[gerritse]

Helllo K.,

You tell, that you
- are very weak emotionally
- often are out of heart
- often are puzzling about all sort of things
- not have the patience to wait for God
- are very much seeking for affirmation,
and that, whilst it has been so ELSE.

K., I help you to think.
- as for that emotional weakness: you are sure to be a child of God, you took tight the hand of Jesus, for a long time you were very joyful.
But then the counterattack of the devil has come, as was to be expected. And now the main goal for you is to learn know the Lord God better by the trusting, openhearted prayer. Only ask the Lord:
"Dear Lord God...in the name of Jesus....you said yourself:
' Let the weakling say:
I am strong', (Joël 3 v 10).
Lord....I AM emotionally weak. But please make me strong !".
And tell me after some time, how things are with that 'emotional weakness'.

And as for that 'being out of heart'...ask in your prayer to the Lord:
"Lord.....I wander in desert wasteland.
I don't find a way to a city, where I could settle.
I am hungry and thirsty and my life ebbs away. Lord...will you help me with this 'being in the depths'. Can you bring me on a straight way.
O...I want to give thankings to you always".( Psalm 107 v 4- 9)

And as for those other things you wrote, bring everything in prayer to the Lord.
And....don't hurry him, ( Isaiah 28 v 16),
( he who trusts , will never be dismayed)

K....; this was only the beginning of a conversation . I hope I hear again from you".

Greetings
Ger

[gerritse]

Hello S.
Your question in short concentrates to this:
.............
suppose; every day I do something wrong....and every day anew I ask forgivance to the Lord,knowing I will do it wrong again tomorrow. How does this work out .
............
At first a simple example: put it like this: a boy comes to his father and says:
"Dad, I have smashed a window with football. Can you forgive me".
Dad does this, but when the boy comes next day with the same message, then forgivance will go less smoothly.
And when on the third day the boy comes and says:
"Dad....again I smashed a window at football...and tomorrow the same and the day after tomorrow ...but always I will ask you forgivance",
then I think the father will give another reaction.

Put,that a teener comes to God in his prayer and says:
"Oh Lord; today I could not pass again the chip-joint. I again took chip-mayo and also a meatball. I know it is bad for me. I become too fat and I get more and more acne. And I know for sure that I will take fish-and-chips tomorrow again, but then with a fricandel, and the day after tomorrow with a croquette....or chicken...or...just name it. But always there will be your forgivance. For forgivance is your job".
( after french: "Pardonner ....c'est son métier)".
In this case the connection to God will not remain optimal.

For God says via Romans 6 v 1 and 2:
"What shall we say then ? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase ? By no means ! We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer".
( In short: you can come to Jesus just as you are. But you cannot remain, as you were).

To remain close to the hypothetical example, a person, doing what this theoretical boy does , damages his health, acts in contradiction with God's demand, that we should not be intemporate, ( 2 Timothy 3 v 2)...in short... sins, that is: separates himself from the Lord.

And let now every boy and girl , not capable to govern him-or herself in any field, confess it as a sin to the Lord and ask forgivance. And let him resisst in the name of Jesus the evil forces that set on him or her.
And let him of her in prayer do all the things I have adviced already so many times, prayers wit beseech and thankings .

No S. not stay with sins ..even when it looks so very small, struggle.

S. I was perhaps a bit severe in a very tiny affair. Sorry if it is like this. Go on asking.

Greetings
Ger

[gerritse]

Hello U,

You asked:

"In Matthew 24 v 34 is standing; (Jesus own words):
'I tell you the truth: this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened'.
In those far away times there was a thought, that Jesus second coming could soon happen".

My answer:
We cannot go and bargain with these clauses:
- 'this generation' is about the people standing then and there around Jesus
- 'this all' decidedly refers to everything said before, so also is referring to the glorious coming back of Jesus as Lord.
The two conceptions are not to reconcile one with the other.

It is however important, that Lord Jesus is pronouncing a prophecy up here. And in a prophecy coming happenings are seen as summits in a mountaineous country.
Everyone having been in a mountain area, knows, how big summits, such as Mont Blanc are visible from very far. I myself saw the summit of Mount Blanc from the borders of Lake Geneva. At first sight this summit was right behind other summits far nearer.

It is like that with prophecy. Summits far away in prophecy seem to lie sometimes in the same area as summits close by.
Jesus takes his point of starting in 'the annihilation of Jerusalem'' . That destroying will find place in the year 70. That is about 35 or 40 years after the dying of Jesus . It may be clear, that the living generation at the moment of Jesus'talking should be still alive by then.

But Jesus sees in this prophecy also the other, still bigger coming mountain summits looming up after that first, grand sign of his coming , the destruction of Jerusalem.
Jesus sees the completion of the world with all, going before as preparation to it....he sees the whole panorama as mountain summits , right behind the first big 'mountain summit'...the temple at flames...like this he sees all coming generations , experiencing all, as one total
with the generation, being there at that very moment.

The total sense then becomes:
"You, standing here, will climb in great majority the first 'mountain summit', the Roman hurds, fighting themselves through everything.
( Just try to flee , when the army camps arise around Jerusalem).
But all generations, coming after you ....they gradually will see arise all those summits. They will have to climb them victoriously.
And the final generation , just before 'the big change', will see the most high summit, the antichrist ...and afterwards my glorious return.

Greetings
Ger

[gerritse]

Hello Ger,

Again a question.
I am busy in the series: the last trump.
I always thought that at first there would come the antichrist and that then Jesus should come back and that by then everything has finished on earth. But now I read about a....'taking away'.
Can you tell me, how this is. And can you mention bibletextes, from which you can conclude, that indeed there comes a 'taking away to heaven'.

Greetzz Y.

Hello Y, Indeed...: there comes a 'taking away'. About it speaks 1 Thess 4 v 17:
"After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever".
( Also read the textes before to understand 'after that'.

When the Lord comes back, THEN the great momentum comes for his warriors. But when the Lord comes back, the Antichrist is already there, for..... our dear Lord Jesus:
"will overthrow the 'lawless one' with the breath of his mouth", ( 2 Thess 2 v 8).. And that means also, that God's beloved also are there and experience all difficulties with the antichrist.

Now there has originated a thought:
before all these difficulties come , God's beloved are taken away from earth and then all those bad things need not to happen to them.

This thought has nasty followings; when you do not need to experience battle,
- wherefore you should make efforts to acquire the gifts of the Spirit or the fruit of the Spirit.
- Why should you wish to be filled with the Holy Spirit , to be strong and prepared for war.
- Why should you put on the armor of God..
That weakening thought we should not have at all. Y...remain striving for all those good things .

Do not allow the thought of a 'taking away BEFORE' to enter into your heart.
Unprepared Christians are a prey for the devil.

Greetings
Ger

[gerritse]

Just another question !
At some moment Elisha walks along a group of boys, who begin to insult him, calling him 'baldhead'.
And two she-bears tear these youngsters to pieces.Elisa curses them and two she-bears kill the youngsters.
I don't understand about this. I see that God does not have a disapproving judgement.
Is it like this, that all Christians of now can have the same authority as Elisa had.. Are we allowed to do what Elisha did and when are we allowed.
Greetings
T.

Hello T,

Here I am with those two she-bears ( 2 Kings 2 v 23 - 25).

At first for a moment the case. While Elisha is on his way to Carmel mountain and on the way up, a number of overgrown lads, so of 18 and 19 , come behind him.......
for 'little boys' at that time was th appelation of boys of that age.
......At home dad and mom have said:
"He...there goes that odious fellow , the successor of Eliah. Just you know: that Eliah was the man of the murder of the Bäal- prophets, of whom many lived here.
He has taken Eliah's job, after this had been taken into heaven, as is said by some".

Well; more these hobbledehois do not need. Bethel is the proud of their parents. Here Jerobeam has lanced the counter-religion against the enemies at Jerusalem with their temple.

"Behind him !"

And when they have overtaken him, there is that menacing call:
"Go on up baldhead....go on up baldhead".
'Baldhead' is a very common abusive word in that time. It does not necessarily mean that Elisha was indeed bald.
But this 'Baldhead' has this emotional value:
"Ha ha...Eliah taken into heaven hé. But nobody has seen it as only you. Now you also do that trick, here and now !"

And 'come on baldhead' is a challenge. And do not ir. Everywhere there are stones. Elisha is in real danger.

But Elisha sees that challenge as directed against God. And in the name of God he punishes and curses these bad children of bad parents. Two she- bears come from the wood an tear to pieces 42 of these youngsters.

Now you T know this all...and your question is not here. But I just give the case, because others are going to read this for the first time.They will say:
" Whow...heavy stuff, rather heated all this".
And then those others have some background information.

But you T....
oh yes...at first this: the temporary life of these youngsters was passed by, but this does not mean anything for their eternal state.

...You T.; you want to know whether we have that authority also now.
Well...our insight has become so roomy and there are other possibilities to deal with evil.
In Luke 9 v 54 inhabitantas of Samaritan villages miscarry against Lord Jesus . Two of his disciples ask:
"Lord...do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them".
Without doubt they think about the acting as mentioned above and in 2 Kings, chapter 1.
But Jesus rebukes them for this grim proposal.

By the way...in Revelation 11 v 5 is told about powerfull witnesses of Jesus in the endtime. Those people get involved in much resistance.
And then here is standing:
" If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how any one who wants to harm them must die".
By the spiritual fire of their testimony hard 'no-sayers' are spiritually killed; in this way I understand these words.
The depth- autorization of Elisha is still always there.

But you T. always strive more for Godly love, which you are now busy to discover. Let that love draw nearer many yes- sayers to you and Jesus, like a magnet.

Greetings
Ger

[gerritse]

Hello Ger,
This question I have:
"Can God relent, I mean, that you can pray to him, so that he changes his mind.
I mean this; there are several examples in the Old Testament that God is - so to say- a little bit fed up with his people. Then however there are always persons who bring God to other thoughts. How is that possible. God knows himself what is the best thing to do. He always takes the right decissions.How can we, insignificant people talk God round. He knows each situation better than we do.

My answer:
H., at first this: Isaiah 55 v 8 and 9:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts".

The Lord God, he who has created time and space, he the 'always being', the 'everywhere present', he is not to be fathomed by us.
And yet....and yet...once God said:
"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness". ( Genesis 1 v 25).
Very very little , unendlessly made smaller, we do ressemble God.
But this includes, that God very, very great, endlessly greater, could ressemble us, as I express it very carefully.
And here on earth you could perhaps imagine a father and a mother , who relent to a child. And when something like that happens with a very wise father and a very wise mother, then the child knows with a sort of reverence:
"Dadmom were right. But they choosed mercy above right, becaus they loved me".
And like that it is with the Lord God.

Of course he has a great, unchangeable plan. But 'built in' is in that plan that he can let him 'talk over'many times.

I know of a man, a certain Peter, who betrayed his master at the most crucial moment. And when he cried out and wept bitterly , he certainly has also asked:
" O Lord...give me another chance...so mean as I did; not even Judas acted like that . ...O Lord...".
And also then the Lord relented.

Hope this is enough for the moment.

Greetings
Ger

[gerritse]

Hello M,

You had all sorts of ideas that Christians should go to heaven before the
great tribulation.

But I should like to talk to you , beginning from Revelation 7 v 14. We read there:
"These - the great multitude- are they who have come out of the great tribulation , they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb ".

Now it is - in my opinion- foolness to think, that there is victory without war. The people, standing here before God are sure to have delivered struggle. It is not good to think, that Christians from the whole wide world will be taken away to look from 'upward' how 'below' the big tribulation is roaring. That great tribulation was just a goal to train their spiritual forces, the power they did receive by the baptizm in the Holy Spirit. , growing out to 'filling with the Holy Spirit, full use of the gifts of the Lord and fruit of the Lord, full consciousness of the six foundations of Hebrews 6, No, the commando's of the Lord are not taken away , when their training is not complete and proved in battle.

And then those two witnesses from Rev 11. Personally I am convinced , that with them are meant the powerful Christians from the endtime . You read in v 5 and 6 of their formidable spiritual power. In v 7 and 8 you read from their seeming defeat. And in v 11 and 12 about their endvictory , leading to a glorious 'going to God'.

M...we only have the beginning of a discussion.
But do you feel anything for this future-perspective:
................
M has become a lion. She has been baptized with the Spirit of the Lord . In struggle and victory that 'being baptized' has grown to a 'being filled with the Holy Spirit'. And then; she has even struggled against the antichrist.
When this antichrist and all his terrible forces gathered for the big endbattle, she followed her Lord and Saviour, was part of his army, following him, ( Rev 10 v 19).
Together with Jesus, as one of his 'steeled cadres' she conquered. And now she oversees her whole life still one time, full of joy.

Yes indeed...one time Jesus at his Ascension went to his glorous kingdom. He made ready her place and she got it when she became a citizen of that kingdom by the baptizm in the Holy Spirit, ( John 14 v 1-3).
When she- fully in the force of God- announced his glorious salvations , she already saw something of 'yearning for' in the eyes of the people:
"Are we indeed longing for this sort of people....yes", (Romans 8 v 19)

Now she knows that she is one of those sons of God, castigated by struggle. . But each lash has become a medal of honor. . O..how she has yearned for this revelation of the Lord , now to the full in her; she has looked out for it , ( Cor 1 v 7 and 8)

Full of astonishment the people gaze at her glory, (2 Thess 1 v 10).
And then there is 'THE SOUND'...O : THE TRUMPET....she feels herself sparkling with something not to be defined. And she knows: now my humble body is changed. Now my humble body becomes equal to the glorified body of Lord Jesus Christ , ( Filipp. 3 v 20 and 21).
Now- at his second coming ...now she is appearing with him in glory.

And now M sees them all appear, the brave warriors from the past. They go to the Lord, their God. ( 1 Thess 4 v 16). And she knows:
"When this victorious group has finished, then it is our turn", ( 17).
..........................
So M: put on your spiritual armor. Put the helmet solidly on your head , go to war against the devil in the force of our Lord:
- truth around your body as a robe
- the 'being in peace with God' as a breastplate
- always full of zeal to tell the good news
- the shield of faith before you against all fiery arrows of the devil

O...by the way:
- no long toes , they should be outside the protection of the shield
- no wide breast, the same danger
- no head, high-elevated, same story.
And...'the sword of the Spirit'...not to cut ears off...but quite else ..full of love.

M,...the endbattle is already raging on. The great confusion , that makes the peoples of the world desperate , (Luke 21 v 25) is already beginning. It is endtime, HERE and NOW and for YOU.

Greetings
Ger

[gerritse]

Hello M.,

You asked about Rev. 11 : the two withesses'.
And you said:
- Why that number of 'two'
- are all the millions of Christians taken away at that moment".

My answer:
' The two witnesses' from Revelation 11 v 4 - 9 remember of two pairs of two men, so in total of four men from the Old Testament.
At first there were: Joshua,the highpriest and Zerubabel, the governor-general after the exile.
They were executives of God's will and of his plan. In Zechariah 4 v 14 they are called ' the two anointed ones, standing before the Lord of the whole earth'. And to that description remembers Rev. 11 again.

In the end-time God'church returns of a spiritual exile of centuries. Indeed there have happened many good things, but the essence, the baptizm in the Holy Spirit, the way through the heavenly realms, the own land: this returns only in the endtime, just as in the days of Joshua and Zerubbabel , the exile in Babel had come to an end. There was a spirit of obediance and dedication in these two men. And so it will be also in the endtime.
This pair of two witnesses'are a symbol for the believers of the end-time, who , 'during the trumpets' are busy with repairing the spiritual house of the Lord and complete it, just as Joshua and Zerubbabel did in their days.

The second group of two witnesses we find in the Old Testamentical characters Moses and Eliah.
Eliah lived in a time of great apostacy. Just like that' the sons of God' in the endtime. Eliah repairs the altar. They do that also: recover the real service of the Lord .Eliah will come to recover everything, thus Lord Jesus says in Mark 9 v 12.
Of course Eliah does not come back himself to die as a martyr. But 'the sons of God', where the world is yearning for...they repair in the endtime the true service of the Lord.
Just as Isebel wanted to harm Eliah , just like that the apostate church of the endtime tries to harm the 'true believers'.
Just as Eliah sent down fire, so there comes forth spiritual fire from the 'saints of the last days', ( not to confuse with a group, nowadays calling itself like this).

And ....just like Moses at the exodus of God's people punished the earth (Egypt) with all sorts of plagues, just like that the faithfuls of the endtime have the power in spirtual hinsight.
As Moses split the waters of the Red Sea to give passage to the people to the promised land, in this way the commando's of the swiftly coming future split all obstacles to give way to the congregation of Jesus Christ to the 'spiritually promised country'.

M., you understand , I could only give some outlines.

Oh yes, the two witnesses do not refer to all Christians.There are many 'backsliders' and half- believers.
Of the frontsoldiers some die . But when Jesus comes back, of these commando's there are many living present to go ''into the air to meet Jesus , that's to say: 'to go into the invisible world as a committee of feastly reception, accompaning Jesus in triumph to the earth.

Greetings
Ger

[gerritse]

M. asks:

Why did Joseph never warn his old father, when he had been raised to power in Egypt.

My answer:

Dear M.
Joseph was a person , filled with the Holy Spirit, This I conclude from Genesis 49 v 22.
'Filled with the Holy Spirit, 'not in the full, delightful way as we know by now through the pioneering work of our Lord Jesus Christ, but yet in this way, that the great majority of mankind certainly can not match it.

And this Joseph has ....
all the years that in full freedom he could send a message to his father:
"Hé dad, everything o.k."
....not done as such because he argued further:
"What are the brothers going to say, when dad calls them for responsability. This becomes an impossible situation. No; it is not yet the time of God".

And after years of patient waiting, it is indeed God's time. And then the brothers come to repent and conversion in the only way that can exist before God.

Greetings
Ger