Needed: Reformation

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

 

 Background of Isaiah the Prophet

 

It was said that Isaiah’s ministry lasted for about sixty years and that he supposedly died under the terrible reign of Manasseh. Jewish tradition says that he was brutally martyred by being placed in a hollowed trunk of a tree and then “sawed in two.”

 

Reading through the book of Isaiah one is impressed with his vivid sense of the majesty of God. When we look into Isaiah chapter 40 we will see that he compares God to how we think in terms of greatness, and then he says that there is no comparison.

 

One of the main things that Isaiah is speaking against is the outward forms of religion with no inward reality. Reading through Isaiah one is impressed with qualities like “boldness, patriotism, tenderness, broad sympathy, stormy indignation at hypocrisy, with deep spirituality and a profound sense of the Divine majesty.” Isn’t this something missing today in our churches and meetings together? Are not these the things of character that should be more in our preaching today?

 

When Isaiah began his preaching career several things were happening in Israel. The ten tribes (Israel) were nearing destruction by Assyria whose capital was Nineveh.  They were desperate times.

 

Israel joined with Syria under the leadership of Damascus. Judah would not join so Israel and Syria invaded Judah to coerce Ahaz, the king of Judah, to join the confederacy. So we find Ahaz making a treaty with Assyria and marching forth to overthrow Syria and Israel. So Judah then became dependent on Assyria.

 

Later Hezekiah rebelled against the King of Assyria. Isaiah was always advocating that Judah’s dependence should be upon Jehovah and not some earthly monarch. However, the king of Assyria came to lay low Judah and since Egypt failed to respond to help, Judah had to buy off the King of Assyria with gold, etc. and so again became dependent upon Assyria.

 

Later when Assyria was coming to attack Judah and Jerusalem Hezekiah heeded Isaiah’s advice and trusted in the Lord to deliver them from this ‘present danger’ coming upon them in the form of Assyrian army. The result was that God sent His angel and a great disaster fell upon the army, and from which King Sennacherib never recovered.

 

Judah was freed from the threat of invasion and enjoyed a season of peace.

 

When we come to Isaiah 40 we see that there is turn in God’s approach to His people. They have repented and now are turning back to God and so we read in Isaiah 40:1-2: “‘Comfort, comfort my people,’ says your God.  ‘Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.’”

 

Later we have the words: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.’” Isaiah 40:3

 

The same words are repeated in Matthew 3:3 “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him,’” referring to John Baptist prior to the first coming of the Lord.

 

In reading through Isaiah 40 one sees what ‘reformation’ will do and what is needed today. 

 

 

 

 

“When abortion ends, child corruption in America might end as well.”

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

These points come from Linda Harvey’s column in January’s Whistleblower magazine. She is president of Mission America and a weekly columnist for WND (World Net Daily – Whistleblower). Prayer and comments at end are mine.

 

 

“New York Times published a story: “His eye make-up is better than yours.” About a 10 year old boy and his Instagram make-up following. There’s a flooding from the media featuring stories that highlight gender-confused kids, with a chorus of support for this delusional behavior.”

 

“Teen Vogue magazine featured an article about how to safely engage in anal sex.”

 

“In public libraries children with their on-looking parents listen to men dressed in female attire and hideous make-up (drag-queens) read books to innocent children.”

 

“In Austin Texas, an International Drag Festival, an all-ages event, featured an 11-year-old boy dressed a girl dancing before other children and cheering transvestites, some of whom also took the stage for obscene performances, occurring at a Holiday Inn.”

 

“Disney topped the list of offending producers with their remake of Beauty and the Beast where they cast one of the males as a homosexual character, (subtle but sure).”

 

“TV shows more and more introducing obscenity and/or homosexuality themes to children. Netflix’s Big Mouth. Disney’s Doc McStuffins, Andi Mack and Star vs. the Forces of Evil. Disney is also a major donor to the Gay/Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Disney has not been the same since Walt Disney left.”

 

“A New Jersey bill PASSED that guaranteed confidentiality for kids engaging in transgender-behavior, because, as we all know, parents are the enemy, right? Similar school policies exist in Maine, Maryland, Hawaii and elsewhere.”

 

“Hollywood rushed to give awards to a movie featuring the “romance” of a teen boy being seduced by an adult man. Movie is called: Call Me by Your Name. Accusations keep piling up of alleged abuse of boy actors by powerful Tinseltown males. Former child actor Corey Feldman’s long-time allegations are finally getting a hearing.”

 

“Schools continue to promote homosexual and transgender behavior.” (Against parent’s rights and input.)

 

“GLSEN’s propaganda events like the April – Day of Silence and fall – Ally Week can hardly be taken seriously anymore. There is no silence with this obnoxiously LOUD agenda. They have financial allies like Target, Wells Fargo, Walt Disney Co. and JP Morgan Chase.”

 

“Radical pro-abortion forces have teamed up with homosexual activist groups to push for more-explicit-than-ever comprehensive sex education curricula in schools, where 7th graders are told that vaginal, anal and oral sex are equally valid sex practices, all normal for teens and manageable with condoms (which are demonstrated on plastic models). The sound (truthful) alternative teaching of abstinence is dismissed and mocked.

 

“Rights, Respect, Responsibility” “Get Real” “Making Proud Choices” “Be Proud! Be Responsible” “F.L.A.S.H.” “Reducing the Risk” “Teen Talk” – While these may look professional on the outside, they are some of the most objectionable curricula in schools, and parents need to revolt, as many are.”

 

“Too many vulnerable children are being violated and videotaped for the voyeuristic pleasure of evil adults. There’s big money in the child rape trade, and organized crime is making this product a priority. More and more ‘influential’ educators, professors, police, federal officials, judges and lawyers are being arrested and charged for these crimes.”

 

“Those who have charge over children are sometimes ‘deliberately’ directing them away from Christian faith. Brave Christian voices are bullied into silence. Too often, Christian students and teachers cannot stand up against homosexual propaganda without being persecuted at school in clear violation of our First Amendment freedom. Few will resist educators, administrators and school-board members firmly entrenched in their anti-morality, anti-Christian positions.”

 

God WILL help us when we start understanding, praying and organizing ourselves to get with “obstructing and resisting” these evils.

 

“While the chance to believe in Jesus Christ is the most important opportunity we can offer a child, those who are not allowed to be born in the first place never have that chance. Abortion continues to be the biggest preventable threat to children in the U.S., yet is still supported up until birth by many PROGRESSIVES and DEMOCRATIC PARTY POLITICIANS.”

 

We must do everything possible to stop abortion and save babies in the womb; through all sorts of means, especially to see pro-life policies enacted.

 

“When abortion ends, child corruption in America might end as well.”

 

Father God, turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the hearts of children to their godly fathers – that they grow up in the truth and love of Jesus Christ. Father God, transform our thinking by the renewing of our minds with Your Truth, Your Word is Truth. Purify our hearts as we repent and turn from our own wicked ways. For nothing is hidden from You. Hear our requests and cries for help in this wicked society. We want to make ready a people prepared for You and Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name.

 

In reaching the hearts of our children from their earliest ages, we must first practice morality and self-governing as parents, turn from our own wicked ways. Then start teaching our children morality as defined by our Creator God; we must teach them respect for life, that abortion is a great evil; we must teach them first before they are taught by others. We protect our children by removing our children from schools where they are being taught that evil is good and good is evil, and find ways to organize (with God’s help) the proper environment for our children to be taught basic education and right values.

 

Self-governing using God’s definition of morality – is POWERFUL in overcoming our enemies.

 

“I will say further that the rules that we learn from Scripture provide the framework for a society based on love, respect and creativity, as opposed to power and control….Sexuality OUTSIDE the framework of mutual love, commitment and respect between husband and wife is transformed from a physical expression of intimacy and beauty to the gross and crass behavior of brutes.

 

“Government was not designed to ‘mend men’s souls.’ It was designed to allow citizens to live free” (and self-governed under God’s laws of life and love).

 

Our first president: George Washington said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be managed without religion.”

 

“Washington’s point is crucial. In a free society, one in which we want to minimize government and political control, we must maximize SELF-GOVERNANCE. The proper morality that emerges from true religion provides the rules by which free men and women govern their own behavior.”

 

“The only viable path to a healthy, free nation: Choose to heed the wisdom of our first president (founding father).”

Too Old You Say?

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

This morning I was very encouraged by what the Lord said to me. I see lots of people who are my age but retired. Then this morning the Lord said, “I have things for old men to do.” While most retired men have quit working like they used to – I have started a construction company with my son, I bought a big piece of land that needs to be developed and homes built there, and I’m to prepare a people for the Lord’s coming.

 

So to all you ‘old’ men: GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A NEW MINISTRY in your old age. Just like Caleb (in the Bible) who still saw so much work to be done in his old age. His age wasn’t an issue at all to him.

 

Each of us (old guys) in the world’s view are too old to do anything, and too old to even listen to what we have to say, but the words the Lords says to us is, “I still have work for you old men with faith in Me – to do, SO FINISH STRONG.”

 

The Proverbs 31 Woman – Chapter 7 – Pure or Cultured

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

Godly wisdom costs what you don’t ever want back again. Once you start experiencing the advantages of true wisdom and beauty you will see that what you had before and were holding on to so tightly wasn’t at all beneficial or trustworthy.

 

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

 

To fear the Lord means that you value God’s thoughts, and go after His ways for your life, and trust Him for the outcome of your life. Ultimately it’s the praise of our heavenly Father that we really want, and should live for.

 

God describes the twelve gates of His kingdom as twelve single pearls. (Revelation 21:21) Why does He describe the entrances to His kingdom as pearls?

 

For centuries the pearl has been highly valued as an object of incomparable beauty. God’s Kingdom has to be beautiful beyond our imagination. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9

 

The word “pearl” has become a symbol for something very rare, fine, admirable and valuable. The pearl represents purity, innocence, chastity and is why it is often seen on bridal gowns, or worn as jewelry by brides. The pearl is the oldest known gem, and for many centuries it was considered the most valuable. The pearl is unlike other gems which are treated before they are ready to be sold.

 

The most valuable pearls occur spontaneously in the wild and so they are extremely rare. Pearls develop in their shell from the constant irritation of ‘grit,’ and the result over time produces the most valuable and beautiful pearls.

 

Cultured (hand-treated) pearls make up the majority of those that are currently sold, but their quality of iridescence is poor, unlike natural pearls. Artificial pearls are easily distinguishable from genuine pearls. So it is the same with us: pure or cultured; genuine or artificial.

 

Jesus said that the “pure in heart” will see God (Matthew 5:8) and that nothing impure or artificial will enter His kingdom. (Revelation 21:27) He referred to the kingdom of God as a merchant looking for costly pearls. (Matthew 13:45-46)

 

Religion makes you into a cultured pearl. A personal intimate relationship with Jesus Christ makes you into a pure pearl, which is a rarity today.

 

Like a pearl, our luster comes from daily irritations (trials and temptations) as we grow in our most holy faith – staying right where He wants us; overcoming.

 

Although the woman of God is mocked for her purity, she pities mockers (cultured/artificial) for how foolish they are and for how they will suffer great loss. (Proverbs 9:12) She pities them and so she prays for them; she does not mock them or criticize them. Her perspective is higher than that of worldly women. The pure woman of God has nothing to fear; her Father God has her covered and protected for her worth to come forth. In His hands she is like a pearl in its shell.

 

The pure in heart know the line that should not be crossed. If we are foolish enough to use the grace and gifts of God in the wrong way it’s just a matter of time before we must live with the trouble and disgrace of having crossed that line. Like a pearl growing in its shell, God keeps His illustrious daughters safe and secure.

 

The virtuous woman has a good understanding of what her purity with God will result in. She is kept from the trouble and disgrace that her hostile opponents live with. She’s confident of who she is to God, and she guards her heart for His kingdom where she and her family are proud citizens.

 

The Gospel – Part 6 – The Church

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

1 Timothy 3:15 “If I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”

 

We guard the gospel in the way we live. This to me is very important. I read that those inside the churches and outside the churches have 65 common values. So what is it that should define the Body of Christ so that it is seen, known and even feared as the Body of Christ? For this is the power of the gospel of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.  As it is, there is NO bold difference today between those who are in the churches and those who are outside.

 

When I think of this there are two things that come to my mind. First, the local fellowship should be autonomously controlled and not centrally control. Baxter said: “It is a significant fact that although the New Testament gives counsels and directions as to the organizing of local Christian assemblies or ‘churches’ (1 Corinthians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus), it nowhere even hints at any central board of administration such as those which have since developed and which exist with such wide powers today.”

 

This is one of the main problems with denominations today. Often it is more centrally controlled than we might like to admit. If we are honest, one of the reasons for this is finance. It is amazing how finance moves the work of God rather than the Holy Spirit moving the work of God. Yes, finances are important, but I think what Hudson Taylor said is the key: “God’s work God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” This is how God’s work spread in his days when he was penetrating China with the gospel through the “China Inland Mission.”

 

Secondly, our conduct as Christians is very important. Titus 2:10 says, “So that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” Paul, was laying out how the Body of Christ should conduct themselves so that our teaching about Christ will be attractive, or influential and convincing. This is the bottom line. Our lives should be a sweet fragrance wherever we go and in whatever we do whether in our work, at school, in play, and most important – in our homes. Jesus tells us:

 

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) The first place mentioned is the home, how we live with each other there because this is where we are really ourselves.

 

Another aspect of reformation will be seen in preaching. Isn’t it interesting that when Jesus started His ministry the first thing that He preached was ‘repentance.’ When He sent out His 12 disciples, and later the 72 – He told them to go and preach ‘repentance.’ When I read the letters that John wrote to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3, to all but two, to the majority of His people – His message to them was to repent. Often the preaching that we have today is how to feel better about ourselves, how to build successful relationships, how to enjoy a marriage, etc. I am not against all this, but all the problems we have is simply rooted in our sinful nature and the need we have is to acknowledge when we sin, and then to repent of our sin; turn away from it with God’s help.

 

Paul said to Titus: “At his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior.” (Titus 1:3) I thought that this was interesting because it was through preaching that the Word of God comes to light. So often the preaching today is to read a Scripture verse and then carry on with our own ideas and philosophies.

 

We need ‘practical’ preaching that takes us back to the realism and expediency of the Word of God. Reformation will bring our preaching under the scope of God’s Word for all the issues of today.

Proverbs 31 Woman – Chapter 6 – True Beauty

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

True beauty is not about how you look but how you see others and treat others, how you see yourself and treat yourself as a daughter of God’s.

 

Patience and understanding are part of true beauty. When your husband is going through some kind of tribulation (trial) he needs you to stand on the side of truth and holiness, and not necessarily on his side. Just pray for him and love him through what he’s going through whether he caused his own problems or not. We don’t need to lookout for our husband. God looks out for His men. We simply need to understand how to pray for our husband, and encourage him. This is a beautiful thing to God. This gets all of God’s attention when you humbly pray and boldly ask Him for something!

 

Mostly what we see with Christian wives today is downright ugly when it comes to how they talk about their husbands and how they treat their husbands. Many wives suffer needlessly (along with their husbands) because they do not look to the Lord and what He has to say about what they are going through. We are to be women with the power of a gentle quiet spirit; one that takes her every concern and fear to God. This is the inner beauty of a woman which is far more attractive than what she tries to display on the outside of herself.

 

God will honor a wife or dishonor a wife for her view and treatment of the man she married, no matter if the man she married turns out to be all she hoped for or not. Why would we be so arrogantly deceived in thinking that our husband should be all that WE hoped for? That which WE hope for takes faithful work on OURSELVES. My husband is to measure up to what God wants, not what I want. THEN he will be what I need my husband to be for me and our children.

 

Holy women today have many contenders to face and stand against. But, one thing is for certain and that is when a proud worldly woman is in the presence of a confident godly woman – the worldly woman inwardly feels judged, even condemned by the godly woman without even one word haven been spoken by the godly woman. It’s the strong presence of genuine beauty in a godly woman that is convicting and therefore offensive to worldly women.

 

I want to take 1 Peter 3:3-6 and state it a little differently, so that it relates in our day:

 

Your beauty does not come from what you put on your body or do to your body – such as face lifts, breast enlargements, tummy-tucks, tattoos, short skirts, low-cut and see through blouses, body piercings, fake and fancy nails, and all the rest. Designer clothes and make-up might make you feel pretty on the outside, but what about the inside; the true you? Your beauty treatments should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a tender and trustworthy spirit, which is of great value to your husband and of great worth to God. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. Their sparkle and happiness came from their peaceful submissive attitudes towards their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and even called him her master. You are her wise and noble daughters if you do what is right in God’s eyes, and do not fear the foolish choices and ways of your husband. Fear will turn very ugly on you, so trust God instead. This will affect everything in a good way.

 

Women of old understood how to clothe themselves with strength and dignity. How a woman thinks, talks, works, dresses and behaves – reflects her true nature.

 

Dignity: Worthiness; nobility; loftiness of appearance or manner; stateliness; calm self-possession and self-respect; an exalted idea of one’s own importance to God.

 

Do you know how important you are to your husband and children, and to God? If you believe you are important to your husband, children and to God, then how should you think, talk, act, dress, work and plan ahead?

 

“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future.” Proverbs 31:23-25

 

Gospel – Part 5 – The Church

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

Acts 13:1 “In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.”

 

Is the church an organism or an organization? I think most of you who are reading this would say that it is an organism. And you would be right. An organism has life in itself. An organization has no life in itself.

 

There is one church, but many fellowships because of geography, but we are still one organism with one Head: the Lord Jesus Christ. What we see today is many organizations called churches and with their many heads.

 

We have seen in the Scripture that the church is a family, a building, a temple, but now it is time to see the church working as an army called to battle. We are in a spiritual battle that is being raged more and more as the Day of the Lord approaches, and we are involved whether we know it or not. There is no such thing as surrender, retreat or home-leave. We are in this battle until the trumpet sounds and the Lord Jesus Christ calls His Body home. This is how we need to think, train and prepare the next generation.

 

Like in any army we are to be united and connected to the Head for our instructions, our encouragement and our empowerment for the spiritual battle. The enemy will try and destroy this line of communication that we have with our Chief in Command. If the communication lines are broken then it will result in confusion, fear and ultimate defeat. Isn’t this what has been happening with God’s people?

 

The last temptation that Satan threw at Christ in the wilderness was to take Him to a high mountain and show Him all of the kingdoms of the world. He said to our Lord: “All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:9) Jesus knew something that Satan did not know. The kingdom of God was about to invade the kingdoms of the world. After the temptation of Satan and Jesus returned full of the Holy Spirit – He started to preach saying: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near,” and at hand. (Matthew 4:17) Jesus Christ is the Kingdom of God. And, He is the only way in. No one comes into the Kingdom of God, but by Him.

 

We see that Satan has locked the entire human race into separate little kingdoms that are always conflicting with one another. People are kept in these prisons through Satan’s lies of acceptance and rejection. Fear is far greater and stronger than bars of steel. A human need that we all have is to be accepted. A human fear we all have is that of being rejected. This strategy of the devil has been very successful in the world throughout time.

 

When Jesus came into our world the kingdom of heaven invaded these worldly kingdoms and has been calling for prisoners to be set free in Him. Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” We read in Ephesians 1:6, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” This need we all have for acceptance is fully met in Christ Jesus who accepts us when we come to believe in Him, according to His own Word.

 

Satan separated the human race by appealing to the fleshly desires of man, and so we see the continual conflicting kingdoms of this world. And so it also seems to be the same in how Satan has been successful in separating the Body of Christ through conflicting denominations of religions. Our denomination becomes our identity. This should not be. When we talk to people we talk about the church we go to. This is not what Jesus taught or expects from us.

 

When this happens the world will see a power unleashed that has not been seen since the first generation of Christianity. We read and see that the first generation of Christians were all of one mind and purpose. Jesus prayed: “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23) When this happens (complete unity) the result will be this prayer from our Savior being fulfilled.

 

I believe that real reformation will break down the denominational barriers that are separating God’s people and gloriously set the Body of Christ free to be one as God is one, as our Lord prayed and taught.

 

 

Proverbs 31 Woman – Her Place of Power – Chapter 5

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

It’s not about us gals, it’s about our husbands. Satan knows it and so should we as God’s children.

 

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it.”  Matthew 11:12

 

With women faithfully praying – God’s men will come into their purposed positions of authority. A prayer-army of wives – is undefeatable. God is certainly on the side warfare prayer. Women need far more training in this!

 

As wise women we need to see what the devil is up to. Because of Eve’s garden experience – as Spirit-filled women we should know how the serpent works and therefore knowing how to come against his schemes with God’s Word, just like Jesus did. It’s time godly women understood the need for direct hostile prayer-intercession for the kingdom of God to advance by the leadership of courageous men seeking to obey the call of God. It’s time we see who our husbands are to God and who our children are too.

 

“Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.” Psalm 12:1

 

Woe to the woman who gets in the way of what God holds a man responsible for. God will shame the woman who demeans or despises a man’s calling from God. Satan plans to weaken your husband through you, just like he did in the garden with Adam and Eve. If he can keep your husband focused on what pleases you then Satan has won. Satan will use a wife’s worldly desires and insecurities to distract and weaken her husband so that he does not fulfill God’s call on him and his family.

 

Sarah weakened Abraham’s obedience to God. More than likely Sarah got tired of waiting on the promise that she would bare Abraham his son and did quite a bit of complaining about it. So she tempted her husband with Hagar her maidservant; that Hagar should give Abraham the son God promised, but this was not the way of the Lord at all. (We see this same evil today but with “surrogates” having babies for barren women and for homosexuals who can’t have children together.) Abraham doubted and compromised God’s promise to him and listened to his wife. This was not the way for Sarah to “help” Abraham do God’s will. What grief and suffering it caused them all.

 

If the enemy can get wives/women to complain and blame men, and to envy and covet what others have, and to compete for the positions God gives specifically to men – then the enemy has won to defeat true masculinity, and femininity as well.

 

“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.” Romans 12:2-4

 

Wives are fully capable of destroying the very thing they first admired in their husband. By the enemy’s subtle clever work, along with the wife’s full cooperation (unaware of the devil’s schemes), a man, if he is not on-guard, can lose his confidence from and in the Lord. When a man loses his confidence in his God-given masculinity he becomes worthless to God in advancing God’s Kingdom.

 

Ladies, the man’s ego is from God. The ego in man is his confidence from God in ruling over and taking care of the creation God gave to man. Egoism is not from God. Egoism is from the devil. It is the belief that you are more important than anyone else, or it is the belief that there is no God to be accountable to. An egotist is a person full of himself, unable to esteem others above himself. Lucifer corrupted his own ego (worth) and became God’s number one enemy. Satan was (is) so full of himself that he believed he could rebel against God’s will and get away with it. Satan is still after the earthly throne in Jerusalem of God’s Son. Satan is aligning the nations to war against the return of Christ. But we know who wins!

 

Ego-theism is our identification with Deity. God said that He has created us in His image. The ego in man is how man knows he has the right to rule as God appointed him to. This “identification” is what compels him to protect and provide for his wife and children as God protects and provides for him. The male ego is what makes him confident about his role of masculinity.

 

Women have been taught that the man’s ego is something that needs to be stopped or at least restrained. Women think that because they don’t have this kind of ego (this headiness of man) that a man shouldn’t have it either. So in her ignorance, envy or resentment she goes to work chipping away at the male ego/masculinity. She believes she is right in shaming the man’s ego, and doing society a great favor, but she is doing great harm to her husband, her children and to her world.

 

Homosexuality, which turns men into women and women into men, is the work of Satan to strip men of their masculinity and to strip women of their femininity, and destroy the power of the family that God designed and established. The woman has not been given the ego of man. She’s been given a womb for bringing children into the world, and with unique nesting and nurturing abilities.

 

Wicked women don’t submit to men at any level. Is it any wonder that homosexuality is on the rise when boys have been unfaithfully taught to hate their natural masculinity and women taught to hate their natural femininity? How you are biologically born, male or female, is what you are and how you will be judged as to what you did with your role from God, and how you treated your body and lead others to do the same.

 

You should never judge all men by evil men in your life who have hurt you. You should never judge all men by one evil man in power with his egotistical demands on society. We should never be afraid to trust our husband because of what a man did to us in the past, unless you have chosen a man like the same.

 

A two-headed creature is not what God had in mind when He said of the man and his wife that “the two will become one.”

Gospel – Part 4 – Family of God

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

Matthew 16:18 “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

 

Another thing that reformation will do is clear up our thinking on the church. If there is any subject that needs reformed biblical thinking it is on the purpose of the church. We read from our text that it is Jesus who will build His own church. He is the architect and the foundational stone; author and finisher of faith in God.

 

Our thinking about the church has become so confused with too much of man’s terminology being used today. We talk about ‘our’ Nazarene church, Baptist church, Pentecostal church, Presbyterian church, etc. It would seem that we have many denominations of churches today and not just ONE as the Body of Christ in fullness. We talk about going to church on Sunday morning. I often wonder how we go to something that God says “we are.” We are the church; we do not go to church.

 

The entry into the church is through the gospel of the Kingdom. There is no other way. When Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” He meant just that. In other words, our faith in Christ’s life and sacrifice on the cross, and our commitment to Him – is what gains us entry into HIS body called the church.

 

The church then is a body of people who have had a common experience of faith in Jesus Christ; they have a common birthright and future with the same Father. Through the acceptance of the gospel we are brought into the Body of Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ. This has become so confusing today with all of our different ways and words that we use, and with all the denominations that have been raised up, etc. We have lost the true significance of what the church truly and simply is.

 

There are several different examples that is used to bring out what the Body of Christ is. For example it is known as God’s building, a temple, a house, the church, etc., but all of these point to one thing; that this one body is to be God’s representative here on earth, to let the world know who God is and what God has done.

 

In the Old Testament God chose one man. His name was Abram and God said to him: Genesis 12:1-3 “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” It is through this one man a nation came into being called “ISRAEL.” They were God’s chosen nation. God gave them His laws that set them above all of the other nations. They were to represent God in who He was and what He had done because all of the other nations were following false gods, deceived and totally lost and depraved.

 

By being placed on the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea (the only piece of real estate tied to three continents without a body of water: Africa, Asia and Europe) they were to be ‘centripetal.’ This means that the nations were to come to the God of Israel and this is what happened. Any army that marched, trade that took place, etc. they had to come through Israel and when they did, like the Queen of Sheba when she came to Solomon, she was ‘overwhelmed’ by what she saw and heard. 1 Kings 10:3-5

 

We read in 1 Peter 2:4, 5 “As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” We too, in the New Testament, have been chosen (John 15:16) and brought into Christ’s Body that is also known as a Holy Nation. Unlike Israel in the Old Testament the Body of Christ does not have any boundaries, we do not belong to any one national country, language, ethic group, physical heritage or world culture. Unlike Israel, that was to be centripetal, we are to be centrifugal. We are to go out, scatter ourselves and in the process share the great things that the Lord has done for us. (Matthew 28:19, 20)

 

Reformation brings us back to what the church is here for.

America’s Heart

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

Does America still have a heart? We see that America has an oversized head (over-reaching government) and butt-hole (L.A.’s elite Hollywood), but where is America’s beating heart; the heart of true America? They are the ones fighting on many fronts with their own resources and united prayer to God who gives the whole body its purpose and strength.

 

The heart of America are those true Americans that are fed up with America’s clueless demanding oversized government and with Hollywood’s immoral hypocritical lifestyle, both clearly lacking good common sense and the truth about what is eating at America’s heart.

 

At the heart of America are those God-fearing tax-paying independent productive families who are the strength of America’s growing economy, small and big entrepreneurs with great skills and personal integrity – which is lacking more and more at both ends of America.

 

The heart of America is beating fast and strong these days with ‘righteous’ anger; the united common sense true American families (legalized immigrants included) that voted in Donald Trump as America’s president because of his clear vision and strong resolve to give back to the heart of America their due – in accordance with America’s Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence – which have been under attack by both ends of America.

 

If the heart stops beating – death occurs. Both ends have been working to bring on America’s terminal heart attack, but without America’s strong heart – neither end can survive on their own.

 

Whether you like it or not, God is the One who made America and made America great; the God of our founding fathers that is, and the same God of those that make up the heart of America. Without a strong and productive HEART America will be yet another ‘dark and depleted’ nation of oppression and self-serving hypocrites.

 

The key in going forward is to keep our heart healthy and begin to change both ends by putting their perspectives of America where it belongs, IN THE TOILET! We need to hold all of these politicians accountable, because if we do not then the end result will be the death of America. Pray for our president and his administration so that we can have victory over all the enemies of America’s strong heart.