The One Hundred Forty-Four Thousand

(Revelation 7) “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.” And I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed, out of every tribe of the sons of Israel, twelve thousand sealed out of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand of the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand of the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand of the tribe of Naph′tali, twelve thousand of the tribe of Manas′seh, twelve thousand of the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand of the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand of the tribe of Is′sachar, twelve thousand of the tribe of Zeb′ulun, twelve thousand of the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand sealed out of the tribe of Benjamin.”

John, in exile on the Isle of Patmos by the Roman Emperor Diocletian had a vision of what would happen in the final days of the church. All that we understand about this passage is that one hundred and forty-four thousand Messianic Jews, those who believe in and acknowledged the lordship of Jesus the Messiah, will be sealed against the catastrophic events of the great tribulation while preaching to the unsaved. I believe that event is not so far off and frankly I am impressed with a Messianic Jewish organization that indirectly led to my own salvation back in 1976 when a certain Jewish-Christian woman “Evie” was a big influence on my decision to receive Christ. She later introduced me to “Jews for Jesus” an organization that is currently witnessing predominantly to Jews and others in various countries around the globe. At this moment they are making an impact on the Jewish population of Israel where they have opened a chapter office and are leading Israeli Jews to their Messiah. I just finished a wonderful online chat with “Laurie” a believer for three years and a member of Jews for Jesus, I shared this heartfelt comment concerning how much of our lives will only amount to wood hay and stubble before the judgment seat of Christ, and though we tend to make investments and lay up stuff for this life, we seldom consider the future beyond. I firmly believe that investing in the stock market schemes of Wall Street will never match the dividends from investing in this ministry that is so instrumental in changing the direction of so many Jewish lives and the lives of others as well. I believe that the mission of Jews for Jesus has a direct connection to the one hundred and forty-four thousand spoken of in the Book of Revelation. I am sharing the address for those who want to partnership by supporting this dynamic organization, this is by far the best investment of a lifetime!

Jews for Jesus | 60 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 | Phone: 415-864-2600

The Obsession Of Being Liked

Ever wonder how Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg at age 32 is so successful and fabulously wealthy with an estimated net worth of 38.6 billion dollars? The answer is that he knows how important it is for people to feel that they are liked and that they have friends. Anyone who has a Facebook account has experienced being “Liked” and “Friended” by numerous people and have in turn “Liked” and “Friended” many others. Facebook is a “feel good” website that has attracted untold millions of like minded people, being liked has become an National obsession in the United States and to many others the world over. 

There are many who are members of civic organizations, some are members of churches or synagogues, and those who are involved in great philanthropic works, many of these don’t really care as much about what they are involved in as it is a means by which they will be noticed and praised by others, to be liked, respected and seen as a member of an acceptable and well respected organization and as a potential friend.

The need to be seen in the positive light of being friendly and likable has been partially responsible for driving the nation into a form of Orwellian social and political discourse referred to as “Political Correctness” speak, whereby every discussion is dripping with proper niceness, caring always that no one’s feelings are ever hurt by any impropriety. Derogatory terms for people of color or those of the opposite sex, a different sexual or gender proclivity are also taboo although lying skillfully is now considered appropriate.
All of this has reconfigured the mindset as to what constitutes civility, the upshot of this has evolved into a mindless group-think generation of Lemming-like drones who have lost their own individual capacity to think and reason. This then explains why a virtual unknown with dubious credentials can be elected into office as President of the United States, not once, but twice and is able to override the Constitution and dismantle what has been called “The greatest nation on earth.”

When Christ entered the world he was not liked and was mistrusted by the same politically correct crowd of upright self righteous social and religious organization members that we have today. They were the Pharisees, members of the local synagogue who enjoyed being seen by others as righteous people, they in turn hated him and eventually sought to have him put to death. 
(Matthew 27:1) all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.

There were three other groups, the Sadducees who believed in neither heaven or hell and were doubtful about the existence of God, the Zealots who were anarchists and hated the oppression of government, and the Essenes who lived apart in cloistered communities, they are all still with us and can be seen as four distinct representative groups comprising current society which is unknowingly being deceived through it’s all-consuming obsessive interests, forever obscuring the truth of the reason for their existence. On the other hand Jesus who is the embodiment of the truth was not concerned about being liked nor did He expect everyone to be His friend. John the Baptist, Jesus’s Apostles and all true followers of Christ are covertly and sometimes overtly disliked and even hated by that same crowd. 

(John 14:6) Jesus said,“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”
Those that are true believers to the core are neither concerned about being “Liked” or “Friended” especially by those who willfully shun Christ and the knowledge of God. Group-Think and Political Correctness has rendered many incapable of making an intelligent decision to hate what is evil and love what is true and assimilate the knowledge necessary to make a commitment to Christ, rather they succumb to the mantra of a politically correct polite societal status quo.

(Matthew 7: 13 - 14) “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Murder Of Innocents

God knew each of us before we were in our mother’s womb, and He intends each to be born and have their place in the human family on earth before returning back to Him.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S40j3Oa3IIc

There will fall such evil upon this nation because the people have forsaken God, and have profaned this country by turning to other gods whom neither they nor their fathers had formerly known; and because they have filled this place with the blood of innocents the days are coming when this people will fall before their enemies, and their dead bodies will be food for the birds and the beasts of the earth. This people will become a horror because of all their disasters, even so amen!
(A paraphrase taken from Jeremiah 19 as history repeats itself,  Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap)