The Parousia - a different look at End Times

Read this book if you want to see what the overwhelming majority of respected theologians believed about biblical end times for over 1800 years! All of this dispensarionalist/futurism/left behind nonsense is not based in scripture. Fabulous read!!

http://www.preteristarchive.com/Books/1878_russell_parousia.html

Matthew 6 - Look at the Birds!

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Matthew 6:25-26

Jesus tells us not to worry about food, drink, clothing, and worldly provisions. As long as we look to Him, trusting Him implicitly, we will have the peace that passes all understanding. With His righteousness, all the money and things of this world needed to do what He has called us to do here on earth will be provided! That is very good news!

This takes practice for those of us who are used to being in control. It has taken me years for the Lord to get me to trust Him in the area of finances and provision. But He has come through for me every time. He's told me on so many occasions to look at the birds! They neither sow nor reap nor gather in barns and yet He feeds them - every day!

If the Heavenly Father feeds and cares for the birds, then He will certainly care for me. And He will care for you, too!

These are wonderful truths!

Matthew 6 - Forgiveness & the Lord's Prayer

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. Matthew 6:5

Jesus instructed His disciples to look to the spiritual truths behind the Mosaic, Levitical laws, particularly the ones regarding oaths, prayers, and fasting. During their day, many of the religious Jews made great spectacles of their alms givings, prayers, and fasting. They sounded the trumpet, so to speak, announcing to all their good works, thinking that their conduct made them righteous before God.

But we know that all of man's righteousness is filth before a holy God. There has to be a righteousness that comes from a place other than man's deeds. This is where Jesus Christ, the Savior, comes in.

Regarding prayer, the pattern most of us in denominational circles were taught was the Lord's Prayer, as found in this chapter of Matthew. Here, Jesus specially lays out a format for praying to the Heavenly Father, but did you realize that this is an Old Testament pattern that was necessary and important BEFORE the cross?

Now, after the cross, there is a New Covenant; those of us who are IN HIM, are born again, new creations with God's spirit living inside of us. If the gospel of Grace which Paul preached is true, and it is, then it cannot also be true that we must first forgive before being forgiven by the Father. No, we are already forgiven IN CHRIST, for every sin committed, whether it be past, present, or future.

Under the Old Covenant, it is was important for Israel to be in a state of forgiveness toward their brethren - having a soft, pliable heart - so that when the New Covenant was instituted, they would receive Jesus as Messiah and enter into the Kingdom of God.

Selah! Think about it!