* Jesus tells us what it will be like before HE returns to gather the elect of God.

 

Comments by Joan Boney:

Luke 21    

7  And they asked HIM, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

Luke 17     Jesus says:

28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

***

What was it like in Sodom in the time Lot lived there?

The sins of Sodom reached into heaven and God sent 2 angels to Sodom to destroy Sodom but first these angels had to remove Lot for he was a righteous man.

2 Peter 2:6-9   And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

***

I believe a rise in acceptance of homosexual sins will happen as a sign before Jesus returns to gather the elect to HIMSELF and God destroys this present world.

Homosexuals lived in every "quarter" of the city of Sodom when Lot lived there.  Lot knew these acts were wicked and he was vexed because of them.

Two men, who were really angels of God, came to Sodom on assignment to destroy Sodom after they delivered Lot from the destruction that was to come.  

Lot saw these two angels but he saw them as 2 men.  (Angels do not have wings.  Angels look like normal men.)

Knowing the wickedness of the city of Sodom, Lot offered these men the protection of his own house.

Genesis 19

1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.  (have sex with them)

6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

10 But the men (the angels) put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.

11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:

13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.

14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:

19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

25 And HE overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:

28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

***

The open approval by the world and the apostate churches concerning homosexual acts is one sign of the coming of Jesus to gather HIS elect and also the pending Great Tribulation and the destruction God will bring upon this world.

***

And what was it like in the days of Noah?

Luke 17:26-27  Jesus says:  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Genesis 6:5-7  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

6 And it repented the LORD that HE had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at his heart.

7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

11-13   The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

12  And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted HIS way upon the earth.

13  And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

***

But God makes a way of escape for the righteous, for the elect of God!

I Thessalonians 4

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (go before) them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

***

I Corinthians 15

48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep (die), but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

(Blink!  That is how fast we will be changed into our new spiritual bodies.  These current physical bodies will not go into heaven with us.)

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

***

Matthew 24    Jesus says:

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31 And HE shall send HIS angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

***

Revelation 21

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

5 And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.

***

2 Peter 3

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

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Hymn: I love to tell the story

(Click forward arrow > to play music:)


 1.  I love to tell the story
Of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory,
Of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story,
Because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings
As nothing else can do.

Chorus:

I love to tell the story,
’Twill be my theme in glory
To tell the old, old story
of Jesus and His love.


 2.  I love to tell the story;
More wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies
Of all my golden dreams,
I love to tell the story,
It did so much for me;
And that is just the reason
I tell it now to thee.

3.  I love to tell the story;
’Tis pleasant to repeat
What seems each time I tell it,
More wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story;
For some have never heard
The message of salvation
From God’s own holy Word.

4.  I love to tell the story;
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory,
I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story,
That I have loved so long.


(Click pause symbol,  "  ... at beginning of hymn, to stop music)

*****

Scripture pertaining to this hymn:

Philemon v.6    That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

***

Romans 5:5-9   ... the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth HIS love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

***

Concerning telling the story of Jesus ... 

Every time I share that which God has shown me, I tell of God and His power to help us and guide us as we live on this present earth.

It seems I'm almost always sharing something with people who come to the house to work.  

And wherever I am, I share as the subject arises.

I never plan anything.  I just pray for God to have me say what HE wants me to say and it seems there is always something HE wants me to say.

I speak as issues and scripture are brought to memory.  This is the way the Holy Spirit leads me.

*****

Mini-Podcast: Lot chose to live in Sodom because it was well watered and pretty. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked before the Lord.

 

 

 Genesis 13

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they (Abram & Lot) separated themselves the one from the other.

12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

I have noticed how wicked people often choose that land which is very pretty.

Sodom was filled with homosexuals "in every quarter" of the city of Sodom.

God sent 2 angels to Sodom to remove Lot before God destroyed Sodom.

Genesis 19:1-7

1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.  (know them:  have sex with them)

6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

(Lot knew these homosexual men of Sodom were "wicked".)

Romans 1:26-28   For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

 

 

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Chapter 11: New Book: Attending church. Pam Padgett: Attending a non-denominational church.

 

After leaving the Catholic church I went with friends to a couple of Baptist churches periodically.  Although people were friendly at these churches and the music was lively, these churches seemed "dead" to me.  

 

One day in the early 1980's I went to the store and saw a large tent in the parking lot.  In the tent a man was preaching from the Bible.  I went in and listened for a while and found what he said to be interesting.  He spoke of the difference between those who believe in Jesus mentally and those who believe from the heart.   My understanding was this man was an evangelist and was holding meetings for only a few days.  

Several months later I began an internship at a counseling center for teenagers.  Some of my co-workers there spoke of the new non-denominational church they were going to and I recognized that the man they referred to as the pastor was the evangelist I had heard at the tent meeting, Richard Hogue.  

I was told that he and his wife had wanted to settle down in one place to raise their family so he stopped doing evangelist work and "became" a pastor and started this new church called Metrochurch.  

 

(At the time I didn't know Ephesians 4 in which we're told that Jesus gives ministry assignments.  A person doesn't decide to start or stop being an apostle, or prophet, or evangelist, or pastor or teacher. ) 

 

Ephesians 4:11-12  And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. 

 

I began attending Metrochurch in Edmond, Oklahoma. 

***

At Metrochurch there was a singles group that met one evening each week.  Although I worked evenings, when possible, I went to the singles group meeting during my dinner break.  When I first began going to this group, they met in a small room with less than 10 people.  To me the people in the group seemed to care about things of God.  

After not being able to go to the singles group for several weeks, when I returned I was surprised to find that they were now meeting in the main auditorium and there were well over 100 people there.  

There was a new leader, a new pastor at the church, and there was lots of singing and clapping of hands.  The meetings were now more of a social gathering than they had been before and there were many people that I had never seen when the group was small.  In fact, I seldom saw anyone I had met when the group was small.  

 

In this large gathering, I met a woman, Cindy, who had a room to rent in her house.  I was looking for a place to live while I finished my studies and I  decided to rent this room in Cindy's house.  

 

Cindy had been married and divorced twice and had a daughter about 6 years old.  

At first she seemed content to remain single and raise her daughter, but several months later it became clear that she was looking for another husband.  

 

I shared scripture with her which tell us that if a divorced woman re-marries she commits adultery and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.  

Scriptures such as:

Romans 7:2-3   For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.  So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Matthew 5:32   But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

*  The divorced woman who remarries commits adultery, but her husband who divorced her will be the cause of her adultery.

*  The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

***

What a shock when Cindy said, "I don't care what the Bible says.  I know what I believe."  

 

***

Shortly after this conversation, I graduated and moved to a town about 30 miles away.  Although I continued to attend the Sunday morning church service, I no longer went to the singles group evening meetings.  However, I sat with those in the singles group during the Sunday morning church service, visiting with them before and after the service.  

I heard that Cindy was engaged to Terry, one of the men I knew from the singles group.

I went to Terry and shared with him scriptures about the adultery committed when a man marries a divorced woman. 

Matthew 19:9  Jesus says:  and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Terry said he would consider these things, but he did not stop the engagement.  

***

Then I learned that the woman who was to be the maid of honor at this wedding was Lisa.  I knew Lisa from the singles group as well.  

I went to her and shared scriptures warning of the adultery that would be committed if Cindy married again.  

Lisa said that she knew this but that Cindy and Terry would get married even if she wasn't maid of honor, so she was going to going ahead and be "maid of honor." 

 

I Timothy 5:22  ... neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

 

***

 

One Sunday morning, not long after I had talked with Terry and Lisa, I arrived at the church auditorium a little early and sat in the area where those in the singles group sat.  

Strangely, no one from the singles group came and sat in the area.  

As the service was about to begin, I turned around and saw those from the singles group sitting back several rows.  

I didn't think much about this.  I just thought they must have decided to start sitting in a new area of the auditorium. 

***

 

The next week I sat in the "new" area, but those in the singles group sat in the "old" area.  

***

The following week I got to the church building shortly before the service started.  

Those in the singles group were seated and I went and sat with them.  

Without saying a word, they got up and moved to another area of the auditorium.  

 

It was obvious that the people in the singles group wanted nothing to do with me, but I had no idea why. 

I cried out to God asking if I had done something wrong.  

 ***

A couple weeks later, Sherri, a woman I had met when the singles group was very small but I didn't know her very well, came to me after a Sunday morning church service.  She said she had a message from God for me.  

The message was that God knew how those in the singles group were treating me, that I needed to know it was because I had spoken to the various people involved in Cindy and Terry's wedding warning them of the adultery that would be committed by this marriage, and that this is what HE (God) had wanted me to do.  

Receiving this message was such a help to me, and I was so grateful to God for sending it to me.

 

***

 

Terry and Cindy's wedding was held at Metrochurch with one of the pastors from the church group officiating.    Lisa was maid of honor.   

*****

Jesus prays to God concerning the elect of God:

John 17:14-18   Jesus says to God:  

14   I have given them THY word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I pray not that THOU shouldest take them out of the world, but that THOU shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through THY truth: THY word is truth.

18 As THOU hast sent ME into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

  

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Click here to go to today's blog:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations blog

 

 

* Sodomites (homosexuals) not permitted to live among the children of Israel.

1 Kings 14:24   And there were also sodomites  (homosexuals) in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 23:17  There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite (homosexual) of the sons of Israel.

I  Kings 22:46  And the remnant of the sodomites (homosexuals), which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.

I Kings 15:12  And he took away the sodomites (homosexuals) out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

2 Kings 23:7  And he brake down the houses of the sodomites (homosexuals), that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

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Hymn: I know that my Redeemer lives

(Click forward arrow > to play music:)


1.  I know that my Redeemer lives
And ever prays for me;
A token of His love He gives,
A pledge of liberty. 

2.  I know that my Redeemer lives,
A quick’ning Spirit He;
I know eternal life He gives—
Amazing grace—to me.

3.  I find Him lifting up my head;
He brings salvation near;
His presence makes me free indeed,
And He will soon appear.

4.   He wills that I should holy be:
What can withstand His will? 
The counsel of His grace in me
He surely shall fulfill.

5.  Jesus, I hang upon Thy word:
I steadfastly believe
Thou wilt return and claim me, Lord,
And to Thyself receive.


(Click pause symbol,  "  ... at beginning of hymn, to stop music)

*****

Scriptures pertaining to this hymn:

v. 1   I know that my Redeemer lives
And ever prays for me;

Hebrews 7:25   Wherefore HE is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by HIM, seeing HE ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Romans 8:24-34    For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?   But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 

And HE that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because HE maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

For whom HE did foreknow, HE also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of HIS Son, that HE might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover whom HE did predestinate, them HE also called: and whom HE called, them HE also justified: and whom HE justified, them HE also glorified. 

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 

He that spared not HIS own Son, but delivered HIM up for us all, how shall HE not with HIM also freely give us all things?

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, WHO is even at the right hand of God, WHO also maketh intercession for us.

***

v. 2  I know that my Redeemer lives,
A quick’ning Spirit He;


John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 John 16:13  Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of HIMSELF; but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.

***

v. 3  His presence makes me free indeed,
And He will soon appear.

Ephesians 1:12-14 ...  That we should be to the praise of HIS glory, who first trusted in Christ.  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of HIS glory.

John 8:31-32   Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on HIM, If ye continue in MY word, then are ye MY disciples indeed;  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18   But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep (die) in Jesus will God bring with Him. 

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede)  them which are asleep (dead). 

For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.


Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

***

Job 19:25   For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that HE shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

*****

Preview: Top Podcast # 6 (Homosexuals/lesbians: What Bible says)

 

As we read the Holy Bible, we see God's view of the various subjects pertaining to this present life.

NT scriptures:  Homosexuals & Lesbians

Romans 1:26-28   For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

I Cor. 6:9-10   Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate  (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

***

OT scriptures: Sodomites (homosexuals)

I Kings 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

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Deuteronomy 23:17  There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite (homosexual) of the sons of Israel.

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Genesis 13:11-13  (Abram & Lot)   Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.  But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.  (These men were homosexuals and they came out from every quarter of Sodom to have sex with the 2 men who were at Lot's house.  Gen. 19)

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Genesis 19  (Angels sent by God to destroy Sodom and to deliver Lot's family from Sodom.)

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.  (have sex with them)

6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,  And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

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For more extensive information from the scripture:  Listen to the complete Podcast:  "Homosexuals/lesbians:  What the Bible says:"

 

 

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Chapter 10: New Book: Attending church. Pam Padgett: Trying to reconcile differences between that which was taught at the Catholic church and that which the Bible says.

 

While I was in college in the 1970's, my college friend, Connie Jo, and I would often talk about things of God.  

One day as we were talking I mentioned something about Mary, the mother of Jesus, being "assumed" into heaven.  

 

Connie Jo asked me, "Where is that in the Bible?" 

 

I responded, "I don't know where it is in the Bible, but I'm sure it is there because we were taught about this in the Catholic church."   

We had been taught that Mary was taken into heaven much as Jesus was taken into heaven as told in the following scripture. 

Acts 1:9.  And when HE (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they beheld, HE was taken up; and a cloud received HIM out of their sight.

However, when I looked in the Bible for an account of Mary being "assumed" into heaven,  I couldn't find any mention of this.

 

Surely I was just overlooking it!   (I thought.)

At that time I was still attending Catholic church.

***

When I went to my parents' home one weekend, I looked this up in their Catholic Books of Knowledge, a 3-book set of encyclopedias which told about Catholic doctrine.  

I was shocked to read that Mary being assumed into heaven was not in the Bible!  

It was explained in these books of Catholic doctrine, that the report of this event had been passed down from generation to generation  but was not in the Bible.  

This is the first time I saw that a doctrine taught in the Catholic church wasn't in the Bible, and it was quite puzzling to me.  

***

 

As I continued reading in the Bible, and as Connie Jo and I talked, other Catholic doctrines came to light which were either not in the Bible or conflicted with what I read in the Bible.  

I started a list of these things.  

 

Although I no longer have that list, I recall some of the things that were jarring to me as I read the Bible during that time, for it didn't line up with that which had been taught in the Catholic church. 

(There was a difference between the Bible and Catholic doctrine!)

***

 

* I Timothy 4:1-3  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 

 

 *  The Catholic church forbids their religious leaders (priests, nuns, bishops, cardinals, pope) to marry.  

We see in the Bible that the apostle Peter was married and had multiple children for Peter was an elder and as such was required to have his children under control.  So by this we know Peter had children.

Matthew 8:14-15   And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, HE saw his (Peter's) wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And HE touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

I Peter 5:1  Peter says:  The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

I Tim. 3:2-5   A bishop (also called elder) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

***

* And in the Catholic church we were taught that we could not eat meat on Fridays, but we could eat fish.

Doctrines of devils: 

I Tim. 4:3-4  ... and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.  For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

In the Bible there is no scripture telling us that we cannot eat meat on a specific day of the week.  We are free to eat meat any day of the week.  

And also in Bible, "fish" is called "meat".   

John 21:5-6  Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.  And HE said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

(The practicing Catholics eat fish on Fridays.  But fish is a meat.)

Devils twist doctrines to the point it takes some effort to separate truth from the lies.  And when they make up their own doctrines, you will find it to be very twisted when you try to sort through and get the real truth.

John 8:44  Jesus says:  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

***

* Luke 20:46  Beware of the scribes (religious leaders), which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;

 

- This reminded me strongly of the religious leaders in the Catholic church walking about in long robes.  (And I saw many "lay people" stand in awe of them.)

In the New Testament Church, there are no "religious garments" showing a person to be a minister of Jesus.  By the Spirit dwelling in that person and by the spiritual gifts of God coming through that person, we recognize the calling of Jesus that is on that person.

From heaven, Jesus calls HIS ministers today, and places HIS ministers into the offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, according to HIS will.

Ephesians 4:8, 11-12   Wherefore HE (Jesus) saith, When HE ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men...   And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Also a minister can have multiple offices.

Paul was an apostle, teacher, and preacher.

Paul says to Timothy:

2 Timothy 1:11  Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

***

Concerning prayer:

* Matthew 6:7-8  Jesus says:   But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask HIM.

- In the Catholic church we were taught to memorize prayers, which we said over and over.

During various rituals, such as "Mass", the same prayers are recited, sometimes multiple times.  

(And no where in the Bible are we told of anything called a "Mass".)  

 

Another example of repetitious prayers is "saying a rosary" in which prayers are recited over and over, using a string of beads called a "rosary" to keep track of how many times the prayer has been said.

The primary prayer we were taught to say in the rosary is a prayer to Mary:  

 

" Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen "

The Catholic church blasphemed Mary rather than honoring Mary as she should be honored.

The Catholic church taught lies about Mary and taught their people lies in telling them to pray to Mary.

Mary is a dead person.  She cannot hear the living when they pray to her.  She has no power to answer prayer.  It is God who has power to answer prayer.

Mary is to be honored by that which she did when the angel spoke to her as follows:

Luke 1:26-38

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,  To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.  HE shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto HIM the throne of HIS father David:  And HE shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of HIS kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

The greatness of Mary is that she yielded to the Word of God and accepted that word and suffered the shame that often comes from the Word, for Mary became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

***

Also regarding prayer ... 

- The Catholic church teaches their people to pray to Mary and to other dead people whom the Catholic church have designated as "saints".  Yet no where in the Bible are we told to pray to Mary or any other dead person. 

Dead people cannot hear you for the dead are asleep.  

John 11:11-14   These things said HE (Jesus): and after that HE saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12 Then said HIS disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that HE had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

14   Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

***

Concerning prayer:

 

We are told in the Bible to pray to God.   

Matthew 6:6   But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 

***

Who are "saints"?

In the Catholic church, they appoint certain dead people as saints and tell you to pray to these dead "saints" for different things.

(Dead people have no power.  Dead people are asleep.  Those dead people who are in Christ will be raised from the dead when Jesus returns through the clouds to gather the elect of God to meet HIM in the air.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18   But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep (dead), that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede/go before) them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

***

 

In the Bible, "saints"  are all who have been born again by the Spirit of God, the elect of God, chosen by God.  No human designates who is a "saint". 

In his epistles the apostle Paul often addressed the church as "saints."  

Romans 15:26   For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

Ephesians 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

2 Cor. 13:13  All the saints salute you.  (All the church greets you.)

***

 

* 1 Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.  

 

- In the Catholic church we were taught that in order for our sins to be forgiven, we needed to confess our sins to a priest, "go to confession", that the priest would assign penance for us to do (often penance would be to recite a certain number of prayers),  and that the priest had power to forgive our sins.

(To do penance for sins is to replace the grace of God through faith that Jesus paid for our sins.)

In the New Testament we are not instructed to go to a priest to confess our sins.  We confess our sins to God. 

And there is nothing we can do to pay for our sins.  Neither does a priest have power to forgive our sins.  Our sins are paid for only by the blood of Jesus.  

- Our salvation is not through a priest, bishop, cardinal, or pope.  Our salvation is not through doing various rituals, saying memorized prayers over and over, or following traditions and rules set up by man.  Our salvation is not in a priest coming to pray over us before we die.  

We are saved only through Jesus Christ.

John 14:6  Jesus says:  I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by ME.  (Jesus, The Word)

***

 

It was especially shocking when I read that we are not to make graven images, and we are not to bow down to graven images.  

Each Catholic church I have ever been in had statues and people knelt down and prayed before these statues. 

Exodus 20:1-6  And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before ME. 

 

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 

 

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate ME; 

 

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love ME, and keep MY commandments.

***

Colossians 1:18  And HE (Jesus) is the head of the body, the church: WHO is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things HE might have the preeminence.

In the Catholic church it is taught that the pope is the head of the Catholic church.  

(The word "pope" is not in the Bible, not in Old Testament, not in New Testament.)

Jesus is the head of the church, the body of Christ, not a man called "pope".  

 ***

 

Seeing these things was so puzzling to me, for we had been taught that the Catholic church is the only true church.  

 

How could they teach doctrines that didn't line up with the Bible?  

 

Yet I had a list of things that didn't line up with the Bible.  

 

That the Catholic church taught wrong things seemed impossible to me, and I didn't want to believe this.  

 

Was I not understanding correctly? 

***

Although the college I attended was a state university, a nun was taking some classes there.  She was easily recognized by the garments she wore.  

I asked if I could talk with her and we set a time to meet.  

 

When we met I had with me the list of things I had collected, things in which the Catholic church teachings did not seem to line up with the Bible.   

 

I asked about the first thing on my list.  

 

The nun turned completely white, as though all the blood had drained from her face.  She was obviously quite shaken.  

 

She said "This is why lay people should not read the Bible."  

She went on to say that she couldn't answer questions such as this, that I would need to talk with a priest or a brother.  

Seeing this nun's strong reaction was used by God to completely break through my believing that the Catholic church is the one true church and this caused me not to resist seeing the wrong that they were professing in the Catholic church doctrines.  

I saw clearly that it was not a matter of my misunderstanding.   

Those Catholic church doctrines did not line up with the Bible.

I left the Catholic church.  

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