"Speaking In Tongues" from a New Testament Perspective

There are two distinct types of supernatural languages described in the NT, commonly termed "speaking in tongues".

One is a personal, private prayer language, for speaking to God, in which we speak the mysteries of God, and is most useful when we do not know what or how to pray (Romans 8:26). See also 1 Cor 2:7, 1 Cor 13:1, 1 Cor 14:2, 4-6, 14-15, 18.

It also has a secondary, but equally important role in "building us up in our most holy faith" as
described by Jude (Jude 20). In other words, God gives you this prayer language for you to use as often as you want, whenever you want, for your benefit!

We receive this prayer language when we are "baptised in Holy Spirit" (or as Jesus put it, "endued with power from on high" - see Luke 22:49, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-21).

This ability is under your control - it's as if your inner man/spirit has been given a language to talk to God, and you need to open your mouth and let your spirit pray to God in this new language. It may sound like babbling or gibberish, but as you listen, you will begin to discern
words, sentences and cadence like any other language. It will sound different at different times, even to the point of being a completely different language. The important thing is that this is Holy Spirit praying the perfect will of God through you, either for you or for someone else, or for a specific situation.

You can also, before you start to pray, talk to Holy Spirit and ask Him to pray through you for a specific matter (for yourself or someone or something else) and then, in faith, believe that what you are praying in your tongue language is exactly what is required.

You may get a measure of understanding in your mind, if Holy Spirit allows this, but not always - it may be that you are praying for yourself, and God does not want to you to know the details - it might distress you or shock you, or it may be that God needs to do a work in your life, and this is how He will be be able to implement it - because you spoke it out, and gave Him permission to do so. If this sounds scary, it is not - God is a gentleman, and will only do what ever is necessary to build you up and bless you.

One important note - ONLY God can understand this language - nobody else, not even the devil - unless God gives the hearer understanding.

The second type is the one referred to in 1 Cor 12:7-9, where what are commonly described as the "gifts of the Holy Spirit", but better called the "manifestations of Holy Spirit" are cataloged.

If you read carefully the latter part of v9, it says that these manifestations are "as the Spirit wills". The way these 9 "gifts" operate is completely different from any other gift. They are intended to build up the Body of Christ, and are for use in a congregational setting.

Holy Spirit seeks out believers who are both willing and able to operate in one or more of
these gifts (they are not given to individuals except for that particular manifestation), and Holy Spirit gives them the anointing (power) to operate the specific gifts (or gifts) for the benefit of the whole Body. Certain people who stand in the office of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher are often able to operate in multiple gifts - in particular you will see an evangelist operating in the "working of miracles", the "gift of [special] faith", "gifts of healings", and the "gift of prophecy" accompanied by a "Word of Knowledge" or "Word of Wisdom". Apostles, Pastors and Teachers often operate in all of the oratorical gifts (Prophecy, Knowledge, Wisdom), and will have a specific anointing to operate regularly in one or more of the other gifts, such as the "gifts of healings", "working of miracles" and "special faith" - commonly called the power gifts.

The specific use of the "gift of tongues" and the accompanying "gift of interpretation" are twofold:
a) as a sign to unbelievers - those who do not necessarily believe in the operation of the
"gifts", not necessarily non-Christians (1 Cor 14:22-23)

b) as an alternative to the manifestation of the "gift of prophecy" - often this will occur when a
church has newcomers, or visitors, or even unbelievers in the congregation, and God wants to speak to them for a sign.

This second type of "tongues" can have a variety of expressions. These tongues can sometimes be heard by the listener as being in their own language - the tongue is NOT in their own language, they just hear it in their own language - as if God had inserted a translator in between the person's ears. This is what happened on the day of Pentecost - the hearers all heard in their own languages, but the disciples were speaking in supernatural tongue languages. I think that this also qualifies as "the working of a miracle" - another of the 9
manifestations of Holy Spirit.

I have witnessed this in our own church, when one of our pastors gave a message in tongues,, followed by an interpretation (NOT a translation). A visitor to our church afterwards came and thanked her for giving her a word in her own native tongue - Portuguese. What had been spoken out in the tongue language was most definitely NOT Portuguese, and what was given in interpretation was also not what the woman had heard - this was for the church as a whole.

I have also spoken with several people who have been ministering in foreign countries, not knowing the language, yet feeling very strongly that God wanted them to speak to someone - a
complete stranger - and stepped out in faith and began to speak using their private tongue language. In on instance, two YWAM girls - both American, were in Moscow (Olympic Games '78??), and a lady walked into the lobby of their hotel, sat down beside them as started to speak in Russian. Neither girl spoke Russian, but they looked at each other and started speaking in their private tongue languages. They had a 45 minute conversation with the lady, and to this day have no idea what they said, but she went away very happy and excited.

The second occurrence was very recent, when a Canadian minister was visiting Russia
(again), and was asked to pray for a Russian family of believers. Not quite knowing what else to do, she started to pray in her private tongue language. Afterwards, the pastor of the church she was ministering in came and told her that the family wished her to know that she had prayed exactly what they needed, in perfect Russian!

I personally pray a lot in my tongue language - I just like chattering to Go in it, knowing that, even if I do not have specific purpose, I am being "built up", and there will be results that come from that time of prayer. It also builds my faith - I liken it to doing exercises - just
as one does to strengthen one's body.

If you want the experience, just read the Word where it talks about the baptism of Holy Spirit, and ask God to give this gift to you. Then, in faith, believe you have received the gift of the baptism, and open your mouth and start to pray - you will be pleasantly surprised. It's easier and quicker to do it than explain it.

It will also revolutionize you faith and your walk with God - everything will become clearer, brighter, more intense, and you will have a much deeper relationship with God as a result.

John

How to be 'Born Again' and filled with the Holy Spirit's power

To anyone who does not understand what being born again is all about....,

I know a lot of people (including church attendees) don't understand the need or the reasons why we ALL need to be born again in order to see the Kingdom of Heaven (i.e. go to Heaven when we die) - but this is what Jesus said we MUST be. Let me explain.

I have friends who are RC (who also are members of our church - which is definitely not RC), who found out that they too needed to be "born-again". They had never heard this during their sojourn in the RC church. They received this revelation from reading John Ch. 3, where Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born-again in order to see the Kingdom of God, and to be adopted into the family of God.

In 1 Peter 1:22 we again find that this is a necessary event in the life of a believer.

From a theological perspective, the reason we must ALL be born again in order to see the Kingdom of Heaven starts back in Genesis 2:7, where Adam is first brought to life as a spiritual being when God breathed His Spirit into him. Then in Genesis 2:16-17 God gives the Adam and Eve the rule not to eat of the Tree of Good and Evil, else they will die (spiritually instantly and eventually physically).

In Genesis 3:6-8, as a result of disobedience, we see that Adam and Eve died spiritually at the instance of eating the forbidden fruit and started to die physically from that moment on.

Dying spiritually means being eternally separated from God and His Spirit - which is why Adam was straight away thrown out of the Garden of Eden (and Eve - by choice - followed him).

All this means that every man, woman and child of accountable age, born into this life is, as far as God is concerned, ALREADY eternally separated from Him (see John 3:18-19), and they need new spiritual life breathed into them (see John 20:19-22).

Being born again means having new spiritual life breathed back into you by God's Spirit, which happens when you follow the instructions in Romans 10:8-10:

"8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." [NKJV]

This is why we, in order to become spiritually alive to God again, need to be born again so that, according to 2 Cor 5:17:

...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." [NKJV]

Note that only our "inner man" or "spirit being" is born again and becomes a new creation, our minds then need to be renewed (by us!) by reading, hearing and obeying the Word of God and our bodies need to be submitted to our spirit man and our renewed minds so that they do not fulfill the "lusts of the flesh" (= our old man's nature) - as it says in Romans 12:1-2:

"1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." [NKJV]

However, it does not stop there, because Jesus said that we need to receive "power from on high" - the baptism of the Holy Spirit - just like the first disciples did on Pentecost. (See my previous post further back on this blog.)

Being "born again and the receiving of "power from on high" are both received in the same way - by faith and by confession according to Romans 10:8-10. You just ask God to forgive your sins (the act of "missing the mark" as far as keeping God's laws), ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life, asking out loud by faith, then repeat the same process, asking God to baptize you in His Holy Spirit and give you this power from on high.

Hoping that this does not offend anyone, but leads you to a greater, deeper knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John

When was the Church born? Update on events of this year's Pentecost Sunday

I have frequently heard the following statement:

"Because this feast came fifty days after the Feast of Passover, it became known as the Feast of Pentecost. It was on this occasion that the Church was born."

Sorry - I have to disagree. The Church was BORN when Jesus breathed on the disciples after the Resurrection - see John 20:19-22.

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. [NKJV]

It was at this point that the Holy Spirit caused the disciples to be born again - thus creating the first of the called-out ones (the Church) who form the Bride of Christ.

You notice that Jesus is then very insistent that the disciples do nothing but wait in Jerusalem until the "Promise" had come - see Luke 24:49:

"49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
" [NKJV]

Luke continues with this narrative in Acts 1:4-8....

4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
5 “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [NKJV]

Here we see Jesus referring to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (which John the Baptist had witnessed (John 1:32-34) just after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, and had Himself received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with power from on high.

32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
33 “I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34“And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” [NKJV]

Finally, on the Day of Pentecost, the Church was empowered by Holy Spirit to fulfill the Great Commission, as described by Luke in Acts 2, with signs, wonders and miracles.

We had this discussion a few weeks ago with one of the other pastors in our town, who wanted to have a Holy Ghost meeting on Pentecost Sunday to ask God to pour out the empowering of His Holy Spirit on our town. So last Sunday, for the first time ever, we had a multi-church/multi-denomination meeting specifically to ask God to pour out His Spirit on our town and region with signs, wonders and miracles - God blessed us with all of these during the meeting, and many people received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The pastor whose church hosted the meeting told us that he had been praying for 30 years for this to happen!!!

I also believe we are about to witness the greatest outpouring of God's Spirit across the world that the world has ever, or will ever see, and many, many people, Jews and gentiles will come to a saving knowledge of the Cross. I am seeing the stirrings of this in my own home town - as witnessed by the Our Turn event last year, the growth of and the growing effectiveness of the town's Ministerial Group and last Sunday's meeting. The churches here in the city are coming together to pray in a way that has never happened before.

We are having a second "Our Turn" event this autumn, with another week of prayer in churches around the city, culminating in a group gathering in a local college - courtesy of the Mayor's office.

I am supposed to (when I get the info) update a web site with all the info.

My interpretation of campsmore's (Lori) dream, now that you have given it a place name would be a combination of "earthquake" events - as much in the spiritual realm as in the natural. I think we may see some event in the natural - maybe an earthquake or a limited terrorist attack - we are not really in a earthquake prone area, coupled with a great outpouring of God's Spirit on the churches, as a result of last Sunday's meeting (as described above). This will, I can assure you, bring about an "earthquake" in the local churches - some of whom will have to revisit/rethink their theology to explain what God is doing (to put it mildly!).

All I can tell you is that God is doing a "new thing" here.

Canada has NEVER had a countrywide revival. I understand that a prophesy was given out on the west coast at the beginning of this year that a great revival was about to sweep the land, like a wave from west to east. We are confidentially expecting great things to happen in the spirit realm over the coming months here in the region, with results in the natural, leading to large numbers of people seeking to know God.

Our senior pastor is increasingly being permitted to step into his God given role of apostolic ministry, and is being given more opportunities to minister in other churches. To clarify his apostolic mandate, he and his wife have already started 8 churches in the last 22 years - 2 in the US and 6 in Canada - all of which are flourishing.

He also has a tremendous gift for teaching believers, and frequently operates in the prophetic gifts. His wife has an anointing for healing - it is amazing to see them both in action, flowing in the manifestations of Holy Spirit - and we get all the benefits, praise the Lord.

I am not afraid of what may come - I too am aware that US intelligence reports have indicated that there is a very high likelihood that one or more US cities will be targeted with "dirty" bombs or small nuclear devices. I read recently that there are those in the US that firmly believe at least one such bomb has already been smuggled into the US - probably across the Mexico border - by a known terrorist - whom they cannot find at present (see here for more info).

We are preparing for a great harvest. God has promised us that we will start to see amazing things happening in the coming months, the like of which none of us have ever seen before - and we have seen some pretty amazing things already.

John

I personally have some major problems with the idea that we have already seen the first 5 seals as described in the Book of Revelation chapter 6, as suggested by the author David Lowe in his book "Earthquake Resurrection".

In the book, David highlights the major differences between the seal judgments and the trumpet and bowl judgments. According to David, the five seal judgments leading up to the sixth seal should be interpreted as follows:

1. Spirit of Religious Domination in Christ’s Name (the white horse).
2. Spirit of War and Blood Shed (the red horse).
3. Spirit of Financial Oppression (the black horse).
4. Spirit of Death, Disease and Famine (the pale green (chloros) horse).
5. Persecution and Death of Believers.

I cannot justify this approach with the rest of Scripture - let me explain.

Looking at the first of these interpretations makes me question the whole basis of the subsequent interpretations of Revelation 6:1-17.

It seems that the traditional interpretation is that this is some kind of demonic being - a spirit of religion - false or otherwise (that being said, all religion is from the pit of hell - Christianity is ALL about a relationship with Jesus).

However, using the only true method of biblical interpretation which to let the Bible interpret itself, based on (i) who is talking, (ii) about what or whom (context) and (iii) to whom - audience), because:

"no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation" 2 Peter 1:20 [NKJV]),

it would appear that this interpretation is erroneous because throughout Scripture the word "white" is ALWAYS used to represent purity and holiness. Go check it out with a concordance (also look for "white horse").

The only person that this would fit within the context is the Lord Jesus - the Lamb of God that John refers to in Rev 6:1. He is riding a white horse (sign of purity, power, righteousness), has a crown, and He has conquered and is conquering and will continue to conquer - because He is already ruler over the kings of the earth.

More importantly, the ONLY other reference to person(s) on a white horse(s) in the Bible is most definitely the Lord Jesus and the Saints of the Most High - us!! This is in Revelation 19:11-15 (see the parallels to Rev 6:1-2):

"11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses

15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. [NKJV]"

Remember, the Book of Revelation is

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,

2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.

3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. [NKJV]

It is NOT about the antichrist or the devil, or any other being - good or evil.

Note also, Revelation is to be blessing to those who read it - not a curse, or to frighten us.

If what David Lowe says is true, that the first 5 seals have already occurred, I would ask:

"Much of the world is actually at peace today - so how do you explain the world-wide violence required by the 2nd seal?

"When did a "quart of wheat" cost a day's wage all over the earth as required by the 3rd seal?"

"When did a quarter of the world die" as required by the 4th Seal - since my understanding is that more than 50% of the total population of the Earth that have ever lived are still alive today - the world's population having doubled within the last 80 years?

"Why does the 5th seal indicate world-wide persecution of believers? Reading the text would seem to indicate that Jesus is promising final judgement on the world, as indicated in the following verses describing the "great day of the wrath of the Lord" - the 6th seal (Rev 6:12-17).

I think that the whole basis for David's interpretation is therefore suspect, based on the incorrect interpretation concerning the 1st seal.

Maybe the first seal is actually the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (Joel 2:28-31):

"28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.

29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. [NKJV]

I would say that this predicts a soon coming world wide revival when God pours out His Spirit on ALL flesh just before the Rapture (not an apostasy as most people think - although I think this is a very bad transliteration of the word apostasia in 2 Thess 2:3 - I believe it more correctly translates to the "Departure" (of the Church) - which given the context of the letter to the Thessalonians, means the Rapture.

I think that we are on the verge of seeing some truly amazing moves of God around the world in the coming months and years - way beyond anything we have yet seen. I see glimpses of it already.

Just my thoughts.

John

Concerning the term " falling away" used in 1 Thess 2:3, I think this has been mistranslated from the Greek.

Most commentators seem to assume that before the "...man of sin is revealed..." there must be a falling away from the faith (or from the Church). My problem is that nowhere else in Scripture is there a reference to a falling away at the end of days (now). People talk about the Laodicean church in Revelation, but if you read it carefully, God is angry with the members of this church because they are neither hot nor cold NOT because they have fallen away (i.e religious, but with no operational faith, not unlike - unfortunately - many mainstream denominational churches today, e.g. the United Church of Canada, that denies the need to be Born Again, the Resurrection and the Virgin Birth).

All Scripture MUST be consistent and must confirm itself - if a verse or passage does not seem to agree with other passages in the whole canon of scripture, then assume that you have incorrectly understood the passage in question that appears to contradict or not agree with the rest of the Bible.

The Greek word translated "falling away" is apostasia. I think we have all been mislead in our anglicized use of this word apostasia.

This has been transliterated (not translated) to apostasy, and given a different meaning to that of the original Greek (just like the word baptismo has been transliterated to Baptism, which usually associated only with water immersion - again not a correct translation from the Greek)

Strictly, the word apostasia would be most correctly translated as meaning "to go away from", or "depart", or "change state or standing from one state to another"

The biblical context that you are quoting from is specifically about the Rapture - or as Paul puts in 1Thess 4:17, the being "caught up" event (we get the English word Rapture from the Latin translation of this verse - can't remember the exact Latin right now).

So, using the above definition, we should more correctly read I Thessalonians 2:1-3:

"Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come* unless the Departure, Going Away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed...."

(* Note: the phrase that Day will not come * is not in the original Greek).

I found that the following article is very helpful in explaining this.

Apostasia

I have not yet found any other reference in Scripture that there needs to be a falling away before the Lord comes for His Bride. In saying this I am opening the door to lots of, hopefully, useful discussions....

John

A number of prophecy teachers (c.f. Herb Peters) are beginning to claim that Daniel's 70th week has already started, basing this view on the passage in Daniel 9:27...

"Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.." [NKJV],

and pointing to Javier Solana's ENP which took on real effectiveness 1 January 2007.

Quoting from Times of Noah...(minus all the references)...

"Javier Solana’s [initial] European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) is to last from 2007-2013, with a mid-term review period, in which the EU's High Representative (currently Javier Solana) will be involved. Sixteen nations have currently signed up, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Israel signed up in December 2004. All countries will have [have had!!] their agreements confirmed on January 1st, 2007.

The ENP’s prime aim is to bring security and political control to Europe’s borders. The ENP might very well be the covenant that triggers the start of the tribulation."

I have been thinking about this, and suddenly realized that the AC must confirm a covenant with many at the beginning of the 70th week. Also, it is a requirement that the Church must be "taken out of the way ... then the lawless one will be revealed..."(2 Thess 2:7-8) and "...for that Day will not come unless the Departure or Going Away [literal Greek] comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition..." BEFORE the AC can come to power and make this covenant - this has not yet happened - otherwise we have all been left behind!!

Confirm means that, IMHO (not too humble!!), that the covenant must already be in place and operational to some degree, just as it has been since the beginning of this year.

What if the covenant is confirmed by the person who will become the AC (Solana???) in 3-4 years from now (say 2010), and promises that the ENP agreements will be extended for a further 7 years, but after 31/2 years the AC breaks his agreement - and desecrates the Temple, declaring himself to be god - would this timetable not also fit with Daniel's prophecy.

Let me explain further...

We know that the AC makes a 7 year covenant with Israel, guaranteeing them peace and the right to restart Temple worship (As given to Daniel, and referred to by Jesus).

This has not yet happened, BUT one could see a scenario rapidly developing in the ME this summer, where Israel goes to war with Syria, Hamas (Samaria, Gaza) and Hezbollah (Tyre, Sidon, Southern Lebanon) (see Zech 9:1-8 and Isiah 17), wins decisively (with the destruction of Damascus), then makes peace overtures to the remaining Palestinians living in the West Bank to meet the US and EU 8-month deadline (HaAretz)

Then, because of their overwhelming victory (which the world will recognize as being supernatural - Zech 9:1), Israel is allowed to commence rebuilding the Temple on the Temple Mount - probably next to the Dome of the Rock mosque, to be ready for use by 2010.

Meanwhile, massive deposits of oil are discovered under Israel and commercial production starts up during this timeframe (YnetNews.com).

Iran, egged on and supplied by Russia, continues its military and nuclear build-up through 2008-9, and then, again with Russia's help, decides to both (i) avenge the destruction of Damancus, Hezbollah and Hamas in 2007) and (ii) lay claim on Israel's oil reserves - their own oil production having been off-line since summer 2007 after a short but sweet attack by the US on the county's oil, gas and electricity infrastructure (ostensibly to punish the Iranians for refusal to stop their nuclear ambitions, but also to appease more moderate Arab states who won't take action themselves, c.f. Saudi Arabia).

They do this by launching all out war on Israel sometime in 2009 , fully supported by Russia and all the other extremist Moslem nations, incl. Turkey (Togamar), and aided by Germany (Gomer) - albeit reluctantly (who are being blackmailed by Russia who is controlling much their supplies of natural gas)- after all the US troops have been pulled out of the ME by the newly elected Democratic US president - resulting in the fulfillment of the Gog-Magog war in Exek 38-39. Russia will feel obligated to support Iran because of its failure to help during the 2007 war with Syria, and because of its need for more oil - having lost access to Iran's oil since 2007.

The EU, under the direction of Solana (??), steps in to sort out the mess, promising peace - backed up by the threat of military intervention by the EU's now fully deployed military forces (see Javier Solana's role in the formation of the EU's 2010 Headline Goal, effectively a military response group which can be deployed anywhere in the world within 5 days in the event of an emergency.

This all culminates in the confirming of the covenant (a beefed up ENP) around 2010 with many - Daniel 9:27 (including all the EU, ME and African countries that would complete the revived Roman Empire), and giving a guarantee to Israel of 7 years of peace, and complete freedom for the resumption of full Temple based worship, complete with daily sacrifices, etc.

At some point in all of this, I would expect the 1st Resurrection, followed by the Rapture of all born-again believers in Jesus to occur.

Just a thought...

John

Thoughts on the Rapture

I have been reading the passages about the Rapture again, and after reading the article about "The Gospel in Genesis", I was again impressed as to how important it is to look at every single word when we are studying Scripture, and even its position in the sentence. Of course we also need to look carefully at the context, who is speaking, and to whom.

I have long been taught that the Rapture will be invisible to all except those "caught up" - I even remember a song by Larry Norman in the late 60's-early 70's that tells how one is left in the field the other taken.

I went back to study these passages in Matthew 24, 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4.

I have two observations - feel free to take this or not - about the Rapture.

1) Dead people need to be resurrected! That includes those who have died "in Christ". Therefore, we must conclude that the saints who have gone on before (who 'sleep' = dead) do not have bodies yet, just their spirit and soul - their earthly bodies are destroyed in order to become a seed that can be resurrected (Paul explains this in 1 Cor 15:35-44) . They are waiting in Heaven for the Rapture.

In 1 Thess 4:14 it says Jesus will return to the Earth to collect His Bride, the Church. When He returns He comes with all those who have previously died and gone to Heaven - i.e. their spirits and souls come back with Him. In v15 it says the "dead in Christ" will go first - i.e. the spiritual beings in the air with Jesus will get their resurrected glorious bodies BEFORE we get ours. Then we will be caught up to meet them in the air in the clouds.. "then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." [NKJV]

I think that this literally means the Earth's atmosphere and clouds. This is different, I believe, from the reference to clouds in Matt 24:40-41. In this passage Jesus is addressing His words to the Jews. The reference in Matthew 24:40-41 does not, IMO, refer to the Rapture, since the people it's talking about are the Jews/Israel. Just previously, in Matthew 24, so I think it is referring to the same event, Jesus likens the time of the end to that of Noah.

[Sidebar] Checking back in Genesis 7, God placed Noah in the Ark 7 days BEFORE the rains started. Is this a possible reference to the 7 years of Tribulation predicted in Daniel (using the same symbolism used in Daniel to equate 1 day to 1 year)? I think this confirms that we (the Church) get to be "caught up" just before this 7 year Tribulation period starts.

However, (back to Matt 24) Jesus does say that his listeners (the Jews) would see the Son of Man appear (a very specific reference to the Jewish Messiah) coming on the clouds (Dan 7:13, Rev 1:7), and at that time all the nations will see Him and will mourn.

2) Back to 1 Thess 4.. "then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up". Notice there is no reference to a resurrection, only to being "caught up" - which is where we get the English word 'rapture' from.

Lets turn to 1 Cor 15. Here Paul is addressing what happens when a believer dies. He is very clear that we will get a spiritual body at the resurrection (if we have died before the Rapture), and not before. Then we get to v51. Paul emphatically states that not everyone will die a physical death, but some of us (those "who are alive and remain") will be changed - "but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" [NKJV]

I respectfully suggest that, contrary to what we all seem to have been taught (boy, am I walking a tightrope here), the sequence of events goes like this: it would seem that the Lord first gives a shout to raise the dead (c.f. John 11:43-44, Matt 27:50-53), then the trumpet sounds - which I guess we will all hear (resurrected and still alive believers), we are all changed in the twinkling of an eye (i.e. instantaneously) into our new glorious bodies, then the previously dead, now resurrected, believers are reunited with their bodies "in the air" - remember, only their spirits and souls are in the air with Jesus until this resurrection, whilst we follow later.

Notice there is no indication of a timeline: it does NOT say we will get caught up to be with those in the air immediately we have been changed - it does imply some timeline, since the dead go BEFORE those of us still alive - how much before is not defined.

Now, imagine...

Jesus returns "in the air" with the spirits and souls of millions of the believers who have already died (as promised in Acts 1:9-11). These then get their new glorious, resurrected, bodies - which are made of light - at least they will be blinding to the human eye (see account of Jesus transfiguration, with Moses and Elijah). AFTER this happens, we get our new bodies whilst we are still here on earth. The trumpet sound is to call us all to worship the Lord, and for the hosts of heaven (the angels) to go to war with the demonic forces in the atmosphere and on the earth, to make way for us who are still on the Earth to meet with the Lord in the air.

I think that when all this happens, 1) everybody on the Earth is going to see the saints of the Most High in the skies, and will see us here on Earth in our glorified (light) bodies for a period before we go up in the air. I personally think that this event will more frightening, yet less catastrophic to the world than is portrayed, for example, in the Left Behind series - where the believers instantly disappear. Maybe this time, whilst we are still here, could be a time of great miracles and witnessing to those about to be left behind, because we will truly be immortal, Spirit empowered supernatural beings at this point - that's just my sudden thought as I write this.

I believe it is this event that will cause the Jews to turn en masse to following Jesus, (see Romans 10:19, 11:11 - as they will be made jealous by having seen their Messiah and the Rapture take place) - but at this point they, along with every one else will get left behind, as we all go up to Heaven until Jesus comes back, on his horse (Rev 19:11-16) with the clouds of Heaven (see comments above). I think that these 'clouds of Heaven' are in fact the "armies of Heaven" - angels, not the believers, to do battle with the demonic forces on the earth and capture/eliminate them - make them of no effect before Jesus lands on the finally Mount of Olives.

This will also be the time when the 144,000 evangelists are anointed to preach the Gospel to all the world - thus fulfilling the original mandate God gave the Jews from the beginning, and fulfilling Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:14.

Anyway, thank you for putting up with my ramblings if you got this far.

John

Revival is coming!!

God is doing some amazing things in my city.

About 18 months ago (Nov 2005), one of the ministers in the city (a Baptist minister, I think), had a vision from God, making it clear that unless something was done and done soon, to deal with the sin in the city (and I can tell you there is a lot!), the city would come under God's judgment.

He was sufficiently disturbed that he talked to some of the other ministers, and they agreed he should go to the Mayor and tell him what God had said. (The Mayor is a catholic, but I'm not sure he is born again - please pray for him)

He did so, and to everyone's amazement, the Major responded by asking what could be done. It was suggested that he call the churches together for a week of penitential prayer (as per 2 Chronicles 7:14). This was called "Our Turn"

As a result most of the evangelical churches (now c. 25, and even the largest Catholic church in the city) organized a week long time of prayer last November, with two churches per night opening their doors for prayer meetings and one church having a 24/7 Prayer facility open to anyone who wanted to come, with the focus on praying for God's mercy and forgiveness for both the churches and the city leaders, businessmen and inhabitants.

All this was done with the Mayor's active encouragement, and he even arranged for a final night's meeting at one of the colleges managed by the city, so as many as possible could get together for a prayer and worship meeting. To my knowledge, the Major attended almost every night at one of the churches. Furthermore, it is the first time in anyone's knowledge that a city Mayor has done this in Canada.

This has been followed up in February of this year by another 24/7 week of prayer (same church as before), with a prayer and worship service open to all the churches on the last Sunday evening.

The Mayor has now requested that the churches hold another week long "Our Turn" event later this year. This is now in preparation.

We are seeing ministers from the different churches coming together regularly to pray, and as a visiting speaker said recently, this is the first time he had ever seen a group of ministers come together to do something positive, as opposed to complain and take a stand against another ministry.

The core group includes pastors from Baptist, Methodist, Mennonite, Pentecostal, Charismatic and Word of Faith churches!!! They meet every 2 weeks in the Mayor's Chambers at City Hall for prayer and fellowship - with the Mayor's encouragement and support!!

We are also seeing steady growth amongst the evangelical churches, and in my church (which is a relative newcomer to the area), we are seeing a spurt in solid growth from an average of 25 last year to the upper 40's since the beginning of this year, and with new faces at almost every service.

John