VISIT WITH A DEAR FRIEND...

What a joy it was to finally meet Kristen Wisen in person! My daughter Annie and I flew out to Michigan and spent a week with her family. I met Kristen when she introduced herself to me on my first blog. She's been such an encouragement to me as I have a passion to spread the seeds of preparation for the return of Christ. If you've visited my blog much, you know it is my understanding that Scripture clearly teaches that the church will be here for the coming great persecution by Antichrist. We've never been promised deliverance from tribulation. In fact, it is during tribulation that the Lord produces endurance. Those who are His will have enduring faith because Jesus loses none that the Father gives Him.

Kristen is presently teaching through Romans at her church, Harvest Bible Chapel, in her ladies Bible study. Annie and I were there for chapters six and seven. Her lessons are podcasted from the church's website. She's a great teacher and it was the highlight of my week to get to hear a lesson in person!

She had a group of friends over for lunch on one of the days we were there. (See image two.) We are both amazed at how complete strangers can act like long lost sisters but we know it is because of the foundation and relationship we have with Jesus Christ. We enjoyed warm fellowship around Kristen's dining room table as Kristen gave me the opportunity to share with the gals how I came to my understanding of the prewrath position.

Sunday night was youth group. I of course took my camera with me and had a ball capturing the fun the kids were having. (See image four.)

The Wisens live right on Lake Michigan on a beautiful piece of property. Annie and I took a couple of quick strolls around the property, it was very cold for us! One of my favorite outside images is the third image, capturing the sun through the trees as it rose in a late winter Michigan sky.

Thank you Kristen, you were more than too good to us! Blessings to you dear friend as you faithfully serve our wonderful Lord!

AN APPOINTMENT TO SALVATION IS AN APPOINTMENT TO...

...holiness
...obedience
...faith-building trials
...heart-soaring joy

GOD HAS DESIGNED...

...the human heart to experience the fullest and most exhilarating joy when that heart is pursuing the glory and person of God. He has also designed the human heart to experience the greatest joy when we walk in obedience to His ways.

Psalm 119:1-2 - "How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart."

Psalm 16:11 - "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever."

JUSTIFICATION...

...just as if I'd never sinned, plus, just as if I've always obeyed!

Christ's record is our record.

Beloved, Jesus treasured sinners so sinners could treasure Him!

Oh that that would motivate us throughout our day to live only for Him and share that good news everywhere we go!

TRUE SALVATION...

...is evidenced by ongoing conviction of sin.

IF JESUS WAS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO THE FATHER,

why would He step into the sinner's place and take the full fury of God's wrath for the sins of those who would believe in Him?

LET NO ONE IN ANY WAY DECEIVE YOU

Throughout Scripture we are given warnings not to be deceived about certain things. Put another way, we are not to be led astray or misguided.

1 Corinthians 6:9,10 – “ Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

This catalog of sins given by Paul represents the major types of sins that characterize the unsaved. Believers can and do commit these sins but they do not characterize them as an unbroken pattern of life. True believers will resent these sins and will seek to gain the victory over it. Don’t be misguided. You are not ok and you will not gain entrance into heaven if your life is characterized by these sins.

Further along in his letter to the Corinthians Paul warned them that evil friends are a corrupting influence.

1 Corinthians 15:33 – “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.”

Don’t make those characterized by the sins he’d listed previously be your constant companion. Don’t be misguided that you can have sin loving friends and it won’t hurt you.

Galatians 6:7,8 – “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

These are John MacArthur’s comments on these verses. “Sin always corrupts and when left unchecked, always makes a person progressively worse in character. Don’t be deceived that you can sin with impunity. You are deceived if you think God does not deal severely with sin in the lives of His children. A believer will never reap the ultimate consequences of sin which are death and judgment because Jesus already reaped those consequences for him. But a believer will continue to reap the earthly heartaches for the pains of his sins.”

Don’t be misguided; God’s law of cause and effect still works in the lives of His children.

The last one I want to draw your attention to is found in Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians 2:3,4 – “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.”

We are not to be misguided about when “it” comes. What exactly is “it"? From the first two verses we learn it is the day of the Lord, when Jesus comes and gathers us to Himself.

“Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.”

The day of the Lord, when Jesus comes and we are gathered together to Him, will not occur before Antichrist exalts himself in the temple of God.

We are not to be misguided concerning this.