On Time

Daniel True

Many times you will notice that I “follow up” previous posts. That is because in the limited space allowed for each article there just isn’t enough time to explore all the “avenues” or details of a particular subject. Such is the case this time around!

In October (14^th), I talked about the length of man’s life (as the Bible describes it). On July 14^th the message was regarding the Rapture of the Church and a warning to not wait until it is too late to turn to God (if you are unsaved).

The Creator “invented” time for man’s use. He doesn’t have the need of time. He is Today & Forever!Those in Heaven (and Hell) are in an “eternal” state – meaning time doesn’t change – it is always today. When He set the sun, earth and moon, etc. into motion, He also created “day and night” — for us here on earth — a 24-hour cycle. And, our very existence is centered around a time-base; the clock and the calendar.

Everything on earth is time-dependent. Machines are anticipated to operate a certain number of hours and then they are expected (if not programmed!) to fail. Computers couldn’t work without an on-board clock for reference. We sleep or rest so many hours and set aside time for our work, school and other activities, and so on.

In the computer analysis section at the Kennedy Space Center, one of my co-workers was responsible for analyzing launch (lift-off) data – in the micro-second range!

While we are here on Earth time is very important. Einstein concluded a theory that as man moves away from Earth (especially away from this Solar (sun) system), the time quantum changes. Well, it didn’t take a scientist to theorize that – just read your Bible (Genesis 1)! (Incidentally, near the end of his life,  since he couldn’t answer (my) standing question of “WHY” the laws of nature work as they do, Einstein “theorized” that there must be a God in charge).

With that in mind, you probably need to look at your personal “timing”. Man (mankind – but more than likely, males) seem to have a tendency to “wait until the last minute” to do something (it’s called “PROCRASTINATION”!).  How many people have wandered into a church service, as much as 30-minutes late,  yet get “fidgety” if the service runs over schedule by two or three minutes?

Since moving to Florida some 27 years ago, it was obvious then that many people here fall into that “casual category” of just not being on time!.It must be the the “retirement mentality” or the warm or balmy climate (balmy used here is “mild & pleasant” not the archaic  meaning of “mentally irregular”)!

We always try to begin our meetings and services at the assigned or usual time. At some of our meetings, especially when we had a guest evangelist, we would change the “normal” service to have the “prayer line” at the beginning of the service rather than having praise & worship (music) first. Other times we instructed the ushers to not seat anyone after the start, until a normal break in the service would occur. But, none of those efforts would inspire the congregation to be in place at the next scheduled starting time!

There are several accounts in the Bible that deal with promptness. One is the parable of the 10 virgins and their oil lamps (Matt. 24:1-13), in which the virgins were to meet the bridegroom prior to a wedding. Yet, their lamps were not prepared (trimmed and oiled) for his arrival, and while stepping away trying to get them ready, the bridegroom came and went in to the wedding house and the virgins were locked out.

In the Book of Acts (2: 1-4), there were (120 reported) people gathered on the day of Pentecost. Those who were there were “filled with the Holy Spirit”.  Wonder how many were late for the gathering and missed the “infilling”?!

General Patton had the right idea when he instructed his Mess Sergeant to open the doors of the “Mess Hall” at 6:00AM and lock them at 6:15, in an effort to get the troops to breakfast promptly. I wonder if it worked, or did they just voluntarily miss breakfast?

One bit of timing will surely not vary a millisecond – the day & hour that Christ returns to planet Earth to take His seat on the throne and be our “Governor” for an uncontested 1,000 year term. Unfortunately, no one, not even Jesus Himself (Mark 13:32 — Matt. 25:13) knows just when He will be sent back to Earth. But, one thing is sure – you gotta be ready for Him when He comes or you will be “locked out” like those 10 tardy virgins!

You ask how you “get ready” ? – well, I thought you’d never ask! The answer and do-it-yourself instructions are found here. Follow these directions and your “lamps will be trimmed” for that great “Wedding Day”:

Salvation In Jesus

(As always, free “counseling” is available if needed – just go to “Contact”)

Blessings!

Looking to the New Year – A “Must Read”!

Rev. Daniel True

Since  the New Year has rolled in, now is a good time to reflect on the year just passed as well as what’s ahead in 2010.

Obviously, 2009 was not a good year for our Nation as well as the rest of the world. Strife (war) in many areas, the economy (and employment figures) are less than desirable and there is so much unrest, politically, here and abroad.

These are things that are obvious to us; we cannot just ignore them. The (fable of) the ostrich who buries his head in the sand to avoid seeing what is happening right in front of him won’t work for us humans!  Neither are the three monkeys: see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil.  The point is we cannot just brush aside the fact that things are not right! They won’t go away if we look the other way.

That brings up a comment that a friend of mine made a year ago, following the election:  “I wish more Churches would get out of the business of Politics and preach the Word. Keep Religion and State Politics separate.” She was obviously aiming that comment at me, as a “man of the cloth”, since she wrote it in an e-mail to me personally. Unfortunately, that statement is impossible to follow and certainly would lead to squelching the voice of the Church (which is what many of our politicians are now trying to do).

Unlike the ostrich, we DO see what is going on, and the clergy, on behalf of God’s people, has the responsibility to assess these things and point out the Spiritual aspects of right and wrong. Sure, we can preach directly from the Bible each time we gather or post an article on the Internet, but invariably the “two worlds” (secular and spiritual) will clash. The things in the Bible are nothing more than a compilation of “ancient” history; things like we see today that were going on in those days. And, based on that “history”, the ministry leaders of those days were giving guidance to their followers, as what to do and not do in regard to their faith.

So, we (clergy) (or many of us) will continue to tell the people of the right and wrong that is in the world. There are two issues here: if I tell you what God wants (based on Scriptures, not me!) and you choose to do otherwise, then you are at the mercy of God, for you were informed!  You cannot claim “ignorance of the law”.

If you choose to not listen to knowledgeable Church leaders or not to respond positively, then, unfortunately the same rule applies to you. If you drive 70 in a 35 mph zone and get caught, saying you didn’t know any better will get you nothing. The “law” is the law and your ignorance will not save you. You WILL NOT get a “warning”; you must pay the penalty.

Now for the Good News – Jesus Christ is the same; yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8)! He never changes, never waivers. This coming year more and more people will turn to Him as their Messiah (and He doesn’t live in Washington, DC). Whether they come in fear of what is in store for the un-saved world, or they are moved by what they see in their daily lives and realize that there must be something better for them and their family – or whatever – they will be coming into the Kingdom of God and His dear Son by the millions.

There have been a number of articles that have been posted on this site since we re-worked our WEB presence last March that deal with many of the things I have mentioned here. Perhaps you were moved by one or more of them – maybe you didn’t even read any of them. Well, here is a link to them (they are still on the WEB site). I hope you will review them and garner a measure of faith, that you may be drawn a little closer to the REAL Messiah:

http://www.kingswayministries.org/archives/1044	“Is History Repeating Itself?”
http://www.kingswayministries.org/archives/1075	“The Death of the Christian Church in America”
http://www.kingswayministries.org/archives/1095	“Welfare or Handouts?”
http://www.kingswayministries.org/archives/1136	“Is the anti-Christ Here (on Earth) NOW?”
http://www.kingswayministries.org/archives/1555	“What IS the Mark of the Beast – - – 6-6-6?”
http://www.kingswayministries.org/archives/2173	“A Universal Language”
http://www.kingswayministries.org/archives/2262	“The Rapture of the Church”
http://www.kingswayministries.org/archives/2267	“A Second Chance???”

These are the key things that will give you some insight into where we are and where we are going. There will be more that will be posted in the next few days and weeks that may have a bearing on your future.

John,  from the Book of Revelation:

“Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.“ And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

“And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.“ (Rev. 21:5-7)

“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work - – - ” (Rev. 22:12)

People — get READY!

Go to our “Do-It-Yourself ” page:

Salvation in Jesus

Health & Age

by Daniel True

Whether you are a Christian, Jew or any other or of no religion or faith, all of us have at one time or another considered dying and death. No, REALLY, you HAVE thought about it!

Regardless of your age or your walk in life, death WILL catch up with you. It was ordained by the Maker that we should not live forever, in this form (body) and on this earth. In the early Scriptural accounts, there were a number of (primarily) men who lived hundreds of years. That may have been a good thing at the beginning (after Adam & Eve) for “fathering” of the planet.  However, as the earth was procreated, problems occurred and the “game plan” changed (really, it was right on schedule, for God never has to change “Plan A”!)

In Genesis (6:30 NIV): And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

Later  -  many centuries later, in Psalms (90:10 NIV): The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, – - - .

I conclude from these verses that man can expect (in fact – is promised – by God) to live at least 70 years but not to exceed 120 years! This may be a frivolous interpretation but it does make sense, based on these Scriptures – the first being the upper limit and the Psalms age, the minimum.

Now comes the question: if that’s the case, why do people die before age seventy (my daughter passed from cancer at age 19 and my wife at age 64)? There is a reasonable “explanation” for auto accidents, disease, and the many “natural calamities” or, as the media likes, “acts of God”. Going back to the Scriptures (what better place to go to?), in John 10:10 (NIV), Jesus said: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

In short, the blessing of God is that we SHOULD live that lifespan (to 70 and maybe up to 120 years). However, the enemy of our flesh (the devil, satan himself) is out there.  (1  Peter 5:8 NKJV) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Now, here is the difficult but manageable part; we are under God’s protection as long as we are under His “wings” (Psalm 91:3-4 NIV): Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.

Not to be critical or assess judgment upon anyone, IF we stray out from under God’s protection, even briefly or unknowingly, that opens the door for the enemy of our faith to come in and do his dastardly deeds!  An example that we computer nerds would understand is that IF we turn off our computer’s “virus protection” even for a short time, the potential is there for viruses to slip in and can virtually destroy our data.  In the case of satan, he is standing by, ready to find a “crack in the hedge of protection” that surrounds us.

Man is not a perfect creature. He will fall into sin – regularly – daily! The way to correct that condition is, after you realize that you have sinned, ask the Lord (not your priest or anyone else!) to forgive you of that sin, do your best to not repeat and you are back under His wings. What better virus protection is there – the “covering” of our Holy Father? Be very careful, though, not to tempt the Lord or satan by coming out (in sin) and away from the Father’s loving arms (wings). It could be devastating.

Neither God nor Jesus expect us to become perfect (only Jesus could ever measure up to that mark). All He (They) do expect is that we WORK toward perfection! Jesus came and taught us how – but we slip occasionally (too often).

The next consideration is “Divine Health” or “Divine Healing” but – - – that is for a future article.

Again, if you do not know Jesus, you are outside the covering of His wings; His protection. But, you can fix that shortcoming by following the path shown under: Salvation in Jesus at the top of this page.  It’s easy.

Do it now!!

A Second Chance ???

By Rev. Daniel True

(A message for the “unsaved“)

When ministering or preaching the salvation message,  I’ve had a lot of people pose questions about “the forgiveness of God“  – “can God be so cruel that He wouldn’t let me into Heaven when I die?” – “God is supposed to be merciful” and many other versions of that appeal.

While it is true that God offers forgiveness, is merciful, and is NOT cruel, like most anything that you find in this world, there are certain conditions that must be met, even with God.

How many times have you seen a TV commercial that offers incredibly generous or “free” products, and then you (sometimes) read the “fine print” to realize that there is a catch to it. “Free Credit Report” is not FREE unless you submit to their (binding) conditions!

While the promises of God in the Bible are not tricky, still you are responsible to know the “conditions”. So, let’s explore that aspect a little further.

One of those conditional items is the one that has reached (political) prominence lately: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chr 7:14 KJV). You see the condition “IF” and you see the response “THEN” . Without the first part, the second does not apply.

Your computer operates by virtue of   “If and then“   statements. Something has to first trigger the process or it “freezes up” – it won’t work.

In the preceding scriptural example from 2^nd Chronicles, one has to wonder if it works if only one person meets those conditions OR does it require everyone OR a simple majority OR what?? Obviously many believers HAVE been praying in light of the above scripture but – - – well, there hasn’t been a turn-around (yet)!

Then there is the “rest of the story” – - – if “my people” are involved in sin (breaking God’s laws), will God hear those prayers? Collectively, if a nation is breaking those laws, will God “honor” that nation? Personally, I think not, but I’m waiting to hear the rest of that story!

Getting back to the salvation message, I have presented it to a number of people who have responded that “I want to go to Heaven, but I’m enjoying this (perverted!) lifestyle too much to give it up right now. Surely, there is time later“. While it is true that God will accept you at any time that you meet the conditions for salvation, you must be careful lest your time runs out (you die) and have not made that conditional first choice! Then it is too late.

Regarding that last statement, I am aware that some (Christian) denominations have prayers “for the dead,” however that is not scriptural. There is no place in  the Bible where it says that praying for someone after they die will somehow miraculously wash away their sins and then they would be welcomed into Heaven!!  No, my Bible and faith tell me that an individual can only enter Heaven by salvation through Jesus Christ, not by a well-intentioned loved one on his/her knees.

On a similar matter, and echoing the title of this posting, God does allow second chances. In the Book of Revelation, after the Church is “removed from the earth” during the Tribulation period, there are at least three opportunities listed where God, even during the scourging, waits for the people to come to Him, or at least ask for forgiveness. But they would not repent; instead they cursed God. See: Rev 9: 20-21,   Rev 16:9,   Rev 16: 10-11.  Note, that after this third “offer” or chance to repent and be delivered, God then “shut the door” and would not offer or allow any more opportunities!

The question I leave you with – how long will you curse God instead of repenting? How long will God tolerate that?  How many chances will you be offered?

By waiting, you are gambling with your (eternal) life! Choose wisely.

“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” — Napoleon Hill

You now need to go to our guideline for Salvation in Jesus!