Word of the Week - Forgiveness

“Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins as we also forgive those who have sinned against us”.  Matthew 6:12

True Freedom requires Forgiveness - In follow up to last week’s “Word of the Week” on True Freedom, see below, one of God’s conditions to freedom is Forgiveness.  God’s love for us is demonstrated by His amazing grace that “While we were still sinners God died for us” Romans 5:8 In doing so, by His blood Jesus took away the sin of the world to give us access to salvation through Forgiveness of the original sin of Adam and our own personal sin.  God offers us Forgiveness of our sins with only the stipulation that we admit we are sinners in need of His saving grace by confessing our sins to God, and that we extend this same Forgiveness to others.  The truth is that no matter how good we are, we are still sinners “We are all sinners and fall short of the Glory of God”. Romans 3:23. We all need Forgiveness.  God is so loving and good that He literally came to earth in the flesh to give us the gift of Forgiveness and model what it looks like.  Yes, God hates sin, but He loves sinners (us) and desires to wash us clean by His blood through the miracle of Forgiveness, which is available to all who call upon His name with humble and contrite hearts.

Just as the Lord freely Forgives us, He requires us to extend this same grace to others.  “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”. Matthew 6:14-15 This is challenging because people can really hurt us, and it is very hard to Forgive someone who has wounded you deeply. That being said, it is much worse for us if we allow our hurts to grow bitter roots of resentment.  Research has shown that unresolved conflict and resentment can negatively impact our health and cause emotional, mental, and physical issues such as anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and heart disease.  It has been said that unforgiveness is like drinking poison hoping the other person gets sick; it really impacts us rather than the other person.  On the other hand, if we truly receive and understand the power of God’s Forgiveness, then we will have the capacity, strength, and grace to Forgive others in the same way that God forgives us.  In Forgiving others and letting go, we experience deep healing and restoration in our soul, regardless of how the person we are extending Forgiveness to reacts.  It’s not so much about them and the offense, it’s more about us and our relationship with the Lord.   

Personal health and freedom are big reasons to Forgive others but there is even a more important reason, unforgiveness breaks our fellowship with God.  “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” Matthew 5:23-24.  By the way it is up to us to make the first move in the process of Forgiveness and it is not a function of the other persons remorse or lack thereof.  Whether they apologize or not, we are still commanded to Forgive the person for the offense, no matter how large or small. We are also called to offer people unlimited Forgiveness even for the same offenses. “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven” Matthew 18:21-22 It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit through the cross that we have the capacity to forgive others like this!!!!

Forgiveness is not to be confused with reconciliation.  Just because we Forgive people does not mean we have to hang out with them, and it surely does not mean that we minimize what they have done to hurt us.  We are called to Forgive but not necessarily to forget.  The idea of Forgiveness is that we let go so we are not weighed down by the offense, so we can move forward with freedom, but it does not mean that we foolishly repeat the same thing over and over. We must pray for wisdom when it comes to relationships, sometimes they simply may not be healthy for us.  We are ultimately called to Love God and Love others and in doing so we must receive the fullness of God’s love and His Forgiveness, so we have the capacity to extend the same Love to others.  This is the amazing Love and Grace of the Lord. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”.  Eph 1:7

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” Ephesians 4:32

I pray you have a great week and live in the abundance of freedom the Lord has for you by receiving and extending Forgiveness!!!

Duane

Word of the Week - True Freedom

“Jesus said, “If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth and the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves to anyone.  How can you say that we shall be set free?”  Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.  Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.  So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” John 8:31-36

During January for the past 23 years, I have participated in a season of prayer and fasting that is led by my Pastor Chris Hodges at Church of the Highlands.  You can learn more or join online at 21 Days of Prayer.  This is a season where I work to intentionally give up things I enjoy (certain foods, wine/alcohol, sports/media etc.), to turn down the competing fleshly appetites and noise.  My simple goal is to focus more intensely on my relationship with God. It is always a bit challenging but such an amazing way to start the year.  I desire to give God my “First and Best” (First Fruits)” as I start a new year and declare my dependance on the Lord.  One benefit of prayer and fasting can be gaining clarity on things that may not be so clear when we are just operating in our day-to-day routines of life. 

As this relates to personal freedom, we may be able to relate with the pharisees quoted in John 8 above, many times we don’t even know or realize how we are bound up by sin in our lives.  It has become such a part of how we operate it is too familiar for us to really see it.  Many times we need to step away from our busy routines and the things we fill our time with to make space for God to reveal these things.  We may think life is good, but there is likely something much better for us if we can get to the breakthrough and find true Freedom in Christ.  I have experienced this over the past 23 years since I have been walking with Jesus.  I have come a long way and the level of Freedom I enjoy is nothing less than miraculous based on where I have come from.  That being said, I know God has more and I am praying that He will show me how to go to higher heights of experiencing His amazing grace and true Freedom in every aspect of my life. 

What is the Freedom Jesus is referring to – Romans 3:23 says we are all sinners and fall short.  That is not great news since sin is what separates us from God.   The simple concept is that God allowed sin to enter the world through the garden, the fall of mankind.  But, He has made provision for us all to be washed clean and made new through the blood of Jesus on the cross.  Our first step to being set free is to fully accept Jesus as our Savior and give our hearts to Him.  There is no greater gift than this.  The amount of Freedom we experience through this miraculous gift is overwhelming.  I will never forget the feeling I experienced when I realized that I was washed clean starting afresh and assured of my eternal destiny.  This is the first major step to true Freedom.  But it does not stop there.  Even though we are saved and have assurance of our eternal destiny, there is a lot to be worked out in our lives that has accumulated over the years.  I was 33 years old when I experienced this Freedom and it was amazing, but the sanctifying work of the God’s Spirit was just beginning.  Over the past 23 years, I have steadily been tested and refined by fire but have continuously realized new levels of Freedom in my life from things that at one time really had a grip on me.  Things like bad habits, attitudes, mindsets, tones, how I see and treat family, colleagues and people in general.  This is our sinful nature.  I simply had formed some bad thinking over many years and had bad examples and experiences that scard me.  Many of these things I didn’t even see until God revealed them to me through people around me that could see better than I could.  Jesus desires us to be “Free Indeed” and have nothing that binds us and keeps us from His best for us.  This is the abundant life he promises us.   

How do we experience True Freedom - Making the decision to surrender our lives to Christ and follow Him is the beginning of the journey of faith.  To experience the fullness of Freedom available as a Christ follower, we must know God intimately.  Jesus makes it clear at the beginning of John 8:31 that if we want the full benefits He offers, we must “Hold to His teachings”, in other words, we must know Him through His Word.  This makes us true disciples and followers.  The way to know Him is to Abide in Him, the Vine of Christ.  Jesus promises us that “if we abide in Him then He will abide in us, and we will bear much fruit; apart from Him we can do nothing” of eternal significance”. John 15:5 There is amazing Freedom, protection, peace and much more that comes from abiding and knowing Jesus personally.  I have personally experienced this in a big way over the past 23 years as I have connected to the vine of Jesus.  This is why John 15:5 is my favorite verse and I share it with others as the secret to a successful life of faith.  God commands us as His followers to make abiding in Him a daily priority and pursuit.

Here are a few ways we abide/connect with Jesus: 

1) God’s Word / Bible - reading or listening to the book He gave us that tells us about His very nature and what He cares about, 2) Prayer - talking with the Lord daily and intimately, 3) Praise & Worship – letting Him know how great He is and how much we appreciate what He has done for us,

4) Ministry - making a point to care about what He cares about by loving and serving others, 5) Evangelism / Discipleship - telling people about Him and how great He is, 6) Fellowship of believers - encouraging each other in our walk of faith, and 7) simply thinking about Him and meditating on who He is and who you are in Him.  

How do we continue to walk in True Freedom – Godly Relationships are key!  God made us for relationship with Him and others; therefore, He designed it so that we cannot realize the fullness of the Freedom He has for us if we are not in deep authentic relationship with other believers.  In fact, He tells us to “confess our sins to each other and pray for each other so that we may be healed.” James 5:16 We go to God for forgiveness, but we get healing and Freedom by confessing our sins to one another.  I am sure we have all experienced having sin or some issue that we kept secret, and it caused tremendous internal strife within us and possibly beyond.  The key is to bring those things into the light by confessing them to others.  This is how we get freed up and find healing so we can continue forward in our journey of faith and realize our full God potential. Not only do we need to have people who we can confess our sins to, but we also need others close enough to us that they can speak into our lives, especially in areas of weakness that we cannot fully see called “blind spots”.  By the way, we all have them and since we are blind to them, so we need others to help us.  This has been huge in my life and in areas I would have never been able to overcome without authentic relationships and allowing others to speak into my life.

I pray we all live our lives connected to the vine of Christ and in relationship with others, so we can experience the True Freedom that God offers and be “Free Indeed”!!!!

“It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

Have a great week!!!!

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 7

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.  That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  Therefore, keep watch, because we do not know on what day the Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36-42

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1,2,3,4,5 & 6 – see below, this week I will cover the final 3 of 12 major Biblical End time events outlined below. Even though it was longer than I anticipated, I hope it was useful and encouraging in giving you insight and context to biblical end time events and prophecies.  Please note: Most of the content in this “WOW” was referenced from two sources: 1) Pastor Jimmy Evans book titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War” and from 2) gotquestions.org website.  

End Time Events and Sequence: The following is what my research suggests as the most likely End Time Events and Chronological Sequence of these events:

1. Rapture of the Church, 2) Rise of the Antichrist, 3) The Tribulation, 4) The Battle of Gog and Magog, 5) The abomination of desolation,

1. The Battle of Armageddon, 7) The Judgment of the Nations, 8) The binding of satan, 9) The Millennial Kingdom, 10) The Last Battle,

11) The Great white throne judgement, and 12) The new creation

I covered the first 9 in prior weeks and will cover the final 3 this week.

The Last Battle – At the end of the 1,000 years, scripture implies Satan will be released from his prison for a short time. He will deceive the nations once again, and there will be a rebellion against the Lord that will be quickly defeated (Revelation 20:7–10). Satan will be cast into the lake of fire, never to reappear.  Final victory over the enemy!!!

The Great White Throne Judgment - The great white throne judgment is described in Revelation 20:11-15 and is the final judgment prior to the lost being cast into the lake of fire. We know from Revelation 20:7-15 that this judgment will take place after the millennium and after Satan is thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet are (Revelation 19:19-20; 20:7-10). The books that are opened (Revelation 20:12) contain records of everyone’s deeds, whether they are good or evil, because God knows everything that has ever been said, done, or even thought, and He will reward or punish each one accordingly (Psalm 28:4; 62:12; Romans 2:6; Revelation 2:23; 18:6; 22:12).

The “book of life” (Revelation 20:12) determines whether a person will inherit eternal life with God or receive everlasting punishment. Although Christians are held accountable for their actions, we are saved by the sacrifice Jesus made through the Cross and forgiven in Christ.  As believers, our names are written in the “book of life from the creation of the world” (Revelation 17:8). We also know from Scripture that it is at this judgment when the dead will be “judged according to what they had done” (Revelation 20:12).  The fact that there is going to be a final judgment for all people, both believers and unbelievers, is clearly confirmed in many passages of Scripture.

The bible implies there is a second judgment of believers often referred to as the “judgment seat [bema] of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). At this judgment, Christians will receive degrees of reward for their works and service to God.  This is not a heaven or hell judgement but a way to reward believers for our works and deeds while we were on earth serving Jesus. Romans 14:10-12 says that we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and that each one of us will give an account to God.

The New Creation “Jerusalem” - The New Jerusalem, which is also called the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the City of God, the Celestial City, the City Foursquare, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth. It is referred to in the Bible in several places (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 11:10; 12:22–24; and 13:14), but it is most fully described in Revelation 21.

In Revelation 21:1 God does a complete make-over of heaven and earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:12–13). The new heaven and new earth are what some call the “eternal state” and will be “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). After the re-creation, God reveals the New Jerusalem. John sees a glimpse of it in his vision: “The Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). This is the city that Abraham looked for in faith (Hebrews 11:10). It is the place where God will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:3). Inhabitants of this celestial city will have all tears wiped away (Revelation 21:4).

The New Jerusalem will be a place of unimagined blessing. The curse of the old earth will be gone (Revelation 22:3). In the city are the tree of life “for the healing of the nations” and the river of life (verses 1–2). It is the place that Paul spoke of: “In the coming ages [God] might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is God’s goodness made fully manifest.

So be encouraged, as believers we have much to look forward to for eternity.  I pray we will remain connected to the vine of Christ, so He can produce great fruit in us an through us and we will use all of our blessings to do good works and store up treasure in heaven for the coming age Matthew 20:19-21.

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

Looking forward to the “New” in 2024!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 6

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.  That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  Therefore, keep watch, because we do not know on what day the Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36-42

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1,2,3,4 & 5 – see below, this week I will cover 3 more of the 12 major Biblical End time events outlined below. As mentioned, there is no certainty to the exact sequence or timing of these events.  My hope is that this summary gives good insight and context to these biblical end time events and prophecies.  Please note: Most of the content in this “WOW” was referenced from two sources: 1) Pastor Jimmy Evans book titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War” and from 2) gotquestions.org website.  

End Time Events and Sequence: The following is what my research suggests as the most likely End Time Events and Chronological Sequence of these events:

1. Rapture of the Church, 2) Rise of the Antichrist, 3) The Tribulation, 4) The Battle of Gog and Magog, 5) The abomination of desolation,

1. The Battle of Armageddon, 7) The Judgment of the Nations, 8) The binding of satan, 9) The Millennial Kingdom, 10) The Last Battle,

11) The Great white throne judgement, and 12) The new creation

I covered the first 6 in prior weeks and will cover 7-9 this week.

The Judgment of the Nation – The judgment that Jesus describes in Matthew 25, is for those who are alive at the Second Coming.  Most people imagine that God will judge them only after they die.  For the vast majority, that will be true.  However, the judgment of the nations is a judgement of the living.  Jesus said that “before Him shall be gathered all the nations”.  This event is called the “judgement of the nations” to distinguish it from God’s other judgements.  Although this judgement is called the judgment of nations, it is not a judgment of national groups of people.  The Greek word translated “nations” implies Gentiles; and the context indicates that individuals, not groups, will be evaluated.  These individuals, from all the nations of the earth, will consist of both unbelievers and believers.  Jesus shall separate the sheep from the goats. 

Those who survive the horrible years of God’s Tribulation wrath will meet Jesus face to face.  He will determine who enters His earthly, Millennial Kingdom.  The believers will become the first people to populate the earthly Kingdom.  They will consist of the righteous Gentiles living with righteous Israel in its restored Kingdom.  Jesus declared, “When the Son of man shall come in His glory…then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory”.  Matthew 25:31 It is believed that this verse describes the Lord’s Second coming at the end of the seven-year Tribulation period.  The New Testament truth finds roots in Old Testament prophecy.  Although Jesus came once, His reign of justice on this earth has not yet begun.  He spoke of His return to be when that reign will commence.  Then all the prophecies will find fulfillment when the Messiah, the son of David, reigns in Jerusalem (Isaiah 9:6-7; Hosea 3:4-5; Daniel 7:13-14, Zech 9:9-10).

The binding of satan - Of all the captivating events covered in Revelation, Satan being bound for a thousand years is one of the most discussed and debated. We take a literal view of the thousand years of Satan’s captivity.  The battle that rages in Armageddon the precursor to Satan’s captivity. Jesus returns to completely route the beast, the false prophet, and the vast armies gathered to defeat Israel. At the end of the battle, “the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. . . The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh” (Revelation 19:20–21). By simply speaking, Jesus (the rider) is instantaneously victorious against the forces of evil. His power is ever evident in Scripture, and His victory at the battle of Armageddon is yet one more proof that He is Lord.

With the human foes out of the way, Jesus turns His attention to Satan. Revelation 20:1–3 tells us, “And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.” This thousand-year period is commonly referred to as the millennial kingdom.  During this time, Satan no longer has influence over the inhabitants of the earth.

The Millennial Kingdom - The millennial kingdom is the title given to the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ on the earth. Some interpret the 1,000 years in an allegorical manner. However, six times in Revelation 20:2-7, the millennial kingdom is specifically said to be 1,000 years in length. If God wished to communicate “a long period of time,” He could have easily done so without explicitly and repeatedly mentioning an exact time frame.  The Bible tells us that when Christ returns to the earth He will establish Himself as king in Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David (Luke 1:32–33). The unconditional covenants demand a literal, physical return of Christ to establish the kingdom.

At the second coming, these covenants will be fulfilled as Israel is re-gathered from the nations (Matthew 24:31), converted (Zechariah 12:10–14), and restored to the land under the rule of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of the conditions during the millennium as a perfect environment physically and spiritually. It will be a time of peace (Micah 4:2–4; Isaiah 32:17–18), joy (Isaiah 61:7, 10), and comfort (Isaiah 40:1–2). The Bible also tells us that only believers will enter the millennial kingdom. Because of this, it will be a time of obedience (Jeremiah 31:33), holiness (Isaiah 35:8), truth (Isaiah 65:16), and the knowledge of God (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). Christ will rule as king (Isaiah 9:3–7; 11:1–10). Nobles and governors will also rule (Isaiah 32:1; Matthew 19:28), and Jerusalem will be the political center of the world (Zechariah 8:3).

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

I plan to complete this series on prophecy next week.

Have a great week!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 5

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.  That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  Therefore, keep watch, because we do not know on what day the Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36-42

I hope you are well on this New Year’s Eve!!   In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1,2,3 & 4 – see below, this week I will cover 3 more of the 12 major Biblical End time events outlined below. As mentioned before, there is no certainty in the exact sequence or timing of these events, but I believe it is useful and important to have relative context and a framework for these major end time events.  Please note: Most of the content in this “WOW” was referenced from two sources: 1) Pastor Jimmy Evans book titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War” and from 2) gotquestions.org website.  

End Time Events and Sequence: The following is what my research suggests as the most likely End Time Events and Chronological Sequence of these events:

1. Rapture of the Church, 2) Rise of the Antichrist, 3) The Tribulation, 4) The Battle of Gog and Magog, 5) The abomination of desolation,

1. The Battle of Armageddon, 7) The Judgment of the Nations, 8) The binding of satan, 9) The Millennial Kingdom, 10) The Last Battle,

11) The Great white throne judgement, and 12) The new creation

I covered the first 3 in prior weeksd and will cover 4-6 this week.

The Battle of Gog and Magog as mentioned in Prophecy Part 4 below “Israel stands at the center of End Times Prophecy”, to give context and reference to what is happening in Israel and the middle east today in relation to historical biblical prophesies.  Gog and Magog appear in Ezekiel 38—39 and in Revelation 20:7–8. While these two passages use the same names, a close study of Scripture clearly demonstrates they do not refer to the same people and events. The events are separated by at least 1,000 years. In Ezekiel’s prophecy, Gog will be the leader of a great army that attacks the land of Israel, which is “peaceful and unsuspecting” at the time (Ezekiel 38:11). Gog is described as “of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2–3).

When will Ezekiel’s battle of Gog and Magog occur? There are a couple of theories: Before the tribulation begins. This view points to the fact that, after the battle, the people of Israel will be burning the enemy’s weapons for seven years and spend over seven months burying the dead (Ezekiel 39:9–10, 12–16). That length of time most likely requires the battle to be fought before the tribulation, and possibly even before the rapture of the church. During the first part of the seven-year tribulation. This view hinges on the fact that Israel is at peace when the attack begins (Ezekiel 38:8, 11). The security Israel enjoys is assumed to be the result of Israel’s covenant with the Antichrist at the beginning of the tribulation, Daniel’s 70th Week (Daniel 9:27a).

According to Ezekiel, Magog will not win. God will intervene to preserve Israel. “There shall be a great earthquake” (Ezekiel 38:19), “every man’s sword will be against his brother” (verse 21), and God “will pour down torrents of rain, hailstones and burning sulfur on [Gog] and on his troops and on the many nations with him” (verse 22). The result is that the nations will see God’s greatness and holiness (verse 23).

The abomination of desolation - An abomination is “something that causes disgust or hatred”; and desolation is “a state of complete emptiness or destruction.” Jesus warned that something (or someone) that people detested would stand in the temple someday. When that horror occurred, residents of Judea should seek cover without delay. Other translations speak of “the abomination that causes desolation” (NIV), “the sacrilegious object that causes desecration” (NLT), and “that ‘Horrible Thing’” (CEV). The Amplified Bible adds the note that the abomination of desolation is “the appalling sacrilege that astonishes and makes desolate.”

The prophet Daniel mentioned the abomination of desolation in three places: 1) Daniel 9:27 – “He will make a firm covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week will put a stop to sacrifice and offering.  And the abomination of desolation will be on a wing of the temple until the decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator”.  2) Daniel 11:31 – “Forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifice, and place there the abomination of desolation”. 3) Daniel 12:11 – “From the time that the regulator sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days”

The wording in the above translations indicates that the abomination of desolation is an object; in some other translations, the abomination appears to be a person: “On the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate” (Daniel 9:27, ESV). Regardless of whether the abomination of desolation is a person or a thing, Daniel predicted the following:

1. A future ruler will make a treaty with the people of Israel.
2. The terms of this treaty will be for a “week”—which is interpreted to be a period of seven years.
3. Midway through this time, the ruler will gather his troops and put an end to the sacrifices and offerings in the temple.
4. At that time the ruler will desecrate the temple, setting up some type of sacrilegious object.
5. The desecration of the temple will continue until the judgment of God is finally meted out on the ruler and his followers, 1,290 days (3½ years and 1 month) later.

Those who are alive during the tribulation should be watchful and recognize that the breaking of the covenant with Israel and the abomination of desolation will herald the beginning of the worst 3½ years in history (see Matthew 24:21). “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

The Battle of Armageddon - The word Armageddon is used generically today to refer to any type of catastrophic conflict, especially if it’s seen as likely to result in widespread destruction or the annihilation of human life. In the Bible, Armageddon refers to a climactic future battle between God and the forces of evil, as recorded in the book of Revelation. The word ultimately comes from the Hebrew word Har-Magedone, which means “Mount Megiddo,” the predicted location of the battle.

Revelation 16:12–16 is the record of what will happen toward the end of the tribulation, when an angel pours out the sixth bowl judgment on the earth. The word Armageddon makes its only appearance in the Bible in this passage:
“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. . . . Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”

In Revelation 19:11–20, a final battle occurs at Christ’s second coming as the conquering Christ defeats the forces of the Antichrist. We take this to be a description of the Battle of Armageddon mentioned in Revelation 16:
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

The exact location of Armageddon is unclear because there is no mountain called Meggido. However, since Har can also mean “hill,” the most likely location is the hill country surrounding the plain of Meggido, some sixty miles north of Jerusalem. Throughout history, armies have fought countless battles in that region: Egyptians, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, and Crusaders fought in Megiddo, as well as the armies of Napoleon. Megiddo was the site of battles during World War I and the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 (Weintraub, P., “Rewriting Tel Megiddo’s Violent History,” Discover, Sep 30, 2015). In the future, the plain of Megiddo and the nearby plain of Esdraelon will also be the focal point for the battle of Armageddon.
The plain of Megiddo, or Armageddon, was famous for two great victories in Israel’s history: 1) Barak’s victory over the Canaanites (Judges 4:15) and 2) Gideon’s victory over the Midianites (Judges 7). Armageddon was also the site of two great tragedies: 1) the death of Saul and his sons (1 Samuel 31:8) and 2) the death of King Josiah (2 Kings 23:29–30; 2 Chronicles 35:22).

According to the futurist interpretation of Revelation, which is this view, the Battle of Armageddon will be a real battle in the future, near the end of the tribulation. Demonic influences will cause the kings of the earth to gather their armies for an all-out assault on Jerusalem. The Antichrist will be leading the charge (Revelation 16:13–16). Jesus Christ will return to earth with the armies of heaven (Matthew 25:31; Revelation 19:14); His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4); He will defeat the forces of evil (Revelation 19:15–16); He will cast the Antichrist and the false prophet into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20); He will bind Satan; and He will set up His kingdom on earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–6).

At Armageddon the Lord Jesus Christ “treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty” (Revelation 16:19), and all things will be made right.

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

More to come next week.  Be encouraged, we are victorious in Christ!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!

                                    Duane

Word of the Week - Emmanuel (God with us)

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel" (which means "God with us").  Matthew 1:23

Friends and family, I pray you are experiencing a wonderful Christmas Eve!  I pray the Lord’s presence and peace be with you and your loved ones during this special time of year that we set apart to celebrate the birth of Jesus. 

Christ is the true gift of Christmas!  It still amazes me that God sent His only begotten son Jesus down to earth to be the ultimate sacrifice so we can have eternal salvation and live the “life that is truly life” with Him, but He did not stop there.  Jesus came to this earth to be “with us” in the flesh and He remains “with us” in spirit.  As we journey through this brief time we have on earth, our God is with us through the valleys and mountain top experiences of life.  Not only is He “with us” but if we invite Him, He lives “within us” and we can experience the manifest presence of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, our great Comforter.  Under the new covenant established through Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection, we as followers of Christ are the temple of God’s Spirit. 

Oh come, Oh come Emmanuel!!!!!!!  And let’s Rejoice because God is “with us” and “within us” Isaiah 8:8. This is a great reason to Rejoice and give thanks to God during this special season that we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus.  I pray you would experience the true comfort of Emmanuel during this season and throughout the year.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from our family to yours,

P.S. I will send part 5 of my Word of the Week on Prophecy - Biblical End time Events and Timeline, next week. Taking a break for Christmas!

                                    Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 4

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.  That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.  Therefore, keep watch, because we do not know on what day the Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36-42

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1,2,&3 – see below, this week I will attempt to frame the timeline and expected series of events that are recorded throughout scripture as it relates to end time prophecy.  There are many views on this topic.  Please note: Most of the content in this “WOW” was referenced from two sources: 1) Pastor Jimmy Evans book titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War” and from 2) gotquestions.org website.  I apologize in advance for the length of the “Word of the Week”, there is a lot here.

Biblical scholars differ on the exact chronology. I don’t think anyone can dogmatically claim certainty in this area as it is a bit of a mystery and not exactly clear in scripture.  However, the general sequence of major events prophesied in the Bible appears consistent. All that said, based on my studies in this area, I believe we are indeed living in the last days preceding the major events of Christ’s return, which God’s Word repeatedly declares.  Therefore, I encourage you to do your own homework, so are informed and “ready” for what is to come. 

Israel stands at the center of End Times Prophecy.  As covered over the past few weeks, what is unfolding in Israel today is likely not the final war but surely aligns prophetically with events leading up to major end time events.  This is often referred to as birth pains of end times outlined in Matthew 24:1-14, which we are seeing first-hand with the war in Israel and developments around the world.  As noted, the prophet Ezekial foretells of the Gog of Magog invasion of Israel, which is predicted to transpire around the first half of the seven-year Tribulation.  This war is distinctly not Armageddon.  While the identity of Gog remains unclear, Russia has been suggested.  A coalition of hostile powers that include Russia (Rosh), Iran (Persia), and Turkey (Togarmah, Meshech, Tubal and Gomer) to Israel’s North is forming in ways consistent with Ezekiel’s prophecy.  As always, we see through a glass dimly lit, yet God’s Word is trustworthy in foretelling the broader geopolitical alignments that are currently jeopardizing Israel’s security.  This is all unfolding right before us, and we would be foolish not to pay close attention and do our best to understand how the pieces fit together with prophecy as events unfold.

Preface to End Time Events and Sequence: In eschatology, it is important to remember that almost all Christians agree on these three things: 1) there is coming a time of great tribulation such as the world has never seen, 2) after the Tribulation, Christ will return to establish His kingdom on earth, and, 3) there will be a Rapture—a translation from mortality to immortality—for believers (John 14:1-3;1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The question is when does the Rapture occur in relation to the Tribulation and the Second Coming of Christ?  Through the years three main theories have emerged concerning the timing of the Rapture: pretribulationism (the belief that the Rapture will occur before the Tribulation begins), midtribulationism (the belief that the Rapture will occur at the midpoint of the Tribulation), and posttribulationism (the belief that the Rapture will occur at the end of the Tribulation).  Pretribulation seems to be the most accepted theory, so that is the one I am going with for the purposes of this exercise. 

End Time Events and Sequence: The following is what my research suggests as the most likely End Time Events and Chronological Sequence of these events:

1. Rapture of the Church, 2) Rise of the Antichrist, 3) The Tribulation, 4) The Battle of Gog and Magog, 5) The abomination of desolation,

1. The Battle of Armageddon, 7) The Judgment of the Nations, 8) The binding of satan, 9) The Millennial Kingdom, 10) The Last Battle,

11) The Great white throne judgement, and 12) The new creation

I will cover first 3 in more detail this week and plan to cover the remaining 9 in coming weeks.

The Rapture of the Church is the event when God “snatches away” all believers from the earth in order to make way for His righteous judgment to be poured out on the earth during the tribulation period.  The rapture is described primarily in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50–54. God will resurrect all believers who have died, give them glorified bodies, and take them from the earth, along with all living believers, who will also be given glorified bodies at that time. “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17).  The rapture will involve an instantaneous transformation of our bodies to fit us for eternity. “We know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). The rapture is to be distinguished from the second coming. At the rapture, the Lord comes “in the clouds” to meet us “in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). At the second coming, the Lord descends all the way to the earth to stand on the Mount of Olives, resulting in a great earthquake followed by a defeat of God’s enemies (Zechariah 14:3–4). The rapture of the church is a glorious event we should all be longing for. We will finally be free from sin. We will be in God’s presence forever. There is far too much debate over the meaning and scope of the rapture. This is not God’s intent. Rather, the rapture should be a comforting doctrine full of hope; God wants us to “encourage one another with these words”.

The rise of the Antichrist  After the church is taken out of the way through the Rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:7–8), a satanically empowered man will gain worldwide control with promises of peace (Revelation 13:1; Daniel 9:27). He will be aided by another man, called the false prophet, who heads up a religious system that requires worship of the antichrist (Revelation 19:20). The meaning of the term antichrist is simply “against Christ.” As the apostle John records in First and Second John, an antichrist denies the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22), does not acknowledge Jesus (1 John 4:3), and denies that Jesus came in the flesh (2 John 1:7). There have been many “antichrists,” as 1 John 2:18 states. But there is also coming the Antichrist.  Most Bible prophecy/eschatology experts believe the Antichrist will be the ultimate embodiment of what it means to be against Christ. In the end times/last hour, a man will arise to oppose Christ and His followers more than anyone else in history. Likely claiming to be the true Messiah, the Antichrist will seek world domination and will attempt to destroy all followers of Jesus Christ and the nation of Israel.

The Tribulation is a period of seven years in which God’s judgment is poured out on sinful humanity (Revelation 6–16). The Antichrist’s rise to power is associated with this time period. During the tribulation on earth, the Church will be in heaven. It is thought that at this time the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will occur in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 19:6–10). Throughout Scripture, the tribulation is associated with the day of the Lord, that time during which God personally intervenes in history to accomplish His plan (see Isaiah 2:12; 13:6–9; Joel 1:15; 2:1–31; 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2). It is referred to as “tribulation . . . in the latter days” (Deuteronomy 4:30, ESV); the great tribulation, which refers to the more intense second half of the seven-year period (Matthew 24:21); “a time of distress” (Daniel 12:1); and “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7, NKJV). And we have this description of the tribulation that attends the day of the Lord: The tribulation will be marked by various divine judgments, celestial disturbances, natural disasters, and terrible plagues (see Revelation 6—16). In His mercy, God sets a limit on the duration of the tribulation. As Jesus said, “Those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive” (Mark 13:19–20).

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

More to come next week.  Be encouraged, we are victorious in Christ!!!!  Have a great week….

Thanks,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Highroad - Impact Leadership Conference

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each you to the interest of others.  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.  Philippians 2:3-5

Note: I was busy most of this week hosting folks for the Impact Leadership Conference (ILC) immediately followed by a trip to Florida with my wife and family to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday.  All that to say, I did not have time to compose part 4 of my prophecy word of the week.  I plan to get the next prophecy “WOW” next week.  This week I decided to share a little teaching and insight from our time with John Maxwell and friends at the ILC.

Our firm, Founders Advisors, was honored once again this year to serve as the Title Sponsor of the Impact Leadership 2023 on behalf of Highlands College.  Highlands College is a biblical higher education institution that exists to supply the Church with leaders of competence, character, and spiritual maturity, holistically trained to lead lives of eternal impact by fulfilling the Great Commission.  I have the privilege of serving on the board of Highlands College and passionately share in the Vision and Mission of Highlands College that addresses the challenge in Luke 10:2 “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”.    

It was an amazing day with Dr. John Maxwell, Dan Cathy, Pastor Chris Hodges, and Doris Kearns.  I was encouraged, inspired, and equipped by all of these leaders.  If you were not able to attend in person or virtually, I would highly recommend that you take some time to listen to the talks from the Impact Conference.  I don’t have the recorded conference link today but hope to have it early this week.  I plan to email the link to my “Word of the Week” group as soon as I get it.

My friend John Maxwell, who recently turned 76, shared insights and principles from a book he is working on call High Road Leadership.  This is a timely topic as we navigate and lead through the currents of our culture where taking the low road is more common than the high road.  The following are a few of the High Road leadership principles that John shared that resonated with me, so I wanted to share them with you.

John Maxwell’s – High Road Leadership:

1. High Road Leaders - Do the right things for the right reasons

   • Motives matter especially in the life of a leader

   • Leaders see more than others before others see it

   • Leaders use their vision and position to benefit those around us

2. High Road Leaders place people above their agenda

   • Value partnering with people – it is privilege to lead

   • Understand the strength of partnership

   • There is synergy in unity – we are better together

3. High Road Leaders understand partnering with others

   • P – Place others agenda above my personal agenda.  The team is first above me.

   • A – Add value to other daily

   • R – Resource others with influence and ideas

   • T - Taylor your services to meet the need of your team and clients

   • N – Never violate trust it is the most important thing

   • E – Exceed expectations.  The client’s expectations should be the floor

   • R – Respect the relationship and work to strengthen it

4. High Road Leaders have Emotional Capacity (EQ)

   • They have the ability to handle adversity and welcome feedback and constructive criticism

   • They are humble and teachable and value the input of others

   • They are authentic and are comfortable in their own skin

5. High Road Leaders give more than they take

   • They see success in the seeds they sow each day not simply in the harvest they receive

   • They are generous in all ways with their time, talent and treasure and simply love giving

   • They enjoy being part of helping others succeed more than themselves

There are more High Road principles that can be found in John’s new book that will be available for purchase soon. I hope this adds value to you and blesses you as much as it has blessed me. 

Have a great week.

-Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 3

“In that day, the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of His people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.  He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”  Isaiah 11:10-12

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy part 1&2 – see below, this week I want to frame the significance of Hamas and Gaza as referenced in biblical prophecy.  This give more context to current events we are witnessing in Israel/Gaza with Hamas, and how they fit into God’s bigger plan as referenced in God’s word through the prophets.

Israel today stands as the End Times prophetic super-sign.  Biblical predictions for the last days all center on the Jewish people and nation.  As noted in Isaiah 11 above, God faithfully preserved a remnant of the Jewish people (Israel) through the centuries, which finally led to a miraculous 20th Century rebirth in 1948.  For almost two millennia, the Hebrew people were scattered around the world.  They have shown a remarkable ability to both survive and thrive through times of blessing and extreme persecution.  Ezekial 36: 24-28 also prophesy’s a latter day return of the Jewish people to the ancient Holy Land and the rebirth of the modern state of Israel, culminating in a spiritual restoration of the nation.  “I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all the uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.  And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.  And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God”.

Gaza is mentioned in the Bible 20 times. The Gaza strip is at forefront of the war in Israel. The first biblical reference to Gaza is in Genesis 10, where it is described as part of the territory occupied by the Canaanites, who were the enemies of God and Israel.  “And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.” Genesis 10:19  Bible prophesy has lots to say about Gaza.  Four Old Testament Hebrew prophets to include Jeremiah, Amos, Zephaniah, and Zechariah warned Gaza of impending doom and judgement.  In Jeremiah 47, one of the Pharaohs of Egypt conquered Gaza.  This began a long, difficult relationship between Gaza and Egypt that continues to this day.  Currently Egypt has a blockade wall to prevent people from Gaza entering Egypt.  This blockade stems from the fact that Hamas, which currently rules Gaza, grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt that was expelled by the Egyptian government.  So, the conflict between Egypt and Gaza seen in Jeremiah 47 still echoes today in strained relations.  “For Gaza shall be deserted, and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon, and Ekron shall be uprooted.”  Zephaniah 2:4

The “Day of the Lord” refers to a time when God dramatically intervenes in human affairs to bring judgement or blessing.  It contrasts with ordinary human history when humans seem in control.  This concept appears frequently in Scripture.  But Zephaniah uniquely emphasizes the coming “Day of the Lord” when God will directly intervene to judge.   Because of the universal scope described, it is likely Zephaniah 2:4 is not the destruction of Gaza as a past event, but a future event.  Current events may foreshadow the coming judgement of Gaza prophesied by Zephaniah and other prophets.  The current Gaza conflict probably does not fulfill Zephaniah’s prophecy, because he foretells judgement coming on Gaza along with Jordan, Ethiopia, and Assyria/Iraq simultaneously in the future “Day of the Lord”.  Acts 8:25-26 talks about an angel of the Lord sent Philip to Gaza to share the good news.  Though judgement waits for Gaza, God loves the people of Gaza and desires for them to embrace Jesus before it is too late.  Jesus commands us to love both Israel and her neighbors, including Palestinians.  God’s heart is for all to repent and know Him.

Hamas - The name Hamas comes from an Arabic acronym meaning “Islamic Resistance Movement”.  In Hebrew, however, the word Hamas means violence or wrongdoing.  In Genesis, it says God saw the violence (Hamas) on the earth in Noah’s day and was grieved in His heart before sending the flood.  Jesus likened the end times to the days of Noah, indicating a rise in violence and terror like Hamas. Hamas was born in 1987 with the stated goal of destroying Israel.  It is, in fact, a violent terror proxy for Israel’s supreme enemy, Iran, and receives funding from Tehran.  The recent brutal atrocities and horrific war crimes committed unashamedly against all ages of Israeli civilians showcases the barbaric intent of Hamas.  Despite Hamas’s intentions, biblical prophecy gives believers confidence and assurance that these staged events will ultimately fail to destroy Israel or supersede God’s plan and purpose for all humanity.  Palestine will not replace Israel.  Islam will not spiritually eclipse the Jews before Christ return.  Evil will not outmaneuver God.

In God’s sovereignty, He is setting a chessboard exactly as the prophets foretold.  Anti-Israel sentiments continue erupting as hostile nations position themselves for a role in the final chapter.  God and those who stand with Him will overcome.  Though most Israelis do not accept Jesus, God is sovereign.  He has preserved and restored Israel to set the stage for His ultimate purposes.  Scripture foretells a national turning of the Jews to Christ.  In the meantime, as Christians we should support Israel and stand with her.  God keeps His promises completely in His timing. The existence of modern Israel is an act of God’s grace, not human merit.  Its prophetic significance remains intact.

Next week, I will try to connect the dots for how the current war in Israel sets the stage for the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel and many unfulfilled prophecies that will follow.

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

Be encouraged, we are victorious in Christ!!!!  Have a great week….

Thanks,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Biblical End time Events and Timeline - Prophecy part 2

“On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river of Euphrates”.  Genesis 15:18

In follow up to my “Word of the Week” on Prophecy – see below, I wanted to give more context to the history of Israel and it’s biblical significance. I am currently reading a book by Jimmy Evans titled “Whats next Israel – Gaza War”.  This book outlines the biblical history of Israel, from the time that God gave the land to Abraham, until recent events we are hearing about on the nightly news.  As followers of Christ, I think it is critical for us to have biblical context to the prophetic events that are unfolding.  My hope is to share some of these key prophecies over the next few weeks.  I will only be able to summarize and hit some of the highlights, so I encourage you to take time to do your own homework on these significant developments.

Significance of Israel and Jerusalem - Biblical prophecy is specifically connected to the existence and restoration of the Jewish people (God’s chosen people) to the land of Israel.  The nation of Israel is mentioned over 2,200 times in the Old Testament and over 70 times in the New Testament.  Jerusalem is referenced more than 800 times throughout scripture.  This heavy focus on Israel and Jerusalem reveals their immense prophetic significance in God’s eyes.  Many Bible scholars have described Israel as God’s prophetic clock.  Watching Israel today provides insight into the advancement of God’s redemptive plan.  The rebirth of modern-day Israel in 1948 and the recapture of Jerusalem in 1967 have set the prophetic clock moving towards the culmination of God’s plan and purpose, the return of Jesus to rule and reign as King from Jerusalem over Israel and all the earth.  The Lord almighty remains sovereign over human affairs despite the events we are witnessing.  God’s plans will be accomplished in His perfect timing.  “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”. Matthew 24:36. 

God’s Promise to Israel – “Now the Lord said to Abrahm, “Go from your county and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abrahm went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him.” Genesis 12:1-4  God supernaturally directs Abrahm (later renamed by God as Abraham) to leave his native country full of idol-worshipping pagans.  By faith, Abrahm follows God’s instructions to go to the Promised Land of Canaan, which is the same general location as Israel today.  “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance.  And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”  Hebrews 11:8 In Genesis 15, God solemnly enters into an everlasting, unconditional covenant with Abraham sealed by the passing between the halves of sacrificial animals according to the custom of sealing covenants.  “On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates” Genesis 15:18  In this covenant, God promised Abraham several things to include the coming of the messiah through Abraham’s lineage. 

The nation of Israel – God’s covenant with Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, included land with specific defined boundaries outlined in Genesis 15:18.  Centuries later, God miraculously birthed the Jewish nation through Abrahm’s descendants Isaac, Jacob and then the 12 tribes of Israel after delivering them from 400 years of Egyptian bondage.  The books of Joshua and Judges record Israel’s conquest of Canaan.  God commanded them to rid the land of pagan peoples, but even though Israel had some success, they never completely drove them out or defeated them.  The people of Israel would continue to interact with the Canaanites for centuries while intermittently adopting their deities and falling into idol worship and all kinds of other perversions.  Today we see international organizations and other countries trying to convince Israel to concede some of their land for peace.  God laid out Israel’s boundaries in Genesis 15 to include the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights, and Lebanon, Syria and a substantial portion of Iraq.  The Palestinians and other Arab nations may assert historical or political claims of the land, but they cannot make a biblical claim.  God gave it to Abraham and his descendants forever. “He is the Lord our God; His judgements are in all the earth.  He remembers His covenant forever, the word He commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that He made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statue, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance” Psalm 105:7-11

Ongoing Enmity and Conflict – The long-running struggle between the Jews and Palestinians/Arabs traces back to 2000 BC in the rivalry between Isaac and Ishmael, both sons of Abraham.  According to the bible outlined in the book of Genesis, Ishmael was birthed illegitimately by Hagar, Sarah’s servant, while Isaac was conceived miraculously through Sarah and Abraham in old age.  God chose Isaac as the beloved and Ishmael and Hagar were cast out.  Their descendants have battled over the land ever since.  The long-running generational hostility has foreshadowed relationships between the offspring of Isaac (the Jewish people) versus Ishmael’s offspring (many Muslim Arab nations). Further, in Genesis 22, Abraham was instructed to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Mariah, the site of today’s Temple Mount in Jerusalem.  Islam emerged with a competing narrative in 600AD asserting that the son taken up for sacrifice by Abraham was not Isaac but his half brother Ishmael.  This revisionist telling is attempting to disconnect the Temple Mount from Judaism’s origins and claim it instead for Islam, which came thousands of years later.  Therein lies the crux of the ideological clash over this sacred ground.

Jesus Wins - Though Jesus decisively defeated the powers of darkness on the cross, Satan continues his efforts to wipe out the Jewish people.  Why did the enemy not stop once Jesus completed His earthly mission on the cross?  It is because the Bible declares that Jesus is coming back again to finish fulfilling His messianic mission as both King and Redeemer of Israel, ushering in His literal thousand-year Millennial Reign from Jerusalem.  God deeply loves both Israel and the Church.  Satan opposes and despises whatever God cherishes.  This is sadly evident in the ongoing conflict in the Holy Land.  Just as God showed His unwavering compassion for Israel throughout the Old Testament, He retains a special affection for the Jewish people today.  Be encouraged, we know that God’s purpose for Israel will ultimately prevail, along with His plans for the Church.  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Next week I will go deeper into how the current conflict in Israel sets the stage for many of the biblical prophecies yet to be fulfilled. 

I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving, we surely have much to be Thankful for.

Thank you,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Abiding

Note:  I was serving this weekend at JH Outback, so I didn’t have the time I needed to put together the next installment on “Prophecy”.  I plan to send a few more “Word of the Week’s” on Prophecy in coming weeks.  This week I am sharing one of my go-to life messages on Abiding.  I did an abiding talk this weekend at Outback that prompted me to share this message..  If I would only share one message with my fellow believers, it would be this message.

“I am the vine you are the branches, if you abide in me, I will abide in you, and you will bare much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing” John 15:5 (Jesus)

I had the privilege of serving with my wife Amy and some great friends at the Birmingham Outback www.jhoutback.com this weekend.  JH Outback is an amazing family focused ministry that I love and highly recommend.  I was again reminded of what God has done in my life and my family over the past 22 years since I gave my life to Christ and began abiding.  For the first 33 years of my life, I was not abiding in Christ, and I cannot point to any spiritual fruit from that period of my life (nothing).  By the grace of God and being part of great ministries like JH Outback, Church of the Highlands, Heritage Forum, Highlands College and others, God has produced amazing spiritual fruit in my life, family, ministry, and business over the last 22 years.  There is no doubt in my mind that this is all God’s work and the byproduct abiding in the vine of Christ. 

Abiding in Christ - I truly believe that a daily abiding relationship with the Lord is the single most important thing we can do after we make a decision to follow Christ and receive the gift of salvation.  This is where our faith becomes active and we receive the power and benefits knowing God. The word Remain is used synonymously with Abide in several translations, simply put it means to stay connected and become one with the Lord.  What is interesting about this quote from Jesus, is how He makes it clear that there is a condition for us to stay connected to Him, we must go first and be the initiator/pursuer.  He says that if we Abide in Him, then He will Abide in us.  God wants to be our first priority. “Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness and all things will be added unto you” Matthew 6:33  I am convinced that abiding is an active process that manifest in daily actions of pursuing the Lord, which allow us to respond in love to what Jesus did for us on the cross.  Abiding is not just an idea or a nice thought or feeling, it is truly a passionate pursuit to connect with the Lord and remain in ongoing relationship with Him. 

What it looks like to Abide - So what does it mean to Abide in the Vine of Christ and how do we actively connect with an invisible God.  Similar to connecting with another person in relationship, there is no one right way to abide in Christ, the biggest thing is that we make it a priority and daily pursuit. Here are a few examples of how we can abide/connect with Jesus: 

1) Prayer - talking with the Lord daily and intimately,  2) God’s Word / Bible -  reading or listening to the book He gave us that tells us about His very nature and what He cares about, 3) Praise & Worship – letting Him know how great He is and how much we appreciate what He has done for us, 4) Ministry - making a point to care about what He cares about by loving and serving others, 5) Evangelism / Discipleship - telling people about Him and how great He is, 6) Fellowship of believers - encouraging each other in our walk of faith, and 7) simply thinking about Him and meditating on who He is and who you are in Him.    

Fruit of Abiding in Christ - The best part of all of this is that the Lord blesses us with amazing fruit/blessings when we stay connected to Him in an abiding relationship.  These are fruits/gifts that we cannot manufacture for ourselves, they are simply a byproduct of His very nature at work within us.  They include but are not limited to: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.  Who would not want these wonderful gifts that are the fruit of God’s spirit being produced in us so our lives become a blessing that produce Kingdom fruit.  “Therefor by your fruits you will know them”.  Matthew 7:20  The spiritual fruit of our lives is truly the evidence of God power at work within us. 

“God will do immeasurably more than you can ever ask or imagine, in and through you, by His power at work within you” Ephesians 3:20 but this only happens if you remain connected to the vine of Christ.

For His Glory,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Prophecy

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”  Revelation 1:3

In light of the war in Israel along with many other major world events we have all witnessed in recent days, months and years, I have been prompted to dive deeper into understanding biblical prophecy.  I am currently reading and studying this fascinating area of our faith that has historically been somewhat seen as taboo.  The more I learn, the more I realize the need for us as Christ followers to be informed in this important part of God’s plan.  By the way, the more I learn and read about prophecy the more encouraged and hopeful I am as a believer.  Our God is sovereign and reigns over all of heaven and the earth.  He has a perfect plan, and as His children we can rest assured that our eternal destiny is secure in Christ no matter what is to come here on earth. 

Biblical Prophecy is a message from God communicated through a human prophet.  About 27%, more than one out of every four verses of the bible are considered prophetic, so apparently this is an important part of our faith as believers and what God is trying to communicate to us.  In the New Testament, almost every book contains some prophecy, with Revelation being wholly devoted to a prophetic.  The consistent relation of prophecy in the Bible is staggering not to mention the amazing accuracy of detailed prophecies in the bible.  This is confirming to our faith and God’s promises to us His children. 

Prophecy in the bible can be divided into two broad groups: fulfilled and not yet fulfilled.

Fulfilled Prophecies: • The first coming of Christ (e.g., Deuteronomy 18:15–19; Numbers 24:17; Daniel 9:25–26; Micah 5:2). • Jesus as the Savior of mankind (e.g., Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53:4–5). • Prophecies regarding individual people, such as the doom of Jezebel (2 Kings 9:10). • Prophecies regarding Israel, such as in the case of Israel’s exile to Babylon (2 Kings 20:18; Jeremiah 34:3). • The destruction of the temple, which occurred in AD 70 (Matthew 24:1–2). • Daniel’s prophecies about the rise and fall of many kingdoms (Daniel 7:2–6, 16).

Prophecies Still to Be Fulfilled: • The second coming of Christ (Zechariah 14:3–4; Matthew 24:44; Acts 1:10–11; Revelation 1:7). • The rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). • The tribulation (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15–22). • The resurrections of the saved and the unsaved (Daniel 12:1–3; 1 Corinthians 15:20–23; Revelation 20:11–15). • The millennial reign of Christ (Psalm 72:7–11; Zechariah 2:10–11; Revelation 20:4). • The restoration of Israel (Jeremiah 31:31–37; Romans 11:26–27). • The new heavens and new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13;

The amount of prophecy in the Bible is one of the things that make it unique among religious books. There is absolutely no emphasis on predictive prophecy in the Qu’ran or the Hindu Vedas, for example. In contrast, the Bible repeatedly points to fulfilled prophecy as direct proof that it is God who speaks (see Deuteronomy 18:22; 1 Kings 22:28; Jeremiah 28:9). Given God’s omniscience, it should come as no surprise that the Bible contains so many clear predictions or that those predictions are literally fulfilled: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done” (Isaiah 46:9–10, ESV).

What are the Reasons for Prophecies in the Bible? Human beings – even God’s chosen people (the Jews) – are sinful and lost.  God’s entire plan is one of love and redemption for us His children.  The Bible communicates God’s love for us in many ways.  One way is by giving us an understanding of what is to come on earth, so we can be prepared and have hope and peace in the midst of these trying times we are witnessing and experiencing. 

Some of the reasons for prophecies include:

• To warn both believers and non-believers and lead us to repentance/change.

• To expose our sin nature and need for a savior – to draw us to Jesus!

• To help us understand the future and our role as believers.

• To give us hope!!!! Revelation 21:3-4

Over the next few weeks, I plan to share more about biblical prophecy and how we can benefit from it as children and followers of the living God.

“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:23

Be encouraged, we are victorious in Christ!!!! .   

-Duane

Word of the Week - Grace

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works." Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace is an essential part of God’s character.  Grace is closely related to God’s love and mercy for us, His children.  Grace in the context of our faith can by defined as “God’s favor toward the unworthy”. In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us abundantly, despite the fact we don’t deserve to be treated so well or dealt with so generously.  This is the amazing grace of God our Father through Jesus.  For me personally, I can relate best with the concept of grace when I think about my own children and grandchildren.  They have my unconditional love regardless of what they do or don’t do to deserve it.  Our Father in heaven sees us through this same lens but with a much greater love than we can even fathom.  Meditate on this, it is truly life changing to realize how much God loves us and how He invites us into relationship with Him and salvation through His amazing grace.

God’s Amazing Grace is the essence of our Christian faith.  Most of us have a hard time receiving and believing this because it is so counter to the way things work in the world, especially our merit based Westernized society.  This is especially hard for those who come from more works-based tradition where they may believe they need to do certain things or behave a certain way to be accepted by God and the church.  The truth is God’s grace is given to us before we ever deserve it, even while we are sinners and enemies with God.  “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8-9

Even though our cultural and social tendency is towards conforming to a worldly pattern to gain acceptance and success, the gospel is very clear on the fact that we literally receive our salvation as a free gift from the Lord by simply believing on Him and being in relationship with Him.  “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” Romans 10:9-10  Outside of pursuing a relationship with Jesus, we cannot do anything to earn our salvation, which is why Jesus makes it crystal clear that there is only one way to the Father and it is through His work of the Cross.  “I am the way the truth and the life, no one can come to the father except through me” John 14:6  What is more amazing is the fact that in the process of receiving salvation we become part of God’s family as co-heirs to His Kingdom. 

Once saved, God desires for us to give our hearts and lives to Him and remain connected to Him through a daily abiding relationship, so we can receive His protection, benefits and power, and so we can fulfill the purpose He has for us while we are here on earth.  If we receive His amazing grace of salvation and walk in an abiding relationship with the Him, we will have a grateful heart and desire to serve Him and thus we will do “good works” that He has already destined for us as part of His divine plan. Ephesians 2:10. 

So, rejoice in God’s amazing grace and receive the full benefits of our faith and live the abundant life of the redeemed in Christ.

Have a great week and enjoy the fully sufficient grace of the Lord.   

-Duane

Word of the Week - Thoughts

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:2

Our thoughts are the leading indicator of our future and who we will become!  More than anything else, our Thoughts define our lives, our purpose, and our well-being.  Thinking also affects our physical wellbeing.  There is mounting scientific evidence demonstrating the relationship between the brain and the rest of the nervous system to include our immune system and that 75-85% of physical illness are a direct result of our thinking.  Dr. Herbert Benson MD, the president of Harvard Medical School Mind-Body Institute says “Toxic Thinking leads to stress, which affects our body’s natural healing capacities.  Toxic thinking literally wears down the brain and the rest of the body”.  The reality is that our modern-day culture is full of toxic messaging that leads to toxic thinking.  If we just go with the flow of our culture, we are susceptible to bad thinking.  “There is a way (thought pattern) that seems right to a man/woman but in the end leads to death” Proverbs 16:25.  No matter how godly and pure our walk, we all have an enemy of our soul who wants to destroy us and our relationships and he is working overtime to get in our heads.  He does this by planting negative Thoughts and lies in our minds through all types of circumstances.  We cannot allow these thoughts to land and resonate with us because if we do then they lead to strongholds that are much harder to overcome. 

The good news is that God has equipped each of us with minds that can be renewed and transformed in Christ.  Literally, scientist have proven that the neural pathways in our brains can be reprogrammed through the process of new habits and new thinking, which creates new pathways.  The key is that we understand this and take a proactive approach to our Thought life and have both a defensive and offensive strategy to combat this reality.  Here are some practical ways we can keep our Thoughts godly and pure and keep a healthy mind of Christ.

• Feed your mind a daily diet of Truth through God’s Word.  “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.  “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way of sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers.”  Psalm 1: 1-3 

• Put on the “Armor of God” each day.   “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:10-18

• Take thoughts Captive and make them obedient to Christ.   “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

To remain healthy and live to our full potential in Christ we must realize that our Thinking is most important.  What we read, watch and listen to matters because it shapes and influences our thinking.  We must guard our hearts and minds and be careful of what we feed them. We must renew our minds in Christ each day, so we realize God’s good, pleasing and perfect plan for our lives.  This can only be done by each of us taking responsibility for our own Thoughts so we have godly thinking that leads to peace and life opposed to stinking thinking that leads to death and dis-order. 

I pray you have a week filled with good thoughts that lead to light and life.  Halloween and the festivities that accompany this tradition are more geared toward the dark side.  What may seem innocent and in good fun can sow seeds that pervert our thinking and perspective.  Use discernment to guard your heart and mind and those of your family.

Blessings,

-Duane

Word of the Week - Love of Money

But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.  1 Timothy 6-10

As a businessman who works in the financial services industry where success is measured in financial terms such as income (P&L) and net worth (balance sheet), this verse is both sobering and refreshing. Sobering in the sense that we are susceptible to the temptation of placing our hope and self-worth in the things of this world with a focus on our financial security and status; therefore, we must proactively guard our hearts from this tendency, which the bible states is part of our human nature.  Refreshing, in the sense that at the end of the day, we will leave this world the same way we entered it, with nothing; thus, all that really matters are things of eternal value, which we know have less to do with temporal possessions and wealth but have much to do with eternal things of God and people (relationship), which last forever.  “What do most people say on their deathbed?  They don’t say, ‘I wish I’d spent more time on my business and made more money.’ What they do say is, ‘ I wish I’d spent more time with my family & friends, and done more that counted for eternity.’  John Maxwell

“Love of money” is synonymous with the word Mammon which implies the worship of materialism, such that we put our faith in Mammon believing it will meet our needs and make us happy and fulfilled.  This is a lie of the enemy of our soul.  On the surface this may sound a bit radical, but if we search our hearts, it is not hard to understand how we might find instances of Mammon in our lives.  This is our world’s value system, especially in the good old USA.  Love of money or Mammon is counter/anti to faith in God’s grace and provision.  It is faith in future human and material resources – the things we can buy with financial resources.  Therefore, the love of money, or trust in the things of this world, can be counter to our faith and trusting the Lord.  Jesus said during the sermon on the mount that “No one can serve two masters…you cannot serve God and money (Mammon)” Matthew 6:24.  Because of the value system of our world and the way our financial system is organized it is easy to fall into this trap.  The truth of the matter is that we are all susceptible to this temptation and must be keenly aware of the trap so we can work to build protection in our lives. 

Godly Antidotes to the Love of Money - So how do we reject the spirit of Mammon and find godliness with true contentment when it comes to dealing with money and wealth?  Paul gives us the key in verse 1 Timothy 11 “ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith.” I think the key is to take an offensive stand and proactively pursue the things of God along with some other key strategies outlined by Paul in the book of 1Timothy that I found to be well-articulated by Pastor Larry Stockstill in his daily devotional:

Paul taught Timothy three vital truths about money/finances:

• Contentment - First, he taught him that the love of money can be dangerous to one's spiritual health. Money itself is not evil, but the love of money is a dangerous deception that can lead even to being drawn away from the faith. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 1 Timothy 6:9.  The proper attitude toward money must be one of contentment. As we live our lives, we must be thankful for what we have, not always wanting what we don't have. “

• Gratitude – If we have an attitude of Gratitude we realize that God desires to bless us so we can be a blessing. He "richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment" (1 Timothy 6:17). God is not a taker- He's a giver! He longs to bless us for our enjoyment. 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17

• Generosity and Giving - The third truth Paul shared regarding money is the principle of generosity and giving, which is the true antidote to the spirit of Mammon. He urged Timothy to instruct the rich to remember to use their earthly wealth for doing good, thus laying up an eternal reward in heaven.  18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:18-19

As we proactively invest our lives and our financial capital in God’s Kingdom, our hearts will be encouraged and protected from the spirit of Mammon.  Even more exciting, our investment will be multiplied back to us in the life to come as we invest forward for our “Treasures in Heaven”.  Finally, it is surely more joyous to give than to receive, try it and see!!!!!

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25

Have a great week!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Maturity

Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:3-4

Maturity defined – The definition of a mature person is someone who has reached their full potential mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  Spiritual maturity is achieved through becoming more like Jesus.  After salvation, we begins the process of spiritual growth, with the intent to become spiritually mature.  Paul tells us in Philippians 3:12-14 that becoming spiritually mature in Christ is an ongoing process. “not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Spiritual maturity as a believer requires a radical reordering of our priorities, from pleasing self to pleasing and serving God.  We make Jesus the Lord of our lives and pursue a relationship with Him and His ways.  We develop spiritual disciplines to abide in Him and stay connected to the vine of Christ through prayer, worship, study of God’s word, fellowship with other believers and being stewards of our gifts.  We also call upon the Holy Spirit to guide us in the way we should go as we commune and walk with the Lord.  “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” Galatians 5:16 The more life I live as a follower of Je, the more I desire to grow in my maturity.  In doing so, the Lord produces His fruit in us and through us.  The fruit of His spirit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  All of these spiritual fruits can also be considered biproducts of spiritual maturity.

Additional Characteristics of a mature person:

• Show restraint – have control over their own feelings and emotions Mark 15:4

• Responsible – they take responsibility for themselves and their actions Galatians 6:5-10

• Grateful – they are thankful for what they have and recognize their blessings 1 Thes 5:18

• Secure – they know who they are and are comfortable in their own skin 2 Corinthians 5:17

• Considerate – they are aware of the needs of others 1 Corinthians 10:24

• Humble – they recognize the value of others and are less about themselves and their ego Romans 12:3

• Flexible – willing to work with others and adjust their agenda to accommodate others 1 Corinthians 1:10

• Non-Judgmental – they look for the best in all people and reserve judgement  Luke 6:37  

• Self-aware – they recognize that they have issues and blind spots that need to be addressed Psalm 51:10-12

• Continuous learner – they realize there is always room to grow and improve Psalm 25:4-6

Growth & Maturity:  

We must grow to mature but growth by itself does not translate to maturity.  Some people do a lot of growing and never mature and reach their full potential.  Maturing is a different process that involves time, experience and walking through and being tested by trials in life .  People and organizations can grow very rapidly in short amounts of time but they don’t necessarily mature.  In fact many times rapid growth results in relative immaturity.  We see this often in businesses that experience rapid growth but have not had the time to mature by being tested, and therefore have not built a foundation of maturity needed to sustain the business.  This can create illusions of grandeur that are not healthy and many times lead organizations down a path of dysfunction and ultimate failure.  Just like the lifecycle of a business or product in business is the lifecycle of a person.  Maturation is a process that requires time and experience with a willingness to learn and grow through the experiences and trials of life.  This is the theme of James 1:3-4 above and also outlined by Paul in Romans 5:3-5, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character; and character produces hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy spirit, who has been given to us.”   

So, let’s rejoice in the trials and challenges of life recognizing that they are a gift allowing us to become mature and complete in Christ Jesus.

Have a great week!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Anxiety

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.  1 Peter 5:7

Anxiety

Is a mental condition characterized by excessive apprehensiveness about real or perceived threats, typically leading to avoidance behaviors and often physical symptoms such as increased heart rate and muscle tension.  Anxiety symptoms include: feeling nervous, restless or tense; having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom; having an increased heart rate; breathing rapidly or hyperventilation; sweating, trembling; feeling weak or tired; trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry. 

Most of us struggle with Anxiety at some point in life

Anxiety amongst adults and children has continued to increase at concerning levels in the United States.  The National Alliance of Mental Illness estimates that over 40 million adults in the U.S. (nearly 20%) have an anxiety disorder.  Meanwhile, approximately 7% of children aged 3-17 experience issues with anxiety each year.  This has become a national epidemic we are facing as a nation.  I personally struggled with anxiety in my late 20’s and early 30’s and ended up in the hospital after I experienced what I thought was a heart attack.  I will never forget when the doctor told me “your heart is fine but there is something terribly wrong.  You need to change your lifestyle because your body is communicating loudly that something is wrong.  This is serious!”, after being rushed to the hospital by ambulance on a Sunday night and having a series of test run to figure out what was going on with me.  This was my early entrepreneurial days when I was pushing myself to crazy limits and trying to do it all myself.  I was not walking with Jesus and thus carrying the weight of the world.  Through a series of events, I had gotten myself into a terrible situation (lonely, lack of purpose, disconnected, physically unhealthy, worried, stressed etc.), and I was trying to fix it on my own through brute force.  I started having physical pains in my chest and ultimately over a period of a few months it led to me having an all-out panic/anxiety attack that landed me in the hospital at the age of 28 years old.  “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end leads to death”. Proverbs 14:12

God’s Antedotes for Anxiety

My pastor, Chris Hodges, recently did a Message on Anxiety that really resonated with me and my experience.  He shared his own struggles with Anxiety and Depression, which led him to write a book titled “Out of the Cave: Stepping into the Light When Depression Darkens What You See.” In his book, he contends that Anxiety is not merely a malfunction of the mind but a signal our body uses to tell us that we have unmet needs in some part of our life.  Through his research, Pastor Chris found 9 factors that cause depression, 7 of which are psychosocial (they’re done to us, or we do them to ourselves), and 2 that are biological or genetic.  He also suggests that while there can be real biological contributions to anxiety and depression, which may require medication for treatment, many times there is a much more going on in our souls that medication cannot fix, but God can heal.  Using the story of Elijah found in 1 Kings 19, we see that Elijah did at least 6 of 9 causes of depression and anxiety.  His anxiety and depression came right after two major spiritual victories, which reminds us that we’re not our best when we’re tired and worn down.  Before God helped Elijah emotionally or spiritually, He helped him physically by strengthening him with good food, drink, and rest.  Many of us need the same thing, true “rest”.  We should all evaluate our lifestyles and how we can best proactively live towards peace and tranquility vs. anxiety and depression.

Practical strategies from God’s Word to live free of Anxiety (from PC’s message on Anxiety):

• Pace of Grace – In today’s digital world of technology we are inundated with inbound information and opportunities.  We all have some degree of “fear of missing out” and way too many options.  Research indicates that the pace of our lifestyles are a leading cause of anxiety.  We must learn to refocus our lives by prioritizing what matters most.  We must learn that it is healthy and best to say “no” and eliminate the non-essentials.  Focus on the big rocks of life that really matter. “Better is one handful with peace and tranquility, than two hands full with strife and chasing after the wind”. Ecclesiastes 4:6

• Connecting with Jesus – We need to create rhythms and environments where we can quiet our souls and connect with God.  The greatest anti-depressant is a fresh awareness of God’s presence in our lives.  Giving God our First Fruit’s by connecting with Him First every morning is a simple but powerful way to experience the peace of God.  I personally believe that abiding in Christ is our greatest offensive and defensive strategy against the enemy of our souls.  “I am the vine, you are the branches, if you abide in me, I will abide in you and your will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing”. John 15:5

• Seek the Truth – Let the narrative I believe about myself come from God’s word and not from myself, others, or the world.  What we believe about ourselves and tell ourselves (self-talk) can produce a false narrative.  We need to quit ruminating and listening to others, and turn to the truth of God’s Word to know who we are in Christ.  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.  Jeremiah 29:11

• Live with Purpose – God created each of us on purpose for a God purpose.  The best day of my life was when I met Jesus and the second-best day was when I discovered my life purpose in Christ.  If we have clarity in our purpose, life is just more enjoyable because we give our thoughts and energy to our purpose opposed to allowing our minds to wander toward the unknown causing fear and negativity, which cause anxiety. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do great works that He prepared in advance for us to do” Ephesians 2:10

• Godly Relationships – “Show me your friends and I will show you your future” John Maxwell.  God created us for relationship with Him and with others!  If we hang out with the wrong people who don’t love us, admonish us and build us up, then we are likely to have negative experiences that cause anxiety and stress.  On the other hand, building and nurturing relationships with solid godly friends is a key to life and health.  We all need to invite the right people into our lives, connect with them regularly, and be willing to share our anxieties with them.  “Two are better than one, because they have good return for their labor; If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up”.  Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Most of all, we should know and trust God and cast our cares up on Him because He love us and is worthy of our trust.  He tells us not to worry or be anxious about anything but bring it to Him.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

I pray we can all walk in these truths and experience peace that surpasses understanding in Christ!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Love

A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  John 13:34-35

The word Love is defined by websters as a quality or feeling of strong or constant affection for and dedication to another: the strong affections and tenderness felt by lovers.  1 Corinthians 13 defines Love a little differently: “Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.  Love never fails.”

Love like Jesus:  The longer I live, the more I realize that Love is the most important aspect of life.  At the end of the day, when it is all said and done, what will matter most is how well we loved while we were here on earth.  So, what does Love really look like in our day to day lives?  I would submit that Jesus is the best model of love in all of history, and as followers of Jesus, we can learn how to Love by knowing and pursuing Jesus.  Jesus is Love!!!  Our goal as believers should be to conform to the image of Jesus by being faithful and obedient to God.  Jesus was pure in every way and He loved selflessly and commanded us His disciples to love the same way He loves us.  Here are a few ways that Jesus Loved for us to learn from:

Sacrificial and generously:  Jesus demonstrated His love by dying for us, saying, “There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.” John 15:13 Since most of us will never be called upon to physically die for someone, what does it look like to lay down our lives in love?  John 3:16 tells us that to love is to give.  “God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son”.  Godly love gives sacrificially.  Are we willing to give of ourselves, whether it be our time, money/stuff or our energy to love and serve others?  The truth is that all we have and all we are is a gift from God in heaven and we are simply stewards of our lives and our possessions.  This is well articulated in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25: 14-30.  Are we using our gifts and blessings to love God and love others?

Speaking the truth in Love:  Loving like Jesus means we care enough about the souls of others to tell the truth.  If we really love others, we will speak the truth in love.  We will be willing to get uncomfortable and possibly even have conflict to share truth, especially if the person we are sharing with is blind to the reality of the truth.  This is not always a fun and pleasant experience but it is necessary. That being said, our hearts and motives must be to Love first.  Truth without love can be harsh and love without truth is shallow.  If we truly love someone we will take the time to let them know we have their best interest at heart as we gently share the truth in love.  Jesus was the best at loving people deeply while being clear and bold about the truth.  The rich young ruler cam to Jesus with good intentions, but with lack of surrender Luke 18:18-25.  He wanted what Jesus offered, but did not want Jesus.  He loved his stature and stuff more than the truth, and Jesus lovingly pointed out the young man’s heart of greed.  We don’t love people by watering down the gospel that can save them or truth that can help them.  Jesus loved us enough to warn and challenge us all the way to the cross.   

Forgiving:

Forgiveness is another way we can love like Jesus.  We forgive when we have been wronged by others.  In our humanness we want to hang on to the wounds hoping to get revenge or restitution.  But if we love like Jesus, we will quickly forgive and let go allowing healing to flow into our hearts.  Jesus forgave us and makes it very clear that we are to forgive others as we have been forgiven.  “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins”. Mark 11:25  We cannot love someone if we won’t forgive them.  When we forgive others, we can love and pray for them with a clean conscience because we have done what God commands us to do.  “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”. Ephesians 4:32

Love y’all!!!!!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Gratitude

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thessalonians 5:18

The word Gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness.  Gratitude encompasses all of these meanings.  Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for our blessings.  With gratitude, we acknowledge the goodness in our lives.  No matter our circumstance in life, there is always something to be thankful for.  I think the key to gratitude is to always be looking for the goodness and blessing in life, and making a point to acknowledge our blessings.  As believers, we recognize that the source of our blessings is the Lord.  I love this song by Brandon Lake titled “Gratitude” you can listen by clicking this link Gratitude Song .

An attitude of gratitude is a key to healthy living.  There have been many scientific studies by some of the most world’s most respected health organizations including Harvard Health, Mayo Clinic, National Association of Mental Health to name a few.  They have determined that Gratitude is a key to healthy living.  Check out this New York times article from June 8, 2023, titled “Gratitude Really is Good for You.  Here’s what the Science Shows” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/well/mind/gratitude-health-benefits.html  Our level of Gratitude is directly correlated to our health physically, mentally and emotionally.  God our Creator knew what He was talking about in Thessalonians 5:28 when He said “Give thanks to God in all circumstances”.

How do we foster Gratitude in our lives?

Know God and recognize who we are in Christ:

If we truly understand who we are in Christ, that we are adapted as His sons and daughters who have full access to His kingdom.  That we are co-heirs with Jesus to the Kingdom of God and all of the benefits.  That we will live in fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in heaven for eternity.  This is very exciting news that should fill our hearts with gratitude since we really did nothing to deserve this, we simply gave our hearts to God and trusted Him.  “For those who are lead by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.”  The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children”.

Recognize and value those who have helped us along the way:

Thank God that He set things up for us to do life with others as a community of believers.  We are much better together as a body of Christ each with different and unique gifts and personalities.  None of us can do this life successfully without others.  It is important that we take time out to show our sincere appreciation by recognizing those who have helped us along the way.  “So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others”. Romans 12:5  

Count our blessings Daily and show sincere appreciation for those who are in our lives:

We should make it a habit each day when we wake up in the morning and throughout the day, to simply thank God for His grace and the simple blessings of life.  Make a list of things you are grateful for 100 questions for gratitude from NYT Article.  We should not take for granted things like family and relationships and the ability to go out and enjoy the day and use our talents to influence the world and make a honest living.  As bad as things can seem at times, there is always a silver lining if we take time to look for it. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change”. James 1:17

I am Grateful for you!  Have a great week!

-Duane

Word of the Week - Serenity

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Serenity

The definition of Serenity is a state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled regardless of your circumstance.  Having Serenity allows us to stay calm, present, and true to our core values during tumultuous life experiences. It is an ability to surrender control of circumstances to God while taking responsibility and ownership for our part.  Serenity and the peace that comes from experiencing serenity is an antidote to stress and anxiety. “This will bring health to your body and nourishments to your bones” Proverbs 3:8

Walking in Serenity

“Lord, I pray you would give me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that need to be changed and the wisdom to discern one from the other”.  I am not sure exactly who originated the prayer in its current form but my brief research implies it was originated in 1932 by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who according to “Wikipedia” is reported to have used the prayer as the last part of a longer prayer.  Nonetheless, it has been used by many faith-based and civic organizations & programs over the years, especially for people who are working to overcome addictions.  I know this simple prayer has helped millions of people over the years find peace, freedom, and Serenity. 

Personal Application of Serenity Prayer

This prayer has been a go to for me as long as I can remember, and has served as a foundational prayer I draw upon when I am facing the challenging circumstances of life.  I was first introduced to the prayer by my father-in-law, Bill Dore’ over 35 years ago.  He is a very successful entrepreneur and has mentored me over the years in life and business.  I remember him quoting the serenity prayer way back in the day in the context of a business, acknowledging that there are some things in life that we simply should accept as reality, and then discern our role and responsibility in dealing with the challenge or circumstance we are facing. I have placed my faith and trust in God through this prayer many times over the past 35 years through many life challenges.  I have used it often in our business over the past 25 years.  As an M&A deal transaction advisor, we are dependent upon many factors (capital markets, family dynamics, financial performance, personal moods and motivations etc.) outside of our control for a deal to close.  It is typically a binary outcome where if the deal either closes we get paid a success fee, but if it doesn’t close, we don’t get paid our success fee even though we put in the work, which is typically thousands of man hours.  This can be costly and quite discouraging.  This is why I love and use the Serenity prayer and encourage our team in this prayer.  So much so that the Serenity prayer is hanging on the wall in our conference room at the office.    

Surrender and Trust

The most important element to finding Serenity is placing our trust in God and believing that He knows best and desires what is best for us. “If God is for us, who can be against us” Romans 8:31 Serenity is a byproduct of surrender.  When we know and trust God we can surrender by faith and experience the peace and serenity that comes; “The peace of God that transcends understanding, that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6 We are simply acknowledging who God is and who we are.  It is so amazing that God desires for us to partner with Him.  He has a role for each one of us in His great plan for mankind, but we must not forget that it is His plan and not ours.  When we are walking in this truth under the covering of Jesus, we experience peace and serenity.  “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29

Eternal Perspective

A few years back I discovered the second part of the Serentiy Prayer, which I had never heard before:

“Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardships as a pathway to peace, Taking, as He did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that He will make all things right, If I surrender to His will, That I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next”

We all desire to experience peace and serenity during our time on this earth, and I believe that the Lord desires this for us.  But the reality is that we live in a fallen world, so the things of earth typically do not work out perfectly.  Having an eternal perspective allows us to recognize that the hardships of this life are what are refining us into the image of Christ.  There is purpose in the pain.  As we put our hope and trust in Jesus, we realize that the things of eternity, beyond our life on earth, are what really matter. This helps us in managing our expectations while we are here.  So, we can be “reasonably happy” while here, and look forward to being “supremely happy” with Jesus for eternity. 

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

I pray you experience Serenity that comes from knowing and trusting the Lord.

-Duane