MARCH WRAP AROUNDS-2000: REVELATIONS-End Time Revelations-Don Love Ministries-doweknow studies Revelation, Rapture, Tribulation, End-time beast, etc.

The next four WRAP AROUNDS come from my friends (and banjo and mandolin students) David and Jeanne Gleespen. Thanks for the good words, David and Jeanne. Keep up the good work.

Don Love

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When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but this is what they heard:

"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good" but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it "Pluralism";

We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism";

We have endorsed perversion and called it "alternative lifestyle";

We have exploited the poor and called it "the lottery";

We have rewarded laziness and called it "welfare";

We have killed our unborn and called it "choice"

We have shot abortionists and called it "justifiable";

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it "building self-esteem";

We have abused power and called it "politics";

We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it "ambition";

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it "freedom of expression";

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it "enlightenment".

Search us, Oh, God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of Your will, (We ask You) to open our hearts and (we) ask it in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

America the Beautiful

America the Beautiful or so you used to be

Land of the Pilgrims pride, I'm glad they'll never see.

Babies piled in dumpsters, Abortion on demand,

Oh, sweet land of liberty, your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly poisoned by cocaine,

Choosing to indulge their lusts, when God has said abstain.

From sea to shining sea our Nation turns away

From the teaching of God's love and a need always to pray.

So many worldly pastors tell lies about our Rock,

Saying God is going broke so they can fleece the flock.

We've kept God in our temples, how callous we have grown,

When earth is but His footstool and Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government that's rotting at the core,

Appointing Godless judges who throw reason out the door,

Too soft to place a killer in a well deserved tomb,

But brave enough to kill a baby before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not angry that our land's a moral slum?

How much longer will He wait before His judgment comes?

How are we to face our God from whom we cannot hide?

What then is left for us to do, but stem the evil tide?

If we who are His children will humbly turn and pray,

Seek His holy face and mend our evil way,

Then God will hear from Heaven and forgive us of our sins,

He'll heal our sickly land and those who live within.

But America the Beautiful, if you don't then you will see,

A sad but Holy God withdraw His hand from thee.

Some wisdom we can all use!

I asked for Strength.............God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for Wisdom..............God gave me Problems to solve.

I asked for Prosperity...........God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

I asked for Courage.............God gave me Danger to overcome.

I asked for Love...................God gave me Troubled people to help.

I asked for Favors................God gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted.................I received everything I needed.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life.

If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us.

May the desires of your heart come true and you experience peace in everything that you do?

May goodness, kindness and mercy come your way and you gain wisdom and grow in the Lord everyday.

Please share this Blessing.

It may be just what someone needs to hear right now.

GOD BLESS US ALL!!!

Because I'm a woman

Why are you crying?" he asked his Mom.

"Because I'm a woman" she told him.

"I don't understand," he said.

His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will"

Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"

"All women cry for no reason" was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to GOD; when GOD got on the phone the man said, "GOD, why do women cry so easily?"

GOD said.

When I made woman, she had to be special. I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world; yet, gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining . . .

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt them very badly.

This same sensitivity helps her to make a child's boo-boo feel better and shares in their teenagers anxieties and fears.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

I gave her a tear to shed, It's hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed. It's a tear for mankind.

Nancy Wrote:

Question-Comment: In studying the book of Revelations, My girlfriend and I have wondered. Do our souls go straight to heaven or hell at the time of death? These different levels of Heaven are they having to deal with heaven as in God's Home or are they dealing with the heavens (sky, outer space and then Heaven)?

We also hear and read about the final judgement Of God, is there more than one judgement of God?

Just a note from me to let you know that I have enjoyed your study of Revelations and have used it in our own study of Revelations. My girlfriend and I have felt a great need to study Revelations and God had revealed a lot. We sometimes feel that we are still missing a lot about what he wants us to learn with this study.

thanks

Nancy

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Don Wrote:

Dear Nancy:

You wrote: "In studying the book of Revelations, My girlfriend and I have wondered. Do our souls go straight to heaven or hell at the time of death?"

In Luke 16:22 we read: "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried…." If you will read the rest of this passage, you will see that in this story of a certain rich man and a certain beggar named Lazarus (the adjective certain makes this an actual story and not a parable), we are given to understand that at the time of our spirits leaving this body, we are either taken to be with the Lord or cast into hell's fire. (As you read the passage, note that Abraham's bosom and Paradise are terms that describe a part of Hades which was translated "hell" in the King James Version. Before Christ's Visitation and his death, burial, and resurrection, all departed souls went to Hades in the center of the earth and were consigned to either Abraham's Boson/Paradise [where they were comforted by the Lord] or to hell's fire and torment. After Christ paid the price to secure our salvation, He took those who were in Abraham's bosom to heaven to be with Him so that only the unbelievers were left in Hades or hell. Since then, all Grace-Age believers who depart this life go immediately to be with the Lord [II Cor. 5:8]); while those who die in their sins still go to hell.

From this passage in Revelations we can decipher that the angels are used to harvest men's souls.

Revelation 14:15
And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

However, even though the angels play a key role in harvesting man for their Creator, the decision as to which place we will go is determined by you and I in this life. If you'll think on when the death angel (a name that the church has given the destroyer of Exodus 12:23) passed over the Israelites as they were in the process of being delivered from Egypt, you'll recall that the destroyer was to look for the blood on the door posts.

Exodus 12:
13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt…

23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

There is a teaching that all of this was done and recorded for us as a type of what takes place at the time the believer is taken from this world and its bondage. According to this teaching the angels harvest our souls when our bodies cease to function and take our souls either to heaven or to hell. However, no one will be judged until either the Judgment Seat of Christ or The Great White Throne Judgment—both events yet to come. According to this interpretation of the type in Exodus 12, the angels who harvest our souls are instructed to look for the blood of Christ on the door posts of our hearts. If it's there, we go to heaven to be with the Lord; if not, we go to hell. As a babe-in-Christ, when I first began searching for the who, the what, the why, etc.; I bought into this interpretation. I still believe the basic ingredients of our salvation are there; however, in the type the destroyer took only the firstborn of the unbelievers. I now like to think that my spirit and the Spirit of Christ are already one (John 17:21)—that when I was born again, the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit), came to my world and entered my spirit, never to leave me or to forsake me. Hence, at the time my soul departs from this body, which has been the temple of the Holy Ghost (I Cor. 6:19), He and I will simply leave this world wherein I have only known in part and enter into His "world" where I will know Him fully and know even as I am known (I Cor. 13:12).

Also, as we think upon the matter of life and death, we should keep in mind that the Bible speaks of two "deaths" and both of them speak of a departure/separation. There is a death that everyone must experience wherein the soul and the spirit are separated from the body (exceptions being those who are raptured at the end of our Age of which Elijah is a type). However, the "second death" will be experienced only by unbelievers. These are the souls who will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the world. Those who go through the Great White Throne Judgment will hear their Creator say, "…I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Mt. 7:16-29).

At any rate, to answer your question: yes, I read the Bible to say that when we leave this world, we go immediately to heaven or to hell.

And by the way, what do you think of this Scripture?

(John 11:11-46)

11 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.
12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

What did Jesus mean when He said in verses 25 and 26: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

You also wrote: "These different levels of Heaven are they having to deal with heaven as in
God's Home or are they dealing with the heavens (sky, outer space and then Heaven)?"

This is a good question and it sort of falls into the same category as, "Where did God come from? How did He come into existence? How can He be three persons, yet only one?" And like these questions, we really have no absolute answer. There is a widespread belief that the three heavens of which the Bible speaks are our atmosphere, our solar system, and heaven (God's home) which is supposed to consist of the rest of the universe. Somehow, I can't buy into this teaching. My supposition is that the creation of which we know is in a dimension that is totally separate from the dimension (the third heaven [see II Cor. 12:2]) wherein God and the angels exist. And that Christ and the angels are able to appear in our dimension at will. I come by this from such Scripture as:

Numbers 22:31
Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

Acts 17:28
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

And in John 3:11-13 we read where that during His Visitation, Christ was apparently in both dimensions.

John 3:11-13
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

So, to answer your question, I'm not sure, and I wonder if the human intellect was even programmed to compute such. If someone can prove me wrong from the Scriptures, the floor (that is to say, the web page) is yours.

You asked: "We also hear and read about the final judgement Of God, is there more than one judgement of God?"

I assume that by this question that you mean the apocalyptic final judgment of God in the latter days. If so, then there are two such judgments to come—one at the end of our age and one at the end of the Kingdom Age. (For the particulars of the two judgments, go to booklet one, chapter three of our on-line book CLOCK OF THE AGES.)

For a fun adventure, click on the link on our home page that goes to our Bible Study tools and use the Bible Gateway and the Blue Letter Bible to search for the mentionings of God's judgments in the Bible. You'll find the Old Testament full of them, especially in His dealings with Israel under the Law. You'll find several in the New Testament as well, the most important being His judgment for the sin of mankind that was put on Christ as He hung on the cross of Calvary (I Cor. 15:3). You'll also note one that is too often overlooked by those in the pulpit today—i.e., that if we will judge ourselves and confess and forsake the sins in our walk, that God will not have to judge them (I Cor. 11:31) and correct us (Heb. 12:1-11).

Thanks for taking time to WRAP with us. May the Lord fill you with joy as you study His Word.

Don & B'Ann Love