THE KING IS COMING

Part 52 – Published 12/26/20

WE ARE ASLEEP UNTIL GOD AWAKENS US

Within the Christian faith, we understand that an individual will not desire to come to God on their own. The depravity of mankind and the lost condition of our spirit prevents everyone from having a yearning to love and serve or even have an interest God until there is a stirring of the mind and conscience. So, what can cause a person to want to know more about God? They must be drawn to Him. Whenever anyone is compelled to reach out to God, we know the Holy Spirit is intervening with a process known as spiritual conviction. This is the love and grace of God that allows a person to see their desperate need to be transformed into a new spiritual creation and the faith to accept this invitation.

The purpose of Jesus coming to earth and agreeing to go through the crucifixion and resurrection was so that all who believe in God could have the opportunity to be changed and rescued from a hopeless spiritual state into a brand new member of His family. His body was the only sacrifice that could be accepted, and His blood is the only payment that can pay for the sins of those who love and trust Him. He was sinless and His pure and holy offering of love is what opened the door to our spiritual redemption. In short, He died so that we could live. It’s true, we are all sinners, but there is a huge difference between the lost sinner and the saved sinner. The lost sinner has never been transformed into a new spiritual identity, while the saved sinner has received the gift of salvation and is learning how to know God as they allow Him to teach them how to live.

There is a general or universal call which is made available to anyone whenever the gospel message is proclaimed. Luke 14:23 says, “Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” This particular invitation of grace does not discriminate and is only conditional upon the person accepting His offer. The gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to be shared with everyone and promises that whoever receives this truth in faith and sincerely repents will be forgiven and will receive everlasting life which only God can give. Accepting and believing is an attribute of the human free-will and applies to this general call of redemption as an individual has the choice to walk away and reject this opportunity if they so choose. There is also an effectual call where God selects and pursues a particular person at a certain time, and this is not conditional to the human will. Of course, this is still an act of grace, but is not dependent upon a human to accept or reject. Election is simply based on His desire to select and choose certain individuals and is an example of God’s sovereignty. It must be noted this search and rescue process cannot fail. John the Baptist is someone who was elected before he was born and in the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus explains how when a sheep goes missing, the shepherd will search until he finds it. The point of the parable is that God will always find and save those He is seeking. In both cases, John 3:3declares that in order for Christ to be our Lord and to have eternal security, all must be born again. “Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Within this miracle of His amazing grace, we cannot ignore the highly unpopular demand from God for us to also demonstrate a holy lifestyle. Conviction does not cease once a person is born-again, but continues as a standard of truth to warn the follower to resist sin. It’s common for many who are eager to accept their golden ticket to heaven, to not be concerned with their awareness and dedication to the call of sanctification. We know there will be holiness and perfection in heaven, but we are reminded in first Peter 1:15-16 about our accountability to represent His nature and character here and now. “But as He which called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy.”

May all of you spend time with the Lord and receive His orders with what He has for you next year. I sense that God is wanting us to move into a new era of spiritual sensitivity and obedience. May the Lord Jesus reveal to you His plans and purposes. “Awaken us Jesus, and give us a strong determination to know you more this coming year, amen.” Many blessings and peace to you –

THE KING IS COMING

Published12/19/20 – Part 51

Gloria in excelsis Deo

We spoke last week about how the power of our words can be used by the Lord as an instrument which can launch His WORD which CANNOT fail. Whether it be the truth of His written Word or a specific message, the Lord gives to us relay for His purposes, God has designed our tongue and our ears to be a catalyst for holy communication on this Earth. Jesus said many times throughout the New testament, “He who has ears, let him hear.” This is not just some generic statement for “hey, everybody listen up” but He is calling for His people to comprehend that developing an awareness of His voice is the most critical factor in our relationship with Him. How can we know His will, if we cannot discern what He is saying? The Almighty God of Heaven and Earth declares in Isaiah 55:11, “So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Many are saying there is a spiritual revival coming, a great awakening that will be a last day harvest of souls before the Lord returns. Get ready to be used in a greater way than you have ever imagined. Be prepared to preach the gospel and help the lost pray and find Jesus as their Savior. Start praying now that God will be able to use you in this miraculous outpouring for His glory. Only those wise virgins who are spiritually prepared will be in position to be used for divine appointments. Today is the day and now is the time.

As this year is coming to a close, we are standing at a crossroad that is critical for the future of this nation and the world. We know that Satan and his kingdom of darkness is going full speed to steal, kill, and destroy the hearts and souls of all people. However, let it be realized that he can only do what God allows him to do. Remember, Satan is on God’s short leash! Amen! The book of Job was given to God’s people for them to understand the authority and sovereignty of the Almighty. He can only do what God allows him to do. Satan is a liar and establishes his entire agenda on deception. We can clearly see today’s mainstream media is a critical tool for Satan as they are programmed to NOT speak the truth. They are ruled by the darkness and only praise those things which enable evil to prosper. Not only are they completely biased and unfair, but since modern communication travels through the airwaves, this explains how they serve the “prince and power of the air.” This connection with the air waves is clearly a demonic principality and stronghold. In order for the unbiased truth to be revealed on a daily basis, God will need to step in and remove them completely. This is too difficult for humans, but nothing is impossible with God! The mainstream media networks are owned by those who serve a demonic globalist agenda and the sheep’s clothing must be miraculously removed from these wolves in order for the people to see the truth. In John 8:32 Jesus reminds us, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Free from what? Free from deception, free from the darkness of sin and carnality, and free from an unrenewed mind. Satan uses the media to hold the masses in spiritual bondage with lies and twisted opinions. Jesus continues in verse 44 as He talks about those who are deceived by demonic influences. “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He (Satan) was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is NO truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” In this divine light, the politically biased liberal media is a child that obeys it’s father.

It’s true the traditional church has been asleep for many years, but this does not mean that God has forsaken His people. He is stirring and awakening His saints! He is speaking to those who have a spiritual ear to rise up and step forward in faith and take the sword and shield and put on the armor of God in order to battle the darkness. It is time to prepare and join the war and to stand and see the salvation of our God. When will the average Christian wake up and realize that every word God has spoken is meant for us to demonstrate? We cannot afford to be lukewarm any longer. The lines are being drawn and we are either cold or hot! The Host of Heaven is not mocked and in His perfect judgment He is going to show the world that He is the Creator of all things and has all power and authority to crush the rulers of corruption and to defeat His enemies. “Let God be true and every man a liar” Romans 3:4. As the world laughs at the blindness and foolishness of those who love and trust God, Jesus has been listening to the cries and prayers of His people and is getting ready to prove that NOTHING is impossible with Him! There are two spiritual types and shadows relating to the feminine characteristics of good and evil. The church is referred to as the Bride of Christ and we must remember we have been declared as a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation which includes being the temple of the Holy Spirit. It’s the Bride of Christ who has been called to rule and reign as no weapon formed against us shall prosper and if God be for us who can be against us?

On the other hand, we have the opposite which is a spirit of perversion and a representation of the wicked Jezebel which is a seducing, deceiving, and corrupt presence of evil. The same as a man can still be the bride of Christ, men can also be controlled and manipulated by the spirit of Jezebel. I have said for years that many who are sitting around in a cold dead assembly are NOT the true church that is talked about in the Bible. These are the ones who will shocked at the judgement to hear that they did not know know God at all. It is a carnal spirit of religion that deceives the mind and the emotions to believe that God is easily fooled. We can discern clearly that liberal political worldviews are controlled by this demonic influence and is disguised by the facade of trying to improve the world. It is actually one hundred percent about having control over the masses so the global elite can dictate the population. It’s true that Satan will bring forth his Antichrist and his New World Order – BUT only when God allows him to do so. Remember everything is on God’s timetable. If the Lord wants to release a mighty wave of His revival and establish a last day flood of His power and joy – it will happen! If God wants to stop the liberal progressives and not allow them to cheat and steal elections, He can surely do it. If He wants to intervene and prove to the world that he is still on the throne and in complete control, who is going to stop Him? Listen to Matthew chapter 16 and verses 16-19. “Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I declare, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Did you notice that God is saying He will give His people the KEYS to the kingdom of Heaven? What are they? Well, he continues the next sentence talking about binding and loosing. What does this mean? Does this not have everything to do with speaking? Binding in this context appears to be the act of speaking and declaring. How else can you bind and loose? This is not talking about using a rope to tie up something and to literally cut it loose. It is the power of our words spoken in faith and supported by the Holy Spirit and the infinite power of the Creator of all things. We have one of the most remarkable statements from Christ found in Mark 11:23. This is such a bold and intimidating passage that very few traditional teachers dare to even mention it. Many people believe this is an exaggeration and could not be taken as literal, however I personally believe this is a true proclamation directed at the mature saint who has progressed into a higher level of spiritual wisdom and discernment. “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” Some have taught this is a license to ask for selfish pleasures, but this is a misunderstanding of the meaning. The follower of Christ is the representative of God on this planet and this is a crucial key to become the overcomers that Christ died for us to be.

The focus of being used as a catalyst for God’s glory, is to examine the heart of the believer and make sure we are following His desires and not our own. We recall that Jesus prayed in agony in the Garden and this was an example of battling the spiritual warfare between our flesh and God’s Spirit. Until we understand how to do this, we are only playing a religious game. This is why the general church world has been correctly accused of being spiritually asleep and perishing from the lack of this type of knowledge. Singing a song and telling jokes has never changed anyone and is exactly what the devil wants the so-called church to be. A church without the miraculous power of God being demonstrated is nothing more than a social club. It is only when God’s warriors learn to use the keys to His kingdom that Satan becomes filled with fear. Can you see the importance of study, prayer, fasting, confessing, and speaking God’s truth out loud? His Word IS HIS WILL and it has unlimited power! This is God’s kingdom and He is the One who has designed a perfect plan for how He wants everything to be. In the next verse, (Mark 11:24) Jesus continues with another incredible promise. “Therefore I say unto you, whatever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and ye shall have them.” Again, we see the word “desire” and even more importantly whose desire, has everything to do with our subject. If we really need something, the Lord invites us to ask and it’s perfectly alright to approach His throne when need His help and facing a crisis. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye. shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh. findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” However, we are to consult with Him to make sure that we have His mind and thoughts. Many believe they are not worthy to represent God, but He created us for this purpose! We must become determined to not only know who God is but to also know who we are in Him! To pray for God’s will to be done, we must include the sacrifice to surrender our own will. It’s impossible to serve God completely while we are still holding on to our control. This deliberate act of being submissive is not an act of legalism or merely out of a sense of obligation and duty, but is based on our sincere love to serve Him with all of our heart.

“Coram Deo” is a Latin phrase translated “in the presence of God” from Christian theology which summarizes the fact that He is always with us and always ready to guide us into divine appointments for His glory. Remember the Christmas song, “Gloria in excelsis Deo” means, “Glory to God in the highest.” We are to live under His authority, to demonstrate His character, and manifest the holy image of His nature. When Jesus was praying in great agony in the Garden before He went to the cross, He was leading us in the example of what it means to submit to this way of living. He said His life had nothing to do with His desires and plans, but it was all about the Fathers will being done. Remember the words within the Lord’s prayer found in Matthew chapter 6, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” God has a blueprint and it is our responsibility to know what it is and to help Him build His kingdom. If this is not our duty and calling as His disciple, what is? By His grace, over the course of our lives, He makes us increasingly willing to obey Him even in times when everyone is against us. As we press forward, let us pray that many whom we know will allow His infinite and absolute truth to penetrate their heart and change their lives. Let us pray that God will pour out His Spirit on His sons and daughters and that many will be saved in a last day spiritual awakening that will manifest revivals on every corner and preaching on every television and radio channel. Do you believe that second Chronicles 7:14 can also come to pass right now? Do you believe the Lord still moves and responds with our faith and prayers? God’s mercy endures forever, and may continue to intercede and stand in the gap in faith for all those who are blind and lost. Instead of anger, worry, fear, anxiety, discouragement, and strife, we should be filled with compassion and love for those who do not know God. All praise and glory to God. Amen.

THE KING IS COMING

Published 12/12/20

JESUS, JUST SPEAK THE WORD

Positive confession and the awareness of the power of words is not just for a particular persuasion of the body of Christ but is a general word for everyone who claims to be a child and disciple of Jesus Christ. Some will always be satisfied with walking along the shore and getting their feet wet but those who desire to go deeper with God will discover the revelation of the power of positive confessions. The reason why many Christians do not study the Bible is because they are trying to avoid the responsibility of being held accountable. Everyone wants to be blessed but only a remnant are willing to discipline themselves in order to be in the“position” to receive. Yes, God has a divine order and everything has a reason which is why it’s critical to be saturated with God’s Word and develop an awareness of His presence. Each human that has been rescued and redeemed by the grace of God has a brand-new spirit and a divine destiny that God Himself has carefully planned. His principles and spiritual laws are all a part of how He wants us to be victorious. Nevertheless, a vital key to remember is that the level of our success will depend on the dedication of our obedience.

With the subject of the power of words, a beautiful example spiritual authority contained within the spoken word, is seen when Jesus was approached by a man who had a sick child. Some might say, “This was God speaking and does not imply that we can do this.” I agree that when God speaks things happen, but I disagree that the principle of all words having power are only limited to Him. The Lord spoke all things into existence and is trying to teach His remnant that God lives within us. If we are willing to be used as an instrument for His glory, he can speak through us. We are not saying that God will whatever we say, we are proclaiming that God wants to use our natural voice as a vessel of divine communication. If we still believe there is no power in our words, we only need to turn to James chapter three and read how the tongue can set the course of nature and even hell itself on fire. The question that many Christians are unsure of is the concept of authority. Most people believe that God has authority but they are not convinced that God has given His followers the power to speak His word and to be used in the miracle process. Listen to this story found in Matthew 8:5-10,13.

“When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. Lord, he said, my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly. Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him. The centurion replied, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof: but just SPEAK THE WORD only, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, Go and he goes; and that one, Come, and he comes. I say to my servant, Do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. Then Jesus said to the centurion, Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would, and his servant was healed at that moment.”

There are a number of aspects and conditions to seeing the miraculous power of God manifest on a consistent basis. One of the least understood, and therefore seldom practiced, is the Christian who has developed their spiritual discernment to the level where they can hear what God wants them to do. The Centurion “knew” that Jesus could do anything. He believed that Jesus did not need to walk to his house or even lay His hands on his child. He trusted and was convinced that Jesus could “speak the word” and the sickness would leave – and it happened exactly this way!

The authority of the believer has more to do with moving according to God’s will than having the ability to do anything on their own. God has already provided His healing power and placed it on the inside of every born-again believer and the authority is having the faith and knowledge to know when to step forward and to be still. The power of God was released through Jesus and it is still working exactly the same way today. It has everything to do with having faith in what is being said. Jesus spoke the WORD and so can we! Understanding faith, the blood of Christ, and His spiritual authority is the key to seeing miracles happen.

THE KING IS COMING

Published 12/5/20

TAKING TIME TO EXAMINE OUR HEART

As you know, there are many things being said today about the election. Some are saying it is over and a new Democratic administration is preparing to lead the nation. These are mostly the progressive side of the aisle and those who voted for a liberal agenda. Many people have hated the current president from the beginning and half the country are filled with resentment and animosity toward him. The other side is generally more conservative and includes many evangelical Christians who believe the policies of the republican party are more in line with their worldviews. The majority believe that Trump loses, the country will head in a direction that is contrary to God’s ways. Yes, the Christians oppose those on the left, BUT we cannot afford to hate them. To the non-Christian, hatred is a part of the fallen nature we are all born with, however when anyone is born-again, they are transformed from this old nature and into a new mind and a new spirit. Christians are NOT to hate anyone! And now we have a surge of the seers and prophets who are flooding social media with their predictions. Many are saying God has clearly shown them the election is a fraud and that God will make sure that Trump will win. The flood of information can sometimes be overwhelming. We should be very careful about who we criticize and those we embrace, and reminds us again how critical we need spiritual sensitivity and discernment from the Lord. So, who are we against, the person or the ideas the person believes? Can we separate what people believe from who they are? Or does what people believe make them who they are? If someone is deceived, should we not have compassion on them because they are held captive and blind to the truth?

The attitude of our fallen human nature is not very nice, in fact the word depraved is commonly used. Christians are required to honor God with self-discipline of their mind and to demonstrate His character, but sadly it’s rare to find any difference between God’s people and those who do not know Him at all. I’m sure you have noticed and are disturbed by the hatred and animosity we are seeing in the realms of politics and religion. I read recently where a political leader said they wished the president would die. No matter the party or worldview, the current atmosphere is sadly charged with a dark intensity to say the least. The devil’s plan is to distract the Christian away from living in the peace of God’s presence and it would be better to not be involved with social media at all, than to allow it to ruin our life and possibly destroy our soul. Some may say, “I believe God understands that I have a lot of problems and enemies, and I’m alright with a seat in the back of heaven. Besides, isn’t God merciful?” Well, yes God’s mercy endures forever, but He cannot go against His written Word because that would compromise His integrity and we know He is perfect. The refusal to forgive others and carry resentment is no laughing matter and our good deeds will not balance our rotten attitudes. There are no secret negotiations or under the table deals with God. “Not everyone that say’s to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity” Matthew 7:21-23.Only God’s love can make us whole and give our lives the meaning and purpose Jesus intended.

Being a loving person does not just fall on our head, we must pray and learn to love by faith. Love is a learned behavior and failing to do so is a sin as He tells us in Isaiah 59:2, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” It’s true that spiritual love involves treating others respectfully but helping someone is also not the same thing as loving them. The love of Christ goes beyond the practical thinking and the emotions and must come from within our spirit. This infinite love is for everyone (including those we do not like). The love that made you a child of the King is the same love that makes it possible to share God’s love with others. We are to hate sin like God hates sin, but we love the person as God loves them. How can we love those we do not agree with? Only when we fall deeply in love with Jesus will we be able to love everyone and acknowledge them as those whom He died for. When we fail to love God with all of our heart, we are demoting Him to a lesser position in our life and this allows religious ritual to take the place of personal intimacy with Him. God says that He is to be our greatest love and it is our responsibility to stay focused on Him. “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” Romans 5:5. “Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,Master, which is the great commandment in the law?Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” Matthew 22:35-40.

As First Corinthians says that without love we are making no impact on earth or obeying God we must face the facts that To be nothing and have nothing is to be spiritually bankrupt. I realize that no one wants to think about it, but it’s clear that many who have passed away as is the fate for us all, will have no golden streets to walk on. We can pray for our nation and we can be involved with standing for God’s truth, but we must continually examine our heart to see if we have been deceived by hatred. The darkness is subtle and is like the leaven which can influence and infect our soul without us realizing it. Here is a simple test to see if we have hatred. Think of a person that you dislike greatly and see if you can sincerely pray for them. If you cannot, ask God to help you and to please do a strong work deep in your mind and spirit. May we ask God to show us our heart, the way He sees us. First John 4:20 reminds us, “If anyone says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

THE KING IS COMING

Part 48 – Published 11/28/20

THE FOUNDATION OF POLITICS

Here we are a couple of weeks after the election and we are still not sure who will be president for the next four years. One thing that we know for sure is there are definitely two major differences in opinions about the type of country we should be. I realize that everyone did not vote, but for the most part it seems that half the people in this country lean to the liberal progressive side and the other half are more conservative. Both camps have a percentage of Christians who proclaim to know God, and of course, the members of both parties are standing firm on their convictions as being correct. As a conservative who studies the Bible and prays to be led by God’s Spirit, I realize that I am surrounded by many who strongly disagree with my way of thinking. With one of every two people having their own views about our culture within the political and moral environment, we know that the person waiting in line ahead of us in the grocery store, the driver in the car behind us, the neighbor next door, and even a mixture of family members do not agree with us and rightly so they can say the same thing. We do not hear a lot about this thought and not to be negative, but there is a slim chance for this great divide to come together. Members of each party are locked into their opinions and most will never reconsider their allegiance which means we will always be a nation filled with resentment and strife. The philosophy of relativism attempts to merge and unite us, but these human ideas are completely opposite from God’s demands.

There are key issues that separate these two camps and most of you know what they are. We could write a book about these opposing thoughts and many already have. I find it amazing how we all say that we want to make a better world which seems like a goal that would inspire us to work together. However, it’s not just our philosophies that are in contrast here, it is actually a spiritual problem. You see, God is what is called an absolute Monarch King, which means that He has all power and authority within His kingdom. Those who follow Him do not disagree with His views but humbly serve and obey everything He says. Of course we live in a country where we are thankful to be free to think and live however we want within certain legal boundaries. The United States ins considered a republic which is a king-less form of government that has no monarchy and no hereditary aristocracy. Our national sovereignty lies in the authority of the government and not in an emperor or monarch. The word republic comes from the Latin language words res publica, which means a “public thing” and was confirmed in the Gettysburg address when Lincoln said that we are a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The major difference between a democracy and a republic is that a republic is a form of government whereas a democracy is an ideology that helps shape how a government is run.

This reminds us that with freedom comes drastic differences in our ideas of government and is what we are seeing today. My question is how involved should the Christian be in human government when they are actually citizens of heaven? Since much of the control of this realm has been given to the Prince and power of the air, along with such a vast majority of people who follow him, we must know that as a small minority the follower of Christ will always face strong resistance. The world does not want to be controlled by God and have no intention of allowing Him to be their absolute Monarch King. Whether or not this country has ever been a Christian nation is a highly contested issue, however we can clearly see that it is moving farther away from this ideology by the minute. It’s the Christian who prays that God will lead their government and bring healing to their land, while the liberal thinker is more determined to lead the legal system into a more progressive ideology which is based on the desires of the people instead of a Biblical standard. Christians are convinced that God is angry with this type of rebellious attitude and is why His followers see liberalism as in direct conflict with His absolute truth. Again, we can blame the political hostility and resistance on many things, but at the foundation we will discover a conflict of the perception of spiritual wisdom.

Of all the things in this life which are tainted with corruption and cheating, We should not surprised that our elections would involve mans attempt to deceive the world. This is the nature and character of Satan who has come to steal, kill, and destroy. Whether it be job promotions, winning awards, receiving contracts, recognition, acceptance, and every type of situation we can think of that involves honesty and fairness, we know that politics is always present. The old saying, “it’s who you know” has always been true as it’s just the way a wicked world operates. Hollywood and music industry are so entwined with the media that if someone is a conservative their career is blackballed and they are labeled as dangerous and infected with ignorance. Sometimes God intervenes, but most of the time He turns the wicked over to a reprobate mind and let’s freewill take it’s course. A verse in one of my songs says, “Our pride forgot to mention, about carnality’s intention, as denial is more comforting that to think we are blind.” The Holy Spirit does convict the conscience, but many walk away as the rich young ruler did. When serving the flesh becomes more important than serving God, there is much misery and confusion. We can still hear the crowds cry, “Give us Barabbas” and it will continue to be this way until the anti-Christ is crushed when Christ returns.

We have witnessed in the last four years, the worst example of prejudiced journalism in the history of our nation. It’s obvious the majority of our mainstream media has no integrity for reporting truth but rather has become the most powerful biased political machine on earth. Liberal candidates now do not really need to spend money on their campaigns because the media will gladly pave the way for their platforms by shaping and forming public perception. Since the media hates all conservative candidates and considers them a threat to society, they have no intention of reporting anything positive they accomplish and will only focus on the negative failures in order to persuade public opinion. The media considers a liberal candidate as a representative who will continue to establish the progressive agenda while having no conviction or responsibility to be fair and thus we have a total disregard for the actual truth. For example, if a conservative fails to accomplish something, it has the full attention of every media outlet, headline, and broadcast. If the liberal does exactly the same thing or worse, it is never reported. If the conservative does do something good, the masses never hear about it because that would supposedly be giving the enemy camp credit and making them look good. This is mind control with every intention of brain washing those who do not spend the time investigating and researching what is going on behind the scenes. If a person only reads the headlines and listens to news bulletins, they are clueless to the facts and are being dangerously deceived. Once more we see another aspect of the power of political manipulation as the individuals who choose to live according to their own desires are led by the spirit they serve. There is much more to the logical understanding as the wheat and tares appear similar, but they are actually a world apart.

In this last second desperate attempt for the conservatives to unravel the mess that the liberals have caused in this election, I’m shocked at how many on the left are not bothered at all by voter fraud. Of course there has been cheating in our elections for decades and most of it has been proven, but the concern depends on which side you are on. You would think that every person would want fair and honest elections but that is not the case. The conservatives have found thousands of cases of corruption and of course the mainstream media is laughing saying there is no evidence. Again, if the left had thought they had been cheated out of the election, the extreme liberal terrorist would have burned the cities and destroyed the nation and the media would have screamed unfairness from the rooftops. Will God intervene or will He allow those who embrace relativism have what they want? Will He answer the prayers of His people, or will He continue allowing the secular world to slide into the sewer. Trump said he had been called to drain the Washington swamp, but I do not believe he realized just how evil our government is or how difficult it would be to change it. Money and power has always been a direct influence on what happens in this world, and all those who oppose this Satanic system will always be attacked the same as Jesus was. All who follow the Lord Jesus are called to walk in His footsteps and let us remember He promised in John chapter 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” Was Jesus talking to liberals or conservatives? When God mentioned throughout the New testament that His people would be persecuted, mocked, and despised by the world system, was He referring to liberals or conservatives? I believe we know.

It’s clear the world system is the enemy against God and His people and it will always be this way. Satan represents the darkness of sin and is fighting against God along with all those who are committed to living according to their own desires. Liberals do not want to be told what to do which is why they oppose God’s demand to take up our cross and follow Jesus. Liberals and non-believers refuse to surrender their will and will fight to the death in order to keep their carnal rights. I believe it does not take a Bible scholar to know that Jesus was speaking to a spirit of Marxists, Communists, Socialists, and Atheists, when he told the Pharisees that if they really loved God they would also know Him. We cannot live in unity with liberals because Jesus said what fellowship has light with darkness? Our political differences are not just about taxes, immigration, or healthcare, but has everything to do with our spiritual commitment to whom we love, serve, and worship.

THE KING IS COMING

Published – 7/21/20

WHEN TO STAND AND WHEN TO CONCEDE – Part 2

I want to talk about this time period we are in now as we wait until the votes are counted and everything is officially settled. As I write this, all that is being posted by the biased media is of how Biden is naming his staff, selecting his administration, contacting world leaders, and preparing to move into the White house. Most all the media outlets are saying this is a finished deal and the American people have spoken that they hate Trump and want to new change which will restore the country back on the tracks that was derailed when Trump was mysteriously elected. Excuse me, half the country is not America! I’m hearing the mocking against the Christians who were praying for Trump and how the cheating scandal is ridiculous, but is it? Many of the well known prophets and ministers are agreeing that God is getting ready to perform a miracle that will cause the world to be in shock and totally dumbfounded. Could this happen? Of course anything and everything is possible with God because He is the Almighty! If there can be proof that the election was intentionally rigged with manipulated computer software and there was mass cheating, the decision could go through the state legislators, the Senate, the House, and on to the Supreme Court where the conservatives outnumber the liberals. If he wins this decision – Trump is president! It’s true this has never happened before, but we have also never had an election like this. Most presidents would concede because of fear, but we know that with all these incidents of cheating, he will never concede. If there was ever a person in this world who had the courage to push the limits on the government’s legal system – it would be him. Why? Because his administration and 70 million conservative voters realize there are more critical issues at stake than at any other time in our nations history. This brings me to my last consideration. The Christian doctrine teaches we are to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us. It also states that we are not to retaliate or strike back when we are attacked, but does this mean we are not to stand our ground for truth and refuse to protect what is right? No – we are to stand!

When we discuss how far the Christian can go when dealing with evil and deception, we have some very interesting ideas. Our authority in the Name of Jesus, His Word, and His Blood allows us to comprehend that God’s power is superior to the devil and that Christians are to walk in this spiritual dominion. Just as light overcomes the darkness, the reality of casting out demons alone gives us a clear understanding of our responsibility to allow God’s authority to defeat the enemy at every turn. When it comes to this election, we have witnessed a gut-grinding situation where the votes were so close and the issues are so important, that many Christians are wondering if they should just accept the outcome and let God work it out or if they should keep praying in faith and believing that justice will prevail? The idea with turning all of this over to God includes the possibility that His timeline has come to the place where He gives the majority what they want and He must move forward with His agenda. As we mentioned, of course we know that He has a plan for the end of the age which includes the Antichrist and the tribulation and the wickedness of mankind eventually comes to a point where He’s had enough. Yes, we know this is going to happen in the future, however, we do not know exactly “when” and thus explains the second option where the saints continue extend their faith in the continuation of fighting these legal battles and will do so until the Lord tells them otherwise. With so many prophets relaying the words of God about Trump staying in office, we must stop and consider how they would not really need to step out on a limb like this. They could be saying that God is finished with the United States (and the world) and is going to proceed with His last day judgment plan right now. It’s true that many Christians do not believe there is such a thing as modern day prophets but I do not see where any of God’s spiritual gifts or offices ceased. Wherever God’s presence is found, He speaks and works through His messengers. Isn’t it wrong if we know someone is cheating, to just walk away and ignore it?

When we talk about God bringing judgement on a nation for their sins, we are reminded of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. We read that God has plans to destroy the city but Abraham in Genesis chapter 18 approaches the Lord and declares that it does not seem fair that good people would be killed along with the wicked. He asked God if He would destroy the entire area if there were 50 good people and God said He would save the city if there were 50 good people. Abraham continues to reduce the number until it comes to 10 good people and God responds that He would spare everyone if 10 good people could be found. Even though evidently Lot and his 3 family members ended up being the only righteous people found and were escorted out of the city before it was burned to a crisp. The point is that God does consider His children and does not pour out His wrath upon them. If this election had been a landslide for the liberal system, we could say that America has made an overwhelming choice for a left wing government. However, there are over 70 million people who voted for a conservative government and it must be taken into consideration that God honors these convictions and is very much involved with stepping in and helping them maintain this right wing leadership and decision making agenda. He is not ready to give up on this country and He can change the course of the outcome by revealing how there was a well organized plan to steal and deceive. Anyone would cry foul in a situation like this and since God is the perfect judge and will not be mocked, we must believe that what is done in secret will be exposed and that justice will be served for God’s glory.

So as Christians we must stop and think for a moment. We should not be surprised that our lives are filled with constant battles and this election is just another confrontation with evil. The followers of God have been in a spiritual war since Adam and Eve lost their residence in the Garden. Nonetheless, we have been given spiritual armor by the Lord which includes an aggressive weapon of offense – the two-edged sword. We are called to use His Word in all things as it has the power to defeat the enemy in every situation. In the Bible, we see that God had plans on “how” He wanted His to approach the conflict and of course it worked beautifully every time. Of course the key to any battle is to listen to God’s voice and allow Him to direct us in the military strategy. The mainstream media is filled with lies and it is impossible to find the unbiased truth because they are only speaking what they want the people to hear. This will never change and will continue as they promote the Antichrist as the best person who ever lived. Candidates do not need to run their own campaigns when they have the media machine to indoctrinate and brainwash the masses. The idea is all about deception and when people listen to the news more than they pray, they are deceived. This election is the same as everything else, Christians must follow the same guidelines and follow His voice. If He wants to convict the hearts of those who cheated and they come forward admitting what they have done, this would be nothing less than a miracle. If certain leaders are exposed and accused as to arranging voter fraud, I do not see how anyone could accept the results of a tainted process. If these issues are used as proof that we need to decide the election in another way, AND if the outcome is different because of it, we could very well see truth prevail and the lies being exposed in their shame and embarrassment. Is this not a good thing? Actually the last four years has been filled with the humiliation of a Democratic party that has lied and brought false accusations against the president and we must realize that this could very be another extension of this fight for control. I must ask, when will the democratic voters finally open their eyes to the reality that their party is dishonest and filled with evil? We know that both sides want control, but the violence and corruption from the left has shown the type of radical and destructive spirit they have. When conservatives lose elections, you do NOT see them burning down cities or looting the stores. They usually just accept the results and continue their mission for God. In this current situation if Trump were to be granted a fair court decision and allowed to stay in office, we can only hope that the Democratic party will refuse to support the radical and extreme liberals who would desire to destroy our nation as a way to further express their hatred and rebellion.

Two different attitudes and two different spirits has divided the nation and caused the opposition and dissension we see today. If the left would seek the Lord and ask Him to direct their paths, we would have a tremendous move of spiritual unity and peace. Yes, I am saying the conservatives are more aligned with God’s will than the liberals. Until this happens we will always be divided. This war is not political it is spiritual. It’s not about Trump or Biden, it’s not about Republicans and Democrats. It’s a war between good and evil, heaven and hell and the destiny of this nation and the world! God is trying to awaken the church and is shouting to the people who claim to know Him that this is not a game. Satan is trying to destroy the world through a deceptive illusion and the Christian cannot stand around and keep their head in the sand any longer. We must speak against sin and declare God’s standard of absolute truth! If God steps in and reverses this election, it will be a sign from heaven that God is who He says he is and for His people to be ignited with His Holy Spirit and to saturate the world with His gospel. This will cause a huge surge of faith and encouragement that will bring revival and many will be saved. This could be the last day harvest of souls just before the tribulation and the Antichrist comes on the scene. This would give our country another 4 years to see many things accomplished including overturning Roe vs. Wade, and saving millions of children from being slaughtered. Isn’t it insanity that any intelligent person in their right mind would fight for the right to kill children? And yet they would weep and protest in the streets over a whale or a tree. It is the same demonic spirit that possessed king Herod that has many today in spiritual bondage. May we see a spiritual outpouring where many are delivered from the gates of hell and set free by the truth of heaven. Yes, of course we know the tribulation is near but it will only begin when God says it’s time and not a minute before. Christians must stay focused on Jesus no matter who is declared the winner as we are actually citizens of heaven. We vote, we preach, we love and pray and are led by His Spirit according to His perfect timing.

THE KING IS COMING

Published – 11/14/20

WHEN TO STAND AND WHEN TO CONCEDE–Part 1

We have a tendency to refer to the election chaos in a recent tense, but actually this political war has been going on since Donald Trump took office in 2016. It was a surprise victory over Hillary Clinton and began an era of strife and hatred that was more intense than anyone can remember. The Democrats just could not get over it and it’s no secret they fought bitterly every day of President Trump’s time in office as a way to strike back and make him suffer – which they did. Since the Democrats have now supposedly won the election, the declaration from Biden has been a plea for all the hatred and strife to cease and for everyone to work together in harmony and unity. However, this seems to be a rather puzzling and hypocritical statement coming from a party that has done nothing but oppose and obstruct Trump and his administration his entire presidency. I’ve never witnessed a president be hated so much by a fake and biased mainstream media as it’s no secret they did not publish one positive thing that he accomplished the whole time he was in office. He could have given away gold coins to every person in the country and the media would have reported about the injustice of one person who accidentally did not get one. Why are they so one-sided? It has everything to do with convictions and worldviews. We have the conservative right and the liberal left and both have their own ideas, however; the media supports the left and does everything in its power to defeat the right. It’s discouraging, but easy to see what is going on. What does the left believe? They basically believe that everyone should be able to do whatever they want and that no one (including God) should tell them they are wrong. Conservatives believe in God and are convinced that He wants everyone to live according to His plans.

Trump was always angry at how unfairly he was being treated and rightly so, but there was nothing he could do about it. Everyone knows the media has a tremendous amount of influence because so many people listen and believe every word they say. This is a major problem in our world. When people swallow what the media says, hook, line, and sinker, instead of going to God in prayer, we have a large amount of the population being controlled by Satan. Can the media persuade a country to like or dislike a president? Yes, to a degree. If all the headlines and news reports are constantly negative and this is all the masses listen to, it’s obvious they would begin to embrace this information and form their own cynical opinions about the person. If Trump had been willing to compromise his policies and schmooze everyone like a normal politician, he would not have made so many enemies. However, he did not come to Washington to play games, his vision was to uproot the dishonesty and corruption within this massive machine that has very powerful roots of deception. I see what he was trying to do, but I realize this country is slowly moving toward a more progressive agenda. The question is not if, but rather when will this new world order be here to stay Since the devil is behind the philosophy of moral relativism, it’s the true follower of Christ who has the spiritual discernment to know good from evil.

So, let’s just take a brief look at the conservative ideals. Conservatism in America is a political and social philosophy characterized by respect for Christian Judeo Biblical values which include being against abortion and same sex marriage while supporting republican democracy traditions, including having limited government control, moral universalism, pro business, opposition to trade unions, having a strong national defense, free trade, protectionism with fair trade deals, support and allies of Israel, secure borders and immigration laws, anti-communism and anti-socialism, support for rugged individualism and American exceptionalism, and support for all military, police and first responders. This is what Trump supporters were voting for – not how wonderful Trump was or what a fantastic personality he had. Christians were not even sure he was a Christian when he first came into office but most will agree that he has learned a lot about God while he has been president thanks to those Christian leaders who have surrounded him and advised him through the Holy Spirit. The world is confused and cannot understand why Christians would vote for a person whom they believe is not a good role model, but God was looking for a man who would stand strong for the issues He was concerned with and who would not be bought and owned by a Satanic system. There are many people in the Bible that God chose to accomplish His plans and most of them would probably be seen in the eyes of the world as mean, cruel, angry, sinners, and obnoxious. Washington DC was labeled as a swamp for good reason and it’s because it’s filled with dangerous alligators type spirits who lie, deceive, and destroy. What type of president do you believe could be used to take on this evil system and who would work tirelessly day and night without becoming discouraged? What type of person would love the country enough to fight this hard for it and would be rich enough that he could not be bribed or bought off? Anyone who would declare that they are going to drain the swamp was going to be in for a fight that is beyond anything anyone could imagine and God raised up the perfect warrior that could lead the charge. Christians know what they believe and they know what is right and wrong, and they fasted and prayed for a strong and aggressive leader that could accomplish God’s will.

These conservative convictions are embraced by those who spend more time thinking about morals and ethics than receiving social services. It’s a fact this country has its share of needy individuals and Jesus even said that the poor will always be with you, but this is not an excuse to endorse sin for a loaf of bread. Unfortunately for many, the government is all about what it can do for them instead of being concerned about how they are enabling and making the way for the country to be wicked. The Democrats have always promised things like welfare and free health care to the poor if they in turn will vote for them and allow them to rule and reign. Sadly, most people in this category do not really care what the government does even if it opposes God’s spiritual laws as long as they receive financial help. When a large percentage of the masses would endorse the slaughter of babies just so they can receive a check, it allows us to recognize the deception of sin and reminds us just how depraved humans can be. Look at all the millions of votes that are cast for the Democratic party that is based on buying their power from those who selfishly choose their policies. Can we agree these people do not care about God’s spiritual standards as long as they are in control? In this light, we realize the masses and the leaders are happy, but we can also see how our nation has continued to grow more wicked as the government and those who elect them are led by their own carnal desires. This is why Christians are appalled when they hear that a person who claims to follow Christ could sincerely agree with supporting laws that enables anyone who does not want an unborn child to have the right to kill it. Hillary Clinton is quoted as saying, “The unborn person does not have a right to live.”We realizethe non-Christian couldn’t care less about such things, but what about those who say they love God and are devoted to doing everything He desires? If anyone were to ask Jesus what He would do, we know without a shadow of a doubt that He would condemn abortion. The true disciple of Christ knows that He loves babies and the only person who would want to destroy the innocent would be Satan.

The election is now pending and there are still many ideas and opinions as to why Trump was not elected for a second term. When we look at the map which breaks down the United States for each county instead of the entire state, we see a more accurate description of who supported him and that it is mostly blue only in the more populated areas and these are the ones who are celebrating and are glad he is gone. The party that wins are always filled with excitement while the losing side feels as if they are drowning in a sea of negative emotions. It’s normal. When Clinton lost, it was reported she had a tantrum of throwing things and screaming as she destroyed a motel room while her vast number of liberal supporters were curled up in fetal positions and weeping all across the country. In the last few months, I’ve read my share of political articles from both sides and it’s very chaotic and confusing when we realize just how far apart we are in our worldviews. As an evangelical conservative Christian, I am seen by the left as carrying the social disease of many “isms” and “phobics” but once again the followers of Jesus are never understood by those who do not know Him. The reason why the world is sliding into a cesspool of spiritual rebellion, is because they also see God as a worn-out traditional fairy-tale that cannot be trusted and who is a serious threat to their establishment of a world without a spiritual standard. For example, if God is seen as being against abortion, then He also has no place in this socially acceptable culture and is simply rejected as an archaic philosophy that is not relevant in a modern world. Denial is rampant and as the humanist goes down their wish-list of what they want the world to be, it’s obvious that God will not be included within this new vision for the future. I’m reminded that in heaven there will be no political divisions because there will only be one government that is ruled by the perfect judgment of the king of all kings. There will not be opposing ideas, controversies, dissensions, debates, arguments, or strife as everyone will be in perfect agreement with whom God is and what He says. No sin or carnality and no disagreements or opinions.

Falling away from the standard of divine truth is common among the younger generation which by the way is one of the major divides in our political landscape. As the older conservatives pass away and the younger adults step into leadership, we can see that since the majority rules, there are now more liberals than conservatives. It has been proven that younger people are more liberal and as they grow older, a significant amount begin to see life in a more mature light. This is because when we are young we do not have as much wisdom and over the years the more information we collect, the more we are able to understand reality more clearly. There is a commercial that talks about people who begin to think like their parents and this actually does happen much more than is admitted. Using this model as a reliable source of knowledge, we can perceive that slowly over a period of decades, the liberal philosophy will grow more dominant and will eventually usher in the Antichrist and his system of the beast. For the Christian, this is not a surprise as the Bible clearly explains this is going to happen! Yes, of course the Christians wanted Trump to win so that a conservative agenda could continue and even the talk of a nationwide spiritual revival was being anticipated with great joy. However, my friends I must be honest, if God does not intervene in this outcome and chooses not to reverse the electoral votes in several swing states, the country has crossed the line and will never be the same. If Biden is president, the tribulation is upon us and darkness is preparing to close the door on a world that is now in the hands of Satan. Yes, he can only do what God allows him to do, but as Judas was told by Jesus to go do what you need to do, we will see the world change as we have never seen it before. It’s true, God has personally designed the end of the age, but He will use the devil to fulfill His plans. There is coming a point in time when Satan will be given the reigns to implement his plans through his Antichrist dictator and the false prophet. Christians understand that the time for Jesus return is near, but they also hope and pray that God will give Trump 4 more years to complete what HE started.

THE KING IS COMING

Published 11/7/20

LEARNING TO SURRENDER

There are different types of surrender and who we surrender to is critical. The word surrender sounds like defeat but when we use it in the context of abandoning our will in order to embrace God’s will, it becomes the most liberating decision we could ever make. I had lunch with a middle-aged couple the other day and they were sharing about a crisis situation they are struggling with. The stress has been building for quite some time and the heavy burden of trying to deal with this is taking a toll. They are both believers, but at the same time they admit there is much to learn when it comes to spiritual warfare and getting into position to listen and trust God with their life. You know, we all have a difficult time with these aspects of the Christian life, but admitting we are vulnerable and weak in our times of adversity is a positive step in the right direction. Many times it’s our pride that leads us into even more difficulty when we become convinced we can handle our own problems. When we approach our circumstances through our emotions, it usually does not end up well, but when we humbly follow God’s instructions we can trust that his wisdom knows exactly what to do. It’s true, the Lord can make all things work together for the good, but we must cooperate with HIS plans. As Paul addressed the church in Corinth, he was emphasizing how important it is to realize that we are not to depend on our own strength, but rather our power must come from Jesus living inside of us. II Corinthians 12:9-10 promises, “And he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Most of us have heard the old saying, “Let go and let God” but this is not easy. There may be times when we need to take the bull by the horns, but surrendering is associated with trust and this is an area where we humans often hesitate. Remember when your dad would hold out his arms and tell you to jump? This is the same idea that we are trying to learn about our spiritual relationship with God and if we cannot trust him, we cannot please him. Our nature has a stubborn and independent determination as we are not naturally wired to yield our control to anyone even God Himself. This is why the Bible speaks about our mind being renewed as learning to submit and obey is a learned behavior. This is especially the case when it comes to turning loose of our problems because we would much rather spend our time and energy trying to defeat them with worry and anxiety. The frustrating reality is that many of our misfortunes are simply too difficult for us to handle. We might as well face it, we cannot solve, repair, heal, restore, or resolve our serious obstacles, but God can. “But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, with men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible” Matthew 19:26. When we finally realize we are unable to fix what is broken, we then have the choice to give our problems over to God and believe that he will step into the need and create a miracle. This is great news! Charles Swindoll is quoted as saying, “We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn’t come naturally. It’s a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith.”

I realize it’s difficult to understand, but Jesus offers a very different perspective about suffering. While we are asking how God could possibly create anything good from our difficult situation, we usually forget that He knows everything and is waiting to use our circumstances to manifest his glory. We have heard that some people complain that God placed thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns which reveals how important it is to have a positive attitude. Even though we may experience a thunderstorm occasionally, let us be reminded that eventually they stop, and the sun comes out. Our life was not intended to be a continual valley of shadows or for us to carry our worries and heavy burdens. Matthew 11:28 declares, “Come unto me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”Today as you continue to face your giant and it seems there is no hope for victory, consider transferring this burden over to Jesus and allow him the opportunity to intervene. Linda Shepherd is quoted as saying, “If you are caught up in situations beyond your control, the solution is not figuring out how God can save you; it’s trusting that He will.”

THE KING IS COMING

Published 10/31/20

THE FOUNDATION OF HONESTY

The Hebrew word for God Almighty is El Shaddai – the God who is more than enough. This particular title means that He is more than sufficient and has more than enough power to provide for whatever you might need. Ephesians 3:20 makes the statement, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Everything God does is over the top, a surplus, super-abundant, overflowing, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over! Another name of our God is Jehovah Jireh, which means “The all-providing One.” Throughout the Bible God’s truth reveals that He desires to help us, but who will believe it and receive it? There must be a problem somewhere between God’s warehouses of miracles and mankind’s many needs. As we examine carefully, we realize the willingness and availability is not an issue on God’s end, so without being condescending or condemning, the obstacle must be with us. In all cases it’s not negative or fearful to study and research God’s benefits, but rather embracing this spiritual reality is the necessary step toward deliverance and victory.

Our title declares the statement, “Receiving our healing” as is taken from the idea that what God has to offer is a gift that we must receive. When we are born again, we receive Christ into our heart and we receive His redemption. When we receive His salvation, we are accepting His atonement and healing is a part of His blood covenant. In order to receive from Him we must believe in Him, or in other words, believing is receiving. To declare that God is ready when we are, implies that He is always willing to save us and heal us, but as we have heard all our life, timing is everything. Within this nugget of divine wisdom, we must also include there are legitimate reasons for delay and in all honesty, often we are not prepared or in a position to receive our miracle. There are so many factors involved with God’s timetable which usually involves Him waiting on us to make critical choices so that He can release His power. When we finally realize how much we need to stay connected to the Lord every second of the day, we can begin to walk in the revelation of our weakness and our dependence on His strength. Within spiritual development and our relationship with Jesus, we cannot speak enough about the importance of having a reverential fear of God. This is far beyond a religious experience and is actually learning how to personally know Him for who He is. When we lose vision of His Majesty and drift away from the truth of His holiness, we have sadly lost the reality of His person. Since what we think is who we are, we must accept that our thoughts are crucial to receiving our healing. When we consider that without faith, we cannot please Him, we will begin to comprehend that our mind and our faith work together as two very important dynamics pertaining to miracles. We know that God has provided for physical healing and has a desire to heal, but within our short journey on this planet, we also need to know how we are preventing our prayers from being manifested? Is it disobedience or a lack of faith? Is it unrepentant and intentional sin in our life, is it unforgiveness, rebellion, or resentment?

Each of us have been given the free will to choose how we live. Along with this freedom is the reality that we are accountable to God for our thoughts, attitudes, and deeds. One person cannot know what is going on in the heart of another individual, but we can only pray, advise, and share God’s truth. As we comprehend the critical aspects of the decision-making process, we read in Hosea 4:6 a very interesting passage about how God’s people are destroyed from a lack of knowledge. It’s true that general and practical knowledge is important to survival, but this divine warning is not referring to general knowledge. It mentions God’s people specifically and the disregard for God’s law which implies that He is talking about spiritual wisdom. The complete verse is, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Unfortunately, this passage is commonly presented out of context by using it to prove another point. The real point is not referring to helping us fulfill our fleshly plans and dreams but is talking about the dangers of neglecting and ignoring God’s Word. The revelation of God’s Word must saturate the mind and penetrate the soul. God’s Word must go beyond the head and into the heart or it is nothing more than surface information. The Hebrew word “destroyed” is “damah” whose root word means“to be dumb or silent” and is a very significant component of this instruction. Since the comprehension of God’s will pertaining to healing is sparse to say the least, it’s obvious there is much to learn in this area. As we stand back and see the big picture, we realize that anyone can plead with God to give them what they want, but very few can fathom the spiritual dynamics of how God’s truth and our obedience work together to receive from Him. The same risk of distortion is true for another scripture found in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the [God’s] law, happy is he.” It’s true these “pick and pop” verses are popular when associated with fulfilling our destiny, but the vision here is not a vision of what we want, but what He has designed for us.Please do not misunderstand me, these verses are beautiful within the foundation of our faith, but following Jesus is all about surrendering our will and taking up our cross. In a very blunt and clear statement Jesus said in Luke 14 and verse 27, “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

Most of us have heard of the twelve-step program which helps people find God and to also discover who they are and how they can be restored. As we listen to a few of these twelve step declarations, we see how they can certainly apply to anyone who is seeking to absorb God’s wisdom in order to renew the mind and enlighten the spirit. “We admit we are powerless over our problems, and that our lives had become unmanageable. We have come to believe a Power greater than ourselves could restore us. We have made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand God. We are searching and making a fearless moral inventory of ourselves.” These baby steps are critical when entering into a place of humility and sincerity with God. As we continue to progress and advance upward in our spiritual maturity and perception, what better place to begin with healing and miracles than to be completely honest with God and ourselves.

THE KING IS COMING

Published 10/24/20

THE BLOOD OF HEAVEN

Jesus was and is God. He was from the beginning, and He also came to earth in the manifestation of a human body. However, it’s critical to remember that He did not have the average mortal blood. If He had blood like everyone else, it would mean that was a depraved sinner and we know this is not true. He was pure and holy, and His blood was always kept separate from His mother. Actually, it’s a well-known fact the blood type of all babies are not determined by the mother. So, whose blood was flowing in Emmanuel’s veins? It was the divine blood of God. But wait a minute, God is a Spirit and does not have flesh and blood. You are correct, but this was a special situation that required Jesus to be the perfect Lamb of God and to be slain as the only holy sacrifice which could satisfy the requirements of man’s redemption. The blood had to be spotless and not contaminated with sin and is why we can call it the bread and the wine from heaven. Acts 20:28 says, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood” It is the infinite purity of God’s blood which gives it the power and authority to redeem and save those who will believe, but it is up to the individual to apply the blood as an intentional act of faith for it to have optimum effect.

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” I Peter 1:18-19. Sadly, most people do not comprehend that incorporating the blood of Jesus into their daily life is literally a matter of life and death! Jesus provided our victory over Satan when He died and rose again, however if we do not embrace this reality we are walking through the spiritual battlefield without the armor of God. Through His blood we can live the abundant life that He died for us live. When we plunge into this fountain and are washed white as snow, His blood becomes our eternal fortress and refuge that is mentioned throughout His Word. When we apply His blood, we can accomplish our destiny that He has planned, and we can be the person He has called us to be. The blood of Jesus is the source of our spiritual life just as oxygen is to our lungs. Let us be forever grateful for what the blood of Jesus is doing in our lives today!

My debt is paid, once and for all by the blood of Christ. “Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” Hebrews 9:28.

We are justified through His sacrifice and are spared from God’s wrath. “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” Romans 5:9.

We are forgiven,“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”Ephesians 1:7.

I am being spiritually and possibly physically healed; one day even my flesh will be replaced with an incorruptible body. My judgment has been satisfied and I am at peace with God. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” Isaiah 53:5.

I am spiritually cleansed by His blood. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” I John 1:7.

I’ve been given the power to overcome the enemy. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.”Revelation 12:11.

I am no longer under the curse of the law. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us for it is written; cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”Galatians 3:13.

I have been delivered and rescued from the enemy. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 1:7.

I have been transformed into the kingdom of God. “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” Colossians 2:15.

I have gained the unmerited favor of God. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” Ephesians 1:7.

I have been declared righteous. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” II Corinthians 5:21.

I have been justified as though I had never sinned. “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed” Romans 3:24-25.

I am able to live holy and dwell in God’s presence. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” Ephesians 2:13.

I can participate in the sweet communion of remembrance of His sacrifice. “Likewise, He alsotookthe cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” Luke 22:20.

Jesus testifies on my behalf that my sins are washed away and that I am clean. “From Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5.

I am free from the power of sin. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” Galatians 5:1.

I am freed from a conscience defiled by guilt and fear. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” Hebrews 10:22.

I am no longer condemned. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” Romans 8:1.

I have been separated and sanctified from the world. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” Galatians 2:20.

I can proclaim victory because Jesus is victorious. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death”Revelation 12:11.

I can enter boldly into the holiest of Holies and dwell in the secret place of the Most High.“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water”Hebrews 10:19-22.

I can have a personal revelation of who God is. “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Almighty” Hebrews 1:3.

THE KING IS COMING

Published 10/17/20

THE BLOOD SPEAKS 

The greatest treasure of truth is found within the infinite reality of the blood of Jesus Christ. It is not only the life source of our body but also the foundation of our spiritual life. It is the divine authority which reminds us that God’s light has always and will forever conquer the darkness. Heaven’s love is man’s bridge of grace which enables a new spirit to be born into God and provides the restoration of a personal relationship with Him. We overcome Satan when we embrace His authority and plead the blood of Jesus as it becomes our personal identification, and we develop into a living demonstration of its power. “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death”Revelation 12:11. We are learning about this blood, but what is our testimony?It is the manifestation of the will and glory of God within us. As vessels of honor, there is no hope or spiritual victory without the comprehension and practice of the blood of Jesus in our daily walk. There is also a huge difference between a religious bystander and a remnant overcomer who has accepted the spiritual call to be a front-line warrior for Christ.

The blood speaks and has much to say and I must ask the question; who is listening? When we realize that blood has a voice, especially the blood of Jesus, we should be curious to know its message. In our decision to receive Jesus as our Lord we are given the ability to have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying and there is nothing more important than what the blood is speaking. Again, we should be convicted and drawn to seek His message and hopefully have the desire and faith to obey Him. In Genesis 4:9-10, we read the story of Cain and Able who were brothers and how one day Cain became angry with his brother and killed him. They were presenting their offerings of worship to God and both were not accepted. Able brought a blood offering from his flock and Cain brought first-fruits of vegetables from the ground. First, we see that God does not accept what we want to give Him but rather what He requires. Next, we notice that blood has a voice as we consider how the blood of Christ along with the Holy Spirit can speak to us. “Then the Lord said to Cain, where is your brother Abel? I don’t know, he replied. Am I my brother’s keeper? The Lord said, what have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” Many do not see the significanceof the power within the blood and thus are missing the point of the blood of Jesus in our daily walk. Spiritual sensitivity is essential in order to abide with the Lord as without the passionate desire to be aware of what He is saying, we will never comprehend the Bible or the voice of His blood which is still crying out from the cross.

Romans chapter three reveals a sobering explanation about how we are not worthy to receive this magnificent opportunity to be purchased by God and this should cause us to live each moment with an attitude of sincere humility and meekness unto His majesty and glory. When we study the law, grace, and faith, we notice it is a privilege to be invited to heaven and yet, we seem to miss the deeper meaning of the atonement. Many are grateful for being ransomed but are not interested in what the blood contains or what God expects from us. Similar to how people want to know what time it is, but no one cares how a watch works. What can we say when God has made a way for His people to understand Him, but they have no intention to pray or seek His face? When discussing the importance of hearing God and knowing His plans, there are many stories in the Bible where God has spoken to His people. In I Kings chapter 19 we read a true account about the prophet Elijah which is another great example of God communicating. “When the word of the Lord came to Elijah and told him to stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, God was not in the powerful wind that tore mountains apart and shattered rocks, nor was He in the earthquake or in the fire either. After all these manifestations, Elijah heard God’s “still small voice.”It’s not how loud it is all around us, but sometimes it’s in the quiet place of the heart where we discover His will. There is only one voice we need to be concerned with and that is Jesus. It’s not the doctors, our friends, or our family that knows God’s will. Follow the Holy Spirit and He will guide you into all truth. The Christian should be encouragedto know that God has never ceased with His longing to have a relationship with us and a huge part of that is being able to know that God has promised that He will speak and He will listen to us. He has also given us the privilege to speak and listen to Him.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 41 – Published 10/10/20

Repent for the kingdom of God is near

Since the garden of Eden, mankind has been facing spiritual warfare and within this negative resistance is the presence of fear. It’s important to know that man was originally created without this emotion and it was only after Adam and Eve sinned that the spiritual, physical, and mental curses came upon the human race. It’s true that fear involves a universal biochemical response as well as a highly sensitive emotional response and alerts us to the presence of danger or the threat of harm, whether that danger is physical or psychological. However, it can also be used as a weapon against us by the enemy of our soul who uses it to prevent us from enjoying the peace that God desires for us to live in. Since we live in a physical body filled with an array of natural responses, it’s easy to function by our own feelings instead of looking more to the spiritual realm and depending on the Lord.

Have you noticed that when something unpleasant presents itself, the enemy is on the scene to remind us of what might happen in order to make us panic and fill our mind with uncertainty. His plan is to disrupt and distract our focus from being confident that the Creator of all things is in control. We know the temptation to worry and be afraid is the opposite of faith and how critical it is to stay focused on God’s love and faithfulness but dealing with our human nature is much easier said than done. Nonetheless, included with these built-in security devices, it’s wise to consider that optimism is a learned behavior and understanding how our mind and emotions operate is a wonderful step toward not allowing negativity to control us. I believe that many of us do not recognize how often our circumstances and our reactions to what other people say cause us to be angry and many times we do realize just how deep this resentment can be. The danger of being inflated with irritation and aggravation is the advancement of resentment and hatred, but it’s important to remember that we are not to hate anyone. The bottom line is that we cannot afford to be offended and if we fail to place our trust and hope in God, we will not be able to use the excuse that the world had gone crazy or the stress was just too much to deal with. The control center of our brain is always ready to sound an alarm as a way to warn and protect us which is beneficial if we are being chased by a hungry bear, but God does not intend for His people to live in a state of gloom and doom. Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, but I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” John 10:10. Until we realize this is a real war and what is at stake, we will not attempt to learn how to replace fear with faith.

We’ve all had our share of battles this year with the virus and the devastation it has caused, and now as the election is just a few weeks away, many are experiencing fear and stress about the future. Each day I hear from people on both sides of the political spectrum about how afraid they are of what is going to happen if the other side wins. Of course, this election is one of the most important in the history of our nation, however, we need to take a deep breath and realize that whoever wins; it is not the end of the world. No matter what is going on all around us, we are still who we are, and we still have a very critical mission to accomplish for God. Whatever our worldview, we will not allow the world of politics to make us calloused and take us away from the love and comfort of God’s peace. The Christian is called to avoid wallowing in the mud of strife and as we take the higher road, we will do all that we can and then lay everything down at His feet. We realize that many people are blind to the truth and there is so much deception that it’s nearly impossible to know who is telling the truth. The Christian knows the world will continue to fall away from divine truth, but this will never defeat us and should not discourage us from pressing forward in the confidence that God is in control.

There are many things we can do to make the world a better place, but it’s important to remember we cannot change what the scriptures have prophesied. Many are in a serious battle today with their health, finances, relationships, and are being attacked with anxiety, fear, and depression, however there is great news as we have been given the hope of deliverance in Jesus who is the great physician who can heal and restore all things. Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Let us comprehend that the devil’s devices include intimidation and manipulation and is why we must work diligently to develop spiritual discernment. Along with God’s authority and our perseverance and determination, we can know who He is and learn what how He wants us to live.

Many want to take things in their own hands and force everyone to respect their ideas and views, but we know this does not work. Very few people are persuaded by arguments and debates because our we hold and regard our convictions as precious and sacred. We know this as see how many people have died for what they believe. It’s good to have a strong worldview and to know why you believe, but in the midst of being sincere we must admit that many individuals are sincerely wrong. Romans chapter three talks about how the Jews were entrusted with the revelation of God’s Word, but this does not mean that all represented Christ. It’s a fact that some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were not living according to Christian standards, this does not mean that God will be unfaithful to His promises. Verse 4 puts it bluntly, “Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true.”

Let us develop a fervent passion for being victorious in Christ and this happens when we choose to fight our spiritual battles on our knees. Ephesians 6:12 clearly explains that our warfare is not arguing or attacking people’s ideas in the natural realm, but is centered on private meditation, intimacy, and intercession. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Those who have watched the movie, “War room” were able to see the power of the prayer closet. If we never understand that we have a responsibility to maintain our own spiritual and mental health, we will not be in a position to reflect the image and nature of Jesus. Allow me to include that all that we are and all we can do is based on our love for God and love for all people. We can talk about the problems all day long but are we really helping to bring change? Just like the person who is in a struggle with addiction or with some other type of temptation, it’s going to take more than just knowing about it to defeat its power over us. Spiritual battles are not won sleeping on the couch, but rather on the battlefield and being fully clothed and equipped in the spiritual armor which God has provided is the only way to victory.

The Christian does not have the power to change the direction of the world, but has been commissioned to pray and focus on what God is saying for them to do in their own network. The Lord knows the world is a runaway train, but He still has many plans and instructions for His people. It is time to work while we still have the window of grace, and may we never forget about all who desperately need to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior before it’s too late. Let us not allow the deception and corruption of politics to remove our heart and conscience away from the presence of God. How many people are backslidden and have fallen away from God in the last year? How many have allowed their love to wax cold and are now living in a spiritually lukewarm existence? Has the virus and the political war been a distraction and had a negative effect on many people’s relationship with Jesus? I’m sure it has. The dark side is looking for anything to pull people away from the light and hope of God’s truth. Yes, we desperately need revival, but not necessarily in a way that uses television and rock bands. We need for God’s people to find a quiet place to fall on their face and repent of their sins. Today is the day to turn away from all the strife and hatred and to realize the flood of voices are mostly lies and distortions with the intent to wound the heart and cause infection. It’s time for God’s people to realize they are citizens of heaven and political parties and worldly governments are not at the top of their priority list. We can vote and support causes, but the world is going to choose which master they want to serve, and we can do nothing about it. In order to abide with God and be what Jesus died for us to be, we must walk in reverential fear of His holiness and in love which is the only way to dwell in His joy which is unspeakable and full of glory. “From then on Jesus began to preach, repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” Matthew 4:17.

THE KING IS COMING

PUBLISHED 10/3/20

THOSE WHO LOVE ARE BORN OF GOD

I was reading an article the other day that was discussing how many people believe that being a good person can secure a place in heaven. But is this really true? I’ve been to a lot of funerals in my time, and have officiated a number of them, and we all know that evidently everyone is going to heaven. Of course, we want to believe that it’s relatively easy to go to through the pearly gates, but is it really? Have you ever heard the expression, “They would give you the shirt off their back” when referring to someone’s kindness and generosity? This is a very notable character trait, but is it good enough to “earn” a ticket to eternal life? I must say no. Contrary to popular belief, salvation has nothing to do with how good we are or how much we can give. However, according to the Bible, the privilege of being invited into heaven has everything to do with how much love we have and give away. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loves is born of God, and knows God” I John 4:7.

The attitude of our fallen human nature has always been nasty and hateful, but in today’s environment, we notice an even greater expression of strife and rebellion. Christians are called to demonstrate their faith and their love, but sadly it’s rare to find any difference between God’s people and those who do not know Him at all. I’m sure you have noticed and are disturbed by the hatred and animosity we have in the political world. I read today where a political leader said they wished the president would die. No matter what party or worldview, the current atmosphere is sadly charged with a dark intensity to say the least. The devil’s plan is to distract the Christian away from living in the peace of God’s presence. It would be better to not be involved with the world at all, than to allow it to destroy our soul. One of the greatest legacies that anyone can have is to be known for their love. I’m always reminded of Jesus when He was nailed to the cross and asked God to forgive those who were torturing and killing Him.

The Christian conscience is supposedly the result of our spiritual transformation from being lost to being saved and reminds us how love must be the heart and soul of our identity or we may be deceived. Our Creators plan for our existence is to not only to receive His love for ourselves but also to pass it on to others. Without learning what it means to be a genuine overcomer for Christ, our lives will always be empty and meaningless, no matter how many good works we can do. I have spoken with many people over the years who are convinced that God grades everyone for their accomplishments and if we make a passing grade, we automatically graduate into the next life. The logic of many who are religious without relationship assume those who receive bad grades because of their trespasses, will fail to reach the required points needed in their quest for the keys to their “mansion just over the hilltop.” This might be considered natural common sense, but it’s not what the Bible says. If a person serves the devil but yet is known to be generous, this might look good to the world, but God is not impressed. There are many wicked people who give and help others. I John 2:15, says it this way, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

If heaven and hell were based on a grading system, there would have been no reason for Jesus to come and die on the cross or raise from the dead. God could just keep track of all the good and bad things people do and after we have taken our last breath, the verdict would be recorded, and our fate would be sealed. The reality is that true redemption forgives our sin and makes us a brand-new creation in Christ Jesus. When this change occurs, we begin to pray for our mind to be renewed, that our heart will be filled with the Holy Spirit and for Jesus to sit on the throne of our heart as our Lord and King. As we are filled with the endless flow of His love, it overflows onto others, and is what “this little light of mine” is all about. We cannot out-give or out-love God! You see, we are told in first Corinthians chapter 13, verses 1-3, that without the love of God flowing through us, we are not what we think we are. “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing.”

To be nothing and have nothing is to be spiritually bankrupt. I realize that no one wants to think about it, but it’s clear that many who have passed away as is the fate for us all, will have no golden streets to walk on. Some may say, “I believe God understands that I had a lot of problems and enemies, and I’m alright with a seat in the back, but I’ll squeeze in somehow. Besides, isn’t God merciful?” Well, yes God’s mercy endures forever, but He cannot go against His Word because that would be compromise and we know He is perfect. We have a glimpse of the fate of many who will stand before Him someday and try to negotiate a deal with the Almighty. “Not everyone that say’s to me, Lord, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And in your name have cast out devils? And in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity” Matthew 7:21-23.Agape love is the only love that can make us whole and give our lives the meaning and purpose Jesus intended. Works and grace are two different things.

Being a loving person does not just fall on our head, we must pray and learn to love by faith. Love is a learned behavior and failing to do so is a sin as He tells us in Isaiah 59:2, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” It’s true that spiritual love involves treating others respectfully but helping someone is also not the same thing as loving them. The love of Christ goes beyond the practical thinking and the emotions and must come from within our spirit. This infinite love is for everyone (including those we do not like). The love that made you a child of the King is the same love that makes it possible to share God’s love with others. We are to hate sin like God hates sin, but we love the person as God loves them. How can we love those we do not agree with? Only when we fall deeply in love with Jesus will we be able to love everyone and acknowledge them as those whom He died for. When we fail to love God with all of our heart, we are demoting Him to a lesser position in our life and this allows religious ritual to take the place of personal intimacy with Him. God says that He is to be our greatest love, and it is our responsibility to stay focused on Him. “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” Romans 5:5.

“Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,Master, which is the great commandment in the law?Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” Matthew 22:35-40.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 39 – Published 9/26

A LOVE THAT CANNOT COMPROMISE

It’s amazing how drastic worldviews can change in one generation. In our busy daily lives we hardly seem to take the time to consider the larger concept of life because we are so distracted with the “little foxes.” whose intentions are to steal our joy and ruin our lives. Even though it is common, there is not an excuse to be so focused more on what we are doing than what God is calling us to do. For example, many churches support the idea of helping children in need around the world, while forgetting the little ones running around under their feet. Yes, there are Sunday schools and children’s programs available and even Christian schools – but this is not enough. It’s good, but it’s time for parents to instruct and lead their children into God themselves. We were watching the movie, “Boys town” from 1938, and you could sense the era had more decency and a respect for what is right and wrong. This is because families went to church and there was a general standard of morality and an awareness of God. As the modern idea of the American Dream was accepted, the feminist movement changed the dynamics of the nuclear family. Divorce became more common and mothers traded in their position as homemakers to working outside the home in order to purchase more luxuries. The point is that many children have not been taught Biblical values as they once were and this has crumbled the spiritual foundation of our society. This is not being critical considering what is at stake.

Many will say this is ridiculous, but it’s only because they do not want to admit that removing the mother from the home is not worth any worldly gain she could possibly achieve. Men were given the responsibility to be breadwinners as women are nurturers.  This is the God’s intentions. The woman of Proverbs 31 is given as an example for all women who desire to please the Lord and be the best they can be for their families. In less than a hundred years, our world has turned upside down and we only need to watch the news for a few moments to see it is not for the better. As the family goes, the country goes, which is why the devil has done everything he can to promote his humanistic philosophy. The entire future of demonstrating God’s truth on earth depends on the actions of each generation to preserve it. Of course, the Lord is watching over His Kingdom, but when one generation goes to sleep and fails in their responsibilities to pass on to their children God’s divine reality, the entire culture suffers loss and becomes more distorted and confused. As children absorb knowledge (of any type), they begin to process this information as a type of “laying a foundation” of their own personal worldviews. For those who are taught God’s truth, the renewed mind is continually being developed and shaped into powerful convictions that solidify values and standards such as integrity, respect, reverence, and honor. However, for those whose conscience is seared and bombarded with the carnal philosophies of the secular realm, the flood of darkness and deception has every intention to steal, kill, and destroy..

Some people believe that molding children’s thinking by leading them to accept someone’s interpretations of truth is wrong even if it’s the religious views of parents and the church. In rare cases this may have a valid argument, but when it comes to God’s absolute fundamental truth, we must not be afraid to teach what we know is right and be determined to NOT compromise!Yes, brother but all truth is relative. Oh really? This is a sneaky deception to make people believe there are no spiritual standards established by the Creator. If we trace where this type of foolish thinking originated we will never endorse it as reliable. Satan is the author of confusion and the father of all lies. He knows all about absolute truth and his mission is not complicated; It is to prevent God’s wisdom from transforming the minds of the “earthlings.” The devil realizes that since humans are born with a rebellious nature against God, we are automatically gullible to philosophical opinions and fairy tales. Our human nature is weak minded and vulnerable to deception which makes the devil’s mission much easier and sadly he has done a fairly good job of keeping God’s truth “top secret.” But, praise God! I want to share a simple and beautiful revelation with you today; God’s Kingdom IS advancing because it CANNOT be stopped! Just because many people are rejecting His truth does not mean His Word and Spirit is not making a huge difference in the lives of many people around the world! The kingdom of darkness CANNOT prevent the seeker of light who becomes determined to know and love God!

I am convinced there are a lot of compromising and strange demonic spirits that are operating today in religious circles. But guess what? It has always been this way. Do not misunderstand me, there are remnant disciples scattered out over the earth, but generally speaking, many churches have become more politically minded than Christ centered. In this consideration, there is a huge amount of socially acceptable religious ideas while the truth is becoming more rare. The Bible says the way is narrow which leads to everlasting life and the small group of overcomers who are standing for God’s divine reality is a fact that all need to comprehend. You see, even in places where truth is spoken, this does not mean the listeners are absorbing and obeying God’s message. I spoke at a huge funeral last night and I emphasized the need for all of us to let go of the world and embrace Jesus Christ as our savior. Did anyone listen? Did anyone leave the service saying they need to change their life? Only God knows.

The last hour church will not be known for its SIZE but for its passion to reflect the love of Jesus and embrace His Word! So when did the church begin to lose its purpose and identity?Well, that is a good question and it might make more sense to confess that the church actually has NEVER been the spiritual force in the world like it should have been. Yes, religion has always been in the headlines while God’s people have been in their prayer closets! While the religious world has been busy looking respectful to the community, many of its families were spiritually starving. As the generations of children developed in their minds what they observed from the lethargic church and compromising parents, leaders, and mentors, it molded an undesirable view of God and deteriorated the entire idea of absolute truth. I personally believe the modern version of the religious system took a heavy hit in the 1960s and 70s because the enemy brought out the many types and versions of humanism with a more aggressive demonic intensity against the family, religion, politics, and social issues. Could much of this have been stopped by Christians? Absolutely! Can we stop it now? It’s difficult for Pandora’s box to be closed once it is open, be can always try to do more.We can begin by becoming determined to ACT and SAY exactly what Jesus is speaking to us.

When we think about how life is woven together and what makes common and logical sense, we notice that as complicated as the world may seem, the basic fundamentals of life are quite simple. God’s ways are precise and strict yet filled with love and forgiveness. Since humans are so emotional and simple-minded, we are faced with the hard facts that most people think like a child and act like a child. Children do not like discipline and hate to be told what to do. Concerning the rebellious carnal nature, we can say with confidence that resisting authority is always “in season” within the unrenewed mind. In this natural way of thinking, it does not take a lot of effort for the enemy of our soul to drive a huge wedge between our reasoning and God’s truth – he just needs to whisper his ideas here and there to keep the fires of insubordination burning. However, in God’s perfect way, He sends His Son to restore our relationship with Him and gives us a wonderful instruction manual for us to live by. His covenant explains that all we have is His and all that He has is ours. We follow His blueprint in obedience and in turn we are given the awesome opportunity and gracious blessing of Him sitting on the throne of our heart and leading our life as our Lord. Simple right? I wish I could tell you our journey is one big exciting adventure where we all ride into the happy sunset, BUT our road has it’s share of potholes and detours which represent times of suffering and disappointment. This is why our conversations are so loaded with talk about trusting God!

Faith is very dangerous to the dark kingdom which is why the liberals have been influenced so strongly to abolish and discredit the Bible. The devil has realized that if the concept of “absolute truth” can be removed from the list of “possible theories” – the floodgates of heresy can control the minds, hearts and souls of the world. Seeing this military strategy to damn the entire world to an everlasting hell SHOULD BE a sobering wake-up call for God’s people to arise and enter into spiritual warfare. When love grows cold, the burdens for souls fade away and the Bible turns into a centerpiece for a coffee table instead of a passionate lifestyle. This is where the infection originated; the generations were not taught how to pray or what was at stake because they only believed what they witnessed! What good have all the millions of church services been to the world when the Christians act just like the lost? What are we accomplishing with all of our labors within the church when our most precious treasure (the children) is being taught that the Bible is a joke? When church members do not live the Christian life and allow sin to desensitize their soul, the children run out the backdoor and play with demons because they do not know the difference! The masses have been asleep so long now they don’t even remember what they were supposed to do.

Allow me to present a quote from A. W. Tozer. “If Christianity is to receive rejuvenation, it must be by other meansthan any now being used. If the Church in the last halfcentury is to recover from the injuries she has suffered,there must appear a new type of leader. The proper, ruler-of-the-synagogue type will never do. Neither will the priestly type of man who carries out his duties, takes his pay and asks no questions,nor the smooth-talking pastoral type who knows how to make theChristian religion acceptable to everyone. All these have beentried and found wanting.Another kind of spiritual leader must arise among us. He mustbe of the old prophet type, a man who has seen visions of Godand has heard His voice from the Throne. When they come (and Ipray to God there will be many), they will stand in flatcontradiction to everything our smirking, smooth civilization holds dear.” A nation founded by pilgrims who came here to worship the God of the Bible freely without interference and persecution from ruling elites and those opposed to Christianity’s influence on the culture, has now come to the proverbial fork in the road. After years of attempting to balance traditional Americana with political correctness, those pushing the new “my way or the highway” definition of political dictatorship has decided that accommodating our differences of opinion is not going to happen. Irrefutable history documents that the Bible and its teachings were the biggest influence on those that founded the most free and prosperous nation in human history. Yet, nowadays if you believe that same Bible is true, you will either silence your beliefs in fear, or you will be silenced.

God’s remnant is facing a strong uprising against what is holy and the battle which lies ahead is NOT for the faint of heart. We are entering into a time when our government believes it has the power to FORCE a Christian to accept the dictates of its system agenda. The sad truth is most American Christians would prefer to leave people in their sin provided they are left alone.Others who call themselves followers of Jesus have openly declared they would take the mark of the beast in order to save their family. In God’s blueprint, that is total disobedience to the Gospel and exactly the reason why the culture has fallen into the depths of depravity and ruin. However, the message of the cross is that God was not content to leave the world drowning in its sins, so He gave us His Son who was born humbly in a barn manger to become Emmanuel “God with us.” Our worship music is filled with anointed truth, but most do not even know what they are singing. Matthew 15:8 says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” We are facing a fork in the road, serving Christ or serving our flesh. Every person will have to choose one or the other. Each soul will be a prisoner of darkness or have the freedom to walk in His light. We can no longer have both, and the truth is we really never could. It was always going to end this way, we just didn’t want to believe it.

THE KING IS COMING

Published 9/19/20

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL – Part 2

As we have mentioned in the past, there are many famous and well-known people who have been recognized for their contributions to our world and yet they have not been believers in Jesus as God. They might acknowledge Jesus as a person who taught the Bible and was killed for heresy, but have no intention of accepting Him as an infallible deity, being incarnate, coming back from the dead, or being the Savior of the world. Ruth Ginsberg passed away yesterday and is being lauded as one of the greatest women of law and politics in the history of mankind. My question is how much did she love God and what did she do for God’s kingdom? Was listening and obeying God her highest priority or did she invest an entire lifetime trying to give people the freedom to do whatever they want? I read a comment by someone last night which said that she is responsible for the deaths of many unborn children because she fought so hard to make abortion legal. Is this her legacy? The world rejoices as the Christians weep. This should cause everyone to wake up and take a close examination of their own heart and soul. We realize that only God knows a person’s intentions and whether they are born-again or not, but when we look at the technical aspects of what makes us spiritually “saved” we see that certain things must be a part of the process or there is no miracle of redemption. One step which activates us being transformed into God’s family is accepting and receiving this gospel truth of grace. If we do not believe, it is impossible for us to receive Christ as our Lord and Savior. Only an infinite and perfect God could have the authority to create everything, forgive sin, and give eternal life. If Jesus Christ was not God, this means His sacrifice was nothing more than a fairy tale and He would certainly not have this power. If the cross, The Bible, His blood, and resurrection was not about restoring the fellowship between man and God, then we are hopelessly doomed. In this way of thinking, there is no eternal life and when we die we just dissolve into the ground. Sadly, this is becoming a popular view.

Abiogenesis and evolution are widely accepted as the idea the world started on it’s own without an intelligent designer. When a person believes that all things were created from nothing, in their own mind they are excused from being responsible to the one who made them. To deny the existence of God, allows people to embrace their human independence and the liberty to live however they want. I’m not sure which is worse; to be an atheist, or to proclaim to believe in God and never pay any attention to Him. It’s fearful to admit that our carnal nature has the ability to deceive our mind with an emotional sense of confidence and well being. This false security is a powerful illusion and has grace consequences. The Bible talks extensively about the depravity of the human heart and the darkest degree of mortal deception and rebellion as a reminder of how desperately he needs to be changed and to be eternally grateful for God’s mercy, love, and grace. We have been given a wonderful life, a beautiful earth, and the opportunity to live forever with God. You would think that humanity would have a constant attitude of praise and worship unto the one who has provided such amazing and miraculous blessings. However, humans have been given the choice to manage their own thoughts or to allow their thoughts to control them. Those who choose the default settings of being led by their feelings, they are driven by arrogance, anger, envy, resentment, hatred, sadness, and misery. In contrast, when a person surrenders their will and allows God to direct their conscience, they are filled with peace and hope which comes from the assurance of trust. When we place our life in God’s hands, we can rest and know that He is in control. In order for this to happen we must allow Him to sit in the kings chair which is the throne of our heart. This is not the same as believing that God is real or that he can do anything. There is a huge difference between knowing about God and knowing Him personally.

Did God make it too difficult for humans to find Him? And for those who did find Him, it seems that very few have a passionate desire to know Him. The world wonders why there are so many disagreements and opinions about spiritual truth, but it’s obvious the answer is because only very few know God. The creator is Omniscient which means He knows everything and is perfect in all knowledge and wisdom. He has no flaws or weaknesses, makes no mistakes, errors, or accidents and is perfect in His character and nature and all His ways. This means He is absolute truth in all things. So, the closer a person comes to Him and the more they intimately know Him, the more truth they will understand. We can safely say that if everyone in the world knew God and walked with him, we would all see the same and agree with everything. Since there is only one truth, if everyone believed in this one divine absolute truth there would be perfect unity without strife, conflicts, opposing ideas, opinions, or dissension. Is this not how it will be in heaven? Our eternal life will be unified because we will all know the perfect truth. In perfect truth there is love, peace, and joy because God is truth. We realize there is 29 percent or 2.4 billion people currently on earth who proclaim to be Christians. However, I am convinced there are not really that many true followers who have taken up their cross and are following God’s voice. The word remnant is used to describe a piece, part, or section within the whole and we see there is definitely a church within a church. As the Pharisees were wolves in sheep’s clothing, so there is an apostate religious movement today. An individual can be religious and not know God and this is gives us an understanding how things are not always the way it seems when it comes to someone being a disciple of Christ. Everyone who is a member of a church is not necessarily a member of God’s family, the same way being Jewish does not mean you are automatically chosen to go to heaven. I also do not believe the kingdom of God is growing larger, but that it is declining smaller. The Bible says many in the last day will fall away from God’s truth, many will be deceived by the dark spirit of religion, many will take the mark of the beast, new converts are rare, some do not believe Jesus is God, some have been baptized but were never born again, and the older saints are passing away every day. Religion may be growing in numbers but the overcomers are few.

There are many choices in this life as to who we can worship and what we can decide that is the right spiritual path for our life. When it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ, there are basically two different kinds of people. Those who accept and believe and those who reject and refuse. Look around and you will see what I mean. This is the major division between the lost and saved, however within these two camps there are many other sub-divisions. For those who accept the reality of Jesus, we are allowed to choose our level of interest and participation with Him. Many people believe in God and country and enjoy the idea of freedom of religion and the freedom to fly a flag. This is not the same thing as being born again. A person can be saved and believe these ideas, but a non saved person can also believe the same thing and not be a part of God’s family. Because of free will, we can be as committed and dedicated as we desire. If we want to have a Bible on our bookshelf and believe in God, we certainly have the right to do so. If we want to give our heart to God, we can obey Him, be filled with His Spirit and live by every word of His truth. In the other camp, we find the human psyche has the ability to develop a denial in order to avoid thoughts that are uncomfortable and threatening. We have the freedom to be a humanist and an atheist and be as extreme as we want. Rebellion must find a way to build a wall of security which can protect the conscience against spiritual conviction from God. These games of denial can be used in the lives of both the saved and the unsaved because of our freedom to think whatever we want. These levels expose our worldviews, what type of person we are, how much we love God, and or how much we despise Him.

A critical component of salvation is how many are given the choice to be saved and how many may have been elected. We all have family and friends that are not saved and we wonder if there is anything we can do to help bring them into God, besides of course telling them about Him and praying. I’ve often wondered if our faith can cause God’s power to draw someone into His kingdom? Can our fasting and prayer change their mind and their attitude toward Christ? If so, why don’t we spend hours each day on our knees to help in this salvation process? Maybe we really do not believe this is possible or heaven forbid we do not care. On the flip side, is it true that if we neglect to pray for people to be saved, that some may never come to know God? We know the Lord knows all things, but everything is not locked in so to speak. I believe the Bible teaches that the fervent intercession of a righteous individual accomplishes much. I cannot see a lot of different ways this can be interpreted. Another question I have is whether anyone can escape and resist God’s effectual call? It seems that whatever is predestined is carved in stone and many things have been prophesied and recorded in the Bible. Can these things be changed? I remember a story found in Isaiah chapter 38 about a man named Hezekiah who was told through a prophet that his life was soon coming to an end. Hezekiah prayed and listen to what happened. “In those days Hezekiah became sick and was near death. Isaiah the man of God, the son of Amoz, came to him and said, the Lord says, make those of your house ready, for you will die and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said, O Lord, I ask you from my heart to remember now how I have walked with You in truth and with a whole heart. I have done what is good in Your eyes. And Hezekiah cried with a bitter cry. Then the Word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, go and tell Hezekiah, the Lord, the God of your father David, says, I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. See, I will add fifteen years to your life.”

Since we know the power of prayer is real and that God is flexible in some things but rigid with certain events, we realize that spiritual discernment is critical in order to know the difference. Whether praying for ourselves, someone else, or for some type of event, God is listening and will consider our prayers the same as He respected men like Gideon and Jacob. When we think of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the idea is that our mind is now open to many things. In turn, the more knowledge we have, the more responsible we are to dedicate all that we are to the one who made us. Inviting Jesus Christ to be the Lord of our life is about knowing who God is and who we are in Christ. Earthly accomplishments mean nothing without having Jesus sitting on the throne of our heart. Success in the eyes of God is completely different than what the world believes. The more that I study the Bible especially in the light of the original Hebrew text, the more I realize I do not know as much as I thought I did. However, I sense the Holy Spirit telling me that a lot of things which we thought we knew is not really important. The most crucial truth and the meaning of life is to spend every waking moment drawing nearer to God and learning to know Him intimately. When we know wisdom, we can run from it or we can fall on our face at the foot of the cross. We can play games of denial and or we can surrender our will to Him. Let us trust that whatever He has planned for us will be fair and just. Things may not turn out exactly like we have planned or thought the Bible revealed. It’s alright. God tried to explain it, we just could not figure it out. When we sincerely accept and embrace that what we think and how we live is the major part of our spiritual accountability, we understand we have also eaten the fruit and our eyes are now open.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 37 – Published 9/12/20

I wanted to do something a little different this week before we resume part two of our series, “The knowledge of good and evil.” I am posting a song I wrote and recorded years ago which is still very much on my heart today. We know that Jesus is coming, and it is the prayer of every saint that all who do not know God today will be saved before He returns. Let us continue to develop a burden and a desire to pray without ceasing that God will use us in His plans to save those who are lost. Have you been asking God to arrange divine appointments for you to share His gospel? Have you been fasting for family and friends who need Jesus? Life is very busy and sometimes we forget what is at stake.

Here is, “Whosoever will.”

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THE KING IS COMING

Part 36 – Published 9/5/20

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL – PART 1

As Christians we often think the world does not know about God and this is the reason they go about their merry way being captivated by sin. This may be partly true as they do not understand all the details about the Bible and what God wants from them, however every human has inherited the ability to know right from wrong. Originally, Adam and Eve were not concerned about sin and were not controlled by their Maker but were given free-will to make their own decisions. After they fell from the Garden of Eden, they did not think they way they used to. Suddenly, they could recognize iniquities and could feel shame. They are responsible for opening the door to sin, and within this opportunity to live however they want, the reality of being aware of good and evil is now also included within the spectrum of human existence. Let us take a glimpse of how this came to be as it gives us a clear but sad picture of the ingrained rebellion of our human nature. In Genesis the second chapter and verses 16 and 17 we find a warning from the Lord which changed the spiritual condition of humans and literally altered the entire world. “And the LordGod commanded the man, you are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Unfortunately, in the next chapter, Adam and Eve did exactly what God told them NOT to do. Even though natural death became a new curse within the natural realm, we know that God was not referring to their immediate physical death because they were not instantly killed. The death the Lord was talking about was spiritual death and reminds us there are always terrible consequences to disobeying God. Remember the passage in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” These wages can very well include natural death but are usually referred to as eternal separation from God.

Let’s turn to Genesis chapter 3 and take a glimpse at the detailed account of how the fall of humanity happened. It’s true that Satan was tempting and lying to Eve just like he does with everyone today, but we must include that she and her husband also had the choice to resist and reject the deceptions of the enemy of our soul the same as we can now. Verses 6 and 7,“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” Let us note the very important statement, “Then their eyes were opened.” For the first time, sin awakened the conscience within the human mind and established a guilt that could not be satisfied by human morality and also established a personal accountability to seek spiritual truth. Humans became incarcerated in their sinful condition and can only be released by the infinite, divine, and absolute truth which is God Himself. An interesting consideration is found in John Chapter 8 and verse 32, where Jesus said that truth in itself will not necessarily bring personal spiritual deliverance but “knowing” truth (comprehend, perceive, awaken, realize, discern, understand, apprehend) is the act of faith which activates the power of God to spiritually set someone free. “And you shall ‘know’ the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

When people do things that are wrong, they have a momentary check in their conscience which tells them this is bad. But, as we have been saying, we also have been given the choice to stop if we so desire. When we are a child, we may be more likely to stop and consider both options, but as we grow older many times, the heart becomes harder and less sensitive to guilt and condemnation. As in every lost person, only the convicting power of God can break through the layers of deception and rebellion that has become the control center of our depraved human nature. Since Adam and Eve severed the beautiful relationship they had with God, every person has been born in a fallen state and having a desperate need to be spiritually redeemed. Jesus came to earth to shed His blood as the only payment which could pay for the sins of those who would believe and accept God as their Lord and Master. This Biblical explanation of our fallen condition gives us a more clear understanding of how the internal decision to embrace wickedness is directly associated with our discipline and judgment. We are truly responsible for our decisions because of this privilege to accept or reject the temptations and persuasions from our own carnality. We can clearly see that without inviting Jesus to be the King of our life, we can certainly become our own worst enemy. Yes, we are still being influenced by Satan, but generally speaking, the devil has never forced anyone to do evil, the same as God has never forced anyone to love and serve His kingdom. Within this opportunity to live however we want, the reality of being aware of good and evil is now included within the spectrum of human existence. This disturbing truth exposes the secret motives and dark rebellious nature of mankind and allows to to know that our words and deeds are done with a cognitive understanding. To realize that mankind knows they are wrong and is basically defiant to change their ways, sheds light on God’s justification to punish those who reject His priceless invitation to be born-again.

Note: Part 35 – I shared my new music video with my weekend email group.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 34 – Published 8/22/20

DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE JESUS IS COMING?

Nearly 700 years before Christ, the world was in chaos and fear. The Babylonian Empire was under attack by the Assyrian Empire as the people hoped that Babylon would be able to defeat the Assyrian aggressors to their north. However, it was not to be! Babylon fell to the Assyrians and everyone knew these barbarians would continue the slaughter until the entire region was under their evil domination. Against this backdrop of invasion and with the nation of Israel trying to stand against possible annihilation, God commands the prophet Isaiah to assume the role of a spiritual watchman. Isaiah is to use his prophetic gifts and tell the people what he sees approaching. This call to be so close to God and sensitive to His voice might have been nearly 2,700 years ago, but the reality of the spiritual calling of the New Testament followers of Christ is as timely as today’s headlines. If a person declares to be a Christian, they are automatically a watchman for His kingdom. Chaos, hatred, and wars are raging in our world today and people are losing their lives by the thousands to terrorist attacks, horrendous natural disasters, drugs, human trafficking, and now we are experiencing a worldwide pandemic. In the spiritual realm, it is sad but true; we also are seeing a level of wickedness and rebellion that is growing out of control. The traditional conservative and moral way of thinking is now rejected as lies and considered foolishness more than ever before. Behavior that was once considered an abomination is now openly flaunted on public television and widely accepted. Many Christians have opened the door to compromise, and the desire for comfort and pleasures are holding them in spiritual bondage. Are convicted by how you are living? Have you been telling others that Christ is coming soon? Have you been warning boldly about the coming anti-Christ who will implement a new legal system and a new world order? Have you been telling everyone that tribulation is coming which will include being forced to take an identifying mark in their hand or forehead in order to buy or sell? If, not – why not? Either you do not really believe it or maybe you are ashamed and embarrassed for others to think you are a fanatic or an extreme religious crazy person. These are important questions that each believer must answer to God and within their own heart. Are we running out of time to make things right with God? I believe the answer is yes. If the rapture is tonight, are you ready and excited to see Him, or will you be searching to fill your lamp with oil or worse, running to hide?

Today, just as there was in Isaiah’s day, there is a need for the people of God to assume the role of a watchman. There is a need for us to take our stand, look at that which is approaching and to blow the warning trumpet that time is ticking. Do people come to you and ask you about God? Do those around you respect your walk with Jesus and do they trust you to tell them God’s truth? What we say and the way we live has everything to do with how effective we are for His kingdom. There is not time to plan or to build, it is time to fall on our knees and allow Christ to purify our heart and fill us with His Spirit. Did Isaiah have any more responsibility than what we have been called to do? Don’t we know that Jesus is coming and that we have been given the great commission? This is not just for preachers, this is for everyone who proclaims to be a child of God. This is not just an option, but rather a demand from the Lord to do what He says! Soldiers in the military are given orders and are committed to follow the commands they are given. If a soldier is told to stand guard, and he fails his duty, are they not accountable? Will our diligence to evangelism not be a part of our judgment? Have we forgotten the magnitude of being backslidden and living a mediocre spiritual life? We have been warned to NOT fall asleep! Why? Because people all around us are going to hell? Allow me to ask a question today, “Have you been faithful to stand guard and have not been napping?” “Have you followed God’s orders and have dedicated your life to repentance, evangelizing, sanctification, intercession, study, and obedience to His voice?” It’s easy to enjoy our blessings and not only lose our burden for other people’s souls, but to also drift away from our personal relationship with Jesus ourselves. Too many distractions and not spending enough time with Jesus is the formula for disaster. When people ask you, “watchman what of the night” are you responding with God’s truth and sharing with everyone you know what God is saying? Today is the day to ask God to forgive your lethargic state of mind and your lukewarm attitude toward the things of God. Now is the time to be washed clean with the blood of Jesus and rededicate your life to Him, completely and without shame. Do not sing I surrender all if you do not mean it! Do not sing and ask God to bring His refining fire if you have no intention of walking away from your intentional sin! Do you want to keep playing in religion or are you serious about a personal revival?

God’s six-thousand-year plan is coming to an end, and I believe everyone can agree that we are living in the last moments before we see the unfolding of all end-time events. King Jesus is coming and right now He is asking if you are ready to meet Him? We do not know when He is coming, but if you are not ready to meet Jesus Christ this very hour, when do you plan to get ready? Are you willing to roll the dice with your soul? Dear brothers and sisters, what are you waiting for and what could be more important than spending an eternity with God? Does holding on to your will for a short while and doing whatever you want in this life mean more to you than living in heaven forever? God cannot make you you love Him or obey Him! I am a messenger sent to relay to you that God loves you and is giving you a window of grace, but every day that you refuse to surrender your life to Him, like concrete your heart becomes harder and it becomes easier to resist His conviction. Some might think this is a message to the lost, but it is a message to everyone. Just because a person is born-again does not mean we are walking with God. If you’ve never accepted Him as the Lord of your life, ask Him to save you now! If you have been saved but He is not currently the King and Lord of your life, you can repent, surrender your will, and make the dedication to take up your cross and follow Him. Today is the day to exchange your misery and discouragement, for His peace which passes all understanding. I want to ask you what will happen when you can no longer hear the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit? Listen carefully to Isaiah 55:6, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” What more can God do – what more can He say?

THE KING IS COMING

8/15/20

VIDEO OF A DREAM BY DANA COVERSTONEhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/l_LpOSgqsaY?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

THE KING IS COMING

Published 8/8/20

KNOWLEDGE IS RESPONSIBILITY

Going to church is fine, but it was never intended to be the entirety of our spiritual experience.Jesus knows everyone’s heart and is not impressed with His people only being a member of a social club. He is calling His people to walk with Him in Spirit and Truth. It’s easy to talk about Godly things, but who will live a holy and dedicated life so that His power can flow through them? I personally believe God is waiting for his people to start using His spiritual armor, but it is much easier to talk about the war than to actually enlist for it. There are many excuses that people use to not develop spiritually, but in the end we will find disbelief and laziness were some of the most common ones. Divine appointments are spiritual events that are prearrangedby God to accomplish His will and it’s true that sermons can be edifying to those who hearthem, but there are 166 more hours left in the week that Jesus desires to teach us and use us to do His will. Many refuse to learn because they realize that knowledge results in responsibility.They know that when much is given, much is required, and the best way to avoid consequences is to avoid truth. Knowing about God is not the same thing as knowing Him personally.

It’s disturbing that people would go to all the trouble to attend an assembly on Sunday, to participate in activities and communion, fellowship, and even give an offering, but never allow the Word of God to influence or change them the rest of the week. People who profess to be Christians, but do not study and pray daily are obviously not hungry and thirsty for God’s revelation or presence. So if they are not seeking His truth or a personal relationship with Himthen why are they visiting Him on Sunday? Because most people are convinced they can keep Him satisfied with whatever they choose to offer Him. They have allowed their carnality and the devil to convince them that being religious carries more weight on the scales than being spiritually lethargic. In this light, it is a deception to believe that everything will work out and be alright in the end. There are going to be consequences for playing games with God! Reverential fear is the respect for His perfection to reward and punish without compromise or favoritism. The person who refuses to respect God’s perfect judgment has made the choice to live in denial in order to enjoy the pleasures and false security of foolishness. “My flesh trembles for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments” Psalm 119:120.

THE KING IS COMING

PART 31 – Published – 8/1/20

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH TELLING THE TRUTH

I’ve been commissioned by God to present His gospel and instructed to pray for the Holy Spirit to convict and draw all those who believe in Him. Sin is real and offensive to God. Christians and non-Christians sin, however, a Christian has been rescued from eternal damnation and is learning how to be holy, while a non-Christian is lost and needs to be spiritual transformed. A Christian cannot support or accept a lifestyle of wicked acts which is why they must stand and speak God’s truth. Christians love everyone, but they believe the Bible teaches against evil practices and there is absolutely nothing wrong with being faithful to believe God’s commands and reject what is evil. All other religions are faithful to their doctrines and creeds, so why are Christians attacked? I am not trying to prevent anyone from speaking their opinions and convictions, and I certainly do not want anyone trying to stop me from believing what God has spoken or relaying His truth. For example, I’m not laughing at anyone who believes that everything began from nothing and that no one is responsible for maintaining everything. If a person is willing to reject salvation and risk losing their eternal life for an opinion, that is their prerogative. So why does the world mock me when I say that God created everything and is in total control? Is it not my right to believe whatever I want? The Lord has given everyone a free will to accept and follow whatever they desire – except the Christian.

When we stop and think about the growing resistance and violence against the Christian faith, it’s clear that Satan whose evil devices include stealing every soul that he can, is the very one who is trying to stop the gospel. Since God is real and Satan is real, who else would be behind a strategy to destroy mankind? The gaining popularity of secular humanism has become a plague of deception and will ultimately help the devil lead the world to its annihilation. Without God, a person cannot spiritually comprehend what is right and wrong and likewise they cannot see what is happening. II Corinthians chapter 4 and verses 3 and 4 reveal, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Recently, a well-known CNN news reporter Don Lemon, was interviewed and asked how he controls his biased opinions while trying to present a balanced perspective of truth. He is quoted as saying that he believes his role as a journalist is to speak from HIS truth and from HIS lens, he is quoted as saying, “I have a certain perspective and a certain point of view, and I’m bringing that important part of the diverse culture to the forefront, and I should. My role as a journalist is to speak from my truth and from my lens and from where I come from, and I don’t think those things are biases, I think those things give me expertise in a particular subject.”Well, to begin with, when it comes to reporting news events, I would think that anyone would appreciate a someone’s interpretation of daily events based on their personal feelings. I always thought the news was all about relaying accurate facts without bias. When there is an event, we all want to know “exactly” what happened and not according to someone’s personal suspicions, judgments, or politics. Why was the world not be outraged at such a comment? There was hardly any news coverage about this at all. Evidently the secular world does not care about this approach as long as it agrees with their own ideas. Evidently, the days of striving to present “truth” is gone and has been replaced with a dark, socially accepted agenda. If a Christian had been asked the same question, and the answer was, “My role as a follower of Jesus Christ is to speak from my truth and from my lens and from where I come from. My views are not biased, but rather knowing God personally and His word gives me expertise in this particular subject” it would have been in every magazine, newspaper, television, and internet news site for the purpose of accusing Christianity as being filled with hate, intolerance, and prejudice. We must realize the plan for the new world order is to to eliminate the philosophy that God’s Christianity is a universal standard of absolute divine truth. The modern progressive culture is changing the cultural acceptance for truth to be seen as an individual interpretation instead of a heavenly and Biblical standard. An example of this new philosophy of morality states that if you think that you are right, even if the Bible says you are wrong, you are not necessarily wrong because the very nature of being right and wrong is subjective. Thus, there is no definite right and wrong.

Lemon continued, “Let’s put it this way: being an American who happens to be Black, who happens to be gay, from the south, I have a certain lens that I view the world through and that’s not necessarily a bias. That’s my experience and silence is not an option.” Apparently, this was another acceptable statement by an individual who feels he has the right to say that he is correct and that all those who disagree must tolerate his views. However, the world is not so tolerant when someone wants to share their opinion from their lens of research and experience about Jesus. Again, if a Christian had said the same thing about their spiritual convictions, they would be targeted as racist, prejudiced, homophobic, a hate-filled bigot. Allow me to rephrase this sentence as an example of how the world will openly embrace one side while attacking the other. It’s not about the freedom to express, it is all about your politics and which view you represent. “Let’s put it this way, being an American who happens to be a devout follower of Jesus Christ and the Bible, I have a spiritual lens that I view the world through and that is not necessarily a bias. That’s my experience and silence is not an option.” Can you see that the liberal view is fine with this statement as long as it contains a secular worldview, while bitterly opposing any conservative Christian who stands for what God says? I write, and teach with a conservative fundamental approach to God and the Bible, and I have every right to do so, (at least for now). The Christian faith is a view that I choose to believe and the Holy Spirit will guide me and help me accomplish God’s will in spite of global evil resistance. Social acceptance and political correctness is the established human opinion about how to live, while a Christian submits and follows only God’s authority. This opposition to God’s demands is a huge part of the spiritual war between divine holiness and human carnality. Christians are given the grace to see this as the rest of the world gropes in the spiritual darkness and is mesmerized by the natural depravity of their fallen condition.

According to the Christian faith and what followers of Jesus believe, there is only one true God, and He was from the beginning. This means that all other “gods” came after Him and are trying to be like Him. The word anti-Christ means false impostor, and this is associated with undermining and opposing the one they are trying to imitate. Likewise, the eternal reality is that all other religions are false representations of divine truth. All other religions are attempting to steal the glory from the one who is the only “true” God. It’s obvious, this makes all other religions angry, but like we said earlier, the Bible declares the eyes of the world are blind until they are given sight through the plan of redemption which was established on the cross of Calvary. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Another false doctrine is the idea that all religions lead to heaven, but nothing could be further from the truth. This is a lie that was created by the dark side for the purpose of deceiving the unbelievers, and by the way it has worked perfectly. Listen to I Corinthians 8:6, “Yet for us there is but ONE God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and ONE Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” If one religion is as good as the other, why did Jesus need to die on the cross and offer His blood as the only payment for the forgiveness of sin? If one is as good as the other, why is Jesus the only God who can transform a lost spirit into a saved spirit through the miracle of being spiritually born-again? According to the Bible, the Alpha and Omega is THE absolute perfect truth and the creator of all things and I will never apologize or compromise about who God is. I accept the trinity Godhead as the original God as all other religions are just generic imitations. It is my right to believe this and teach it. Ephesians chapter 4 and verses 4 through 6 establishes this truth, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

There is no hatred or prejudice to stand for what God Himself has spoken. If there were not many scriptures which proclaim that God is the only God, we could see where the world would say we are biased. Christians accept God’s Word and are obligated to relay His message. I know God and I believe that trusting Him, loving Him, and serving Him is the only way to have eternal life! The atheist and liberal thinkers say that America is not a Christian nation because they do not want to live according to His divine truth. Alright. Did Christians protest in the streets about this? No, they understand that human government is controlled by the majority of mortals. The secular world threw God out of our public education system, did the Christians riot in the streets and burn cities? No, we realized this is Satan’s strategy to steal the minds and souls of children. The humanistic leaders opened the door to legal and government funded abortion, did the Christians revolt and storm the capitol demanding this to be stopped? No, they understand that the Supreme Court speaks in favor with what the world wants and does not consider what God wants. Our government approved same sex marriage because they would rather satisfy the masses desires instead of upholding a Biblical standard against sodomy and perversion. In spite of opposition from the Christian community, the voices of morality were again ignored. As followers of Christ, we are forced to tolerate these decisions because the government legal system does not respect God or His truth. They are a servant to the politically correct and socially acceptable system of the beast which is not satisfied with just removing the Christian faith, they also refuse to respect or even tolerate Christian ideology in general. God is ultimately in control, but has given the devil temporary liberty to deceive and destroy humanity. As the voices of God’s people become outnumbered, the lost who are possessed and controlled by Satan will rule the world.

I have no control over the world calling me crazy or accusing me of following a fairy tale. I also cannot prevent the world from calling God a warmonger, prejudiced, homophobic, intolerant, or unfair. He is without error and is sovereign in all His decisions and His perfect judgments are eternal. The world goes to war to destroy their enemies and everyone is proud and justifies and cheers the victory. When God goes to war to crush His enemies, the world cries that He is a mean and unfair xenophobe and a biased nationalist. Our government develops laws which prevents people from doing certain things and everyone calls this a justice system. When God established His legal system, the world cries that He is prejudiced and cruel. There are many other religions besides Christianity who are convinced they are the only truth and that everyone else is wrong. It’s actually very common, but it’s now evident than only Christians are targeted as being haters of mankind and a poison to the culture. For example, recently a Muslim cleric uttered derogatory remarks against Christians, particularly Pakistani Christians. In the video, the Imam called himself, “An orderly spiritual leader in Islam.” He went on to say, “I declare thatChristians are the worst infidels of the universe, and we should keep a distance from them. They have no right to live in this Islamic country, throw them out from this country.” Why isn’t anyone criticizing this as being unacceptable hate filled, extremist ideology? Because they are afraid of getting their head cut off. These are the same people who believe it’s wonderful to rape and murder anyone who refuses to be what they are and they teach that all who kill the infidels will be rewarded in heaven with many virgins. Are there Christians who feel that other religions are dangerous and evil? Yes, of course! The Bible says that all who are not for God is against Him. So the Christian not only is the target for persecution against the humanistic system of the beast, but also against other violent religions. Everyone in the world also realizes that Christians are generally passive and are not a threat to retaliate against an attack from those who come against them. Christians have always been martyred and persecuted and tragically they still are today. I’m sure there will come a time when every follower of Jesus will face the decision to denounce their faith or be arrested, prosecuted, sentenced and possibly worse – and it may be sooner than we think. There is a saying that if we do not have the strength to live for Him, we will certainly not be strong enough to die for Him. Only those who live in God’s presence, have prepared their hearts, grown confident in their faith, have embraced what is coming, and are one with the Lord Jesus will endure to the end and be saved.

THE KING IS COMING

PART 30 – Published 7/25/2020

WHEN LOVE FOR SIN BECOMES GREATER THAN FEARING GOD

This week, we discuss a controversial topic that we will all (at one time or another) need to face and explain where we stand. All people have a “free will” right to live however they want, (including all forms of perverted sexuality), but the Christian is called to stand for God’s laws and not allow the world to “bully” them into supporting or condoning behavior that is contrary to His holy way of living. If the world can speak aggressively for what they approve, the Christian certainly has the right to speak against it! The world believes it governs the social and political atmosphere and they may be the majority in this life, but humanism throwing God and His holy Word out the window will never change the fact the Lord will always be the absolute truth! The REAL authority of heaven and earth is the infinite Almighty, and this is what all Christians must stand for. To go along with the world is to compromise our relationship with Jesus and our salvation. Christians are NOT trying to “change” people, they are simply pointing toward Jesus who can deliver and transform anyone who will call upon Him. To be afraid to tell the world they are lost without Christ, is to deny God and to be ashamed of Him. Standing for sanctification is not hating the world, it is loving people so much that we will tell them the truth whatever the cost.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” John 3:19.

In today’s modern world, it’s common among men and women to profess faith in Christ while embracing their sin. One of the problems is the majority of the religious world have never realized the danger of being in love with the world. We cannot love the world and partake of its delicacies and walk in the obedience and holiness of God’s presence at the same time. To be deceived means that you do not comprehend what you are doing. Deception is being blind to your error and also being filled with arrogance to openly reject correction. In case you’ve not noticed, Christianity has been remodeled into a new and improved modern version of religious enjoyment. The new modified presentation of the gospel includes the opportunity to decrease the focus on an individuals offense unto God, while offering an exciting adventure of grace, mercy, kindness, and understanding. Instead of teaching that God desires to transform us into His image, we are now told the Lord loves and supports us exactly the way we are. This drastic change of the meaning of our salvation is the result of mankind’s temptation and desire to live in carnality being greater than their fear of a holy God. As Christians we are not saying that people are not legally allowed to live however they want and even God Himself has given freewill for each individual to decide whether they will live for God or Satan. However, this does not nullify the responsibility and command for God’s people to speak His life-changing truth for the purpose of saving those who do not realize or care they are lost. The Christian does not select specific sins, but denounces all sin. It is the power of God that can open the eyes of those who are blind and rescue them from the snares of sin and the eternal tragedy that is the consequence.

To say the least, the United Nations is at variance with God, and in open rebellion against Him. This arrogant worldly influence is revealed in the words spoken at the kick-off of the Free and Equal campaign. According to the UK’s Daily Mail newspaper, South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu was invited to speak at the global launch of this campaign. It is difficult to imagine, but he stated: “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven, I would much rather go to the other place. I would not worship a God who is homophobic, and that is how deeply I feel about this. I am as passionate about this agenda as I ever was about apartheid.” I am speechless! Seriously? He cannot be in his right mind to defy God in front of the entire world and declare that his views are more logical and intelligent than God’s perfect integrity and character. So he is going to refuse heaven if God does not change His mind about sin. Really?Satan has taken pride, an attribute of sinful man that the Almighty deplores, and has subtlety and deceivingly transformed it into some type of virtue in the imagination of the world. Since the Garden of Eden, Satan has never stopped deceiving and lying to humanity.

“The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate” Proverbs 8:13.

“When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom” Proverbs 11:2.

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud” Proverbs 16:18-19.

“A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor” Proverbs 29:23.

Christ is speaking, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornication’s, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man”Mark 7:20-23.

Joseph Herrin is quoted as saying, “This is the twisted, upside down world Satan has fashioned. He calls evil good and makes a virtue out of that which Yahweh detests. He deceives men and women, enticing them to commit unnatural, and debased acts, convincing them that he is seeking their welfare, promoting their liberty, and protecting their freedoms. Satan lies as he tells humanity that following their unrestrained sexual desires will make them gay when in fact it leads to misery.”

We know the unbelieving world does not care about offending God with their sin, but the religious community also has a long history of living in denial when it comes to nurturing their personal depravity. The church is only as holy as its members and sadly it’s become difficult to tell the followers of Christ from the heathens. For those who attend religious services but also are active in wicked practices, this is blatant hypocrisy and explains why a true Christian is now nearly extinct. The plague of fake Christianity is widespread and is a key reason why the churches in general have become more liberal and have drifted away from the crucial attributes of sanctification. Holiness has gone from a valid pure lifestyle unto God, to a laughing mockery. Sadly, we have declined in our spiritual awareness of God and now live in a spiritually lukewarm environment where serving Christ is just another religious idea. The world and much of the religious masses do not want to be told what to do and unfortunately this growing rejection of God’s truth will continue. Religion talks about the cross; a disciple of Jesus carries it. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, they despise those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” II Timothy.

3:1-7. There is nothing wrong with telling the truth.

The United Nations is very firm about supporting all the sexual freedoms in the world and openly presents the seemingly innocent question, “What has existed in every country throughout history, yet is still considered abnormal?” The inference contained in this question is that if something is common, it must be normal. This is a logical fallacy, but Satan knows that most people will not perceive his deceit. Since he is the prince of the power of the air and dominates the world of secular media, he is free to market and present his agenda in a way that appeals and attracts the weak minded. Rapists exist in all nations of the world, but people would not describe the act of rape as “normal” behavior. The same could be said of murder, theft, pedophilia, pornography, and a host of other evil behaviors. The existence of a thing, even when it is common, does not make it “normal.” Due to the sinful condition of all mankind, we find that all types of deviant, and immoral behavior are unfortunately common, but according to God’s standard of holiness they are not considered “normal.” Not only has he chosen the positive word “gay” as a reference to homosexual behavior, but he has coined the word “homophobia” to refer to those who declare same-sex relationships to be immoral. The word homophobia is comprised of two parts. “Homo” means “the same.” “Phobia” means “fear.” In essence, the word homophobia describes someone who fears homosexuals. I quote Joseph Herrin again, “I am not afraid of homosexuality. I am not homophobic. I am unable to embrace homosexual behavior as normal because Yahweh says it is not normal. He has defined it as sinful, deviant behavior. I am doing no more than agreeing with God. Nor do I hate, or have enmity, toward those who are practicing homosexuality. I desire their welfare. I wish to see them set free from their bondage to sin. I desire that they might know what it is to walk in purity and holiness, with a clean conscience before God.”

It is no wonder why divine truth which opposes certain social and political issues have now become too disciplined and difficult for the flesh to bear and are now being openly rejected as hatred and bigotry. Will there come a time when it will be against the law to preach against sin? Church leaders are afraid to teach against all types of sin for fear of losing their entire congregation and their salary. Many ministers would rather emphasize the blessings of God and how He is filled with goodness and understanding to remain safe from rejection and criticism. These peaceful and loving aspects of God’s nature are true, but selecting all the delicious deserts without serving a spiritually balanced and nutritious meal of God’s truth (meat) is the result of a powerless and anemic human agenda. The anointing from heaven which falls upon a speaker and a congregation is activated when there is reverential fear and obedience to the Holy Spirit. This is the environment of miracles and which releases God’s power to change lives and is also the major difference between walking in God’s Spirit and living in the denial and deception of a religious ritual. A new god of tolerance and acceptance, who winks at sin, has been accepted for the masses to worship, but it is a path which leads to death and destruction. Are the new messages from the pulpits based on God’s truth? Is the new worship music based on holiness and the anointing which comes with a clean heart? Do churches care what their leaders personally believe, or is it only based on professional talent? Are people being led to Jesus or a strange fire of human philosophy and ancient mysticism? Do the masses know the difference? Leonard Ravenhill is quoted as saying, “I find it intriguing to contemplate the fact that while mankind considers what place to give Jesus Christ in history, He has already decided what place to give them in eternity.”

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, insolent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them”Romans 1:18-32.

THE KING IS COMING

Re-published 7/18/20

THE POWER OF WORDS

Positive confession and the awareness of the power of words is not just for a particular persuasion of the body of Christ but is a general word for everyone who claims to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Some will always be satisfied with walking along the shore and getting their feet wet but those who desire to go deeper with God will discover the revelation of the power of positive confessions. The reason why many Christians do not study the Bible is because they are trying to avoid the responsibility of being held accountable. Everyone wants to be blessed but only a remnant are willing to discipline themselves in order to be in the POSITION to receive. Yes, God has a divine order and everything has a reason which means it is critical to be saturated with god’s Word and to develop an awareness of His presence. Each human that has been rescued and redeemed by the grace of God has a new spirit and a divine destiny that God Himself has carefully planned. His principles and spiritual laws are all a part of how He requires for us to live as our SUCCESS will depend on our OBEDIENCE.

Do you believe the “no pain – no gain” saying is just as true in the spiritual world as it is in the natural realm? Absolutely! Do you believe that Christians need to be accountable for the way they live? I believe we can all agree to “yes” for both of these questions, but why is the power of words so important in this discussion? Well, there are many reasons and one is; what we think controls who we are and what comes out of mouth reveals what is in our heart. Our words expose our thoughts and everyone needs to have the revelation that words can be a huge blessing or a devastating curse. How can this be? God says in Isaiah 57:19, “I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near saith the Lord; and I will heal him.” Our words are ALIVE and have the ability to build or tear down. Changing our mind will change what we say – and Godly words are a solid direction toward living a Godly life! To dwell in the character and nature of Jesus is what the Christian life is all about. So, in that light, our words might be our most powerful and revealing testimony and have a significant contribution within our final judgment.

“Father, we believe we are gathered here now to receive your wisdom about how to live for you more effectively. We ask you to remove the veil from our eyes that the light bulb will come on and we will see with the eyes of our heart. Amen”

We have read books about prayer and have logged a lot of hours praying. We have seen God do miracles in our life and it has encouraged us and built our faith and I am sure that many of us are presently seeking direction and waiting for answers to our request. I am a dreamer and like a child I believe that when I pray that God hears me and I will receive. If I thought I was wasting my time I would be devastated. I put my trust in God because I believe that what He has promised in His word He will fulfill and I hold them tightly and lean on them with all of my hope and faith. I have read them and studied them and I admit there are some things in my life that it seems have not budged. Of course we all have been there and wondered what is wrong – is it me? – is it God’s timing? – does God not want this to happen? Is it because I have sinned? Let’s look at John 15 verse 7 – I like using the Amplified because it helps me have a broader understanding “If you live in me (abide vitally united to Me) and My words remain in you (continue to thrive in your hearts), you shall ask whatever you want, and it shall be done for you.”

How many times have you read that? I must admit that in my early walk with God that I was so excited about the word “whatever” that I failed to pay close attention to another very crucial word – ABIDE. In fact, abide is actually the most important word in this promise because without it there is no manifestation. Abide means to live in, dwell in and remain in constantly. It has nothing to do with going to church or owning a bible. When we abide in Him we know who God is and we come to a life changing understanding about who we are. This “lifestyle” is directly connected with the revelation of being a bond servant which is another teaching that we will look at later. (I do recommend for you to jot this down in your notes and check out the definition of a bond servant). So assuming that we are praying in the will of God (this happens when we are abiding IN HIM) He say’s since it is in my plans and desires for you to have it – I will give it to you. Alright, lets go to verse 16, “You have not chosen Me, but I have chose you and I have appointed (planted) you, that you might go and bare fruit and keep on baring, and that your fruit may be lasting (remain) so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you.”

There are several scriptures in God’s word that offer the same promises, let’s look at one more in John 14, verses 13 and 14, “And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in the Son, I will grant whatever you shall ask in My name.”What that means is when you are asking in Jesus Name you are not presenting your will but who He is and what HE wants. This is a conditional promise that is based on us listening to His voice and asking Him to help us with something that He wants to accomplish through us. God owns everything and is the giver and the decider.When we are living our lives the way God has called us to live THROUGH Christ, our obedience activates and releases the floodgates of miracles and becomes our testimony for the glory of God. Our lives should be such a noticeable witness to the world that they become curious and hungry to know more about God. It is the Word of God and the anointing and the power of the Holy Spirit that draws people to receive the gospel.We are called to be His instruments and to be the demonstration of His intentions.

We have been called to live a good life. Not a life without trouble but a life where we know what to do and where to go when trouble comes. We can still smile when we are hurting and still have peace when our problems are heavy. Remember the song, “It is well with my soul?”Some of us have been praying for some things a LONG time and we are standing on faith and hanging on to the “whatever” and we will not let go! I know the ones I am praying for have their own free will but I also realize that what I am praying is God’s perfect will. Yes, they are deceived and stubborn but I turn them over to Him and trust that He knows exactly how to deal with them. Since we are talking about our petitions and requests, if it seems that nothing is changing, allow me to ask a blunt question…why is our prayers not working? Now I’m not going to stop serving God if I don’t like the answer or if He decides He does not want to tell me but I’m also not going to be afraid to ask Him questions. It’s amazing how much we can learn by just approaching Him like a child. For example, we remember through the years when certain teachings come on the scene like “name it and claim it” and we embraced it so much that many of us bought tapes and books and watched preachers on television and said, “glory hallelujah! After a while we began to wonder why we were still disappointed. Unfortunately, many probably walked away and said, “I tried it and it doesn’t work” – BUT for those who were really determined to seek God’s face until they found out WHY their prayers did not come to pass – they discovered a tremendous revelation! They found that many of the promises of God are based on the condition of our heart and whether God wanted us to have them! Oh now brother, wait just a minute, God’s storehouses are endless and He loves us and wants us to have all that we can believe for. That is true – but God is sovereign and has every right to say no. He is also able to detect if we are just trying to use Him as a cosmic vending machine without spiritual discipline and responsibility. Wanting the gifts without seeking the giver is a carnal mentality and will leave us in the default realm of mediocrity.

For example, we know that joy comes from giving but if we are selfish and do not develop sincere generosity, then no wonder we can never find peace and contentment. This is a personal revelation that can expose our problem and reveal that being self-centered is locking the door to our abundance. A person can beg and cry their whole life and not have the joy they are so desperately seeking until they learn what it means to be a cheerful giver. Now is God withholding His blessing of joy unspeakable and full of glory – or is the individual holding it from their self? Clearly, the principal of sowing and reaping is in effect and having a direct impact on this life. It’s true, we all have our share of problems and God is constantly pleading for us to become a living sacrifice, to repent, to be delivered, to be transformed, changed, renewed, purified, sanctified, broken, molded, purged and sold out because He knows that if we are not, we will never be able to complete the construction phase of building our life according to the blueprints He has drawn. This is just another example of the war between our human carnality and the will of God. If we are going to live in the total salvation of abundant life – we must decrease so that He can increase. Let us not only speak forth the life of God but may we accomplish our destiny as we learn how to demonstrate our faith BY our works.

THE KING IS COMING

Published 7/11/20

A TESTIMONY LIKE ENOCH – by David Wilkerson

“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). Enoch had intimate communion with his heavenly Father and his life is yet another testimony of what it means to truly walk in faith. His fellowship with God was so intimate that the Lord translated him to glory long before his life on earth might have ended.

Why did the Lord choose to translate Enoch? The opening words of this verse tell us very plainly that it was because of his faith. Moreover, the closing phrase tells us Enoch’s faith pleased God. That is something every Christian believer should aspire to. The Greek word for “pleased” used here means fully united, wholly agreeable, in total oneness. In short, Enoch had the closest possible communion with the Lord that any human being could enjoy. And this intimate fellowship with God was pleasing to the Father.

The Bible tells us Enoch began walking with the Lord after he begot his son, Methuselah, who lived be 969 years of age. You might remember Methuselah as being the oldest man recorded in the Bible (Genesis 5:27). Enoch was sixty-five at the time of his son´s birth and then he spent the next 300 years being in fellowship with God. Hebrews makes it clear that Enoch was so in touch with the Father, so close to him in hourly communication, that God chose to bring him home to himself. In essence, the Lord was saying to Enoch, “I cannot take you any further in the flesh. In order to increase my intimacy with, I must bring you home to my side.” So he whisked Enoch away to glory!

To our knowledge, Enoch never performed a miracle, never developed a profound theology, never did any great works worthy of mention in Scripture. However, we read this simple description of this faithful man’s life: “Enoch walked with God.” Can you imagine having this said about you? Does your heart yearn for a closer walk with the Lord? Is there a growing dissatisfaction in you with the things of this world? True faith is found in waiting on your Savior, ministering to him until you can hear and know His heart.

THE KING IS COMING

PART 27 – Published 7/4/20

10 accusations against a fundamental (fundie) Christian (part 2)

6 – You are willing to spend your life searching for loopholes in the scientifically established age of Earth (billions of years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates from Bronze Age tribesmen, all the while assuming the Earth is only a few thousand years old. How could you expect to have a fraction of integrity when you do not trust science?

7 – You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your spiritual beliefs, will spend an eternity in an infinite Hell of burning and suffering. And yet you consider your religion the most “tolerant” and “loving” in the history of the world?

8 – While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you that God and the Bible is a fable, some uneducated person rolling around on the floor speaking in “tongues” is all the evidence you need to “prove” Christianity is real.

9 – You define 0.01% as a “high success rate” when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that God intervenes and responds and actually provides what we want. And you think that the remaining 99.99% of rejections were simply the will of God?

10 – You actually know a lot less than many atheists and agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history – but still call yourself a Christian? If you would take the time to research and study science, you would discover that your ignorance is costing you your integrity and respect as an intelligent person. The only people in the world that trust you are those dreamers who are exactly like you. Even your own children know you are a silly fool.

In God we trust: As a Christian, I do not place my trust in science because much of it is based on GUESSING. I am not saying that science has not produced some good things and is beneficial, but God has the final say and He is absolute TRUTH. It seems that science has a tendency to infect some people with pride and swell their attitudes when it comes to intelligence. Scientist realize they are smarter than the human race, but are often lured into danger when they begin to think they are smarter than God. Lucifer must have been a scientist…Much of science is guessing and assuming and I do not put all my confidence in guessing. The Bible is a history book complete with names and dates and yet you do not accept this as truth. Shame on you. NO ONE knows what happened before Adam and Eve is introduced in Genesis. God made the world in a few days, but NO ONE knows how many years elapsed “between” the days. If you say the earth is billions of years old – so what? It might be, but this does not prove the Bible wrong! The Bible does not list ALL the information about creation, only the basic points. If it did, there would be 20 volumes of books.

There are many questions that are not answered, because God decided we did not really need to know. So what? Christians are simply saying there is six thousand years of correct historical records from when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden until now. Notice I did not say from when they were “created.” How do we know there was not 10 billion years between day 5 and day 6? How do we know that Adam and Eve lived in the Garden a billion years? How do we know that God did not create other groups of people besides Adam and Eve, who were living outside the Garden for His own reasons? If this is the case, it partially explains the possibility of earth being very old. However, we do know there are approximately 4000 years from Adam to Jesus 2000 and this can be clearly explained and verified through the Old Testament. It’s even easier to prove there has been around 2000 years from Jesus until now. This is 6000 years and we must include the millennium reign as the last 1000 years of the perfect 7000.

Was there life outside the garden while Adam and Eve was living in the Garden – who knows. If there were other people and animals, including dinosaurs, or whatever, living outside the Garden it is not recorded in the Bible. Since God is the sovereign creator, He can do whatever He wants and is not obligated to leave a record of it. If this is the case, it would explain many questions. As far as creation goes, God could also have hundreds of earth’s like ours, but again, He does not feel this is something we need to know.

As far as HOW God created the earth, if God caused a big bang to make theas earth, then that is how HE decided to create it. However, the big bang idea seems contrary to how someone would create something. A potter does not throw a hunk of clay against the wall to make something, he carefully and skillfully shapes it. Whatever was done – He was the designer! Nothing happened on its own and any “intelligent” person should know that! Why should atheist or Christians argue about things we do not know? Because the devil fights as hard as he can to keep people from believing the Bible is true. If the Bible is true, then God is true. If God is true, you would be a fool not to believe in HIM! Where science becomes blasphemy, is when it tries to proclaim that God does not exist and that the Bible is NOT true. Evolution is a lie – short and simple! There is no proof in the idea of evolution – it is a THEORY which tries to explain something that did not happen. There are no examples of any specie that is in the process of evolving. No percentage of evolving into another phase of development. Why is this? Because each creature was created exactly like they are. Satan uses science to convince the world that the idea of God is a fairy tale. This is one underlying evil agenda of secular humanistic science.

God gave us free will: When we make wrong choices, He points out the right way and if we choose to follow the wrong way, is He to blame or are we? When the pagan nations threatened to corrupt Israel, God protected Israel by removing the threat. There are consequences for defiance as the wages of sin is death. Once Christ came, God no longer had to protect Israel because Christ was the fulfillment of the plan of salvation.

Then there’s the issue of hell. Let’s say the man who raped and murdered your mother, sister, and daughter is brought before a judge. The judge says, “I am a loving judge. Therefore, I refuse to punish you. I will set you free.” If a judge said that, I expect you would be outraged that justice was not served. Strangely, this is what so many atheists expect of God, saying that if he were truly loving, he would never send anybody to hell even though everyone deserves it. Like a defiant child, they are expecting God to turn his back on evil and just let people get away with whatever they want. This is NOT going to happen, and no one is getting away with anything! God cannot go back on His Word or compromise His divine truth. His judgment is fair and perfect, He never makes a mistake, He created everything, always knows everything, and is the total authority over all things and will have the final decision.

Everyone will choose to serve someone in this life. People who refuse to have anything to do with God will have that choice confirmed in the judgment and will suffer the consequences. The Bible says that all who are not born again will spend eternity without the Lord and there is nothing that can change this. Hell is eternal separation from God and whether we believe it or not – it is real. God is not willing that anyone perish, but they made their own choice. What about those who have never heard of Jesus? God knows who has a heart for Him and who will refuse His grace. Therefore, He will make sure that anybody who wants to know Jesus will be introduced to him. He leaves the ninety-nine and goes to find the lost one. God is fair, and He doesn’t make mistakes. He knew before the foundation of the earth who would accept Him and who would be lost forever. The blind think they are so smart as they attempt to throw the responsibility on God so they don’t have to take responsibility for themselves. This foolish mockery will not work. Speaking of being foolish, Psalm 14:1 declares, “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good.” The sinners and heathens may laugh now, but one day at the judgment, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.

Christian love: The Bible tells Christians to love their enemies and we do. The Koran tells Muslims to kill them and this is a frightening reality. That’s a huge difference in the representation of these faiths and I think Christians should stand up and point this out. Allah is not Yahweh, and Muhammad is not Jesus. Islam originated with Ishmael as a descendant of Abraham, but he was not the promised seed. Issac was the son whom God designated to be next link in the chain of God’s chosen people. Ishmael should have humbled himself in the sight of God and man, and embraced Yahweh as the God above all other gods and worshiped Yahweh and became one of God’s followers. Instead, he grew up with bitterness, jealousy, and resentment, and was used by Satan to lead and create a new aggressive religion which became a fierce enemy of the true God and His people. And still is. The attitudes and agenda of these two religions are polar opposite. One reason is because the Christian faith has the Holy Spirit and the Muslim faith does not. Without being born-again and Jesus living in your heart, the Holy Spirit cannot dwell within you.

It’s really strange the Muslim agenda is hardly mentioned in the news today and yet they are one of the most violent and dangerous religious sects in the world. They hide behind the facade of peace, but history tells a different story. It is a fact that Muslims (and Catholics for that matter) have slaughtered countless Christians in the past. The media is so biased against Christians and yet never criticize or expose other religions. For example, Christians are severely harassed by the world for saying that God hates homosexuality, but so do Muslims, and it’s common for them to kill someone who is gay as the media does not say a word. Even when a Muslim runs for office in this country, they are never asked about their views about gays. Why? Muslims believe if you do not follow Mohamed, you are an infidel and need to be eliminated. Yet, no one calls them out as being prejudiced or racist. Why? Because they are afraid of them. They know that Christians will humbly submit their lives for God, but Muslims are quick to swing the sword. The same is true with communism and dictators who will not tolerate any other belief system or that individual will face execution. Sharia law is nothing to wink at and Muslims dream of a world that is controlled and ruled by their views of religious government.

The humanistic world harbors hatred against the born again Christian who disagrees with abortion because these followers of Christ believe that killing the unborn is murder and evil in the eyes of God. Why in the world is this wrong? Where is your beloved tolerance? You want the Christian to have tolerance about all the things you claim as true and essential to a healthy culture, and yet you attack and defame anyone who disagrees with you. Those who mock and lash out at the Christian view are the worst hypocrites the world has ever known. The agenda of the new world order is to establish power through politics in order to dominate and control the people and what they believe. This does not include Christianity. The far left liberal ideology has every intention of tearing down the Christian view and replacing it with a new kingdom where Satan is king. The focus is to throw God completely out of the culture and to build a golden calf that represents the worship of carnality. The freedom to do whatever a person wants without any restraint is a disgusting reflection of the world in the days of Noah. Removing God, removes all standards of wisdom, holiness, morality, and decency. Yet, the masses who are filled with darkness, enthusiastically support certain deceptive political and humanitarian foundations who hide behind a fake smile of sincerity. These wolves in sheep’s clothing along with organizations such as Planned Parenthood are responsible for killing millions of unborn children all in the name of helping the destitute. What type of children? Poor minorities. And what exactly was Hitler and the third Reich trying to do? They were trying to create a superior race and eliminate everyone who was not up to their standards all in the name of making the world a better place. Whoever believes Margaret Sanger was a good Godly woman needs a serious history lesson. The gut wrenching truth is their real intentions are focused on the purpose of population control and selective breeding for the purpose of making a “better” and a more superior race. Why doesn’t the main stream media report this? Because they all work together for Satan. As Christians are being accused of being an unwanted contamination to our society, not one word is being said about such evil atrocities such as this. Again, most of what we see and hear in the news, is filtered and carefully manipulated to condone evil deception and to condemn God’s TRUTH. Isaiah 5:20 hits the bullseye perfectly! “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” True Christians are God’s representatives for His truth and His wisdom should be embraced as the answer to Man’s problems and difficulties. However, since the lost are brainwashed for Satan and cannot see or understand God’s holy truth, they cannot comprehend what is good and evil. They are easily manipulated by the devil who owns their soul and controls their mind and this is exactly what will roll out the red carpet for the Antichrist and will ultimately lead to the battle of Armageddon. We can pray and do everything God is telling us to do, but ultimately this wicked agenda cannot be stopped.

As for answered prayers: God has answered all of mine. Not necessarily as I requested, but He has still answered. Sometimes He provides miracles in surprising ways that were better than what I had hoped for. Sometimes He says no. Sometimes He says not yet – wait a little longer. But He answers all the prayers for those who are born again and in a genuine relationship with Him. Jesus and the Holy Spirit lives in our heart.

I am truly grateful that Jesus watches and listens to us. God can communicate through His written Word, however, though we might not recognize it, He is in no way limited to only speaking through scripture. Remember, God walked with Adam in the Garden and talked with him, and when Christ payed for our redemption and restored our relationship with God, the conversations between the Almighty and His children resumed. His voice within our heart has been referred to as “still and small” which indicates we have to be quiet and expect to hear Him in order to know what He is saying. In our time of meditation and personal approach, the spiritual reality is that His tangible voice is directly related to Him literally speaking. He may not always speak through a cloud or a burning bush, but He is always trying to get our attention through many things if we can become more sensitive and be on the lookout for Him. God can communicate through impressions such as visions, dreams, books, pictures, cards, letters, movies, sermons, music, or even a newspaper column. I personally believe He speaks to all of His people all the time, we are just not realizing or comprehending it. One of the critical points of this subject is to believe that He wants to speak to us. If a person does not believe He speaks through our meditations and prayers, they will not be expecting to hear His voice and thus will miss Him. In Matthew chapter 7, we are told by Jesus to ask, seek, and knock unto the Lord and He promises that we will receive, find, and it will be opened. As God’s children, we hear His voice within the confidence of our faith.

In conclusion: Do Christians believe the God of the Bible is the only true God? Absolutely! He was from the beginning which means that all other gods are impostors trying to be like Him. There cannot be many different thrones in the same kingdom. There can only be one throne in heaven and earth and one throne within our heart. Do other religions believe their god or gods are the only way to heaven? Yes, this is very common. If an agnostic wants to attack this idea, they should not only point to one particular belief system, but rather to all of them. Make a list of all religions and you will see that most of them believe they are the only way to heaven. And yet, the masses embrace the idea that one is the same as the other and all will be embraced by God. This is such a foolish thought and one that is void of spiritual understanding. God does not give extra “points” for believing in “something.” Salvation is not based on sincerity only. The painful truth is that people can be sincerely wrong. Ancient tribes and cultures worshiped the Sun, but they were spiritually lost. God does not grade on a curve. It has to be HIS way or nothing. This is one of the greatest attributes which makes Him God. Christianity is not trying to be prideful in their faith, we are only trying to follow God’s directions. This is what we believe – tolerate it! Christians, prepare to suffer persecution. The clay has always despised the potter.

The World Hates the Disciples:John 15:18-27 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: They hated me without reason. When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

Matthew 10:22, “You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.”

Matthew 24:9, “Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.”

Life’s ideas and convictions of the human race is a giant tug of war. God’s people want to convert everyone to Jesus and the Christian faith. All other religions are trying to win others to their particular faith, and the world is trying to persuade everyone to embrace their ideologies, politics, theories, and philosophies. They all believe they are right. They are dedicated to live for it and willing to die for it. Someday it will be revealed who made the right decisions, and what each person chooses will be directly associated with their personal judgment.

THE KING IS COMING

PART 26 – Published 6/27/20

10 accusations against a fundamental (fundie) Christian (part 1)

This strategy of persecution is what we as Christians must be prepared to face from here forward. There are humanist and atheist that are waiting to challenge us with these accusations and it’s crucial to know how to respond without seeming like we are not sure what we believe. The world hates God and His followers, and this persecution is growing rapidly. God’s people represent the only way, the truth, and the light, but the world has turned everything upside down and declare Christianity is wrong and evil. How can we defend against this animosity? We can walk in the power of His Spirit and we can be ready to present an answer that is so sharp, it will pierce the heart of the listener. God’s truth is our defense, His Word is our sword, and our faith is our shield. We are God’s people who know His truth and we are not afraid of those who are blind. We pray for them and have pity on those who are filled with Satan and his lies.

I have divided this message into 2 parts because it was so large. We will look at 5 of these accusations this week and 5 next week. These are some of the more popular accusations that we will face in the future:

1 – You aggressively deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel frustrated, upset, and disappointed when someone denies the existence of yours. What makes you think your god is the only true god and every other god is false? 

2 – You are insulted when scientists declare that humans evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were all created from dirt.

3 – You scoff at polytheists, but have no problem with your God having multiple personalities.

4 – You become angry and defensive when you hear of the atrocities attributed to Allah and the Muslims, but you don’t even flinch when teaching about how Jehovah intentionally drowned the inhabitants of the entire world and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in the book of Joshua, including women, children, and even their flocks!

5 – You snicker at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, along with Greek claims about gods having supernatural powers and sleeping with human women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who was executed, came back to life, and then ascended into the sky.

Response

Here are some definitions and answers to use against these attacks.

First of all, what is a Christian? Actually, there are two kinds. A true Christian is a person who is in a relationship with God through the person of Jesus Christ by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. However, there are also people who call themselves a Christian because they attend church, and live within the religious laws and morals, but they have never entered into a genuine relationship with the Lord and, therefore, are Christians in name only.

Secondly, what is a Christian fundamentalist? These are people who truly know God, believe the Bible, and sincerely follow His instructions. It’s accurate that being a fundamental Christian is very unpopular with the world, but actually the Hindu, Buddhist, secular humanist, atheist, scientist, or whatever are also a type of fundamentalist. Every person should know the details of the worldview/religion/belief system they embrace and by which they live. If you worship rocks, trees, or trains, you should at least know all the reasons why. 

There is nothing wrong with being a fundamentalist because we all have a right to become and believe whatever we want. For example, when I board a plane I hope the pilot knows the fundamentals of flying. When I need an operation, I want a surgeon who knows the fundamentals of surgery. Nonetheless, the dictionary says that in the area of religious fundamentalism: “The belief and practice of laws and doctrines within a specific creed. A strict adherence to the basic principles of any subject or discipline.” Other examples are; Fascism, Nazism, Socialism, Communism, Marxism, Islam, and Judaism. Fundamentalism is not limited to a theistic belief, but references any form of credence that mandates a strict obedience to a particular set of standards and convictions.

The word fundamental simply means: rudimentary, elementary, structural, and primary, which describes the basic foundational standards for whatever the interest may be. In Christian fundamentalism, the followers of Christ are dedicated to obeying His principles which includes closely submitting and adhering to God’s strict plan of salvation. One of these demands includes the surrender of our will, which of course the rebellious world has always hated. The carnality of human nature wants to serve themselves and be free to live however they want.

What is Polytheism? It is the belief in many gods. Christianity believes in ONE God who exists in three persons and yet is still considered monotheism. One of the “fundamental” doctrines of the Christian faith is embracing the truth that the God of the Bible is the Alpha and Omega who created everything, which means that all other religions after Him are false.

Religious exclusivism, or exclusivity, is the term used for those who believe that only one particular religion or belief system is true. This is in contrast to religious pluralism, which believes that all beliefs provide valid responses to God’s existence. The popular ideology, “All roads lead to heaven” is a common secular example of religious pluralism, however, there can only be one absolutely true truth. God is the only Omniscient and Omnipotent being and all other ideas are confusion. God is not the author of confusion, but Satan is. 

Love and tolerance. God’s love does not desire for anyone to spend eternity separated from Him; Christian tolerance is loving those who do not believe in God at all or do not believe in the same God as we do. Unfortunately, many non-Christians define love and tolerance as accepting and supporting anything that anybody else says or does without criticism. And yet, those very people who insist on that post-modern definition, will severely criticize anybody who disagrees with them, especially Christians. There is no universal law or mandate that states everyone is to respect and agree with everything. Christians love the all people’s spirits, but they reject and consider false philosophies and religions as idolatry. The atheist and all other religions feel the same way about the followers of Jesus. It’s alright, this is the way God knew it would be. There is no such thing as mixing the truth and error together. This is not pure unity but rather chaos and corruption. John 15:18-21 records Jesus speaking to Christians, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master, If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.” Christians cannot embrace any other spiritual view because it would be wrong in the eyes of God. Christians are to walk exclusively with the God of the Bible and to realize that all other gods and belief systems are His enemy. God is pure and holy and He demands His followers to be like Him. Sanctification is being separate and set apart for His holy service.

God is sovereign: This means as the creator of all things, He can do whatever He decides. He made it and He can break it. It’s His world, His universe, His heaven, and His creation. There is no one who has ever consulted with Him about His creation and no one can question His decisions or authority. How can little decrepit mankind who is spiritually blind, have the audacity to disagree with the Master of the universe? Please! This is the ultimate definition of the word deceived! It would give the arrogant and rebellious world a new perspective of humility if they would read the book of Job. The violence in the Old Testament is one of the most misunderstood topics in the Bible. A short summary is that God planned to implement his plan of salvation for humanity through the nation of Israel. His people were weak (like us) when it came to human nature and had this habit for surrendering to their carnality and imitating the pagan nations around them. The problem was and is today, that if sin and the confusion of other cultures were absorbed and accepted by His followers, then God’s plan of purity would be contaminated and all of humanity would be lost. Therefore, he had to protect Israel and His truth from being polluted. This is why God demands for His people to walk in His holiness and not play games with wickedness or other religions. There is no such thing as true spiritual unity when it comes to the mixture of belief systems. The God of the Bible stands alone and is the only true God. All other religions have been created by man and are an enemy against the one who is the Alpha and Omega. The same as a man cannot have a girlfriend while being married to his wife, a follower of God cannot also have an intimate spiritual relationship with another (idol). Sanctification means to be separate!

There is only one God and one faith. Those who do NOT believe there is only one way to heaven through Jesus Christ are welcome to do so because of freewill. However, being deceived does not alter divine truth. The leaven is a perfect analogy of how a little sin can ruin the entire loaf and this belief is significant when it comes to salvation.The only way to be born again is to accept Christ as your Savior. All other religions do not accept Jesus which is why they are false and why they are NOT going to heaven. It is the blood of Jesus that is the only sacrifice which is acceptable to the Father and without being redeemed and purchased with this blood, no one can enter into heaven. Christians are not being prejudiced about this, they are only following God’s demands.God demands that His people turn away from compromising with sin and the idea that all religions are embraced by Him. With eternal redemption and covenant salvation, it is God’s way or no way at all.

God is the Almighty: God always made it perfectly clear that He would NOT put up with the pagan practices which were truly heinous. He always made it clear that He would do whatever it takes if they would not give up their evil ways and this includes destroying them. Romans 6:23 declares, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” In His mercy and grace, He has given many nations through several generations to make changes, however, when they didn’t, he followed up on his warning. It was not just a threat – it was a promise! This nation will be no different. The people have turned away from Him, they have thrown Him out of their lives, and soon they will receive the wages of their sins. Let’s say you told a very evil person if they gave up their evil ways, you would welcome them with open arms, forgive their sins, and bless them. But you warn them if they refuse to listen, and they continue to kill and destroy, you will find them and execute them. Let’s say they ignore your offer of mercy and continue to torture, rape, lie, steal, and murder the innocent. Would you be wrong to follow through on your promise that you issued? Why would you be considered harsh and cruel to punish them? This is not being mean, it is simply upholding the integrity of your word and administering the consequences of rebellion. Likewise, someday in the future, Jesus will return with fierce wrath to fulfill His promise to destroy all those who defiantly refused to follow Him. He is perfect truth, judgment, and justice and this is why He is called the Almighty. He does not compromise. Discipline is a part of God’s perfect judgment. Bad people absolutely deserve to die, in fact, we were all doomed to be lost forever after Adam and Eve sinned. Only through the mercy of the cross can anyone be saved. The perfection of His truth is what makes Him who He is.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 25 – Published 6/20/20

NO TIME FOR TIMID FAITH – by David Wilkerson

“Take a look at the current condition of our nation and the world. What do you see? Christ´s prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes: “On the earth distress of nations, with perplexity…men´s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:25-26).

Paul also speaks of this time: “When they say, Peace and safety! then sudden destruction comes upon them” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). Paul is describing a people who live smugly and securely, boasting, “We achieved success and peace. Everything is going along just fine.” Yet, at the very moment people feel most secure, destruction comes. Suddenly, the security they cherished vanishes and society is overwhelmed by fear.

Yet we are not to fear. Paul told the Thessalonians they were being preserved in spirit, soul and body (see 5:23). God´s purpose behind it all is to “fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power” (2 Thessalonians 1:11). Paul was saying, “You´re being called to fulfill a work of faith – not a silent faith but one that demonstrates the power of Christ.”

This is not a time for timid faith! Our Captain is calling us to stand up in the midst of a fearful society and engage in “power faith.” We are to make the declaration: “God sent me before you to…save your lives by a great deliverance” (Genesis 45:7).

Our Lord is not surprised by anything happening today. When the world is reeling from disasters, with sorrows mounting on all sides, God will be calling forth faithful soldiers who have been trained for battle. These devoted men and women have endured trials and emerged with a sure faith. The power of God rests on them. Such power may not be seen on a grand scale; it may be seen only in simple ways: a quiet spirit, a smile in a sea of frowns; a rest of soul, mind and body as others tremble. All ministry comes from communion with the Father, so diligently seek him in prayer. Truly, you are called forth as a member of his company for such a time as this.”

“The messenger must first draw from the endless well of secret prayers and the intimacy of being brokenhearted before God. The individual must first grow red-hot with spiritual fervency before he speaks, so their words do not fall cold and lifeless.” William Holland Jr.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 24 – Published 6/13/20

ARE WE WISE OR FOOLISH VIRGINS?

A short summary of a foolish virgin.

1 Those sleeping have become calloused, cold, hardhearted, and are out of God’s will.
2 They direct their own lives and do whatever they want, but the scripture says: “We are no longer our own, we belong to the Lord and must glorify Him at all times in our bodies.”
3 Sleeping virgins do not recognize what God is doing all around them and ignore the glory of God.
4 They do not have true spiritual discernment. They can talk like the believers, and seem religious, they can be members of churches, but the scripture says: “By their fruits, ye shall know them” and, “Not all who says Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of God, but only those who do His will.”
5 The foolish virgins who slept have lapsed back into sin and have neglected the Holy Spirit. They have become lukewarm and are no longer a light in their Christian walk. They steal, cheat, lie, curse, are gluttons, drug addicts, alcoholics, jealous, envious, prejudice, they hate, fornicate, commit adultery, slander, gossip, cruel, lustful, pornography, obsessed with entertainment, and all types of sin.
6 These so called believers, (sleeping virgins) have lost their vision of their true meaning and purpose in this world. They are self willed and self controlled. Jesus warned: “If any man will come after me, they must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow.” But they do not want this commitment.
7 The foolish virgins represent the believers who allow their flesh to control them. By doing so they quench the Holy Spirit in them, and willingly choose the comfortable sleep that causes spiritual death.

Who are the wise virgins?

1 The wise virgins are those who pay are dedicated to the Word of God and do it. The Bible says: “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but fools despise the know ledge of God and discipline.” The fear of God is also to depart from evil. They have reverential respect for God and resist the devil; they are conscious of their spiritual responsibility and believe that walking with God is our highest priority.
2 The wise listen to God’s Word. While they waited for the bridegroom, they were involved in doing God’s will as it was being revealed to them. They were communicating with Jesus without ceasing.
3 They were listening, obeying, and by faith were living in the awareness of God’s presence.
4 They had come to the point where they hated evil. If you are a believer living in sin and disobedience, you will have no anointing or the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of God will not direct you. Psalm 66:18 reminds us that if we have intentional sin, God will not hear our prayers.
5 The Scripture says: “As many as are directed by the Holy Spirit, they are the children of God.”
6 The wise are those who worship God with their actions and are waiting patiently for the coming of Jesus. They refuse to allow the things of this life to entangle or diminish their love for the Lord.
7 The wise virgins refused to be enticed by any worldly or material objectives like the love for money or sex that is so dominant and prevalent in our culture. They understood “We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God: that ye may declare the praises of whom who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” The wise know that how we choose to live in this life, is what we will be judged for in the next life. The wise were constantly “filled with oil” the Holy Spirit! Although they are in the world, God is their first priority. Should Christ or death come suddenly, they are always waiting and ready to meet the Lord. Are we wise or foolish virgins?

THE KING IS COMING

PART 23 – Published 6/6/20

IS THE UNITED STATES MODERN DAY BABYLON?

I recently heard a testimony from a man who had a vision as he was praying 11 years ago. In hisvision he saw the United States split into four parts with each section under its own flag. He said he sensed that America had gone through a terrible war and the rioting and violence had resulted in terrible destruction and many people had been killed. As he looked at the burning cities, hewas crying and the Lord asked him, “Why are you crying over the fall of Babylon? As a matter of fact, why have you been praying for the healing of Babylon? My Word warned you what was coming.”

When we study history, we see that sin has been the dominant factor in the ancient empires and kingdoms of the world since the beginning of time. In the Bible it’s recorded that Nimrod was the king of ancient Babylon and many believe the United States has now become a modern day Babylon with the harlot who is dressed in purple and rides a scarlet-colored beast with seven heads and ten horns which is mentioned in Revelation chapter seventeen. The word whore can be translated metaphorically as idolatress and is associated with rebellion and evil abominations. The Whore’s apocalyptic downfall is prophesied to come from the image of the beast she is riding. There is much speculation within Christian eschatology about what the harlot and beast symbolize as well as the possible implications for contemporary interpretations. Verse 9 describes the 7 heads of the beast as 7 mountains and the horns as 10 kings. The waters are the people of every nation and the woman is revealed to be the most powerful “city” on earth which has power over all the kings and kingdoms of the world. We can see why many scholars believe that possibly New York or Washington DC is Mystery Babylon the Great, as verse five describes this city as, “The mother of all harlots and abominations of the earth.”

Some say that as New York is the home to Wall Street and the stock market, it’s control over finances and the global economy makes it the most powerful location in the world. However, we also know that Washington was designed by Freemasons and has long been known to be theglobal headquarters for Satan and demonic influences. The United States government is the most powerful kingdom in the world and is controlled by the Prince of the power of the air. The short history of this nation is filled with violence, lying, betrayal, deception, and evil. The false sense of patriotism has blinded the eyes of its inhabitants along with intoxication from prosperity. These factors combined with a Jezebel spirit of religion and the hypocrisy of white evangelicals are additional ingredients which has created carnal chaos. From the very beginning we know that leaders were not Christians, and it has been this way throughout the entire history.When was America a holy nation? Why are we not crying out, “Make America holy again?” Because people do not want holiness, they want a spirit of lust, power, and control! America is a fountain of sin and has contaminated and poisoned every nation in the world with its iniquities.The list of iniquities is long, such as the horrendous killing of several generations of unborn children. Beside these acts of murder, these babies have been willingly sacrificed to the god of self. The list of offensives also include greed, jealousy, rebellion, envy, hatred, racism, pornography, idolatry, gluttony, arrogance, fornication, laziness, alcoholism, adultery,homosexuality and gay marriage, apathy, love for money, worship of pleasure, perversion,transgender confusion, child molestation, human trafficking, drug epidemic, overcrowded prisons, liberal judges and government, atheism and satanism, alcoholism, religious deception,violence, false teachings and philosophies, spiritual lukewarmness, removing prayer and the Bible from education, and many others.

As we look at the wickedness of mankind, we do not need to wonder if God is angry; we know He is. Those who proclaim to follow Christ should be broken by the fact that not only is sin surrounding us, but that most everyone seems very comfortable to live here. We are a part of a nation that is so far removed from God and in total opposition to Hiskingdom, yet we are proud to live here. Why? Because we are free to do whatever we want? However, take a look around and see what his has caused. We are citizens of heaven, and only live here to serve God. Does the American dream have anything to do with taking up our cross and following Jesus? Or is it about making money and being successful? In fact, most people have become just like Lot living in Sodom, the prosperity that the nation offers us has blinded us from the evil that rules this land. We complain about how bad it is but still stay attached to it with every ounce of strength we have. Why? Because as long as we have what we want, we do not care about what goes on around us. We have been secretly purchased, and we agreed to serve the one who gives us pleasure and financial security. When our spiritual passion turns into apathy and lukewarmness, we have become a foolish virgin. Sin has the ability to gradually make us numb to how offensive it is to God. When we lose our sense of spiritual deception, we are no longer worried about its dangerous consequences. When we are no longer concerned, we will not pray or have a burden for those who are trapped in it’ slavery. When we lose our sensitivity and are no longer brokenhearted about those who are going to hell, we have also fallen into the captivity of darkness.

Instead of seeing this nation through our physical eyes, have you tried to imagine it through God’s eyes? One problem is that we actually know very little truth because the mainstream media is controlled by Satan and another fact is that our mind could not comprehend it anyway. We are unable understand what is going on because we are not allowed by man or God. The Lord knows the other 99 percent of reality and it’s difficult to fathom how He has restrained His wrath. I believe the prayers of the remnant saints are the only thing that has held back His retribution. It’s also strange that we see living in Babylon as a wonderful blessing, while He sees us living in a spiritual sewer that is ready to receive His wrath of judgment. We see the land of the free and home of the brave, while He sees a land of wickedness and home of deception and violence. Chapter 18 describes this devastating fall. Verse 2, “And the angel cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Verse 8, “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her.” Verse 18, “And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!”Verse 19, “And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.” Verse 21, “And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.” Do you believe this is speaking of America?

Take a close look behind the scenes of this nation and many others, and you will find the most corrupt and vile governments in the history of the world. God’s people are called to preach theGospel of The Kingdom, not the Gospel of America. The decisions that have been made from the White-house in direct cooperation with the Illuminati, the Bilderberg Group, and the Rothschild’s, along with several others, are a “One World” government. The world is controlled by a global order that follows Satan and are used as secret puppet-masters to make way for thecoming anti-Christ. When we study closely how the world works, we realize that politics and voting is only a smokescreen to appease the masses. People are being brainwashed and mentally “herded” to accept evil. May we remember, The Almighty God is great, not America, nor the world! The United States is already judged, and the time of severe shaking is now and will increase rapidly. The message is repentance and holiness unto God – not to restore carnality and independence away from God. This nation and the world rejects God and the Bible. The massesmock and discard God’s truth while willingly embracing lies. They refuse Jesus Christ as King and Lord, and shall soon reap the harvest of their rebellion and wickedness.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 22 – Published – 5/30/20

JOY THROUGH REPENTANCE – by David Wilkerson

The testimony that God wants to bring forth in his children is joy – genuine, lasting joy. “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). This spiritual joy, which results from Biblical understanding and sincere repentance, brings true strength to God’s people and draws sinners to His grace.

Most Christians never associate joy with repentance, but repentance is actually the mother of all joy in Jesus. Without it, there can be no joy. When David disobeyed, he lost the joy of the Lord and it could only be restored by true repentance. So he prayed, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Psalm 51:2-3). David also prayed to regain what he had lost: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (51:12).

It is impossible to maintain the joy of the Lord if sin is present in one’s life. We must increasingly separate ourselves from the world around us. How can the Holy Spirit pour out joy on a people who
continue to indulge in adultery, addictions and materialism, living like those who do not follow Christ?

Only the joy of the Lord supplies us with true strength. We can talk all we want about our long walk with Christ, but if we aren’t allowing the Holy Spirit to maintain the joy of the Lord in our hearts – if we are not continually hungering for His Word – then we are losing the intensity of our fire and will not be ready for what comes upon the world in these last days.

How do we maintain the joy of the Lord? We do it the same way we obtained His joy in the beginning.
First, we love, honor and hunger excitedly for God’s Word. Second, we must continually walk in repentance. Thirdly, we will separate ourselves from all worldly influences. This is how a person filled with the Holy Spirit maintains “Jesus joy” – rejoicing always, full of gladness!

Purity and holiness in Jesus is what brings joy to the Christian. Works is not a substitute. “If I choose to harbor sin in my heart, the LORD will not hear me” Psalm 66:18. Deal with sin this very hour and experience the joy of His presence.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 21 – Published 5/23/20

HOLINESS IS A LIFESTYLE

Having a burden for souls is directly linked to I Corinthians chapter 13 and no matter how you slice or dice it, if you do not have a deep love for God and people, you will have no interest in prayer. The Bible records this timeless statement in Matthew 22:37-40. “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.This is the first and great commandment.And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” I have this passage engraved above my fireplace in my den and may the Lord help me to walk in it. We know that love is the foundation to the Christian life and has everything to do with our relationship with God. I Corinthians chapter thirteen leaves no doubt as to what God is trying to teach us when it comes to priorities. We might believe that all is well with our heart, but a lack of love will reveal that we are not ready to meet Him. How many times will we need to hear that no matter how much we accomplish, it means nothing without love?

I would hope that we all meditate about love and search our conscience to make sure that our life is where God wants it to be. As I write these words, I sense that God is relaying the word“URGENCY.” King Jesus is coming soon and in His infinite mercy He is not only reaching out to the lost in this late hour that He might reap a great harvest of souls before His glorious return,but He is also knocking on our hearts door trying to awaken us from our slumber. The attitude of lukewarmness is like an infection that grows more dangerous every day and God is saying today the only way to be healed form sin is to turn away from it forever. There are many that have secret sins that they protect and absolutely have no intention of letting it go. Yes, you have thought about it and you have felt guilt, but it means too much to you to let it go. Many have asked God for deliverance from their weaknesses and cried as they nailed to the cross and buried in the grave, but after a while the temptation comes back and they sneak out into the graveyard at night and dig it up and take it back home with them. This message is to relay to you that your carnal desire must die and it must stay in the grave! When Jesus ministered to someone He would say, “Go and sin no more” and why is this? Because the Christian life is not a game where you can do whatever you want! I Peter 1:15-16 says, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” Our words originate from our thoughts and reveals much about our purity. The renewing of our mind is a transformation from who we were into who Christ is.

Within our carnal housing, we have a terrible sin problem and most people do not even think about it. Not only have many become numb to intentional sin, but they do not consider the sins of omission which is failing to obey what we should have done. In both cases, disobedience is a plague. How many has ever been nauseated? Until the follower of Christ becomes nauseated with ALL sin, they will never be able to walk with God! For those who are hungry and thirsty for the Lord, who want to be an extreme fanatic and take up their cross and follow Jesus, It’s time to lay all the cards on the table. The question remains: When do you plan on doing this?

Is there is anyone reading this that can guarantee you will have another chance to repent and call on God an hour from now? How about tonight or tomorrow? The Bible says in Isaiah 49:8, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” II Corinthians 6:2 declares, “For he says,in the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you. I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” Brothers and sisters I tell you, NOW is the time of God’s favor and this is the day to make sure all is well with your soul. Nonetheless, He is not desiring for individuals to just become a member of a church or to wear a t-shirt with a cross on it, or a bumper sticker on their vehicle. He is NOTdesiring for someone to join the religious masses and live a life of lukewarmness and deception! Today God is searching for someone to step forward in faith and become an ON FIRE, sold-out follower of Jesus Christ! What does this mean? To embrace HIS words of truth with ALL of your mind and strength and to listen, accept, and obey Him as the Lord and Master of your life.“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” Rev. 12:11. What does this mean? When we allow Jesus to rule and reign in our life, we become filled with HIS Spirit and can be used as a mighty vessel of honor to accomplish HIS will. Do not be deceived by thinking you are walking in God’s will if you have not allowed Him to be the Lord of your life. When He is Lord, He is invited to sit on the throne of the heart and to rule EVERY thought and deed. They overcame “him” is referring to the resisting the devil and of course this also includes having discipline over the rebellious stronghold of our carnal flesh. Again, it is a deception to believe we are living for God if we are still living under the control of our old carnal nature. “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46. We can only have one master.

The overcomers are NOT a part of the masses of religious spectators. The overcomers are a remnant of individual bonfires of Holy Ghost power that have willingly submitted their will and have fully embraced God’s will. They are few in number but pure in heart. The blood of the Lamb which is Jesus Christ, is the foundation of our covenant salvation, and the only payment which could ransom and redeem all believers. Everything we can be and everything we will ever need is in the blood of Christ which He shed on the cross and then He rose from the dead which activated and confirmed every promise of God as eternal perfect truth. God’s love, and the blood of Christ is the meaning and purpose of our existence. Is there anything greater?

The blood of the Lamb represents and proves the mercy and grace of God once and for all as the greatest act of compassion in the history of the world. The word of their testimony is declaring to the world that Jesus passionately loves everyone and His endless righteousness is available for all those who hear His voice and respond in faith. The word of their testimony means that through God’s power they will stand on the solid rock of His promises and they will freely give their life into God’s hands no matter how many giants, mountains, or suffering they might have to endure. To the overcomer, holiness is more than a song or a slogan, it is a lifestyle! They have decided to follow Jesus forever and nothing can stop them from being a living sacrifice for Him.

THE KING IS COMING

PART 20 – Published 5/16/20

THE MARK OF THE BEAST

By Dan Corner

The Book of Revelation paints a picture that has been the subject of all kinds of speculation by the Christian Church throughout history. Today, with the advent of modern technology, conspiracy theories spread across the globe at lightning speed. This is especially true in regards to the conjecture surrounding the anti-Christ and the “Mark of the Beast” as related in Revelation. Many have stated that the mark refers to social security numbers, national ID cards or might even be delivered through vaccines. None of this is true says Dan Corner, Director of Evangelical Outreach. He recently had this to say:

As technology continues to advance and as we persist in hearing of wars and rumors of wars that Jesus warned about in Matthew 24:6, certainly many will wrongly think that the infamous mark of the beast is already out before it actually comes into existence. Such a view has also led to an unfounded anti-Christ conspiracy. The truth is, as of this writing, neither the anti-Christ, nor the mark of the beast is here yet, even though the technology may be available for the mark. As you can be assured, one day the Antichrist will be in global control, and you can equally be certain that the mark of the beast will be issued on a worldwide scale at that same time. For this to occur, globalism will indeed lead to a one world government/organization led by the anti-Christ himself.

According to the Scriptures, the mark of the beast is received on the right hand or forehead. With modern technology, it is very possible that this mark may be directly linked to the RFID computer chip. However, whether it is or not, everyone who is living immediately before the return of Christ will be forced to take this mark in order to buy or sell anything. Furthermore, the mark of the beast is a mark which refers to the anti-Christ, who is called the beast in Revelation. In fact, to be more precise, it is the number or name of this vile person who will receive his power from the devil himself.

Please know that the mark of the beast is not any of the following: it is not the social security number nor is it the national ID card; it is not Sunday worship as the Seventh Day Adventists believe; nor will it be sneaked in a vaccine or some other medical procedure. There will be nothing hidden or secret about the mark of the beast when it comes out. Rev. 13:15-18 reads: “He [the false prophet] was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.”

Some people think that they will just be able to hide out from the anti-Christ in the woods or mountains, but even in the early 90’s there was technology to detect a campfire on earth from outer space. Now today, radar in the home can detect a person who is there just by his breathing alone; there will be no escaping the anti-Christ. “If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people” (Rev. 13:10).

Hence, this Bible warning applies to Christians; The followers of Jesus will not be raptured out of here before the tribulation and the anti-Christ begins to rule. There will be no pre-tribulation rapture, and there is no such thing as the false security of hoping you are saved while living in carnality. Do not be deceived by the Left Behind series and other popular false prosperity teachers who claim otherwise. Do not believe anyone, no matter how prominent or smooth-talking, who declares that taking the mark of the beast is a sin that can be repented of and forgiven like everything else. This one act of disobedience and idolatry will damn your spirit to the lake of fire, as is warned in Rev.14:9-12 by God’s angel.

Regarding “that day” or “our being gathered to him” (2 Thessalonians 2:1), the Bible says: “Do not allow anyone to deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Finally, please remember this: If you receive the mark of the beast you will be tormented with burning sulfur. “A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name. This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus” (Revelation 14:9-12).

You must not take the mark of the beast, even if you have to surrender your life, which will happen sooner or later, anyway. Victory over the anti-Christ and his mark is spelled out in Revelation 12:11. Memorize the following verse and act upon it! “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

“Those who do take the mark of the beast were deceived by miracles performed by satanic power: But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur” (Revelation19:20).

“But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast” (Hebrews 3:6). “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Fear God more than the anti-Christ; he is only a man who will one day be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20 cf. 20:10). Instead, strive to be faithful to the very end to the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 19 – Published 5/9/20

DOCTRINE OR DISCIPLE?

We read in the New Testament when Jesus began His ministry how He rejected the religious church of His day. Why? Because the religious world did not understand the difference between legal rituals and a personal relationship with God and unfortunately this same confused and dangerous spirit is alive and well today. To think that a person can embrace a series of religious doctrines without knowing God is one of the most devastating deceptions that has ever come upon the world.

This concept is from Satan and multitudes are being held in bondage by this lie and many have already faced the tragic consequences. We know the world is filled with lost people who need Jesus Christ and need to be forgiven of their sins and redeemed by His blood. However, there are also many in this world who believe they are alright with God but they ARE NOT! And what about the masses who claim to believe in God, but have never understood this does not necessarily mean they are automatically born-again? Then we have the souls who have drifted away from God and have grown cold and backslidden because they have allowed their flesh to control their mind and their actions.

My dear brothers and sisters, if your life falls into one of these categories today, you are not here by accident but your presence is a divine appointment directly from the Lord for the purpose of transforming you from the road of spiritual disaster to the highway of being an overcomer in God’s kingdom. Can someone praise Jesus for His love and mercy?

How serious is God’s message today? It is simple but very sobering. Is it not a matter of life or death? We are living in the last hour of the age and there are so many people who are not right with God! Do you have a burden for souls today? Can you hear the Holy Spirit calling you with a sense of urgency? Are you dedicated to fervently praying for the lost family members and friends in your network?

If you and I consider ourselves a follower of Jesus Christ, we have been commissioned to be His disciple. This means we have clear line of communication and a constant expectation to be used in divine appointments with everyone we meet and everyone we know. If you have lost your white hot passion and your love has grown cold, then God is saying to examine your heart and make sure that all is well with your soul.

Brother, I know the Lord and I call Him Lord. I was saved years ago and I’ll be alright whatever state I am in. Oh really? I would like to know who told you that. This is the same attitude that these people had. “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” Matthew 7:21-24.

God’s will for our life is all about our love for Him and to know Him. How can we love someone we do not know? The more we love God the more we will love people. The more we love God and people, the more we will pray. This is how we measure where and who we are in God.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 18 – Published 5/2/20

SOFTLY AND TENDERLY JESUS IS CALLING

I am not here to promote or endorse a religious movement. This message is not a fluffy pat on the back devotion saying that God is pleased to accept however we choose to live. I’m relaying a message from heaven and it has everything to do with change! This is a last second warning to everyone who has ears to hear what the Spirit has to say! We know that God loves everyone, but His grace and mercy is being extended in this moment because He wants to save us from ourselves! All of our denials and justifications are nothing but lies from the devil and our flesh, and today we are being given a chance to allow God to open our eyes and see the truth which can set us free! We do not hear much anymore about God pulling individuals out of the miry clay and setting their feet on the solid rock, but the point of this analogy is that without Jesus Christ sitting on the throne of our heart, we are drowning in the quicksand of deception and misery and are headed toward a devastating end!

God is not impressed with how many times you go to church or all the moral and nice things you do, He is only interested in one thing and that is HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO HIM, AND ARE YOU OBEYING HIS VOICE! A revival is not about continuing in the comforts of our own ideas and plans. We do not gather to talk about how holy we or congratulate each other for our deeds or talk about all of our prosperity blessings. The days of feel good psychology and seeker sensitive strategies are in the past and were a huge waste of time which only brought lukewarmness and a false security. The church has been rocked to sleep by a lethargic gospel and has allowed carnality to paint a pretty picture of our religious ideas. God is saying it’s time to tear down all the idols we have built in the name of a Pharisee attitude and get on the same page with God Almighty, can someone give Him praise and worship?

Jesus is coming soon and the Holy Spirit is calling for a spiritual AWAKENING that will change our lives forever! He is commanding and DEMANDING that His people preach His Word of REPENTANCE from the housetops, for the masses to wake up and embrace the task at hand! And what is that? We must have a DESIRE TO COMPREHEND what it really means to be a follower of Jesus Christ! Can you sense the urgency? Do you feel the burden within your spirit to come out of the world which is holding you in bondage? Do you realize that Jesus could come this very minute and will only take those whose lamps are filled with oil? Now brother, I was saved 40 years ago; I do not have anything to worry about. Are you serious? Did you not understand that I just said the virgins which were NOT ready were NOT welcomed into the banquet wedding with Christ? I am not talking about religious people, I’m talking about those who WALK with God. The Pharisees were the most religious people in the world and they did not even know God!

It does not matter when you raised your hand, what river you were baptized in or how much money you have given, the only thing that matters is having an intimate personal relationship with Jesus! Have you surrendered your will to Him? Have you taken up your cross and are following Him? Do you listen to His voice and do you OBEY what He is saying? Have you done everything that Jesus has told you to do? Have you abandoned this world and your carnality? Are you sanctified and walking holy in His presence? If you cannot agree to all of these things, then you are in need of being delivered from sin, born-again, and filled with the Holy Spirit! Do not rely on what you have done in the past, God is speaking to your mind and conscience this very moment and giving you this wonderful opportunity to be genuinely redeemed and transformed!

The true Christian life is NOT about building and fulfilling our own plans and then squeezing Jesus in if we have an extra minute! This way of thinking is a carnal deception and is a part of the broad way of destruction. The true Christian life is all about abandoning our life, laying down our will, and rising every morning singing, “I surrender all, all to thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all.” Sadly, the majority of those who call themselves a Christian have never realized what this means and most of them have no intention of learning anything more about it. John said in chapter three and verse 30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Why did he say that? He was trying to explain that our heart is filled with our love and adoration for pleasure and it only has so much room. We cannot be filled with God if we are already filled with everything else we desire and worship. Those who are held as blind servants to religion, have willingly convinced themselves they can have their cake and eat it too. This is a lie from hell. We cannot serve our flesh and God at the same time. Matthew 6:24 clearly sates, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Wealth can also represent anything that has captured our heart with our imagine and intimate passion. 

On the other hand, the person who is committed to their holy vow and who loves God with all of their mind, strength and soul, has decided to empty out everything that was demanding their attention. They have agreed to sacrifice everything so they can enjoy dwelling in the secret place of His presence. They comprehend that turning away from every temptation and letting go of every shortcoming is the only way they can be fully led by the Holy Spirit and be saturated with Christ. In this light, we can more clearly see the concept of, “All of Him and none of me.” Is this what you want today? Do you have a burning desire to let go of weaknesses, habits, your secret sins, and all the plans you have made? Allow me to ask you, do you really believe we can live however we want and everything’s going to work out in the end? Please do not continue believing this lie. We used to sing an old hymn which said, “When we all get to heaven” but the truth is we are not all going. In fact, the Bible says in Matthew 7:13-14 that only a remnant will be invited to enter. All are invited to be His disciple, but few are willing to do what He requires.“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.” A few verses down in this same chapter we continue to read these sobering truths, “Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers!”Matthew 7:22-23. I believe in eternal security, but God is saying this hour that we need to make sure we are saved!

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me
See on the portals He’s waiting and watching, watching for you and for me

Come home, come home…Ye who are weary come home…
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling, Calling, “O sinner come home”

O for the wonderful love He has promised, promised for you and for me
Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon, pardon for you and for me

Come home, come home, Ye who are weary come home…

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, Calling, “O sinner come home”

THE KING IS COMING

Part 17 – Published 4/26/20

WATCHMAN WHAT OF THE NIGHT?

Nearly 700 years before Christ, the world was in chaos and fear. The Babylonian Empire was under attack by the Assyrian Empire as the people hoped that Babylon would be able to defeat the Assyrian aggressors to their north. However, it was not to be! Babylon fell to the Assyrians and everyone knew these barbarians would continue the slaughter until the entire region was under their evil domination. Against this backdrop of invasion and with the nation of Israel trying to stand against possible annihilation, God commands the prophet Isaiah to assume the role of a spiritual watchman. Isaiah is to use his prophetic gifts and tell the people what he sees approaching. This call to be so close to God and sensitive to His voice might have been nearly 2,700 years ago, but the reality of the spiritual calling of the New Testament followers of Christ is as timely as today’s headlines. If a person declares to be a Christian, they are automatically a watchman for His kingdom. Chaos, hatred, and wars are raging in our world today and people are losing their lives by the thousands to terrorist attacks, horrendous natural disasters, drugs, human trafficking, and now we are experiencing a worldwide pandemic. In the spiritual realm, it is sad but true; we are seeing a level of wickedness and rebellion that is growing out of control. The traditional conservative and moral way of thinking is now rejected as lies and foolishness more than ever before. Behavior that was once considered an abomination is now openly flaunted on public television and widely accepted. Christians have opened the door of compromise, and the desire for comfort and pleasures are holding them in spiritual bondage. Are convicted by how you are living? Have you been telling others that Christ is coming soon? Have you been speaking boldly about the coming anti-Christ who will implement a new system and a new world order? Have you been telling everyone that tribulation is coming which will include being forced to take an identifying mark in their hand or forehead in order to buy or sell? If, not – why not? Either you do not really believe it or maybe you are ashamed and embarrassed for others to think you are a fanatic or an extreme religious crazy. These are important questions that each believer must answer to God and within their own heart. Are we running out of time to make things right with God? I believe the answer is yes. If the rapture is tonight, are you ready and excited to see Him, or will you be searching to fill your lamp with oil?

Today, just as there was in Isaiah’s day, there is a need for the people of God to assume the role of a watchman. There is a need for us to take our stand, look at that which is approaching and to blow the warning trumpet that time is ticking. Do people come to you and ask you about God? Do those around you respect your walk with Jesus and do they trust you to tell them God’s truth? What we say and the way we live has everything to do with how effective we are for His kingdom. There is not time to plan or to build, it is time to fall on our knees and allow Christ to purify our heart and fill us with His Spirit. Did Isaiah have any more responsibility than what we have been called to do? Don’t we know that Jesus is coming and that we have been given the great commission? This is not just for preachers, this is for everyone who proclaims to be a child of God. This is not just an option, but rather a demand from the Lord to do what He says! Soldiers in the military are given orders and are committed to follow the commands they are given. If a soldier is told to stand guard, and he fails his duty, are they not accountable? Will our diligence to evangelism not be a part of our judgment? Have we forgotten the magnitude of being backslidden and living a mediocre spiritual life? We have been warned to NOT fall asleep! Why? Because people all around us are going to hell? Allow me to ask a question today, “Have you been faithful to stand guard and have not been napping?” “Have you followed God’s orders and have dedicated your life to repentance, evangelizing, sanctification, intercession, study, and obedience to His voice?” It’s easy to enjoy our blessings and not only lose our burden for other people’s souls, but to also drift away from our personal relationship with Jesus ourselves. Too many distractions and not spending enough time with Jesus is the formula for disaster. When people ask you, “watchman what of the night” are you responding with God’s truth and sharing with everyone you know what God is saying? Today is the day to ask God to forgive your lethargic state of mind and your lukewarm attitude toward the things of God. Now is the time to be washed clean with the blood of Jesus and rededicate your life to Him, completely and without shame. Do not sing I surrender all if you do not mean it! Do not sing and ask God to bring His refining fire if you have no intention of walking away from your intentional sin! Do you want to keep playing in religion or are you serious about a personal revival?

God’s six-thousand-year plan is coming to an end, and I believe everyone can agree that we are living in the last moments before we see the unfolding of all end-time events. King Jesus is coming and right now He is asking if you are ready to meet Him? We do not know when He is coming, but if you are not ready to meet Jesus Christ this very hour, when do you plan to get ready? Are you willing to roll the dice with your soul? Dear brothers and sisters, what are you waiting for and what could be more important than spending an eternity with God? Does holding on to your will for a short while and doing whatever you want in this life mean more to you than living in heaven forever? God cannot make you you love Him or obey Him! I am a messenger sent to relay to you that God loves you and is giving you a window of grace, but every day that you refuse to surrender your life to Him, your heart becomes harder like concrete and it becomes easier to resist His conviction. Some might think this is a message to the lost, but it is a message to the saved and the lost. Just because we are saved does not mean we are walking with God. If you’ve never accepted Him as the Lord of your life, ask Him to save you now! If you have been saved, but He is not the Lord of your life, then repent, surrender your will, and make the dedication to take up your cross and follow Him. Today is the day to exchange your misery and discouragement, for His peace which passes all understanding. I want to ask you what will happen when you can no longer hear the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit? Listen carefully to Isaiah 55:6, “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” What more can God do – what more can He say?

THE KING IS COMING

PUBLISHED 4/18/20 – PART 16

THE WAKE UP CALL OF GOD’S MERCY

I am humbled at the foot of the cross and I worship God for His grace and mercy. I will not go into great detail at this time, but the last 14 days has been one of the greatest personal spiritual experiences in my life. Jesus has been speaking to my heart and has given me the opportunity to open my eyes and receive His views about the more meaningful picture of salvation and the Christian life instead of trying to build and trust my own beliefs and opinions. I use the term opportunity, because we can be as close to God as we choose. Yes, we will be hindered, but nothing can stop us from continually leaning on His bosom, communing with Him, and becoming all that God has called us to be. His presence is all around us but He does not make us pay attention. Matthew 7:7 reveals that our initiative and enthusiasm is critical to finding His truth. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” I must include that spiritual revelation is difficult to understand all at once, because our brain and our carnal nature are always ready to interfere, challenge, and even argue. We believe we know what is true, but much of the time we are trusting in our interpretation. Can we be wrong? Of course we can! These speculations can actually become huge distractions which prevent us from knowing what we need to focus on.

I have read, studied, taught, and written about God’s Word since I was a young man, but only recently have I experienced a more real encounter with Him. It is truly a privilege beyond words to be tapped on the shoulder by God, so to speak, and to be given a merciful wake up call. Through the years I have embraced basic Bible truths and have also wondered about a lot of opinions and ideas pertaining to subjects that are not exactly crystal clear. We can look back through history and see wars where millions of people have been slaughtered over doctrinal differences. However, since many of our beliefs are simply reference points which lead to equations within our journey, we are left being no more knowledgeable or confident about who was right and who was wrong than when we started. In the end, beliefs are a dime a dozen. Only truth matters. So, how can we know what is true? It has everything to do with the condition of our heart. We can be filled with knowledge and do many good works, but if we have ignored repentance and obedience unto the Lord, we have become like a religious pharisee. These individuals were blind similar to those who will appear before God and declare all the great and wonderful works they accomplished in God’s kingdom on earth, to which He will reply, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” Matthew 7:21-23.

Now hold on a minute, how can this be? We are talking about some of the most religious people anywhere. But wait, wasn’t the Pharisees also the most religious people of their day? Yes, they both have the same spirit, the same attitude, the same deception, and the exact same problem, they have heart issues. They had “beliefs” but their heart was not clean and they were NOT walking with God! How can that be? There is a huge difference between religion and relationship and a huge difference between knowledge and revelation! In other words, it would be better to have a spoonful of revelation than a wheelbarrow full of knowledge. Remember Jesus said they wash the outside of the cup but they are dirty on the inside? Anyway, for those who consider themselves truth seekers, we can make a list of topics that we know is definitely true and we can also make another list of things that we are not really positive about. (By the way, the second list is much longer than we might think). Teachers of the scriptures are much like lawyers as they build and present their case. They reveal as much evidence as they can to prove their point as they try to convince the jury and any listener they are correct. Of course, all scholars, Bible teachers, and pastors, will be glad to share their speculations about any doctrine or subject even if they only have a small amount of evidence and many are easily angered and upset when someone disagrees. Sadly, it’s easy to see how “beliefs” have destroyed the love and unity within families, friends, and the body of Christ since the beginning of time. Why? Pride.

The devil and human carnal nature are the ones we can point to for tempting and disrupting the world, the church, and the views of God’s salvation. However, the real blame goes to our rebellious and carnal flesh for taking the bait. The masses (including the religious) have accepted the concept that you can believe and live however you want, serve God in your own way, and everything will be alright. This is a lie. Alarmingly, in the last 70 years, there has been a subtle increase of a false gospel and in turn it has promoted and established a false spiritual security within people’s minds. We are living in a time when ministers who choose to teach about spiritual purity and holiness is rare. Why? People do not want to be convicted or in short they do not want anyone including God to tell them how to live. Humans want God to accept them as they are. God demands that we change. The message today is turning toward seeing God as a generous Creator who wants to bless everyone. This is much more popular and less offensive. However, God’s plan is for us to repent constantly as transformation and sanctification is what allows us to have an intimate spiritual relationship with Him. Verse 17 of I Corinthians chapter 5 is short, but profound, “Pray without ceasing.” The call here is to have God on your mind at all times. We are what we think. It’s true there is an endless list of petitions we can bring to His throne and we should, but unless we keep our heart pure and clean, we are only going through a religious ritual. How do we keep our heart clean? Obedience.

Yes, we all have tons of questions about certain doctrines, and controversial mysteries within the faith, and we can present some very strong cases about what we think about them, but I have learned that we can be wrong. I beg your pardon brother, I’m right about everything…alrighty then. May I ask, are all these interpretations and opinions really important? No, they are not. Remember, beliefs are just reference points we pass through in life. I’m not talking about things like Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the dead, but the other 90 percent of questions that the Bible does not clearly answer. Personally, some of the mysteries that I felt fairly confident about through the years, I now see differently. Again, most of these are only reference points in our search for balance. Honestly, the one question which is the most important and yet seldom pursued is, “Have I always acted on what Jesus has told me to do?” This is one of those questions that might need some extra pondering. In our rational reasoning, we assume that if we do all the things we want to do including our good works, that this replaces us falling on our face and asking, “Where have we failed to follow you Jesus?” It does not. The focus of our life in this late hour is to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “Is my heart pure and clean?” Do I have unrepentant sin in my life?” “Have I asked Jesus to forgive me and allowed Him to balance the equation for me?” “Am I ready to meet God this very moment, and what do I need to to do to make sure my relationship with Jesus is as close as it can be?” This will separate those who are truly and thirsty for righteousness from the ones who think that singing the National Anthem confirms their salvation.

I encourage you to God about these questions and spend time with Him. There is no doubt these are difficult and are also subject to much spiritual warfare. At the same time, repentance restores our proper relationship with Jesus and brings perfect harmony and balance. This is the key to deliverance from sin and healing within our soul. You may think you do not need deliverance from sin, but do not deceived. There are many hidden rooms within the chambers of our conscience and this where we find spots and wrinkles we have forgotten about or have become attached to. One of the tragedies of our day is how Christians are becoming numb to all types of sin and are not convicted by the Holy Spirit. What happened to weeping and being broken over sin? What happened to fasting and praying for those who are lost? How many are satisfied with drinking milk and have no desire to advance into the deeper levels of His Spirit? How many believe they are saved and have never understood what it means to take up their cross and follow Him? We cannot imagine the blindness and deception that is covering the world, and yet here we are in the last moments before Jesus comes to take His bride. Are you a wise virgin whose lamp is filled with oil and are you prepared in every way to meet Him?

My brothers and sisters, I plead with you, whoever said that continual willful sin is tolerated by God, was selling snake oil. Sin is poison. Until we come to the point where sin makes us nauseated, we have not come to the place where Jesus has called us to be. I am not talking about legalism; I am talking about genuine holiness. I do not believe there can be much speculation about this passage in I Peter 1:15-16, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” This very moment is the time to awaken from lukewarmness! I plead with you to examine your heart and make sure all is well with your soul. May we have ears to hear the urgency of His voice, may we develop a passion to receive His refining fire into our heart until we bow down before Him and surrender our will to Him. Forgiveness and cleansing through His blood is available, but He demands that we act on His will. When will you accept that, “Go and sin no more” is not a warning for someone else, it is an urgent wake up call from God to you?

THE KING IS COMING

Part 15 – published 4/10/20

Christ is risen! God is on His throne! He will reign forever!

FRIDAY

Read: I Corinthians 15:44-49. Good Friday celebrates the day our Lord died for our sins on the cross and provided a way for us to be forgiven. There is no way we can imagine the agony and suffering He went through because of our sins. The blood of Jesus is the foundation of our salvation and is the provision for everything we will ever need. At one point He said from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30) which meant that God had accepted His work on the cross as the ransom and payment for our sins. While that holy Friday 2000 years ago was the greatest demonstration the world has ever known, it was only a prelude to Sunday morning when He was raised from the dead. The devil thought he had defeated God, but he should have known that God has ALL authority and power, he is perfect, He cannot fail, and has created all things! We can walk boldly in God’s grace because Jesus is victorious! His children can dwell in the secret place of the Most High because our heavenly Father purchased us and adopted us into His family and we will live with Him forever!

SATURDAY

Read: I Corinthians 15:50-54. Throughout the Bible, we are warned that “it is later than you think.” Paul writes to Christians in Romans 13:11–12: “The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

There are millions of people around the world who do not have peace at this moment because they have never found a personal relationship with Jesus. And as a demonstration of His mercy, Christ who is the Prince of Peace, went to the cross to make a way so that “whosoever will” can be saved! Glory and honor to His name forever – he looked beyond our fault and saw our need. The God of endless love sent His Son Jesus Christ to this world so that through our faith in the gospel, we can receive Him into our heart and be transformed into a new creation. Reach out today and call upon the Lord to save you. Jesus is waiting to save those who sincerely see their desperate need to be redeemed.

RESURRECTION SUNDAY

Read: I Corinthians 15:55-58. The resurrection is a celebration of great gladness for those who know and love Christ. The tomb was rolled away, and when His friends looked inside; He was not there! Death could not hold Him! He willingly came to earth to die for those whom He loved and we can never express our gratitude for His monumental sacrifice. Jesus accomplished His mission and left us with the great hope and blessed assurance that He is going to return to establish a new heaven and a new earth where, we are told, there will be no more sorrow, trouble, or death for those who have believed and followed Him. This is AMAZING GRACE and as Christians, our great task is to obey the command to tell the whole world about this gospel of mercy and compassion. My prayer for you during this season of the year, when we meditate on our Savior suffering for us on the cross, is that you will be filled with great peace and hope, because “HE IS RISEN!” God is speaking to the lost sinner and those who are lukewarm and the backslidden sinners. Invite Him today to sit on the throne of your heart and allow Him to become your Master and Lord. This is the greatest news in the history of the world and the most wonderful opportunity you will ever have in your life! Today is your window of grace.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 14 – Published 4/4/20

HOUSTON – WE HAVE A SIN PROBLEM

I know we do not want to talk about sin, but it is so important we cannot afford not to. The reason why there is no revival? Sin. Why are people are renouncing their faith? Sin. The reason why many are backslidden and have fallen away from God, well you know the answer. Maybe they were just religious and was never a genuine child of God’s family. Maybe they professed Christ at one time and the seed of God’s word within them became overwhelmed with the cares and distractions of this world. Maybe the fowls which represent demonic influences ate the seed and left them in a miserable state. Scriptures declare that in the last days, many will fall away from God, as the love of many will wax cold. You would think with a deadly virus all around us that people would be crying out to God, but are they? I pray and hope so. In this light, God can use natural disasters and crisis situations to get peoples attention. Why? Well, obviously to save their souls and again, to deal with the issue of sin. We know there are a lot of hard hearts out there, but praise the Lord He He can melt the heart of stone.

When we think about who we are, we wonder how did we become this person that we see in the mirror every morning? Maybe I should take a few steps back and ask if anyone ponders about a question like this to begin with? I’m afraid for most people the mirror is nothing more than an object we use to make sure our hair is in place or we missed a spot shaving. How many have realized I admit the idea of self examination is not popular for a number of reasons. For one thing, we are so occupied with living every moment that we rarely take the time to evaluate how we became who we are or if there is a serious problem with who we are. Of course, these are issues that we must consider before we move on to the serious confrontation where we decide if we have any need or desire to change who we are? I’m sure we would all admit there is room for a certain amount of attitude adjustments and some modifications here and there, but how often do we ask God what he thinks about who we are? This is where things become uneasy because it’s much easier to keep floating down the river of denial than to embrace personal transformation.

Somewhere between theology and philosophy we refer to the deepest part of our being with several titles such as the conscience, soul, heart, and or spirit of our existence. This essence of our being or whatever you may call it, is the real representative of who we are no matter how we might appear on the outside. I also believe this spiritual identity is ultimately responsible for our actions and will give an account of our deeds at the final judgment. Whatever decision the Almighty will make for all of us, will be the consequences which will determine our eternal destination. One of my considerations about our conscience is how it develops. Do we naturally evolve in our mentality and spiritual maturity, or do we have the accountability to train our mind through self-discipline in order to become the individual God intended for us to be? My first response is that our attitude and our desire to comprehend and learn God’s wisdom has everything to do with our mental, emotional, and spiritual development, but what makes a person more sensitive and self-conscious? What causes someone to seek truth about everything including reasons and purposes within their own being? We know there are several types of personalities which in some cases might possibly provide an easier path to being more serious about the deeper issues of life, but a person must not allow the persuasion of their emotions to have more control of their conscience than the Holy Spirit. In other words, no matter what kind or type of person we are, we are called and commanded to surrender our will in order to become the person God has called us to be. Abandoning our will is not an option for the Christian

One of the major problems with progressing into our full potential is that most people do not know God’s plan for their life and sadly a large amount of these do not care. What can God do with individuals that do not care? He can leave the ninety nine and go after the one, but at the same time He cannot make or force someone love Him. I do not understand all the details but, I believe there is coming a one world government and it will be controlled by the anti-Christ. The Bible says there is coming a beast system which will include an identification process that is called the mark of the beast. If the church is still here at that time, this will be a choice for every person and the Bible clearly states that whoever takes the mark is spiritually doomed. “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name” Revelation 14:9-11. If the church has been caught up in the rapture, then whoever is left will be faced with this decision. Take the mark and continue buying, selling, and living your life. Refuse the mark and lose everything and possibly also your life. Have you considered what you would do if faced with this decision? Is your relationship and faith at such a level that you would be able to walk away from everything and simply trust Him?

THE KING IS COMING

Published 3/28/20 – Part 13

GOD IS IN TOTAL CONTROL

Praise the Lord I am feeling better and beginning to regain some of my strength. I want to thank everyone for your prayers. Pneumonia is a formidable opponent, and it takes a while for the body to defeat the infection and manage the healing process.

I received an email yesterday from a sweet lady who attended a church with us back in 1997. The church was called, “Christ Fellowship” and was facilitated by Dr. Bob Neff and Denny Strickland. I was an ordained elder and served as one of the leaders of our worship team. She said I used to sing a song called, “Total Control” and it had been playing in her head for the last few days and she wanted to know if I could send it to her. Actually, the Lord gave me that song in 1994 and occasionally I would incorporate it into the worship. It’s a song of encouragement which declares that God holds the universe in the palm of His hand and how that nothing is greater than His authority. I was humbled that anyone would remember a song from over 20 years ago but had been praying recently that God would continue to use the music as a blessing to others. Then later in the day I ran into an old friend at Walmart and he must have mentioned that God is in total control at least 4 times. Sitting in my office last night, I thought about these two encounters relating to God being in control and I believe they were not a coincidence. No doubt, our heavenly Father is trying to confirm to all of us that He is in total control and for us to keep our eyes focused on Him and to trust Him with all of our heart. This is not the hour to panic or surrender to fear as Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” It takes determination and perseverance to develop a mind set which embraces the spiritual reality that doubt is the opposite of faith. God desires for His people to stand strong in the storm and simply trust Him just like when the disciples were with Christ in the ship and they were afraid of dying. Jesus calmed the waves and He is still saying for us to rest in the secret place of the Most High. It’s truly amazing what we can learn if we can only be still and listen to His still small voice.

This is a difficult time for many and I am heartbroken for those who have been taken by this virus. We pray for peace and comfort for their families and we also lift up those who are suffering from it, may they be healed in Jesus Name! We do not really know why this has come upon the world, but our imagination always wants to speculate. We have our own thoughts and I’ve heard others say many things that I will not even repeat, but are they accurate? However, there are some things that we do know and we can always stand strong on God’s infinite truth. We know that God is never surprised, shocked or worried. He knows everything that is going to happen before it happens. We know that He has all authority and all power and is sovereign to direct all things according to His perfect wisdom. We know that He is in total control and will only allow things to happen as it agrees with His divine will. It’s true that we do not understand why He allows certain things, but are we supposed to know everything? Do we have the capacity and ability to understand the depths of His wisdom? Probably not, considering we can hardly comprehend the baby basics of prayer and obedience. Besides, isn’t the foundation of faith trusting in what we cannot see? We know that He loves His people and will not pour out His wrath upon those who love and obey Him. We know that God has revealed in His Word that there will be perilous times in the last days. As His children, we should not be surprised or alarmed when trials and tribulation are released, but rather we should be strengthened and encouraged to see His prophecies come to pass. We know the kingdoms of men will crumble and that evil will continue to surge until God finally says, enough is enough just as He did in Noah’s day. We know that Jesus is coming soon and today is the time to awaken from lukewarmness and do the work of His ministry and to prepare our hearts for His glorious return. We know that He is our only HOPE!

THE KING IS COMING

Published 3/21/20 – PART 12

THE PERFECT WORK OF PATIENCE

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” James 1:2-4.

It’s common to talk about faith, but let us remember that faith is not just believing but it’s also based on trusting. Within the reality of prayer, faith and trust involves an understanding about how we must let go and let God. This is very difficult to do, but when we present our petition and we feel confident the Lord has heard us, this is the time when we must mentally, emotionally, and spiritually give the situation over to him. However, if we hold on to the problem, this means we are not completely trusting that He is going to take care of it. Hopefully, we realize He does not need us to advise Him, or help direct the strategy, He is perfectly capable of handling it on His own, but it seems we forget that we can actually hinder our own miracle. It would be like hiring the best attorney in the world to argue our case and every time he gets ready to say something, we jump up and interject our thoughts. This constant meddling is not only delaying our prayers, it reveals that we strongly believe in our ability to control and influence the direction of whatever we are seeking. Instead of relaxing and allowing the Lord to release His sovereign authority, we are only focused on our vision of the end result. Being hesitant to stand aside and accept God’s divine process, also explains why some individuals are unable to find the contentment and peace they desire. When we comprehend how important this spiritual principle is, we also must we willing to actually do it. Knowing does not always produce obedience. As we learn to intentionally let go of our burdens and transfer them over to Jesus, only then are we released from the heavy weight of worry, fear, and anxiety. If we can be patient and praise Him instead of interfering, we are then free to rest in the comfort and joy of His presence. As we follow His perfect wisdom, we can know that whatever He chooses is always based on His infinite love for us. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

THE KING IS COMING

Part 11 – Published 3/14/20

HOW MUCH LONGER DO WE HAVE?

BY DAVID C. GRABBE

At the very core of the gospel message is the assurance that Jesus Christ will return and establish His Kingdom on earth. Our hope is in His second coming because we recognize that we need His merciful intervention before humanity wipes itself out. As things continue to deteriorate, we keep returning to this confident expectation that there is a solution to the problems that mankind faces, but that solution is still just over the horizon. However, it seems like His return has been “just over the horizon” our entire lives, and we may wonder at times why the end has not yet come. In this regard, II Peter 3 is invaluable for keeping the right perspective on Christ’s return, and especially its timing. As we will see, there is a very good reason why He has not yet returned. The apostle Peter helps us to focus on the right things in anticipation of that day.

The Life-Goes-On Fallacy

Peter begins the chapter with a reminder of all the things the prophets and apostles had been inspired to preach: Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” (II Peter 3:1-4)

The timing of Christ’s return was the source of quite a bit of confusion in the first century, and so Peter reminds them that a tremendous amount of God’s Word has to do with that very topic. The Bible contains a solid foundation for at least a general understanding of the end times, even though the exact timing is not spelled out.

In these verses, Peter addresses the prevailing notion that “life goes on” and the public’s scoffing at the idea that the Creator would return and intervene in human affairs. In the previous chapter, he paid considerable attention to false prophets, false teachers, and false doctrines that were troubling the church from the inside. In chapter 3, Peter draws attention to all that the true prophets and apostles had written because their writings needed to be the basis of evaluating what the contemporary teachers were saying. Along the same lines, Paul says in I Timothy 4:1 that “the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.

A picture emerges of people who had “the faith”—a specific faith—at one time, but whose natural desires have overshadowed it. They had regressed to the place where they scoff at the idea that there is anything more to life than what they can discern with their senses. As their faith deteriorates, they conclude that nothing has really changed in the millennia of (accepted) human history, so it is doubtful that this world will ever end. So Peter writes to those who have not departed from the faith, pointing out that God’s Word is filled with examples of His intervention, so that they—and we—might be bolstered in the face of the scoffing.

Great Cataclysms

Peter then gives a powerful example of God’s intervention and judgment: For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (II Peter 3:5-7) This example is prefaced with the statement that these people were willfully forgetting what the Bible teaches. He is not describing atheists or people who are totally unfamiliar with Scripture. In verse 4, these people mention the creation, not evolution. They know what is written, yet they choose to ignore or undermine the truth.

If they would acknowledge the biblical accounts as true and meaningful, it would remind them that there is a God to whom they are accountable—which would interfere with their lives. So they perform this mental evasion so they do not have to consider what God thinks of them. However, Romans 1:20-21 says mankind is without excuse. Whether or not a person has been called, ample evidence exists to convict him of God’s existence and standards. Peter draws attention to the creation and the earth being formed, as well as to a great flood that caused a previous world to perish. This description could apply to a couple of different events. It is usually taken to refer to the Flood of Noah, which certainly fits. The pre-Flood world is completely gone. However, the world before the Flood was not the original world. In Genesis 1:1, God creates the heavens and the earth, yet by verse 2, something has happened to cause the earth to become “without form, and void.” The earth is covered with water (verses 2, 6, 9). So God re-creates the heavens and the earth, creates man, and later re-creates the world destroyed in Noah’s Flood.

In reading about the re-creation, it appears that the original world—the first estate of the angels—also perished in a flood. So the world that perished in II Peter 3:6 could have been the re-created world, but it also could have been the original world, the one destroyed when the archangel Helel and his followers left their proper domain (Jude 6). Regardless of which creation and destruction Peter refers to, the fact remains that it was by God’s Word—by His spoken command—that both worlds came into existence, and by His judgment both worlds were flooded with water. The same Creator God is now upholding all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).

However, the heavens and earth of our time are being reserved for a future judgment of fire instead of water. Another judgment is coming, and the ungodly will face destruction. We understand this, but we should also recognize that the warning about scoffers is here because it is possible to lose our present understanding and godly fear. If we allow our natural desires to gain the upper hand and overrule our faith as the driving force in our lives, then the return of Jesus Christ and the future judgment will seem like a fable to us, too. The words of the prophets and apostles will lose their gravity, and our focus will be on simply living for the moment.

Difference of Perspective

Peter goes on to teach that we do not look at time in the same way that God does: But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but islong-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come torepentance. (II Peter 3:8-9) We are finite beings, bound by time, but God is not. As a result, our perspective is naturally short-sighted, while God keeps a long-range view beyond our ability to comprehend. Remember, this appears in the context of Christ’s return, so what the Father and the Son consider being a short time before the Kingdom is established can seem like an eternity to us—or as if He delays His coming.

The apostle also indicates Christ’s long-suffering as a reason that the end has not yet come. In our opinion, He should have returned already and put a stop to all the world’s wrongs. However, His long-suffering is not due to slowness or tardiness, as the carnally-minded think. Rather, His long-suffering is a gift to us, so that we do not have to perish in His judgment. Our focus tends to be on how bad the world is getting, yet Peter subtly draws us back to our own spiritual condition. Jesus is long-suffering toward us so that we have ample time to repent, not in the sense of initial conversion, but to turn fully and have our hearts completely changed. In its fullest sense, repentance is not complete until we are finally in His image. Even though we may be frustrated that we do not see more end-time prophecies coming to pass, Peter explains it as a blessing to us because it means that Christ will not wrap things up before we have had a full and complete opportunity to repent. We can be thankful for God’s timetable, not because it means we have more time to flirt with this world, but because He is providing everything we need to follow our salvation to its conclusion, including the time.

A World of Righteousness

However, the end will still come, and it will catch the world by surprise. I John 2:17 tells us, “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” Peter says the same thing, but in greater detail:

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (II Peter 3:10-13) The original heavens and earth came to an end due to God’s judgment on the rebellious angels. The re-created world ended because of His judgment on the wickedness of mankind. Soon, our world will be burned up in God’s judgment, replaced by new heavens and a new earth (Revelation 21:1-8), in which righteousness dwells. That is remarkable in itself—when has the world ever been described as being where righteousness dwells?

This will be a brand new thing. Because our minds are still affected by this world, even the called of God may have a hard time imagining a righteous reality. Simply put, we have become desensitized to unrighteousness. Even though we are—hopefully—not directly participating in it, our minds have still adjusted to what we observe around us; to some degree, we have all adapted to the deviant perspectives of our culture. As a result, we, too, might scoff at times—not at the promise of Christ’s return, but at the ideals of righteousness. We know that we must allow God to make Christ’s righteousness our own, yet when we see someone working toward this, our carnality may scoff instead of appreciating a place where some of His righteousness dwells. Christ’s righteousness in others may seem unrealistic to us, just like His return seems unrealistic to unbelievers.

Peter gives a powerful description of the violence and dissolution that lies just ahead, adding tremendous gravity to his eventual question. All that we recognize of this world will be burned up. The ungodly will perish. The things that we see on a daily basis will dissolve—the cultures, the cities, the systems that man has developed. With this fiery end in mind, Peter asks, “What manner of persons ought we be in holy conduct and godliness?” This world is passing away, and everything that is part of this world is of limited duration and meaning. What matters are those things that relate to holiness, godliness, and the next world. All the rest will disappear.

When Christ returns, our response to God throughout our lives will matter. Our house, car, and other physical attachments will not. The quality of our relationships with others will matter. Our popularity will not. Our character will matter. The trivia and fickleness of the culture will not. The reflection of God in our lives and our example of His eternal life will matter, but the glitz and glamour of this world are just so much smoke waiting to dissipate. Through God’s Spirit, we have been given the discernment to evaluate what will matter when Christ returns and what is simply vanity and grasping for the wind. As Christ suffers long with us, is our whole heart focused on the repenting that we still need to do? Or are we among those walking according to our own lusts? Are we are putting far off the day of doom, as Amos says (Amos 6:3), because much of this world does not seem too bad to us? Or are we earnestly longing for Christ’s return, fervently praying, “Your Kingdom come”?

At PeaceWith the Lord

Peter then begins his conclusion: Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (II Peter 3:14-16) Verse 14 mentions peace, yet when Christ returns as the Captain of heaven’s armies, there will be war. The iniquity of the world will be full, and He will fight against those opposed to Him. Peter counsels us to ensure that when He returns, He finds us at peace with Him rather than in opposition. That may sound obvious, but consider how it might apply. If we are opposed to the requirements of God’s law, then we are not at peace with the Lawgiver. If we are angry with God for some reason, we are not at peace. If we disagree with God’s reaction or non-reaction or overall management of His creation, then we are not at peace with Him.

There can be as many applications as there are individuals, because wherever carnality exists, a measure of enmity remains (Romans 8:7). Peace with God depends on our trusting Him absolutely with our lives. Only then will we not take His words and actions as being hostile toward us, and we will not be hostile toward Him because we trust Him to have our best interests in mind. If our faith—trust—slips, then peace with God begins to fracture. Peter observes that some of the things Paul writes are hard to understand and that people tend to use Paul’s writings in particular in a destructive way. Even today, Paul is falsely known as a champion of a no-works theology, and his writings are cited to say that God’s law has been abolished. Twisting Paul’s writings in that way is what will cause destruction, because when the Judge returns, He will use His law as the basis of judgment.

Peter leaves us with these final thoughts: You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:17-18). The apostle warns against being deceived by all the things he talks about in this chapter, and his warning probably includes the previous chapter. As the saying goes, “Forewarned is forearmed.” Paul prophesies, though, that some are going to depart from the faith. We have seen that happen. To keep it from happening to us, Peter counsels us to focus on growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. He refers to the completion of the repentance or conversion process and our pursuit of salvation to its conclusion. Jesus is not delaying His coming. He is giving us time to put our houses in order so that we can respond correctly to the work He has begun in us. As Peter says, “To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

THE KING IS COMING

PART 10 – Published 3/7/20

ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER

I believe that Jesus is relaying to His people about His return. He has always wanted for His children to take the initiative to search for His truth and to have knowing Him as their highest priority. I’ve heard people make comments that someone was too heavenly minded to be any earthly good, but how could we be critical to anyone who is focused on Jesus? Communicating about practical Christian living is something I do on a regular basis, because I believe that demonstrating what we believe should be our priority. Sadly, there are many who are convinced they have already done everything necessary to fulfill their commitment for eternal life and for some this has given them a false sense of security. Could it be that eternal life will still be given to the religious spectators who appreciated God for His blessings and mighty deeds, but refused to allow Christ to be their Lord? Is it possible to praise God and not love or obey Him?

Since transformation is what being born-again is about, allow me to say again that God is ready and willing to help any of us with whatever is preventing our spiritual success. This success is the fulfilling of what He has called us to do and to become. He will not be satisfied with a halfhearted, lukewarm attitude that allows the flesh to control our life and no matter how much we cry on the shoulder of His grace, we must grow up and become accountable. I realize that God is filled with mercy and compassion but He will not betray His own integrity just because we use our apathy as an excuse. We must support what we really believe with action which is the demonstration of faith. This means that whatever weakness or dysfunction is causing us to stumble, we are called to lay down on the alter and watch our carnality burn to a crisp. Until we are ready to sacrifice these “idols” that bring us great fleshly satisfaction we will live our life in the outer courts of His presence. It has never been acceptable to bring idols into God’s camp and this idolatry is seen by God to be an abomination and a direct enemy to His holiness. We love to hear about God’s understanding and forgiveness but we back away from hearing about how strict and uncompromising He is! The only place for anything that competes for God’s attention is in the smoldering pile of burning rubbish.

Let us go to the book of Joshua and be reminded of the seriousness that God is trying to relay to us about purity and how there is no room for any other “thing” in our heart that tries to share His glory. Being a disciple is abandoning and setting our heart free to follow Him with the “single vision” of love. In Joshua chapter seven, we find that Joshua and his army have just defeated Jericho with the super-natural intervention of God’s power. They were given instructions to gather ALL the spoils and bring them into the treasury of the Lord. (This is an example of how God wants us to view our treasures of highest value as being dedicated to His service and not our own control). The people obeyed the orders from God except a man named Achan who stole some items and buried them in his tent. God became very angry at this act of rebellion, deception, and theft. In fact, His anger burned against the entire nation of Israel. While this was going on, Joshua sent a few of his scouts to spy on a land called Ai. The spy’s returned and told Joshua that he would not need to send but a couple thousand of warriors because there were only a few people who lived in Ai. To the surprise of everyone, the small group of soldiers from Ai chased the three thousand warriors and killed thirty six men before they could escape. The people cried in fear and Joshua fell on his face to beg God to show him what happened to their favor with the Lord. God spoke and said that someone had taken some of the spoil from Jericho and that now the entire nation was cursed. They went through a process and discovered that Achan was guilty of “loving” a material possession more than he respected God’s command. Achan admitted that he coveted the gold and silver and told them he buried it under his tent. Joshua sent his messengers to dig up the treasures and lay it before all the people. Listen to what happened in verses 24 and 25, “And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, and the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them to the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will trouble you this day. And all Israel stoned him and those with him with stones, and afterward burned their bodies with fire.” Do you actually believe that you can have secret idols, habits, desires and indulgences that are wrong in God’s sight, and not be experiencing closed doors, failures, depression, anger, hatred, disappointments, frustrations, and the misery that goes along with having a distance in your soul with Him? Do we want our carnal comfort zones caressed or do we want the truth? If we love ourselves more than we love God – we are idolaters and are cursed!

I know we all want to be in control but we are the temple of the Holy Ghost – we do not really own anything except for how we live. Our life has been given to us for a purpose and that calling was not to do whatever we want! It is time that we raised our expectations to His standards because He is not going to “skip over” holiness and sanctification. You see God is not telling us to “try” harder, He is telling us to “die” harder! We only need a one step program and that is to embrace the revelation that we have been called OUT of darkness into His marvelous light! This message of His divine reality will only be manifested when we decide to sell out completely for Him. This means holding nothing back because the amount of return depends on the investment! Would you like to be totally possessed with God? Do you see yourself as being seated in heavenly places? The heart that is completely yielded to His Word will spend time at each level within God’s tabernacle that portrays the level of their love and devotion to Him and eventually will come to perfect rest and peace in the Holy of Holies. This surrendering and abandoning of our nature is exactly what Jesus is saying in this hour to His beautiful bride so that we can become adorned for the grandest wedding of all eternity. Can you hear His voice today? Can you hear Him calling you away, to let go of the world and embrace His instructions and to seek Him with all of your strength and mind? “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunder, saying, Alleluia for the Lord God Omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His WIFE HAS MADE HERSELF READY. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints” (Revelation 19:6-8). Did you see that? His wife has“made” herself ready! That my friend, is the Word of the Lord to His people in this hour! Changing who we are and the way we live is more than just cleaning the spots and ironing the wrinkles in our wedding gown, it is embracing His commands to follow Him all the way.

We can do a lot of things that we believe is nice, and that we like to do, but it may have nothing to do with God’s instructions. I know people who reach out to the hungry and homeless with God’s love and I do it myself, but this does not necessarily mean we are walking with God. What happens when the Lord approaches us to use our resources today to help finance God’s work and not worry about our savings account? But, that would be crazy to spend money that we will need in our golden years. Is it really? What about our habits of hoarding up everything we can get our hands on instead of allowing God to pull our fingers away from our idols that we love and hold onto so strongly? Jesus told His disciples to not worry about their own needs and to trust that He would always provide for them. It is day to ask God to renew our mind and to give us love and mercy for those around us. It is the hour to surrender our will and make sure that all is well with our soul. Let us ask Him each morning to cleanse our heart and help us to see every situation the way He sees them. Let us forgive those who have hurt us and pray for those who need Christ. We are standing in a crossroad of decision to walk with Him in our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Our character is more than our words and every person will give an account of who they were. Our spiritual life unto the Lord is always of more value than the flesh and material world as there is nothing more important than to obey God. As the old hymn says, “All to Jesus I surrender, I surrender all.” Yes, we can pray and believe for our needs and this includes our physical healing, but may we come to terms with our relationship with Jesus and sincerely declare that we will love Him with every fiber of our being even if He has other plans.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 9 – Published 2/29/20

BEING POSSESSED WITH JESUS

The transformation within the Christian life is all about progressing and growing stronger every day. This includes more spiritual maturity in our love, wisdom, and discernment as we gradually change into His image. It is definitely possible but it will not come without a cost. If you are a child of God, you have already been purchased with the blood of Christ which is the most valuable ransom eternity has ever known, but there is also a sacrifice on our part. We have no problem with celebrating what God has done for us, but we rarely realize that our redemption is not the end of the story. Yes, being born-again saves us, but it also gives us the opportunity to become a living sacrifice. The question remains with whether or not we will “allow” God to break us, melt us, mold us, and use us within the divine blueprint of our destiny. Maybe this is the very reason why many do not want to go deeper in their relationship with Him is because they are afraid of what He will ask them to do. It’s much easier to visit God at church than to accept our accountability to develop a constant awareness of His presence. Yes, it’s true that if we refuse to invite God into our private life, He will never be our Lord.

The idea behind praying for God to help us is not just asking for things that will make us happy and enable us to enjoy pleasures. To many, prayer is making a “grocery list” of items that we want, however this is not a realistic view of intercession. We pray because we love Him and understanding that to be pleasing to Him, we must become transparent. Prayer must be intertwined with discernment because our request is based more on knowing what He wants instead of asking within our emotions. Our highest honor is to bow before Him and our motive should be to know Him deeper. This is the foundation of our faith and what our personal relationship with Christ is all about.

Many of God’s people have already been in this spiritual evolution for many years and some have made wonderful progress. Others are just starting to see the difference between being emotionally religious and sincerely following the spiritual map that God has drawn for their them, and by the way, obedience is the heart of being a disciple of Jesus. As we have said before, it’s easy to accept what Christ has done for us without ever yielding our will to Him. To become an overcomer calls for the abandonment and emptying of one’s self so that we can have room for His character and nature. When we are only focused on ourselves and what we want to do, there is no room in our mind and heart for God. We may feel that being partially filled with God is enough, but if we read the New Testament closely, we will discover that walking in His Spirit is being filled with His Spirit. Can we be possessed with Christ? I believe we can.

THE KING IS COMING

Published 2/22/20 – Part 8

EXAMINING OUR HEART

I Thessalonians 5:16-1 says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Human behavior is the key ingredient when trying to understand spiritual obedience unto God. This does not mean that salvation is based on what we do, but we also cannot discard the idea of practicing what we preach and manifesting an outward demonstration of an internal transformation. The need to closely examine our heart coincides with living in His presence and being sensitive to His Holy Spirit. When we include the reality of being able to deceive ourselves and hide our motives from the world all within the confines of a guarded conscience, we can see a complex relationship between God and mankind. This is a glimpse of the spiritual warfare that rages within the individual who has decided to follow Jesus with all of their mind, strength, and soul. We have been told by our creator that we begin life with a depraved nature and our thoughts and behavior certainly proves this is true. Since the fall, we are estranged from God and unless there is a divine intervention somewhere in our journey that opens our eyes to the truth and restores this spiritual connection, we will suffer and perish blind and lost. When it comes to having a desire to learn about God’s plan for our lives, we can say with deep concern that hardly anyone is truly interested. Generally speaking, the average person whether affiliated with some level of religious knowledge or not, is hardly attentive or concerned about their spiritual destiny. We have the small group who has stepped forward and embraced religion as a profession along with a few other seekers that are interested with the spiritual world, but many of them are not actually members of God’s family. Within this minority is an even a smaller remnant who are called the overcomers because they have abandoned their life and are crucified with Christ. To have a small glimpse of how few warriors there are, we can compare the number that He helped in His ministry verses the number of followers who were present when He was crucified.

(Allow me to establish that when speaking about those who are spiritually lost, I realize there are some people who are trying to be what Christ died for them to be. I am not placing everyone in the same boat that is heading toward Niagara Falls. However, I will add that the remnant of God is a very small number.) When we refer to those who have a normal mentality pertaining to following the Holy Spirit, we include them into a group called the “masses.” The percentage is not found on a spreadsheet because no one really knows the mind or conscience of another person, but I would personally estimate those on the broad way to destruction at 95 percent. We have studied about God having an elect that are chosen and these saints sacrificially travel on a very narrow path of holiness. Matthew 7:13-14 is clear about how rare it is for someone to be sincere about God. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.” Many will say,“Now brother you are being very negative and critical about those who are decent people.”Well, there is also such a thing as denial where our mind wants to justify our deception. God is compassionate, but He is also not ignorant of man’s attempt to manipulate. There is a penalty for sin, consequences for disobedience, and hell is real. Nonetheless, only God can see into the heart and being Omniscient, He knows everything and is the judge of every soul. Are we included in the masses who are deceived? I certainly pray that we are not.

I do not need to remind you that we are surrounded by those who have no interest in God – unless they need something. Look around and listen to those in your network and you will notice that God is hardly ever mentioned in the conversations. Why? Because unfortunately, Jesus is not the Lord and Savior of the masses. The normal individual has what is called an “un-renewed mind” which is the basic foundation of a personal relationship with Christ. Without the self-discipline of our thoughts and actions, how could anyone know or serve the Lord? The mind being changed is not an option in the Christian life and I will say that without it we will never please the Lord or accomplish our mission. In fact, those who do not yield their will and allow God to renew their mind and surrender to the command to be filled with the Holy Spirit are actually enemies of the cross and are used by Satan to poison the world. There is a world of difference between head knowledge about God and knowing God. Religion is the attempt to go through the motions of a ritual but is not always associated with spiritual sincerity. Again, many will declare, “I’ve gone to church all my life and have even given money!” This might be true but going to church or doing good deeds does not save us, make us have a renewed mind, or have a pure heart toward God. We are reminded of this truth when Christ confronted the religious leaders of His day and He told them that they were merely putting on a show of arrogance and sadly did not know God at all. The chapter of Matthew 23 gives quite a summary about the dangers of being spiritually deceived. Verse 25 says, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” The average person will respond when asked about whether they believe in God and will say, “of course” but again, this does not mean they are a follower of Christ. Satan certainly believes in God as Lucifer at one time was an angel in heaven. The devil also knows all about the Word of God and his demons go to church every time the door opens, so religious activity does not necessarily prove we have been born-again. I spoke with a woman recently whose husband was dying in the nursing home where I am a chaplain. I prayed over the man that God would give him peace and after a few moments she said that he had asked her if she thought he would go to heaven. She admitted they had not served the Lord in their life and yet she told him, “Of course, you have been a good man.”

The truth of being spiritually transformed is a beautiful miracle within the grace of redemption, but as we mentioned earlier, there are evidently many types of fraudulent impersonators and incorrect philosophies. Disguised within the world of religious opinions, there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing which are intended to mislead people when it comes to being spiritually “saved.” Many who have gone through the designated processes have never actually received this gift, even though it is presented as being something very simple. The reasons why an individual does not enter into this blood covenant with God are numerous, but whatever the failure to connect, we must accept this is a devastating reality. Sadly, the church assemblies are filled with people who are convinced they are alright with God but have only gone through the process of a mental religious experience. If there has not been a drastic change of the mind and behavior, there has not been a transformation of spirit. If someone walks down to the front of the church and professes Christ on Sunday, and is ungrateful, cursing, lying, and lusting on Monday, there is a serious problem. WE are not saying a person becomes sinless, but they will hate sin and be nauseated with the thought of disappointing God. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”I’m sure that most of us personally know some hypocritical impostors and no doubt there have been times when we have also stumbled and failed to represent Christ the way we should. It’s hard to be prayed up and on our toes all the time because the battle is fierce from our flesh and the devil. It takes being consumed with Jesus and focused every minute which is why He said to pray without ceasing. Have you noticed on the days when you are struggling and you say something or do something that is not right, you feel bad about it? Maybe someone in the past has called you out and said, “And you call yourself a Christian!” It’s a feeling of discouragement, shame, and embarrassment that has no legitimate answer or justification. I have had this happen to me and it’s not a very good feeling. I remember people I have known in my past and to be honest, a good number have been nothing less than heathens. We have no choice but to inspect and observe a person’s fruit as this is what impressions are all about. By the way, what type of impressions are you giving? I’ve been shocked more than once to discover these acquaintances were also faithful church members. So, is there such a thing as “carnal Christians?” We know there is “backsliding” where people can temporarily drift away from God’s presence, however, we are also told the great shepherd will go after these sheep who wander away – if they are a part of His flock. In this light, I do not believe a person can go very long without being disciplined by God and brought back into the fold. Again, only God knows if these people are deceived and not saved, or if they are saved and have just become lukewarm in their personal relationship with Him. Whatever the case, people are watching and listening, and everyone will be judged for how they have lived.

The subject of sanctification is not very popular because it means that we must submit our mind to God. Why is this considered something bad? Because the flesh wants to do whatever it desires. We mentioned that the average person is not thinking about God or anything that is associated with the Bible. The masses do not wake up every morning and thank the Lord for their health, the opportunity to serve God, or all the blessings they have been given. The carnal nature wants one thing and it includes living free and enjoying as much pleasure as possible. Most people in their daily activities never think about their spiritual destiny or how they are accountable for how they live. In fact, the masses intentionally avoid being a witness for Christ or a testimony to others. How could you be concerned for someone’s soul if you are not interested in being a follower of Christ yourself? The idea of having a burden for lost souls or compassion for those who are suffering is not a part of their mental awareness because they are not focused on Jesus – and have no desire to embrace this as a lifestyle. I’ve actually had someone tell me they do not want to hear about old people in a nursing home or those who are going through cancer treatments. Why? Because it interferes with their carnal vision of comfort, entertainment and pleasant thoughts. The masses do not want to be reminded that life is vulnerable to sickness and that many are dying all around them. This brings conviction to the soul that someday all of us will die and will be required to face God and explain why they did not live for Him. The masses are like a person in a raft that enjoys floating down the stream while taking a nap basking in the sunshine and occasionally looking up at the clouds. The serious problem with this picture is this is not God’s plan for anyone. The Lord has designed a specific blueprint for each person, and it includes serving Him with all of their heart. This spiritual responsibility to change their direction is exactly what the masses are running away from and do not want to think about. Most people feel very uncomfortable with silence because it haunts their conscience to think they are alone with God.

It’s easy to tell when someone is dedicated to Jesus because this is all they talk about. Have you ever been around a Jesus fanatic? Do you enjoy being around someone like this? Luke 6:45 sums it up like this, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” I’m always receiving phone calls and emails from those wanting me to pray for them. I do not mind, and I am honored to do so, but the truth is the only time they call on God is when they want something from Him. The masses do not have a clue about prayer other than watching someone occasionally asking God to bless the food. They never think about Him or talk about Him and yet, they feel like they can call on Him and He will do whatever they want. Since prayer and faith is the bedrock of a miracle from heaven, we must realize that God’s intervention of power to change circumstances has much to do with our personal relationship with Him. Having someone else pray for us when we are not willing to give God the time of day is filled with manipulation and deception. The only way we can know God’s will is to be so close to Him that we can hear His still small voice. If someone has no relationship with Him at all, how could they expect to understand His will? God is sovereign and definitely has a plan, but He is also not mocked by the fickle emotions and self-centered attitudes of those who do not love Him. The harsh reality among the masses is they desire to have God run to their rescue every time they are faced with a crisis so they can go back to the wicked way they were living. They have no intention of giving their life to Jesus and allowing Him to be the Lord of their life. They have no interest of stepping down from the throne of their heart and inviting Jesus to rule and control their life, they only want to use Him to fix what is broken. How would you feel if you were God and saw that most all the world that you created does not love you for who you are, but only wants what you can give? To truly follow Christ means He has become everything to us. Everyone follows something: friends, popular culture, family, selfish desires, or God. We can only follow one thing at a time and He states that we are to have no other gods before Himwhich includes our own will. To truly follow Christ means we do not follow anything else. Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” There is no such thing as a part-time or halfway disciple.

THE KING IS COMING

PUBLISHED2/15/20 – PART 7

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “RAPTURE?”

About the author. Will Libby holds an undergraduate degree in Philosophy of Religion from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and currently works as the Director of Youth Ministries at a church in Norfolk, Virginia.

The Final Judgment has become a staple of Christianity’s interaction with pop culture. Whether through cinematic depictions of apocalyptic natural disasters, or literary references to the Four Horsemen, many today, whether Christian or not, have developed some sort of idea about what the last days will look like. Chief among those ideas is some working understanding of a rapture of believers, where Christians around the world will be taken up into heaven prior to the unleashing of the cataclysmic events that most associate with the end times. Images of empty piles of clothes and cars whose drivers had suddenly disappeared have been a part of the popular understanding of the rapture for decades, and many do not question whether such an event plays out like this. But how did we get here? Where did these popular understandings of the rapture come from, and how do they compare to what the church historically taught regarding the rapture and Final Judgment? Let’s begin by examining the origin of the term, “rapture,” itself. Like much of our modern vocabulary, the English word is derived from a Latin word used in the Latin translation of the Bible, called the Vulgate. The word in question is mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (NIV).

The Latin word, rapio, is used in verse 17 when Paul says “will be caught up”, and it is from this association with being “caught up” or “carried off” that we get the word, rapture. Long before this word was ubiquitous in modern culture, however, the early church fathers wrestled with the concept of the rapture (if they didn’t necessarily call it by that word) by examining the above-mentioned verse and other scriptures relating to the end times.

A Spiritual Rapture

Origen, a 3rd century theologian and Church Father, looked at 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in a largely spiritual way, defining the dead and the living not based on any sort of physical condition, but on their relationship to Christ. “Those who have been perfected,” he claimed, “are alive in Christ,” while the dead in Christ were those who were still inclined to become overpowered by their human nature, and so, in his view, had not completed their union with Christ. From this perspective, Origen sees Paul’s idea of being “caught up” as a sort of spiritual resurrection. “Those whom we said to be dead have special need of the resurrection,” says Origen of this passage of Scripture. So, in Origen’s view, the rapture was not so much a physical carrying off, but a spiritual resurrection, needed most by those who are furthest from Christ.

Rufinus of Aquileia a 4th century theologian, similarly attributed a spiritual significance to the idea of the rapture, although he was more apt to see it as a physical event as well. “And do not marvel that the flesh of the saints is to be changed,” wrote Rufinus, “into such a glorious condition at the resurrection as to be caught up to meet God, suspended in the clouds and borne in the air” (emphasis added).²Rufus and Origen both saw a spiritual significance to the rapture, describing it as the final step in complete union with Christ. Rufinus, however, sees this event as being a part of the final physical resurrection, where the physical bodies of believers are exchanged for a more heavenly form. In this context, though, Rufus is not speaking of the Last Judgment necessarily, but about the final fate of Christian souls. To Rufinus, this physical carrying off is not inherently tied to the Great Tribulation mentioned in Revelation, but simply represents what ultimately awaits believers in Heaven. He does not state that this carrying off will be a single event that affects all believers worldwide. Instead, the rapture to Rufus is more like a statement about the nature of the afterlife, one where physical forms are replaced by heavenly bodies and believers commune with Christ for eternity. These two theologians, Rufinus and Origen, primarily focused on the nature of the rapture’s significance. In other words, they were concerned largely with what it would mean for believers once the rapture, as they understood it, had reached its end. Contrast that approach with the likes of John Chrysostom, who was instead far more interested in the nature of the rapture’s occurrence.

A Physical Rapture

“If He is about to descend, on what account shall we be caught up?” Chrysostom muses. “For the sake of honor, when a king drives into a city, those who are in honor go out to meet him; but the condemned await the judge within…as He descends, we go forth to meet Him” Chrysostom, a 4th century church father famed for his eloquent public speaking, answers his own question by employing an analogy about a king entering a city, and how his subjects come out to meet him before he arrives at the gates, preparing a way for his triumphant entry. This imagery conjures up more modern ideas of the rapture as seen in pop culture. Chrysostom associates being caught up (note his use of the term, like Origen and Rufinus) with the final judgment, as Christ is envisioned as a king returning to his city to judge the righteous (those “who are in honor”) and the condemned. In his telling of events, the rapture occurs before the coming of Christ, as in his analogy the citizens ride out to meet the king before he enters the city, and those who are not “in honor” remain in the city until the king comes to judge them.This certainly seems to imply that a real event where believers are carried off from this world before Christ returns, is going to occur, according to Chrysostom. Augustine similarly implied that such a thing would happen, stating that a “resurrection shall take place in the twinkling of an eye,” bringing to mind the instantaneous disappearance of believers around the world that is often seen in cinematic depictions of the rapture.

John Darby and the Modern Rapture though Chrysostom and Augustine laid a rough framework that vaguely resembles modern ideas of the rapture, the credit for establishing a firm understanding of the rapture as a global event that precedes the Second Coming of Christ goes toJohn Darby.In the 19^th Century, Darby championed a novel way (for the time) of reading Scripture, which was strictly literal, and focused much of his attention on the end times prophecies in the book of Revelation.

It was through this interpretive perspective that Darby concretely separated the rapture and the Second Coming as two distinct events, largely based on the reading of Revelation 20:1-6,“Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. He seized the dragon—the ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan—and tied him up for a thousand years. The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time). Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Darby saw the thousand-year reign mentioned in Revelation 20 as a literal 1,000 years, and as a distinct era of history which was to be marked at its beginning by the Second Coming. That Second Coming, however, was to be preceded by a rapture, where Christ would assemble all Christians, living and dead, with Him in heaven before returning to begin this millennial reign with them. In between these two events (the rapture and the Second Coming), all the apocalyptic events of Revelation would occur, known as the Great Tribulation. Darby’s specific view of the rapture and Second Coming garnered the name, dispensational premillennialism, so named for Darby’s desire to divide the world’s history into distinct eras (or dispensations), and for the fact that Christ’s Second Coming would be occurring before His millennial reign (thus, premillennialism).

The Rapture in Pop Culture

This view of the rapture, dispensational premillennialism, has given rise to much of what we see in pop culture with regards to the rapture and accompanying apocalypse, due to its wealth of content which translates well into books and movies. The Left Behind series, for example (both the books and films), drew upon dispensational premillennialism’s history of literal interpretation to create a story built around the premise of the literal fulfillment of all of Revelation’s prophecies, including a global rapture event that preceded the Second Coming of Christ. The rapture is not exclusive to premillennialist views, however, as the term,premillennial, largely denotes the time-frame of Christ’s return, not necessarily the nature of any sort of rapture event. Postmillennialism, for example, claims that Christ will return after a thousand-year period of blessedness and prosperity on earth. Amillennialism, on the other hand, views the thousand years mentioned in Revelation 20 as largely symbolic, or as a metaphor, where Christ’s reign is over a spiritual kingdom on earth, rather than a literal one.

A version of the rapture could conceivably fit into any millennial framework. Origen and Rufinus’ claim that the carrying off mentioned by Paul in 2 Thessalonians is largely a spiritual experience pairs well with the spiritual approach to scripture offered by millennialism. Postmillennialism claims that Christ’s coming is accompanied by his judgement on the wicked (as opposed to dispensational premillennialism, which separates the two events), which seems to be what Chrysostom is implying in his understanding of the rapture, and so the two are compatible. The version of the rapture we see in premillennialism and espoused by John Darby (which also is compatible with what Chrysostom claims) is by far the most recognized in pop culture of the three, although in terms of its acceptance within the church, there is a relatively even split among the millennial views. Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches for the most part reject the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture event (dispensational premillennialism view), and opt to interpret the rapture instead as Rufus and Origen did.

Denominations more apt to interpret the scriptures through a literal lens, in the way that John Darby did, are more likely to accept the idea of a global rapture event preceding Christ’s Second Coming. Thus is this view found in Protestant churches more than anywhere else. The Pentecostal denomination accepts this version of the rapture as truth, and many Southern Baptist laypeople hold this view as well, though the denomination does not officially claim it as a central tenant. Protestant denominations such as Presbyterians, Methodists, and Anglicans, to name a few, reject Darby’s view and instead hold to Origen and Rufinus’ view. So, whether a church views the rapture as a spiritual event, or a physical one, and no matter the timeline, there is precedent in church history for such belief. While the idea that Darby championed of a global event that marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation is by far the most familiar view among those outside of the church, it is by no means the only option for Christians to adhere to regarding the rapture and Second Coming. Church fathers throughout history have examined the particular scriptures that deal with the rapio, the carrying off, and their conclusions offer up a host of ideas that any Christian would be in good company to hold.

THE KING IS COMING

PART 6 – PUBLISHED 2/8/20

AM I READY TO MEET JESUS?

This is a brand new year and I hope this is a good season for all of us. It’s an election year and the country is very divided it’s views about everything. I’m trying to think if there is anything we all can agree about. Relativism is dangerous and is growing as the standards of right and wrong which were once defined are now sadly dissolving. I am concerned when I see the masses disagree about subjects that seem undeniably true. Not only do we live in a chaotic culture, but we also have our share of personal struggles to deal with. Yes, life has its share of ups and downs but in the end, we know that God loves us and will always take care of us. It’s an honor to share these devotions and I pray the Lord will graciously keep giving us his wisdom and understanding. THE KING IS COMING registers within my spirit as a confirmation of excitement and urgency. The glorious return of Jesus Christ and the fulfillment of His Word is the center of our hope! Every Christian should be making sure they are prepared to meet Him. What needs to happen before the rapture? Can He come today? What do I need to do before He comes? Is my wedding gown without spot and wrinkle? Is my lamp filled with His oil? These are questions the Christian disciple should be praying and thinking about constantly.

There are many subjects that are considered “deep waters” which means that most of the time we end up talking about things we are really not qualified to discuss. I realize that everyone has the right to present their opinion, but to be honest, the world is not really in need of more opinions. What the world needs is the truth of God! When it comes to the tsunami of thoughts,philosophies, and ideas, I must consider that very few people actually comprehend the depths ofpolitics or religion (including myself) as it seems that worldviews are commonly constructed from bits and pieces of second-hand information and are as numerous as grains of sand on the beach. Similar to an iceberg, there is usually only a small fraction of content is interpreted correctly while the other ninety-nine percent of purpose and reason are hidden below the surface. Thus, things are not always the way they seem and to elaborate on what we do not know sadly only adds to the confusion for everyone. I pray that we can not only absorb God’s truth but that we will have the desire to demonstrate it.

I have been challenged to debate my spiritual views from those who know about my ministry and even from my own family members but as I prayed about these situations I always felt the Lord saying this would cause more damage than good. I have never wanted politics or religious views to burn the bridges of my relationships because it never accomplishes anything, however, standing for what we believe does cause division. I enjoy writing about the Bible and the Christian life, but it is not my intention to stir strife or argue about spiritual matters and by all means, it is not the Lord’s will to compromise His truth in any situation. There are certain areas that I have written about which I feel confident that I have heard from the Lord, but to be honest, I have not really felt the urgency to argue about politics or large portions of prophetic scripture for that matter because I have simply not been given the direct orders to do so. I’ve never boasted that I know everything and I realize there are areas that I’m not sure about. I am reminded of the old saying, “It is better to be silent and thought to be a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.” And of course, let us not forget James 1:19, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” “Holy Spirit, please remind us of ourresponsibility to represent God and the mission we are called to do. Lord, open my ears that I might hear your voice. Give me the passion and zeal to follow you all the way! Amen.”

Whatever may come in these last days, let us stay focused on Jesus! Our spiritual path is before us – what will we do? As we seek His direction and humble ourselves, may we willingly agree to lay down our plans so that we can accomplish His. Sometimes our path is confusing, but the light of His love encourages us to trust Him completely, (especially when we do not understand). God is aware of our circumstances and always has our best interest in mind. Even though our path is graciously lighted with His truth, faith is the evidence of things “not” seen.The giant that is standing in your path today is causing worry and discouragement, but do not be dismayed or troubled. Put this problem in God’s hands and allow Him to create the miracle.Why do we use the word allow? Because your miracle today will be opened or closed according to your faith. If you see your problem as being impossible, you are doubting that God has all power and authority. If you doubt God, you cannot please Him and your miracle will be denied.Stop telling God how big your problem is and start telling your problem how big God is.Whatever happens this year, let us stay close to the Almighty and become determined to abide under the shadow of His wings. May this year bring spiritual peace and many blessings to you and your family. Yes, there is work to do, but being ready to meet Jesus is our highest priority.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 5 – Published 2/1/20

This is a study by Jim Sayles who is a respected Bible teacher and Christian author. I thought many of you would appreciate his views about end-time events especially related to the second coming of Christ. Books by the author are available on Amazon and retail bookstores whether in stock or ordered through Ingram. Both print and eBook formats available. Complete descriptions of each book are on the website. theendtimechurch. org

Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy UNSEALED and REVEALED 
By Jim Sayles

The revelatory understanding of Daniel 9:24-27 is the most encouraging, inspiring, and empowering prophecy for the end-time body of Christ in all scripture. It is no wonder, then, that Satan focused on corrupting the understanding of this prophecy intended by the Father to equip the very generation of the body of Christ that will experience it, a generation that includes many of those who are reading this commentary now.

When I finally arrived at a Spirit-revealed, Spirit-confirmed understanding of this passage in spite of my interpretational bias, I was both shocked and literally overwhelmed with joy at the prophetic future of the end-time body of Christ revealed in Daniel 9:24-27. Those believers who receive this same Spirit-revealed, Spirit-confirmed understanding as they examine this passage will be similarly filled with joy and purpose, rather than hoping for an escape because of fear related to the God-ordained time of testing. Unfortunately, the vast majority of protestant Christianity expects the church to be whisked away in a secret, not disclosed in scripture, “rapture” prior to a time identified as “tribulation.” Yet, any such removal totally contradicts the Lord’s assignment for the body of Christ until the “end of the age.”

Go therefore and make discipl es of all the nation s, baptizing them in the name of the Fa the r and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you alw ays, even to the end of the age .” Matthew 28:19,20 NASB

The end of the age is likewise perfectly-identified in the following passages as the last day resurrection of all the saints beginning with Adam all the way to the 7th trumpet resurrection on some future “ last day ” 1 Tishri of God’s calendar for the redemption of fallen mankind in Christ. Matthew 13:39,40; Matthew 13:49,50; Matthew 24:3
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Are we, therefore, in such fear concerning things to come that in our distrust of the Lord we willingly agree to abandon His commission to the “ end of the age ” as our spiritual knees tremble in fear of what Satan will do?

The belief that the body of Christ will escape “tribulation” through a “pretribulation rapture” seven years before the end of the age was originally made popular by Sir Robert Anderson, a Scotland Yard detective made famous for his part in the unsolved Jack the Ripper serial murders in London. In “The Coming Prince,” published in 1894 by Sir Robert Anderson, a member of the Zionist (Jewish supremacy in the covenant intent of the Father) “Plymouth Brethren” denomination, Sir Robert’s thesis was based entirely on his interpretation of Daniel’s seventy weeks prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27). But his interpretation of the future 70th week, upon which the secret pre-tribulation “rapture” of the church only saints largely depends, is totally incorrect. Yet, because it has been accepted and promoted as the truth for more than a century, it is presumed to be correct by many though it is in complete denial of the astonishing truth intended by the Author and origin of all biblical scripture for this very generation of the body of Christ.

Sir Robert Anderson was a cohort of fellow Plymouth Brethren, John Nelson Darby, the primary modern popularizer of the Zionist (Jewish supremacy in the covenant intent of the Father) and Dispensationalism (multiple covenants of redemption), along with Cyrus Schofield, also a member of the Plymouth Brethren, whose study Bible has been used by thousands of seminary students around the world to promote the corrupt Zionist, Dispensational view. Sir Robert’s Zionist view was that the Father’s covenant intent was and still is for national, ethnic Israel, but scripture reveals that the Father’s covenant intent was for THE “seed” of Abraham, Jesus of Nazareth, not for national, ethnic Israel. Likewise, scripture reveals that there is only one covenant of redemption, the New Covenant between God the Father and Jesus the Son, the only descendant Abraham who was able to walk by faith in all of the covenant requirements. These Plymouth Brethren Zionists were the initial popularizers of the pretribulation “rapture” theory, concluding that Daniel 9:24-27, along with the remainder of Daniel, indicates:
1) That the antichrist “man of sin” will sign or confirm a seven-year treaty with Israel and many other nations, initiating a seven-year “tribulation”;
2) During this seven-year tribulation, God will discipline national, ethnic Israel and then bring salvation to “all Israel” (meaning national, ethnic Israel; i.e. the Zionist belief that Israel and the Jewish people are still the primary covenant 3 the intent of the Father) immediately prior to the Lord’s millennial reign in Jerusalem in fulfillment of His promise to Abraham (i.e. the belief that the promise to the “seed” of Abraham was not fulfilled to Jesus of Nazareth);
3) All this all happens after the church, having apparently failed in its commission to the end of the age, (i.e. removed before the end of the age in abject failure) is rewarded for our failure by being removed from the “trouble,” though the Philadelphian identity, persevering and overcoming during “tribulation” is promised protection “in” great tribulation, and this promise to Philadelphian believers has nothing whatsoever to do with an escape by “rapture.” Rev. 3:7-13

What we learn instead in Daniel 12:4 is that Daniel’s prophecies were sealed up until the time of the end, meaning that the revelatory understanding was not available until the time of the end. Thus, the correct revelatory understanding of Daniel 9:24-27 was not available to Sir Robert Anderson, but during the time of the end, which time is now, the revelatory understanding of God’s purposes will be increased and become great.

But you, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the Book unt il …(when?)… the time of the end. [Th en] …(which is now)… m any shall run to and fro and search anxiously [through the Boo k], and …(the revelatory)… knowledge [of God’s purposes as revealed by His prophets] …(all of His prophets, including Daniel)… shall be increase d a nd become great. Daniel 12:4 Amplified (inserts and emphasis are the authors)

Two truths ignored by Sir Robert Anderson and all those who have accepted his thesis as “truth,” are clearly revealed in Daniel 12:4:
1) The “ tim e o f the end ” refers to a generation who will literally experience the events described in scripture, but Sir Robert Anderson was not in that future generation who would experience those events. He has long since passed away, and the revelatory truth of Daniel 9 was not unsealed in his lifetime, meaning that the revelatory truth was not available to him. Thus, his non-Spirit-guided intellectual conjectures were totally erroneous;
2) Revelatory knowledge of God’s end-time purposes as revealed by all of God’s prophets will be increased and become great during the time of the end, which time has already begun, and these events will be experienced by the very generation reading this text.

4 – This sealing followed by the ultimate unsealing and revealing of God’s revelatory intent is also seen in the Lord’s own words as recorded in Mark 4:22 Amplified:

For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been kept secret, but that it would come to light [that is, things are hidden den only temporarily until the appropriate time comes for them to be known]. (emphasis is the authors)

As the Lord explained, the purpose, then, of the Father sealing certain biblical prophecies, is to reveal them only at the time ordained for them to be revealed to the generation or the people for whom they were intended. Any attempt to interpret these prophecies before the time ordained by the Father then results in a false or incomplete understanding, and any false or incomplete understanding taught authoritatively as the absolute, immutable, revelatory truth of God becomes a stumbling block of tradition opposed to the absolute, immutable, revelatory truth of God when that truth is available to the generation for whom it is intended (i.e. at “ the appropriate time ”)

“The Book” is Daniel’s book, but the sealing of biblical prophecies concerning the final days of the end times includes numerous end-time prophetic passages throughout the entirety of biblical scripture. (i.e. “… God’s purposes as revealed by His prophets …”), meaning all the prophecies concerning the final days of the end times. Knowing that much of end-time prophecy was sealed from both our understanding and Satan’s understanding, Satan, through the Jezebel spirit, has been busy introducing false doctrine and false interpretations of prophecy into the organized church in order to obfuscate the end-time revelation of God’s purposes as they were written down by His prophets prior to their unsealing. In this Satan has effectively hindered the revelatory understanding of those upon whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. Likewise, we are instructed by the Lord that the truth about “things to come” is only received as the Spirit of truth supernaturally “guides” our intellects into the revelatory truth as that truth is confirmed in scripture.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to c ome. John 16:13 NASB

Thus, the revelatory truth of Daniel 9:24-27 was not available until that truth was unsealed and revealed to the generation who would experience it, and then, only to those believers with “ears to hear” what the Spirit is currently revealing.

5 – Pray, then, for ears to hear, because Daniel 9:24-27 is the most astonishing, empowering, and encouraging prophecy in all scripture for the generation who will experience it.

If we examine Daniel 9:24-27 without any predisposition toward the popularly believed Zionist (Jewish supremacy in the covenant intent of the Father), dispensational (multiple covenants of redemption) interpretation, the first thing we would note is that the theme of the passage is the fulfillment of God’s plan of covenant redemption in Christ. We would also note that the seven purposes of the seventy weeks describe God’s seven primary purposes for the fulfillment of the New Covenant written in the blood of Jesus Christ (i.e. Seven is the number of Christ). We would then accurately presume that the covenant being confirmed is the New Covenant written in the blood of Jesus Christ, not some supposed covenant between the antichrist “man of sin,” political Israel, and the “many” as taught by dispensationalists. But, because this generation is predisposed toward the Zionist dispensational interpretation introduced by Sir Robert Anderson, we need to examine the passage more closely and with revelatory insight.

The Daniel 9:24-27 prophecy is related to Daniel’s people, the Israelites, but at the resurrection of Christ the prophecy no longer relates to national, ethnic Israel but to spiritual, “born-again” Israel, the “ Israel of God ” in Christ. It also relates to the “holy city,” Jerusalem, which is not holy at this present time and is described in Revelation as “ the habitation of devils,” and the antichrist capital of “ Babylon the great ” but will ultimately become holy as the millennial capital of the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Daniel 9:24 KJV

The seven purposes of the seventy weeks (of prophetic years) are to:
1) finish the transgression; 2) make an end of sins; 3) make reconciliation for iniquity; 4) bring in an everlasting righteousness; 5) seal up the vision; 6) seal up prophecy; 7) anoint the Holy of Holies (as King of kings).

6 – Do these seven (number of Christ) specific purposes appear to have anything to do with Satan’s antichrist “man of sin”? It is important to understand that the entire seventy weeks (of years) of this prophecy are to ultimately fulfill the seven primary redemptive covenant purposes of the Messiah. The covenant being confirmed, then, must conform to the entire construct and purpose of the seventy weeks.

And he …(“Messiah the Prince” v.25)… shall confirm the covenant with many for one we e k: …(of years, i.e. 7 years)… and in the midst of the week …(of years)… he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Daniel 9:27 KJV

The Hebrew word being translated as “confirm” (Strong’s H2077) conveys the meaning of binding up that which has been broken, and this binding up is done with great power and strength. The covenant between God and Abraham was demonstrated to be a conditional covenant that required perfect compliance with the entirety of the Law and the prophets, as well as the ceremonial sacrifices for sin. And though the practice of these requirements demonstrated the obedient faith responses of those who participated in them, the sacrifices themselves did not redeem any of the participants.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Hebrews 10:4 KJV. Yet, God’s sovereignty under the initial covenant with Adam allows him to “reckon” (judge) those who respond to Him by faith as “righteous,” and it was the Old Testament saints from Adam forward, having died prior to the Lord’s first advent, who awaited the resurrection of Jesus Christ in “Abraham’s bosom” before ascending into heaven with Christ. These now await their ultimate redemption at the 1 Tishri “last day” (of the age) “feast of trumpets” resurrection along with all the rest of the saints of God from Adam forward. The intent of God is also demonstrated to be the covenant between God and THE “seed” of Abraham, the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, through His perfect compliance with the Law and prophets as the Son of Man on behalf of mankind. This, then, is THE covenant being confirmed in this passage, a covenant that “binds up” the original broken covenant between God and Adam through the “ last Adam,” Jesus of Nazareth.

7 – For if the …(covenant)… inheritance b e of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added …(as the condition required for the binding up of the original covenant broken by Adam)… because of transgressions, till the seed …(of Abraham, Jesus Christ)… should come t o whom the promise was made … .(and by whom the covenant was bound up and made complete)…Galatians 3:18,19 KJV (insert and emphasis is the authors)

Notice, first of all, that the promised covenant was not to national, ethnic Israel, but to THE seed of Abraham, Jesus of Nazareth. Notice secondly that the covenant being confirmed is specifically related to the seven purposes, and the seven purposes of the seventy weeks are related to God’s redemptive covenant purpose in Christ. Therefore, the perversion of this prophecy to supposedly reveal a seven-year “treaty” between the antichrist “man of sin,” Israel, and the many is intended by the originator of that doctrine, Satan, to conceal the true meaning of the prophecy from those for whom it is intended. That we have not generally recognized this deception of claiming that the title of “prince” belongs to the antichrist “man of sin,” is proof that, until this present time, this prophecy has been “sealed” by the Spirit of truth. It is also proof that protestant Christianity, in general, has been thoroughly deceived by “Zionism,” which is the belief that Israel and the Jewish race are still the primary covenant intent of the Father, though scripture clearly reveals that the covenant was always intended for Jesus of Nazareth and all those who have received Him as Lord and Savior, which includes both Jews and Gentiles as “ one new man ” in Christ identified as the “ Isra el of God ” (i.e. those Jews and Gentiles who are in Christ by faith). This becomes perfectly clear as we examine the seven purposes of the seventy weeks.

1st purpose: “finish the transgression”

The “transgression” is Israel’s covenant rebellion against God and their rejection of the full manifestation of God’s presence among them in the person of Jesus Christ. Transgression is not merely rejecting God. Transgression is the rejection of God by those who are in a covenant relationship with Him. Therefore, if the fullness of this prophecy was about national, ethnic Israel, then the first purpose has not, yet, been fulfilled, because, with few exceptions, they are still in rebellion against God and are still rejecting the manifestation of His presence in and through Jesus Christ. But the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ ended the transgression of national, ethnic Israel, by ending their possession of the title-deed to the covenant as the New Covenant was established with spiritual Israel, comprised of both Jew and Gentile

8 – As “ one new man ” in Christ, THE “seed” of Abraham for whom the covenant was always intended. (Galatians 3:16) The old covenant ended with the establishment of the new, and national, ethnic Israel’s covenant transgression against God ended at the same time, resulting in the dispersion of national, ethnic Israel into the nations in judgment.
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you …(national, ethnic Israel)… and give n to a nation …(spiritual Israel, the “Israel of God,” which is the corporate body of Christ, a holy nation comprised of both Gentiles and Jews as one new man )… bringing forth the fruits …(of the kingdom of God)… thereof. Matthew 21:43 KJV (inserts and emphasis are the authors)

This is not a “replacement” of Israel in the covenant intent of the Father. Israel as a nation, and the Jewish people as a race, were never the ultimate covenant intent of the Father. The intent from the beginning was to establish an unbreakable, everlasting covenant between the Father and Jesus of Nazareth, “the” seed of Abraham, and all those from Adam forward who would be included in this covenant either by faith in Jesus Christ or by God’s sovereign reckoning. Israel and the Jewish people were carriers of the bloodline of THE seed of Abraham, and they participated in the covenant through obedience until THE seed fulfilled all the covenant requirements and was resurrected as “Lord” and “King” over spiritual Israel consisting of both Jews and Gentiles as “one new man” in Him.

With the transgression ended and “the” covenant now belonging to spiritual Israel, the Israel of God in Christ, there is no imaginable purpose for removing the church so that God can restore the covenant once again to national, ethnic Israel.

2nd purpose: “make an end of sins” – 3rd purpose: “make reconciliation for iniquity” – 4th purpose: “bring in everlasting righteousness” –

The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ made an end of sins for those who receive Him by faith, and we who were once guilty of iniquity have been reconciled. Likewise, at His resurrection everlasting righteousness belongs to those who are spiritually incorporated in Him. This specific purpose was initiated at Pentecost but will not be completed until the last day resurrection of both the living and the dead saints. The final three purposes of sealing up (completing) the vision, sealing up (completing) prophecy, and anointing the Most Holy are yet to be fulfilled.

9 – “Messiah the Prince” and “the prince that shall come” – Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the M essiah the Pr ince …(Jesus of Nazareth)… shall l be seven weeks s, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, eve n in troublous times. Daniel 9:25 KJV

Seven weeks of years (49 years) and threescore (60) and two weeks (of years) = 7 weeks + 62 weeks = 69 weeks x 7 = 483 years.

Seventy weeks of years, 490 years, is determined (by God), beginning with the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem. The coming of Messiah the Prince is at the completion of the 483 years, leaving 7 years from the beginning of Messiah the Prince’s ministry to the completion of His confirming of the covenant with many. (i.e. 70 weeks of years = 490 years). At the beginning of the Lord’s ministry, not the beginning of His life, seven (7) years remained to be fulfilled.

The coming of the Anointed One, “Messiah the Prince,” is not the event of His birth, or the 490 years would already have been completed. The coming of the Anointed One, a Prince, to confirm the everlasting covenant with many, is at the beginning of His earthly ministry shortly after being tested by Satan for forty days in the wilderness. Based on the appointed times given to Israel, the forty days Jesus was tested by Satan in the wilderness began on 1 Aelul and ended on 10 Tishri. This includes the thirty days of Teshuva and ten days of awe, also called ten days of repentance, and it was on 10 Tishri, which is Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement, that the Lord announced His ministry in the synagogue by reading Isaiah 61:1,2.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anoi nted me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim m liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty th ose who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord ‘s favor. Luke 4:18,19 KJV

483 years of the 490 years were fulfilled on 10 Tishri as the Lord read Isaiah 61:1,2 and announced His ministry of redemption. This is demonstrated again as follows:

7 weeks (49 years): from the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem by the King of Persia (Ezra 7) to the dedication of the second temple > (at the beginning of a Jubilee year);

10 – 62 weeks (434 years): from the dedication of the second temple to the beginning of the Lord’s ministry as the scroll is opened on Yom Kippur and He reads Isaiah 61:1,2.

Had the Lord fulfilled all the seven purposes of the seventy weeks of years, then His complete ministry would have begun on 10 Tishri (Yom Kippur) and ended seven years later on the same date, completing the 490 years (70 “weeks” of years). But this is NOT what happened.

And after threescore and two w eeks …(3.5 years or 42 months)… shall Messiah be cut off, …(from confirming the covenant with many)… but not for hi m self: and the people of the p rince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Daniel 9:26 KJV (insert is the authors)

After the 69 weeks, which ends on the day Jesus begins His earthly ministry, Jesus is “cut off,” but His earthly ministry is not cut off immediately after the beginning of His earthly ministry. It is cut off in the “midst” of the week (of years), i.e. 3.5 years, which coincides exactly with 14 Nisan, which is Passover, the day of His crucifixion. His ministry began on 10 Tishri, and He was “cut off” on 14 Nisan, exactly 3.5 years (42 months) after His ministry began. He was “cut off” not for Himself, but for the elect remnant of mankind who would be included in the eternal covenant planned by God from before the foundations of the world and fulfilled by the blood of His only begotten Son, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Man, the last Adam, and our Messiah. “Cut off” would be a strange metaphor to use for the death of Jesus Christ if it did not mean that He was “cut off” from confirming “the” covenant with many and completing the seven stated purposes of the decreed 70 weeks or 490 prophetic years.

The phrase “cut off” is Strong’s H3772, transliterated as karath, with a primary meaning of something being cut off, with the Messiah being the subject that is cut off, and what He is obviously cut off from is the confirming of the remainder of His seven covenant purposes. He fulfilled the first four of the seven purposes, but the final three purposes are not, yet, fulfilled. These future fulfilments include:
1) seal up vision; 2) seal up prophecy ;
3) anoint the most holy (as Lord of lords and King of kings).
4) bring in everlasting righteousness –

11 – Three years beginning on 10 Tishri plus that part of the fourth year beginning on 10 Tishri and ending on 14 Nisan is 42 prophetic months or 3.5 years, leaving 42 months or 3.5 years of Jesus confirming “the” covenant with many yet to be fulfilled in some future time frame. Therefore, 486.5 prophetic years have already been fulfilled, and only 3.5 years remain to be fulfilled. The “gap,” then, is not between the 69 weeks and the last week (7 prophetic years during which “the tribulation” supposedly occurs). The “gap” is between the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ prior to His resurrection and a final period of 42 prophetic months of the Lord’s ministry of confirming the covenant with many as He fulfills the final four purposes prophesied by Daniel. The immediate question that comes to mind is the seeming unlikelihood that the Lord still has three and a half years of confirming the covenant with many still to complete. Surely, the final four events of confirming the covenant with many, 1) sealing up the vision, 2) sealing up the prophecy, 3) anointing the Holy of Holies (as King of kings and Lord of lords). 4) bringing in everlasting righteousness, will not take three and a half years. So, how can this be?

What we note concerning this final three and a half years is that it is the same 3.5 years or 42 prophetic months that the antichrist “man of sin” is given to rule and reign on earth so that Satan’s full manifestation through the 7th and final beast kingdom strangely coincides with the remaining three and a half years of the Lord confirming the covenant with many, with the sealing of the 144,000, and with the opening of the 7th seal to begin that period the Lord identified as “ great trib ula tio n .” (Matthew 24:21).

The “man of sin” will not deny the crucifixion of Christ on Passover, because He will claim to be Messiah returned on 15 Tishri, the feast of tabernacles, as he calls down fire from the spiritual realm in the power of Satan and in the viewing presence of the entire world.

Related events in the 3.5 years or 42 prophetic months of the 7th seal:
1. The metaphorical 144,000 are sealed, but not removed from the earth; 2. The 7th seal is opened; 3. The antichrist “man of sin” rules, after declaring himself to be “God” and “Messiah” on some future 15 Tishri, the feast of tabernacles; 4. 3.5 years of “ great tribulation ”; 5. The “woman” is protected and nourished in the wilderness;

12 – 6. The Philadelphian believers are “kept” from harm during the “hour” (appointed time of trial i.e. the final 3.5 years of the age); 7. The remainder of the seven purposes of the Lord, as identified in Daniel 9:24-27, are fulfilled as He meets His saints on the 1 Tishri feast of trumpets, and returns to the earth on the 10 Tishri feast of atonement to destroy His enemies, followed by the 15 Tishri feast of tabernacles cleansing of the temple and celebration of the beginning of 1000 years of His presence with His people for 1000 years on earth.

We are, therefore, instantly alerted that these events are specifically related to one another. But how? At the time of the seventy weeks prophecy, the only literal, future seven-year time frame that exists is the seven years from the first day of the Lord’s earthly ministry until the seven purposes of the seventy years are fulfilled. But, because He was “cut off” in the middle of the final seven years, the manner in which the Lord will finish confirming “the” covenant during this final 42 months or 3.5 years, which will begin on some future, ultimate fulfillment of Pentecost identified as the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, has been a HUGE mystery and has been sealed from our understanding until now.

And he …(Jesus Christ)… shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the …(same)… week …(7 years)… he …(Jesus Christ)… shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease and for the overspreading of abominations he …(Jesus Christ)… shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined …(as judgment)… shall be poured upon the desolate …(Daniel’s people who have rejected Christ.) Daniel 9:27 KJV (inserts are the authors)

We note that in the midst of the week of seven prophetic years (i.e. 3.5 years), at His crucifixion, He, Jesus Christ, causes the covenant sacrifice and oblations (the continual burnt offerings of atonement) to cease. This passage does not mean that the literal sacrifice and offering ceased, but that the sacrifice and offering ceased to have any relationship with the covenant He was confirming. On 14 Nisan, appointed by God as the final day of the first 42 prophetic months of “the” Prince, Jesus of Nazareth, making literal burnt offerings for the sins of the people, any future, literal burnt offerings in the temple ceased to have meaning or purpose. Thus, when practiced by the other “seeds” of Abraham from that day forward, they were, and will be at some point in our near future, an idolatrous, antichrist denial of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and, therefore, an ABOMINATION in denial of the intent of the Father through the Son.

13 – This was demonstrated by the Father at the moment of the Lord’s death when the heavy curtain in the temple between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was supernaturally torn as if slashed by a gigantic sword (Matthew 27:51), indicating that the temple worship and sacrifice system no longer had any function, because the title deed to the promises of God was no longer held by national, ethnic Israel. It was fulfilled to the One for whom it was always intended, “the” seed of Abraham, the Son of God, Son of Man, Jesus of Nazareth and all those who are spiritually incorporated in Him by faith, which is spiritual Israel, including both Jews and Gentiles as one new man, identified as the “ Israel l of God .” This also ended national, ethnic Israel’s covenant transgressions against God, but not their judgment in the form of decreed desolations.

Hardcore Zionist dispensationalists, completely sold out to Sir Robert Anderson’s interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27, note that a similar event described in Daniel 12:11, a passage that is, in fact, specifically related to the antichrist “man of sin,” are one and the same with the “sacrifice and oblation” of Daniel 9:27. There are deliberate similarities. The continual burnt offerings are offered for the purpose of the atonement of sin in those who offer the sacrifices. These continued to be practiced in Israel and were an “abomination” unto God after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But the literal continual burnt offerings ceased in Israel in 70AD with the sacking of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple with not one stone left on top of the other just as Jesus prophesied. (Mark 13:2; Luke 19:42)

In Daniel 12 the reference is to an event at the time of the end, long after the continual burnt offerings ceased to have any meaning because of the risen Christ. It is even long after the literal burnt offerings ceased when the temple was destroyed in 70AD. The only possible explanation is that the temple will be rebuilt, and the continual burnt offerings reinstituted into modern Jewish practice, which is the antichrist denial that Jesus was and is now, the Messiah, whose atonement was fulfilled two millennia ago. At the same time, we must remember that Satan masquerades as an angel of light, and his ultimate masquerade will be to claim messiahship for himself through the antichrist “man of sin” when he calls down fire from heaven and declares himself to be both God and Messiah in the secret chamber of the third temple (rebuilt by the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement). Then, at that time he will command that the reinstituted daily sacrifice be taken away, because he, the false “Messiah,” has come, which will be interpreted by those who are deceived as to the fulfillment of Daniel 12:11. (See The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement)

14 – Speaking of the antichrist “man of sin” declaring himself to be Messiah: And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, …(at the antichrist man of sin’s orders)… and the abomination …(claiming messiahship for himself)… that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days … .(3.5 years)…
Daniel 12:11 KJV

In the first instance, recorded in Daniel 9, the offerings continued to take place, but they no longer had any covenant significance, because the eternal covenant was established when the blood of Jesus was sprinkled on the mercy seat of God at the Lord’s resurrection in fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits. In the second instance, recorded in Daniel 12, the antichrist “man of sin” claiming to be Jesus Christ returned to rule the world with an iron rod will stop the daily sacrifices in imitation of Christ Himself, daily sacrifices that will be initiated beforehand when the Third Temple is rebuilt and the false prophet initiates a reinstated Levitical priesthood and temple sacrifices in anticipation of their coming “Messiah.” And on the very day that the antichrist “man of sin” calls down fire from heaven and declares himself to be Israel’s “Messiah” from the “ secret chamber ” of the Third Temple, the 7th seal is opened by the Lord, Jesus Christ, and the 3.5 years (42 prophetic months) of “ great tribulation ” begins.

Returning to Daniel 9:27 the “… he shall make it des ola te, even until the consummation …” means that even if the temple is rebuilt by the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement and a new Levitical priesthood initiates temple worship and sacrifices again, the temple will remain desolate and without the presence of God all the way up to the consummation, the full measure of judgment on the transgressors, which takes place on the coming day of the Lord. (10 Tishri, the feast of atonement) There is no time whatsoever after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, including the final three and a half years of “ great trib ulatio n ” in which Jerusalem and national, ethnic Israel are not “desolate” all the way up to the great and terrible day of the Lord when those who have pierced Him will look upon Him and grieve. Yet, Satan will perform mighty, “miraculous” works through the false prophet, and through the antichrist “man of sin” in order to convince both Israel and the world that the “man of sin” is Jesus Christ.

Going back to Daniel 9:26 we see that the people of the prince who will come (a different “prince,” one who will come after the original “Messiah the prince”) shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. However, the “prince who will come” is not the antichrist “man of sin,” and there will be no revived Roman Empire.

15 – The crown prince of Rome was Titus, who later became Emperor of Rome, and it was his “people” who destroyed the city and the sanctuary in 70 AD. And, as the prophecy states, it was the people of this prince who continued the desolations until the end of the war. The end of verse seven is also the end of anything to do with the Roman Empire or its crown prince. Going to a parallel prophecy in Ezekiel 45:25, describing the ministry of the true “prince” during the initial fulfillment of the feast of tabernacles, 15 Tishri to 21 Tishri, the true “prince” will make exactly the same offerings for seven days. This is the spiritual fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles in which the “Prince,” Jesus of Nazareth, celebrates the fulfillment and completion of the seven purposes of the seventy weeks with spiritual Israel, the Israel of God, ushering in the millennial reign of Jesus Christ as “Lord” and “King,” and the fulfillment of God’s promises to spiritual Israel, the Israel of God through their incorporation into the spiritual body of Christ by grace through faith. Should it be a surprise to us, then, that the final seven prophetic years of Daniel’s prophecy relating to the Lord confirming THE covenant with many? Or that the desolations decreed upon national, ethnic Israel for their rejection of the Messiah will continue until the consummation on the 10 Tishri “ great and terrible ” day of the Lord? There is no separate covenant for the redemption of national, ethnic Israel apart from the New Covenant planned by God from before the foundations of the world. It is now and has always been, God’s plan from the beginning to include the entirety of an elect remnant of fallen mankind, Jew and Gentile, as “one new man,” in a single covenant between Himself and the man, Jesus of Nazareth, the only seed of Abraham and Israelite of the lineage of David to fulfill the law and the prophets and thus qualify as the sinless lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

Sir Robert Anderson, and all those who have accepted his false interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27, presume that a gap exists between the end of the 69th year and the beginning of the last week of years (7 years). But the unsealed, revelatory understanding is that “the” covenant of verse 27 is God’s covenant with Israel (fulfilled to spiritual Israel, the Israel of God), which the Lord begins confirming on the day He takes the scroll and reads Isaiah 61:1,2. This was the beginning of the Lord’s earthly ministry and the beginning of His confirming (binding up) of the promised redemptive covenant with “many” that would be written in His blood.

16 – The presumption that the “he” who would confirm “the” covenant with many as being the antichrist “man of sin” signing a treaty with Israel and many other countries is completely false, and it is a deception specifically designed by the father of lies, to prevent the church from receiving the astonishing truth of Daniel’s prophecy. The antichrist “man of sin” will, in fact, dominate the political and spiritual Babylonian system, but he will begin his domination indirectly through the United Nations shortly after the Gog-Magog war when a large majority of sovereign country states surrender sovereignty to the United Nations, but not initially to the antichrist “man of sin”. The subject of Daniel 9:24-27 is also historically demonstrated through the statue kingdoms, starting with national Israel’s return to Israel from the Babylonian captivity, then consecutively falling under the rule of the Medo-Persian empire, the Greek empire under Alexander, and the Roman empire under Titus, which is a literal, historic 483 years plus 3.5 prophetic years (1,260 days) of the Lord’s public ministry until His resurrection. This is followed by the FUTURE, final 3.5 prophetic years (1260 days) of the Lord confirming “the” covenant with many that begin with the opening of the 7th seal. The true revelatory “gap,” then, is between the 483 years from the decree to rebuild the temple plus the time of the Lord’s 3.5 years of earthly ministry confirming “the” covenant with many, and the final 3.5 years of His confirming of “the” covenant with many.

Seven prophetic years equals 2,520 days. 3.5 prophetic years equals 1260 days.

Day 1: 10 Tishri (Yom Kippur) The Lord receives the scroll, opened to Isaiah 61:1,2, and He declares that the prophecy is fulfilled, which is THE day on which His confirming of the covenant began.

Day 1260: (3.5 years or 42 months) The Lord is “cut off” from confirming the covenant with many on 14 Nisan (Passover)

Day 1,261: The GAP between the first 3.5 years or 42 prophetic months and the final 3.5 years ends on some future Pentecost (6 Sivan) after the wise virgins, a.k.a. the end time Philadelphian church, have endured and overcome their persecution by the Babylonian world system during the 4th, 5th, and 6th seals of “ tribulation,” and these are sealed during the “interlude” (Rev.7) immediately before the opening of the 7th seal. These are identified as the metaphorical 144,000, whose literal number may be in the millions. These represent the perfection of spiritual Israel, the “Israel of God” in Christ, who has overcome and prevailed in the war of the beast kingdom against the body of Christ during the 4th, 5th, and 6th seal events of “ tribulation .” These are then completely redeemed as the firstfruits offering of the “wheat” harvest, which is the ultimate fulfillment of Pentecost, and the 7th seal is opened, beginning the final 3.5 years of “ great tribulation.”

17 – (Jesus was the firstfruits of the entire harvest, represented by a barley sheaf without leaven. These are firstfruits of the wheat harvest whose leaven has been covered by the blood of the Lamb). Day 1,261 (the beginning of 7th seal “great tribulation”) to Day 2,520 (1 Tishri – Feast of Trumpets): 12 is the number for the kingdom of God. Israel was the initial kingdom of God present in the world, but the body of Christ became the representative kingdom of God after the resurrection of Jesus Christ (i.e. 12 apostles). 12 x 12 = 144. This metaphorically represents the entire number of born-again Christians, whether Jew or Gentile, who have been “sealed” and fully redeemed as “firstfruits of the wheat harvest” on some future Pentecost during the brief interlude between the 6th and 7th seal. It is these, then, who bring in the 7th seal general wheat harvest of an uncountable number, i.e. the “ multitude ” from every nation, tribe, and tongue as they minister in the earth in their sealed and fully redeemed bodies in perfect communion with Christ and with one another for 42 prophetic months or 3.5 years. (The fulfillment of Ephesians 4:13 and the specific manner in which the Lord confirms the covenant for the remaining 3.5 years of His total 7-year confirmation of the New Covenant written in His Blood). On day 2,520, the 1 Tishri, the feast of trumpets, the Lord appears visibly in the sky with His angels to gather the elect, living and dead, on the last day resurrection of the elect remnant of mankind, and the confirming of the covenant with many is complete.

Author’s note: I only gained the revelatory truth concerning Daniel 9:24-27 because others pointed the way, and I deliberately and diligently sought the fullness of this truth until it was confirmed to me by the Spirit of truth. In this, He sent me a dream in which I picked up a bow and shot an arrow at a target with a red bullseye. The arrow hit dead center, and as I looked down, I found a Clovis point, a rare, pre-historic Indian artifact. The Clovis point was beautifully crafted except for an unfinished point, which He caused me to understand was that sharp point of prophetic insight into Daniel’s prophecy that He has not, yet, unsealed. But the sharp point of this prophecy will be unsealed to this generation at the appropriate time.

THE KING IS COMING

PART 4 – Published – 1/25/20

A SENSE OF URGENCY

Spiritually, I sense the need for urgency. Why? People are lost and Jesus is coming! Do you have a burden for lost souls? Are there people you know around you who are spiritually lost? Do you pray for them every day? Have you asked the Lord to use you in a divine appointment so that you can share the gospel with them? The thought of anyone going to hell is terrifying and especially is we could have done something to prevent it. I had lunch with a good friend recently and we were talking about how close we are to seeing the rapture and the return of Christ. In part one, we talked about the past 6 thousand years representing 6 millennial days of a perfect 7 day week. This should be a huge wake-up call for all Christians as they prepare their wedding gowns for their coming groom – KING JESUS.

Many will argue and say that people have been talking about Jesus coming in the twinkling of an eye for many years and yes this is true. We admit the older calendars are different from our modern versions and I’m sure there are some variations in the number of days that could change our calculations. However, let us remember 2 things. Number 1 – this is already 2020. 4000 years from Adam to Jesus and 2000 years from Jesus until now makes close to 6000 years – (give or take a few years). Number 2 – we must include a 7-year tribulation BEFORE the 2nd coming of Jesus. I’m not exactly sure about the details of the rapture, but if the saints are taken tonight, there will still be at least seven more years before the second coming of Christ which would make it 2027.

Within all of the predictions and opinions of Biblical prophecy and eschatology, let us realize this is not a time to be lulled into an attitude of spiritual slumber. It is so easy, especially when things are going well to take our eyes from our mission and enjoy all the blessings of the flesh. I know that since my retirement, all of the delicious food, sleeping in and the wonderful opportunities to go places, do things, and take naps or whatever, is a strong temptation to relax. I’m sure that most of us enjoy our blessings and when we have a little extra money to go on vacations and purchase nice things, we can very easily lose our sense of urgency to be on fire for Jesus and maintain our spiritual fervency. To say the least, putting our life on cruise control has a tendency to make me spiritually soft.

I was talking with my good friend the other day (again) about holding a sign on the side of the road that tells everyone, “Jesus loves you.” Why does this make me so emotional? It breaks my heart because I wonder if I’m too embarrassed to do it. Is God telling me to do it, or did I just come up with this on my own? Have you ever seen someone carry a cross on their shoulder as they walk along the road? Would you do that? Well, brother, God did not tell me to do it. Ok, but would you do it if He did? I’m just curious, would you hold a sign for Him if the Holy Spirit convicted you about it? I would really like to hear your thoughts about this subject. May the Lord give us His wisdom and understanding in these last years, months, days, or hours. However close we are, let us pray for more of His spiritual fire.

I sense the need for urgency. I had lunch with a good friend recently and we were talking about how close we are to seeing the rapture and the return of Christ. In the first message, we talked about the 6 thousand years representing 6 days of a 7 day week. This should be a huge wake-up call for all Christians as they prepare their wedding gowns for their coming groom – KING JESUS.

Many will argue and say that people have been talking about Jesus coming in the twinkling of an eye for many years and yes this is true. We admit the older calendars are different from our modern versions and I’m sure there are some variations in the number of days that could change our calculations. However, let us remember 2 things. Number 1 – this is already 2020. 4000 years from Adam to Jesus and 2000 years from Jesus until now makes close to 6000 years – (give or take a few years). Number 2 – we must include a 7-year tribulation BEFORE the 2nd coming of Jesus. I’m not exactly sure about the details of the rapture, but if the saints are takentonight, there will still be at least seven more years before the second coming of Christ which would make it 2027.

Within all of the predictions and opinions of Biblical prophecy and eschatology, let us realize this is not a time to be lulled into an attitude of spiritual slumber. It is so easy, especially when things are going well to take our eyes from our mission and enjoy all the blessings of the flesh. I know that since my retirement, all of the delicious food, sleeping in and the wonderful opportunities to go places, do things, and take naps or whatever, is a strong temptation to relax.I’m sure that most of us enjoy our blessings and when we have a little extra money to go on vacations and purchase nice things, we can very easily lose our sense of urgency to be on fire for Jesus and maintain our spiritual fervency. To say the least, putting our life on cruise control hasa tendency to make me spiritually soft.

I was talking with my good friend the other day (again) about holding a sign on the side of the road that tells everyone, “Jesus loves you.” Why does this make me so emotional? It breaks my heart because I wonder if I’m too embarrassed to do it. Is God telling me to do it, or did I just come up with this on my own? Have you ever seen someone carry a cross on their shoulder as they walk along the road? Would you do that? Well, brother, God did not tell me to do it. Ok, but would you do it if He did? I’m just curious, would you hold a sign for Him if the Holy Spirit convicted you about it? I would really like to hear your thoughts about this subject. May the Lord give us His wisdom and understanding in these last years, months, days, or hours.However close we are, let us pray for more of His spiritual fire.

THE KING IS COMING

PART 3 – Published 1/18/20

MAINTAINING OUR SPIRITUAL PASSION

If we are low on passion with the Lord, it could mean that we are being distracted with too many irons in the fire and are splitting our enthusiasm with something or someone else. It could also mean that we have just become lazy in our spiritual life and have neglected our prayer and study time. One way to measure our spiritual fire is to examine our prayer life. When our passion for prayer becomes lukewarm, the rest of our spiritual life will follow. The carnal flesh is relentless when it comes to leading us away from God. How often we forget that walking in God’s presence is our highest priority and He will not share His glory with anything else including how highly we think of ourselves. We know that praying and Bible study is met with serious spiritual resistance and are no match for the faint-hearted. We also realize that seeking God’s face and finding that quiet place every day is not as easy as it sounds. We will say to ourselves, “after I finish what I’m doing I will pray” and, “I will wait until tonight while everyone sleeps.” However, many times we end up watching TV late, taking a shower, becoming very tired and mumbling something about trying again first thing tomorrow, and then wonder why our relationship and anointing is growing weaker. God can supply the power but we are called to supply the discipline. If we cannot control our flesh then God cannot fulfill His destiny in us.Many are waiting on God – while God is waiting on them!

You would not think that we could become lethargic with our ministry but it does happen. We have heard the illustration of how standing water can become stagnant verses the freshness of a moving stream. Technology is changing the style and the way things are done but the Covenant truth MUST remain the same! Knowing when to change and how to change is important when it comes to spiritual growth, but we must listen to God’s directions. More entertainment does not mean the church is more spiritual. In fact, the opposite could be true. The most important part of our ministry is loving God and “proving” to people how much we love them. Sheep must know that we will walk across the desert to help them and that we are truly sincere. If we are so busy with our lives that it seems we do not care about people – it is time to start over or let someone else be the leader. A true spiritual leader is focused on God and those around him. Pastors that ignore God when He is trying to get their attention and continue being stubborn while trying to do things their own way will live in disappointment. When people are truly seeking the presence of God and are not being spiritually satisfied they will venture out to find the love, joy, peace, and nourishment they are craving.

The foundation of our ministry must be based on the Holy Spirit leading us and moving through us and we can see that God moves in people in many different ways. This can only mean that obedience has everything to do with the level of God’s presence. I believe it is purity and sincerity that God sees in the heart of His people that causes Him to want to fellowship and bless those who are gathered in His name. The ones who humbly allow Him to lead their services and be free in His Spirit prove how much they really want Him to lead His own service. We cry out how much God is welcome in our midst and in our prayers we invite Him to come, but it seems to be a contradiction when we refuse to let go of our control. We shout about freedom and how we are yielding to His Spirit but with our programs and time limits, it seems many times that we are hindering Him from doing what He wants to do.

I believe the most important contribution we can make is to pray and yet it is the least of our demonstrations. When we read about the great revivals we find they all began with fervent prayer. The devil is not alarmed with us claiming to be a Christian, but he begins to panic when we start obeying God. If we know that demons tremble when we hit our knees then why don’t we stay on them? If we believe our prayers can change us and all those around us, then what are we waiting for? Why don’t we pray all the time? Because prayer has not become an URGENT need in our life! We would rather eat and sleep. Here is a great little poem by David Smithers:

“We need a Heaven-sent revival, a burning fire from on high,
A purifying passion and a forsaking of our stubborn pride.

We need a vision of eternity, of Hell and the Judgment Day,
A fervent love for our Savior, that will gladly serve and obey.

We need a Pentecostal purging and a breaking deep within,
A vision of God Almighty and a river of tears for our nation’s sin.

We need a Heaven-sent revival, a burning fire set ablaze.
As we will never see such glory until the Church begins to pray.”

All preachers, teachers and worship leaders have natural personalities just like everyone else and the congregation gets familiar with them just like you would with a good friend. Leaders that are involved with public speaking on a regular basis learn, grow and develop their presentation and style of communication over time and that is normal. Not many people really think about it, but in a church setting, there is a fine line between being led of the Spirit and leaning on the natural abilities and talents. Yes, we live in a flesh body and must use our mind in cooperation with our mouth in order to express thoughts but the idea of the anointing is to be used as a channel for God to speak through. Saints do not want to hear a human philosophy – they get ready and drive to church because they want to hear what God is saying. People who are serious about their walk with the Lord will not be satisfied with a dry, boring presentation because God’s ministry is filled with HIS PRESENCE. If the leader is sleepy, the assembly will have a laid-back persona. If the leader is aggressive, bold, and on fire, the people will either get on board or feel so uncomfortable they may leave. Whatever the ministry, the calling includes spending time in God’s presence and to be a fearless leader into the battle! A leader on fire will ignite others to seek God on their own and discover what God wants them to do. This is not the time to become sleepy and lose our spiritual passion.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 2 – Published 1/11/20

OUR SPIRITUAL IDENTITY

I have witnessed several different styles of ministries and have noticed something very interesting. Christian ministers and even churches are like faces in that all are different yet all have the basic components of singing worship songs and someone bringing a Biblical message. The contrast is “how” the music and sermon are presented and of course the higher the level of anointing the more powerful it will be. For example; one speaker can bring a word that is accurate but in a “low key” delivery and a congregation just sits there yawning. Another speaker can preach the same message but inject high energy, charisma, and enthusiasm and the people will shout and rejoice about how blessed they were to hear such a life-changing message. If both are anointed and both have spoken the divine truth what is the difference? Could a listener’s interest be increased by a speaker’s level of passion? I believe so. Unfortunately, with many believers, the ministry is a way to make a living while only a remnant considers the ministry as their life. Our calling is more than our identity, it is the extension of our love for God.

Everyone who is a Christian has a message to share as the gospel is not just an option, but rather is a pillar of the foundation of our faith. Ministry is not just the obvious speaking, singing, and writing, but we can share Christ within our gift and this gives us a beautiful opportunity to allow the world to hear and see Christ in us. It seems that presentation measures effectiveness and there is not one person that was ever given a vision to communicate that did not want to be as effective as they can possibly be. First impressions are powerful and generating respect through our words and actions is critical. This is why it’s important to take our ministry seriously and realize we have been called to represent Christ. When we understand that what we are saying(or not saying) could be the difference between life and death, we will take our spiritual responsibility more seriously.

Whoever said Jesus was quiet and presented boring lectures? When you have been given a divine revelation you are transformed from an orator to a person that holds the antidote that can save the world. Jesus knew that what He was saying was not just a strong conviction – but absolute truth filled with the ultimate authority and power of Almighty God. Each word contained divine illumination which had the power to pierce the mind and heart and leave the listener convicted and it still does! This is an hour when serving cold cereal is not enough – God wants His ministers to serve fresh steak. Sharing divine revelation will not happen when our mind is cluttered with worry or when we stressed about finances and declining popularity. Only when we let go of our carnality and the influences of this world and become saturated in God’s presence, can our faith and anointing begin to grow into what the Lord intended for it to be.

There is nothing wrong with examining what we are doing, how we are doing it and making sure we are demonstrating our ministry the way He desires for us to present it. I realize that many will respond and say, “This is the way I’ve always been and I do not need to change anything” but this is an arrogant statement. Why would we not want to follow Jesus instead of our own ideas? Do we really believe we know more and can manage our ministry better than Him? This is not as much about changing our style as it is simply allowing God to breathe life into our work. It’s about obedience and as we continue marching toward the end of the age, we cannot afford to keep going through the motions of meaningless religion. The KING IS COMING and it is time to awaken from our slumber and respond to His voice. People are thirsty and starving for His presence and long to be free within His Spirit and hopefully, we can help them. I’ve heard people say they worship the Lord privately and are afraid of being seen as silly but do you think we will be embarrassed to praise God in heaven? Anyone that is filled with divine joy will manifest an outward display of gratitude. If emotions can be manifested with weeping when something hurts us or makes us sad, then why can’t we release joy and praise to God when we are happy? And for those who claim to have a quiet and reserved personality, do not tell me you are quiet when your favorite team scores or how “low key” you would be if you won the lottery. Whatever means the most to us in our life is what we are going to express, focus, think about, talk about, and give our undivided attention to. A heart that is divided causes us to be lethargic in our ministry and our relationship with Jesus. Mankind has always wanted to worship themselves instead of God and nothing has changed. A battle is constantly raging within each of us and only we will choose whether we will love and serve our flesh or God Almighty.

THE KING IS COMING

Part 1 – Published 1/4/20

DESIGNED FOR OFFENSE

Our new theme is, “THE KING IS COMING” and we are convinced that it will not be much longer until He does. We believe we are in the last days because of the seven thousand year theological view. According to Biblical calculations, we are at the end of the 6000 years since creation which includes 4000 years before the birth of Christ. Most Christians believe there will be a 1000 year Millennial reign where Christ will rule after He returns to the earth in great power and glory. I will also mention that many believe there will be a rapture and 7 years of tribulation included in the future, so we can hopefully agree this dispensation is soon coming to a close. This is the eleventh year of writing these weekly messages and we hope that you will continue walking with us in this journey as brothers and sisters in the faith.

The saints of God were never created for just defense. A sports team can never win unless they learn the balance of guarding and scoring – and that is accomplished with the development of an organized offense. We have the shield of faith to defend but we also have the sword of God’s Word to speak and trust with His authority. Mathew chapter 11 verse 12 say’s, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force.” Jesus was saying that God’s kingdom will require courage, unwavering faith, determination and endurance because of the growing opposition to the kingdom message and those who preach it. John’s ministry had ushered in the kingdom of heaven and it was crucially important to set the record straight about what the saints should expect. Jesus was very serious about spiritual warfare in Mathew chapter ten and was tired of beating around the bush trying to explain the world’s reaction. In verses 34 through 39, we find him saying some disturbing things about our relationships and our dreams of a “happy” ministry lifestyle.

Jesus said,“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me. He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.” Jesus is not trying to be mean or scare anyone. He is not trying to make a terrorist out of an ordinary person or be cruel for the purpose of stirring up evil, but He is trying to be blunt and explain where the rubber meets the road and plead with the saints about a “life or death” reality. Does He want us to be a fanatic? Yes! Being an extreme fanatic for Jesus would be the ultimate goal, but most everyone is ashamed of Him. We are just too embarrassed. Why? Because we do not want people to think we are crazy and we really think quite highly of our reputation. The Lord is trying to reveal the sobering truth about the dynamic power of His Word and the dramatic impact it will have on everyone we meet – IF we are brave enough to do what He says to do. Are you ready to sign up for this? Allow me to warn you, the life lived IN Christ will always provoke a reaction from everyone good or bad. It can cause hatred, anger and division because the cross is an offense to the carnal mind and enmity to the flesh and is in direct opposition to the devil’s lies and plans. Jesus was not going to paint pretty pictures of sunsets or tell cozy stories about how everyone would embrace us and rejoice with our message because He knows the TRUE Christian life is filled with deadly resistance. He knew His disciples would experience the same treatment as He had and how the pure gospel would be an opposition to everyone who is not a devoted follower of His cause. He knew that our new transformed spirits would clash with evil spirits and how His kingdom of light would be an “in your face insult” that will stir the religious sleep walkers into becoming a fierce enemy. Yes God’s convicting “two edged” truth can bring beautiful freedom but it also brings a bloody war! So why was Jesus emphasizing that truth brings division and hatred? It has everything to do with God never compromising or failing. His truth must be pure and holy or it loses it’s authority to rule and judge. His truth is perfect – He is Omniscient and He cannot be the Lord of anyone who loves the world more than Him.

I was talking to a person about dieting the other day and they said some things that made me think. They said the reason they have not been successful is because they are simply not interested. They are are not serious about exercise and they really do not care about how much chocolate cake they eat. I guess I appreciate the honesty, but I believe this is also why most people do not have Christ as their Lord. Yes, they believe in God, but so does the devil and all the demons. If we are not interested in God – I can promise we will not read the Bible, pray, or even think about Him until we have a problem that we need Him to solve. There are many who believe God is real consider themselves religious, but God is not impressed in the least. Why? Because they are NOT serious about Him. If our connection to God is only calling upon Him when we need something, we have missed the point entirely. It’s dangerous when Christians try to hold God’s hand while holding on to their sin with the other hand. Why? We CANNOT serve God and the devil. It’s called “lukewarm” or “middle of the road” living and no matter how you and I try to remodel it or paint it, there is no way to fool The Almighty. Matthew 6:24 says,

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” There will never be any type of compromise or special deals with those who try to play games. Let us remember that when the world loves us, we can guarantee – something’s terribly wrong with our soul. We have so many excuses and justifications to stay in a spiritually powerless lifestyle but when God says, “Stand for My truth and fight the good fight of faith” it was not presented as an option – it’s a demand. The world hates Jesus and if we truly love Him they will hate us also.“And you will be hated of all men for my names sake: but he that endures to the end will be saved” Mathew 10:22.

The message is always the same. Reach out to Christ – pray – study His truth – develop faith – walk with Him in holiness – follow and obey His voice – live in peace and victory! If we do notchoose to walk in His Spirit, we will automatically remain in the old default system of mediocrity and we will not be effective in His kingdom. In fact, we actually become His enemy!If we are carnal – we are not in Christ – if we are filled with sin and satisfied – we are defeated!Threaten the enemy of your soul instead of allowing him to lead you! Declare to your flesh and the devil that every time you are attacked, that you will instantly pray to God and cry out for His help. Then instead of the devil being on offense against you, you have just turned the tables and put the devil on the run! He will begin to see that trying to hurt you is hurting him much worse.James 4:4-8 says, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Face the devil and tell him to get out of your life forever – NOW! If he comes back – do it again! How many times will I need to rebuke the devil? How much spiritual victory do you want? We were never promised by God that after we are saved we would have an easy life. It’s actually the opposite. When we are born-again, we become God’s warrior against sin. Our victory is then based on our faith in Jesus BLOOD and the spiritual authority of the Father over all the powers of darkness. The Almighty never designed us to fight in our own strength, but has equipped us with every piece of spiritual armor that is found in the fifth chapter of Ephesians. However, this armor is useless until we put it on and march onto the battlefield. Who wants to serve? Who will fight on the front-lines? Our needs do not move God to act on our behalf, but rather our FAITH moves God and activates HIS power and this is the miracle that will manifest from our confessions and causes our prayers to change circumstances. Until we choose to become a participant, we will remain an observer. Jesus did not die for us to be a spectator, He died so that we can be an overcomer for HIM! It is HIS inspiration that creates the fruit of our lips and generates the SUPER-NATURAL power in the name of Jesus! Let us not cower in fear to Satan who is already defeated! This is now 2020 and King Jesus is coming soon! Let us start the New Year with making a decision that we will draw nearer to God than we ever have been before. Let us pray every day and confess God’s Word over our life and the lives of our family and friends. Let us be known as a true Christian who walks what we talk and may we carry God’s sword and not be afraid to engage in spiritual warfare. “I pursue my enemies and overtake them; I will not back down until they are destroyed” Psalm 18:37.