Precursor That Warns to PREPARE

With all we’ve seen happen in our nation with the “lockdowns” due to COVID-19 and then with George Floyd’s death and riots with demands of ending the police force, or at least defunding them – it’s clear that things like this will only increase, rapidly intensify, as the Day of our Lord APPROACHES, just like Jesus said to His disciples.

 

SO….how should God’s people prepare for the inevitable? We know from Scripture that the “Spirit-filled World-wide Church” will be taken from the earth when the WORST is to start: the “mark of the beast” that unless you take it into your hand or head – you won’t be able to buy or sell. We know that this is already in making. Bill Gates has an idea called the Quantum Dot needle Tattoo that is in the works right now that begins the “mark of the beast.”

 

As we see things heating up in our nation as well as all over the world, not only should we be looking for the Lord’s open doors to share His Gospel with people, but understand how the Holy Spirit is leading each disciple of Jesus Christ – to prepare for what the Church will go through before the Lord calls us up to meet Him in the cloud.

 

We all have loved ones we’ve been praying for, that they be saved/born-again of the Spirit in Christ Jesus, but who knows when and if they come to know their Savior and to be included in the “Rapture of the Saints – dead and alive.” Your loved ones may go through the Great Tribulation (called the worse time the earth has ever seen), and so the Lord has impressed it on our minds and hearts NOW that we need to hear what the Spirit is saying and how He would lead us to – to prepare provision for those we’ve been praying for and hoping to see in the Lord’s Kingdom.

 

Imagine being one of those loved ones that you’ve witnessed to – finding themselves left behind. When they realize after all “the faithful Church” is instantly taken at the same time, leaving their clothing there when they’re snatched up, all their possessions still in tact as if they were still there. Do you think those loved ones will get it? Will they then believe what you told them? Some will, some won’t. But for those who do, and cry out to the Lord to be saved, they will need a place of refuge, a place where they have food and water, and shelter.

 

We need to be thinking past the “rapture.”  God is. God has even prepared a place for us in His Kingdom with our Lord. God prepares ahead for each generation of His people, and He does it through His faithful servants who study His Word to KNOW what they should know, and who hear His Voice leading them day by day to do what is theirs to do.

 

The Lord has shown Mike and I, and our children – what WE should do, and He is leading us step by step. But what WE are to do, might be different from what YOU should do. It all depends on your family, your prayers for loved ones, the nation you live in, what is available to you, how God has you positioned, etc. But no matter what, God is preparing provision through His Spirit-filled Church before He takes us off the earth (in the Rapture). There has NEVER been a time – such as this. Sadly, most Christians don’t believe that their generation is the generation that sees the Rapture or the Return of the Lord to the earth to Reign – which takes place 7 years apart.  GLORY!

 

God cares about how His new believers in the Great Tribulation will survive those 7 years without the “mark of the beast” for God has told us we better not take that mark of Satan’s control over you. Deny it and simply trust your Father God who GREATER than Satan.

 

Some believers (without the mark) will NOT survive but be martyred for refusing to deny their Savior and Lord, nor His Word to them. The world will have GREAT hatred of Jesus Christ, the Bible and all Christians. God prepares His children for martyrdom, if they are chosen for it. Not all are.

 

What a GREAT Father we have who does not want His children to be caught unaware of what is coming against them, but rather prepared in every way so they can be used by Him and not caught by surprise fearful and unprepared, needing help like the rest of the world.

 

We are living in an unique time in the history of mankind!  The Day is not far off when:

 

Unto us a child WAS born, unto us a Son WAS given, “and the government will be upon HIS shoulders. And HE will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be NO end. He will reign on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7

 

Beloved of God, are you paying attention to what is REALLY happening in our nation and in the world, watchful, continually in PRAYER and doing your part in making ready a people ‘prepared’ for the Lord?

 

 

 

Agony of Leadership

2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-10

 

In this passage of Scripture, we see the breakdown Paul uses in regard to what I would call spiritual leadership. In leadership two words must be kept in mind: servant and example.

 

Paul, in bringing out the breakdown, brings in the internal conflicts that one faces in his Christian life, but even more in leadership. 2 Corinthians 6:4 “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses…”

 

Great endurance or patience (hupomonee). This brings home the idea of being able to stick to the job, continuance, cheerful, hopeful; he never quits or gives up but finishes what has been started.

 

Troubles and afflictions: The idea here is that the leader is like a high priest and able to comfort others. “…who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:4

 

Hardships or necessities (anankee): This seems to be a reference to the inescapable needs of life. Paul mentioned how in the times he was hungry, thirsty, without sleep and concern for all the churches that he worked with.

 

Distresses (stenokoria): This brings out the idea of a narrowness of room, cramped or to hem in closely; one wrong step and you are in distress. We need to know the endurance of God in our lives.

 

Paul is also bringing out the external conflicts as well “in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings.”

 

Stripes or beatings (plege): Paul faced the Jewish whips, Roman rods in the beatings that he took. WE might not face this, but what about ridicule, etc.?

 

Imprisonment: This most usually follows stripes and beatings with rods that Paul faced.

 

Tumults: What did Paul face as he went forth with the Gospel of God’s truth? Hopelessness, wanderings, obscurity, commotions, instability, confusion to name a few. Paul also brings out what we could call vocational conflicts when it comes to the ministry… “in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings.”

 

Labors (kopos): Working for Christ to almost exhaustion brings out the idea of trouble, weariness, toil, pain.

 

Watching or sleepiness (agrupnia): Paul spent nights in prayer, times of peril, counseling, preaching, keeping awake in order to watch for what he needed to pray about.

 

Fastings (nesteia): Going without food voluntary, or sometimes because of lack of food. There were occasions when he went hungry for the Gospel’s sake.

 

Next in Paul’s breakdown we see our moral obligations. Two things mentioned here: what we are and what we do.  “…by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love…” 2 Corinthians 6:6

 

Purity (hagnotes): Speaks of sincerity, transparency, cleanness, blameless to be above reproach.

 

Knowledge (gnosis): Brings out the idea of having the knowledge of what to do; what the goals are, what needs to be done; sanctified common sense.

 

Longsuffering (makrothymia): Forbearance, patience with people, courtesy under criticism; learning to give God time to finish what He started.

 

Kindness (kreestoteres): Goodness, gentleness, putting others at ease.

 

Holy Spirit: All would be impossible without God’s Spirit.

 

Love unfeigned (anupokritos): This is the fruit of the Spirit. An expression for the need of genuine love. To ‘feign’ is to play act; hypocritical.

 

Moral Obligation: What we should do.  2 Corinthians 6:7 “…by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left…”

 

Word of Truth: Declaration of the truth; not exaggerating or twisting the truth.

 

Power of God: We know from 2 Corinthians 4:7 that we have this treasure (Jesus Christ) in us and in whom the fulness of the Godhead bodily dwells. Paul came in weakness and fear, but with the power of God.

 

Armor of righteousness on the right hand and left. Right hand: We have the offensive weapon of the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Left hand: We have the shield of faith that protects us from all the fiery darts of the enemy.

 

Here we have the paradoxes of leadership: 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 “…by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”

 

Honor and dishonor: Sometimes we are flattered and sometimes we are flattened.

 

Evil report and good report: Luke 6:22-23 “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.”

 

Deceivers and yet true: Christ was called a deceiver which means a deliberate imposter.

 

Unknown and yet known: Ignored and yet recognized. Paul was known in hell. (Acts 19:15)

 

Dying and yet, behold we live: I think of Paul when he was stoned.

 

Chasten and not killed: Discipline of suffering. “He chastened me sore.” (The Psalmist)

 

Sorrowful, but always rejoicing: Here we have ‘holy’ sorrow and ‘holy’ joy.

 

Poor yet making many rich: Peter saying, “Silver and gold I do not have, but in the name of the Lord Jesus stand up and walk.” Acts 3:6

 

Having nothing, but possessing all things: Inheriting the universe. We have been given the Holy Spirit as a down payment for what is to come. Romans 8:16, 17 and Ephesians 1:13,14.

 

NEEDED: SPIRITUAL LEADERS!

 

Principles of Leadership

When it comes to leadership there are several things to keep in mind. It is easy to find a teacher on how to teach you to play chess, build a house, sail a boat, etc., but it would be a little more difficult for someone to teach you how to be courageous, optimistic, inspiring or other qualities of leadership.

 

The question is: Is it possible to train people to become leaders? One can learn to lead, but one cannot really learn to become a leader. Many companies send their people to training programs to become leaders and so many of these programs approach training in many different ways. When it comes to training in different professions the training programs are quite the same, but with leadership it is different and perhaps the reason why is that not everyone agrees what leadership even means.

 

With what is already brought out about a leader being courageous, optimistic, and inspiring I would like to also mention three other things as well when it comes to spiritual leadership.

 

1 Chronicles 12:32 “…men of Issachar, who understood the times (seasons) and knew what Israel should do.”  Situations that are stressful, fearful, chaotic have probably produced more leaders than many of the training programs put together.

 

In times of uncertainty people turn to those who are fearless and who seem to know what is going on and the direction in which people or events should be moving. In spiritual leadership a leader must have a sense of what is happening, and how to respond, and have the ability to take others with him/her.

 

Jeremiah 23:18 “But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?”

 

John 16:13 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

 

Spiritual leaders are men/women of the Bible, God’s written Word. They hear what the Lord is saying that leads them into what they should do. It is important that when we hear the Word, we speak it out loud and know that the Word will accomplish what it was sent to do. The Word and the Spirit work together to reveal what is happening and giving us the wisdom to know what to do.

 

We can also learn to see clues in the present that foreshadow what is coming. Cicero said, “It was ordained at the beginning of the world that certain signs should prefigure certain events.”

 

One clue would be Isaac Newton’s first ‘law of motion’ that states that an object will tend to stay in motion or continue in doing whatever it was doing – unless acted upon by some outside force.  If things are steady and stable, they will continue that way unless acted upon by some outside force. So, we learn to pay attention to what is happening.

 

Patrick Henry in his famous 1775 speech said: “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House.”

 

Rabbi Daniel Lapin said:If you want to know tomorrow, you must know yesterday.” One of Judaism’s best known aphorisms: “Whatever has been is what will be and whatever has been done is what will be done.”

 

Jeremiah the prophet, in addressing Shallum, King of Judea, son of Josiah said: “Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. Jeremiah 22:15

 

In spiritual leadership it is the ‘inward’ that speaks and not the ‘outward.’ I am not saying that it is not important on how we dress and take care of ourselves outwardly, but when it comes to spiritual leadership it matters most who a man is ‘inwardly’ instead of outwardly.

 

Paul told Timothy to appoint leaders in the church (bishops, elders, deacons) who ‘must be’ above reproach. Today we have turned the ‘must be’ into ‘it would be nice.’ Character is important.

 

1 Corinthians 1:10 “I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

 

Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”

 

Paul was a peacemaker, a quality of spiritual leadership. Paul recognized the need for unity in the Body of Christ. The word Paul uses for being ‘perfectly united’ is the word ‘katartizo’ and is used in Matthew 4:21  “And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending (katartizo) their nets; and he called them.” To keep the fish in the net they need to make sure that there are no holes, or the fish will be lost; so it is with the Church. If we do not mend our nets, mend relationships then people are lost. Disunity in the Body of Christ has done more damage to the cause of Christ than anything else.

 

THE GREAT NEED TODAY IS FOR LEADERS WHO CAN MEND THE NETS.

 

Spiritual Leadership

Leadership is not a noun; it is a verb. Leadership is not an identity; it is an action.

 

We are living in exciting days. We were given a task as the Church and Bride of Christ to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. We know where we are and what still needs to be done to finish the task. The Church has the resources that are needed to finish the job, but the one great lack is spiritual leadership.

 

We need leaders today who can see what is coming; who know what the Church needs to do and be able to go beyond denominational barriers and bring unity to the Body of Christ.

 

Leadership is not a dictatorship but rather an example. Leadership is not about having a certain amount of charisma. Like it says, leadership is a verb, it is action, an action that is seen by example.

 

Paul said: “Follow me, because I follow the Lord Jesus.” What do we see with Jesus? “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, goes he before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” John 10:3-4

 

Jesus does not drive them – He leads them. To lead we must know where we are going and how to take others with us. To know where we are going, we need to have a grasp of the pressing issues of today. Once this has taken place then it is necessary to throw ourselves into the task and then do it as unto the Lord.

 

I think of William Carey (the father of the modern mission movement), Hudson Taylor (who opened the interior of China to the Gospel) and Cameron Townsend (who had a desire to get the Living Word of God into every language of the world). They threw themselves into the task and many have followed since.

 

When Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica he mentioned: “…remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.”  These three virtues are the necessities for spiritual leadership: faith, hope and love.

 

We know from what Apostle James taught that “faith without works is dead.” A man who believes will also obey, and God gives increasing faith to the obedient heart. Often along with obedience comes sacrifice, but love will carry us through, and hope gives us the patience to keep on keeping on – even in the midst of difficulties.

 

It is said of Hudson Taylor that when the Boxer uprising took place in China – mission after mission was closed down, missionaries were being killed and telegrams were coming across his desk telling of the grim news. Taylor could be heard humming the children’s hymn “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” This is the work of faith, labor of love and patience of hope. This is a great need today.

 

Another great need in spiritual leadership is learning to stand and divide over the ‘right’ things or issues. The problem that Paul faced with the Corinthian church is they were standing and dividing over the wrong things. Paul wrote 14 letters (chapters in 1 Corinthians) telling them that they were standing and dividing over the wrong things and this is what we often see today. They stood and divided over what I would call ‘a party spirit’ or what we could call denominations today.

 

“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”

 

Another aspect of the Corinthian church is what I would call ‘intellectualism.’ “Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.”

 

There was an arrogance and tendency to look down on their less gifted brethren. They were also standing on what could be called ‘false spirituality.’ The Corinthian church was a gifted church and it seems that they were lifting one gift of tongues above the rest.

 

We see Paul dealing with all three issues and this is also true with spiritual leadership. Finally, after 14 letters, Paul tells them what to stand on and this is what spiritual leadership will do as well.

 

1 Corinthians 15:1 “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.”  Paul goes on to describe what the Gospel is: 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”

 

If Christ died for our sins, then we need to recognize that we are all sinners. He was buried and rose again, and this is true for there were a number of eyewitnesses. Twice it is mentioned “according to the Scriptures.”

 

This is what true spiritual leadership will stand on. It has been prophesied about a billion souls still coming to Christ. If this is to happen might the Lord raise up true spiritual leaders.

The Real Enemy

When I look at the riots taking place in our cities, destructions of property, loss of life, personal injuries, public services being interrupted and the riot police stepping in – the tendency for us is to become alarmed, fearful and wanting to know who or what is the culprit behind it all, and who to blame.

 

With that in mind, we begin to hear all of the assumptions being made in trying to answer that one question, and so begins the finger pointing: It is Trump and his tweets that are causing all of this damage, or it is the progressives and their ideology, or it is Antifa, or some other radical group. Or we can play the “race card:” it is the blacks or white supremacy, etc.

 

When I look at Face-Book and read what is being written, the one thing that comes out is that we all have our opinions of what is wrong. Then the debates come, arguments, reasoning in why we are right in what we are expressing or believing is the real problem.

 

I can understand that with the secular world having their opinion and agenda – politicians quick to blame the opposing side, and it is not unusual to twist the facts and lie in order to try and support what they think is the real problem and how to fix it. But what about those who call themselves “Christians,” who are known as the Body of Christ? Do WE see things differently? Or, have WE been ‘taken in’ by the media, politicians, propaganda that is being broadcasted to us 24/7. Are WE in the process of becoming brain-washed to believe in a way that might not be the will of God? I am asking these questions, not that I have the answers, but knowing that in these last days we are living in times of great deception. If there was a time for discernment, it is NOW!

 

I praise the Lord for the Word of God because it is the one source of truth, facts that we need to stand on. In God’s Word we are told: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:11

 

There is a desperate need today for men/women who can fight, pray and build; those who know who the REAL enemy is. By going against what we see happening today, and blaming flesh and blood, is like putting a band aid on a sore that needs to be cut out.

 

Yes, we see people (flesh and blood) doing what they are doing. We see Trumps tweets that we might not agree with, progressives’ solutions that seem lunacy to some, or the different destructive groups that come into incite the passions of people to do things that they would never do on their own.

 

But we seem to forget Ephesians 2:2-3 “…in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”

 

We who know the Lord, seem to forget that those who do not know the Lord are not only dead in their sins and trespasses, but they are like puppets in the hands of the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm. This is where the real battle is. This is where we fight. This is why the Lord has given us spiritual weapons to wage war against these forces. “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

 

I praise the Lord for the prayer groups that are growing, preparing for more to come; coming together around the world taking their stands against the Leviathan spirit, Jezebel spirit and many other kinds of evil spirits – that are operating in the world system.

 

I praise the Lord for those who are not only preaching, but living out the Gospel because this is what we take our stand on, and it is the power of God that can change the heart (mind) of people, and the dynamite of God that can clear out evil authority.

 

What does it mean to live out the Gospel? Paul expressed it very well in Philippians 2:3-4 “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

 

When I think of the divisions that we have today in our society it would seem to me that we as the Body of Christ have an important role to play. What would happen if all of us who are called by His name begin to act according to what Paul is saying right here in verses 3 and 4.

 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition.

 

Do nothing out of deceit.

 

In humility esteem others better than ourselves.

 

Look out for the interest of others before we look out for our own interests.

 

The question is: How can we begin to put this into operation?

 

First, we start with our selves. Where have we failed to act accordingly.

 

Second, within our own family.

 

Thirdly, in our jobs, professions, or sphere of work where the Lord has called us to labor.

 

This is the ‘mind’ of Christ and this is the mind (the way of thinking) that should be in us.

 

We need prayer that will engage the ‘real enemy.’

 

This is why I believe that one of the greatest needs today is for ‘spiritual leadership.’

Behold, I Do Something New

1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-9

 

This Sunday we will be celebrating Pentecost. Something new happened at that time of the coming of the Holy Spirit. But 50 days earlier something else new took place and that is the resurrection of Christ.

 

We often look at Jesus dying on Friday, but how can that be if He spent three days and nights in Hades? Bible scholars say that Jesus must have died on Friday because they did not want anyone hanging on the cross during the Sabbath which would start on the evening of Friday at sunset.

 

However this seems to have been a special Sabbath and when we look at it – Jesus must have died on Wednesday before sunset and was buried, and if this is true then He had to rise between sunset and midnight on Saturday. This is why we worship on Sunday.

 

The question that comes to my mind is where Jesus went during those three days and 2 nights. His body was in the tomb, but His spirit was free. We are given the answer in 1 Peter 3:18-20. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.” Evidently, he went and preached to the people (spirits) who were drowned in Noah’s flood.

 

When we think of the Resurrection how do we know that it really happened? We do not have any physical evidence or scientific evidence. There was no way we could measure it scientifically. So how do we know? We do have what is known as legal proofs that David Pawson brings out. In this there are two things: eyewitnesses as well as circumstantial evidence.

 

Often in eyewitness accounts there will be different perspectives. No two eyewitnesses will bring out the same thing. For example, when my brother and sister got killed in a car accident my other sister and her fiancé along with me saw the accident. But when we gave an account, we did not bring out the same details, but different perspectives of what happened. Having these different perspectives made the eyewitness more believable. If the three of us had said the same thing then it would seem like we have made it up.

 

When we examine the eyewitnesses of the resurrection, we see that there are different perspectives and details that are brought out. We see this with the four Gospels, and this is what makes the Resurrection of Christ believable.

 

When a witness comes forward to testify, they bring about a number of incidents or circumstances that seems to point to the same thing that proves the reality of the event.

 

What circumstances do we see with the resurrection of Christ?

 

First, of all we do not see any conspiracy during the whole life of Christ until the Resurrection.

 

Secondly, we see the change with boldness of disciples. Before they were hiding in fear, but now we find them preaching in the streets of Jerusalem with boldness. What happened?

 

Thirdly, we see a large number of Jews changing from Saturday to Sunday to worship. Why? What happened? Changing the day when Jews would worship was difficult. It would be like getting the Muslims to worship on Monday instead of Friday. Fourthly, we see lives that have been changed. I have seen this all over the world. Again, what happened? Fifthly, we see the grave clothes and how they were laid out when Peter and John went to the tomb. We know from the burial of Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead on the fourth day that they had to release him from his burial clothes. When they buried a person, they wrapped him in layers of long sheets, laden with perfumes, etc., that would go to his shoulders leaving the face bare but would have the top of the head wrapped in a cloth. When they saw the burial cloth laying the way it was it showed a Resurrection of the body. They did not have to unwrap Jesus.

 

The Resurrection showed the world who He was and His purpose. He died at the age of 33 and we are told that we will be like Him. It would seem to indicate that when we are resurrected, we too will be in the prime of life as Jesus was at 33 for all eternity!

 

The Resurrection also showed that God is doing something new. Didn’t He say that He makes all things new? When Jesus came the first time a body was prepared for Him in the womb of Mary, but in the tomb God prepared, created a new body for Jesus.

 

Because of the resurrection we have a new relationship with God, we can now enter the Holy of Holies and call Him Father. We can talk with Him and He with us. Someone asked a man how he knew that Jesus is alive and he replied: “I just talked with Him.”

 

There will be two resurrections separated by a thousand years. The first resurrection is for the righteous and second for the unrighteous. There will also be two separate places. The righteous will be with God, but unrighteous will be without God. Since God is light and there is no God then it is complete blackness. We see Daniel, John and Paul all talking about this.

 

Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”  Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

Revelation 21:1 “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.”

Revelation 21:5 “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’”

 

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and on 6th day He created man. In the Resurrection we see the reverse. God, in the tomb of Jesus, made a new man and then after He makes a new heaven and new earth. Why? God will reveal to us in the age to come. Blessed, the Scriptures say, are those who partake of the first resurrection.

 

Promotion

Promotion can only come by the testing of my faith. It is when I do what my Lord says, even when what He has asked of me seems to throw gas on the fire of my testing. But, remember when I stand and walk in what God has said then and only them will promotion come.

Great Tribulation FEAR!

Why is it called the “GREAT” tribulation? Revelation 3:10 refers to this time as the “hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.” Jesus goes into detail in Matthew 24 and Luke chapter 21 which coincides with the book of Revelation and what the Old Testament prophets proclaimed, like Daniel for instance. The GREAT tribulation is “cut short” for a very good reason: “For those will be days of tribulation UNMATCHED from the beginning of God’s creation until now, and NEVER to be seen again. IF THE LORD HAD NOT SHORTENED those days, NOBODY would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom HE has chosen, HE has shortened them.” Mark 13:19-20

 

We all go through tribulations, it is part of our natural life because of the sin-nature in us, and the curse God put on the earth when Adam and Eve rebelled, and because of God allowing Satan to lie and deceived people who refuse the truth from God and reject the only way He provided for them to be saved and healed.

 

But there is one type of tribulation that is for faithful believers alone: the persecution of Christ Jesus. Jesus warned us that if they hated Him and tried to remove His presence, they will do the same to those who are His. But THANKFULLY God has control over HIS PRESENCE. God will always have His presence and witness on earth so that people can be saved, until that time is up for people to repent and be saved. Then comes GOD’S JUDGMENT!

 

Satan is called “the god of this world” for a reason, and it’s obvious when you look at all that has and still is happening on the earth that is so very EVIL. But, when it’s time for the father of lies, deception, destruction and eternal damnation, (Satan) to no longer be allowed to go up before God to accuse the Lord’s people – the devil and his cohorts will have full reign on earth to do what they want. Satan will have his ‘day in the sun’ personified, according to the Scripture – ONLY because the “power of the holy people has been removed from the earth” so that all that has been prophesied about the “the end time” will be completed. (Daniel 12:5-13)

 

God uses evil and rebellion for His own good purpose of drawing people to Himself so they can be liberated, healed and saved from God’s full on wrath to come upon earth. (Seals/Trumpets/Bowls of Revelation) Those who still refuse to repent and call on the Lord to save them – shake their fists at God, blaming Him, accusing Him, hating Him. They believe in Him but they love they love their sinful lives more. If they didn’t believe in God – then why would they blame, accuse and hate Him for what is happening to them? And, they choose to continue in lies and deception and forfeit God’s grace that could be theirs!

 

Why are people, even Christians, afraid to read the book of Revelation? They are afraid because of GREAT TRIBULATION coming. But the Spirit-filled body of Christ has promises from the Lord and we see these promise throughout the Word of God in both Old and New Testaments. God always delivered His people from the worst that was coming to spare them because they belong to Him. For example: Noah and his family saved through the flood, the Hebrew children slaves in Egypt protected from the last few plagues, and the upcoming Great Tribulation with the “escape” of the Bride of Christ. (Matthew 25:1-13 Parable of Ten Virgins, Luke 21:36, 1 Corinthians15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, Revelation 10:7)

 

“The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; the devout are taken away and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.” Isaiah 57:1

 

Before we can return ‘with Him’ to the earth – we must return ‘to Him’ to where He is in Heaven. This is accomplished by either physical death or rapture (removal) of the Bride from the earth. (2 Corinthians 5:1-9)  When you understand the importance of being “prepared” for what is coming and who is coming, this is how you are BLESSED.

 

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are the those who hear it AND TAKE TO HEART what is written in it, because the TIME IS NEAR.” Revelation 1:3

 

Satan will do his best to keep you from reading anything (true from the Lord) about the end times. Satan wants all people, especially Christians, to be ignorant of what is coming that Jesus and His prophets have disclosed for our good. The fear you have about reading the book of Revelation comes from Satan. HELLO! That should clue you in that there IS A BLESSING in knowing what God wants you to know, hearing what God wants you to hear, and seeing what God wants you to see, understanding what you need to understand – about your future.

 

People are curious about the future, and most end up going to Satan’s servants, instead of God’s. They are misled by lies or half-truths which take them ‘unknowingly’ down the road that ends in eternal damnation. Satan’s ‘human’ servants have been seriously deceived in believing they are the chosen ones (of God) who have unique insight and power. There are NO ‘holy’ palm readers, horoscope predictors, sorcerers, covens, witches or warlocks. It’s all evil and in opposition to God.

 

What happens when you listen to false prophets and then “take to heart” what they teach and predict? Satan becomes your father! You are bound for Hell! You end up with Satan in the place God prepared for the devil and his angels! You can listen without taking what you hear – to heart. We are to judge all things by what God says in His Word, and by the Spirit’s conviction in our heart.

 

People joke about Hell being a place they are not afraid to go; that it’s somehow a place where all the ‘smart’ people will end up who think that following Jesus Christ is foolish and ignorant. They mock those who follow Jesus Christ, as if we are the ones who have been fooled and without common sense. They mock the Cross and make Jesus out to be a man like any man, an immoral man at that. These ‘unbelievers’ are all going to a place where they believe will reward their so-called superior knowledge that makes them their own god who has control over his/her future. Imagine that.

 

If God is our Creator, then it’s common sense to believe that God has control over everything, but God does NOT have control over our free-will. We are accountable for the choices we make, and for where we end up. If God is Creator, then it’s common sense to believe that God is the Judge of all Creation. AND, If God is both Creator and Judge, then it’s common sense that God sentences people to where they will spend eternity. And if that be true, then God has also prepared the eternal places for those who rebel and reject Him, and who obey and love Him.

 

We are made in the image of God, says God in His Word. We enter this world with that understanding and that’s why it is so very easy for children to believe in God and in His Son and in Heaven and in ETERNITY. The Bible teaches us that God has set eternity in the heart. Animals don’t have this, only mankind because God made man in His image.

 

You have to be ‘taught’ otherwise – to be trained to believe that there is no God, or that God is not who He says He is, or that you are not accountable to God for anything you do or don’t do.  For there to be ‘un’belief there first has to be the belief – which every child starts out life with.

 

Unbelief comes from Satan, and Satan believes in God! “The devil believes but he trembles with fear.” Satan knows his doom to eternal damnation, and he’s bent on taking as many as he can with him. Satan will work his damnedest to keep a ‘believer’ from knowing their authority in Christ over him and his demons, as well as our own sinful nature and the strong pull of the world. We are told in the Bible that “all things belong to us,” as Paul was taught by the Lord, and then taught the believers. We have power over Satan and his demons, and yet we hardly exert it. And yet, our awesome Lord does not hold it against us – knowing our weaknesses.

 

When the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him why He speaks to the people in parables, Jesus answered them: “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has – will be given more, and he will an ABUNDANCE. Whoever does NOT have – even what he has will be taken away from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, the do not hear or understand.’ In them Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and TURN, and I WOULD HEAL THEM.’”  Matthew 13:10-15

 

And He said to His followers: “But BLESSED are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” Matthew 13:16

 

What is the blessing we receive when reading and taking to heart the book of Revelation? We are ready for the Lord and prepared for what is coming so that we are NOT afraid but in position to be used by the Lord, and then ready to see Him “face to face” welcomed into His Kingdom – as we have hoped and longed for.

Worldly Infants in Christ

Apostle Paul speaking to the leaders of the church: “I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still NOT READY. You are still worldly.” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

 

Wow, is the Holy Spirit telling church leaders today that they are still infants in Christ because they are worldly? I believe so. Read Revelation 2 and 3 in the Lord’s letters to His churches! The great majority is still worldly. And what does that mean to be worldly as a believer?

 

Paul goes on to answer that question. He points out how they are not really following Jesus Christ when in reality they are following influential men whom they admire, or whom they fear for whatever reason, and wanting to be accepted by someone more important to them than Jesus Christ.

 

Jealousy was causing them to argue and quarrel over who to listen to about serious issues of their day, and over what God says in His Word about sin; leaders wanting the people to prefer THEM over others because of what they think they know.

 

“Are you not acting like mere humans when you say, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos’?” What about today? Whose voices and teachings are God’s people following? Dr. Fauci? President Trump? CNN? FOX? Your Pastor? Your psychiatrist? Whose wisdom and teaching is most important for your life and for the tribulations of our day?

 

It amazes me to hear from Christian women that they don’t meet with the Lord first thing in the morning reading His Word and fellowshipping with Him in prayer. They listen to everyone else on subjects that concern them, but for some reason they don’t see the greatest need they have: to be in fellowship with the Lord first and foremost.

 

“God is faithful, who has called YOU INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.” 1 Corinthians: 1:9

 

I truly believe that our Father God is using this plague among other disasters and crisis in our lives to draw us into true fellowship with our Savior Jesus Christ, with no other ‘fellowship’ taking HIS PLACE. As evil intensifies rapidly in our world, with the increasing hostility towards Christianity and the Bible, with all the nations becoming angry with rage over all the natural disasters increasing and with continual threats of chemical warfare – WHO SHOULD WE BE FOLLOWING AND HEARING FROM? Those who have college degrees? Those who are called “professionals.” Those with powerful positions? Those who mean well but have no real solutions?  Those who preach about how you can feel better about yourself? Those who think the answer is in medicine?  Who?

 

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate,” says the Lord.

 

“The foolishness of God if wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (As if God could ever be foolish or weak! NOT!)

 

“Is Christ divided? Were you baptized in the name of Paul (or your pastor or priest, religions.)?”  When Paul asked this – we can ask it as well in our day. Why is the body of Christ divided about spiritual things and even about politics?

 

“’Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” What does our Lord, who is the SPIRIT – have to say today?

 

So, what mind should we as Christ’s followers have today or any day coming – going through various tribulations rapidly intensifying as His Day approaches, as He warns of in His Word? What is the faith we need that protects us from fear and compromise?

 

Where does our ‘unity of Christ’s mind’ come from? It comes from the Word and Spirit of God. How will you know if you are being lied to if you are not in the Word of God each day being taught by the Spirit of God? You won’t know you are being lied to.

 

When you have the truth of God’s Word ‘secured in you,’ you will be able to discern and judge all things. Paul says it this way, “All things belong to you.”

 

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that TEMPLE.”

 

(All these passages have come from 1 Corinthians chapters 1-3)

 

What do we have to fear – but fear itself.  God is the only one rightly to be feared (worshipped) since He holds the keys to LIFE and DEATH, and to ETERNITY with Him.

 

We walk by faith in the promises and teachings of Christ our Savior/Lord/King. Fear of man, of plagues, of natural disasters, of wars, of rejection by the world (persecution), fear of those in power with the systems of the world – is all worldly.

 

Faith is freedom; the freedom to love and forgive, our freedom to call and depend on the Lord for His good will in our lives, the freedom allowed by faith in God’s Word – to rise above all the cares and threats of this world, to endure the evils of our day patiently waiting for His return, to joyfully and freely share our testimony of Him no matter the cost, and to expect with full confidence – what the Lord said will come in time without delay.

 

“No one will be able to stand against those who stand with Me. So, I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-6, 9

 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

God’s Method

GOD’S METHOD HEBREWS 11: 8-19

 

Looking at Scripture we see a particular method that God uses to train us for His work.

 

The method might change depending on the person and circumstances, but the basic principles are the same.

 

We see this with Abraham:

  1. God gives us a vision in a general sense.
  2. Then comes testing and through it purifying.
  3. Further revelation of the vision when there is obedience.
  4. Often, we will go through a number of cycles of testing and revelation.

 

For example: Genesis 12:1-3 “Now the Lord had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.  I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

 

Here we see God calling Abraham and giving him a vision of a land that He will show Abraham, and with a promise that He will make Abraham into a great nation, and make Abraham’s name great. Then God adds the blessing and the curse. Quite a vision!

 

In Genesis 12:2 God told Abraham that He would show him the land, but only when he obeyed – God would give him the land. “Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I will give this land.’ And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”

 

While in the land the testing comes: Genesis 12:10 “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.”

 

We do not read that God told him to go to Egypt. Fear came into Abraham and perhaps he felt that he could not survive if he stayed in the land even with what God told him about blessing him.

 

We see the result in Abraham’s life in telling his wife, Sarah, to say that she is his sister instead of his wife in fear of being killed. Half-truths, lying and deception comes into Abraham’s life.

 

We see that there is no more revelation of the vision until Abraham comes back to the place of obedience. Genesis 13:3-4 “And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.”

 

When Abraham obeyed we see that there is further revelation: Genesis 13:14-15 “And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are — northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.”

 

However, we see another test comes to Abraham when he is offered the spoils of Sodom. Genesis 14:21-23 “Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.’ But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’”

 

We read in verse 22 that Abraham made a vow to the Lord,  that he would not take anything from the king of Sodom so that it could not be said that the king made Abraham rich.

 

We read that when Abraham left Egypt – the king “treated Abram well for her sake (Sarah’s). He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.” (Genesis 12:16) So,  when Abraham left Egypt “he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.” Genesis 12:14

 

So, we see that when the king of Sodom offered Abraham the spoils he had learned his lesson from his experience in Egypt.

 

After this testing we see again that God gives further revelation to Abraham. Genesis 15:1 “After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’” God shows Abraham the boundary of the land that He is giving:  “On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates.’” Genesis 15:15

 

In Genesis 16 another test comes that involved Sarah and her maidservant, Hagar. God had said He would give Abraham and Sarah an heir. They were both in their old age. Year after year passed by and nothing was coming about. Would they believe God, or should they take things into their own hand?

 

Abraham listens to his wife and takes Hagar to bed, and Hagar bears a son for Abraham. The advice sounds plausible and sensible and was keeping up with the customs of that day, but it was not God’s will or plan, and we see the results of this today in the Middle East.

 

There is no further revelation from God until Abraham is almost 100 years old. In chapter 18 God reveals to Abraham and Sarah that in about a years’ time she would be giving birth to a son, the child of God’s promise.

 

Lastly, in Genesis 22 we see the greatest test coming to Abraham: the sacrifice of his son, the son of promise. Genesis 22:1-2 “Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then He said, ‘Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.’”

 

What went through Abraham’s mind at that time one can only imagine, but he obeyed and, in that obedience, came the greatest revelation of all time: THE ROOT OF THE GOSPEL – GOD WILL SUPPLY!

 

They went to the region of Moriah. This is where the plague was stopped in King David’s time (2 Chronicles 3:1) and in New Testament time the region is the vicinity of Calvary where God’s Son, Jesus Christ, was crucified and died for the sins of the world.

 

Has God given you a vision? If so, testing times will come. So be obedient!