His Faithfulness is Still Great
In 1923 Thomas Chisolm birthed one of the greatest modern hymns regarding the faithfulness of God ever. In stanza one he writes of God's unchanging character and unfailing compassions. In stanza two he writes of God's faithfulness in maintaining the order of His universe. In stanza three he writes of God's faithfulness in forgiving our sins, providing strength for today and hope for tomorrow. Each stanza leads to the great culminating chorus that declares the victorious words of Jeremiah, "Great is Thy faithfulness."
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above;
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin And a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today And bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, With ten thousand beside.
Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.
The Fountain Still Flows
In the late seventeen hundreds, there lived a Christian songwriter and poet who penned this powerful hymn. It is powerful because it is true; but not only is it true, it was birthed from the belly of its author when he realized that once and for all, he had been forgiven of his sins. William Cowper was so guilty of his sins, and so worried that they would be found out at a public inquisition, that he attempted suicide. The Lord saved him however, and revealed His cleansing power. After recovery from that awful ordeal, he wrote:
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.
The State of the Christian Church, 2010
Let us begin by defining a few key terms.
Definition of Terms - State: the present condition of being
In the case of the church, we must realize that there is both a positional state and a conditional state. It is God’s intent that the conditional state of the church reflects our positional state, but that is seldom the case.
1. Positional state of being in Christ (fixed) – this is our state of being as it has been freely given by His grace and our living faith in Jesus Christ. It is based solely and completely upon His merits. It is a condition of absolute reconciliation, justification, sanctification, and glorification before God through Christ (Romans 5:1-2, Galatians 2:16, etc.).
2. Conditional state as revealed through our actions (wavering) – this is our state of condition in the practical walking out of His life through us on earth, whether good or bad (I Cor. 5:1-2, 6:1-8, Hebrews 6:4-11, etc.).
This conditional state, defined by how we walk out the life of God in the earth, is primarily influenced by three things, as follows:
a. His continuing grace working in and through us whether or not we realize that we are cooperating with His will, i.e., God’s sovereign determination to bring us to a place of completion – the fullness of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:28-29, Phil. 1:6).
b. His occasional, particular initiatives that boost us onward and upward, i.e., periodic revivals of His Spirit about and within us (Book of Acts).
c. Our living-faith response to each of those inner workings, i.e., our cooperation with His will through the act of simple obedience (II Peter 1:5-11).
Scripture plainly teaches that it is impossible to gain a positional state of being in Christ (salvation) by anything that we do apart from simple believing faith; but it also plainly teaches that the things we do, which determine our conditional state, are critically important to our lives in Christ. Ideally, our conditional state should show that we are in Christ positionally, since the old man has been crucified with Christ and buried with Him… literally (I Thess. 1:1-10).
Nonetheless, as long as we are in this mortal body, the old man will continue in a desperate battle with the new man, so that through various means it might by some means resurrect itself (Romans 6:6,16). When we yield to that old man rising within us, he becomes our master again; and our actions grieve His Spirit’s work within. If we grieve Him often enough, long enough, we may even quench (extinguish) Him (Ephesians 4:30, I Thess. 5:19).
One of the greatest problems in the church today is that the church has preached another gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). So much of this other gospel comes by the lack of understanding of our positional state as it relates to our conditional state.
The modern church has gone so far out of bounds in a zealous attempt to speak one truth that it has neglected another truth that is vitally important. Still teaching grace, we emphasize that one’s conditional state (defined by actions) cannot possibly be good enough to gain a positional state (salvation) in Christ, which is true; but also today's Christian leaders have reasoned by their own understanding, concluding that once someone has become a believer, his or her conditional state (result of actions) is of little or no consequence, which is not true.
Thus the message of the church has left off Biblical reprimands, failing to warn the members of His body to walk in obedience to the Father’s will, or else risk suffering serious consequences. In the place of warning by love, it has favored only suggesting that one should obey God for the sake of living a happier, fuller, more successful life. Its mainstream message proclaims loudly that actions are important only for the sake of easing one’s way in and through this life, but not that actions will have any bearing on our relationship with God since we have a position freely given through Christ. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth! We are clearly warned of this heresy by the Spirit through Paul and other writers of the New Testament. For example, Paul writes to the churches of Galatia, saying: “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 NKJV). Nevertheless, the conditional state of the body of Christ today reveals that it is poverty stricken alongside its positional state. It is nondiscriminatory in its actions and lost in a world of blatant lasciviousness, unfaithful to God; but it still assumes that all is well!
God is very concerned with this conditional state, but the church is hardly concerned with it at all. It is only concerned with its positional state, i.e. “getting people saved.” It is this conditional state that I speak of as I seek to lay out in a nutshell The State of the Christian Church in 2010. It is a grade on our response to God’s initiative through Christ. (to be continued)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom 12:1-2)
(1Co 6:9-11)
Explanation of the Present Dilemma
Someone asked: "Where is the Voice of Truth from the Churches?"
There is a great effort by some to restore God-fearing politicians to our various government entities. This is good and commendable. However, some assume that true Christianity may be restored through that government; but true Christianity was not designed to be built through any secular system - not even America's system. Those of us who desire to restore godliness to government should, with that desire, prioritize restoring godliness to the Christian church! It is the responsibility of the local church, working in cooperation with the Holy Spirit and God's Word, to restore truth in Christ to the world.
However, the hour is late, and God is doing a cleansing work in the church that we have built. It will be restored, but in a completely different shape. I fear that, like Esau who sought to regain his birthright, even the tears of the current church will not restore her as we are familiar with her in our generation; but JESUS CHRIST is going to build HIS church indeed! He is about to wring it from the hands of unfaithful men and women! Out of the rubble of what is about to become the equivalent of the collapse and burn of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem of old, He is going to build a glorious church by His Spirit!
According to God's predetermined timetable, which said that at the end of the age He would shake every kingdom until His will be the only one standing, there is no rebuilding of the America we once knew. God has not forgotten America, however; and He will still work within her midst regardless of calamities that await us. More importantly, though, a brand new, truly Spirit-filled church will rise with another America; but it will not be the America that most Christians clamor for. It will not be an America free from pain and full of plenty, but rather one of stress and discomfort. It will be an America, however, that will help the new church become just like Jesus. Through ridicule and persecution as never before, He will construct us by His Spirit. This is all good for those who long to become like Him. As we do so, we will be freer than ever before - free indeed! It will be a Christian freedom that America has never known - with joy unspeakable and full of glory for the first time! Let us build ourselves up today in "the most holy faith" and be certain that we are prepared for all that He is about to do!
Someone asked: "What about the Rapture?"
It is true that the word rapture is not used in the Bible. It is a modern term, and there was not a word that was its equivalent in the language of the New Testament - at least not one that was commonly used. However, it is a good word to use today, and one that fits the scriptures very well. There are, though, a couple of important things to know in order to understand the rapture, and more than I have time to explain right now; but let me just give you a few scriptures that refer to the rapture doctrine. continue reading here
Leonard Ravenhill: "Today's church wants to be raptured from responsibility."
Today's Quotes:
G. K. Chesterton: "The coziness between church and the state is good for the state and bad for the church."
Clarence Jordan: "The measure of a Christian is not in the height of his grasp but in the depth of his love."
Stanley Baldwin: "I am one of those who would rather sink with faith than swim without it."
Today's Word: Church
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23)
No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. (I John 4:12)
The Church through the Ages (an article soon to be completed about God's work soon to be completed)
We will see that man’s wavering reaction to God’s many initiatives has everything to do with our current spiritual climate. Hopefully, this simple review will be an eye-opener for many, revealing some of the strong but unwarranted underpinnings of our religious traditions not readily seen. By seriously considering the progressions and/or digressions of God’s people of the past under the illuminating light of His own Words, we can see where we have gotten off track; and hopefully, we will seek to get back on track again.
While many of us already realize that we are off the mark that He set for us, we must acknowledge that God is still working in our generation, having permitted us to know and experience more of His goodness than many of our forefathers. For example, in earlier times God was not ready to reveal Himself as He does now; and also, through centuries-long religious oppression, God permitted ruthless religious men to dominate His people to a much greater degree than many of us experience today. Yet in spite of the vast knowledge we have received and our boundless liberty to proclaim it, we are living in a famine of truth! Ironically, the very reason we lack truth, and are thus weak in representing Him as He really is, may be directly tied to the fruit of our own Christian heritage – an expansion of knowledge and liberty! In such a long-term climate of faith in freedom, we have lost sight of the fact that a necessary part of pure Christianity is, that along the Christian walk of freedom we must also have serious challenges to our faith.This is the element that develops pure Christianity, and that has not been a part of the average American Christian life. I believe the Spirit of the Lord put the following statement in my mind that sums up how we arrived where we are spiritually today: “Where Christianity has room to roam under man’s domain, it will eventually become man’s Christianity.” In light of that statement, let us consider re-considering our present path of faith.
In the case of America, the Bible has been greatly revered. It was made a part of the fabric of our society from the beginning. Thus, Christianity has had “room to roam under man’s domain.” But with the carnal man in charge, we have gradually reshaped the Bible’s message to fit a carnal mold – not a completely depraved carnal mold, mind you, but one that we believe will still contain the Bible. One good example of this is that we have stretched the meaning of “God’s grace” far beyond its limits. Today, grace is no longer interpreted to mean God’s “unmerited favor” and God’s “enablement of us to do His will,” as so clearly stated throughout the Bible; but rather, God’s grace in our present culture means “God tolerant.” In other words: “I’m ok! You’re ok! Everybody’s ok!” Just plain… “OK!” You see, my friend, we have too much honor for God and the Bible to do away with them altogether, but we have grown to believe that the truth they represent is relative – therefore we relate the message of truth in light of the comfort zone of our own carnal understanding. We have taken our liberties in truth for granted, and are blinded thereby. We are so blind that we cannot see how we have reinterpreted it to fit neatly into the mold of a lie.
We must remember that all people have the natural tendency to interpret the Bible in light of his or her unique circumstances; that is, the poor have the tendency to think that God wants us all to be poor; or the rich have the tendency to think that God wants us all to be rich. America’s believers had better reevaluate what they believe in the light of those believers whose record we have in the Bible as our example of good and/or evil. God made clear to Old Covenant Israel that with the abundance of blessing lies the subtle and dangerous temptation to become spoiled. This happens as a result of interpreting God and His eternal truths in light of those temporal blessings only, rather than in light of the truth whereby we receive them. The same errors Israel made in reinterpreting God through the lens of their carnal desires have also been made by us. May God have mercy on us and change us from Americanized Christians to those who possess a pure Christ-likeness.
This is only the preface to the full article. For your copy of the full publication, please click here and request The Church through the Ages on the comments form. You should receive a hard copy within a couple of weeks.
Today's Scripture: Eph. 5:25-27 NKJV
We DO NOT believe the Lord would have you go into debt in order to give to His work, but if you can share something that you already have, we are grateful.
Jesus said, "Freely you have received; freely give!"
Today's Commentary:
"Those with clear vision are almost always out in the wilderness somewhere; Joseph is another example of this truth, chosen by God to think and to walk out of step with everybody else. Naturally, he invited criticism from his brothers, who lived in normal fashion. You remember the story, do you not? He who always talked of years ahead was tagged "a dreamer," then cast into a pit for a while, until finally he was sold to foreign traders as a slave... by his own brothers! They supposed that he would be out of sight and mind forever. Yes... brothers! That is exactly what happened then, and it is exactly what happens today!"
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May our Lord Jesus Christ be exalted, and may His people be built up into His image!
Please note: We had problems broadcasting last Sunday due to extremely heavy web traffic during the Super Bowl. That is probably the only day out of the year that we will experience that. Please join us again next Sunday.
God's Mystery Revealed!
Colossians 1:27
My! Christ in us seems too much to imagine... really! But knowing that He IS there gives us the challenge to LET HIM SHINE through! But in what way do we do that?
This truth is the mystery of God hidden throughout all ages until the New Covenant.
At the time of this proclamation, Paul was making a comparison to what had been revealed up until that time through the Old Covenant. He was showing that, even with all that the Jews could have enjoyed through the glory of types and shadows of Christ, none of it compared with what God has done to reveal His glory in us! Our hope of His glory is CHRIST IN US! There would be no more types and shadows in order to "see" God, or to imagine Him at His best. Remember, the simple definition of the word glory is to show. Therefore, God's glory in us through Jesus Christ is "to show" Him! Showing God through us is what He has desired down through the ages, but He has reserved it for those on THIS SIDE of the Cross of Jesus Christ!
Even though all that sounds good and most would agree with it, most DO NOT realize to what extent He would reveal His glory in and through us for His name's sake. This is where we miss it sometimes, and it really costs us dearly - and costs Him dearly, too! We need to allow Him to broaden our understanding for living out this mystery.
While doing good to others and demonstrating His love and compassion through our good works is very important, it can only be done best when we are truly doing so under His inspiration, His way. We are a thousand times MORE effective for His name's sake when we know, understand, and walk in HIS way - ten thousand times more! We should not only try to do what we think "Jesus would do"; but much more than that, we must surrender completely for HIM to do it through us as if HE were doing it! Do you get the difference? This difference is what those who truly love the Lord lack in their walk. (Hello? It is what WE all lack in our walk to some degree or another.) But He wants to take us there; and He IS working all things together in and around our lives to do just that - Christ IN YOU to be lived out exactly as His Spirit would reveal God to the world!
In addition to being patient, God is also holy and righteous, and He calls us to be the same. To be holy and righteous is not to go around with a long face quoting scriptures to everyone we meet. It is to live in the world while apart from the world, however. It is to allow His life to be lived through us as He really is. This is what God wants - His life lived through us by His Spirit who abides in us! Let's let Him do that today!
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God loves His sheep, and He is bringing more people into His domain of grace for salvation every hour. However, those of us who have been privileged to bear His name are beginning to be tested by the fire of His Spirit, as He "thoroughly purges His floor" in preparation for His soon and glorious return. This book is God's love-call of repentance to those of us who call ourselves by His name. It is not meant to condemn, but rather it is intended to help us see a few areas of weakness, so that we might return to Him as He really is and that we might become a part of His finished (complete and perfect) work in these last days.
Dollar Issues
The US Dollar's Demise
US Dollar About to Bite the Dust
HISTORIC - Dollar Loses its Exclusive Place in the World
World News and Conservative Issues
Washington Times
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Heritage Foundation
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Janet Parshall
Truthnet
Worthy Israel News Outlets
DEBKA
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American-Israel Public Affairs
HISTORIC - Netanyahu Delivers
Real-life Testimonies of God's Saving Grace
God Calls Muslims Today
Changed By God's Love & Grace
Friends of Israel
Family Ministries
Focus on the Family
American Family Association
Unique Ministry Opportunities
MP3 Players Used to Preach Jesus to Illiterate Masses
General Postings (click here for all the following)
Four Kinds of Disciples in Route to the Cross
What about the Local Church?
Transition to Transformation
God's Lack of Response Leads to Desperate Measures
Old Covenant Stocks Rise as New Covenant Believer's Reinvest
Good News! The Spirit of God Speaks in English, too!
What to Expect in the Days Ahead
Concerning the Rapture, Consider These
Misc. Archives (click here for all the following)
America's Impossible Mission
Gullible Believers Seek Supernatural
Changed Into His "Express Image"
Are You a Victim of Cultural Christianity?
His Work Must be by His Spirit, Still
Do You Know the Language of the Spirit?
Laws Written on Stone are Inferior
Prophecy Fulfilled Between China and Brazil
Interests in Judaism
The Spirit in the Shadow of the Torah?
Zionism, Hyper-Zionism, Passive Zionism
What about Judaizers?
What about studying Torah?
Abide in the "roots" or in the Vine?
Jesus or Yeshua?
Sabbath or the Lord's Day?
Things to Consider
- America will never recover politically or economically to its former position of strength.
- Americanized Christianity is collapsing with America.
- God's true people in America and the world are few by comparison to those who claim Him.
- To truly be of Him is not based upon personal merit, but rather solely upon the merits of Jesus' finished work.
- Most of what appears to be "harvest" today is false. The greatest harvest will come as the church matures to His fullness.
- The greatest harvest in America and the world is yet to come.
- Those believers who actually "endure to the end" of what has just begun will experience a phenomenal revival before our Lord comes.
- Regardless of the poor spiritual condition of Christianity and of the average local church, God is going to complete His work through the local church - just not the one that we recognize today.
- While I have been called to declare these things and many more like them, I will be the first to admit that I have not "arrived" either. Nonetheless, I am pressing toward the mark of His high calling; and I have been given insight because of my calling in the Lord. I pray that you are edified.
Quick Facts
1. The economic crisis that we are in is not just a cyclical problem that will solve itself with the help of "new money."
2. Christians who have laid up "treasures" for safekeeping only (without the specific instruction of the Spirit) will see that those treasures will suddenly vanish – without notice.
3. Those who are praying for America to be restored to financial greatness have not discerned the will of God for our times.
4. Christianity’s strength in America today, and in much of the world, is dependent upon America’s economic strength and individual liberties. Cultural Christians are praying for a strengthening of America as it always has been, since without it they will be at a loss.
5. I believe that we have just a couple of years or so to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ openly on the airwaves in America – without censorship.
6. The evangelical system is on the verge of collapse; and much of it will realign into a single ecumenical religious system. Many believers within that system will collapse with it, and evolve into it; many others will come out and form small-group churches in homes and other out-of-the-way places - it is among these small churches that God will build the image of Jesus Christ.
7. Christianity will become much purer for many believers, when we no longer have Americanism to prop ourselves up with. We will learn to stand upon the Rock of Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!
8. America's leadership is seeking a smooth transition for steering America into a one-world political, economic, and religious system. In the long run, that will happen; but before we become so "one" with the rest of the world, America will suffer great and terrible judgments herself. Do not blame "sinners" for all the judgments that are coming upon America. Much of these are due to the poor representation of Jesus Christ that America's Christianity has so boldly displayed.
"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together..." Psalm 2:2a
"Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, 'Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.' He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure:" Psalm 2:1-5 NKJV
"Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer (Syria) are forsaken; they will be for flocks which lie down, and no one will make them afraid. The fortress also will cease from Ephraim, the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria; they will be as the glory of the children of Israel,' Says the Lord of hosts." Isaiah 17:1-3 NKJV
"...whom shall I [we] fear? The Lord is the strength of my [our] life; of whom shall I [we] be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1 NKJV)
Notice what the Lord says about those He raises up against His people: "But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. As yet you exalt yourself against My people..." (Exodus 9:16-17a NKJV)
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was raised up by the Lord as a guide to the blind and a master of iniquity. Do not fear him. God will use him to do His bidding. These kinds of men speak great swelling words, boasting in themselves - roaring like a lion seeking whom they may devour. They, like all other devils, are in the palm of God's hand. Look what He says about them: "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision [as one who mocks them]" (Psalm 2:4 NKJV).
Our Ministry Mission...
The mission of The Father's Field Ministries is to exalt the Person of Jesus Christ throughout the earth as He really is - God's Son, and the only Savior for mankind.
We confess the frailties that plague humankind through our sin nature, and we admit the need for our total transformation in salvation through God's grace and faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ alone. We recognize the continuing battle that all of God's people face as we seek to become like Him in a fallen world. It is our desire to build up the body of Christ in a maturing, sanctifying faith. We believe that the Bible makes abundantly clear that it is through the local church setting, as God designed it, that the fullness of Jesus Christ may best be realized. The present day evangelical system does not reflect God's design, and He is on the verge of changing it altogether.
We are proclaiming the things that are bringing about that change, and we are encouraging others to enter into Him in preparation for all that change will bring.
Jesus Invites YOU Into His Kingdom!
Brother Tom Lacy, of Amarillo, TX, uses a dynamic approach to call everyone into the way of life and liberty through faith in Jesus Christ. By posting this simple message on three sides of his special pickup, brother Tom has boldly proclaimed Jesus as the Way to hundreds of thousands of people from Texas to Wyoming, and even all the way to California. WOW! What a way to keep Jesus' name before a world searching for "the Way!"
Brother Tom invites you to come drink from the living water that never shall run dry - the living water of Jesus Christ. Jesus said: "and all who come to me, I will in no way, cast out." John 6:37b
Ease and Tranquility - things of the past?
The changing of the guard of America’s government is not the only tool God is using to do a purifying work. There are many other age-old tests and trials that are on the increase, too. It will be like the waves of the sea that never cease pounding relentlessly against the sand. Sheer fatigue caused by the enemy’s constant attack will present a scrupulous examination of our confession. We will see what we are made of. We will know whether we have been rendering lip-service or life-service. Some will be shockingly surprised! Others will be at rest; and God will be pleased, for those who claim to represent Him will finally do so with the purity that He longs for.
Are you resolved to remain strong in Him, or will you sway with the temptation to give in? Perhaps you should not be so quick to answer that question. The apostle Peter quickly swore that He would NEVER forsake the Lord, even if it meant his death; but he just as quickly failed when his time of testing came.
It is not so important that we make such a bold confession of personal confidence at this time, as it is that we prepare ourselves, building ourselves up in “the most holy faith.” We should “lay aside every weight and those things that so easily beset us.” We should “press on toward the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus.” We should be certain that we are “keeping the faith” and being “good stewards of the gift of His grace”; and we should be prepared to “give an answer to every man concerning this hope,” according to the Word of Truth.
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11NKJV).
“Finally, brethren… Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you” (II Cor. 13:11NKJV).
“… whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things” (Phil. 4:8NKJV).
There's Hope in the Eye of the Storm!
While we are surrounded with difficulty and new challenges to our faith every day, we have hope - hope that our Lord's promises are sure and that we are in the palm of His mighty, loving hand; hope that we are being conformed into His glorious image day by day; hope that we are going to experience a great outpouring of His Holy Spirit soon; and hope that He is coming again to take us to be with Him forever! We should watch and pray, not because we fear doom, but so that we will be ready to overcome its trials and so that we might guide many others toward our hope when it does come!
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13 NKJV).
"Where Christianity has room to roam under man's domain, it will eventually become man's Christianity."
The Lord has opened new doors and is enabling us to broadcast a regular TV program across America. Please check back in a few days for upcoming times when we will be airing His message in your area. We are currently blessed to air on God's Leaning Channel to the southwestern region of the USA. We plan to continue with them as the Lord gives us that wonderful opportunity.
"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).
"GOD'S PEOPLE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF BECOMING DESPERATE FOR HIM AS HE REALLY IS."
Changed into the Image of Christ?
A. W. Tozer (1897-1963)
"...that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin..."
The fear of God is a necessary tool God uses to turn the sinner from his sin - even the one who is born again, but who is dabbling in sin. The Spirit of God spoke to Jeremiah, saying, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" [Jer. 17:9 NKJV] It is the fear of God that arrests the heart of man - even in those who have received spiritual new birth through faith in Jesus Christ. Even though we have received His Spirit, and all commandments have been written on our hearts, we live in a fallen world that commands our constant attention. If we are not careful, it will influence us to believe and practice things that are far from the Spirit's walk. After the Spirit has convicted us time and again, but to no avail, we grieve Him to such a degree that He waits silently for our fall, so that He may then show us the way. Reading and meditating on the Truth revealed in the Bible will help us stay clean. It is a constant reminder of those things that we may otherwise let slip away.
I believe that meditating on the Ten Commandments in the Spirit will reveal things in the heart of every believer that he has covered over. This is why I encourage everyone to read them with spiritual insight as Jesus Christ delivered them in truth. They were never, and are not now, meant to condemn, but rather to reveal an evil heart and to deliver us from the practice of sin against the Lord.
In recent years, as a backlash to our government's condemnation of God's commands, there has been renewed vigor to post The Ten Commandments on private property everywhere. I agree that there should be a reawakening to observe God's righteous ways, and reading these commandments should be a part of that reawakening. However, they should be not only posted on your property, but read and meditated upon so that, by the Spirit, they may speak to the heart. It is a mockery to simply place them on a plaque and hang them in or outside the office if one does not also give allegiance to them. It is like posting and boasting the name of Jesus and trampling on it at the same time.
Jesus repeated most of these commandments when He was here. He said they would never change. He did not do away with them; but He expounded upon their meaning as they related to the heart - for it was the heart that God was, and is, trying to reach and to change. I would encourage you to re-read the Ten Commandments, then to read them as Jesus Christ delivered them in the four gospels. Meditate on them and ask the Holy Spirit to show you the depth of what they intend to reveal in your heart at this very moment. If you do, you will be sure to find yourself wanting, just like I do. Hopefully, we will repent honestly in the fear of the Lord and turn to Him with our whole hearts.
May the fear of the Lord return to us in truth, by Jesus Christ.
"And God spoke all these words, saying: 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.' Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, 'You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.' And Moses said to the people, 'Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.'" (Exodus 20:1-20 NKJV)
A Blessed Generation for Those Who Stand
How quickly we forget that, while passing through the Red Sea, the children of God were abundantly blessed with the riches of Egypt, and there was none feeble among them!
The last generation of God’s people who served as Egypt’s slaves escaped not only as a free people but also as a people lavished with Egypt’s very best treasures; God put such fear in the hearts of their cruel taskmasters that His people were begged to follow their freedom with gifts. WOW! Why was God doing this? Was it not enough that they would be set free? Would they need silver and gold for the wilderness journey?
While it is true that they were going to need earthly treasures to make the tabernacle instruments of worship, there is yet another important message here. I believe that it is relevant for our last generation church.
A primary reason that God put it in the hearts of Egypt to bestow their valuables on their former slaves was that God knew His people had earned them – the valuables of Egypt actually belonged to them! It was rightfully theirs! God’s children had been enslaved under the bondage of the cruel taskmasters of Egypt for more than four hundred years without pay, and He was going to see that they got paid! Hallelujah!
WE SHALL ALSO REAP A BLESSING
Moses’ generation reaped the reward that every generation before him had been robbed of while they were enslaved to Egypt! How exciting it must have been for them! Now – imagine this! In the same way, I believe that this final generation of faithful believers may reap the reward of the generations before us throughout all the church age who have largely been enslaved and robbed of their spiritual blessings while under the cruel taskmaster of Satan’s servants! It is out of this glorious reaping that we shall become the Glorious Church! The difference is that Moses’ generation reaped the silver and gold of this world, not having received the better covenant with better promises that we have received; thus, we shall be lavished with the abounding riches of the gifts of the Holy Spirit – the gifts that most of the New Covenant church has been robbed of for nearly two thousand years – robbed by the doctrines of greedy, self-serving, tower-building, religious men! Hallelujah!
"Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people. All who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations" (Isaiah 61:9-11 NKJV).
Be Encouraged! God's Timing is Perfect!
By all appearances, this couple should have been the perfect candidates for a quiver full of blessed children. After all, each of them had a family lineage that connected them to the priesthood, and according to the scriptures they "were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless"; but still, "they had no child." What could have been the problem? It is obvious that they had wanted children all those years because the angel Gabriel so much as said that the child to be was in response to Zacharias' prayers. Could it have been that they didn't know how to believe God? Could it have been that one or both of them had a health-related illness that prevented conception? Could it have been a generational curse? Could it have been that, in spite of their righteous standing before God, one of them did or said something in their long, long past that penalized them? Fortunately, we can easily say no to all these and clearly see the answer.
Little did they know that through all those wondering years, God's hand was so near them that He was reserving their moment of victory for an extra special hour in order to give them an extra special son, the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Wow! Had they only known years before, it may have averted a lot of anxieties and frustrations. However, more importantly, it might also have averted a lot of much-needed faith as well; it might have averted so much faith that it wouldn't have come to pass at all.
You may have been praying and waiting for something for many years; you believe that, to the best of your ability, by the grace of God, you are seeking to please and obey Him as well. However, as far as seeing the fruit of your prayers, you are barren.
I want to encourage you to continue praying and believing, without asking so many questions that you may destroy your faith; but rather, join with Mary, the mother of Jesus, who upon hearing the news of her own miracle son, said, "Let it be to me according to your word."
Are "Stephen Preachers" for Today?
"'You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murders, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.' When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, 'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!' Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, 'Lord, do not charge them with this sin.' And when he had said this, he fell asleep." Acts 7:51-60 NKJV
A "Stephen preacher" is one who boldly proclaims truth to hardened religious people, particularly to leaders who, through their perceived knowledge about God, hold His people in religious bondage.
It should be noted that Stephen was more than just an angry man. He was angry, for sure - but it was not born out of his flesh - quite different from many who are angry due to the religiosity of Christianity today. We should be careful and prayerful to be certain that our strike against forms of Christianity is not born out of the flesh but out of the Spirit. Stephen's anger was inspired by the Spirit and aimed at those who had such hard religious hearts that God stopped up their ears. His righteous anger was due to his jealousy for God's name, and for His people; it was not due to a desire to vindicate a personal grievance against religion.
The apostle Paul was also angered by false shepherds. He was jealous for God's name and for those put in bondage by them. When he confronted their false message, they followed him from city to city, to have him either incarcerated or stoned to death.
There are several ways we may judge what Stephen and Paul did - and Jesus also, for that matter - and whether God would still raise up preachers like that today. Some may conclude that we live in a more civil era, when such a heated debate is out of order and unnecessary. But I say that this is the very root of the problem that true believers suffer. No leader is willing to stand in their behalf, even though it may stir a great debate. Others would say that we need peace and harmony within Christianity's religious circles - that there are enough points of division already. But I say that this is an excuse inspired by the enemy. There is not a single Biblical truth that would lead us to be passive for the sake of preventing the right kind of division.
We must remember that the Lord came bringing a sword - the Word of Truth. He also came to "send fire on the earth" - the coming of the Spirit. Everywhere He went, grace and truth went forth with a clarion call to all, but with it came division and turmoil, too.
Stephen's sermon was inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak to zealots, blinded by their love for religion. Today, there are millions of religious zealots just like those Stephen, Paul, and Jesus preached to. They are in leadership for sure; but also, they are sitting up and down the pews of churches everywhere. Some may agree with this observation to a point, but they give the excuse that the problem in sharing so boldly among the masses is that there are also millions among them who truly love God and want to walk in His truth. But this is the very reason that we need to proclaim it - to set free those who are bound by the religious zealots and their religious system.
Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice." When the Word of Truth is put forth to the masses, many are convicted and repent, many become angry and reject the Word, and many sheep are enlightened thereby and set on a new course for freedom in Christ. Our job is to put forth His truth in the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This is the key. He will be responsible for doing the separating.
Yes, we desperately need more "Stephen preachers." But we must be careful to be motivated and guided by the Spirit of the Lord and not by the anger of the flesh. "The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God." However, if God's message of salt and light is followed by division and turmoil, so be it.
Self-Will is Still Our #1 Problem
Then suddenly, in chapter three, the Genesis account abruptly recites another story – the creation of yet another world within God’s new domain – a world of sin!
Unlike the first creation story, God does not play the leading role. Man does. In the creation of sin God was not involved at all. Man brought forth sin all by himself; and it is by this same independence that man continues in sin today. He insists on his own way. This is still the central problem for all humankind. The creature still tries to live his life independent of the Creator, except, of course, when he really needs Him. Then he runs to God for help. This pattern repeats itself time and time again until it shapes man into a robotic creature driven to God only by his wants and needs. This was NOT the kind of sons and daughters that God desired to produce when He designed His redemption plan.
Yes, most people, including believers, still seek their own independence until it does not accomplish all they had hoped for. It is only then that they truly surrender their independence to God.
This is a primary reason why the largest churches and other Christian gatherings throughout the United States are SO large. They are directed by exceptional communicators with a positive message. They are motivational speakers who use inspirational stories from the Bible, as well as other unique stories, to make people feel good about themselves, encouraging them until they have the confidence to get to the place they desire in life.
It is also why some who promise fantasy rewards in exchange for sowing seeds into their personal ministries are so wealthy themselves. How convenient. Many who do such are false. How convenient. It is only natural that everyone wants to be blessed so that their needs and/or wants are supplied for; and the worse the economy becomes, the more people are willing to take risks in the lottery of faith when persuaded by wolves in sheep's clothing. We must be careful that those to whom we are committing our resources are not just skillful communicators disguised as "angels of light."
We are to seek God that we might increase in His wisdom, knowledge, and spiritual understanding - identifying with Jesus Christ in death to self, and allowing Him to live out His righteous, victorious life through us. Then He will clearly show us what to give, when and where. Then we can be sure to reap His blessings!
SUMMARY: Let us guard our hearts. Beware of those who promise to meet needs or wants through one-time, spontaneous giving based upon an emotional appeal. Be slow to get all excited by skillful motivational speakers and their speeches based upon a moving Biblical text. Take heed before you enter into what some call "faith-covenant partnerships." We already have a covenant with God. We should seriously consider what God says before entering into any kind of mutual agreement that guarantees to fix our immediate problem. Let us be careful in all these things, lest we end up running with the masses of cultural Christianity who chase a Santa Claus God of their own imagination.
Which Simon are You?
by: Mary Kathryn Hughes
The New Testament is replete with many characters of various degrees of significance. Some of their stories we know by heart, but others are often overlooked due to their apparent lack of value. It seems that we tend to place worth only on those people about whom the Bible records greater detail. However, it is important not to merely pass over the understanding we could glean from the little-known characters.
An interesting study that takes this idea as its foundation includes a look at the various Simons of the New Testament. click here to read
From Imaginations to Abominations
The Shack, one man's story of imaginations put into print, boasts of itself as a rejuvenating spiritual experience. Catering especially to Christians, a conservative figure of one million copies has been sold, and it is getting rave reviews from some of the most popular members of cultural Christianity, like recording artist Michael W. Smith, and Wynonna Judd; also the famed author of The Message Bible, Eugene Peterson, compares it to Pilgrims Progress. However, Dr. Michael Youssef presents a rare message concerning its dangerous heresies. Those specific charges are listed below. Click here to go directly Dr. Youssef's message, where he clearly reveals the abominations set forth in The Shack.
I never cease to be amazed at what some Christians become entangled with in these last days. The apostasy as Paul prophesied is already firmly established. It only needs a single, consistent structure with all "faiths" involved together in order to be more evident to all.
According to Bible-grounded Christians, the following heresies are put forth through The Shack.
1. God the Father was crucified with Jesus.
2. God is limited by His love and cannot practice justice.
3. On the Cross, God forgave all of humanity, whether they repent or not. Some choose a relationship with Him, but He forgives them all regardless.
4. Hierarchical structures, whether they are in the Church or in the government, are evil.
5. God will never judge people for their sins.
6. There is not a hierarchical structure in the Godhead, just a circle of unity.
7. God submits to human wishes and choices.
8. Justice will never take place because of love.
9. There is no such a thing as eternal judgment or torment in hell.
10. Jesus is walking with all people in their different journeys to God, and it doesn't matter which way you get to Him.
11. Jesus is constantly being transformed along with us.
12. There is no need for faith or reconciliation with God because everyone will make it to heaven.
13. The Bible is not true because it reduces God to paper.
God's Winter for the World has Come by: Ms Lydia Hamby
Even as the annual winter season for the northern hemisphere is nearing its end, there is another kind of winter for the whole world that is just coming on, and it shall not end. This should come as no surprise, since God told us long ago that one day He would fold up the earth like a garment, and that heaven and earth would enter a season for passing away; this season would be called "the beginnings of sorrows," but the very end is not yet.
click here to read
Does Not God Judge His Own House?
"But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us shall give account of himself to God" (Romans 14:10-12 NKJV).
All "Faiths" One?
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We are not supported by a local church or business, so we look to those who are being ministered to to help supply for meeting our needs (I Corinthians 9:11). As we are supplied for, we have the opportunity to teach and proclaim God's message for the Body today.
A believer's first giving priority should be to his or her local church, but we meet believers often who realize that the local church where they attend is not seeking to follow the will and way of God's Spirit, yet they continue to support the same church with hundreds of dollars each month. As long as the Spirit leads you to keep attending, you should also support the work financially, but unless the Spirit of the Lord has planted you there, you may be aiding a work that is not born of God.
As God gives you the ability and desire, please consider supporting us financially too, so that we might give more of our time and energy to you through our ongoing ministry to the overall Body of Christ, which is in much need of spiritual repair. To contribute, click here.
Come and Drink...
Train for Life...in Scotland!
He Holds the Keys!
Have no fear! Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ holds the keys!
Jesus said, "'Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.'"'
Revelation 1:17-18 NKJV
Love One Another
Finally, we see that for the believer love is not only a noun, but it is a verb - an action word. For example, "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him" (I John 3:16-19 NKJV).
Narrow is the Way...
Our Lord said, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV
Designed by God - Set Apart for Him
by: Jonathan Hughes
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
12a If you say, "But we knew nothing about this,"
does not He who weighs the heart perceive it?
Proverbs 24:11-12a to read article, click here
A Prophet?
"As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: 'What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You."'" Matthew 11:7-10 NKJV
There are many who claim to be a prophet today. Our Lord said that there would be; this is nothing new. There have always been those who have claimed to be so. I would encourage you to observe their lives to see if they bear all the marks of a true prophet. Are they distressed? Are they persecuted in any way to speak of? Are they living in "kings' houses"? Are they tried on every hand? Are their lives marked by grief and mourning for the name of the Lord and the way that His people represent Him? What makes you believe that your favorite "prophet" is indeed a true one?
I hope that it is not only because they may tell the future, or because they perform the spectacular. Even the pharaoh's magicians worked the miraculous way back when the children of Israel were under his bondage. I would encourage you to inquire about their lives. Miracles may or may not accompany them, but two things are certain: they will speak the truth with an anointing, and they will be acquainted with difficult testings and trials.
To read the apostle Paul's lifestyle as a true prophet, click here.
Available to Speak
God-fearing men were a majority among our founding fathers, and thus our founding documents were written with the assumption that they would be interpreted by God-fearing men for generations to come. The spirit with which they were written is as important to their interpretation as the words themselves; but now those generations of fairly elected, wise and honorable men have passed, together with our ability to defend the spirit behind those documents.
So where do we go from here? This is a question that many Christians are asking, and one that is getting all kinds of answers. Do we start a revolution against the government? Do we support someone else who may start such a revolution? Do we just hide in the shadows and pray for a miracle? Do we let the leaders of cultural Christianity continue their course of leadership by default as we have in the past? What do we do? Where do true Christians go from here?
I will be answering those all-important questions in our America Tour - Fall of 2009, and I sincerely hope that you will join me for those conferences as I proclaim and explain what God would have us to do, biblically speaking. God's way is the only way for success. If you are interested in having me come to your city for such a conference, please indicate so on our contact page. Simply put your name and telephone number where you may be reached in the contact space, and we will be in touch with you to discuss more details and the possibility of coming to your area this summer. (You may also telephone our offices at 601-506-1116 and leave a message if no one is in. We will return your call.)
At these weekend conferences, I will speak directly to the already growing ecumenical buildup of churches throughout America. I will give a succinct overview of specific prophecies from the books of Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk, and Zechariah as they relate to our times, with special highlights from Jesus' Olivet Discourse and various other prophetic passages throughout the New Testament, especially the six seal judgments. Indeed, America is racing toward her determined end in her long pursuit of excluding God's involvement in her future. We do not have time to waste!
" If you have ears to hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches." Revelation 2 - 3
Deceptive Devices Gaining Ground among the Cultural Christian Masses
1. Prophesying and guidance by numbers and quantum math - the fourth dimension and beyond
2. Misuse of Bible codes for predicting future events - kinship with fortune telling
3. Increase in angelic apparitions and their sayings - unquenchable appetite for the supernatural
4. Signs in the stars of heaven for guidance - zodiac
5. Stories going from imaginations to abominations - God is brought down to our vain imaginations
6. Overabundance of dreams, visions and heavenly visitations - an open heaven to earth
7. A lottery mentality among God's people - give one dollar and possibly gain a million
8. Motivational gospel speakers that make one feel good about himself - replacing true gospel preaching that allows someone to see himself as he really is so that he will cry out for the Savior, Jesus Christ
9. Covenant with someone financially and sharing their anointing
Jesus said, "'Take heed that no one deceives you'" Matthew 24:4 NKJV
Click here to learn more about growing deception
True Christianity and True Americanism -
A Contradiction in Ideology by: Mark S. Case
Thomas Jefferson, the writer of The Declaration of Independence, put forth what all rational people agree to be every man's God-given rights - his right to life, to liberty, and to the pursuit of happiness (fulfillment); and that those rights should be protected by government. These are indeed the basic rights of humankind and the bedrock of the true spirit of America. However, those inalienable human rights are in some ways at stark contrast with who we are to be individually as true Christians. True Christianity fully enforces the need to protect God-given human rights for all people everywhere, but as a true Christian, I am called to another manner of living. When we convolute human rights with the call of Christianity, we forsake the bedrock of our citizenship in heaven.
As a true Christian, my right to life is granted by dying to self; my right to liberty is granted within the confines of living the life of Jesus Christ; and my right to pursue happiness is granted by pursuing what makes God happy. Thank God for the founder's spirit for an America that would protect rights for all people, but let us not confuse human freedoms with our freedoms in Christ as individual Christians. When Christianity becomes too Americanized, it reduces the kingdom of Christianity to a world of Americanism; and this is exactly what has already happened. As we defend America's liberties, let us not forget that as Christians our liberties are found in being bound to Jesus Christ.
Sound the Trumpet!
"'Now, therefore,' says the Lord, 'turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.' So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind Him - a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes; let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar; let them say, 'Spare Your people, O Lord, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, "Where is their God?"'"
Joel 2:12-17 NKJV
Judases Abound
The number of those who drink from the same cup, but who are actually traitors, is multiplying exponentially these days.
These are men among us, caught up in themselves. By pride they have gained and maintained the attention of the same crowds that, for whatever reason, wanted to throng Jesus. Like Lucifer before the fall, they love being in close proximity to the throne of the jesus that cultural Christianity has created. They stand out in the crowd, running where the Lord has not sent them, raising themselves up above the throne so that all can see. Like Lucifer, they lead emotionally charged worship and prayer, and even deliver a message (Ezekiel 28:14). The mesmerized multitudes sway with the spirits of many abominations as they adore the jesus they are comfortable with. Consider re-reading Second Peter, chapter two, prayerfully.
Take care. One of them may be one of your favorite Christian guides!
