Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days

Praise and thanksgiving release the waters of salvation from our spirit into our hearts and lives. Isaiah 12 is a prophecy of the New Covenant, based on Christ's atonement (v1), in which God Himself lives in us as our Salvation (v2,6). Isaiah 12:3-6 describe 5 ways we draw water from our Spring (Well) of Salvation by our words.

Our Praise (1) BLESSES God, (2) BENEFITS us and (3) BINDS the enemy (Psalm 149). A Sacrifice of Praise is thanking God before we see the answer. We see 3 examples that show how this prepares the way and opens the door in the Spirit for God to release His saving power into our lives and situations.

*More Benefits of Praise: (9) It brings us into greater MENTAL HEALTH, by helping us have a healthy perspective, by seeing things from God’s viewpoint. It also helps create in us a humble relaxed state of mind, rather than being governed by pride. It brings us into a state of peace and freedom from anxiety.

*Benefit (6): Praise releases spiritual strength into our hearts for living, empowering us to do God’s will. (7) By a lifestyle of praise we pursue God and bring our hearts increasingly into submission and harmony with God. (8) Praise, thanks and worship are foundational for developing our moral virtue and character.

Praise (1) brings us into God’s Presence and His Presence into us, (2) causes us to triumph, bringing us into the spirit of victory (3) releases God's Glory in our lives (4) delivers us from a spirit of heaviness (5) beautifies us in our personality, (6) releases strength into our hearts, empowering us to do His will.

Thanksgiving brings us into God’s Presence, so that we can receive the supply of His Grace. Through thanksgiving, we acknowledge God as the Source of every blessing, and activate the flow of His Grace in us. Thus by thanksgiving we unlock and release the supernatural miracle working Power of God.

Why Praise? (1) We were created to glorify God, so we are fulfilling the purpose of our being. (2) Our Praise blesses God. (3) Praise and Thanksgiving (hallowing His Name) is the ordained way into God's Presence (the holy of holies), where we can enter into Worship (direct, intimate communion with God).

We become like the One we worship, for it is a surrender. Our highest calling is to worship God, in intimate spirit to Spirit communion. We love God by our (1) worship, and (2) works. Worship adds to us value (holiness), as God fills us with His life, activating our souls. Our true life flows out of our worship.

“Seek your HAPPINESS in the Lord, and He will give you your hearts desire" (Psalm 37:4). God has no needs, but He does have a strong desire for you, for intimacy with you! Our love and worship gives Him great pleasure! Don't deprive God of your love, for Jesus died so that God might receive your love

A great picture of our Covenant with God through Christ is the story of Mephibosheth. Saul's family is a type of mankind in Adam. David (a type of God) made a covenant with Jonathan, Saul’s son (a type of Christ). As Mephiboshesh (a type of us) was in Jonathan he qualified to receive David's covenant love.

Unity is a state of harmony or peace created by love. Unity (between us and God and with others) is the key to multiplication of power and effectiveness. What we can achieve together is far greater than from working alone. The multiplication factor (up to x100) depends on the degree of unity (Mark 4:20).

The essence of love is spiritual, coming from God's Presence in us, for God is love, and love is of God, and the fruit of the Spirit is love. Love exists in 4 dimensions - the length, height, depth and width. We must (1) receive His love into our heart by faith, so we are filled with His love (Ephesians 3:14-19), then (2) release His love by our words and actions.

Derek shares God's vision and purpose for sex and why it is sacred. God gave us a strong sex drive, so we can form a deep intimate union with one person of the opposite sex within the covenant of marriage. But since sex is sacred, when we misuse it for selfish ends, we are defiled and feel shame.

Psalm 40 is a Messianic Prophecy describing Jesus as He was about to step through the Door from Heaven to earth (Hebrews 10:4-10). When He dedicated Himself to God as His bondservant to do His will, God opened His ears to hear and anointed Him to do His will. We see how this applies to us (Romans 12:1-8).

This video completes our series on Revelation, by teaching the Epilogue (22:6-21), which emphasises these things will shortly and suddenly take place when Jesus comes in the Rapture (the Morning Star), and ends by declaring God's Word is now complete, warning us strongly against adding to it or taking from it.

Revelation 21-22 is the climax of the Bible describing the Eternal State of the just, showing God will fulfil all His plans and purposes, and glorify His redeemed People (Bride), and dwell with and in us for all eternity. We will see His face, know Him, be like Him, serve Him and reign with Him forever in glory.

Revelation 20 describes the devil and all who submit to him being cast into the Lake of Fire, for their everlasting punishment. Every knee must bow to Christ, so the Fire will restrain them from all sinning. By way of contrast, Revelation 21-22 describes the Eternal State of the Bride in the New Jerusalem.

The events at the End of Time, after the Millennium: (1) Satan released, (2) the Gog-Magog Rebellion, (3) satan cast into the Lake of Fire, (4) the Destruction of the Universe, (5) the 2nd Resurrection and Great White Throne Judgment, (6) all those not written in the Book of Life cast into the Lake of Fire.

After Christ's Return (Revelation 19), He will establish His Messianic Kingdom on earth for 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-7). First, there is a 40-day Interval for various preparations for this Kingdom, including judgments of men and angels, the completion of the first Resurrection, and the earth's renewal (especially the Land of Israel).

At His glorious Return, Christ wages war on antichrist, killing him and throwing him into the Lake of Fire. He treads the antichrist's armies underfoot from Bozrah to Megiddo, as grapes in His Winepress. Having won a total victory, He puts His feet down on the Mount of Olives in triumph, and re-landscapes the Land of Israel.

The 2nd Coming of Christ is the climax of history. It will be heralded by a total Blackout and the appearance of the Sign of the Son of Man, as the sky is rolled back. He comes with His Bride-Wife (the Church) and His mighty angels, to (1) save Israel, (2) judge the earth, and (3) establish His Kingdom.

In the sequence of events of Armageddon, 2 days before Christ's Return, immediately after Israel's National Repentance, Great Babylon is destroyed by the 7th Bowl, and there is a full Blood Moon and a universal Blackout, and then the sky is rolled back as a scroll to reveal the Sign of the Son of Man.

The basis for Christ’s Return to establish His Messianic Kingdom is the National Repentance and Salvation of Israel, through faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 23:37-39). This will be completed just before He returns, when "all Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26), and call on Christ to deliver her from the antichrist at Armageddon.

The Battle or War of Armageddon leads up to the 2nd Coming of Christ. It is initiated by the 6th Bowl of Wrath. The satanic trinity gather the armies of the world to Megiddo in the north of Israel. Then these armies move south to lay siege on Jerusalem and Petra in Jordan, to destroy the Remnant of Israel.

The Book of Revelation reveals the sequence of future events in chronological order: (1) Vision of risen Christ (Revelation 1), (2) Church Age (Revelation 2-3), (3) Tribulation / Day of the Lord (Revelation 4-18), (4) 2nd Coming (Revelation 19), (5) Millennium (Revelation 20), (6) Great White Throne (Revelation 20), (7) Eternal State (Revelation 21-22).