Discouragement or Hope :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: October 16, 2022 by RR10

Along with joy and happiness, this life can hold many trials and unhappiness. It’s up to each individual to decide what to focus on. We need to remember that all blessings come from God, but all evil comes from wicked Satanic forces. God created a world of beauty and peace filled with blessings and hope. Genesis chapter 1 isn’t an allegory or a myth. It is truth. God created everything in 6 literal days. The ultimate creation was Adam. Evolution didn’t make you the unique and special person you are.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27).

When God saw that Adam needed a companion, He took Eve from Adam and told them to be fruitful and multiply. In this passage of Scripture, we can see that gender is not a choice and that since God created male and female, marriage is only valid between a man and a woman.

We don’t know how long Adam and Eve had been living in the Garden of Eden when Eve was distracted from God’s truth and chatted with Satan. Big mistake! That evil being convinced her that God was wicked and only told them not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil because He didn’t want them to be as gods. God had specifically told Adam to eat of every tree in the Garden except for the forbidden fruit.

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

This command was given to Adam prior to God creating Eve, so Adam should have been clearer when directing Eve in God’s truth. Eve listened to Satan and ate the forbidden fruit. Adam also disregarded God’s commandments and sinned. Did Adam and Eve drop dead immediately? Not in body, but in soul. That’s when sin and death entered creation and mankind was separated from God. There had been enough food on all the trees in the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve to eat and be satisfied. Still, the wickedness of Satan convinced them that God was a liar and the forbidden fruit was good to eat.

You might think that event didn’t set a precedent, but it did. For some reason, Satan’s lies look more appealing than God’s truth, even though history should show us that sin never brings happiness, joy, or peace. Look around at the ways of the world. God created a man and a woman, and their marriage was forever. What do we see in the world today? Men and women living together without the blessing of a God-ordained marriage. Unwanted children come from such unions, and there is no real love and trust in such a relationship. Men living with men, and woman living with women as if they are married in God’s eyes. AIDS is a result of such relationships.

There is sickness and evil all around, and life can get overwhelming. Are you discouraged by the way your life is going? Are you facing trials and worries? Maybe your children are rebellious and living lives opposed to God. That is heartbreaking and worrisome. Do you blame God because of the sinful way your children live? Look at your own life. Have you been an example of Godly ways for your children to admire?

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

Too many parents have the attitude of “do as I say, not as I do.” If you tell your children to stay away from drugs and alcohol but live the example of drunkenness, don’t blame God if your children follow your example. Are you in a God-ordained one man/one woman marriage, or are you giving your children the example of “living together”? If you aren’t following God’s truth, you can’t blame Him for the results of your choices. God gave us the freedom to choose to follow His ways, or go the way of Satan’s lies. If we choose to follow Satan’s lies, then we cannot blame God for the results of our sin.

God has given us Scripture to guide us in His ways, but if we listen to Satan’s voice and follow worldly ways, we have to accept the results of our sin.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

A wage is something you work for, but a gift is something that is freely given. We have fragile bodies that were created to work a certain way. Then Satan whispers to you, drink that alcohol because you will have more friends and be the life of the party. Do you listen to Satan or to God?

“Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying” (Romans 13:13).

So, you harken to Satan’s lies and drink until you are seeing double and decide to drive home. An accident happens, and people are killed. Do you blame God for the results of the accident, or do you see that it was your choice to drive while drunk or under the influence of drugs? Maybe you hadn’t been drinking, and the accident just happened, or there was some negligence on your part. It can be discouraging to face life knowing that maybe you should have been more cautious and alert. My brother was killed in an automobile accident. It was truly an accident. It was very rainy, and an animal ran across the highway. The young driver skidded off the road, and three young boys died that night. The driver survived, but the horror of that night still haunts him after more than 60 years.

The point is, we cannot blame God for troubles. Wickedness is from Satan. Death entered creation when Adam disregarded God’s command and ate the forbidden fruit. To this day, many people choose to disregard His Commandments and live a life of sin. There are many things in life that we can’t control that cause pain and suffering. Remember, we live in a fallen world, and all evil is from Satan. It’s heartbreaking to see a baby born with birth defects, and it’s easy to blame God. On the other hand, we must question whether or not the mother took drugs – prescription or illegal. I know of a baby who was born premature and addicted to cocaine because the mother was addicted to cocaine. Do we blame God, or do we blame Satan? I blame Satan.

Our only hope is in Jesus. No matter what troubles you face, or choices you’ve made, if you’ve placed your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, you can be assured He will never leave you nor forsake you.

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Moses had led the Israelites through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. That must have been very discouraging, but the wandering was caused because of their lack of faith and trust in God, and a choice was made to disobey Him. Now the time had come for them to enter into the promised land, and Moses was near to death. He spoke to the Israelites and encouraged them to trust God and to follow Him. Heed those words in your own life. Turn from sin that causes a separation between you and God.

If you have accepted Christ for your salvation but only see evil and discouragement in your life, it might be helpful to look at the choices you’ve made. Have you always followed God’s path, or have you deviated to follow the way of the world? The Holy Spirit will never lead you to do anything that is opposed to Scripture. Follow His guidance. “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

Is what you are going through the wages of sin that you’ve earned? Remember that, as the Scripture says, we earn the wages of sin, but if you have given your life to Christ, your sins are all forgiven.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

You may still have to pay the price for living life opposed to God, but He will never leave you. Christians have the blessed hope of eternity with God. Instead of being discouraged over the wages of sin you’ve earned, draw hope and joy from the gift of God.

As we draw nearer to the end of time, we will see wickedness growing stronger as more and more people reject God’s truth. Even Christians are listening to Satan’s evil whisper rather than standing firm on Scripture.

“Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee” (Acts 8:22).

God is always willing to forgive the truly repentant person who humbly goes before Him in prayer.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Once you’ve recognized the sin in your life, confess it to God and ask Him to forgive you. Then turn away from it. The blood that Jesus shed for you doesn’t give you a license to continue sinning. Remember, no matter how discouraged you may be by life’s circumstances, there is always hope in Jesus. God can, and will, take everything you turn over to Him and make it work for good.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Never allow life to defeat you, but keep your eyes and heart upon Jesus.

Discouragement comes from living a worldly life, but hope comes from living for Christ.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

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

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

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Do You Yearn for His Kingdom? :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: October 9, 2022 by RR7

The King is coming! Are you excited? If you claim to be a follower of Christ, then you should be very excited. Prophecy is being fulfilled faster than most people can keep up with.

Remember to keep your eyes on Israel to see prophecy come alive. There’s talk of a train from the Ben Gurion Airport to the Temple so people can easily go to worship there. The Temple hasn’t been rebuilt yet, but it will be. Five red heifers were flown from Texas to Israel. One of them just might be qualified and selected to be the sacrifice whose ashes will be used for the purification process.

“This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: and ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp and one shall slay her before his face: and Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times and one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: and the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer” (Numbers 19:2-6).

The red heifer seems to have shown up in time to purify the coming Temple. God always provides, and He’s never late. This is exciting, and prophecy buffs are keeping their eyes on this. We know that the Temple must be built because Scripture tells us that the Anti-Christ will pridefully set himself up as God.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

He is not God, but halfway through Daniel’s 70th week, he will deceive those who have rejected God Almighty and convince them that he is God.

The signs of the times are happening quickly. Most people just go about life without giving a second thought to the increase in the number and intensity of earthquakes. We can’t turn on any news broadcast without hearing about war. Israel is the target of much hatred from the nations of the world, but they are in the land that God gave them, and there they will stay. There are many prophetic Scriptures that talk of Israel being back in their God-given land and never being uprooted again. The dry bones coming together, as described in Ezekiel, is exactly what began happening in 1947. The bones came together and are now coming alive. Israel is coming alive spiritually.

“Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 37:4-6).

It’s exciting to see the Jewish people coming together with life and a fresh spirit.

“But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them; and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers” (Jeremiah 16:15).

God is with Israel, and they won’t be driven from their land again.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:11-12).

It gives me shivers knowing that I am living in the time of God’s prophecy being fulfilled.

Christians should be very aware of what this all means. I remember cartoons of the past showing a scraggly bearded hippy-type holding a sign that said, “The end is in sight.” Guess what! The end is in sight! Actually, for Christians, the Rapture is in sight! Brothers and sisters, what do you yearn for? Do you want God to delay His coming so you can get a big promotion at work? Do you look forward to buying a new house and don’t want God to interfere with your plans? This life does hold many blessings, and we need to enjoy our life, but nothing on earth can come close to the glorious Home awaiting us in Heaven. Each and every one of us should yearn for Him to call us Home. There is a reward awaiting all who yearn for His appearing.

“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

Do you love thinking about that glorious day when we hear His call to “Come up hither”? The more wickedness I see in this world, the more I yearn to be with Jesus.

There are those who may feel a little guilty for yearning for God’s Kingdom to come. The truth is, Jesus directed us to pray for it. We all know the words.

“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” (Luke 11:2).

That prayer is prayed so often, but it can become just words with little thought to the truth behind them. The disciples had been listening to Jesus pray and desired for Him to teach them, and us, how to pray.

The first thing to notice is that Jesus directed them to pray to God, the Father. Not to Mary, Peter, or any pope-appointed saint. Only God can answer prayer.

The next directive is that we are to recognize that God is holy, and He is deserving of our respect and honor.

The next part may be misunderstood. “Thy kingdom come.” What does that mean? When you pray those words, you are praying for God’s Kingdom on earth. It will happen whether you pray for it or not, but every Christian should yearn for God’s Kingdom on earth. If you don’t, maybe you don’t want God’s perfect rule over all things. Is your desire to continue with fallible rule by humans? My desire is for Christ’s perfect Kingdom on earth, and I yearn for that day. When you pray for His Kingdom to come, do you mean it?

What about the next words? “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” Do you want to live under His perfect will? I hope so. Actually, you can start today to do your part by doing His will. First, accept the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for salvation, then let go of the sin in your life and start living to please Him.

We all fail when it comes to living the way God wants us to live and the way we will be expected to live when Jesus is King. We easily lose our temper over nothing important, and we don’t forgive others. We suffer from pride, but God wants us to be humble. Jesus is our example. When He entered His creation, He left the glory and worship in Heaven. He could have been prideful because He was God; Jesus is much superior to mere humans. Instead of boasting and making sure everyone knew just how great He was, He became one of us and submitted Himself to the mocking, humiliation, and pain of death. He paid the price for your sin and mine.

If the God of all creation humbly became a man and was obedient unto death, can’t you see your need to set your pride aside and humbly serve Him? If you yearn for His Kingdom on earth, shouldn’t you be obedient to His will now? If you don’t want to follow Him now, what makes you think you’ll be happy living under His authority for eternity?

“Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine Heart” (Psalm 37:4).

That was David’s thought about life. He was right, but don’t misconstrue this verse to mean if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us anything we want. It does mean that if we earnestly desire things of God rather than the things of the world, we will find that our needs are taken care of and the desires of our heart center around Godly desires. If we yearn for His Kingdom on Earth, we will find ourselves living for Him.

Jesus also told us to seek first the Kingdom of God. Instead of seeking after fame and fortune and earthly pleasure, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

What things will be added? If you read the previous verses, you’ll see that He was talking about food, shelter, and clothing. If you yearn for God’s Kingdom to come, then don’t be double-minded. Start living as if it’s already here. This is not intended to validate the heresy of “name it and claim it.” If you seek after Godly things and live a Godly life, things like food, shelter, and clothing will be provided by God.

God loves you and gave His life for your salvation. He will call us Home soon. Keep looking and listening. The signs tell us that blessed day is approaching quickly. I yearn for it. How about you? You should because it’s going to be wonderful!