What Happens at Halftime?

“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.”   Daniel 7:25  NKJV

While most people refer to this season as the “holiday” season, many also cynically refer to it as the “bowl” season in reference to the number of football bowl games the country is subjected to.  This of course, reminds me of something yet to occur but which is definitely on our horizon.  While I would in no way regard the coming tribulation period this world will be subjected to as a “game”, there is however, a similarity in structure that I believe we need to explore.

Have you ever wondered where the concept of a “halftime” in a sporting event originated, and just exactly why it was decided that it was necessary?  Now your first thought might run to the idea of giving the teams a much needed rest, yet I ask you, how often have you also seen the second half of an event completely different from the first?  I have mentioned before that I studied education with the intent of becoming a coach at the secondary school level, and as a student teacher was able to observe firsthand just what an effect a good halftime speech could have on a team, especially if they were behind.  For the most part I would have to say that based on what I was able to observe, it had less to do with correcting mistakes and much more to do with getting inside the players heads and changing their mental outlook to produce the change that was needed to succeed.

Any study of the tribulation time revealed by Daniel and John in the book of Revelation makes it clear that the period of seven years which we know as the tribulation is divided exactly in half with two periods of three and one half years each.  The Word of God even breaks it down into days for us as well, two halves of 1260 days for a total of 2520, so that there is no mistake about how long it will last.  As always with me, the question I always seem to ask whenever something jumps out at me like this is simply, why?  Why is it divided, and what happens at the midpoint which causes it to be divided so obviously and dramatically, especially when we consider the events which take place during the second half.  Much like what I observed as a coach, the antichrist seems completely changed after “halftime” and it begs the question; “what got into his head?”

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”    Revelation 12:7-9  NKJV

The coming man of sin, more commonly known as the antichrist, achieves his success as a result of the power of Satan directing the events of this world.  I say success because by the world’s standards, in spite of what is going on around him, this man’s actions do result in a consolidation of power and a realignment of nations of which he becomes a most prominent leader.  Yet while up to this point he has only had Satan’s “help”, a major event occurs in Heaven which defines what is to come for the second half of the tribulation.  For reasons we are not told, but possibly a result of the “success” Satan feels he has had on earth, he starts a war in Heaven with Michael and his angels.

"For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ "  Isaiah 14:13-14  NKJV

I think it more than likely this is Satan’s attempt to do exactly what we are told in this passage from Isaiah, but not only does Satan lose the war, he and his angels are cast out of Heaven never to return. As you might expect, Satan’s reaction to this humiliating loss is to take his fury out on the earth, specifically the tribulation saints who have come to believe in Jesus Christ during the first half of the tribulation and the remaining Jews who reject his claim to be God. This claim occurs after an apparent assassination attempt on the antichrist which results in a head wound which by all accounts appears to be fatal.  Yet a defeated and enraged Satan indwells his body, the wound is healed, and he proceeds with his plan to make the entire world worship him.

“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”   Revelation 13:1-4  NKJV

Although at first the plan might seem to be working, not all choose to follow and worship him, and the event which draws the line in the sand is when he goes to the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and proclaims himself to be God in the flesh.

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”   2 Thessalonians 2:3-4  NKJV

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. “Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. “And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! “And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”   Matthew 24:15-22  NKJV

The reason the tribulation period is divided into two halves is simply because what is set to occur during the second half, called the Great Tribulation, is so terrifying and destructive to mankind that if God were to allow events to play out over time, eventually there would be no one left alive on earth.  As the antichrist, Satan proclaims himself to be God and demands the world to worship him and even goes so far as to require that all take a mark to show their acceptance.  Anyone not taking the mark will be pursued and killed, and the horror of these times is behind the warning from God in the passage from Matthew that the Jews flee immediately for their lives.  Because the rage of Satan during the Great Tribulation is so great, God has shortened that time to the three and one half years which He has revealed to us through the scriptures, and at the end of that time the end will come.

“Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.”   Jeremiah 30:6-7  NKJV

I believe the difference between the two halves of the tribulation period can be summed up this way; in the first half the antichrist is simply a puppet, but in the second half the antichrist is possessed.  Satan’s desire to “be like the Most High” will in fact be his downfall, which is why that after all of this, he has nowhere to go but down.

Everyone is afforded a choice as to where they will spend eternity.  If your desire is to spend that eternity in Heaven with our Father, Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans exactly how to do that.

“that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”    Romans 10:9-10  NKJV

I pray you have, or will, make the choice to accept the gift of eternal life offered to us all by the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Keep watching.

Why Shepherds?

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "And this [will be] the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen [Him], they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard [it] marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered [them] in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Luke 2:8-20 NKJV

To many, these words from Luke are very familiar, yet I never tire from hearing or reading them. Of course, this story like the rest of the Bible, has much to say if we but look a little deeper. Today I want to share just a few thoughts on shepherds, and a possible reason that God made the decision to announce the coming of His Son to them rather than kings or rulers.

In that part of the world, in that culture, shepherds were considered to be the lowest of the low. It took no special talent nor education to be a shepherd, and their responsibilities were extremely simple ones. According to the Bible, a shepherd was expected to feed and protect the flock, (Ezekiel 34:2,12), and rescue them from any danger, (Amos 3:12). In ancient Egypt, shepherds were also considered to be unclean, and thus not allowed to live close by but rather made to dwell away from others.

"So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, 'What is your occupation?' "that you shall say, 'Your servants' occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we [and] also our fathers,' that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd [is] an abomination to the Egyptians."

Genesis 46:33-34 NKJV

Do you find it interesting as I do then, that some famous people in the Bible were shepherds? People like Joseph, Moses, and David? Of course, we can never forget that Jesus is referred to as a shepherd throughout the New Testament as well. However, even with all this to consider, I still often wondered why God chose to send the angels to announce the birth of His Son to the shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem?

As I studied this question I discovered something I didn't know before that might explain God's reasoning, and give us an answer. You recall that shepherds and their sheep were, as a general rule, made to dwell away from the general population. If you wanted to find them, they were out in the country someplace. Yet these particular shepherds were in the fields outside of Bethlehem, which is only a few miles from Jerusalem. Why so close? It is believed that these particular shepherds were tending to the flocks of sheep that were used for the temple sacrifices in Jerusalem. If that was the case, consider how John the Baptist refers to Jesus when he first sees Him.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29 NKJV

I can't help but wonder if God wanted to tell the shepherds who were protecting the sacrificial sheep that the “Lamb of God” had been born and was in a manger just a couple of miles away? I couldn't help but notice too, that there was no hesitation on the part of the shepherds to leave their flock and run to Bethlehem to see what the Lord had made known to them.  Now that could certainly be a result of seeing and hearing angels, yet I can't help but wonder if their responsibilities towards a lamb that had wandered away from the flock had anything to do with their quick response.

As we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, I hope we remember that He was born to die, so that we can live. It was His ultimate sacrifice which allows us to make the choice to accept Him as our Savior, and become one of His sheep which He will soon take home to spend eternity with Him.

If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to allow Jesus Christ to come into your heart, and accept the free gift of eternal life He has offered you, I urge you to do so right now. You can do that by simply praying this prayer and accepting the gift of eternal life God has offered you by the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life to you. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for saving me. Amen.

Keep watching.

Revenge of the Kurds

“The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. “Lift up a banner on the high mountain, Raise your voice to them; Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles. I have commanded My sanctified ones; I have also called My mighty ones for My anger— Those who rejoice in My exaltation.” The noise of a multitude in the mountains, Like that of many people! A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together! The LORD of hosts musters The army for battle. They come from a far country, From the end of heaven— The LORD and His weapons of indignation, To destroy the whole land. Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt, And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames. Behold, the day of the LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine. “I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth will move out of her place, In the wrath of the LORD of hosts And in the day of His fierce anger. It shall be as the hunted gazelle, And as a sheep that no man takes up; Every man will turn to his own people, And everyone will flee to his own land. Everyone who is found will be thrust through, And everyone who is captured will fall by the sword. Their children also will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; Their houses will be plundered And their wives ravished. “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it. Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces, And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; Their eye will not spare children. And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will never be inhabited, Nor will it be settled from generation to generation; Nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, Nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there. But wild beasts of the desert will lie there, And their houses will be full of owls; Ostriches will dwell there, And wild goats will caper there. The hyenas will howl in their citadels, And jackals in their pleasant palaces. Her time is near to come, And her days will not be prolonged.”  Isaiah 13  NKJV

The news this past week that the United States has decided to pull its troops from the country of Syria has taken many by surprise.  Our presence there has quite obviously helped allay the fears of the nation of Israel, as well as contribute to the stability of the region.  The decision to pull out will leave a void that someone is sure to try and fill, and it goes without saying that someone is going to pay the price for the aggression which is sure to follow.  The most vocal candidate to fill this role emerged this past week in the form of the nation of Turkey.  This country, which many understand is a partner in the coalition of nations which will rise against Israel in the Gog Magog prophecy of Ezekiel 38-39, has embarked in the past on a war to exterminate the Kurds living in Northern Syria using the excuse that they are “terrorists” which threaten the sovereignty of Turkey.  Yet again recently, the leader of Turkey has made it plain he intends to continue to pursue this end.  The Kurds have been supported by the US government in the past, but our intent to pull out raises some serious questions about their future. One would hope that the United States would not abandon these people, but in any case, my personal belief from what we read in the Bible is that the Kurds are the last people on earth anyone should consider taking on.

Today’s post is a repeat of one I wrote a few years ago which explains exactly why I feel this way, and also why I feel this might be the beginning of a series of events which ultimately lead to the period we know as the tribulation.  All of the nations which are foretold to rise against the nation of Israel before and during the seven year tribulation are currently present and positioned exactly as predicted in scripture.  A new mid-east peace treaty is being proposed, and of course, rejected, setting up the possibility of this being the covenant of peace between Israel and its enemies which the coming man of sin “enforces”.  As often said, the Middle East is a tinderbox and all that has to happen is for someone to light the match.  Could this conflict between Turkey and the Kurds be that match?  Only time will tell.

Many of you will recognize this passage from Isaiah as the prophesied destruction of Babylon which we are told about in the Book of Revelation.  Other references to it can be found in Isaiah 14, and Jeremiah 50 and 51.  When speaking on the end times, and speculating on how close we may be to the events in Revelation, a popular quote we often hear is this; “when you see the Christmas decorations going up, you know that Thanksgiving is near”.  So too, we can recognize the signs of the nearness of the rapture by the preparations going on all around us for the events we are told will occur during the tribulation.

Over time I have found that there are many things taking place that at first glance are so small that they somehow escape notice.  One of those might well be found in this passage from Isaiah, and we could do well to consider it in regards to current events.  I am speaking of the mention towards the end of the passage of the group of people called the Medes which are described as having “no pity” as God uses them to implement His judgment on Babylon.  So how can it be that Isaiah tells us that they are present during the tribulation when they no longer exist today?  Or do they?

In the region of the Middle East where the countries of Iran, Iraq, and Turkey co-join, there is a relatively small group of people known as the Kurds.  These people number approximately ten million or so, and at present find themselves in much the same position as Israel was before 1948 in that they have no country of their own and desperately desire one.  Also, much like the Jews, they have been persecuted in every country in which they have tried to live.  Yet unlike the Jews, the vast majority of Kurds are Muslim, which begs the question; why are they being persecuted in the Muslim part of the world?

In fact, it appears that the Kurds are descended from the ancient Medes, who at one time partnered with the Persians to form the Medo-Persian Empire, which was revealed by Daniel to be the second of the four great empires which were to rule that part of the world.  Cyrus the Great, whom we meet during Daniels’ time, was part Mede and part Persian.  He captured the city of Ecbatana (the modern day city of Hamadan in Iran) which was the capital of Media, and created the greatest empire to rule in the sixth century before Christ.

Eventually Alexander the Great arrived on the scene and defeated them as part of his campaign to conquer the known world at that time, and slowly the Medes disappear from the annals of history.  Yet many of today’s Kurds believe they are descended from the ancient Medes, and although there is some disagreement among scholars as to the validity of this claim, the important point is that God tells us they will exist at the time of Revelation.  The obvious conclusion then is that they are alive and well today, and considering the venom of their revenge on Babylon, they must believe they have a serious ax to grind.

As I have studied this prophecy, that is essentially the conclusion I eventually arrived at; it is revenge which motivates these people to destroy Babylon in the way that they do.  The Kurds of today wish desperately for a homeland they can call their own, but the countries of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Russia and Turkey will not allow that to happen.  You see, in order to do so the land would have to come from one or all of these countries and none of them are willing to allow that to happen.  So the situation as it exists today is that there are ten million ethnic people descended from the ancient Medes who desperately wish to have a land they can call their own.  However, not only is that dream being denied, they are under the threat of extinction because of the hatred of the countries surrounding them, especially Turkey.

You could make the point that the total destruction of Babylon during the tribulation period is one of the most significant events to occur in those seven years.  That city will be Satan’s capitol on earth and the center of the anti-Christ’s power.  Although its destruction is at the hands of many nations, only the Medes are mentioned by name.  I believe that this is God’s way of telling us that this is personal for them.  It is a logical assumption that revenge is a very good motivation for the total lack of compassion and extent of destruction which this passage describes as not being seen on this earth since God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Kurdish army goes by the name Peshmerga, a term you will often find in the news today.  They are excellent, determined fighters as opposed to many other so called armies in that region and would fight to the death for their country.  They have a history of fighting as professional soldiers and mercenaries, with a reputation as the fiercest fighting force in that part of the world.  Are the seeds of their desire for revenge being sown right before our eyes?  Will the persecution they are receiving from the surrounding countries provoke their desire to strike out at the center of the anti-Christ’s power during the tribulation?  According to Isaiah it will, and if God said it, I believe it.

Keep watching.

https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/trump-abandons-the-kurds-in-syria-will-turkey-now-crush-their-secular-utopia-1.6765593

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-vows-leave-syria-kurds-fear-power-grab-iran-russia-230510703.html

https://www.foxnews.com/world/syrian-kurdish-troops-shocked-and-scared-for-us-troop-withdrawal

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/12/erdogan-announces-syria-pull-181220112757906.html

A Watered Down Jesus?

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,                     2 Thessalonians 2:3  NKJV

I am sure many of us are familiar with this verse, especially at this point in time when many are saying the end of the age is upon us and the return of Christ for His Church is imminent.  It is used often to describe what will occur within the body of Christ as many believers turn away from what the Bible teaches and follow a false gospel created and engineered by Satan himself.  While this might seem hard to believe by many, I often wonder do we often overlook one of the reasons this might be happening.  By that I mean, although we tend to focus on the individuals themselves, who or what is leading them astray?  Sadly and unfortunately, my conclusion was; the Church itself.

I had an opportunity to engage in a conversation this past week concerning the hiring of a pastor by a local church, whose previous employment was with an extremely large and popular church from another city.  Now at first glance, that might seem to be a successful hire by the local church but when I talked with an individual whose opinion I greatly respect from the city where the other church is, I was told that the success of that particular church was because it has a reputation of teaching a “watered down Jesus”.   Although that did not surprise me in the least, could we not find a sadder commentary on the state of the church as it exists today?

If we look at the definition of falling away as used in this passage, this is what we find; apostasia; a falling away or defection from the truth.  Of course, this leads us to the question we have all heard at one time or another, especially if you took a philosophy class in college, “what is truth”? 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.              John 14:6  NKJV

Personally, I love the simple answers in life.  This is certainly not the answer many people I have encountered wanted to hear, but it is, nonetheless, an answer straight from the God of the universe.  So my first question of any church is this; do you teach this truth?  Unfortunately today in many churches, especially those who lean towards the emergent church model, this is something you will never hear from the pulpit.  The focus is all about service and works and being involved, but nothing about first acknowledging your need for salvation and accepting the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for your sins.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.  Romans 1:16  NKJV

Sadly, the vast majority of churches today teach what I have termed the “gospel of the moment”.  That is, they teach whatever they feel the congregation wants to hear in order to fill the seats with happy, contented people.  Sadly, it is not as if God did not warn us in advance that this would happen.  In his second letter to Timothy, Paul warned of this problem in advance and explained that people would turn away from the truth of the Gospel and instead embrace the lies of the evil one.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.                                    2 Timothy 4:3-4  NKJV

In all of his letters, Paul makes it plain that the truth of which he is speaking is the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Greek word for gospel is “euaggelion”, which translates as; “gospel, the glad tidings of salvation through Christ”.  The truth is, there is only one way for mankind to be saved from eternity in Hell but rather spend it with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Heaven above and that is by accepting the salvation offered by His sacrifice on the cross for our sin. On the day of Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit had come upon the disciples, Peter makes it very clear when talking to the High Priest and his advisors that there is only one true gospel and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”     Acts 4:12  NKJV

The power of the gospel of Christ was so powerful that even these who had crucified Him were forced to admit that something they could not explain had indeed occurred.

But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.    Acts 4:15-16  NKJV

When Paul and Silas were put into prison in Philippi, a miracle occurred when God produced an earthquake which caused the doors to open and their chains to fall off.  When the jailer was about to kill himself, he was stopped by Paul and responded by asking this question;

And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”    Acts 16:30-31  NKJV

Notice that Paul’s answer to him was the gospel of Jesus Christ, and not some of what you might hear in many churches today which teach a different “gospel”.  When Jesus was explaining the gospel to Nicodemus He said this;

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”    John 3:3  NKJV

Jesus went on to tell him that to be born again is to be born of the Spirit, which is what happens when we choose to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“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  NKJV

What is the truth of the Gospel of Christ?  That God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die on a cross for our sins.  What is required of us is to simply admit we are sinners, and believe that Jesus paid the penalty for our sin when He died on the cross.  This is what it means to be born again, and it is a gift given to us free of charge, the only requirement being we must receive and accept it.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9  NKJV

What is truth?  The gospel of Jesus Christ.  My question for you today is, are you fighting for the truth?  Does your church teach the gospel of Christ, or a "watered down Jesus"?  Does your pastor teach, just as Jesus did, that we must be born again?  Do you hear the message that mankind are sinners in need of salvation?  Have you heard lately the words, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved”?  If not, I would suggest that in order to fight for the truth, ask these questions of your church.  Copy this study and give it to your pastor or the elders with the question, “why not”?

If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, I encourage you to do it right now.  Simply ask God to forgive you of your sin, and believe that His Son Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your sin, and you will be “born again” and “have everlasting life” just as Jesus said.  If you have never made the decision to accept that free gift I encourage you to do so.  Simply ask God to forgive you of your sin based on your belief that Jesus died to pay the price for your sin, and turn over control of your life to Him.  You can do that by praying a prayer just like this one;

"Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank You for saving me. Amen."  

This is the truth of the gospel.  Do you fight for it?

Keep watching.