It is good to amongst brethren in CHRIST. To be encouraged and exhorted to continue on in the service to the LORD and not to give up as the coming of the LORD JESUS is imminent.
Let us continue to pray for the peace in Jerusalem; for the needs of the ministries; for the lost souls and especially for the wisdom of our leadership. May they find the salvation of the LORD JESUS CHRIST to guide their decisions and give praise to GOD.
Merry Christmas everyone and a prosperous New Year in 2024.
Mary I hope this answers your question. We are told in Heb.4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the (dividing) asunder (of soul and spirit), and of the joint and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The word (dividing) is #3311; it means a separation or distribution, to part, to disunite, be difference between, divide. (So this verse tells us that the soul and the spirit are separated, disunited, there is a difference between them. The spirit goes to be with God who gave it. Eccle. 12:6-7 (6) Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. (7) Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the ((spirit shall return unto God)) who gave it. 2.Cor.5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (The spirit goes to God at death) What about the soul? Ps.44:25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth. Ps.49:15 But God will redeem (my soul from the power of the grave), for he shall receive me. Selah. Ps.89:48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death? (shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave). Acts.2:27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in (hell), neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. The word (hell) is #86; it means unseen, "Hades" or the place (state) of departed souls. (Hell is the grave, the place, or (state) of departed souls) When Jesus descends from heaven in 1.Thes.4:14-17 (the dead in Christ shall rise first). Where do they rise from? What will rise? Their soul will rise from the grave to meet their spirit, and their Lord in the clouds, their spirit would be those who sleep in Jesus that God brings back with Him in v.14.
At death, there is a separation that takes place. The physical body will lay in the grave and wait to be resurrected, but the spirit will separate from the body and will go to be with the Lord. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
As believers, when we're here, the Lord's with us but we're not with Him in heaven. But as soon as you are absent from the body, as soon as you experience death (which means separation), as soon as your spirit leaves your body, you're in the presence of the Lord.
There's no "soul sleep." There's no in between phases. Paul says I'd rather be out of this body and present with the Lord, but in the meantime while we're here, we live by faith. We live by the Spirit of God!
Paul then gives the cause in 2 Corinthians 5:9. He says, "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him."
The motivation of Paul is to do what is well pleasing to the Lord. He says whether I'm here, or whether I'm up with Him, I only have one thing that I shoot for as a goal, and it is to be well pleasing to him, which is what that phrase means.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;"
That is what is called the Bema seat. This is not the Great White Throne Judgment. The judgment seat of Christ (Bema Seat) is for believers only. This is not a judgment to determine salvation because Christ already paid the penalty and all who have received Him have been declared not guilty. This judgement is to determine our reward/s. This judgement is described for us in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3.
There will be a separate judgement for all who have rejected Christ. This judgement is called the Great White Throne judgment. No believe will stand before that judgment.
Consider that the KJV uses the word sleep for being dead awaiting Christ's return.
"Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;" Psalms 13:3 KJV
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." 1 Thessalonians 4:14 KJV
"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." John 11:11 KJV
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
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." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 KJV
"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Romans 13:11 KJV
The Bible talks about a "day" of judgment, rather than people being judged sporadically.
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." 1 John 4:17 KJV
And it says no one escapes judgment- people often think they skip this for some reason despite what the Bible says:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV
So, when these verses are put together it seems like all will be judged on the same day (also consistent with the vision in Revelation) and that people won't go to heaven until they're first judged, and it then makes sense where it says the dead will rise to meet Jesus in the air. So, to me it all seems logical, what happens. Despite all this evidence in God's word, many people still prefer to believe something else that makes them feel good, however.
I love what Angela said 3/14/15...that fear is over rated and backs us up in a corner and make us not believe in God. I can relate holding onto fear in my walk in Christ...somethings I believed and in others I did not . I only realized It was fear when I hesitated to give that specific scenario to God. Now I realize with her comment that I did get backed up in a corner with that fear- but I am out of there in the name of Christ Jesus!!!
@2 timothy to me appeared to be a young men who is learning to have strong faith by paul the apostle of christ jesus our lord by the will of god. timothy is learning about gods grace that was given in christ jesus before the beginning of time. who is our savior christ jesus who destroyed death and brought life to the gospel.
Thank you for maintaining this Bible website. It is both encouraging and easy to navigate. Hold fast to the things of God, may He continue to bless and keep you.
Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." It doesn't say might be saved, but will be saved. It is God's promise to those who truly call upon the Lord and surrender their life to Him. If you have not done so already, please ask Jesus Christ to come into your life. He will give you His Spirit (Holy Spirit), and His Spirit will lead and guide you into all truth and understanding.
Romans 10:9-13 sums up what we need to do to become a child of God. If you first understand that you are a sinner (as we all are before God) & your sins have brought you grief, then your only hope is in the Mercy of God to forgive you, cleanse you & accept you into His Love & Kingdom. And God promises to do this because He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for your sins, in your place, so you don't have to face God's judgement.
Confess to God through Jesus His Son. When God forgives, He sends His Holy Spirit to be in you to seal you as a child of God & to minister to you & guide you in your life. Spend time in prayer to God, praising Him & just talking to Him, your Heavenly Father. Spend time in reading His Word, the Bible, to learn more of Him & what He requires in your life. Attend a Bible believing Church to help you grow in your faith & speak to the Pastor about being baptized in water as a public testimony of your identification with Christ & your personal testimony against Satan who will seek every opportunity to make you commit sin or have doubts. Please don't waste any time to get right with God - you don't know what the next day brings. He's waiting for you now, ready to forgive all who come to Him in faith. May the Lord God be with your spirit to reveal these things to you & help you.
From my understanding would be to simply forget about what the world teach, which is live for popularity and live to become rich, thus ; not understanding the christ draw near to the poor.
does 'he that findeth his life shall lose it' mean ; if a person lives only for himself, believing all his life is by the power of his own hands, and never gives God a thought or glorifies Him: who will turn in others to save himself; who will take the mark of the beast to preserve his mortal life? just need clarification on this. Agape love and blessings for the KJV APP COG
To Noel on 2 Timothy 1:6, Your comment on speaking in tongues was painted with a wide brush. I would caution you as you move forward as a Christian, while professing speaking in tongues. You are incorrect in your interpretation of God's Word. Look up Kenneth Copeland and R H Browne as they babble in a "tongue?" Back and forth while laughing and slapping each other on the back. These people and others like them ie. Benny Hinn are nothing but charlatans who are out for their own personal financial gain. Study and show yourself approved while rightly dividing the TRUTH!!
We have to know in this uncertain time that regardless of whats happening around us the word of God still stands secure Paul said for i know!!! Its all about "KNOWING"...in spite of everything around us God is still God..for i KNOW!! I am in his hands this is my Confidence!!
1 Corinthians 12:28 - And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles,
then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (Tongues the last least gift.)
1 Corinthians 12:29 - Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1 Cor 12:30 - Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? (the answer is NO)
1 Cor 12:31 - But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues
1 Corinthians Chapter 14: 26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue,
hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
....But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church....
not one Pentecostal church I have ever been to have ever followed this in scripture.
tongues is the least important gift. no interpreter = keep silent.
There is one gift it is the Holy Spirit acts 2:38.
When you recieve the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, The Holy Spirit comes into you with all the other manifestations of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12.
Mishael on The Holy Spirit on 2 Timothy 1 - 4 years ago
Jesus spoke many times about the Comforter to come. Especially near the end of his earthly life. He knew we would need Holy Spirits ministry for every part of our lives; especially for ministry.
Tongues is for the edification and strengthening of your inner spirit. Sometimes you may feel deep groaning inside. I rock myself. I was praying in tongues, as were hundreds of others: it was a corporate prayer. (Your natural mind does not comprehend what your spirit is saying. Give voice to the groaning.) We finished praying and it was time to go home. The nice looking couple beside me asked me if I knew what I had spoken? I said no. They asked did I want to know. I said ok. They said I was praising God in Hebrew. We chatted and they invited me and a church friend to a Passover dinner the next night which was beautiful. They washed my feet :O
It's not an every day thing. You feel an unction in your spirit when the Holy Spirit alerts you to. If you're "standing in the gap" for someone (interceding), you need to pray right then if called to.
It's not weird. Have you ever felt like groaning? I don't know one word of Hebrew. If someone was speaking it my natural mind wouldn't recognize it. It's mysterious but always calming. As my love and trust for the Holy Spirit deepened, I was ok with anything He wanted. I'm a servant as best I can describe.
There's a lyric in a song that best describes it. It's about a holy man living in a cave who sings to the Lord. He's got no shoes, little food but sees the most incredible things..... The singer met the SONG, and he understood. He dies.
That's how I feel about the Holy Spirit.
If you've had failed relationships with male figures; you have to lay all that on a invisible altar; walk backwards to the door,
Turn and walk away. Ask the Holy Spirit to cover those memories. In my experience the sting of those memories are never felt again.
That'd how He is. He's gentle. He knows YOU by name.
Jan, I feel the same way. I am a true believer and love God and Jesus to! I also fear God but I also love him just as much! I worry that I am not living up to his standards because I do not like to mingle with a bunch of people like in Church. Not that they are rude or anything I just am not the type. I read something about God almost every day and every time I do he lifts me up and he has answered my prayers and one prayer he answered for me in about 5 Min. Just blew me away and him and only him would have known what I needed and after that I could feel him when I was in certain places in the house and it was a wonderful feeling!! I am afraid I am not living up to his standards and it really does worry me! I do think if I went to Church I would get the answers I am lookin for. What I do is look back to John 3:16, and that really sums it up for me. I wish with all my heart I felt better about everything because it is the most important thing in your life and I want to go to Heaven. I am no where at all a bad person. Gods word is getting fulfilled very fast right now! Amen
Jan, it is wonderful that He deals with us as a loving father would on Earth ( Heb 12:5-11) & not as a tyrant lording it over us for our many sins & weaknesses. We always notice that His dealings with us are gentle, patient, & imploring. Conviction of that sin is the first sign of the Spirit speaking to our spirit that all is not well & the Mercy Seat is available for us. How privileged & blessed we are to be His precious children.
I love and believe in God ,but I also fear God. I believe that when I step out of God's will that He might and does, deal with me. The Holy Spirit makes me very uncomfortable until I go to God in prayer and seek His forgiveness.
The fear the Bible talks about is used with negative "not" refers to the condition in which we approach God.Because before Jesus ,our ancestors were given the covenant of Law on Mount Sinai to follow to live in peace with God. But the were dying like insect by a little mistake. In this way, the had been afraid to approach the Lord. Even animals died when the approached. Moses even said it that he was afraid to go near.They broke the covanant He told Jeremiah to let them know that he was about to make a new covenant with them which is of" LOVE AND PEACE not Of FEAR.(JER:31:33-34.)this is Jesus.Then through Jesus we are bound to God and live in peace andgo to God without fear..
Let us continue to pray for the peace in Jerusalem; for the needs of the ministries; for the lost souls and especially for the wisdom of our leadership. May they find the salvation of the LORD JESUS CHRIST to guide their decisions and give praise to GOD.
Merry Christmas everyone and a prosperous New Year in 2024.
December 25, 2023
At death, there is a separation that takes place. The physical body will lay in the grave and wait to be resurrected, but the spirit will separate from the body and will go to be with the Lord. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
As believers, when we're here, the Lord's with us but we're not with Him in heaven. But as soon as you are absent from the body, as soon as you experience death (which means separation), as soon as your spirit leaves your body, you're in the presence of the Lord.
There's no "soul sleep." There's no in between phases. Paul says I'd rather be out of this body and present with the Lord, but in the meantime while we're here, we live by faith. We live by the Spirit of God!
Paul then gives the cause in 2 Corinthians 5:9. He says, "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him."
The motivation of Paul is to do what is well pleasing to the Lord. He says whether I'm here, or whether I'm up with Him, I only have one thing that I shoot for as a goal, and it is to be well pleasing to him, which is what that phrase means.
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;"
That is what is called the Bema seat. This is not the Great White Throne Judgment. The judgment seat of Christ (Bema Seat) is for believers only. This is not a judgment to determine salvation because Christ already paid the penalty and all who have received Him have been declared not guilty. This judgement is to determine our reward/s. This judgement is described for us in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3.
There will be a separate judgement for all who have rejected Christ. This judgement is called the Great White Throne judgment. No believe will stand before that judgment.
Consider that the KJV uses the word sleep for being dead awaiting Christ's return.
"Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;" Psalms 13:3 KJV
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." 1 Thessalonians 4:14 KJV
"These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." John 11:11 KJV
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
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." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 KJV
"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Romans 13:11 KJV
The Bible talks about a "day" of judgment, rather than people being judged sporadically.
"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." 1 John 4:17 KJV
And it says no one escapes judgment- people often think they skip this for some reason despite what the Bible says:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV
So, when these verses are put together it seems like all will be judged on the same day (also consistent with the vision in Revelation) and that people won't go to heaven until they're first judged, and it then makes sense where it says the dead will rise to meet Jesus in the air. So, to me it all seems logical, what happens. Despite all this evidence in God's word, many people still prefer to believe something else that makes them feel good, however.
Or do we stay in the grave until Jesus 's
Return?????
Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." It doesn't say might be saved, but will be saved. It is God's promise to those who truly call upon the Lord and surrender their life to Him. If you have not done so already, please ask Jesus Christ to come into your life. He will give you His Spirit (Holy Spirit), and His Spirit will lead and guide you into all truth and understanding.
God Bless you!!!
If he didn't give us a spirit of fear? ( 2 Timothy 1-7)
Confess to God through Jesus His Son. When God forgives, He sends His Holy Spirit to be in you to seal you as a child of God & to minister to you & guide you in your life. Spend time in prayer to God, praising Him & just talking to Him, your Heavenly Father. Spend time in reading His Word, the Bible, to learn more of Him & what He requires in your life. Attend a Bible believing Church to help you grow in your faith & speak to the Pastor about being baptized in water as a public testimony of your identification with Christ & your personal testimony against Satan who will seek every opportunity to make you commit sin or have doubts. Please don't waste any time to get right with God - you don't know what the next day brings. He's waiting for you now, ready to forgive all who come to Him in faith. May the Lord God be with your spirit to reveal these things to you & help you.
then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (Tongues the last least gift.)
1 Corinthians 12:29 - Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1 Cor 12:30 - Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? (the answer is NO)
1 Cor 12:31 - But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues
1 Corinthians Chapter 14: 26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue,
hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
....But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church....
not one Pentecostal church I have ever been to have ever followed this in scripture.
tongues is the least important gift. no interpreter = keep silent.
When you recieve the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, The Holy Spirit comes into you with all the other manifestations of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12.
Tongues is for the edification and strengthening of your inner spirit. Sometimes you may feel deep groaning inside. I rock myself. I was praying in tongues, as were hundreds of others: it was a corporate prayer. (Your natural mind does not comprehend what your spirit is saying. Give voice to the groaning.) We finished praying and it was time to go home. The nice looking couple beside me asked me if I knew what I had spoken? I said no. They asked did I want to know. I said ok. They said I was praising God in Hebrew. We chatted and they invited me and a church friend to a Passover dinner the next night which was beautiful. They washed my feet :O
It's not an every day thing. You feel an unction in your spirit when the Holy Spirit alerts you to. If you're "standing in the gap" for someone (interceding), you need to pray right then if called to.
It's not weird. Have you ever felt like groaning? I don't know one word of Hebrew. If someone was speaking it my natural mind wouldn't recognize it. It's mysterious but always calming. As my love and trust for the Holy Spirit deepened, I was ok with anything He wanted. I'm a servant as best I can describe.
There's a lyric in a song that best describes it. It's about a holy man living in a cave who sings to the Lord. He's got no shoes, little food but sees the most incredible things..... The singer met the SONG, and he understood. He dies.
That's how I feel about the Holy Spirit.
If you've had failed relationships with male figures; you have to lay all that on a invisible altar; walk backwards to the door,
Turn and walk away. Ask the Holy Spirit to cover those memories. In my experience the sting of those memories are never felt again.
That'd how He is. He's gentle. He knows YOU by name.