7 Steps to Fulfill a Prophecy

The Bible is filled with hundreds of prophecies—many already fulfilled in the past and some that are waiting to be fulfilled in the future. Most people don’t think about the 7 steps that must take place for it to happen. Where do the prophecies come from? How do we know when they are fulfilled? Here are the steps:

1. God must know everything that will happen in the future. God says, “There is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning” (Isa. 46:9–10).

2. God communicates His message to a spokesperson on earth, who was a prophet. Peter said, “God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets.” (Acts 3:18).

3. The prophet records the prophecy in the Scriptures so future generations can verify its fulfillment.

4. God makes sure the Scriptures are copied and preserved for hundreds of years until the prophecy is fulfilled. Many prophecies pertained to future generations and wouldn’t come to pass until many centuries had passed (1 Pet. 1:10-12).

5. God orchestrates the people and events to come together at the right time to fulfill the prophecy.

6. Another prophet recognizes when an Old Testament prophecy is fulfilled and records the fulfillment in the Scriptures. The gospels will often point out when the prophecy came to pass by saying, “That the Scripture may be fulfilled” (John 19:24, 28).

7. God preserves the record of the prophecy and its fulfillment so future generations can look back on both to verify them. Because the Scriptures have been preserved for thousands of years, and we can look back at when the Old Testament prophecies were given and when they were fulfilled.

These seven factors are only possible if an eternal God is overseeing the process. It is astonishing for even one prophecy to make it through all seven steps. But for hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament to make it through all seven steps is nothing short of mind-boggling! Jesus said, “I have told you before it comes to pass, that when it comes to pass, you may believe.” (John 14:29). 

This is indisputable proof the Bible is inspired by God. (from The Sure Cure for Worry, Chosen Books 2013, pp. 52-55).

NEW BIBLE STUDY: Fulfilled Prophecies by Jesus

LISTEN TO ENCOURAGING SONG: BY FAITH (with lyrics)

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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
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Getting Stronger When We Get Weaker

When my daughter was five years old, she came to me crying. “Daddy, I’ve got a sticker in my finger and I want you to pull it out.” I grabbed some tweezers and held her finger as I attempted minor surgery. She pulled her hand back and said, “I’ve changed my mind. Leave it in!”

The apostle Paul was tormented by a “thorn in the flesh,” which produced a great deal of suffering. He had received so many incredible divine revelations and insights that he could have thought he had “Most Favored by God” status. The thorn in his flesh was a “messenger of Satan” to torment him (2 Cor. 12:7). It was a fallen angel—a demon, which incited tremendous persecution against him.

Paul asked God three times to use some heavenly tweezers and remove it. He probably believed this satanic messenger couldn’t possibly be permitted by God and that he would receive immediate relief. After asking three times, Paul had to wonder if the Lord heard his request. God did answer him, but differently than Paul had asked. Instead of removing the thorn, the Lord gave him thicker skin to endure it. He told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).

God’s power actually becomes GREATER in our lives when we become weaker. When we surrender ourselves to God, the Lord is able to fill in the areas of our weakness with His power. As we empty ourselves and completely depend on God’s strength and power, that’s when we become strong with His power. 

God’s power is connected to our dependence on Him. Paul said, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.....for when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

NEW BIBLE STUDY:  When is “the Last Day”?

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Making Life Count Ministries
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The Hillbilly Chainsaw

A hillbilly went to a store and bought a chainsaw. A few days later he returned to the store where he had bought it and told the manager, “Gimme my money back. This thang don’t work! It took me three days to cut down jest one tree.” The store manager said, “Let me take a look at it.” He pulled the cord and instantly the chainsaw started up and roared loudly.

 
The frightened hillbilly jumped back and yelled, “What’s that noise!” The hillbilly used his human strength to saw down the tree because he didn’t know about a much greater power inside the chainsaw.
 
Maybe you’re like that hillbilly. You’re trying to make changes in your life using your own strength. You’re exhausted and living in defeat because you don’t know that the Lord can strengthen you. “The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people” (Ps. 68:35).

God's power is an infusion of strength from heaven. Paul wrote, "Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might" (Eph. 6:10). This verse suggest that we're probably already living life in our own strength, and we need to realize God's strength is available. We need His strength and power to get through life's difficulties. 

David was at the lowest point in his life when "he strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (1 Sam. 30:6). After Samson lost his strength, he called out to the Lord and said, "O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time" (Judges 18:28). Jesus was emotionally drained in the Garden of Gethsemane when "an angel from heaven to Him, strengthening Him" (Luke 22:43).

Don't go through life like that hillbilly, trying to cut down trees in your own strength when God can give you power. Ask God to give you His strength. 

 

BIBLE STUDY: Do the Gospels Contradict Each Other?
 
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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
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Jesus Defeated . . .

Have you ever heard the unusual story about how the news of the battle of Waterloo reached England? In 1815, the Duke of Wellington faced the French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte in a climactic battle that would decide the future of Europe. The English townspeople nervously waited to hear news of the outcome.

The word was first carried by a sailing vessel to the southern coast of England, and signaled to a man who stood in the tower of Winchester Cathedral. From there it was to be relayed by signal flags from one place to another all the way to London and across the whole land.

The ship arrived and the signalman spelled the first word: “W e l l i n g t o n.” When he signaled the next word “d e f e a t e d,” a fog rolled in and ship could not be seen. The message “Wellington defeated” was relayed across England, and despair filled people’s hearts as the news spread throughout the countryside.

After two or three hours the fog lifted, and then the entire message was signaled, “Wellington defeated the enemy.” What looked like terrible news turned into great news, and the people rejoiced!

Imagine how shocked the followers of Jesus must have been when the Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. Their fearless leader, who had done so many astonishing miracles, now appeared to be totally helpless. If He was the Messiah, shouldn’t He be able to save himself? But He didn’t. Darkness covered the land for three hours and He died. Word spread from one person to another, “Jesus defeated,” and despair filled people’s hearts.

Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, the fog lifted, and the word spread, “Jesus defeated the enemy!” His resurrection replaced despair with hope—and the people rejoiced!

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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net  

Why Did Jesus Sweat Blood in Gethsemane?

Jesus lived one day at a time, and managed His stress on an hourly basis. He stated many times that His hour had not come (John 2:4, 7:30, 8:20). 

The stress didn’t seem to affect Him until the time had arrived for Him to be betrayed. In the Garden of Gethsemane, His stress level hit its peak because His hour had come. “And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood” (Luke 22:4). Luke describes a condition called hematidrosis, where sweat and blood are mingled in extreme cases of stress.

Jesus always knew He would die for the sins of the world, but you don’t see Him sweating blood every day of His life. That’s because He handled each stressful situation as it came to Him. Stress comes from handling too many responsibilities at once. In our minds, we think about all the duties that we must accomplish, and the stress becomes overwhelming. The answer is to tackle one problem at a time.

Suppose 365 toothpicks represent responsibilities for every day in a year. If you bundle 365 toothpicks together, you won’t be able to break the bundle in half. If you put 30 toothpicks together, which represents one month’s responsibilities, you won’t be able to break them in half either. But if you unbundle the 365 toothpicks and deal with each toothpick one at a time, you’ll be able to break all 365 toothpicks. 

Jesus said, “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time” (Matt. 6:34). That’s how God wants us to live. One day at a time. One hour at a time. One toothpick at a time.

FASCINATING VIDEO: Shocking Evidence About Shroud of Turin

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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net  

How Many Sins Were Placed in Jesus' Body?

Have you ever thought about how many sins were placed in Jesus’ body when He died on the cross?

First, we must establish that Jesus died for EVERY PERSON.  “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Jesus died for everyone and make forgiveness available to all. “We have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.”  (1 Tim. 4:10). He is the savior of all men in the sense that He died for everyone, but He is especially the savior of believers because they have received His sacrifice.

Second, approximately 117 BILLION PEOPLE have lived on earth, and that doesn’t count all the PEOPLE BORN IN THE FUTURE.  Jesus died for the sins of everyone who has lived and who will live in the future. He was the one sacrifice “for all time” (Heb. 10:10-14).

Third, we need to estimate how many SINS THAT EACH PERSON COMMITS. That’s impossible for us to know, but if we sin (thought, word, deed) 40 times a day and live over 70 years, that’s over a million sins. Now multiply 1,000,000 x 117,000,000,000 = 117,000,000,000,000,000 sins. Only God knows, but this gives us a general idea of what Jesus did for us.

EVERY SIN of EVERY PERSON for ALL TIME were placed IN THE BODY of Jesus on the cross. “For He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross” (1 Pet. 2:24). The worst part of the cross wasn’t the physical torment of being crucified, but when the sins of the world were placed in the sinless, holy body of Jesus. 

Even though Jesus died for your sins, you must receive Him into your life for your sins to be forgiven. The salvation is IN Jesus, so to be saved you must receive the Savior in your life.

FASCINATING VIDEO: Shocking Evidence About Shroud of Turin

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Making Life Count Ministries
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Casting the First Stone

Some Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus and asked if she should be stoned to death. The Law stated both the woman and the man caught in adultery were to be stoned to death (Lev. 20:10, Dt. 22:22-24), but they only brought the woman. 

Two or three witnesses were required, and they would be the first to cast stones (Dt. 17:5-7). The rocks used in stoning were very large, and usually the first stone killed the person. Jesus said, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone” (John 8:7). Jesus was the only one without sin qualified to cast the first stone, but He didn’t do it.

After saying this, Jesus wrote in the dirt. The same finger that wrote on Moses’ tablets and Belshazzar’s wall wrote a message in the dirt. The Bible doesn’t record what He wrote, but He might have written individual messages to each, from oldest to youngest. Since He said “the one without sin,” He could have written their own specific sins, including adultery. Some scholars speculate He wrote the names of women with whom they had committed that sin. Could it be the Pharisees didn’t accuse the man caught in adultery because he was in their group?

It’s possible they were all guilty of adultery, which meant they would have to stone each other! They all left one by one, beginning with the older ones. The older ones had accumulated the most sins and had reputations to protect. Without an accuser, the woman was free under Jewish Law.

After her accusers left, she called Him “Lord” (8:11). Jesus replied, “Neither do I condemn you.” Condemnation is not telling people they are sinners; it’s stoning them! Many people quote this verse saying “don’t cast stones at me” and “Jesus didn’t condemn her,” but they omit “Go and sin no more” (8:11). Jesus forgave her adultery, but He also told her to never do it again. He says the same to all who call Jesus their Lord, “I forgive you. Go and sin no more.”

WATCH THE LYRICS SONG: REBEL by Anne Wilson  (Good lyrics—makes you think)

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Making Life Count Ministries
P.O. Box 680174
Prattville, Alabama 36068-0174
www.makinglifecount.net