To the church who hides from her first love,

You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing. You are a people plundered and looted, trapped in pits, hidden in prisons, with no one to rescue you. Which of you will pay close attention in the time to come? Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!

What removed His courtship? Where did His favor go? What has soiled her clothes? And worst yet......will He take me back?

Her rape was her own fault. She afforded herself a freedom outside her pleasant boundaries to dark forbidden places. She did not stay in the garden of her Lover, and now she’s locked out with shame. She wanted freedom to roam without Him and found herself in a disgraceful place. He came to find her in the garden where they used to exchange their affections, but she is not there. Now she hides with soiled clothes.

If she will not go to Him and let Him heal her shame with His forgiving eyes she will not stand spotless on her wedding day. Therefore, run after Him in nakedness and with blinding tears if you have to. Run to the hills where your Lover is. He will forgive and will wrap His cloak of grace around you and love you as before. Look to the hills where His unconditional love waits. He has not forgotten the ring He put on your finger. You still have that ring of promise - don't you?   

Your Lover is a man of His word. The marriage is still on. So now, throw open the door and go after Him and without regard to how you look and what people will say. Go quickly, and as you run crying out, "There is no one like Him - No One!" then look and see all those following behind you?

I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, you have been led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. It is not the one who commends and approves herself, but the one of whom the Lord God Himself commends. So hurry!  The wedding is about to begin!

by Carol Dietz 

Prophecy For The Resurrection of the Proverbs 31 Woman

This book is both for personal teaching and can be used as a guide for Bible study groups to bring women back to God’s standard and favor. This book came out of me because God assigned it to me and put His anointing over me to start and finish it for Him.  Why?

“It’s time to resurrect the Proverbs 31 woman.  She is dear to my servants.  Her dust moves them to pity.” 

Right before I began this book this prophecy came to me from the Spirit of God’s Word. Not all the Church is ready for His very soon return.  Their clothes are soiled in some areas.  There are too many who will be left behind when the wedding trumpet blows because they have compromised the truth from God and have ignored the Holy Spirit's voice in what they are to do with their faith to the end of their lives on earth. The tribulation of God's wrath on the earth is to test those who remain after the LORD removes His Bride - the overcoming church. We call this the rapture of the saints. God will test the hearts of those who have called themselves Christians, but have not been living for the LORD.

“The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.  It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere.  Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”  Deuteronomy 13:3-5

Jesus taught us that not everyone who receives the truth continues in it.  Jesus said about the seed of knowledge, “Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root.  They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.”  (Luke 8:12-14)   This earthly life of three-score and ten is a test as to what we will do to the end with God’s living word, Jesus Christ.   It’s not enough to start well.  We must also finish well.  

The rapture comes before the tribulation period to take away those who have faithfully persevered in following Jesus Christ to the end.  To follow Christ is to keep His teachings in your heart while depending on the Holy Spirit to enable you to live out His Word in your daily life.  Not every church member is in this elite group of over-comers of whom the Lord calls – His longed for Bride.  The Bride of Christ will be called up from this earth by Gabriel’s trumpet and she will rise to be with the Lord forever.  She will be given a new body to live the new life she has longed for and prepared herself for.  

God has a righteous standard by which we will be judged.  I am not called to instuct men, but rather women who want to be what they were created for.  There is no other way to be happy in this life and rewarded in the next.  Men who read this book will be very encouraged as well as challenged as a Psalm 112 man. 

The Holy Spirit has been speaking to many hearers about His Church today.  The Holy Spirit spoke through all the prophets about our day.  John, the revelator, warned us to remain steadfast in Jesus Christ because of what is coming.  God has not kept the future a secret.  God’s prophet of the book of Hebrews warns the Church not to repeat Israel’s folly:

“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.  For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.”   Hebrews 4:1-3

The life of God is found in Jesus Christ alone and is lived out with Christ’s Holy Spirit, but few go the whole distance to receive what God has promised to the faithful.  This is not hard to do as long as we keep hold of the right hand of Jesus in fellowship and faith.  King David spoke a lot about the powerful right hand of God: 

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence

with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”   Psalms 16:11

“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.  You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.  Who have I in heaven but you?  And earth has nothing I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.  But as for me, it is good to be near God.  I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”   Psalms 73:23-74:1

Yes!  Jesus is Savior!  But, the saints also know Him as Restorer!  Repairer!  Rewarder! “Anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists AND that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:5-6

The Proverbs 31 woman is not a fictional character.  She is the standard of a holy life strived for and attained in the end.  She is certain of the life God rewards.  The religious women in our day need to ask themselves if they are living for God’s praise and reward, or for all the meaningless praises and powerless promises available today for women.

The Proverbs 31 woman is not attractive to those women chasing idle notions and spiritual fantasies, and striving for worldly things and for the places of authority that God gave to men.  All these non-rewarded attitudes and activities keep a woman from her true destiny of purity and nobility. 

I suggest you be prepared for battle as you work through this Bible study book called The Standard - That Has Never Changed. 

“Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case-things that accompany salvation.  God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.  We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.  We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”   Hebrews 6:1-12

If we return to God’s standard His Living Word and His Spirit will keep us strong, wise and in perfect peace as we wait to be justly crowned with honor and eternally rewarded in Christ Jesus our Lord and King. 

IT’S AMAZING! That with the greatest love, that has ever existed, continues to exist and will always exist, that so few LIVE in the amazing love of God. Too many are merely in love with the idea of the love of God, but are not realistically in love with God.

It’s pitiful how intellectuals stand in judgement of God’s love while lovers of God simply and continuously live in God’s love. God’s love is truly amazing!  Jesus, who is God’s love revealed, carried our sins on His back in the form of a cross to His death on that same cross  to prove that there is a place called the eternal love of God.  In this place there is no sin and rebellion to God.  

It was our Lord's selfless act of love, in that He took the punishment of our sin so we wouldn't have to, that leads us to repent of ignorantly and even purposely keeping God at a distance. Keeping God at a distance can only be done "intellectually" since God simply IS. At any time God can reach out His finger and touch you in anyway He chooses. The Day is soon here when all of creation will worship Him. All that is remaning after the time of His shaking will forever live in His love as He originally intended before Adam and Eve rebelled against Him in the garden of Eden.

One of the "amazing" things about the love of God is that, in Christ, the intellect is set free to begin the passionate journey into the endless love of Almighty Father God. But, it’s Christ’s Spirit who has the authority to take us on this journey. And, in the Spirit we follow Jesus all the way to our home with our heavenly Father.

Those who have been changed by the love of God look for others who also want to live in God’s love. Lovers of God can't wait to share His love. They simply can't keep it to themselves. I know people who claim to be Christians but say that their faith is private. They don't like talking about God. They can't talk about Him because He's not real to them. He's merely an idea. Does a wife talk about her loving husband?  Does a loving father talk about his dearing children?  Does a true friend introduce his/her friend to another friend?  They have "relationship." They know each other experiencially; up close and personal.    

God’s love is a place you visit and once there - you'll never want to leave. It’s truly amazing to me that so few live in this open land of the love of God. Those who are permanent residents can see the future danger for those who are living outside the love of God. God has asked them to do all they can to convince the endangered to follow them into His eternal refuge of love. God has revealed to the lovers of God that the time is coming when the gate will close to those who have not accepted the love of God through Jesus Christ His Son.  

There is no greater love than laying down one’s own interests and comforts, and even our body to death, for those still living outside the love of God. The same love that raised God’s Son will also raise and reward every true lover of God.

The Spirit of God, who brings us the revelation, wisdom and gracious gifts of God will not strive much longer with those who live on the earth. All you INTELLECTS with an ear to hear, HEAR!  "Now is the time of salvation! Now is the time to ready yourselves for the coming of the Lord!"  The King is coming and the whole earth and every heaven will be filled with the beautiful life of God’s love.

Those who are walking with Him will also live with Him in glory, while those who are not in Christ Jesus are destined, by their own free will, to live outside the radiant rich love of God that will fill every place but one that has been reserved for the devil and all his followers.

Give thanks to the Lord, our God and soon coming King. His love endures forever!

Over the past man's ego has gotten kicked around. Today both women and men (with a femininity about them) still criticize the ego in man.  The Lord spoke to me concerning this "ego" in man and here is what I came up with:

Ego: (God-created.) The self, the individual as aware of himself as a physical and spiritual being responsible for mental and behavioral choices.

The Bible teaches us that God created man for His glory, and He created woman for the glory of man. Man gets his identity from the God alone. Even though God created woman for man, man can not live without all the qualities God put within her.

Superego: the ego in man given over to the worship of himself. Egotistical. Sees himself as one who is to be served and even worshiped; vain conceit and selfish ambition. Satan strives with man in this realm and relentlessly tempts till a man is tormented to the point of willing submission.

Id: (God-created.) The "it" in man, the "he is." ( of psychoanalysis) The natural impulses and source of instinctive energy. The ego consciously controls the impulses of the id, the source of instinctive energy. The id is a man’s pleasure principles and impulsive wishing, but controlled by the (right or wrong) development of the ego; for righteousness or wickedness.

When a woman chips away at the man’s ego, his identity with God and inner confidence, as the one who will be held accountable to God for his choices concerning himself, his family and his mission from God, she ruins a man for God's purposes. A woman can never teach a man what a man is about, even though a Spirit-filled man can teach a woman what she is about. We see this in the writings of Paul and Peter, and let’s not forget Jesus. Jesus knew more about what was in a woman than the woman does. That is why a wife can depend on the Lord when she doesn’t feel she can trust her husband’s decisions. She does not need to give way to fear and begin to manipulate her husband or take the lead from him because she doesn't see that he is a spiritual man.

Since man is for the glory of God, while a woman is for the glory of man (Genesis and I Corinthian), why do women think they know better than men how to lead? Why is it so hard for women to be silent and entirely dependent on prayer believing that God hears them and will give them what they ask for according to faith in His Word? My guess is, they do not want the truth, nor to live by the truth. Prayer and believing in the promises of God means they have to shut their mouths, surrender their will and wait for God to work in the man to HIS GLORY, and even waiting through all his failures. When a woman is not willing to show her husband this grace and mercy, by way of a strong prayer life and unconditional love, she is not walking in the ways of the Lord, but rather in the ways of Satan, the great deceiver and father of lies.

Beware, lest you be tempted as Eve was and fall from the beautiful simplistic life of God’s definition of womanhood that is accomplished through the Spirit of Christ Jesus.

These definitions on ego, superego and the id come from Noah Webster’s Dictionary, 1906 edition. Noah Webster was a godly man who put his faith in the Word of God. In writing this edition he uses Scripture references and the Latin as well as Hebrew to properly define words we use. It amazes me how a word can lose it’s true meaning based on how any man or woman wants to turn around it’s true meaning to mean something else. We see this in our culture with the word marriage (only one example of many) being redefined. God’s Word has been redefined by the wicked who reject it’s literal meanings and descriptions. We have in our government men and women who have not the Holy Spirit in them throwing around God’s Words to support and approve their own wicked agendas. And sadly, the leaders of churches in America likewise maligning the Word of God.

"Salvation, salvation is the only necessary thing. This clay-idol, the world, is not to be sought; it is a morsel not for you, but for hunger-bitten bastards. Contend for salvation. Your master, Jesus Christ, won heaven with stokes. It is a besieged castle, it must be taken with violence. Oh, this world thinketh heaven but at the next door, and that godliness may sleep in a bed of down, till it come to heaven!  But that will not do it."     (Samuel Rutherford)

"Great is your reward in heaven," says Christ to His persecuted and reviled disciples. "And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."   

"Go on, and faint not. Something of yours is in heaven, beside the flesh of your exalted Saviour; and ye go on after it. Time's thread is shorter than it was. An oath is sworn and past the seals; whether afflictions will or will not, ye must grow, and swell out of your shell, and live, and triumph and reign, and be more than a conqueror. For your Captain, Jesus Christ, who leadeth you on is more than conqueror and He maketh you partaker of His conquest and victory."   (Samuel Rutherford)

When we begin to think more of Christ's heaven than we do this world we will begin to work salvation on our earth to the glory of God and for His praise.

Looking to Him,

Carol Dietz

Joel 3:9
"Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack."

Before God can use us to take the land back from the enemy He needs us to draw near to Him so that He can purify us from the customs and habits we have taken for ourselves from the land we live in . The Israelites were not willing to let go of these things and their unbelief kept them from entering the land of God's promises. But God raised up Joshua and Caleb to lead another generation to take hold of His promises.

It is said of Joshua that he was a man of courage, obedience & devotion to the law of God. He did not miss the opportunity that God had placed before him; "the open door."

"I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut." Revelation 3:8

Today God wants an army of men who will obey His commands without question. and without hesitation. Before we can defeat the strongholds of our land, or another land, we need to be free ourselves of wicked strongholds. Otherwise, we are good for nothing. God has blessed the American church with so much yet we are in great need of His wisdom; knowing what to do with what we have and with what we know of God. Complacency and compromise are not found in the Lord's army.

Strongholds are in places where we cannot see them. The American military in Iraq can testify to that, but "personal" strongholds of the enemy are more like hidden backpacks full of worthless rocks on our backs. These rocks only weigh us down and make us ineffective in our service to the Lord Jesus Christ. Others can see these rocks even if we don't. We injure ourselves and others if we refuse those sent from God to help free us from our personal weights. God says that to be effective we must not be cumbered.

To the one who "overcomes" his own personal strongholds - is given the honor of going with Jesus into battle and then to sit with Him on His throne afterthe last enemy has been conquered.

"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3: 19-22

God brings people, and allows happenings, into our lives to show us how burdened down we are - unable to fight our spiritual battles. Ask God what weights you are carrying that are making you ineffective. Are there weights of unforgiveness, anger, unbelief, religion, pride, envy, fear, jealousy, the many lusts of the flesh, or human loyalities? These weights make us ineffective for the Lord's service.

Paul teaches us how it rewards us to beat our body and will into subjection to the Lord's call in our life so that when we preach to others we will not be disqualified for the prize at the end of our life. (I Corinthians 9:27) There is a crown that will come to the ones who have gone into strict training and run the race God marked out for them.

There is an honorable position in the Lord's army to be sought after. "I saw heaven standing open and there before me (John) was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, (fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints) white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to stike down the nations, and he will rule with an iron scepter." Revelation 19:11-15

The battle of Armageddon is not for weaklings. In this coming battle the false prophet and the beast of Satan is captured and Satan himself is bound for a thousand years to keep him from deceiving the nations. But after the thousand year reign of Christ he will be released for a short time where he will deceive again and with them come against the camp of God's people, the city He loves. "But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who decieved them, was thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever. Then the last enemy to be defeated, death and Hades, were also thrown in the lake of fire. (This is the second death. ) If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20

Which side are you on? The Lord's? Are you ready? Have you tossed your rock pack? Are you washing that robe? There's a full armor of righteousness to put on according to Ephesians 6:10-18.

"For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them....Be careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is....Be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:5-18

There's a new heaven and earth coming. The old order of things will no longer exist when Christ and His Bride make everything new! (Revelation 21)

How you see your future will determine how you live now and the legacy you leave behind.

Mike & Carol Dietz

Oh how I love the way Jesus went out of His way to go speak to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.  More than ever before the Spirit of the Lord is using women to transform communities with their passion and gifts of grace. The condition of women and children in third world countries  is the focus of many missionary efforts to see communities, tribes, and nations transformed with the life of Christ Jesus. Most women in the world are stripped of their dignity and modesty and are simply used, not lovingly cared for. 

Throughout Jesus' ministry on earth He continually and purposely sought out women to show "publicly" how much He values them.  By His visitation to the Samaritan woman Jesus made a declaration of an independence day on her behalf and all the others who would follow her hope of being set free from shame, guilt, worthlessness, and repeated bad choices. 

Women are often chosen to be God's bridges of hope because they are more quick to respond to the love of God.  

More and more American women are seeking to simplify their lives.  They are overcome with the demands and expectations of others and rarely find the time to "be still and know God." Jesus chose to go out of His way to spend time with a woman no one else saw any value in.  Jesus eagerly and passionately revealed His coming to especially set women free for His use through the Holy Spirit (water) transformation. Jesus hand-picked her to bring a whole community to Himself.  

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."   Matthew 11:28-30

This Samaritan woman, like most women, sought greater meaning for her life. And, just like the Samaritan woman, most women don't know their purpose.  It comes by a divine visitation, just like the Samaritan woman experienced. The Father sent the Son to her. The Son revealed Himself to her and then forgave her sinful past and then baptized her with His Spirit so that she could live for Him from that day forward.  Oh, what a Savior! 

The Samaritan woman's life was transformed as she began ministry among her own people. The dignity and acceptance she experienced empowered her. Having encountered Jesus, she left immediately for the city to tell her story to the very people she avoided meeting everyday. The truth of her life - which she wanted to hide - she now announces publicly. With new boldness she faces her community. The essence of the story is a woman's plain, straightforward testimony (John 4:39-42).  

"Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony,  'He told me everything I ever did.' So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.  They said to the woman, 'We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.' "

Supremely it is God who changes the heart and brings us home, but He uses even fragile, vulnerable, and weaker vessels to transform communities.  People who have lost everything, are despised, marginalized, disinherited, or deeply wounded by rejection, are often visited by the Spirit of the Lord, or the Lord Himself, to turn their eyes and heart to Him so He can set them apart for works in His service.  They are immediately filled with hope and worth.  Their passionate gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ is highly contagious - just like our Samaritan woman.

Let God make you into a bridge of hope for others. As God prepares your way commit yourself to encourage and honor the dignity of women by listening to their cries of mental, physical, emotional and spiritual needs. God doesn't waste our past nor our sorrows.  What you have gone through is common to women, but Satan will tell you - you are the only one who has suffered so.  Don't be deceived. Others are waiting to hear from you. And, your reward depends on your faithful obedience to the Lord who has rescued you!

The greatest knowledge on earth is to know the perfect and acceptable will of God. But, knowledge without active faith merely keeps it in our head, not in our heart or out in to the community and world we live in. Wisdom is knowing what to do with what you know. Faith puts it to action.   

God would rather you step out in faith, and make a mistake, than not to step out at all to do His will. Those who hesitate lose. When He calls you to do something you can't be stopped. No weapon forged against you will prevail. You are the only one who can stop you from doing the will of God. 

Fear is often our hindrance in doing the will of God. Fear will leave if you rebuke it in the name of Jesus Christ. Tell it to leave. Then call on the Holy Spirit to fill you up with faith in the promises God.  Overcomers have learned that they can do all things through Jesus Christ who gives them strength.

Fear is fed through your intellect. Hebrews 3:1 tells us to "fix our thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess,"  because we belong to His family and have share in the heavenly calling.  "Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are His house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast."   

Jesus came in the flesh to share with us in every way, even His blood, so that by his death he might destroy our fears and him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil.  Jesus died and rose from the grave to free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fears.  (Hebrews 2:14-15) 

"Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."   Hebrews 2:18

"We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." Hebrews 3:14

"See to it, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. "   Hebrews 3:12-13

Hard heartedness is another hindrance to doing God's will.  Hardness of heart comes by complacency and  compromise with God's Word.  " 'Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.' Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter His rest if not to those who disobeyed?"  Hebrews 3:15-18

Fear and unbelief keep the heart hard towards God's will and will cause us to miss out on the rest and reward of our faith. Satan gets you where you have no guards and adversity is sure to come when you have heard and responded to God's call on your life. 

"Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'  Then you will defile your idols; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, 'Away with  you!' "   Isaiah 30:20-22

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."   Proverbs 1:7

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, 'Here I am, I have come to do Your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.' "  Psalm 40:6-8  

Who has control of your thought life?  When God plants His Word in you where does it go? What does it accomplish?  Is it plucked out by the enemy because you have no spiritual disciplines protecting the seed of wisdom and revelation?  Is it choked to death by fear; the worries and deceitfulness of this life? Was the Word that was planted in you aborted while growing in you at the first sign of persecution for that Word? 

When God gives us a revelation of His love and His will for our life it's been sown to produce something glorious for His kingdom that will bring in others and reward us there.  So we guard the knowledge or revelation given by "seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness."  (Matthew 6:33)  We have His promises that He will provide and protect as long as we love and obey Him.    

"May my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word. May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law sustains me. I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands."   Psalm119:169-176 

“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.  Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey IT, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.”  Revelation 3:1-3

What does a thief do?  He steals IT from you!   What is the “it?”  

Everyone one who has been born of Christ’s Holy Spirit of God receives instruction from the Spirit.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, you will hear and receive instruction from His Spirit because you are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  When you hear from Him it is very crucial to receive that instruction (obey it).  Beware of receiving instruction from deceiving spirits who make you feel as if you are on the right path.  There is only one path that leads to eternal life and God says that it is narrow because very few walk the same path that Jesus walked.  Broad is the road to destruction because the majority of the world has walked it.  The teaching of Jesus Christ is narrow because there is no other way but the way Jesus Christ provided for a sinful unbelieving rebellious world.  He, and He alone, is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except by Jesus Christ, God’s own Son.  (John 14:6) 

“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. All this I have spoken while still with you. But the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”   John 14:23-26

In the last days the Lord is speaking to the churches that their deeds are not complete in the sight of God.  What makes our deeds “incomplete?”   As Paul asked the Galatians,  “You were running a good race.  Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?  That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.”   (Galatians 5:7)  There are all kinds of voices today teaching about God, but there’s only one pure and holy teaching that should be listened to and obeyed.  That teaching belongs to the Son of God and to His faithful followers who have His Holy Spirit living in them.  Not all churches belong to Christ and His Spirit.  Make sure that you have placed yourself in Jesus Christ and with His people or you will be very disappointed when you find yourself left behind to experience the worst time on the earth, the seven-year tribulation.  You think you have problems now?  You haven’t seen anything until you have lived under the reign of the anti-Christ who goes on a Jew and Christian killing spree after he takes charge of all the world’s affairs. 

As a believer in Jesus Christ we are called by God to live the life of His Spirit and we cannot live out today’s instruction (in the Word) with yesterday’s faith, that is, without a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit for every new instruction we receive unto obedience.  I’m reminded of what our Lord said about the new wine and new skins.  If we try to pour new wine in an old skin the skin will burst and the wine will spill out and be useless.  So let the Holy Spirit heal and soften you for the noble work of God. (Matthew 9:17)

In Isaiah chapter 1 verse 12 the Lord asks us why we keep coming into His courts offering Him the things we did out of our own enthusiasm or natural human sympathies.

“Stop bringing meaningless offerings!”   (Isaiah 1:13) 

I know what I’m talking about here, for I was guilty and I had to be delivered.  Can a believer be deceived?  Yep!  Can a Bible scholar be deceived?  Yep!  Only by God’s Spirit can a believer keep to the truth and to the hearing of godly instruction for the life that God rewards.  Most believers are doing their own thing and using the verses in the Bible to justify what they are doing.  They have replaced the "peace of God" with the "pride of life."  Doing good works gives us a feeling of pride and that we have done our part in some way. But, the Holy Spirit keeps us close to the Lord, in fellowship and with His mind and purpose.  

When I am doing my own thing, even a good thing, God calls this unclean and impure.  He even says that I have blood on my hands because of it.  How can I have blood on my hands when I haven’t killed anything or anyone?  

“Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourself clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! SEEK JUSTICE. ENCOURAGE THE OPPRESSED. DEFEND THE CAUSE OF THE CHILDREN WHO HAVE NO ONE TO CARE FOR THEM, PLEAD THE CASE OF THE WOMEN WHO HAVE NO ONE TO PROVIDE AND PROTECT THEM.”  Isaiah 1:16-17

Our deeds are evil and our hands are full of blood when we are not doing what God has asked of us.  To neglect the oppressed, the fatherless and the widow is just as bloody to God as if we have done the killing ourselves.  We get so involved and busy doing the works that WE think are good in His sight and then we assemble together on Sunday morning or throughout the week to celebrate what?  To pray for what?  To study what in the Bible?   

“I can’t bear your assemblies anymore. I hate them!  They have become a burden to me. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen.”  (Isaiah 1:14)   He commands us to “learn to do what is right.”  (1:16) 

Do you see His emotion here in the first chapter of Isaiah?  God is very emotional about those we are neglecting to reach out to with what God has blessed us with.  

Those little man-made fires we start and where we daily kindle enthusiasm for what God has not asked of us - will be consumed by His Fire.  His thoughts and ways should be the thoughts and ways of His children.  God says that He has a reason for what He asks of us.  We may not fully understand His wisdom in it but if we are obedient He will give us the best; but if we resist and rebel the sword will devour us. “For I will get relief from my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.  I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your sin and remove all your impurities.  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”   (Isaiah 1:18-20, 24-25)

As the Darfur (Sudan) genocide enters its 5^th year, it’s past time the “world body” enforced the peace agreement that would end the bloodshed in the most hostile place on earth.   (To learn more on this see "End of Day article by Gary Bauer" - garybauer@cwfpac.com)

While it is true that this entire killing in Sudan is coming from within the Sudan, it is also just as true that we have a responsibility to help (from afar) the oppressed, the fatherless and the widows there.  (Proverbs 31:14 and 20)  There are many ways to help.  

1.Daily stand in the gap for them through weapons of prayer. 

2.Get financially involved with the needs of orphanages and refugee camps. 

3.Go there and be of use in some way. 

God doesn’t expect us to do everything, but He does expect us to do what He asks of us and to be faithful with the small things He gives us to do.  If you are willing the Spirit is willing to lead you and guide you as to what to do that fits you perfectly.  I think we get fearful about opening our hearts fully to the work of the Holy Spirit because we are afraid He will ask too much of us. 

We have been gifted with the Holy Spirit.  All we have comes from Him and is for the glory of God.  The Spirit issues out our gifts that are to be used to benefit others, but we have held on to our gifts and we are guilty of hoarding. 

“I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune.”   Ecclesiastes 5:13-14 

God blesses us with wealth so we can help others.   God will protect the wealthy from harm and misfortune IF we obey God with our wealth.  The hardest thing I have ever done was to learn how to financially give as the Spirit leads.   But, God has blessed me all the more because of it.  I believe there is an evil spirit called “hoarding.”   The moment I began to give cheerfully was the moment that evil spirit left me, but it does return every so often to see if there’s an opening back in to my soul. 

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they take hold of the life that is truly life.  Guard what has been entrusted to your care.”  I Timothy 6:17-20

Has the thief stolen your treasure?  Repent!  Wake up and strengthen what remains.  Repair the walls!  Secure the openings!  Begin to build again.  It’s never too late to start obeying.  The first step of obedience is the hardest because our will must unite with His will for God’s promises to start flowing into our lives.  It's not enough to simply want to, we must take the first obedient step.  We must catch up with the Lord on His path.  He's moving quickly in these days.  There's really no more time to dilly-dally with what we know to do.   

Are you an old wineskin or a new wineskin?  We need the Holy Spirit oil to keep us from becoming empty and useless.  I never knew how much I needed the Holy Spirit to live the life that God rewards.  But I do now.  

Angels On Demand!

I wonder how many angels are just standing around in heaven waiting for certain prayers from faithful saints to rise that would send them off to do the thing they were created to do? I wonder how many times angels came to carry me along until the day I gave my heart to Jesus because someone stood in the gap between God and me?

"Are not all God’s angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" Hebrews 1:14

"In speaking of the angels he says, ‘He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire." Hebrews 1:7

As Spirit filled and Spirit led intercessors praying for individuals, churches, and nations we have been equipped with everything (even angels) to do the mighty works of God. Jesus told his disciples that they would do even greater things than He. "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:12-14   Here we have His word, and Jesus is a man of His Word.  

Jesus corrected Peter for pulling a sword on one who had come to arrest Him, saying: "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"  Matthew 26:53   God puts angels at our disposal as well simply because we call on the name of Jesus and believe in what He says.

Jesus said to his disciples: "In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete." John 16: 23-24 We do not realize those we have on our side so we do not ask like we should, or when we do ask we are not thinking in the miraculous wondrous realm of God. Elisha asked God to open the eyes of his fearful servant Gehazi so he could see the hills full of horses and chariots of fire (angels) all around them fighting on their behalf. 2Kings 6:15-17

Consider how the angels, chomping at the bit like a race horse, must long to be sent to help us personally overcome and help others conquer - just because we asked in the name of Jesus by faith.

"Nothing is impossible for God." "You have found favor with God." "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." Angels deliver messages from God. Have you been a recipient? Angels have been making things happen for the people of God from the beginning, but we do not speak to the angels neither worship the angels of God. The angels belong to God. It is God in whom we worship for He is the one who releases His ministering spirits out on our behalf according to our faith in God's Word.

"Blessed are you if you believe that what the Lord has said to you - will be accomplished!" Luke 1:45

Preparing For His Very  Soon Return,

Carol Dietz

Oppression "or" Opportunity?

Oppression: overburdened; misery; depression; pressure coming against you; hard to put up with.

Opportunity: a combination of circumstances favorable for the purpose; suitable time or place for the doing or receiving of a thing.

How many times have I missed a blessed opportunity of doing or receiving from God because I kept my thoughts low (and not high) on the pressure and persecution? If I’m not careful I can miss the opportunity thinking that God is not with me or for me. Oppression comes because I have the perspective that something is being done "to" me instead of "for" me. Oppression comes because I choose to look at the opportunity as something hurtful from God, not helpful.

Jesus exposed the wrong perspective his disciples had when they saw him walking on water in the middle of their struggling to get across the lake to where he said he would meet them. (Mark 6:45-52) He was about to pass them by as they saw him and then became fearful thinking they were seeing a ghost. It gives me confidence and comfort to know that Jesus doesn’t keep going past me when he sees I’m afraid or confused. He gets in with me till I’m were I’m supposed to be. Beth Moore brings out that God is a "with us God." The name Immanuel, a name for Jesus, means "God with us." Jesus could’ve have kept walking on past them to the other side of the lake knowing they would have eventually made it, but he acknowledged their fear and confusion and came to them to comfort them and restore their confidence in him - once again.

"Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I.. Then he climbed in with them and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened." Mark 6:50-52

How many times have we been faced with what seems as an impossibility forgetting the past miracles that God has done for us? All problems and persecutions are opportunities for something to work to our good - if we will have the right perspective. The wrong perspective says, "Woe is me!" And, "I knew something like this was going to happen!" Or, "Everything is against me!" We cause oppression ourselves when we take the wrong perspective of our situation or circumstances. If God is for us, and he has said that he is, then who or what can be against us? Nothing and no one.

Jesus said that the disciples were hard in heart after they had just seen him feed the five thousand with fives loaves of bread and two fish. They even picked up "twelve" basketfuls of "broken" pieces after all were fed. Did that miracle "break" the hard hearts of "twelve" disciples? Nope!

Hardness of heart keeps us from seeing opportunity and keeps our eyes on what we don’t have instead of all we do have in Christ Jesus.

The way we see Jesus determines the way others will see him. Jesus said that in his own home town he could not do many miracles because those who knew him best did not honor him for who he was. "And he was amazed at their lack of faith." Mark 5:6

Another time when Jesus was in the boat with his disciples they became afraid of the squall and became offended accusing Jesus of not caring about them because he was sleeping. (Mark4:35-41) When Jesus woke and quieted the squall he turned to the disciples and said, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Then they asked each other, "Who is this that even the wind and the waves obey him." Had their hearts recognized him yet? Their hearts were still hard.

If we are not daily alone with the living Word to hear and worship him we will have hardness of heart when God brings opportunities to us that are meant to bless us in some way. Mark says in 4:34 that when Jesus was alone with them he explained everything to them. Are you alone with Jesus every morning? If you’re not - you will miss the opportunity and see the circumstance or situation you are in as an oppression and offense and your heart will get harder and harder. It is up to us to take the gift of God and do something with it according to faith in what God has promised to them who believe. We are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This means we are to be very afraid of NOT putting faith to work in our daily lives as we wait the fulfillment of what Jesus said he would do and is coming again to do.

We fear and tremble because of doubting the words of Christ to our own ruin. Does God punish us for welling up with fear over what looks like an impossible situation or over the persecution that comes when we are living according to his standard? No. But, if we remain there we will bring on ourselves what we have sown. Our fears will come upon us because we have an adversary that waits for his opportune time to steal and destroy what belongs to us in Christ Jesus.

God wants the believer in Jesus Christ to see what comes or happens to them as an opportunity. While it is true that we shall reap what we sow we should also know that if we confess our faults and call on the grace of God we will overcome the world, the flesh and the devil. God is not at work to punish us for what we do that’s wrong - he is at work so that he can praise us at His heavenly gate and reward us for having finished the race he has marked out for us. We must keep the truth in our heart so that our heart will not become hard believing the wrong thing about what God thinks of us, or that God is not a very personal God to those who call on him or cry out to him.

It is true that if we walk with God we will be persecuted by the ungodly. It is also true that rejoicing in those times opens a way of escape and relieves the hurt of persecution. Problems and persecutions will be oppressive - if we let them. We are to make persecution an opportunity to win souls. We are to make problems and impossibilities work with our faith to better and bless us so that those who are watching will do the same.

"And they took offense at him." Mark 6:3 May you not let the words of Christ offend you and so harden your heart towards his perfect will for your life. Instead, let the words of Jesus ordain you for the life you were intended to live to the glory of God the Father.

Did you know that there is a book called WOMEN WHO KEPT THE LIGHTS?

I haven’t read it. I have only seen the title. But, the title alone was enough to get me thinking. If there was ever a time to be filled each day with the oil of the Spirit and to keep our wicks trim - it’s now!

A lighthouse light must stay lit all night long or any passing ship can be shipwrecked. Light-keepers frequently risked their lives to save the shipwrecked or others in danger of drowning. One of those women who kept the light lit was Ida Lewis who was born February 25, 1842 and died of a stroke while on duty October 24, 1911. Not only did she keep the light lit in the lighthouse for her deceased father but she was an expert small boat handler and was quite skilled with oars. It was said of her that she could row a boat faster than any man in Newport, Rhode Island. I’m reminded of the verse in the Proverbs 31 woman’s description: "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks....and her lamp does not go out at night." (Proverbs 31: 17-18)

As Christians we were drawn to the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ where we confessed and received forgiveness and the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit, the oil for our lamps. As Christians we have been called to live as lights for Jesus in this stormy world. We are Christ’s light keepers called to cast the light of Jesus Christ in a dark stormy world.

The Apostle Paul urges believers to steer away from being shipwrecked in their faith. Keep away from those who teach false doctrines and devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies which only promote controversy instead of God’s work. (I Timothy 1:3-7) But, how does one know who the false teachers are? How do we know who has the truth these days?

When we reject the living word, the teaching and life of our Lord Jesus Christ we will shipwreck our faith in God altogether. You can’t believe in God without believing in Jesus Christ. You can’t believe in God without believing in His written laws and the testimonies of the Spirit filled life recorded in the Bible.  To look for truth anywhere else is perilous.

"Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’ " John 20:21-23

We have no idea of the kind of life God intended for those who love Him. But when Jesus returns with His saints of glory to execute that high and glorious standard of life upon the earth we will stand in awe and marvel at the beauty and wisdom of our God. We will worship and adore Him as He deserves to be worshiped and adored because He has given us new life in His Son.

Believers have given up their faith in God midst the storms of life. They’ve turned in to easy going currents of the world. Too many believers have run out of oil for their lamps. Too many Christians have given up on the spiritual disciplines that would keep them in the love and truth of God filled with hope, courage and strength to persevere. So, who will passionately warn others of the dangers ahead for those who still haven’t made a decision to follow hard after Jesus Christ? Only Jesus can lead us through the storm and on to the promised life. 

The great tribulation that comes to test those who live on the earth is going to happen whether you believe it or not. Only Jesus can keep you from that hour of trial. Hold on to Him and be faithful to keep His Word and not deny His Name in the face of threat and even in the face of death. He is longing and waiting for you with open arms. (Revelation 3:7-13)

Whether or not you believe that God is a just God and whether or not you believe He has the right to judge - doesn’t matter? God is just. God is holy. God is right in all He does. God is God and you are not. If you have never bowed to the Savior of the world and confessed your sins and received the forgiveness of sins and received the Spirit of God to live for the Lord all the remaining days of your life - I urge you to do so and without delay. The day is nearly here when you will no longer have this privilege. The Spirit of God will not always strive with man.

Sadly, you can go to most churches today and still not receive any warning of what is coming that every believer needs to know without fail. You can hear all kinds of teachings that will make you feel better about yourself and that motivate you to do something or give something and never hear the words of life, the life that is truly life.  You can even be a part of any church program and still not be among those who have been redeemed and whose names are written in the Lamb’s "book of life." You can faithfully get ready for church week after week and still not be ready for the Lord when Gabriel's trumpet sounds to call the faithful up and away. You can celebrate at every  holiday and celebrate all that you have and never enter the seven year celebration of Jesus Christ with His faithful followers.

The great tribulation will be a storm like no other in the history of man and there is no doubt we are in the birth pains now with all that is happening in our world today.

If you have humbly come to Jesus and have received His Spirit He calls you "the light of the world." You will be rewarded for keeping His light ablaze so that others can find their way too. (Matthew 5:11-16)

"Give me oil in my lamp, keep it burning, burning, burning. Give me oil in my lamp, I pray. Keep it burning till the break of day!"

Betraying the Son of Man.

Favor and Fellowship

“Why so angry? Why so downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door. It desires to have you, but you must master it.”  Genesis 4:6-7

Adam’s firstborn son sought favor without fellowship with God.  Cain sought to establish his own way of fellowship with God.  (This is how a religion is invented; from the schemes of men.) God favored Adam’s second son, Cain’s brother Able because he brought to God the “right” offering.  Fellowship with God happens inwardly by way of loving submission to the ways of God.  God will make sure that we bear the right kind of fruit (the fruit of righteousness) as long as we keep to true repentance.  (Matthew 3:1-8)   This requirement of repentance for the kingdom of heaven was mostly received by the Gentiles since the Jews, and especially their leaders, believed that because they were Jews they were the favored fellowship of God.  But, as we see John addressing the Jewish leaders with, “you brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” we understand why John continues with, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”   The Jews were out of fellowship with their God because repentance was not a part of their offerings.  Religion takes away our right of relationship with the true and living God.    Repentance and righteousness brings us near God.  As a parent have you ever been hopeful for your child to sorrowfully and humble come to you with confession that he/she should’ve done the right thing in the first place, just as you had told him?  Had he done the right thing he could’ve saved himself from a lot of needless suffering and loss.

The fellowship and favor of God brings blessing without trouble into our lives, but without repentance offered on our part and forgiveness received from God there is absolutely no relationship, only total separation from God. When we come to God just as we are and confess our sins He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from unrighteous behavior and best part of all - God’s fellowship door begins to open to us. This door of privilege does not open all the way until we have become faithful in keeping to repentance just like John preached.   Then we bear fruits of righteousness and when these are offered to God – He is pleased and we enjoy His pleasure or favor.

Repentance is not based on our words or on anything we can do for God.  Repentance draws God’s favor by way of the perfect blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ His Son.  Since the first family - this standard has never changed.  The required animal sacrifice was only a picture of the perfect once and for all sacrifice Jesus Christ Who was to come.  Before Jesus Christ was presented as the last sacrifice for sin the blood sacrifice of certain spotless animals was required along with repentance in order to be in favored fellowship with God.  The sacrifice could not take away the guilt of sin, only repentance could.  But, the blood sacrifice satisfied the wrath of God towards their sin. When the people met God’s condition for favored fellowship the people were at peace with God and continued to be prosperous because God blessed them in every way.  But, when they hid their sin and refused to repent even as they sacrificed animals and brought their offerings before God – they were cursed with guilt, suffering and loss. 

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming  - not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sin. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am  - it is written about me in the scroll – I have come to do your will, O God.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…And after this Priest had offered for all time once sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. The Holy Spirit testifies: ‘This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’ Then he adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.”   (Hebrews 10:1-27)  “Therefore, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” 

Those who are free to draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith are those who are forgiven, favored and in fellowship with God.  They have done the “right thing” of God.  

Over the centuries dictionaries have revealed the theft of true definitions.  I have the old Noah Webster Dictionary (1906 second edition) where a word like “fellowship” is given a fuller understanding of what fellowship truly is.

Fellowship:  Mutual association on equal and friendly terms; communion; companionship; intimate familiarity; friendship; a mutual sharing, as of experience, activity, interest, etc.; a partnership.

Now with this definition before you would you say that you are in fellowship with your Creator, the Lord God of Heaven?   Are you a friend of God?   The simple truth that God brought to Cain (who later killed his brother Able out of envy for having the favor of God) was that if you do what is right by God you will win God’s nearness to you.  You might have His love, but His nearness is something altogether different. His nearness is your only good.  David said,  “Blessed are those You choose and bring near to live in Your courts (presence). We are filled with good things of Your house.”  Psalm 65:4

If you don’t have God’s favored fellowship you know what to do and should do without delay because God’s fury is as righteous as His favor. Do the right thing or be sure the master of sin crouching at your heart’s door will have what rightfully belongs to God and you alone.

Favor and Following

What causes a person to follow Jesus Christ?  It’s one thing to go to church and read the Bible from time to time, but it’s altogether different to walk with Jesus throughout your life. The closer we follow the more we become who we were meant to be, that is, as God created each one of us.  To follow more closely is a progression of faith moves we are responsible for. If we think that the Lord would push us away at the sight of our secret sinfulness that unholy fear does not come from God, but rather it comes from the enemy who will do everything he can to keep us separated from the love of God.  Once God has covered us with His favor (for the sake of His Son's blood shed on the cross) there is absolutely nothing that can separate us from His love.  Not even the sinful thoughts and habits we still need to overcome. So then, what happens that causes a person to follow the Lord even when loss and persecution come because of it?

We could consider many Biblical records of the faithful but I’ve chosen to look at what happened to Peter in Luke 5:4-11 as to what caused him to follow the Lord.  Peter, a fisherman, had been out all night trying to catch fish without any success.  In the morning as he and the others (James and John) were cleaning their nets Jesus called out to Peter to go back out into deep water and cast his net.  Peter did, but with some resistance.  He said, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”   Peter was filled with wonder at what happened by the Lord’s word of instruction.  “They caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.”

Peter, now filled with the wonder of the Lord came and fell at Jesus’ knees saying, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”   Jesus said to him, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”   Word and wonder caused Peter to “leave everything behind and follow the Lord.”   The revelation of God is both word and wonder and one without the other is incomplete for our faith. Unless something wonderful is revealed to us that only the Lord Himself could do we will not follow faithfully. He does this as many times as we have need of Him. You can only go so far in your spiritual growth merely reading and studying the Bible. Serving in the church or community is not your ticket either. The day must come when the favor of God shows up unexpectedly and does something supernaturally just for you.  I will guarantee you that if you have been following any one else or listening to any other voice - you no longer will. 

Now we know from Scripture that Peter, on another occasion,  fearfully denied being a follower of Jesus.  But, when the Lord’s prophecy (word) about his denial took place (wonder), that upon the rooster crowing Peter disowns Jesus three times, Peter was never the same.  Once again the Lord’s word and wonder kept Peter in line – following with favor.

Peter confessed his sinfulness after the Lord met his need with the catch of fish, but Jesus already knew him completely.  All the others were simply astonished by this miracle, but not Peter. He went further with this wondrous revelation of Jesus Christ.  He saw God and his own ungodliness. He wanted to be near the Lord and desperately felt the need to repent, and rightly so. No wonder the Lord prophesied that He would build His church on Peter's spiritual understanding of faith, hope and love. Peter came broken and humbled falling before the Lord without intellectual hesitation or doubt that this Jesus could save him out of a sea of emptiness, mistakes, disappointments, guilt and hopelessness.

Peter knew better than anyone else that following the Lord was not about doing it all right and never failing the Lord.  Peter came to know the favored Holy Spirit just as personally and desperately as he had followed the favored Son of God. Jesus said to his disciples,  “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”   (Luke 11:13) The Holy Spirit equips us with everything we need to faithfully follow and obey the Lord.  

Has the Lord revealed His word and wonder to you?   If so, what have you done with this great revelation?  Have you asked the Father for the favored Holy Spirit?  You need this part of God to follow or you will fall away. The favor of God is something to be desired more than anything else. 

This is the last of the series about the favor of God. To see the previous articles go to "Carol's Archives."  

Favor and Finishing

When is freedom realized in your life? When your first awakening thoughts are prayer and praise to God. When the daily altar precedes your daily activities. When worship fills the heart of your work. When faith overcomes your every fear.  When His will becomes your only weight. Are you free? Freedom is our responsibility to keep. 

Christ sets us free from the guilt and cost of our sinful lifestyles when we repent and turn away from it to the “new” and “abundant” life He offers us. With His body He has saved us from a sinful lifestyle and with His blood we are delivered from the second death, but with His hand He leads us into freedom.  While it is His grace that drew near to us to save and deliver us, we must draw near to Him to work out what we have received in the Holy Spirit.  Do you want to experience salvation and deliverance in every area of your life?  Just how valuable is liberty to you? 

“Blessed is the man (woman and child) who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood (finished) the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”   James 1:12

“… the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearance.” II Timothy 4:6-8

Do you really think that you have gained anything of real value if you are still in bondage to the world, the flesh and the devil?  Faith can die.  The faith you had when you believed that Jesus died for your sins must be kept alive till He comes.  Otherwise, you have believed in vain.  What value is Christ to you if He is not Lion King of your life as well as the Sacrificial Lamb.

Jesus was tempted and tested in all three areas of His earthly life and overcame each trial to prove to us that in Him we can do all things. Jesus is not in the grave having been sacrificed for the sin of the world. He is on His Throne. He sets slave and sinner free from the empty, stinking, lifeless and powerless prisons. Bible knowledge, good works, and growing up in a Christian home are not evidence that you have been set free. You need the “key.” 

“We were baptized into Christ Jesus and we were buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory (Spirit) of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him…Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus…For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace…You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness…When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are NOW ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”  Romans 6:1-22 (in parts)

The Holy Spirit, favor of God, provides us with everything we need to live the liberated life so much that we will have an overflow to others.  We are not set free so we can live for ourselves. This is not what freedom is.  We are required to finish what was started in us. There has been given us a new reason for living that we are to share with the world.

“Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant…”  II Corinthians 3:4-6

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.”  II Corinthians 5:10-11

“Now brethren, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, IF you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believe in vain..”  

I Corinthians 15:1-2

If the Lord God favors you He will lead and empower you to finish so that you will receive the reward of your faith, hope and love.  It is out of my own personal observance that He cares more about this than we do. Somewhere along the way of our salvation we lose the “key” that keeps us where we need to be in order to finish what has been given us to do – in Christ.  I speak from personal experience of having been left out in the cold and then shown the “key” again.

When you finish with His favor you will see the hoped for, longed for, worked for, and what you sacrificed and suffered for – beautiful face of Jesus.  I’ve heard Christians say that they have seen His face, but have they really – fully?  Even the disciples of Christ, when He literally walked with them and even when He reappeared to them after His death on the cross, didn’t recognize Him.  They knew His voice.  It was His words that awakened their souls again – to keep going and finish what He had started in them.

There are steps of faith that we must take to receive the greatest reward of our faith – till we are literally face to face with our blessed Lord and Savior.  He will reward those who earnestly seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)  Paul wrote: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”  (I Corinthians 13:12) 

Jesus prayed for us before He went to the cross. “I have given them the glory (the favored Holy Spirit of grace and gifts) that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 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.  Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory (His Kingdom of the crowned and rewarded saints of glory), the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” John 17:22-24

Do you want to see Him and His glory?   Then finish what He started in you.  Stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.  See to it that you finish the work you have received from the Lord so that your faithful eagerness in doing it can be matched by the rewarded completion of it. 

“But we have this treasure (Holy Spirit – the favor of God) in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us….We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body….Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporal, but what is unseen is eternal.”  I Corinthians 4:7-18 ( in part )

Favor and Freedom - Part 1

When does a follower experience freedom?   When the follower becomes a friend to Jesus Christ. Do friends walk in single file or side by side?  And, friends don't fear each other, they favor one another.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”   Galatians 5:1   "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in h eart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  Matthew 11:29-30

“Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord has promised on oath to your forefathers." Deuteronomy 8:1

“Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, walking in His ways and revering Him with praise for what He has done for you and for all He’s given you, otherwise, when you are satisfied and settled in, when you have increased and expanded – your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of slavery and led you through the desert.".  Deuteronomy 8: 6, 11, 14, 15

“If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.  Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.”  Deuteronomy 8:19-20

God puts a lot of responsibility on us for preserving our own freedom after He has so graciously granted it to us through the suffering of His Son Christ Jesus.  Holy fear keeps us obedient to this fair warning in Deuteronomy.  But, unholy fear will destroy the kind of character and life that freedom affords through faith in God. There is no favor for the fearful!  There is no freedom for the forgetful!

Where does slavery come from?  The common answer would be:  It comes from the wickedness of the more powerful.  WRONG!  It comes from your rejection of God and His rules for freedom.  If you have been born – God is your Father.  With God as your Father you have His favor (love).  But, freedom is your responsibility with the help of the Holy Spirit once the Son has set you free by His work of redemption on the cross.  You better get started now because this is part of what the faithful freedom fighters will be doing during the thousand-year reign of King Jesus on the earth. Freedom is the decree and delight of God upon people, so much so that He has become all this:

Originator of worship

Respecter of innocence

Redeemer of souls

Instiller of passion

Remover of guilt

Perfector of faith

Deliverer of death

Regarder of children

Extender of authority

Inventor of dreams

Fulfiller of purpose

Sustainer of hope

Investor of peace

Giver of wealth

Provider of strength

Restorer of joy

Helper of believers

Repairer of integrity

Invader of captivity

Teacher of wisdom

Silencer of liars

Trainer of warriors

Motivator of leaders

Retainer of evil

Opener of doors

Rewarder of obedience

Awarder of honor

Employer of kingdoms

Anointer of kings

Punisher of wickedness

There are certain fears that keep us in captivity: the fear of rivals and rulers, reports and rebukes, responsibility and recognition, ruin and rejection, robbers and raiders, repentance and reckoning. Any one of these will not allow you to be completely set free and if you aren’t completely set free – you’re not free.  Freedom is not being free in some areas and still enslaved in another.  God is good and God is great. You are born of God - for greatness and goodness sake. 

“I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them.”   Psalm 119:44-47

“The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.”  James 1:25

Favor and Freedom – Part 2

Awe….the thousand year reign of the great King of kings upon our earth!  The bloody battle of Armageddon begins His earthly reign when Jesus Christ and His army (the saints of glory) destroy the ungodly kings and their ungodly followers so that the pure life of God will literally fill the earth.  But it's what comes after that I dream about. I try to imagine when those representing our great Lord and King bring the nations of the earth to worship the Holy One of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - who has remained the same from generation to generation. 

Mankind has been so long under the rule of God’s number one enemy and master of our fears and pride that man doesn’t have the smallest clue of what true FREEDOM feels like, acts like and looks like.  There was never anyone more free than the first couple, Adam and Eve that God formed and favored. They knew what freedom feels like, acts like and looks like.  But, it didn’t take them long to misuse their free will and turn away from the hand that formed and favored them. With their free will they invited God’s curses to the earth and into their lives. The earth no longer thrived with perfection. They foolishly gave Satan, their rule and dominion over all the earth.  

But then Jesus,

“…at just the right time when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us… Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man (Adam), and death through sin, in this way death came to all men…For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, over flow to the many!…How much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.”  Romans 5 (parts)

By the way Jesus lived His life on the earth we are shown how we are to live as the children of God. I want to thank Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Jude and Peter for humbling themselves and allowing the Holy Spirit to pen the New Testament through them.  By their obedience we have the exact records and knowledge of the Lord’s earthly life. We have the testimonies of those who lived with the Lord and of those who lived by faith in Jesus Christ long after He ascended into heaven.

In Jesus Christ mankind saw reverence due God the Father, and they saw the release of God’s favor upon the true worshipers of God, and the return of earthly dominion to its rightful owners through the indwelling Holy Spirit.  In Christ, and because of His blessed Holy Spirit, we receive back our true identity.  But why don't the children of the living God live this way?

“Dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, ‘In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.  Now, to HIM who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen!  Jude17-25  

Are you living the abundant life of God's favor that Jesus provides through His sacrifice on the cross of Calvary for your sins and His filling you with His Holy Spirit?  Do you hunger for His written words?  Do you study with conviction the testimonies and teachings of those who literally saw Jesus and lived with Jesus and were sent by Jesus into the world with His Good News? Do you thirst for His way of life?  "It is for freedom that Christ has set you free!" 

Are you?

Favor and Freedom – Part 3

“If you let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery, Christ will be of no value to you at all.”  Galatians 5:2   In the case of these born again gentiles, Paul was referring to the Jewish covenant law of circumcision because these grafted in gentiles were being instructed to become circumcised even though they were not Jews.  But, Jesus was the fulfillment of the old covenant laws so that now… “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”  Galatians 5:6b

Is Christ of any value to you?  I thought about this question and realized that for Christ to be of value to me in my earthly life I need to see where I am still bound and enslaved. While it is true that when I die I will be with the Lord, it is just as true that Jesus wants me to live the rest of my days on earth in “freedom.”  If I am still trying to please man and if I am still trying to gain the world (the things of it and their recognition) then I am not free to live the life that God rewards. Being free is being able to say “no” to all ungodliness and “yes” to Him – the only true and living God. I need the Spirit of Christ to help me with this. The Holy Spirit is the One who does God’s good will on the earth through God’s children called by His Name, the Name of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the helpmate of Jesus Christ. In the Holy Spirit we are able to experience the freedom that Jesus Christ displayed when He lived on the earth.  Just like Jesus, the Holy Spirit does only what the Father wants done. The Holy Spirit speaks only what the Father wants said.

“When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The One who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”  John 8:28-29

“The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”  John 14:26

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:31

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (See Galatians 5:19-24 for a list of the acts of the sinful nature and the fruits of the Holy Spirit.)  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”   Galatians 5:16-26

Here are 3 questions where by the answers will reveal whether or not you have taken hold of the freedom that comes by the faithfulness:

1. At the first of your day from whom do you receive approval and instruction? Does it come from your husband/wife, children, friends, boss, yourself even, or does it come from being with Him in His Word and in prayer? 
2. Who do you cry out to in the time of need or temptation?  If it’s God, do you wait on Him and then look for His generous way of meeting your need or His victorious way of escaping that temptation?
3. Do you work to have extra to share with those in need or do you work to have more thing in this world or an earthly security and fame here?

God wants His children to be HIS pillars in their society so that people will know that He is the Lord and HE IS GOOD. He has called us into His light and not that we should live for ourselves, but that we should let Him use us to set other people free - to God.  Our bondages to men and demons, greed and addictions, pride and fear, and yes, even our religions, keep us from an intimate relationship with our God where He is committed to free us from everything that hinders our true identity as children of God. Worship the Lord in this beauty of holiness. Chris is your freedom and your very great Reward.

The world would define freedom as free to do what you want, why you want, when you want, and with whom you want, or, being rich and famous.  But true freedom is only found in a relationship with Jesus Christ and a Spirit filled life.  Slaves and captives are divested of all freedom and personal rights; owned by and wholly subject to the will of another as by capture, purchase, or birth.  They own nothing and carry the heavy loads of others.  A slave or captive is also one who has lost the power of resistance, or one who surrenders to any power whatsoever; such as a slave to passion, lust, ambition, religion, etc.

Freed men and women free other men and women. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”  Galatians 6:9-10

Freedom in Christ, and for all, is to be our highest profession (work) of faith and should stay at the top of our list of what needs to be done across the seas, as well as at home. It is God’s will that all His children live in holy freedom, that is to say, not using our freedom for wickedness, but rather for godliness. Right now we see the control of wickedness all around the world, but the day is soon here when it will be on earth – as it is in Heaven.

Freedom in Christ has an eternal payoff if we will stay His course as we “await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope.” (Galatians 5:5)  Freedom that increases wickedness instead of decreasing it has no good payoff.  All it has in the end is eternal damnation and agonizing regret.

In these, the very last of the last days Jesus described, the Holy Spirit’s deliverance and healing ministries are on the rise. Churches are filled with born again people who have never been set free from the flesh, the world and the devil.  Imagine that!  Imagine what would happen if the whole Church of Jesus Christ was free and filled to overflowing with His Holy Spirit.  Wow!

New kinds of (non-traditional)ministries are on the mount in greater numbers than any generation has ever seen. These “new” ministries are so unheard of that even (legalistic) Christians have and are coming against them.  But, nothing or no one can control God’s Spirit from completing what our Father God has planned.  God will not even let religion control the work of His Spirit. Within your (traditional) church, there is the church that is described in Revelation 3:11-13 and chapters 19-22; the true church of Jesus Christ – His beautiful Bride who truly longs for His appearing and in whom the Father finds no unfaithfulness and fault.  It is our responsibility, that after receiving the free gift of eternal life through the death of Jesus Christ, that we also live to the resurrected life of Jesus Christ through His Spirit until we are literally united to Him.  For me to live is Christ, that is, to live as Christ showed us, but to die is gain.  What gain is that?  To be with the Lord forever in our new glorified bodies and with God lifting His Genesis 3 curses.  OH GLORY DAY!      

Bondage is an accepted way of thinking and living all over the world, and sadly with Christians who continue to live with unnecessary bondages when they have the power to be released by their authority in the Name of Jesus Christ.  So what are you waiting for? 

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 

I Corinthians 3:17

Jesus has given every follower of His the power and authority to go in His Name healing and preaching that His Kingdom is near and at hand. When God touches you in any way and for any reason, His glorious kingdom has come to you. (Luke 11:20) 

“You were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”  Galatians 5:13   So, how are you using your freedom to do the will of God?  “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”  Matthew 9:37 

This article is the last of my articles on the favor of God. You can find the other five: The Fruit of Favor and Forgiveness, Favor and Fellowship, Favor and Finishing, Favor and Following, Favor and Freedom in "Archives/Carol’s archives." I needed more time on this one as I was still making it part of my life.

I can’t help believing that God highly favors those saints who pray and fast with the right purpose. Fasting has never been my strong suit, but recently the Lord has impressed the need to start fasting one day a week for my husband, children, and grandchildren. As we are to be preparing ourselves for the Lord’s return God has made it clear to me that not all professing Christians are prepared to meet the Lord in the air.

So I started. I started fasting four weeks ago and I found out that before I can fast for others I need to fast for myself. I have a weakness to certain foods. This "thing" has been alive for as long as I have been alive. In fact, it was passed on to me by my mother whose mother passed it on to her. I have been struggling with getting through the day without eating. So today, instead of fasting and praying for my family I am fasting and praying for myself that I be set free from this "thing" in hope that my fleshly cravings won’t win out to shame me.  

This morning the Lord gave me an object lesson on this to help me along. I dropped my fan and one of the five blades broke off. I thought it might still serve its purpose, but it didn’t. When I turned it on it bounced all over the floor, back and forth it went because it was out of balance. The thought came to me (from the Spirit) that this is how your life will be unless you gain control of all five areas of your life. So, what are those five areas of my life? Family, friends, femininity, fun, and food. If I’m going to do the will of God I will need to put these favored things in their proper place or I can not expect the favor of God to fill my life. Now, God's favor and God's love are not the same. His love is unconditional, but His favor is conditional.

God's - is the only voice I want to have dictate how I live out each day for the rest of my  life.  

Jesus said to His disciples: " ‘I have food to eat that you know nothing about.’ Then his disciples said to each other, ‘Could someone have brought him food?’ ‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.’ " John 4:32-35

I’m amazed at how many believers don’t know what their work in Christ is and are awkwardly hanging around the few who do when they could be doing that  which God has favorable designed that only they should do.  It reminds me of the parable Jesus spoke:

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' " Matthew 20:1-8

Why and how does prayer with fasting work? One without the other has some benefit, but the two together for the right purpose - works the wonders of God! It is the Spirit of God who will give you the purpose of fasting with prayer. Not all prayer needs fasting with it and Jesus pointed out to the disciples that there are times when they will need to fast.

"After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?'  He replied, 'This kind can come out only by prayer.' "  Mark 9:28-29

In Matthew 4:1-11 we get a good understanding of the need we have to be led by the Spirit into the desert for times of fasting with prayer. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by Satan in three areas; food, fame, and faith in God’s written word. But, with each temptation our precious Jesus quoted Scripture and so the devil had to move on.

"Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.’ " The angels gave Jesus what He needed to restore His health and refresh His body. God will do the same for us because His angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation. (Hebrew 1:14)

In Deuteronomy 8:3 Moses teaches the children of God about hungering for God and the life He has to give. "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." They never hungered in Egypt and so they complained when they felt hunger pains. When my hunger pains come I know God is holding me to my commitment of fasting and praying so that my yes and no, my word can be good at all times. But, all to often I start to scheme up all kinds of reasons for falling back on my commitment instead of keeping the faith that taking more of Him means less of me, and less of me is good. So very very good!

When we work and care more about what goes in our mouths than what comes out of our mouths to God and on behalf of others in prayer we are just as guilty as the Israelites were in the desert. In their slavery the Hebrew children had enough to eat so they could keep up with the work of building up Pharoah’s kingdom. Now in the desert they were without the foods they had grown accustomed to. The Spirit of God led them into the desert and put them through times of fasting (going without their favorite things) so they would come to depend on God alone and enabled to build up His kingdom.  

Have you ever come to the place in your spiritual life where you sensed you needed to add a show of determination to your prayers? It is the Holy Spirit who is leading you for a very good purpose. God tests us to see what we are willing to give up for our prayer to be answered. If we have become one with Christ then we must also be willing to forsake the things of this world and the desires of our flesh as Jesus did. Standing in the gap for others is a serious matter. First, we need to train ourselves to be able to go without a meal or two, or for a day or two, and to be able to set our favorite things aside for a time if we want to show God that we are desperate for Him to reveal, release and restore. Praying for yourself is one thing, but when you have been given a godly burden for someone in prayer sometimes it will require something more from you, as it did Jesus.

Queen Esther was given a burden for her people, the Jews, and she not only fasted herself, but called on all the Jews to fast with her both for her physical life and for the lives of her people.(Esther 4:15-16) Haman was conspiring to deceive the king in having the Jews killed. The story ends with Haman hung in his own gallows, the enemy falling into his own trap, and the king giving the Jews their right to assemble and worship their God, and to defend themselves and their possessions anytime they were threatened. Esther’s fasting with prayer along with her people did more than save lives.

"For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them." Esther 8:16-17

King Jehoshaphat fasted and prayed in 2 Chronicles 20:2-23 because a vast army was coming against God's people. He proclaimed a fast for all Judah. Then the Spirit of God came upon one man, Jahaziel, to speak this word to them: ‘Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's...You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you...Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged...the LORD will be with you."  All those invading Judah were defeated.

In Daniel chapter 9 Daniel turns to the Lord God on behalf of Israel with confession, fasting, and humble pleading for the Lord’s favor to return to His people. They had refused the message of God’s prophets when He sent them to warn them of where their rebellion would lead them. God’s sanctuary had become a desolate place because God’s Spirit was not dwelling with them anymore. How many Christian homes has God said this about? How many churches? Did God hear Daniel’s prayer? Listen to this:

"While I was still in prayer Gabriel (the angel) came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, ‘Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.’ " (9:20-23) Does God honor the man or woman who gets desperate with Him? I think so. When we sacrifice something it proves a true kinship to the Kingdom of God. It reveals true love.

Fasting means that you are temporarily giving up some thing you need in order to gain some thing better. Some might say this is not right and that it is bribing God. Based on the true definition of a bribe I would think not.

Bribe: a scrap of bread; a price, gift, reward, or favor bestowed or promised to induce one to commit a wrong or illegal act, to do something against his wishes.

Fasting in prayer deepens our relationship with Christ. When Christ prayed He didn’t pray the wishy washy doubtful prayers most believers pray today, or the it’s all about me prayers. He kept to the will of the Father for us. When we temporarily lay aside some thing we depend on for our livelihood or for our enjoyment we show God that we mean business with our prayer. Jesus meant business. (I wrote about this prayer of His in my last article. See Archives/Carol’s for the article called "Availing Prayer Of Jesus.") Jesus momentarily laid aside all His favorite things in heaven and came down to suffer our punishment for sin on the cross where He sacrificed Himself for a three day period. Then, He went back home to enjoy all His favorite things in heaven with a greater joy of those who were following after Him. Jesus taught us the benefits of fasting in prayer. He physically proved that we can overcome the pull of the world, the cravings of the flesh and the devil’s every temptation against our life in Christ Jesus.

Why do so many believers in Jesus Christ live powerless? There comes the day when you can no longer depend on yourself, your husband, your wife, your family, your church, or your government. You need God and God alone to come through in this particular thing. It is my belief that this is when fasting with prayer is more than necessary.

"Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders." Deuteronomy 10:20-21

The Judgment of God!

Jesus said that those who have turned to Him and repented of their sins and chosen to walk in His path of love, light and liberty will rise at the judgment and stand up to condemn those who refused His offer of the life that is truly life.  (Luke 11:28-32)

“Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it.”  (verse 28)

“Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assemble of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”  Psalm 1:5-6

“Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. A time is coming and has now come when the death will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.  And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.”  John 5:22-32

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.”  II Corinthians 5:10-11

“However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?… So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do so.”  I Peter 4:16-19

Those who are in Christ Jesus are brought under God’s daily judgment by way of the Holy Spirit implanted in us when we came to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are commanded to judge ourselves so that we do not come into the same judgment of the wicked.  The righteous will be judged in the presence of Jesus Christ for only one thing, and that is, what we did with the free gift He gave us.  We will be judged for our motives; did we keep our passion burning for Him, and if not, we will have to give an account for our idleness.  We have been given the responsibility to remain in Him so that He will remain in us – doing the perfect and acceptable will of the Father.  And, why is this so very important for the Christian?

“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?”  I Corinthians 6:2

“The Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of their enemies. Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. Unlike their fathers, they quickly turned from the way in which their fathers had walked, the way of obedience to the Lord’s commands. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judged lived; for the Lord had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.  Therefore, the Lord was very angry and said, ‘Because this nation has violated the covenant that I laid down for their forefathers and has not listened to me, I will no longer drive out before them any of their enemies.  I will use the wicked to test my people and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their forefathers did.’ “

Judges 2:16-23

How does God raise up judges today?  And, what are they to judge?  Paul taught us that Christians are not to judge those outside the church (the unbeliever) but rather win them by relating with them where they are in life. But, those God has given the responsibility as “watchmen and women” are to judge those inside the body of Christ so that the body of Christ (united believers) can be presented to Christ as the spotless blameless Bride He has been longing to be united with.  

The wise, in Christ, are to judge disputes between believers.  They are to judge wicked behavior and even expel the stubborn unrepentant believer and not even associate with him until he submits to the Spirit of God and confesses his fault and making restitution.   Sadly, not too many churches follow these godly guidelines and no wonder there is so much sin and sickness in the churches today.

Judges and prophets today are still shunned and sent away, even killed, but God never stops raising up judges in every generation to shed light in the darkness, warn them of the wrath to come, and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.  They still face persecution from their own and still get pushed out and silenced just like the “sent ones” of old.  Those who come in the name of the Lord, representing His thoughts and ways, are not favored in most American churches. But Jesus has told us that when we are rejected and persecuted we are to walk away and kick the dust off our shoes and go somewhere else with the Lord’s message of righteousness and victory in Jesus.  

The world wants a “feel good” religion to unite to.  Most church-goers aren’t desiring holiness. They may want to be delivered from their financial debt, lack of prosperity, destructive addictions and grievous relationships but they are not willing to go the victorious way in which Jesus showed us.  Jesus said that men love darkness rather than light.  If we walk in the light, as He is in the light we will be rescued from the dominion of darkness.  So, while you still have opportunity, come into the light of Christ and fellowship with Him in truth and worship Him in the spirit of holiness.  Unite yourself to His Holy Spirit of grace, gifts, wisdom and revelation. 

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, the Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar, and his word has no place in our lives.” I John 1:5-10

Now judgment begins with me first – inwardly – because I have the residing in me the Spirit of conviction and holiness.  If I judge my own motives regarding what I say and do, then I will not come under the judgment of the ungodly.  The fact that I do this, that is - judge myself, reveals that the Holy Spirit resides in me and that Christ’s kingdom was planted within me when I believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  If the kingdom of God does not live within my heart – I will not rise to live within the Kingdom that is to come down to earth from heaven like the pure bride beautifully dressed and prepared - for her Husband. And, Jesus Christ is the Bride’s Groom. Together they are the “New Jerusalem” that Revelation chapters 19, 21 and 22 talk about.

The Apostle John was shone many things by the Spirit of God about the future and one was this:  “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”  Revelation 20:4-6

Those believers who teach and preach are judged more strictly because God protects His Word and His workman.  We are to study the Word of God with the Holy Spirit as our personal mentor and guide learning to walk like Jesus walked.  If we follow Him, the Lord will anoint us for ministry, that is, He will call us into our purpose for Him.  No other work (ministry, career, agenda) that you do will win the reward that He has set aside for you.  He cares more about YOUR REWARD than you do. Did you know that?  Did you know that God doesn't give a hoot about what you do - except that it's HIS perfect and acceptable will for your life?  You were created with a purpose in life.  Satan will do all he can to help you miss that mark, and he is able to even work through employers, peers, family, and even church leaders.

In Matthew 2:11 John the Baptist stated that Jesus would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  The Holy Spirit baptism is for you now.  That day of “fire” is coming, and it’s sooner than you think.  My most desperate prayer is that I would not pass through this fire of testing to come through without anything lasting, "fire-proof."  I pray that the smell of smoke will not be evident, but rather the fragrance of how I desired more than anything to live for Christ.  I pray that it won’t be by the seat of my pants that I escape the flames of the eternal hell. 

I desire more than anything to receive all that the Father says belongs to those who have followed His Son faithfully to the end, the Father's true sons and daughters.  My goal is to be with the Lord forever because I have loved Him in word and deed, and not refused His Spirit in any area of my life for repentance and victory.  I don’t want to miss the glorious future that awaits the faithful over-comers of Jesus Christ – who overcame the world, the flesh, and the devil by their faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ.

Who is the King of Glory?  Jesus Christ!  He is the King of Glory! 

What can I give Jesus on His birthday?

As I sat one morning considering what Jesus would like for His birthday I thought it wise to ask Him.  Isn’t that what we do with each other? 

While it is necessary to give Jesus our hearts first before we bring Him anything else our giving must continue on or the perfect gift we first gave Him will depreciate in value and He will see it as a gift that costs us very little if anything at all.  Now, how many times have you given a gift that you bought after it had been marked down, maybe even a couple times, so that it cost you hardly anything?  (Ouch.)  The receiver of that gift didn’t know how much it cost you (unless they return it), but let us consider Jesus who is all-knowing, all-seeing, and all God.  When we bring Him something He knows exactly how much it cost, where we found it, and why we are giving it to Him.  So, the gift I give to Him needs to be something out of my purest joy and that actually cost me so that it shows to Him that He is still my first love of whom I want to bless more than anyone else for all He’s done for me.  And, not only for all He’s done for me but also for those I have prayed for and seen Him bless just because I asked Him.  I can never out-give Him, but the gifts I bring to Him better be of value and that cost only me, that is to say, they didn’t cost someone else anything.   

So with this in mind I consider a gift to bring to the One who owns everything, and who is Ruler over a great and vast kingdom of holy thankful hearts, and has all the power to do what is impossible for anyone else to do.  What can I bring to such a One as this?   

So I asked my Lord and He said,   “You can bring me another soul in which to save.”

What is the cost of bringing Him someone who is, and will forever be, lost without Him? This morning in the Word I believe His Spirit had me look at a passage to help me understand how important it is to bring my King worthy gifts, and not just at Christmas time, but all the time.  In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus is teaching about the love of God in action, as rightly seen in those who are called by His Name. There was a rich man who lived in luxury, had everything he needed and more. At his gate was found a beggar man hungry and suffering intensely. They both died.  The rich man went into torment (agony in fire) and the beggar man went to Abraham’s side to be comforted.  I assume that the rich man did nothing for the beggar man who laid at his gate because of where they both ended up.  So what does this have to do with a Christmas gift for Jesus?  

Dare I ask the One who will answer me truthfully? So I did, and He did - just like I thought:

“Carol, this world still has some hold on you. Keep My love first in your life. Always consider MY KINGDOM that I planted within you and extend it to others that it might increase and expand with the children of God in all beauty and glory. In so doing, I will add more to your life so you can keep sharing My love and kingdom with others.“

Holy Spirit, lead me to the perfect gift. Who but You, blessed Spirit of Christ, knows the kind of gifts that are worthy of our great God and King?  And, let me not be so distracted by the lesser thoughts and gifts of this Christmas time so that I miss Your awesome revelation in answer to my prayerful request. I want to bring Jesus something that He wants more than anything else this Christmas, and even all throughout the new year.

Amen.

The Father’s Full House

There are three powerful forces that never let up and if not daily conquered can stop us from receiving the best life there is, both now and forever.  This life is in the Son of God and in Him only.  Jesus Christ is the eternal one who was sent to bring the lost home to the Father.

Jesus taught the disciples to pray and one part of that prayer was,    “….And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13)  

If we continually give in to these three temptations; the flesh, world, and devil, we shall also continually miss the grace to conquer all three enemies and foolishly think we are on our way Home. These three forces have their only power in us giving in to temptation.  And, we can forfeit the delivering grace that could be ours if first of all we do not alert ourselves to the fact that we have these enemies.  To follow Jesus to the Father's Home, our true home, means there will be a battle to fight all the way.  You will not be seated in the heavenlies with Christ Jesus through ways and philosophies of your own.  Beware of false teachers and their doctrines.  Test your faith and doctrine to the Word of God calling on the Holy Spirit who guides you in to all truth and wisdom from God.    

In the Lord’s parables of the “lost sheep, coin, and son”  (Luke 15) we learn that those who belong to God can become lost to Him.  Although we may know the Good Shepherd, and even our purpose, and even the way back to the Father’s good grace and favor, we can still be lost to the Father.  If we do not live before Him day and night for His kingdom - we are lost to Him. It's not enough to have all knowledge. We must have active faith, compelled by love for Him, as we do the work inspired by our sure hope that He is coming again.

The Father keeps His full attention on His kingdom and those within, not those outside living a wild and wasteful life in opposition to a holy acceptable life.  The “lost” are lost because they have walked away from fellowship, purpose and favor with the Father. The “lost” are lost because they started giving in to temptation and left their places for others to fill.  They are either drawn away to be pastured (fed and cared for) by false shepherds, or have been enticed by the world and then have embraced it altogether, or they are not willing to give up the effects of sin.  If we repent and call on the name of Jesus He will send His Word and His Spirit to loose these strongholds and help us regain our future with the Father and Son. God is a forgiving God.  His mercy is new every morning. The Spirit of grace and wisdom helps us return to our high place - the place where we first entered into covenant with God through the blood of His Son - Jesus Christ.    

Jesus taught in another parable about the Master’s “great banquet” that He has planned for those who desire His Kingdom more than any thing or any one else and that no one should miss. (Luke 14:16-18) Every human being has had this invitation but not very many have understood its true meaning and only because they have not taken any time to consider the unconditional love behind it and the value it would have to them – eternally.  They refuse to listen to God’s servants – His messengers, and when they feel conviction in their heart because of God's word to them they ignore it or cast conviction to God's messenger instead. 

When the testing of faith comes, and it must come in order to be proved genuine, most new believers fall away because they have not rooted themselves in the power and wisdom of Jesus Christ - who is the Holy Spirit. They do not want to join Christ in His sufferings to gain His friendship since that would mean giving up friendship with the world.  Therefore, they have no share in His kingdom. As soon as commitment or sacrifice is required of our faith, hope and love - do not give up Christ, rather, give up whatever it takes to stay anchored to Rock of your salvation.  If you give up Jesus you sacrifice the Lord all over again, if it could be done. The “great banquet” is only for those who leave everything and anyone behind to come. 

“A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses.”

Those who were the first to be invited all made excuses and so others were invited to come and partake of the Master’s great banquet.  Jesus revealed three common excuses:

1. Field

    2.   Fortune

    3.   Family

One had bought a field and wanted to go see it instead of coming to the banquet. Would it not still be there after the banquet?  The second had just bought five yoke of oxen and was on his way to try them out. Would he still not own them after the banquet?  The third man had just gotten married and could not break away to come. Would his wife still be his wife after the banquet? (Luke14:18-20) Do you think these three individuals would’ve come no matter what had they known what was really being offered here?  What might they have received all the more for dropping everything to come?  Today is not any different than the day Jesus was in when He spoke of the temptations that are common to man.  

Why would anyone have such an excuse not to come to the banquet of the Great God who sits enthroned in Heaven?  He is the giver of all good gifts. He owns and sustains everything. No one is as beautiful and satisfying as He is. What can you expect if you choose to decline the invitation?   

Jesus was clear in warning what would happen should we refuse the invitation by the glorious grace of God.  Now the Jewish leaders were the first to be invited but they refused to come to Jesus for salvation, or anything because of their pride. Other Jews refused Jesus because they feared rejection from Him, and with others it was worldliness that kept them away.  Therefore, Jesus says that the first will be last and the last will be first.  When Jesus started His ministry He first had to preach to the Jews and warn them of what would happen in rejecting Him as their Savior.  But, they refused Him anyway and so Jesus and His faithful twelve headed out into the streets with the invitation of so great a salvation - to the gentiles, that they might be included in the heavenly gift.

“Go out to the roads and country and make them come in so that my house may be full. I tell you, not one of those men (the first) who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.”  Luke 14:23-24

Not one of these first to be invited respectfully came to give thanks to God for all the earthly blessings they were enjoying.  None were willing to lay aside God’s earthly blessings to come worship Him and give Him thanks for their future inheritance with Jesus Christ.  We are not to repeat Israel’s folly. For the temptations that befall us are common to all in any generation. 

God's sent ones are calling out still,  “Come, for everything is now ready.” 

What will you gain in the end if you lose your soul's reward for faithfulness?  How will the  temporal things that have no eternal life in them bring you the joy of heaven?  Can that person you are bound to raise you up on that great day? 

This world, as we know it, will not remain the same, and the end of all things (as we have been accustomed to) is upon us.  There’s a new world coming.  This great King is bringing His Kingdom that will never end but only increase and expand throughout the heavens for all of eternity.  For, as it is in heaven it shall soon be on this earth because the earth is His and everything in it.

So why has He waited so long in bringing this to a Head?  There's a number for r.s.v.p.'ers  and it's known only to the Father by which the door will be finally shut.  The r.s.v.p.'ers are those who know His voice, and they know their purpose in Him, and even though stumbling they have kept close to the Lord Jesus Christ.  You can’t live for this world, and expect another.  You can’t sit at the table of idols and expect to sit at the Master’s table. You can’t feast on the things of this world and expect to enjoy the Father's great feast. 

“Oh come all ye faithful, come in exaltation. Come all ye citizens of heaven above!  Come and behold Him, born the king of angels. Oh come let us adore Him. Oh Come Let Us Adore Him! OH COME LET US ADORE HIM – CHRIST… THE LORD!”

There is no other invitation to wait for. There is no other King to behold.  There is no other time than now.      In the beginning God said: “My Spirit will not contend with man forever….” (Genesis 6:2-3)  You can think that things will go on the way they always have, but the truth of the message is:  “Come, now everything is ready.”  This is the time to respond and leave anything or anyone behind to do so. If they won’t come with you, then you must leave them behind and go on with the Master. You must turn away from the hold things have on you and get properly dressed for the greatest event of all time. 

Jesus Christ is coming sooner than you think.  Times and dates belong to the Father who has set the day and time of this great banquet of His. ( I wonder if this banquet is something like our "groom's dinner" the night before the wedding day. I wonder.)  He has also set the wedding day when His Son puts on His wedding clothes to be joined to His Bride, and He has set another day when His Son mounts His horse and rides into battle with His holy army because the Father has also appointed a day when the Son majestically robes Himself to reign on earth a thousand years from His Holy Hill, “New Jerusalem.”  

Are you ready? The wedding is about to begin!

Luke 11:52

“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”  

The Spirit of Christ is exposing this again today where churches are set up and controlled by a certain system that looks and sounds and feels godly, but is without the authority and power of the Holy Spirit.  They preach the Word but the Word has little effect in the lives of the people. They pray, but their prayers avail to little.  What is the problem?

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not chose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”  John 15:15-16

Jesus rebuked the religious teachers of His day for having the key to knowledge but not using it themselves, and then going as far as to hide it from those who were entering.  The Jerusalem temple was built by God's instruction to Moses so that the Lord God could have a dwelling place on earth with the children of Israel. The temple was to be pure and spotless, but over  time the priests and teachers had allowed their hearts to become corrupt and the law of Moses to be compromised and perverted in their lives. The temple, which God calls His house of prayer, was unclean because the leaders of Israel were not humble and obedient to every word that came from the mouth of God. They did not prayerfully intercede on behalf of the people who entered every day. They did not call on God for anything. They took what belonged to God instead of serving Him day and night with clean hearts and hands.

This “key” that unlocks the mysteries and secrets concerning prophecies about Messiah coming as Savior and then King was purposely lost because the leaders did not want to give up their rule over the people and their comfortable and prideful lives. The leaders of Israel in Jesus' day showed little to no - mercy.  But, the day is coming, and it is sooner than we think, when the love, truth, wisdom, mercy, grace, justice, and righteousness of our God will once again flow out from the presence of a godly king who will sit enthroned on his holy hill. And, all the nations will come to worship Him - this King of Glory.    

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  I Peter 2:9-10

These religious leaders of Jesus’ day were to be a "royal" priesthood, a people belonging to God declaring His praises and leading others into His wonderful light.  But, they weren’t. 

Their offerings make God sick. It’s no wonder why Jesus said the things He said to the religious leaders in God’s house of prayer.

If you remember when Jesus was teaching about the “lamp of the body?”  He said, “See to it that the light with in you is not darkness.” (Luke 11:35)  He said, “Keep yourselves inwardly clean while pouring out the justice and love of God. You experts in the law load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.”  They didn't lift their hands in prayer either. These arrogant experts in the law said to Jesus, “You insult us also when you say such things!”  Did Jesus offend religious leaders?  Has He also sent His Spirit to the churches today to do likewise?  If so, why?

It’s not wise to offer God something sickly and with unclean heart and hands. It’s not wise to take from God’s people what belongs to God.  It’s not wise to resist the prophets who are sent to deliver trustworthy words to churches led by men instead of by the Spirit of God. It's not wise to insult the Spirit of the revelation and grace of God.

These temple priests and teachers of the law were not wise; they were wicked. They were corrupt just as their fathers were. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:21-22)

The blood for the atoning of sins was contaminated by the corruption in God's temple. No wonder God sent the blood of Jesus to His temple. His body was without blemish and His blood pure. 

Later on Luke records the words of Jesus when He was looking at Jerusalem.  The Scriptures tell us that Jesus “wept over it.”  (Luke 19:41)  Then He said: “If only, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.” I wonder if the “it” was the “key” Jesus refers to?  He goes on to say that “because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you …” that God would not let them have any peace and protection from their enemies. God would allow their enemies to capture them, enslave them, and destroy all godliness within their highly structured walls.

Only the love of the Father could have sent His Son to preach the unheard of truth after they killed all the other prophets He had sent them. God came to them one more time in sending Jesus to prophesy, warn, intercede in prayer, and then shed His own pure blood for the forgiveness of sin. God coming in flesh and blood was their last chance to repent and begin living according to His standard. 

Too many churches today are filled with the sickly, the slaves and the sinister.  To God be the glory for why His blood is beginning to flow in some churches. They have found the key to the door of an unused room, pushed it open and found favor in the King’s presence.  Here is where we are heard, satisfied, honored, and given the freedom to discover how truly great and beautiful He is.    

The law of Moses, which the Pharisees taught without fully practicing themselves, was never to be an end in itself, neither was the law given to save and deliver them from sin and from sin’s penalty of everlasting death. The only thing the law of God does is show us His standard and our guilt in breaking one of His laws. When Jesus came He revealed the love and wisdom behind the law of God so that the law would no longer be about rules and regulations for worship, but rather about a love relationship with God through His Son so that love would be the reason for living up to the standard of God. As it was, the law was taught by the religious leaders without love.  They were guilty of breaking the greater law; the law Jesus presented to the teachers of the law. "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these."   (Mark 12:29-31)  The key to worship, the quality God requires, had come. HE was here, right before their eyes, standing in their presence but they did not recognize the time of His coming to them. 

Jesus was the fulfillment of the very laws they taught and the prophecies they continually went over. Even while studying and looking for signs of His coming to them, they missed Him.  Not even after Jesus performed miracles of forgiveness, deliverance, and healing did they recognize the time of God’s coming to them to be saved from their sins. Concerning the traditional denominational churches, my husband said, "If Jesus walked in our American churches today would they even recognize Him?  Worse, would they even allow Him to speak?"   At least the Jewish leaders allowed Jesus to speak in the temple even though they felt offended (convicted) by what He said.  How can the blind lead the blind? Their teachings were mute to the people. Their lips were moving but truth was not heard.  The key was missing in their teaching of the law.  

Leaders will be judged more severely for how they lead people, whether they lead them in the truth or lead them in deception away from the truth. Some leaders lead people away from the truth without fully understanding how they are and what the consequence is for that crime. God's court is higher than man's courts.

Not even after Jesus died on the cross in their place did they recognize their need to humble themselves and repent before the Savior of the world.  The leaders of Israel continually tried to find words that Jesus spoke to hang Him with. They did not "listen" to conform, they listened to condemn. Jesus brought out many times that they, just like their faithers, killed the prophets of God because they had no desire to walk in the truth.  “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:31)  This is why Jesus accused them of being sons of the devil instead of the sons of God.

The religious leaders kept to their traditions of dead worship while taking from the people what was God's. The people feared the leaders, not God. The leaders took their offerings and used them for self-gain. When God blesses us He has a greater purpose in how it should be used. His purpose is eternal. If you give to God for His purpose you can never outgive the Lord, that is, if the offering was really for the Lord's good use.

These so called wise leaders continued to live without Jesus Christ while waiting for His  kingdom to come, as it was writtenabout in the Scriptures the were experts on.  But, Jesus said to them, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘ There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”  (Luke 17:20)  

By the Holy Spirit the writer of Hebrews said: “Unlike the other high priests, he (Jesus) does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrifices for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever…. the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises. For if there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: ‘The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel.’ “  (Hebrews 7 & 8 in part)

When Jesus came to the fig tree for something to eat there was no fruit in the least to be found, and so He cursed it. Of course we know that it wasn’t the fig tree’s proper time to be fruited, but Jesus wanted to reveal that those who love and obey God are like trees bearing fruit in all seasons and their leaves never wither.  You remember Peter thinking he was alerting Jesus, the next time they passed that fig tree, that the tree had withered altogether?  Jesus was revealing that Israel’s glory was gone – until a later time when His curse would be released from off Israel and Israel would come into fruitfulness.   

Jerusalem and the temple of God were under the control of all that is unholy. As Jesus called out this grievous truth to them they hardened all the more and as Romans says: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.”  (Romans 1:18)   And, so Jesus sent the apostles to call the gentiles to repentance and relationship with God, and to finish the work of God that Israel failed to do.  When we do this, God's way, He lets us enjoy Him in ways we never knew existed.

We have seen the Lord’s prophetic curse over the fig tree (the nation of Israel) still in tack to this day. The Bible teaches us that God used Israel’s downfall to graft in the gentiles for salvation and to finish God’s plan for the world. The only ones fully bearing their lives for God is Smyrna and Philadelphia disciples of Jesus Christ. Now, the time will come for Israel’s fruitfulness, in fact, the process leading up to it has already begun with some Jews returning to their home-land,  and with God-appointed Jewish teachers fervently teaching Jewish men and their sons the Torah of God, the law God gave to Moses.  

When God curses something it is only temporary, unlike His judgment which is permanent. When Jesus came He said that He did not come to judge them but to bring them the cutting truth by which they could be set free. God does not change His mind, neither has He changed His ways. And, we are told to be wise with the handling of the Scriptures so that we do not fall in to the same web of deceit Israel did and who lost her place of honor on the earth because of it.  Remember what the Spirit says to the churches: "You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent! and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."  (Revelation 2:4-5) 

God will have fruitful delight from all the nations no matter what.  “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life…. Flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great city was the river of the water of life as clear as crystal. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse.”   (Revelation 21:22 - 22:3)

These counterfeit law experts that Jesus confronted were the reason the Lord cursed the fig tree in the first place. They were born Jews, but they were not true Jews by God's definition. True worshippers bear fruit in all seasons.  They never take holidays or vacations from serving God to serve their own flesh and pride desires. True worshippers stay green and useful to God. They will never wither. Jesus saw into the hearts of the religious leaders. The Lord saw that they had an external form of godliness but denied the power (the key?) within that could keep them clean and obedient to the whole will of God. (II Timothy 3:5) 

The power of God is the life of Jesus Christ seeded in the humbled open heart.  “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness of God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’  The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.”  (Romans 1:16-19) 

Jesus told the “experts of the law” that the blood of all the prophets would hang on them, and why did He lay it all on them?  These Jewish temple leaders were the last of their kind to suppress the truth. God was angry with them because, having everything they needed for godliness, they refused it and kept it hidden from those who entered the temple each day.  

“So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, …”   (Hebrews 3:19 - 4:3)    

These experts in the law of Moses had followed in line with their unfaithful fathers who ran the temple like a business, and at times like a house of spiritual prostitution. How many churches today have in their pulpits and in various places of leadership this same spirit?  Spiritual prostition is far worse than physical prostition.

“If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.”  I Timothy 6:3-5  

Why do religious leaders have the ability to hinder their followers from entering the kingdom of God?  The answer is what Jesus said to the religious leaders, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”  (John 5:39-40)  So, beware of false pastors and their prophets and servants. Beware that you do not join with a synagogue of Satan. Oh, you won't see that title over their doors but none the less those places are out there and darn near on every corner.  

The key of knowledge - Part 3

So what is the key?  Divine revelation from the Father about His Son?  Mustard-seed faith?  The filling of the Holy Spirit?  What could the people have found with the key had the leaders not kept the key hidden from them?  Rest from their enemies?  Peace with God? The abundant life of Jesus Christ?  I tend to believe these all apply.  This “key” has all power and authority to open up new doors  for true worshippers of God that would not be opened otherwise. 

God told Isaiah about the key:  "The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure."   (Isaiah 33:5-6)

Jesus said that the religious leaders had taken this “David’s key” away.  David possessed the key to knowledge. I would assume that the experts of the law had studied David’s writings about his Lord and the prophecies about his seed to come. None of the sons of David had it ever said of them that they had hearts after the Lord's. Not until Jesus Christ showed up. So then, why would these degenerate temple rulers in Jesus’ day want to hide the key from the temple congregations?  I have come up with three passages from Paul and Peter’s letters to the churches:

“…because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain in you.”    Galatians 2:4-5

“They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.”  I Timothy 1:7

“For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among YOU. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them – bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”  II Peter 1:21 – 2:3

God has not planted every organization that calls itself a church. God, through the Holy Spirit, selects His leaders to teach and lead a certain group of believers for His purpose. And, God will also say when that church has completed His purpose.  In wisdom and authority He gathers people as well as scatters people for His good work on the earth.

The place of Judas, the place of apostleship, needed a replacement when Judas hung himself.  Although Jesus selected him as He did the others Judas was not really one of them.  God had chosen him for ignoble purpose in fulfilling His will on earth, whereas, the others were chosen for noble purposes. After Judas had completed his purpose on earth God brought down on Judas so great a guilt for betraying His Son. But, instead of Judas falling at the mercy of Jesus to be forgiven - he hung himself.  He refused the Lord’s love and forgiveness; grace and mercy. He refused the "key."

Judas was replaced when the eleven disciples prayed to the Lord:  “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take the place which Judas left to go where he belongs.”  (Acts 1:20-26)  I often wonder if the way they prayed here, that is, only giving God two choices they could see at that time, was right. Does God have a permissive will and a perfect will?  I believe so. And, why does He allow us that permissive will?  Is it because we neglect prayer patience or the wisdom and discernment of His Spirit?  Or both?  We know that the Lord had not sent them the Holy Spirit yet. They had knowledge of this prophecy, but were they missing the key to knowledge as to the Lord's perfect timing of its fulfillment?  Was it always God's perfect will for Paul to be the thirteenth apostle or the twelth?  Numbers are important to God.  For instance, the number 12 means perfect government, authority, people of God.  The number 13 means depravity, rebellion, corruption, Satan, apostasy, love, double blessing.

About the replacing of Judas, did God come to Peter, or whoever, and say, “Well boys, it’s one of these two guys in your midst. So cast lots?"  That seems unlike God to me. I tend to think they were "naturally" depending on religious traditions again. (You can take the men out of the system, but it's not as easy taking the system out of the men.) That has always bothered me, especially after reading the account of Paul, who is called the 13th apostle, his experience on the road to Damascus when the Lord himself appeared to him and called him to His purpose like the Lord did the others. Who really called Matthias into this order?  God or religion?  And, how are men and women today called into leadership positions within denominations of churches? 

Why did the eleven think they needed to immediately replace Judas?  Prophecy told them that he would be replaced, but was it to be Paul or Matthias? (Acts 1:15-26)  Paul was singled out by the Lord himself just like the others, even Judas. I wonder if this one seemingly insignificant tradition for choosing who will serve allowed the enemy to keep working that yeast of religion that Jesus had warned them about. "Be on your guard against the teaching (yeast) of the Pharisees and Sadducees."  (Matthew 16:11-12)   That’s one question I will ask the Lord unless it won’t matter to me anymore in light of where I’ll be.

We should never think that we are not replaceable as leaders should we begin to bend His higher laws to serve our own ambition or conceits. We are in the day of church apostasy. If a defected Israel was replaced with the Church what's to stop a defected church from being replaced?  But, what will a defective church be replaced with after the cross of Jesus and after we have been thoroughly educated on Israel's folly and rejection. Or, is it simply time for all evil to come to an end with the coming of God's wrath and Perfection?  Is it time for 12 to end so the best of 13 can come; perfect love and double blessing?   

God sees the heart and He will not keep the rebellious and corrupt in leadership over His people unless they prefer rebellion and corruption themselves to truth and righteousness. JGod didn't allow Judas to remain in authority.  

Why did Jesus say that His Father's house is a house of prayer?  Prayer teaches us to wait on the word of God in doing the perfect and acceptable will of God. Jesus went to pray and fast each day for God's will to be accomplished through Him. Jesus prayed for the disciples He was leaving behind. Jesus taught the disciples how to pray and to stay awake in prayer lest they fall into temptation. Prayer in the house keeps the body of Christ alert to the schemes of the enemy. True prayer keeps us from doing our own thing.  I wonder how many churches that God planted tried to keep going after the Lord’s purpose had been completed they failed to pray like Jesus taught us to pray - by example?  How many false teachers and prophets have remained in church authority generation after generation because fasting and prayer was not that important to the group?   

When a body of believers has completed their special assignment or mission from God they should never feel like failures when the Lord scatters them.  In fact, the Lord simply wants them to spread out with what they were successful at that God had given them to do. (He wants His key brought out of hiding.)  

Jesus told His disciples that He was giving them the keys (plural) to His kingdom.   This is different than the key to knowledge.  In Luke 11:52 Jesus was referring to a certain hidden key for a certain place that was temporarily locked up.  Christ in me, the hope of Glory.

"...to present to you the word of God in its fullness-  the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.  To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. " Colossians 1:25-29

Is the KEY in your possession?  If so, what have you done it? 

Part 1 - Why Panic?

Why panic when you can praise?  Fear God, not the situation.  Fear God, not man. You who fear the LORD, praise Him!  It is fitting for the upright to praise the LORD.  For the HOLY ONE  is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end.  Nothing or no one can separate us from the love of our God, Christ Jesus. Sing to the LORD, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.

Two things happen when God's people praise Him. We are blessed and we are victorious.  

"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth,your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy,for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him."  Psalm 67:1-7

When we lift our praise as an offering to God - God arises and comes on the scene for us like a mighty warrior. David was a true worshiper as well as a mighty warrior with a heart after God's heart. He uses praise (as seen in the Psalms of David) as a weapon.  David teaches us that when we praise God our enemies scatter. Evil can't stand to be around anyone who continually and joyfully praises God.  

"May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him."  (Psalm 68:1)

Sometimes it will be a sacrifice to praise God when we prefer to worry or stay angry.  To choose to stay worried and angry will only give way to doing what springs out of worry and anger. You are far better off going to God with worry and anger while it is still in you. Believe me, you will not have to face the grief and shame that comes afterwards because of what you did or said.  When we praise God a battle is fought and won for the worshiper both in the soul and in the spiritual realm; the pricipalitiies of the air - the invisible battle ground of good and evil. I've tested this time and time again. I will feel attacked by the enemy in FEELING discouraged, fearful, worried, angry, defeated, anxious, etc., but as soon as I start to specifically praise the Lord I can actually feel the enemy take off.  I don't feel angry or worried or defeated anymore.

If the Holy Spirit has convicted me about something that I need to confess and turn away from  (repent) - I'd better. This, as well as praise, is a weapon the worshiper has with which to fight the enemy.  Jesus said: "The insults (criticism, persecution, slander, gossip) of those who insult you have fallen on me," but he did not mean that if we need to confess and repent of something, that we are certainly guilty for, that He does not expect us to confess and repent. 

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. " (James 5:16)  "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  (1 John 1:9)

We must take responsibility for our wrong doing (or saying) and get right before God and man. We know that the enemy will do all he can to keep us from this obedience.  Satan has all kinds of attacks and tactics up his sleeve; false prophecy, false peace, self-righteousness, hypocrisy, fear of rejection, presuming upon God's grace, etc.  God's grace does not allow us to resist the conviction of His Holy Spirit when we need to confess and repent. 

Beware of insulting (by resisiting and refusing) God's Spirit of grace when He comes to convict your heart and set your heart free from guilt.  Otherwise, your praise will not mean anything to Him for Jesus Christ said:    "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live."  John 14:15-19

We come into His presence with thanksgiving.  Pure thanksgiving can only flow out of a clean heart before God. How do we know that He accepts our praise?  We OFFER OURSELVES TO HIM IN OBEDIENCE. It's a choice we make. We either offer our will to God or Satan and there is nothing in between.  So if you think you can stand on your own self-righteousness you are simply self-deceived.  In reality you've offered yourself to Satan who is the god of those who refuse the One True Living Eternal Almighty God. Beloved, fear God for He has said that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him.   

Apostle Paul said: "But you, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time-God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen."  1 Timothy 6:11-16

There is so much to praise our God about! Great is the LORD and most worthy of all praise. The LORD made the heavens and the earth. Praise his wonderful works. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.  He teaches us His standard because all His commands are right and by them we are blessed. He reaches out with His right hand to help us when we cry out to Him in truth. He sustains and upholds us by His powerful word. He trains our hands for battle and makes our hands succeed for every good work. He is loving; full of grace and mercy. His wisdom is supreme. His kingdom will  last forever. He is a fortress and a shield for those who take refuge in Him. He defends the weak and defenseless. He sets the captive free.  He looses wicked strongholds.  He crushes our enemies.  He reveals hidden mysteries and wonders. He crowns the humble with salvation. He gives life to everything.  All creation worships Him.

The Lord takes delight in the people who praise His name.  Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting!  There is no one like HIM! 

Homing: Homeward bound are those who love God and have been called according to His purpose. Longing for our heavenly home is why we work with such joy and expectation. Like homing pigeons we have been re-bred, reborn spiritually, and trained to fly out to people with the message of the Gospel of peace wrapped around our hearts like a message is tied to the feet of a homing pigeon. These homing pigeons have only one reason for being alive and they enjoy every minute of it. 

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”  Luke 1:78-79

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet that bring good news!’ ”  Romans 10:13-15

The Lord Jesus Christ is our earthly home on earth until the Father announces: “Son, go get your homing people.  Now is the time to celebrate! Now is the time to bring them into MY ETERNAL HOME!”     

I asked the question that I sensed the Holy Spirit wanted me to ask.  "What's most important in this day for the families of God, your homing people?"   And this is what came back to me, five in all:  Holiness, Health, Home-school, Hospitality, and Heirdom.  We are to bring holiness in to all areas of life.  Without this personal lifestyle of God’s standard we do not inherit what God intended.   May we live up to our "godly" inheritance as the sons and daughters of the Most High God - upon the earth. 

The number 5 represents God’s grace through the redemption of Jesus Christ. The grace of God is His love extended in Jesus Christ coming to the earth, and His lavish favor on those who have humbly come to the saving Son for forgiveness and to live in obedience to His call on their lives.  What a waste of life when someone refuses the grace of so great and gracious a God. They forfeit what could be theirs.  Everything the Father has given to the Son the disciples of Christ will inherit. In John 17 Jesus, in speaking to His disciples, says that He gives us the glory that the Father gave Him. 

“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.”   Jonah 2:8-9

Holiness: Our Father in heaven commands:  "Be holy as I am holy."   No problem there! Right?  Easier said than done?  So, then what do we do with this Scripture: “Without holiness no one will see God.” 

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.  See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.”  Hebrews12:14-17

“Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.”  Leviticus 20:7-8

“You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.”  Leviticus 20:26

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”   1 Peter 1:15-16

Thank you Jesus for taking the time to visit us and to take the "long way" back home in that You showed us what holiness is. You came to us as a baby just as we came into the world.  You didn’t take a short cut but lived the “hyphen” (found on tombs between births and deaths) so that You could be personal and intimate with us.  You were part of a family just like us and you had a job just like us and you laughed and cried just like us, but when the time came, Your appointed time, to leave everything behind to do the will of God, You did, and now the Father has many sons and daughters who follow in Your footsteps.

Thank God that in Jesus Christ there was found the purest blood that could satisfy the Father’s wrath towards an ungrateful rebellious world and provide us with the Gospel of grace; the good news of why Jesus Christ was sent from the Father.  Thank the Father for sending His Holy Spirit to help us live this life of grace with obedience rewarded.  And, praise Him for His written laws and promises so that we would not die an eternal death because of our own reasoning and judgment. Thank Jesus Christ for acting as our confident defense attorney in the court of God ready to (successfully) defend us each time the devil comes to accuse us to the Father. You’d think the devil would give up after so many unsuccessful attempts, but he is unrelenting because he is extremely evil. Pure evil has no reason to give up. Evil only deceives itself.  A house divided will fall.  Evil thinks it will eventually gain something for persistence.  But, the thing he gains is eternal damnation in the deepest part of hell, nothing more and nothing less. For this is promised by the Father, and is his doom as assuredly as the unlimited heights of heaven's glories is the destiny of the true worshippers of God.   

Where does holiness show up on the earth?  The love and wisdom of God is holy. The teaching and blood of Christ is holy. The Spirit's life and longing to be united with Christ is holy. Hope in God’s promises is holy. The praise and testimony of God is holy. The prayer of faith is holy. Obedience to the whole will of God is holy.    

Did God say that it His desire for us to live long and strong?  

“These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe…so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life…be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly… just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.” Deuteronomy 6:1-4

“David son of Jesse ruled over Israel forty years-seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king.” 1 Chronicles 29:27-28

The Old Testament gives us all we need to know in order to live long and strong IN THE LAND. Even on the wicked the Lord’s overall gracious providence for a strong and satisfying life on the earth is still in effect by the nature of God; the sun, moon, stars, ground, seeds, rain, springs, rivers, ocean, minerals, trees, animals, plants, and best of all – the family.  For, what enjoyment is there really if there was no one else to share it with? 

Women need to come back to the standard of God in the area of good health, not only for their selves, but also for their husband and children.  No one else can keep as good a watch over the affairs of a household as the wife/mother. This is how God created us.  This is what God intended for the woman who is married and with children.  How do I know?  Because, God said so when His standard and heart were written about in our manual for life.  It’s all there gals in the Old Testament within the first books of the Bible where Moses hand writes every word God said about living the best life with all God set in place for us.  And, where the Old Testament ends the New Testament completes with the Jesus being the fulfillment of the Law of Moses concerning what is healthy or unhealthy:

“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”  The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”  (Acts 10:14-15)  All that God created is good in its basic form. This is important to understand since so much of what we eat has been man-handled. 

“Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”   (Romans 14:20-23) 

In Christ we have the freedom to eat everything that God created in its basic form, that is, without the chemicals (aritficials), unnatural preservatives, extracting of natural nutrients, and unnatural additives.  These “processed foods” are still unclean for us because they are not what God created.  They have been perverted just like what man is now doing with the cloning of human life.  Come Lord Jesus, come! 

Next time you bring that third donut or second beer to your lips ask yourself if you can truthfully say to the Lord God that it is within your most holy faith to do so.  We must begin to look at all that we are eating and drinking as well as all that we say and do as to whether or not it comes by faith in His Word.  We have so ignorantly joined with the world in our eating, drinking, and living habits.  It’s time for God’s people to hold up His standard in the land where we live as the children of God.  

God said in Revelation that to add anything to what He has spoken would be to add “plagues” (disease and sickness) to your life.  How true this rings in America!  And, even worse, should someone take anything away from God's written Word would likewise have its consequence in the taking away of that person’s share in the Tree of Life and in the Holy City.  (Revelations 22:18-21)

“The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails-given by one Shepherd.  Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.”  Ecclesiastes 12:11-14

The Word of God, the Bible with its old and new testaments, belongs to One Shepherd and we, like sheep, have the tendency to wander from the Great Shepherd to live self-destructive lifestyles. When we mishandle and pervert what God created for our basic good we invite in to our lives and bodies all kinds of wickedness, things and attitudes and behaviors that have nothing of eternal life in them at all. God made everything with eternity in mind.

Every little thing matters to God and that is why He wrote on every little thing that sustains and strengthens and satisfies us in this life. God created health and established what is healthy. When we go against His standard for good health we will soon be in need of His healing.   Today there is way too much need for the gift of healing simply because God’s people have refused His wisdom in what’s best.  But God, with His never tiring mercy, has appointed and anointed saints with the gifts of healing because we are so foolishly in need of so many kinds of healings. God desires that we be strong and able for what He has for us to do. Creation reveals that God has thought of everything for our good existence

Habakkuk 3:2-6 (condensed)  “LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy…His ways are eternal.”

He wants us strong for His purpose on the earth.  We are to prepare the way of our soon coming King who will come with the never changing standard of God our Father. What do you think King Jesus will do with existing drug factories that have been used to pervert the food He created?  Or the abortion clinics where the life He creates is destroyed? Do you think these places will continue to exist? If anything, I can see these places being overturned in His righteous fury like He did Jesus in the temple that had been perverted from a house of prayer and healing for the nations. I can see these wicked places turned over to the wisdom of the righteous.

“These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.”   Psalm 104:27-30 

Matthew 19:28-30   “Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

Renewing something means that you take the old beat-up broken-down thing and bring its original beauty and purpose back.  While it is true that we will not have these same bodies at our resurrection/renewal it is just as true that while we live in these earthly bodies we are to take care of them with what God gave us, if for no other reason than to honor God with our body for giving us life in the first place.  It is by a series of decisions we make that our life is cut short and that we live out our lives in physical weakness and worries or in strength and satisfaction.     

 “At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. You will say, ‘How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors. I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.’ “  Proverbs 5:11-14  

I don’t want to be groaning at the end of my life because I continued with the same bad choices after being counseled in the wisdom of God. Groaning in this way is regretful but keeps rejecting the Holy Spirit of wisdom, revelation, gifts and grace.  With the Holy Spirit we have been given everything we need for the best life that can be lived out on the earth.

“…Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”   Ephesians 4:19

I’m listening to the repeated messages from prophets today speaking on health and nutrition because this is what God is wanting for His people. God seems to care more about this than we do. God never intended our lives to be so complex and our bodies to deteriorate so rapidly.  Obviously the Father cares more than we do about health and nutrition.  How can I say I am living for the Lord when I refuse to discipline my eating and drinking habits? 

“… let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”   2 Corinthians 7:1

. 

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Should the Lord’s Spirit have to live in a diseased, sickly, tired body?  How much work can He accomplish living in a body that can’t keep up with what we should be able to keep up with?   Many cancers, skin disorders, obesity, high cholesterol and blood pressure, insomnia, hyper-activeness, certain mental and body disorders – can all be corrected and healed with the proper food and drink diet. In fact, they could have all been avoided with the proper diet from birth.  This is why the ball really does lay in “mother’s lap.”

Women of God, it’s time to return to the Word of God for personal application and obedience in every thing, and not selective things that in our self-righteousness we have choosen to obey.  If this is how you live then even what you thought you had will be taken from you on that Day. 

“Long life to you! Good health to you and your household! And good health to all that is yours!”

In this five part series on “homing” we have started with “holiness” because holiness is to show up in all areas of a believer’s life.  “Without holiness no one will see God.”  Last week’s lesson was about good health being a gift from God and is holy. God calls the body the temple for His Spirit to live in and it is up to us to want healthy strong bodies for the Spirit to live in and work through to the glory of God the Father.

The family structure comes from God. He created it and it is to be holy unto God. In America we have watched the breakdown of this holy foundation because Christians have not been careful to keep watch over their households and communities.  Christians have turned their communities over to the ungodly. Christians have turned their children over to the ungodly systems. 

“The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5-9 

Why is it so important to train up our own children?  Why did God give parents this responsibility only?  What kind of heritage did God want to preserve on the earth?

“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”  I Timothy 1:5

The home is a child’s school and mother and grandmother are the teachers of their young. My daughter-in-law told me what my five year old grandson told her and his daddy (our son) after our grandson stayed with us a couple days. He said,  “The times are changing and Jesus is coming back and He’s going to take us to heaven and I get new clothes for that. I need new clothes Mom because I don’t want to go there naked.”  

I’ll be honest and say that I wondered if he had caught much of what I was teaching him as we were at the duck pond feeding the ducks that afternoon.  You see, you can make a schoolroom happen anywhere. You can teach your children anything anywhere. That’s what makes it work plus the fact that your child loves you and trusts you.  I watched my grandson’s face as his mommy was telling all his extended family about what he had told them that grandma had told him. I picked him up in my arms and said,  “Good job Caleb!  Do you know that you just preached your first message for Jesus?  I’m so proud of you. Keep preaching the truth!”   His little face showed how good he felt on the inside.  We need to see the day we are in that the Holy Spirit spoke about.  “In the last days I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams…And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  Acts 2:17-21 

Children have more faith than adults. They are more spiritually sensitive too. Jesus said so.

“He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.  But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man (and parent) through whom they come!”  Matthew 18:2-8

What do you think the ungodly will do with your child’s pure faith?  The enemy uses the public schools to legally rape and brutalize a child’s faith in God. We should never allow this to happen to our child.  Ask yourself, if it’s hard for you, an adult, to stand for faith in Christ why would you want to throw your children to the wolves? And don’t think that just because you have your child in a “Christian” school means there are not wolves in sheep’s clothing ruining your child’s faith in other ways.  

Your child is afraid to be left in the hands of other people.  Shame on you for making your child feel ashamed of that fear. God gave that HOLY fear to your child because to leave your children to be educated by anyone else IS a wicked thing. Your child senses it – why don’t you?

I remember the time when our oldest son at the age of seven became desperately afraid to go to school. He was like all the other children who are afraid to be left at school the first time but then gets used to it until the next school year comes around with a new teacher and new surrounding and you go through it all over again. But, this was different. He was half way into the school year when all of a sudden he became very fearful of going to school. I thought maybe something had happened in the schoolroom or out at recess but after thoroughly investigating it with his teacher and the school principal we couldn’t figure out why our son was so desperately afraid of going to school. Everyday I had to drag him to school after covering him with prayer and literally put his hand into the principal’s hand and let her sit with him a while until she was able to take him to class and leave him with his teacher.  It truly broke my heart.  But, it was what I had to do, right?  WRONG! 

I now believe God was trying to get my attention back then about home school, but I wasn’t getting it.  God was using our seven-year-old son to tell me what’s best for him. Imagine that!  Well if God can speak through a donkey to get His servant’s attention then I guess He can speak through the purest cries of a child.  How hard headed I was.  Lord forgive me. I wonder how many other times the Lord tried to talk to me about what was best for my children and it just went right over my head? 

As it was, our first two children finished 12 years of school in the public schools. It wasn’t until our third born became desperately afraid in junior high school that we took her out of the public school system to home-school her and then we did the same for her brother two years behind her.  It was one of the best decisions we ever made.  We saw first hand what the difference home school made in the last two children. 

Children are not to be forced out of the home for any reason. They know deep down inside that it’s wrong and that’s why they cry when you leave them with certain babysitters as well as at school. They go along with it simply because they trust us as parents that we are doing what’s right by them.  The day will come when your child no longer feels afraid to go outside your watch and care because he/she - is ready.

The holy women of the past taught their own children and they helped each other. When a boy was old enough he went with his father to learn how to work and be a man. They never went outside their clan to provide something more that their children needed. They were very protective of the next generations of faith because of God’s promises to them.

With Charter Home Schools and Christian Based Home Schools we have no excuse for sending our children outside our homes for an education.  Besides, it’s character building they need more than anything. Reading, writing and arithmetic are important – but God is looking for good character to be developed in HIS children. 

You know you can work hard developing good character in your little one to have it all undone in the first year of kindergarten.  Public schools today are not what they used to be.  Why would you want to expose your children to wickedness before they are ready to stand up against it?  They are followers. They trust and believe what they are told and so it is very important that they are surrounded by the truth and love of God in their formative years.       

I believe God is speaking to the Christian mothers and fathers today about their children’s welfare in both health and education.  I wonder how many are hearing what the Spirit has to say and living in obedience to the Word of God?

Hospitality comes from God. Hospitality is part of our eternal life in Christ Jesus so we need to learn and perfect it.  In Leviticus 19:34 God passes hospitality on to the Israelites of whom He chose to represent His standard of living on the earth.  God expected His children to do what He does in that they were to offer food, shelter and clothing to travelers passing through their lands.  Their home was to be a place of refreshing and strengthening the weary.  They washed the feet of their guests in the attitude of a servant.

Hospitality: One who comes so as to please another, without hypocrisy, and that they be under no obligation for the favor given. 

Where is this kind of hospitality found today?  The unsaved are not seeing the hearts and homes of American Christians like this and no wonder they call us hypocrites and frauds.  We are not welcoming the life of the Holy Spirit in heart and home. We are so busy with our religions we are not returning the favor of hospitality to God.  

Foot travel was the main travel with the Israelites and to have your feet washed after traveling on hot, dusty, stony roads relieved and refreshed the pain in foot travel. Hospitality starts with the right thinking of Philippians 2:3-5:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” 

In Genesis 18 we learn how Abraham sat in his tent (home) door in the heat of the day watching for those he could host and show the hospitality of God.  After showing three strangers hospitality God exposed to Abraham that he had been entertaining angels who had come to tell Abraham that his barren wife, Sarah, would conceive a son according to the promise God had given to Abraham that he would father many nations and his sons would be more numerous than the sands of the seashores.    (Genesis 17:4)

Two (of the three) angels left Abraham and went to the wicked city of Sodom to destroy it because of sexual immorality (homosexuality).  When the men entered Sodom Lot, Abraham’s nephew, was sitting at the city’s entrance where daily he greeted travelers and welcomed them to stay in his home for the night to be refreshed and strengthened from their journey.  Lot was afraid for those passing through that the homosexuals who controlled the city would find them and sexually rape them. You see the word Sodom means “their secret.”  Sodomy comes from Sodom and has to do with sexual intercourse performed on the same sex or with animals.  This is the lowest form of lifestyle and God has cursed it with total destruction.

Sodom was not a hospitable city by any means.  Lot was lured there by how it looked on the outside; “a city well watered like the garden of the Lord.”  (Genesis 13:10)  But Sodom had a dark secret. Lot chose to live near Sodom but eventually moved closer till he was inside the city and somehow infected himself because of the way he offered his own daughters in place of his two guests to be brutally raped.   

Why were these angels sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah?  Satan uprooted hospitality and planted homosexuality in this fertile land of Jordan. I believe this is happening in America too. The house of the homosexual agenda wants us to believe they are hospitable when they are not. Homosexuality has death and eternal damnation at its root and end, and it destroys everything and everyone that is linked to it. 

God calls homosexuality an offense to Him. God states “there will be no homosexuality in heaven.”  Therefore, there should be no sexual immorality in the homes of His people.  In Revelation 22:15 the sexually immoral are called dogs and will live outside the home of God – Heaven.  Without repentance he/she will face the wrath of God when they stand before Him to be judged and condemned.   

“Do you not know that the wicked will NOT inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And this is what some of you were.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”  I Corinthians 6:9-11

God blesses the house of those who love Him and live according to His wisdom. When you unite with someone with the blessing of God, you will be blessed simply by association. 

“As a result, do not live the rest of your earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do - living in debauchery (indulging the flesh), lust (envy, never content), drunkenness (losing control of all emotions), orgies (secret worship of violent passions), carousing (living to drink and eat and have fun) and detestable idolatry (the worship of created things).”  1 Peter 4:2-3  

The person you are at home is who you really are.  God knows us by our thoughts and motives. The home of the wicked is far different than the home of the righteous.  The agenda of the wicked is to establish wickedness everywhere while the righteous live to please the Lord and bring heaven to earth beginning in heart and home.  God needs an orderly place where His hospitality can bear the fruit of His glorious life on earth.  The life of God is going to fill the earth no matter what and we’d be wise to become a part of that now. 

How does God show us hospitality?

“You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. Your people settled in, and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor.  The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it.”   Psalm 68:9-11

“For the LORD your God…shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.”   Deuteronomy 10:17-18  

In Christ Jesus we are no longer alienated from the house and hospitality of God.  “What agreement is there between the house of God and idols?  For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’  “  2 Corinthians 6:16

How does the attitude and home of hospitality effect others?

“In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.”  2 Corinthians 7:13-14

“You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.” 1 Corinthians 16:15-18

“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.”   Philemon 7

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house.”    Romans 16:3-5

“May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.”  2 Timothy 1:16-18

“Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain (show hospitality) to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”  Hebrews 13:1-3

Hospitality begins in the attitude that the life we’ve been given is not ours alone.  “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”  Proverbs 31:2   All that God has blessed us with is given so that we can be a blessing to others that the life of God will increase and expand all over the earth as God originally intended.

Christians have turned their responsibility for hospitality over to church leaders, and those gifted with hospitality, and to the restaurants, and to the nursing homes, and if I can add more to this list – to massage parlors, card shops, floral shops, etc. and not that these are bad in themselves. Where, but in the home of a Christian, should holy hospitality be experienced and taught?  Every Christian’s home is God’s first and God is hospitable. Hospitality is about genuinely caring for others according to their needs without expecting anything in return.  It’s a gift from God through His people.  “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads to repentance?”   Romans 2:3-4  

People come to the Lord wherever they experience the riches of God’s kindness, tolerance and patience.  Our home definitely should be one of these places on earth. God is looking for the Christian woman who is willing to sacrifice whatever necessary  in order to make her home a home of His order.  Too many Christian homes are simply out of order.

One of my gifts is hospitality and my home has been a place of refreshing, feeding, encouraging and strengthening others from the time I gave my heart to Jesus. I have always found that the Holy Spirit is able to fully bless the guests (my family too) when I’m always prepared for God’s blessing to be released within my home.  When I leave the house hospitality goes with me.  This is an attitude and practice we must have for God to reward our work.

Too many Christian wives and mothers want careers, church ministries, and the things of this world more than the life God rewards.  Husbands and children need you to make their home the best place they’ve ever been so that they can become all that God has for them.  Hospitality thrives where you live and it goes wherever you go. 

A host of God can meet a hurting person at Starbucks and the gift of hospitality shows up there.  A host can visit a shut-in, or a prisoner, or stop to help someone stranded on the street.  A Spirit-filled Christian can move around freely with the hospitality of God.  You know, like the wind.  You don’t know where it comes from but you’re sure to see and feel its effect.    

If hospitality comes by way of payment – it’s not a gift, it’s an agreement.  Hospitals and nursing homes cost big time.  And we have all heard the gruesome reports of things done to the helpless because love is not the foundation there.  Profit makers work hard at making their places of business attractive and inviting to the public, but true hospitality is found in the heart and home of the righteous. 

There’s no place more comfortable and refreshing than a home where hospitality lives 24/7.  Oh how we need to see far more homes as mission houses for God where people are welcome anytime, prayed for, and cared for in practical ways.  Do you not think that God will honor this and give you more than you need?  Oh yes - HE will!  

God created hospitality for eternity, so you would be wise to master it now.  Every believer is to know what pleases the Master.  This is wise and rewarded. 

“To the man (and woman) who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”  Ecclesiastes 2:26

Heirdom 

The definition of heirdom is: the state of being an heir; succession by inheritance. The definition of succession is: of coming into the place of another; the right and the acts of succeeding or coming after another whether in order, in sequence, in office, or estate, and in the case of the saints it’s all the above. As a Christian do you know what your inheritance in Christ Jesus is?  Do you really?  Are you thinking and behaving and working in agreement with the unholy or are you determined to live up to your right as an heir of Christ Jesus who defends and grants our rights as the children born of His Spirit? If you really did understand the inheritance of the saints you would probably be living a little, or a lot, differently than you are now. 

The prodigal son didn’t understand that living outside the father’s will with his share from the father would forfeit his right to the whole estate. The older son complained when his father held a great party in honor of the repented return of his reckless brother because he didn’t understand what he had either.  (Luke 15:29-32)  One son preferred sin to security while the other son preferred jealousy to joy. 

The older son could’ve enjoyed the return of his brother had he come into agreement with his father’s joy. In the parable Jesus doesn’t tell whether the older son repents of jealousy. The younger son could’ve secured his future success had he set out to do the father’s will.  But, we do know he returned to his father’s estate willing to live like one of his servants with a grateful attitude.  I wonder which son became his father’s successor, the grateful son or the ungrateful son?   

Jesus taught: “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”  Mark 13:12-13  Are you standing for Jesus Christ even if it means you have no (blood) family left?  When the threat of some loss or persecution came did you compromise the truth and love of God to keep your stuff or job or church position and paycheck?  If you did, why didn't you think that God could save you from what had come against your stand for the Lord?   Why are you afraid to share in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. This sharing will increase your inheritance share.  Did you know that? 

Jesus warned: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”  Matthew 24:12-13  Has your love for the Lord grown cold?  Has your work for Him lost its passion?   Is His joy still your strength as it was at first when you loved Him the most?  How's your patience with people?  Nothing makes us love someone as much as to sincerely pray for them. Is God's love still flowing through you?  Or has some wickedness creeped in to harden your heart towards the love of God?  Cry out to God!  He will restore all you need. 

The sons and daughters of the Most High God are blessed and highly favored but few ever live that way, and why?  Living in err keeps you from being an heir.  It is the truth that sets you free to live the godly noble life of the heirs of God.

Jesus saves the sinner from the penalty of a sinful rebellious life. The Word of God has the keys for our success, but we must put faith to each one and obey it. The door won't open until you unlock it. The Holy Spirit guides the Christian into all truth and teaches us the wisdom that is from above, pure and holy, and then He graces us with gifts that enable us to live like heirs of God. The Holy Spirit is the anointing you need so that you will not return to a life of sin and rebellion. The Holy Spirit draws us together as the family of God and for His purpose on the earth. The Holy Spirit guarantees us all the rights and resources to live out the love of God, the liberty of God, the justice of God for the life of God. So what’s stopping the true heirs of God from living a holy life on earth with so great a salvation?

Go after the anointing!  Jacob did. The anointing of God makes us wise resourceful rulers of whom God can fully trust and turn everything over to.

The kingdom of God is first planted in our heart with the purpose of flowing out in to every part of our society.  The will of the Father is to fill the earth. The glory of the Lord is to cover the earth.  If you have become a “successor” then what are you waiting for?  “All things belong to the heirs of God.”  (I Corinthians 3:21) We are to bring the change our world needs. The heirs have been given the kingdom keys that open doors of blessings that no one can shut and keys that can close doors of cultural and generational sin that can't be opened again.

We have been given the right to come boldly and with confidence into the Father’s presence with our requests certain that we have what we have come to ask for.  The agape love of the Father can do this in a person. The Father’s children are to be living up to who they truly are not afraid of anything or anyone because they have the anointing of God on them. They are to be successful in every part of society living and leading in holiness, health, home school, and hospitality because they are God’s heirs who will live and reign forever.

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. (The younger brother.) We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. (The older brother.) But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”  Titus 3:3-8

Fathers, speak up for those who can not speak for themselves; the unborn in the womb, the abandoned women and children, and those children being raised by homosexuals and terrorists. Defend the rights of the poor and needy and give so that they too can know the love, liberty and life of their heavenly Father.

Mothers, live out the life of the Proverbs 31 woman.  You can do it!  Get my book and start studying her lifestyle instead of sneering and censoring it.

Children, obey your godly parents and if you have parents who are not godly, pray for them and be an example of godliness that they might live to praise your heavenly Father in whom you love.  Know what it is that you have been called to do with the gift of God and do it with all your heart, mind and strength. 

Submit yourselves to the Father. Resist that ancient foe and he will flee from you and not be able to keep you living like a pauper when you are truly blessed and highly favored of God our Father.  What makes a child live like a victim or a pauper on the estate of a compassionate, rich and powerful father?  What is keeping him from living like an honorable prince with every right to rule?   You must find the answer and determine whether or not it is valid.

The Day all the saints have been longing for and working for is nearer than you think. The homing of the saints is about to pay off but the Father wants all his sons and daughters to be living according to His Son-ship. There are too many sons and daughters eating and playing with pigs; living an unclean life. There are too many born again Christians living for themselves and for what they can get out of the world before they die. If we only knew what it truly means to be the HEIRS of so great a God this world and our flesh wouldn’t have any power over our (free) wills. Christ set our will free to do the good will of the Father. We have been given everything we need to live the holy life God will reward in ways you can’t imagine.  Don’t get left behind. Families of God – arise! The world needs to see the true character of our great God and King. 

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”  Revelation 11:15

Why will the Bible’s EXODUS message continue to cry out till Jesus Christ establishes His kingdom on the earth? 

SLAVERY CONTINUES!

I challenge you to see the movie Amazing Grace. I think it’s timely that this movie on the life of William Wilberforce, a British parliamentarian, and how he found his godly purpose after John Newton taught him the song he wrote - Amazing Grace. John Newton grew up on the slave ships and then captained one until the Lord touched him to begin setting slaves free. Just like The Passion was timely and the original Ten Commandments staring Charleston Heston was timely I believe Amazing Grace is out because the Lord is making ready a people prepared for HIM.  Not every believer is fulfilling their purpose on the earth.   

I hear that there’s a movie called Number 23 staring Jim Carey based on Numbers 32:23 which states:  “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.”   My next week’s message will be a sequel of this one and on what the Lord is showing me about the timing of this movie – even for the Church of Jesus Christ.

I believe God wants Christians to be moved to action wherever heinous crimes on humanity such as terrorization, slavery, genocide and the displacing of natives from their homes and homelands are free to persist. So I challenge you to get involved in some way. God doesn’t expect us to be apart of every work we hear about, and certainly not to do more than what He has enabled us to do, but He does expect us to do our small part. If God has blessed you then God has also called you to be a blessing.    

“She (the Bride of Christ) is like a merchant ship bringing her food from afar.  She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”    Proverbs 31:14, 20

Inspire Magazine reports: "More than a hundred Black African slaves, many tortured and abused, have been liberated from Baggara Arab masters and returned to their homeland in Southern Sudan. Most of these 102 liberated slaves were boys and young men who had been captured by Sudanese government-sponsored militias during two decades of civil war, pitting the Arab-Muslim dominated Government of Sudan against the predominantly Black African Sudan People’s Liberation Front (SPLA). The liberation and documentation of it was the result of cooperation between Arab-Dinka Peace Committees, the civil authorities in Aweil State, local churches and CSI (Christian Solidarity International)." 

“Thank you for helping bring back our people from slavery. Now they are free to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and choose their own religion.”   (Quote from Sudanese Episcopalian priest and local CSI partner.)  

Sudan has 26 states and 120 tribes and as many languages and cultures.  This massive country has a very poor transportation system due to the ravages of war, so it is difficult to connect work in different regions, but they praise God for e-mail.  Please be praying for more workers and resources to pour into the Sudan. Pray for Sudan as it is still working out its peace; that the peace agreements for the South and for the East will hold and grow so that people can rebuild their lives. 

You know, there are really only “4 kinds” of people based on the time in history called the Exodus of the Jews: 

The slaves: one stripped of freedom and personal rights, owned and forced to serve.

The Pharaohs: wicked authority with the military power to make slaves out of people.

The complacent: those who do nothing to help while profiting from slavery.

The Moses’: those with godly conviction and the courage to go with the call and favor of God.

Which one are you?

Moses was obedient and was led by the Word and Spirit of God and looked what happened to ALL the Hebrew slaves of Egypt.  In our day with Christians actively involved in Sudan we are only seeing handfuls of slaves being liberated.  I would have to conclude that Moses is to be the model in whom all Christian men must compare themselves to and then go and do what Moses did if we are going to see captivity ended.  Moses kept coming into Pharoah’s court with those powerful four words, “Let My People Go!” and with added curses till Pharoah gave the release to let the Hebrews leave Egypt and with more than what they needed on their return to the land God had promised them. 

Israel still remains a displaced nation, but more and more Jews are returning to their homeland under the protection of the Lord and with the provision of His Bride. There is work to be done in Jerusalem for the Temple of God and only the Jews can do it with the support of Christ’s Church.  If you are in Christ Jesus you have been called to His side to do the works of God with the help of God’s indwelling Holy Spirit.  We are not called to live for ourselves with the gift of the Holy Spirit, but most believers do and they will stand ashamed before the Lord on His Day.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon us (the Bride of Jesus Christ), because the Lord has anointed us to preach the good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, to release prisoners of darkness, to comfort those who mourn, to provide for those who grieve, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of His vengeance.”   Isaiah 61:1-3

With all we’ve been given in the Holy Spirit why do most believers think and act like slaves themselves instead of thinking and acting like the children of God; favored and free to set others free to worship the one true God? 

If we don’t care, we won’t inquire as to where to get involved. If we don’t inquire, then how can we pray? If we aren’t praying then how can we expect God to bless and use us? If we aren’t moving with the mind and heart of God then it’s just a matter of time till we find ourselves in captivity.  The saddest part about the Hebrews slaves of Egypt is that they were still the chosen people of God. They were still the blessed and highly favored of all the earth’s people. the saddest thing about the Sudan is that its people were once great and wealthy. So what happened?  How did they end up plundered, enslaved and in need of a deliver?  Egypt certainly prospered with the blessing and favor of God on these Hebrew slaves, and so do the people who buy African slaves also prosper. The prosperity intended for the people of God and for individual  nations was forfeited when they failed to live by faith in the promises of God and give Him the glory for their prosperity in all areas of life.

The writer of Hebrews was “confident of better things in our case – things that accompany our salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget our work and the love we have shown the Lord because we have helped his people and continue to help them. We are to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make our hope sure. We are not to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”  Hebrews 6:9-12

Please don’t rest your eternal inheritance on a sinner’s prayer you said in the past.  And, neither should you base your glorious future in Christ’s Kingdom on church membership, attendance and ministry. God repeatedly says in the Bible that those who hear His Voice and obey His will are those who love Him and prove that they long for His Kingdom to come to the earth by being His kingdom on the earth, and they will not be disappointed. 

Back in 2003 Christianity Today reported that Condolezza Rice said: “Struggle and sorrow are NOT license to give way to self-doubt, self-pity, and to defeat, but are an opportunity to find a renewed spirit and strength to carry on. How else but through struggle are we to get to know the full measure of the Lord’s capacity for intervention in our lives? If there are no burdens, how can we know that He can be there to lift them?”  Rice approached the September 11, 2001 crisis in the same way she had approached her previous trials in life….with prayer and an earnestness to learn and grow. At the National Prayer Breakfast in 2003 she said: “Terror and tragedy have made us more aware of our vulnerabilities and mortality. We are living through a time of testing and consequence and we must pray that our wisdom and will are equal to the work before us.”   End of quote.

I want to say that I am so very thankful that we have a woman with godly wisdom courageous enough to speak the truth on the higher end of our government, and absolutely at the side of one of America’s best presidents – George W. Bush.

Do you have the wisdom and will to equal the work before you?  Do you know what the work before you actually is?  Where does this wisdom come from?  Where do we find the good will to persevere with hope in times of terror and tragedy?

As my husband prayed this morning the Lord showed me a visual of what he prayed when he said:  “Men have been blinded, a ring put in their nose, and their hands tied so their captors can drag them around.”  Sadly, most Christian men are living in captivity too.  So who are their captors?  The obvious of course are those captors in lands of lawlessness where captors are feared and free to terrorize, enslave, torture and kill. But, these are not the only captors in our world. Just as threatening but not as obvious are a man’s ungodly wife, his apostate church, his ungrateful children, his unholy government, and his greedy creditors.  And, these captors are all under the wicked control of the hateful god of this world – namely Satan.  Satan’s will opposes everything good that comes from God.  God is good and there is no evil in Him.

We have all seen on television and read about in books and newspapers that slavery and genocide are very real for many in our world. But, if any body or any group should be free themselves and setting others free from their captivity shouldn’t it be the Christian, the Bride of Jesus Christ?  Somehow I can’t see Jesus sitting by to let the one He cherishes live in captivity serving the wicked, can you?  Isn’t it the Bride who is the one who is faithfully living for Him prepared in His coming for her with full confidence and capability in the Holy Spirit? Isn’t it the Bride of Jesus Christ who stays busy with every one of His instructions to her?  Jesus came to do the will of the Father and to teach us the wisdom of God in that we should know what to do with what we know of the Father through Jesus the Son.  The Bible is the only place we discover the wisdom and will of God. God has not put any work before us that is more than what we are capable of. With His Spirit we’ve got what it takes!  We’ve got the perfect One in us to get it done and get it done well for our heavenly Father. 

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-unless, of course, you fail the test?” 2 Corinthians 13:5

Jesus is coming again and I know you’ve all heard this, but I say, JESUS IS COMING SOONER THAN YOU THINK! When Jesus returns as Conquering King with His mighty army of glorified saints there will be no body, no church, no government, no leader, and no creditor free to carry on with their wicked schemes.  All will come under the mighty ruling hand of Jesus Christ  - the One and Only - King Of Glory.   And, I am getting prepared and readied for this Day in the same way a bride prepares and readies herself for the day she is united to the love of her life. 

Most Christians don’t think past the rapture of the church. Now, why do you think that New Jerusalem (the Bride) will be revealed to the existing world (under the rule of Jesus Christ) at the end of the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ?  John records for us that it’s after “the devil is thrown into the lake of burning sulfur where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown” and after the “Great White Throne of Judgment” and after “the second death of the lake of fire” and after “the first heaven and the first earth have passed away” that “the Holy City, new Jerusalem, comes down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”  (John 20:7- 21:2)   In the Holy Spirit John goes on to write: “…for the old order of things has passed away and now the dwelling of God is with men and He will live with them…He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ “   John was told to write these things down because “they are trustworthy and true.”  (John 21:3-5)  Do you believe the Word of God? 

It is my belief that the Cherished of Christ seated alongside Him on His throne will have the honor and privilege of our earth’s re-design because the Word says that the old order of things passes away to make room for the renewal of all things. God works through His people. He always has and He always will.  It’s His will.  PEOPLE!  WE ARE BLESSED! YOU ARE THE BELOVED OF GOD IF YOU ARE DOING THE WILL OF GOD. You are not the Beloved of God if you are not doing the will of God. And, there is no place in between.  How can I make this black and white statement? 

“The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”  I John 2:17

The Bride is the helpmate of Jesus Christ. Most Christians look at all the evil in the world and they say: “I can’t wait to be raptured out of all this!”  or they cry, “Jesus come and make it go away.”  But, the Lord didn’t tell us to think this way. We are not called to escape the world - we are called to evangelize and enhance the world.

Evangelize: To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ; to instruct in the Gospel; to convert to Christianity – the life of God and of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Enhance:  To raise; to lift; to make greater in value; to heighten; to intensify.

Do you have an active part in this?  If not - why not?  And, if you know the active part that God has assigned to you – are you doing it with all your mind, heart and strength?

“In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”  2 Timothy 2:20-26

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.”   2 Peter 1:2-9

Now there will be a time when the Lord calls us up to escape devastation upon the earth.  But, this escape should not be our focus. And, let me explain why this way. The life of God began to live in you the moment you repented and confessed Jesus as the Lord of your life.  (Do you remember that day?)  Dear friend, our words are being tested. Your life is hidden in Christ so that you can begin to live according to His will, no longer your will, or your parent’s will, or your teacher’s will, or your children’s will, or your best friend’s will, or your boss’s will, or your government’s will, or your church leader’s will….I think you get the picture. 

The life Jesus has called us to is moving in a specific direction and we are either going with Him, or against Him to our own loss. Again, there is nothing in between.  The Cherished of Christ is moving and speaking with His purpose all the time.  That is why these are called the faithful few. They are preparing themselves for Jesus Christ in that they are doing all that pleases the Father and causes Jesus Christ to do anything for them – just because they ask.  They have the Father’s vision for the world.  They are proving themselves to be the overcomers in all things who will sit with Him on His throne with all authority to reign, heal, judge, and restore.  (Revelation 3:21)

Now, while we work out our salvation with fear and trembling (of losing all this future glory) we also long for that glorious Day called the Wedding of the Lamb.  Just like any couple must lay aside their work for a time to be united in marriage and for all to see and celebrate so shall we lay aside the work we’ve been doing to be raised and joined to our Great Redeemer and with all of His Father’s favor and fortune.  I believe Jesus will take the time to be intimate with each one us, and then off we go to finish the work of the nations all coming to Him to worship Him. You see, you either have His Kingdom vision or you don’t. It’s your choice (and responsibility) to know what pleases the Father and the Son and then to – DO IT AT ANY COST.  You have absolutely nothing to lose because Jesus Christ has given you His Spirit.  Read Matthew 25 about the ten virgins (five with enough oil and five without enough to finish) who set out to meet the bridegroom, and the talented servants who were entrusted with God’s property.  If you are among the faithful you will be rewarded.

I want to be able to stand before my Jesus and hear Him say:  “Well done, good and faithful servant. Welcome! Come and enjoy the feast and fellowship for the faithful.”   For seven years they will have the attention of heaven as they sit around the Lord’s Table.  The earth and all its inhabitants will undergo seven years of God’s purposed time of greatest catastrophes as one last opportunity to draw people to His Son to be saved and delivered for it is the will of God that none should perish.  God is good and there is no evil in Him. 

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.  For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.  Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”  Luke 21:34-36

Before Jesus died and returned to His Father He prayed for us. He said: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)  “After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: ‘Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.  For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.  All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.  I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name- the name you gave me-so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 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. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”  John 17 

When you give yourself wholly to the work of God the love of God is made manifest in you.  God pours out His love on us when we are pouring ourselves out for Him that others would come to know the love of God through the life of His Son.

We don’t get to see His glory until we take out His message to the unbelieving world.  As believers in Jesus Christ we are called to Kingdom thinking (God’s wisdom) and kingdom activity (God’s will) because as it is in Heaven so shall it be on earth. As fathers and mothers we are expected to teach and train up our own children in the wisdom and will of God.  We are to run our businesses according to the wisdom and will of God.  As Disciples of Christ we are to take over the world while escaping the entire world’s corrupting ways.

As Christians we are given the responsibility and authority of Jesus Christ to deliver, teach and lead His sheep – the flock of His pasture – in the way He showed us and is perfectly recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  We are to manage our home and family in the way God has instructed us according to whole will of our Father God. We are to be true shepherds, priests, officials, fathers/mothers, brothers/sisters, and friends in the line of Christ Jesus.  

Christ’s Holy Spirit looks for the man, woman, home, church, or government where He finds favor with the people Jesus Christ set free. He looks for the perfect place to rest His peace, release His power and through which to establish His perfection throughout an imperfect world and until the whole earth is covered with all the glory of our great God and King.

The earth is ours and everything in it belongs to the ones who have God’s Son, His heart and His vision for the future.  Oh what a wonderful world!  As people called by the Name of Jesus Christ and filled with the His wonder and delight we are left on this earth to bring God’s wonderful life to all the earth. This is the desire and delight of God. And, we are to start NOW!

So I ask you.  Is your wisdom and will equal to the work marked out before you?

Are certain movies the timing of the Lord?

I haven’t seen the movie “Number 23” yet but I did look a little into the meaning of Bible numbers on the Internet.  A person could get totally consumed with numbers and their meanings.  I’d have to admit, just like Job did, that it’s one of those matters too full of God’s wonder (too wonderful) for me. Revelation 13:18 says: “This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.”  I haven’t been called in so much to calculate; to reckon, estimate and count the times and the signs like some have in as much as I’ve been called to caution; to give notice of danger, to warn, to exhort to take heed.  But, I will share what I learned about the numbers 32 and 23 only because this movie is based on Numbers 32:23 and I believe it is also a timely movie.

“But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.”  Numbers 32:23

In Numbers 32 is recorded what this one verse is about. The Reubenites and Gadites, two of Israel’s twelve tribes had stopped short of entering the Promised Land across the Jordan because they preferred the land they were in (Jazer and Gilead) due to their very large herds and flocks. What hits me is that we see this very same thing happening today with those who are the elect of God in Christ Jesus.  Some leaders (with their flocks) have chosen to stop short of the glory of God’s Kingdom.  They prefer this land not the land of promise. They know and even teach and preach the Word of God but they have their own purpose in mind and have separated from their brothers in Christ. They have chosen to worship this world’s gods instead of the One True God and they are leading others in the same fault.

Looking at this reference 32:23 first of all I see 2 pages open faced.  Second of all the number 32 means “covenant” and the number 23 means “curse/death.”  So, on one page is the blessings of being in covenant with God and on the other page is consequence of not. I would much rather be under God’s covenant than under His curse.  Wouldn’t you?  And there is no place in between no matter what you’ve been taught.

As recorded in Joshua 24:19-26: “ Joshua said to the people, ‘You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.  If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.’  But the people said to Joshua, ‘No! We will serve the LORD.’ Then Joshua said, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.’ ‘Yes, we are witnesses,’ they replied. ‘Now then,’ said Joshua, ‘throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.’ And the people said to Joshua, ‘We will serve the LORD our God and obey him.’ On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD.”

The curse never comes if the covenant is being kept. These two tribes, Reubenites and Gadites, broke covenant with God and separated from the other ten tribes for the wrong reason.

“Moses said to the (leaders of the) Gadites and Reubenites, ‘Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here?  Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the LORD has given them?  This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land.  After they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the LORD had given them.  The LORD's anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath: ' “Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years old or more who came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob —  not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly.” '  The LORD's anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the desert forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone. ‘And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the LORD even more angry with Israel.  If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the desert, and you will be the cause of their destruction.’ “   Numbers 32:6-15

Now a fish rots from the head down. A man’s family, or a shepherd’s flock, or a king/president’s nation all have to make the choice whether to follow the wisdom and will of the world (which is under the control of Satan) or the wisdom and will of God.  The curse is on the “whole” group where the father, shepherd, or king/president is not whole-hearted with God.

“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.  For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.  This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. “   Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Though we are saved (from Hell) we can stand ashamed in the Lord’s presence on the day we will all have to give an account of idleness, what we did with God's Word. Salvation is based on Romans10: 9-13  “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”   There is much more to be gained for receiving the Holy Spirit who is the believer’s enabling in finishing the works of God according to the whole Word of God.  You can chose to live the good life here without regard to the land over there but you will also live to feel the shame of having done little to nothing with so great a salvation. Born-again believers are to grow up and mature into the Bride of Christ who lives the born-again life to please the Father - finishing the works of Jesus Christ as His helpmate.  There is salvation, and then there is salvation - with reward.  We can do absolutely nothing to gain our salvation – it is based on the work of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross.  But, the Bible says we are to work out our salvation with much fear and trembling. Why?    

Paul said it in Philippians 2:5-13:  “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

How awful to come before the Lord on that glorious day of our redemption with no “thank offering.”  This is why I work with fear and trembling.  I love Him so much and I want to hear "Welcome!" and "Well done!"

As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ “  Romans 10: 11-13  Keep calling for your strength to be renewed each day! Keep calling on Him that you not be deceived by other spirits. You have been called according to His purpose. Beware of working without the Holy Spirit of the Word of God. Otherwise, you will never be able to receive the prize for finishing the race marked out for your faith.  Samuel Rutherford wrote in E.M. Bounds’ book called - HEAVEN:

“Go on, and faint not. Something of yours is in heaven, beside the flesh of your exalted Saviour; and ye go on after your own. Time’s thread is shorter than it was. An oath is sworn and past the seals; whether afflictions will or will not, ye must grow, and swell out of your shell, and live, and triumph and reign, and be more than a conqueror and He maketh you partaker of His conquest and victory.”  

Don’t stop short of receiving all the Father has for you because you prefer to work for what you can have in this life only. The pleasure of sin lasts only a season, a moment in comparison to your lifetime on earth, and compared to eternity – well it can’t be measured at all.  “To the man who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 2:25-26

In John 17 (verses 1-26) Apostle John records the intercessory prayer of Jesus for His disciples. How effective do you think this prayer of Jesus is for you?

I want to challenge you to read His prayer again and again until you see the effects of His prayer in your life because these are the faithful ones who will return with King Jesus at His second coming to bring in His glorious standard of living. They are the Bride of the Bridegroom, the overcoming Church of Jesus Christ who are raptured before the wrath of God that is coming to test those who live on the earth. And, this time of greatest tribulation on the earth is coming sooner than you think.  So then, how should you be living?  Jesus prayed:

"They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your Word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world... I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one...I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."     Are these true of you?

This prayer of Jesus for the children of God has the same purpose that the Father had in leading Jacob to pray over his twelve sons and again when God instructed Moses to pray over the twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob) as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land. Now listen you fathers (and mothers), your words have the power of life and death in them. Therefore, be careful what you speak concerning your children. Do not give evil spirits the words they are waiting to act upon in your children’s lives, nor your life either.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene." 2 Timothy 2:15-17

Give the Holy Spirit words of faith in God’s promises, words of hope for the future God has in store for those who believe, and the words that express love for God and His will. Then the Holy Spirit can go to work bringing your prayers to fruition. And, be patient. It may take years for it to come to pass, but it will come to pass. I can’t think of a better prayer to follow than this prayer of John 17 when it comes to praying for my children, my husband, my friends in the Lord and my church.

Now, you can be sure that the spirits of anti-Christ are waiting for you to choose any other prayer or path, but Christ’s. No wonder the enemy does not tremble when certain believers pray. No wonder so many believers give up on prayer. "Some have wandered away from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith, and have turned to meaningless talk." (1 Timothy 1:6) "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." (Psalm 51:10-13) "The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge, but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful." (Proverbs 22:12)

This John 17 prayer is not the prayer Jesus taught the disciples when they asked Him to teach them to pray. It is the prayer He offered up on their behalf in the upper room when He was preparing them for His death and resurrection. Jesus knew of the unfaithful church (apostasy) of our day because He saw His own people (the Jews) reject Him and passionately shouting, "Crucify Him!" He prayed this prayer with His faithful bride in mind that those the Father would give Him would not be lost like Israel. "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." John 6:39

"I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing (Holy Spirit) you received from him (Jesus Christ) remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit-just as it has taught you, remain in him. And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming." 1 John 2:26-28

As I studied the Lord’s intercessory prayer for us I saw 8 points that He made. As you know from a few studies back I did a little research on the meaning of numbers. The number 8 means new beginning. I find this key in that the eighth point is the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"  2 Corinthians 5:17

If you have confessed Jesus Christ with your mouth but continue to live in bondage to ______________ (you fill in the blank), the new beginning has not come so that the old life can die. You’re forgiven by the blood of Christ, but not filled with the power of the Holy Spirit unto this newness of life. So take up your own cross, just like Jesus, and prepare yourself for the death that needs to come that the beautiful and powerful life of Christ can reign in your body.

In another prayer to the Father (Matthew 26:36-49) Jesus dealt with His inner anguish over the suffering He was still to endure (for us - going to the cross), but He accepted that cup of all our inequity and drank down what only He could drink as our Great Redeemer. Jesus personally knew that the body is weak, but He also knew that the spirit is very willing. When He went off to pray and prepare Himself for what was coming He put Peter, James and John in a key place to watch for the time of His arrest and to pray that they themselves not fall into temptation and do the wrong thing or say the wrong thing. When He came to check on them Jesus found His friends sleeping instead of securing, and we know how good old Peter failed both in word and deed.

Secure: free from fear, doubt, anxiety and danger; in safe-keeping; firm, strong, stable; certain and confident. Imagine sleeping in a time like this, but many believers and even whole churches are sleeping instead of watching and praying. Intercessory prayer is not that important to them.

"Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." 2 Peter 3:17-18

In the Lord’s intercessory prayer for the disciples He prays: " I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those You have given me, for they are Yours. All I have is Yours, and all You have is mine. And glory has come to me through them." (John 17:9-10) As we do the will of the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit - glory comes to Jesus.

We need to learn His prayer so that we know what we are capable of in Christ. And, we should never forget how faithful our God is in fulfilling every word He speaks. The next time you are filled with circumstantial fear, or doubt your ability or authority, or think you don’t need to be personally involved with other Spirit-filled Christians, read this prayer of Jesus. How true and effective do you think the prayer of God’s own Son is - for you?

The Lord laid on my husband’s heart some time ago that He wanted my husband to write the book called "I Looked For A Man." Over a year later came the day to begin; a day known only to the Lord. We knew this day was coming, but it wasn’t until we had planned a week vacation did we begin to think that this should be the time to begin the book since we’d be away from home, his job, and all our children and grandchildren. To be a writer you will need to make major adjustments in your life or you will never finish, or even start, what God has laid on your heart.

So off we went! Three mornings later, as we sat in our beautiful vacation house on Lake Tahoe enjoying the snow fall, the Holy Spirit inspired my husband and he began to write. Three hours later he had the foundation, walls, and roof done. Throughout the day and the next morning he pulled articles (with his computer lap top) from the past and inserted them within the book’s new frame work. When we got home my husband printed it off and give it to me to start editing and puting into book form for our publisher.

That same morning when Holy Spirit started the book with Mike the Lord spoke to me about it. "God makes our every step of faith a great celebrated event." Every active step in the right direction we make that gets us to God’s work, whether to the start or finish line - He celebrates, and to have a party it really only takes two although He might invite others. We had all our children up there in Tahoe the last few nights to celebrate (two birthdays). Did Jesus find reasons to celebrate with His disciples? Every time He sees faith on the earth.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

The Kingdom of God was the reason Jesus could sit down to eat and drink with His friends with great joy. As He was to suffer rejection at every level, even from the family He grew up with, His new friends, and worse - from His Father in Heaven, Jesus still celebrated the plan of His Father and the faith in His disciples. He still celebrates today with the faithful who have gone before us - that great cloud of witnesses. And, what is so worth celebrating?

"You (Jesus) are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." Revelation 5:9-10

Have you ever purchased something that meant a lot to you that took hard work, perseverance, and sacrifice? Do you remember how you felt when it finally belonged to you as you stood there looking at it?  Did you want to give out a joyful holler?  Did you want to go celebrate with your spouse and/or family and friends?

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God." Romans 8:18-21

Did you hear that? Even the creation longs and waits to celebrate when the sons of God are revealed because creation itself will be liberated from God’s original curse when Adam and Eve's rebellion was cursed in the garden. If we think our unfaithfulness only effects ourselves, think again. I wonder what it will sound like for all of creation to literally sing and rejoice when it is brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God?

To do the work of faith that God celebrates will take the anointing of the Holy Spirit. No wonder Paul prayed this prayer: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:16-21

Love for God will protect you more than you know. When we work for any other reason but for love of God, His people, and His glorious eternal kingdom the work we are doing will have no good end. There will be no joyful celebrating for those who loved their sin, their own way, and built their own earthly kingdom.  Jesus says that many believers will fall out of love with Him. They will continue to do good works, but not with Him and for Him because they failed to keep their love for Him aflame and first before all other affections.  (Revelation 2:1-5)

Have you ever noticed that when God gives you something to do there is a beginning and an end to each task He gives? It is from God and His Word by whom we must receive our faithful instruction. "May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us — yes, establish the work of our hands. " ( Psalm 90:17 ) I’m telling you our God likes to party over our faithfulness!

How happy we make the devil when we give ourselves to the work of man or to the devil’s work which in reality are related. The difference between God and Satan is Satan is self-centered and God is not. God created life and celebrates life. Satan celebrates death and deceiving people. Satan and his cohorts are always standing by for the right words from our mouths, or for that first unfaithful step we take, to gain control in our lives.

Have you ever come to the end of what God gave you to do by faith, but kept doing it anyway?  How spiritually sensitive are you to know when the thing is over? What happens when you won’t let go? For me, it caused hardships on me and others. I saw no good fruit come from it because I was on my own, without God. One thing we need to keep in mind is that God supplies us with exactly what we need start and complete what He has given us to do by revelation of faith. Is it any wonder we need to keep in step with His Spirit of revelation, gifts, and grace?

"I am with you, declares the LORD. So the LORD stirred up the spirit. They came and began to work..." Haggai 1:13-14

When we desire to do the will of God He puts a hedge of protection around us, our children and grandchildren and households, and everything we have in order to bless the work of our hands. (Job 1:10-11) He wants HIS blessings to spread to others and throughout the land we live in, even our faith in Christ Jesus. The whole world will one day rejoice and celebrate together when God is all in all.

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he ‘has put everything under his feet.’ Now when it says that ‘everything’ has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all." 1 Corinthians 15:22-28

Are you looking and working towards the Day Jesus returns? Are you one of those who belong to Him and who will return with Him? God is so generous to us when we decide to step out in faith, forfeiting our small ambitions, forgetting our past failures, forgiving those loved ones who want to keep you by their side, and fixing our whole self on Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith. And, if we pay close attention we will even be able to enter in with His celebration on our behalf. What a waste that God should cheerfully plan a celebration where the celebrity fails to show up.

This article is based on Acts 4:31 – 5:42 which starts with the first church being filled with the Holy Spirit to speak the word of God boldly. It ends with the apostles being more confident than ever to teach and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.  Now, what made them more confident than ever and what does this have to do with church membership? 

Not only had the apostles lived with Jesus for three years, received his ministry and the power to work miracles of healing and deliverance, but they had become fathers for the new churches that were multiplying daily. Peter, acting as a father protecting his family, was bold with his authority in Christ to the point of calling out deception in Ananias and Sapphira when they lied to God and His Spirit. And, how did Peter know this except by the revelation of God for the purpose of keeping the church protected and pure for His Son.  

Ananias fell down and died, and then his wife came in and the same thing happened to her because she agreed with her husband and they both tested the Spirit of the Lord. They had vowed to God to give all they got in the sell of their field and then secretly kept some back. (Acts 5:1-11) This righteous judgment by Peter brought holy fear into the whole body. I believe that most churches today are living without this kind of holy fear because leaders have compromised their calling and do not confront openly when a wicked yeast has come in by the hand of the evil one to spread throughout the whole church.  One of Satan’s schemes is to turn church leaders to compromise the Word of God and followers to be complacent then disobey God’s Word altogether so they will be in a continual place of guilt and unable to rise to their potential in Christ with their gifts and calling.  

Too many church leaders have made their temples a safe place for Christians to get away with lying to God and His Spirit, and even comfortable with self-deception.  Miracles of healing are rare, if at all.  Before there were pills - there was faith!  God worked through the first apostles to heal and like when Jesus healed - all were healed who came to be healed by faith in Jesus Christ.  The apostles had great confidence to heal and preach boldly.  They never doubted whether the Lord would come through with what He had told them in that He would provide for them and protect them as they went in His name to preach the Gospel, baptize, heal the sick, set captives free, and make disciples.  They knew they were highly favored and empowered by Christ's Spirit because the saw the evidence daily as they prayed and carried out God's word to them.

Most churches today are nothing more than a social club of the sexually immoral, of thieves, and false teachers. Jesus saw this in his day within God’s Holy Temple.  So, get yourself into the Bride of Christ, those over-comers Jesus talks about in Revelations chapters 2 and 3.  When you do – you will gratefully experience the difference that a Holy Spirit filled and led church can make in your life and in the community and out into the world.  And, beware of signing your name to church membership rosters or any other signed contract that states what you will give to a church whether money or time or material needs.  Why do I say this?

Jesus taught that we are to let our word stand-alone in truth.  “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”  (Matthew 5:33-37) Jesus came to set us free and He said that the truth would set us free so that we could live a life of faith, hope and love.

Have you ever signed a commitment to give a certain amount of money to the church or that you would give up certain things to be in a church leadership position?  We have.  Like Jesus said, we can’t control tomorrow so why would we make promises to men that we might not be able to keep?  To make a promise to man, and even to God, that has to do with your future is of the enemy to trap and condemn you.  Christians should simply surrender each day to God and trust God with other Christians until they prove untrustworthy, and then doing all you can to help that individual with the reason he/she can’t be trusted.  If the untrustworthy believer resists then you are to disassociate with him/her.  Church discipline is part of Christ’s government.

Do not let anyone make you sign a binding contract or membership roster committing yourself. We are not to be married to the church, but to Jesus Christ who “is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” (Jude 24-25) The only signed contracts that come from God is the marriage contract you sign because Jesus taught:  “At the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.  So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” Marriage is a serious commitment to God.  He wants us to feel guilt when we even think about leaving our spouse (except when a life is in danger). When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:5-12)  If a certificate for divorce is necessary then there had to first be a signed contract to be made null and void by this divorce certificate.  Otherwise, we have people living with each other and leaving each other for any reason without any way to affect their good conscience. 

If you're coming into a church to belong or feel important you will sign a membership, tithe, or a religious statement to rest your faith on. But, we are to rest our faith on Christ alone and what He commands us to do.  Who but God can see every act we do, even in secret, and know every thought we have, and understands our every motive for what we do and say.  What better witness can we have each and every day and that understands our weakness so that we are helped not condemned?  Besides, His standard is so much higher than any man’s whether the man is godly or not.

“The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.” Psalm 145:17-21

“He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” Isaiah 2:3

“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.”  Daniel 4:36-37

“His ways are eternal.”  Habbakuk  3:6

“The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment …For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”  1 Corinthians 2:10-3:1

Christ is not the head of every church. His Spirit does not dwell in every gathering or assembly.  Unless Christ is the head of His church and His Spirit their clean white under garment then that church is of the evil one who masquerades as the Lord or a servant of the Lord.  

“For such men (and women) are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”  2 Corinthians 11:13-15

If it hadn’t been for a wise religious leader, a Pharisee named Gamaliel and teacher of the law, whom the people honored, these jailed apostles would have been put to death. But, the Sanhedrin accepted Gamaliel’s counsel:  “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”  (Acts 5:38-39)  

The apostles had been jailed and then jailed again for teaching and proclaiming the full message of the new life in Christ. The first jailing ended with an angel of the Lord releasing them unknown to their guards who thought the apostles were still in their cells when the high priest and his associates arrived.  Where did they find these apostles?  Out in the temple courts teaching the people once again!  What was their fault?  “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood!”  Yep! They were guilty of man’s law, but in God’s court they were innocent, favored, and highly honored.  How many believers today are willing to stand for Christ at home, at work, in the government and even in the church?    

Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men!”  And, if that wasn’t enough to make the religious leaders mad again Peter boldly added, “God exalted Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on the tree. God exalted him by his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Most churches will tell you they believe in Jesus, but very few of them are filled and led by the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ doing God's will.  You can not separate God the Father, Jesus and His Spirit. If you think you can – you are deceived and you have no part with God at all.  Jesus came to give us a relationship with the Father.   

A servant is a servant because of love and obedience to God’s call on his/her life and is not looking for a paycheck or a benefits of any kind. Otherwise, he/she is only a hireling who is not a true shepherd who has been called to feed and watch over the sheep of God. Are you a church hireling?   Or, are you there by your own free will cheerfully and obediently doing what God wants you to do among the people?  Is a worker worthy of his hire? Certainly, but let God give it to you.  In this day you can’t be as sure that every so-called Christian church is on the level that God is.  And, beware of signing any kind of contract there.  In the Bible we are instructed to both “test the spirit” and “test the message.”  God’s Word and Holy Spirit are your highest authority for guarding your life in Christ Jesus. 

Next article will be “Is There Holy Fear In The Church Today?”

"He gave them these orders: 'You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the LORD.' "   2 Chronicles 19:8-10

As a mother addressing sons, young men with wives and children and men who look after church affairs: Why are the prayers of Christian men not being answered today?  Why does God refuse their offerings?

Malachi 2:9-17 (New King James version)

"...because you have not kept My ways but have shown partiality in the law." (vs. 9)

"...because you have dealt treacherously with the wife of your youth." (vs. 14)

"...because you intentionally do evil and think that I am delighted with you." (vs. 17)

Showing partiality with God’s instructions, in that, you choose what you want to obey, turns God away from hearing your prayers, be they ever so sincere. Partiality is expecting others to live up to God’s laws while you don’t expect the same from yourself. The grace of God is given generously to all who ask and you have no right to hoard it from others, especially your wife and children, or to be selective on whom you will extend God’s grace and forgiveness.

Fathers are instructed to NOT exasperate their children to wrath. Why would you scold and punish your own children for the same things you do? Being an adult doesn’t give you certain rights to go against God’s standard. Being an adult should reveal a spiritual maturity having left childish thinking and ways behind that you should lead others in the love, life and liberty of Jesus Christ. Children are very observant of fairness. Children understand a lot more than you think they do. You don’t allow your children to speak to you about your sinfulness and so when they see you taking the right to do or say what you don’t allow them to do or say - this exasperates them to wrath. They begin to resent you and hold a secret grudge towards you. You have caused the root of bitterness in them that will defile them as well as others. God will hold you accountable to this.

If you think that you can get away with something in secret just because your wife and kids can’t see it - don’t be deceived. God is not mocked. Your Father in heaven knows what you do in secret and how you think in your spirit. God is looking for integrity in you because it brings Him delight and honor to show you His favor and extend to your family all His benefits. He desires more than you do (sadly) to grant you all that you ask from Him believing that He exists and rewards the faithful.

"He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble." Proverbs 28:13-14

Dealing treacherously with your wife is a serious thing to God. He will not answer your prayers and neither will He grant you success if you have treated your wife as your slave instead of as your trusted companion for life. This means that what concerns your wife or offends your wife is to your concern and offense too. She is not your slave in that you should think she is there to feed your cravings, gratify your sexual fantasies, bear your children and raise them alone, keep your home the way you like it kept, and tell you what you only want to hear. She is your partner and the second strand in the cord of three. She is a gift from God. She was not made out of the dirt like man. She was made out of the side of man, to help the man along in the life God has called he and his family to. As you expect her to listen to you, you should also listen to her and not always think you need the last word to prove you are the man. Jesus was silent often and his silence was powerful for He went off to be with His Father and pray for those who belonged to Him. He was confident in who He was and of His anointing in the Holy Spirit.

The man has been instructed to love (cherish) his wife and care for her like he cares for his own body. He is to love his wife and children as Christ sacrificially loves his church. God has not given the command to sacrifice for the family. God gave this to men. Now, a wife/mother can choose to make sacrifices (which is noble) and God will bless her for it, but God has not commanded it of her like He has husbands/fathers.

"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25 Generosity is not just about money and material things. Paul summed it up with "love never fails."

A man’s prayers wearies the Lord when the man is not judging the evil in his own heart thinking the Lord delights in him and won’t call him to account. When a Christian man allows and even entertains wickedness in his own heart and home God is not going to hear that man’s prayer nor grant him prosperity. Oh, he might think he is prospering by the world’s standards, but certainly not by God’s who has eternity in mind. No wonder God disciplines those He loves. God gives trouble it’s full reign as His rod of chastisement to purify and shake us lose from wicked strongholds keeping us from holy thinking and living.

"A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble." Proverbs 17:20

Self-love destroys all good. Adam’s self-love was what brought on the fall of man. He failed to protect his (garden) home with Eve. He failed to protect his wife from the enemy’s deception. He failed to obey God’s direct instruction to him personally. He cared more about what his wife thought of him than what God thought of him. He failed to take responsibility for his own sin in that he blamed someone else (his wife) for what God was holding him responsible for. This is every man’s weakness. This is the American culture today. God is looking for men after His own heart.

Son, are you that man?

I’ve chosen to use Christ’s parable of the ten virgins in bringing out "holy" fear from the perspective of Proverbs 1:7  "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."

What is this "fear of the Lord" that gets us started on the path of knowledge and what "knowledge" is Solomon referring to?

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge." Proverbs 9:10-13

"I am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man's understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know! Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." Proverbs 30:2-6

I believe these two passages answer the questions quite adequately. The one who thinks he is wise by this world’s standard is ignorant in God’s opinion because he has no knowledge of the Holy One. The one of whom the world would label ignorant, or without common sense, yet has great knowledge of the Holy One is far wiser and wealthier. God has chosen the foolish things of this world to shame those who think they are wise by worldly standards. In God’s opinion the ordinary unschooled man who has been with Jesus will rule and reign alongside His Son.

Holy fear keeps us growing in knowledge. Holy fear keeps us from thinking we can live for God without truly worshiping Him and enjoying Him. The one who as a "holy" fear of God keeps the light burning within his heart - that light of God's truth and Spirit. Holy fear in the believer keeps the believer trimming the wick of his lamp so soot will not interfere with the effect of his light.

In Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins he says five were wise and five were foolish, and yet they were all virgins. All ten were longing for Jesus and excited about His coming for them. All ten fell asleep because the bridegroom was a long time in coming and all ten woke up when they heard the midnight cry "Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!" (Matthew 25:5-7) But, five had enough oil and five did not and they turned back for more oil after the other five refused to share any of theirs. Then Jesus tells us that later the five who turned back for more oil came to Him expecting to be let in to the wedding banquet, but they were not recognized by the bridegroom and were not allowed in.

I believe that there will be many believers (born-again Christians) who will not be prepared for the rapture of the Bride of Christ. They will be left behind to go through the Tribulation because their light went out too soon. Somewhere they began to fall away.  For some reason they gave up hope of His coming.  They got tired of keeping up and keeping ready for God's use. 

Fear seized the five foolish virgins, but this is not the "holy" fear that keeps us growing in knowledge, discipline, and wisdom. I had to ask the Lord this question: What did the five wise virgins know that the five foolish ones didn’t know in that they were prepared?

Listen to what the Bridegroom said:

When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."   Luke 21:8-31

The Bridegroom goes on to say about the tribulation: "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 8:34-36

These words of Jesus puts a fear in me, but this holy fear will keep me doing exactly what He has said to do so that I will not be caught unexpectedly as the five foolish virgins.

What grieves my spirit about so many believers today is how they are unprepared. They do not study the Scriptures to know the time they are living in and to understand the signs of His coming. They go to church and go to weekly meetings with other believers but they are without the inner working power of the Holy Spirit for their own lives. They pray but they haven’t the faith to believe for what they’ve asked for. And, if they have a mustard seed faith they haven’t the strong will to discipline themselves and make necessary adjustments in their lives. They get to a point and then they can’t go any further. They shrink back because they have not enough of something to finish. 

Jesus describes it in another way in the parable of the sower and the seed.

"Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away." Mark 4:16-17

Why is there "no root?" There’s the accepting of the word of God and there’s joy, but there’s no root. Why?  The Spirit of Christ and God's Word has been resisted. That quiet gentle voice has been pushed away by those louder voices of self-will and the deceiver - Satan. The Holy Spirit keeps the believer alert to the enemy and self-will.  The Holy Spirit calls us to prayer and leads us in prayer. The Holy Spirit fans our gifts from God into flame. The Holy Spirit prepares us for what is coming. The Holy Spirit leads us with love and truth and reveals things to us that the unspiritual mind can not see, nor understand. The Holy Spirit warns us to guard our heart and mind in Christ Jesus.  Holy Spirit teaches us to be spiritually disciplined as well as physically discipline. The Holy Spirit is set on the believer making it to the wedding banquet, even more than we are. The Holy Spirit is the One who clothes us with the proper wedding garment.

Holy fear has love and truth at its core. Unholy fear doesn’t. I know Christians who fear the Lord’s return. Why is that? They are not prepared to meet their Lord. Why is that? They are neglecting the Holy Spirit. Yes, they are saved by their repentance and confession of what Christ did for them on the cross, but they have not let the Holy Spirit in to make them ready for God’s purpose and reward.  They have kept hold of the world and not let anything go. They are deceived in thinking they can have the best of both worlds. Why should we think that when our Lord Jesus showed us how to live in the world without loving the world that somehow we should not have to follow in that same way?  He died to set us free and without the Holy Spirit we can not live in the way of Christ. That is why Paul asked the Galatians:

"You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3:1-4

I think Paul is revealing here that when we come to Christ we get His Spirit, but it’s our responsibility to keep the mind and heart's door open to the life of the Holy Spirit. When we refuse the ministry of the Holy Spirit (at any point in our lives) we grieve Him, and insult the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit had John write to the church to watch out that we do not lose what we have worked for so that we can be rewarded fully. And, He went on to instruct us that anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. (2 John 8-9)

Is Holy fear in the church today as it should be? I wonder, especially as I talk to believers and find out that they really don’t believe God loves them, or that they don’t see God working in them setting them free from sin and sickness, or that they don’t believe God answers them when they pray, or that God hasn’t shown them their purpose.

I wonder and ask why so many who come to church every Sunday and get together during the week to talk about the Bible and pray have so little knowledge of the Holy One and His future plans. They know about the past, that Christ came and died on the cross for them, but they know little to nothing about the future, that Christ is returning as King to make war and to reign with His saints upon the earth for a thousand years, and He’s coming sooner than they think.

What if God were to tell you that America was not mentioned in the last days prophecies because she was not worth any thing to Him as she was in the past? What if America’s great and valuable freedoms no longer exist in your life time because of being neutralized by war or having collapsed under the weight of her own debauchery and corruption?

Debauchery: Seduction from virtue and duty and allegiance; being led astray morally; extreme indulgence of one's appetites, especially for sensual pleasure; gross intemperance; lustfulness and gluttony; orgies.

What if America became an insignificant third-class power with no identifiable role to play in the end-time events?

What if Christians in America are no longer free to meet openly for worship and to pray? Imagine telling your son or daughter to be very careful NOT to mention the name of Jesus or to mention anything from the Bible, except at home with family. Imagine one of your close family members ratting on you or your child for putting your faith to action and having the police bust down your door to arrest you, or your child. Imagine standing before a judge and jury convicted and being required to state that you will never again break their law, that you will not speak the Name or tell anyone what the Bible says - lest you be put in prison.

Imagine how your life will change. Imagine how your perspective of life will change. Imagine how you would use your time at home where home is the only place left where you have a little freedom left to talk about Jesus and the Bible, and to pray and worship the Lord as you please. Would you watch as much television or play computer games for hours a day? Would going to the movies and out to dinner mean as much when praying for your meal is a great risk and nothing godly is allowed in the movies? And, what if email and internet were under close supervision looking for law breakers to put away?

Imagine what worship music would mean to you at home. Imagine what being alone with the Lord would mean to you each day.  Imagine how important the home would be in gathering the family together for fellowship with the Lord around His Word and in prayer. Imagine the prayer life you would have! Imagine how precious it would be to have other believers over. Do you think the main topic of conversation would be sports, or computer games, or shopping and the latest fashions, or recreation and movies?

What if our government lost all its credibility, all business its integrity, hard work its dignity, morality its nobility and worse, the expression of true Christianity lost all vitality? You know, America in the past has been blessed by God as no other nation for opening her borders to the wandering Jew and because from her own families she has sent out missionaries to the far reaching corners of the earth. But, when things get bad will we begin to persecute the Jews and shrink back from worldwide missions involvement?  I wonder if America's downward spiral can be slowed down with God's people getting serious with genuine repentance and prayer. 

"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."  2 Chronicles 7:13-15

The Bible teaches that while geopolitical alliances are being forged there will be a growing atmosphere characterized by disintegration of the family unit, lawlessness and increased religion without spiritual reality and power. I suggest that this accurately describes this present hour.

Life as we know it will cease to remain. Did you hear that? Let me repeat it. Life as we have become accustomed to - will not remain the same. Do you really think that your faith will not be seriously tested? What if you are living in the awesome generation that literally sees the coming of Jesus Christ? As Christians who say they love the Lord what defines you from any other do-gooder?  As a believer who claims to be a disciple of Christ's how are you prepared for His coming?  What separates you from the ungodly? What are you really doing that brings the rejection, persecution and suffering Christ said His followers must endure if they want a share in His inheritance - His eternal reward?

Why are you set on your earthly departure?

Kingdom thinkers don’t work for the rapture.

Study God’s Word and get with HIS vision.

Repent if you need to and ask for wisdom.

Born for battle and reborn for peace,

dominion thinkers are a new release.

Ready for conquest they boldly pray

tearing down strongholds in Jesus’ Name.

His disciples work hard and prepare for Him.

The rapture is NOT the end of them.

Certain they’ll celebrate around His table,

the Cherished of Christ earned that label.

The return of Christ Jesus is set and it’s soon.

His name is Faithful, His word is True.

The beast and kings make war against Him.

But, Lord and army take’m to their end.

The Conquering King will bring perfect peace.

Haters of God, your injustice will cease!

With His glorious army He’ll win the nations,

restore the earth and begin new relations.

(by Carol Dietz)

Why worry when you can worship?  If you believe in all the character of God worship will overcome worry every time.  So, don’t worry – BE HAPPY !  (I wonder if that song writer knows how many times those words have been used.)  But, even better words came from Jesus when He taught that we do not need to worry about our life, what we will eat or drink or wear and not even about the future.

Our heavenly Father will provide all we need if we come to Him in faith seeking His kingdom and righteousness first.  “Seek His Kingdom and righteousness first and all these things will be given to you as well.”  And, again Jesus taught that we should not worry about what to say or how to say it when we are called on to speak in His Name. “At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your father speaking through you. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict."  And, again Jesus taught how to perceive all that happens in each generation so as to not worry. "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. When you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God IS NEAR. Be always on the watch, and pray. I will return for you just as I promised."  

Worry does not add any length to our life, but it WILL shorten the length of our life.  Ongoing worry will make you sick, and even bring you to an early death.  Ongoing worry will drive you to depend on things you shouldn’t depend on. Jesus is our only "worthy" prescription.  Get Jesus!  Depend on His Holy Spirit!  Swallow His every word!  Trust in His promises!  Worship overcomes worry. The faithfulness part of worship destroys every enemy, one by one; sickness, poverty, hopelessness, spiritual blindness and deafness, loneliness, fear, greed, lust, etc.

Do you know the character of God like you should? If you are "in Christ Jesus" His Spirit teaches you the truth and gives you all the understanding you need when you need it, but you must apply faith (obedience) to it. Salvation is free, but the abundant life that Christ gives comes through faith on our part. He has called us to "work out" what we have been given. To those He can trust with little, more will be given.   

God is from everlasting to everlasting.  Nothing in all His creation is hidden from Him.  God holds all things together and sustains all creation by His powerful word.  He knows everything there is to know and sees everything there is to see.  God is all-powerful.  Truth and love originate from Him.  There is no wisdom greater than His.  God never changes.  He is the author and finisher of our faith.  God is forever faithful to the covenant He makes with His people.  God provided a way, through Jesus His Son, for us to escape His coming wrath and judgment upon sin and rebellion. God gives His Spirit of grace, gifts, wisdom and revelaiton - without limit.  The Holy Scriptures were written for every generation that we have everything we need to know about God's character, and especially His faithfulness in every generation - to those who believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Why don’t Christians seek Him as they should and discipline themselves to hear Him each morning?  Jesus said that true worshipers worship God in spirit and in truth.  (John 4:24)  They are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. The Holy Spirit enables believers in Jesus Christ to worship God the way God deserves to be worshiped.  You can not worship God without the Holy Spirit.

There is no problem or pain that worship can’t ease.  I had a dream where some of my friends came over with problems and hurts to share with me. Another friend came in and started leading us all in music worship. It wasn’t long till we were all caught up in worshiping the Lord.  The presence of God was among us with His joy and hope and peace. Everyone had forgotten their problems and pain. Simple? Yes it is. God has not made it hard for us, but we make it hard when we listen to the "worry and fear" threats of the ancient foe.

What has been put under the blood of Jesus is gone and forgotten by God. So forget the problems and pain of the past and get living for your future destiny with Christ and in the power of His glorious Spirit. The Father sees every saint as belonging to His Beloved Son.  The heavenly family is the strongest tie.

What or who is bigger and more powerful than God?  Is cancer or loss of an arm or leg? How about adultery or divorce? What about theft or bankruptcy? Getting fired or evicted? How about death?  Death brings us as close to the Lord as we can get!  Take it all to the Lord and start to worship who HE is.  He will speak to you about your problem or pain. When God speaks - things happen.  Only His word is the end of the matter. Only His word is the beginning of anything good and lasting. 

"But thanks be to God who always leads us in trimplhal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him."  II Corinthians 2:14

"But we have this treasure (Holy Spirit) in jars of clay (earthly body) to show that this all-surpassing POWER is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."  II Corinthians 4:7-9

"...we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the One (God's Spirit) who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us in His presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart (worry). Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is ETERNAL."  II Corinthians 4:13b-18 

Are you living by faith, or by sight?  I pray you not receive God's grace in vain. For He said: "In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you."   Now is the time of God's favor!  So....why worry when you can worship so great a salvation and all the wondrous character of our great God and King?  In Christ Jesus - EVERYTHING IS GONNA' BE ALRIGHT!

We praise the Lord and serve Him because on the cross Jesus took on Himself the Father's wrath for our sin and suffered great persecution and death so that “there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Likewise, we find strength and comfort in Christ’s words to His disciples that the world will hate us because it hated and still hates Him; the pure light and living word of God.  But here is another wonderful truth that should greatly encourage us and give us strength to endure and persevere:  “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on Me.”   

Imagine that.  Jesus Christ hears every insult aimed at His disciples, even the ones we don’t hear that are said behind our backs as well as to our faces.  He not only hears it all but He takes it upon Himself to the Father so that the Father acts on our behalf because we are in His Son.  Therefore, this is what the LORD says:

“See, I will defend your cause and avenge you…I will bring them down…I will punish.”

(Jeremiah 51:36-44)  “Have I not kept this in reserve and sealed it in my vaults?  It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them. See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me. Rejoice, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.” (Deuteronomy 32:34-43)

Has the Father changed in the way He thinks?  Has He weakened over the millenniums?

Has He ever given in, lost patience, because of the rebellion and immorality of man from the beginning?

“So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty. “I the LORD do not change.”  Malachi 3:5-6

How else could we live out this instruction below without knowing this truth?

“ ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord…‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.’ “   Romans 17:19-21

This has to be the greatest distinguishing mark of a true Christian in my opinion. We have eternity in our heart where others don’t. They live for the moment and for what they can get out of this world before they die.  But, we know Him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’   It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.  You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.  So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.’   But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”

Have you been insulted lately?  What did you do or say?  Did you choose silence or go with what your pride had ready to say?  Did you leave room for God’s vengeance or take your own out on the person be it ever so slight?  Did you respond in kindness with God’s sufficient grace?  Did you think of some kind word, act or gift to extend to the one who insulted you or persecuted you?  Did that person walk away thinking that there is a God who forgives and laid down His life for the eternal good of others?  Did the person see any evidence of true Christianity?  Did they see Jesus – in you?

It’s Time To Wake Up!  Ring!.....Ring!.....Ring!  911 – Emergency Call!

Jesus is calling and He says: “Wake Up! Strengthen what remains is about to die. Why are you sleeping?  Rise and Pray!  Listen to My prophets who I’ve prepared and sent to tell you what you should know about the day you are living in and the complacency you have. Your deeds are not complete in My sight.”

Ring!....Call #1188:

“A Pentecost Pastor was arrested for preaching from his pulpit to his congregation about what God says about homosexuality. Someone reported it and he was arrested for a “hate crime” and sent to jail for thirty days.”

Ring!....Call #2399:

“An Christian shared his testimony of being set free from homosexuality with a homosexual at a car wash. The homosexual reported him and he was charged with a “hate crime.” While he was in court no one ever asked him if “hate” was his motive.  He has had to sit in “sensitivity” classes with lesbian teachers.  He has had to do hours of community service.  He had to pay a steep fine. “

Ring!....Call #63,177:

“Two elderly women with Scriptures about homosexuality on their signs stood on the side lines at a “Gay Parade.” They were arrested for “hate speech” and sentenced to years in jail and a steep fine.” 

Ring!....Call #246,666:

“Have you seen the car sticker that has three couples; a man and a man, a man and a woman, and a woman and woman with the banner over all three kinds of couples stating:  It’s okay, it’s all love?  

If you think this “Hate Crime” bill can’t touch you and your children….think again.  Those who have conjured up this “Hate Crime” bill are haters of God.  It was easy for them to scheme up this bill based on hatred because that is what lies hidden in them towards Christians and the Word of God.  They hate us, we don’t hate them.  We love the lost, but we hate the evil thing they do and they’re teaching it as “love.”  When that which is evil is honored among men and supported by the laws of the land we better get ready for more catastrophes. We should hate evil so much that we will do all we can to protect all that is good and holy at least for the sake of our children’s future good and prosperity.  Otherwise, all that is destructive and unholy will control every area (and thought) in our lives.  Don’t be deceived; homosexuality is not peaceful in the least. All one has to do is read up on why God had to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for prideful homosexuals taking charge of these cities. Talk about crimes of hate!  Thank you God for your righteous judgments.     

 “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”  Jude 3-4

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many (Christians) will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”  2 Peter 2:1-3

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. (Teaching homosexuality in schools and from church pulpits is shameful.) But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’  Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.“  Ephesians 5:6-17

We just had the anniversary of September 11th attack on America with the twin towers going down, but we have another scheme at work from within to destroy America’s foundation of faith in the One True God and of all godly principles.  The Bible is not allowed in any place anymore, except home, but this will change too.  If this “hate crime” bill passes the little freedom we have left will come to an end.  From one state to another this “yeast of wickedness” will spread if we don’t obey the words of Christ to stay awake at our posts with PRAYER and be NOT afraid to keep preaching the gospel as we’ve been called to do.  We don’t have to fear the government when God has said that if we “fear Him” and “do all that He has said” we will enjoy long life and always prosper.  Fear the Lord and see that the hand of God is powerful!  But, be sure it has a cost.  Freedom always has. So why should maintaining freedom not?

Will the American church of Jesus Christ – wake up?  When we will see what we have lost by all our complacent attitudes and lifestyles?  Jesus is shouting out to us that something is about to die!  He is exhorting us to strengthen it.  What is “it?”  What are those “deeds” incomplete in the sight of God? Surely they have to do with the evangelism in every tribe, tongue and nation, but are they also those deeds that maintain what is good and from God?  

Why have we allowed so much to be stolen from us?  Why do we continue to live for ourselves while our very American foundation is being completely destroyed?  Anti-Bible-ists are running over our constitutional rights while we sit in front of our televisions, computers and godly preachers doing – what?.  Why doesn’t Christ have an army in America holding down His fort – the biblical constitution set by our godly forefathers?  Why is Satan’s army taking so much ground?  It shouldn’t be!  “Strengthen what remains and is about to die!”

When America’s Church sits back and allows God’s enemies to run over our godly constitution so that the word of God is not allowed in public anymore (schools and government) we’ve been captured and enslaved and we don’t even know it’s happened because we haven’t been ALERT at our posts ready to justly punish every act of disobedience against laws that protect and prosper a nation. While the church sleeps on - America’s good foundation has been and is still being chipped away at piece by piece.  Beloved! There’s not much left!  Our nation is about to fall and fall hard.

The attack on the twin towers was an outright wake up call, but there is still a lot to be done in securing this nation under God again.  God is calling to us – over and over.  Are we going to rise to earnest prayer?  Are we going to step up to fight with the faithful few joining with them in the battle? Shouldn’t we be asking the same question David asked: “When the foundations are being destroyed what can the righteous do?”  I really don’t think David meant that there is nothing we can do when our God is THE GOD who has given the faithful His promises.

Schools are the perfect place for the enemies of good (godly) to carry off our children with their corruptive subtle teaching that they claim is for our good.  Why can’t the “Ten Commandments of God” be taught along with “tolerance?”  Because, to hear the first commandment to love God with all the heart, mind and strength is not what God-haters want to hear and especially to be taught. The truth always overrules the lie because God watches over His commandments when His people are. Thou shalt not commit adultery is not what adulterer parents want taught to their children who are watching them break this law of God. Coveting and speaking falsely against others is common ground today – becoming our standard.  To honor your father and mother is way too convicting.  To teach that all stealing is wicked in the sight of God would bring too much guilt down on the “American way.”   

If you think that Satan doesn’t have witches and warlocks positioned to teach in the schools and colleges of America you’re a deceived fool.  Every cult has representatives in our public schools and in every area of our government. Your little first grader could have a witch as a teacher and you wouldn’t even know it. Witches look like normal people and know the right words to say to convince you that they are to be trusted. Besides, there are television shows about witches and warlocks to convince the ignorant that witchcraft can be used for good.  Witches aren’t threatened by Christians today because most Christians have been so easily deceived and weakened by their own lack of knowledge when God has instructed us to “study to show yourself approved, a workman who needs not be ashamed.”  Whether you believe it or not witches are teaching in the seminary (religious) schools too. Imagine that!  

(Part 2 continued next week)

I quote Pastor John Hagee :  “Home is the first school and church I ever knew.”  Oh how true this should be of all Christian homes today. God's word has a lot to say on the subject too. Do you know what you should know for the good of your family and future?     

Does it bother you that you are losing your right to testify in public of the love of Jesus Christ? The schools are more concerned how Christianity offends others and so they are now removing any verbality or displays of Christianity. Does this alarm those parents who have their children in public school?  It should. Complacency about it will only bring on greater evils. Compromise will be to your great loss.

What about our rights to peacefully stand out in public (like anyone else) with God’s written laws? (The Ten commandments have been removed from public places because they offend the ungodly.) How has it become that only the ungodly are allowed to parade their signs and behavior with the purpose of making disciples? What response would a group of Christians get in asking to have their own parade with song and signs down city streets?  The hatred for Christians would sure spew out then!

Where's the righteous anger in Christians that Jesus displayed in His day?  Whatever Jesus felt, said and did is our right too. Why have we come to believe we have no right to be angry about wickedness taking over the land we live in?  Why have Christians accepted being slaves in their own land?  It's because of "our" work that America is blessed. It's because of "our" presence that America is preserved from destruction. So why do we lie down for fleecing - even the fleecing of our own children? Why do we sit still for pillage when we are called to be "pillars?"  

The Church is guilty and we can’t blame anyone else for how America is losing face with God. The future good of God's good grace over America is critically on the line.  It’s our fault for how the enemy has been successfully advancing against this nation’s “biblical” foundation and constitutional laws. America became great only because God was pleased to bless those men with faith in places of authority obeying and honoring God's word (His laws), but now those key positions mostly belong to the wicked.

The Apostle Paul said: “I believe, and therefore I speak.”  I believe Christians are revealing what they truly believe in by the way they don't speak up with the truth. We have not been alert as we should. We have not become wise with God's wisdom in how we should be overcoming evil with good as the Lord taught and lived.       

When Jesus went to pray leaving Peter, James and John at their post to stay awake and watch for the enemy, all three times when Jesus returned He found them all asleep at their post.  So when the enemy was upon them Peter fell into temptation and made the wrong move in the present heated situation. Jesus told them to watch and pray so that they would not fall into temptation.  Jesus rebuked Peter in front of the enemy and then repaired the soldier’s ear.  He taught us to love our enemies and to do good to those who persecute us; bless and do not curse. (Luke 9:27-28)  

To love your enemy means that you speak the truth with the hope of salvation and the good life of God to come to rest on them. Nothing makes us love as much as to pray for those who are perishing. 

Jesus prayed for the strength to finish His course.  Most men don’t know their course of active faith.  Why?  They don’t walk with Jesus. They are doing other things, even shameful things. They want God’s salvation without sacrifice and suffering.  There is a cost for what is good.  Our soldiers and their families know something about this. There is a high cost for what is holy. America's first father’s, holy unto God, know the cost ever so well.     

Beloved, it’s gonna’ hit your home and family sooner than you think – if it hasn’t already.  Prepare yourselves!  Put on the armor of Christ. The Lord has been trying to warn you and to rouse you to desperate prayer and obedience to His command. We need to get serious!  The enemy is! Oh, we’re serious enough for all the worthless things we have and do. We’re serious enough about our entertainment and pleasures. We’re serious about our status in life and our pitiful self-image. Look how long and hard we work to get ahead and the stuff we want. Oh yes, we know how to sacrifice and suffer for what we want. But, is it all that good and lasting? We aren't planning for the future as we should. We would rather live for the moment.

We foolishly stay up late watching television too tired in the morning to rise and pray and listen to what God would say. The words you go to sleep by are the words that stay with you all night and the words you wake up to. If you don't sit down to feed on the Word of God to clease and purify your thoughts your thinking and behavior will be futile not fruitful.

We’re so worried about so many things that we can’t even get a good night’s rest so that we can feel like rising early.  If God wakes you in the night do you turn on the television to get back to sleep or do you rise and open up His Word to hear what He would say? Maybe in the middle of the night is the only time you are still enough that you can be aroused. Something is very wrong with the church when God’s people are disciplined in everything else but stilling themselves before Him to unite with His love and purpose. 

We put more thought (and money) to our insurance companies than we put to faith in the promises of God. We depend on our government more than we depend on God's word to us. God brings down governments and rises up any president or king He wants, so why should we not look to Him and acknowledge Him in all our ways?

Those who daily meditate on God’s word to understand what the Lord's will is are successful because God is faithful to do what He says He will do for those who seek after Him.  They hide God’s Word in their hearts so that they do not fall into temptation and do the foolish thing. They stand in the gap and pray for the wicked land that the Lord would not have to destroy it.  They bring the glory and favor of God to kiss the land they live in.  They speak worthy not worthless words and eagerly work with a righteous expectancy from what they sow in the land. 

Jesus saw this day that we are living in and how many born-again Christians would be shipwrecked in their faith.  "The love of most will grow cold."  They started out well, but sadly they aren’t going to finish well.  They aren’t going to hear Him say: “Well done good and faithful servant. Come in and enjoy your great reward.”

So He says to warn us: “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake Up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief (great loss), and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in while, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot their name out of the book of life, (imagine that – your name can be blotted out of the book of life that Jesus owns) but will acknowledge his name before My Father and His angels.  Do you have ears?  Then hear what I am saying to you!”   (Revelation 3:1-6)

All things surrender to the name of Jesus Christ and Christ told His disciples that we would have all we ask for in faith because His kingdom lives first in our hearts. The enemies of God are more united than the church it would seem. United we must stand in the purpose of Christ our King for the good of all mankind. To have something of eternal value you will have to give up the temporal and vain. What adjustments are you willing to make so that the mountain of wickedness in our nation completely crumbles.  Speak to the mountain IN JESUS NAME!  Then get busy as if it were removed!    

Let Not Your Love Grow Cold – Part 1

 “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. “  Matthew 24:12-13

With the on-coming of the anti-Christ, also known as the “man of lawlessness” or the "prince of this world," the increase of wickedness will work strongly against our love; our love for God and others.  

Man’s inhumanity to man is sometimes more than I can take and if I’m not careful to keep my hope fixed firmly on the heart and purpose of God I will become angry and fearful. When things happen to us our natural tendency is to complain and find fault.  We would rather shake our angry fist at God because of all the trouble we are in instead of raising up holy hands in prayer to God with great expectation. 

David went to God with his fear and anger over all the evil in his world.

“Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out…in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.”  Psalms 10:17-18

Jesus knew what each generation of His disciples would face and so He warns us that the love of most will grow cold because of so much suffering and wickedness and all the more as His Day approaches.  The Spirit of our Lord clearly teaches that many believers will even abandon the faith because they fail to trust in the love and promises in terribly grievous and disastrous times.

“There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”   II Timothy 3:1-5

God’s love is the reason for everything: creation, the curse on sin, salvation, the Holy Spirit gift, restoration, the tribulation, the battle of Armageddon and redemption. Even the increase of wickedness and the eternal Hell are because of His love. Those who reject the Father’s Son, Jesus Christ, increase their wickedness till He comes. The Lord will rid the earth of all wickedness once and for all when He returns to reign. Without this vision and hope we will say and do the wrong things and suffer the consequence.  

If I’m not careful to keep my heart united with the heart of God I will be moved from praying for lost souls to be saved, especially for my enemies. I will not see the opportunities God gives me to extend His kindness that (He says) leads lost and lonely souls to the cross of Christ redeeming them and filling them with His love. On the cross Jesus Christ showed how far His love was willing to go for us. But, how far are we willing to go with His love?  

As I consider the heinous things in the world, especially those things done to children - I get very angry. When I get grieved and anxious in heart prayer just doesn’t seem like it’s enough and yet most the time it is all that God requires of me.  I must trust in the love of God that controls the past, the present and the future because the day is coming that everything in heaven and on earth will bow and worship the Lord God as He deserves to be worshiped and served. Everything will be brought under one Head, even Christ, and God will be all in all.

One day as I was grieving and crying about the suffering in our world the Spirit of the Lord said to me: “It won’t be this way much longer.”  Awe….there’s a new world coming with the glorious coming of Christ our King!  

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.’“ (Isaiah 56:1) “In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it — one from the house of David — one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.” (Isaiah 16:5)  “Of the increase of HIS government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.“  (Isaiah 9:7)

Jesus stated: “For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.”   The Holy Spirit will keep reminding us that this takes faithful endurance on the part of the saints. God’s love, which he poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, has the power to cast out our every fear and turn our anger to godly obedience.   We must not let our love grow cold over grievous current events and increased wickedness.  It is the heart’s natural tendency to wander from the love of God and even to forsake the God we love.  But, Jesus knew what every generation of His disciples would face and so His comforting words were written that we should keep our love aflame.

“This is love for God: to obey His commands and His commands are not burdensome. Everyone born of God overcomes the world – by faith.  Take heart! I have overcome the world.  Let not your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me.  I have not left you as orphans.  I have given you My Spirit – the Spirit of truth.  Because I live, you also will live.  The Holy Spirit will teach and remind you of everything I have said.  Whoever obeys My commands, he is the one who loves Me. He will also be loved by My Father and I will show Myself to him. We will come to him and make our home with him by My Spirit.  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. So do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  Even though the prince of this world has come, he has no hold on you because he had no hold on Me.”  (Part of John 14 and 16 and I John 5:3)

The Spirit woke me one night with a word:  PREPARE. I knew I should get up and start writing down what He was saying, but I stayed in bed. I stirred for the next two hours, but what good is sleep when the heart’s awake?   THESE are the days of sleeping less, praying more, studying (God's Word) more, lounging less, walking more, preaching more, seeing more and dreaming more. Turn off the (television) set and get yourself set on what is yours to do to the glory of God.

So what are we to be preparing for?  Awe…for the glorious appearing of our blessed hope, our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are His very own, eager to do good.  (Titus 2:13-14)

The sad truth is that the majority of Christians are not prepared.  It’s obvious by the way we work and live, and by the way we are raising our children.  The grace of God that brings salvation also teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions so that we can live upright and self controlled in this present age while we wait for our Lord to appear.   While we wait for Him we have particular work to do so that we need not be ashamed at His coming.  Your work matters if it’s the good God would have you do.  It matters to God because it is the creative thoughts and material expressions of making Him known in so many ways and with all we've been given in the Holy Spirit.  He watches over our good lives because the ungodly will, even though they accuse us of doing wrong, see our good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (I Peter 2:12)

The home we now live in, built by our son in faithful obedience to God, will stand when others are destroyed because of what fills the house; all that gives God glory and points people to Him.  The construction company that was conceived through my husband’s faith and materialized through our son’s faith is the delight of God because it will produce good things for the kingdom of God. The children we raise are for His glory and not just for our own pride and comforts.  The book I write testifies of our great God.  The picture I paint shows forth the treasure God has put inside me.  The buildings my husband erects through a number of people shows forth his God-given ability to bring qualities together to supply or serve the community in some way.  God sees all that we do with a greater purpose than most believers because we are not looking ahead as we should, with His vision. 

“Everything that does not come from faith - is sin.”  (Romans 14:23)   Selfish ambition is a wicked thing and every element that encourages our self-reliance must be taken out of us for the good work of faith to manifest.  We can be a pillar or we will be pitied. What I’m getting at is we need to prepare His coming no matter how foolish it seems to the world. Noah knew what it meant to persevere when he was laughed at and persecuted by the community.  

In all we do (and teach) we are  to be symbols, logos, signs, emblems, pictures, images and exact representations in society of a glorious new world coming for the glory of God.  We are pillars not only in godly character but also in what we produce with our hands and unique abilities. Pillars of God will remain standing strong and purposeful when everything else crumbles and those who have pitied us will be removed forever.  

I don’t think most Christians think far enough ahead as they should.  I didn’t until I read a book by E.M. Bounds called Heaven – A Place, A City, A Home.  Here in America we have allowed ourselves to think and live like those who have no hope in Heaven.  So we live for the day and for our small ambition.  

The word “prepare” is an extremely focused working word that is full of confidence and certain of what is to come.  God will not waste anything the godly do with right motives.  God is not wasteful like we are.  God sees great value in small things that most of us neglect, cast aside and even destroy. Whether it mineral, plant, animal or human - God designed and produced it all to have a good and lasting purpose.   

America once stood as a godly pillar in our world because she was established on a firm foundation; a covenant with God and one the Mayflower Pilgrims made in faithful commitment with God. God has said that as long as we honor and worship Him in all we do, govern ourselves according to His justice system and teach our children His righteous statutes - all will go well with us.  We will prosper in every way and all that we do will continue on.  So I believe the question needs to be asked and asked again and again till America is back in the hands of the godly: Is all well in America?  It’s obvious it’s not. 

God has never given believers permission to indulge our material lives while the land we live in is made-over by those who oppose the rule and righteousness of God. We are God’s workmen created in Christ Jesus that we should do the works that God prepared in advance for us to do.  We need to repent and get back to the labors of His love. We need to fight that ongoing battle (first in the heart) to preserve the good work of our founding fathers in forming our constitution and laws that remind all residents and all the world that God rules over us and that we need Him both personally in our lives and nationally. We need to humble ourselves, pray and position ourselves to proudly and powerfully bring the knowledge and will of God back into every part of our society or we will lose everything good America once stood for.  If what we do as a nation doesn't come from faith in God and His Word, then it is not good and it will not remain.

We have our attention on too many worthless things so that all our energy, finances and time is being wasted and at such a critical time as this.  No wonder He asks:  “When I return will I find any faith on the earth?”   If our love grows cold our faith freezes up.

Church of Jesus Christ - PREPARE!  Prepare your heart.  Prepare your family.  Prepare your home.  Prepare your budget.  Prepare your neighbor.  Prepare the land for the return of the Lord.  Make the right assessment of all you have.  Pray without ceasing and with your armor on. 

It's time we realize who we truly are in Christ Jesus! You are a highway to God.  You are a pillar in society. You are the head not the tail. You are a letter of instruction. You are the warning of God.  You are a song to be heard.  You are a message of good news.  You are a vessel of provision.  You are hope for the hopeless.  You are a prayer sanctuary.  You are a home for the homeless.  You know the truth and therefore you are a swift sword in the hand of the Lord cutting away falsehood and getting to the heart of people and matters.   

All the good you conceive, raise, plant, invent, compose, bring together, formulate, craft and build matters more than you realize. Even those daily necessary mundane things matter and will have lasting value if done to the glory of Christ our King. Our work matters, not only in this life but will be all the more glorified when Christ returns, and Jesus is coming sooner than you think.    

I Will Glorify It!

God gave us our imagination for a good purpose.  Why would the Lord tell Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and that his descendents would be as numerous as the sand of the sea if it were not to use this awesome image to keep Abraham encouraged and filled with hopeful expectation when his faith was being tested? David, as a little boy, was told he would be King of Israel.  Moses was told that he would lead millions of people out of slavery and into their promised land. I would imagine that each one of them dreamed about their heavenly calling all the time, even looking for the signs of it's timing in their life, even making themselves ready. The Lord will reveal His good plan for us too if it's what we want.  God certainly will give us the desires of our heart.  

Have you ever truly sat and watched a child working with his clumsy little hands? We refer to this as “play” but to this little dreamer it’s a very serious thing.  He takes what is in front of him and begins to discover with it. His imagination is stimulated. His passion is in it. He is so focused on what he is doing that he’s tuned out everything else, even you when you try to make him quit what he’s working on.  And, should you try - he gets upset and angry, but his crying isn’t about rebellion – it’s about his passion and imagination being forced to stop.  You see it, you're taking him from what he's doing, as only a temporary interruption, but he sees it as an end to his fulfillment.  

We think that what our little children do is of little meaning,  so we let our agenda stop theirs of dreaming and discovering.  We get tired of the mess our children make that we have to clean up, but what could be more important than to help our children along with who they are meant to be for the Lord?  We have things we want to get to so we limit their time to discover and crush their little dreams. 

I have a daughter-in-law who watches in amazement her little 1 year old as he moves around the house. She confesses that she can hardly get anything done because he is such a fascination to her.  How precious!  I don’t think she realizes how valuable she is to God.  Not only is she my son's perfect helpmate with what God has given him to do, but she hasn’t realized yet that her fulfillment and reward also come from helping her children's dreams come true. When we help someone else’s dreams come true our dreams come true.  God sees to it.  You will never be too old or tired to start realizing your dreams if you keep to the Holy Spirit's order of accomplishments and His strong motivation for starting and finishing. 

At the age of fifty I became an author by the direction of the Holy Spirit.  I simply asked the Lord what He would have me to do and His Spirit quickly inspired me to start writing a particular book for the Lord:  The Standard.  I’m now on my third book to the glory of God. It's become the thing that I love doing and that I can't stop thinking about. 

All my growing up all I ever wanted to be was a mother.  God blessed that dream and I was saved and then married a godly man who believed that I should stay home with our four children. The very thing I dreamed of doing.  When our children grew up I had more time on my hands, but I got to doing things that had nothing to do with the talents in me still to be discovered.  At the age of fifty God taught me to dream again.   He led me away from people who wanted to use my gifts and talents for their ministry.  He led me away from needy loved ones who were hindering me from hearing from the Lord and going in a new direction with Him. Our work is to be about the things our Creator put in us, things we would enjoy doing, things He could glorify and be glorified by.

Most parents are still looking to be fulfilled themselves because they never were given the freedom and understanding at home to expand their imagination; explore, discover and invent.   God calls this our work; the works He prepared in advance for us to do with His indwelling Spirit.  Our work matters a great deal in what He intended our world to become. 

If our work is not faith based we will labor to no good end.  This is why so many people are not happy in their work today. Only God can grant enjoyment in what we do.  If we do not find pleasure in what we do, more than likely we are not doing the good work that pleases God, which comes by faith. Faith is the only thing that pleases God. If God is pleased by what we do then what we do brings pleasure to us.

The Lord has assigned to each of us – a task.  This task makes our faith grow as well as gets the work done that Christ left to us.  What He has for you to do you will enjoy because it is good and it has promise. It is the work that accompanies your salvation worked out in the fear of God.  Not like the foolish man who feared that his master was an unfair man requesting too much and granting too little, but in holy fear.  It is a holy fear that I have that by no means do I want to stand shamefully before my Savior with little to nothing to show for all He gave me in the Holy Spirit.

The Christian who realizes his dream - had his confidence stretched like a bow. And, like a straight arrow God released him to take off and fly.  Like an arrow we are designed to hit a target, but like the bow we must be stretched even to the point of thinking it’s more than we can take. When we’ve been stretched to the point of letting nothing else matter to us but to finish what is ours to do then God lets us go at it with all His blessing. 

Do you think an arrow is happy staying inside the quiver?  And, it’s not until the Archer’s hand has that arrow in place and pointed in the right direction - that He gets the bow to stretching.   

I have met so many busy yet unhappy Christians.  I can easily recognize a jaded Christian because I was one myself.  There’s a lot we can humanly set out to do “for God,” but it won’t be the brilliant and bountiful work God has prepared for us to do with our giftings.  We give up too soon on our goals, dreams and visions when the stretching comes.  Waiting in the quiver for God to use us will also stretch us in our patience to stay ready while we wait on God’s timing. God doesn’t give up like we do. Do you feel like the bow being stretched?  Could it be that God is pulling you away from your unproductive life to live a productive life; the ignoble life for the noble life?  Do you feel like the arrow in waiting?  Are you anxious to get going?  Are you praying and watching?  Be anxious for nothing, but prayer.  When we are being stretched we will be tempted to forfeit the confidence we had when we first believed. (Hebrews 3:14) Those who cling to worthless things forfeit the all sufficient grace of God.  (Jonah 2:8)

As a child my dream was to be a mommy.  I never knew God as a child, but God always knew me.  I was twenty two years old when I met Jesus and then three months later I married the godly man God picked for me (and me for him).  I was blessed to stay home to raise our four children, but the day came when there were no more children at home.  Now what?  I didn’t have a dream for the rest of my life, but God did. He knew what He had put in me for this last part of my life.  So God starting stretching me again to become an author of books that would help make Christians ready for Him.

If we do not get our wisdom from God in knowing what to do with what we have, the stretching and the waiting will tempt us to do something different than what we are designed for, and this will have no good end. Be sure that our enemy knows how to charm and deceive us right out of our heavenly reward that God has set aside for those who finish what He prepared for them to do.  

Laziness, haste and misunderstanding will keep us from our reward in heaven of which I've been (and still am at times) guilty of.  This is one reason Jesus went before us so we could learn from Him and rely on the same Holy Spirit that brought Him to reach what His heart was set on.  “Prosperity is the reward of the righteous.”  (Proverbs 13:21b)  Jesus is our perfect example and the only One to compare ourselves to.

Everyone is created to prosper, but not everyone does.  There is something for you to do that God is waiting to glorify.  That’s how much God wants to honor you and show you off.  You know, like the way you feel and brag on your accomplished son or daughter?  This promise in Proverbs is not to the unrighteous, but to the righteous; not to the impure heart, but to the pure heart.  The righteous are those who have Christ’s kingdom pulling in their heart so strongly that they have pulled themselves away from all other directives. They are prospered so others are drawn to the love of God. It's those acts of godly compassion that draw people to repentance before the Lord Jesus.    

Do you have full confidence that your work is the aim of your heavenly calling?  We will be stretched in every way to finish the works God prepared in advance for us to do. What Jesus had in His sights kept Him from giving in to the human side of His nature.  So must we also get into our scope of life the view Jesus had, the joy beyond the cross.

 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere (stretched for precision and aimed for perfection) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”  Hebrews 10:35

If you have been saved by the grace of God in Christ Jesus you are His seed of faith, hope and love that longs and looks forward to His coming again so that all the world can at last - REJOICE! 

There’s something of yours in Heaven but you must go after it with all you’ve been given - with all you’ve got. Looking forward to our BLESSED HOPE to be revealed is quite the necessary hope to keep as the reason to reach beyond our own weak grasp of all that we think living is about.  Heavenly hope is based on what God will do for you, not on what you will do for God. As I notice the intricacy and the purposes in the smallest of God’s created things, even the hidden things of greatest beauty and significance, it simply inspires me to actively worship and make good use of Father's gifts to me. 

If you never did another thing for God – God would still love you with an everlasting love.  Most Christians have a difficult time simply accepting God’s love.  If we will get alone with the Lord in a quiet place to worship Him for whom He is we will be blessed. 

This Christmas of 2007 begin to believe that God wants to prosper you. Receive ALL the gifts of His love as eagerly as a child on Christmas morning.  Children don’t stay in bed knowing there are gifts of love under the tree. In fact, they go rip roaring with high expectations! Then they immediately get busy enjoying the good use of each gift received.

To read and study the Bible just to know more about what God has done for others without receiving what God has and will do for you is to miss out on the generous and joyful gifts in God’s Tree for you personally.  Wisdom teaches us that knowledge alone only puffs us up where as the love of God builds us up. Are you a puffed up or a built up Christian?  God must first work His love into us like one would work  the yeast in to a batch of bread dough with the expectation of it swelling up to feed and satisfy many.

Something is always telling us that we aren’t doing enough for God so that we end up doing what is within our own limited view and grasp to do. Something in our past has incorrectly formed our thinking in that being loved and accepted is based on what we do and what we have. This is why we don’t reach for God and have the faith of a child who “expects” dreams to be fulfilled by the God of miracles and unfailing love.  This hopeless thinking does not come from God. This is not what the love of God is like.  If God was not about making dreams come true then why did He create the human race and all the stars in the universe?  And, the way we know (with great certainty) that He has high hopes for us is that while we were sinning away with hardly a guilty conscience our GOD, by the Holy Spirit, began to draw us to His love with repentance and trust in what Jesus did for us on Calvary’s Cross. 

When God pours His love into your heart by the Holy Spirit you no longer want to sin your life away, but rather you long and reach for the life that is truly life.  The love of God allowed the blood of Jesus to satisfy His holy wrath on all sinful flesh so that our sick and weary souls could be at rest with our spirits renewed and our future hope restored. Oh Hail the King!

Have you ever noticed all the joyful hope a child has? As we grow up – where and why does it go?  How does our child-like faith get crushed and even destroyed?  Parents, what you live out about your belief in God before your child will either build him up in the love of God, or it will chip away at this foundation of faith - that God has placed in every child.  We've all been given faith as small as a mustard seed. 

There’s more to the love of God than simply being saved from the coming wrath of God. There’s more than you’ve ever dreamed and hoped for that springs forth jubilantly out of our unrelenting reach for the LORD we came to believe in. Our hope is two-fold.  On one side of the cross we did nothing but receive the grace that was there; a wondrous grace we didn’t deserve. On the other side of the cross we are inspired to discover the treasure of what we received and start giving out - what we’ll never run out of. The Lord will fill as many jugs as you bring Him. He'll change as many situations as you have the faith for.

So….what have YOU received from Heaven’s Throne?  What are you seriously after these days?  Does it have its hope in the world or in Heaven?  What are you holding on to that is holding you back?  What is drawing and demanding all your attention each day from receiving your love gifts from the Lord each morning?  Does it provide you with joy and peace and the hope of the eternity spent with the One who died for you?  Does it move your will towards its heavenly reward?  

How long do we look forward to a vacation or to a movie and to Christmas?  Some of us plan a vacation years in advance because of the terrific cost or we buy a ticket way in advance to make sure we have a seat reserved for our happy big event. We pay big bucks for the things we look forward to. We tell others about it because we think about it constantly with a longing.  We get our outfit ready for the event, or an entire wardrobe appropriate for the lengthy occasion.  Oh how we enjoy getting ready for something we look forward to!  We’ll spend a lot of time and money on making sure that we have everything secured and those provided for that we are leaving behind.  We want to make sure that we didn’t leave something undone that should’ve been done before we left.  It would seem that what we joyfully look forward to comes with a price and lots of preparation.  Do you sense what I’m coming to?

Beloved, the BIG EVENT will be here sooner than you think!   It’s time to get ready for the Lord to appear!  This event has a dress code: the works of the Holy Spirit that God prepared in advance. They must be of the finest linen, bright and clean. Have you bought in to this costly event yet?  Are you sure you have the proper attire? Are you providing for those who will be left behind? 

My four daughters and I have purchased costly theatre tickets for a popular play six months from now.  We are so-o-o-o looking forward to this event together.  There’s no doubt that come the day before the event, or even seven days before, we will be planning what to wear – something very appropriate for this grand occasion.  And, I’m sure that all my daughters will also make sure that their children are being cared for properly. One of my daughters said to me with excitement that she wished it wasn’t so far off. But, it comes on you more suddenly than you think. So I told her to start preparing NOW!

We’ve come to the end of the year 2007. The Father has issued us each our own global credit card without limit, but certainly not without the HIGHEST interest in His kingdom expansion. What will you purchase with all this grace He is releasing in abundance?  Men for God or material for you?  How are you using the giftings of God's Spirit? How should we use what came by the shed blood of the BELOVED of God?

What are you looking forward to these days: a vacation, a play, a movie?  Maybe a family birth or wedding? But, since it is the Christmas season I should be right on saying that most are decorating their homes and out buying and wrapping gifts and baking goodies and getting less sleep and eating out more than usual and certainly hoping (and praying) that all our expensive Christmas frenzy will get covered somehow in the new year. 

Oh how it would benefit so much more to be doing what we are doing and spending what we are spending because we are looking forward to that perfect forever-budding season with the most amazing gifts that can never perish?  Christmas reminds us that Christ was born to bring us the hope of salvation.  Easter reminds us that we should not fear, and especially death, but to put our hope and expectation in the love of God which is far more certain than all the wealth and wisdom of the earth. But, we really don’t have a holiday that reminds us that THE KING IS COMING!  So may we live out our existing days with THIS holy-day in our hearts and with every part of our lives to keep us reminded of what we should be looking forward to: a better hope than the world has ever tried to come up with.  May you be the reason for why anyone would eagerly ask for the hope we have come to know. May we be the givers who look for an opportunity to give each day that which will not fade, nor perish.   

The year 2008 will be the year of new beginnings for those Christians who are ready for the love of God to manifest in ways unheard of and in ways we’ve never seen God act before.  He has surprises that need to come out of their boxes.  May we celebrate this New Year with the Holy Spirit’s highest aspirations for us. May we be refreshed by every Word of God making right resolutions that spring out of our fervor and the compassion He gives us for those who are being saved.  May we boldly shake off all that can be shaken and won't remain, everything that hinders the free flow of the abundant life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

“See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven? At that time His voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."’  The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken, that is, created things-so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."   Hebrews 12:25-13:1

There’s more than enough grace from Heaven’s Throne for all the world’s saints to finish what the Lord joyfully gave us to do joyfully for Him on earth – till He comes as promised.  And, with so much global violence, natural disasters and constant painful moaning all around the world there is much to do with our loving gifts as well as to remind us of what Jesus said:  “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."  (Luke 21:28) 

What do we have to fear when we’ve been given Christ’s never ending kingdom with all power and authority of His Holy Spirit?  What can we fail at when God has said that all things belong to us?  Why should we expect to find a shut and locked door when we’ve been given all the keys?  

Like mountain pines with the “Place of Event” to point to - get your decorations on and confidently ask the Holy Spirit to turn on your brightest light! Be the "star" of God's happy oath. Let all the earth hear our rejoicing over the love of our God!  Can’t you hear that music? 

Prophecy is confirmed with melodies and rhymes.

The musicians of each age are signs of the times.

Anthems from before are treasured once again

with songs of deliverance and the battle hymns.

Praising our Savior through each generation

strengthens the weary who are keeping the vision.

Psalms from patriarchs, pioneers with sounds,

martyrs for Jesus sing of their crowns.

The music of our day prepares us for the TRUMPET.

We’ve longed for this DAY and God’s righteous judgments.

What will be the order when RAPTURED we find?

The angels giving way to “HERE COMES THE BRIDE!”

Beloved, what are you truly looking forward to?  Will it last?  Is it the costly event the Father has planned and Christ has purchased for you?  Do you have His Voucher, the Holy Spirit?  Have you checked to see if you have the proper dress? You know, that beauty that hopes and harvests for the Lord? Are you providing for those who will be left behind?   Are you prepared to be a part of the greatest show on earth? Is the excitement even keeping you awake at night planning, providing and praying?

“I, John, saw the HOLY CITY, the New Jerusalem, coming down our of heaven from God,

prepared as a Bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them.

They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their GOD.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death

or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’

He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I AM MAKING EVERYTHING

  NEW ! ‘

Then He said, ‘Write these things down, for they are

TRUSTWORTHY AND TRUE.’ “

The Bible has a lot to say about this event, so do you have your program?  Have you read it all from beginning to end?  May I suggest that you keep going over it in case you have missed something?  You can’t depend on hearsay and you can’t afford to misunderstand anything about this once-in-a-lifetime event that will be worth it all – WHEN YOU SEE JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!

The year 2008 is the year of new beginnings for the people of God. As I went to send out Christmas cards as one of my Christmas “traditions” I was inwardly discouraged by the Holy Spirit in doing so because of this message He put in my heart for all of you this “new” year.

In 2007 God put an end (in various types of deaths) to certain hindrances in order to begin a-new release in 2008 for those who have been praying and watching and waiting on the Holy Spirit.

God did an excellent work of grace in our family in 2007and this has positioned us for our “new beginnings” in 2008. We were given gracious gifts from under His Tree for keeping His Vision.

Has it ever struck you that all your life God has been preparing you to be positioned for such a time as this? Trials have surely come to build us up in our most holy faith because there is something so unique about our day, unlike any other, that God wants us not only to understand, but get in position for.  He has perfectly designed something just for you and yours to do that is not to be compared with the past or any other person's "new thing"  from the Lord.  And, if you try to do it without the timing and motivation of the Holy Spirit it won’t get done and you will miss its reward.

We have been reviewing our 2007with all that’s happened with our family and it is certain that God is very eager to unite families for His purposes. As Mike and I push 60 years of age we are just now coming into the greater works of the Holy Spirit that God has prepared us for all our lives.  Christ is joyful to finish what He started in us.   

Beloved of God, see to it that you do not miss the glorious all-sufficient grace of God in 2008 because there is a people being made ready for the Lord and His return. The world as we know it is about to change drastically and will cease to remain the same. You will not be able to depend any longer on what has truly failed and is now being shaken so not to remain and that means even our religious structures and faulty systems of belief. We will have to finish depending absolutely on God’s Holy Spirit of grace, gifts, wisdom and revelation.  You will be wise to learn what you should know and blessed to do what is yours to do.  Let each morning bring you “that” word of truth and trust in God’s unfailing love.

 We have all grown up in our culture’s godless and religious systems as if they were dependable and profitable. Beloved, come out and be separated for Christ our King.  Put your hope in God alone for He has never changed His mind and He never tires of helping us along our way till we receive the prize of faithfulness. 

God’s pillars are called to hold up His standard without compromise or procrastination or indifference, and yes, with absolutely NO tolerance for wickedness to rule over us. If these are not in His character (and they aren’t) then why should they be in any of His people?  In our heart, we must leave this world behind and long for heaven's life, but while in this world we must keep strive with the Lord's good will , with His Spirit in our heart. 

Did the Father hold anything back from us when He sent His Son and watched Him suffer unto His death on the cross; a cross that was rightfully ours?  We have received grace without measure in the Holy Spirit sent to equip us with every good gift for doing the “rewarded” will of God.  Let's not hold back a thing from Him!

Our prayer for you as well as for ourselves is to live for the Lord honorably in every way as we prepare for Him and His ever glorious return. May we have a restored hope that rests fully on all the character of God and may we be more confident in Christ than ever before. May we excel in the grace of giving.  May we reach beyond our own grasp to do what has been on our hearts to do believing without a doubt that God is pleasingly waiting to glorify it beyond our imagination.

Beloved, as much as it is in your power, be at peace with those around you, but let go of people and things that are sure to distract you, distort your call, and are sent to destroy the work that God designed specifically for you to do. You can do it! You will love to do it! And, God will not let you fail! The One who calls you - HE is faithful! 

With all you’ve been given and with all that is in you make your home the place where people see and receive grace and even begin to believe again in the love and joy and peace of God. Now is the time to get under the Lord’s light and easy yoke with Him.  Take necessary measure to pull in to your keeping and teaching those little ones God has entrusted to no one else. Stand strong with orderly family conduct showing a searching society what God says a family is and why He favors, blesses and honors a nation under God. It has been far too long that America has been united for the love and word of God.

Make His way! There’s a new KING coming!        

Jesus had a very good reason in giving His disciples this parable about ten virgins.  Every word counts, jots and tittles too. I don’t think there was a time like now that this parable has been able to fully relate with the finale that Jesus gave it.

Virginia was my first name on my birth certificate until my mother legally made it my middle name because I had come home from school crying so many times of what I was being called: "Virgie the virgin." Why would this be such an offense to a little girl who was (still) a virgin?  I never had a faithful father growing up and I never had a step-father “worth pleasing” either.  Not until my Heavenly Father zeroed in on me did I discover that I had One all along, and truly worth pleasing. I was almost twenty-three years of age when I met the Great Shepherd and Savior of my soul.  Just because I asked, Jesus Christ forgave my sins and came into my heart. My Father secured me (promised)for eternal life with Jesus Christ.  My fear of Hell was very real. No preacher had to say it twice. Since that day, the day the gospel of the Father’s Son broke open my heart, I've had a hands-on personally involved Father in my life to raise me up to a noble woman.

I’m not proud to confess that growing up I led a “loose” life, loose in every sense of the word.  Loose living produces loss of life. I was searching for love and fulfillment in all the wrong places and with all the wrong people.  My heavenly Father showed up in my life before I could completely ruin it.  I believe He may have waited to reveal Himself to me till I was twenty-two because of the husband and ministry He had chosen for me. His grace is as quick as it is patient. You can be sure that God uses everything we’ve done for His good purpose if we confess it and offer it to Him to use in any way He deems best.

I lost my “virginity” to my second boyfriend at the age of sixteen and from that one very bad decision I added more bad decisions, the worse being the child (from a later boyfriend) I aborted at the age of eighteen.  Even though marriage was offered I feared ending up like my dear mother lonely, divorced and working to support three little girls alone.  No one informed me with the truth of what I was doing about my pregnancy.  But, back then they hadn’t cared enough to search it all out as to how dangerous abortion and the pill, of any kind, are. This is proof that Satan is totally behind it all.  Should people find out the truth they need to have they just might make wiser decisions and be much healthier and blessed, which is not what Satan is for.

After my abortion I went on the pill by the doctor’s advice but mostly for the lifestyle I wanted to continue with. All this was supported and funded by “Planned Parenthood,” so that I could continue to be irresponsible with my body and with the lives of others. I am fully convinced that Planned Parenthood and all its hidden agenda rooted in the schemes of Satan is the most deceptive wicked organization in our nation.  As I’ve written in my first book, THE STANDARD – That Has Never Changed, this organization was started by women (for women) who wanted to be able to have all the sexual relations they want without the children that naturally come with it. Disease and body damage could not be stopped (God’s judgment), but with this evil little tablet a child (a gift from God) could be stopped.  Beware of joining yourself to this idol.  Yesterday I watched a mock partial birth abortion done by a Christian doctor (who won’t perform them or any abortion).  He used a plastic baby the size of the child’s age in the womb when they perform these partials.  I can’t imagine any pregnant mother wanting to go through with one after seeing the TRUTH.   Jesus was so right when He proclaimed that “the truth shall set you free.”  

The Father hates idolatry and so should all His children.  His creation is not to be tampered with. Children are not yours to plan to eliminate or stop, and especially not to be planned with anything that has come out of Planned Parenthood. God plans all His children that they be conceived and birthed at a specific time for a specific purpose and Satan knows this far better than we. This is why King Herod was so motivated to kill all the Hebrew boys in keeping Jesus from being born. This is why Satan had Pharaoh kill off all the Hebrew boys to keep Moses from being born who would deliver the people of God out of slavery and lead them to the blessing God had for them – the Promised Land.

Thank God, and I truly mean to give God all my praise because He was the only One who saw my true state and cared enough for my future to intervene, rescue me and place His covering over me. God knows the plans He has for us and they are to give us a hope and a future, not to harm us.  He plans to prosper us in every way.  Did you know that to God the more children we have the wealthier we are?  

I have been married to my handsome covering now going on thirty-three years. Mike is the man God hand-picked for me, and I’m exactly what Mike needed to help him raise his children from God and to help him with his assignments from God.  Most men will need a true daughter of God’s to marry and to finish what is his to do in obedience to Christ - who is his covering.  

When I received Christ and then was married to Mike I was convicted to go off the pill. Sadly, our first child wasn’t able to survive in the body I had treated so wrongly. But, we've been blessed with four others (and their spouses and our seven grands) that love the Lord.The day must come for all of us that we see our bodies as God so designed, and ultimately for His indwelling Holy Spirit and the glories to follow. You can be sure that without holiness no one will see God.

Our first pregnancy was a miscarriage, which is one of the risks with the pill.  You want the truth?  The truth is that when you use the pill you are putting to risk the life of your next unborn child. So I ask you, is your choice of lifestyle worth that day in God's court? Children come from the Lord and we all return to the Lord to give an account for the life we have lived – in the body. 

Planned Parenthood with all its many secret extensions of controlling conception, and ending the life of the unborn, and the latest medical science of cloning life which are all detestable to God, have a judgment day coming that those who refuse to repent of their wickedness will not escape. Those who love God should also hate what He hates, not people, but the wicked things people do. Otherwise, you really don’t know Him personally as you should, as your Father.   

With so much sexual immorality going unchecked in the churches today we need the proud bold preaching, in the homes especially on the unlimited wealth and health of virginity for both boys and girls. It greatly angers God (and me) to see shame instead of honor placed on virginity.  This is from Satan to sear our good conscience that God gave us that is able to distinguish good from evil.  

So what does this all have to do with the Lord’s parable of the TEN VIRGINS?  Virginity has just as much value spiritually (eternally) and for the "body of Christ" as it has for the physical body and for the earthly life.  Virgins here, I believe, are those who have been promised to Christ by the Father and called by the Holy Spirit to Jesus Christ for repentance, rejoicing and reward. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

The Bride of Christ has accepted His proposal in life to remain truly in Him. They long for Him and He longs for them only, and I repeat, ONLY because they are the carriers of His precious Holy Spirit. They are filled with His glorious Helpmate and this is the primary reason why Jesus Christ longs to be united with us. The Father, the Son and the Spirit are one. The Spirit glorifies the Son just like the Son said that He glorifies the Father. Therefore, shouldn’t we glorify the Holy Spirit instead of resisting His wisdom and power which grieve Him greatly?

When the Father received His Son back He then sent us His Spirit on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2)  Christ’s followers had done all they could to have everything in common out of the love God’s Spirit had poured in them for one another and when Christ re-appeared (after death) to them they obeyed the word to go and wait for what was still lacking: the Holy Spirit. They were in need of the Spirit’s mighty power for the use of their spiritual gifts and in need of God’s pure wisdom for putting their knowledge of Him to a productive work for the kingdom of God.  Which is what much of the church is in need of today, once again.

This distinction that Christ made between the two types of virgins is defined clearly for us as to who had the anointing/comforting/healing oil of His Spirit, and who did not when the Bridegroom came for them. All ten virgins had the Bridegroom in common and headed out in daylight in their journey to meet up with Him. They each had their lamp, the Word of God (Bible), but half of them did not bring any oil for their lamp. Why didn’t the foolish virgins take notice of the further vision (wisdom) of the wise virgins and take oil for a longer journey lasting into the night?  Or, did the foolish virgins assume that if the journey took them into the night the others would share their oil so they wouldn’t have to invest themselves in costly oil?  What do you think Jesus wants us prepared for as He put this story together, piece by piece?  Jesus chose every word carefully, like He did in every parable.

With so many Christians giving off their opinions and (still) not really being sure about when the rapture will certainly come for the faithful in Christ, wouldn’t it be wise to plan for going “further” than we thought.....than we’ve been taught?  All we really know is that the Philadelphia church of brotherly love, who has “little strength”  (vs. the Smyrna church with much greater strength, able to endure cruel deaths for their faith in Christ) is “kept from the hour of trial (the great tribulation) that is to come to test those who live on the earth.”  And, from Jesus’ parable we see that the “hour of trial,”  the darkest time on the earth, starts at the “midnight hour” which is when these wise virgins meet up with the Bridegroom. The Apostle Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit to preach and write for our benefit, was given a clue to this mystery revealed to him as to when it would happen:    

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep (die a physical death), but we will all be changed-in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”  1 Corinthians 15:51-52  

What does the seventh (last) trumpet bring upon the earth?

“The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon. The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever." (Revelation 11:14-15)  Isn’t this the description of the return of Christ to the earth?  What I see is that the church of Christ will live on the earth through some of what happens at the sounding of the sixth trumpet.  (You can read about it in Revelation chapter 9.)

“But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets."  (Revelation 10:7) This mystery is referring to the “Spirit-filled” church being taken up without physically dying.  

Child of God, knowledge alone will not save you from the hour of trial. Being involved with ministry in a church won't either and neither will you be saved from the hour of trial because you financially give.

Knowledge, that comes from God, has a good work that can only be accomplished by the oil of our lamp - by the Spirit of the Word of God. The Bride has preparations and provisions she is responsible for. Jesus Christ has made it clear in this parable that not all virgins, those who were promised to Christ, will be kept from the hour of trial.  Half will be left behind to endure painful suffering of the great tribulation period and many will even die a martyrs’ death.

“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' “  Matthew 25:10-12 

Why weren’t they recognized by the One they were promised to?  They had a reputation among themselves of being spiritually alive but they were dead in Christ’s faith. Therefore, Christ did not recognize them. Their deeds were incomplete in the sight of God for all kinds of reasons. (The various rebukes of Jesus to the five churches of Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicean recorded in Revelation 2 and 3) These five types of foolish virgins started out on the right foot, when they first believed, but their love grew cold and they began to fall away from Christ’s path (the race) for their faith.  As the Lord told my husband, “they stopped 10 yards short of the finish line.”  All they truly (secretly in the heart and clearly seen by the Lord) cared about was enjoying the fellowship of ignorant (unprepared) like-minded believers while waiting to get out of here and escape the hour of trial, as they had wrongfully assumed.   But, the good news is that God loves them with His everlasting love and is right now, as we speak, preparing a place of provision for them to survive this time on the earth. The brotherly love church of Philadelphia is being used for this as the finished work on God's House.  1 Peter 2:15-17 talks about the good deeds of love for the BROTHERHOOD of believers that silence the ignorant talk of the foolish. These are just as much the tribulation saints as they are the raptured saints. 

Jesus stated (and plans) that the taking of the wise ones came at the darkest hour, not in the light of day, nor at sunset or at dusk. When they were awakened by the message of the (seventh) angel the foolish virgins were surprised to see the darkness, but the wise virgins weren’t because they had prepared for a longer journey. They had oil enough.  With great joy, for having been prepared, they “met up” with the One they had longed for.

Do not be deceived. God is preparing a place of provision for His beloved “tribulation saints” as well as the Jews being outside of the beast’s system of the 666 mark. Ah, and this is the best part for the beloved "unwise" virgins: They get to make the biggest fools of those who still refuse to repent before God spite the judgment they are suffering!  Hallelujah to our great and wise God!   Here is the heart of God for those elect in the tribulation:

“For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.”  Matthew 24:21-22

There is a cup from which to drink that Christ drank from; a cup that represents all the shed blood of God's faithful servants.  (Matthew 20:22-23) When Jesus asked the disciples if they could drink from the same cup He drinks from He wasn’t asking in such a way as to say they couldn’t, but rather…..are YOU ready to go further than you thought?  Are YOU ready to give more of yourself than you’ve ever given?  Are YOU ready to die to whatever it takes to finish what I’m giving YOU to do?  Are YOU even ready to give your physical body over to a cruel death?

OH GOD!  let not my love grow cold!  Holy Father, keep me filled with your all powerful abiding Spirit of grace and wisdom that I need for what I’ve been called to and that I finish what is only mine to do for YOU. YOURS is the only VOICE I choose to obey. Bless me LORD!  I want to be YOUR blessing to those others coming in behind me.      

Wherever the gospel was refused and rejected the Lord taught His disciples to leave that place and kick off its dust from their shoes and move on.  No matter what place: a city, place of business, a school, a home or a church - Jesus expects His followers, the young and old alike, to keep in step with His Spirit moving in and through the doors that God “opens” because of warfare prayer and right practices. (Revelation 3:8)

We are called to control the “gates” in our society with the justice and righteousness of God Almighty.  Jesus anointed us through the apostle:  “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock (Peter’s faith) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”  (Matthew 16:18-19)  “I will give you (His church) the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  So then, why has “American” Christianity let the gates that our faithful forefathers constructed be taken over so that wickedness now dictates at just about every gate in our society?  

 “Look at your troops - they are all women! The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies…” Nahum 3:13

” I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. All your sons will be taught by the LORD, and great will be your children's peace.”  Isaiah 54:12-13

Where are God’s victorious men, men of vigilance and men of valor today?  Why are they sitting in church pews doing the menial chores of women?  Our grandchildren will have no peace in this nation until the “sons” of God start hearing what the Lord's Spirit is saying to the churches.  Men have been listening to their wives and to the feminine spirit leading most churches today.  Passive pastors lead whole congregations into passivity, not into battle. The Gospel advances through strong and forceful men. 

God is sending His warriors, prophets with the battle plan, into the passive American churches today. But, how many will actually accept God’s "sent ones" without feeling threatened by it?  Those pastors who are building a kingdom of their own (or for a denomination) will feel threatened and will reject the message God sent to them for their own future welfare as a church. Do you want to be commended or condemned on the day He, Jesus Christ, judges us for what we did with His Holy Spirit’s wealth, message of wisdom and warnings about what was coming?   

 “The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.  Evil men will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.” Proverbs 14:18-19

“Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.” Isaiah 26:2

"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me (the church victorious), and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.  Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the CITY. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.  I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."  Revelation 22:12-16

Far too many Christians have sat back and accepted “falsehoods.”  When you don’t stand up and do something about it you are indeed “practicing falsehood.”   The greatest sin in God’s eyes is not the sin of adultery or murder, but the sin of neglect: neglecting to do the right thing.  “…everything that does not come from faith is sin.” (Romans 14:23)

Gals, are you praying for your husband that he be a man of God taught and led by the Lord Himself?  The Proverbs 31 woman does. “Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.” (Proverbs 31:23)  She watches over her own household too and will not allow false teachers and teachings to be taught to her children.  She will not put her family in harm’s way but will do everything she can to guard those whom God has entrusted to her daily hands-on care and teaching.

If we remain passive in a place where our testimony of Jesus Christ is silenced and rejected we WILL conform to the thinking and behavior of that place no matter what. Lot and family conformed to sexual immorality in Sodom and Gomorrah.  The Israelites conformed to slavery in Egypt.  King Saul conformed to witchcraft in the land.  Solomon conformed to idolatry in the houses of his wives.  Samson conformed to weakness in the arms of a deceptive woman.  Bathsheba conformed to adultery by the requirement of authority.  Peter conformed to unfaithfulness instead of suffering the friendship of Jesus.  The churches of Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis and Laodicea conform to the false teachings and lifestyles of the godless society and church leadership.  

YOU will not change the “system” by remaining in it passively.  The system will change you!  If we remain in a place where there is a law against your “public” testimony of Jesus Christ then you have only two choices:  You conform and forfeit your crown and reward from God or you ask for and look for and move through the “open door” of God ready for battle as well as victory.

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.  I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.  I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard against men…” Matthew 10:14-17

Think about it Beloved!  The Day of our Lord’s return is nearer than you think and He, with all His righteous ones, will overturn and utterly destroy every false teaching and school that advances against the truths of God. The saints will utterly destroy every house and property that has been used for wickedness to hide in and every place of business that has promoted self-interest and greed.  Every church that has bred self-righteousness and passivity along with every government that rejected the justice system of God will crumble simply by our presence and words of authority.  And, every human being that has ever lived (along with the devil and his demons) who refused God’s Son, His Spirit and His way of life will be cast into the eternal lake of fire for endless suffering.   God is not to be mocked nor His judgments to be taken lightly.  It is time for us to judge ourselves according to God’s holiness for without holiness no one will see God, only His wrath.  What are we waiting for? Hasn't God said that we are more than conquerors with Him?

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. “ Matthew 10:32-33

Only those whom God considers blameless will stand in His presence. Who are these commendable ones the Lord calls blameless in His sight?  How do they think? How do they act? What motivates them?

The blameless are careful to do the right thing, say the right thing and honor right things. (Psalms 15) The blameless are those who want a heart like God’s; they guard their heart and home from wickedness. (Psalms 101:2-8) The blameless seek God each morning and apply the Scriptures to their lives without holding anything back from Him. (Psalms 119:1-3) The blameless understand that God is holding them accountable for what happens to the children He has entrusted to them. They recognize and will not tolerate idolatry, witchcraft, doctrines of demons, nor speaking to the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:9-13) The blameless know the spiritual gifts and weapons they have and find the right way to use them. They are anointed to speak the truth with all authority. (1 Corinthians 1:4-9)  The blameless judge according to God’s justice system and when the wicked oppose them - are shielded by God. (Proverbs 2:7-17) The blameless do not wither in times of disaster. They believe God for all they need. They are living for God’s eternal inheritance. (Psalms 37:18-19) The blameless can not be moved from what God has given them to do. (Genesis 6:8-9) The blameless teach and train up their own children that their sons and daughters should also be counted “by God” among the blameless. (Genesis 5:22-24)

Where do you stand with God?  We can no longer compromise and procrastinate when our eternal destiny and the eternal state of family and friends is at stake. The ancient foe is bent on destroying those who are striving to live the life that pleases God. The blameless are a huge threat to Satan’s plans because they are keenly aware of his ancient schemes as recorded in Scripture and as constantly attempted on them. They are vigilant and know how to fast and pray for God’s overruling word on their behalf.  We can’t afford to get slack with the spiritual disciplines we need to keep ourselves keen and vigilant in a day of such deception and darkness. The devil will find the least opportunity to ruin your godly life from being lived out on the earth in plain view.   

Too many Christians have been driven away from the wisdom of God by the hand of the enemy. (Psalm 36:9-11) He slips in any opening we give him and steers us far away from the perfect and acceptable will of God. This is why so many Christians are so miserable: in debt, discontented and discouraged and is why so many Christians have “fallen short” of what God has planned for their growing faith. If we refuse the way God has provided us to be victorious in all things then God will not show us anything else.

Adam and Eve were “driven out” of God’s garden (His presence) because they both played “dumb” to what God had clearly said to them. They turned a “deaf” ear to clear godly instruction which cost them eternal life and drove them into a life of guilt and suffering, something they had never known and what God never intended for them to be familiar with. They came to personally know evil which was not God’s perfect will for them. They went from favored to fallen by one wrong decision and to make things worse, they refused to accept the blame for what they did.  Although God provided them with a sin covering of the blood and skin from an animal it wasn’t until Adam’s grandson, Enosh, that man started calling on the Lord for what he needed. Many generations later Enoch, of the same line of Seth (Seth who was Adam’s son and Enosh’s father), was hand-picked by God to show that there is a chosen line of “blameless in His sight” and a generation who would not experience physical death but would be taken off the earth just at the right time to be with the Lord forever. (Genesis 5:24)  

Do you feel like there is something blocking you from what you need from God? Do you feel confused or frustrated about your purpose in Christ Jesus? Do you feel something is blocking your prayers from reaching the ear of God? The Holy Spirit is clearly calling Christians to fasting and prayer. For those who are unable to hear what the Spirit is saying it is the only way to be set free to hear what the Spirit of Christ is saying in a new way for a new day. New wine must have a new wine-skin else there is explosions and outbursts. I believe this is what we are seeing today with church traditions not being able to hold what the Holy Spirit is pouring in to so many of God's prepared vessels for the last day. 

The loss of something very valuable is in store for anyone who stops short of faith’s finished work. You are called to a specific purpose where all your life God has prepared you for such a time as this. There is one more good and glorious deed the church of Jesus Christ has left to do before she leaves the earth to meet up with the Bridegroom. May we not stop short of what is NOW to be done by the Bride of Christ. 

 “Jesus rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, ‘Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.’  And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why could not we cast him out?’  And he said unto them, ‘This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.’’“ Mark 9:25-29

Fasting with prayer is a step of faith that has to be taken seriously today. I have fought this far too long in my own walk with the Lord, but He has been faithful to help me do it. The deaf and dumb spirit will keep far too many believers from hearing and finishing what God has planned for their faith’s finish.  

The Jews, God’s chosen people, living under the Persian rule of King Xerxes in Esther’s day did not know the trouble the enemy had planned against them through Haman, the King’s governor over his kingdom. The Jews were clueless as they were enjoying what they thought was a time of peace and safety. What Satan can not accomplish in a time of war he will strive to accomplish in a time of man-made peace because of how we fail to stay suited up for battle in prayer recognizing the signs of the time. Satan knows how to bring out our human tendency to compromise and complacency.

The name “Esther” means “hidden.”  When Mordecai found out Haman’s plan against the Jews he told Esther because the King favored her above all his other wives. King Xerxes did not know Esther’s true identity as a Jew. Both Mordecai and Esther knew that Haman’s evil plan could only be stopped by the word of the King.  So she got serious for the welfare of her people. She committed herself to prayer and fasting for 3 days and then called on her people to do the same for her that she would have the wisdom and courage to see this thing through.  Because Esther prepared herself “presentable and blameless” the King accepted her identity and her petition on behalf of her people. The King made a new law specifically for the Jews that they were free to defend themselves with weapons against their enemies.  When the King saw Haman intimidating and threatening Esther (his favored one) his anger flared up and he had Haman hung on the very gallows Haman had set for Mordecai and all the other Jews who would refuse to bow to him. The King rightfully gave Mordecai Haman’s place. 

Mordecai’s keen perspective and Esther’s vigilant work has become the example of how God favors and delivers His people from the schemes of the enemy in any and every generation, and why He will bless any ruler and government.  King Xerxes’ kingdom became all the more glorious because he favored and valued the wisdom and love of God’s “blameless.”    

May the church of Jesus Christ be prepared for what is yet to be done in much harder times. May our deeds be “complete” in the sight of our great God that we stand blameless in His holy presence to receive the great reward of our faith. May the power and wisdom of God - not be hidden on earth any longer!

Wisdom asks: Whose plan for education do YOU have, the Master's or man's?

"The fruit of the womb is the Lord's reward!"  Every human life that has ever entered in to a woman’s womb God had a great purpose for. The womb is God’s perfectly designed “secret place” of good purpose, protection and provision. He has in mind and heart to bless and make great in some way every human life no matter what color or culture they are as long as they "remember" their Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, as long as they continue to call on Him in spirit and truth, trusting His perfect will. For He says, “I know the plans I have for you, not to harm you, but to prosper you, and give you a hope and a future.”   The ancient foe, the devil, who is temporarily the god (with his demon cohorts) of this wicked world ALSO has plans for every child in the womb and you can be certain the serpent’s plan isn’t about life, love, and liberty.

One of Satan’s best advocates was Margaret Sanger, the founder of “American Birth Control League” (alias - Planned Parenthood), agreed with Hitler’s plan for an elite race.  Her Eugenics “Negro Project” was to exterminate (not provide a health plan for) the blacks.  Sanger believed the black people to be the “human waste” of mankind. She called them "diseased whites in need of a cure." Slavery of the blacks was not as horrifying as what this woman put into play for the extermination of the blacks and later for any women to have a way to exterminate unwanted pregnancy. At least during the time of black slavery there was some worth placed on black slaves to where it cost people to own a black slave. Most American masters of black slaves truly appreciated their slaves.  Slaves were provided with food and shelter (and for their family) because of their worth (as a slave). The “Slave Trade” itself was a very very wicked enterprise, but at least most black slaves were granted a life whereas what Sanger put into action was to secretly and under a disguise – to destroy life. One of her league’s quotes was: “More for the fit and less for the unfit.”  Today 42% of American women have had an abortion and 1 our 6 of those 42% proclaim to be Christian women, and all this credit goes to Margaret Sanger for her dedicated work to finding ways to stop and take life instead of upholding life. What gets me is how doctors, who have to pledge to uphold life at all times, can perform abortions. Do you think America has stirred up the righteous anger of our Holy Father? Oh yes, most definitely and we can be sure of it by how He has allowed consequence of this inequity to fall upon our nation in many ways. 

The birth control pill (even if you got it from your doctor), or any form of birth control, abortion or even the thought of it, artificial insemination, fertility drugs, and having a needle injected in to your womb to see if your baby is okay are all inventions of unbelief in the God who creates and sustains life. These are "a people" who do not call on God for His wisdom and power about anything. They are those who work day and night to go against the wonderful will of God for physical life and a peaceful community. They deny God and all His mighty promises.

Did you know that the idea of our nation providing “Health Care” originated from this wicked woman? Her sophisticated school-based clinics are set up for abortion and will give your little girl an abortion without your knowledge, without your permission, but they won’t give your child an aspirin without your permission. Planned Parenthood is still planning and has “planned” (now putting it together) for public school fifth graders to each be given their “condom lollypop.” This is a clear wrapped smiley face sucker with a condom attached to it. OH YES! LET’S GET HAPPY ABOUT THAT!!!!!! And why have fifth graders been targetted?  Because most fifth grade children are having sex, and raping each other, and killing each other, and being introduced to gang living, and are on drugs, and are taking drugs and weapons to school, etc. The whole truth is that children much younger than fifth grade, down to kindergarten age, are doing things a child should never even think of doing. Does this disturb you?  It should! It should matter greatly to you where you little is “supposedly” getting a “good?” education. It should greatly concern you as a parent where your children spend 4-6 hours each day, five days a week. It should be your greatest concern to protect your little lambs from their prey. They are easily deceived and devoured.

You can no longer keep your head in the sand.  It’s not going to get better either, no matter how you pray, and no matter how involved you get in the public schools. You won’t change that system, but you can start the right one, which is what many have done. Good always overcomes evil. So why has evil taken over so much of our land?  If God's light overtakes darkness why are Christians hiding that light and holding back the good deeds that become the Bride of Jesus Christ, the overcoming victorious church with the Holy Spirit?  

From 1882-1962 there were 3 thousand KKK black hangings. But there has been 46 million (and rising) abortions in America, at 1,452 per day as a matter of fact.  Genocide has been given a “handsome frame” called – “Pro Choice.”  Behind it all is Satan telling every woman that her body belongs to her and she has the right to do what she wants with it, even kill a child’s life within it.

God added “pleasure” to marital sexual intercourse to reward our obedience of being fruitful to fill the whole earth with children for God to love and enjoy throughout eternity. When we try to selfishly control this we are bringing down on our own heads a judgment from God. I’m sorry if this disturbs you, but we need to be disturbed to obedience before it’s too late.  God’s time clock (of events and for His patience with rebellion and inequity) is running out and what He planned for the disobedient has already started.

Good deeds are what the Bride of Christ is known for and crowned for. They, the righteous acts of the saints, are the Bride’s clean white dress she wears for her coming up to be forever joined with Jesus Christ. It’s time we wake up, dress up, and speak up. We have been appointed to make ready a people prepared for the LORD! (Luke 1:17)   

Beloved, you must look to “the root” of who or what you depend on in this life. Whose "plan" are you rooted in?  Ignorance can no longer be an excuse. God repeats these words in Scripture:  “That you would know.”  It is not His will for you to remain ignorant of His wisdom and power for those who believe. God has too many of His prophets ready to die for the message He has burned in their hearts IN ORDER to set His people free, people who are still living in slavery due to ignorance. “People are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”  Here below is an article on Margaret Sanger that I found on the internet. The writer gives her a cloak of righteousness, but underneath this self-righteousness is hiding a dark secret of Satan. Be not unawares of the devil’s schemes.  Jesus told us that we are to recognize wicked deception and not be taken in and corrupted by it.     

“Margaret Sanger was educated as and worked as a nurse. In her work with poor women on the Lower East Side of New York, she was aware of the effects of unplanned and unwelcome pregnancies. Her mother's health had suffered as she bore eleven children. She came to believe in the importance to women's lives and women's health of the availability of birth control, a term which she's credited with inventing.

In 1912, Sanger gave up nursing work to dedicate herself to the distribution of birth control information. However, the Comstock Act of 1873 was used to forbid distribution of birth control devices and information. She wrote articles on health for the Socialist Party paper, the Call, and collected and published articles as What Every Girl Should Know (1916) and What Every Mother Should Know (1917).

In 1913 she went to Europe, founding a paper, Woman Rebel, on her return. She was indicted for "mailing obscenities," fled to Europe, and the indictment was withdrawn. In 1914 she founded the National Birth Control League which was taken over by Mary Ware Dennett and others while Sanger was in Europe.

In 1916 (1917 according to some sources), Sanger set up the first birth control clinic in the United States, and the following year, she was sent to the workhouse for "creating a public nuisance." Her many arrests and prosecutions, and the resulting outcries, helped lead to changes in laws giving doctors the right to give birth control advice (and later, birth control devices) to patients.

In 1927 Sanger helped organize the first World Population Conference in Geneva. In 1942, after several organizational mergers and name changes, Planned Parenthood Federation came into being.

Sanger wrote many books and articles on birth control, marriage and an autobiography (the latter in 1938).

Her first marriage, to William Sanger in 1900, ended in divorce in 1920; she was remarried in 1922 to J. Noah H. Slee, though she kept her by-then-famous (or infamous) name.

Today, organizations and individuals which oppose abortion and, sometimes, birth control, have charged Sanger with eugenicism and racism. Sanger supporters consider the charges exaggerated or false.” 

Beloved of God, we have been given everything we need for righteousness with the indwelling Holy Spirit and the blood of Christ – our robes of righteousness and the awesome favor of God for any good thing our hands find to do. Nothing can stop us and no one can shut the “door that God opens before us.” So be creative, be courageous, and provide truth and hope whenever and wherever you can. Vote against our taxes being used any longer for Planned Parenthood.  

If you want to help others with "HOPE Centers" that provide the better way, God's way, for "parenthood" problems and needs I suggest you call: 1.800.424.8644 AFTER you've called on the Master Planner and looked into His plan book - the Bible. We don't all need to “reinvent the wheel” only hop on the ones that are already working and moving and get going bringing the standard of our God back into our own lives and back in to the land we live.

May the God of grace and mercy be with you in these darker last days that you be wise with the wisdom of God to know what you need to know and need to be doing, and faithfully at that, that you not stand ashamed before the Lord on that Day.

God bless you all!    

To defend and safeguard the future we need to alarm and upset the present. What future are we to defend and safeguard?

“Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.”  Daniel 7:27

The word “then” always follows an occurrence of some kind.  Leading up to Daniel 7:27 is all that God will do for this amazing event to happen, that of the saints receiving their inheritance for having been faithful to the end. After Satan in the man of lawlessness has been condemned to one thousand years in God’s prison for his total defilement within Jerusalem’s sacred temple - the returning saints with Jesus will rule on the earth. They will take over and be granted the nations. 

A saint is one who lived his/her born-again life for the perfect and acceptable will of God wholeheartedly.  God is at work for the reconciliation of the nations to Himself and this is every saint’s mission in one way or another.  God will give these overcoming Christians power and greatness of all the earthly and heavenly kingdoms in fulfillment of His good will that all men and their families should be at peace with God and live in peace with all men. Imagine that.  What has been impossible for man to accomplish on the earth since time began God will do in an instance when He turns over the sovereignty, power and greatness of earthly and heavenly kingdoms to the people of the Most High.  GLORY! 

When God told Adam, before Adam rebelled, to fill the earth and have dominion (sovereignty) over the earth and over every living thing He created for man – this is exactly what the saints will accomplish with Jesus – KING of kings and LORD of lords. And, surely Jesus is not KING of evil kings and LORD of wicked lords.

When you came to believe in Jesus Christ you first saw Him as your Savior; the one who died on the cross for your sins that you be forgiven by the Father and reconciled to Him.  But, Jesus didn’t stop there. He arose!  He went to the dead and preached salvation to them too leading a train of believers behind him. When Jesus ascended into Heaven He didn’t come up to the Father alone and HE'S NOT RETURNING ALONE. GLORY! 

Those saved after Christ’s ascension will rely on the Holy Spirit to lead the way in coming up to our Lord when it’s time. What a marvel the GOD-HEAD is! 

Reading through the Psalms of David I was challenged by the Spirit to see how many times David referred to the “vows” he made to God.  I had to ask myself what vow, if any, I had made to God. I have said to God at times in my Christian life that I would like to be more like Jesus, but I have never really consciously and intentionally made a vow.  Have you?  

Our words have power because God’s words have power and we are created in His image. God holds us to our spoken words, not to our secret thoughts. Most Christians are afraid to make a vow to God, but why are we afraid to promise something to God?  We don’t make a vow to God because we are capable of carrying it out all by ourselves. We make vows to God because we recognize our great need for Him in every way and even in fulfilling what we have promised Him. We need God to hear our heart’s cry for righteousness to fill every part of our being, as well as all throughout this wicked world. 

I don’t know about you, but when I met my Savior, the Lord Jesus, I simply believed in what He did for me on the cross. I confessed my sinful life and asked Him in to my heart to live there. I didn’t make a vow: a declaration of what I will do, a promise to God.  Did you?  When I consider my marriage vows to my husband I can see how the Lord has helped me to fulfill my vows to my husband; to honor (esteem) him and obey (submit to) his leadership and to stay with him through good times as well as through difficult times.  Did you know that you can not fulfill any vow to anyone without the grace of God?  You don’t know what tomorrow will bring or what you are physically and emotionally capable of.  God controls your tomorrow as He has controlled your past and He has a good future planned for you provided you live out your days trusting His love and promises and doing the work He has called you to with all your mind, soul, and strength.

“When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.  It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the [temple] messenger, ‘My vow was a mistake.’ Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?”  Ecclesiastes 5:4-6

“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” Ecclesiastes 5:2

“I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.”  Ecclesiastes 3:14

The saints who take over the kingdoms under the whole heavens when they return with King Jesus kept their vow similar to: "Here I am Lord use me in anyway You choose. I will follow You."  When they agreed to do what He asked them to do they knew that they could only accomplish it with the Holy Spirit, not without Him. Without the Holy Spirit, we are nothing in the eyes of the Lord.  Jesus and His Spirit are one.  Holy Spirit is the helpmate of Christ. 

“Ask of me,” says the Lord, “and I will give the nations.”  But, when you ask also know that there is much self-dying and safe-guarding to be done.  Accepting an invitation for future greatness from God is no small consideration.  Saying “yes” or “I will” should only be said after you have counted the cost here and now. 

Don’t fear making a vow to God because you recognize your own impotence. Fear God and come into agreement with His omnipotence.  In Christ's stead and with the power and wisdom of His Spirit we can do all things, even that which has and always will be impossible for man to do. 

You will continue to stay the same and failing to overcome the flesh, the world and the devil unless you determine in your spirit with the Holy Spirit to keep in union and strive with Him.  (I’m preaching to myself here.) The “new creation" in Christ we are to become gets stuck when we fail to ask of God and fear commitment to the wonderful and powerful control of the Holy Spirit.  

The saints are simply those followers of Jesus Christ who realized that without the Holy Spirit they could do nothing good in the eyes of God. They were not capable of becoming great and powerful in the will of God without the Spirit of God. They did not let fear of failure stop them from pursuing their destiny. They fully trusted in the favor and all-sufficient grace of God. They understood that grace means that God will not only fulfill His part, but theirs too. GLORY!    

How do we alarm and upset the present in order to defend and safeguard the future? It would seem that by what I said in the first part that we would not need to bother if God fulfills both His and our part of a vow.  This reminds me of a vow my husband made almost two decades ago to God because he truly believed God told him to, and so he vowed: “I will give you a tenth of everything if you will get me out of debt with my business.”   How did God live up to His part?  He got us out of debt alright.  The IRS came in and shut down our business confiscating our possessions.  Ten years later the whole debt was cancelled due to the laws of how long the IRS can hold it over your head.  God was faithful, but not in the way we had expected. 

When you make a vow be careful not to expect God to act in a certain way, but be very certain that He does have your glorious future in mind and heart.  We look back now and all we can say is GLORY TO GOD for where all that has brought us and what it taught us about how our God is perfect in all His ways. Our doubts and complaints don't change Him one bit and neither does it change the process by which He works.

Be sure that God is always working for our good future, but if we never learn from our failings how to think and act differently we will never come into the eternal life God so eagerly desires to give us.  Therefore, we must let certain revelations from the Holy Spirit of the Word alarm us to the wickedness hidden in our hearts that God wants to cast out of us with our permission of course.  He does nothing to change us unless we come into agreement with Him about it. 

We defend our faith in God by what we say we’ll do and then follow through with the strength of the never-failing Holy Spirit.  We need to understand how the flesh, the world and the devil work to defeat our faith in God and to keep us from finishing what is ours to do.  In sickness and in health, in riches and in poverty, in threat of death and in suffering – the ancient foe keeps at us till we are nothing more than a carnal Christian forfeiting what could've been ours. He untiringly seeks to keep us slaves to the sin or sins that so easily beset us.  

Coming into a vow with God will mean serious self-discipline and determination to see the righteousness of Christ formed in me. I'm not one for serious self-discipline. Are you? But I must constantly ask myself: "Do I truly want to share in Christ’s inheritance?  How far am I willing to go with the Lord?"  We are living in a day where we must think ahead of what we were called for and consider its cost while not forgetting the glorious promises met by our faith through the work of the Holy Spirit.         

To receive what you’ve never had - you’ve got to do what you’ve never done.

I have always resisted the prompting by the Holy Spirit to fasting in my prayer life. I've done a one-day fast only a few times in all of my thirty plus years of Christianity, but I've never done an extended time of fasting all food. The Lord spoke to me one morning and said, "Do the Esther Fast."  I wasn't sure what an Esther fast was, but I said, "Yes Lord."  So, with what I knew I decided to go without food all that day with the hope of God breaking enemy strongholds first off me and then off my family. I met with my daughter to walk and pray together and I asked the Lord if He would tell me when the fast was over as I didn't want to quit too soon simply because I was hungry or felt weak. So He lead me to the book called: Fasting For Spiritual Breakthroughs by Elmer L Towns. Towns brings out nine biblical fasts and other medical facts about fasting.  So I read "Esthers." Boy, was I enlightened and encouraged to see why God called me to the Esther Fast. I won't go into those details, but I would like to share a few results of why fasting food or certain foods is so beneficial.

Not only does fasting loose spiritual blindness and the "dumb and deaf spirit," but it cures diseases and illnesses that have attacked the body. Disease and illness is a clear sign that something is not right in your body, and with you spiritually. 

Fasting increases a healthy digestive system. It has mental benefits: calming hyperactivity, clearing depression, cures dyslexia and schizophrenia during short fasts, promotes ability to focus on priorities, mental functioning altogether. The physical reveals the spiritual. The mind is a precious and powerful thing. Satan knows this better than we.   

Fasting can give the body time to clear itself of toxic products from the wrong foods we do eat. Eating foods in the purest forms is what the mind and body need. Did you know that there is such a thing as a "brain allergy?"  Fasting "offending" foods for 3 months and then rotating food groups every 4 days helps all kinds of physical and psychological problems, including arthritis, with surprising success.  Towns says, "It appears to me that a yoke of bondage to foods and chemicals is more easily broken by frequent periods of abstinence (fasting). A 3-month withdrawal of the offending food is the equivalent of a fast from that food. Pediatricians, cardiologists, internists and many other specialists use this form of unconventional treatment for many ailments with interesting results.  Supervision is necessary."

As has been my problem, it is very easy to make food your god by giving in to your craving for a particular kind of food or daily diet. After you have given in to your cravings long enough you are addicted to it and find it hard to go without it. I know what this means in my own life as I have always craved rich and heavy desserts to the point of not being able to go a day without at least a little something in the category. Anything that becomes an addiction, alcohol and even prescribed drugs, displaces God from HIS rightful throne in our heart. Oswald Chambers said: "Make it a habit to have no habits."  Towns says: "If you belong to Christ then even good habits can keep you from serving Him. Eating is a necessary habit that some have elevated to the realm of worship. Don't let any chemical, food or drink become your god, and be careful not to become addicted to fasting either."

It is my strong belief that the closer walk we have with the Lord the more healthy we are mentally, physically and spiritually (Psalm 38:1-15). If we would be in tune with the Holy Spirit and live in obedience to HIM we would not be treating our bodies in the wrong way. The Holy Spirit wants to dwell in us long and full.

I personally learned from my 3-day Esther Fast that fasting with prayer turns the heart of the KING towards you so that HE is pleased to grant your petition. When King Xerxes saw how Haman (governor of the King's kingdom) was threatening and intimidating Esther behind his back he came at Haman with fury and with one word Haman was hung on his own gallows prepared for the Jews who would not bow to him.  This is exactly what the KING will do for us with our enemies. I found this to be very true. Fourteen days later my husband and I are still finding the results of what King Jesus decreed on my behalf.  GLORY!

Fasting and prayer produces amazing deliverances. We are in a day where Christians can no longer do what they've always done (traditionally and ritually) and expect what they've never had.  The Holy Spirit is doing new things with those who are making themselves presentable to the KING of Heaven. We are being called to put to death the misdeeds of the body, soul and spirit. We need healing and deliverance like never before because we have been compromising and procrastinating with our vows to God, the vow that said we would live for Him. You remember it don't you, or have you forgotten that divine moment when you received the death and life of Jesus Christ?

Jesus told the disciples that the "dumb and deaf" spirit could only be loosed by prayer AND FASTING. The church is filled with spiritually deaf and dumb Christians who neglect the daily reading and study of the Word of God and far too many can't even understand what they do read. "MY people perish for lack of knowledge."  Most the time it's nothing more than a evil stronghold that can be easily loosed by prayer and fasting and then establishing daily disciplines so that wicked spirit can not re-enter and cause even greater problems for you. If this is you, then call on the Lord to deliver you and fill you with His Spirit who is the teacher of God's Word and who guides you into all truth and the purpose for your freed life in Christ. Fast and pray till you have His peace that this "dumb and deaf" spirit is no longer holding you down and then set aside a time each day to faithfully read and study the Word of God, pray and then faithfully apply what the Spirit teaches you personally. This is crucial. You will not grow up in your faith unless you establish this right habit. This prepares you for what God really has for you to do for Him and He truly wants you physically and mentally healthy to enjoy what He has for you to do.  

You may be addicted to something that you can't break not even with all your praying and pleading to the Lord.  Fasting what you are addicted to is the key to success over our addictions, and you are not alone to do it. Jesus sent His Spirit to provide you with everything you would need for life and good deeds. If you get delivered from something but do not follow through with the discipline of filling the clean house (your body) with the life of the Holy Spirit then even more demons will return and worse will be the addiction. Believe me, it's true according to what Jesus said in Matthew 12:43-45.

I want to encourage you that fasting is not as difficult as the enemy, or even your own rebellious will, will tell you it is. The grace of God is more than enough for anything our faith prompts in us. The devil will say anything and work closely with your cravings to keep you from being delivered and healed and powerful with the Word of God, but greater is the Holy Spirit who lives to be all that you need.  GLORY!  

"Man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of GOD." 

If ever we, the servants of the Most High, needed to re-hear what Oswald Chambers said about John 2:24-25, its today.  Just as certain songs were meant to persist so are the wise sayings of godly servants of old, such as Oswald Chambers who wrote My Utmost For His Highest.

Quote: "Our Lord trusted no man; yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, never in despair about any man, because He put God first in trust; He trusted absolutely in what God's grace could do for any man. If I put my trust in human beings first, I will end in despairing of everyone; I will become bitter, because I have insisted on man being what no man can ever be - absolutely right. Never trust anything but the grace of God in yourself or in anyone else. Put God's needs first.

A man's obedience is to what he sees to be a need; Our Lord's obedience was to the will of His Father. 'Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God.'  (Hebrews 10:9) The cry of Christians today is, 'We must get some work to do; the heathen are dying without God; we must go and tell them of Him.' We have to see first of all that God's needs in us personally are being met. This (Christian) College is to get us rightly related to the needs of God. When God's needs in us have been met, then He will open the way for us (that open door that no man can shut) to realize His needs elsewhere.

'Whosoever receiveth one such little child in my name receiveth Me.'  Matthew 18:5

God's trust is that He gives me Himself as a babe. God expects my personal life to be a 'Bethlehem.' Am I allowing my natural life to be slowly transfigured by the indwelling life of the Son of God? God's ultimate purpose is that His Son might be manifested in my mortal flesh."

End of Quote.

The Newsboys have a song where they sing about the Bethlehem Babe with his little hand tightly holding the worshiper's finger.... "and He won't let go. It's nothing that I knew before but it's all I need to know. Come let us adore Him. He has come down to the world we live in and all I have to give Him - is adoration."

I want His hand to wrap around my life! I want to wrap my life around His call! 

Hebrews 5:9-6:12  “…and, once made perfect, Jesus became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so… Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case-things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. “

I find it interesting that what most American evangelical churches are only preaching from the pulpits today is what the writer of Hebrews (Holy Spirit) calls “elementary teaching.”  No wonder men are bored. No wonder the gospel isn’t advancing into all the world with the strength and force of those mighty men with king David. They broke free from debt, discouragement and discontentment and came out with kindgom thinking fighting-ready to take a nation. 

Where are the words of destiny being spoken in the churches? Where's the plan of action and I'm not talking about the inner action of our heart in obedience to God. That's elementariy! I'm talking about our true destination - the assignments we've been given for our faith and with our gifts and authority in the Spirit.  

There seems to be apprehension on the part of so many pastors as to how to lead their men to actively unite for a specific assignment from God. Christians are standing around "ready" but without anything "righteous" to do.  God has told His prophets what He is getting ready to do but in most cases are ignored and persecuted. 

Where's the teachings on the future, that which God is telling His people to do "in this day" and what He has promised to these faithful saints of glory? The things that accompany our salvation are those "righteous acts that become the Bride of Christ." We will not understand our work today unless we have a vision of our tomorrow - our true destiny with Righteousness.  For lack of knowledge and understanding the people of God come to ruin. (Hosea 4:6 and 14) The "elementary teachings" are part, not the whole, and it's time we move on!  

Jesus had John write about the “whole promise” in the book of Revelation, but few are hungry enough to study this book out for what they need to know TODAY. The return and thousand year reign of Jesus with His glorified saints is something you don’t hear preached from the pulpits in traditional churches.  It’s a shame too because congregations are not moving into what the writer of Hebrews was getting at when He said: “imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”  Faith is active not passive and is to advance in every dispensation with what God has on His heart to accomplish within His overall plan. God has the plan and we have our assignments and every one hundred years believers are required to make major adjustments in their thinking and way of doing things. This is why God pours out His Spirit every one hundred years - to protect our most holy faith. Otherwise, we keep doing it the same old way and even though we are busy as all get up - nothing "for God' gets done.  

God's plan is based on pre-ordained dates for certain things to happen. The prophetic is key here.  The Scriptures state that God does nothing without first telling His prophets so they will intercede in prayer and tell it forth.  

I believe that so many born-again infants shipwreck their faith in the first big storm that hits and run back into slavery because their future with Christ is rarely taught if mentioned at all and they repeatedly hear the basics (said in different ways) when they are hungry for more.  Idle hands are the devil's workshop.  We know the Lord loves us (in all that it means) but what is it we are to do?  Lord, we know you love us, now what are we to do for You?  Each of us need to hear it from the Lord and the prophets - those specific assignments.

If God told you that you would be crowned and receive a nation in the millennium would you not be looking into that nation right now as to the conflicts and needs there?  Would you be praying for those people and asking the Lord to provide you a way to visit there and be of use to Him there on their behalf? If God told you that you would be in power over a people’s group would you be thinking and maybe even living differently now with your day to day life? If God told you that you would be one of His kingdom managers would you be looking at how to manage your own family and household better? If God told you that you are that generation the prophets spoke of that would not experience death at the time of the return of Christ how would that change anything you are doing now with your time and finance?

“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.”

What does He mean by going on to maturity? 

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Distinguishing good from evil has to do with the unseen world and understanding how our enemy works and is at work among us. To move on from infancy to maturity much discipline and training is necessary in the study of God's Word and praying in the Spirit. Our understanding how the enemy defeats us and how we are to defeat him (Satan and his cohorts) is in the Word of God and is revealed by the Spirit. By the Spirit we overcome our flesh, the world and the devil so we can move on to who we truly are in Christ Jesus according to the promise of God. There is a great honor and crown and inheritance for those who overcome and an eternity for becoming more than you've ever imagined you could ever be.

What is the teaching of righteousness? We make the mistake in limiting the definition of  “righteousness” as doing right by God’s standard such as always telling the truth instead of lying; getting rid of those old sinful habits. The righteousness of the mature is far greater than overcoming sin in our lives. To love the Lord with all that we are and with everything we have is more than feelings and emotions, it's about our work on earth. The righteousness of the mature has to do with what God has for them to do because of what He is getting ready to do on the earth and in the heavens according to His plan and time-table.

The maturing of righteousness is more than knowledge and application of doing that which is right. It's like wine that needs to mature for it to be the best it can be. The mature study to understand the day they are living in and what the Lord has given them (and their family and church) to do accordingly.  The mature (the wise) are not focused on sin for they are confident that Christ has done away with it by His own blood and word. They understand that doing the perfect and acceptable will of God makes no time for the sinful nature to bear any more fruit. They have learned to trust the Scriptures that say:

 “The LORD is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” Jude 24

 “…as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. “ Ephesians 5:25-27

The elementary teachings are those things we needed in our spiritual infancy and need to keep touching base with, but are only the foundation on which we are to build - working out our salvation. The elementary truths have to do with our heart (the inner man), but righteousness is in line with our destiny. Our destiny, which our Father is just as eager to impart and grant must be built on a firm foundation of those elementary teachings of Christ.  

The kingdom of God first comes to our hearts to reign there fully. If we have welcomed His kingdom in our heart He will welcome us into His kingdom and appoint us to return with Him to reign and establish His everlasting kingdom on the earth. The rapture is not the end of the saints on the earth. They have one thousand years of all power and authority on the earth before eternity starts - that which will be as it was intended by God to be on the earth. GLORY!  

Most pastors do not preach on what develops maturity in the believer, but I don’t believe they fully can since it is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit to guide each one of us in to all truth and is the one who lays divine assignments in our hearts. So many congregations are held down in infancy by the teaching gift overriding the gifts of apostle and prophet which God gives to the church for her maturity.  

The spiritually mature receive new ways of thinking and working by the revelation of the Spirit. The Spirit’s outpour every one hundred years comes to break us away from traditional thinking and working to give way to the ‘new thing’ of the Holy Spirit in their day. Our faith can not grow up to our most holy faith unless we are keeping step with the Spirit of God. My husband has a quote: "The goal can never change, but the means will always change." Faith is defeated the moment we try to keep doing what we've always done in the way we've always done it, which is the human tendency.

If the prophetic is denied its honor and mantle in a church that church will not go on to maturity. Sadly, the prophetic gift and office face unfair conflict and in many cases are even asked to leave because it upsets what the pastor/teacher is trying to do. or keep doing. The office of apostle has been replaced with denominational corporations. The office of the prophet has been replaced with clerical hierarchy - controlling the people with rules and regulations.

The teaching gift and office is not the first given to the church, the gifts and calling of apostles and prophets were given first and then the teachers and so forth.  We are to bring our tithes (gifts) to the feet of the apostles who have the world view.

"And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues." 1 Corinthians 12:28

The apostles, prophets and teachers work together with the mind of Christ as the infant’s parent or shepherd under God.  The three are to be united in leadership for the maturity of the body otherwise they forfeit what could’ve been theirs as a church. 

What we are experiencing today in so many American churches where the teaching gift is fully in control is a lack of trust in the other two gifts and offices and especially those prophets God sends to a church body for their good future. 

Most teachers who are leading a congregation will have his/her own prophets just like the kings of Israel had who would say what the king wanted to hear and not what God wanted the king to hear.  Therefore, the prophets "of God" were always ostracized and even killed.  King Saul (before David became king) had Samuel the prophet, but Saul in his pride and haste dishonored Samuel and his office of priest and prophet and took it upon himself to do what God only gave the priest the right to do.  Therefore, the kingdom was taken from Saul and given to David.

The prophets were always given a revelation or vision of what God was getting ready to do both in the near and distant future. The teaching of the Apostles come with a world view that keeps the church from being mostly self-interested. (Acts 2:42-44) The teaching gifts and teaching office is mostly for the infant to get his foundation – the elementary teaching that is forever vital. But, so many believers (even teachers) never grow up to maturity and so the church becomes passive and even idle instead of confident and forceful with their vision from God. Apostles, prophets and teachers build up our most holy faith preparing us for what we are destined for.  

The elementary teachings of Christ have to do with the new creature in Christ, but maturity has to do with the New Jerusalem.  Salvation has its work to do that brings the new creature in Christ into their destiny, the glory of New Jerusalem. This is why the Lord warns us not to grieve (resist/reject) His Holy Spirit who creates in each of us a new heart and who brings godly passion, purity and purpose to our lives.

May we go on to maturity!

Run To The Hills!

These words woke me up last night (6/25/08) in the middle of the night. Then Psalm 121 came to my mind and I repeated it and went back to sleep.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you - the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

So, this morning I asked the Lord about this. I was reminded of how concerned (worried) I’ve been lately for all the fires up and down our state, gasoline going up and up, the drought, and worst of all – legalizing homosexual marriage in California. (Not to mention all the other turmoil in our world.) As I’ve prayer walked each morning I’ve hardly been able to get any words out – only groans.  But, I know from what the Scriptures teach that the Holy Spirit helps me pray and delivers my groans to the Father. 

I asked the Lord why the words “run to the hills.”  Is it for me and my husband, our children? Lord, we live in the hills. You put us here in Placerville hills and you’ve been showing us that it was for something that is coming.  So if not for us, then whom is this message for?  I sensed the Lord telling me to put it out on the website as He will bring whom He chooses to read it.

In case you haven’t heard California is being warned by God (through His servants the prophets) of judgment coming because California legalized Gay Marriage.  It is prophesied by many that a great earthquake is to hit San Francisco, and the Half Moon Bay coast line is to be hit with a tsunami.  So, if you live in those areas you better heed this warning.

Quote: “Several local and national prophetic voices have been warning the Body (Believers in Jesus Christ) of major natural disasters for California that will occur much sooner than many may think. The Lord has been shouting to His people to wake them up from their slumber. On Sunday, May 25th, 2008, four prophets from the International House showed up of Prayer in Kansas City, MO, showed up in San Jose, Ca. with a strong word from the Lord. The Lord has been speaking to them for several years about a catastrophe coming to California. The Lord has recently released them telling them to go preach in San Jose. God called these four prophets with a special mission to enter into regions before major catastrophes to prepare the church and provide disaster relief with the gospel. They call their team CRI (Crisis Response International) and their website is: http: www.criout.Com  

Six months before 9/11 hit New York, the Lord sent Sean Malone, one of these four prophets, to cry out every day for Manhattan. He was there when 9/11 happened and a team of them worked with the local church afterwards to provide relief. Five days before Hurricane Katrina hit, the Lord sent Sean and his family to New Orleans. Again, they were used of the Lord to minister to victims in the aftermath. In one instance they were serving food at a soup kitchen, asking people why they thought it had happened. Over and over again the response was that God did this. “We deserved it, and I repent.”  Hearts everywhere were tender and open to the gospel. The disaster had produced a huge harvest field.  Demons were cast out of people. People were being healed of diseases and addictions. Prostitutes heard the audible voice of the Lord leading them block by block to the crisis center and telling them to enter the building where the team was ministering.  The Lord was pouring out His Spirit in the midst of crisis.

The Lord showed this team of prophets that there would be 3 disasters to hit America. After the first one, the church would roll over and go back to sleep. After the second one, some of the church would wake up, but most would hit the snooze button and fall back asleep. But, by the third one, the crisis would be significant enough that the church would wake up for good. They believe that these 3 events refer to America’s 9/11, Katrina and now what will come to California. (end of quote)

Revelation 3:1-6 says:

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

“The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of the Lord stands firm forever.”   When California proudly gave homosexuals the legal right to a marriage license and to adopt children and call themselves a “family” there was nothing else to do but pronounce judgment upon this wickedness.  San Francisco was the first city in California to proudly parade and fight for their right to live this way. 

Francis Beach - Half Moon Bay is my absolute favorite place to camp on the ocean. I’ve been there half a dozen times since I happened upon the place three years ago. This last time that I went in May I noticed a sign at the entrance that can only be read as you are leaving the campgrounds/day use area. It told people that in case of a tsunami to head up this road (Kelly) to higher ground (to the hills).  I don’t know if the sign was always there and I just never noticed it, or if it had been recently posted there, but in either case the Lord wanted me to see it. Maybe to warn me not to go camping there in the near future?  Oh how this grieves me.

The first time I camped there I took a long walk along the coast cliff-line sensing the urgency to pray for the community of Half Moon Bay and so I did and every time since except this last time, which for some reason I didn’t think to pray as I had before. The same thing happened to me when my husband and I went to Pacific Grove/Monterey for his golf tournament about three years ago.  One beautiful bright morning as I was walking on the 17 Mile Drive road along the ocean and enjoying that magnificent view I sensed the need to pray for the communities there. I started praying and asking God to reveal the strongholds there keeping people from the knowledge of the truth and from coming to Christ and from maturity with the Holy Spirit. Three were revealed, the same three the Spirit revealed to me when I was praying for Half Moon Bay communities:  greed, witchcraft and the worship of creation. So, when you are sensing the need to pray - do so and calling on the Holy Spirit to reveal what you need to pray thoroughly. 

In the Bible God writes that He does nothing without first telling His prophets so they will begin to pray, preach and prepare for what is coming.  And from past record, not very many will heed their warnings, and this includes believers – to their loss.

Quote: "Prophets have been speaking for many years about a tsunami that would hit the coast of California. Some have spoken about San Francisco being under water, others about huge tidal waves coming at the coast. Sean had a dream in which he was on a beach (he later would indentify as Half Moon Bay). He saw the beach recede far out into the ocean. Knowing this was bad news, he began to run toward the hills, tied himself to a wooden post, and water rushed him over up to his neck."  (end of quote)