Scripture References, Word & Phrase descriptions: the “Logos Reftagger” scripture links are hover pop-up active, meaning the scripture reference will just pop-up if you hover your cursor over it (don’t click on the link, just hover your cursor over it), when finished reading, hover your cursor off the scripture reference link. If the Reftagger pop-up doesn’t show all the verses, left click on the “More” button in the Reftagger pop-up window and it will take you to the online bible. If RefTagger pop-ups don’t work on your computer, that’s OK, try right clicking the link then open in new tab or window; or if that doesn’t work, you can always use your Bible to look up the verses. Word or Phrase definition links may not have a website that opens.
Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!
Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is; you have believed [trusted] in Him for His promised gift of eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to learn God's Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge [confess] your known unconfessed sins privately to God (i.e.; with your thoughts directed only to God the Father).
1 John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (known sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [your unknown or forgotten sins] ." NKJV [New King James Version] [italics added]; we call this REBOUND, read the full doctrine as to “why” we need to use 1 John 1:9 to grow spiritually. REBOUND
If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is to simply exercise faith alone in Jesus Christ alone eternal life; when you do, you will instantly receive Eternal Life: John 3:16, 5:24, 6:47, 20:30, 31.
John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me [Jesus Christ] has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]
Notice again what Jesus said in John 6:47: "…he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." It doesn't say, "will have"; it says, "has." Therefore, the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ for His promise of everlasting life, you have it (it's really just that simple; nothing more and nothing less), and it can never be taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift (Ephesians 2:8c) of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.
John 3:14-15, 16, 17, 18, says: "14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." NKJV
Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God's Word. If there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:
Study to show yourself approved to God!
Grace Bible Church
Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is taught Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
STUDY TITLE:
The Importance of Fulfilling the Great Commission; the Truth about the Tribulation period.
Scripture References, Word & Phrase descriptions: the “Logos Reftagger” scripture links are hover pop-up active, meaning the scripture reference will just pop-up if you hover your cursor over it (don’t click on the link, just hover your cursor over it), when finished reading, hover your cursor off the scripture reference link. If the Reftagger pop-up doesn’t show all the verses, left click on the “More” button in the Reftagger pop-up window and it will take you to the online bible. If RefTagger pop-ups don’t work on your computer, that’s OK, try right clicking the link then open in new tab or window; or if that doesn’t work, you can always use your Bible to look up the verses. Word or Phrase definition links may not have a website that opens.
Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!
Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is; you have believed [trusted] in Him for His promised gift of eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to learn God's Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge [confess] your known unconfessed sins privately to God (i.e.; with your thoughts directed only to God the Father).
1 John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (known sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [your unknown or forgotten sins] ." NKJV [New King James Version] [italics added]; we call this REBOUND, read the full doctrine as to “why” we need to use 1 John 1:9 to grow spiritually. REBOUND
If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is to simply exercise faith alone in Jesus Christ alone eternal life; when you do, you will instantly receive Eternal Life: John 3:16, 5:24, 6:47, 20:30, 31.
John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me [Jesus Christ] has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]
Notice again what Jesus said in John 6:47: "…he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." It doesn't say, "will have"; it says, "has." Therefore, the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ for His promise of everlasting life, you have it (it's really just that simple; nothing more and nothing less), and it can never be taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift (Ephesians 2:8c) of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.
John 3:14-15, 16, 17, 18, says: "14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." NKJV
Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God's Word. If there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:
Study to show yourself approved to God!
Grace Bible Church
Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is taught Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
STUDY TITLE:
The Importance of Fulfilling the Great Commission; the Truth about the Tribulation period.
Let’s begin with 1Ti 5:17-18, Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. [THIS is the principle of double honor and the dual responsibility of the Pastor-Teacher, who is to study and teach]. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of HIS wages.”
Then, there is 1Co 9:11-27, If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we should reap material things from you? If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the {food} of the temple, {and} those who attend regularly to the altar have their share with the altar? So, also the LORD directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. But I have used none of these things. And I am not writing these things that it may be done so in my case; for it would be better for me to die than have any man make my boast an empty one. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. For though I am free from all {men,} I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of GOD but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but {only} one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes in the games exercises self control in all things. They then {do it} to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore, I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air. But I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
So, throughout the years, I have quoted a passage that will happen during the Tribulation period.
Amo 8:11-12, “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD GOD, “When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD. And people will stagger from sea to sea, And from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, But they will not find {it.}”
Even our LORD had to deal with this problem in Matt 9:35, And Jesus was going about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
Notice that our LORD felt compassion for them because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd.
Matt 9:37-38, Then He said to HIS disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Then in VS 38, our LORD said to HIS disciples to beseech the LORD or to request GOD the Father to send out workers into the world to seek and to save the harvest of people who were ready to believe in the LORD Jesus Christ for eternal salvation.
And so, during this time of need there were many individuals who became believers and serious students of the word of GOD. Therefore, on behalf of Grace Bible Church and Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries, we want to thank those of you who participated together with us to fulfill the great commission of Matt 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Notice the breakdown given in these two passages that every one of you had the opportunity to fulfill in some way.
1. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.
2. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit (as a teaching aid of the Baptism of the Spirit).
3. Teaching them to observe the mystery doctrine of the Church-age.
4. Instructing them to know and learn the New Commandments.
5. Teaching them all that the LORD commanded them.
6. Reveal to them that the LORD is omnipresent and with them always, even to the end of the age.
So, we say thank you to all of you for your faithfulness, prayers, and support for the last ten weeks or so. I also want to especially thank those who stood in the gap for us and filled in to keep the doctrine coming over the internet in spite of all the distractions of keeping the building nice and clean during this very unusual time.
This all fits in with principles like Gen 50:20, when Joseph said to HIS brothers, “You all meant evil against me, but GOD meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” You will discover as most of you have already that “What Satan means for evil; GOD means for good.” Or Deut 23:5, “The LORD your GOD was not willing to listen to evil against you but the LORD your GOD turned the curse into a blessing for you because the LORD your GOD loves you.”
Part of the responsibility of a Pastor is given in Jn 21:15-17. And so, I thank you for given me that opportunity to fulfill my responsibility to teach: Jn 21:15-17, So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, {son} of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, LORD; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, {son} of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, LORD; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, {son} of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “LORD, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
Think about it, with all of the distractions that we had to deal with, we were still able to bring forth the word of GOD because of those believers behind the scenes that supported us through the internet ministry. It reminded me of the ways that the early church had to function in the beginning of the Church-age when Rome, and the majority of the Jews in Jerusalem were trying to stop them from prospering. But they failed to do so, as the early church met in secret places to hide from individuals like Saul of Tarsus. So that the man or woman of GOD may be mature, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
This morning I would like to begin to wrap up some of the doctrinal studies that we have been noting concerning the doctrine and the information that I believe applies to the way we all handle and will do our best to handle the coronavirus and the plans and the unity that we all need to be on the same page with. I know that there are some rules that some people are having a problem with, but may I say that the ultimate goal for us is to get back to the teaching schedule of doctrine that we had before the virus.
To do so, there are some things we need to beware of so that the change back to our original schedule and emphasis goes as smooth as it can. This requires a few important doctrinal principles that we need to make sure of concerning some very vital doctrines that we cannot afford to lose.
These doctrines that we need to cherish and apply are doctrines such as:
The Doctrine of Unity.
The Doctrine of Impersonal Love.
The Doctrine of Grace Orientation.
The Doctrine of the problem-solving devices.
The Doctrine of the Protocol of GOD.
The Doctrine of Forgiveness.
The Doctrine of Picking up your own cross.
Along with these seven doctrines, there are vital passages that should solve most of the problems if we truly believe them and apply them to these situations. Most of you are familiar with these four passages that I will quote.
First of all, when it comes to being treated a certain way, remember Matt 7:12, “Therefore, however you want people to treat you, treat them in that same way.”
Secondly, never forget, the importance of what the Bible says concerning our treatment to others as a reflection of our treatment to our LORD; Matt 25:40, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”
A third principle; be careful of is the judgments that we make toward others even if it means taken wrong rather than right for the sake of reconciliation.
Rom 14:4, Who are you to judge the servant of another? To HIS own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the LORD is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:10, But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of GOD.
And then finally, the ultimate goal that we should all have together; Jn 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Now, I don’t expect that we will never fail, but I do expect that we will do our best to love the LORD with all of our heart and soul and our neighbors as ourselves.
So much for our introduction.
With all the similarities on the different principles that are found especially during the next dispensation called the Tribulation Period. One of the main reasons that we are noting this particular period of time is because the time in which we live, which I personally believe is the beginning of the end of the Church-age is a period of time where we get a glimpse of what is about to happen on this earth. Regarding the time in which we live—a time that is getting very close to the return of Christ, it’s important to know and understand that we are being plunged into a period of time about which the Bible says more than it does about any other period of time in History, including the time that Jesus walked the shores of Galilee or climbed the mountains of Judea.
Remember this principle: We are not waiting for any prophecies to be fulfilled but we are waiting to get ourselves prepared for what will happen just before the Rapture. This is why the apostle Paul said in Tit 2:11-14, For the grace of GOD has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and GODly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great GOD and Savior, Christ Jesus. Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for HIS own possession, zealous for good deeds?
These principles are in the beginning stage of what is about to happen in the next dispensation which is called the Tribulation period which begins with the Resurrection of the Church which we call the Rapture. And therefore, another part of the Mystery Doctrine of the Church-age or the last prophecy to be fulfilled is the doctrine of the Rapture.
Not all Christians believe in the Rapture. The Rapture of the church is basically held by two schools of theology. The Pre-Tribulational view and the Post-Tribulational view. The Pre-Tribulational view says that the Rapture will happen before the Tribulation Period. The Post-Tribulational view says that the Rapture will happen after the Tribulation period. There is also the Amillennial and Postmillennial view which both views deny that there is any such thing as a Rapture and does not believe there will be any Rapture of the Church at all. Their position is basically promoted through what is known as the “Kingdom Now Theology,” or “Presbyterian theology” which adheres to the notion, that once the church cleans up the world then the Millennial Kingdom, the 1,000 years of the Church-age, will usher in a world peace. This is nothing but satanic thinking as Satan is trying to counterfeit everything that the LORD does and figures that he can if he can get.
It is the understanding of the battles that were fought by the angels in eternity past that provides the answers that we all have concerning to the questions that give our life meaning, purpose, definition and direction. The angelic conflict began before the creation of man. Gen 1:1-2, In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth. And the earth [not was formless and void but] became formless and void and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of GOD was moving over the surface of the waters.
The Earth was a glob of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, filled with blackness and darkness as GOD’s Spirit was like a covering of darkness and underneath a watery abyss. And we are now trying to answer the question; How did it all begin? Believe it or not, the answers to these questions are found in three more passages.
The first one is found in Jer 4. It began with the anger of GOD and HIS wrath. This will be manifested in the ways of darkness that line up with some of the descriptions we saw the past couple of weeks. The indictment by our LORD was given in passages such as Jer 4:22, where he says; “For My people are foolish, They know Me not; They are stupid children, And they have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know.”
In Jer 4:23-26, Jeremiah writes; I looked on the earth, and behold, {it was} formless and void; And to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, And all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and behold, there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled, the fruitful land was a wilderness and all its cities were pulled down Before the LORD.
And then the reasons are given of why the earth and the LORD was filled with fierce anger.
Jer 4:27, For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation, Yet I will not execute a complete destruction.”
THIS is one of the reasons why the LORD was angry and why there is coming a dispensation called the Tribulation Period that is described as one of the worst times in all of human History. Think of it with me about the fact that there is coming a time on this earth which will not be a bad as the Tribulation period which is described as:
A place described as a place of torment, Luk 16:28.
A place where desire is never met, Luk 16:24.
A place of unspeakable misery indicated by the term, everlasting fire, Matt 25:41.
Where the worm or the conscience never dies and the fire is never quenched, Mr 9:44.
It is described as The Lake of Fire, which many believe to be a liquid form of lava) that burns with fire and brimstone, Rev 21:8, “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part {will be} in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
It is called the place of eternal suffering.
A bottomless pit, Rev 9:2.
Outer darkness, Mat 8:12.
Fire unquenchable, Luk 3:17.
Furnace of fire, Mat 13:42.
Blackness of darkness, Jud 13;
It is said about those suffering in Rev 14:11, that “the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever and they have no rest day or night.”
As you can see, it is not a figure of speech! It is a place, a very real place! It is beyond the power of words to describe! And nearly every one of those expressions I just gave you came from the lips of The LORD Jesus Christ. It is as though no one else could be depended upon to speak forth this terrible truth. GOD does not desire that any person in the human race go to torments in Hades and then the lake of fire.
2Pe 3:9, “He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to a change of attitude toward Christ.”
Therefore, life is often extended so that every chance is given for everyone to believe in Christ. No one will spend eternity in the lake of fire who hasn’t had multifarious opportunities to personally believe in Jesus Christ. Both, the place of Torments in Hades and the Lake of Fire are vividly described in Mat 9:48, where we are told that: “It will be a place where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.”
Everyone should hear the screams of those who die burning in total agony, so that they will understand the importance of believing in Jesus Christ. In eternity, the screams never stop; they go on forever and ever and ever, simply because they refused the so-great salvation provided by Jesus Christ.
Luk 16:24, “And he [the rich man] cried out or screamed and said, ‘Father Abraham , have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of HIS finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.’
Notice that he complains of the torments of HIS tongue particularly, as if he were more tormented there than in any other part. Perhaps the tongue being tormented is a reminder of all the wicked words that he had spoken against GOD and Man. Cursing, sneering, blasphemy, slander, gossip. As the LORD said, by HIS words, he is condemned and therefore on HIS tongue he is tormented.
Luk 16:24, “and he [the rich man] cried out or screamed and said, ‘Father Abraham , have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, “And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of HIS finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.’
There is a day coming when those that now hate and despise the people of GOD would gladly receive kindness from them. Now Abraham is allowed to reply to the rich man in verse Luk 16:25. THIS dialogue was permitted not only to answer this one man’s question, but to settle the issue for all who were listening who had the same problems and wanted the same relief from Lazarus.
The question is Mat 22:42, “What do you think about the Christ, whose Son is He?” Your attitude toward Jesus Christ determines your eternal future. You will either spend your eternal future in heaven or you will spend it in torments and then finally the lake of fire. Torments is the residence of all unbelievers since the beginning of time.
Now, Gen 1:1-2; and Jer 4:22-27; tells us how the earth became formless and void, and how darkness was over the surface of the deep and the Spirit of GOD was moving over the surface of the waters. And why did this happen? This happened because Satan and one-third of the angels started to think more highly of themselves and wanted a time to prove their equality with GOD and with all Three members of the GODhead. In fact, the LORD used this principle of theology by using Job as an example; Job 38:4-7, when the LORD said to Job, the same thing that HE said to Satan in Job 1, 2, and 38.
Most of you know that Job won this first battle against Satan as a representative of the LORD. For in Job 1:21-22 Job said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD. Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame GOD. THIS was followed by a second test that GOD let Satan test Job with. Job also passed this test in Job 2:10, But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from GOD and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with HIS lips.”
Finally, Job passed the third test after the LORD rebuked him in Job 38. Now, these passages and two more reveal to us the principle of why we have been created! Why are living during this period of time called the Church-age? Why is there going to be a Tribulation period? Why is there going to be a Rapture? Why is there going to be a Millennial reign? Why were we born? But, most of all, what is this life all about?
We are being plunged into a period of time about which the Bible says more than it does about any other period of time in History, including the time that Jesus walked the shores of Galilee or climbed the mountains of Judea.
The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.
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