Jesus’ Return (a gift)

Matthew 24:36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

As I begin to talk about Jesus’ Return, known as the rapture, first things first I don’t know the day He’ll return and according to the verse above you don’t either. The reason I mention this first is because there are tons of books out there and tons of supposed “spiritual people” who claim that Jesus has told them the hour and the day. And every time they mention a day they are wrong, just like this verse says. Remember the old guy a few years back who told everybody Jesus was returning on I think it was May 20th 2010 and had a lot of people freak out and sell there stuff? If those people would have known their Bible they could have avoided all this nonsense.

So when I got saved in 93′ everybody was telling me Jesus return was very soon, ( and they were right it is, remember a day is like a thousand years to God 2 Peter 3:8) but I got scared you see I was just 16 at the time. And I prayed “Jesus don’t return just yet cause I need to graduate” and then after I had graduated I still prayed that foolish prayer cause I was looking at His return wrong. We must remember that God is good, He is all good, always good and forever will be good. Everything He does is good, so His return is for our good!

Also Isaiah 55:8-9 says: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” So my thoughts regarding His return were too low, I needed to have higher thoughts.

Since God is good, (John 3:16) since He loves us so much that God the Father sent His one and only Son to die, and since God’s one and only Son Jesus himself chose to die for us. Don’t you think that He still loves us? And that He is looking out for us? He is not going to take something away from us, wait maybe you didn’t catch that so I’ll say it again He is not going to take something away from us, He is giving us a gift whenever He chooses to return.

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (KJV)

1 Corinthians 2:9 But it is just as the Scriptures say,“What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. It has never even entered our minds!” (CEV)

You see Heaven is better than anything we have down here and it is better than all of our future hopes and dreams. So am I saying that we shouldn’t have hopes and dreams for the future should Jesus decide to tarry a little while longer? No because I have hopes and dreams for the future also, but should Jesus come before I reach those hopes and dreams, it will be better. What He has is better. We’re not going to be up in heaven regretting what we didn’t receive on earth. For example my kids are still fairly young but I desire one day to see my future grand kids, at this point that hope is 10+ years from know. But should Jesus come before my kids give me grand kids I’m not going to be all bummed out in heaven. Cause again I say what God has for us heaven eternity with Him is millions and billions, and infinity beyond what we have, or what we’re hoping for here.

I think the enemy (the devil) has done a good job at using the rapture to freak people out, if he can get people to believe that God is going to take away all the things they like down here. Than people will not want Jesus to ever return, cause according to the devils lie God is taking away our hopes and dreams. But the devil our enemy is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44) Remember Jesus’ return is a gift!

So what do we do until Jesus returns? Should we get into futuristic prophesy? That’s found in the book of Revelation, or christian prophecy books that tell us to freak out (yes even christian prophecy do a good job of scaring people) And freak out because we think we have found what the mark of the beast will be, or be scared because there was a blood moon and there is only suppost to be four of them! No I don’t think we should be scared of the future and neither does our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Look at what Jesus says regarding our future John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. So in other words Jesus is saying “Don’t Trip!” Don’t freak out and sell all your stuff, or live in your basement with a stockpile of food for the next 30 years.

He has told us to do 2 things until His return watch and pray, not watch and freak out!

Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

God has our future in His hand, He knows what’s best for us, I encourage you along with myself to trust the “Lover of our Soul” Jesus until He returns if that’s long while from now until we take our last breath and we die. Heaven is better!

Numbers 6:24-26

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Thanks for stopping by!

Yohn aka (ObiYohnKanobie)

Something New!

I love how God gives you stuff when your teaching His word that you never saw before. I have been teaching a group of Jr. High boys 1 Samuel chapter by chapter. And we finally got to my favorite Bible story “David and Goliath” found in 1 Samuel 17. As I was reading to them the verse that says Goliath was a man of war from his youth verse 33, God gave me this thought they probably heard stories of how Goliath had beat this guy and that, for example it could have went something like this: “he was so strong he grabbed the guy with one arm and held him up the 9 or 11 feet that he was, and laughing in his face, dropped him on his head or he took a chain and swung the guy around and beat him mercilessly with his bare hands” and on and on the stories would go. So it wasn’t only how big the giant was that made the people fear but it also was his reputation as a man of war. I had never thought of that before! Thank you Holy Spirit for revelation amen.


Here’s a little joke I heard from a sermon on David and Goliath, after David swung the stone and knocked him down then the Bible says that David used Goliath’s Sword and chopped his head off. “David knew how to get a head (ahead) in life!”

Praying for our authority- including (President Obama)

First off let me say that we are all entitled to our opinions and to what we believe. Like a person who believes he is Superman and that he in fact can fly so he decides to test his theory by jumping off a building, obviously he will discover that he can’t fly very quickly and his belief was wrong. Because gravity is real whether we believe in it or not.

I firmly believe as a Christian our ultimate authority is the Word of God the Bible. So what it says is truth whether or not we like it or agree with it. It is Truth and nothing but the Truth. That said let’s turn to these two passages:
Romans 13:1

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. KJV

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. NLT
Matthew 5:44

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; KJV

But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! NLT

Now for what’s been on my heart the issue of authority, so here goes…..

The Bible says in the reference above “all authority comes from God & those in positions of authority have been placed there by God” So that means that our Presidents past and present (yes I did say present) President Obama has been placed there by God. Now he has made a lot of mistakes and most likely continue too, so I am not saying that he is not responsible for his actions or innocent. But instead of telling the world how evil he is online and the world abroad, I believe we as followers and servants of Christ, should pray… that’s right pray for him. Because the second verse that I posted above says “Love your enemies” so if you should hate him so much that he becomes your enemy you should love him.

The trend now is to tell the world everything that we don’t like now in regards to tastes like food, music, clothes, sports teams, and such that’s perfectly fine. But in regards to authority such as parents, teachers, bosses, Pastors, police officers, Mayors, Governors, Presidents, and all who hold a position of authority in our lives, God has a higher standard He wants us to pray and obey, and by listening to God His favor and blessings will flow in our lives.

3 things to Pray for President Obama:

1. For His Salvation, God can save anyone, and He wants all to come to know Him 1 Timothy 4:4

2. For him to have wisdom

3. For his protection and his family’s protection

Thanks for stopping bye and may God bless you richly

Yohn

Gotta have Marshmallows

I was teaching the little kids today this story:


Safe on an Island (Acts 28:1-10)





I was about to tell them about how Paul got bit by a snake and how he just shook it into the fire, and asked them “What do you need to build a fire?” The answer of course is sticks, but one of them said “marshmallows!” What a great answer ha ha! When you have a fire you gotta have marshmallows.

Grace with Victory!

Psalm 37:23-24

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

Recently in the news I heard of a big time Pastor falling due to what he called a "moral failure" which is a nice way to put he committed adultery, then in the article he mentioned how no ones perfect, and went on to justify himself. Sad this man played with fire and got burned.

Then I recently watched a movie about a amazing christian singer who died in a car crash. The movie showed a flawed man who smoked cigarettes, and got drunk all the time, mean while managing to write amazing christian songs, and speak challenging words to Churches. I think the over arching message was God loves you in spite of you, and He gives you His free grace. Which is absolutely true. But I think the movie glamorized this man's sin, and failed to show that the real guy had a real vibrant relationship with God.

So the point I am making is everywhere we look we see flawed humanity, and the message being proclaimed is God loves you. Which I say a big amen to that, but where is the message that this wonderful verse proclaims? "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth (holds him up) him with his hand. It plainly declares that God is able to give us victory, and hold us up! And the first part says that He will guide our steps, and if we have God guiding our steps we won't walk into the traps that the enemy sets for us.

We can have grace and victory together! God has given me this for the past 20+ years I have walked with Him, sure I have messed up and continue to, but He upholds me with His strong hand! My prayer is He'll do the same for you! May we walk in His grace and His victory each day He gives us amen!

Our 16th Anniversary!

Today I celebrate 16 years with my beautiful wife and best friend, words can not express how happy I feel that God gave me a wonderful treasure like the verse says:

Proverbs 18:22 The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and he receives favor from the Lord.

We played this song at our wedding and the vow I made with you my bride is as true now as it was then. I love you with all of my heart 

My Testimony

This was my very first post on my blog, and I thought I'd share it again, cause our testimonies are one way we will defeat the enemy, and it's neat to see where people came from. Feel free to share your testimony on the comment section. God bless and keep you

Yohn

Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;

My Testimony

I was born in the 70's and my parents were hippies and like most hippies they did drank and did drugs. Me and my older brother were named while my dad was high. My brother was namedRaisan Cain, he now goes by Ray and I was named Yohn Dur, I now go by Yohn except my family still calls me Yohn Dur. I grew up like most kids in a dysfunctional family. I started smoking, drinking, and doing drugs at age 12. Which led me to juvenile hall a couple of times and was leading me on the road to destruction and hell. I remember looking at my future back then and thinking I would either be in prison, or dead because of an overdose. Then in January of 1993 everything changed I came home one day and my parents were mentioning Jesus not as a swear word but as Lord. I didn't want anything to do with Jesus at the time and told them I was gonna party and do drugs till I died. Thank God that wasn't true because my parents started having Bible study at the house and I started talking to the guy that led it like a punk kid with sarcastic questions like who made God?, and isn't Jesus a myth? He answered me each time with love and it was love that drew me before I knew it I was listening to the Bible stories he would share with us like David and Goliath. And in June of 1993 all alone in my bedroom I told Jesus I would be His if He would take the desire to get high on drugs out of me, you see I chased the high everyday had to have the high, the high, the high, would do anything for the high. But right then and there He took that desire away and replaced it with a desire for Him. You see Jesus has done soooo much for me not only saving me 20 years ago, but blessing me with a beautiful wife, and two beautiful children. My life is forever changed because of him!