Internet Church Service – January 8, 2020; The spiritual things of God are foolishness to the natural man.

EMBEDDED VIDEO SERMON in HD – NOTES
The spiritual things of God are foolishness to the natural man.

Please join us as we fellowship in the Word of God, listen to
Christian Music, Pray in Christ’s Name, and Praise the Lord
in our Hearts and Minds.

ALL ARE WELCOME

from - Romans 8:38-39

Hymn #1

Hymn #2

Preparing yourself for the study of God’s Word

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is— you have trusted in Him for eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to take-in God’s Word or participating in a Communion Service, so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge your sins privately directly to God the Father. This will assure that you are in fellowship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit’s convicting ministry, also called the convincing ministry will then be able to teach you as the Holy Spirit is the real teacher and the pastor’s message is the vehicle the Holy Spirit uses to convince you what you are learning is true or not.

1 John 1:9, says—“If we confess [simply name, cite or acknowledge to God the Father] our sins [known sins], He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins [known sins] and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [all unknown and forgotten sins];” NKJV (New King James Version); 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 as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins to God; the issue for you is to believe by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life and you will be saved the very second you believe in Him:

John 6:47 says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me [Jesus Christ] has everlasting life.” NKJV

Notice again what John 6:47 says, “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 Jesus Christ’s promise of everlasting life, you have it (it’s really just that simple), and it can never be lost or taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 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 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:

Our Pastor-Teacher is:

Robert McLaughlin - Grace Bible Church
and Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Terms used by RMBM

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This ministry is non-denominational and is dedicated to
teaching the Word of God from the original languages and
making it available at no charge throughout the world.

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Sermon

NOTES

Unlike the bible study, these notes are not just for reading without watching the video. These notes are more designed to follow along during the sermon and to bring up the “hover pop-up scripture references” (some websites may require to left click the link, if that doesn’t work then look them up in your Bible) when the Pastor asks everyone to turn to that passage in their bibles.

Sermon: The spiritual things of God are foolishness to the natural man.

Recipient of this Epistle = the Chosen or the Elect ones as mentioned by Rom 8:33 who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;

The foreknowledge of God the Father knows every thought, every word or every deed we would ever perform by the sanctifying work of God the Holy Spirit.

Matt 10:29-30, “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from our Father knowing that the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Verse 1Pe 1:8 because there is actually a spiritual analogy with reference to our subject of a Theophany where it says in the first part of the verse “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him,”

How can you love someone who you cannot see?

You can love someone who you cannot see by learning how the individual thinks about life.

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe Him or you believe what He says which causes you to greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible or +H and full of glory.

This is the attitude of the believer who desires to worship our Lord Jesus Christ who, like the apostles, they can see the main issue spiritually which is that the Life of God dwells in the souls of man.

Verse 8 our “growing up in grace and knowledge” or “growing up by means of God’s grace and knowledge.”

NT Theophany is seen and revealed in certain passages especially the mystery doctrine of the Church-age and is also revealed to us by “Divine Revelation.”

A New Testament Theophany or a spiritual application of a Theophany especially in the New Testament.

Matt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth;

Matt 5:14 “You are the light of the world.”

2Co 3:2 “You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.

1Pe 2:5 “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood,”

2Co 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2Co 5:16 “Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

Phi 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

John 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

The main issue is that we should all know the divine principles behind this system of thinking, and why we are here.

One of the main goals of a Theophany is to make sure you are ready to worship the Lord according to the principle that a right thing must be done in a right way.

John 4:23-24 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.”

John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

There are so many spiritual principles that are needed under the principle that we receive the Word of God which gives us power in Acts 1:8.

ACT 1:8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

1Co 2:14 = A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised or literally spiritually judged or spiritually evaluated.

The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God.

Because the spiritual things of God are foolishness to the natural man.

“natural” = the Greek adjective ‎psuchikos which refers to the thoughts of the natural man or woman which are known as “human viewpoint;” Isa 55:6-11.

The spiritual individual knows the spiritual information that he needs to know whereas the natural minded man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned.

Notice what our Lord says in the phrase “not to the spiritual man but to the natural man” which our Lord says that the spiritual man or woman knows and understands the deep things of the Spirit of God.

The natural minded man cannot understand them, (the deep things of the Spirit and the Word of God).

Because they (the things of the Spirit of God) are spiritually appraised or literally spiritually judged or spiritually evaluated.

All of these passages and principles are spiritually appraised and the natural man does not have the power to appraise so.

Luk 3:7 He therefore began saying to the multitudes who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

John said there was coming a Messiah and He would be a terrifying judge.

One of the most misunderstood individuals in the “Word of God” was one of the main prophets of the Old Testament who knew the Messiah was coming = John the Baptist.

There was a time when John the Baptist became a little confused as to when his Lord, Jesus Christ, was on His way to begin His ministry of fulfilling the plan of God the Father.

Everything that John had said about the Messiah, he received from God; as when Luk 3:2 was fulfilled and the Holy Spirit “The word of God came to John.”

Luk 3:2b “the word of God came to John the Baptist, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.”

John was declaring that Messiah had come and he was saying certain things about the Messiah.

He was saying that the Messiah was going to be a judge, that when the Messiah came terrible things would happen.

Luk 3:7-8, He therefore began saying to the multitudes who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore, bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance”

Matt 3:7 But when he [the Baptist] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Do you know what our Lord did?

He was known for His mercy.
He healed the sick.
He gave sight to the blind.
He gave hearing to the deaf.

He gave voices to the dumb.
And life to the dead.

Luk 7:33 “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

Here comes this guy name Jesus, and “We don’t understand Him either.

He eats good food and He drinks the best wine.

He hangs out with prostitutes and publicans and sinners, the so-called unholy crowd; Matt 9:10.

Our Lord goes to the best homes to eat; Luk 14:1.

Luk 14:1 And it came about when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching Him closely.

Luk 8:3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.

John 19:24 the Scripture might be fulfilled, “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”

They said He must be a glutton and an alcoholic, Luk 7:34.

The Lord said, you know what, you can never ever scrutinize, figure out, and appraise and judge a spiritual man!

Especially, when that spiritual man is busy appraising all the things of God in his heart, 1Co 2:15-16.

Hymn #3

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 of their eternal future.

Weekly Bible Study – December 30, 2019; The Doctrine of the Pivot. Part 10. The Importance of understanding how and why you need to study Biblical Prophecy.

The Doctrine of the Pivot. Part 10. The Importance of understanding how and why you need to study Biblical Prophecy

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 [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 for 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

Doctrinal Statement

The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is taught Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday

Alphabetical Listing of Terms & Abbreviations used:

STUDY TITLE:

The Doctrine of the Pivot. Part 10. The Importance of understanding how and why you need to study Biblical Prophecy

In a world filled with chaos and confusion as man simply seems to be running wild, many people are anxious about the future and the uncertainty about the future and what lies ahead steadily which is growing worse and worse. As our Lord said concerning the last days: Luk 21:26, “Men’s hearts will be fainting them from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world;” Consider 20 million people every day search the Internet daily for answers from religion and Christianity. They are searching for answers about the future yet confusion abounds even though the apostle Paul said in 1Co 14:33, for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. So, confusion abounds, so does fear, and so disillusionment and sadly so also does anger…that’s right even anger.

People have become divided because of the differences they have with biblical prophecies. This is because with so many opinions available, millions of believers and even unbelievers, simply do not know what to believe or whom to believe and what they should do. Yet the answers to their questions are available. In fact, these answers can be proven straight from the Bible. Remember the Bible says such things as Jer 29:13, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

In the passage before you, our Lord said in John 7:17, “If any man is willing to do God’s will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I am just speaking from Myself.” I believe that one of the main problems is the fact that we have ignored certain Biblical principles such as in 2Co 11:3 where the apostle Paul said: But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

We have also ignored certain Biblical principles such as in Matt 18:3-4, where the Lord said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” I am here to tell you this morning that if you are interested in this and you are willing to take the time to prove the truth, the fog of fear, anxiety, disillusionment and frustration will disappear. For example, if you have been following what we have been studying in the book of Revelation, you already have some idea about the first beast mentioned in Rev 13:1; 17:1, the RCC and the Papacy, the Roman empire, and there will be much more for you…if you desire it. But YOU have to want it. You can have it, if you want it!

If you do and stick with some of the principles of learning I have given you – and I am about to give to you, I believe you will soon have no doubt about what the future holds! And not only that, but instead of fear and confusion I believe you will be looking forward to Tit 2:13, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;

This is what the Bible reveals as the Rapture; our Lord is coming back to meet us in the clouds of the air. Now, put on your thinking caps with me, and listen to what I am about to say. Too much is at stake for guess work or blind acceptance of man’s opinions, in fact, more is at stake now then you can even imagine. The diligent Bible student always examines what the Bible has to say about the subject they desire to learn about, Acts 17:10-11. God has revealed to me that the majority of the time, the answers that we are looking for are crystal clear, right in front of us – and right to the point. We are the ones that complicate things. Remember, He calls us sheep not genius. This is something that He has been leading me too. By the way, the pastor who stops learning, stops teaching.

Let me give you some illustrations of what I mean.

1. If you could lose your salvation, like many teach, isn’t it such a serious doctrine that He would not hide it from us but come right out and state that for His sheep to understand it, since it is so important? Then why don’t we have a passage that warns us… “Beloved, make sure you do not lose your salvation?”

Secondly, what about what many of the Baptist teach, why don’t we have a command for the church-age believer that says; Thou shall tithe, or thou shall get baptized in water, Paul said two things about that in Eph 4:4; 1Co 1:14.

Nor does the word of God say: thou shall speak in tongues, thou shall not get sick or suffer because all sickness and suffering is of the devil, thou shall worship Mary as the sinless one, who is the mother of GOD! Why don’t we have these things in writing directly, and right to the point, after all we are sheep! Well, the answer is that we don’t have these commands because they are not true for us today.

Now, let’s take the book of Revelation. Would God foretell plagues upon all who receive the mark of the beast and then leave mankind in the dark about what it is? Would He say in effect, “I am going to pour out My wrath upon the earth with all kinds of plagues causing the death of countless millions on those who have the mark but I will not tell you what it is or make it available for you to understand it” I will not tell you how to avoid it or how to escape from getting it. I cannot explain the mark of the beast, all I can do is show you what God has revealed then it will be up to you! But that knowledge cannot come unless some very necessary background is given to you first.

Therefore, for your sake and mine, I cannot afford to get involved with foolish and unlearned questions that the Bible says just genders or produces strive. We’ll see more of this information as we go on in our study. So, the world is in confusion…but what do you expect when the lights of the world are confused and the salt of the earth, believers, have lost their savor or their taste. Terrorism, war, famine, disease, poverty, ignorance, civil unrest and misery are widespread and growing worse.

Where are these conditions leading and why? The world seems to be just drifting along—sleepy, drunken and oblivious to what lies ahead. The average person has no idea what the future holds—and many do not care. Few are concerned beyond “tomorrow”—and fewer still remotely suspect what is coming in our time. James put it like this in James 4:13-16, Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

The apostle Paul said in Eph 5:14-18, “Awake, sleeper [or sleeping ones spiritually speaking], And arise from the dead [ones-other reversionists], And Christ will shine on you.” Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

When God’s Plan is understood, confusion, mystery and misunderstanding disappear. Events become clear! Historians can only record what has already happened. They cannot see into the future. Yet, one third of the Bible is prophecy, history written in advance.

Isa 41:21-24, “Present your case,” the Lord says. “Bring forward your strong arguments,” The King of Jacob says. Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the former events, declare what they were, That we may consider them, and know their outcome; Or announce to us what is coming. Declare the things that are going to come afterward, that we may know that you are gods; Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together. Behold, you are of no account, And your work amounts to nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination.

Then notice Isa 42:9, “Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”

Then in Isa 44:7, ‘And who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, From the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming And the events that are going to take place.

Isa 46:9-11, “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely, I will do it.

God foretells major events before they happen. He wants you to know what the future holds—what lies ahead for the world. Much Bible prophecy remains unfulfilled. Many major events must yet come to pass. Conditions in Europe and around the world will soon dictate that the world is getting ready to receive a single great authority for a short time. The point is that behind the scenes, enormous events are now taking shape. Prophesied world trouble will end in events terrifying beyond description. They will soon stun and shake every nation on Earth! You say, that sounds like dooms day teaching! Have you been watching, listening, or reading what’s going on right before your eyes? Are you going to be like those who Peter warned us about in 2Pe 3:3-4, when he said “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

There will always be pessimists, those critical individuals who just simply can’t stand to see others excited and pumped up about the Word of God. World history is the study of the rise and fall of empires. But few know why great “civilizations” come and go, governments rise and fall—why events move as they do. This thinking is about to change—in a BIG WAY!

We are answering certain questions concerning who the Two Beasts are who are mentioned in the book of Revelation and whether or not the United States of America has a role and if it does, will there be a pivot that is in view in the last days of biblical prophecy. We have already answered two of the important questions we needed to understand as it relates to Bible prophecy.

1. The first statement and question was that there are two world powers which are symbolized in Rev 13 and so who or what is the first beast or power mentioned? We noted that one of the most popular translations concerning this question is that The beast with seven heads is none other than referring to the Roman Empire, especially the Roman papacy or the RCC and the place of the Pope. This beast or empire is mentioned in the book of Daniel which identifies certain nations in Europe who were a part of the Roman Empire. And I have already mentioned who they could be referring to in our previous studies.

2. Our second point or question is: In what year did the RCC and the papacy begin its world influence and power and when would it lose that influence and power?

Answer: We noted that the RCC and the Papacy began its world influence and power in 538 AD and as the Bible seems to predict, it would lose its world influence and power 1260 years later in 1798, when Napoleon’s General Berthier took the pope captive and the papal power received its deadly wound. The Bible predicted that the Papacy would lose its world influence and power at the end of the 42 months. This prophecy was fulfilled in 1798, when Napoleon’s General Berthier took the Pope captive and the Papal power received its deadly wound.

So, here is my conclusion I gave in closing on Friday that I need to give again because I have added some things to it. The Bible predicted that the papacy would have 42 prophetic months, or 1,260 literal years. This prophecy was fulfilled in 1798 when General Berthier, one of Napoleon’s Generals, took the Pope captive and the papacy received its deadly wound (Rev 13:3). Beginning in Rev 13:11, what nation would rise around the same time that the papal power was wounded? Rev 13:11, And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Therefore, and this is not an absolute interpretation but an absolute consideration or question, what new nation arose at the time that the first beast lost its power and influence? The RCC and the Papacy received its deadly wound in 1798. The United States declared independence in 1776, voted the Constitution in 1787, adopted the Bill of Rights in 1791, and was definitely a world power by 1798.

In Daniel an Revelation, most nations are said to “rise out of the sea.” This new nation is different. For example, in Rev 13:1, And he stood on the sand of the seashore and I saw a beast coming up out of the sea,

Dan 7:3, “And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another.”

However, here it says that it rose out of the earth. What does this mean? Look at Rev 13:11, And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. Revelation shows that water symbolizes areas that have large populations (Rev 17:15), such as in Europe. The earth would be the opposite. This new nation would arise in a sparingly populated area. For example, look at Rev 17:15, And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.”

This second beast or nation begins with just a few individuals involved. History says that the U.S. always was large in terms of area, but its population was small, only 4 million in 1790, reaching 7.2 million in 1810, 32 million in 1860, 76 million in 1900, 132 million in 1940, and 321 million in 2015. However, the point is it began as a small nation as far as population was concerned!

Rev 13:11 says that the beast “out of the earth” will have two horns like a lamb. And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, also note that these horns do not have crowns like the First Beast. The First Beast is said to have diadems or crowns in Rev 13:1, And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems or ten crowns. What do the horns represent? In Dan 7:24, it says that horns represent kings or governments.

Dan 7:24, “As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.”

In the case of this beast, the two horns could represent America’s two governing principles: civil and religious liberty, or church and state. In the early day of our nation you could also call these Republicanism and Protestantism. America was the first country to give you freedom of worship without government interference. The absence of crowns on the horns represents a republican form of government, rather than being a monarchy. A monarchy is a country that is ruled by a monarch, and monarchy is the system or form of government. A monarch, such as a king or queen, rules a kingdom or empire.

Lamb-like horns symbolize an innocent, young, and spiritual nation. This new beast, or government, would try to uphold its beginning doctrinal principles. Therefore, only America could fit the correct time-slot and characteristics of this Second Beast. America started out innocent and non-oppressive. The Bible tells us, though, that a major nation will soon war against the saints. In Rev 13:11, we have another description of this nation when it says that the Second Beast which comes up out of the earth; not only has two horns like a lamb, but he also spoke as a dragon. Could it be that America will “speak like a dragon,” because speaking like a dragon could refer to the viewpoint of Satan and he will attempt to destroy God’s true people and force everyone to obey him.

So, America could try and force people to worship against their own beliefs. But, Revelation doesn’t stop there. What else does it say America could do, if this is in view? In Rev 13:12, And he exercises all the authority of the First Beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the First Beast, whose fatal wound was healed. This Second Beast will be a nation which “exercises all the power and the authority of the First Beast which was before him.” in Rev 13:12. And then it says that the Second Beast makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the beast. Could America become a persecuting power that will try and force people to go against their conscience, just like Papal Rome, the First Beast of Revelation 13 did?

Rev 13:12, And he exercises all the authority of the First Beast in his presence. And he causes earth and those who dwell in it to worship the First Beast, whose fatal wound was healed.

Without taking scriptures out of context, that the Second Beast causes those who are alive in the earth to worship the First Beast, whose fatal wound was healed. Could it be that the United States will lead all nations of the world in forcing the worship of the First Beast, the Papal Antichrist. Do you think that an Arab nation who calls their God Allah, who they believe is greater than the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, do you believe they will have the power to deceive all those who profess to be Christians to now worship Allah and follow the teaching of Mohammad?

I don’t think so!

I think that the Second Beast will be identified as a Christian nation who points to the First Beast, led by the Pope and Papal authority and the Second Beast will promote Jesus but not the Jesus of the Bible. They will promote a Jesus, but it will not be the Jesus of the Bible it will be what Paul warned the Corinthians of, another Jesus in 2Co 11:4, For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different gospel which you have not accepted, but you receive beautifully.

They will promote another doctrine but it will be doctrines from demons, 1Ti 4:1. In other words, the Second Beast will point to the First Beast and promote: Another Jesus, another Spirit, another Gospel, another doctrine. That’s what we have to be concerned about! The Second Beast will make it appear deeply spiritual as the Second Beast will also elevate signs and wonders and miracles. For in Rev 13:13, concerning the Second Beast we read, And he performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. Remember that there are passages like Matt 16:4, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign;”

Notice Rev 13:14, And he [the Second Beast] deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. Could it be that America, the U.S.A. will make an image to the beast by making laws about religious practice. Even going so far as it did when the First Beast was ruling for a certain time, especially during the middle or dark ages, could it be that the Second Beast will require worship to the point of fear of death. This will be an image of the Church-state power that the papacy used in the Middle Ages, slaying millions of saints for their faith. The U.S. could join civil government and apostate Protestantism into a partnership that will support the Papacy.

Notice that in Rev 13:15 we read, And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. This Second Beast, this nation that we might be closer to than what we have thought before, as leader of this international apostasy, will impose a universal death sentence upon those who don’t worship the beast or his image. But, and here’s a very important question to consider, “Over what issue will force be used and the death sentence be passed?”

Well, let’s just read the passage even though these things may have stirred up many more questions that we now have that we did not have before we considered what we have been noting. Rev 13:15-17, And there was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.

The final issue will be about this: Are you willing to search out the truth and pay the price no matter what the consequences may be or would you rather not! Revelation reveals that there will be two superpowers at the end of time: could it be the United States of America and the RCC and the papacy working together?

The beast of Rev 13:11-18 has some very interesting similarities and comparisons with America and there are many who even believe that the beast mentioned could symbolize America.

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.

Internet Church Service – December 29, 2019; Theophany is a term for the appearance of Jesus Christ before the First Advent.

EMBEDDED VIDEO SERMON in HD – NOTES
The spiritual things of God are foolishness to the natural man.

Please join us as we fellowship in the Word of God, listen to
Christian Music, Pray in Christ’s Name, and Praise the Lord
in our Hearts and Minds.

ALL ARE WELCOME

from - Romans 8:38-39

Hymn #1

Hymn #2

Preparing yourself for the study of God’s Word

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is— you have trusted in Him for eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to take-in God’s Word or participating in a Communion Service, so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge your sins privately directly to God the Father. This will assure that you are in fellowship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit’s convicting ministry, also called the convincing ministry will then be able to teach you as the Holy Spirit is the real teacher and the pastor’s message is the vehicle the Holy Spirit uses to convince you what you are learning is true or not.

1 John 1:9, says—“If we confess [simply name, cite or acknowledge to God the Father] our sins [known sins], He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins [known sins] and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [all unknown and forgotten sins];” NKJV (New King James Version); 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 as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins to God; the issue for you is to believe by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life and you will be saved the very second you believe in Him:

John 6:47 says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me [Jesus Christ] has everlasting life.” NKJV

Notice again what John 6:47 says, “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 Jesus Christ’s promise of everlasting life, you have it (it’s really just that simple), and it can never be lost or taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 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 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:

Our Pastor-Teacher is:

Robert McLaughlin - Grace Bible Church
and Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Terms used by RMBM

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This ministry is non-denominational and is dedicated to
teaching the Word of God from the original languages and
making it available at no charge throughout the world.

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Sermon

NOTES

Unlike the bible study, these notes are not just for reading without watching the video. These notes are more designed to follow along during the sermon and to bring up the “hover pop-up scripture references” (some websites may require to left click the link, if that doesn’t work then look them up in your Bible) when the Pastor asks everyone to turn to that passage in their bibles.

Sermon: The spiritual things of God are foolishness to the natural man.

Recipient of this Epistle = the Chosen or the Elect ones as mentioned by Rom 8:33 who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;

The foreknowledge of God the Father knows every thought, every word or every deed we would ever perform by the sanctifying work of God the Holy Spirit.

Matt 10:29-30, “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from our Father knowing that the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Verse 1Pe 1:8 because there is actually a spiritual analogy with reference to our subject of a Theophany where it says in the first part of the verse “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him,”

How can you love someone who you cannot see?

You can love someone who you cannot see by learning how the individual thinks about life.

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe Him or you believe what He says which causes you to greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible or +H and full of glory.

This is the attitude of the believer who desires to worship our Lord Jesus Christ who, like the apostles, they can see the main issue spiritually which is that the Life of God dwells in the souls of man.

Verse 8 our “growing up in grace and knowledge” or “growing up by means of God’s grace and knowledge.”

NT Theophany is seen and revealed in certain passages especially the mystery doctrine of the Church-age and is also revealed to us by “Divine Revelation.”

A New Testament Theophany or a spiritual application of a Theophany especially in the New Testament.

Matt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth;

Matt 5:14 “You are the light of the world.”

2Co 3:2 “You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.

1Pe 2:5 “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood,”

2Co 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2Co 5:16 “Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

Phi 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

John 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

The main issue is that we should all know the divine principles behind this system of thinking, and why we are here.

One of the main goals of a Theophany is to make sure you are ready to worship the Lord according to the principle that a right thing must be done in a right way.

John 4:23-24 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.”

John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

There are so many spiritual principles that are needed under the principle that we receive the Word of God which gives us power in Acts 1:8.

ACT 1:8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

1Co 2:14 = A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised or literally spiritually judged or spiritually evaluated.

The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God.

Because the spiritual things of God are foolishness to the natural man.

“natural” = the Greek adjective ‎psuchikos which refers to the thoughts of the natural man or woman which are known as “human viewpoint;” Isa 55:6-11.

The spiritual individual knows the spiritual information that he needs to know whereas the natural minded man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned.

Notice what our Lord says in the phrase “not to the spiritual man but to the natural man” which our Lord says that the spiritual man or woman knows and understands the deep things of the Spirit of God.

The natural minded man cannot understand them, (the deep things of the Spirit and the Word of God).

Because they (the things of the Spirit of God) are spiritually appraised or literally spiritually judged or spiritually evaluated.

All of these passages and principles are spiritually appraised and the natural man does not have the power to appraise so.

Luk 3:7 He therefore began saying to the multitudes who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

John said there was coming a Messiah and He would be a terrifying judge.

One of the most misunderstood individuals in the “Word of God” was one of the main prophets of the Old Testament who knew the Messiah was coming = John the Baptist.

There was a time when John the Baptist became a little confused as to when his Lord, Jesus Christ, was on His way to begin His ministry of fulfilling the plan of God the Father.

Everything that John had said about the Messiah, he received from God; as when Luk 3:2 was fulfilled and the Holy Spirit “The word of God came to John.”

Luk 3:2b “the word of God came to John the Baptist, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.”

John was declaring that Messiah had come and he was saying certain things about the Messiah.

He was saying that the Messiah was going to be a judge, that when the Messiah came terrible things would happen.

Luk 3:7-8, He therefore began saying to the multitudes who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore, bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance”

Matt 3:7 But when he [the Baptist] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Do you know what our Lord did?

He was known for His mercy.
He healed the sick.
He gave sight to the blind.
He gave hearing to the deaf.

He gave voices to the dumb.
And life to the dead.

Luk 7:33 “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine; and you say, ‘He has a demon!’

Here comes this guy name Jesus, and “We don’t understand Him either.

He eats good food and He drinks the best wine.

He hangs out with prostitutes and publicans and sinners, the so-called unholy crowd; Matt 9:10.

Our Lord goes to the best homes to eat; Luk 14:1.

Luk 14:1 And it came about when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching Him closely.

Luk 8:3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.

John 19:24 the Scripture might be fulfilled, “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”

They said He must be a glutton and an alcoholic, Luk 7:34.

The Lord said, you know what, you can never ever scrutinize, figure out, and appraise and judge a spiritual man!

Especially, when that spiritual man is busy appraising all the things of God in his heart, 1Co 2:15-16.

Hymn #3

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 of their eternal future.