by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 7, 2020 | Daily Encouragement |
Glorifying God is the reason for mankind’s existence and for the believer, it is our chief purpose in everything we do
And rejoicing always, praying with supplication, and being thankful is a great way to bring honor and glory to God. This is the will of God.
‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
REJOICE – Believers are to have a spirit of Joy all the time regardless of what’s going on around us. Though the darkest times and in the best of times Joy is commanded. Why? Because Jesus Christ was victorious over sin, the law, Satan and even death and so too are we. This isn’t our home. Our home is with the Lord and soon we will be with Him bodily in glory forever. That’s a promise from God and that’s the “Joy” we rest in, always.
‘Rejoice always,’
I Thessalonians 5:16
Do all things without complaining and disputing,
Philippians 2:14
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Philippians 4:4
PRAY ALWAYS – God answers the prayers of believers! It may not be the answer we want but He will ALWAYS ANSWER. In Philippians 4:6 & 7, we have the command to worry about nothing but pray about everything, the criteria; to pray with thanksgiving and the promise; that no matter what happens God will give us peace. We Must Pray! No matter what trials and tribulations we face no matter how bleak the situation is, God WILL ALWAYS answer our prayers by imparting to us peace; God’s peace will guard believers from doubt, fear, distress, and anxiety. God’s peace will comfort and watch over our hearts and mind.
‘pray without ceasing, ‘
I Thessalonians 5:17
‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ‘
Philippians 4:6
‘praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— ‘
Ephesians 6:18
BE THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING – Simple, in every aspect of our daily lives we are to give thanks to God in Jesus Christ’s name. In other words, we can’t approach God with our request without first thanking Him in advance as you’re praying. Being thankful to God must be part of all our prayer requests. One of most significant traits of the unsaved world is that they are “thankless”. Paul makes that so clear in 2 Timothy 3:1,2.
‘in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’
I Thessalonians 5:18
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— ‘
Ephesians 6:18
‘giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. ‘
Colossians 1:12
by Jamie Pantastico | Jun 6, 2020 | Daily Encouragement, Israel and Bible Prophecy |
The Spirit of Anti-Christ
The violent protesters and rioting are not just manifestations of sin and the curse and mankind’s Adamic nature doing what comes naturally. This is the overt and active spirit of anti-Christ spreading like fire across the planet. Which all part of the end-time scenario.
‘By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.’
I John 4:2-3
Organizations like Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and the Democratic Party are just “proxies” for the coming Beast and his beast system. Just like Iran has Hezbollah and Houthis the Beast has Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and the Democratic Party. All in line with one single goal to destroy everything and anything in its path. Demonically powered, preaching a gospel of death and despair under the guise of equality, justice, and a “New and Better World Order”.
These groups are bestial in nature just like their father (John 8;44) and in complete opposition to the Word of God. There is NO Scripture support for any of their demands or policies. Sadly, these entities are just a pretext and preparation for the beast: “the Anti-Christ”; “the lawless one”; “the man of sin”; “the son of perdition”, the one who will claim to be God. And his bestial world system.
‘Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’
II Thessalonians 2:3-4
The spirit of anti-Christ has been on the scene since the fall of mankind back in Genesis 3. Jump ahead to the violent protest and riots of 2020 we have not just unprecedented destruction and violence. We are witnessing government leaders systematically impose decrees and policies that at any other time would seem moronic and delusional but because of the prevalent spirit of anti-Christ, they have successfully convinced the masses that good is bad and bad is good.
Unprecedented… I’ve Never Seen This Before…Not in My life Time…
Words heard more and more every day by people from all walks of life and belief systems. Speaking about the worldwide violence, murder, wars and rumors of war, blanket despair, famine, floods, and earthquakes in diverse places. All occurring at once along with the great apostasy and deception in the Church, we are right now at a point where there isn’t much further down in the gutter mankind can go.
The apostle Paul makes it clear to grace age believers and to the world in general exactly what the planet will look like just before the Lord comes for His Church. Let’s read 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Carefully read these verses, it is always a good idea to read a section of passages a few times before we can really latch on. Here in 2 Timothy verse 1, Paul is referring to the end of the Church Age (the gospel of grace and the body of Christ) and God is getting the stage set to pick up where He left off with the Nation of Israel and those final seven years. Remember 483 years of the 490 prophesied have been fulfilled on Palm Sunday.
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 Timothy 3:1
In verses 2-5, you see an exact snapshot of what is going on in America
2 Timothy 3:2a
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
Are you seeing who is doing all the protesting and rioting? Kids… Yes, 90% of the protesters and rioters are just kids in their late teens and 20’s. The scripture is exact! It’s all part and parcel of the end-time scenario.
2 Timothy 3:2b-3a
“…unthankful, unholy, 3. Without natural affection…
When we hear about a mother drowning her kids or teenagers setting a police officer on fire and laughing while they film it, it’s frightening. It’s all part of the end-time scenario. And don’t expect things to change or go back to normal because it’s going to get worse, and not better. Finishing out verse 3 and reading into verse 4 we find more unholy attributes that are in our social media feeds daily and on television for the whole world to see.
2 Timothy 3b
… trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2 Timothy 3:4
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Lastly, and rounding out Paul’s warning of “perilous times” is the great deception in the Church which will be covered in another post. But rest assured Satan has his emissaries of light working overtime deceiving the masses. In 2 Timothy 3:5, Paul is referring to false teachers, that look great, sound great, but they are offspring of the evil one.
having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
II Timothy 3:5
As believers today, what is our longing? For the Lord to come and “come quickly”. As we see America and the world falling apart, and literally going into the lap of the evil one, how can we help but cry out, “Lord come quickly.”
I’ll leave you with these encouraging passages from Romans 8.
‘For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.’
Romans 8:22-25
by Jamie Pantastico | May 27, 2020 | Devotionals |
The apostle Paul makes it clear that in the “Last Days”, “Perilous Times” will come and there is no doubt that we are in the last, very last days and these are very perilous times.
Scripture is replete with passages admonishing Christians to seek God. Not just in times of trouble but all the time; morning, noon, and night. The Psalms are loaded with such passages and provide great comfort to the elect under the law and for us today under grace.
So much of the Psalms teaches believers to seek God and His lovingkindness (mercy), and Psalm 63:1-8 is the epitome of “seeking God”.
With King David in the wilderness of Judah, enemies all around him, alone, he pours out his heart to God sincerely seeking and thirsting for God.
In verse three of Psalm 63:3, we identify why David was so driven to seek God.
‘Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.’
Psalms 63:3
David knew of God’s lovingkindness because he experienced it and to him, it was more important than life itself.
For believers today, we too know of God’s tremendous lovingkindness in the work of the cross. That God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to be the supreme sacrifice for our sin and the sins of the world by and through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (the gospel).
Two passages come to mind immediately that fit perfectly for us today. Read on…
‘I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. ‘
Galatians 2:20
‘Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ‘
Philippians 3:8
Now King David’s powerful words in Psalm 63:1-8.
It’s important to grasp the setting, David is in the wilderness in Judah completely alone and without any support. Does David ask God to send armies of angels to crush his enemies? Does David ask for any help at all? No! No cry for help at all. But instead David put his trust in God’s faithfulness as God has saved David many times in times past. And gives thanks and praises God.
We too as grace age believers must place our trust in what God has already done in saving us. And believe that He will faithfully complete what He promised which is eternal life spent with the Lord in glory.
‘being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; ‘
Philippians 1:6
So let us make it a priority to worship God in the morning, in the noonday, and before we go to sleep at night. In other words, let us praise God and communicates with Him by prayer and supplication 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
I recommend reading Psalm 63, not once or twice but several times.
Psalm 63:1-8
‘O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.’
by Jamie Pantastico | May 15, 2020 | Bible Doctrine |
The results of our glorious salvation by faith alone in the gospel should be a constant comfort to Christians during these uncertain times. So latch on to the truth of our current position as believers which is with Christ, in God.
The tremendous and unfathomable results of God’s free gift of salvation far exceed escaping hellfire. So much occurs in an instant, it’s mindboggling; the very moment we believe by faith alone in the finished work of the cross we are moved from the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 1:13) into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), where our citizenship is in the Heavenlies (Philippians 3:20), in the Kingdom of God.
‘For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ‘
Colossians 3:3
by Jamie Pantastico | Apr 28, 2020 | Israel and Bible Prophecy |
Replacement Theology is Abhorrent and False Teaching
The Church did not replace Israel. Israel is Israel. The Church is the Body of Christ.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The passages used by adherents of this false teaching twist Scripture to fit what they could not reconcile at the time because they had NO FAITH. With Israel out of their land, the Temple destroyed and the Jews playing a role in the crucifixion of Christ they just came to the grand conclusion that we Gentiles will replace Israel and all the promises that God made to Israel are now ours! They ignore the whole counsel of God, doing extreme violence to God’s Word by injecting Gentiles into Scripture were not possible, ignoring the hundreds of promises, the everlasting covenants God made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David, usurping 2000 years of divine revelation to Israel about their King and the kingdom by calling God a liar. There is NO Scripture, NO Biblical record, NOT one passage where God says okay it didn’t work with Israel so now the Church replaces Israel.
‘And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers. As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.’ ”’
Jeremiah 33:19-22
‘Nevertheless My lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, Nor allow My faithfulness to fail. My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me; It shall be established forever like the moon, Even like the faithful witness in the sky.” Selah’
Psalms 89:33-37
The Whole Counsel of God Wipes the Floor with the False Teaching of ‘Replacement Theology’
The false teaching of Replacement Theology was dreamed up by a man named Origen around the second century. Because the Jews played a role in the crucifixion of their Messiah, the Temple was destroyed, and the Jews were out the land and scattered into every country (just like God said He would do) on the planet men like Origen had no faith (the couldn’t take God at His word) and could not reconcile how God could continue to keep His promises the nation of Israel.
Moving ahead to Augustine who around 405 A.D. adopted Origen’s false teaching that the Church replaced Israel and infused Replacement Theology into the Catholic Church. Most of the reformers latched onto this man-made theology and most of the large reformed denominations and the Catholic Church teach no end-time prophecy. How can they? If you say the Church replaced Israel or you publish your own version of the Bible and exclude Israel (like the Lutherans did) you have no prophecy to be fulfilled right? It’s insanity! The entire Old Testament from Genesis 12 on is about Israel’s King and the kingdom!
From the call of Abraham around 2000 BC to the stoning of Stephen around 36-37 AD, there are no revelations to the Gentile world for salvation. The only revelations from God about the Gentile world were to “Israel”; God commanded the Jewish people to stay away from ALL the filthy wicked idol-worshiping pagan Gentiles.
The command to the nation of Israel to be separated from the pagan Gentiles was a warning and strick command given by God that was in effect all through the Old Testament, through Christ earthly ministry, and the early chapters of Acts. To deny that fact IS TO DO EXACTLY WHAT ORIGEN AND THE MEN LIKE HIM DID, MAKE IT UP.
THERE IS NO BIBLICAL RECORD OF GOD GOING TO THE GENTILE WORLD WITH A MESSAGE OF SALVATION OR DOCTRINE FOR HOW TO WORSHIP HIM OR LIVE THEIR DAILY LIVES. NONE AT ALL UNTIL THE APOSTLE PAUL.
For the 2000 year period between Abraham to the cross to the stoning of Stephen, there were only 9 Gentiles saved. They were Gentile exceptions saved by a Sovereign God. Their salvation wasn’t based on a divine message that was proclaimed to ALL the Gentile world, NO WAY, because there was nothing of the sort!
The bottom line is the men that dreamed up this false teaching had no faith, they could not take God at His Word. In spite of 2000 years of prophecy and the covenant promises given to Israel and the Jewish people. They usurped the Word of God and made it into their “religion” to satisfy themselves.
The apostle Paul warned that men would come in from outside the Church, like savage wolves to destroy it and even worse would be that there would be men that come from within the body of Christ speaking ‘misleading’ things to draw Church members away from the truth and follow them. The apostle Paul warned the Churches for three years to the point of tears that THIS WILL HAPPEN! And it did.
‘Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. ‘
Acts 20:28
‘For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. ‘
Acts 20:29-30
The Article Below was Published by Breaking News Israel
A recently published translation of the New Testament has one glaring omission: it has excised all references to the place and the people of the Bible. Rabbi Tuly Weisz, who recently published a Hebrew-English version of the Torah, noted that omitting ‘Israel’ from the Bible is equivalent to failing to mention God.
24NYT, a Danish news service, reported on Sunday that the Danish Bible Society just published a revised translation of the New Testament. The new edition has many surprises, including a new name: the New Agreement. But even more shocking is that the “New Agreement has all but removed any references to Israel, whether it describes the land or the people.
The new edition was reviewed by Jan Frost on YouTube who reported that the word ‘Israel’ is only used once in the “Bible 2020”, which is the name of the new edition. In all other passages, the word ‘Israel’ is either replaced with ‘Jews’, ‘the land of the Jews, or not replaced with any alternative term. Frost reported that the publishers justified the change by claiming that the ‘Israel’ referred to in the Bible is not the same as Israel today. Frost noted that this explanation does not apply to the term ‘Egypt’ which remains in the Bible 2020 despite ancient Egypt having significantly different borders and ethnic composition than modern Egypt.
Posts on social media suggested that the change may have been politically motivated as an anti-Israel statement. In a recent interview about the Bible 2020, Elaine Duncan, Global Council Chairperson of the Bible Society, noted that the new edition has already been downloaded to more than 90 countries, which she considered to be a great success at moving towards what she described as a “global church.”
Rabbi Tuly Weisz, the founder of Israel365, an organization that promotes the significance of the Land of Israel to the nations, disagreed strongly with the approach of the Danish Bible society.
“This translation of the New Testament is an important reminder that replacement theology is not a problem of the past,” Rabbi Weisz told Breaking Israel News. “Some segments of Christianity still have a replacement theology problem. The notion that Israel can be scrubbed from the Bible is as ridiculous as removing ‘God’ from the Bible.”
Christian replacement theology, also called supersessionism, holds that the Christian Church has succeeded the Israelites as the definitive people of God. Supersessionism requires reading the term Israel, referring to either the people or the land, as an allegory for the Christian Church.
It should be noted that the Danish Bible Society is run by the Evangelical Lutheran Church, a strong proponent of supersessionism. In 2018, Robert O. Smith, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and a stalwart in the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation, addressed a conference at St. Olaf Institute for Freedom and Community. Smith was seated before a Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) banner and made these declarations: “The ancient Israelites are not linked in any substantive or material way to the contemporary, modern state of Israel. . . . The biblical narrative of Israel has almost nothing to do with contemporary Israel other than the intentional manipulation of sacred texts to justify a political project.”
At the same conference, Palestinian Lutheran pastor, administrator, and theologian Mitri Raheb stated, that “it wasn’t the Lord God who promised Israel the land; it was the Lord Balfour.” Raheb also claimed that “Jesus was a Middle Eastern Palestinian Jew.”
Rabbi Weisz believes that Israel is one of the basic tenets of the Bible and towards this end, published The Israel Bible, a Hebrew version of the Torah, Prophets, and Writings with a linear English translation. As its name implies, The Israel Bible focuses on the land in which the Biblical events took place, the people of Israel, and the relationship between them, and the modern state that is the manifestation of God’s eternal covenant.
It should be noted that the term “Israel” is used a total of 73 times in the New Testament, the term “Israel” is used a total of 73 times in the New Testament. The term is first used in the Torah as a name given to Jacob after battling the angel of Esau, meaning “You have striven with beings divine and human, and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:29). Israel became synonymous with his descendants, the Children of Israel, and the land God promised to them. The word ‘ Israel’ appears over 2,200 times in the Torah, Writings, and Prophets. It is also interesting to note that ‘Jerusalem’ and its alternative Hebrew name ‘Zion’ appear 850 times in the Old Testament.
Click here to view the original web page at www.breakingisraelnews.com