Bible Prophecy Watcher

Have You [Seriously] Confessed the Name of the Lord?

“Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” -2 Tim 2:19 (NASB)

There are some that say just believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is enough to get you saved and into heaven. I say not quite. You see even the demons believe but they are not saved – James 2:19. Salvation is not about works but about your faith in Christ received through His grace and His grace only – Eph 2:89. Additionally, Rom 10:9 says – “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;” and also to repent of your sin which means to make changes in your attitude and life – Acts 3:19. – serving the Lord and not the world.

So with these things said, can you say before the Living God that you really know Him? Do you think He knows you? Friends, these are stunning questions that drive a stake in the ground of just where you(we) are at with the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must ensure we read all Scripture to know the truth. Do not cherry-pick Scripture to suit your needs!

Confessing His name means that you name Him as your Savior and King (which BTW, many say they do in our Christian churches today) then … look what it says – for those the Lord knows – they MUST turn away from wickedness (other versions describe it as unrighteousness). Did you get that? Turn away from anything that the Lord says in His word that is not pleasing to Him. For anything that goes against His written word is sin; yes, even your (my) lack of faith – Rom 14:23.

So you like TV, well, what do you watch? What things on TV attract your attention; that you grant authorized access in through your eyes and then into your soul? Think about this… If you watch things that are anti-Biblical, vile, corrupt, evil, filthy, or even R or X-rated stuff, if you watch these things more than once, face it, you most likely enjoy them and will continue to watch them.

And … your senses – thinking, words, actions – will start to take the shape of the things you let into your heart, mind and being – the “gates” of your soul.

This is not called righteous [living] watching. You are enjoying and focusing on worldly things and not on the things the Lord says to focus on. Yes, this is a startling picture of just what His word is saying. Now move that into what you read, etc. And how about your speech: still filled with pompous, dirty, swear words – i.e. you do not bridle your tongue. Read what God says about this and your religion in James 1:26.

Do you trust in the Lord? Do you confess Him as your Savior? If so, what occupies your time, your thoughts, your motivations?

Based on just what I’ve presented so far, do you think the Lord knows you – John 10:14? Are you one of His flock? Do you take refuge in Him? Is He your Rock upon which you will not be moved?

The flip side of this is – do you call yourself a Christian, do the church thing, sing the songs and talk the talk but when it comes down to it, your mind and direction is in and of the world. This is not faith! Folks, it’s time to rethink and chart your course back to the Lord. 

Try this verse as a wake-up call to your soul…

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.;” -1 John 2:15 (KJV)

This is a strong verse that points you toward the Lord or away from Him. Read it several times, look in the mirror and decide what side of the fence you are on. And there are only two sides – with Him or against Him. (Bet you never hear these things in the church you attend … wonder why?).

One final thought – how often you you pull out your Bible and read it? Daily, weekly, once a month, rarely? Answer truthfully and then consider if it’s not daily then there’s a problem. This of course applies to those who have ready access to Bibles like here in America. What excuses do you come up with as to why you don’t read God’s word? Too busy, too tired, not enough time, can’t understand it, there’s no priest to interpret it for me. These are all lame answers and hold zero water. If you maintain one or more of these excuses are you in fact finding the word of God contemptible? Come on … answer truthfully. Listen to what the Lord says about people like this. 

“To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.” -Jer 6:10 (NASB)

Are your ears closed to God’s word in your personal life (outside of church) so you cannot hear? Do you find no pleasure in reading His words written to us over the centuries? Words to help us daily – to trust in Him, to find strength in Him, to love Him, to know Him, to help bolster our faith in Him. Yes, these are very passionate words to a generation of Christians that have lost their first love, rationalized their ways to please themselves and in reality do not know the Lord and by the worldly love, actions and choices they make. So, does He – the Lord God Almighty – know you? Consider His words seriously, today. Where are you at?

Bottom-line: If you have “dismissed” the Lord in your life by lack of faith, trust, reading your Bible, clinging to the world, then it’s time to turn around, make a “uey” (u-turn) and seek Him now this very day. Ask forgiveness for your sins, confess Him as your only Lord and Savior, then repent of your worldly lifestyle – thoughts, actions and words and turn back to Him. Do this today! Amen.

Remember, there is only one way to enter heaven and that is through belief in the Lord as your Savior, professing Him as your Lord, that God raised Him from the dead. Then repent of your sin.

Keep in the forefront of your mind these Biblical facts:  you will not enter heaven just because you lived a “good” life, focusing on knowledge, experiences and good intentions. Or practiced salvation by works as some religions teach and do. This is not scriptural and your final destination will be one separated from God … forever!

 

-BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman

THE KING OF GLORY IS COMING — WILL YOU BE FOUND WORTHY AND READY?

Keep your lamps filled and ready for His arrival!!

Will You Be One of the Many or the Few?

“And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.” -Matt 22:13-14 (KJV)

When you read the parable of the marriage of the king’s son in Matt 22:1-14, you can’t help but wonder how did the person get into the wedding feast without the proper wedding clothes? Why did his servants let him in? In ancient times when invited to an important wedding the king would provide the proper dress attire which consisted of a particular or special wedding garment. In this parable the man discovered did not have on the proper garment but did you notice that only the king could see it, the servants were not aware that an “intruder” had snuck in.

What a parallel for us today; for all churchgoers in modern times. Many say they are Christians for in saying this their justification consists mainly in their regular church attendance. You know the kind that never misses a Sunday (or Mass), and always seems to be there. To be seen by others as well. Yes sir, many are big on this and friends that is the extent of their religion and relationship with God’s only begotten Son – Jesus Christ. 

The man without the proper wedding clothes in the parable decided not to take the proper dress even though it was offered and free.

His presence there was purely rebellious against the awesome authority and power of the inviting king. This man when discovered and confronted was speechless for his improper dress which revealed his sin and therefore judgment was to follow. Folks, this man when discovered by the king, was exposed by his unbelief, rebelliousness and sin and he knew it and that’s why he had nothing to say.

Friends, this parable is a flag waving at those who profess to be Christians but don’t live it. And there are many that fit this mold. They’re big on church going, singing some songs, listening to the words of the sermon but actually their lives are filled with unrepentant sin. Their righteousness in the Lord’s eyes is tarnished for they lack sincerity in confession of their sin, reality in repentance, lack of humility and do not obey the word of the Lord. Now this threads its way deep into our lives – from outward sins to inward – those no one sees but are there nonetheless. From improper motives, to lust, to hate, pride, arrogance, with no sincere desire to have a personal relationship with the Lord. They live according to what they like, to what they want. They are self-righteous wearing the clothes of their hypocrisy.

Listen… many are good people and seem to say the right things and do many nice things but … without the right relationship with the Lord, they have nothing. Nice houses and gobs of money mean nothing in the Lord’s eyes. When you die, it’s gone and the only thing remaining is your standing with God. What’s yours today?

 

This is huge with Christians today – they have no depth in their spiritual walk with the Lord. Little dedicated and sincere prayer time. No confession of their sin; no Godly sorrow for same. Some religions don’t preach salvation by the grace of God to their people (now this is a tragedy).

God takes a back seat in their lives but oh yes, they spend that hour in the pew every Sunday. In reality, they have no desire to follow and be obedient to Almighty God, instead they do things their way according to their agenda, not God’s. Their righteousness is like filthy rags (Isa 64:6) which translates into improper wedding garments. We may look good on the outside but inside we are naked and shameful based on our unconfessed and unrepentant sin. Many are like this today and will not enter into His rest. Many ‘Christians’ will not know real salvation not because they can’t but because they won’t!!

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” -Rom 13:14 (KJV)

In the Bible, beautiful clothing represents our spiritual relationship with the Lord and this is totally dependent on what we say, think and do. It is also based on our submission to the Lord’s will; knowing and doing what His word says. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 13:14, that we are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ as a garment indicating that we are clothed in His righteousness and justified through our faith in Him. The huge lingering question for all of us is, do we have the correct garments on, are we ready for the wedding feast of the Lamb? And have we arrayed ourselves in the wedding garment of holiness? Will we be counted as the “chosen” that will stay at the wedding feast or be cast out in terrible judgment? Some very sobering words to ponder on today. Please, if you are not sure that you have on the right clothes, seek the Lord now, if you call upon Him in sincerity He will hear and answer your call. 

The bottom-line: are you clothed in His righteousness today through a walking-talking faith and trust in His ultimate sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary? Or are you in rebellion of His authority and majesty, doing your own thing, surrendering and submitting to no one but thriving in your own wisdom and understanding? Remember the Lord’s message to the Laodicean church in Rev 3:17-18, He urges us to obtain clothes from Him to cover the shameful nakedness of our sin. Get them on today!

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” -Rev 3:15-18 (KJV)

-BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman

THE KING IS COMING FOR HIS TRUE BRIDE and Not the Pretenders!