America just celebrated Thanksgiving, a day which is set aside to be thankful for God’s blessings. I often wonder who or what atheists thank. Maybe they are thankful to the football teams for taking over the television with football. For my part, I’m thankful for all that God provides. When I think about it, He provides everything.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

What if He hadn’t created the heaven and earth? No further creation could happen. If there was no place upon which creation could sit, we’d all be floating around in space, seldom coming in contact with anybody or anything. I’m thankful to God for creating this earth and placing it exactly where it needs to be in order for the sun to warm it but not make it too hot for life to thrive. Scientists call this the anthropic principle, which means that all things are very precise and fine-tuned to make human habitation possible. My reaction to that is, “Duh, that’s because God made it for us.” Bible-believing Christians know that this wasn’t an accident.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3).

Who was the “Word”? The answer is simple. The Word was Jesus Christ. He spoke all things into existence, and He made all things.

The Apostle Paul wasn’t confused by myths. He knew that the world wasn’t supported on the shoulders of Atlas, or any other myth. He wrote in a letter to the Colossian believers about God, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 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: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:13-17).

That word “consist” is translated from the Greek word “synistemi” and simply means Jesus holds all things together. One day, He will let go, and what a disaster that will be. Christians will be Raptured before that happens, but we can be thankful that Jesus is holding all things together. Jesus created all things, including angels. If anybody tries to convince you that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers, pray for them. They are not brothers; in fact, Lucifer is a created being, whereas Christ has always been and is the Creator. Why aren’t we more thankful for what God has done and is doing for us? Celebrate Christ every day.

People like to complicate things, and many also try to take the glory away from God. Some would have us believe, as Chuck Missler liked to say, first there was nothing, then it exploded. From this big bang came all of the plants, animals, water, people, the air we breathe, etc. They would have us believe that soil that is able to grow plants just happened by chance, as did the plants themselves. Somehow, it all “evolved” just right so life could also “evolve.” By chance, rain happened to water the soil so plants can grow. I wonder what happened between soil coming together and a seed evolving and rain watering everything, or did rain come first? Why didn’t it wash away the soil? There were no plant roots to hold it together.

Plants, by chance, provide food for people and animals in just the right balance of nutrition to sustain life. The “by chance” happenings just go on and on in the fantasy world of evolution in more and more unbelievable ways. Study Genesis to take the confusion away.

God did it all with a plan; it didn’t evolve by happenstance. Bible teachers have dropped the ball by not teaching the truth of God’s word. When the Apostle Paul was mentoring a young pastor named Timothy, he encouraged him to stay true to Scripture instead of teaching false knowledge as if it were true knowledge.

“O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).

Science has been twisted to eliminate truth. We learn in Genesis that it was Satan who first twisted God’s truth so that he confused Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit that God clearly told Adam not to eat. When God’s truth is twisted to fit an agenda, there is always trouble.

When we understand that God has created everything, we should be grateful. That gratitude should lead us to obey Him. We should never twist His truth to make our sin seem acceptable. There is much evil in this world and it’s glorified and made to look as if it’s fun and not hurting anybody. There has been a shift in “normal” to claim that those who honor the Lord are the abnormal ones. God hasn’t changed, so Christians must be true to His word.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

All it takes is for a Christian to study Scripture and believe it to see that wickedness has no place in the life of someone who loves the Lord. It’s God who defines right and wrong, not the liberal thinkers who are powered by Satan and accept everything except God’s truth. When God is rejected as creator, what happens? Study Romans chapter 1 and find out. Then, look at news headlines and hear about “pride parades” and transgender thinking, and you’ll see that the Bible is true. Prophecy is probably the best proof of God’s word being truth. Prophecy is being fulfilled quickly. Again, watch the news and keep your eyes on Israel. Christians need to take Scripture seriously and not waiver. Remember, God is correct in all matters.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren 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” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Many Christians today have let go of God’s truth. People claim to be Christians but can’t quote even one verse. Many don’t know why they think they are Christians and don’t believe much of Scripture. My husband thought he was a Christian because he lived in the United States. When he finally came to understand what Christianity is, he was amazed and fell in love with Jesus and Scripture. It changed his life. Most people like the parts about grace and mercy but don’t like to follow the rules God has laid down. What stops us from having unmovable faith? Is it fear? We would do better to fear God rather than fear the opinions of fellow humans. People will always fail, but God is eternal and will never fail.

The next big holiday to be celebrated is Christmas. It’s supposed to celebrate the Creator of the universe stepping into His creation as a human – Immanuel, God with us. That name, or should I say description, was a prophecy found in Isaiah.

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sin; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

We can always count on the fact that Biblical prophecy will always be fulfilled. This prophecy was fulfilled when a young virgin named Mary submitted herself to God and became pregnant. She was engaged to Joseph, a carpenter, and he was also obedient to God and took his place as the stepfather of Jesus. Joseph and Mary had other children together after Jesus was born, but Jesus was the only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit. In that way, His blood was not tainted by Adam’s sin and qualified Him to be our Redeemer.

Since Mary was human, Jesus was a kinsman to humanity. When He offered Himself for our salvation on the cross, He was fully God and fully human – our Kinsman Redeemer. His pure blood was shed to take our sin away, not just cover sin as animal sacrifices did. We learn from the Apostle John that Jesus was the Word, which was in the beginning, and the Creator. We also learn He became human.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

That’s something to be thankful for. If you haven’t put your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you need to do that now. Biblical prophecy will always be fulfilled, and the end times prophecies are being fulfilled quickly.

When you celebrate a holiday, whether it be the birth of Christ or His resurrection, be sure you remember what you celebrate. Keep Christ in the celebration.

God bless you all.

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com

www.prophecyupdate.com

www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

God gives us many lessons we need to learn, and many of those lessons can be learned by studying the lives of the people in Scripture. In fact, He tells us to learn from the past.

The New Testament is full of reminders from the Old Testament of how God dealt with Israel. We can be certain that Genesis is the true story of Creation, and in the Gospel of John, we are told who did the creating. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3).

Was the Word Jesus? Yes. We just need to read a little more in this chapter to see that clearly. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Jesus was the Creator, and by looking back to Genesis and forward to the New Testament, we can be sure of the truth. Paul even describes very graphically in Romans chapter 1 the consequences of rejecting God as the Creator. I suggest you read and study that chapter and pay attention.

Many prophecies are quoted in the Gospels to prove Jesus is the Messiah. These come from Isaiah, Zechariah, Ezekiel, and more. The Disciples were Jewish, so they were familiar with what we call the Old Testament. They would easily be able to understand the references to Jesus in various prophecies.

The New Testament contains many, many references to the Old Testament, so that tells us that we need to study both Old and New Testaments. The writer of Hebrews dedicates an entire chapter to some important people in the Old Testament. Chapter 11 is called the “Hall of Faith” and lists some very amazing people who served God, even when they made mistakes. It would be a very good idea to study each one listed and see how God used them in spite of their weaknesses.

The first one named in Chapter 11 is Abel. He offered a sacrifice that was acceptable to the Lord. Cain, on the other hand, offered an unacceptable offering. “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4).

By looking back, we can learn that God wants our best. When we give our best to God, we have a clear conscience before the Lord. In whatever situation we find ourselves, we need to give Him our best. Look back at Abel and see that he honored God by obeying Him. Instead of giving God what is easy for us, give God what pleases Him. Instead of “sacrificing” an hour to Him on Sunday, give Him your life.

Next, we find out about Enoch who shows us the first picture of the rapture in Scripture. We learn from Enoch that it’s never too late to give our life to God. “And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:21-24).

In Hebrews, we read that Enoch was “translated.” “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). He was taken by God prior to God’s judgment of destruction coming by the flood. All flesh was destroyed except for Noah and his family. By looking back to Enoch, we can understand that by faith, Enoch was taken by God prior to judgment. Faith is how we please God.

“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” (Hebrews 11:6).

Brothers and sisters, have faith. Unshakable faith that honors God in all things. If you haven’t put your faith in Christ, do that now, and don’t put it off. You don’t need a big flashy ceremony or a pastor to grill you in the tenants of their own denomination. Just faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Be like Enoch and walk with Him all the days you have left in this world. If you choose to accept His shed blood for salvation, then give Him a sacrifice that honors Him. Be like Abel and sacrifice what God desires, not what’s easy for you as Cain did.

“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” (Romans 12:1).

A living sacrifice? What could that mean? It means we set aside our own carnal lusts and desires and live for Christ. “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4).

Seek the Lord with all your heart, and you will find that your desires change. You’ll desire to know Him better and study Scripture. You’ll begin to apply Scripture to your life. You’ll follow the example of Abel who gave a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. You may even find yourself studying prophecy.

Yes, prophecy is a huge part of Scripture, and if God thinks it’s important to tell us what to look for, then it’s important that we pay attention. We do that by looking back into the Old Testament and studying. If you look back into the Old and New Testaments, you’ll find many, many prophecies that have been fulfilled, but many that are unfolding today.

This world is a very dark and evil place to live, but prophecy shines a light on world events and tells us that God isn’t surprised by the way things are going. Through faith in Jesus, Christians have the Blessed Hope of being taken Home prior to God’s final judgment on the unbelieving world. The Apostle Peter understood this. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).

Unless you study prophecy, you’ll be confused and maybe frightened by much of what you see happening in the world. Russia and Ukraine are at war, but it seems as if that war will help Russia move into the Middle East to support Iran against Israel. Study Ezekiel to understand that one.

On October 7, 2023, Israel was viciously attacked and fought back, but the world seems to be against them. Why? God called Abraham away from his pagan life of idol worship and promised that a great nation would come from him. God is true to His word, and the nation of Israel was indeed the result of God’s promise to Abraham. God also promised blessings on whoever blesses Abraham and, by default, Israel. “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Because Israel is God’s chosen people, many people in this world are jealous and despise Israel. Just like a child who thinks a sibling gets more love from their parent. It’s important to pray for Israel.

We also learn that there are times when looking back was the wrong thing to do. When talking to His disciples about the end of the age, Jesus spoke of Lot. He told how Lot lived in Sodom when God’s judgment was upon that city. Sodom was a very evil city filled with sin. Much like today, nobody was very upset by the evil, and they just went about business as usual. They were “woke,” but judgment was upon them. God sent two angels to take Lot and his family away from the evil prior to judgment. When the angels arrived in Sodom, the men desired to have sexual relations with them, but Lot stood in their way.

Lot and his family had to leave in a hurry, but his sons-in-law laughed at him and chose to stay amidst the evil. “And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city” (Genesis 19:16).

Again, this is a picture of the rapture. The angels couldn’t bring the destruction until Lot and his family were out of danger. They urged the family to run fast and not look back. Lot’s wife did the unthinkable. “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26). Why did she look back? Was she just curious, or did she want one last look at the home she loved? Whatever her reason, she disobeyed and paid the price. When we come to salvation through Christ, we need to move forward in our new life instead of looking back and desiring to return to old sins.

Another example of when not to look back is found in Nineveh. This was a very violent and wicked place, and God was going to destroy them but sent Jonah to witness to them. Jonah wasn’t a willing witness, but the people and leaders of Nineveh did repent and were spared the destruction they deserved. This puts me in mind of America and the judgment we faced in our last election. The evil found here is the same as found in Sodom and can be compared to the time before the Flood of Noah. American Christians prayed, and God had mercy. The Liberal agenda has been delayed.

What happened to Nineveh? Their judgment was delayed, but they looked back and returned to their wickedness. About 100 years after they repented, they were destroyed because they returned to their wicked ways. Christians must continue to pray and give God our best. We must teach our children and grandchildren to honor God. “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” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Christians are called by the name of Christ. We must stand strong in our service to God. We must demand that public schools stop teaching Satan’s ways, and we must demand that our pastors teach God’s truth. We must not look back and return to the wicked ways that will bring destruction.

There are many lessons to be learned as we study Scripture. We learn that obedience to God makes a difference. It doesn’t always smooth the road we must follow, but the result of obedience is always a blessing.

If you haven’t yet placed your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, do it now. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain. Eternity is a long time to live by your choices. If you have accepted Christ for salvation, then obey His command. Follow Him. Leave the sinful life of disobedience. Study to learn how all of the people mentioned in Scripture served God in spite of their weaknesses. Look back and learn, but “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). That’s good advice from Jesus. Obey and serve God with joy.

Should we look back? Yes, but not with a desire to return to the sins of the past which bring destruction. Look back with thanksgiving that God, in His mercy, has given grace and mercy when He rightfully could have given judgment and destruction instead. Look back, but don’t go back.

God bless you all

Nathele Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).