Preparation for Eternity with God

By Rick Streight

Our time is short on this earth. Jesus will soon be returning to take His children home but are we ready? There are preparations we can make. The book you are holding is a story about fighting the good fight of faith and conquering it with Christs help. Gods Word says, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6) The Bible also says, The truth shall make you free ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:32,36)

Author Rick Streight speaks heartto-heart with the reader about the realities of the Christian journey and the reward that is waiting for us. He also speaks about the dangers that surround us, the temptations we often struggle with, and how to overcome sin through Christ.

He asks a major question: Why hasnt Jesus come yet ? This book answers that important question.

Are you spiritually homesick? God has made a plan that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment. (1 John 4:17) Jesus depended totally on His Father for wisdom and power. If we depend on Jesus, we can receive that same power to live the Christian life maturely, with no short cutsthats Gods way! This book also provides answers as to how we can hasten Jesuss second coming.

May we all prepare ourselves for the day of the Lord through in-depth study of His Word with much prayer. Ask God, How do I apply these things I am learning to my life?

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 7, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449717926

Rick Streight

Rick and Theresa Streight have two adult children, Adam and Lysa. They love spending precious time with their five grandchildren: Mickey (Adam Jr.), Juliana, Keira, Crystal, and Alison. The young people in their church call Rick “Rockman” because of his interest in rocks and minerals. The Streights’ heart’s desire is to tell people about Jesus and to encourage themselves and the brethren to keep the faith and be stronger Christians.

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Copyright © 2011 Rick M. Streight

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

All Scriptures in this study are from the

King James Bible unless otherwise noted.

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1792-6 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1793-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-1794-0 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011929264

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/5/2015

CONTENTS

Principles In God’s Word To Come To A Correct Understanding Of Truth

Introduction

My Personal Testimony

We Must Know Our Enemy and How to Fight Against Him

How Much Does God Know About All of Us?

How Does God Feel About Sin?

Our God Given Power of Choice

God Is Sealing (maturing) His People.

Trials – Bitter, Then Sweet As Honey!

The Work of Each Member of the Godhead in Preparing God’s People for Eternity

Jesus Is Our Example in All Areas of Life

Ye Must Be Born Again

Abiding in Christ

God Will Fight for Us If We Listen and Obey the Holy Spirit Speaking to Our Hearts

Trusting and Believing God

The World’s Greatest Need— a True Witness!

Prayer and Its Importance in Preparing Us for Eternity

Distractions and Other Gods

God’s Vindication

God Cannot Lie—because He Said So!

Learning from Children about Trusting God

Righteousness by Faith

Believing from the Heart

Lacking Faith and Obtaining More

God Loves Us— Because He Said So!

God Forgives Us—Because He Said So!

God Empowers Us—Because He Said So!

Calvary Conquered My Soul

The Church

Letting Our Lights Shine

Revival and Reformation

The Humanity of Christ

The Secret of Success

Warnings from Israel’s History

Testing Ourselves—are We Genuine Christians?

Character Decides Our Destiny

Faith Verses Presumption

Now is the Time of Preparation

The Reality of the Second Coming of Jesus

An Appeal to God’s People

Coming to a Conclusion

Life in the New Heaven and New Earth

Thought Questions Answered

Since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, God has purposed—through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior—to re form man according to His divine likeness by bringing him back to live in harmony with the principles of righteousness.

(Genesis Chapter 3)

(2 Corinthians 5:17): Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.

(Colossians 3:10): And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image (character) of him (Jesus ) that created him.

(Revelation 19:7): Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife (God’s true and faithful believers) hath made herself ready.

(Revelation 14:12): Here is the patience (Greek –steadfast endurance) of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rick M. Streight

TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S HOLY WORD, LET US BRIEFLY GO OVER KEY DEFINITIONS OF IMPORTANT WORDS IN THE BIBLE:

1. AD means anno Domini (Latin)—in the year of our Lord. Also called the Common era, it began at the birth of Jesus Christ. The year 2011 would be 2011 years after the birth of Christ, give or take a couple of years.

2. Religion is man’s effort to reach God. A lot of religions do not recognize Jesus Christ as the Son of God; religion alone will not and cannot save us.

3. Christianity is God coming to man in a personal relationship. A Christian is Christlike—a follower of Jesus (1 John 2:6; 1 Peter 2:21–25).

4. Grace is the provision made by God for us to receive Salvation; also, the power to live the life God requires (Romans 5:20–21; Titus 2:11–14). Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14). There is false grace (Jude 4; Hebrews 12:15) and true grace (Romans 6:1–2; 1 John 3:4).

5. God is the Supreme Being—Our Heavenly Father. It was God who gave us the wonderful gift of grace (John 3:16; Hebrews 2:9; Micah 7:18).

6. Salvation saves man from the spiritual consequences of sin (total separation from God) (Isaiah 59:2). Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, we are saved. We have all sinned (Romans 3:23). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). God is asking us to believe in Jesus—that He died in our place for the sins we committed. By asking God to forgive us and having a heartfelt sorrow for sin, we become sons and daughters of God (John 1:12–13, 3:16; Romans 10:9–10; 1 John 1:9).

7. Legalism is an attempt to be saved by the keeping of the law apart from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Legalists have only enough religion to make themselves miserable—having a form of godliness, but denying the Power thereof: from such turn away. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Timothy 3:5, 7).

Legalism says God will love us if we change. The Gospel says God will change us [because] He loves us and we love Him!

Solution: We first accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Then, as we are sons and daughters of God, He empowers us to keep the law through a love relationship (John 1:11-13, 14:15; 1 John 2:3-5)

Hosea 4:6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

John 8:32: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Don’t let anyone say it can’t be done! The Beloved John was so happy, he said: I rejoice greatly that I have found of my children walking in truth as we have received a commandment from the Father. 2 John 4.

Finisher of our faith The Maturing of our Christian Experience - Without Compromise!

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2.

PRINCIPLES IN GOD’S WORD TO COME TO A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF TRUTH

With so many Christian Churches having Doctrinal Differences, as we Prepare for Eternity with God, we must seek God’s Counsel to guard against Private Interpretation. We must have Confidence that we can know the Truth of God’s Word. Coming to a wrong understanding can cause us to be Deceived and even Lost because we believed a Lie. God said He is not the author of Confusion. (1 Corinthians 14:33) He also said He cannot lie. (Titus 1:2). Jesus saith, I am the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) Paul reminds us that there is only One Lord, One Faith and One Baptism. (Ephesians 4:5) I would tell anyone and everyone to Safely take this good advice It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. (Psalm 118:8). This is why, when I wrote this book, I [maximized] my use of Scripture and [minimized] my own comments. Now for Confidence and Safety, Here Are Those Principles that we can follow that will Unite Us in Truth and Glorify the Father. Read (John Chapter 17). Believing something does not mean it is the Truth, the Apostle Paul tells us to Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21) How are we to study God’s Word? Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawned from the breasts. (ask God for wisdom to mature your Christian experience) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here alittle, and there alittle: (Isaiah 28:9, 10) We are to hear all truth available to us before making a decision. He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. (Proverbs 18:13). What was Pauls method for studying Spiritual Things? Now we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things we also speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:13) The early Christians were commended in this practice. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readyness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily,whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11)

I asked God to give me wisdom to prepare a **Spiritual Feast** to unfold to you [the reader] – Warnings, Encouragements and Abundant Hope that you can trust God to enrich your life Now and for Eternity!

Because of God’s Warnings against Commandments of men (Matthew 15:3,9) and Private Interpretation, etc. He wants us to be Cautious,(careful)! To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word (The Bible), it is because there is no light in them. (It’s not Truth!) Isaiah 8:20. David in the Psalms tells us this: Through thy (God’s) precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Psalm 119:104. I believe we will be on [safe ground] if we follow this clear counsel – to live by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Matthew 4:4.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BELIEVE IN JESUS

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life… (1 John 5:13 Read also vs. 10,11) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me." (John 14:6).

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31). In Contrast – Intellect alone won’t save us if it doesn’t change our character! Read (Matthew 8:28,29).

TO BELIEVE IN JESUS IS TO BELIEVE IN AND OBEY THE WORD OF GOD (Matthew 4:4) THE BIBLE IS THE WRITTEN WORD, JESUS IS THE LIVING WORD.

In The beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God …. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth (John 1:1, 14). John the Revelator tells us clearly, Jesus is the Word of God! (Revelation 19:11,13).

Then Simon Peter answered Him (Jesus), Lord to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. (John 6:68)

DEDICATION

In Amos 4:12, God’s Word says, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. In the New Testament, Paul tells us The Israel of God is spiritual Israel, or born-again Christians (Galatians 6:15, 16; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This book is dedicated to God’s remnant people, like myself, who want a better understanding of what it means to be a Christian fighting the good fight of faith, being Christlike, and hastening Jesus’s Second Coming.

For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace (silence), and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest until the righteousness there of go forth as brightness, and the salvation there of as a lamp that burneth …. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all the Kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name (Isaiah 62:1–2, 7).

In light of the cross of Calvary, to every believing Christian it is our Great Commission (Matthew 28:19,20) to tell others about Jesus; we must encourage and strengthen one another in the faith. We must be living epistles, correctly representing Christianity to the world.

Pray for me; I’ll be praying for you!

What is a living epistle To the Corinthian Apostalic Church Believers, Paul said this: "Ye are our