Terrorists In Egypt

The number of their troops of cavalry was twice ten thousand times ten thousand (200,000,000); I heard what their number was. Revelation 9:16

Two hundred million troops? That is an absolutely staggering number. Right now America only has 150,000 troops deployed in war zones and it is stretching our abilities and resources to the breaking point. Think about it, how would you feed these millions of people, move them, and provide the weaponry for them? There is not a country in the world that could effectively equip and deploy such a huge army. Even with multiple countries working together it couldn’t be done. Yet, two hundred million radicals, who are not centralized and do not have to be clothed, fed, transported, and supplied by a country, that is a different story all together. It would be easy for 200,000,000 people with a common hatred, who could kill with simple every day items, to come together in war over a single purpose, a war where everywhere was the battlefield. The seeds of such an army are being sown today all over the Middle East.

I mentioned Egypt here because there are a lot of stories in the news lately that are focused on the Muslim Brotherhood taking over the power in Egypt. The Truth is that they and many other similar organizations are going to grow into and take power in the Middle East. They are going to amass a huge following of people, who are going to join together to kill a 1/3 of mankind, Revelation 9:18. No treaties or aide packages from the West will stop them.

But, this is not what we should be focused on as a sign of Jesus’ return. What we should focus on is the 144,000 Jewish witnesses that our Father is going to raise up in the last days, Revelation 7:4. This is the glorious sign that ties right into what Jesus told the Disciples to look for in the last days, Matthew 24:14. When we see the Church, and that includes our brothers and sisters in Israel, become powerful, then the end is near. The news media and television evangelists will talk about what radicals are doing, what governments are doing, or what courts and politicians are doing that point towards the end. That is not what we are to look at, we are to look for the Gospel of the Kingdom to be preached over the entire world in power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit!

The Church is going to grow very strong and we will be used to do the works that Jesus was used to do and we will be used to do even greater works, John 14:12. The world will rejoice in the peace that we are used by God to provide, 1 Thessalonians 5:3. The World will take credit for the peace and safety and then sudden destruction will come on them. And these 200,000,000 will be part of the vessels of our Father’s wrath and they will be permitted by Him to begin to kill and destroy. But before they are allowed to act with such destructive power, the Church must be empowered with an end time anointing.

How Many Were Attacked By Satan This Week?

I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep. But the hired servant (he who merely serves for wages) who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away. And the wolf chases and snatches them and scatters [the flock]. Now the hireling flees because he merely serves for wages and is not himself concerned about the sheep [cares nothing for them]. I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me— Even as [truly as] the Father knows Me and I also know the Father--and I am giving My [very own] life and laying it down on behalf of the sheep. John 10:11-15

How many of you were attacked by satan this week? I hear this question posed by preachers to their congregations all of the time. Let me tell you the Truth, and this Truth will set you free: if you were attacked by satan this week, it is only because the Good Shepherd, our Lord and Savior, allowed him to be anywhere near you. And if Jesus did let satan near you, he was only permitted to do what our Father instructed him to do. Satan does not have free will to just come and get us. If he did have free reign to harm us, then our Shepherd, Jesus, would be one lousy shepherd for letting satan ever get within a hundred miles of us.

The Truth is that satan is a tool of our Father and he is used to strengthen us, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9. Yep, you heard me right. Satan is a tool of our Father. Satan is evil and he is opposed to our Father. Satan is a murderer and a thief and he was that way from the very moment that our Father created him, John 8:44. Even though all of that is true, it does not change the fact that satan is used by our Father to strengthen us.

Satan does not have free reign to do what he will’s, read the Book of Job and you will see this. Our Father told satan what he could and could not do to Job, Job 1:12. Satan desired to sift the disciples and our Father said no, Luke 22:31. The whole Book of Revelation reveals to us that the orders of the Great Tribulation always come first from the Throne of our Father. Our Father tells the demons and the attackers in Revelation when to act, who to act on, and what they are able to do and not do, Revelation 6:6, 7:3, and 9:19.

So if you were attacked by satan this week, rejoice. Because our Father allowed him to attack you, so that the Holy Spirit would become stronger in you. Our Father never allows satan to harm us beyond that which we are anointed to take, 1 Corinthians 10:13. Our Father controls everything, including satan, and there is no fear in the perfect love of our Father.

God Made Both, Vessels of Honor and Vessels of Dishonor

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also [utensils] of wood and earthenware, and some for honorable and noble [use] and some for menial and ignoble [use]. 2 Timothy 2:20

Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same mass (lump) one vessel for beauty and distinction and honorable use, and another for menial or ignoble and dishonorable use? Romans 9:21

The Holy Spirit was sharing something really powerful with me yesterday and it was this Truth. In our houses, and we are the House of our Father, there are vessels of honor and there are vessels of dishonor. Whether they are honorable or dishonorable, they all work together and make the house function at is highest level. The same is true in God’s house, all things, honorable and dishonorable, noble and ignoble, work together for our good, Romans 8:28. Our Father created both the good and the evil and they all serve His purposes and plans.

Then the Holy Spirit asked this question to me, “In a house, are there more vessels of honor or dishonor?” I started thinking about it and in my house, there are far more vessels of honor then dishonor. Then the Spirit told me, it is the same in the Father’s House! Amen, think about it and you will see that it is true. The Truth is that there are far more of us that will not be disposed of, then who will be disposed of. In the parable of the Marriage Supper, Jesus only told of one individual, out of a room full of people, who will be thrown out, Matthew 22.

The glorious Truth is that far more people will not be thrown into the Lake of Fire then who will be. Some of us may be Gold and Silver and some of us Wood and Earth, but we will all be used to glorify the Kingdom and serve our House, the House of our Father. Some say that there is no Hell, there is. Some say that no one will be thrown into Hell, they will be. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when they are. But amen, it is not a majority of us, it is exactly the opposite, not many of us will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. Only those who commit Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, and that is an incredibly hard sin to commit.

Jesus Was Sent To Keep You And I Safe

For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him. John 3:17

With 24/7 news and internet it is easy to get caught up in the bad things that are happening around the world. But our peace passes all understanding and our peace is that Jesus came so that we might be kept safe and even be sound through it all.

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7

The Spirit that we have been given is the Spirit of Christ and our Spirit did not run from the Cross. Our Spirit allowed Itself to be killed, John 10:17, went down to Hades, took the keys of death from satan, Revelation 1:18, preached to the captives and set them free, 1 Peter 3:20, and then raised Itself up from the dead. Our Spirit told the weather what to do, turned water to wine, so that the party could continue, and walked on the water during a storm.

This is the Spirit that you and I are now one with. We are instruments of our Father’s righteousness and through our Spirit the world will find salvation. Our Father would that all men be saved, 1 Timothy 2:4, and He will keep us safe, as He uses us to do things that are far beyond what we can think, dream, or pray for, Ephesians 3:20.

Events That Will Truly Show Us The End Of The World Is Near

1st The Church is Empowered as a Whole as Never Before. Gifts of the Spirit Will Begin To Abound!

John 14:12, Mark 16:17-18, Revelation 8:5

2nd The Gospel of the Kingdom is Preached to Every Nation, Tongue, and Tribe. Millions Saved.

Matthew 24:14, Mark 13:10, Luke 24:47, Acts 1:8, Revelation 14:6, Revelation 7:9

3rd The World Enjoys the Peace that Comes with the Power of the Church.

1 Thessalonians 5:3

4th Sudden Catastrophes Come on the World, When the World Leaders Take Credit for it.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, Matthew 24:43

5th There is a Great Falling Away of False Christians and the Anti-Christ is Revealed.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

6th The Physical, Spiritual, and Social Catastrophes Continue for 3 1/2 Years, The Great Tribulation.

Revelation 13:5, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 11:2

7th Two Powerful Witnesses Speak Out God’s Judgements on the Wicked During These 3 1/2 Years.

Revelation 11:3

8th At the End of the 3 1/2 Years the Two Witnesses are Killed and the World Celebrates Their Deaths.

Revelation 11:7-10

9th When the Two Witnesses are Killed, Those Who Take the Mark of the Beast are Miraculously Taken to the Valley of Armageddon to be Destroyed.

Luke 17:34-37

10th The Two Witnesses are Raised from the Dead After 3 1/2 Days.

Revelation 11:11

11th The Dead in Christ are Raised Back to Life at the Last Trumpet. Same Time as Two Witnesses.

1 Corinthians 15:52

12th Those who are Alive in Christ are Transformed after the Dead in Christ are Raised.

1 Corinthians 15:50-53

13th Those Who Have Taken the Mark of the Beast are Destroyed at the Battle of Armageddon by Jesus as He Returns.

Revelation 16:16

14th Satan is Bound and Imprisoned for 1,000 Years.

Revelation 20:2

15th Jesus Returns to the Earth and Begins His Millennial Reign.

Revelation 20:4

If you are wondering what events will signal the end of this age in our history, the above scriptures show us what to look for. We do not know the exact time or day that these events begin, but we are children of the Light and we will be shown the season. These events will not take us over as a thief in the night.

They Say That Today, May 21, At 6 PM Eastern Standard Time, The Rapture Will Occur

Take notice! I tell you a mystery (a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God). We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed (transformed). In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the [sound of the] last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable (free and immune from decay), and we shall be changed (transformed). 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

The seventh angel then blew [his] trumpet, and there were mighty voices in heaven, shouting, The dominion (kingdom, sovereignty, rule) of the world has now come into the possession and become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (the Messiah), and He shall reign forever and ever (for the eternities of the eternities)! Revelation 11:15

For this we declare to you by the Lord's [own] word, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede [into His presence] or have any advantage at all over those who have previously fallen asleep [in Him in death]. 1 Thessalonians 4:15

These four verses show us plainly that there will be no rapture today. If there were a pre-tribulation rapture today, then these verses would be incorrect and the last 3 1/2 years, which would have had to have been the Great Tribulation, were pretty easy to endure.

Before we can go to be with Jesus, our brothers and sisters who have died in Him have to be raised first. We who are living in Christ can in no way precede the dead in Christ. The dead in Christ cannot be raised until the last trumpet is sounded. The last trumpet is the Seventh Trumpet, and when it sounds, Jesus returns to take over the rule of the earth. The living in Christ are not taken away seven years before He returns. Where would we go, because according to the Bible, we could not go to be with Jesus? If we did, then we would have preceded the dead in Christ to be with Him. So relax, there is no pre-tribulation rapture today.

Israel And Its Borders

And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end. Matthew 24:14

President Obama asked Israel yesterday to pull its borders back to what they were in 1967. People instantly began talking about the end times. The Truth is very clear in the Bible, the end of this age is not dictated by borders, wars, catastrophes, or the actions of man. The end of this generation of the world is dictated by our Father. Our Lord, Who is One with our Father, told us that the only true sign of the end, was when the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached to every nation.

The Gospel of the Kingdom is not just telling people about Jesus. When Jesus told the Disciples to go and preach the Kingdom was at hand, they were not just sent to preach about Jesus. They were empowered to lay hands on the sick and they were directed to cast out demons, Luke 10:8-10. Jesus tells us that there will always be wars, there will always be natural catastrophes, and there will always be diseases, Matthew 24:6. But there is coming a time when the Gospel will be preached with power and demonstration throughout every nation, tribe, and to every tongue at one time. There is a time when our Father will use us to do the works that Jesus did and even greater ones, John 14:12. There is coming a time when we are used so much by our Father that the world actually begins to say that things are peaceful and that we are all finally safe, 1 Thessalonians 5:3. When you see these events happen, then look for the Great Tribulation to begin, and then 3 1/2 years later, our Lord will return.

We Are Only As Strong As Our Father Makes Us

John answered, A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing, he can take unto himself nothing] except as it has been granted to him from heaven. [A man must be content to receive the gift which is given him from heaven; there is no other source.] John 3:27

The Truth is glorious and the Truth is that we can we receive nothing and we can claim nothing, except if it has been given to us by our Father. There is no other source for strength except from God. Jesus tells us this Truth repeatedly through the Word. He showed us that some of us are given 1 talent, some of us 2, and some of us 5 in Matthew 25. Jesus showed us that some of us are called to work our whole life’s for the Kingdom and some of us only for the end of it, Matthew 20. Jesus tells us that we can do nothing without Him, John 15:5. We are shown by the Holy Spirit in Romans 12:3 that each of us has been given a varying degree of faith.

The point that is so glorious concerning this is: our Father has already decided how to use each of us. There is no condemnation for us, Romans 8:1. Before we ever were, before the world ever was, our Father had a purpose and a plan of how He would use us to serve our Kingdom. Each of us is growing and all of us will grow stronger in Christ, but we do not have to take thought and always be fretting about how we are being used. The level of our service is not dependent on us, on our own strength, on our own determination, it is dependent upon our Father to cause us to be strong. If it were dependent on our abilities, then we could boast about what we have achieved. There is no boasting for us, and there is no condemnation for us who are in Christ Jesus.

Faith comes from hearing the Truth and the Truth is what sets us free.

Don't Let Jesus Off Of The Hook

And He answered, It is not right (proper, becoming, or fair) to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs. She said, Yes, Lord, yet even the little pups little whelps eat the crumbs that fall from their [young] masters' table. Then Jesus answered her, O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you wish. And her daughter was cured from that moment. Matthew 15:26-29

This woman did not let Jesus’ answer of no stop her from demanding that He do something to help her daughter. Jesus flat out told her that He wasn’t sent for her and she didn’t let Him get away with it. I know how that sounds, but that is what happened. Now Jesus knew that He was going to cast the demon out of her daughter and He knew that she was going to persist that He did. The point that we are shown here in Matthew is that Jesus loves it when we come to Him and earnestly expect and persist, even to the point of demanding, that He act. Jesus calls this great faith. The attitude that this woman had, recognized that Jesus was the only source for the answer that she needed and Jesus was not offended in the least at her demands.

Jesus tells us to pray with the same expectant and persistent attitude, Luke 11:6-8 & Luke 18:1-8. When Jesus was here in the flesh, He was moved when people came to Him and earnestly expected Him to act. Jesus loved it when they would not take no for an answer. The power of Jesus was not in His physical flesh, His power was in His Spirit, it was Jesus‘ Spirit that loved this kind of attitude. The Truth is that Jesus’ Spirit is even more active in the world today, then it was when His flesh was here. So do not let Jesus off the hook, tell Him He needs to act and that it is right for Him to act.

I have a Jewish friend and He tells me that the only difference between Jews and Gentiles can be summed up like this. When God says that He is going to destroy the world, the Gentiles fall down and cry about it. Yet the Jews go to God and say wait a minute, let‘s talk about this first. That is the attitude that Jesus said that He loved and that is how Jesus told us to act.

We have no problem acting like this when our backs are against the wall, but there does not have to be a life threatening reason to act with such passion. Our Lord wants us to be this passionate in every pursuit of Him. Faith comes from hearing this Truth and the Holy Spirit will not let this Truth fall void to the earth. He will cause this kind of earnest expectation to grow to its fullest measure in each and every one of us. He has too, the world needs it way too much!

The Secret Of Strength

If you lay all these instructions before the brethren, you will be a worthy steward and a good minister of Christ Jesus, ever nourishing your own self on the truths of the faith and of the good [Christian] instruction which you have closely followed. 1 Timothy 4:6

The secret of Christ is simple and it is this, whatever we are used by the Holy Spirit to sow, is what we will reap, Galatians 6:7. Paul tells Timothy this Truth in 1 Timothy 4. So let’s put this principle in real world applications. If we want to be used by our Father, we are to pray for others to be used by Him. If we want peace, we pray for other’s to have peace. If we want to know the Truth, we share the Truth. If we want health, we are to lay hands on the sick, pray for them, forgive them, call on them to be whole and we will have health. If they ask us to walk a mile, we walk two. If we have two coats, we give one away. The secret of having strength is seeking out the well being of others and taking far, far, more thought for them, then we do for ourselves.

Now, the power behind all of this is that we cannot do these things, it has to be Christ in us, John 15:5. Our Father knows this and He is actively participating in each of our life’s so that we are ever growing stronger, by ever increasing our desire and abilities to serve others. I hear sermons all of the time that tell us what we have to do. But the glorious Truth is that it is what our Father has to do through us, not what we have to do on our own, John 14:10. It is our Father that must give us the desire, the ability, and the faith to serve others. This is why there is no condemnation for us, Romans 8:1, and this is why we cannot boast, Ephesians 2:9. So if we are serving, praise God, we are only serving because our Father has empowered us to serve. And if we aren’t serving, it is only because He has not empowered us to serve yet. Either way, our Father’s will is being done and He is glorified and our Kingdom is being served.

I pray for each and everyone of you, that our Father will empower you to serve as Jesus serves and to love as He loves. That you may be filled to all of the fulness of salvation, ever living to intercede for others, placing their needs above your own needs and eagerly desiring that they are perfect in Christ and perfectly used by Christ. I also pray that our Father will bring us together, with one heart, one mind, one accord and that He will demonstrate His mighty strength and ability through each of us.

The Anti-Christ Has His Appointed Time

And now you know what is restraining him [from being revealed at this time]; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own [appointed] time. 2 Thessalonians 2:6

The anti-christ has his own appointed time. Our Father has a plan and a purpose for the end of this age of the earth. Mankind or satan are not in charge of bringing an end to the world. We also cannot stop it from happening. The date has been set for our Wedding Feast and it will come to pass on time and exactly as our Father has destined it to come. Our Father is in complete control of His creation. He owns the earth and He controls it.

Now what is exciting to me about these Truths is how many people are reading and studying the Book of Revelation right now. I am used primarily by our Father to go and teach at nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities. These facilities are filled with elderly, sick, and extremely handicapped people. Most of them are destitute as well. These people are not looked upon by the world as desirable prophets and teachers. Yet our Father is training them up and they are demanding that I keep studying Revelation with them. I truly believe that some of the greatest prophets of the end of this world will be those who have suffered the most and who the world will have a troubled time listening to.

These people do not ask me to study on healing or getting wealth. The Holy Spirit is driving them to study the Book Revelation. Last week I was unable to attend the Monday Bible Study. Amen they had it without me, which is so great. Not only did they still have it, they studied Revelation Chapter 15 on their own. That is such a turn around, normally a group such as this would just not have the Bible Study and if they did have it, they would not study in Revelation. Our Father is moving! I do not believe that we are in the end times, but I do believe that God is training up His end time prophets and they are not who the world believes that they will be!

Appointed And Ordained To Eternal Life

For so the Lord has charged us, saying, I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles (the heathen), that you may bring [eternal] salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.And when the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified (praised and gave thanks for) the Word of God; and as many as were destined (appointed and ordained) to eternal life believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Jesus as the Christ and their Savior). And so the Word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through Christ] scattered and spread throughout the whole region. Acts 13:47-49

You and I were appointed and ordained, we were destined, to believe in Jesus as our Lord and thus have eternal life. Now the question is simple, who destined us to do so? It had to be God and as the Truth teaches us that we were called and chosen before our Father ever created the world, Ephesians 1:4.

Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

Now because we have been ordained and destined to believe, the Word of Truth will spread wherever we are. Our Father has destined us to be used to spread the Truth that will set the captives free. God is greater within us, than anything that is in this world. Our Father is greater than our knowledge, our abilities, our fears, and our faith. Jesus, our Vine, He will cause us to produce much and abundant fruit through Him, John 15:5.

Predestined To Be Disobedient???

And, A Stone that will cause stumbling and a Rock that will give [men] offense; they stumble because they disobey and disbelieve [God's] Word, as those [who reject Him] were destined (appointed) to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:8-9

So many times we marvel at those who do not believe the glorious message that our Father empowers and leads us to share. Don’t, these people were destined to do so. The powerful Truth about this is that even in their disobedience they are still serving the will of our Father. This is such a great Truth, our Father controls everything, even those who disobey and don’t believe.

Most of these people are not committing the only unforgivable sin, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 12:31, so they will be forgiven. Just as Peter was forgiven for denying Jesus 3 times. These people are being used to strengthen us. Their disobedience causes our Father to be stronger in us, 2 Corinthians 12:10. These people will be forgiven when they are raised from the dead and they will be allowed to be our guests for all of eternity. This Truth removes all fear and dread from us that they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. It gives us peace that passes all understanding, our Father will not destroy them or cause them to suffer eternally. They are being used every bit as much as us by God, even though they don’t believe that they are.

These disobedient vessels are used so that we are able to show and display the virtues and perfection of Christ. Their attacks on us allow our Father to show His glory through us. Rejoice, because all things work out for our good, Romans 8:28. And our good is that these people aren’t thrown into Hell. They are allowed to be guests and they will enjoy the perfection that comes when everything becomes new. They cannot help but be used in the way that our Father has destined them to be used. Every house needs vessels of honor and dishonor to function perfectly, 2 Timothy 2:20.

Predestined & No Free Will, All In Just 2 Verses

In Him we also were made [God's] heritage (portion) and we obtained an inheritance; for we had been foreordained (chosen and appointed beforehand) in accordance with His purpose, Who works out everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His [own] will, So that we who first hoped in Christ [who first put our confidence in Him have been destined and appointed to] live for the praise of His glory! Ephesians 1:11-12

Peace that passes all understanding can be found in these two little verses. The first Truth is that our Father knew us before we ever were and He still chose us. God knew every little detail of our life’s, He knew every stupid thought and every thing that we would ever do wrong, Our Father knew them before we ever did them, and He still chose us. So all of the fear of we can lose what we have been given by Him goes right out the door, Romans 11:29.

The second Truth is that everything is worked out by our Father’s will, not our will. Probably the two biggest Truths that religious people want to fight me over is free will and predestination. Yet there are literally dozens of verses that say that we are predestined and that we do not have a free will that directs our life’s. Thank God we don’t. Thank God that our Father’s will directs us, because if it were up to us, what a mess our life’s would be. You think that you have it bad now, just imagine if our Father left us on our own to decide where and what we would be.

Just remember these Truth’s: the Potter decides what the clay is going to be before He makes that pottery, and our Father is our Potter and we are His clay, Romans 9:21. The branch can only produce the fruit that the vine directs it to produce and only when the vine empowers it to, and Jesus is our Vine and we are His branches, John 15:4-5. A body part never acts on its own, it can only act after the head empowers and directs it to act, and Jesus is our Head and we are His body, Ephesians 5:30-32. These are glorious Truth’s and faith comes from us hearing them and peace that passes all understanding and full joy are found in them.

We Are Predestined Instruments

Now there was in Damascus a disciple named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he answered, Here am I, Lord. And the Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying [there]. And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias enter and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight. But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard many people tell about this man, especially how much evil and what great suffering he has brought on Your saints at Jerusalem; Now he is here and has authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call upon Your name. But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of Mine to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the descendants of Israel; For I will make clear to him how much he will be afflicted and must endure and suffer for My name's sake. Acts 9:10-16

Each and every one of us, just as Paul, was chosen by our Father, before the foundation of this world, to be used to serve the Kingdom, Ephesians 1:4. Our Father knows what He is doing. He had a plan and a purpose before He ever created this world and you and I are a glorious part of it.

I know that for a lot of people that the idea of predestination is hard to grasp. But the scriptures just plainly teach us that we are. I suggest that when our Father leads you to deal with a person who is struggling with predestination that you begin with simple Truths that most of us agree on. The Truth that our Father knows the beginning and the end. That He is our Gardener, that Jesus is our Shepherd, that God is the Potter and we are the clay. When you put these Truths in the context of predestination it makes it very clear that we are and when this is realized life gets a whole lot easier and glorious.

In Christ Our Flesh Cannot Commit Evil

We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. Romans 6:6

Many people believe that our flesh just can’t help but be bad. They believe that our flesh is evil and that we will constantly be at battle with it. But there is a glorious Truth, a Truth that sets us free, and it is that our Father has made our bodies ineffective and inactive for evil. The Cross was that strong. The Cross’ power dwarfs our fleshes power to be used for evil.

Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11

Because of the power of our Lord and what He came and did, we can actually consider ourselves dead to sin. We can actually have peace and joy in the Truth that our bodies are ineffective and inactive for evil. We can truly thank our Father for now making all things work out for our good, Romans 8:28.

Through Christ Our Promises Are Yes And Amen

For as many as are the promises of God, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Because of Jesus we are promised to love as Jesus loves, John 17:26.

We are promised to have perfect love and be as Jesus is, 1 John 4:17.

We are promised to be used to serve as Jesus serves, John 14:12.

We are promised to think like Jesus, 1 Corinthians 2:16.

We are promised to be sanctified as Jesus is sanctified, Hebrews 2:11.

We are promised to have the exact same knowledge as Jesus has, John 14:26.

We are promised to have the very same faith that Jesus has, Hebrews 12:2.

We are promised to be glorified to minister as Jesus is glorified to minister, John 17:22.

Our Father wants us to be great. So to insure that we are, He has made us one with Jesus. Everything that Jesus is, everything that our Father has has given to Him, has been given to us, we are now one with it all. We are flesh of Jesus' flesh and bone of His bone. As Jesus is, so are we, even while we are in this world. In Christ our Father will cause each and every one of us to be great.

Prosperous For Every Occasion

And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. 2 Corinthians 9:8

I want you to think for a moment about having all of the money in the world, every last cent of it, all of the worlds filthy lucre is yours. (I say that tongue and cheek) You would absolutely be self sufficient and you would have an overwhelming abundance, but even with all of it, could you be charitable for every good work? No, but our Father says that He is able to make us sufficient, with abundance, for every good work. How?

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]-- Ephesians 3:20

Far too often we look to money or possessions as the resource for our giving, but these earthly things are not enough to cover being charitable unto every good work. Possessions are insufficient for such a task. And during the Great Tribulation we will not even have any earthly possessions, yet Jesus tells us that we will be blessed because we will be used by our Father to give to those in need, Matthew 24:44-46.

To be charitable for every good work, we must look to the power of our Father to be at work within us. Our Father’s power turns water to wine, John 2. His power feeds thousands of people with only some scraps of food, Matthew 14:16-19. When our Father works through us the dead are raised, the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the lost are saved and it is all done without earthly possessions. To be the greatest in Heaven we must be the worlds biggest servants, Matthew 23:11. To be the biggest servant requires our Father’s power to be the force that is working through us.

So we need to stop looking for earthly possessions to be the power of our charity and we need to look to our Father’s power. Only through His grace can we be charitable in every good work. Desire to be the greatest, so desire that without money you are used by our Father, Who is God, to bless every need that the world has.