Tag Archives: God

How You Can Know the Future

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Many have wondered, especially in times of tumult, of chaos and confusion, such as the time we are living in now, as many are bearing burdens of stress and worry, what does the future hold?

In every age, people have asked similar questions, and sought answers in various ways. As in past ages there are those who have claimed to know the future, predicting things to come in specific ways or at a specific time. Over the years people have predicted within a certain time frame things like a stock market crash, or catastrophic climate change, or the return of Jesus Christ on a certain date or within a certain time frame, such as five years or ten years. Very often, however, these predictions have failed to prove accurate.

However, the Bible tells us how it is possible for us, for you, to know the future.

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Right and Wrong: Who Decides?

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When Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as President of the United States on March 4, 1861, seven states in the South had already declared their secession from the Union. Despite what you may have heard or read to the contrary, the reason for secession was the question of slavery. Lincoln stated it in his inaugural address: “One section of our country believes slavery is right, and ought to be extended, while the other believes it is wrong, and ought not to be extended. This is the only substantial dispute.”

While whether slavery should be extended or not was the immediate political issue of the moment, the contention actually went deeper. There were many abolitionists who felt that slavery such as it existed in the United States at the time was a moral wrong, an evil that should be not just limited but abolished. Many abolitionists had in fact supported the proposition in the 1840’s that states favoring the abolition of slavery should separate from the South (en.wikipedia.org, “Secession in the United States,” retrieved July 17, 2020).

There were two starkly different views, as Lincoln said, of right and wrong. Who is to decide what is right and wrong?

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God of Justice

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Scripture prophesies that Jesus Christ, who is God, is coming soon as this age draws to a close to administer his government over the entire world.

Note the following prophecy concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ: “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” (Revelation 11:15).

And in the book of Daniel: “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

Among the qualities of that government to rule all nations, we are assured, is justice.

A prophetic psalm proclaims: “The Lord reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad! Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne” (Psalms 97:1-2).

“… the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him” (Isaiah 30:18).

Let’s examine what the Bible tells us about God as the “God of Justice.”

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How You Can Have and Keep the Holy Spirit

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As recorded in Scripture, the Holy Spirit was given to the Church of God on the day of Pentecost following the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues [languages, as each listener heard the message in his own language, verse 6], as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).

This was obviously a special manifestation of the Holy Spirit, as the phenomena mentioned is not typical of the giving of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

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God of Justice

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Jesus Christ is coming soon to administer his government over the entire world, according to Scripture. Among the qualities of that government to rule all nations, we are assured, is justice. What makes God, the God of the Bible, “the God of justice”?

Please note: A reference is made in this sermon to II Kings 3:28, which is a not the scripture intended. The correct reference is I Kings 3:28.