Revelation 4:1-11
Matthew 20:2-13
[1]Hummingbirds. Even though they are the smallest birds on earth, and the smallest of all warm-blooded creatures, they can still fly over 30 MPH, fly backward, and at birth, weigh less than a post-it note!
These amazing creatures flap their wings up to 80 times per second, allowing them to hover over flowers filled with nectar.
They can determine sugar content, and only consume nectar that is at least 10% sugar. Less than that could not sustain their super-fast metabolism, with their heartbeat of around 1,200 times a minute!
With this in mind, hummingbirds typically would not be able to survive a long cold night. However, they “happen” to have a built-in mechanism called “Torpor” that goes into effect as they sleep, shutting down their metabolism to 1/15th the normal rate. It effectively slows down their heart rate from around 1,200 beats per minute. To 35
Did this tiny creature evolve by chance? Or was he intricately designed and formed with purpose? Such beauty is often overlooked in today’s society, but if we only stop to consider the intricate details of a hummingbird, we can appreciate God’s infinite “wonders without number. If the hummingbird has a purpose, how much more do you? So much so that He redeemed you! We are living in a time of a great spiritual vacuum! So much so that we do not understand the fall of man, Romans 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
The fall of man, made necessary for all mankind to be born again. [ Psalm 51:1-17]. Jesus is the Saving Saviour, [John 3:16 the sacrifice God gave for us, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ] and The Saving Saviour Still Saves Sinners, Hebrews 2:6- 9,But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Heb 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Heb 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. Heb 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
The question is not do you believe in Jesus – The question is have you been born again? You are born again by believing what Jesus said, John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. – Here are His words again John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. . You are born again the moment you believe on Jesus – that salvation can never be lost, reversed for He gave you His Life living in you.`
We do not know when the rapture will take place. Many commentaries will say, the Church age has ended and this scripture, i.e. V1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter, speaks of the rapture of the church.
But I don’t know that! The LORD told John to come up hither. WE do not know of the when of the rapture. Man searches to find some hidden sign that points to the Second coming but it is only known to the LORD. Man can't figure the “Longsuffering of God”. [That day is hidden in the Longsuffering of God] = 2 Peter 3:3-9, i.e.v 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He waits because He knows of the awful end of any not prepared to meet Him.
The Rapture will occur. There is much that takes place at the end of the church age: the rapture, the JSOC, the tribulation, the end of the tribulation = the seventy-five (75) day interval from the 1,260 days to the 1,335 days. Dan 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Dan 12:12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.
The tribulation is seven years in length divided into two segments of 3 and 1/2 years, Or 2520 days divided into two segments of 1260 days. 30 days is the removal of the abomination of desolation to make 1290 days. And all these things are taught in the Word of God. We are living in a time of willful lack of knowledge of Bible Doctrine. I want to encourage you to read and meditate on the Word of God, and also to start memorizing scripture. [2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.].
The JSOC is an evaluation of the saved. What can a born-again [saved] person lose? Answer: You can lose the right to rule with Christ. You can not lose the gift of eternal life. Salvation is by Grace through Faith, Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
The scriptures say this person lost everything except the Gift of Eternal. 1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
The Only Salvation offered is Jesus Christ. 1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar;because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
How many of you know the way to your work, to your job, to where you are employed to work? Every thinking person takes the time
to find the way to work because at the appointed time you must be at work. So if I asked how many of you know that you know the way to work,
you would say sure I know.
If a preacher asks if you know that you know you are saved can you say with the same certainty? So many times the answer is like this:
I hope so – I think I will – I believe in Jesus but I don’t know I will go to heaven when I die.
If man was writing 1 John 5:10 it would be something like this: “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself:
he that believeth not God does not have the witness in him. But the way God said the verse shows the faithfulness of God to His word.
You are born again the moment you believe on Jesus, He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself…
If you believe not, You have made God a liar, he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
The question is this: do you believe the LORD was telling you the truth when He made the promise in 1 John 5:10? He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And will you believe the record that God gave of His Son,
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Why does the Bible say in 2Cor. 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;….” [“to wit’ means this is how it is]
and then 2 Cor. 5:20 , It says, be ye reconciled to God. If you have been reconciled in v19 then why does it say next “be ye reconciled to God”? It means you must believe that God in Christ has reconciled you to Him. Do you believe the record thyat God gave of His Son? 1John 5:10.
It is how you finish the Race that counts the most. [Hebrews 12:1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Do Not Grow Weary
Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.]
[2]When I first arrived at Victor Street Bible Chapel in 1992, I thought that at the Bema the Lord Jesus would select as co-rulers all whose Christian lives had been characterized by faithfulness. So, I thought that if someone served Christ faithfully for 49 years, and fell away in his last year of life, then he would be 98% faithful, and he would be chosen to rule since 98% faithfulness seemed like endurance to me. I learned from Zane Hodges that one must be faithful at the time of death or the Rapture. Ending well is vital to becoming co-heirs with Christ (cf. Matt 24:45-51).
That is an encouraging note. You may have started late or started slow or suffered defeat in your life. Sin and failure has touched you but so has His offer of total forgiveness come to you, Psalm 51. You can finish well. You can cross the finish line, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. I think that is what He was telling us in Mat_20:2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
Mat_20:9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.Mat_20:10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.Mat_20:13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? This is the 11th hour and the reward is still the same will you go work in His vineyard?
Jesus is the heir, and we can share in His inheritance, but that requires endurance, overcoming. See Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together, 2 Timothy2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
You have the opportunity to finish well! Luke 15 11-31. The prodigal son finished well – he came home.
The older son did not finish well – full of hate, bitterness, selfishness but the real issue he was full of unbelief. He had no need for Christ! He had his goodness. He did not finish well as he lost his inheritance. As indicated in the word study of the word son.
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