The Wedding of the Lamb Has

Come and His Bride Has

Made Herself Ready.

- Revelation 19:7

Dear Believer, if the Wedding

came today, are you certain you would

be found bride worthy?

Are you as certain as they were?

Jan Bashan on Dying and Finding Out He Was Deceived About His Salvation.

Just like millions of Christian believers I was also deceived by false teachings. I thought that I was on my way to heaven until, by His grace, Jesus Christ woke me up. On July 28th, 1998 I had a heart attack, I died, I left my body and I found myself going down a deep black hole on my way to hell. But Jesus had mercy on me and He let me come back to warn other believers that hell is real and most of them believe a bunch of lies. The road to eternal life is extremely narrow and I found that WAY, that WAY is Jesus Christ ALONE and OBEDIENCE to Him.

This is what the LORD says:

"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the

ancient paths, ask where the good way is,

and walk in it, But you said

'We will not listen.' - Jeremiah 6:16-17

“Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you,

and you taught in our streets.’

“But he will reply,

‘I don’t know you

or where you come from.

Away from me, all you evildoers!’ - Luke 13:26-27

If God was telling the story

of your faith

could He write you into the

book of Hebrews?

“If the chapters of my life story, containing all my desires, words,
actions, character, sufferings, blessings, faith, and my love, do not
increasingly look like they belong in the Bible today, how can
I expect to be written into its final chapter of heaven, tomorrow?”

- Michael Chriswell

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.

- 2 Cor 13:5

Childlike Faith: Unlocking the Kingdom of God

Is your faith more than just a prayer? Is your Christianity more than just a belief?  Many Christians believe that simply saying a prayer or acknowledging Jesus is the finish line for salvation. But what if that's only the beginning? In this thought provoking message, Lisa and I dive deep into the true meaning of faith, exposing the lie of both a works-based gospel, but also an "obedience-less" gospel. Join us as we explore the often-overlooked aspect of obedience and the necessity of surrendering control to God's guidance. Through our personal testimony and biblical insights, we reflect on how we both moved beyond mere belief and into a vibrant, life-changing relationship with God. Prepare to have your understanding of faith challenged and transformed!

Have you realized that the entire Bible

is rooted in God’s frustrated desires

to find and keep a faithful bride?

6 The Lord said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there. 7 I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. 8 I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. 9 Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood. 10 In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the Lord. 11 The Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah.

- JEREMIAH 3:6-11

“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”

- HOSEA 4:6 

Why the Bible?,
Why Israel?,
Why the Law of Moses?,
Why Jesus Christ?,
Why Christianity?

Whether a tool, an app on your phone, or the Bible, you will only benefit from something to the degree that you understand what it’s highest purpose is.  If I gave a power tool, like a router, to someone living in a third world country without any explanation, I’m sure after several years of experimenting with it, they may find all kinds of interesting uses for it, and yet very likely they would still miss its highest purpose and benefit, because no one ever showed them a finished example of what it was designed to do.

I believe that is a good illustration of what happens to the majority of us who profess Christianity as our faith.  We have found all kinds of interesting and satisfying uses for it, as a religion, but we are STILL missing God’s highest purpose for it.  We still do not see and understand God’s ultimate end for it.  To borrow from a phrase my wife Lisa says often, “We’ve lost the plot!”

As Christians, we must ask and trust God to show us, what is the very highest purpose of the Bible, of Jesus Christ, of Christianity, and even of our life?

Below the surface of all we’ve learned through tradition, or what we quickly see when reading the Bible, what is that main thing which God is really after?

Is the Bible just about revealing God’s character and His faithfulness to those who had faith in Him, and  His harshness to those who didn’t?  Is the Law of Moses just about creating the fear of God and Holiness in His people?  Is Jesus Christ just about saving people from their sins, destroying the devil’s work, and teaching us humility before God?  Is Christianity just about escaping God’s judgment and having the hope of eternal life?

Or, could it be that those things are all simply a means to a much greater end, and much higher purpose in the heart of God; a purpose which most of us, do not see or understand, and therefore suffer as a result?

"My people are fools; they do not know me. They are
senseless children; they have no understanding.
-
Jeremiah 4:22

So again, we ask…

Why the Bible?  Why Israel? Why the Law of Moses?
Why Jesus Christ? Why Christianity?

 

What a much more beautiful purpose God has had for the Bible and all that constitutes Christianity, than what most of us see and regularly focus on.  He also had a much higher purpose for my faith and obedience to Him, than to just create another testimony of overcoming suffering.  God’s ways are always much higher than we imagine.

We can see God’s highest purpose in the Bible, by reading what happens at the very end of all His design work.  What is the main final event to wrap up all of what transpired previously in the Bible?  It is a wedding!

Rev 19:7-9  Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.  (9)  Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God." 

Underneath all the Laws and commands of Moses, all the principles, all the stories told, and all the acts of Providence, God’s highest purpose throughout the whole Bible has been to find, secure, and keep for Himself a faithful bride. 

Wise or Foolish Virgin

Do you Have Oil in Your Lamp?

Scripture calls for self-examination and the testing of our faith in God.  Critical questions for “Christians” to answer are: “Do I actually KNOW God, or do I simply know about God and am I a carnal Christian or Spiritual Christian?”  There are multiple verses that speak to this (Jn 5:20, 10:14, 14:23, 17:3, 1 Cor 3:1-3, 8:3, Eph 1:17, 1 Jn 2:3-6, 3:6, Tit 1:16)

In Matthew 25, Jesus warned that when He came back to retrieve His bride, He would find that they all had lamps, but only some had “oil” in their lamps. Those that did, He called wise, and those that didn’t, He called “foolish” because they get left behind and shut out from the presence of the Lord. Let’s not let that be us…continue the examination of your faith below!

Jesus repeatedly warned that a day would come when many who called themselves “believers” will stand before Him at the Judgment and find out that they never really knew Him, because He never knew them, and they won’t be allowed into heaven.

Just because a person or pastor is "religious" or because they know the Bible and talk about God and Jesus, that does not mean that they know Him.  Many study Him as a subject, but sadly never come to know Him as a person.

So, let us examine our faith by taking this quick survey below.  During my own transition from knowing about God, to knowing Him, I made a list of areas that drastically changed in my walk.  I then confirmed that these areas are common to other born-again and spiritually mature disciples. 

Consider how Jesus might say you should answer.  The point is not to beat yourself up or to make you feel inadequate in your faith.  The point is to identify where you are, so you can get to where you are going. Then, you can re-evaluate at quarterly intervals, and seeing your progress will be such a blessing to you and to God.

Do You Really KNOW God?

10 Questions to help you start to examine your faith to

see if you really KNOW God, or just know about Him.

Take the Test

Choose and write down the best response

(1 = Strongly Disagree, 5 = Strongly Agree)

 

1. I spend most of my discretionary time thinking about God, more than I do any other subject.

                1          2          3          4          5

2. I am drawn to the Psalms, and I really enjoy them.

                1          2          3          4          5

3. I have been avoided, ridiculed, or even rejected because of my faith in God.

               1          2          3          4          5

4. I feel a strong sense of affection for God.

                1          2          3          4          5

5. I pray for my enemies and want good for them.

            1          2          3          4          5

6. When trouble strikes, I run to God first.

          1          2          3          4          5

7. Most days, I talk to God throughout my day.

            1          2          3          4          5

8. I know how to hear God, and I obey Him even when it conflicts with human reasoning.

           1          2          3          4          5

9. I have a burning desire for others to know Him and I have the courage to share and defend my faith in Him.

            1          2          3          4          5

10. I am afraid of offending and hurting God with my sin and it is very painful when I do.

            1          2          3          4          5

11. I feel a strong sense of defensiveness or indignation when people ignore, reject, or deny God.

            1          2          3          4          5

12. My checkbook and/or calendar reflect regular and sacrificial contributions for Kingdom purposes.

           1          2          3          4          5

What Does Your Score Suggest?

12-24 – You are aware of God, but don’t yet know Him.

25-36 - You are moving towards knowing Him.

37-48 - You are maturing in relationship with Him

49-60 - You are walking in close intimacy with Him.

For your Maker is your husband, the LORD Almighty is his name. The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit, a wife who married young, only to be rejected," says your God.
- Isaiah 54:5-7

I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown.
- Jeremiah 2:2 

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
- 2 Corinthians 11:2-3

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared
a wedding banquet for his son.
- Matthew 22:2

But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the
bridegroom
arrived. The virgins who were ready went in
with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
- Matthew 25:10

Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage
of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready."
- Revelation 19:7

Will Your Faith Get You into the Great Wedding?

Become Bride Worthy!

Watch this short video to learn about the 90-Day John 7:17 Discipleship Challenge and then click below to start the free course today! 

Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

- ROMANS 10:17