Great laugh of the century

PRAYER - "Restrict Your Prayers To The Will Of God"

God reminded Abram that He still planned to give Sarai a child, but Abram was emotionally attached to Ishmael. He told the LORD, "O that Ishmael might live before thee!" God consented to bless and multiply Ishmael's seed. But 3000 years later, most of Ishmael's descendants are Arab Muslims who refute the Bible story. We often breed treacherous outcomes by clinging to people that God wants us to let go of. Let God choose your friends.

Genesis 17:20-21 - "As for Ishmael, ...I have blessed him, ...and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac."

PRINCIPAL - "Gates Of Pearl, Streets Of Gold"

The gates of the New Jerusalem will be made of pearl. Remember that the old heaven and earth will be dissolved, and the elements (atoms and molecules) will melt with a fervent heat (2 Peter 3:11-12). The new world will be of different essence than the old world. Nothing over there will be corruptible. Pearly gates and streets of transparent gold will be of miraculous, eternal, incorruptible essence. Totally unimaginable. Just believe.

Revelation 21:21 - "The twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass."

PRINCIPLE - "A Place Prepared By Jesus For His Own"

Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also," John 14:2-3. Every mansion in the New Jerusalem will be specially built. That promise was not to every man, but only those who are redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb and written in His Book. 

Revelation 21:27 - "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing ...but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

PROPHECY - "There Shall Be No More Curse"

It is impossible to identify all the calamitous effects of the curse of sin on mankind, on the world and for that matter, on the entire universe. Lucifer sinned first when he provocatively declared, "I will!" in the face of God. The serpent enticed Eve who enticed Adam. God cursed the serpent, Eve, and the entire earth for Adam's sake. That episode closed down the Garden of Eden. The curses brought epochs of sickness, pain, tragedy and death. But in the new paradise of God, everything will be perfectly blessed. Not one curse.

Revelation 22:3 - "There shall be no more curse." 

Here is another OMBS BibleStudy.

PRAYER - "Abraham Fell On His Face And Laughed At God"

God changed Sarai's name to Sarah and told Abraham, "I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her." But Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He was 100! She was 90! Abraham, "Father of the Faithful," was overcome with doubt for the moment, even laughing in God's face. Our carnal minds cannot comprehend God's supernatural abilities. Mercifully, God gives us faith to believe. 

Genesis 17:17-18 - "Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? ...O that Ishmael might live before thee!"

PRINCIPAL - "The Jasper Walls Of New Jerusalem"

New Jerusalem will have a great, high JASPER (white-veined light-brown stone) WALL built on twelve foundations of precious stones. It does not appear to have twelve floors, but one floor on a twelve-layered foundation (each named after the twelve Apostles). On east, north, south, and west will be three gates named after the twelve Tribes of Israel. The entire cubicle appears to be enclosed in golden glass, trimmed with the Jasper Wall at its base.

Revelation 21:18 - "The building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass."

PRINCIPLE - "Foundations Garnished With Precious Stones"

An angel measured the wall of New Jerusalem at 144 cubits. (12x12 maintains the symbolism of 12 Tribes and 12 Apostles). A cubit is variously held to be 18-25 inches. So the wall is only about 250-300 feet high around the City that is 1500 MILES high. That barely amounts to a nice trim, but it serves its purpose and contains the entrance gates. The wall sits on a base of twelve foundations garnished in twelve precious stones named after the Apostles. 

Revelation 21:19 - "The foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones."

PROPHECY - "Names On The Gates And Foundations"

Abraham traversed the land of Canaan, but eventually realized that God has something else in mind. "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God," Hebrews 11:10. The CITY was not yet built. The Gospel had to be preached by the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb - forming its foundation. The Gospel opened the GATES to the Twelve Tribes of Israel, followed by "whosoever will."

Revelation 21:12,14 - "Twelve GATES, ...and names written ...of the twelve TRIBES of the children of Israel: ...twelve FOUNDATIONS, and in them the names of the twelve APOSTLES of the Lamb."