Satan, our arch enemy, is the father of lies—a liar from the beginning. His most effective device is to keep us in denial—to keep us from seeing the truth about God, ourselves, the plan of salvation, and above all, about himself and the nature and effects of sin.

To give us a clearer picture and understanding of sin the Bible uses three different words or attributes to describe sin’s various facets.

First, transgression—which means to rebel against and/or ignore God’s laws, to make up our own rules, and go our own sinful way.

Second, iniquity—which is the expression of our sinful nature. For instance, a person is not a sinner because he sins, but rather, he sins because he is a sinner.

Third, missing the mark. As the Bible teaches, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory [standard] of God.”² God’s mark is perfection which means completeness, wholeness, and maturity. Therefore, anything in my life that falls short of these is sin. This would include failing to face and resolve hurts from the past, my secret sins, sins of resentment, pride, anger, bitterness, denial, my failing to resolve my areas of immaturity, and so on. It also includes sins of omission; that is failing to do things we know that we should and need to do, such has helping a neighbor who reaches out to me for help.

Once we understand the nature of sin and Satan’s devices, with deep honesty and God’s help, we are free to work on overcoming the sins and problems that so easily beset us.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please give me the courage to face my total ‘dark side’ and every secret and known sin so I can bring these areas of my life to you for your healing and recovery. And please help me to always live in harmony with your Word and your will. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 2 Corinthians 2:11 (NIV)

2. Romans 3:23

“Years ago, R. G. Lee told a powerful story about a mountain school that had a hard time keeping a teacher. It seems there was a group of big, rough boys who took pride in running the teacher off. The biggest and roughest of them all was named Tom.

“A new young teacher won over the boys by allowing them to write the rules for the school—which were strictly enforced with a rod. For example, cheating would be punished with five strokes of the rod, and stealing with ten strokes, both to be given with the offender’s coat off.

“Everything went well until one day Tom’s lunch was stolen. A frail little boy in hand-me-down clothes that were too big for him admitted his guilt. The school rules demanded that he be whipped. When the teacher called the little fellow up front, he came whimpering and begging to leave his coat on. The pupils insisted he obey the rules and take off his coat. When he did, a deathly silence settled over the room, for he had no shirt on and his emaciated body looked like skin stretched over bones. The teacher gasped and dropped the rod. He knew he could never whip that little boy.

“Suddenly, big Tom strode up and stood between the two. ‘I’ll take it for him, Teacher, for after all it was my lunch he stole.’ He shrugged out of his coat.

“At the third blow the switch broke, and the teacher threw it in the corner and said, ‘That’s all, school dismissed.’

“The frail little boy laid his hand on big Tom’s arm and through his tears said, ‘Thank you, Tom, it would have killed me.’”²

And that’s exactly what Jesus did for you and me when he died on the cross some 2000 years ago—he took your and my punishment for all our sins so we could be freely forgiven and given God’s gift of eternal life. And that punishment did kill Jesus.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins and, if so, have you accepted God’s full and free pardon? You can do that right now by praying the following prayer:

“Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and am sorry for all the wrongs that I have done. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for my sins. Please forgive me. I invite you, Jesus, to come into my heart and life as Lord and Savior. I commit and trust my life to you. Please give me the desire to be what you want me to be and to do what you want me to do. Thank you for dying for my sins, for your free pardon, for your gift of eternal life, and for hearing and answering my prayer. Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer, please let us know by going to:

https://learning.actsweb.org/decision.php.

For further help read, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. John 3:16 (NIV).

2. Cited on www.sermons.com.

I was only a child at the time—about eight or nine—but it was so painful I’ve never forgotten it. It was the Christmas season and my parents took me and my older sister to a church (where we sometimes attended) for their annual Sunday School Christmas tree celebration. Every child there received a gift from the tree; that is, every child except me. I felt totally left out and very sad. Only one person noticed that I was left out and said anything to me. This kind man (I still remember his name), Mr. Norsworthy, cared and gave me a two-shilling coin which was a very valuable gift to me at that time.

Many of us remember, too, when we were kids and were not chosen to be on a team how badly we felt, and again when friends were invited to a party, and we weren’t. As young adults most of us at one time or another felt rejected by someone of the opposite sex whom we had a crush on. At the time it was very painful. And what is more painful than, when married, being rejected by the one who promised to love us until death do we part. Feeling rejected or feeling left out can be devastating.

The day is coming when time, as we know it, will no longer be. This will be when Jesus Christ returns to earth, as he promised, to take all his true followers to be with him in Heaven forever. I don’t know how to emphasize enough the need for making sure that you are ready for Christ’s return. To be left behind at this time would be the most devastating experience known to mankind. As Jesus reminded us, “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.”²

A final reminder from God’s Word: “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 Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 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.”¹

As James Black wrote in his popular hymn, “When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more, And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair; When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.”

When God’s last Trumpet Call sounds, will you be ready? What if it were today? If you are not absolutely sure that you would be ready, I urge you to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and receive God’s forgiveness today. For help be sure to read “Passport for Heaven” on line at: http://tinyurl.com/passport-for-heaven. Whatever you do, Don’t leave earth without it.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your free salvation, your forgiveness of sins, and your gift of eternal life for all who accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Please help me to know without a doubt that I have accepted Jesus as my Savior, so that I will be ready for the day when your Last Trumpet Call sounds and Jesus returns for all his true followers. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NLT).

2. Matthew 24:40-41 (NLT).

Seventeen-forty-one was a very depressing year for George Frederick Handel. His latest opera failed. His Italian opera company in London was disbanded. That same year Queen Caroline passed away and the commissions Handel had received for composing music for royal occasions all but dried up. A stroke experienced several years prior not only affected him physically, but affected his music. It seemed as if he had lost the genius that made his music so popular.

Late that year, Charles Jennens, a poet known by few, sent Handel a manuscript with a request that Handel set it to music. When Handel read the copy, the words gripped him. Suddenly he came alive. Immediately, he began to put the words to music. He labored all through that night and much of the following day. In fact, he worked day and night for 22 more days, barely stopping to eat or sleep.

When his composition was finished he sensed that it would be a true masterpiece. His “Messiah” was performed the following year and was an immediate success.

The words that Jennens wrote that inspired Handel and lifted him out of the pit of despair were about the Savior: “He was despised and rejected of men. He looked for someone to have pity on him, but there was no man. He trusted in God. God did not leave his soul in hell. I know that my Redeemer lives. Rejoice. Hallelujah!”

On this day 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on a torturous Roman cross to pay the penalty for our sins. But thank God on Easter Sunday Jesus rose from the grave, triumphant over death, giving all who accept him (Jesus) as their Savior the same assurance that Job of old had when he said:

“For I know that my Redeemer lives,

And He shall stand at last on the earth;

And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,

That in my flesh I shall see God,

Whom I shall see for myself,

And my eyes shall behold . . . .”²

Suggested prayer: “Dear Jesus, how can I ever thank you enough for dying on the cross in my place so all my sins could be forgiven and I could be given the gift of eternal life. Indeed, you are the Christ, Son of the Living God, the Great Creator of the entire universe—and I claim you as my Lord, my God, and my Savior. In appreciation for your dying for me, help me to live for you. Always and forever. Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Note: If you have never received God’s forgiveness and his gift of eternal life, please read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. Isaiah 53:5-6 (NIV).

2. Job 19:25-27 (NKJV).

The day before Good Friday is called “Maundy Thursday.” I believe it comes from the Latin mandatum (commandment). It was that day, after Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet, that he said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.”

I read about how the “King of Abyssinia who once took a British subject named Cameron prisoner and incarcerated him in the high fortress of Magdala. No cause was stated for his confinement. When Great Britain found out, she demanded an immediate release of her citizen. King Theodore refused.

“According to the story, within days Great Britain sent several thousand soldiers by ship to Magdala. After marching across unfriendly country for many miles, they attacked the fortress and rescued that one British subject. “The expedition took several months and cost the English government twenty-five million dollars. The entire resources of the government were made available in the rescue of only one citizen.”

Similarly, because of God’s great love for us, he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, from heaven to earth to rescue you and me from the prison of eternal death (that we actually deserved) by dying in our place to pay the judgment price for our sins.

However, on the day before Jesus suffered an excruciating and agonizing death by being crucified, he gave his disciples and followers a new commandment and that was “that we love one another.” This he demonstrated for us on the cross at Calvary.

With tireless regularity Easter comes around year after year as a powerful reminder to all the world that Jesus, the Son of God, loved us so much that he gave his life as a ransom for our sins, so that we could be given a full and free pardon and the gift of eternal life.

There is no greater gift in all of life. There is no greater love in all the world. And because Jesus loved us so much, may God help us to love and forgive others as he has so freely loved and forgiven us. This is his new commandment to you and to me.

Suggested prayer: “Dear Jesus God, how can I ever thank you enough for all you have done for me . . . for dying for my sins and for rescuing me from the pit of hell and giving me the gift of eternal life to be in heaven forever with you. Help me to love others as you have loved me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer, Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. John 13:34 (NIV).

Note: If you have never received God’s forgiveness and his gift of eternal life, please read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

John Newton (July 24, 1725 – December 21, 1807) is probably best known as the author of many well-known hymns, including, “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken,” “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds,” and especially the popular hymn, “Amazing Grace,” which is one of the most well-known spiritual songs in the English-speaking world.

Perhaps what many don’t know is that in his youthful years Newton lived a rather degenerate lifestyle and, because of his troublesome behavior as a sailor, in his early twenties was sold to a slave-merchant who gave him to his wife, an African duchess, to be one of her slaves. He was rescued in 1748 and, while sailing back to England, in the middle of a storm the ship began filling with water and threatened to sink, so Newton cried out to God to save him. This was the beginning of his conversion to Christianity. However, he didn’t totally commit himself to God until a later time when he became seriously ill.

For nine years Newton was involved in the slave-trade and himself became a captain of three slave-ships. It was several years after his conversion that he gave up the slave-trade. In 1757 he applied to become a Christian minister, but it wasn’t until 1764 that he was accepted as an Anglican priest. He became a very popular minister and people flocked to hear him.²

Because of his profligate life before he became a truly committed follower of Jesus Christ, it is understandable why he could write the following words:

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind but now I see.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,

I have already come;

‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

Than when we first begun.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your amazing grace that also saved a sinner like me. May I always live in an attitude of gratitude because of your amazing grace, and please help me to share your grace in some way with every life I touch. And if I have never received your amazing grace, please help me to do that today. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

NOTE: To experience God’s amazing grace be sure to read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian—without having to be religions” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to listen to this amazing story about the music of Amazing Grace and the musical rendition by Wintley Phipps. It is extremely enlightening and deeply moving. It is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuK0LB6rsMo. Thank you Sandra for sending this link and information.

1. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV).

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Newton

Pastor John Jordan explained how, if we made a graph to indicate the increase of man’s knowledge from the beginning of time to 1845 it would measure 1 inch (25mm). From 1845 to 1945—just 100 years—it would measure three inches (76mm). From 1945 to the present day it would be as tall as the Washington Monument, which is 555 feet (169m) high! According to one of my college professors, the world’s knowledge was then doubling every five years. I don’t know if this is accurate or not, but what we do know is that in the computer age, knowledge is increasing at an ever-accelerating, mind-boggling rate.

6. Travel

Daniel said another sign of the nearness of the end of this world age as we know it would be that of mankind rushing here and there (or to and fro as another translation puts it). Some Bible translators indicate that this means rushing here and there for knowledge. Whether it means this or just people rushing here and there all over the world makes little difference as both are happening as never before in the history of mankind. Just go to any major airport in the world and you will see worldwide people rushing to and fro all around the world.

7. Globalism

In his book, Seven Signs of the End Times, Mark Hitchcock wrote, “According to God’s Word, the end of the age will be characterized by a global government, economy, and religion ruled over by one man, the Antichrist. This end-time world order is described most clearly in Revelation 13.”⁹ Here we see the following:

Global Government: Authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.¹⁰

Global Religion: All who dwell on earth will worship him.¹¹

Global Economy: “He provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.”¹²

Have you noticed how the present U.S. leadership, along with the United Nations, is promoting a one-world economy and a one-world government, and how the former Prime Minister of England, Tony Blair, is now promoting a one-world religion.

Indeed, the setting of the stage, not only for the coming of Jesus Christ, but also for the entry of the Antichrist is also being set up right now in our time. It appears that our current world leaders are helping to prepare the way for the Antichrist who will be, for a short time, the ruler of the one-world government, the one-world economy, and the one-world religion.¹³ The good news, however, is that the Antichrist and his worldwide military might will be totally defeated by Jesus Christ at the end of the Great Tribulation time here on earth. This final battle is known at the Battle of Armageddon which will be centered in the Valley of Megiddo in Israel—a valley that is some 14 miles wide and 20 miles deep.

8. Worldwide Gospel Proclamation

Another profound end time sign is found in the words of Jesus who said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”¹⁴ Because of modern means of communication, including high speed printing presses, radio, television, audio and video devices, and the electronic media (the Internet, e-Mail, social networks, and mobile phone applications) which have ushered in a communications revolution the like of which the world has never before seen—the gospel today is speeding to the ends of the earth as never before in all of human history. Even in the ministry of ACTS International we are having visitors to our websites from 194 countries and territories every month, and receiving salvation and re-commitment to Jesus Christ decision/responses every day of the year from people worldwide!

If you picture the above signs as an “End Times” jigsaw puzzle, you can see how each piece is already coming together and fitting into God’s prophetic picture and plan for the end of time as we know it and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The important issue is this: Jesus Christ’s second coming is just as certain as was his first coming to earth! He is coming again. What if it were today? Would you be ready? Whatever you do make sure you have your passport for Heaven. Don’t leave earth without it. You can get yours (there’s no charge) by going to “Passport for Heaven” online at: www.actsweb.org/passport.php.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for Christ’s promise that he is coming again to take all his true believers to be with him and you for all eternity. Please help me to make absolutely sure that I am ready for this dramatic world-changing event. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

With all that is happening in today’s world many ask, “Is the return of Jesus to earth getting close?” It is true that only God knows just when this day will be,² but of one thing we can be certain, Jesus Christ is coming again. Every prophecy in the Bible concerning Christ’s first coming—prophecies that were predicted several hundred years before his birth—were fulfilled in minutest detail.³ We can be just as certain that the prophecies in the Bible regarding Christ’s second coming will also be fulfilled in detail.

While we don’t know the day of Christ’s return, the Bible makes it clear that if we know what God’s Word teaches, we will be able to discern the “signs of the time” that will indicate the nearness of Christ’s return. True, individually, many of these signs have been happening since Christ’s first coming, but today it appears that “they are all standing up at once.” This, in turn, seems to indicate that the setting of the stage for Christ’s return is accelerating. What, then, are some of the signs the Bible says will indicate the nearness of Christ’s return?

1. Troubled Times

When Christ’s disciples asked Jesus the same question, he said, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. . . . Jerusalem will be trampled on [controlled] by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.⁴

Jesus also said to his disciples, “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.”⁵

“He [Jesus] told them this parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.’”⁶

2. Israel’s Homecoming

One of the most significant signs of the setting of the stage for Christ’s return is “Israel’s Homecoming;” that is, the return of the Jewish people to their homeland of Israel. Why do I say this is significant? Because for Christ’s return, according to biblical prophecy, Israel has to be back in the “Promised Land”—the land promised by God for perpetuity to the ancient Israelites some 3,600 to 4,000 years ago. In 1948, almost 2,000 years after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple built by Herod in AD70 and forced the scattering of the Jews around the world, the nation of Israel was re-established. When you consider how many times other nations have tried to wipe Israel off the map—and still desire to—it is a miracle of God how, against overwhelming odds, this tiny nation has survived and prospered.

3. Jerusalem: The End of Gentile Control

Furthermore, Jesus said that Jerusalem would be trampled on—controlled by—Gentiles [non-Jews] until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.⁷ Today, almost all of Jerusalem is controlled by the Israelis. The control of Jerusalem by Gentiles after 2000 years is over. The times of the Gentiles is now fulfilled. This is another positive sign that the way is rapidly being made ready for the return of Jesus Christ.

4. The New Jewish Temple

Equally significant is the fact that Israel has to be back in the Promised Land in preparation for both the return of Christ and the entrance of the coming Antichrist who will appear at or about the same time as Christ’s return. The Antichrist, a messenger of Satan, the devil, will make a Peace Pact with Israel at the beginning of the coming seven-year Great Tribulation, and then, in the mid-Tribulation period he will desecrate the Jewish Temple by setting himself up as God in the Temple. Already world leaders are desperate for peace in the Mid-east and when peace is promised by the Antichrist, who will no doubt be a silver-tongued, powerful charismatic leader, the world, the United Nations, and the United States will jump to accept his offer.

This means that the Jewish Temple will have to be rebuilt and in place after having been destroyed in AD70 by the ancient Romans. Just last year Joy and I had the opportunity to be in the Temple Institute in Jerusalem and learned firsthand that the Jews are right now drawing up plans for building the Third Temple. They are also training priests at this time to lead worship in the new Temple, and are currently making the instruments needed for Temple worship. Thus, at this very time, the Jews are waiting in the wings (as it were) ready to build and erect the Third Temple.

To be continued . . .

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for the promise in your Word, the promise that Jesus is coming again and is coming for all his true followers. Help me to be sure that I am ready for his coming, and with your help, do everything I can to help bring others to Jesus so that they, too, will be ready for Christ’s return. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. John 14:1-3 (NKJV).

2. Matthew 24:36.

3. For many fulfilled prophecies about Christ’s first coming see the article, “Jesus Christ: Is He God or Man?” at: http://tinyurl.com/lu577.

4. Luke 21:10-11; 24 (NIV).

5. Mark 13:5-8 (NIV).

6. Luke 21:29-31 (NIV).

7. See Luke 21:24 (NIV).

George Robertson, a parachute safety and training adviser and a veteran of several hundred parachute jumps, followed six other sky divers out of a plane some 2.25 miles (3.6 kilometers) above the ground.

At approximately one mile (1.6 kilometers) the six attempted to link hands. One of the divers, Debbie Williams, accidentally collided with one of the other skydivers and knocked herself unconscious. Seeing her plight, Roberson tucked his arms to his side and, using his shoulders to steer himself, went after Debbie, Plunging downward at 75 miles (120 kilometers) per hour, he was able to catch her. Maneuvering her into a sitting position, Robertson yanked her rip cord. They were at 3,200 feet (823 meters)! At less than 2,400 feet (610 meters), he opened his own chute. Ten seconds later he would have slammed into the ground.

As Jesus said, there is no greater love than someone being willing to give or even risk his or her own life to save another’s. But God’s love for us is so much greater. As the Bible says, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”²

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, because you loved me enough to die for me, please help me to love you enough to live for you every day for the rest of my life. And please use me to be a vital part of what you are doing in the world today to help save those who are plummeting toward eternal death without Christ and without hope. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: To help reach others with the gospel in a simple and attractive way, please consider becoming a People Power for Jesus Partner (there is no cost involved). See https://learning.actsweb.org/people_power02.php.

Also: If you have never thanked God for giving his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay the penalty for all your sins and have never accepted Jesus as your Savior, I urge you to do this today—now. For help, please read the article, “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: www.actsweb.org/christian.

1. John 15:13.

2. Romans 5:7-8 (NIV).