christianity – Life in the Spirit

We Are Entering the End Times; Don’t Take the Mark of the Beast

To the Remnant Bride of Christ and All Who Seek the Truth:

We are entering the end times, soon to be living in the very book of Revelation. Time is short, the days are evil, and the pace of change is accelerating. Not only are there many indications that war is coming to America, which will impact our economy and our lives, but the foundation for the Mark of the Beast is being built before our very eyes.

In I Chronicles 12:32, God commended the men of the tribe of Issachar “who understood the times and knew what Israel should do”. In like manner, we need to understand the times and seek the Lord as to what we should do.

Part I described the war that is coming, Part II addressed how to prepare spiritually, Part III described how we can prepare physically, and Part IV focused on how to prepare for an economic crash. This is Part V, which will describe how the foundation for the Mark of the Beast is being constructed before our very eyes. You can see it here: LifeintheSpirit.net. You won’t want to miss it.

0000 – PART V – We Are Entering the End Times Download

Just as the safest place to be is always in the center of the Lord’s will for our lives, the best preparation is seeking the Lord and following His guidance in all things.

As always, QUESTION EVERYTHING, do your own research, check out these sources, and take these things to the Lord for confirmation, for the Truth shall set us free.

And finally, God created us to be alive at this special time, and to be His witnesses. So let us share the truth and love of Christ with all He brings across our paths, so we may experience the joy of the Lord, which surpasses all human understanding.

Time is short. God is great. Walk with the Lord.

In His love,

Mark

Mark Peterson, Ph.D.

LIfeintheSpirit.net

War is Coming to America, PART IV – Prepare for Economic Collapse

To the Remnant Bride of Christ and All Who Seek the Truth:

Time is short, the days are evil, and the pace of change is accelerating. There are many indications that war is coming to America, and that it will be both physical and spiritual, impacting our economy and our lives. This is why it is so important to understand what is coming and how to prepare for it.

Part I described the war that is coming, Part II described how to prepare spiritually, and Part III addressed how we can prepare physically. This post, PART IV, focuses on how to prepare for an economic crash, because the events coming to America will directly aff*ect our economy and ability to care for our families. This is not professional financial advice, but information for you to consider as you plan for the future. You can see it here:

000 – PART IV – Prepare for Economic Collapse ii Download

Just as the safest place to be is always in the center of the Lord’s will for our lives, the best preparation is seeking the Lord and following His guidance in all things.

As always, QUESTION EVERYTHING, do your own research, check out these sources, and take these things to the Lord for confirmation, for the Truth shall set us free.

PART V will soon follow, focusing on how to avoid taking the MOTB (Mark of the Beast). You won’t want to miss it.

Time is short. God is great. Walk with the Lord.

In His love,

Mark

Mark Peterson, Ph.D.

LIfeintheSpirit.net

War is Coming to America, PART II – Prepare Spiritually

To the Remnant Bride of Christ and All Who Seek the Truth:

The war coming to America described in PART I is a war against our bodies and souls, which is why it is so important to understand what is coming and how to prepare for it – physically and spiritually.

Time is short, the days are evil, and the pace of change is accelerating. PART I described deception in America, war coming to America, and the coming persecution of Christians. (To see War is Coming to America, PART I, go here: https://tinyurl.com/WarIsComingtoAmericaPARTI)

PART II – Prepare Spiritually, will focus on how we can prepare spiritually for extraordinary events coming soon to our nation and the world. There are many dimensions to this, so we will describe these in five key points. Just as the safest place to be is always in the center of the Lord’s will for our lives, the best preparation is seeking the Lord and following His guidance in all things.

You can see it here:

000 – WAR IS COMING TO AMERICA – PART II Prepare Spiritually Download

Amos 3:7 says the Lord always warns His people before He does something, and the New Testament affirms that the Holy Spirit will tell us of things to come beyond what Christ revealed to His disciples:

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth… and He will tell you things to come.

John 16:12-13

As always, QUESTION EVERYTHING, do your own research, check out these sources, and take these things to the Lord for confirmation, for the Truth shall set us free.

PARTS III and IV will soon follow, focusing on how to prepare for these extraordinary events soon to take place physically and financially. You won’t want to miss them.

Time is short. God is great. Walk with the Lord.

Blessings and love to you this day,

Mark

Mark Peterson, Ph.D.

LIfeintheSpirit.net

Seven Things God Wants Older People To Do

This is why you’re still alive

God has work for you to do. God says your age is not a weakness; it’s a weapon. Your gray hairs are not a sign of decline. They’re proof you’ve been through fire and survived. God called Moses at 80 and gave Sarah a child at 90. If your heart is still beating, God has assignments with your name on them.

Here are seven things God still wants you to do:

NUMBER 1: PASS DOWN YOUR FAITH; DON’T JUST PASS DOWN YOUR POSSESSIONS.

When your time on this earth ends, what will you leave behind? A house, a little money, a family recipe? That’s nice, but God’s looking for something eternal.

Too many people pass down furniture, but forget to pass down fire. You’ve got grandkids who need your testimony. You’ve got sons and daughters who need to hear what God brought you through. Your story of survival may be the very thing that keeps them from quitting.

NUMBER 2: SPEAK LIFE; YOUR WORDS STILL HAVE POWER.

You may not move as fast as you used to. But something that hasn’t weakened with age is your words.

Your voice still carries weight in the spiritual realm. Speak blessing over your children. Speak breakthrough over your church. Speak revival over your community.

NUMBER 3: KEEP SERVING; RETIREMENT ISN’T IN THE BIBLE.

Heaven doesn’t recognize retirement.

God doesn’t need your youth; He needs your yes. You may not preach a sermon, but you can speak truth to someone in pain. There are lonely hearts in your church who need your comfort. There are single moms who need your wisdom. There are broken men who need your strength.

God calls you to be His servant, not His spectator. So rise up, because there’s still kingdom work with your name on it.

NUMBER 4: FORGIVE DEEPLY; FREE YOUR HEART BEFORE YOU SEE HIM FACE TO FACE.

Forgiveness might be the most important thing God is calling you to do at this time. Unforgiveness doesn’t just weigh down your heart. It poisons your soul. You’re not forgiving others for their sake; you’re forgiving them for yours, so you can breathe again and worship with no guilt, bitterness, or hidden pain.

NUMBER 5: STAY HUNGRY FOR GOD; NEVER SETTLE FOR RELIGION.

Has your walk with God become routine? God is calling you to stir it back up. God doesn’t want you full of religion, but full of fire.

Don’t let age rob you of intimacy. Pray like you just met Him. Worship like He’s the only one in the room. Read the Word like your soul depends on it, because it does.

NUMBER 6: PREPARE FOR ETERNITY, NOT JUST THE FUNERAL.

You’ve prepared your will. You’ve even planned the funeral. But have you prepared your soul? Because one day, you will stand face to face with the living God to give an account for how you lived – every idle word and every wasted opportunity.

Are you living for earth or for heaven? You can spend your final years collecting stuff or collecting souls. God’s calling you to finish strong with purpose in your eyes and eternity in your heart.

NUMBER 7: BLESS THE YOUNGER GENERATION; BE A SPIRITUAL COVERING.

You weren’t meant to just grow old. You were meant to become a spiritual anchor for the generation behind you.

You’ve seen too much to stay silent. You’ve walked through too many fires not to speak up. This generation needs a voice that says, “I see greatness in you. I declare God’s promises over your life.”

Protect them in the spirit like a warrior with a sword. They don’t need you to be trendy; they need you to be truthful. Be the one who lays hands on them and says, “God’s not done with you. You were born for more.”

CONCLUSION: YOU’RE NOT TOO OLD; YOU’RE RIGHT ON TIME.

God is still calling your name and He’s still assigning you to people. You’re not retired. You’re refined. You’re not slowing down; you’re stepping into your spiritual prime.

Don’t crawl across the finish line dragging regret and bitterness. Run like a warrior. Worship like a champion. Walk in boldness, faith, and fire. Speak truth. Bless generations. Forgive quickly. Love deeply. Pray fiercely and prepare to meet your King. Not with fear, but with faith in your eyes and fire in your soul.

This life was never about comfort. It was always about calling. So don’t waste these final chapters. They could be your most powerful yet. Let the younger generation see that growing old with God doesn’t mean becoming irrelevant. It means becoming dangerous to the enemy.

And when you finally step into eternity, may all of heaven stand in applause and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” You’re not done yet. Let’s go!

Source: TheBibleSays.com

The World’s Greatest Traveler

Question for the Day: Who traveled more than anyone else in the history of mankind?

___Your Uncle Harry, who served in the military all over the world,

___ Marco Polo, who embarked on a 24-year journey to Asia,

___Christopher Columbus, who discovered America in 1492,

___Ferdinand Magellan, the first European voyager to circumvent the globe,

___Alan B. Sheperd, Jr., the first American astronaut into space, or

___Jesus Christ, who lived in Israel, other than a trip to Egypt as an infant.

If you answered Jesus, you are correct. But why would you say Jesus was the world’s greatest traveler, when He lived His entire life in Israel other than a brief trip to Egypt when He was an infant? Surely there are world travelers who traveled much further distances in their lifetimes.

Let’s take a closer look. Being obedient to God the Father, Jesus left the throne of heaven and came to earth. Born in a stable, His parents took Him to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath, then returned to Nazareth when it was safe. During His earthly ministry, Jesus traveled across Israel before dying in Jerusalem.

In the beginning of time, Jesus was with the Father in Heaven. He traveled to earth and appeared in the Old Testament as the pre-incarnate Christ. Later He was born into the Kingdom of Man. He carried out His ministry in Israel, then died. Through his resurrection, He conquered the power of sin and death in the lives of all who are willing to receive His gift of salvation.

In His resurrected body, Jesus appeared to many witnesses and traveled effortlessly between the spiritual and physical realms as demonstrated on the road to Emmaus and His sudden appearance to His disciples. He promised to come back again, then ascended into Heaven. He was even A TIME TRAVELER, traveling across ages of time. This makes Him THE WORLD’S GREATEST TRAVELER.

Jesus, the world’s greatest traveler, INVITES US TO JOIN HIM on a great spiritual journey described as The Great Commission:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

He commissions us to go into the whole world as His ambassadors, and promises to be with us at all times. This is a great spiritual adventure, it is the most important thing we have ever done in our lives, and we will never be the same. And then He will bring us home to Heaven.

But we must first repent to shed the baggage of sins, so that we may walk lightly and freely in the Spirit. Repentance is not just saying no to our sins; it is saying yes to Jesus and a life more beautiful, fulfilling, and exciting than we can imagine, a life of purpose and meaning – now and into eternity.

Jesus never forces people against their will, so those who refuse His invitation will have their fondest wish granted – to live a life apart from God – alone, together, in the Lake of Fire.

Time is short, so accept His invitation now, because we are not guaranteed tomorrow and eternity is a very long time.

To God be the glory,

LifeintheSpirit.net

Source of image: Pixabay

Prisoner Is Buried Alive

He thought he was smarter than anyone else, and took shortcuts to beat the system. So he chose crime as the easiest way to live. Finally caught and sentenced to prison, he vowed to escape, and developed a clever escape plan.

When a prisoner died, a hearse dropped off a casket, then picked it up the following morning. He contacted the prison employee in charge, and the employee embraced his plan. Several days later, the hearse arrived, so he slipped into the casket alongside the body already there. He left the lid ajar for fresh air.

When the coffin was taken out of the prison the next day and buried, the employee was to dig up the casket. The prisoner would be free, and he would pay the prison employee handsomely.

Lying in the casket, the prisoner waited, and waited, and waited for the prison employee to dig him up and set him free. After waiting several hours, in desperation, he took out his cigarette lighter and flicked it on. To his absolute horror, he discovered that the body in the coffin with him was THE PRISON EMPLOYEE WHO AGREED TO DIG HIM UP. He trusted the wrong person to free him from the grave!

The moral of the story is this: we need to trust the right person to free us from the grave. Every one of us is a prisoner – a prisoner of time and space. When our time is up, we will be headed to the grave. The Word of God describes what comes next – our souls will leave our bodies and enter the spirit world.

If we have received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He will receive us into heaven with open arms, stating: “Well done, thy good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of the Lord and your eternal reward.”

Only He who overcame death with His resurrection can set us free from the grave, from sin and death. If we rely on others – Joseph Smith, Buddha, Mohammad, or others, just remember that they, like the prisoner in the story, are still in the grave.

Perhaps you believe that this is not a problem because everyone is going to heaven. That is true, but everyone will not stay there. For some, our Lord will say: “Welcome”. But for those who don’t know Christ as their Lord and Savior, He will say: “Depart from Me; I never knew you”, and you will be headed to the Lake of Fire for eternity. God will grant you your most cherished desire – to live apart from God – forever. And you will be with others with the same desire – alone, together.

So who are you trusting to deliver you from the grave? You better decide soon, because time is short, we are not guaranteed tomorrow, and eternity is a very, very long time.

To God be the glory

“DEPART FROM ME; I NEVER KNEW YOU”

I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear or read this verse, it always sends chills down my back. Here is the full passage:

²¹Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. ²²Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works? ²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23 KJV

There may be millions of people around the world, and probably people that you and I know, who claim to be Christians, and “do good works”, but will be sent to the Lake of Fire because:

they do not do the will of God the Father,
they don’t know the Lord, and/or
they are workers of iniquity.

This is really heavy and even scary. But when we examine it carefully, we will discover good news for true believers.

Key Point #1: Calling upon the Lord and claiming justification by works is not sufficient to go to heaven.

Works righteousness – trying to attain righteousness by our works, even prophesying, casting out demons, and doing many wonders in Jesus’ name, does not qualify us for salvation.

They may KNOW ABOUT THE LORD (as many pagans do), but have not surrendered to Christ, so they don’t KNOW THE LORD. Jesus said: ^“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
Salvation comes only from a true surrender of one’s heart, mind, and soul to receive Christ, who died for our sins.
The Gospel doesn’t just save us; it changes us into new creations in Christ. II Corinthians 5:17

Key Point #2: People can “do good works” and yet never surrender to and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. They are in effect CINOs – Christians in Name Only.

Key Point #3: There is power in the name of Jesus, even when used by individuals who do not know the Lord.

Key Point #4: Observe why, and upon what grounds, He rejects them and their plea—because they were workers of iniquity.

The Greek word for “iniquity” is anomia, which literally means “without law”. In the biblical sense, it refers to being in opposition to God’s moral will – acting as if God’s commands don’t matter.
Outward religion without inward regeneration is “iniquity”.

Key Point #5: THE GOOD NEWS is that although doing good works doesn’t earn salvation, when we have true faith in Jesus Christ, it will lead to obedience to God’s will, a life of good works led by the Holy Spirit, and eternity with Christ in Heaven.

Christ didn’t come just to create another RELIGION. He came that we may be set free of sin and have a RELATIONSHIP with Him.

Religious acts like worship services become hollow if they are not grounded in faith in Christ and a desire to live a life with God. Those who settle for doing good works and going through the motions at church are missing out on the greatest adventure in the world – life in the Spirit.

Three critical questions:

Do you KNOW the Lord and the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit, or just KNOW ABOUT Him, like knowing about Trump or Putin?
Do you know the Lord’s calling upon your life – what He is calling you to do and become?
Are you fulfilling that calling? If not, WHY NOT?

Time is short, and He is inviting us to join Him on a great spiritual adventure. It is truly exciting, it is the most important thing we have ever done in our lives, and we will never be the same. God loves us more than we can imagine, and He can’t wait to welcome us home through the gates of heaven.

So we need to stand strong, be bold, and be courageous, speaking His Word and His Truth with love and compassion to all He brings across our path.

To God be the glory

LifeintheSpirit.net

Source of Image: Godversusreligion.com

25 SIGNS OF A HEALTHY CHURCH

A healthy church is not just a building, leadership structure, or weekly service. A healthy church is a vibrant community where God is present and members grow in their faith and service. Here are 25 signs of a healthy church:
___1. There is a divine sense of mission and purpose to carry out The Great Commission.
___2. The presence of God is evident in worship services and the assembly of the saints.
___3. The Word of God is presented with authority and anointing.
___4. There are functional prayer gatherings.
___5. There is a real expectation for answered prayers.
___6. People are getting saved and baptized.
___7. The leadership of the church – elders, deacons, teachers, and pastors, seek to serve the Lord and the congregation with humility and integrity.
___8. The church is more in love with the future (with a compelling vision) than the past.
___9. Fellowship and relationships are warm, and people do not jockey for position and titles.
___10. Many people volunteer to serve.
___11. Many people support the church with tithes and offerings.
___12. The community gets impacted in real ways.
___13. Your leaders have great passion.
___14. There is more attention, resources, and enthusiasm devoted to the work of the Lord than to maintaining the church organization and facilities.
___15. There is an established pattern of disciple making, equipping members to be ambassadors for Christ.
___16. Homeless and street people are seen as a mission field and are treated with compassion.
___17. There is greater emphasis on what unites us in Christ than how we are different from other Christians.
___18. There is an increase of members and finances over time. ___19. Openness to change and support of innovation is evident.
___20. Sermons engage both the mind and the heart. ___21. You are seeing many first-time visitors.
___22. Your church is welcoming and diverse; everyone in your church does not look and think just like you.
___23. You’re focused on reaching new people as well as keeping church members. ___24. Communication is clear and conflicts are resolved when they arise.
___25. There is a sense of urgency and passion to reach lost souls.

How many of these describe your church: _ out of 25?

Action steps you can take:
• share this list with other members and leaders of your church,
• hold this up to the Lord, seeking His guidance,
• develop action steps to build on your strengths and address problem areas, and
• take action, giving glory to God for the results.

To God be the glory
LifeintheSpirit.net
Image by Arnie Bragg from Pixabay

We Are Not Here by Chance, and He Is Sending Us Out

We are not here by chance, but for such a time as this (Esther 4:13-14). We are called, equipped, and sent forth into battle – spiritual battle, to reach the lost with His Truth, Love, and Compassion. We need to start the day on our knees before God, praying and feasting on His Word. Then we are to put on our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6), and go forth to reach those He brings across our path. When we surrender to Christ and seek His guidance, we will see the Holy Spirit work through us, bearing much spiritual fruit and even miracles.

We will only experience His Joy – the joy of the Lord, when we discern His will for our lives and carry it out with gladness in our hearts. So we need to stand strong, be bold, and be courageous. We are to be the man or woman He has called us to be, and speak His Word and His Truth with love and compassion.

He brings people into our lives for a reason and a season. We are to discern the reason (from the Holy Spirit), but typically we will not know the length of the season, for things are happening fast in the world, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Time is short, and He is leading us on a great spiritual adventure. It is truly exciting, it is the most important thing we have ever done in our lives, and we will never be the same.

It is time for us to buckle up, go forth, and enjoy the ride. And then He will bring us home. God loves us more than we can imagine, and He can’t wait to welcome us home through the gates of heaven.

So let us go out with GODFIDENCE, walking and speaking as if God sent us, because He has!

To God be the glory

LifeintheSpirit.net

ONE OF THE GREATEST TRAGEDIES OF ALL TIMES

One of the greatest tragedies of all time is the many people who believe they are going to heaven when they die, but end up in the Lake of Fire:

“And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15

Here are four warning signs that we all should watch for, described as questions the Lord may ask us when we stand before Him after we pass from this earth:

Warning Sign #1: UNIVERSALISM – EVERYONE IS GOING TO

HEAVEN

“You believe everyone is going to heaven, even those who refuse to repent of their many sins and also reject Me – God the Father, My Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. You do not know Me, and have no place in the Kingdom of Heaven:”

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6

Warning Sign #2: UNFORGIVENESS

“You refused to forgive (this person) in your life, so why should I forgive you? My Son Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 6:14-15”:

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Warning Sign #3: UNREPENTANCE

“You worship other gods, such as wealth, status, pleasure, lust, and power, and are unrepentant. Why should I let you bring your sin and idolatry into heaven which is holy and without sin?”

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

Warning Sign #4: LUKEWARMNESS

“You belong to the Church of Laodicea, a church known for comfort, prosperity, wealth, and leisure; a lukewarm, spiritually stagnant, church in the midst of people with great physical and spiritual needs. Why should I let you in while your soul is polluted with the world and worldly desires?

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth (reject you with disgust).” Revelation 3:14-16 MSG

These warnings follow the post “Each of Us is Going to Court” (https://tinyurl.com/EachGoingtoCourt), which describes how each of us will one day pass through the veil of death and be judged by the sovereign, living God of the universe in the Great Courtroom of Heaven:

“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” Revelation 20:12

The warnings are particularly relevant when we reflect on this sober warning that few there are that find the narrow gate and path which leads to heaven:

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

So let us reach out to those who come across our path with the love and truth of Christ, for life is short, eternity is a very long time, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.

To God be the Glory

LifeintheSpirit.net