The Uniqueness of The Church

by Thomas Ice   Dispensational, pretribulationists believe that the New Testament teaches that the current Church Age is unique when contrasted with previous and future dispensations. We believe that the church was always a part of God’ s eternal plan or decree, but that it was a mystery, not revealed until New Testament times. Such New Testament uniqueness is one of the major reasons that support the rapture of the body of Christ at the end of this age, before the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel. Why do we believe that this is the New Testament teaching? Mischaracterization …

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Philemon’s Story

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley   My name is Philemon and this is my story. It’s been described as the application of the highest principles to the most common affairs, but at the time it happened it was just two people at odds with each other being reconciled by a common love for the Lord. I’m a wealthy resident of Colosse, a little town in the Roman province of Asia not far from its more famous neighbors Hierapolis and Laodicea. Hierapolis was named for the hot springs located there and even in your day it’s still one of the …

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 The Essential Ingredient

    Exodus 11 11 And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver and jewels of gold. 3 And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, …

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THE SOURCE OF HOPE

1 Peter 1:3-9(KJV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial …

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Why God's Purpose for the Tribulation excludes the Church

“And the LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you shall again obey the Lord, and observe all His commandments which I command you today.”   -Deuteronomy 30:7-8 God’s purpose for the tribulation (i.e., the seven-year, 70th week of Daniel) revolves around His plan for Israel and does not include a earthly presence for the church. Why? Because God’s plan for Israel is unfinished at this point in history. When the role of the church is completed she will be taken as a completed body to …

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When God Gets Lost – Part 2

    SPEAKER: JACK HIBBS Isaiah’s calling as a prophet was primarily to the nation of Judah and to the city of Jerusalem, He urged the people to repent from their sins and to return to God. He also foretold the coming of the Messiah and the salvation of the Lord and the End of days events…        

Transitions in the Book of Acts

By Dr. Thomas Ice Pre-Trib Research Center       Virtually all students of the Bible would acknowledge that the Book of Acts is a transition from Israel to the Church, as God’s instrument through whom He uses to spread His message. There are three major passages that should be understood in order to properly grasp what this transition is about. Those three passages are Acts 1:3–10; 3:11–26; 15:6–21. Let me also state up front that the New Testament teaches that the church is a mystery (Rom. 16:25–27; Eph. 3:3–9; Col. 1:26–27), always part of God’s plan for history but …

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The Seven Deadly Sins

 by Jack Kinsella     In the Book of Proverbs, God lays out a list before us of what are often called the “Seven Deadly Sins.” They earned that nickname, not because those sins will cause a believer to lose his salvation, but because they are the most destructive sins to a believer’s spiritual progress before the Lord. “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false …

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How the Characteristics of Grace Appear

And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6) We have been considering some characteristics that God wants to develop in our lives by His grace: namely, triumphant living, a fragrance of Christ, godly sincerity, and becoming living letters of Christ. How do these appear in our lives in an ever-increasing manner? As Paul wrote on these wonderful descriptions of godly living, his heart was …

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Plagues That Preach

  Exodus 6:28–10:29   I’m convinced this dreadful display of judgment in Egypt, this battle between a righteous, holy God and the stubborn heart of Pharaoh, has at least two major truths to teach us. First, when God judges, He does a thorough job of it. Second, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Let’s make this painfully personal. You may be in the danger zone as you read these words. You have played fast and loose with your life, ignoring warning after warning. You have shoved aside essential truths for so long …

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Will being a good person get me to heaven?

Salvation Cannot Be by Works and God’s Grace   “NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). This Bible verse makes it plain and simple that good works will not save anyone. Listen to the message of Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.” Salvation is not by merit. “Knowing that a man is NOT JUSTIFIED …

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Is it too late for America?

  There was a circus at the United Nations last week. There were no elephants or caged lions, no trapeze artists or sword swallowers. Not even any bearded ladies. But there were sights to see that we’ll not see outside the circus. Like U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry toting his 2-year-old granddaughter to the front of the General Assembly hall to sign an international agreement. Oh, and there were even brass bands playing inside the hall. Was this the annual visit of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus to New York City? Not quite. But for some …

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