Apostle Paul’s answer to some of your current questions

Dear brothers and sisters: some of you ask whether the Lord is coming soon and what signs shall we be watching out?

Here is what I received last night as I pondered on the current matter in this decade. The answer from the Lord’s Spirit opens my eyes to see the way the Bible prophecy is to be seen and understood. The key letters/words to note are made bold by me. Please read with other passages in the Bible that you may find through cross-references. Then you can see the big picture of the answer. I have made comments/notes in brackets after the passages for us to see clearer in the spirit.

Please read the Bible and ask the Lord yourselves and listen to wise words from other proven trusted godly believers’ counsel.

2 Thessalonians 2

Now, dear brothers and sisters,^[a] let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. ² Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. ³ Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness^[b] is revealed—the one who brings destruction.^[c] 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.

(Notes: This revelation of the thing/event that will happen in churches/houses of prayers is clear today. Who/which officials have usurped the right and authority of Jesus Christ in churches nowadays? Issuing commands on the qualification of a worshipper in the church?)

⁵ Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? ⁶ And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. ⁷ For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. ⁸ Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

(Notes: It is now nearly two thousand year after Paul’s prophecy. The lawlessness is being revealed. It is not in the form of a man. It is in the form of a system/policy/order, behind which veil are the unseen and anonymous men who wielded the power to takeover the right and authority of Jesus Christ and issue command to churches/places of worship. The apostle Paul and other apostles already saw this at their time, and it is unveiled clearly now for many more to see.)

⁹ This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. ¹⁰ He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. ¹¹ So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. ¹² Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

(Notes: What man-made inventions in this century have used every kind of evil deception with the seemingly awe inspiring addictive “power and signs and miracles”? This needs no answer. Very clearly visible to all. All to ponder this.)

Believers Should Stand Firm

¹³ As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first^[d] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Notes: Is this why Jesus talks about the great divide even then between the narrow gate and the wide gate? Matthew 7:13-14)

¹⁵ With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

(Notes: dear brothers ad sisters, this is what the apostles encourage us to all do. Stand firm and keep a strong grip on the words of God!)

¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, ¹⁷ comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

Footnotes

1. 2:1 Greek brothers; also in 2:13, 15.
2. 2:3a Some manuscripts read the man of sin.
3. 2:3b Greek the son of destruction.
4. 2:13 Some manuscripts read chose you from the very beginning.

Notes: I do not assume anything anymore. I pray that each of us continues to let the Holy Spirit give us wisdom and revelation as we read His words. Praying in tongue will sharpen our spiritual senses. Jesus advises us to be wiser than the ones who are not on Jesus’ side. “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves”. Matthew 10:16

kainotes, 2021-08-15

among Peter’s last words for being a Christian: use two gifts

The apostle Peter uses few words. Only two letters of his to the churches are recorded in the Bible and both are short letters. While processing a design cover for a minister’s archived live video recording teaching of Noah in the Book of Genesis in church yesterday, I was prompted in my spirit to listen to an old classic song titled “The end of the world is coming soon…love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:7-8) and to read Peter’s chapter four in 1 Peter.

The old song touched my heart thirty year ago when I was young in Christ learning to walk by faith but knowing little about the Holy Spirit. I read with my mind and did not understand the real meaning of many Gods words then. I was touched because the singer was a popularly known seasoned actor from a neighboring country who chose to travel quite a distance to visit our little unknown church to give his testimony about how his life was transformed by encountering Jesus in his life. However, to me at that time, the end of the world was surely not that near. I had just started building a family, a home, and a second profession which I had great confidence to make into a big success. I thought that given another twenty years I would have become what I wanted to be in this world.

How wrong my plan had turned out. First, the time I received was only fifteen years and not twenty. Second, I truly encountered the Holy Spirit in person and the reality of the spiritual realm. And it is no turning back. The time that I had lost could never be redeemed in the worldly sense, whether it’s spilt milk or spilt water on the ground.

I have discovered that fifteen or twenty chronological years could not achieve much unless I walk in the Spirit.

Back to today’s words from above, through the apostle Peter. What is he trying to tell the church in chapter four?

1. Time on earth is really short, compared to an eternity with God, so every moment counts.
2. It really makes more sense to not spend the rest of our lives chasing our own desires.
3. Bear this in mind: we all have to face God, when the day for each of us comes, and it will come whether we like it or not.
4. Don’t bother with others who choose to continue a godless lifestyle, even former friends, who may not understand you or why you have stopped doing evil with them. When it comes to facing God, no one can help you. Neither can you help anyone.

How shall we live then? We who believe in God, and are born again in Christ Jesus, with the Holy Spirit in us?

1. Know the limitation of time on earth.
2. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in our prayers.
3. Most importantly, continue to love, forgive, and serve one another without hypocrisy or grudges in charity and hospitality for others in Christ.

In ministry: each one has a spiritual gift to serve. Peter specifically speaks of two gifts for the end time: the gift of speaking God’s words, and gift of helping others in ministry. It is like the front line and the back room support working together as a team, the way the apostle Paul has illustrated throughout his ministry. These two gifts are essential for end time. Note the equal importance of the two. Remember: Both are used to prepare people for end time and the second coming of the Lord Jesus.

Being A Christian: Peter also prepares us for the rainy days of Christianity.

1. Don’t be surprised when you find that you are not popular in the world.
2. Don’t feel ashamed to suffer for being a Christian.
3. It is a privilege being called by His name, a follower of Christ!
4. Keep on doing what is right.
5. Trust our lives to the God who created us.
6. God will never fail us.

kainotes, 2021-08-15

So encourage each other with these words.

Who is holy? God alone is holy-God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. The people of God are made holy by God. What will happen to the holy people?

I have done a word search and taken 22 verses with the word ‘holy’ from the Book of Revelation. The verses describe two scenarios: the holy God and His faithful people made holy by Jesus, and the unholy people under the rule of the enemy of God. There will be persecution for the holy people of God. But Jesus will come and judge and to reward. In the meantime the holy people of God must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.

Revelation 3:7 [ The Message to the Church in Philadelphia ] “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open:

Revelation 4:8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

Revelation 6:10 They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?”

Revelation 8:4 The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.

Revelation 11:2 But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months.

Revelation 11:18 The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.”

Revelation 13:7 And the beast was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.

Revelation 13:10 Anyone who is destined for prison will be taken to prison. Anyone destined to die by the sword will die by the sword. This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently and remain faithful.

Revelation 14:9-10 Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or on the hand must drink the wine of God’s anger. It has been poured full strength into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb.

Revelation 14:12 This means that God’s holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying his commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus.

Revelation 15:4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”

Revelation 16:5 And I heard the angel who had authority over all water saying, “You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments.

Revelation 16:6 Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward.”

Revelation 17:6 I could see that she (Babylon) was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement.

Revelation 18:24 In your streets flowed the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy people and the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.”

Revelation 19:8 She (the Lamb’s bride) has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years. (See below 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 about the first resurrection)

Revelation 21:2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Revelation 21:10 So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.

Revelation 22:11 Let the one who is doing harm continue to do harm; let the one who is vile continue to be vile; let the one who is righteous continue to live righteously; let the one who is holy continue to be holy.”

Revelation 22:19 And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

Revelation 22:21 May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NLT)
The Hope of the Resurrection
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died[a] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.[b] 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died[c] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

Footnotes:
(a) 4:13 Greek those who have fallen asleep; also in 4:14.
(b) 4:15 Greek those who have fallen asleep.
(c) 4:16 Greek the dead in Christ.

made holy

Our God made us holy. This is the difference between Christianity and other religions. God made us holy by means of Jesus Christ. Jesus made us holy by becoming a holy sacrifice. The words of God (the Bible, the Truth) make us holy. The Holy Spirit makes us (all people who call on the name Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.)holy. God united us with Christ Jesus, joined to Him, one Spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17) God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy. God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ.
In summary: we were chosen by God. Obeyed His words. Cleansed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Made holy by the Holy Spirit in us.

John 17:19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

Romans 15:16 I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 1:2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

1 Corinthians 1:30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.

1 Corinthians 6:11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Ephesians 1:4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

Hebrews 10:10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

Hebrews 10:14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

1 Peter 1:2 God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.

Hebrews 10:29 Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.