Horoscope, Right or Wrong?

Is Reading Your Horoscope Wrong?

Q. My granddaughter has a friend who is reading his horoscope daily and sees nothing wrong with it. She needs specific verses of scripture to show him that will convince him it is demonic. I am familiar with the verses in Deuteronomy 18, and in several places in Daniel, but they are not as specific as I would like. Can you help?


A. The phrase “observer of times” in Deut. 18:10 and other places is commonly regarded to mean astrology and is described as being detestable to God. The study of astrology was forbidden in the Old Testament.

You didn’t mention whether the friend is a believer or not, but if he is then knowing something is detestable to God should be sufficient motivation to stop doing it, whether he believes it’s demonic or not.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

The Importance Of Judging Through God's Eyes

The Right Spirit For Judgment

From Pilgrims Journal

We may find ourselves in a position (as a parent, supervisor, pastor, etc.) to punish or discipline, but with what spirit do we correct? If we want to work with God and God to work with us, we must operate in the same Spirit. Judges chapters 20-21 illustrates how Israel came into the same Spirit so that God could use them for punishment and restoration. There are invaluable lessons in these passages for us who are called to rule and reign with Christ.

A horrible offence had taken place in Gibeah, within the tribe of Benjamin, and the wicked needed to be punished. The punishment for raping a married or betrothed woman was death (Deut 22:25). When the whole tribe of Benjamin defended the wicked men of Gibeah, they put themselves in line to receive the same punishment (Compare with Deut 13:12-15).

“Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpeh. So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man. And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, ‘What wickedness is this that is done among you? Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel.’ But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel: but the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel” (Judg 20:1, 11-14).

The men of Israel quickly rose to the occasion to “stand for righteousness.”

“And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, ‘Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin?’ And the Lord said, ‘Judah shall go up first’” (Judg 20:18).

When the men of Israel sought God about this grave matter, the only question was, “Who shall go up first?” It seems that everyone was ready to be first (if told) to smite the Benjamites. So maybe, God was called upon to be an arbitrator only. Nevertheless, it was God’s will to punish Benjamin, therefore He answered their question.

The number of men taking part in this battle is important. There were 26,700 men of Benjamin and 400,000 men of Israel.

“And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men” (Judg 20:21).

What a surprise! The Benjamites were outnumbered 15 to 1, yet they killed 22,000 Israelites! Weren’t the Benjamites the bad guys and the Israelites the good guys? Didn’t God tell the Israelites to fight? Yes, but God was working something into the Israelites.

“And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until even, and asked counsel of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?’ And the Lord said, ‘Go up against him’” (Judg 20:23).

Now we can see what God was doing. This time the Israelites wept when they sought the Lord. There were no tears the first time. Also, this time they were asking if they should go up to battle against Benjamin. When you ask, you know the answer could be “yes” or “no.” Now, the Israelites were not eager to punish; their selfish motives were removed by their loss on the battlefield.

The first time their attitude was, “Who should go up first against these no-good Benjamites, children of the devil?” This time, they asked, “Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” Now there is some sympathy in their hearts for the Benjamites. The men of Israel had tasted some of the punishment God told them to afflict upon Benjamin. Now, in empathy, they refer to Benjamin as “my brother.” Again, God says, “Go up against him.”

“And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day. And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword” (Judg 20:24-25).

Another setback! Not as bad as the first day, but still a great disaster! Yet we can see that God is still working.

“Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the Lord, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease?’ And the Lord said, ‘Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand’” (Judg 20:26-28).

In two days of fighting, the Israelites lost 40,000 men. That’s more men than the entire tribe of Benjamin! This God-ordained punishment was hurting the Israelites more than the Benjamites! This is an illustration of the love of God. If God has to punish His people, it hurts Him too.

After the second day of loss, the Israelites again sought the Lord with weeping, but this time humbling themselves with fasting too. They also offered burnt offerings and peace offerings after the second day. This time they asked if they should again go out against their brother Benjamin, or if they should cease. This question (“should I cease?”) shows that they did not want to punish their brother. They only wanted to do what God wanted, no more and no less. This is what the whole burnt offering represented: doing only what the Lord desires for our lives. Now, they were no longer motivated by pride, anger, hatred, despising, etc. They were at peace with God and their brother. This is what the peace offering represented—peace with God and man. Now they are in the Spirit of Christ and God can use them for punishment; they won’t inflict any more than what God ordains.

In the Book of Revelation, only Jesus Christ the Lamb of God was found worthy to open the book, loose the seals thereof and send great tribulation upon the earth. He has suffered to take away the sins of the world, proving His love for all mankind. He alone could be trusted by the Father to inflict no more punishment than required.

“And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times” (Judg 20:30).

“So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour. But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months. And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to” (Judg 20:46-48).

“And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; and said, ‘O Lord God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be today one tribe lacking in Israel?’ And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings… and the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said, ‘There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the Lord that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?’” (Judg 21:2-7).

“Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up” (Hos 6:1). God had used the Israelites to smite Benjamin, but now they want to be used to heal them. The Israelites are now weeping, but it’s not for themselves; they are weeping for their brother Benjamin, the “enemy.” Their entire focus is to lawfully restore the remnant that escaped.

“But them that are without, God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (1Cor 5:13). We don’t see any repentance at all by Benjamin anywhere in these chapters. Even if we have to reject a backslider who is actively sinning, and cast him out of the church, God doesn’t want to see anything in us except love for that soul.

If Israel had not been humbled, they may have laid siege to the remnant at the rock Rimmon and killed all of Benjamin. Thank God they didn’t. The Apostle Paul came from Benjamin.

“And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the Lord had made a breach in the tribes of Israel” (Judg 21:15).

Even though Benjamin didn’t repent, God worked a change, (a repentance) in Israel.

“And they said, ‘There must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel’” (Judg 21:17).

How beautiful: “There must be an inheritance for them that escaped.” This is the hope and faith that Israel had for Benjamin. “Faith which worketh by love” (Gal 5:6).

Chapter 21:6-7 states that the men of Israel “repented” and asked, ”How shall we do for wives for them that remain?” Then the men of Israel discovered a way to get wives for 400 of the 600 Benjamites that escaped. In verses 15-16, the Israelites again “repented,” and asked, “How shall we do for wives for them that remain?” Then they discovered a way to get wives for the remaining 200 men. Thus, the tribe of Benjamin was torn, but also healed by the men of Israel.

In our lives, let us learn to judge as God judges, with love and compassion, knowing that his purposes for our lives are redemptive in nature, to bring us closer to Him.

No chastening, correction, or rebuke is easy to take, but if we realize that it is coming from a heart of love, from our heavenly Father, we can take it in the right spirit and bring forth the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb 12:11). Let us also remember, as we are in positions of responsibility over others (be it parents, teachers, pastors, or in the work place) we must learn to see everything through the eyes of the Lord who has good thoughts towards us to bring us to an expected end (Jer 29:11). “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1-2 NIV). ❏

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Does the birth pangs of our times serve God's dual purpose?

Birth Pangs And Judgments

Q. In your article “2012…End of the World?” you stated, “Earth’s land mass has been pushed apart to form the current continents and islands, the Earth’s orbit has been extended by 5 ¼ days, and its axis tilted by 23.44 degrees. All this and more will have to be fixed in order for Earth to once again be the paradise it was created to be.” A journalist on a secular news video stated today that the earthquake in Chile, “moved so much mass on the planet that government scientists estimate it moved the earth off it’s axis by about three inches; shortened the day by a few millionths of a second; and raised the ground level of one island by six feet.”

I understand that earthquakes like these are part of the “birth pangs”, but do you also see this as God restoring the planet to its original form? Or do you see this happening more during Daniel’s 70th week and the Great Tribulation judgments?

A. I can’t prove this from the Bible, but it’s my belief that the End Times judgments, beginning in a small way with the so-called birth pangs, will serve a dual purpose. In addition to being the means of punishment for the unbelieving world they will also be preparing Earth for its restoration to the way it was when Adam was created. I believe that’s why the return of the Lord is sometimes called the renewal (regeneration, restoration, restitution)) of all things, as in Matt. 19:28 and Acts 3:21.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

Are we the terminal generation?

Why Start Counting in 1948?

Q. Thanks again for the time you put into this ministry. I know it is a huge benefit to so many. My question is regarding the “last generation” mentioned in Matthew and Luke, at Olivet. You have said that 1948 and the re-birth of Israel ’start the clock’ – meaning the generation alive/being born during that time will be around to see the return of messiah.

After several readings of the Matthew and Luke Passages, It seems to me that the generation referred to is the generation that sees the beginning of the tribulation – THAT generation will live to see the return of messiah. Would you mind explaining why my reasoning might be incorrect?

A. The first specific sign Jesus gave in the Olivet discourse that will clearly indicate that the End of the Age has come is the Abomination of Desolation (Matt. 24:15-21). But that’s really a “non-sign” because in several other places the Bible says when that happens there’ll only be about 3 1/2 years left until the 2nd Coming. It wouldn’t make sense for the Lord to say that the generation being born at that time will live to see all the End Times signs fulfilled. They’ll still be toddlers when the Kingdom Age begins.

So we have to look behind His words. It takes a Temple for an Abomination, but according to Daniel 9:27 the Temple would only have to be 7 years old when the end comes, still too short a period of time. But for a Temple to exist, Israel has to exist. Without an actual State of Israel inhabiting the land that was promised to them, none of the other signs can happen. There couldn’t be a covenant people or a Temple or an Abomination of Desolation. In addition to Daniel’s prophecy of a temple, Isaiah, Amos, Ezekiel, Zechariah and others all prophesied a re-gathered State of Israel in the last days as well. The re-birth of Israel is the pre-emminent signal that the End of the Age has come.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

What does binding and loosing means?

Binding And Loosing?

Q. What is binding and loosing? Is it appropriate for Christians to pray for binding and loosing? If not then what is the proper way?

A. The concept of binding and loosing comes from Matt. 16:19 and is repeated in Matt 18:18. It comes from Jewish legal terminology where something bound was forbidden and something loosed was authorized. In Matt. 16:19 it was used in reference to the disciples’ authority regarding the Kingdom. Having the Keys to the Kingdom meant Peter, and by implication the others, could in effect open it to believers and close it to unbelievers on the Lord’s behalf. They did this by preaching the gospel, so when a person heard the gospel and asked to be saved, they had the authority to promise them entry into the Kingdom.

In Matt 18:18 there was a second, related application. This one has to do with church discipline. If a person refuses to acknowledge his sin and be reconciled to a brother, the church has the authority to treat him or her like an unbeliever. The phrase “like an unbeliever” doesn’t mean the church can revoke a person’s salvation, but that after all the other steps have been followed can suspend the person from the rights of fellowship until there’s reconciliation.

The Bible never refers to binding and loosing in the context of spiritual warfare. While believers do have authority over evil spirits in the Lord’s name (Luke 10:17), it doesn’t come from these verses, and to use “binding and loosing” in this context is a misapplication of Scripture. Paul demonstrated the proper way to deal with evil spirits in others when he said, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her.” (Acts 16:18) And in personal matters James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” 2 Cor. 10:3-5 also outlines personal application.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

The message to a man and a nation

The Strangest Miracle

This Week’s Feature Article by Jack Kelley

The first three Gospels are so much alike that people accuse Matthew and Luke of borrowing heavily from Mark, who supposedly wrote His gospel first. But no so with John. His gospel is different from all of the others.

None of the Gospel writers penned strictly historical accounts. But among them, John was least interested in preserving the chronology of events, positioning them more to contrast with one another than to keep them in their proper order. A good example is John 2 where the water into wine miracle is followed by the cleansing of the Temple. The former took place at the beginning of the Lord’s ministry while the latter happened at the very end. John placed them side-by-side to contrast the purity of the gospel Jesus taught with the corrupt practices of the religion of the day.

From all the miracles Jesus performed, John chose to include only seven in his Gospel, along with seven “I am” statements and seven discourses. Out of the Lord’s 3 ½ year ministry John focused on only 21 days, devoting 10 chapters to the last week and 1/3 of the book’s 879 verses to one day.

Each of the seven miracles in John also symbolized a greater truth and frankly, to my mind a couple of them are a little strange. The water into wine miracle is a good example. But of all the miracles Jesus performed, perhaps the strangest one is the healing at the Pool of Bethesda in Chapter 5. It was so out of character for Him. Let’s read it. (If you want to read more about all seven, click here.)

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed (and they waited for the moving of the waters. From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had.) Note: Some manuscripts don’t have the parenthetical portion of this passage, but its inclusion makes the following clearer.

One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ “

So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”

The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. (John 5:1-15)

What’s Going On here?

A look at the anomalies will help us decode this strange miracle. For instance, usually upon encountering a group of people, Jesus healed all the sick among them, regardless of His personal plans. You can see what I mean in Matt 4:23-24;

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them.

And Matt. 14:13-14 says;

When Jesus heard what had happened, (the death of John the Baptist) he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

But at the Pool of Bethesda, where the place was littered with the sick and handicapped and where one sweep of the Lord’s hand could have taken care of everyone, John mentioned only one man being healed. And that one didn’t approach Him. Jesus made the initial contact after learning something about the man. “Do you want to get well?” He asked.

Then there’s the man’s story, a real Catch 22. Because he was crippled, he couldn’t get to the Pool in time to be healed. Someone else always got there first. But if he could have gotten to the pool first, he wouldn’t have needed healing. He needed someone to heal him right where he was.

And he never asked Jesus to heal him. In fact he didn’t even know with whom he was speaking. The Lord said, “Pick up your mat and walk,” and without hesitation the man did just that, for the first time in 38 years.

Then there’s the fact that this happened on the Sabbath, so by carrying his mat he drew the attention of the priests who told him it was illegal. The ex-cripple said he was obeying the man who healed him but he couldn’t tell them who the man was.

Later Jesus found him again and warned him to “stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” Was that a threat?

The Story Behind The Story

With these facts in view, it appears that the healing at Bethesda is meant to convey much more than meets the eye. The first clue to what that might be comes with the fact that the man had been an invalid for 38 years. The only other time the phrase thirty-eight years appears in the Bible is in Deut. 2:14 describing the length of time the Jews had spent in the wilderness where they received the Law.

This little hint tells us the cripple by the pool in his Catch 22 represented Israel in theirs. Because they were sinners, they couldn’t keep the Law to be saved. But if they could have kept the Law they wouldn’t have needed saving. They needed someone to save them just as they were.

Bethesda means House of Mercy. Like the cripple, Israel needed someone to show them mercy in their hopeless condition. The Lord showed His mercy to the cripple and offered to do the same for Israel.

Though Jesus came to the pool specifically to heal this one cripple, the man didn’t recognize his healer and didn’t know with whom he was speaking. Though Jesus came to Earth specifically to save Israel (Matt. 15:24), they didn’t recognize their Savior and didn’t know with whom they were speaking. “If you’re the Christ,” they said, “then tell us” (Luke 22:67). This after He had fulfilled hundreds of prophecies from their scriptures concerning His coming.

Jesus told the healed cripple to stop sinning lest something worse should happen. He couldn’t have been speaking generally because He knew that if man could stop sinning altogether, he could save himself and wouldn’t need a Savior. The Catch 22 wouldn’t exist. So He must have had a specific sin in mind.

By working to keep the Law in an effort to save themselves, the Israelites were relying on their own righteousness, a sin. The Law was never meant to be a means of salvation, but to reveal the need for a Savior (Romans 3:20). In admonishing the cripple, He was also telling Israel to stop committing the sin of self-righteousness lest something worse should happen. And because they refused, it did. In the Lord’s time on Earth Israel was subordinate to Rome but still existed as a nation. 38 years after the crucifixion Jerusalem was destroyed and soon after that Israel ceased to exist altogether.

So it looks as if this one crippled man was chosen to send a message to Israel, joining the Lord in acting out a parable.

But the Lord and the cripple were also sending a message to us. For which of us has not claimed to be our own Savior at some point in our lives? Which of us has not been proud in our self-righteousness?

Each of us is in the same Catch 22 as the cripple, helpless to save ourselves and therefore hopelessly lost. We’re destined to carry our sins to the grave unless God extends His mercy. And so meeting us right where we are, He asks us just like He asked the cripple, “Do you want to get well?” Selah 02-20-10

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com

The Materiality Of New Jerusalem

A Physical Or Spiritual City?

Q. I am really struggling with the idea you have taught that New Jerusalem will not be on the earth. Here’s a new idea. If New Jerusalem is in a “Spiritual state” and not a solid building type of thing, I believe it could exist right here on earth and not be seen by earth dwellers (and they would not be allowed in it at any rate). I agree with your idea that the thing would be too large to be on Earth if it was a solid block 1400 miles square. I really believe that we as “Spirit People” will be in “Another Dimension” not presently enjoyed by humans except those like The Apostle John who saw all of the tribulation events and the New Jerusalem “In the Spirit”. Have I gone off the deep end?

A. Remember, the resurrection/rapture are physical in nature. The spirits of dead believers are reunited with physical bodies, and living believers are transformed from mortal to immortal but remain physical beings. We’ll require a physical dwelling. Also, the nations bring their wealth into the New Jerusalem and it’s the source of light for Earth. (Rev. 21:24-26) All these things suggest a physical presence for the New Jerusalem in the proximity of Earth.

Website: www.gracethrufaith.com