"HOW BAD WILL IT GET?"

THOUGHTS ON THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

HOW BAD WILL IT GET?

(Understanding God’s Judgements Part 3)

He was sending out His followers to spread the good news of God’s Kingdom.  As He was giving them instructions Jesus Christ said, “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 NLT     God’s Word makes it clear.  In the end, all of this universe that is part of time, will cease to exist.  

This will happen when the process of removing evil from creation is complete. Those who have been in fellowship with God will live forever with Him.  Those who have chosen to reject God’s love and sacrifice will be eternally separated from Him.

So how will this all happen? How bad will it get before time will be no more? We need to understand that God is merciful and gracious in everything He does. His desire is not to destroy, but to redeem. Because of this, His judgements are progressive.  They get worse the further we move away from Him through our disobedience.

So what are God’s judgements?  If you read the Bible from cover to cover, you’ll find that the scriptures indicate there are seven types of judgements:

Pestilence refers to plagues and/or diseases that affect living things.

Famine is mentioned several times and can refer to lack in any area. This includes spiritual lack.

The Sword or War refers to people fighting each other. This could be on a personal level, or between groups or nations.

Wild Beasts are Animals that God sends to devour those who fail to repent of their rebellion against Him. They may also devour their livestock and children.

Natural Disasters are spoken of a number of times. Things like drought, hail, floods, fire and earthquakes are part of His judgements. 

Physical Death of the body comes to all except a few who walk in close fellowship with God.

Eternal Death and Destruction (The Second Death) are God’s final judgements upon those who have hardened their hearts to His voice and are beyond redemption. They will be eternally separated from God, and exist forever in the darkness of Hell.

Because we live in a creation that has been polluted by evil we all experience the affects of God’s judgements. How much we experience God’s judgements depends on our relationship with God. Those who walk in fellowship with God may suffer the affects of the evil world around them, but will ultimately be delivered from all the judgements of God into the eternal blessings of His Kingdom. Those who reject God’s gracious redemption will experience the utter destruction of their soul and body in Hell forever.

How bad will it get?  That depends on whether you seek to walk in fellowship with God or reject His love for you.

QUESTION:    How bad would it be for you if you died right now?

Scriptures: Matthew 10:28, Luke 12:4-5, 2 Peter 3:2-13, 

Hebrews 1:8-12, 1 Thessalonians 4:11-15, 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10,

Psalm 103, Exodus chapters  5-14, Leviticus 26, 2 Chronicles 6:28,

Psalm 91, Psalm 105:16,  Amos 8:11, Ezekiel 23:22-26,

Matthew 10:34-36,  Ezekiel 14:21, Haggai 1:9-11, Isaiah 28:1-2 & 29:6,

Proverbs 6:12-15 & 29:1,  Proverbs 10:29, Revelation 20:14 & 21:8,

Romans 5:12-14, and Psalm 34:19

Henry & Rita

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGES WE’VE WRITTEN.

    Please share it with as many people as you

 can on Facebook, through Emails or by making copies.

 If you would like to know more about God’s judgements, please contact us.

Email: henry@basicministries.com OR rita@basicministries.com

Phone:  (228) 255-9251 

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 633, Grapevine, TX 76099 USA

Copyright 2015 Brothers & Sisters in Christ

WHO'S IN CHARGE ANYWAY?

THOUGHTS ON THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

WHO’S IN CHARGE ANYWAY?

(Understanding God’s Judgements Part 2)

He was standing before Pilate, the man who had the political power to condemn Him to death. “Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?   Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above.”

John 19:10-11 NLT

One of the biggest deceptions Satan has placed in the hearts of people is that God is not in control of what’s happening in the world.  Today most people believe that the things that happen are a result of nature. They believe if science can figure out nature, then we can control what’s happening.  Science at its best will never scratch the surface of what an all knowing God understands.  It will never gain control of what’s happening on earth.

Make no mistake.  God is in control of everything.  He is not asleep. His Eternal Kingdom, which He set up according to His unchanging eternal laws, rules over everything in time and eternity.

God controls what happens to people. “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.”

Proverbs 16:9 NLT

God’s in charge of political decisions.  “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he guides it wherever he pleases.”

Proverbs 21:1 NLT

God determines what happens with the economy.  “He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’  Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful,” Deuteronomy 8:17-18 NLT

What happens in a nation is determined by God.  “If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned.  And if I announce that I will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom, but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would.” Jeremiah 18:7-10 NLT

God determines who wins wars.  “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.” Proverbs 21:31 NLT

What happens in nature is spoken into being by God.  “The voice of the LORD is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The LORD is over many waters.  The voice of The Lord is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.  The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars,Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon.  He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire.  The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.  The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth, And strips the forests bare;” Psalm 29: 3-9 NKJV

God controls the weather.  “He covers the heavens

with clouds, provides rain for the earth,  and makes

the grass grow in mountain pastures……He sends

the snow like white wool;   He scatters frost upon the

ground like ashes. He hurls the hail like stones. Who

can stand against His freezing cold?   Then, at His

command, it all melts. He sends His winds, and the ice thaws.”

Psalm 147:8 &16-18 NLT

God is in charge of the food supply.  “You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use.  You allow them to produce food from the earth-”

Psalm 104:14 NLT

Animals do God’s bidding.  “I will send wild animals that will rob you of your children and destroy your livestock.” Leviticus 26:22 NLT

Everything that happens is under God’s control.  “Remember the things I have done in the past.   For I alone am God!  I am God, and there is none like Me.   Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.”

Isaiah 46:9-10 NLT

So if God is in charge why does evil exist?  Evil exists because satan rebelled against God.  Those who join satan in his rebellion continue to promote its existence through their disobedience.

God is like a master chess player.  His eternal unchanging laws were set up so that His Eternal Kingdom would always be victorious.  In His infinite wisdom God made The Eternal Kingdom a place of light, life, love, blessing and goodness.  His laws will not allow anything that would take away from that to remain in His Kingdom.  God’s judgements are His response to the things that would pollute His Kingdom.  Through His judgements evil will be completely removed from creation.  Because God is in control His Eternal Kingdom will always be a place of light, life, love, blessing and goodness. His desire is for every person to be delivered from evil and become part of His Kingdom. Everything He is doing is so people will escape eternal judgement and live in fellowship with Him. 

QUESTION:    Do you believe that God is in control of everything?

Scriptures: John 19:10-11, Psalm 121 & 103:19, Malachi 3:6,

Numbers 23:19,  Psalm 31:15, Proverbs 16:9, Deuteronomy 8:17-18,

Jeremiah 18:7-10,  Proverbs 21:31, Psalm 29: 3-9, Psalm 147:8 &16-18,

Psalm 104:14, Leviticus 26:22 ,  Isaiah 46:9-10,  John 8:44, 

Deuteronomy 33:26-39,  Psalm 119:160,  John 3:16, 1 John 1:5 & 4:8,

1 Peter 3:8-9,  James 1:17, and 2 Peter 3:9            

       

Henry & Rita 

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGES WE’VE WRITTEN.

 Please share it with as many people as you

 can on Facebook, through Emails or by making copies.

 If you would like to know more about God’s judgements, please contact us.

Email: henry@basicministries.com OR rita@basicministries.com

Phone:  (228) 255-9251 

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 633, Grapevine, TX 76099 USA

Copyright 2015 Brothers & Sisters in Christ

WILL ANYONE SURVIVE?

THOUGHTS ON THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

WILL ANYONE SURVIVE?

(Understanding God’s Judgements Part 1)

As He was preparing for His coronation, The Eternal King (Jesus Christ) turned to His disciples and said, “ The Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come……For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones” Matthew 24:14,21-22 NLT.  We are about to enter a time when men will experience the judgements of God in a way they have never seen before. Most of the people in the world don’t understand what that means.  This includes many believers.

In the beginning of time, when satan rebelled against God, he entered into the darkness outside the eternal life of God.   In that darkness everything bad exists; destruction, confusion, and eternal death.  God immediately touched the darkness and began the process of redemption through His righteous judgements according to His eternal laws.  

When God created man, man was a living soul. The eternal life of God’s Spirit controlled his heart and mind.  Man was God’s answer to satan’s rebellion.  As long as man lived in obedient fellowship with God he had the power to defeat satan and restore life to that which had been lost when satan fell.  Satan knew this and deceived man into joining his rebellion.  Instead of fellowship with God, man found himself under the judgements of God’s eternal, unchanging laws.  

Separated from fellowship with God, man began to experience the darkness of death.  Mankind was headed for eternal destruction along with satan.  Yet God in His infinite knowledge and wisdom already had a plan to restore man to obedient fellowship with Him.  What was God’s plan?  God himself would become a man, die an agonizing death on a cruel cross, and defeat satan.  Every person who believed this would be restored to fellowship with God.  They would be able to grow to know God and overcome satan’s deceptions.  God’s Spirit speaks to the heart of every person telling them about this plan.  All through history the people who have sought fellowship with God have trusted in this plan, even those who lived before Jesus Christ came. They will survive God’s judgements. This plan defeated satan. It is redeeming from creation all that is part of God’s Eternal Kingdom which satan stole when he rebelled against God. 

The purpose of God’s judgements is to destroy satan and satan’s works. God’s judgements cleanse the deceptions of satan from the hearts and minds of people who walk in fellowship with Him.  Those who know and love God grow to know Him more through the tough times.  The more they know Him, the more they become like Him.  They understand that God’s judgements are part of His redemptive process.  They live to fulfill God’s purpose and rejoice in what God is doing to redeem creation.

QUESTION:    Do you understand that God’s judgements are part of His redemptive process?

Scriptures: Matthew 24, Genesis 1,1 John 3:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, 1 Corinthians 14:33,

Psalms 6:5, 2 Samuel 22:8-16, Psalms 19, John 17:3, Genesis 3, John 1:9 & 16:7-11,

Psalms 49:15 & 62:1, Revelation 20 & 21, Hebrews 12:6-11, and 1 Peter 1:6-9

Henry & Rita 

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGES WE’VE WRITTEN.

Please share it with as many people as you can

on Facebook, through Emails or by making copies.

If you would like to know more about God’s judgements, please contact us.

Email: henry@basicministries.com OR rita@basicministries.com

Phone:  (228) 255-9251 

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 633, Grapevine, TX 76099 USA

Copyright 2015 Brothers & Sisters in Christ

THE IGNORANCE OF SCIENCE

THOUGHTS ON THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

THE IGNORANCE OF SCIENCE

(So Called)

Let me make it clear.  Not all science is ignorant.  Ignorant

science is birthed from the mathematically improbable idea

that God does not exist.

Reliable science begins with the truth that there is a God.  Isaac Newton, Copernicus, Galileo, and Einstein all believed this.

Ignorant so called “science” comes from men whose foolish

hearts have rebelled against God and deny His existence. Their egotistical narrow “open mindedness” causes them to deny

facts and truth that disagree with what they believe.  Not

only do they deny these facts, but they attack anyone who

tries to present them.  Unfortunately their unbelieving

friends in most of the media help them in this charade.  The

result is a society that looks to their ignorant science for truth rather than God.  Folks are fearful of disagreeing with ignorant science because they too will be attacked.

What people must realize is that mankind at its best won’t scratch the surface of what an all knowing God understands.  That is why Jehovah God left us a book called The Bible.  Those who acknowledge that God exists and seek Him with all their heart will definitely find Him.

The sad thing is that many who claim to be followers of Jesus choose to believe ignorant man rather than God’s Word when deciding what is true.  They think somehow God got it wrong when He wrote The Bible.  They trust in flesh and blood rather than the Spirit of God.  The result is they cannot understand or inherit the things of The Kingdom.

We live in perilous times.  The enemy of men’s souls is using the ignorance of foolish men to pervert the truth of God and spread unbelief.  Only those who trust God with all their heart can inherit His Kingdom.  If you want to be part of God’s Kingdom, seek to know God.  Do not depend on scientific knowledge.  It will change.  God never does.

QUESTION:   Are you depending on the truth of God’s Word, rather than science to guide your life?

Scriptures:  1 Timothy 6:20; Psalm 14:1, 39:5; James 4:14; Psalm 119:89; 

1 John 3:20; Jeremiah 29:13; 1 Corinthians 15:50; Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 6:33

Henry & Rita
Please share this important message

 with as many people as you can.  If you would like to know more about

 seeking God and being part of His Kingdom, please contact us.

Email: henry@basicministries.com OR rita@basicministries.com

Phone:  (228) 255-9251 

  POSTAL ADDRESS:

 P.O. Box 633

Grapevine, TX 76099 USA

Copyright 2015 Brothers & Sisters in Christ

ONE ASSIGNMENT

THOUGHTS ON THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

 GOD’S WORD FOR 2015 AND BEYOND

YOU HAVE ONE ASSIGNMENT!!

During 2014 we shared about being all you can be for God.  We trust that by now you understand that living for Jesus is not just about meeting with other Christians, reading your Bible or doing good deeds in Jesus’ name.    It means growing to know God and living to fulfill His purpose. 

Part of His purpose for you is fulfilling the “One Assignment” He gave His Church.  “Go and make Disciples.”  Disciples are people who grow to know God, and live to fulfill God’s purpose for them by seeking to obey the Holy Spirit.

People want to see unity in The Church, justice and peace in The World, the manifestation of Christ and the sons of God in the earth, etc.  All the good things we are looking for are the fruit of carrying out the ”One Assignment” Jesus gave us,  “go make Disciples.” When it’s all over the only question God will ask, “Did you do my will?”

Question: Are you living to fulfill God’s purpose by carrying out the one assignment He gave us, go make disciples?

Scriptures:  2 Timothy 1:9; John 15; Matthew 12:50, 28:18-20

RITA’S THOUGHTS

DON’T SAY YOU CAN’T DO IT!

Making Disciples requires that God’s Church work together as a team.  The evangelist, the teacher, the pastor, the helper and others all have their part to play. Don’t say you can’t fulfill God’s purpose because you have no talent. God placed each one of us on earth with the talents we need to do what He asked us to do.  We must ask Him to show us what our specific purpose is and reveal to us the talents we have that will fulfill that purpose. By using our talents to fulfill God’s purpose we bring glory to Him and receive eternal rewards.

If we don’t use our talents for God’s glory, we will have no lasting rewards. What will your rewards be when life is over?

Scriptures:  Romans 12, & 1 Corinthians 12

Henry & Rita
Please share this important message

 with as many people as you can.  If you would like to know more about being all you can be, please contact us.

Email: henry@basicministries.com OR rita@basicministries.com

Phone:  (228) 255-9251 

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 633, Grapevine, TX 76099 USA

Copyright 2015 Brothers & Sisters in Christ

JESUS DIDN'T DIE TO TAKE YOU TO HEAVEN!

THOUGHTS ON THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

JESUS DIDN’T DIE TO TAKE YOU TO HEAVEN!

To be all we can be we must understand that God doesn’t just want to save us from hell and take us to heaven.  Jesus died to deliver us from the power of sin and give us an opportunity to have a relationship with God.

Some people do a disservice by telling folks that just by saying a prayer they can have fire insurance which will save them from hell and take them to heaven.  John 3:16 tells us clearly that Jesus died to give us “eternal life” not just take us to heaven.  John 17:3 makes it clear that eternal life is having intimate fellowship with God that allows you to grow to know Him, and live to fulfill His purpose for you.

Those who truly care for men’s souls share a message of total surrender which calls people to be all they can be by yielding their heart and life to do God’s will and living to fulfill His purpose. They call everyone to offer their relationships, goals and ambitions, and possessions to God.  They emphasize the need to stay surrendered to God daily.  They teach individuals to feed on God’s Word (The Bible), to stay in touch with Him through prayer, and to walk in obedience to The Holy Spirit. They know this is the only way people can be all God wants them to be.

Question:  What kind of message about Jesus are you sharing with people?  Are you simply telling them to say a prayer so they can go to heaven, or are you helping them find “eternal life” through a relationship with God?

Scriptures:  John 8:30-36, 3:16, 17:3; Mark 8:35; Luke 14:26-27 & 33, 9:23;  Matthew 4:4, 26:41, 6:5-13; Galatians 6:16-26 

Henry & Rita
Please share this important message

 with as many people as you can.  If you would like to know more about

 growing to know God and fulfilling His purpose, please contact us.

Email: henry@basicministries.com OR rita@basicministries.com

Phone:  (228) 255-9251 

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 633, Grapevine, TX 76099 USA

Copyright 2014 Brothers & Sisters in Christ

TRUE BIBLICAL DISCIPLESHIP

THOUGHTS ON THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

TRUE BIBLICAL DISCIPLESHIP

As you become all you can be God will guide you to fulfill His “Great Commission.”  His last instructions were, “go and make disciples of all the nations.”  Discipleship is not about getting people to follow us or teaching them how to be part of our organization.  It is helping them learn to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom. This means we must do more than just lead  people to believe in salvation through Jesus’ redeeming work on The Cross.   It means helping them become all they can be by sharing with people what we’ve learned as we have grown to know God and lived to fulfill His purpose.  

The fruit of true Biblical discipleship is people living to please God rather than seeking to fulfill their personal desires.  Every area of their lives will be surrendered to God daily.  They will love God more than any person, anything they have, or anything they want to do.  They will be mature believers loving others more than themselves, and more concerned about the needs of others than their own needs.  They will desire to become all they can be by staying surrendered to God, feeding their soul and spirit on The Word and prayer, and seeking to be guided by the Holy Spirit in all they do.

The greatest need of the world today is true Biblical disciples that overcome the challenges of the world we live in.  This will help Jesus Kingdom to be manifest in the earth.  Are you living to be all you can be and are you fulfilling “God’s Great Commission” by helping people become His disciple?

Scriptures:  Matthew 28:18-20, 23:11; Luke 9:23, 14:26,27,&33,  22:26;                                                        John 8:31, 13:35, 15:8                                                                                                                                                                                                     

   Henry & Rita 

Please share this important message

 with as many people as you can.  If you would like to know more about

 growing to know God and fulfilling His purpose, please contact us.

Email: henry@basicministries.com OR rita@basicministries.com

Phone:  (228) 255-9251 

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 633, Grapevine, TX 76099 USA

Copyright 2014 Brothers & Sisters in Christ

GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU VICTORY IN YOUR WILDERNESS

TTHOUGHTS ON THE ETERNAL KINGDOM

GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU VICTORY

in your wilderness.

As you wait on God, grow to know Him, and live to fulfill His purposes; He will give you victory in your wilderness.  He will give you wings to fly over it, or the power to run or walk through it.  He will take you through the wilderness to the promised land of God’s abundant blessing.

Scriptures:  Isaiah 40:31

Henry & Rita
Please share this important message

 with as many people as you can.  If you would like to know more about

 growing to know God and fulfilling His purpose, please contact us.

Email: henry@basicministries.com OR rita@basicministries.com

Phone:  (228) 255-9251 

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O. Box 633, Grapevine, TX 76099 USA

Copyright 2014 Brothers & Sisters in Christ