and/or arriving early or before someone else. **Paps** //[Ezekiel 23:21, Luke 11:27, 23:29, Revelation 1:13]// – A chest or breasts. **Paramours** //[Ezekiel 23:20]// – Lovers, often particularly illicit or adulterous lovers. **Pate** //[Psalm 7:16]// – The skull, top of the head, or crown. **Penury** //[Proverbs 14:23, Luke 21:4]// – Poverty or a state of destitution. **Peradventure** //[Genesis 18:24-32, 24:5, 39, 27:12, 31:31, 32:20, 38:11, 42:4, 43:12, 44:34, 50:15, Exodus 13:17, 32:30, Numbers 22:6, 11, 23:3, 27, Joshua 9:7, 1 Samuel 6:5, 9:6, 1 Kings 18:5, 27, 20:31, 2 Kings 2:16, Jeremiah 20:10, Romans 5:7, 2 Timothy 2:25]// – By chance. **Pilled** //[Genesis 30:37, 38]// – Peeled, stripped, made smooth or bald. **Plaiting** //[1 Peter 3:3]// – Braiding or another elaborate hair style. **Polled** //[2 Samuel 14:26]// – Being cut (referring to hair usually). **Prating** //[Proverbs 10:8, 10, 3 John 1:10]// – Slander, gossip, or excessive talking. **Publicans** //[Matthew 5:46, 47, 9:10, 11, 10:3, 18:17, 11:19, 21:31, 32, Mark 2:15, 16, Luke 3:12, 5:27, 29, 30, 7:29, 34, 15:1, 18:10, 11, 13, 19:2]// – A tax collector or similar city official. **Purloining** //[Titus 2:10]// – Stealing, pilfering, or taking dishonestly. **Purtenance** //[Exodus 12:9]// – Entrails; Innards; Internal organs, especially the liver, heart, and lungs. **Quaternions** //[Acts 12:4]// – A group of four people or things; a squad. **Quicken/Quickened/Quickeneth** //[32 occurrences, 1 Corinthians 15:36, John 5:21, 1 Corinthians 15:45, Ephesians 2:5]// – To bring to life. To animate. **Rampart** //[Lamentation 2:8, Nahum 3:8]// – A defensive wall or fortification. **Ravin** //[Genesis 49:27, Nahum 2:12]// – Violent seizure of prey or property; plunder. **Redound** //[2 Corinthians 4:15]// – A cause, or a product of something; A result. Can be translated “because of” at times. **Rereward** //[Numbers 10:25, Josh 6:9, 13, 1 Samuel 29:2, Isaiah 52:12, 58:8]// – Positioned in the back or rear. **Ringstraked** //[Gen 30:35, 39, 40, 31:8, 10, 12]// – Streaked, striped, or speckled. **Sackbut** //[Dan 3:5, 7, 10, 15]// – A Trigon, harp, or lyre. **Scall** //[Leviticus 13:30-37, 14:54]// – A scaly skin disease, often with flaked skin. Can be a type of leprosy. Often on the skull. **Servitor** //[2 Kings 4:43]// – A servant or attendant. **Shambles** //[1 Corinthians 10:25]// – A butcher’s shop, slaughterhouse, or place for buying meat. **Shew/Shewed** //[349 occurrences, Genesis 12:1, Exodus 10:1, Numbers 16:5, Deuteronomy 7:2, Joshua 2:12, Judges 1:24, 1 Samuel 3:15]// – To show, present, demonstrate. **Sith** //[Ezekiel 35:6]// – Since. **Sleight** //[Ephesians 4:14]// – Skill or deceit. **Sodden** //[Ex 12:9, Leviticus 6:28, Numbers 6:19, 1 Samuel 2:15, Lamentations 4:10]// – Cook by boiling. **Sottish** //[Jeremiah 4:22]// – Poor judgement. **Stanched** //[Luke 8:44]// – To stop, cease, or dry up. Often refers to blood or water. **Stomacher** //[Isaiah 3:24]// – A fine or ornate garment to cover the front of the body. **Strowed** //[2 Chronicles 34:4]// – Scattered or strewn. **Sufferest/Suffereth/suffer** //[150 occurrences, Leviticus 2:13, Psalm 66:9, Matthew 11:12, Acts 28:4, 1 Corinthians 13:4, Joshua 10:19, Esther 3:8]// – To allow or permit something. Also used for physical suffering. **Surfeiting** //[Luke 21:34]// – The act or desire to consume in excess or an overabundance. **Taches** //[Exodus 26:6, 11, 33, 35:11, 13, 18, 39:33]// – Buckles or clasps. **Thitherward** //[Judges 18:15, Jeremiah 50:5, Romans 15:24]// – There or to that place. **Trode** //[Judges 9:27, 20:43, 2 Kings 7:17, 20, 9:33, 14:9, 2 Chronicles 25:18, Luke 12:1]// – Past tense of tread. To be trampled or stepped on. **Trow** //[Luke 17:9]// – To think or perceive something to be true. **Twain** //[1 Samuel 18:21, 2 Kings 4:33, Isaiah 6:2, Jeremiah 34:18, Ezekiel 21:19, Matthew 5:41, 19:5, 6, 21:31, 27:21, 51, Mark 10:8, 15:38, Ephesians 2:15]// – Two (the number). **Unction** //[1 John 2:20]// – An anointing. **Usury** //[Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:36, 37, Deuteronomy 23:19, 20, Nehemiah 5:7, 10, Psalms 15:5, Proverbs 28:8, Isaiah 24:2, Jeremiah 15:10, Ezekiel 18:8, 13, 17, 22:12, Matthew 25:27, Luke 19:23]// – Interest charged on a loan. **Verity** //[Psalm 111:7, 1 Timothy 2:7]// – True or accurate. **Victuals** //[Genesis 14:11, Leviticus 25:37, Deuteronomy 23:19, Joshua 1:11, 9:11, 14, Judges 7:8, 17:10, 1 Samuel 22:10, 1 Kings 4:7, 11:18, Nehemiah 10:31, 13:15, Jeremiah 40:5, 44:17, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12]// – Food, provisions, or supplies. **Visage** //[Isaiah 52:14, Lamentations 4:8, Daniel 3:19]// – Appearance. **Wen** //[Leviticus 22:22]// – Various aliments, often a wart, tumor, cyst, or even an itchy patch. **Wimples** //[Isaiah 3:22]// – A cloak or outer garment. **Winefat** //[Isaiah 63:2, Mark 12:1]// – A wine-press or container for stepping on grapes. **Wist** //[Exodus 16:15, 34:29, Leviticus 5:17, 5:18, Joshua 2:4, 8:14, Judges 16:20, Mark 9:6, 14:40, Luke 2:49, John 5:13, Act 12:9, 23:5]// – Past tense of wit, to know or be aware of. **Withs** //[Judges 16:7, 8, 9]// – A cord or string made of fibers. **Wont** //[Exodus 21:29, Numbers 22:30, 1 Samuel 30:31, 2 Samuel 20:18, Daniel 3:19, Matthew 27:15, Mark 10:1, Luke 22:39, Act 16:13]// – Accustomed; In the pattern of; Used to. **Wot** //[Genesis 21:26, 44:15, Exodus 32:1, 32:23, Numbers 22:6, Joshua 2:5, Acts 3:17, 7:40, Romans 11:2, Philippians 1:22]// – To know

### King James Bible Word List & Definitions ''Revised & Updated'' The King James Bible is often criticized because some of the words found in it are words not commonly used today. Though these words are relatively few in number and can be easily defined in any good dictionary, many new versions have been published in recent years claiming to update the AV's language. Along with updating the language, however, the new Bibles make many other changes, many of which are detrimental. They omit or strongly question many verses, deny Jesus Christ's deity, virgin birth, blood atonement, and ascension in several places and question or destroy many other truths. If one will compare the archaic KJV with any of the new translations, he will find the new versions are not updated Bibles at all; they are corrupted Bibles. Of the around 12,000 different words found in the KJV, only 300 or so could truly be considered "archaic" or obscure in their meaning. Many of these words are only found once in the AV text. God has used the KJV more than He has used any other Bible in any language (including the originals), thus it is not our place to change any of its words. Its text must be left as it stands. Below we have compiled a list of nearly 750 less commonly used words from the KJV with an instance count (some counts include plural forms and other variations of the word), definition, and example references. The sources of this list are primarily Webster's 1828 and 1913 English Dictionaries and Wright's Bible Word-Book (1876). //400 of these words are used less than four times in the whole Bible, 200 of them are only used once.// <hr>''Word:, (Count) Definition:, References:'' ''Abase'', (8) to reduce or lower; to humble or cast down (Job 40:11; Isaiah 31:4; Ezekiel 21:26) ''Abated'', (6) diminished in intensity or amount; lessened (Genesis 8:3; Leviticus 27:18; Deuteronomy 34:7) ''Abba'', (3) father; a superior Chaldee/Syriac (Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6) ''Abhor'', (42) to shrink from with dread; lothe, detest (Exodus 5:21; Leviticus 20:23, Leviticus 26:11) ''Abjects'', (1) an outcast, a worthless, despicable person (Psalms 35:15). ''Abroad'', (79) outdoors; away from home; scattered about (1 Samuel 9:26; Mark 1:28; John 11:52) ''Adamant'', (2) a sharp, hard stone; hardest substance (Ezekiel 3:9; Zechariah 7:12) ''Adjure'', (7) to charge or bind by an oath or threat (1 Kings 22:16; 2 Chronicles 18:15; Matthew 26:63) ''Admiration'', (2) wonder or astonishment (Jude 1:16; Revelation 17:6) ''Admonish'', (9) to instruct; warn; reprove mildly (Ecclesiastes 4:13) ''Ado'', (1) trouble; labor; fuss (Mark 5:39) ''Adventure'', (3) hazard, risk (Deuteronomy 28:56; Judges 9:17; Acts 19:31) ''Advertise'', (2) give notice, inform (Numbers 24:13; Ruth 4:4) ''Advisement'', (1) a consultation; counsel (1 Chronicles 12:19) ''Affect'', (4) to act upon (Lamentations 3:51); embitter (Acts 14:2); desire, seek (Galatians 4:17, Galatians 4:18) ''Affinity'', (3) a relationship by marriage (1 Kings 3:1; 2 Chronicles 18:1; Ezra 9:14) ''Affording'', (1) accomplishing, yielding, producing or providing (Psalms 144:13) ''Afoot'', (2) to go on foot; walk (Matthew 6:33; Acts 20:13) ''Afore'', (7) before; prior (2 Kings 20:4; Psalms 129:6; Romans 1:2) ''Agone'', (1) past, ago (1 Samuel 30:13) ''Ague'', (1) fever; chill (Leviticus 26:16) ''Albeit'', (2) although; even though (Ezekiel 13:7; Philemon 1:19) ''Alleluia'', (4) praise the lord (Revelation 19:1) ''Allow'', (3) to praise or approve (Luke 11:48; Acts 24:15; Romans 7:15) ''Alms'', (13) charity; relief to the poor (Matthew 6:1; Luke 11:41; Acts 3:2) ''Amazed'', (21) terrified, fearful (Mark 9:15, Mark 14:33) ''Ambassage'', (1) ambassadors, delegation (Luke 14:32) ''Amerce'', (1) to punish by imposing a penalty or fine (Deuteronomy 22:19) ''Amiable'', (1) friendly, agreeable, or lovely (Psalms 84:1) ''Amiss'', (4) in error, incorrect, improper (2 Chronicles 6:37; Daniel 3:29; Luke 23:41) ''Anathema'', (1) excommunication with a curse (1 Corinthians 16:22) ''Ancient'', (16) old person yet still alive, elders (Ezra 3:12; Job 12:12; Isaiah 3:2) ''Angle'', (2) fishing rod with hook (Isaiah 19:8; Habbakkuk 1:15) ''Anise'', (1) an herb of the parsley family (Matthew 23:23) ''Anon'', (2) immediately, at once (Matthew 13:20; Mark 1:30) ''Apace'', (3) traveling at a great pace, swiftly (2 Samuel 18:25; Psalms 68:12; Jeremiah 46:5) ''Apostle'', (83) messenger; one sent on a mission (Matthew 10:2; Mark 6:30; Luke 9:10) ''Apothecary'', (4) a store or shop; pharmacy, spice dealer (Exodus 30:25; 2 Chronicles 16:14; Nehemiah 3:8) ''Apparel'', (28) clothing; attire (Judges 17:10; Acts 1:10) ''Appertain'', (7) belong or pertain to (Numbers 16:30; Jeremiah 10:7; Nehemiah 2:8) ''Apple - Eye'', (5) pupil of the eye (Deuteronomy 32:10; Psalms 17:8; Proverbs 7:2) ''Aright'', (5) correctly, properly (Psalms 50:23, Proverbs 15:2; Jeremiah 8:6) ''Armholes'', (2) the armpit; the hole in the garment in which the arm is put (Jeremiah 38:12; Ezekiel 13:18) ''Array'', (45) To clothe; to line up an army for battle (Genesis 41:42; Judges 20:20; 1 Chronicles 19:9) ''Art'', (495) are; second person singular (Genesis 3:9) ''Artificer'', (4) one who makes something by art or skill Genesis 4:22; 1 Chronicles 29:5; Isaiah 3:3 ''Artillery'', (1) offensive weapon such as a bow or sling (1 Samuel 20:40) ''Asp'', (5) a snake, serpent (Deuteronomy 32:33) ''Assay'', (6) to try, undertake, prove, or attempt (Deuteronomy 4:34; 1 Samuel 17:39; Acts 9:26) ''Assent'', (2) to agree, concur (2 Chronicles 18:12; Acts 24:9) ''Asswage'', (2) to lessen, relieve, or ease (Job 16:5, Job 16:6; Genesis 8:1) ''Astonied'', (10) astonished, surprised or startled (Ezra 9:3; Daniel 5:9;) ''Asunder'', (21) apart; into parts; separately (Leviticus 1:17) ''Attent'', (2) to be attentive, observant (2 Chronicles 6:40, 2 Chronicles 7:15) ''Augment'', (1) to enlarge, increase, or supplement (Numbers 32:14) ''Austere'', (2) to be severe, strict, harsh (Luke 19:21, Luke 19:22) ''Averse'', (1) to be opposed, unwilling, disinclined, turned back (Micah 2:8) ''Avouched'', (2) guaranteed, admitted, affirmed, or vouched for (Deuteronomy 26:17, Deuteronomy 26:18) ''Away With Away with'', (5) tolerate, bear, and endure; to take away (Isaiah 1:13; Luke 23:18; John 19:15) ''Axletrees'', (2) wooden axels, spindle (1 Kings 7:32, 1 Kings 7:33)B ''Backbiter*'', (4) to slander; to attack one's character (Psalms 15:3; Proverbs 25:23; Romans 1:30; 2 Corinthians 12:20) ''Bakemeats'', (1) baked food (Genesis 40:17) ''Bank'', (3) mound for besieging a city (2 Samuel 20:15; 2 Kings 19:32; Isaiah 37:33) ''Banqueting'', (2) a feast; drinking party (Song Solomon 2:4; 1 Peter 4:3) ''Barbarian'', (3) foreigner, alien (1 Corinthians 14:11) ''Barked'', (1) to have the bark scrapped off (Joel 1:7) ''Base'', (18) lowly, humble (1 Corinthians 1:28; 2 Corinthians 10:1) ''Bastard'', (3) an illegitimate child (Deuteronomy 23:2; Zechariah 9:6; Hebrews 12:8) ''Bath'', (6) about 8 gallons of liquid (Isaiah 5:10) ''Battlement'', (2) a formation on top of a wall for protection (Deuteronomy 22:8; Jeremiah 5:10) ''Beckoned'', (6) to make a signal or to summon (Luke 1:22; John 13:24; Acts 19:33) ''Bedstead'', (2) a place for a bed; bed frame (Deuteronomy 3:11) ''Beeves'', (7) the plural of beef, oxen (Leviticus 22:19; Numbers 31:28) ''Begat'', (259) to get, bear or bring forth (Genesis 4:18; Genesis 7:20; Proverbs 7:21) ''Beggarly'', (1) a beggar, indigent, poverty stricken (Galatians 4:9) ''Begotten'', (24) procreated; brought forth (Genesis 5:4) ''Behemoth'', (1) a beast or brute; large animal (Job 40:15) ''Behoved'', (2) requirement; necessary (Luke 24:46; Hebrews 2:17) ''Belied'', (1) to deceive by lying, assert falsely, prove to be false (Jeremiah 5:12) ''Bemoan'', (7) bewail, lament, or express pity for (Job 42:11; Jeremiah 15:5; Nahum 3:7) ''Beseech'', (70) to seek; call upon (Genesis 42:21; Exodus 3:18; Matthew 8:5) ''Besom'', (1) broom; sweeping tool (Isaiah 14:23) ''Bestead'', (1) distressed; perplexed (Isaiah 8:21) ''Bestir'', (1) to heap up, to stir up (2 Samuel 5:24) ''Bethink'', (2) to remember, remind (1 Kings 8:47; 2 Chronicles 6:37) ''Betimes'', (5) early, in due time (Genesis 26:31; 2 Chronicles 36:15; Job 8:5) ''Betrothed'', (9) contracted for future marriage; engaged (Exodus 21:8; Deuteronomy 20:7) ''Bettered'', (1) improve, amended, render more excellent (Mark 5:26) ''Betwixt'', (16) in between (Genesis 17:11; Philippians 1:23) ''Bewail'', (10) to express sorrow, lament, mourn (Leviticus 10:6; Deuteronomy 21:13; Judges 11:37) ''Bewitched'', (3) to fascinate; charm (Acts 8:9; Galatians 3:1) ''Bewray'', (4) to reveal, expose, disclose, or betray (Proverbs 27:16; Isaiah 16:3; Matthew 26:73) ''Bier'', (2) a frame on which a corpse or casket is laid (2 Samuel 3:31; Luke 7:14) ''Billow'', (1) a swelling of water (Psalms 42:7) ''Bishop'', (2) overseer (Philippians 1:1; 1 Peter 2:25) ''Bishoprick'', (1) the office of Bishop or overseer (Acts 1:20) ''Bittern'', (3) a bird similar to a heron (Isaiah 14:23, Isaiah 34:11; Zephaniah 2:14) ''Blains'', (2) an swelling or sore; a boil (Exodus 9:9, Exodus 9:10) ''Blaze'', (1) to make known, proclaim, sound an alarm or publish (Mark 1:45) ''Blueness'', (1) the mark of a bruise (Proverbs 20:30) ''Boisterous'', (1) strong; mighty; powerful (Matthew 14:30) ''Bolled'', (1) to be swollen or inflated; full seed pods (Exodus 9:31) ''Bolster'', (6) a pillow or cushion used as a means of support (1 Samuel 19:13) ''Bondslave'', (39) a peasant or someone in slavery (Genesis 21:10; Leviticus 19:20; Deuteronomy 28:68) ''Bosses'', (1) ornamental knobs (Job 15:26) ''Botch'', (2) ulcer, tumor, boil (Deuteronomy 28:27, Deuteronomy 28:35) ''Bowels'', (39) the interior of anything, affections (Genesis 15:4; Philippians 1:8; 1 John 3:17) ''Bravery'', (1) splendor; magnificence (Isaiah 3:18) ''Bray'', (2) to crush; to cry out (Job 6:5; Proverbs 27:22) ''Breeches'', (5) garments for the loins and thighs (Exodus 28:42, Exodus 39:28; Leviticus 6:10) ''Brigandine'', (1) body armor (Jeremiah 46:4, Jeremiah 51:3) ''Brimstone'', (15) burning stone of sulphur (Genesis 19:24; Revelation 21:8) ''Broided'', (1) braided (1 Timothy 2:9) ''Broidered'', (8) to embroider or ornament with needlework (Exodus 28:4; Ezekiel 16:10) ''Bruit'', (2) rumor, report (Jeremiah 10:22; Nahum 3:19) ''Brutish'', (11) uncivilized, stupid, slow, or without understanding (Psalms 49:10; Ezekiel 21:31) ''Buckler'', (16) a round shield with a grip (2 Samuel 22:31; 2 Chronicles 23:9) ''Buffet'', (5) strike, beat, or contend against (Mark 14:65; 1 Corinthians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 12:7) ''Bulrush'', (3) a tall aquatic plant or a cattail (Exodus 2:3; Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 58:5) ''Bunches'', (3) a hump, bump, swelling or tumor (2 Samuel 16:1; 1 Chronicles 12:40; Isaiah 30:6) ''Butler'', (1) cup-bearer (Genesis 14:21) ''By and By'', (4) immediately or at once (Matthew 13:21; Mark 6:25; Luke 17:7)C ''Cab'', (1) nearly 4 pints (2 Kings 6:25) ''Calve'', (4) an animal giving birth to a calf (Job 39:1; Psalms 29:9; Jeremiah 14:5) ''Canker'', (1) a sore, ulcer, or malignant growth (2 Timothy 2:17; James 5:3) ''Cankered'', (1) eaten away (James 5:3) ''Carbuncle'', (4) red precious stone (Exodus 28:17; Ezekiel 28:13; Isaiah 54:12) ''Carefulness'', (1) anxiety (1 Corinthians 7:32) ''Careless'', (1) free from care, secure (Judges 18:7) ''Carnal'', (15) sensual, fleshly, worldly (Romans 7:14; 1 Corinthians 3:1; 2 Corinthians 10:4) ''Carriage'', (6) that which is carried (Judges 18:21; 1 Samuel 17:22; Isaiah 10:28) ''Castaway'', (1) rejected (1 Corinthians 9:27) ''Caul'', (11) fatty tissue that surrounds an organ in the body (Exodus 29:13; Leviticus 9:19) ''Causeway'', (2) paved highway (1 Chronicles 26:16, 1 Chronicles 26:18) ''Ceiled'', (4) covered, panelled (2 Chronicles 3:5; Jeremiah 22:14; Ezekiel 41:16) ''Chambering'', (1) sexual indulgence or lewdness (Romans 13:13) ''Chamberlain'', (1) manager of a household or town (Acts 12:20; Romans 16:23) ''Chamois'', (1) a small antelope (Deuteronomy 14:5) ''Champaign'', (1) a plain; flat, open country (Deuteronomy 11:30) ''Chapiter'', (29) head of, or capital of a column (1 Kings 7:16) ''Chapmen'', (1) a merchant, peddler, or businessman (2 Chronicles 9:14) ''Chapt'', (1) cracked (Jeremiah 14:4) ''Charger'', (20) a platter or large dish (Numbers 7:13; Ezra 1:9; Mark 6:28) ''Charity'', (29) love, affection (Romans 14:15; 1 Corinthians 13:1; Revelation 2:19) ''Chaste'', (3) pure from sexual commerce; undefiled (2 Corinthians 11:2; Titus 2:5) ''Chasten'', (6) to correct by punishment; to punish (2 Samuel 7:14; Revelation 3:19) ''Check'', (1) repulse, rebuke (Job 20:3) ''Chide'', (7) to quarrel, contend, strive or argue (Exodus 17:2; Judges 8:1; Psalms 103:9) ''Chode'', (2) complained (Genesis 31:36; Numbers 20:3) ''Choler'', (2) anger, wrath, or irascibility (Daniel 8:7, Daniel 11:11) ''Churl'', (3) a rude or coarse man (Isaiah 32:5, Isaiah 32:7; 1 Samuel 25:3) ''Circumspect'', (2) to be cautious, wary, or discreet (Exodus 23:13; Ephesians 5:15) ''Cleave'', (4) to split or divide (Leviticus 1:17; Psalms 74:15); (26) to cling or adhere to (Genesis 2:24; Romans 12:9) ''Clift'', (1) cleft, hollow (Exodus 33:22; Isaiah 57:5) ''Closet'', (3) private room (Joel 2:16; Matthew 6:6; Luke 12:3) ''Clouts'', (3) a piece of cloth, often used as a patch (Jeremiah 38:11, Jeremiah 38:12; Joshua 9:5) ''Coasts'', (2) borders, region (Exodus 10:14; Matthew 2:16) ''Cockatrice'', (4) a serpent (Isaiah 11:8) ''Cockle'', (1) a weed, darnel, or tares (Job 31:40) ''Coffer'', (3) a chest, box, trunk or coffin (1 Samuel 6:8, 1 Samuel 6:11, 1 Samuel 6:15) ''Cogitations'', (1) to think, reflect, consider, or meditate (Daniel 7:28) ''Collops'', (1) a small piece or slice of flesh (Job 15:27) ''Comeliness'', (4) becoming, fit or suitable (Isaiah 53:2) ''Comely'', (21) fair, pleasing, appropriate (1 Samuel 16:8; Job 41:12) ''Comfort'', (136) To strengthen; to invigorate; to cheer or enliven (Genesis 5:29; 2 Thessalonians 2:17) ''Commodious'', (1) to be profitable, suitable, beneficial (Acts 27:12) ''Communicate'', (4) to impart; to give to another (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:14) ''Companied'', (1) accompanied (Acts 1:21) ''Compass'', (2) to go around, surround, or encircle (Numbers 21:4; Luke 19:43) ''Conceit'', (1) opinion, conception (Proverbs 18:11) ''Concision'', (1) a cutting; cut to pieces (Philippians 3:2) ''Concluded'', (2) included (Romans 11:32; Galatians 3:22) ''Concord'', (1) in agreement, harmony, accord (2 Corinthians 6:15) ''Concourse'', (2) an assembly of people or a crowd (Proverbs 1:21; Acts 19:40) ''Concubine'', (22) a wife of inferior condition (Genesis 22:24) ''Concupiscence'', (3) strong desire or appetite (Romans 7:8; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:5) ''Coney'', (2) a small, rabbit like, nocturnal animal (Leviticus 11:5; Deuteronomy 14:7) ''Confection'', (1) a composition or mixture (Exodus 30:35) ''Confederate'', (3) a league or joined together (Genesis 14:13; Psalms 83:5; Isaiah 7:2) ''Constrain'', (10) to compel, force, or strongly encourage (Galatians 6:12) ''Contemn'', (7) to scorn, despise, or treat with contempt (Psalms 10:13; Ezekiel 21:13) ''Contrariwise'', (3) on the other hand, on the contrary (2 Corinthians 2:7; Galatians 2:7; 1 Peter 3:9) ''Contrite'', (5) deeply affected with grief and sorrow (Psalms 34:18; Isaiah 57:15) ''Convenient'', (2) suitable, proper (Proverbs 30:8; Ephesians 5:4) ''Conversant'', (2) dwelling with (Joshua 8:35; 1 Samuel 25:15) ''Conversation'', (20) behavior, conduct, or manner (Psalms 37:2; 2 Peter 3:11) ''Convince'', (7) to prove guilty, vanquish, refute (Titus 1:9; Jude 1:15) ''Convocation'', (16) an assembly (Numbers 28:18) ''Coriander'', (2) plant with small spicy seeds (Exodus 16:31; Numbers 11:7) ''Cormorant'', (4) a large ravenous bird (Leviticus 11:17; Deuteronomy 14:17; Isaiah 34:11) ''Corn'', (102) a small hard particle of grain or seed (Genesis 27:28; 1 Timothy 5:18) ''Cotes'', (1) a shelter for animals or storage (2 Chronicles 32:28) ''Coulter'', (1) blade of a plough (1 Samuel 13:20) ''Countenance'', (53) appearance of the face (Genesis 4:5; Luke 9:29) ''Countervail'', (1) a counterbalance (Esther 7:4) ''Cousin'', (1) kinsman, relative (Luke 1:36, Luke 1:58) ''Covert'', (9) a shelter or hiding place (1 Samuel 25:20; Jeremiah 25:38) ''Cracknels'', (1) light, crisp biscuits (1 Kings 14:3) ''Creature'', (41) a created being (Romans 1:25; 1 Timothy 4:4) ''Crib'', (3) the manger of a stable (Job 39:9; Proverbs 14:4; Isaiah 1:3) ''Crisping pins'', (1) curling pins for a women's hair (Isaiah 3:22) ''Crookbackt'', (1) hump-backed, hunch-backed (Leviticus 21:20) ''Cruse'', (9) a small vessel for holding liquids (1 Samuel 26:11; 2 Kings 2:20) ''Cubit'', (252) cubit of a man, from elbow to fingertip; approx 18 in. (Deuteronomy 3:11) ''Cuckow'', (2) gull, bird (Leviticus 11:16; Deuteronomy 14:15) ''Cumbered'', (3) to overwhelm, trouble or burden (Luke 10:40, Luke 13:7; Deuteronomy 1:12) ''Cummin'', (4) a plant used as a spice (Isaiah 28:25, Isaiah 28:27; Matthew 23:23) ''Cunning'', (33) skillful (1 Samuel 16:16; 1 Kings 7:14) ''Curious'', (10) detailed; intricately, or skillfully made (Exodus 28:8; Acts 19:19) ''Curious Arts Curious Arts'', (1) magic, sorcery (Acts 19:19) ''Custom'', (3) tribute, tax, toll (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27)D ''Dainty'', (6) delicate, pleasing, and valuable (Job 33:20; Proverbs 23:6; Revelation 18:14) ''Dale'', (2) a valley (Genesis 14:17; 2 Samuel 18:18) ''Dam'', (4) a mother animal (Exodus 22:30; Leviticus 22:27; Deuteronomy 22:6) ''Damn(ation)'', (3) condemnation, judgment, or sentence (Mark 16:16; Romans 14:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:12) ''Damsel'', (43) a young unmarried woman or a girl (Genesis 24:14; 1 Kings 1:3) ''Dandled'', (1) danced on the knee; fondled (Isaiah 66:12) ''Darling'', (2) a term of endearment referring to a dearly loved person (Psalms 22:20, Psalms 35:17) ''Dash'', To strike against; to beat towards (Luke 4:11) ''Daub'', (1) to cover, coat, or plaster (Ezekiel 13:11) ''Daysman'', (1) a mediator, or arbitrator (Job 9:33) ''Dayspring'', (2) day break; sunrise (Job 38:12; Luke 1:78) ''Deal'', (9) a portion, share (Exodus 29:40; Numbers 29:15) ''Dearth'', (8) scarcity of rain; drought (Genesis 41:54; 2 Kings 4:38; Acts 7:11) ''Deceivableness'', (1) capable of being deceived (2 Thessalonians 2:10) ''Deck'', (12) to adorn, cover or clothe (Job 40:10; Proverbs 7:16; Jeremiah 10:4) ''Decline'', (11) to deviate, or turn aside (Exodus 23:2; Deuteronomy 17:11; Psalms 119:157) ''Delectable'', (1) delightful, pleasing, or delicious (Isaiah 44:9) ''Deliciously'', (1) a manner to please or gratify (Revelation 18:7, Revelation 18:9) ''Delightsome'', (1) delightful, enjoyable, or pleasing (Malachi 3:12) ''Deputed'', (1) to assign, commit, or authorize (2 Samuel 15:3) ''Deride'', (1) to mock in ridicule, scorn, or contempt (Habbakkuk 1:10) ''Describe'', (3) divide, mark out (Joshua 18:4, Joshua 18:6) ''Descry'', (1) spy out, describe, or discover (Judges 1:23) ''Despite'', (9) contempt, scorn, or spite (Ezekiel 25:6; Matthew 5:44; Romans 1:30) ''Devotions'', (1) adoration, acts of worship, or praise (Acts 17:23) ''Diadem'', (4) royal head-dress (Job 29:14; Isaiah 28:5; Ezekiel 21:26) ''Diet'', (2) daily allowance (Jeremiah 52:34) ''Disannul'', (5) to cancel, abolish, or nullify (Job 40:8; Isaiah 14:27; Galatians 3:17) ''Discomfited'', (9) to be defeated, overthrown, or frustrated (Exodus 17:13; 1 Samuel 31:8) ''Dispensation'', (4) dealing out; distribution (1 Corinthians 9:17; Ephesians 1:10; Colossians 1:25) ''Disputation'', (2) an argument, debate, discussion, or controversy (Acts 15:2; Romans 14:1) ''Disquiet'', (8) disturb, trouble, and make restless (Jeremiah 50:34; 1 Samuel 28:15; Proverbs 30:21) ''Dissembled'', (3) to disguise, pretend, or act hypocritically (Galatians 2:13; Psalms 26:4; Proverbs 26:24) ''Dissimulation'', (2) to pretend, hypocrisy or deception (Romans 12:9; Galatians 2:13) ''Distil'', (2) to drip or trickle down (Deuteronomy 32:2; Job 36:28) ''Divers'', (37) different, diverse, varied (Deuteronomy 22:9; James 1:2) ''Divination'', (12) foretelling future events; discovering things secret (Numbers 22:7; Deuteronomy 18:10) ''Doctor'', (3) teacher, instructor (Luke 2:46, Luke 5:17; Acts 5:34) ''Doleful'', (2) sorrowful, mournful, or grieved (Isaiah 13:21; Micah 2:4) ''Dote'', (7) to say or think foolishly (Jeremiah 50:36; Ezekiel 23:5; 1 Timothy 6:4) ''Doth'', (207) do (Genesis 3:5; Revelation 19:11) ''Doting'', (1) excessive fondness (1 Timothy 6:4) ''Downsitting'', (1) sitting down (Psalms 139:2) ''Drams'', (6) a weight of measure (1 Chronicles 29:7; Ezra 2:69; Nehemiah 7:70) ''Draught'', (5) to something derived or extracted (Luke 5:4, Luke 5:9), (3) a privy, bathroom, or sewer (2 Kings 10:27; Matthew 15:17) ''Dromedary'', (4) a one hump camel (Jeremiah 2:23; 1 Kings 4:28; Esther 8:10) ''Duke'', (43) a chief, commander, leader (Genesis 36:15; 1 Chronicles 1:54) ''Dulcimer'', (3) a stringed instrument (Daniel 3:5, Daniel 3:10, Daniel 3:15) ''Dung'', (28) manure, excrement, or anything morally filthy (Exodus 29:14; Philippians 3:8) ''Dureth'', (1) to last, persist, endure, or continue in existence or state (Matthew 13:21) ''Durst'', (9) dare (Mark 12:34)E ''Ear(ing)'', (3) plough the ground, (Genesis 45:6; Exodus 34:21; Deuteronomy 21:4) ''Earnest'', (5) serious, important, or zealous (Romans 8:19); (3) a pledge or deposit securing a contract (2 Corinthians 1:22, 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 1:14) ''Effeminate'', (1) unmanly or unnaturally delicate, soft, or weak (1 Corinthians 6:9) ''Emboldened'', (1) to make bold (1 Corinthians 8:10) ''Emerods'', (8) hemorrhoids, swelling (Deuteronomy 28:27; 1 Samuel 5:6) ''Eminent'', (4) prominent, outstanding, or distinguished (Ezekiel 16:24, Ezekiel 16:31, Ezekiel 16:39, Ezekiel 17:22) ''Emulation'', (2) a jealous rivalry (Romans 11:14, Galatians 5:20) ''Endamage'', (1) to inflict damage upon, injure, or discredit (Ezra 4:13) ''Endued'', (5) to introduce, to bring to a certain condition (Genesis 30:20; 2 Chronicles 2:12; Luke 24:49) ''Engines'', (2) a mechanical device or machine; weapons of warfare (2 Chronicles 26:15; Ezekiel 26:9) ''Engrafted'', (1) to be grafted in, inserted, implanted, or introduced (James 1:21) ''Enjoin'', (4) to direct, command, or impose (Philemon 1:8) ''Enlargement'', (1) freedom, relief (Esther 4:14) ''Ensample'', (6) an example, pattern, model, or sample (Philippians 3:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:9; 2 Peter 2:6) ''Ensign'', (9) a signal, sign, token, emblem (Numbers 2:2; Isaiah 5:26; Zechariah 9:16) ''Ensue'', (1) follow after (1 Peter 3:11) ''Environ'', (1) to surround, or to envelop (Joshua 7:9) ''Ephah'', (37) about 8 gallons (Exodus 16:36; Ezekiel 45:11) ''Ephod'', (52) cape worn by priests (Exodus 39:2.5) ''Epistle'', (14) A sent letter (Acts 15:30) ''Ere'', (10) before or until (Exodus 1:19; John 4:49) ''Eschew'', (4) to shun, avoid, abstain from (1 Peter 3:11) ''Espoused'', (7) promised in marriage; betrothed; engaged (2 Samuel 3:14; Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:27) ''Espy'', (2) see, perceive (Joshua 14:7; Jeremiah 48:19) ''Estate'', (17) condition, position, or status (1 Chronicles 17:17; Jude 6; Ezekiel 36:11; Mark 6:21) ''Euroclydon'', (1) a tempestuous north-easterly wind (Acts 27:14) ''Evilfavouredness'', (1) ugliness, deformity (Deuteronomy 17:1) ''Exchanger'', (1) money-changer; banker (Matthew 25:27) ''Execration'', (2) a curse, detestation; abhorrence (Jeremiah 42:18, Jeremiah 44:12)F ''Fain'', (2) gladly, willingly, or be content to (Job 27:22; Luke 15:16) ''Fairs'', (6) anything gotten at a sale (Ezekiel 27:12) ''Familiar'', (19) intimate, well acquainted, or in close association (Leviticus 19:31; Isaiah 29:4) ''Farthing'', (4) a fourth part of a penny (Matthew 5:26, Matthew 10:29; Mark 12:42) ''Fat'', (3) good, rich, full, prosperous (Nehemiah 8:10; Proverbs 11:25; Isaiah 28:1) ''Fats'', (2) a vat or vessel (Joel 2:24, Joel 3:13) ''Feebleminded'', (1) to be weak, infirm, frail, or faint (1 Thessalonians 5:14) ''Feign'', (13) to invent, pretend (2 Samuel 14:2; 1 Kings 14:5; Luke 20:20) ''Felloes'', (1) part of a wheel rim (1 Kings 7:33) ''Fens'', (1) a marsh or a bog (Job 40:21) ''Fetters'', (11) shackles, metal bands (Psalms 105:18) ''Fillet'', (9) an ornamental narrow band that goes around something (Jeremiah 52:21) ''Firkins'', (1) a small wooden vessel or cask equal to one-fourth barrel (John 2:6) ''Firmament'', (17) the region of the air; the sky or heavens; or the sphere of the stars (Genesis 1:6; Daniel 12:3) ''Firstling'', (10) the first offspring of an animal (Exodus 13:12; Deuteronomy 33:17) ''Fitches'', (3) an herb seed used as a spice or seasoning (Isaiah 28:25, Ezekiel 4:9) ''Flag'', (4) an aquatic plant like a reed or rush (Job 8:11) ''Flagon'', (5) a container for holding liquids (2 Samuel 6:19; 1 Chronicles 16:3) ''Flanks'', (6) the fleshy part of an animal between the ribs and the hip (Leviticus 3:4; Job 15:27) ''Flay'', (4) to skin or strip off the skin (Leviticus 1:6; 2 Chronicles 29:34; Micah 3:3) ''Fleshhook'', (7) a hook for fish (1 Samuel 2:13, 1 Samuel 2:14) ''Flowers'', (2) the menstrual discharge (Leviticus 15:24, Leviticus 15:33) ''Flux'', (1) the flow of blood or any liquid discharge from the bowels (Acts 28:8) ''Forbear'', (22) to bear, endure, submit to, have patience with, tolerate(Exodus 23:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:5) ''Foreship'', (1) the bow of a ship (Acts 27:30) ''Forswear'', (1) renounce earnestly, deny, or repudiate under an oath (Matthew 5:33) ''Forthwith'', (10) immediately, at once, without delay (Ezra 6:8; Acts 21:30) ''Forum'', (1) market place (Acts 28:15) ''Forward'', (3) eager, zealous, ready, or inclined to do something (2 Corinthians 8:10, 2 Corinthians 8:17; Galatians 2:10) ''Foursquare'', (10) square (Exodus 27:1; Revelation 21:16) ''Frankly'', (1) openly, freely (Luke 7:42) ''Fray'', (3) frighten, scare, terrify, or horrify (Deuteronomy 28:26; Jeremiah 7:32; Zechariah 1:21) ''Fret'', (7) grieve, be angry (Psalms 37:1) ''Frontlets'', (3) something worn on the forehead (Exodus 13:16; Deuteronomy 6:8, Deuteronomy 11:18) ''Froward'', (25) stubborn, perverse, difficult, evil-disposed (Deuteronomy 32:20; 1 Peter 2:18) ''Furbish'', (6) polish, sharpen (Jeremiah 46:4) ''Furlong'', (5) 220 yards (Luke 24:13; John 6:19; Revelation 14:20) ''Furniture'', (7) equipment, harness (Genesis 31:34)G ''Gaddest'', (1) to move about restlessly or roam idly (Jeremiah 2:36) ''Gainsay'', (3) to speak against, contradict, oppose, or hinder (Luke 21:15) ''Gallant'', (1) to be admirable, noble, finely dressed, or beautiful in appearance (Isaiah 33:21) ''Garner'', (4) a storehouse for grain, barn (Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17) ''Gat'', (20) got (Psalms 116:3) ''Gay'', (1) happy, joyful, cheerful, or fine (James 2:3) ''Gazingstock'', (2) the object of someone's gaze or stare (Nahum 3:6; Hebrews 10:33) ''Gender'', (4) to produce, breed, generate, or give rise to (Leviticus 19:19; 2 Timothy 2:23) ''Gerah'', (1) one twentieth of a shekel (Exodus 30:13) ''Gin'', (3) a trap or snare (Job 18:9; Isaiah 8:14; Amos 3:5) ''Girdle'', (38) belt (Exodus 28:4; Revelation 1:13) ''Glass'', (4) a mirror (Job 37:18; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 2 Corinthians 3:18; James 1:23) ''Glede'', (1) a bird (Deuteronomy 14:13) ''Glistering'', (2) shining, sparkling, or glittering (1 Chronicles 29:2; Luke 9:29) ''Godhead'', (3) the trinity (Acts 17:29; Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9) ''Goodman'', (6) the male head of the household (Proverbs 7:19; Matthew 20:11; Mark 14:14) ''Greaves'', (1) armor for the lower leg (1 Samuel 17:6) ''Grisled'', (4) an animal that is gray colored, either whole or spotted (Genesis 31:10; Zechariah 6:3, Zechariah 6:6) ''Gross'', (4) thick, powerful, or big (Isaiah 60:2; Jeremiah 13:16; Matthew 13:15) ''Guile'', (11) to deceive or trick (Exodus 21:14; Revelation 14:5)H ''Habergeon'', (5) a sleeveless coat or jacket of armor (Exodus 28:32; Job 41:26) ''Haft'', (1) a handle (Judges 3:22) ''Hale'', (1) to draw, fetch, haul, or pull (Luke 12:58) ''Hallow'', (36) to make holy, consecrated, or set apart (Exodus 28:38; Ezekiel 44:24) ''Halt'', (9) lame or crippled (1 Kings 18:21; Psalms 38:17) ''Handmaid'', (45) a female personal attendant, slave or servant (Genesis 16:1; Luke 1:38) ''Hap'', (7) to happen by chance, or accident (Ruth 2:3, 1 Samuel 14:30; Mark 11:13) ''Hard'', (6) close, near, or in close proximity (Leviticus 3:9; Judges 9:52; 1 Kings 21:1) ''Hardly'', (8) with difficulty (Matthew 19:23; Mark 10:23) ''Hart'', (11) a male deer (Deuteronomy 12:15; Isaiah 35:6) ''Haunt'', (3) a habit, custom, habitation, or place of frequent abode (1 Samuel 23:22; Ezekiel 26:17) ''Heady'', (1) to be headstrong, domineering, overbearing (2 Timothy 3:4) ''Heath'', (2) open uncultivated land (Jeremiah 17:6, Jeremiah 48:6) ''Helve'', (1) a handle (Deuteronomy 19:5) ''Hence'', (30) from this time forward, from this place forward (Genesis 37:17) ''Highminded'', (3) haughty, arrogant, or proud spirit (Romans 11:20; 1 Timothy 6:17; 2 Timothy 3:4) ''Hin'', (22) about 1.5 gallons (Exodus 30:24) ''Hind'', (10) a female deer (Genesis 49:21; Proverbs 5:19; Jeremiah 14:5) ''Hither'', (67) to or towards, up to this point (Genesis 15:16; Revelation 21:9) ''Hitherto'', (18) until now, before (John 5:17; 1 Corinthians 3:2) ''Hoar'', (4) old, aged, or white with age (Exodus 16:14; 1 Kings 2:6; Isaiah 46:4) ''Holden'', (12) held (Psalms 18:35; Luke 24:16) ''Holpen'', (5) helped (Psalms 86:17; Luke 1:54) ''Homer'', (11) 10 ephahs or baths, about 80 gallons (Leviticus 27:16; Isaiah 5:10; Ezekiel 45:11) ''Hosanna'', (6) "save, we pray," a shout of praise (Matthew 21:9; Mark 11:10; John 12:13) ''Hosen'', (1) articles of clothing to cover the legs (Daniel 3:21) ''Hough'', (1) to disable by cutting the tendons in the hind leg (Joshua 11:6) ''Howbeit'', (164) as it may, or nevertheless (Judges 4:17; Hebrews 3:16) ''Husbandry'', (2) the management of a household (2 Chronicles 26:10; 1 Corinthians 3:9)I ''Ignominy'', (1) dishonor, disgrace, or shame (Proverbs 18:3) ''Immutable'', (1) unchangeable, not liable to change, or variation (Hebrews 6:18) ''Impenitent'', (1) not repenting of sin; not contrite (Romans 2:5) ''Imperious'', (1) domineering, overbearing, dominant, or commanding (Ezekiel 16:30) ''Implacable'', (1) unappeasable, or irreconcilable (Romans 1:31) ''Implead'', (1) to sue in a court of justice (Acts 19:38) ''Importunity'', (1) pressing solicitation; urgent request; unwanted persistence (Luke 11:8) ''Impotent'', (4) to be without power, helpless, weak or ineffective (John 5:3, John 5:7; Acts 4:9) ''Impudent'', (3) immodest, disrespectful, or shameless (Proverbs 7:13; Ezekiel 2:4, Ezekiel 3:7) ''Impute'', (13) To charge; to attribute or count (Romans 4:8) ''Incontinent'', (1) inability to contain or restrain oneself (2 Timothy 3:3) ''Inditing'', (1) to declare something (Psalms 45:1) ''Infamy'', (2) shame, disgrace, or bad reputation (Proverbs 25:10; Ezekiel 36:3) ''Infidel'', (2) one who is unfaithful or unbelieving (2 Corinthians 6:15; 1 Timothy 5:8) ''Infolding'', (1) to envelop, enclose, contain, or fold in (Ezekiel 1:4) ''Injurious'', (1) hurtful, insulting, abusive (1 Timothy 1:13) ''Inkhorn'', (3) a small portable vessel for ink (Ezekiel 9:2, Ezekiel 9:3, Ezekiel 9:11) ''Inquisition'', (3) investigation, examination, or inquiry (Deuteronomy 19:18; Esther 2:23; Psalms 9:12) ''Instant'', (3) earnest, urgent or persistent (Luke 23:23; Romans 12:12; 2 Timothy 4:2) ''Issue'', (40) a discharge or flow from the body (Genesis 48:6; Luke 8:44)J ''Jangling'', (1) to make a harsh sound or a noisy altercation (1 Timothy 1:6) ''Jewry'', (3) Judaea: (Daniel 5:13; Luke 23:5; John 7:1) ''Jot'', (1) a little bit or the very least part of something (Matthew 5:18)K ''Kerchiefs'', (2) a cloth used to cover the heads of women; veil (Ezekiel 13:18, Ezekiel 13:21) ''Kernels'', (1) the fruit seed, the inner part of a seed, or kernel of corn (Numbers 6:4) ''Kine'', (24) cows (Genesis 32:15; Amos 4:1) ''Knop'', (10) knob; anything that protrudes (Exodus 25:33, Exodus 37:19) ''Know'', (17) a sexual relationship (Genesis 19:5; 1 Kings 1:4; Matthew 1:25)L ''Lade'', (13) to load; burden (Genesis 45:17; 1 Kings 12:11; Luke 11:46) ''Lance'', (1) spear (Jeremiah 50:42) ''Lancets'', (1) a small spear, javelin, dart (1 Kings 18:28) ''Lapwing'', (2) a bird (a plover) (Leviticus 11:19; Deuteronomy 14:18) ''Lasciviousness'', (6) to be lustful, licentious, lewd (Mark 7:22; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19) ''Latchet'', (4) thong, lace (Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16; John 1:27) ''Laud'', (1) to extol, praise, worship, or acclaim (Romans 15:11) ''Laver'', (20) a basin, bowl, or other vessel used for washing (Exodus 30:18; 2 Kings 16:17) ''Leasing'', (2) lying, falsehood, or deceit (Psalms 4:2; Psalms 5:6) ''Leaven'', (23) yeast, fermented bread dough (Exodus 12:15; Galatians 5:9) ''Lees'', (4) the deposits or sediment from a liquid; dregs (Isaiah 25:6; Jeremiah 48:11; Zephaniah 1:12) ''Legion'', (4) three to five thousand (Matthew 26:53) ''Let'', (4) to hinder, prevent, or obstruct (Isaiah 43:13; Romans 1:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:7) ''Leviathan'', (2) aquatic animal; river or sea creature (Job 41:1; Psalms 104:26) ''Libertines'', (1) freed slaves (Acts 6:9) ''Licence'', (2) to give permission or authorization (Acts 21:40, Acts 25:16) ''Lieutenants'', (4) provincial rulers (Ezra 8:36; Esther 3:12) ''Lign aloes'', (1) an aromatic wood (Numbers 24:6) ''Liking'', (2) ones condition, whether good or bad (Job 39:4; Daniel 1:10) ''Listed'', (4) meaning pleases, desires (Matthew 17:12; Mark 9:13; John 3:8) ''Litters'', (1) a portable couch or bed (Isaiah 66:20) ''Lively'', (3) living or to have life (Acts 7:38; 1 Peter 1:3, 1 Peter 2:5) ''Lordly'', (1) to be magnificent, noble, or grand (Judges 5:25) ''Lowring'', (1) gloomy, dark, threatening, or menacing (Matthew 16:3) ''Lucre'', (6) dishonorable or unlawful gain or advantage (1 Samuel 8:3; 1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7) ''Lunatick'', (2) one who is insane (Matthew 4:24, Matthew 17:15) ''Lusty'', (1) vigorous, strong, lively or robust (Judges 3:29)M ''Magnifical'', (1) renowned, glorious, eminent, stately (1 Chronicles 22:5) ''Mail'', (2) body armor of overlapping plates (1 Samuel 17:5, 1 Samuel 17:38) ''Malefactor'', (4) a criminal, felon, or one who does evil (John 18:30; Luke 23:32, Luke 23:39) ''Malignity'', (1) hatred, wickedness, or malice (Romans 1:29) ''Mallows'', (1) an inedible plant (Job 30:4) ''Mammon'', (4) reproach for wealth, riches, or money (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:9) ''Mandrakes'', (6) plant used as a love charm (Genesis 30:14; Song Solomon 7:13) ''Mantle'', (14) a loose sleeveless cloak (Judges 4:18; Psalms 109:29) ''Maranatha'', (1) "our Lord cometh." (1 Corinthians 16:22) ''Marishes'', (1) marshes, swamps or other wetlands (Ezekiel 47:11) ''Matrix'', (5) the womb or the point of origin (Exodus 13:12; Numbers 3:12) ''Maul'', (1) hammer, mallet (Proverbs 25:18) ''Maw'', (1) stomach, the fourth stomach of a ruminant (Deuteronomy 18:3) ''Mean'', (5) common, undistinguished, inferior, or of low degree (Proverbs 22:29; Isaiah 2:9; Acts 21:39) ''Meat'', (284) food of any kind (Genesis 1:29, Genesis 1:30; John 4:34) ''Meet'', (27) proper, fitting, suitable, or becoming (Genesis 2:18; 2 Peter 1:13) ''Mess'', (2) a portion, share, ration, or allotment of food (Genesis 43:34; 2 Samuel 11:8) ''Messiah'', (2) the anointed one (Daniel 9:25, Daniel 9:26; John 1:41, John 4:25) ''Mete'', (6) to allot, measure, or apportion (Exodus 16:18; Psalms 60:6; Matthew 7:2) ''Meteyard'', (1) a measuring rod (Leviticus 19:35) ''Milch'', (3) an animal which gives milk (Genesis 32:15; 1 Samuel 6:7, 1 Samuel 6:10) ''Mincing'', (1) with little steps (Isaiah 3:16) ''Minish'', (2) to make less in size, degree, power, or influence (Exodus 5:19); Psalms 107:39) ''Mite'', (3) extremely small piece of money (Luke 12:59; Mark 12:42; Luke 21:2) ''Mitre'', (13) a cap, turban, headdress; ceremonial headwear (Exodus 28:4; Zechariah 3:5) ''Mollified'', (1) to be softened, soothed, appeased, or pacified (Isaiah 1:6) ''Morrow'', (101) the next day, the next morning (Genesis 19:34; James 4:14) ''Mortify'', (2) to kill, destroy (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5) ''Mote'', (6) a speck of dirt or dust (Matthew 7:3, Matthew 7:4, Luke 6:42) ''Muffler'', (1) an ornament worn by women (Isaiah 3:19) ''Munition'', (3) a fortification, defensive structure (Isaiah 29:7; Nahum 2:1) ''Murrain'', (1) a plague effecting domestic animals (Exodus 9:3)N ''Napkin'', (3) a kerchief, neckerchief, handkerchief (Luke 19:20; John 11:44, John 20:7) ''Nativity'', (7) ones birth with reference to national identity (Genesis 11:28; Ruth 2:11; Jeremiah 46:16) ''Naught'', or Nought (37) worthless or nothing (2 Kings 2:19; Proverbs 20:14) ''Naves'', (1) the hub of wheels (1 Kings 7:33) ''Nay'', (55) no; denial (Genesis 18:15; James 5:12) ''Necromancer'', (1) one who attempts to foretell events by seeking the dead (Deuteronomy 18:11) ''Neesings'', (1) sneezing (Job 41:18) ''Nephew'', (4) a grandson or descendant (Job 18:19; Isaiah 14:22) ''Nether'', (15) lower; beneath (Exodus 19:17; Ezekiel 32:24) ''Nigh'', (100) near, proximity in place, time, or position (Genesis 47:29; James 5:8) ''Nitre'', (2) carbonate of soda, a cleansing agent (Proverbs 25:20; Jeremiah 2:22) ''Noised'', (4) to make a noise, spread a rumor, or report an event (Joshua 6:27; Mark 2:1; Luke 1:65) ''Noisome'', (4) to be annoying or hurtful (Psalms 91:3; Ezekiel 14:15; Rev.16:2)O ''Obeisance'', (9) an expression of respect or submission (Genesis 37:7; Ex.18:7; 2 Chronicles 24:17) ''Oblation'', (1) a sacrifice or offering usually made to a god (Leviticus 2:4; Isaiah 44:20) ''Occupy'', (1) to trade or do business (Luke 19:13) ''Occurrent'', (1) happening, taking place (1 Kings 5:4) ''Odious'', (2) offensive, disgusting, or repugnant (1 Chronicles 19:6; Proverbs 30:23) ''Offend'', (3) cause to stumble or sin (Matthew 18:6, Matthew 18:8, Matthew 18:9) ''Oft'', (13) often; frequently (2 Kings 4:8; Job 21:17; Hebrews 6:7) ''Omer'', (6) one tenth of an ephah, about 6:5 pints (Exodus 16:16, Exodus 16:36) ''Omnipotent'', (1) all-powerful; all-mighty (Revelation 19:6) ''Oracle'', (17) someone regarded as infallible; a place (2 Samuel 16:23; 1 Kings 7:49; Psalms 28:2) ''Oration'', (1) a prayer, speech or discourse (Acts 12:21) ''Ordain'', (41) to establish in a particular office or order (1 Chronicles 9:22; 1 Corinthians 7:17) ''Ossifrage'', (2) a vulture (Leviticus 11:13; Deuteronomy 14:12) ''Ouches'', (8) sockets or precious settings (Exodus 28:11) ''Outgoings'', (8) limits; boundaries (Joshua 17:9; Psalms 65:8) ''Outlandish'', (1) a foreigner, or one who is strange or bizarre (Nehemiah 13:26)P ''Painfulness'', (1) toil, labour (2 Corinthians 11:27) ''Palsy'', (12) paralysis (Matthew 4:24; Acts 9:33) ''Pangs'', (9) sharp pains (Isaiah 13:8; Micah 4:9) ''Paps'', (4) nipples, breasts (Ezekiel 23:21; Luke 11:27, Revelation 1:13) ''Paramours'', (1) a mistress, concubine, or illicit lover (Ezekiel 23:20) ''Pate'', (1) the crown of the head (Psalms 7:16) ''Patrimony'', (1) an inheritance from one's father (Deuteronomy 18:8) ''Peculiar'', (7) singular, particular; belonging exclusively to a person (Exodus 19:5; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 2:9) ''Pentecost'', (3) fiftieth day after passover (Acts 2:1; 1 Corinthians 16:8) ''Penury'', (2) to be destitute or in poverty (Proverbs 14:23; Luke 21:4) ''Peradventure'', (32) perhaps; possibly (1 Kings 18:27; Romans 5:7) ''Perdition'', (8) damnation, destruction, or loss (John 17:12; Revelation 17:11) ''Pernicious'', (1) destructive, hurtful, or wicked (2 Peter 2:2) ''Phylacteries'', (1) small boxes containing texts of Scripture (Matthew 23:5) ''Pilled'', (2) to be peeled (Genesis 30:37, Genesis 30:38) ''Plaiting'', (1) to braid, fold together, or weave (1 Peter 3:3) ''Plat'', (1) plot of ground (1 Kings 9:26) ''Platted'', (3) to be braided or weaved (Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2) ''Poll'', (9) to count individually (Numbers 3:47; Ezekiel 44:20; Micah 1:16) ''Polled'', (1) cut hair (2 Samuel 14:26) ''Pommels'', (3) a knob or ornamental ball (2 Chronicles 4:12, 2 Chronicles 4:13) ''Port'', (1) gate, entry (Nehemiah 2:13) ''Post'', (2) messenger carrying letters (Job 9:25; 2 Chronicles 30:6) ''Potentate'', (1) a sovereign, king, dictator, or supreme ruler (1 Timothy 6:15) ''Potsherd'', (4) piece of broken pottery (Psalms 22:15; Isaiah 45:9) ''Pottage'', (7) porridge, stew, or thick soup (Genesis 25:29; Haggai 2:12) ''Pound'', (15) a weight of silver (1 Kings 10:17; John 19:39) ''Prating'', (3) foolish, boastful, or vain talk (Proverbs 10:8, Proverbs 10:10; 3 John 1:10) ''Presbytery'', (1) assembly of elders (1 Timothy 4:14) ''Presently'', (6) immediately (Proverbs 12:16; Matthew 26:53) ''Press'', (3) crowd of people (Mark 2:4, Mark 5:27; Luke 8:19, Luke 19:3) ''Prevent'', (7) to go before, or preceed (Job 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:15) ''Prey'', (71) booty, spoil (Numbers 31:12, Numbers 31:26) ''Pricks'', (3) goads for driving cattle (Numbers 33:55; Acts 9:5, Acts 26:14) ''Privily'', (15) secretly; privately (Judges 9:31; Matthew 1:19) ''Privy'', (4) to have knowledge of (Judges 9:31; 2 Peter 2:1) ''Profane'', (13) common, unholy; to dishonor (Ezekiel 42:20; Malachi 2:11) ''Progenitors'', (1) ancestors or forefathers (Genesis 49:26) ''Prognosticators'', (1) one who predicts, forecast, or foretells (Isaiah 47:13) ''Proselyte'', (2) convert to Judaism (Matthew 23:15; Acts 2:10, Acts 13:43) ''Prove'', (12) to test or try (Exodus 16:4; 1 Timothy 3:10) ''Provender'', (7) animal feed (Genesis 24:25; Isaiah 30:24) ''Psaltery'', (13) a type of harp; stringed instrument (1 Samuel 10:5; Daniel 3:15) ''Publican'', (6) a tax collector (Matthew 10:3, Matthew 18:17; Luke 5:27) ''Pulse'', (3) grain, seed, or beans used as food (2 Samuel 17:28; Daniel 1:12, Daniel 1:16) ''Purloining'', (1) stealing; theft (Titus 2:10) ''Purtenance'', (1) the intestines of an animal (Exodus 12:9) ''Putrifying'', (1) to rot, decay; to stink (Isaiah 1:6) ''Pygarg'', (1) an antelope with a white rump (Deuteronomy 14:5)Q ''Quarter'', (17) a region, locality, or section (Genesis 19:4; Isaiah 47:15; Mark 1:45) ''Quaternions'', (1) a set of four things (Acts 12:4) ''Quick'', quicken, (23) to have, give, or restore life (Leviticus 13:10; 1 Peter 4:5; Romans 8:11) ''Quit'', (6) aquit; to be discharged or free (Exodus 21:19; Joshua 2:20), (2) to release from an obligation (1 Samuel 4:9; 1 Corinthians 16:13) ''Rail'', (14) to denounce, scorn, insult (1 Samuel 25:14; Mark 15:29; Luke 23:29) ''Raiment'', (57) clothing, dress, or apparel (Genesis 24:53; Revelation 4:4) ''Rampart'', (2) earth raised around a fort; fortification (Lamentations 2:8; Nahum 3:8) ''Ranging'', (1) roving, wandering (Proverbs 28:15) ''Rank'', (2) full grown, upright, robust (Genesis 41:5, Genesis 41:7), (4) to set the battle in array (Numbers 2:16; 1 Chronicles 12:33) ''Rase'', (2) demolish; destroy (Psalms 137:7) ''Ravening'', (5) plundering; tearing to pieces (Luke 11:39; Ezekiel 22:25) ''Ravin'', (2) to plunder, rob, or pillage (Genesis 49:27; Nahum 2:12) ''Rear'', (4) to raise, build or erect (Leviticus 26:1; 2 Samuel 24:18; John 2:20) ''Redound'', (1) to rebound, exceed, overflow (2 Corinthians 4:15) ''Rehearse'', (2) report, declare (Exodus 17:14; Acts 14:27) ''Reins'', (15) the seat of emotions, feelings, or affections (Job 16:13; Revelation 2:23) ''Rend'', (19) to tear or pull apart (Exodus 39:23; John 19:24) ''Reprobate'', (7) refused, depraved, worthless (Jeremiah 6:30; Romans 1:28; 2 Timothy 3:8) ''Requite'', (9) to pay back or retaliate (Genesis 50:15; 1 Timothy 5:4) ''Rereward'', (6) a rear guard (Numbers 10:25; Joshua 6:9; 1 Samuel 29:2) ''Respite'', (2) a rest, a reprieve or postponement (Exodus 8:15; 1 Samuel 11:3) ''Revellings'', (2) a noisy feast, any kind of disorderly or immoral festivity (Galatians 5:21; 1 Peter 4:3) ''Rifled'', (1) to be plundered, robbed, pillaged (Zechariah 14:2) ''Ringstraked'', (2) streaked, striped (Genesis 30:35.40, Genesis 31:8) ''Riot'', (4) wanton, or wasteful living; extravagance (Titus 1:6; 1 Peter 4:4; 2 Peter 2:13) ''Rising'', (7) an abscess, tumor, or boil (Leviticus 13:2) ''Road'', (1) a journey, hostile incursion, or raid (1 Samuel 27:10) ''Rude'', (1) unlearned, uneducated, unskilled (2 Corinthians 11:6) ''Rudiments'', (2) first principles; origin, first form (Colossians 2:8, Colossians 2:20) ''Rue'', (1) an herb (Luke 11:42)S ''Sackbut'', (4) a medieval wind instrument (Daniel 3:5, Daniel 3:10, Daniel 3:15) ''Sacrilege'', (1) stealing what is consecrated to God (Romans 2:22) ''Satiate'', (3) to fill to excess or satisfy (Jeremiah 31:14, Jeremiah 46:10) ''Satyr'', (2) male goat (Isaiah 13:21, Isaiah 34:14) ''Save'', (1) besides; except (John 6:22, John 6:46) ''Savour'', (54) taste (Exodus 5:21; Matthew 5:13); think, understand (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33) ''Scall'', (14) a sore or scab (Leviticus 13:30, Leviticus 14:54) ''Scant'', (1) skimped, meager (Micah 6:10) ''Scrabbled'', (1) rake, scrape, or snatch hurriedly (1 Samuel 21:13) ''Scrip'', (7) a small bag, satchel, or purse (1 Samuel 17:40; Luke 22:36) ''Seemly'', (2) fitting, proper or appropriate (Proverbs 19:10, Proverbs 26:1) ''Seethe'', (9) to boil or cook by boiling (Exodus 16:23; Zechariah 14:21) ''Selvedge'', (2) the edge of woven fabric (Exodus 26:4, Exodus 36:11) ''Sepulchre'', (54) a tomb, grave, or burial place (Genesis 23:6; Romans 3:13) ''Servile'', (12) befitting a slave or a menial position (Leviticus 23:7; Numbers 29:35) ''Servitor'', (1) a servant, slave; one who provides a service (2 Kings 4:43) ''Settle'', (6) a sitting place, or a raised platform (Ezekiel 43:14, Ezekiel 43:17, Ezekiel 43:20, Ezekiel 45:19) ''Severally'', (1) separately, individually (1 Corinthians 12:11) ''Shambles'', (1) tables for displaying goods; market (1 Corinthians 10:25) ''Shamefacedness'', (1) the state or quality of being ashamed; modest (1 Timothy 2:9) ''Share'', (1) to shear (1 Samuel 13:20) ''Shekel'', (40) about .5 ounce (Exodus 38:24, Exodus 38:25) ''Sherd'', (2) shard, fragment (Isaiah 30:14; Ezekiel 23:34) ''Shittim'', (33) acacia tree (Exodus 25:5; Isaiah 41:19) ''Shivers'', (1) chips, splinters, or slivers (Revelation 2:27) ''Shod'', (4) wearing shoes or furnished with shoes (2 Chronicles 28:15; Ezekiel 16:10; Ephesians 6:15) ''Shroud'', (1) cover, shelter (Ezekiel 31:3) ''Silly'', (3) simple, foolish (Hosea 7:11; 2 Timothy 3:6) ''Silverlings'', (1) a piece of money made of silver (Isaiah 7:23) ''Similitude'', (12) likeness, image, or resemblance (Numbers 12:8) ''Simple'', (20) ignorant, without guile, innocent (Proverbs 9:4; Romans 16:19) ''Sith'', (1) since (Ezekiel 35:6) ''Sixscore'', (1) 120, 6 times 20 (1 Kings 9:14; Jonah 4:11) ''Sleight'', (1) an artful trick; cunning, or skill (Ephesians 4:14) ''Slime'', (2) mud, bitumen (Genesis 11:3, Genesis 14:10; Exodus 2:3) ''Sluices'', (1) a dam for water; barrier (Isaiah 19:10) ''Snuffed'', (2) to inhale, draw up, smell (Jeremiah 14:6; Malachi 1:13) ''Sod'', (2) cook, boil (Genesis 25:29; 2 Chronicles 35:13) ''Sodering'', (1) soldering (Isaiah 41:7) ''Sojourn'', (33) dwell for a period (Genesis 12:10) ''Solace'', (1) to comfort, sooth, console (Proverbs 7:18) ''Soothsayer'', (7) one who claims to foretell future events (Joshua 13:22; Isaiah 2:6; Daniel 2:27) ''Sop'', (4) bread dipped in liquid before being eaten (John 13:26, John 13:30) ''Sottish'', (1) to be foolish or stupid (Jeremiah 4:22) ''Spring'', (2) dawn (Judges 19:25; 1 Samuel 9:26) ''Stanched'', (1) to stop (Luke 8:44) ''Stay'', (33) support; hold up (Psalms 18:18; Isaiah 3:1; Leviticus 13:5) ''Stead'', (131) place (Genesis 30:2; 2 Corinthians 5:20) ''Stomacher'', (1) an embroidered garment; corset (Isaiah 3:24) ''Straightway'', (42) immediately or right away (1 Samuel 9:13; James 1:24) ''Strait'', (10) to be narrow, tight, or close (1 Samuel 13:6; Philippians 1:23) ''Strakes'', (2) a streak or a stripe (Genesis 30:37; Leviticus 14:37) ''Strawed'', (5) strewed, scattered (Exodus 32:20; Matthew 21:8) ''Stripling'', (1) a youth or young person (1 Samuel 17:56) ''Suborned'', (1) to procure secretly, bribe, or obtain by corrupt or counterfeit means (Acts 6:11) ''Subtil'', (3) cunning (Genesis 3:1; Matthew 26:4); insight, perception (Proverbs 1:4) ''Succour'', (5) to help, aid, assist (2 Samuel 8:5, 2 Samuel 18:3; Hebrews 2:18) ''Suffer'', (51) to allow, permit, tolerate (Exodus 12:23; Revelation 11:9) ''Sunder'', (7) to separate, divide, or sever (Psalms 46:9; Isaiah 27:9; Luke 12:46) ''Sundry'', (1) separate, various, or diverse (Hebrews 1:1) ''Sup'', (3) to have taken food to eat (Habbakkuk 1:9; Luke 17:8; Revelation 3:20) ''Superfluity'', (4) to be excessive, overflowing, or unnecessary (James 1:21; Leviticus 21:18; 2 Corinthians 9:1) ''Supple'', (1) to soften, easily bent (Ezekiel 16:4) ''Suppliants'', (1) petition, pray, or beseech (Zephaniah 3:10) ''Surfeiting'', (1) gluttony, overindulgence, or excess (Luke 21:34) ''Surmisings'', (1) allegations, suspicions, or suppositions (1 Timothy 6:4) ''Swaddling'', (1) to wrap or bind with cloth (Luke 2:7, Luke 2:12)T ''Tabering'', (1) the beating or striking of anything (Nahum 2:7) ''Tabernacle'', (328) tent, dwelling (Exodus 39:32; Matthew 17:4) ''Table'', (2) writing tablet (Luke 1:63; 2 Corinthians 3:3) ''Tablets'', (3) ornaments, necklace, jewelry (Exodus 35:22; Numbers 31:50; Isaiah 3:20) ''Taches'', (10) fasteners; hooks (Exodus 26:6, Exodus 39:33) ''Tale'', (4) a number or quantity (Exodus 5:8, Exodus 5:18; 1 Samuel 18:27; 1 Chronicles 9:28) ''Talent'', (65) OT: 3,000 shekels, 94 Lbs (Exodus 38:24); NT: 60 pounds (Luke 19:13) ''Tares'', (8) any kind of weed (Matthew 13:25) ''Targets'', (3) a small shield or buckler (1 Samuel 17:6; 1 Kings 10:16; 2 Chronicles 9:15) ''Teats'', (3) the nipple on the breast (Isaiah 32:12; Ezekiel 23:3, Ezekiel 23:21) ''Teil'', (1) the linden or lime tree (Isaiah 6:13) ''Tell'', (3) to count, reckon, or name numerically (Genesis 15:5; Psalms 22:17, Psalms 48:12) ''Tempt'', (14) try, test (Genesis 22:1; Matthew 4:7) ''Teraphim'', (6) idols, images, or gods (Judges 17:5, Judges 18:14, Judges 18:17, Judges 18:18, Judges 18:20; Hosea 3:4) ''Terrestrial'', (2) earthly, worldly; pertaining to land (1 Corinthians 15:40) ''Tetrarch'', (7) one of four rulers (Matthew 14:1; Luke 1:1; Acts 13:1) ''Thee'', (3825) the second person, singular pronoun; you (Genesis 3:11; Revelation 21:9) ''Thence'', (145) from that time, date, or place (Genesis 2:10; 2 Corinthians 2:13) ''Thine'', (932) the possessive case of the second person (Genesis 13:14 Exodus 4:4; Revelation 3:18) ''Thither'', (95) there, toward that place (Genesis 29:30; Acts 25:4) ''Thou'', (5473) personal pronoun of the second person singular (Genesis 2:16; James 2:22; Revelation 22:9) ''Thought'', (1) anxiety; worry (Matthew 6:25) ''Thrice'', (15) three times in succession (Exodus 34:23; 2 Corinthians 12:8) ''Thy'', (4809) second person, singular pronoun (Genesis 13:10; Revelation 22:9) ''Thyine'', (1) wood from the thya tree (Revelation 18:12) ''Timbrel'', (10) a small drum or tambourine (Ex.15:20; Job 21:12; Psalms 81:2) ''Tire'', (3) apparel, clothing, a head-dress (Ezekiel 24:17) ''Tithe'', (27) a tenth (Deuteronomy 14:22; Luke 11:42) ''Tittle'', (2) the marks in writing (Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17) ''Tow'', (3) the fibers of flax (Judges 16:9; Isaiah 1:31, Isaiah 43:17) ''Traffick'', (5) to trade, engage in commerce (Genesis 42:34; 1 Kings 10:15; Ezekiel 17:4) ''Translate'', (5) to transfer, convey, transport (Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 11:5) ''Travail'', (5) work, labour (Genesis 38:27; Isaiah 53:11) ''Trespass'', (82) sin, transgress (Genesis 50:17; Matthew 18:15) ''Trow'', (1) trust, believe, accept (Luke 17:9) ''Turtle'', (12) turtle-dove (Leviticus 12:8; Song Solomon 2:12; Jeremiah 8:7) ''Twain'', (17) two (1 Samuel 18:21; Ephesians 2:15) ''Twined'', (21) to be twisted, wrapped, or plaited together (Exodus 26:1, Exodus 39:29)U ''Unawares'', (12) unknowingly, unexpectedly (Genesis 31:20; Jud 1:4) ''Unction'', (1) anointing; divine or sanctifying grace (1 John 2:20) ''Untoward'', (1) to be corrupt, improper, or perverse in the AV (Acts 2:40) ''Upbraid'', (2) to rebuke, condemn, or scold (Judges 8:15; Matthew 11:20) ''Usurp'', (1) hold in possession without right (1 Timothy 2:12) ''Usury'', (24) interest on money (Exodus 22:25; Luke 19:23) ''Uttermost'', (2) outermost; last (Exodus 26:4; Matthew 5:26)V ''Vagabond'', (3) fugitive, wanderer (Genesis 4:12; Acts 19:13) ''Vail'', Veil Vail, Veil, (25) curtain; divider (Exodus 26:31; Matthew 27:51) ''Vale'', (9) a valley (Genesis 14:3; 2 Chronicles 1:15; Jeremiah 33:13) ''Valour'', (37) importance, boldness, or determination (Judges 3:29; Nehemiah 11:14) ''Variableness'', (1) changeable (James 1:17) ''Variance'', (2) dissension or controversy (Matthew 10:35; Galatians 5:20) ''Vaunt'', (1) to brag, boast, gloat (1 Corinthians 13:4) ''Vehement'', (8) vigorous, violent, or intense (Song Solomon 8:6; Jonah 4:8; 2 Corinthians 7:11) ''Vein'', (1) a mineral deposit (Job 28:1) ''Venison'', (8) the flesh of a beast of prey (Genesis 25:28) ''Venture'', (4) a happening or event involving chance, risk (1 Kings 22:34; 2 Chronicles 18:33) ''Verily'', (140) truly, really, or indeed (Genesis 42:21; 1 John 2:5) ''Verity'', (2) truth or an established fact (Psalms 111:7; 1 Timothy 2:7) ''Vermilion'', (2) a bright red pigment (Jeremiah 22:14; Ezekiel 23:14) ''Vestments'', (2) garments, robes (2 Kings 10:22) ''Vesture'', (8) clothing or something that covers (Deuteronomy 22:12; Psalms 22:18; Matthew 27:35) ''Vex'', (15) to trouble, afflict, or agitate (Leviticus 19:33; Isaiah 11:13) ''Vexation'', (14) trouble, distress, affliction (Deuteronomy 28:20; Ecclesiastes 4:6) ''Victuals'', (22) food, sustenance, or provisions (Exodus 12:39, 2 Chronicles 11:11) ''Vile'', (19) wicked (Romans 1:26); lowly (Philippians 3:21); filthy (James 2:2) ''Viol'', (4) an instrument similar to a violin (Isaiah 5:12; Amos 6:5) ''Virtue'', (10) worth, goodness, morality (Mark 5:30; Philippians 4:8; 2 Peter 1:3) ''Visage'', (3) the face, countenance, or appearance of a person (Isaiah 52:14; Lamentations 4:8; Daniel 3:19)W ''Want'', (31) lacking or deficient (Deuteronomy 28:48; Philippians 4:11) ''Wanton'', (5) undisciplined, unruly, extravagant (Isaiah 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:11; James 5:5) ''Wax'', (20) growing or increasing in size or number (Exodus 22:24; Hebrews 1:11) ''Wayfaring'', (6) a traveler or wanderer (Judges 19:17; 2 Samuel 12:4; Jeremiah 9:2) ''Waymarks'', (1) guideposts (Jeremiah 31:21) ''Wen'', (1) a lump, tumor, cyst (Leviticus 22:22) ''Wench'', (1) a young girl, a maid, or a young women (2 Samuel 17:17) ''Whence'', (72) from what place (Genesis 16:8; Revelation 7:13) ''Whet'', (4) to sharpen (Deuteronomy 32:41; Psalms 7:12; Ecclesiastes 10:10) ''Whilst'', (20) while (Judges 6:31; Hebrews 10:33) ''Whit'', (5) the least amount (Deuteronomy 13:16; 1 Samuel 3:18; John 7:23) ''Wiles'', (2) tricks, deceits, deception (Numbers 25:18; Ephesians 6:11) ''Wimples'', (1) garment to cover the head and neck (Isaiah 3:22) ''Wise'', (31) way or manner (Exodus 22:23; Revelation 21:27) ''Wist'', (13) knew (Exodus 16:15; Mark 9:6; Luke 2:49) ''Wit'', (21) to know (Genesis 24:21; 2 Corinthians 8:1) ''Withal'', (32) therewith or with (Exodus 25:29; Philippians 1:22) ''Withs'', (3) cords, ropes (Judges 16:7) ''Wont'', (9) accustomed to, used to (Exodus 21:29; Acts 16:13) ''Wot'', (3) know (Exodus 32:1; Genesis 39:8; Acts 3:17; Romans 11:2) ''Wreathen'', (10) twisting or interweaving (Exodus 28:14; 2 Kings 25:17) ''Wrest'', (5) to pull, force, detach (Exodus 23:2; 2 Peter 3:16) ''Wroth'', (49) angry, indignant, or incensed (Genesis 4:5; Revelation 12:17)Y ''Ye'', (3983) you (Genesis 3:1; Revelation 19:18) ''Yea'', (340) yes (Genesis 3:1; Revelation 14:13) ''Yokefellow'', (1) a person yoked or associated with another (Philippians 4:3) ''Yonder'', (7) over there, that location (Genesis 22:5; Numbers 16:37; Matthew 17:20)

### Why Prophecy is a Big Deal //''Lighting the way and helping us be ready for what’s to come.''// ''The percentage of the whole Bible that is prophetic.'' //27% of the whole Bible is prophetic:// Of the 333 prophecies concerning Christ, only 109 were fulfilled by His first coming, leaving 224 yet to be fulfilled in the Second Coming. There are over 300 references to the Lord’s coming in the 260 chapters of the New Testament—one out of every 30 verses! ''Consider these Prophecy facts:'' * Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books mention the Lord’s second coming. * Jesus refers to His second coming at least twenty-one times. * There are 1,527 Old Testament passages that refer to the Second Coming. * For every time the Bible mentions the first coming, the Second Coming is mentioned eight times. People are exhorted to be ready for the return of Jesus Christ over fifty times. ''Prophecy warrants serious study'' * To say that Bible prophecy is unimportant ignores how much prophecy the Bible contains. * Entire books such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation are prophetic. * Many other books contain large sections of prophecy: Jeremiah, Joel, Malachi, Matthew, and the Thessalonian epistles. ''Revelation - special blessing'' //There is a special blessing for those who read the book of Revelation.// Revelations 1:3 – “God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near.” This is the only book in the Bible that contains this specific, unique promise. For this reason the book of Revelation has often been called the “Blessing Book.” The inclusion of this blessing seems to anticipate that many would be tempted to neglect the study of Bible prophecy, especially the book of Revelation. //''Jesus is the subject of Prophecy''// ''Prophecy is all about Christ:'' It begins and ends in the person and work of the Savior. Revelation 19:10 says, “The essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.” The truth of this verse is certainly borne out in Scripture. The very first prophecy in the Bible in Genesis 3:15 promises a Deliverer who will crush the head of the serpent. Enoch’s ancient prophecy recorded in Jude 1:14-15 prophesies the second coming of Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with prophecies that ultimately point in some way to the Savior. ''Prophecy motivates us to Live Godly Lives in Light of Eternity'' Charles Dyer, a prophecy expert, emphasizes this practical purpose of Bible prophecy: “God gave prophecy to change our hearts, not to fill our heads with knowledge. God never predicted future events just to satisfy our curiosity about the future. Every time God announces events that are future, He includes with His predictions practical applications to life. God’s pronouncements about the future carry with them specific advice for the ‘here and now.’ ” ''Prophecy Reveals the Sovereignty of God over Time and History'' There are no unforeseen circumstances with God. He rules sovereignly over His world. The God of the Bible knows everything (omniscient), is present everywhere (omnipresent), and possesses all power (omnipotent). Because He knows all things and is present at all times in all places, He has the power to fulfill all of His predictions. The God of the Bible challenges any pretenders to His position of supremacy in the universe: only the true God can accurately predict the future. ''Prophecy Proves the Truth of God’s Word'' Hundreds of prophecies have come to pass exactly as the Bible has said, which is absolute proof that the Bible is the inspired Word of the Sovereign Lord. According to prophecy scholar John Walvoord, the Bible contains about one thousand prophecies of which about five hundred have already been fulfilled. The Bible has an amazing track record of 100 percent accuracy 100 percent of the time. It is batting 1.000. Just as Bible prophecy establishes that God is the true God, it also proves that God’s Word is the true Word. ''Click or tap on these items for more information:'' <details><summary>Fulfilled Prophecies of the 1st Coming of Jesus, the Messiah</summary> 0. He was born of a woman. (Gen. 3:15 => Gal. 4:4) 0. He was a descendant of Abraham. (Gen. 12:3, 7 => Mat. 1:1, Gal. 3:16) 0. He was of the tribe of Judah. (Gen. 49:10 => Heb. 7:14, Rev. 5:5) 0. He was of the house or family of David. (2 Sam. 7:12-13 => Luk. 1:31-33, Rom. 1:3) 0. He was born of a virgin. (Isa. 7:14 => Mat. 1:22-23) 0. He was called Emmanuel. (Isa. 7:14 => Mat. 1:23) 0. He had a forerunner. (Isa. 40:3-5; Mal. 3:1 => Mat. 3:1-3, Luk. 1:76-78) 0. He was born in Bethlehem. (Mic. 5:2 => Mat. 2:5-6, Luk. 2:4-6) 0. He was worshipped by wise men and given gifts. (Psa.72:10-11, Isa. 60:3, 6, 9 => Mat. 2:11) 0. He was in Egypt for a season. (Hos. 11:1 => Mat. 2:15) 0. His birthplace was a place where infants were slaughtered. (Jer. 31:15 => Mat. 2:16) 0. He was zealous for the Father. (Psa. 69:9 => Joh. 6:37-40) 0. He was filled with God’s Spirit. (Isa. 11:2 => Luk. 4:18-19) 0. He was a mighty healer. (Isa. 35:5-6 => Mat. 8:16-17) 0. He ministered to the Gentiles. (Isa. 9:1-2; 42:1-3 => Mat. 4:13-16, 12:17-21) 0. He spoke in parables. (Isa. 6:9-10 => Mat. 13:10-15) 0. He was rejected by the Jewish people. (Psa. 9:8; Isa. 53:3 => Joh. 1:11, Joh. 7:5) 0. He made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. (Zec. 9:9 => Mat. 21:4-5) 0. He was praised by little children. (Psa. 8:2 => Mat. 21:16) 0. He was the rejected cornerstone. (Psa. 118:22-23 => Mat. 21:42) 0. His miracles were not believed. (Isa. 53:1 => Joh. 12:37-38) 0. He was betrayed by His friend for thirty pieces of silver. (Psa. 41:9; Zec. 11:12-13 => Mat. 26:14-16, 21-25) 0. He was a Man of Sorrows. (Isa. 53:3 => Mat. 26:37-38) 0. He was forsaken by His disciples. (Zec. 13:7 => Mat. 26:31, 56) 0. He was beaten and spit upon. (Isa. 50:6 => Mat. 26:67; 27:26) 0. His betrayal money was used to purchase a potter’s field. ( Zec. 11:12-13 => Mat. 27:9-10) 0. He was executed by means of piercing His hands and feet. (Psa. 22:16; Zec. 12:10 => Joh. 19:34, 37) 0. He was crucified between criminals. (Isa. 53:12 => Mat 27:38) 0. He was given vinegar to drink. (Psa. 69:21 => Mat. 27:34) 0. His garments were divided, and soldiers gambled for them. (Psa. 22:18 => Luk. 23:34) 0. He was surrounded and ridiculed by enemies. (Psa. 22:7-8 => Mat. 27:39-44) 0. He was thirsty on the cross. (Psa. 22:15 => Joh. 19:28) 0. He commended His spirit to the Father. (Psa. 31:5 => Luk. 23:46) 0. He uttered a forsaken cry on the cross. (Psa. 22:1 => Mat. 27:46) 0. He committed Himself to God. (Psa. 31:5 => Luk. 23:46) 0. He was hated without a cause. (Psa. 69:4 => Joh. 15:25) 0. People shook their heads as they saw Him on the cross. (Psa. 109:25 => Mat. 27:39). 0. He was silent before His accusers. (Isa. 53:7 => Mat. 27:12) 0. His bones were not broken. (Exo. 12:46; Psa. 34:20 => Joh. 19:33-36) 0. He was stared at in death. (Zec. 12:10 => Mat. 27:36; Joh. 19:37) 0. He was buried with the rich. (Isa. 53:9 => Mat. 27:57-60) 0. He was raised from the dead. (Psa. 16:10 => Mat. 28:2-7) 0. He was and is a High Priest greater than Aaron. (Psa. 110:4 => Heb. 5:4-6). 0. He ascended to glory. (Psa. 68:18 => Eph. 4:8) 0. He was and is seated at the right hand of the Father. (Psa.110:1 => Heb. 10:12-13)</details> <details><summary>New Testament verses pointing to Jesus’ 2nd Coming,</summary> Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Matthew 23:39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, Matthew 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. Revelation 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Revelation 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.</details> <details><summary>Old Testament verses pointing to Jesus’ 2nd Coming</summary> //''Verses in the Old Testament speak to the Return of Jesus. Here are prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled.''// Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. Psalms 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. Zechariah 2:10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.</details>

### Peter Stoner’s Calculations Regarding Messianic Prophecy Dr. Peter Stoner calculated the probability of just 8 Messianic prophecies being fulfilled in the life of Jesus. As you read through these prophecies, you will see that all estimates were calculated as conservatively as possible.<table class="minimalistBlack"> <thead> <tr> <th>Prophecy</th> <th>Details</th> <th>Estimate</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td>The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). </td> <td>The average population of Bethlehem from the time of Micah to the present (1958) divided by the average population of the earth during the same period = 7,150/2,000,000,000</td> <td>1 in 2.8×105</td> </tr> <tr> <td>A messenger will prepare the way for the Messiah (Malachi 3:1). </td> <td>One man in how many, the world over, has had a forerunner (in this case, John the Baptist) to prepare his way?</td> <td>1 in 1,000 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>The Messiah will enter Jerusalem as a king riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). </td> <td>One man in how many, who has entered Jerusalem as a ruler, has entered riding on a donkey?</td> <td>1 in 100 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>The Messiah will be betrayed by a friend and suffer wounds in His hands (Zechariah 13:6).</td> <td>One man in how many, the world over, has been betrayed by a friend, resulting in wounds in his hands? </td> <td>1 in 1,000 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>The Messiah will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12). </td> <td>Of the people who have been betrayed, one in how many has been betrayed for exactly 30 pieces of silver? </td> <td>1 in 1,000 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>The betrayal money will be used to purchase a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13). </td> <td>One man in how many, after receiving a bribe for the betrayal of a friend, has returned the money, had it refused, and then experienced it being used to buy a potter’s field?</td> <td>1 in 100,000 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>The Messiah will remain silent while He is afflicted (Isaiah 53:7). </td> <td>One man in how many, when he is oppressed and afflicted, though innocent, will make no defense of himself? </td> <td>1 in 1,000 </td> </tr> <tr> <td>The Messiah will die by having His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16). </td> <td>One man in how many, since the time of David, has been crucified? </td> <td>1 in 10,000</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Multiplying all these probabilities together produces a number (rounded off) of 1×1028. Dividing this number by an estimate of the number of people who have lived since the time of these prophecies (88 billion) produces a probability of all 8 prophecies being fulfilled accidently in the life of one person. (text-style:"bold","underline")[That probability is 1in 10^^17 ^^or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. That’s one in one hundred quadrillion!]

### The Golden Ratio: Proof of God From <a style="color: blue; " href="https://www.christianevidence.net/2017/10/the-golden-ratio-amazing-proof-of-god.html" target="_blank">Christian Evidence (external)</a> The Bible clearly states that the earth is designed. Some describe God as 'the Master Engineer'. Engineering relies upon numbers and mathematics, and so it is not surprising to find amazing numbers and mathematics embedded in God's creation (as well as in the Bible). In God's creation, there exists a "Divine Proportion" that is exhibited in a multitude of shapes, numbers, and patterns whose relationship can only be the result of the omnipotent, good, and all-wise God of Scripture. This Divine Proportion—existing in the smallest to the largest parts, in living and also in non-living things—reveals the awesome handiwork of God and His interest in beauty, function, and order. ''This “golden” number, 1.61803399, represented by the Greek letter Phi, is known as the Golden Ratio, Golden Number, Golden Proportion, Golden Mean, Golden Section, Divine Proportion and Divine Section. When we take any two successive (one after the other) Fibonacci Numbers (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, ... etc), their ratio is very close to the Golden Ratio.'' Curiously, the mathematical constant of 1.618 … that is found throughout creation is represented by the symbol Phi, which is the symbol 0 for nothing split in two by the symbol 1 for unity and one. Could this be the true meaning behind the symbol Phi? //Here are just a few examples of the golden ratio within the human body, DNA, solar system, nature, and the Bible...// ''Human Body'' The Golden Ratio shows up all over the human body, and it seems to define what proportions look best; that is, most attractive. The closer the measurements are to the Golden Ratio, the more attractive one tends to be. (text-style:"underline")[Here are some measurements taken from a woman for an experiment]: 0. Pupil to teeth to chin – ''1.634'' 0. Pupil to nose to chin – ''1.618'' 0. Inside of eyes to face width -''1.663'' (The left side of her face was covered by hair, so its position was estimated by centering the grid on other facial features) 0. Inside of eye to outside eye to face width – ''1.666'' 0. Smile width to nose width – ''1.619'' (Research has revealed that smiling produces better golden ratio proportions of the mouth and nose, at the golden ratio from the center of the nose to the outside of the lips) 0. Hairline to eyebrow to eye – ''1.605'' 0. Top lip to teeth line to bottom lip – ''1.615'' 0. Width of central incisor tooth to lateral incisor tooth – ''1.663'' 0. Nose width to inner edge of nostril – ''1.624'' //Note that not every individual has body dimensions in exact phi proportion but averages across populations tend towards phi and phi proportions are perceived as being the most natural or beautiful.// ''Other examples in the human body:'' 0. When women are at their most fertile, between the ages of 16 and 20, the ratio of length to width of a uterus is ''1.6'' – a very good approximation to the golden ratio. 0. The measurement from the belly button to the floor and the top of the head to the belly button is the golden ratio. 0. The human hand has 5 fingers, and each finger has 3 phalanges separated by 2 joints. Curiously enough, you also have 2 hands, each with 5 digits, and your 8 fingers are each comprised of 3 sections. All Fibonacci numbers! In addition, looking at the length of our fingers, each section — from the tip of the base to the wrist — is larger than the preceding one by roughly the ratio of phi. 0. Your hand creates a golden section in relation to your arm, as the ratio of your forearm to your hand is also ''1.618'', the Divine Proportion. 0. From your toes to your belly button it is ''1.618'' times longer than your belly button to the top of your head. ''DNA'' DNA can form a wide range of double helical structures and the most common form is B-DNA (Crick and Watson). The 'pitch' (one full 360 ° rotation of the helix) is just 34 angstroms, whilst the diameter of the B-DNA helix is variously given as 20 link or 21 angstroms, link. The DNA molecule measures 34 angstroms long by 21 angstroms wide for each full cycle of its double helix spiral. These numbers, 34 and 21, are numbers in the Fibonacci series, and their ratio 1.6190476 closely approximates Phi, ''1.6180339''. So the geometry of the most common DNA molecule might be seen to reflect the divine proportion: 34/21 = ''1.6190''. ''Solar System'' It has been shown that the average of the mean orbital distances of each successive planet in relation to the one before it is 1.61874, very close to Φ. ''Nature'' 0. The number of petals in a flower consistently follows the Fibonacci sequence. Famous examples include the lily, which has three petals, buttercups, which have five, the chicory's 21, the daisy's 34, and so on. 0. Honey bees, follow Fibonacci in other interesting ways. The most profound example is by dividing the number of females in a colony by the number of males (females always outnumber males). The answer is typically something very close to ''1.618''. 0. The tail of a seahorse has the mathematical formula of ''1.1618'', as do seashells, all kinds of flowers, sunflowers and plants, pineapples and pine corns, snails, as well as spirals in a hurricane or a tornado. ''Bible'' 0. The Ark of the Covenant is constructed using the Golden Section, or Divine Proportion. The ratio of the Ark of the Covenant is 2.5 to 1.5, which is ''1.666''…, as close to phi (1.618 …) as you can come with such simple numbers and is certainly not visibly different to the eye. 0. The end of Noah's ark, is 50 by 30 cubits, which is the ratio of 5 to 3, or ''1.666''…, again a close approximation of phi not visibly different to the naked eye. Noah’s ark was built in the same proportion as ten arks of the covenant placed side by side. 0. The beast, regarded by some as the Anti-Christ described by John, is thus related to the number 666, one of the greatest mysteries of the Bible. Curiously enough, if you take the sine of 666º, you get -0.80901699, which is one-half of negative phi. ''In each case we see the hand of understanding and design, and often this appears to point to Christ as the Designer. The pervasive appearance of phi throughout life and the universe is the signature of God, a universal constant of design used to assure the beauty and unity of His creation.''

### Great American Eclipses #### Are they signs? Since 2017 there have been three very significant American solar eclipses. Back in 2017, here in the USA, we all heard about the coming "Great American Eclipse" on August 21st. I was a bit leery of the title because America's greatness has been waning for a while and it seemed pretentious to name an eclipse that. However, once I saw articles about its path and duration and the fact that there had not been a similar one since right before World War I, the name took on more meaning. Since the eclipse, there have been lots of articles talking about its significance and many associated "coincidences." Around the same time, the path of the next big eclipse on April 8th 2024 was given. It starts in Mexico then passes over Texas moving northeast to the exit the country from Vermont. The striking picture of the two eclipses forming an X over America felt very ominous to me, still to this day. In recent history, an X on a map meant buried treasure, coming from books and events related to pirates. Some of that meaning is purely fictional but many of us remember "X marks the spot" from Westerns train robbers and pirate movies. In my case, I saw the X more as marking a target for a military strike, or more like God marking America for judgement. Given all that has been taking place since World War II, why would we not expect judgement? Society has fallen away from its Judeo-Christian foundation. Marriages are not as frequent or as sanctified as they have been for hundreds of years. Families went from one parent working to both, leaving child-rearing up to sometimes iffy daycare staff. God and the Bible were removed from K-12 schools around the mid 1960s, which further accelerated societal changes. There are far too many single parents raising children. And far too many lives lost since that infamous ruling back in 1973. Progressiveness invaded colleges and universities starting in the 1950s and look at it now. Some of the stuff we can see in Movies / TV, hear in music, watch on the internet would have been outlawed even 20 years ago. It has been and continues to be a huge downward spiral. And I think we all know it. God certainly knows it. Does not our weather in 2023 and now in January 2024 seem to be a form of judgement? Since when are almost every state in the union under a weather advisory at the same time? For those who take God out of the equation, their only probable cause is "climate change." Which is supposed to be everyone's fault because we burn gasoline and exhale CO2. God simply sees sin as the problem, one that has been around since the dawn of mankind. The solution to this problem is very different depending on if one leaves God in the equation or not. A very short and dangerous time that is well written about is the coming seven (7) year tribulation or "the time of Jacobs trouble." Dozens if not hundreds of movies depict post apocalyptic futures. Only a few are based on the Bible, but, they love to use phrases from it. Thus, the word apocalypse is very popular. How weird is that, given it means revealing. In the movies it is always vast destruction and God is usually left out. Christians obviously believe Jesus is the Messiah and that He will return soon. Jews do not believe that and are still waiting for their messiah to come. Their unbelief is precisely why they will go through this tribulation period. My belief along with many is that the Church of Christ will not go through the same tribulation as it has accepted Jesus as Messiah. Looking at the interval between these two "Great American" eclipses, to me, is another seven year period that serves as both a warning and the beginning of tribulation for America. We see the path of the first eclipse on August 21st, 2017. I see that one as interesting in how far it traveled over America. Notice it started in Salem, OR. Salem in the Bible later became Jerusalem. And the eclipse exits via Charleston, SC, which so happens to be my location. Given all that has been happening in America since 2017, couldn't this eclipse have been a sign of the coming division or the Great American Divide? Maybe I read too much into this, but who wouldn't agree that great division has been created in America since 2017. The next eclipse of similar duration is on April 8th of this year. So, it is just four months shy of seven years since the previous "great" eclipse. The intersection of these two eclipses just happens to be an area in Illinois referred to as "Little Egypt." What are the odds of that? It could mean nothing but Exodus chapter 4 references two signs. In Exodus, they were the beginning of miracles that God allowed Moses to perform. Could these two eclipses also be signs for unbelieving Americans? //4:8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe you, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 4:9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which you take out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. // Another interesting fact regarding these two eclipses: where they intersect is also the location of the New Madrid fault line, the location of America's largest earthquake on December 16th, 1811. It was a magnitude 8+ and actually changed the flow of the Mississippi river for a time and was felt all the way to the East coast. They say Church bells were ringing in many cities. Below is a map showing the effects of that "great American earthquake." Another coincidence? If the country experienced another magnitude 8 there or on the West coast or if the Yellowstone caldera blows, it would be a terrible thing. So we have two slashes across America within seven years. Those alone seem somewhat foreboding. Another eclipse happened not long after the Oct 7th massacre in Israel. An annular solar eclipse on Oct 14th was seen over the famous "Four Corners" and several other states. The three eclipses form the Aleph (A) or Alpha for the beginning. And the first and third eclipses form the Tav (X) or Omega for the ending. Could I be seeing more in this than there is, certainly. Could it be showing the beginning and the ending of America? Possibly. The country was started 400 years ago and its Declaration of Independence was signed almost 248 years ago. All nations and empires have a shelf life, throughout history. Perhaps it is pointing to the fall of the Western nations and the rise of the Eastern ones, which has to happen according to the Bible. Think about the BRICS nations wanting to ditch the petro-dollar in favor of some new digital currency. That will certainly cause economic havoc in America when it happens. In any event, there is no better time to pray for protection and guidance for yourself and your family, no matter what country you live in. Global events are accelerating and the rate of change with them. We Christians believe Jesus is returning very soon. Hallelujah! More information is found here: <a style="color: maroon; " href="https://american-eclipse-topics.tiddlyhost.com" target="_blank">American Eclipse Info (external)</a>

### Eight Tests for Decision Making 1. ''Scriptural Test'' - "Has God already spoken about it in His Word?" (2 Timothy 3:16) 2. ''Secrecy Test'' - "Would it bother me if everyone knew this was my choice?" (Proverbs 11:3) 3. ''Survey Test'' - "What if everyone followed my example?" (1 Timothy 4:12) 4. ''Spiritual Test'' - "Am I being people-pressured or Spirit-led?" (Galatians 1:10) 5. ''Stumbling Test'' - "Could this cause another person to stumble?" (Romans 14:21) 6. ''Serenity Test'' - "Have I prayed and received peace about this decision?" (Philippians 4:6-7) 7. ''Sanctification Test'' - "Will this keep me from growing in the character of Christ?" (2 Corinthians 3:18) 8. ''Supreme Test'' - "Does this glorify God?" (1 Corinthians 10:31) //"Walk as children of light.... and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord."// (Ephesians 5:8, 10)

### The Romans Road to Salvation The Romans Road to salvation is a set of Bible verses from the book of Romans that present the plan of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. This simple yet powerful method of explaining the gospel has been used for decades to explain to people how they can be saved according to the Bible. The core of the Romans Road outlines the key truths of the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ and is an easy way to remember the important doctrines of the Christian faith. Let’s take a look at the main verses in Romans used in the Romans Road to salvation: ''Romans 3:23 – Our Sinful Nature'' //“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)// This verse establishes the first crucial point of the gospel message – that all people have sinned and rebelled against God’s perfect holiness. Every single person has fallen short of God’s perfect standard of righteousness. No matter how good we try to be, none of us can earn our own salvation. We all need Jesus to save us from our sins. ''Romans 6:23a – The Penalty of Sin'' //“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a)// The second verse in the Romans Road explains the consequences of our sin – death. Because we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory, we deserve death. This death is not just physical death, but eternal spiritual separation from God. This verse establishes that there is a penalty for our disobedience and rebellion against God. ''Romans 5:8 – Christ Died For Us'' //“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)// This verse teaches the good news that despite our sinful nature, God still loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus paid the penalty of death that we deserved. God loved us enough to make a way for us to be reconciled to Him through Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus bridged the gap between sinful humanity and holy God. ''Romans 6:23b – The Gift of Eternal Life'' //“…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b)// While the first part of Romans 6:23 explains the consequence of sin, the second part teaches us about the remedy – salvation through Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, we can receive the free gift of eternal life by putting our faith and trust in Him. Eternal life comes not through our good works or moral character, but only through accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. ''Romans 10:9 – Salvation by Faith in Christ'' //“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)// This verse explains how we can receive the gift of salvation and eternal life that Jesus offers us – through faith. To be saved, we must confess our faith in who Jesus is and believe that God raised Him from the dead. Salvation is not based on what we do, but our faith in what Jesus has already done for us on the cross. This verse assures us that anyone who puts their trust in Christ can be saved. ''Romans 10:13 – Call Upon the Lord'' //“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)// This final verse contains the promise that whoever believes in Jesus Christ and calls on His name will be saved. This means that anyone, at any time, can receive eternal life simply by calling out to God in faith and repenting of their sins. This verse offers hope that not one person is outside of God’s saving grace if they will just come to Him in faith. In summary, these key verses present the central message of salvation: We are all sinful, and the penalty for our sin is death. But God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to pay that penalty by dying on the cross for us. We can receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life by simply believing in Jesus and trusting in His death and resurrection. We can call on the name of Jesus and He will save us. The Romans Road verses offer a clear and impactful way to share the gospel with others. Each verse builds upon the previous one to explain humanity’s need for salvation, God’s loving provision through Christ, and how we can personally accept that free gift of salvation by faith. These powerful verses have been used to lead many people to make a decision for Christ. While there are many methods of sharing the good news of salvation, the Romans Road is simple, direct and effective. These verses communicate the core truths of the gospel message while keeping the focus on Scripture. That’s why this collection of verses from Romans has been used so successfully for evangelism through the decades – it presents the beautiful message of salvation in a memorable and easily-understood way. The key to understanding the Romans Road is realizing it does not represent the totality of Christian doctrine. These few verses are simply a starting point for explaining salvation to someone unfamiliar with the Bible. Other Scriptures would need to be shared to offer a complete picture of the gospel and what it means to follow Jesus. But these salvation verses provide an excellent introduction to the hope found in Jesus Christ. Using the Romans Road verses to share Christ with others can often lead to further discussions and opportunities to dig deeper into spiritual matters. The passages make the message of salvation concise but compelling. After hearing these verses, the listener is equipped with the basic knowledge they need to accept God’s gift of eternal life by trusting in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. They now have heard the truth clearly presented in a way that makes a decision for Christ evident and necessary. So in summary, here’s a simple outline of the powerful verses that make up the Romans Road to salvation: * Romans 3:23 – Everyone has sinned * Romans 6:23a – The penalty for sin is death * Romans 5:8 – Jesus died for our sins * Romans 6:23b – Eternal life is a free gift from God * Romans 10:9 – Salvation comes by believing in Jesus * Romans 10:13 – Anyone who calls on Jesus will be saved The Romans Road lays out the simple yet profound truth that we are sinners deserving of death, but God loved us so much He sent Jesus to die in our place so we could have eternal life through faith in Him. These truths found in Romans provide an excellent framework for explaining the gospel to anyone willing to listen. Countless people have come to understand the hope found in Jesus Christ through these important verses. The Romans Road method of explaining salvation has stood the test of time because it presents the message of new life in Christ clearly and powerfully. These verses communicate the essence of the gospel – that sinful humanity needed a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus. For decades and even centuries to come, the Romans Road will continue to be an effective way of presenting the good news of salvation to seekers of all kinds. These key verses from Romans have directed countless people toward eternal life in Christ. Their presentation of the gospel message makes it simple for anyone to understand how to receive the free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus. These Bible passages offer hope, truth and a new start for any willing heart. That’s why the Romans Road will always be a treasured tool for evangelism – it provides a straightforward path that leads directly to eternal life through Jesus Christ.