By D A V I D COOK

Many people around the world are looking for and longing for the coming of Jesus the Messiah to gather His people from the four winds of the sky and take us back to heaven!

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give it’s light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and magnificent glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a mega trumpet sound to gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Matthew 24:29-31 HSV

Jesus continued to explain about coming to gather His people;

40 Then two will be in the field; one taken, and one left. 41 Two grinding at the mill; one taken, and one left. 42 Therefore watch, because you do not know what day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:40-42 HSV

Jesus elect, His believers will be taken, caught up into the clouds and gathered by His angels to meet the Lord in the air.

Messiah Jesus (Yeshua, His name in Hebrew) gave His followers this great promise;

1“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 

2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

John 14:1-3 NASB

Jesus promised that He would go to heaven and prepare a place for those who repent of their sin and believe in Him; the Messiah, the Son of the living God.  The promise that Jesus will come again and receive His people to Himself.  The Lord Jesus will come on the clouds in power and great glory and send His angels to gather His people from the four winds of the sky so we may return with Him to His Father’s house in heaven.  This coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to gather His people from the four winds of the sky and take us home to heaven is commonly referred to as the “rapture”.

We read in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 24 where Yeshua taught His disciples about events that will take place before He returns to gather His people;

Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, 

“Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

  Matthew 24:1-2 NASB

This prophecy given by Yeshua was fulfilled about 38 years later, in 70 AD when Roman legions under Titus attacked and subsequently destroyed much of the city of Jerusalem and the Second Jewish Temple.

3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3 NASB

So as Yeshua (Jesus) was sitting on the Mount of Olives and He gave His disciples these three categories of events that will take place before His coming to gather His people at the end of the age;

• Beginning of Birth Pains          (Matthew 24:4-8)

• Tribulation                                 (Matthew 24:9-15)

• Great Tribulation                       (Matthew 24:15-29)

• Coming of Jesus & Rapture   (Matthew 24:29-31 & 40-41)

 The Beginning of Birth Pains

1. Misleading False Messiahs.       (Matthew 24:4-5)

2. Wars and Rumors of Wars.        (Matthew 24:6-7)

3. Famines in various places.         (Matthew 24:7)

4. Earthquakes in various places.  (Matthew 24:7-8)

5. Plagues in various places.          (Luke 21:11)

To read the rest of this article, Signs of His Coming & the End of the Age click on VertiZontalLiving.

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Maybe you’re in the midst of a new romance.  Perhaps you’re in your teens, or twenty-something or thirty-something, regardless of your age if you’re single and desirous to find a relationship where you can be fully known and fully loved this may be worth your time to read.  It may even spare you some heart ache if you take some of this to heart.

This article was not written for wimps. If you are afraid of the “C” word (commitment) you may just as well avoid this article just like you may avoid commitment in a relationship.

Then the LORD God said,

"It is not good for the man to be alone;

I will make him a helper suitable for him."

Genesis 2:18 NASB

The marriage relationship is a divine original, it was God's idea for a man and a woman to be united in love in a covenant relationship.  Is it God's will for you to be married?  If so, how do you know?  And how do you find your match made in heaven?

Maybe you're in a relationship with someone you were introduced to by a friend.  Or you’re interested in someone you saw on an online dating site.  Maybe it’s someone you've gotten to know over time, on a mission trip or someone you sang on tour with.  Or it could be a friend who is singing as a featured artist on your new album and a spark ignites.  Maybe you started a summer romance that sent you to cloud nine and you’re wondering…is this someone I should get serious with?

Or perhaps you met a billionaire’s heir in a garage sale in answer to a prayer.  It may start out with a little crush, and to your surprise it's reciprocated and before long your feeling a little rush.

It’s hard to say, regardless sparks begin to fly and you may think you’re about to die from a romantic heart attack.  You're falling head over heals in love.  But are you falling in love with the right person?

To read the rest of this article, Romance & Marriage click here on VertiZontalLiving.

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By D A V I D COOK

For by grace
you have been saved
through faith.
And this is not your own doing;
it is the gift of God,
not a result of works,
so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

 

So many good things in this life come from human effort, hard work and the payoff from that effort and work.  It could be physical effort, intellectual work, creative effort or networking work and various related rewards.  But what about grace, divine grace that comes out of the blue?  When perhaps you don't get what's due; instead you are embraced by an avalanche of grace.  Perhaps you've never experienced it. Or perhaps you have, over and over again; like waves rolling in from the deep blue sea of God's love.

The apostle Paul wrote to believers in Yeshua the Messiah who lived in the ancient city of Ephesus.  The city of Ephesus is near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.   Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV

Paul wanted believers in Messiah Yeshua to understand their past spiritual condition, dead in our trespasses and sins and the amazing grace of God.  Because of the immeasurable riches of God's grace, when a person puts his (or her) faith in Yeshua the Messiah; a spiritual new birth transpires and eternal life begins!  After a person has been born again transformation begins to take place in our thoughts and actions!!  We begin to understand our new identity in Messiah!  God has raised us up with Yeshua and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Messiah! So that in the coming ages God might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Messiah Yeshua.

For by Grace
You have been Saved
through Faith

To read the rest of this article, For by Grace click on VertiZontalLiving.

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By D A V I D COOK

אני האהוב שלי ואהוב שלי הוא שלי

"I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine”

“May he kiss me
with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine."

Song of Solomon 1:2 NASB

The lovestruck heart cry of a beautiful newlywed bride, married to the prince who inherited his father’s throne and kingdom; Solomon, the third King of Israel.  The bride was intoxicated with her husband’s love, longing for his kisses.  Not long before, this beautiful humble bride was in the fields tending goats, now because of the love of her beloved she is part of the royal family married to the King; living large in their elegant home with cedar beams and cypress rafters. [1]

Some Moms and Dads read bedtime stories to their children of castles in the sky from days gone by.  Perhaps the tale begins long, long ago with an ancient King and his beloved son the Prince and their vast kingdom.  The loving King arranged a marriage for his son to marry a fair maiden, but dastardly villains who were cohorts of the deceitful dragon had enslaved her and locked her away in a dungeon.  The Prince is on a quest, he will valiantly ride on a white steed to rescue his damsel in distress and slay the dragon and all those who serve him.

Many young girls grow up with the hope of being swept off her feet by a young prince who is strong and courageous of heart.  Later, in junior high and high school during the teen years this hope is reinforced by numerous songs from the music industry and movies from the motion picture industry.

To read the rest of this article, My Prince will Come, with Power and Great Glory! click on VertiZontalLiving.

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  But you are a chosen people,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation,
a people for God’s own possession,
so that you may proclaim
the excellencies of Him
who has called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light;

1 Peter 2:9 NASB

Sometimes the lines seem to blur between living in reality and living ones dreams.  Is it possible for the King of the Universe to give you storybook realities that exceed your dreams while you’re chasing down today, tomorrow and forever?

Brooke Fraser touches on some of these themes in her song "Kings & Queens".

Brooke Fraser Ligertwood and husband Scott Ligertwood

In the Chronicles of Narnia author C.S. Lewis presents a fantasy world were average young citizens of England with childlike faith enter into another world where they find that they are in fact, prophetic royalty that have come to play a strategic role in the fight against evil.  They relate to and eventually find themselves in a relationship with a lion named Aslan who is a benevolent and mighty King of the realm of Narnia.

The Biblical narrative presents similar realities for followers of Messiah Yeshua who is Himself a lion king, the Lion of the tribe of Judah; the KING of kings and LORD of lords.  The Apostle Peter spent over three years with His Majesty here on earth before Yeshua offered His life as a sacrifice for our sins.  Peter was a disciple of the Messiah who will rule the earth as the KING of kings when He returns to set up His millennial kingdom on earth.

What did Peter want believers in Messiah Yeshua to understand about their identity?

1.     One of the chosen people.

2.     A member of a royal priesthood.

3.     A citizen of a holy nation.

4.     A member of God’s family.

Why did God provide all of this?

“so that you may proclaim
the excellencies of Him
who has called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light”

1 Peter 2:9 NASB

Peter wanted God’s people to understand who they are.  Their real identity, not just for time on earth; but their identity during the millennial reign of King Messiah on earth and throughout all eternity.

To read the rest of this article on Kings & Queens click on VertiZontalLiving.

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By D A V I D COOK

“Ventura Highway” by the folk-rock band America is a musical blast from the past and a reminder for me, of California dreamin’ and West Coast adventures.  The band America had a chilled out vibe, they were huge when I was in high school and one of my fav bands for sure.  I remember the first time this Midwest boy from KC, Missouri traveled across Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and on into California through the barren and arid Mojave Desert.

The classic folk-rock band America and their self-titled debut album America with the hit song; “A Horse with No Name”.  Their first album was released in 1971.

I was traveling with friends from a high school youth group on our way to a Student Venture Conference, where we were meeting up with other students from around the USA to learn more about how to have a personal relationship with the Maker of heaven and earth. [1]  We traversed down U.S. Interstate-15 from Barstow down into the San Bernardino Valley, glowing in the night.

And then waking up to the oasis of Southern Cal palm trees and lush gardens at the spectacular Arrowhead Springs Hotel, Spa and Resort.  On the grounds were ten private bungalows previously owned by the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt, Lucille Ball, the Marx Brothers, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, Humphrey Bogart and other Hollywood celebrities and prominent people. [2]

The Esther Williams swimming pool at Arrowhead Springs Cabaña Pool was a fun place to hang out and play shuffle board, just below the San Bernardino Mountain Range.  Arrowhead Springs Spa and Resort with saunas, steam caves and natural hot mineral spring mud baths was an old Hollywood hangout in the 1940’s.

Click on Venture Highway to read the rest of the story at VertiZontalLiving.com
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