Are We Losing the West? Part 25

WHAT CAN WE DO? Part 4

 

Colossians 2:2-5 “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.”

 

In the previous weeklies we saw how God’s revelation was superseded by man’s reasoning when it came to knowledge and understanding of nature and the nature of God. We saw where in the 21st century man’s reasoning has taken us where we are calling good evil and evil good.

 

Where do we find wisdom and knowledge? Paul tells us that “in Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Jesus is the answer. It is with this thought in mind that I found the following very interesting.

 

Mr. Bilal Hafeez serves as the Managing Director and Analyst at Deutsche Bank AG – Research Division and has been its Global Head of Foreign Exchange Strategy since September 2004. He joined Deutsche Bank AG – Research Division in 2002 as a Senior Foreign Exchange Strategist. Mr. Hafeez is responsible for formulating the bank’s view on currencies. He manages and contributes to the firm’s flagship publications: FX Strategy Weekly, FX Blueprint, and Exchange Rate Perspectives.

 

Bilal Hafeez said in a speech: “Who else has entered the terrible teens? The Euro-Area! It was born in 1999 and so is currently fourteen years old. It has all the hallmarks of teenage angst. It is ridden with internal conflicts, it is groping around for structure, and it is suspicious of authority.”  “So who can be a positive role model for the Euro-Area?” he asks. “Well, it cannot be the ‘fathers ‘—Germany or France. It has to be an external figure that all Europeans respect and whose motives and character are beyond dispute. That rules out anyone living, as even the most competent person will make missteps or have something from their past dredged up to undermine them. That leaves us with historical figures whose lives have been laid bare by history. I can only think of one figure that is respected by most Europeans and has never sinned,” he concludes. “Jesus!”  Incredibly, Hafeez goes onto suggest that if everyone lived by the injunction to not be the “first to cast stones unless they were without sin” then the “constant accusations would stop.”

 

One of the things that I see coming out of our city, state and federal governments is that our so-called leaders seem to not know what to do. Poll after poll shows that the public does not trust them in what they say (result of our post-modern worldview) and we find that they are making decisions that will have dastardly consequences later on for future generations.

 

What is the answer? I think it is what Hafeez said and what we read in the following verses: “Kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and women, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.” (Psalms 148:11-13)

 

What is interesting to me that comes out in Hafeez’s article is that man and his reasoning does not have an answer to some of the most complex problems we have today in the area of finance and international relations. Jesus is the answer; Jesus is the solution. My prayer is that God will raise up godly men/women of influence next to men/women of power who can influence those in power in the way they should go and in the way they make decisions.

 

We need to insert Biblical values back into our society.

Daily Devotional

 

How to fish for people:

 

To be a fishermen you must go to where the fish are. Don’t expect the fish to come to you. Let them see by the way you live that you have turned to God. Be a faithful man who fears God, and trust that God will work out His plans for your life; for we must carry out all that God requires. Unite with people who have the same purpose and listen closely to God’s word. When I understand that the joy of the Lord is my strength, and this strength only comes when I am in God’s word, understand it and applying it to my life, then I have joy. I know that Jesus reached out His hand to me and saved me, therefore I must reach out my hand to people. I understand that when I become proud and think that my success in fishing is done by my strength, that He will remove His blessing from me. For, He cares for the humble, but keeps His distance from the proud. 

 

Therefore, today I will be filled with great joy!

Daily Devotional

Son, one of the reasons there is no unity with the churches, among My children, is because some of the leaders have not made Me Lord of their lives. These people have no true heart for Me, and will not surrender themselves to Me. These leaders will bear the consequence of their actions. They have forgotten that I require absolute holiness!

 

What are the idols of America; are they not silver and gold? Has My church also been worshipping these things? My children must remember that what you worship you will become like it. The people who worship silver and gold will start rumors about My faithful children. They think they have the power to stop My message of Salvation by making My faithful children sin by thinking silver and gold will meet their needs.

 

But, My faithful children must reject this evil and expose them. My people must realize the work I have called My church to do – will be done with My help. Then they can continue the work with greater determination.

 

Son, take careful notice of what is taking place in the churches of America. Use your eyes and ears, and listen to everything that is said. Think it over, then speak out against these leaders, telling them, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of God so His name will not be mocked?” Yes, there are some who follow Me and do what I require of them. To those who remain faithful, I will remember them when they are weak. I will protect them from their enemies. I will provide everything they will need.

 

Lord, help me not to become discouraged by what I see and hear, but help me to give thanks to You because Your faithful love endures forever. I am engaged in a great work for You and I will not be intimidated by those You laugh at and one day will cast out of Your sight forever.

Daily Devotional

Son, how wonderful and pleasant it is when My children live together in harmony!

 

Lord, when I look over the situation that America is in – Your children are not united. We must remember that we are Your children and become united. We must rally together, stand up and fight for our brothers, our sons, our daughters, our wives, and our homes! We need to lift up holy hands in prayer and praise You. We must not fear the enemy who is against everything we stand for!

 

Son, when My children unite the enemy will become very angry that they have begun to rebuild the family unit. They will fly into a rage saying,  “What does this feeble bunch of people think they’re doing? Do they think they can rebuild the family unit by obeying the word of God.? Do they actually think they can make something out of that rubbish heap?”

 

When My children work with enthusiasm, and My men begin to stand in the broken down places for their families – these people that are doomed to hell – will be furious. They will fight against My children and try to throw them into confusion. They will tell everyone, “While they are unprepared, we will swoop down on them and end this worthless work.”  But, I know their plans and I will frustrate them.

 

So My children stand guard over your homes with the sword of My Word. My children must unite and begin the work of telling everyone who I am; that I protect My family. My children must sound the alarm when they are under attack, and when the rest of My children hear the alarm they must rush to wherever it is sounding and stand up for each other. I will fight for My children but they must realize that this fight is more than a battle; it is a war, and they need to be ready from sunrise to sunset!

 

Lord, hear our prayer for unity, for we are being mocked everyday. The enemy is coming from all directions. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads. Do not ignore their guilt, and do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked Your children to anger by trying to destroy Your family unit. We need You Lord to help us unite and build back up the walls. I know that Your children will began to complain when they are getting tired and there is so much left to do. But, O Lord when Your children are united in prayer and purpose – You will stand guard over our homes day and night as we rebuild.

 

Son, I am coming soon, and this should encourage My children to fight! My home will be among My children! I will live with them, and they will be My people. I will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.  I am making everything new, and what I tell you is trustworthy and true. Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, but only those whose names are written in My Book of Life. No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For, My throne will be there! Everything I have told you is trustworthy and true. For I am the One who inspires My prophets, to tell everyone, “Blessed are those who obey My word and believe all of the prophecy written in My Book.”

 

Are We Losing the West? Part 24

WHAT CAN WE DO? Part 3

 

Numbers 4:4 “This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things.”

 

1 Peter 4:17 “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

 

2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

 

In this spiritual warfare we need to realize that the church is the holder of truth and because of this we must proclaim the truth with vigor, faithfulness and purity. We must learn to speak the truth with boldness and love. It is the truth that will set us free.

 

Secondly, we must put our own house in order since God is a God of order. What do I mean? God has given us all work to do. Paul said that he would not go outside the sphere that God gave him: “We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand,” (2 Corinthians 10:13-15)

 

In the Body of Christ we all have been given a sphere, a work to do and it is imperative that we know what it is and stay within the sphere that God has called us to. And when we step outside of it we move into someone else’s sphere which then brings in confusion, chaos and moving in the flesh.

 

Reading through Scripture we see how God is a God of order. For example, Nehemiah was building the wall with each one doing his part, and the Levites were working with order on the Tabernacle in the wilderness.

 

What speaks to me is the unity in the work, with no duplicating, each one knowing what needs to be done and eagerly doing their working. What is the result? In fifty some days – the wall is built.

 

We see the order of God in the universe where everything is moving like clockwork. I read a book by Richard Swenson called: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: FASCINATING GLIMPSE OF GOD’S POWER AND DESIGN.

 

Describing the human body, when we see the different functions of the human body and the working together of each part, we must agree with the Psalmist that we too are wonderfully made. What comes out though is if one part begins to work outside of its sphere – sickness and death follow. This is true in the Body of Christ as well.

 

What order has God put into the Body of Christ? We see the spiritual body and physical body having the same order for strength and power. Paul tells us: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

 

My question is: Are all these offices operating in the church today? If they are not, then we will find chaos and confusion, not having the strength of unity that is necessary to get the job done.

 

In John 17 we read that Jesus operated in the sphere that God gave Him: “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” (vs. 4)

 

Jesus said in John 4:34 “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” At the end He went to the cross and His last words were: “It is finished.”

 

In John 17 Jesus was not praying for the world, but for His people that they might be sanctified. This is a problem we have today; we get saved, but we do not move on into sanctification and discipleship for the unity of the body.  “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (vs. 21)

 

The two things that Jesus prayed for was sanctification (purity) and unity (power). What are two main things in the church hurting the Body of Christ today? Immorality and disunity. What do we find in the Corinthian church which seems to be so prevalent in the church today? “For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.” 2 Corinthians 12:20-21

 

We are living in exciting times and many doors are being opened to us. Might we, the Body of Christ, be ready!

 

Daily Devotional

Lord, things are not going well for Your children! We are in great trouble and disgrace. Our families are being torn apart. Open our eyes that our homes are being attacked and destroyed. Help us to realize what is taking place; for it should cause us to sit down and weep! You know very well what trouble we are in. Our homes lie in ruins, help us rebuild the walls of the family, to unite in truth and Spirit – and end this disgrace! When our enemies hear that we are rebuilding our families in Your righteousness they will scoff at us saying, “What are you doing, rebelling against the law of the land?!”

 

Son, My children must stand for the truth, walk in righteousness and build their homes based upon My word. Most of My children are praying for the wrong things, they are asking Me to help them have a happy life. They need to pray that My Kingdom comes, and not continue to build earthly kingdoms. My word is very clear about what is going to take place and when it will happen. I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for Me, and keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed. SO GET READY! BE PREPARED!

 

Son, It is finished! Soon a great earthquake will strike and it will be the worst since people were placed on the earth. Every island will disappear, and all the mountains will be leveled. Then a terrible hailstorm will come, with hailstones weighing seventy-five pounds falling from the sky onto the people below. People with no hope will curse Me because of the terrible plague of the hailstorm. The great Euphrates River will dry up so that the kings from the east can march their armies toward the west without hindrance. Demonic spirits will lead these armies coming from the east. They will have the power to do miracles and will unite all the rulers of the world to gather for battle against Me.

 

These armies will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war. This vast army will roll down on Israel like a storm and cover the land like a cloud. They will say, “Israel is an unprotected land. We will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence!”  When these armies invade the land of Israel, My fury will boil over! In My jealousy and blazing anger – I promise a mighty shaking in the land of Israel on that day. All living things, the fish in the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the people on earth will quake in terror at my presence. Mountains will be thrown down, cliffs will crumble, walls will fall to the earth. I will summon the sword against these armies on the hills of Israel. Their men will turn their swords against each other. I will punish the leaders and their armies with disease and bloodshed. I will send torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur!  In this way, I will show My Greatness and Holiness, and I will make Myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

 

So how should My children pray? First they must put their trust in Me! Then they must put their hope in My word. For My word is their only hope and they must realize that I give My children My unfailing love.  So pray about how to be prepared for what is coming and obey My commands. Then it will go well for My children,; for they will soon stand before Me dressed in white.

 

Daily Devotional

June 26, 2014

Thursday

 

Lord, I am utterly ashamed, and cry out to you. Our sins are piled high, and our guilt has reached the heavens. You have given Your children a brief moment to act, for soon America will be punished because of its wickedness and guilt. Our punishment will be far less than we deserve. So I come before You Lord and confess that we Your children have been unfaithful to You. Because of this, none of us should be allowed to stand in Your presence, but in spite of all that we have done against You – there is still hope.

 

Son, I will make Myself known in the days ahead by what I am about to do. Then everyone will know that I have heard every contemptuous word spoken proudly against Me; I have heard it all! It is important that My children know that I care about them, and when My children pray and cry out to Me that I will pay attention to them, and not because they deserve it. I am doing it to protect My Holy Name, on which My children have brought shame when they refused to obey My word. In the days to come I will show My children how Holy My great Name is. I will reveal My Holiness before their very eyes. My children must remember that I gave them a new heart. When they invited My Spirit into their heart I took their stony, stubborn heart and made it tender and responsive to Me.  My Spirit will still help them to follow My word. I am ready to hear the humble prayer of My church. Then everyone will know that I am the Lord who hears and heals the humble.

 

Son, the man of deception is here. He will be in power soon and will require everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave – to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. No one will be able to buy or sell anything without that mark. My children need My Spirit’s wisdom on how to survive in this time. Those who take this mark must drink the wine of My anger, and they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur. The smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night.

 

Son, tell My children to give Me the glory I require. For the time has come when I will sit as judge. Worship Me, the One who made the heavens and the earth, and everything in them. Remember, blessed are those who die in Me; for they are blessed indeed, and they will rest from their hard work. All of their good deeds will follow them! Endure persecution patiently and remain faithful; obeying My commands and maintaining your faith in Me.

 

My leaders in My church must now get up, for it is their duty to tell My children how to be prepared for these days. I will be with these leaders when they stand up this way, and I will be right behind them to support them. So be strong and take action. How joyful it will be in heaven when My children start following My words and ways!

 

Daily Devotional

Son, when My children are finally unified in purpose, their enemies will hear, and try to stop them. They will come to My children and say let us help you, for we worship God as you do. They will try to discourage and frighten My children to keep them from doing what I ask of them. When their enemies finally realize that My children will not stop – they will bribe people to lie and accuse My children of things that never happened, just so that they can split up and weaken My children. They will make accusations against My children, accusing them of being hateful, politically incorrect, and having no love. Then, with a show of combined strength they will force My children to stop meeting together. Remember that when this day comes, I will put great panic upon My children’s accusers, because they will finally know that they are headed for certain destruction. So My children, watch for this time; it is sure to come!

 

So when this day arrives and your enemies start their work, don’t be afraid, but bring your fears to Me! Cry out to Me, and I will answer your prayers. For your help comes from the One who made heaven and earth! I will not let My children stumble and fail because I do not slumber as I stand beside them; their protective shade. I will keep them from harm and they will finish the work. Since I watch over My children they are free to come to Me anytime, and complete the task I asked of them; that to tell the world I am the truth and the life, and their is no other way.

 

Daily Devotional

Son, tell My churches, “I know all the things you do, and your actions do not meet the standard of My word. You have a reputation in the world of being alive-but you are almost dead. So My church, WAKE UP! and strengthen what little remains. Repent and turn to Me! Go back to what you heard and believed at first, and hold firmly to the power of My word.”

 

I know there are some in these church’s that have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. I will announce before My Father and His angels that they are Mine. Because they have obeyed My word, I will protect them in the great time of testing that is coming upon the whole world. They must remember that what I open for them, no one can close; and what I close, no one can open. I know all the things they do, and I have opened a door for them in this day of testing that no one can close. I know how little strength they have, and yet they have obeyed My word and did not deny Me. Therefore, they will have ointment for their eyes so they will be able to see all that will soon take place. They will be rich in heaven, and dressed in white garments.

 

To those who refuse Me and My word, “I know all the things you do. I wish that you had obeyed, but since you refused; I will will call you ‘rejected!’ You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ You don’t realize how wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked you are. There is NO HOPE for these people for they are hard and stubborn, they mock My messengers, and despise My word. Soon My anger will no longer be restrained and there is nothing they can do to stop it!”

 

Son, I am coming soon!

 

Are We Losing the West? Part 23

WHAT CAN WE DO? Part 2

 

Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

 

We have seen how another method of gaining knowledge, other than the revealed knowledge that comes from God, crept in through Thomas Aquinas and over the centuries was built upon by other following philosophers until we now have come to the place in the 21st century to where we call good evil and evil good.

 

The question that begs for an answer is: What can we do? First, we need to recognize that this is a battle for the mind. One of the greatest needs is what the Apostle Paul spoke about here in Romans 12: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

 

In 2001, researcher George Barna gave a speech and said that historians would look back and say that this year of 2001 was about the time when moral and spiritual anarchy began. He went on to say: “Of all the changes likely to occur in the next few years, moral chaos will have the most devastating impact on American culture.” Looking at the moral breakdown that has come with lightning speed in the last decade alone, one would agree with his assessment.

 

In the past I have written about the need for a Biblical mindset – having a Biblical worldview. A worldview is the screening of everything that comes our way and how we interpret things in everyday life. Because of the men that have been presented over the past few weeks we see that much of our interpretation of things that come our way is not Biblical, but secular; not God’s perspective, but man’s, and like I said before: Man makes a bad god.

 

In Barna’s book BOILING POINT, he says that while most Americans claim to be Christians, commitment is becoming less and less meaningful. He brings out the following statistics. Consider this: “85 percent of all adults claim that religious faith is very important in their lives. Also, 85 percent claim to be Christians. More than four out of five adults claim to know the basic teachings of the Bible and nine of ten own at least one Bible — good. Yet, just one in four adults and only one teenager in ten believe in absolute moral truth. In fact, less than half of those who call themselves “born-again” Christians believe that anything is ‘absolutely true.’”

 

The question comes: Why the disconnect when there are so many that believe the value of the Bible’s content and believe that Jesus is The Truth? Barna suggests that it is because of changing values, or rather, evolving values. These men that have been mentioned in previous weekly letters brought this change of values when our Western culture embraced relativism and abandoned traditional values like loyalty, morality, accountability, and sacrifice.

 

Now we find values that best go along with relativism like independence, personal happiness, tolerance, comfort, instant gratification, the right to make one’s own choices — all of which center on the individual. Christ said long ago: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Because God is not the center of our lives, self has become the center, and because of this self interest – spiritual and moral anarchy follow.

 

We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:15: “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” Christ died and rose again that He might deliver us from public enemy number one: SELF. We also read that Christ died and rose again that He might be Lord over all. “For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:9

 

Unless we, God’s people, come back to our foundation, our society will have enormous difficulties in coping with the changes that are coming.

 

In his book BOILING POINT Barna goes on to say: “Most distressing, the church sometimes seems right in line with today’s evolving values, and also note that people’s church preferences often align precisely with their relativistic approach to life.”

 

Instead of looking for a church with doctrinal purity Americans seem to attend churches based on how far they have to drive, or the worship that is taking place and whether or not they can get an emotional boost from the sermon, etc. Not that these are bad things in themselves, but convenience, comfort and emotion tend to be the values that drive today’s spirituality.

 

Paul said that we should not only be transformed by the renewing of our mind, but also not to be conformed to the patterns of this world. The research that Barna conducted in 1999 among sixty-five common values and traits – did reveal that the values of born again Christians were not substantially different. 

 

When leading the Children of Israel in the desert Moses said to the Lord: “How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

 

In closing Barna went on to say: “Can such a church expect to change the world? If we have any hope of renewing the culture, we’ll need to rediscover what Jesus meant when He called us to be in the world but not of it.”