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When Atheists Attack!

When your faith is questioned, “always be ready to give a defense… for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). With this video, equip yourself to answer three of atheists’ favorite objections about your belief in God.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Answering Common Claims of Atheists

Belief in God was once taken for granted by many, but now, not so much. In fact, a breed of “militant atheist” has arisen, inspired by the likes of evolutionist Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher Hitchens.

Such atheists claim to hold the high ground in terms of intellect and reasoning, saying that only the ignorant or the foolish would continue to believe in God in the modern era.

Today, we’ll look at THREE COMMON OBJECTIONS that atheists make concerning the existence of God, and we’ll put them to the test. So join us for today’s episode of Tomorrow’s World, “When Atheists Attack!”

God Had NO Beginning—And Needed No Creator

Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. Today, we’re going to address three common objections atheists give concerning belief in God. We’re also going to give you an opportunity to request our free resource The Real God: Proofs and Promises. Be sure to note the contact information you might need to get your free copy when it appears on your screen.

An atheist is someone who believes there is no God—as distinct from theists, who believe there is a God, and agnostics, who are uncertain one way or the other.

Of course, God’s opinion about atheists is made plain in the Bible, as in Psalm 14:1, where He inspired King David to write,

“The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

God liked that statement so much, He had it essentially repeated in Psalm 53.

Still, God’s take on their lack of wisdom has not deterred some. In the early 2000s, the so-called “New Atheism” hit—championed by biologist Richard Dawkins, author Christopher Hitchens, neuroscientist Sam Harris, and philosopher Daniel Dennett—or as some have called them, the “Four Horsemen” of New Atheism.

But in reality, the only thing “new” about the “New Atheism” was the attitude: more militant, more aggressive—but otherwise presenting the same old questions as the old atheism.

And we should highlight here at the start: Questions are good! We SHOULD ask questions! But when we do, we need to be OPEN to the answers—even if they aren’t the answers we were expecting or the answers we wanted. And we should be willing to put those answers to the test—especially in a day and age like ours, a period prophetically described in the Bible as a time when “truth is fallen in the street” (Isaiah 59:14), and convincing lies are far easier to come by.

So, what do you do when an atheist comes to YOU with questions? Well, frankly, you should evaluate the scenario first. Sometimes someone doesn’t really want answers—they are just looking to “score points,” and even if you answer their question, it goes in one ear and out the other. Yet, we should be ABLE to answer, and the Apostle Peter encouraged Christians in the first century to make sure they were ready to do so, to the best of their ability. In chapter 3 and verse 15 of his first letter, Peter writes that we should

“sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…” (1 Peter 3:15).

And, really, being ready for that defense is not just for the sake of your inquisitor. YOU need to know, for yourself, that God exists, that He is real, and that He is involved in both world affairs and your life.

So—how do you answer when someone questions your faith in God? For the rest of today’s program, we’re going to tackle three common questions atheists ask.

Here’s the first:

“If God made everything, who made God?”

We’re starting with this one, because it is a quick one! Someone who asks this is making a classic category error. The world around us—all the matter, space, and energy—had a beginning. Both the most up-to-date science and most rational lines of inquiry agree: The universe and all the matter, space, time, and energy that is in it had to have a beginning—whether that beginning was the famous Big Bang or something else. And, having a beginning, it had to have a CAUSE of some sort.

But God HAS no beginning. He is not among the things that are “made”—and having no beginning, He requires no creator. The Bible makes the distinction in these categories plain in John 1:3. Speaking there of the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, through whom the Father created all things, John writes,

“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:3).

There are those things that are made, and then there is God, who existed before and apart from those things.

The world around us—matter, space, time, and energy—had a beginning, and, therefore, HAS to have a cause—a reason for it to come into existence. I like to quote from Julie Andrews’ character Maria in The Sound of Music on this point: “Nothing comes from nothing. Nothing ever could.”

Therefore, there must be a CAUSE for the universe that exists apart from the universe’s matter, space, time, and energy—a timeless cause that precedes all matter, space, and energy—and God fits that description. And, asking what made him is to misunderstand what and who God is.

The Gaps in Evolutionary Theory

Welcome back! In the first part of today’s program, we addressed the question, “If God made everything, who made God?” We can summarize the answer: “No one. Unlike the physical universe, God is eternal and had no beginning.” The person who asks misunderstands, or misrepresents, what the word “God” even means. In fact, you could add, “Without something fitting God’s description, there would be no universe at all.”

That last point is important, because sometimes atheists accuse believers of hiding behind a “God of the Gaps”—that is, claiming that believers only use “gaps” in scientific knowledge as evidence that God exists, but that, as those “gaps” are filled, the evidence for God supposedly evaporates. You could imagine this as saying that someone ignorant of how the water cycle works on earth might believe that a divine being just creates rain from nothing and, thus, rain becomes a “proof” that God exists.

Then, when scientists discover the water cycle, that “proof” evaporates, like a shallow puddle on the sidewalk on a hot day.

It is the “God of the Gaps” fallacy that many atheists have in mind when they ask the following question:

“Why do we need God if evolution explains everything?”

After all, evolution is the reigning scientific dogma of the day and is considered by many to be one of the crowning achievements of science and human reasoning. So, if evolution really does explain everything, why do we need God?

In answering this question, we need to recognize at least three mistakes revealed by the question. First, the theory of evolution doesn’t explain “everything.” The origin of the universe, the laws of physics and mathematics, consciousness, objective morality—the list of things for which a transcendent God remains the best explanation is LONG! When they say “everything,” they usually mean evolution explains LIFE. And I can understand why someone would be sensitive about this. The existence of life on planet earth definitely demands some sort of explanation!

But does EVOLUTION explain it? That is the questioner’s second mistake. The theory of evolution is FAR from sufficient to explain the wondrous variety of life we see on earth, let alone the origin of that life!

Finally, when we take an honest look at the complexity of life—it’s interwoven systems of dependence, the collection of complicated organs and nerve networks that must work together in a mind-bogglingly coordinated way, the abstract coding and error-checking systems of DNA—again, when we take an honest look at life’s complexity, we find that the current theory of evolution is FAR from able to explain that coordinated complexity.

In fact, the idea that evolutionary theory DOES currently explain all of these things is generally a façade, and there is currently a great deal of debate about how to address the theory’s persistent shortcomings.

The UK newspaper The Guardian recently reported on the turmoil in the evolutionary sciences:

“Strange as it sounds, scientists still do not know the answers to some of the most basic questions about how life on Earth evolved. Take eyes, for instance. Where do they come from, exactly? The usual explanation of how we got these stupendously complex organs rests upon the theory of natural selection” (“Do we need a new theory of evolution?” TheGuardian.com, June 28, 2022).

Then, after summarizing the usual evolutionary tale of the gradual development of the eye, the article continues:

“This is the basic story of evolution, as recounted in countless textbooks and pop-science bestsellers. The problem, according to a growing number of scientists, is that it is absurdly crude and misleading.”

“For one thing, it starts midway through the story, taking for granted the existence of light-sensitive cells, lenses and irises, without explaining where they came from in the first place. Nor does it adequately explain how such delicate and easily disrupted components meshed together to form a single organ. And it isn’t just eyes that the traditional theory struggles with. ‘The first eye, the first wing, the first placenta. How they emerge. Explaining these is the foundational motivation of evolutionary biology,’ says Armin Moczek, a biologist at Indiana University. ‘And yet, we still do not have a good answer. This classic idea of gradual change, one happy accident at a time, has so far fallen flat.’”

In fact, one could go so far as to say that, if random mutation and natural selection really DID create all life on earth, then evolution would have to be evidence that God DOES exist, because all of the giant, coordinated, improbable LEAPS evolution would have to take would require a DIVINE BEING to help it along!

It seems that, to prop up their own faith, evolutionists tend to depend on their own “God of the Gaps.” Or, perhaps, their “Darwin of the Gaps.”

In actuality, the complexity of life positively and forcefully argues for an INTELLIGENT SOURCE behind its creation! Only intelligence has ever been observed to be able to create such complicated, PURPOSE-ORIENTED structures as what we see within even the SIMPLEST of lifeforms!

Appealing to God’s existence and agency as an explanation for life is not hiding behind a “God of the Gaps.” Quite the contrary—the intelligent design present in all life is POSITIVE EVIDENCE for the existence of intelligence BEHIND life.

God is Not to Blame for Mankind’s Problems

In the first part of today’s program, we addressed the question, “If God made everything, who made God?” We can summarize the answer: “No one. Unlike the physical universe, God is eternal and had no beginning.” In fact, SOMETHING fitting God’s description is needed even to HAVE a universe to begin with. Then, in the last segment, we tackled the question, “Why do we need God if evolution explains everything?” And we noted that “Evolution doesn’t explain everything and, in fact, fails even to explain what it is supposed to: life.” Frankly, believing all the claims of evolutionists takes more faith than believing in a Creator.

But the third common attack you might hear from an atheist neighbor or acquaintance comes with an emotional wallop, which is often the source of its strength:

“How can God be good if there is so much evil in the world?”

Of course, history certainly records many great evils—the Holocaust inflicted on the Jews, the Soviet starvation of Ukranians in the 1930s, and chattel slavery in the pre-Civil War American South are just a few examples. And for many of our viewers, the presence of evil in the world hits home in a personal way. Many of you have been robbed, assaulted, or abused.

There is no getting around it—our world is filled with evil. But if so, the atheist asks, how can God be good? After all, why would a good God allow such things? Is He too weak to stop it? Or is He just unaware that evil things happen? If so, then He isn’t really “God.” Yet, if He is all-powerful and all-knowing, and yet He does nothing, then they claim He isn’t “good,” and therefore isn’t really “God” that way, either. They claim this dilemma simply means there is no all-seeing, all-powerful, GOOD God to begin with.

So, what do we make of this?

Well, it’s interesting how quick people are to put the blame on GOD for mankind’s evil—and, frankly, that is exactly what the devil would want us to do! It’s interesting that when Adam and Eve first sinned by disobeying God and eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the first thing they both did was try to pass the buck. After God asks them about it, we read their responses in Genesis 3 [vv. 12–13]:

“Then the man said, ‘The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.’ And the LORD God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate’” (Genesis 3:12–13)

So, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the devil. In fact, if you look more closely, Adam blamed GOD. Note, he said, “The woman whom YOU gave to be with me”! And to this day, people continue to blame God for the evil mankind is responsible for.

Consider the evils we mentioned earlier, the Holocaust, the cruelty of the Soviets, and slavery—or, for that matter, robberies, assaults, or abuses. Those are evil actions inflicted by human beings. And the blame for them should lie with those human beings.

Still, the question remains, why does God ALLOW such human beings to commit evil? Part of that answer is founded upon the need for humans to have FREE WILL—which must include the ability to choose to do the wrong thing. God’s purpose for us requires growing in CHARACTER—specifically, learning to possess God’s OWN character—to choose the right over the wrong. And growing in CHARACTER requires the ability to make choices—free-will choices, which includes the possibility of choosing evil and causing suffering, along with the possibility of choosing the good and to endure suffering.

When you understand the purpose of God, you come to understand that the eternal good that God is producing through His plan of developing His own righteous character in human beings is of such reality-altering significance, that it will outweigh all the evil mankind has ever committed or experienced. In fact, the Apostle Paul says just that in Romans 8:18:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:18–21).

Notice—the current sufferings we experience aren’t even worthy to be compared to the glory to come. In fact, notice too that Paul says that creation itself is suffering and will be delivered in that day to come. One of the curses of mankind’s sin in the Garden of Eden was that we removed God as the caretaker of creation, as if we can do it all ourselves without Him. God explains to Adam in Genesis 3:17–19 that creation will no longer be accommodating to man in any special way but will go its own course. Mankind needs to learn the full lesson that we NEED God, and that attempting to build a world without Him leads only to suffering—as we are then left vulnerable to the afflictions of nature, our own evils, and the twistings and persecutions of the devil.

If you’re a parent, you understand what God is doing, if you think about it. How many times must parents allow a child to experience a taste of the results of their own bad choices before they know the lesson will sink in? Well, in God’s case, He’s not just teaching one child, but all of humanity—and the lessons need to make an impact for eternity. The stakes of these lessons could not possibly be higher.

Yet, we have God’s promise that, at the time of restoration of all things, the glory that is revealed in the children of God will far outshine any evil that has ever been committed and any suffering that has ever been experienced such that they will not even come to mind any more, forever. We should all pray that time comes quickly.

So, to summarize an answer to this third attack, “Evil in the world is a consequence of man’s free will. Yet God is using our choices to achieve an eternal good that will far outweigh any suffering mankind has ever experienced.”

A Challenge to Prove God Exists

The fact is, we are living in an increasingly skeptical world in which God is being effectively shoved into a corner as the movers and shakers in society seek to create a civilization that pretends He does not exist. Faith in God is under continued and sustained assault.

If you will seek to know the God of the Bible and will be willing to set aside your own preconceived ideas, your own selfish desires and outlook, and embrace the way of life that Jesus Christ commands of those who follow Him, you can become convinced and convicted of the REALITY of the God who inspired that Bible.

You will increasingly begin to see in your life, day by day, the fruit of your choices, and that fruit will become one of the most powerful proofs of God’s existence you could ever hope to possess. And it can strengthen you in a way few things can and enable you to stand strong and tall whenever atheists attack.

Just as God challenges us in Malachi 3:10 to put Him to the test by obeying Him, I challenge you today to do the same. You won’t regret it.

Thank you so much for watching!

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Seven Proven Keys to Answered Prayer

Will God answer your prayers? What is the meaning of “Ask, and it will be given to you” in Matthew 7:7? Put seven keys from Scripture into practice in your prayer life to see that yes, God does answer prayers.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

A Stressed-Out World

Today’s world stresses many of us. We worry about Russia’s ongoing war with the Ukraine, the pressures of inflation, pandemic death and disease, natural and manmade disasters, crime and violence, relation[ship] conflicts, and even traffic congestion.

With all these pressures of life, how can we live peaceably? How can you deal with these stresses and challenges? My friends, there is one way that can help solve your problems. Your Bible shows the way to peace and prosperity. You can have amazing help from the divine promises in your Bible. Listen to this promise in Matthew the seventh chapter—Matthew 7:7: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Our Father in heaven gives us the promise of answered prayer. Do you get answers to your prayers? Your Bible gives keys to effective prayer.

My friends, you can solve many of the problems of life if you know the proven keys to powerful prayer.

Stay tuned!

Seek Solace in Prayer With God

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

Jesus’ disciples observed His praying and wanted to know how to pray. If you have your Bible, turn to Luke the eleventh chapter. Luke 11:1. “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.’”

Jesus then gave them—and us—the Model prayer, or an outline of topics to pray about. But, He also warned them, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7).

On today’s program, we’ll discuss seven proven keys to answered prayer.

My friends, if you have your Bible, turn to Isaiah the fifty-fifth chapter. God gives us a classic and proven principle for effective prayer. Isaiah 55:6, “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.”

My friends, how do you call upon God? My friends, you simply get down on your knees, if you physically can, and tell God your worries, your thoughts, and your concerns. You also let God know your sins and your need for forgiveness. We’ll talk more about that later in the program. God tells us through Isaiah in verse 7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

God promises us mercy and pardon from our sins, if we’re determined to change our way of living with His help! When I first began to make major changes in my life, I began to seek God more by reading the Bible and praying daily. At first it seemed to be awkward, but I persisted in talking with God, and God kept His promise, and I began to have peace of mind. You also can have peace of mind, if you seek God with your whole heart and mind. Notice this encouraging promise in Jeremiah 29:10: “For thus says the LORD…. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD…” (Jeremiah 29:10–14).

That’s God’s promise to you, my friends. You need God’s love, protection, and guidance in the days, months, and years ahead! We are nearing the end of the age. We will soon be facing world cataclysm and turmoil. You’ve probably seen some of the dozens of disaster movies depicting various forms of cosmocide, including world war, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, and asteroids. Jesus Himself stated in Luke 21:24, “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; [LISTEN TO THIS] men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken” (Luke 21:25–26).

My friends, we need to be motivated NOW to seek God. You can avoid future heart attacks from the fearful prophesied events. But you must learn to trust God to save you through the trying times ahead. Notice verse 27, Luke 21. God again gives us the good news of Christ’s return: “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Yes, my friends, in spite of world crises, we can have hope and confidence in the future, in tomorrow’s world. Verse 28 gives us this encouragement: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:27–28).

Regular viewers of Tomorrow’s World are familiar with the sequence of prophetic events. They realize that God has revealed His truth, His plan, and His promises in this book, the Holy Bible. God is love, as it tells us in 1 John 4:8 and 16. We need to respond to that love by praying to Him daily. Prayer is simply talking with God. You need to get answers to your prayers. Your Bible reveals the keys to powerful prayer.

7 Keys to Effective Prayer

KEY NUMBER ONE: Claim God’s promises. If you have your Bible, turn to Matthew 6:28. The Bible is a goldmine of guaranteed promises. But there’s a requirement. We must believe that God will give them to us if we pray according to His will. Jesus chided His audience in Matthew 6:28, “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28–30).

God has all power in the universe. He owns everything that exists. So, we should trust God to provide for us. Jesus continues in verse 31, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things” (Matthew 6:31–32).

My friends, you have a heavenly Father who knows your needs, but you need to seek Him and His Kingdom first of all! Read verse 33. Jesus instructs us to get our priorities straight. What do you consider the most important goal in your life? Here it is in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:33–34).

My friends, we must seek the greatest goal of all, the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. If we do that, then we can claim God’s awesome promises He has for you. We’ve listed some of them in our previous programs. But consider these promises in your own Bible:

God has promised to answer our prayers (Matthew 7:7–8);

He has promised to fulfill all our needs (Philippians 4:19);

He has promised to guide our lives (Proverbs 3:5–6);

He has promised us long life, if we honor our father and mother (Ephesians 6:2–3);

He has promised us to give us the desires of our heart, IF we delight in Him (Psalm 37:4–5);

He has promised us peace of mind (Philippians 4:6–7);

He has promised us the ability to endure trials (1 Corinthians 10:13);

He has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; Luke 11:13);

He has promised us the gift of His love (Romans 5:5); and

He has promised us eternal life (1 John 2:25).

My friends, study these promises in your Bible. Remind God that He has given you these promises. Ask God in faith to fulfill these promises in your life, and you’ll begin to have a greater peace of mind! And you’ll be fulfilling one of the keys to answered prayer. There are many, many more promises in the Bible for you and your family, and for all human beings on earth. Be sure to make your own list. KEY NUMBER ONE to answered prayer: Claim God’s promises. KEY TWO for powerful answered prayer is: Persevere in prayer.

If you have your Bible, turn to one of my favorite promises, of many favorite promises: Psalm 37:3. God instructs us to trust Him and to rely on His guidance, grace, and truth. Psalm 37:3, “Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:3–5).

Years ago, one of the desires of my heart was to visit the city of Jerusalem in modern day Israel. In 1967, in the Six-Day War, Israel was attacked, won the war, and as a result gained territory that was anciently occupied by the Kings of Israel and Judah. The divided city of Jerusalem was unified under the government of Israel. Israelis now had access to one of their holy places, the Western wall of the Temple Mount. It was indeed an emotional time for the Jewish people!

At that point in time, I started praying according to God’s promise in Psalm 37:4. And I continued over the years praying for my heart’s desire to go to Jerusalem. I had begun asking God for the privilege in 1967. Do you know when He granted me my heart’s desire? Seventeen years later in 1984. Yes, we must persevere in prayer. As a professor at Ambassador College, I was asked to join a college group of students volunteering to work in the “Dig” or archaeological project in the City of David, just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. I literally jumped for joy! My wife and I were able to travel with this college group throughout Israel and work at the Dig. I have since visited Israel in doing on-location filming as well as spending time with our Church group there during the fall Feast of Tabernacles.

Yes, my friends, God gives us awesome promises. We need to claim God’s promises, and we need to persevere in prayer.

No Problem Too Great to Pray About

A third proven key you need to know about is: Pray about everything that worries you. Are you worried? Are you anxious? Turn in your Bible to Philippians 4:6; “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

When you face up to your concerns, you need to pray and talk in detail with God about your problems. Ancient King David was very open with God in his prayers. Turn to Psalm 6 for example. David was suffering and prayed to God from his heart. Psalm 6:1; “O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O LORD—HOW long? Return, O LORD, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?” (Psalm 6:1–5).

Read the Psalms and see how David prayed from the heart. You need to share your problems with God in prayer. And what will be the result? Listen to this comforting promise in Philippians 4:7; “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Yes, you can have peace of mind through prayer. KEY NUMBER THREE to answered prayer: Pray about everything that worries you.

KEY NUMBER FOUR to answered prayer: Thank God continually. Did you notice, as we just read, in Philippians 4:6, how we should make our requests? “With thanksgiving”! When was the last time you thanked God for your blessings? When we think of the billions living in poverty around the world, do you thank God for providing your every need? Remember, that is one of God’s promises He gives us in Philippians 4:19. The Apostle Paul predicted perilous times in the last days. You can read those characteristics in 2 Timothy 3:1–5. One of the greatest sins of our day is ingratitude. Yes, the Apostle Paul stated that our generation in the last days would be unthankful! Are you unthankful? When you share your worries with God, thank Him for the privilege of asking for His intervention and deliverance! Thank Him for all your blessings.

Some of you may be familiar with the old nineteenth century hymn, “Count Your Blessings.” Here are some of the words: “When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”

When you count your blessings, when you thank God for all the blessings you have experienced and will experience in your life, there is that result.

My friends, count your blessings and express heartfelt gratitude to God. King David even thanked God in the middle of the night. Psalm 119:62, “At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, because of Your righteous judgments.”

KEY NUMBER FOUR to answered prayer: Thank God continually. KEY NUMBER FIVE to answered prayer: Seek God’s will. How would you characterize human nature? Not only is it unthankful, but it is also vanity, lust, and greed! Just a simple review of world history demonstrates humanity’s selfishness. Humanity generally seeks its own will and not God’s! Often, even professing Christians pray selfishly. They want to get, more than to give. Remember Jesus’ statement in Acts 20:35; “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Or as the Moffatt translation has it, “To give is happier than to get.”

Yes, we should pray and claim God’s promise that He will provide our every need (Philippians 4:19). Yes, we can rejoice in faith in claiming God’s promise to give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4), but our attitude must always be, “Your will be done”! What did Jesus teach us to pray? Matthew 6:10, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

My friends, this is an extremely important key to answered prayer. Human beings by nature are extremely selfish. The world’s way of life is one of greed. But Jesus desired to do His Father’s will. When Jesus prayed in agony the night before His crucifixion, He asked that the cup of suffering be passed from Him—if—it were God’s will! Notice that in Luke 22:42, Jesus prayed saying, “‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:42–44).

Jesus was willing to suffer for YOU and Me. He surrendered HIS will to His Father’s Will! When you’re struggling over some problem or trial, ask for God’s deliverance, but ALSO pray that His will be done. KEY NUMBER FIVE is: Seek God’s will.

Jesus Christ is There for Us

My friends, you can have your prayers answered as you follow these proven biblical keys. There are two more keys I’d like to share with you. KEY #6 to answered prayer is: Follow the outline prayer. Remember, one of Jesus’ disciples asked Him: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Jesus gave us the famous model prayer, often called the Lord’s prayer. Jesus gives us an outline of topics for prayer. The very first topic we pray about is the office, power, and name of our Father in Heaven. Jesus said in Matthew 6:9, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

Jesus also gave us this warning in Matthew 6:7: “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” Saying the same words over and over and over again, becomes vanity. Jesus wants us to pray from the heart, not to repeat the exact words of the model prayer. The prophet Hosea gave a similar warning in Hosea 7:14, “They never put their heart into their prayers.” That’s from the Moffatt translation. Human beings will often cry out to God when they’re in trouble.

After honoring God’s name first of all in your prayer, the second major topic to pray about is stated in Matthew 6:10: “Your kingdom come”! Why do you want God’s kingdom to come? The world is filled with wars, violence, poverty, catastrophic natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornados, floods, drought, and volcanoes. God’s kingdom will produce a world of sustainable agriculture, rain in due season, prosperity, and peace among nations. Pray for God’s kingdom to come and look forward to a glorious tomorrow’s world under the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Prince of Peace, the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Meditate on each of these topics in the model prayer here in Matthew 6. As you do, you will be praying according to God’s will. KEY #6 to answered prayer: Follow the outline prayer. Our seventh proven key to powerful prayer is: pray in Jesus’ name. Jesus the Christ is at the right hand of God in heaven. He is our great High Priest who ever lives to make intercession for us, as it tells us Hebrews 7:25. He gives us the authority to pray to God in heaven. We pray in Jesus’ name and authority. Since He’s given us that authority, we can pray boldly. Notice that in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

We can pray with confidence because Christ is our High Priest and Savior. He sympathizes with our weaknesses. He knows what it’s like to suffer. He was tempted in all points, as we are, yet without sin, as it tells us in verse 15. KEY NUMBER SEVEN is: Pray in Jesus’ name. My friends, you can have your prayers answered! You can rejoice in God’s love for you as He answers your prayers!

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Would Jesus Choose Your Church?

What did Jesus Christ mean by “on this rock I will build My church” in Matthew 16:18? Where is Jesus’ church? Learn this Bible verse’s meaning and five points to identify the church Jesus built—and said would prevail.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

What Kind of Church Would Jesus Want?

If Jesus came back today, which church would He choose? Would He go to one of the mega-churches with thousands of members who meet in a majestic building? Would He choose a small country-church, or one meeting in a strip-mall? And more importantly, would He choose your church? I hope such a personal question doesn’t offend you, because we will all do well to ask ourselves this question.

Moreover, how would He make that choice? As confusing as it may appear, the answer can be found, and it’s not as complicated as it first appears. On today’s Tomorrow’s World program, I’ll be giving you five signs to look for in locating the Church Christ is building. So, if you want to know the answer to the question of whether or not Jesus would choose your church, stay with me. I’ll be back in five seconds to give you five identifying signs of the Church Jesus built!

Five Identifying Signs to Look For

A warm welcome to all of you from all of us here at Tomorrow’s World where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. On today’s program I’m asking an important question. If Jesus were to return today, would He choose your Church? After all, He did say that He would build His church and the gates of the grave will not prevail against it.

Do you, dear friends, believe that? If Jesus failed to do so, then He is a liar and cannot be the Savior of the world! It’s just that simple. But if He is building His Church, and it continues to this day, wouldn’t you want to know for sure where it is?

Many think that all churches who profess that Jesus is the Christ are His and all we must do is “go to the church of our choice.” But, is His Church, as these people think, found in believers scattered through contradicting denominations and doctrines? Think about that! Not all churches even remotely believe the same things.

On today’s program I’ll give you five signs—and there are many more found in Scripture—that identify the church Christ is building, so let’s get started.

#1: Jesus said He would build His Church on a symbolic Rock.

Who or what IS that Rock? One large denomination alleges that their first leader was that rock, and they turn to Matthew 16 for proof. Let’s take a close look at that passage and see if they are correct. In verse 16, Jesus asked His disciple who they thought He was, and Peter replied:

You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16).

Jesus explained that it was the Father in heaven who revealed this answer to Peter. Then in verse 18, Jesus said:

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).

This passage has been used for centuries to validate the Roman church, but did Jesus say He would build His Church on Peter, as many believe? The New Testament scriptures were originally written in Greek, and there is a play on two Greek words found in this passage. Both mean rock, but they are not the same. Let’s read verse 18 again:

And I also say to you that you are Peter [Petros], and on this Rock [Petra] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades [that is, the grave] shall not prevail against it.

Why two different words? What difference does that make? “Petros” is the masculine form of the word and means a small rock, or “a piece of rock.” It is translated into the English word Peter 161 times in the New Testament. Only once is Peter translated from a different word, and it has no relationship whatsoever to the word rock. “Petra” is the feminine form and refers to a larger rock, “a mass of rock.” You may have heard of the great rock outcropping in Jordan known as Petra. In effect, Jesus was telling Peter, that he was a small rock, or a piece of rock, but He would build His Church on a massive Rock—Himself! When petros is used for a person, it is translated Peter (161 times in the N.T. as already mentioned). But petra, when referring to a person, refers only to Christ. Notice this example in Romans 9:33:

As it is written: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STUMBLING STONE AND ROCK [that is, petra] OF OFFENSE, AND WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM [that is, Christ] WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.”

There is this passage, written by Peter himself, which shows that Peter knew who the real Rock was. Referring to Christ, he wrote in 1 Peter 2:7–8:

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE,” and “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK [that is, petra] OF OFFENSE.”

Both Paul and Peter used the same word when referring to Christ. And, in 1 Corinthians 10:1–4, Paul leaves no doubt who the Rock is that worked with Israel when they came out of Egypt:

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. [Notice this] For they drank of that spiritual Rock [petra] that followed them, and that Rock [petra] was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1–4).

The evidence is overwhelming. Jesus said He would build His church on a petra, a massive rock, a word reserved for Jesus.

There are numerous Old Testament references to the Rock, but let’s notice Psalms 18:46:

The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.

Yes, Jesus, not Peter, is “the Rock of our salvation.” Could anything be clearer? So, the idea that Christ built His church on Peter is flawed.

Following Christ’s Exact Teachings

#1: Jesus said He would build His Church on a symbolic Rock.

Scripture after scripture attests to the fact that Jesus, not Peter, is that Rock, so let us look at what He taught His Church. But before I give a second sign, let me emphatically state that we here at Tomorrow’s World believe that Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty for our sins, and that it is by grace that we are saved. That’s a given, and I doubt many of you would disagree. Therefore, I’m concentrating on signs found in the Bible which may not be understood by all. Christ appeared to His disciples after His resurrection and gave them a command that you can read of, in Mark 16:15. And this is sign number 2:

#2: The Church of God will preach to all the world the same gospel Jesus taught.

But don’t all churches do that? Sadly, most never preach that message. The word gospel means good news, so what is the good news Jesus proclaimed for three and a half years prior to His crucifixion? Shockingly, most don’t know! Do you? Is it the message of His death, burial, and resurrection? That certainly is good news! But what was His message that He proclaimed to His followers for three and a half years prior to the crucifixion? Mark tells us in chapter 1:14–15 about the beginning of Christ’s ministry:

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel [note this] of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14–15).

Many scriptures show us that whatever this message is, it was the message both Jesus and His disciples continued to preach. Notice how important it was for Christ to proclaim this message—let’s go to Luke 4, beginning in verse 42;

Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:42–43).

In our free resource Do You Believe the True Gospel, the late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith asks the following:

Exactly what is that kingdom? There have been many ideas. The Jews of Christ’s day thought that a Messiah figure would lead their physical nation to militarily subdue other governments until they reigned supreme over all men. Later, the concept emerged that the Church made up the Kingdom. Others have believed that the Kingdom of God is an ethereal realm set up in the hearts of men. Others see it called “the kingdom of heaven” in Matthew’s gospel account and conclude that it must refer to eternal bliss in heaven. Some also maintain that the Kingdom is the person of Jesus Himself (p. 11).

How can a church be the Church Jesus built if it does not proclaim His same message? Please, dear friends, don’t assume you know what that Kingdom is! It’s shocking, but most professing Christian churches have never preached the true gospel that Jesus brought. But YOU can know it, if you order our free eye-opening resource Do You Believe the True Gospel? So, our second sign is that

#2: The Church of God will preach to all the world the same gospel Jesus taught.

Number 3 is:

#3: Christ’s Church will teach and practice God’s law.

Note these statements by the One who said He would build His Church on a Rock—that Rock being Christ.

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:17–18).

There’s the example of the rich young man who asked Jesus what he must do to enter the Kingdom of God. Notice His reply;

So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17).

Jesus went on to name several of the Ten Commandments. He also chided the people of His day for calling Him Lord, that is, Master, but not obeying Him.

But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46).

He followed with a well-known parable. Children even sing a song about it and how it contrasts building on a rock, or on sand.

Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock [and the word there for rock is petra—a clear reference to Christ] (Luke 6:47–48).

The Apostle John tells us in 1 John 3:4:

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4, King James Version).

Without the law there is no sin. Without sin there is no need for forgiveness. Where there is no need for forgiveness, there is no need for a Savior. Therefore, the Church Jesus is building will be striving to keep the law.

Repentance is More Than Just a Feeling

#3: Christ’s Church will teach and practice God’s law.

This is far more important than people realize, because the whole subject of grace is dependent upon law. We encourage you to not just believe us, but prove these things for yourself in your own Bible! As Paul asked and answered in Romans 3:31:

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

And this leads me to point #4:

#4: Christ’s Church will teach repentance from sin.

Notice again the beginning of Christ’s gospel as noted in Mark 1:14–15:

… Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Here we see two commands from the Rock—Jesus Christ. We must believe the Gospel, the good news Jesus and the Apostles taught; and that is not the same message taught in most churches today. No wonder Paul expressed concern for the church of God at Corinth where we read in 2 Corinthians 11:3–4:

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes [#1] preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or [#2] if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or [#3—note this] a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

In addition to believing in the same gospel Jesus taught, we must repent. But repent of what? Why sin, of course! But what is sin? As we have already read, it is the transgression of the law. Now see what John tells us about who knows God and who does not—1 John 2 beginning in verse 3:

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked (1 John 2:3–6).

The true Church of God will be preaching a message of repentance from sin, which the Bible defines as the violation of God’s law.

More Than Religion—A Way of Life That WORKS

Let us now look at the fifth sign.

#5: The Church that Christ built will be organized.

Many people today have given up on what they call “organized religion,” and I get that. There is far too much hypocrisy, insincerity, greed, and corruption in today’s churches. And this is not new. A history of professing Christianity is a sad history indeed. Bloody wars with swords and guns have been fought between major denominations. Predatory priests have abused thousands over the years. How can anyone believe that God is working in such churches? We understand sin is found everywhere on earth, but wars and institutional abuse is another matter. And how can one subscribe to a church that teaches the opposite of what Jesus taught? But does this mean all organized religion is wrong? Consider. What is the opposite of organized? Is Jesus the author of disorganization and confusion?

Jesus said He would build His church. The word He used for church comes from the Greek ekklesia. In simple terms, this word refers to an assembly, any assembly; but in the context that Jesus used it, it refers to an assembly of called out followers of His. It means the people, not the building.

One chapter from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians brings great clarity to this subject. In no way does he describe a disorganized body of believers scattered through multiple organizations. Quite the opposite. Beginning in chapter 4 and verse 1, Paul pleads with the Ephesians to maintain the unity of the faith:

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1–3).

But was he promoting a compromising ecumenical movement between contradicting organizations? On the contrary, he spells out the fact that there can be no compromise when it comes to doctrine. He goes on to say,

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:4–6).

That doesn’t sound like Paul considered it okay to attend the church of your choice! But is the Church Christ is building organized? Or is it, as many believe, scattered believers found in all denominations? Churches have different thoughts about baptism. What age—an infant, an adult, a teenager? What mode? Is He talking about sprinkling, or putting under the water entirely? And if it is even necessary at all. Yet, Paul says there is only one baptism. How does that work?

And not all churches have the same hope. Some believe in going to heaven, where the greatest joy is something called the “beatific vision”—staring into the face of God for eternity. Others believe the reward of the saved is here on earth. Some think you must keep the law while others profess love is all that is necessary. So how can there be…

One body and one Spirit… one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism….

Here is more of what Paul told the church at Ephesus, beginning in verse 11 of this same fourth chapter:

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:11–16).

I challenge you to dust off your Bible and read Ephesians 4 for yourself.

If you found this video helpful and want to learn more, be sure to get your free copy of our study guide Do You Believe the True Gospel? Just click the link in the description to order. It’s that easy.

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We here at Tomorrow’s World want to help you understand this world, through the pages of the Bible.

Thanks for watching!

See you next time.



The Coming Four Horsemen

What are the four horsemen of the apocalypse? Learn the Bible’s answer—and how to prepare—as Richard Ames goes through end-times prophecy in Revelation 6:1-8, Matthew 24, and other prophecies in the book of Revelation.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

The Coming Ride of the Four Horsemen

Of all the mysterious symbols and prophecies of the Bible, few have captured the imagination of the broader culture like the FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE. Leaping from the pages of the book of Revelation, these horsemen and their colored horses have been used as metaphors for death, destruction, and world-ending calamity for centuries.

But they aren’t meaningless symbols to be used however WE want to use them or speculate about them. Jesus Christ revealed them to His servant John in a vision depicting our VERY REAL FUTURE—a future that is galloping toward us at full speed.

You need to understand the meaning of the four horsemen before their arrival catches you and your family off guard and unprepared. Join us today as we reveal Jesus Christ’s own meaning behind the COMING FOUR HORSEMEN.

Jesus Christ Revealed Specific Signs to John

Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible. Today we’re going to talk about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse—some of the most infamous and imagination-stirring figures to enter our culture from the pages of the Bible.

Some of you may remember how the four popular, so-called “new atheists”—Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris—were dubbed the “Four Horsemen” by many. Similarly, Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple have been called the “Four Horsemen of Tech.” In the movies, you might be familiar with Clint Eastwood’s film “Pale Rider”—or even the superhero movie “X-Men: Apocalypse” and its four “mutant” horsemen.

Such uses actually OBSCURE the very important FUTURE REALITY that Jesus Christ intended the Four Horsemen to represent. It is THAT LIFE AND DEATH REALITY that we lay out for you on today’s program.

To do that, we need to lay an important foundation first.

The four horsemen come to us from chapter 6 of the prophetic book of Revelation. In this passage, the Apostle John is seeing a vision of events in heaven, including the unsealing of a scroll with seven seals. Those seven seals represent future events, and of all in heaven and earth, Revelation 5 tells us that only Jesus Christ was found to be worthy of opening those seals and revealing the contents of God’s prophetic scroll.

And this leads us to a vital element we need to uncover the identity of these horsemen: JESUS CHRIST IS THE REVELATOR. The entire purpose of the book of Revelation is not to HIDE truth, but to REVEAL IT—after all, it is called the book of “REVELATION,” not the book of CONCEALING or HIDING. In fact, it gets that name from its own words. Look at them with me in Revelation 1:1:

“The REVELATION of JESUS CHRIST, which God gave Him to SHOW HIS SERVANTS—things which must shortly take place.”

Note several things here: First, it is the Revelation of JESUS CHRIST. If we want to understand the things it says, we need to consider what HE teaches us and shows us. Also note, God gave Him this revelation to SHOW HIS SERVANTS THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY TAKE PLACE. Not to hide those things so that they would not be understood, but to REVEAL THEM!

Keeping in mind that Revelation represents Jesus’ own revelation about the future, let’s turn to Matthew 24. This is another place in the Bible where Jesus discusses end-time events, and there is a pattern there that will help us immensely as we tackle the identities of the four horsemen.

Here in a prophecy, given by Christ on the Mount of Olives, Jesus explains much about world conditions leading up to His second coming and the end of this age. There we see an important pattern. Let’s start in verse 4. Here, He begins to answer His disciples’ questions about His return:

“And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:4–8).

While He mentions several things in this prophecy, take note of four PARTICULAR items in Jesus’ words here that occur in this order:

1. False Religion
2. Warfare
3. Famine
and
4. Pestilence

It’s important to note that Jesus says in v. 6, “the end is not yet.” Because, to a great extent, the things He mentions here have been happening since time immemorial.

Yet, the pattern of items Jesus establishes here will prove vital to confirming the final, FUTURE events of world history, as they are repeated in a larger scale in the future four horsemen He reveals to the Apostle John—and to us.

False Religion and a Global War of Conquest

Now, as we turn to Revelation 6 and the vision of the four horsemen, we’ll find that they fit the same pattern Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24, with the difference that the four horsemen of the apocalypse represent cataclysmic, end-time extremes of these four conditions that will build, one upon the other. How cataclysmic? Revelation 6:8 says that “… power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

Now as we record this program in 2022, world population is projected to soon hit eight billion people, so a fourth of the earth at this time would be around TWO BILLION PEOPLE—truly a vast number!

So, what does each horseman represent? Let’s begin with the first horseman, who is revealed as the first prophetic seal is opened. We read of that in Revelation 6, beginning in verse 1:

“Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, ‘Come and see.’ And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer” (vv. 1–2).

Here is a vision of a white horse, whose rider is wearing a crown, holding a bow, and conquering.

This rider corresponds to the first element in our list of items Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24: a (Global) False Religion.

Of course, corrupt, false religion has been with mankind virtually from the beginning, after the devil deceived Adam and Eve to take the forbidden fruit. When the Apostle John warned first-century Christians of a coming final Antichrist, in 1 John 2:18, he also noted that many antichrists were ALREADY in the world, in HIS OWN TIME. Satan has been counterfeiting Christianity since the very beginning.

Yet in the days still ahead, this final incarnation of the devil’s “counterfeit” Christianity will turn far more aggressive and militant, described in Revelation 6 as going out to “conquer.” Not simply willing to “win hearts and minds,” it will seek to forcibly convert the whole world.

Some confuse this first horseman on a white horse with Jesus Christ, claiming it represents the TRUE religion conquering the world. Are they right?

Consider the description of Jesus in Revelation 19, beginning in verse 11:

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (vv. 11–16).

That THIS rider in Revelation 19 is Jesus Christ should be obvious! And a white horse, crowns, a weapon, conquering. Surely this rider is the same as the first horseman, right?

Wrong! The devil is a creature of subtlety, and it is in the subtleties that we see the difference. When you read closely, you notice that they both ride a white horse, but Christ brings a sword, the word of God, while the first horseman uses a bow. Also, the first horseman is described as wearing a crown, but Christ is described as wearing MANY crowns—not just a King, but the KING of KINGS.

The first horseman represents a militant, dangerous counterfeit Christianity aggressively spreading across the earth and conquering new adherents in a way the world has never seen before—led by the one the Apostle John called “the Antichrist,” who is the culmination of the many antichrists who have preceded him.

His religion is already present in the earth, but in the final years leading up to Christ’s return, it will wield unheard of influence and power.

So then, who is the NEXT horseman—the second horseman? He’s described next, in Revelation 6, beginning in verse 3:

“When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, ‘Come and see.’ Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword” (vv. 3–4).

Again, this matches the pattern Christ mentioned in Matthew 24, and this horseman refers to warfare. But this end-time horseman’s ride indicates an extreme level of warfare unlike anything humanity has known before. Note that the horseman is given a “great sword,” and he is granted to remove peace from the entire earth.

This corresponds well with the description of the great Beast of Revelation, found in Revelation 13. In verse 4, we read of the people of the world worshipping him and, by design, the devil who empowers him:

“So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’”

The scale of warfare that is coming in the end times, represented by this dangerous second horseman, is almost unimaginable. Even for a world that has seen two world wars climaxing in two mushroom clouds, past conflicts will pale in comparison to the global warfare to come.

It is not without cause that Jesus says in Matthew 24:22 of the days ahead that “… unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”

Through chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, the potential for mankind to end all life on the planet has steadily grown. The coming of the second horseman heralds the time when that potential becomes a chilling reality.

Surging Scarcity and Pestilence Follows Destructive Conflicts

The first and second horsemen of the apocalypse will unleash terrifying forces on planet earth, but the tale of their soon-coming ride does not end there. After the second horseman, the third and fourth horsemen follow shortly after. Let’s continue reading in Revelation 6:

“When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, ‘Come and see.’ So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine’” (vv. 5–6).

Again fitting the sequence Jesus revealed in Matthew 24, the next horseman depicts great famine—an utter lack of the necessities of life.

As recently experienced in Madagascar and Ethiopia, mankind has faced famine on and off for millennia. But this third horseman represents a level of famine and scarcity on a scale that humanity has never before experienced—and by peoples and nations who have never known it.

Revelation 6 says that the third horseman, holding a pair of scales in his hand, announces that a quart of wheat costs a denarius, which in the first century was a FULL DAY’S WAGES—an ENTIRE DAY’S WORK spent for the purchase of a bit of grain. What we have pictured here is the scourge of famine sweeping the whole world, when even the most basic of foodstuffs—grain and barley—are rare and precious.

Some in the affluent West have recently experienced a small, small taste of what it is like for the shelves to be briefly empty and the staples of life to be too expensive or hard to find.

What will the same nations do as the third horseman arrives, bringing permanently empty shelves, empty fields, and empty stomachs?

Of course, famines and lack often follow warfare, and the circumstances brought by the fourth horseman often follow famine. We read of him in verses 7–8:

“When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, ‘Come and see.’ So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him….”

Once again, we find the pattern matches the sequence Jesus Christ, the revelator, GAVE us in Matthew 24, There, the Lord listed “pestilence” after “famine,” and the sickly, pale color of this horse suits Jesus’ words precisely as does the rider’s name, “Death,” and the fact that he is followed by “Hades,” or the grave.

Of course, in our own day, COVID-19 has turned many to thinking of just how great the scope of worldwide disease and pestilence could be.

Yet the testimony of prophecy—and therefore of Jesus Christ, since the testimony of Jesus IS the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10)—is very clear: Relative to the pestilence and disease TO COME, COVID-19 is barely a warning shot across the world’s bow. The coming of the fourth horseman heralds the coming of diseases the likes of which no doctor, health organization, or world government is prepared to tackle.

Let’s consider these four horsemen in perspective. In the most common estimates, COVID-19 has killed millions. Some believe the bubonic plague killed 25 million in the Middle Ages. The greatest famine in history, China’s “Great Leap Forward” famine, killed 20 to 40 million people from 1959 to 1961. And World Wars I & II, by some estimates, killed 70 to 80 million people.

These numbers are horrifying. Yet, we must remind ourselves that Revelation 8:6 says that the coming four horsemen—false religion, warfare, famine, and pestilence—will be given power over ONE-FOURTH of HUMANITY. Right now, around 2 BILLION PEOPLE. That’s “BILLION” with a “B.”

The conflicts, famines, and diseases of the past and the present hardly compare to the ride of the horsemen to come.

That, my friends, is a grim picture, I know. Yet Jesus Christ reveals this knowledge for a REASON, and it isn’t to depress us or throw us into despair! What can you and your family DO about the times to come? Is there ANYTHING ANYONE can do?

Hope for the Future—Jesus Christ Will End Their Ride

My friends, I know the ride of the four horsemen sounds terrifying, and clearly Jesus Christ meant it to be so. But God has not left us without hope. Because there are MORE THAN FOUR HORSEMEN mentioned in the book of Revelation!

We read about the FIFTH HORSEMAN earlier in Revelation 19. JESUS CHRIST will return on a white horse. And He won’t be alone! He will be accompanied by His newly resurrected and glorified saints riding white horses of their own, and together they will vanquish the enemies of God and initiate the reign of the Kingdom of God here on earth!

We’ve seen the small tastes of the coming four horsemen that God has allowed the world to experience. The recent pandemic gave us a small taste of global disease, we’re beginning to see food prices skyrocket due to inflation and other causes. Warfare fills our news feeds—the war in Ukraine being only a recent example. And if we have eyes to see and ears to hear, the world’s counterfeit Christianity can be seen and heard for what it is as it is preached from behind the lecterns and on the stages of the most popular denominations and churches in the world.

Those circumstances should move us to act NOW, BEFORE the Four Horsemen are unleashed upon the world to bring apostasy, carnage, starvation, and pestilence in full measure.

NOW, RIGHT NOW, is the time to come under the protection of the FIFTH Horseman, that we may find ourselves riding one day alongside Him to heal the world.

For those who submit their lives to His rule today, He offers protection from what is to come tomorrow. For such individuals, the precursors to the Four Horsemen’s rides that we see on our news feeds—the daily reminders of what they will bring—do not have to be signs of despair. Quite the contrary, they can be signs of hope. Jesus Himself tells us so, just as He told His disciples 2,000 years ago. To those who commit their lives in obedience to Him today and who endure to that time in faithfulness, He says in Luke 21:36, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

May all of us be praying for the ride of that FIFTH Horseman, Jesus Christ, who is coming soon to usher in the Kingdom of God, forever! And may we seek His face TODAY—His way of life, His Work, and His desires—that we may one day accompany Him on white horses of our own, to help Him put the horses of the other Four Horsemen out to pasture for good.

Thank you for watching! If you’re interested in the item which we offered in the program today, there should be a link in the description where you can click and get your free copy.

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Will You Go to Heaven or Inherit the Earth?

Why does Jesus say in Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”? What does the meek shall inherit the earth mean? Richard Ames answers these questions from the Bible in this Tomorrow’s World.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Our Future Beyond the Grave

Millions of professing Christians believe they will go to heaven when they die and experience eternal retirement. And yet, the Savior of the world stated a very different future for faithful Christians in His Sermon on the Mount. He stated in Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Will you go to Heaven, or will you inherit the Earth? On today’s program, we’ll discuss that vital question, and the answer from your Bible will surprise you.

The question of life after death is one of the most controversial questions in the world. But your Bible gives plain answers to those questions. There is really good news for the future of faithful Christians, and great hope for those considered spiritually lost. You need to know the truth from your own Bible. You need to know your potential future, and where it will be: In Heaven, Hell, or on a glorious and restored earth?

Stay tuned!

Who Did Jesus Say Shall Inherit the Earth?

One of the most fundamental questions of life is: “What happens when you die?” Will you go to Heaven? Or will you go to Hell? Or, will you simply remain dead in the grave until the Resurrection?

Pew Research surveyed Americans on their belief in heaven or hell. “Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults say they believe in heaven…. Roughly a quarter of all U.S. adults (26%) say that they do not believe in heaven or hell, including 7% who say they do believe in some kind of afterlife and 17% who do not believe in any afterlife at all” (“Few Americans Blame God or Say Faith Has Been Shaken Amid Pandemic, Other Tragedies,” PEWResearch.org, November 23, 2021).

My friends, what is the truth? Your Bible gives solid answers to the questions of life and death. What does the Bible say about the afterlife? How does it answer the question “Will you go to Heaven or will you inherit the Earth?”

Jesus taught us to pray, “Your Kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10). My friends, WHY do we pray every day, “Your Kingdom come?” Because the world is suffering from the sins of mankind. In the 20th century, we experienced World War I and World War II. Millions also suffered from wars in Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Middle East, and other regions around the world. Right now, in the 21st century, according to the Council on Foreign Relations conflict tracker, more than two dozen civil-war-type conflicts are raging around the world, on five of the seven continents. Modern warfare, from the two Gulf wars in the Middle East to the recent clashes in Ukraine, uses the latest military technology with smart bombs, guided missiles, and space communications.

Jesus said that there would be Great Tribulation. And He said, “… unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved.” That’s in Matthew 24:22. But Christ will intervene at His Second Coming. We pray for God’s Kingdom to come, to stop mankind’s war-like nature. Current military trends, unless God intervenes, will eventually lead to total annihilation, or cosmocide. Thankfully, God has a plan to save mankind.

That plan includes an awesome future for faithful Christians! And WHERE will that future take place? WHERE will faithful Christians be? In Heaven? Or on Earth? Turn in your Bible to Revelation 5:10, “And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign [WHERE?] ON THE EARTH.” What an awe-inspiring verse. Notice two points. One: faithful Christians are called to become kings and priests! They will assist the King OF kings in ushering in lasting peace. And WHERE WILL THEY REIGN? IN HEAVEN? No, on earth. “We shall reign on the earth!” Yes, my friends, the MEEK shall inherit the EARTH. The Kingdom OF Heaven, or the Kingdom of God, will reign on earth! That’s why we pray, “Your Kingdom come.”

If you have your Bible, turn to one of the most basic scriptures in the New Testament, Matthew 5, what is often called “The Sermon on the Mount.” Be sure to carefully read all three chapters: Matthew 5, 6, and 7. Let’s read Matthew 5:1:

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:1–5).

Notice: Did Jesus say the poor in spirit would go to heaven for eternity, while the meek would inherit the earth? No. What Jesus DID SAY, was that the poor in spirit would be blessed with the Kingdom OF heaven. Let’s understand, my friends, the Kingdom OF Heaven is coming TO earth when Christ returns! THAT is when the saved inherit the Kingdom. That’s the time when Christ will tell His faithful servants, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” That’s in Matthew 25:34.

The King of kings will rule planet Earth, and all nations will come up to Jerusalem to learn the way to peace. Notice this inspiring prophecy in ZECHARIAH 14. The whole earth will learn to observe the same biblical festivals that Jesus and the Apostles observed. ZECHARIAH 14:16,

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

Yes, my friends, every nation on earth will worship the King. And when will that take place? And when will faithful dead Christians inherit the Kingdom? The great resurrection of faithful Christians takes place at Christ’s return as it tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17. My friends, I hope most of you will desire to seek THAT promise of life after death. The greatest goal of a Christian is to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness as Jesus stated in Matthew 6:33. Yes, there is life after death, but NOT until you are resurrected. Ecclesiastes 9:5,

For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing….”

The Gospel—God’s REAL Future Kingdom on Earth

We saw that the Kingdom of God, also called the Kingdom OF Heaven, will come to earth when the Savior, Jesus Christ returns. Yes, the meek shall inherit the earth as He said. Jesus Christ will rule all nations as King of kings and Lord of lords. Faithful Christians will assist Him in ruling over the nations. My friends, God is calling many individuals to serve Him and His Work, to prepare to serve in His coming Kingdom as kings and priests. Let’s read that in Revelation 20:6,

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

There are many scriptures in your Bible describing Christ’s world-ruling kingdom. Turn to Daniel 7. The setting here in Daniel 7 is end-time prophecy;

But the SAINTS of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever (v. 18).

Yes, the saints, all faithful Christians, will rule with Jesus Christ when He returns.

A Kingdom can be described with four basic elements—a kingdom has a ruler, territory, subjects, and laws. The ruler of the Kingdom of God on earth will be Jesus Christ as King of Kings. And the glorified saints of God will assist Him as kings and priests. But what territory will the kingdom rule over? The territory of the Kingdom will be planet earth! We’ve already seen that the saints will rule on the earth (Revelation 5:10) and that all nations will go up to Jerusalem to worship the King and to observe the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16). But WHERE will the King of kings rule? Where will He dwell? Turn in your Bible to Zechariah 8:

Thus says the LORD: “I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, the Mountain of the LORD of hosts, the Holy Mountain.”

Jesus Christ will dwell in Jerusalem. He says, “I will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem.” In fact, the city will have another name. The very last verse in the book of Ezekiel, Ezekiel 48:35, states, “the name of the city from that day shall be: The LORD Is There.” The name of the city in Hebrew is Yahweh Shama. The TERRITORY of God’s Kingdom when Christ returns will be planet earth. And who will be the SUBJECTS of that Kingdom? All the nations of planet earth will be subjects in that kingdom. As it tells us in Zechariah 14:9,

And the LORD shall be King over all the earth.

The SUBJECTS living under the rulership of Christ will be physical human beings—the nations of planet earth. Again, consider that a kingdom has four basic elements: A kingdom has a ruler, territory, subjects, and laws. Now, what laws will govern in the Kingdom? The prophet Isaiah gives us an inspiring vision of Tomorrow’s World. Isaiah 2:2,

“Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.”

Yes, the Kingdom of God will rule over ALL NATIONS. Isaiah 2:3,

Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Yes, GOD’S laws will be taught and administered from Jerusalem. Not man’s often contradictory and unjust laws. Jesus taught us to keep the Ten Commandments. Remember Matthew 19:17. Jesus said,

But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.

Jesus then stated several of the Ten Commandments. He also magnified the commandments in the Sermon on the Mount. He actually made them more binding. We need to observe them in the spirit, not just in the letter! And what will God’s government produce? Isaiah 2:4,

He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

My friends, that is the “gospel,” the good news of the Kingdom of God. Yet, how many professing Christians really understand?

The Three Resurrections—Who Will Be In Them?

When you read the history of the true Christian Church, what do you find? You see a major emphasis on seeking a resurrection from the dead! One example is the Apostle Paul’s passionate desire of a future resurrection from the dead. Turn to Acts 23 in your Bible. The Apostle Paul was confronted by the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. What did he say? Acts 23:6,

But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the HOPE and RESURRECTION of the dead I am BEING judged!”

Paul was being judged. He did not YET have immortal life! Let’s understand. We do NOT already have immortality! It is a gift from God! Read Romans 6:23,

For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (King James Version).

Notice that the scripture does NOT state, “The wages of sin is immortal life in hell-fire.” The wages of sin is NOT immortal LIFE, but DEATH, the absence of life. If you already have an immortal soul, if you already have eternal life, you don’t need it as a GIFT from God. My friends, a soul can DIE! The prophet Ezekiel tells us in Ezekiel 18:4, “The SOUL WHO SINS SHALL DIE!” The Hebrew word for Soul is “nephesh” which means physical or natural life. And the same word “nephesh” also refers to ANIMAL LIFE in Genesis 1:21.

Now, what does the New Testament tell us about souls? Turn in your Bible to Matthew 10:28 where Jesus is speaking. Matthew 10:28,

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both SOUL and body in hell [or Gehenna fire].

Do you believe your Bible? Do you believe what Jesus said? God is ABLE to DESTROY—yes, DESTROY—both soul and body in Gehenna. Now, the Bible does teach that there is a human spirit, the spirit in man mentioned in 1 Corinthians 2:11, for example. But it is NOT an immortal soul. There are many other scriptures to demonstrate that one does NOT have an immortal soul. As God inspired the prophet Ezekiel to state, “The SOUL WHO SINS SHALL DIE.”

Evangelist Gerald Weston explains the pagan origin of the immortal soul doctrine in his telecast, “Do You Have an Immortal Soul?” Just access his inspiring program on our Web site at TomorrowsWorld.org.

My friends, your Bible reveals three general resurrections from the dead, of thousands, millions, and billions of people. The first resurrection is described in your Bible primarily in two chapters: 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4. Who will be in the first resurrection? Those who are faithful Christians. The Apostle John describes their future: “And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years…. This is the first resurrection.” That’s in Revelation 20:4–5.

The FIRST RESURRECTION from the dead is to IMMORTAL LIFE. This is the resurrection that takes place when Christ returns. God will give faithful Christians the awesome gift of eternal, immortal life at that time.

Faithful saints and Christians who died are WAITING IN THEIR GRAVES for the First Resurrection. But, what will happen to the billions of humans who have died but never accepted Christianity? Are they burning in hell right now? No! Your Bible teaches that everyone who has died, with the exception of Jesus Christ, is still dead. Those people who never had their minds opened to true Christianity will be in the White Throne Judgment! They will be in the SECOND RESURRECTION.

This is a resurrection to a lifetime of judgment, and it’s a resurrection to physical life. When will this Second Resurrection take place? Revelation 19 describes the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. He will not be alone when He comes back to this earth. Revelation 20:4,

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Then we read a parenthetical statement: “But the rest of the dead [listen to this] did not live again until the thousand years were finished.” If they did not live again for a thousand years, they remained dead all that time! Who are the “rest of the dead”? People still in their graves who are not in the First Resurrection. And WHEN does this Second Resurrection take place? When the thousand years are finished, as we read in Revelation 20:5.

Now turn to Revelation 20:11;

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the DEAD, small and great, STANDING before God [This is the SECOND resurrection, a resurrection to physical life, NOT immortal life], and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books (Revelation 20:11–12).

The Greek word for “books” is “biblia.” The good news is that the books, or the Bible, will be opened to the understanding of the masses for the first time. The Book of Life is finally opened to those resurrected in the White Throne Judgment, as we see in Revelation 20:12. This will be their FIRST opportunity to properly learn the truth. This is NOT a SECOND chance as some may like to call it. All human beings will be held accountable for their actions and thoughts. [SLOW] But this will be the first time for many to SEE their sins. They’ll have the opportunity to REPENT of their sins, and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.

In the White Throne Judgment, billions will be resurrected to physical life, [and] for the first time will have their minds opened to the Bible and the awesome reality of God’s truth. After all who’ve lived have received their opportunity for salvation, the unrepentant will be burned up forever, extinguished in the Lake of Fire.

Your Incredible Future—A Child of God

God has an awesome plan for faithful Christians, and He also has a future resurrection for all who never had an opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. My friends, you should look forward to inheriting the earth, to inheriting salvation as it states in Hebrews 1:14, to inheriting eternal life as it states in Matthew 19:29, and to inherit “all things” as it states in Revelation 21:7.

We’ve also seen on today’s program, no one is now suffering in a mythical ever-burning hellfire. Everyone who has ever lived and died is still dead. They are totally unconscious and feel no passing of time. All who are dead will be resurrected to one of the three resurrections. My friends, as we’ve seen, the first resurrection takes place at Christ’s Second Coming. That hasn’t happened yet! Will you be in that resurrection? If you GENUINELY belong to Jesus Christ at that time, you will be in the FIRST RESURRECTION. It is called a “better resurrection” in Hebrews 11:35. WHY? Because it’s a resurrection to ETERNAL LIFE and IMMORTALITY.

Those who are in the first resurrection will become the Bride of Christ. The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 warns all of us to be ready for Christ’s return and the marriage of the Lamb. Revelation 19:7 shows that the true Church of God, the wife of Christ indeed has been faithful in her preparation for the coming Kingdom of God. “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

We asked at the beginning of the program, will you go to heaven? The Bible makes it very plain, as we have seen, that our eternal reward will be here on earth. But as shocking as it may be to some of you, when Christ returns to meet genuine Christians rising up to the clouds in the first resurrection, He takes them to the great wedding before the throne of God in heaven (Revelation 15:1–2).

They are there for a short period of time when the seven last plagues are poured out and return with Him on white horses to conquer the nations and inherit the earth.

My friends, Your Father in heaven loves you and wants you to be part of His Family. He will raise the dead in Christ to glory and immortality. And He plans for billions of spiritually blinded human beings to learn His way in the White Throne Judgment.

Thank you for watching!

We here at Tomorrow’s World want to help you understand your world through the pages of the Bible. And we encourage you to not just believe us, but look up these verses in your own Bible.

If you would like to know what happens after death for everyone who has ever lived, just click the link in the description for a free Bible study guide, What Happens When You Die?

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