By Odon Bulamba (24th June 2005)
Revelation 8:4
And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.
The chapter 8 starts telling us about what we have been crossing since the 70s (1970) according to scientists. This message is being fulfilled right now but people don’t see it and the only thing that covers it, are the prayers of people like you and me. The more we pray the more the angel holds the incense and puts perfume mixed with prayers but at some stage, God will say: “Enough, I don’t want to continue to receive this glory while people continue to suffer. This must stop. This is enough with the perfume I will change the time”.
Remember what is written in the book of Ecclesiastes, everything has its time. There is a time to eat and a time to vomit, there is a time to dance and a time to sit quietly. For God, it is the same. He has a programme for everything under the sun. He knows you were born yesterday and he knows tomorrow you’ll die. He knows yesterday you did something and tomorrow you will not be able to do it again. He knows when people pray and has heard them for days or months but one day He will end it and tell the angel it’s time to use that censer for another purpose.
Time is up for that censer to give God a nice aroma mixed with the prayers of the saints, and time has come for it to leave God’s Kingdom and shake the world a little bit.
What is a censer?
A censer is like a bowl where you put incense so that it can burn.
And the angel threw it on the earth
So the angel will take the fire from the altar, add it to the censer, take it out of God’s kingdom and throw it down “on the earth” and when it will come on earth, something will happen, lightning and thunder … some people will fear it and others will accept it as a normal thing. Some will explain this phenomenon scientifically, saying: “Something has happened somewhere and it creates this phenomenon. Physics can also explain the normality of this phenomenon according to the atmosphere or the nature”. Many things have been happening over the last 20 years, people can see them but they don’t accept or agree on the cause.
THE FIRST ANGEL
Revelation 8:7
The first angel blew his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were hurled to the earth, and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. Then, one of the angels holding the trumpets will stand up and blow the first trumpet.When the first trumpet is blown, hail and fire will come mixed together with blood.
Question? How can hail and fire mix?
Hail is just water, and fire and water can’t mix together. So, God will do something really strange, something the world has never seen. Usually water represents His Word but this time, He will take transformed water, transformed Word. Hail is not water you just put in your freezer to freeze and become ice. It’s something human beings try to explain geographically, evaporation, condensation and this and that to eventually fall down. But who can really define it because all of them are like small stones, have the same size, and never last on the ground. They melt and disappear quickly. When they fall, no one can count them and they make a specific noise, not like normal rain. It sounds like stones falling together with rain.
The Bible says in Revelation hail will be mixed with fire, and when fire and water are mixed up, they usually produce smoke. Water tries to kill the fire, fire tries to resist and finally, there will be smoke.
When the angel blows the first trumpet, God will try to send His Spirit on people who have been praying under the sun, so that what is written in the book of Joel will be fulfilled: young people will talk about the gospel, old people will have visions and so on. Unfortunately, the world will not accept that and politicians or others in this world will bring up another fire that will fight against the truth. That fire is called today: evolution of science. Whenever they say, God is coming back and his power is among us we can see this and that, they will say: No, this is not true it’s just some experience you can learn and study. Science can explain everything that is happening.
For example, six months ago the Tsunami hit Indonesia, scientists sat down and studied it. They said, “Tsunami comes from somewhere and we can explain it. They explained it to the entire world: it’s not something miraculous but we can geographically explain it. So those who have been told God promised to do things like these at the end of the time want to stop the logic of science. We tell you that Tsunami just exists and it has been there since a long time and we can explain it”.
When the AIDS started, scientists claimed it was simple, just a matter of studying it and finding a medicine to cure it. But up to now, the virus is still alive. I remember around 1995 a new sickness came from Congo and they called it Ebola. This sickness causes you to die after 3 hours you catch it. Even if you go to the doctor, there is little chance to heal. It is contagious as well. The world said this is just something normal because science can prove it, we will find the remedy. But they forgot God said He would send plagues on you, famine, sicknesses and others.
Science always makes people think they can explain and find a solution just so that we forget about the realities and promises of our God. So when the first angel will blow his trumpet, people will wander what to do: “There is hail here and fire there who can stop it and win?” It will create confusion between people: sometimes they’ll believe in evolution and sometimes they’ll trust in God and other people will accept both. For example, in a church you’ll hear it’s better for you ladies to become men, and people will do it, or it’s better for boys to drink alcohol and get drunk, they will do it as well.
This first trumpet will cause things to happen inside the world not out of it and people who have wisdom according to the world will go to churches and teach them, misleading one third of the population living under the sun. They will be lost and no one will be able to come and give them life again. That’s why it’s written the third of the earth will be burnt up, then third of trees and the grass.
Jesus-Christ is the tree and we are the branches in Him. What are the trees that will be burnt? God created us in His image, so we represent Him. He said that you and I will become one, I will live in you and you will live in me. He gave us that privilege of becoming like trees in this world because we control everything around this earth. That day, we will lose the authority that was given to us if we try to mix things up: those belonging to this world and those belonging to the Word of God. God will put some aside because most people of God will leave Him for their own glory.
For example, most preachers will become politicians or when it’s election time some church people will help campaigning and say in churches: Vote Labour! (for example)
This shouldn’t surprise us because it’s time to see the smoke. Remember that smoke destroys oxygen, and smoke tries to put people confusion. For example: imagine that we suddenly see smoke coming from the kitchen, what will we do here in this room? I think the first thing will be to run, leave the building because we know where there is smoke there is a fire somewhere even if we can’t see it. There is a danger. someone might ring the Police and fire fighters will come.
So smoke is a sign of danger.
The church is crossing a danger today: the mixture between the Word of God and the power of this world and this will destroy the grass, and I’m sorry to say the grass is the newborn Christians, the very new ones in the Kingdom of God. They will be completely destroyed because if trees are “burned up” then, trees tell the grass this is the way, follow it, they will follow it, be “burned up” and we can’t avoid that.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Revelations 8:5-11 (summary) The First, Second and Third Trumpet
By Odon Bulamba (24 June 2005)
Revelation 8:5-7, Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
We’ve been crossing this since the 1970’s and because of our prayers the angel continues to hold the censer and put perfume into it and our prayers are mixed with that. But at some stage God will say this is enough, I don’t want to continue to get that glory while my people suffer, this must stop, it is time now to use the censer for another purpose: to throw fire to the earth and when it comes there will be thunder and lightening but people will interpret it according to science and say it’s normal, don’t worry.
First Trumpet; hail and fire mixed with blood.
Hail = water = Word of God
Fire = revolution of science; people of this world will not accept the signs of the times and bring a fire to resist (science). Whenever you say, ‘God is coming back’, they will say, ‘no these are not signs but can be explained by science.’
Hail + fire = smoke; most preachers will become politicians; mix water & fire = smoke and smoke destroys oxygen and puts people in confusion and people see danger when they see smoke and run away. The church today is crossing a danger by mixing the Word of God with the power of the world which will destroy the grass (Rev 8:7) which is the new born in the gospel of the Kingdom of God because they will follow bad teaching.
Everything that will happen with the first trumpet will happen with the church first; mislead 1/3rd of the population and once lost there is no chance for life again.
Jesus Christ is a tree and we represent God so we are also trees of this world.
Second Trumpet; Ex 9, Pharaoh was supposed to free the Israelites but he wanted to keep them because they were useful to him. Many Christians around the world today are being used by satan, in front of you they look nice but behind your back they are destroying the church.
Fire will come from heaven to the sea;
Sea = Word of God
Fire will make people to be misled, a cursed spirit will talk to churches and mislead people of God. People will fear to tell the truth because the church won’t be happy if the Word of God doesn’t fit into their lives instead of living their live according to the Word of God. Science and politics are fighting the gospel. The only way to get people saved is to pray and tell the truth and not change the meaning of the Bible.
Third Trumpet; the name of the star destroys rivers and the name of it is bitterness and people couldn’t use that water anymore and because of our way of misinterpreting the Bible, God will send a big spirit of misleading and it will get into the church and kill seriously.
There is a lot of confusion because everyone has a different interpretation and so the Word of God becomes bitter and people decide to not go to church anymore. This is already here, the spirit of false teaching or false prophecies and that is why we must go back to the Bible and check the teaching.
The Star (vs 11) has five corners = pentagon = USA has a pentagon that controls all five continents (corners). “one third of the earth destroyed” and today 1/3rd of the church is controlled by the pentagon and the head offices of most churches are in the USA. These people of the big star will put power in the Ecumenical Council (only the American version of the Bible is allowed at the Ecumenical Council) and they will use the E.C to destroy the Church. When that star comes down we will see blood in the church because people will hate which is equal to murder in God’s eyes (1 John 3:15) e.g. racism, Pentecostal vs Baptist.
SUMMARY
- People will interpret the signs with science and not be convinced Christ is coming back
- First Trumpet = hail and fire
Hail = Word of God mixed
Fire = Revolution of Science
Mix water & fire = smoke = confusion of the Word of God
Grass = the new-born Christians (killed by mixing the Word of God with Science & Politics)
- Second Trumpet = Sea and Fire
Sea = Word of God
Fire = Spirit of misleading people
Only way to save people is to pray and tell God’s Truth
- Third Trumpet = Star = Pentagon = Ecumenical Council
Revelation 8:5-7, Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
We’ve been crossing this since the 1970’s and because of our prayers the angel continues to hold the censer and put perfume into it and our prayers are mixed with that. But at some stage God will say this is enough, I don’t want to continue to get that glory while my people suffer, this must stop, it is time now to use the censer for another purpose: to throw fire to the earth and when it comes there will be thunder and lightening but people will interpret it according to science and say it’s normal, don’t worry.
First Trumpet; hail and fire mixed with blood.
Hail = water = Word of God
Fire = revolution of science; people of this world will not accept the signs of the times and bring a fire to resist (science). Whenever you say, ‘God is coming back’, they will say, ‘no these are not signs but can be explained by science.’
Hail + fire = smoke; most preachers will become politicians; mix water & fire = smoke and smoke destroys oxygen and puts people in confusion and people see danger when they see smoke and run away. The church today is crossing a danger by mixing the Word of God with the power of the world which will destroy the grass (Rev 8:7) which is the new born in the gospel of the Kingdom of God because they will follow bad teaching.
Everything that will happen with the first trumpet will happen with the church first; mislead 1/3rd of the population and once lost there is no chance for life again.
Jesus Christ is a tree and we represent God so we are also trees of this world.
Second Trumpet; Ex 9, Pharaoh was supposed to free the Israelites but he wanted to keep them because they were useful to him. Many Christians around the world today are being used by satan, in front of you they look nice but behind your back they are destroying the church.
Fire will come from heaven to the sea;
Sea = Word of God
Fire will make people to be misled, a cursed spirit will talk to churches and mislead people of God. People will fear to tell the truth because the church won’t be happy if the Word of God doesn’t fit into their lives instead of living their live according to the Word of God. Science and politics are fighting the gospel. The only way to get people saved is to pray and tell the truth and not change the meaning of the Bible.
Third Trumpet; the name of the star destroys rivers and the name of it is bitterness and people couldn’t use that water anymore and because of our way of misinterpreting the Bible, God will send a big spirit of misleading and it will get into the church and kill seriously.
There is a lot of confusion because everyone has a different interpretation and so the Word of God becomes bitter and people decide to not go to church anymore. This is already here, the spirit of false teaching or false prophecies and that is why we must go back to the Bible and check the teaching.
The Star (vs 11) has five corners = pentagon = USA has a pentagon that controls all five continents (corners). “one third of the earth destroyed” and today 1/3rd of the church is controlled by the pentagon and the head offices of most churches are in the USA. These people of the big star will put power in the Ecumenical Council (only the American version of the Bible is allowed at the Ecumenical Council) and they will use the E.C to destroy the Church. When that star comes down we will see blood in the church because people will hate which is equal to murder in God’s eyes (1 John 3:15) e.g. racism, Pentecostal vs Baptist.
SUMMARY
- People will interpret the signs with science and not be convinced Christ is coming back
- First Trumpet = hail and fire
Hail = Word of God mixed
Fire = Revolution of Science
Mix water & fire = smoke = confusion of the Word of God
Grass = the new-born Christians (killed by mixing the Word of God with Science & Politics)
- Second Trumpet = Sea and Fire
Sea = Word of God
Fire = Spirit of misleading people
Only way to save people is to pray and tell God’s Truth
- Third Trumpet = Star = Pentagon = Ecumenical Council
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Leave slavery, come into the promised land
By Odon Bulamba (20th March 2011) summary
We just sang a song from the book, page number 111 (the emergency number in NZ) and it is titled, “I belong to You”. Do you really belong to Jesus today? The second song we sang had the words, “I’ve found where I belong” and we also sang, “I love you so much”. Do I love Jesus sooo much, really? With what kind of love do I love Him? Is it only a one way love where I ask for things and when I get them, then I love God or is it a love we have because we have a good relationship with Jesus.
God doesn’t forget the need of our souls. We human beings focus on our material needs but God focuses on the essential things in our lives (our soul). What will you gain if you take the kingdom of earth but lose the kingdom of heaven? Jesus needs to see your soul alive.
Romans 3:1-4. God is true but every man be a liar. How is God true in my life? Allow God to act as God in your life.
Exodus 14:10-16. The people of Israel who had also sung to God how much they love him, were now given the chance to leave Egypt and go to a new land. It was time for them to leave after 400 years of captivity, generation after generation living as slaves.
A slave has no rights and is not considered as a human being. They are really humiliated and are considered less valuable than our toilet, or our dog poo. In Egypt, some people used to collect camel poo to use for gardens but the lives of the slaves were less valuable than the poo.
Moses told the Israelites it’s now time to leave Egypt and go to a place of milk and honey. They used to collect milk and honey for their masters and they were never given the chance to eat it. They were whipped with whips that had sharp ends attached to them so they would be seriously injured and then they had to carry on working. They were tortured physically, mentally, and spiritually. How loud were they crying to God?
God was watching for 400 years and said, ‘this is the promise I gave to Abraham, I can’t intervene until the 400 years is complete. It was therefore a joy when it was time to leave and go to the promise land where there won’t be sufferings anymore. Everybody was ready to go with joy and courage but after walking for a while and finding problems on the way, their joy and courage stopped.
There is a process to leave slavery, a process to leave Egypt and go to Canaan. The Israelites found themselves in front of the Red Sea. Pharaoh prepared 600 chariots and captains and he was ready to fight and take them back by force and anyone who resisted was going to be killed.
When the Israelites saw Pharaoh’s men coming they were very afraid and started to panic. When we are in fear, we lose our strength and feel completely weak and we lose our joy. Israel cried out, “help, intervene” and sometimes when we are afraid, we cry out to God and we don’t even know what to say.
The Israelites complained to Moses, “Why did you pull us out of Egypt? Why did you bring us here to face such challenges?” Imagine 1.5 million people against you. Sometimes we want to help people and they turn against us. Many people have that gift of being offended, “I’m offended” even when we are thinking of their best interest so we think it’s better not to assist anymore but Moses continued to help.
The Israelites forgot the promises that God gave them that after 400 years slavery will end. They didn’t think about that. Moses put aside his fear and turned to God. God told him not to be afraid, to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Romans 3:1-4 says we have to allow God to be true. If we allow God to act in our lives, He will do it but if we don’t allow it, He won’t.
God promised to them, “you’ll never see Egyptians FOREVER”. This story reminds us that threats should not stop you from doing the glory of God. We have to remember that there is a process to salvation from our problems. For example, to have a baby there is a process called pregnancy which is difficult but at the process will end and there will be joy when it does.
When people go through a process, it becomes hard and they give up along the way. They feel like God is wasting their time and they want to do whatever they want. But God is asking us to not be threatened or intimidated by what you see around you, stand still, stick on God’s promises and let Him act.
Many people say, “if God is good, then He would never let this happen to me”. In Ex14:15, God said, “why do you cry to me, I gave you everything you need.” We have our own responsibility and our own role to play. God used Moses to take Israel out, Moses himself had to act.
There is a process to being saved and it’s a hard process. Today behind you is satan with a big army and commanders are attacking us. Satan doesn’t want us to escape his kingdom and he needs us back, he’s angry (like Pharaoh). For example, I don’t want to lie anymore, and I tell God, ‘Lord, I’m in a panic, Lord help me” and God looks at you, ‘why do you cry to me, I gave you everything that you need. You can stop lying in your own. Satan can’t force you to lie, he doesn’t have that power. Whenever you feel temptation, tell satan, ‘don’t even try’ and satan will eventually stop trying.
Things we think are cool are sometimes evil. God communicates with our heart. When we want to do something wrong, our conscience tells us it’s wrong and we tell our conscience shut up. Israel told Moses we should go back and sometimes we feel like it’s better to go back to our old life but you are losing your life when you go back to your old lifestyle although you feel like you are gaining it.
When we go back to our old friends and old lifestyle, we are letting God down, we are letting down His Kingdom and we are letting down our souls and the souls of others.
Jeremiah 29:11 God has a plan for you. He has thoughts of peace and not evil, thoughts that will give you hope and a future. Sometimes we think it’s better to be a slave, we are impatient waiting for God and we feel like our old life is better than our new life. But just as the Israelites didn’t belong to Egypt, we don’t belong in this world.
God asked Moses, “what do you have in your hand?” He had a staff which is something simple and yet it was enough to save 1.5 million people. God didn’t need gold or money, just a simple staff and it was able to change the situation of people’s lives. With your small faith you can move mountains. God has given you all that you need.
Moses was told to stretch out his hand with the staff and sometimes in our daily situations we have to stretch ourselves and accept to go through that pain. When Moses stretched out his hand, the Red Sea parted. God accomplished His plan, “You’ll see them no more” and Moses stretched out his hand again and saw the salvation of God on that day (as promised) and the waters came back and the Egyptians were gone forever.
When you stand in God’s promises, put fear aside and decide to allow God to act as God and you don’t fall into temptation, you’ll see God’s glory and those problems you’ll never see them again. Sometimes we want only pleasure in our life so we choose pleasure which leads to death because the only true please is the Kingdom of God.
We have to remember the battle is not ours but we have a part to play in that battle. For example, if you don’t want to make an effort to eat, no one can force you. The nurses can put food in your mouth but if you don’t want to chew and swallow, they can’t make you and eventually you will vomit it out. Day after day we vomit on Jesus but He continues to say, ‘Come back, I’m waiting for you”.
God has a plan for you and He wants to accomplish something through you and if you accept to cross the Red Sea and not go back to your sin, you find salvation. Sin tastes good but the Word of God tastes bitter because it makes us feel bad. The Lord has played His role and if you want salvation, if you want blessing, it’s up to you to decide. Usually we don’t decide. When you were saved, you promised God that you will follow Him from now on but after waling a bit, you start to complain, ‘temptation and satan is after me’ but keep going forward, this is a process and you will reach a point where satan can’t reach anymore (like the Egyptians couldn’t cross the Red Sea).
Jesus paid the price for us to be children of God but not so we can mock God and let our Father down or make the world believe He is not a good Father.
We just sang a song from the book, page number 111 (the emergency number in NZ) and it is titled, “I belong to You”. Do you really belong to Jesus today? The second song we sang had the words, “I’ve found where I belong” and we also sang, “I love you so much”. Do I love Jesus sooo much, really? With what kind of love do I love Him? Is it only a one way love where I ask for things and when I get them, then I love God or is it a love we have because we have a good relationship with Jesus.
God doesn’t forget the need of our souls. We human beings focus on our material needs but God focuses on the essential things in our lives (our soul). What will you gain if you take the kingdom of earth but lose the kingdom of heaven? Jesus needs to see your soul alive.
Romans 3:1-4. God is true but every man be a liar. How is God true in my life? Allow God to act as God in your life.
Exodus 14:10-16. The people of Israel who had also sung to God how much they love him, were now given the chance to leave Egypt and go to a new land. It was time for them to leave after 400 years of captivity, generation after generation living as slaves.
A slave has no rights and is not considered as a human being. They are really humiliated and are considered less valuable than our toilet, or our dog poo. In Egypt, some people used to collect camel poo to use for gardens but the lives of the slaves were less valuable than the poo.
Moses told the Israelites it’s now time to leave Egypt and go to a place of milk and honey. They used to collect milk and honey for their masters and they were never given the chance to eat it. They were whipped with whips that had sharp ends attached to them so they would be seriously injured and then they had to carry on working. They were tortured physically, mentally, and spiritually. How loud were they crying to God?
God was watching for 400 years and said, ‘this is the promise I gave to Abraham, I can’t intervene until the 400 years is complete. It was therefore a joy when it was time to leave and go to the promise land where there won’t be sufferings anymore. Everybody was ready to go with joy and courage but after walking for a while and finding problems on the way, their joy and courage stopped.
There is a process to leave slavery, a process to leave Egypt and go to Canaan. The Israelites found themselves in front of the Red Sea. Pharaoh prepared 600 chariots and captains and he was ready to fight and take them back by force and anyone who resisted was going to be killed.
When the Israelites saw Pharaoh’s men coming they were very afraid and started to panic. When we are in fear, we lose our strength and feel completely weak and we lose our joy. Israel cried out, “help, intervene” and sometimes when we are afraid, we cry out to God and we don’t even know what to say.
The Israelites complained to Moses, “Why did you pull us out of Egypt? Why did you bring us here to face such challenges?” Imagine 1.5 million people against you. Sometimes we want to help people and they turn against us. Many people have that gift of being offended, “I’m offended” even when we are thinking of their best interest so we think it’s better not to assist anymore but Moses continued to help.
The Israelites forgot the promises that God gave them that after 400 years slavery will end. They didn’t think about that. Moses put aside his fear and turned to God. God told him not to be afraid, to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Romans 3:1-4 says we have to allow God to be true. If we allow God to act in our lives, He will do it but if we don’t allow it, He won’t.
God promised to them, “you’ll never see Egyptians FOREVER”. This story reminds us that threats should not stop you from doing the glory of God. We have to remember that there is a process to salvation from our problems. For example, to have a baby there is a process called pregnancy which is difficult but at the process will end and there will be joy when it does.
When people go through a process, it becomes hard and they give up along the way. They feel like God is wasting their time and they want to do whatever they want. But God is asking us to not be threatened or intimidated by what you see around you, stand still, stick on God’s promises and let Him act.
Many people say, “if God is good, then He would never let this happen to me”. In Ex14:15, God said, “why do you cry to me, I gave you everything you need.” We have our own responsibility and our own role to play. God used Moses to take Israel out, Moses himself had to act.
There is a process to being saved and it’s a hard process. Today behind you is satan with a big army and commanders are attacking us. Satan doesn’t want us to escape his kingdom and he needs us back, he’s angry (like Pharaoh). For example, I don’t want to lie anymore, and I tell God, ‘Lord, I’m in a panic, Lord help me” and God looks at you, ‘why do you cry to me, I gave you everything that you need. You can stop lying in your own. Satan can’t force you to lie, he doesn’t have that power. Whenever you feel temptation, tell satan, ‘don’t even try’ and satan will eventually stop trying.
Things we think are cool are sometimes evil. God communicates with our heart. When we want to do something wrong, our conscience tells us it’s wrong and we tell our conscience shut up. Israel told Moses we should go back and sometimes we feel like it’s better to go back to our old life but you are losing your life when you go back to your old lifestyle although you feel like you are gaining it.
When we go back to our old friends and old lifestyle, we are letting God down, we are letting down His Kingdom and we are letting down our souls and the souls of others.
Jeremiah 29:11 God has a plan for you. He has thoughts of peace and not evil, thoughts that will give you hope and a future. Sometimes we think it’s better to be a slave, we are impatient waiting for God and we feel like our old life is better than our new life. But just as the Israelites didn’t belong to Egypt, we don’t belong in this world.
God asked Moses, “what do you have in your hand?” He had a staff which is something simple and yet it was enough to save 1.5 million people. God didn’t need gold or money, just a simple staff and it was able to change the situation of people’s lives. With your small faith you can move mountains. God has given you all that you need.
Moses was told to stretch out his hand with the staff and sometimes in our daily situations we have to stretch ourselves and accept to go through that pain. When Moses stretched out his hand, the Red Sea parted. God accomplished His plan, “You’ll see them no more” and Moses stretched out his hand again and saw the salvation of God on that day (as promised) and the waters came back and the Egyptians were gone forever.
When you stand in God’s promises, put fear aside and decide to allow God to act as God and you don’t fall into temptation, you’ll see God’s glory and those problems you’ll never see them again. Sometimes we want only pleasure in our life so we choose pleasure which leads to death because the only true please is the Kingdom of God.
We have to remember the battle is not ours but we have a part to play in that battle. For example, if you don’t want to make an effort to eat, no one can force you. The nurses can put food in your mouth but if you don’t want to chew and swallow, they can’t make you and eventually you will vomit it out. Day after day we vomit on Jesus but He continues to say, ‘Come back, I’m waiting for you”.
God has a plan for you and He wants to accomplish something through you and if you accept to cross the Red Sea and not go back to your sin, you find salvation. Sin tastes good but the Word of God tastes bitter because it makes us feel bad. The Lord has played His role and if you want salvation, if you want blessing, it’s up to you to decide. Usually we don’t decide. When you were saved, you promised God that you will follow Him from now on but after waling a bit, you start to complain, ‘temptation and satan is after me’ but keep going forward, this is a process and you will reach a point where satan can’t reach anymore (like the Egyptians couldn’t cross the Red Sea).
Jesus paid the price for us to be children of God but not so we can mock God and let our Father down or make the world believe He is not a good Father.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Revelations 8:1-2 (7th Seal) Summary
By Odon Bulamba (17 June 2005)
After the seventh seal was opened everybody in heaven was silent because they were now expecting for the scroll to be read.
II Peter3:8, “one day is as a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years as one day”, therefore 30 minutes is 20 years & 8mths which is a long time to be quiet. This is the situation that the world is crossing now, a long time where we are waiting for Jesus Christ to come back.
There was silence and this reminds us that when the Word of God is there to act in our lives, don’t fight against it or bring up discussions.
2000 years from Adam to Abraham
2000 years from Abraham – Jesus
2000 years from Jesus Christ – now
6,000 years = 6 days (we are in 7th day)
We are in the seventh day because the seventh seal is already removed and what we are waiting for is the day of judgment. The seals mean that God is opening the door for the plights to come on earth but those plights will be fulfilled by human beings especially politicians.
Trumpets, require wind that someone blows through the mouth and today many people are good at blowing their own trumpet and whatever others are doing it is useless but God gave seven angels trumpets not to blow for their own purposes but for God’s (therefore we should use our mouth's for God's purposes).
Trumpets in the Bible are used to announce something (Ex 19:16) = the time of the coming of God and this is the first sign God will use to show His people He is coming. The sound of the trumpet will end all activities (silence) even repentance.
I Kings 1:34, God allows people to use the trumpet when choosing a king and when God chooses you, you don’t have to blow your own trumpet, let other people do it. Don’t expect to be appreciated or to be known by everybody, let the sound of the trumpet of God testify who you are, be humble and God will lift you up and people will discover who you are.
The people of Jericho walked around the city of Jericho seven days keeping silent and on the 7th day they blew a trumpet. Let us walk together and not leave anyone aside, let us keep silent and not gossip or talk too much like the women in church (especially the pastor’s wives). On the 7th day silence ceased, trumpets blew and walls fell down and if we persevere with God following His instructions in silence on the right day, the walls will fall down, e.g. our family members will get saved.
The trumpet will be blown for the destruction of the world. The seals are opened so human beings can make lives on others hard and punish ¼ of the world. The trumpets are blown so God will start to punish 1/3rd of the world.
The trumpets are exactly related to the 10 plagues in Egypt; they had to put blood on door post as a sign they belong to God and we also need the blood of Jesus Christ so when the power of killing and death passes over us we will not cry the next day because we lost something e.g. our faith or love etc. Remember that only the first-born was killed so what is the first born in you? SALVATION. If you don’t apply the blood of Jesus Christ in your salvation (the fruit of repentance) to follow Jesus Christ with all you heart, you will lose your salvation.
SUMMARY
- The seventh seal has already been removed; we are waiting for Jesus Christ to come back now
- Don’t blow your own trumpet
- We have to walk together, without talking too much or gossiping
- The trumpets are opened so God can punish 1/3 of the world
- We have to keep our salvation by following Christ with all our heart
After the seventh seal was opened everybody in heaven was silent because they were now expecting for the scroll to be read.
II Peter3:8, “one day is as a thousand years with the Lord and a thousand years as one day”, therefore 30 minutes is 20 years & 8mths which is a long time to be quiet. This is the situation that the world is crossing now, a long time where we are waiting for Jesus Christ to come back.
There was silence and this reminds us that when the Word of God is there to act in our lives, don’t fight against it or bring up discussions.
2000 years from Adam to Abraham
2000 years from Abraham – Jesus
2000 years from Jesus Christ – now
6,000 years = 6 days (we are in 7th day)
We are in the seventh day because the seventh seal is already removed and what we are waiting for is the day of judgment. The seals mean that God is opening the door for the plights to come on earth but those plights will be fulfilled by human beings especially politicians.
Trumpets, require wind that someone blows through the mouth and today many people are good at blowing their own trumpet and whatever others are doing it is useless but God gave seven angels trumpets not to blow for their own purposes but for God’s (therefore we should use our mouth's for God's purposes).
Trumpets in the Bible are used to announce something (Ex 19:16) = the time of the coming of God and this is the first sign God will use to show His people He is coming. The sound of the trumpet will end all activities (silence) even repentance.
I Kings 1:34, God allows people to use the trumpet when choosing a king and when God chooses you, you don’t have to blow your own trumpet, let other people do it. Don’t expect to be appreciated or to be known by everybody, let the sound of the trumpet of God testify who you are, be humble and God will lift you up and people will discover who you are.
The people of Jericho walked around the city of Jericho seven days keeping silent and on the 7th day they blew a trumpet. Let us walk together and not leave anyone aside, let us keep silent and not gossip or talk too much like the women in church (especially the pastor’s wives). On the 7th day silence ceased, trumpets blew and walls fell down and if we persevere with God following His instructions in silence on the right day, the walls will fall down, e.g. our family members will get saved.
The trumpet will be blown for the destruction of the world. The seals are opened so human beings can make lives on others hard and punish ¼ of the world. The trumpets are blown so God will start to punish 1/3rd of the world.
The trumpets are exactly related to the 10 plagues in Egypt; they had to put blood on door post as a sign they belong to God and we also need the blood of Jesus Christ so when the power of killing and death passes over us we will not cry the next day because we lost something e.g. our faith or love etc. Remember that only the first-born was killed so what is the first born in you? SALVATION. If you don’t apply the blood of Jesus Christ in your salvation (the fruit of repentance) to follow Jesus Christ with all you heart, you will lose your salvation.
SUMMARY
- The seventh seal has already been removed; we are waiting for Jesus Christ to come back now
- Don’t blow your own trumpet
- We have to walk together, without talking too much or gossiping
- The trumpets are opened so God can punish 1/3 of the world
- We have to keep our salvation by following Christ with all our heart
Saturday, March 19, 2011
12 Tribes of Israel
(Revelations 7 & Genesis 29 & 49)
By Odon Bulamba (2005)
Israel means wrestling with God and God chose us as His people so we are also called Israel and therefore this message concerns all of us. Jacob had 12 sons who had to go before their father to give an account of their lives and we too will have to one day give an account of our lives before our heavenly Father. God will tell you all the good things and bad things you did and you will not be able to discuss or justify, just as Jacobs sons went through with their dad (Gen 49) God will call one after the other, in any order and we will stand alone.
Reuben “behold a son”
He was powerful and dignified, yet had his birthright removed because of what he did 40 years ago (sleeping with his father’s concubine). He could have repented but never did and Christians today will not receive from God unless they repent.
Many Christians think that because they have brought souls new birth, God’s love will increase for them but they don’t help them to grow up properly and they teach them wrong things so they are worse than before.
Don’t be misled like Reuben and think because you are first born you will inherit the birthright, we are Christians and we don’t have to rely on that but need to live as Christians.
Simeon “answered or heard”
Lost his blessing because he used violence and whenever we use our flesh instead of the glory of God we bring violence and not blessing.
Levi “attached”
He worked together with Simeon and many people today who are violent in churches try to influence others, ‘Peter, look at the pastor, lets take action against him’.
Simon and Levi were really angry and the church today is suffering because of anger. When we are angry we can destroy everything.
Because Levi repented God gave them another position (priests)
Judah “praised” LION
He was weaker and younger than his brothers but because of the glory that he gave to God, God will raise him up. The lion in the Bible represents victory and power and when you praise God, He’ll manifest his power. He was given the lion by his father for one good action (Gen 38:25) because he recognized she was greater than him and he recognized his weakness and his conscience was pushing him. Usually people today don’t recognize their weaknesses and justify their actions.
Dan “vindicated”
All of us want justice and support from God but not when we are wrong, only when we are right. When our enemies attack us we need justice but when we are attacking others we don’t need it. Dan will bring justice and bite the heal of the horse and if you have justice you will make satan fall.
Dan is not found in Revelations 7 because they had started to adore other gods.
Napthali “fighting”
We have to know what to fight against; not each other but sin.
Zebulan “haven"
Zebulan had a successful business but forget to glorify God and many Christians today think that they are great when they achieve something and others are not, forgetting God is the one who gave it to them.
A haven is somewhere you can get joy and strength and all you need and today many Christians think, ‘o everybody just wants to use me’ and they complain but if you commit yourself to God and give, you will be blessed even more. Many people who have blessings minimize those who don’t but you should keep your relationships with others good because you don’t know what will happen tomorrow.
Issachar “wages"
A donkey is strong, stubborn, naughty, arrogant, looks nice and quiet but actions are rude. Issachar was give the power of God and the power of working. When we first get saved we want to work for God, praying and reading the Bible but somewhere along the way we take a rest (lie down between two saddle bags). Issachar didn’t put his strength into practice and lost it and if we don’t practice our gifts we will lose them also. When we are between two saddle bags, it is hard to make a decision because we are caught between the power of the world and the power of God. We don’t know who to serve first; God, family, my needs.
Issachar was given enough strength and when we go through difficult times we have also been given enough strength.
Gad “happiness”
Although Jacob didn’t love Leah from the beginning, God put Gad into her womb to bring joy into Jacob’s life and God is our joy and brings us happiness but sometimes when we are going through difficult times we don’t get immediate happiness and we feel God is quiet but this is because through suffering we come close to God and if we are living a life of joy day after day it will be hard to remember the greatness of God. God allows satan to attack you, not to lose your faith but to struggle so that you will be stronger.
Gad was told in Gen 49, ‘you’ll destroy the heel of attackers’ which means we have the power to attack the heel of satan and temptation and when the heel is attacked the whole body feels it.
Gad’s name is joy and as Christians we can overcome anything if we have joy. The faith of Christians today is shaken because of a lack of joy.
Gad was called to have victory but he sometimes forgot (e.g. he was afraid of the giants but was supposed to bring courage to others) and we also forget the victory we have in Christ.
Asher “happiness”
Asher was born from a servant of Leah but his name means happiness and we can also be slaves and in the weakest position and not considered by this world but we don’t have to lose joy. We are all children of God just as Asher was as much a descendent of Jacob as the others.
Zilpah (his mother) thought that she was no one and when we humiliate ourselves like children, God will raise us up.
Benjamin “son of my right hand” by his father and “son of my sorrow” by his mother
Jacob blessed him as a wolf which are dangerous, travel in packs, strong, good eye sight, can attack, call on other wolves for help and don’t give up. In USA a wolf represents something evil because witches use them to kill people with magic.
He was left handed (Gen 35:18, Judges 3:15, 20:16) and with their left hand they could hit everything but could never fight for God’s glory. Many people today in Church are like that, they have nice gifts and blessed in many ways and can fight for God’s glory but don’t care.
By Odon Bulamba (2005)
Israel means wrestling with God and God chose us as His people so we are also called Israel and therefore this message concerns all of us. Jacob had 12 sons who had to go before their father to give an account of their lives and we too will have to one day give an account of our lives before our heavenly Father. God will tell you all the good things and bad things you did and you will not be able to discuss or justify, just as Jacobs sons went through with their dad (Gen 49) God will call one after the other, in any order and we will stand alone.
Reuben “behold a son”
He was powerful and dignified, yet had his birthright removed because of what he did 40 years ago (sleeping with his father’s concubine). He could have repented but never did and Christians today will not receive from God unless they repent.
Many Christians think that because they have brought souls new birth, God’s love will increase for them but they don’t help them to grow up properly and they teach them wrong things so they are worse than before.
Don’t be misled like Reuben and think because you are first born you will inherit the birthright, we are Christians and we don’t have to rely on that but need to live as Christians.
Simeon “answered or heard”
Lost his blessing because he used violence and whenever we use our flesh instead of the glory of God we bring violence and not blessing.
Levi “attached”
He worked together with Simeon and many people today who are violent in churches try to influence others, ‘Peter, look at the pastor, lets take action against him’.
Simon and Levi were really angry and the church today is suffering because of anger. When we are angry we can destroy everything.
Because Levi repented God gave them another position (priests)
Judah “praised” LION
He was weaker and younger than his brothers but because of the glory that he gave to God, God will raise him up. The lion in the Bible represents victory and power and when you praise God, He’ll manifest his power. He was given the lion by his father for one good action (Gen 38:25) because he recognized she was greater than him and he recognized his weakness and his conscience was pushing him. Usually people today don’t recognize their weaknesses and justify their actions.
Dan “vindicated”
All of us want justice and support from God but not when we are wrong, only when we are right. When our enemies attack us we need justice but when we are attacking others we don’t need it. Dan will bring justice and bite the heal of the horse and if you have justice you will make satan fall.
Dan is not found in Revelations 7 because they had started to adore other gods.
Napthali “fighting”
We have to know what to fight against; not each other but sin.
Zebulan “haven"
Zebulan had a successful business but forget to glorify God and many Christians today think that they are great when they achieve something and others are not, forgetting God is the one who gave it to them.
A haven is somewhere you can get joy and strength and all you need and today many Christians think, ‘o everybody just wants to use me’ and they complain but if you commit yourself to God and give, you will be blessed even more. Many people who have blessings minimize those who don’t but you should keep your relationships with others good because you don’t know what will happen tomorrow.
Issachar “wages"
A donkey is strong, stubborn, naughty, arrogant, looks nice and quiet but actions are rude. Issachar was give the power of God and the power of working. When we first get saved we want to work for God, praying and reading the Bible but somewhere along the way we take a rest (lie down between two saddle bags). Issachar didn’t put his strength into practice and lost it and if we don’t practice our gifts we will lose them also. When we are between two saddle bags, it is hard to make a decision because we are caught between the power of the world and the power of God. We don’t know who to serve first; God, family, my needs.
Issachar was given enough strength and when we go through difficult times we have also been given enough strength.
Gad “happiness”
Although Jacob didn’t love Leah from the beginning, God put Gad into her womb to bring joy into Jacob’s life and God is our joy and brings us happiness but sometimes when we are going through difficult times we don’t get immediate happiness and we feel God is quiet but this is because through suffering we come close to God and if we are living a life of joy day after day it will be hard to remember the greatness of God. God allows satan to attack you, not to lose your faith but to struggle so that you will be stronger.
Gad was told in Gen 49, ‘you’ll destroy the heel of attackers’ which means we have the power to attack the heel of satan and temptation and when the heel is attacked the whole body feels it.
Gad’s name is joy and as Christians we can overcome anything if we have joy. The faith of Christians today is shaken because of a lack of joy.
Gad was called to have victory but he sometimes forgot (e.g. he was afraid of the giants but was supposed to bring courage to others) and we also forget the victory we have in Christ.
Asher “happiness”
Asher was born from a servant of Leah but his name means happiness and we can also be slaves and in the weakest position and not considered by this world but we don’t have to lose joy. We are all children of God just as Asher was as much a descendent of Jacob as the others.
Zilpah (his mother) thought that she was no one and when we humiliate ourselves like children, God will raise us up.
Benjamin “son of my right hand” by his father and “son of my sorrow” by his mother
Jacob blessed him as a wolf which are dangerous, travel in packs, strong, good eye sight, can attack, call on other wolves for help and don’t give up. In USA a wolf represents something evil because witches use them to kill people with magic.
He was left handed (Gen 35:18, Judges 3:15, 20:16) and with their left hand they could hit everything but could never fight for God’s glory. Many people today in Church are like that, they have nice gifts and blessed in many ways and can fight for God’s glory but don’t care.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Revelation 8 (Part II)
By Odon Bulamba (17th June 2005)
Revelation 8:2
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
John saw seven angels in front of God that were given seven trumpets. So imagine, John was expecting the scroll to be read but instead of this he had a vision of God, for the first time. He saw God sitting and in front of Him seven angels coming. They were given, not the scroll to be read, but seven trumpets. How strange! There was silence in the Kingdom of God and everyone could hear the sound of the trumpet. Why this silence? Was it because everyone was frightened or because people knew something great was about to happen?
So what in your life make you silent?
Are you able to talk when you panic, or do you remain silent in front of God? Habakkuk 2:20 says that when God is in his temple, everybody must be silent. But today, when the Word of God is spoken into our lives, we find it better to raise our voice, we bring up discussions and fight against the Word of God. That’s a bad habit, don’t discuss the Word of God. If you have a question, wait until the person has finished and then express yourself. If the person doesn’t want to listen to you, don’t force people to accept what you say but rather, ask the Holy Spirit to convince them. Silence is good in everything we do.
When the seals are removed, it’s to get our attention: “Be careful, something is coming. Be ready to receive it.”
To open a seal is to open a door for the plague to come on the earth but this plague will be fulfilled by human beings like you and me and especially politicians. Politicians use their power and bring many plagues into people’s lives. All around the world, they can kill or persecute Christians and others, if they want to but now it’s the end of the time and God wants to remove the seventh seal to get our attention: when the power is removed from our authorities who will take over that power?
Let’s go to Revelation 17. The Bible tells us the power will be given to the beast and it will start to control the world, guide and give instructions to those in authority. So if you and I are the church of God and we can’t grasp that, who will and what shall we understand?
Christians are fighting all around the world, telling God the world is rotten, politicians are pulling it down but He doesn’t intervene. Bills legalise drugs, gay marriages and so on, we see it all happening but we can’t stop. We must accept this is God’s timing. He warned us about it so that we won’t get angry, but just keep quiet and ask God: “Help those people so they can become Yours. They need to understand the signs of time.” If a bill giving rights to children is voted in Parliament, don’t be surprised. If such thing is in your Bible just say thank you to God because it’s the time for it to be fulfilled. “I’m just asking you to protect my nation, my people and people who are not saved so that they can discover who you are.”
And in the second part of the verse, the seven angels were in front of God didn’t refuse the trumpets they were given. They accepted them.
What is the role of a trumpet?
What is the shape of a trumpet?
It’s a wind instrument, used to call people. You can’t use a machine to play the trumpet, unless it produces wind. Think about it. A computer needs power and might get louder than a trumpet but a trumpet needs wind, otherwise a trumpet will refuse to produce a sound. The wind goes only through one way, the mouth must stick in a certain place and then it’s ready to be blown properly. If you don’t have enough breath, the trumpet will not work.
A child, for instance, could blow their hardest but the sound of the trumpet will never be heard.
Question: Why can’t everyone blow the trumpet?
Because some people don’t have enough breath and others they don’t know how to do it.
There is also a technique, your lips must vibrate and when God gave the trumpets to the angels, He chose seven angels could blow them properly. There was no mistake.
And today in our world, there are many people who are good at blowing their own trumpet: “Do you know me? I’m this and that. If you compare me with Gustave, he is nothing, I’m such and such and such”. They want to show how others are useless and they get upset if they are not asked about the great things they’ve done. If people don’t congratulate them for their great works, they are upset: “You don’t even encourage me!” and they feel bad. Many people can even sin because others don’t appreciate their work, they will condemn them and say: “This guy is not a good guy. He doesn’t know how to live with people, I am wondering if his culture is a good culture.” But remember God gives trumpets not for us to blow them but for God’s purposes.
Question: Why do people blow the trumpet in the Bible?
To announce the feasts. They used to train people, people who will be good at it.
Exodus 19:16 was the time of God coming back to his people. When He came he didn’t use a car or a horse, he came through the sound of lightning, thunders, smoke and after the sound of a trumpet. So God used the trumpet to announce His coming in the Old Testament, as the Bible says at the end of the time, the trumpet will be blown for the same purpose. He wanted to show His people this is the first sign of His coming back. The sound of the trumpets will be different from what we are used to, it will bring fear, we won’t be able to stand up anymore, it will force us to bow down and hide our faces. God has warned us who will blow the trumpets.
Have you already heard the trumpet of God? For example, have you already been through something that frightens you, facing death right in front of you or even realising that thunder can kill?
We can be here and suddenly thunder comes and kills Odon, no rain, everything is clear, the sun is shining outside and someone is killed. It is frightening and the next time we will be afraid. If the thunder is very loud, other people will try to run away, afraid only because of the sound of the thunder.
The trumpet is blown: God is coming
But in the Bible the thunder was joined by smoke, lightning and the sound of the trumpet. It’s not the trumpet playing Jazz music, or any other type you know but it’s the trumpet of God. It says He is on His way and He is coming back and everybody started shaking, young and old people, they were full of fear. So imagine the day our Lord will come back, the trumpet will be blown and this world will be changed. All sinners, all politicians and all Christians will fear. After that those who must go will go. If you are not prepared and you hear the sound of the trumpet, you must know that this sound will announce the end of repentance and it will be too late to repent. This sound will stop all activities.
The Israelites wanted to see God, they insisted to see Him saying He is their leader and they have never been allowed to see Him. They were curious, which is not bad if it’s in the good way but if curiosity is manifested in a way that destroys God’s glory, it becomes a sin. God manifested Himself to them because they were curious and afterwards they changed their mind and were scared.
The trumpet is blown: a king is chosen
In 1Kings 1:34, God allowed people to use the trumpet to choose a king.
So, don’t blow your own trumpet, let other people do it, people who appreciate you. Don’t try to reach the best position by blowing your own trumpet, just accept a humble place and God will tell someone to do it for you. Don’t raise yourself up, just try to control your ways and actions and God will do something. King Solomon was clever and though, he wanted God to lead him, He told God he would be the next king if his father David dies, but it was not enough for him, he was aware how he needed God continually in his life.
The sound of the trumpet will testify who you are in front of others. Accept who you are, humiliate and humble yourself and God will start to make people testify for you.
e.g. If Shari starts telling Steve how good she is at organising her house, or how pretty she is, Steve will start counting the minutes and two years later he will still remember this lady who couldn’t stop boasting and everybody who hears that testimony, even without knowing Shari, will think something is wrong with her. They will be careful.
How awful! We make a step in the wrong direction when we start blowing our own trumpet to others.
In the book of Judges, the people of Israel wanted to visit Jericho. God told his people to first walk around the city for 7 days, to blow the trumpet every time and on the seventh day to blow their trumpet again.
Imagine walking around Hamilton every morning, how would you feel?
People were tired but they encouraged each other because of God’s command. “Don’t give up, when God asks something, He will also do something soon. Let’s walk together, we don’t want anyone to stay behind,” They walked in silence because enemies were inside that fence.
But on our journey to heaven, we’re just like parrots, if you want to know who are the most talkative women in the world, go to churches and watch, especially the pastors’ wives: “How are you sister? Do you know I was with sister x and she was like that and that and that’ and the woman will tell you everything the sisters' said. The sister just wanted to share a problem for her to pray about, it was confidential but when the woman heard the problems, it was too heavy on her heart and she tried to think of a person she could unload it to. So, as soon as she met another sister she asked if she could go with her to the shop and she started telling everything the sister said, asking not to tell anybody. But when that first sister will hear in two years how that woman spread around her problems, she’ll be shocked, she’ll criticize and hate her. She’ll think that woman is really unwise and she will keep her distance from her.
So, with God let’s work in silence. When you hear people’s problems, just keep it for yourself unless it’s to pray about it. In that case, go to someone, speak and agree to pray together so that God can do something in that person’s life and remember prayer is a secret between you and your God, don’t advertise it in the newspaper. Some people, who remember the verse to agree and pray for a common purpose so that God can answer might come to you and open up their hearts. They don’t want to inform you but rather agree with you, pray together according to that verse.
Those people walked around Jericho in silence as God had told them to do but on the seventh day, God decided it was time to break the silence, to make a new step. They blew the trumpet.
If someone was not ready to blow his trumpet, he could give it to a specialist who knew better. So, they blew the trumpet and the walls fell down. Just a wind instrument made the walls to fall down.
If someone blew his trumpet now, the walls will not fall. But that day, everything fell. So every time we work with God and follow his instructions in silence, waiting for his promises to be fulfilled, whatever we do when it’s God timing, we will have the victory, we can break the wall of difficulties.
If we want someone to have salvation today, and God said to work for three days and to do this and that the third day if we stand up and remind Him it’s His time as He said, I can tell you that person will not resist, they will kneel down and cry out to God for forgiveness and give their life to Him.
We can break walls without using physical tools, but only with wind instruments. That wind doesn’t come from your ears but from your mouth. Just use your mouth with the power of God and whatever barriers are in front of you will fall down. Everybody knows in the army, they use trumpets all around the world, not because it sounds great but because it has the power to alert. In some countries they blow special trumpets when the country is attacked to alert soldiers wherever they are.
When the angels will blow the trumpets, nobody will enjoy its sound or feel joy. It will announce the destruction of the world.
When the seals were opened, power was given so that human beings could make others’ people lives hard and God will punish ¼ of the world.
With the trumpets, it becomes about one third of the world punished.
Moses was sent and Pharaoh refused
For example, everyone can see today disasters in Congo, in Zambia but not in Australia. When the trumpet is blown, things will change in Australia too. People will face difficulties and things will be tense to the point of the politicians losing their mind not knowing where to go and what to do next. They’ll be as confused as Pharaoh and the trumpets in Revelation are related to the 10 plagues in Egypt. Pharaoh used to be the leader and he was a good king but time came for him to let God’s people go. God said so, He decided time was up for His people to find freedom. He intervened not with His army in the heaven but through a human being like you and me, Moses.
Imagine Colleen going to the queen of England and asking her to give freedom to us Kiwis, to be free to have our own President in NZ. What will happen to Colleen, her body might come back without a head or she’ll jus disappear.
One day, God also will decide to send people and He will choose the weak and humble ones. They will stand up for God and He will send them. They’ll go, talk and through them God will realise big things, because the weakest will become the strongest, the humble ones will be raised up.
So, if you want to be used by God, humble yourself first, God will raise you up. He will tell you to go, see Pharaoh and ask him to let the people go. Maybe Moses was afraid before Pharaoh and didn’t what to say or even stuttered, but He just had to obey God: just go! Moses couldn’t talk properly. Pharaoh might have answered: “What?” and think this person is so scared! “Talk properly!”
So, if you are among those who can’t speak properly today, please don’t be afraid, God will put a power in you. If you stutter, God will make your voice to be heard and finally by force, through you, the whole nation will find freedom.
Imagine all the leaders of Israel when they were in Egypt might have said: “We are the elders, we control this community, we look after our people in slavery, why didn’t you come through us so that we could do what Moses did? We know these people better than Moses, he lived in Pharaoh’s house, then he went somewhere to find refuge and he’s back now and wants to give us freedom. Is that normal? He doesn’t know us, neither who we are nor our culture. Who is he?”
And this is the world today. Pastors will say: ‘Who is Steve, who is Michael, who is Michelle … they are nothing. They don’t even know the Word of God, they have never learnt theology, who are they so that they could give freedom to NZ?”
It is true they know very little but with this little knowledge, God will use them. Remember God didn’t give 10 sentences to Moses to say just: Go and bring my people back from Egypt. It was not an hour preaching, not even 10 minutes, just a few words that could change the situation.
Pharaoh said no, he couldn’t and he might have told Moses to go and first learn to speak! Moses went and came back, the following day, the same thing happened with the same negative answer from Pharaoh. He dismissed him again, although signs could already be seen, similar to the trumpet we will learn about next time, Pharaoh refused. God said that if these people couldn’t understand the meaning of suffering, the meaning of drinking blood instead of water, of sleeping with frogs in their beds, and if they can forget and ignore these punishments, why should He let them live and He decided to kill them. “I’ll see where their arrogance will stop.”
“If Michelle is with Zoe today, I’ll remove Zoe from her and I’ll see how arrogant she is.”
That night, the angel of God came. Imagine an angel like Chloe coming and visiting you, saying: “All of you here, kill a goat and put its blood on your door frame?” What will you say? You’ll think she is crazy! But on that day they just trusted God without knowing why or seeing any proof of His existence, they were convinced, killed the sheep and put the blood on their doorposts.
Many Christians today wonder if they will do what God said, if He is really alive because they can’t see Him, they can’t touch Him and they can’t hear His answer but the result was there though, and when the angel came and saw the blood on the doorposts, just this single sign he understood.
If the blood of Jesus Christ is not in your life, whenever the power of killing, power of death comes to you, you’ll be someone crying the following day. You’ll be someone who has lost something in you, love, peace or other things. Remember only the first-born was killed. Who is the first born in you? I think for everybody, the first-born is salvation. To become a Christian we need first of all salvation. To apply this blood on your salvation means to know the fruit of repentance and follow Jesus-Christ with all your heart. If you don’t apply the blood of Jesus-Christ on your salvation, you’ll lose it in a bad way.
Why that? The Bible says that we can’t lose salvation, it’s true but we must also know what is in Chapter 13 otherwise, on that day, many people will cry.
Finally the angel of God killed the first born all around the country.
I don’t know how big the cemeteries could have been in Egypt, have many people cried that day. If there were 7 million families in Egypt, that day they buried seven million people and if they were 25 million families with children, they buried 25 million people. Who could have gone and supported his neighbour, who could have comforted his neighbour? If everyone loses his son, who will comfort who? Even the king didn’t have anyone to come to him that day because it was just a disaster.
CONCLUSION
So that was the picture of the seven trumpets the angels will blow.
Let’s stop now.
Let’s pray that whenever He comes back we will be ready to go with him. We need to keep silent in many situations so that we can keep the glory of God at the right place and we need to be careful and observe what’s around us to know what to do and to know the meaning of the trumpet.
Finally I’m sure you are still reading about the justice of God and also I will also ask you to find the verses in the Bible, which talk about trumpet. There are almost 13 times in the Bible where they talk about trumpets, 13 occasions where trumpets are mentioned. Please know those ones, they are very important
Let’s pray.
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