I Never Thought I Would See the Day

Let me take you straight to the article which carries the name of this blog.  As we get ever closer to the end of this world and we experience the return of our Lord, we are seeing things imploding around us.
Jan Markel is the founder of Olive Tree Ministries and a Pre-Trib Rapture proponent/teacher.  This article expresses her view of where we are in the eternal time-line.

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OLIVE TREE MINISTRIES

I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE THE DAY








By Jan Markell

 

A popular pastor came up with a series with this title some years ago. He listed a lot of aberrations in the culture, country, and world, a decade ago. I thought I would come up with a list of my own as we wind down 2017. It has been an historic year to say the least. Everything is on overdrive. Here goes. I never thought I would live to see:

• The earth reeling in an apocalyptic fashion, yet most go about their business as usual, eating, drinking, and enjoying life.

• Hawaii warning their people of a nuclear attack.

• European Commission head Jean-Claude Junker call for a single ruler of the E. U.

• Every natural disaster preceded by words such as "unprecedented", "of biblical proportion", and "history
making". Hurricane Irma was so strong it was measured on a device that tracks earthquakes.

• A major U.S. newspaper says that someday everyone would "willingly get micro- chipped."

• Planned Parenthood team up with Satanists to cooperate in their mutual evil.

• People heeding the warnings of impending natural disasters but scoffing at the ultimate warnings of the Lord's return and the fires of hell.

• America seriously talking about the possibility of an EMP attack.

• Over 40% of Americans say they would prefer socialism over capitalism.

• Actors in Central Park Simulating the assassination of a U.S. President.

• Satanic outfits granted IRS tax exempt status while Christians and Conservatives are overlooked and ignored.

• A nationalist-Donald J. Trump-undo the efforts of the world's globalists and be inaugurated instead of arch-globalist Hillary Clinton. The world's globalists are in a free-fall.

• The Catholic Church in South America state the Pope Francis is paving the way for the Antichrist.

• A major U.S. newspaper- The Washington Post-call Satan good and a great representation for secularism.

• A discussion of womb transplants for men.

• Pre-schoolers indoctrinated that transgenderism is normal.

• A Christian baker being forced to make a birthday cake for Satan featuring an upside-down cross.

• The "powertainment industry" (Hollywood) so weakened due to scandals that its influence is diminishing as people boycott films.

• The Boy Scouts cave and let girls join the organization.

• Word of a revival in North Korea.

• The son of a Hamas leader, who is now a Christian, telling the United Nations that Palestinian leaders are a bunch of terrorists.

• Rick Warren state that he hoped his partnership with a Catholic leader would become the ecumenical model for the world.

As I reflected on my list, I realized I could go on and on and on. We are in unusual times. Many notice and many are asking questions.

The Bible warns that toward the end of history there will be a return to pre-flood conditions. The Scripture says concerning the people of Noah's day, "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually' (Genesis 6:5)." There was perversion. People ignored Noah's warnings. The aberrant was very likely celebrated. Up was down and black was white.

II Timothy 3 also warns that in the last days, mankind would focus on self, money, and enjoyment. There would be a departure from sound doctrine.

Noah's message was simple: Are you ready? The Ark was a type of the Rapture offering safety. I close this article asking the same: Are you ready for His return. It could be today. Warning signs are everywhere.

 

 

NOTE FROM JAN:

As I finished this article, I was apprised of a so-called "drag queen"-obviously quite demonic- reading to a group of preschoolers at the Michele Obama Library in Long Beach, CA. And to be honest, I never thought I'd see the day! I sat in stunned silence as I looked at the photo which reflects how we have sunk as a culture and have glorified all things evil and aberrant. This is why America needs watchmen more than ever and why we must not be silent in the face of evil. I remind you of Edmund Burke's quote, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

Link to this evil photo reported widely and here by The Blaze:

http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/10/17/drag-queen-with-demon-like-horns-reads-to-children-at-michelle-obama-neighborhood-library

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FOCUSED ON THE FATHER

Prayer is one of the most sought after, yet least practiced spiritual disciplines in the Christian life.  This seems to be such an "oxymoronic" thought, but to quote a blog from the Navigators, "It’s been estimated that a typical Christian layman spends about three-and-a-half minutes each day in prayer. Full-time Christian workers average about seven minutes per day. Why do we fail to take full advantage of the privilege of prayer? Is it a lack of discipline? Are we too busy? Are we unmotivated?"

I fall into this same category.  It seems that as hard as I try to pray without being distracted or sincerely focused on such a loving and gracious God who wants to commune with me, I still fall into that same "short minutes-a-day" prayer.  I have read about the prayer warriors of the past ... I have tried to emulate them ... still I come away unsatisfied.  Do you remember the hymn, "Satisfied with Jesus?"  The words of this hymn speak of being satisfied with Jesus but end with the question, "Is He satisfied with me?"

I would have to say that I am satisfied with Jesus ... I know what He has done for me.  I know that God reached into my heart, drew me to Himself and I accepted His grace gift of salvation.  Yes, He is worthy of my praise and worship, but still I come up short in putting Him first in everything.  And, to commune with Him so that the hours seem to fade away into sublime joy remains unrealized.  I fear that He is not satisfied with my paltry attempt at communing prayer.

Still, I will continue to seek that greatest of all disciplines of communing with the Creator God of all that exists...the God who has invited me, and you, into a wonderful relationship ... children of God. (John 1:12)

One of the goals of the Navigators ministries is to help us all to set up shop in the prayer closet in order to become joyfully connected to the Father.  Whether it is begun by "30 Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God" or "Being Focused on the Father," or some other avenue, the goal is to honor and glorify our God who is worthy of our praise and to expand our basic training preparing for eternity.

Open the links below with me and enjoy of renewed effort to become more like Jesus in our worship and thanksgiving of Him...in my longing to become a true prayer warrior.

30 Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God
Focused on The Father
Prayer: First you listen

THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS

As a father to his children, David instructs from experience what he felt like when his sin had overtaken him and he was filled with grief.  Called a "Maschil," Psalm 32 is a psalm of instruction.  No greater responsibility can be undertaken than for a father to let his children know, at the proper time in their lives, that he is but a flawed man living under the mantel of God's grace.
Little children often see their parents, and especially their fathers, through a colored lens of hero-worship.  If our children continue to keep their parents on pedestals, they will miss the greatest lesson of life.  Their parents are sinners who have come to know the peace of God through salvation.  The will begin to know that with sin come guilt and with confession comes freedom.  They must come to know the grace and loving forgiveness of God if they are to ever experience salvation for themselves.  
A good case of guilt is a healthy thing when we have sinned. Someone said, “Guilt is a gift that keeps on giving.” Those who appreciate most the gift of God’s forgiveness are those who have felt most deeply the guilt of their sins. Charles Spurgeon went through five years as a child of feeling intense guilt before he was saved. He goes on for a whole chapter in his autobiography describing the agony of those years. Here is a brief excerpt:

When but young in years, I felt with much sorrow the evil of sin. My bones waxed old with my roaring all the day long. Day and night God’s hand was heavy upon me. I hungered for deliverance, for my soul fainted within me. I feared lest the very skies should fall upon me, and crush my guilty soul. God’s law had laid hold upon me, and was showing me my sins. If I slept at night, I dreamed of the bottomless pit, and when I awoke, I seemed to feel the misery I had dreamed. Up to God’s house I went; my song was but a sigh. To my chamber I retired, and there, with tears and groans, I offered up my prayer, without a hope and without a refuge, for God’s law was flogging me with its ten-thonged whip, and then rubbing me with brine afterwards, so that I did shake and quiver with pain and anguish, and my soul chose strangling rather than life, for I was exceeding sorrowful. (C. H. Spurgeon Autobiography [Banner of Truth], 1:58.)

In Psalm 32, David shared four basic facts about sin and forgiveness that need to be understood by every believer:
1. The Blessing of Acceptance (1-2)
2. The Folly of Impenitence (3-4)
3. The Way of Deliverance (5-7), and
4. The Joy of Obedience (8-11)

Warren Wiersbe wrote, "When he gazed at Bathsheba, lusted after her, and then committed adultery, and when he plotted to kill her husband, David saw himself acting like a free man; but God saw him acting like an animal!"

"Like the horse, David rushed ahead impetuously, and like the mule, he was stubborn and tried to cover his sins."  Rather than being harsh with His servant David, God, in love, chose to teach him His Word and keep His eye upon him, surrounding him with mercy.

When he joined the assembly at the sanctuary of God, David began his song with the joyful announcement that God had forgiven him.  He closed the psalm by exhorting the other worshippers to join him in celebrating the joy of the Lord!  "Be glad! Rejoice! Shout for joy!"

Years later, David's son Solomon wrote, "People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy." (Prov. 28:13)

Hallelujah!

Psalm 146 begins the last five songs of Psalms and they are referred to as "The Hallelujah Psalms."  It begins with "Praise the Lord!" and ends with "Praise the Lord!"  Thus, we sing "Hallelujah," which translates into "Praise the Lord."

In our culture of this day, most people have no clue that when they use this word, they are actually saying "Praise the Lord!"  As Jesus was entering Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago, many of those who knew of Him were shouting, Hallelujah.  To this the Pharisees were telling Jesus to tell these people to be silent, yet "He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:39-40) 

Now we see this coming true as even pagans unknowingly are shouting His praises by saying and singing "Hallelujah."  Most likely, many of them would be astounded by the revelation of what they were saying.  Whether it is the profane golfer who finally hits a hole-in-one; or, the crooked business person who makes a big profit off of a shady deal; or, a college student who gets a grade of "A" when he knows he didn't deserve it; they all cry out "Hallelujah" never knowing what they are actually saying.  Yet, God says the stones...even the hard-hearted unbeliever...will cry out words of praise.

Do you remember the movie "Shrek" where the theme song is titled "Hallelujah?"  This animated movie, though funny for the most part, has nothing to do with God, yet there it is as if the rocks beside the road were Praising God. They sing it out because God alone is worthy of praise and He, as the choir-director, instructs all to praise Him.

When the church comes together, it is for one purpose and one alone...to sing praise to the Creator God.  One of many favorites of all the hymns, at least in my mind, is this refrain:

"To God be the Glory"

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

 

The litany of praises from the voices of the congregation of the people of God as they stood before the Temple, led by the Levitical choir, are songs of worship directed heaven-ward in thanks for who He is and for what He has done.  He had chosen them from among the nations as a people set apart unto Himself and as an example and light of the truth to the surrounding peoples.

 

There is a place for the children of Israel in the millennial kingdom as God fulfills His promise to Abraham, but for now, in the age of the church, the people whom God has chosen...you and me...are called out to lift voices high in praise to our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who said, "When I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."  Let us lift Him up in praise!

 

Hallelujah!  Praise the Lord!

 

KNOWING GOD

In Revelation 1, John the Apostle of Jesus, was privileged to see his Lord and ours.  In Exodus 33, Moses was allowed to see the Glory of God pass by in front of his eyes.  These, and other experiences throughout Scripture, show us that God wants us to draw near to Him, see Him, and know Him.

Psalm 19 is a great description of God's glory being revealed to us.  The panoply of the expanse above and the unique simplistic creation below show us the greatness of our God.

John 1 tells of the creative acts of Jesus, as God, in eternity past.  To know Him as creator is extremely important in our understanding of just who our God is. This begins with a confident belief in a God "who can do anything, who knows everything, and who is present everywhere."  Warren Wiersbe said, "The Jewish people were forbidden to worship the objects in the heavens, nor were they allowed to practice astrology.  They worshipped the Creator, not the creation (Rom 1:25).  The existence of a creation implied the existence of a Creator, and the nature of the creation implied that He was wise enough to plan it and powerful enough to execute His plan and maintain what He made."

"The heavens declare the glory of God ..." Ps 19:1) are the first thoughts of the psalmist, king David, as he poured over in his heart and mind his understanding of the majesty and glory of God...the One whom he served...the One whom we serve...the One whom all creation shall bow before throughout eternity.

Take a glimpse of God's glory displayed in the heavens which do declare that beautiful and wonderful glory.

Have you ever really sought to comprehend the complexity of our galaxy, called the Milky Way. This picture above is a slice of this huge example of God's artistry.  Somewhere in the midst of this galactic compilation of stars,  our sun can be found and is just one of 200 billion other stars in this typical barred-spiral galaxy that is about 90,000 light years in diameter. (A light year is a unit of astronomical distance equivalent to the distance that light travels in one year, which is nearly 6 trillion miles.)  Did I say comprehend???  Yet, God spun them out into space by the very thought of His mind.

I am overwhelmed by the immenseness of our God, and yet the personal level of "love" which He extended to you and to me as He left the glory of heaven to pay the price for our "failure" to live up to His standards.

Some day, those of us who have believed on His name and placed our trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, will have the privilege of living in eternity with Him in His home.

Let's just stop for a moment and worship as we listen to David Phelps bring us into the presence of the same God that David does in Psalm 19.  Click on the following link to YouTube and turn up the volume on your speaker then sit back and glory in our God.

David Phelps singing "We Shall Behold Him"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBvGzrnirT8

HOPE IN THE MIDST OF DESPAIR

Jeremiah was the last of the prophets of God who spoke on behalf of the Lord to challenge the kings and people of Judah to repent a...nd turn back to the Lord their God, the Lord Almighty.

 Yet Judah chose to follow their own way and worship idols, false gods ... therefore, they experienced "OR" of the "Either/Or" equation. They were conquered by Babylon, destroyed and burned to the ground with the temple of God being desecrated.

 In the midst of this downfall, Jeremiah wept bitterly and penned the words of "Lamentations" wherein he described the utter vileness left by the Babylonians. Yet, in the very middle of his brokenheartedness...in the middle of what we see as five chapters...in the middle of chapter three, verses 21-26, the old prophet was reminded of the "hope" that we have in God.

21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

In the difficulties of life which we experience today, some of us even feel that we have been abandoned by the Lord, it is during this time that we need to read into the heart of Jeremiah and with him recall the "hope" which we have in Christ Jesus. Just remember, He is our Compassionate, Loving Savior who has promised the He "will never abandon us!"


 

Reading the Psalms

One of the many Bible reading plans that I suggest is the Psalms/Proverbs plan.  This plan is designed to read these two books all the way through, twelve time in one year.  Since Psalms has 150 chapters and Proverbs has 30 chapters, the plan schedules the you to read and study five (5) Psalms and one (1) Proverb each day taking you through the two books every month.
 
In February, since it is short by a couple of days, you may have to double up a couple of times (that won't hurt anyone) and when you get to Psalm 119 you may choose to read it alone for that particular day...or not.
 
However you choose to do your reading, you will find a tremendous blessing by this reading plan. The writer of the 119th Psalm, verse 11, wrote, "I have stored up your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You."  It stands to reason that anytime you or I read any portion of God's Word, it should be with a prayer on our lips, as verse 12 reads, "Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes (or teach me so that I might understand Your will for my life)!"
 
As you read from the Psalms, you will find that there are various authors.  King David wrote the majority of the Psalms, though he only wrote 76.  Something else that might help in understanding the Psalms is that there are different types of Psalms and since they were musical in style, there are different musical styles and genres used.  The following may be helpful as you read to know the heart and mind of the author.

Types of Psalms – John MacArthur

Type	Psalms	Act of Worship
Individual	3-7; 12; 13; 22; 25-28; 35; 38-40; 42-44; 51; 54-57;	Express need for God’s deliverance
Communal Lament	59-61; 63; 64; 69-71; 74; 79; 80; 83; 85; 86; 88; 90; 102; 109; 120; 123; 130; 140-143	Make aware of God’s blessings
Thanksgiving	8; 18; 19; 29; 30; 32-34; 36; 40; 41; 66; 103-106; 111; 113; 116; 117; 124; 129; 135; 136; 138; 139; 146-148; 150	Express thanks
Enthronement	47; 93; 96-99	Describe God’s sovereign rule
Pilgrimage	43; 46; 48; 76; 84; 87; 120-134	Establish a mood of worship
Royal	2; 18; 20; 21; 45; 72; 89; 101; 110; 132; 144	Portray Christ the sovereign ruler
Wisdom	1; 37; 119	Instruct as to God’s will
Imprecatory	7; 35; 40; 55; 58; 59; 69; 79; 109; 137; 139; 144	Invoke God’s wrath and judgment against His enemies

In addition to Dr. MacArthur's breakdown of the Psalms, the Bible program GotQuestions.org presents these categories as follows and includes explanations of the musical genres.
 
What are the different types of psalms?

The 150 psalms in the book of Psalms have often been categorized into various types. There is no one way to organize the psalms, but most systems include similar categories with only slight variations. Biblical scholar Hermann Gunkel’s system covers the following categories:

Hymns: Many of the psalms are simple hymns or songs of praise. For example, Psalm 8 is a hymn that begins, “Lord, our Lord, / how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (verse 1).

Lament or Complaint Psalms: These include songs that express sadness to God or complaints against God’s enemies. For example, Psalm 3 is a lament psalm that begins, “Lord, how many are my foes! / How many rise up against me!” (verse 1). Some complaint psalms sound quite negative, though they are set within a context of God responding in love or power. Psalm 44:23–24, for example, says, “Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? / Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. / Why do you hide your face / and forget our misery and oppression?”

Royal Psalms: Several psalms were performed in the presence of kings or dignitaries. Psalm 18:50 states, “He gives his king great victories; / he shows unfailing love to his anointed, / to David and to his descendants forever.”

Thanksgiving Psalms: These songs of thanks include both thanksgiving from individuals (such as Psalms 30, 32, and 34) and from the community (such as Psalms 67 and 124). One of the best-known thanksgiving psalms is Psalm 100. Verses 4–5 proclaim, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving / and his courts with praise; / give thanks to him and praise his name. / For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; / his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Wisdom Psalms: While many psalms discuss aspects of wisdom, certain psalms such as Psalms 1, 37, and 49 focus on the theme of wisdom, speaking of the fear of the Lord or offering words of wisdom. Psalm 1:1–3 is a great example: “Blessed is the one / who does not walk in step with the wicked / or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, / but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, / and who meditates on his law day and night. / That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, / which yields its fruit in season / and whose leaf does not wither— / whatever they do prospers.”

Smaller Genres and Mixed Types: Some psalms include a mix of types. Psalms 9, 10, and 123 are examples. Other psalms have only a small number in their category, such as psalms regarding the stories of Israel (Psalms 78, 105, and 106). The Songs of Ascent, written to be sung by worshipers on their way up to Jerusalem, also represent a smaller genre that includes mixed types (Psalms 120—134).

To what do the various musical terms in the book of Psalms refer?"

Several musical terms are used in the titles or verse breaks of the Psalms. In most Bible translations, a footnote will state that the meaning of these musical terms is uncertain. Many versions of the Bible will not attempt to translate the terms but instead will transliterate the Hebrew letters into a word pronounceable in English. The following list of musical terms in the book of Psalms gives a reference where each term can be found, along with suggested meanings:

Alamoth: Psalm 46:1. The meaning of this word is uncertain, although it has been suggested that the term refers to the music’s pitch being high or soprano, since its Hebrew root refers to young women or virgins.

Gittith: Psalm 81:1. Many meanings for gittith have been suggested, including “tune from Gath” and “song from the grape harvest.”

Higgaion: Psalm 9:16. The meaning of this word is uncertain, with some suggesting it refers to a musical interlude. The KJV translates it as “solemn sound” in Psalm 92:3.

Mahalath: Psalm 53:1. This most likely refers to an unidentified song tune or to a certain style of playing it.

Maskil: Psalm 32:1. The word means “prudent” and could refer to a contemplative style of music. The NET Bible translates it as “a well-written song.”

Miktam: Psalm 59:1. This technical word is of uncertain meaning to us.

Muth-labben: Psalm 9:1. This word can be translated as “to die for the son,” which could be the title of the tune used to accompany the song. However, the exact musical use of this term is uncertain.

Selah: Psalm 3:2. Selah is the most frequently used musical term in the Psalms, occurring 71 times in the book. Most scholars believe it refers to a pause or silence. Some Bibles translate it as “interlude.” Selah is also found in Habakkuk 3:3, 9, and 13.

Sheminith: Psalm 6:1. This musical term refers to a musical instrument—possibly an eight-string lyre—and can also be found in 1 Chronicles 15:21.

Shiggaion: Psalm 7:1. We are uncertain of this word’s meaning. Suggestions range from “dirge” to “rapid change of rhythm.”

The Psalms are songs and therefore include many musical terms that were important for those originally playing and singing these sacred tunes. Though the meaning of most of these terms has been lost, we can appreciate their importance and consider how God has used and continues to use these songs to the praise of His glory.

Copyright 2002-2017 Got Questions Ministries

 
Remember, do not get caught up in pulling any of the text out of context.  A text out of context becomes a pretext and many Christians (and non-christians alike) have become snared in doing this turning that pretext into a false text!  This is why it is so important to base your study on the intent of all of Scripture ... that is that we are drawn closer to Christ.  The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth.